A Guide to Phuket’s Sandbox Program for Global Visitors

Since July of 2021, travelers from all over the globe have been welcome to join the Phuket Sandbox Program. Through this program, vaccinated visitors can travel around the island freely without the need for quarantine.

If you’re interested in applying for the program, read up on everything you need to know about it below.

Requirements for Eligibility

• Visitors must be fully vaccinated with a World Health Organization or Thailand Ministry of Public Health-approved vaccine. Upon entrance into the nation, visitors will need to present proof of vaccination that has been endorsed and issued by their respective government authorities.
• Only visitors that have come from a territory marked as low or medium risk by the Thai Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) within at least 21 days prior to arrival will be allowed to enter.
• Any minors (individuals under 18) will need to be accompanied by guardians that are fully vaccinated. The minors themselves will not need to be vaccinated, but they must take an RT-PCR test within 72 hours or less before arrival and show the results as negative upon entry.

Documents You’ll Need

• A valid passport with at least six months validity.
• Medical insurance with a minimum COVID-19 coverage worth $100,000 USD.
• Medical certificate showing negative results from an RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival. Thailand provides booking for tests that cover your

whole stay.

• Complete air travel booking round trip.
• Certificate of Entry (COE) from their respective home county’s Thai embassy.
• Complete accommodations from SHA+ certified hotels. Visitors must book a hotel in Phuket with at least 14 nights booked and paid for. Half of these need to be strictly SHA+ hotel stays.

Arrival Procedures

• New arrivals will go through Immigration and Department of Disease Control checkpoints.
• Local health authorities will administer an RT-PCR test.
• The Mor Chana tracking application will have to be installed on your personal mobile device.
• Transport to the hotel will be strictly SHA+ certified vehicles.
• Visitors must wait in their hotel room until their test results are out, which will be within the same day.
• If the test is negative, visitors are free to travel around Phuket as they please. They must also have their booked RT-PCR tests done at the end of each week.

Restrictions and Requirements During Your Stay

• After your 14-day Phuket stay, you can travel to other parts of the country.
• The first seven days of your stay need to be in a SHA+ hotel, though it’s recommended to do so for your whole stay. There are various approved hotels near Patong Beach and other major destinations on the island.
• There are checkpoints in attractions, malls, restaurants, and other locations that need entry. Here, they will use the app to mark their visit and have their temperature checked.
• If a visitor tests positive for COVID-19 during their stay, they will be transferred to an ASQ hotel for a 14-day quarantine. Medical treatment is at the visitor’s own expense.

The 7+7 Expansion Program

This program lets you explore more places in Thailand after your fourteen days in the Sandbox. No further tracking or testing will be required here, so signing up opens you to awesome places like Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai, and Khao Lak, among others. Each location has its own rules and restrictions, so travelers will need to check the latest updates.

Closing

If you can follow these guidelines, you can enjoy the natural beauty of Phuket with ease. Travelers that don’t have the time for prolonged quarantine periods and want to maximize their trip will most likely benefit from these programs. Thailand has so many points of interest to explore, so it’s worth checking these programs out.

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