Shaba ID and other Sandbox related questions

[Inderpland]

I'm researching how to get through the Sandbox program and there are several issues I need to clarify.

 

1. When looking at the Covid test booking site they're requesting my Shaba ID. Is that some kind of number/code I get allocated when doing a SHA+ booking?

2. When I finally get to book Covid tests can I do the final test on day 6, one day before my departure from Pukhet?

3. Do I need to get some kind of official paper/certificate before leaving Phuket (will fly up to Bkk)?

4. When buying the Convid 100$ insurance is it enough to get insurance until your next flight out if you can show the booking or does it have to extend to the expiry of your permit to stay (in my case Non-O retirement)?

 

I would also like to know if there is a thread dedicated to the whole Sandbox program so that I don't start unnecessary threads.

Thanks in advance to anyone that might reply with some info.????

[richard_smith237]

Just now, Inderpland said:

1. When looking at the Covid test booking site they're requesting my Shaba ID. Is that some kind of number/code I get allocated when doing a SHA+ booking?

You book your stay at an SHA Plus hotel.

The hotel issues you with a SHABA booking certificate - on that certificate is your SHABA code which you use at the PSAS website to book your PCR tests

 

Just now, Inderpland said:

2. When I finally get to book Covid tests can I do the final test on day 6, one day before my departure from Pukhet?

When booking your Covid-19 PCR test on the PSAS booking site you list your flight arrival (and time) and select the arrival PCR test, the date of your second test is fixed (based on your arrival), you select your preferred location (from 5 options) and the time. 

 

Just now, Inderpland said:

3. Do I need to get some kind of official paper/certificate before leaving Phuket (will fly up to Bkk)?

Yes, your SHA+ hotel will issue you with a ‘release document’ upon check out. 

You will be asked to present this document upon checkin for your flight from Phuket to Bangkok. 

 

Just now, Inderpland said:

4. When buying the Convid 100$ insurance is it enough to get insurance until your next flight out if you can show the booking or does it have to extend to the expiry of your permit to stay (in my case Non-O retirement)?

Your Covid-19 (US$100,000) insurance need to cover your permission of stay. 

i.e. if you have a 90 day visa, your insurance needs to cover you for 90 days. 

If you have an extension of stay until 27th August 2022, your insurance needs to cover you until that date.

if you enter ‘Visa exempt’ and have a return flight after 2 weeks of entry, your insurance needs to cover you for that 2 week period. 

 

Just now, Inderpland said:

I would also like to know if there is a thread dedicated to the whole Sandbox program so that I don't start unnecessary threads.

There are loads of sandbox threads on this forum.

You can find them by running a search (the search function on the forum is hit and miss).

Search on Google - ‘Phuket Sandbox aseannow' and you should get plenty of hits. 

 

Note: the information changes as the requirements constantly change. 

[skatewash]

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1. When looking at the Covid test booking site they're requesting my Shaba ID. Is that some kind of number/code I get allocated when doing a SHA+ booking?

Yes.  You may wish to book directly with the SHA Plus hotel and cut out the middleman (booking dot com, agoda dot com).  The booking must be pre-paid so some of the pay on arrival policies can be problematic in getting the hotel to release your SHABA ID in a timely manner.

 

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2. When I finally get to book Covid tests can I do the final test on day 6, one day before my departure from Pukhet?

I believe the 2nd (final) test of the Phuket Sandbox occurs on day 6 of your stay.  You pay for the tests in advance on this site:  https://www.thailandpsas.com/

While the first (airport) test results are taking on average about 6 hours, the second (final) test can take longer (as long as 24 hours) so factor that into your plans for departure.

 

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3. Do I need to get some kind of official paper/certificate before leaving Phuket (will fly up to Bkk)?

Yes, you get this sort of documentation (Phuket Sandbox graduation) from your hotel upon completion of your stay.

 

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4. When buying the Convid 100$ insurance is it enough to get insurance until your next flight out if you can show the booking or does it have to extend to the expiry of your permit to stay (in my case Non-O retirement)?

You will need covid insurance to cover the period for your permission to stay that will be stamped into your passport upon entry to Thailand.  So, if you were to enter Thailand on a 90-day Non-O visa, you would need 90 days of covid insurance coverage.  If you are on an extension of stay and you enter Thailand on a re-entry permit you will need coverage up to your stay until date allowed by that re-entry permit (that is, up until your permission to stay expires).  I'm not certain if you don't have coverage for the full permission to stay period if you will just be stamped in for the period you do have covid insurance for, but that's one possibility.

These groups are very active on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/phuketsandbox

https://www.facebook.com/groups/388875605677294/

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Yes.  You may wish to book directly with the SHA Plus hotel and cut out the middleman (booking dot com, agoda dot com).  The booking must be pre-paid so some of the pay on arrival policies can be problematic in getting the hotel to release your SHABA ID in a timely manner.

Agoda offers SHA+ bookings, many of which are fully refundable (for any reason) up to the day before arrival. 

 

I booked with Agoda, which, as you mentioned was ‘automatic payment’ they day before arrival. 

