Phuket Sandbox: will the hotels allow my Thai girlfriend to come stay in the hotel with me as a domestic traveler from Chonburi if she only received one AstraZeneca shot so far?

[wml22]

As the title says, she has received only one AstraZeneca shot so she can't get a vaccine certificate. She isn't able to obtain the second shot until October. How can I find out whether the hotel and/or government will allow her to entry the Phuket Sandbox with me since she already has one shot (which already does provide some immunity)? Or is it definitely the case that she'll be banned from entry to Phuket and from staying in a hotel unless she already received both vaccine shots? I've so far been unable to get confirmation from the hotel staff (they said they don't know the answer).

Edited July 28, 2021 by wml22

[BritTim]

You can find the current rules (until July 31st) here: https://www.tatnews.org/2021/07/measures-for-domestic-travel-to-phuket-during-15-31-july-2021/

 

Assuming the same rules for the time period you have in mind, your girlfriend would need a negative RT-PCR test for Covid-19 prior to travel.

 

Trying to plan anything more than two days ahead in Thailand right now is an exercise in frustration. Goodness knows what the rules will be next week.

[habuspasha]

My understanding is that flights are cancelled between provinces until Aug 1, and my guess is that they will continue the ban beyond that.  I cancelled for precisely that reason.

[Heng]

I assume they changed the rules where you need to be married first?

[wml22]

2 hours ago, habuspasha said:

My understanding is that flights are cancelled between provinces until Aug 1, and my guess is that they will continue the ban beyond that.  I cancelled for precisely that reason.

I guess that I'll have to wait and see if the flights between Phuket and Bangkok resume after August 1st. If they don't, does that mean there's actually no possible way to leave the island and reach the mainland (not even a boat) after the 14 day sandbox period is finished?

 

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

You can find the current rules (until July 31st) here: https://www.tatnews.org/2021/07/measures-for-domestic-travel-to-phuket-during-15-31-july-2021/

 

Assuming the same rules for the time period you have in mind, your girlfriend would need a negative RT-PCR test for Covid-19 prior to travel.

 

Trying to plan anything more than two days ahead in Thailand right now is an exercise in frustration. Goodness knows what the rules will be next week.

 

This is great. It's very clear that she'd be able to join me having had one AstraZeneca shot as long as she also gets the negative PCR test within seven days prior to joining me.

[Upnotover]

5 minutes ago, wml22 said:

I guess that I'll have to wait and see if the flights between Phuket and Bangkok resume after August 1st. If they don't, does that mean there's actually no possible way to leave the island and reach the mainland (not even a boat) after the 14 day sandbox period is finished?

Good news for you.....there's a "free" bus......

 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Upnotover
s

[habuspasha]

"Good news for you.....there's a "free" bus......"

 

The free bus is not for Thais to travel to Phuket.  As it says, it is for "Foreign tourists caught out by domestic flight ban"  The gov't does not want Thais travelling from red provinces (now, most) to others  (including Phuket)..

 

 

[misterphil]

Just rent another girlfriend for the 2 weeks sandbox quarantine. Im sure there will be some very willing and discounted available right now.  

[Tony125]

10 hours ago, wml22 said:

I guess that I'll have to wait and see if the flights between Phuket and Bangkok resume after August 1st. If they don't, does that mean there's actually no possible way to leave the island and reach the mainland (not even a boat) after the 14 day sandbox period is finished?

 

 

This is great. It's very clear that she'd be able to join me having had one AstraZeneca shot as long as she also gets the negative PCR test within seven days prior to joining me.

As of today the stay on the island has been reduced from 14  to 7 days.

 

[DFPhuket]

I would suggest you tell your sandbox hotel that your girlfriend will be arriving one day after you (once you get a negative from your airport PCR test) and ask that her name be added to your reservation. If they give you any pushback you may wish to look at a different hotel. 

 

Based on my experience with the sandbox it would not have been an issue where I stayed, but a friend was staying at a different hotel and their rules supposedly prohibited it. 

[superal]

15 hours ago, habuspasha said:

My understanding is that flights are cancelled between provinces until Aug 1, and my guess is that they will continue the ban beyond that.  I cancelled for precisely that reason.

Just looked for flights to Buriram and Nok Air are taking bookings from the 1st August but Air Asia not available till 16th August . I would tend to have faith in Air Asia  . Looks like a car hire or taxi to get out of Bangkok . How can you make travel plans if even at only 1 week away with the state that Thailand is in now ? There is even the danger of getting stranded in Phuket or Samui if their flights are stopped .

[cormanr7]

As noted above, there is presently no air of bus transport to Phuket from Bangkok. Some airlines stubbornly maintain that they will be flying again on the 2nd of August. However, Thai AirAsia has just announced a further suspension to August 8th https://newsroom.airasia.com/news/travel-advisory-temporary-hibernation-of-airasia-thailand-flights. Although I have no info to support this, i think it is likely that there will be another ban of at least two weeks after August 2nd. In principle if anyone has 'a good reason' to travel they could enter Phuket by private car subject to the mandatory PCR test AND having had one (AZ) or (Sinovac) two vaccinations at least 14 days before travel https://www.tatnews.org/2021/07/measures-for-domestic-travel-to-phuket-during-15-31-july-2021/. Not sure if this is viable if you are not a resident of Phuket.

[wml22]

This is so screwed up. I'd be fine with booking for 7 days and then going to the mainland, but now they're making it seem like I couldn't get to the mainland until potentially November or December? The only reason anyone would still do a sandbox is to get to the mainland without having to spend ASQ trapped in a hotel and they're removed that incentive, if I understand this new update correctly.

 

I guess it would still work if there's a way to switch to a non-o visa from the visa exempt entry? 

