PHUKET SANDBOX FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
◉ As of 1st July, 2021, Phuket, Thailand will be open to international travelers.
◉ There will be no quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travelers who are tested negative seventy-two <72> hours before arrival in Phuket.
◉ You must spend at least fourteen <14> nights in Phuket before being able to travel freely in the rest of Amazing Thailand.
◉ You may stay for less than fourteen <14> nights and return to your home country directly from Phuket.
◉ Children aged six <6> or above must get a COVID test before departure from their home country.
◉ In case parents are found to have Covid-19 during their stay in Phuket, the children will be required to be put into isolation for fourteen <14> days thereon.
◉ Every traveler must obtain a ‘Certificate of Entry’ (COE) before being eligible to fly into Phuket International Airport.
◉ Check the website https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/ for the required documents and the four easy <4> steps to apply before arriving in Phuket.
◉ The Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General takes three <3> working days to process steps one <1> and step three <3> respectively so please leave enough time to apply.
◉ Applicants must continually check the result of their application on the website after submitting each step.
◉ Every traveler must obtain a ‘Certificate of Entry’ (COE) before being eligible to fly into Phuket International Airport.
◉ Check the website https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/ for the required documents and the four easy <4> steps to apply before arriving in Phuket.
◉ The Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General takes three <3> working days to process steps one <1> and step three <3> respectively so please leave enough time to apply.
◉ Applicants must continually check the result of their application on the website after submitting each step.
◉ International travelers with the following vaccines are able to enter Phuket.
◉ Thai FDA approved vaccines:
◉ AstraZeneca
◉ Moderna
◉ Johnson & Johnson
◉ Sinovac Biotech
◉ Sinopharm
◉ You must be vaccinated more than fourteen <14> days but within one <1> year before entering Thailand.
◉ A proof of vaccination must be submitted when applying for your ‘Certificate of Entry (COE)’.
◉ Airlines that announced direct flights to Phuket are:
◉ THAI Airways International
◉ Singapore Airlines
◉ Emirates
◉ Qatar Airways
◉ Hongkong airlines
◉ EVA Air
◉ Korean Air
◉ Jinair
◉ Cathay Pacific
◉ KLM
◉ Please check airline flight schedules on their websites as this list might change.
◉ Please be aware that some airlines might not be able to operate to your home country when returning due to their current regulations. Please check carefully.
◉ You are responsible to check their requirements for returning to your home country.
◉ You must get an ‘RT-PCR’ Covid test issued no more than seventy-two <72> hours before traveling and submit as per the requirements of the ‘Certificate of Entry’ (COE) – Step four <4>.
◉ Ensure that you have printed out:
◉ Your approved ‘Certificate of Entry’ (COE)
◉ Your ‘SHA Plus’ hotel reservation(s) showing at least fourteen <14> nights stay with the ‘SHABA’ confirmation (please see ‘Accommodation’ section below).
◉ Your Insurance policy summary showing the required coverage and receipt
Your RT-PCR test result
◉ You must download the ‘Mor Chana’ mobile application as soon as possible after landing.
Upon arrival at Immigration, you are required to:
◉ Your passport
◉ Completed a ‘™.6’ immigrational arrival card
◉ Provide your printed ‘COE’
◉ Provide your Visa (if applicable)
◉ Your “SHA Plus” hotel booking with the ‘SHABA’ confirmation (please see ‘Accommodation’ section below).
◉ Your travel insurance
◉ The ‘Mor Chana’ application loaded in your mobile telephone and ‘Check In’ at Phuket International Airport
◉ Your return flight confirmation from Phuket International Airport in the event you are staying in Phuket for less than fourteen <14> nights.
◉ ‘Mor Chana’ is an application that is simple and easy to use as it helps to track and trace where Thai residents, nationals and visitors alike in the case a Covid-19 case has been identified and contact needs to be made.
◉ In the application, there are four <4> points of information to be made accessible, which are ‘Camera’, ‘Location’, ‘Pictures’ and ‘Store’.
‘Mor Chana’ will notify users when they are at risk of being near or contacting a COVID-19 infected person.
Wristbands will be used ONLY in cases where tourists don’t have a mobile telephone or have an older telephone which won’t allow the sharing of their location.
◉ ‘SHA’ is a certification for businesses who meet the basic standards of hygiene and health safety for their products and services in accordance with the nationwide measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
◉ ‘SHA Plus’ is a certification for companies/individuals who have received their ‘SHA’ certification ‘PLUS’ at least 70% of their workforce has been fully vaccinated.
◉ The ‘SHA Plus’ list is constantly updated as and when businesses are certified.
◉ Follow this link: https://www.thailandsha.com/shalists/m/ to keep updated of ‘SHA Plus’ businesses.
◉ You can go anywhere within the Phuket province, BUT you must strictly follow the ‘DMHTTA’ precautions:
◉ D – Distancing
◉ M – Mask wearing
◉ H – Handwashing
◉ T – Temperature check
◉ T – Testing for COVID-19
◉ A – contact tracing application (‘Mor Chana’).
◉ Masks must be worn at all times in public areas. Fines are in place if you fail to adhere to this.
◉ A COVID-19 rapid test is required on day five <5>.
◉ You are required to scan ‘Mor Chana’ application and do a temperature check at your ‘SHA Plus’ hotel every day during your first fourteen <14> days stay.
