Phuket Sandbox Recommendations

[KhaoYai]

My wife will be flying back to Thailand in early October.  We are still trying to decide whether she stays in ASQ in Bangkok or takes advantage of the Phuket Sandbox scheme (or even Hua Hin if that gets confirmed).

 

Firstly, I have to state that if it wasn't for the fact that my wife (and later myself) have to travel between the UK and Thailand, I really wouldn't bother.  Its hardly surprising that there have been far fewer arrivals in Phuket than expected.  We are in unchartered territory so I expected a few more things to do than just booking flights but I doubt many real tourists would be prepared to go through the hassle I'm experiencing at the moment.

 

There are problems in the entry process in general and some specific to Phuket.

 

In general:

 

The Royal Thai Embassy in London insists on calling the Sandbox hotels AQ instead of SHA plus but that's by the by - they also rattle on about quarantine packages and provide links to providers - at least one of which doesn't work. 

 

One provider, Agoda, for some strange reason lists prices of ASQ stays in Bangkok etc. as an all in one package that includes testing.  For the Phuket Sandbox hotels there is no mention of testing being included. How is a traveller supposed to decide on the best package for them if they find there are additional costs to face later?

 

Back to the Embassy, as I understand it, being a Thai national, my wife doesn't need the $100,000 covid insurance for ASQ but she does for the Sandbox scheme. The embassy states that Thai nationals require the insurance and steer you to the Thai General Insurance Association website https://covid19.tgia.org/ . There you select 'For Inbound Travellers' then 'Buy Now' where you are presented with some questions, one of which is some options regarding your visa status - there is no provision for Thai nationals. Another question asks how long you require the insurance for - the minimum being 30 days. Why would a Thai national need to pay for 30 days of insurance when the Sandbox is 14 days?  In any case, the visa status question prevents you from completing that section for a Thai national.  So how do I get my wife insured?

 

We are trying to compare costs between ASQ and SHA and finding it pretty difficult to say the least.  When I checked for insurance for myself last year I seemed to remember it wasn't as bad as I expected but the website has now changed - whereas you simply had to list your age to get a quote, you now have a whole section of personal details to complete.

 

I've read on here that ther COE process has changed since last year and presumed it was for the better - compared to the hash of things they made of it last year. Now it appears there are 4 steps to obtaining COE and from reports I've read on here, it can take 3 to 4 weeks to obtain.

 

Tourists are used to going online, comparing a few prices followed by a more or less one step booking - I really can't see them mucking around with all this - I have no choice or I'd just simply give up. In my honest opinion, most would be visitors will take a look at what's involved and decide on somewhere else.

 

So rant over what I'd like some help with is:

 

1. Given the tgia website doesn't appear to accommodate Thai nationals (despite a statement on it saying its required), how do I get a price for/obtain insurance for my wife.

 

2. I've found one website that appears to give prices for all inclusive packages to Phuket, does anyone know of others?

 

3. Has anyone been through the same process? Any pointers?

 

4. As per a different thread, does anyone know if there are any flights running from Phuket to Bangkok?

 

Incidentally, the website I found that lists 'all inclusive packages' for Phuket is called Royal Vacation. The deals seem too good to be true - they include Hotel Accommodation, COE Service, Covid 19 Insurance, One Way Transfer, 3 Covid Tests. The prices start at 24,160 baht!!! Has anyone any experience of this company?

 

https://royalvacationdmc.com/phuket-sandbox-all-in-one-packages/?https://royalvacationdmc.com/phuket-sandbox-all-in-one-packages/&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj4Gcvrry8gIV2d_tCh3ZSAlkEAAYAiAAEgLU2_D_BwE

 

 

[sezze]

I do know what you mean . You do find various different info on several "official" websites . You would assume that somebody in TAT must be smart enough to put complete packages together all included , you provide the info if you are vaccinated or not and give you complete packages all included until you are fine out of quarantine .

[John9]

I do not know of all inclusive packages and for Thai nationals but I as UK passport holder with retirement O extension just applied and got COE from London Thai Commission for travel in October.

I took covid insurance from TRUE Insurance Thailand online. Booked SHAPLUS hotel in Phuket for 14 nights. Once you have booked and paid for SHA+ hotel they email you with certificate of booking and website to book 3 PCR tests. You must have flight booked than you go on this site confirm your flight and SHA+ hotel booking details and pay THB8000 for three PCR tests. Once booked they email confirmation number of payment along with that, SHA+ booking and flight you need to upload to COE application than you get COE by email.

[Thalueng]

1. My wife has a health insurance in Thailand, they also issue the required Covid certificate. Several insurers offer Covid only insurance in Thailand, and for sandbox, she needs one.