The hotel requested a ‘receipt of payment’ from Agoda, rather than the usual booking conformation. 

Agoda where happy to provide me with this ‘receipt of payment’ although it did slow the booking process and issuance of the SHABA certificate down by about 1 day. 

 

 

[skatewash]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

Agoda offers SHA+ bookings, many of which are fully refundable (for any reason) up to the day before arrival. 

 

I booked with Agoda, which, as you mentioned was ‘automatic payment’ they day before arrival. 

The hotel requested a ‘receipt of payment’ from Agoda, rather than the usual booking conformation. 

Agoda where happy to provide me with this ‘receipt of payment’ although it did slow the booking process and issuance of the SHABA certificate down by about 1 day. 

 

 

Yes, I guess most of the "problems" have been ironed out of the process (most of the stories I recall were from the very early days of the Sandbox when nobody really knew how it would work).  I know people (such as yourself) have been successful with using the online booking sites (booking, agoda, etc) so it's definitely possible.  That said, if I were in a CoE time crunch and wanted to minimize any chance of miscommunication I would book directly with the hotel.  Also, you will be depending on the SHA Plus hotel for Sandbox stuff more than a typical visitor, so dealing with them directly seems like a good way to know how efficient and competent they are going to be when you are their guest in the Sandbox.

[Inderpland]

Thanks for all the helpful info.???? I have one follow-up question that I forgot to include in my OP and that is will I be asked for proof of additional (to the Covid 100k $) insurance when applying for the COE? I have an Aetna insurance that I renew on an annual basis but the plan I've chosen does not seem to cover the outpatient requirement.

[Inderpland]

22 hours ago, Inderpland said:

Thanks for all the helpful info.???? I have one follow-up question that I forgot to include in my OP and that is will I be asked for proof of additional (to the Covid 100k $) insurance when applying for the COE? I have an Aetna insurance that I renew on an annual basis but the plan I've chosen does not seem to cover the outpatient requirement.

Could anyone that has been through the Phuket sandbox with a long-stay visa (in my case Non-O ret.) please answer this? If they strictly check and enforce this I need to upgrade my existing Aetna insurance to cover the required 40k Baht in outpatient treatment.

[stevenl]

16 minutes ago, Inderpland said:

Could anyone that has been through the Phuket sandbox with a long-stay visa (in my case Non-O ret.) please answer this? If they strictly check and enforce this I need to upgrade my existing Aetna insurance to cover the required 40k Baht in outpatient treatment.

Did you ask Aetna if they will issue the required insurance certificate?

[Inderpland]

45 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Did you ask Aetna if they will issue the required insurance certificate?

I have asked the agent I use for insurance policies if Aetna can upgrade my existing policy to include the required outpatient requirement. That's all I've done so far. 

[Salerno]

1 hour ago, Inderpland said:

If they strictly check and enforce this I need to upgrade my existing Aetna insurance to cover the required 40k Baht in outpatient treatment.

That's for Non O-A not Non O.

[stevenl]

36 minutes ago, Inderpland said:

I have asked the agent I use for insurance policies if Aetna can upgrade my existing policy to include the required outpatient requirement. That's all I've done so far. 

Wrong question, you need the certificate. Just ask if they will issue the certificate.

[Inderpland]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Wrong question, you need the certificate. Just ask if they will issue the certificate.

You mean a certificate confirming I have a valid insurance with Aetna and cover limit? I have that as well as the insurance card with expiry date.

[Inderpland]

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

That's for Non O-A not Non O.

Is the Non O-A issued outside Thailand and the plain O issued in Thailand? If that's the case then I guess I'll be OK.

[Salerno]

3 minutes ago, Inderpland said:

If that's the case then I guess I'll be OK.

Sounds like you already have the visa? If so, check your passport. Or are you intending to enter Thailand then convert to end up on a retirement extension?

[Inderpland]

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

Sounds like you already have the visa? If so, check your passport. Or are you intending to enter Thailand then convert to end up on a retirement extension?

Yes, I have the visa/extension (ret.) already and it's issued in Thailand.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Inderpland said:

You mean a certificate confirming I have a valid insurance with Aetna and cover limit? I have that as well as the insurance card with expiry date.

I mean the insurance certificate required for the CoE.

[Salerno]

5 minutes ago, Inderpland said:

Yes, I have the visa/extension (ret.) already and it's issued in Thailand.

In that case just check to confirm what visa your extension is based on. If Non O forget about the 400K/40K insurance.

[Inderpland]

23 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I mean the insurance certificate required for the CoE.

I have bought a separate Covid 100k $ insurance and have received a certificate so it looks like I should be OK for entry since according to Salerno's info the extra 400/40k requirement is not for Non O holders. I assume that's what I am classified as even though in the reentry permit stamp under "category" it says "Non-Imm."

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, Inderpland said:

I have bought a separate Covid 100k $ insurance and have received a certificate so it looks like I should be OK for entry since according to Salerno's info the extra 400/40k requirement is not for Non O holders. I assume that's what I am classified as even though in the reentry permit stamp under "category" it says "Non-Imm."

Yes, you're ok with that.