What you should know about Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has provided general information on the “Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension” programme, which is an upgrade to the existing Phuket Sandbox programme.

Starting from 16 August 2021, the “Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension” programme offers fully vaccinated international travellers to reduce the mandatory stay in Phuket from 14 to 7 days, after which another 7 nights can be spent in Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai, or Railay), Phang-Nga (Khao Lak or Ko Yao), or Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, or Ko Tao).

Measures to enter Thailand for Thais and non-Thai nationals

Pre-arrival

Travellers must travel from countries/territories approved by Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) (see the list below), and must have been in the said countries for no less than 21 days before their travel date – except Thai nationals and foreign expatriates returning from overseas. They must apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE), using the following documents:

• Copy of valid passport.
• Copy of the payment confirmation for no less than 14 nights stay at SHA Plus-certified hotel/s and for RT-PCR tests via www.thailandpsas.com. If the length of stay is less than 14 nights, travellers must also present a confirmed flight ticket out of Thailand.
• A certificate of vaccination against COVID-19 with a vaccine approved by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health or the World Health Organisation (WHO) no less than 14 days before their travel date.
• Copy of an insurance policy in English covering healthcare and treatment expenses for COVID-19 per applicant for the whole duration in Thailand with coverage clearly identified as no less than US$100,000.

Travellers must undergo exit screening before departure, must and present all required documentation including a medical certificate with a laboratory result by an RT-PCR method indicating that COVID-19 is not detected no more than 72 hours before their travel date.

Travellers under 18 years of age, travelling with their parents or guardians, must have a medical certificate with a laboratory result by an RT-PCR method indicating that COVID-19 is not detected no more than 72 hours before their travel date.

Arrival

• Travellers on direct, non-stop international flights to Phuket International Airport are subject to health screening, including a COVID-19 test*, and Immigration and Customs procedures at the point of entry.
  • Travellers must download and install an alert application, as well as set the application on at all times for the whole duration in Thailand.
  • Then proceed directly to the reserved hotel on the approved airport transfer service.
  • Wait for the result of the first COVID-19 test (conducted upon arrival or Day 0) in the hotel room only. If testing negative for COVID-19, travellers can go anywhere in Phuket

*Children under 6 years of age will receive a COVID-19 saliva test.

During the Stay

• Travellers are required to take additional RT-PCR tests as per the following:
  • Travellers with a length of stay less than 7 days are required to take another test on Day 6-7.
  • Travellers with a length of stay between 10-14 days are required to take the second test on Day 6-7 and the third test on Day 12-13.
• If testing positive for COVID-19, travellers will be referred to specified healthcare facilities for medical treatment, for which the expenses must be covered by the required insurance.

Phuket Sandbox

• Travellers are welcome to visit Phuket only and can stay less than 14 nights. However, they must leave Phuket immediately on an international flight to another country.
  • During the stay, they are still required to take additional RT-PCR tests on Day 6-7 and/or on Day 12-13.
• Travellers must have completed 14 nights in Phuket before being allowed to visit other Thai destinations than the selected areas in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani. They must also have tested negative for COVID-19 for two more times on Day 6-7 and Day 12-13.

Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension

• Before being allowed to travel to the selected areas in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani, travellers must obtain a ‘Transfer Form’ issued by their hotel in Phuket indicating that they have stayed in Phuket for 7 nights, which they will need to show together with the negative results of their two COVID-19 tests (conducted on Day 0 and Day 6-7 in Phuket).
• Travelling from Phuket to the selected areas in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thai is available only via approved routes and approved modes of transport.
  • Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai, or Railay) can be reached by SHA Plus-certified boat and ferry services from the approved piers – Ao Po Pier, Chalong Pier, Rassada Pier, and Wisit Panwa Pier.
  • Phang-Nga (Khao Lak) can be reached by SHA Plus-certified car transfer services from Phuket direct to the SHA Plus-certified hotels.
  • Phang-Nga (Ko Yao Noi or Ko Yao Yai) can be reached via SHA Plus-certified boat and ferry services from the approved piers – Ao Po Pier and Ao Po Grand Marina- to Ko Yao Yai’s Chonglat Pier and Ban Laem Yai Pier and to Ko Yao Noi’s Manoh Pier.
  • Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, or Ko Tao) can be reached via Bangkok Airways’ direct domestic flight on the Phuket-Ko Samui route.
• Once travellers have completed the 7-night extension in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani, and have tested negative in their third COVID-19 test (conducted on Day 12-13), they will receive a ‘Release Form’ from their hotel, and will be able to continue their journey to other destinations in Thailand.
• If the stay in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani is less than 7 nights, travellers must proceed directly to Phuket International Airport on the day of departure. At the port of entry back into Phuket, they will need to show a plane ticket or other proof of their international travel from Phuket.
• While in Thailand, travellers are advised to continue with the D-M-H-T-T-A precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19: D – Distancing, M – Mask wearing, H – Handwashing, T – Temperature check, T – Testing for COVID-19, and A – alert application.

International / Domestic Departure

• For travelling from Phuket to other countries, travellers are advised to follow the guidelines and measures announced by the respective country of their destination.
• For travelling from Phuket to other Thai destinations, travellers are required to show proof that they have completed a 14-night stay in Phuket together with the negative results of their three COVID-19 tests along with other required documentation per the guidelines and measures announced by the respective destinations.
• For travelling from Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani to other Thai destinations, travellers are required to show proof that they have completed a 7-night stay in Phuket and another 7-night stay in Krabi, Phang-Nga, or Surat Thani together with the negative results of their three COVID-19 tests along with other required documentation per the guidelines and measures announced by the respective destinations.