2. No sandbox hotel is allowed to include covid tests, you need to book them separately as per guide line before obtaining the final CoE. Find the test location close to your hotel when booking, so it's easy to get there. Initially it was intended that the hotels can handle the tests, but this did not work. Anyone offering the tests did not adjust their website and might or might not deduct the price for it (8000 Baht pp) when booking.

Obviously, ASQ quarantine hotels do include the tests, as you're not allowed to leave your room for 14 or 15 days.

3. My wife and I got the CoE issued within 3 days, other embassies might take a little longer. Certainly, sandbox is a million times better than quarantine, but slightly more expensive over all unless you only eat Thai Street food for 14 days.

4. Flights most likely will run, but can't say for sure until the day you require it. We will be hiring a private car which will take a few hours but not much longer door to door and will not require any additional Covid tests.

 

There are a few steps involved, but if you follow the guide published on the Thai embassy website it is quite straight forward. You must apply for CoE in the country you start your trip from irrespective of your nationality and should have stayed in that country for 21 days before departure. 

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, Thalueng said:

You must apply for CoE in the country you start your trip from irrespective of your nationality and should have stayed in that country for 21 days before departure. 

I was aware of the 21 day requirement but reading through some of the announcements it seems that only direct flights are eligible. My wife's flight is actually from Manchester to Bangkok but it can be changed to Phuket. However, both flights include a transit in Amsterdam. I don't know if transit is allowed or not - do you?  As far as I know, no airlines fly directly from Manchester to Phuket - they all include transits.

 

Update:

 

If I'm reading the rules correctly, as long as the passenger flies from an approved country and transits through a country that's also on the approved list, that's OK........I think.

Edited September 10, 2021 by KhaoYai

[nkg]

11 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Incidentally, the website I found that lists 'all inclusive packages' for Phuket is called Royal Vacation. The deals seem too good to be true - they include Hotel Accommodation, COE Service, Covid 19 Insurance, One Way Transfer, 3 Covid Tests. The prices start at 24,160 baht!!! Has anyone any experience of this company?

 

I've seen the hotel you linked to (Sleep with Me Patong) advertised at 9,000 baht for 14 nights, so 24K for the package would be doable. Good questions in your thread.

[KhaoYai]

Whilst I appreciate that its do-able, some of the items you mention are not immediately available - you have to do some searching to find the details.  For example, you mention that the hotel send you the web address where you can book the tests.  That information is not on the COE website.

 

Someone like myself who has no choice has to find that information - I doubt many real tourists will be prepared to do that much work.  Especially when they find they are going to be tracked and, according to a friend who lives on Phuket, the place is pretty much dead.

 

If they want genuine tourists back they are going to have to make things a lot easier to navigate.  That said, the company that provides the all inclusive packages appear to do all the legwork for you and they have good reviews on Tripadvisor - I just wonder how many people have actually found them.

 

I've read on here and my friend confirms that the majority of those arriving on Phuket are expats, Thai's or people like myself who have family connections in Thailand.  That's not really a boost to the country's economy, all its done is take away some of the ASQ business from Bangkok and Pattaya hotels. A small boost for Phuket but no real difference to the country as a whole.

[daejung]

I was interested in using the Sandbox program as I saw a small hotel where I stayed before covid, listed on https://www.thailandsha.

 

The problem is that https://www.thailandsha. doesn't seem reliable for booking an hotel. I call them up directly and they told me that that goverment changed its policy ans that small hotels no longer can be "SHA" hotels.

 

And not many filters to select another hotel, only "Phuket"

 

[skytrooper70]

I'm in the process of arranging to travel, in late September, to Phuket, using the Royal Thai Vacation services. They've offered to provide my SHA PLUS hotel accommodation, SHA PLUS airport transfer to hotel, COVID-19 insurance cover, arrange my three prepaid RT-PCR tests and actually handle the entire COE application. So far, all that I have had to do is provide them with my passport, flight details and vaccination card. To be honest, it is quite expensive compared to sorting out the process, on my own; however, after getting a very confusing run around, at the Thai LA Consulate, on my initial COE application, coupled with the hassles searching for insurance, at 75 years old, I figured that the extra cost would be worthwhile. Of course, the proof is in the pudding.

[John9]

If this can help any of you going for sandbox. I bought TRUE INSURANCE for covid online from Thailand for THB 7400 for 3 months. Covers for 100k US as required and got preapproval COE. Than searched online SHA+ hotels in Phuket and booked direct with Four Points by Sheraton for 22K THB for 14 nights. Received SHA+ certificate plus link to book PCR TEST. Booked flight to Phuket on Singapore Air London Phuket transit Singapore and than booked PCR Tests in Phuket where you need to confirm flight details and SHA+ Hotel confirmation number. Once paid for PCR Tests - upload Paid PCR Test confirmation, Flight and SHA+ hotel confirmation and received COE from London next day.