The Phuket Sandbox is still on track for 1st July implementation. The Phuket Sandbox will allow fully vaccinated tourists to enter Phuket without quarantine. The Sandbox plan is still one step from approval but is being supported by the Thailand Tourist Association (TAT) and the Prime Minister. It was reviewed at cabinet earlier this week and given approval to proceed subject to one final approval. If the Phuket Sandox succeeds then further Sandboxes are proposed for other areas of Thailand including Chiang Mai and Pattaya.
For the Phuket Sandbox to be allowed to be implemented on 1st July
- 70% of the Phuket population have to have been vaccinated (currently 60% of 400,000)
- Only vaccinated visitors (Thai and foreign) will be allowed to enter the Island (currently entry to Phuket is very strictly controlled at all entry points)
- Phuket must have a very low incidence rate of Covid (it does)
All foreign visitors will have to meet strict conditions
- Visa from Thai Embassy
- Certificate of Entry from Thai Embassy (will be updated from current COE which requires quarantine)
- Visitor must come from low risk country
- Must have COVID-19 approved travel insurance (approx £100 per month) for duration of stay
- Must have negative PCR test 72 hours before travel
- Must have Vaccination certificate and have been fully vaccinated (2 doses) more than 14 days before arrival
- Must fly direct to Phuket (Thai are offering direct flights from LHR and various other European cities)
- Must be pre-booked to stay in an SHA Plus approved hotel for 14 days on arrival (but no restrictions on tourist activities and girlfriends can join you in your room :-))
- Must install contract tracing app
- Must have negative covid test on arrival and on Day 5 of stay (cost £10 - £25)
- Must follow the local rules for Covid avoidance (masks, social distancing etc)
After the 14 days in Phuket the visitor can then travel anywhere in Thailand.
Two links with more details
External Link/Members OnlyExternal Link/Members OnlyObviously, no-one can predict the future with Covid... so the whole Sandbox plan may fail, or UK may not be classed as low risk or a whole bunch of other stuff....
However, your action news reporter is going to give this a go in August. Flights booked (£550 return, changeable) Hotel booked (£10 a night, free cancellation ) I will do the Visa/COE/Insurance stuff in July when the Sandbox has officially opened. I will have to physically go to the Thai embassy (2 visits) for the Visa/COE