◉ It is mandatory that you book a ‘SHA Plus’ hotel for the first fourteen <14> nights in Phuket.
◉ Residing in a private residence is not allowed on the first fourteen <14> nights for COVID-19 control purposes
The first seven <7> nights reservation must be at one hotel and after their PCR test is negative on day eight <8>, you can move to another hotel. After the next test on the thirtheen <13> night proves to be negative, you can then move to another SHA Plus+ hotel.
Once you have made your ‘SHA Plus’ hotel reservation(s), you must advise the hotel(s)/tour operator(s) or OTA(s) that you are joining the “Phuket Sandbox” project so that the hotel(s) can enter your booking details into the ‘SHABA’ (SHA Plus Booking Authentication) system and you will then receive a QR code and Reference number as required by the ‘Certificate of Entry’ application. No other forms of confirmation of reservation will be accepted.
◉ All ‘SHA Plus’ hotel bookings must be fully pre-paid for the first fourteen <14> nights or less if you are planning to stay in Phuket for less than fourteen <14> nights.
◉ Upon arrival at the airport, the PCR tests results will be issued within twelve <12> hours. During this time, you must remain in their hotel room until you have received a negative result.
◉ ‘RT-PCR’ tests on day six <6> and day twelve <12> are mandatory.
◉ RT-PCR Covid-19 test
◉ Every hospital in Phuket can provide an ‘RT-PCR’ test.
◉ The cost of an RT-PCR covid test ranges from two thousand five hundred <2,500> to four thousand <4,000> Thai Baht per person.
◉ Covid-19 testing is at your own expense.
◉ IF your covid-19 test is positive, you will be immediately admitted to a hospital for treatment.
◉ The Department of Health, Phuket will investigate your movements and notify and isolate those who have been in direct contact with you since your arrival.
◉ We recommend that you only book an excursion with ‘SHA Plus’ certified companies for your safety.
◉ The following marinas are open for service: Ao Por, Grand Marina, Ratsada Pier, Chalong Pier. From these ports you may travel by ‘SHA Plus+’ certified boats only to Phuket provincial islands.
◉ On the first fourteen <14> nights, you are allowed to visit islands in Phuket Province which include Koh Naka Yai, Koh Naka Noi, Koh Rang Yai, Koh Maprao (Coconut island), Koh Tapao Noi, Koh Tapao Yai, Koh Lone, Koh Mai Thon, Koh He (Coral island), Koh Bon, Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi.
Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao and Phang Nga Bay are NOT a part of Phuket province. You are not allowed to visit these places in the first fourteen <14> nights stay.
◉ We recommend that you only use ‘SHA Plus’ certified restaurants for your safety
◉ The consumption of alcohol in restaurants, bars and other places forms part of the provincial Covid-19 restrictions which are updated regularly by Provincial Governors. Compliance is mandatory under the ‘Disease Control Act’ when restrictions are in place.
◉ We recommend that you use only ‘SHA Plus’ certified taxis, minibuses and limousines.
◉ If more than two <2> persons are in a vehicle, masks must be worn at all times.
◉ Visitors who wish to drive themselves are able to rent a car during the first fourteen <14> night stay in Phuket.
◉ What’s open?
◉ The Central Floresta – the largest department store on the island and Porto do Phuket in Cherng Talay
◉ Many locally owned and managed restaurants are open across the island
◉ The beaches are all open, but please watch the flag warning system
◉ Surfing on many of the top beaches is in season
◉ The vibrant and in trend Phuket down small coffee shops, eateries and markets are open
◉ Some marine companies offering trips around Phuket island and island hopping within the province
◉ Dive shops and schools in some areas
◉ We expect more and more businesses will very slowly re-open as the year moves ahead
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◉ In the case you have a relative or friend who is already resident in Thailand, they are allowed to visit and stay with you during your fourteen <14> ‘SHA Plus’ hotel night stays.
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◉ Your friend or relative is responsible to comply with the current domestic travel requirements when traveling to see you.
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◉ At the time of press (and please be reminded that these regulations can/may change by individual Provincial Governors) the following regulations are required:
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◉ Fully vaccinated (two <2> vaccinations) OR one vaccination of the AstraZeneca vaccine
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OR
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◉ Show a Negative Covid-19 test within the past seven <7> before traveling to Phuket
OR
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◉ Show evidence that they have fully recovered from Covid-19 in the previous ninety <90> days.
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◉ If you show any Covid-19 symptoms it is your legal responsibility to immediately get a test.
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◉ IF you are shown to be ‘positive’ for Covid-19 and traveling with a group or family, everybody in the group or family must undergo a test and stay in an Alternative Hotel Quarantine (AHQ) covered by your expense. The remaining nights in the SHA Plus+ hotel will be cancelled automatically and the guests will be refunded in order to pay for the ALQ accommodation.
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◉ In all cases, if you are tested positive whilst in Thailand, you will be responsible for all medical expenses which must be covered by your ‘Covid-19’ insurance sum. In the case your medical insurance does not cover certain items, then you will be personally responsible to settle any outstanding before being discharged from hospital.
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After spending fourteen <14> nights in Phuket, you are free to go anywhere in Thailand but you must follow each province’s restrictions which can change.
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You must follow your home country’s entry requirements and Thailand is not responsible or able to assist with such updates by individual countries.