 

"He said tourists will have to spend seven days on Phuket and take the COVID-19 test twice, before they are allowed to travel through these sealed routes in Krabi, Phang-nga and Samui, which will open for tourists in August, while Chiang Mai and Lamphun will open in October."

 

If I stay in Phuket for 7 days and then go to the mainland in the sealed routes such as Krabi or Phang-gna, is there any immigration office in those provinces that can process the application to change from a visa exempt entry to a non-o visa (e.g. 3-month marriage visa)?

Edited July 29, 2021 by wml22

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, wml22 said:

This is so screwed up. I'd be fine with booking for 7 days and then going to the mainland, but now they're making it seem like I couldn't get to the mainland until potentially November or December? The only reason anyone would still do a sandbox is to get to the mainland without having to spend ASQ trapped in a hotel and they're removed that incentive, if I understand this new update correctly.

I have seen nothing about not being able to leave Phuket until November or December.

Flights are scheduled to restart on August 1st at this time. 

Nok Air has temporarily started flying to Utapao form Phuket, From there it is possible to connect to flights to other parts of the country.

[wml22]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

I have seen nothing about not being able to leave Phuket until November or December.

Flights are scheduled to restart on August 1st at this time. 

Nok Air has temporarily started flying to Utapao form Phuket, From there it is possible to connect to flights to other parts of the country.

 

This seems to be saying that it will not be possible to get to Bangkok until some unspecified date in the fourth quarter.

[Thingamabob]

Not a good idea just now. Wait a while.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, wml22 said:

This seems to be saying that it will not be possible to get to Bangkok until some unspecified date in the fourth quarter.

What they are referring to in this paragraph is the opening of those other provinces with no quarantine or something similar to the sandbox.

 

Quote

Mr. Phlipat added that Hua Hin district, in Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Cha-am in Phetchaburi province are expected to welcome foreign tourists from October 1st. Bangkok and Pattaya, which are still "dark red" zones, will remain closed until the fourth quarter. Buri Ram province will also remain closed, with the cancellation of the Thailand Motorcycle Grand Prix.

 

[superal]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

What they are referring to in this paragraph is the opening of those other provinces with no quarantine or something similar to the sandbox.

 

 

Is it still possible to do the 14 day quarantine in a Bangkok hotel and when finished leave by car/taxi ?

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, superal said:

Is it still possible to do the 14 day quarantine in a Bangkok hotel and when finished leave by car/taxi ?

Yes you can.

[wml22]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

What they are referring to in this paragraph is the opening of those other provinces with no quarantine or something similar to the sandbox.

 

 

Ah OK. Thanks for clarifying that for me. Makes more sense.

[Oxx]

According to this morning's papers, the Phuket governor has ordered the entire island to be sealed off; travellers from other provinces not allowed to enter, starting Aug 3,

[wml22]

23 minutes ago, Oxx said:

According to this morning's papers, the Phuket governor has ordered the entire island to be sealed off; travellers from other provinces not allowed to enter, starting Aug 3,

Link/source? For how long? I just finally bought my airfare and booked the SHA+ hotels today with the understanding that my girlfriend will be able to join me in Phuket from Chonburi. My first hotel booking is from Sep 1st through 12th and the second hotel booking is from Sep 12th through 15th. 

 

EDIT: I see the source here: <removed>

<See: https://aseannow.com/topic/1225835-phuket-restricts-travel-from-other-thai-regions-as-covid-19-cases-surge/ >

 

 

Maybe I should just cancel everything. This is completely f-ed.

Edited July 30, 2021 by ubonjoe
Link to Bangkok post removed (forum rule)

[unblocktheplanet]

QUOTE

"As of today the stay on the island has been reduced from 14  to 7 days."

Idiots!

[wml22]

31 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

QUOTE

"As of today the stay on the island has been reduced from 14  to 7 days."

Idiots!

What? Does that mean the Phuket Sandbox is eliminated?

[BritTim]

4 minutes ago, wml22 said:

What? Does that mean the Phuket Sandbox is eliminated?

The way I understand it is that, instead of having to stay exclusively in Phuket for 14 days, you are now allowed to travel to other parts of Thailand after seven days. On the face of it, this would make the Phuket sandbox more attractive. However, it is unclear whether it makes a practical difference with interprovincial travel being difficult.

[Scott]

Unsourced post reported and removed.   Posting false or misleading information is not permitted and continuing will earn a suspension.  

 

[Tony125]

On 7/30/2021 at 7:41 AM, wml22 said:

Link/source? For how long? I just finally bought my airfare and booked the SHA+ hotels today with the understanding that my girlfriend will be able to join me in Phuket from Chonburi. My first hotel booking is from Sep 1st through 12th and the second hotel booking is from Sep 12th through 15th. 

 

EDIT: I see the source here: <removed>

<See: https://aseannow.com/topic/1225835-phuket-restricts-travel-from-other-thai-regions-as-covid-19-cases-surge/ >

 

 

Maybe I should just cancel everything. This is completely f-ed.

 

Thailand has sealed off the island of Phuket from the rest of the country just 30 days after opening it to tourists without quarantine

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/thailand-sealed-off-island-phuket-024917813.html

[DaLa]

On 7/29/2021 at 6:38 PM, Thingamabob said:

Not a good idea just now. Wait a while.

Good advice, say about  3 or 4 years to be certain.

[Tony125]

Covid crisis: Brakes put on Phuket-Samui 7+7 plan and calls for end to "island hopping"

[DrJack54]

People planning anything to do with Phuket and the other islands eg Samui need to stay very much in tune with current situations both re islands and the rest of Thailand.

One eg is article posted by @Tony125 above.

Restrictions can be extended/changed at any time.