Phuket Sandbox

[JRT]

I'm considering a visit Phuket. I have a few questions and would appreciate any insight.
1. I realize the requirement to stay in a SHA + hotels for the first 14 days. Once the 14 days are complete, can you move on to a non SHA+ or must the entire visit be in the SHA+ hotels?
2. Are Thai visitors allowed in the SHA + hotel rooms?
3. Is there anything at all open in the Paradise Complex? Ideally looking for a street bar?

Appreciate any other insight. Thanks.

[Dodger]

I'm considering a visit Phuket.

Why?

[Sen Yai]

JRT, the answers to your questions are:

1. Yes - After 14 days you can move on and stay anywhere in Phuket or indeed anywhere in Thailand including Bangkok and Pattaya and you can stay in any accommodation. Additionally, Phuket 7+7 is now in operation which means that after 7 days in your Phuket SHA+ hotel, you can travel to Ko Lac, Ko Yao Phi Phi, Railay and also Samui, Pha-ngan and Ko Tao for the remaining 7 days of sandbox.

2. Yes - Visitors are allowed to your SHA+ room. Contrary to common misunderstanding; you are not in any sort on quarantine in the first 14 days in Phuket. The idea of the SHA+ hotel registration is that 70% of the staff must be fully vaccinated to help protect them, their families and the local population.

3. No - Unfortunately all bars, night clubs and massage parlors in Paradise (and everywhere else in Phuket) are still closed at this time. However, there are still many of the staff who worked at these places around in Patong. Zoom-in on Grindr to the Paradise out Soi and you will find a number of guys (Thai and Burmese) who have made Patong their home and would be happy to meet you if you do visit. Hit them up for a chat to find out more about what's going on.

Here's a YouTube from sunset yesterday Saturday 21st Aug showing the beach at the end of the day and the restaurants on Thaweewong Road opening for the evening.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2Vra2qTcLU

[Dodger]

Lovely sunset.

Pizza Company is open also...Wow!

[JRT]

JRT, the answers to your questions are:

1. Yes - After 14 days you can move on and stay anywhere in Phuket or indeed anywhere in Thailand including Bangkok and Pattaya and you can stay in any accommodation. Additionally, Phuket 7+7 is now in operation which means that after 7 days in your Phuket SHA+ hotel, you can travel to Ko Lac, Ko Yao Phi Phi, Railay and also Samui, Pha-ngan and Ko Tao for the remaining 7 days of sandbox.

2. Yes - Visitors are allowed to your SHA+ room. Contrary to common misunderstanding; you are not in any sort on quarantine in the first 14 days in Phuket. The idea of the SHA+ hotel registration is that 70% of the staff must be fully vaccinated to help protect them, their families and the local population.

3. No - Unfortunately all bars, night clubs and massage parlors in Paradise (and everywhere else in Phuket) are still closed at this time. However, there are still many of the staff who worked at these places around in Patong. Zoom-in on Grindr to the Paradise out Soi and you will find a number of guys (Thai and Burmese) who have made Patong their home and would be happy to meet you if you do visit. Hit them up for a chat to find out more about what's going on.

Here's a YouTube from sunset yesterday Saturday 21st Aug showing the beach at the end of the day and the restaurants on Thaweewong Road opening for the evening.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2Vra2qTcLU

Thank you for the info.

[colmx]

There is a Facebook group which has great info for those considering the Sandbox

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

The sandbox gets a lot of abuse on this forum, but from what I see on the FB group 99% of the people that have travelled are more than happy with their decision to go. Of course that may be confirmation bias on their part. But I am willing to accept their views at face value.

Sen Yais information is the same as I would have posted. My only deviation would be to note that a visitor to your hotel room will need to be registered and fully vaccinated. Also, as this is Phuket remember that most medium or high end hotels are "family friendly" and thus will charge a 500 or 1000 joiner fee per joiner beyond your original first guest

[colmx]

Another useful link is to the company linked below. They do all-in-one packages which includes your hotel and SHABA cert, insurance, 3 X tests, taxi to hotel and handle (the most difficult part) the Certificate of Entry. Again they get great feedback on the FB group. As it seems a lot of people are unable to complete the COE on their own. All you have to handle are the flights and Vaccination certificate

For the normal 14 day day:
https://royalvacationdmc.com/phuket-sandbox-all-in-one-packages/

For the 7+7 extension:
https://royalvacationdmc.com/phuket-sandbox-extension-details/

In my opinion the small mark up they charge is well worth it as it removes the hassle of the Certificate of Entry.

My final advice is if you decide to get the COE yourself, then ensure that you use a Thai insurance company to cover your insurance requirements. I have seen quite a number of farang that have been left out of pocket (270,000b!) When they were forced into hospital quarantine due to a failed test. In all cases they had insurance from their own country and must pay the hospital first and claim later.... I foresee these being difficult claims as they did not require hospital due to illness

The Thai insurers on the other hand pay Bangkok-Phuket hospital directly

[colmx]

I am one that is definitely considering the Sandbox for an October trip

The current deal-breakers for me would be:
-Lack of internal flights, hopefully sorted by end of August
-Lack of alcohol in restaurants or hotel bars, again hopefully sorted by end of August
-Lack of open bars, hopefully sorted by end of September
-BF needs to be fully vaccinated to travel from bkk to Phuket. Hopefully he's getting dose 1 of Sinopharm in the morning (better than nothing at least!)

Everything else I am willing to accept, even the chance of being locked up in hospital for failing a test, although I have a feeling they will start to relax that before October, and even change the 3 mandatory tests to a test on day 1 and 6 by then.

[goji]

The Thai insurers on the other hand pay Bangkok-Phuket hospital directly

Thank you for the updates.
If you noted the detail, answers to a couple of questions would be much appreciated:
1 Which Thai insurers did this ?
2 Did you see any reference to people being sent to hospital for "inconclusive" PCR tests & the insurance outcome ?

I note there were a couple of reports of people being sent to hospital after "inconclusive" PCR tests last year, on the Facebook ASQ forum. I don't recall reading about the conclusions.

I'll read up on the Sandbox forum nearer the time of my next trip.

[colmx]

Aggh lost another post due to this damn buggy forum on a mobile device

Tune, AXA and Luma are the 3 thai insurers that will do direct pay to the hospitals

[colmx]

(Moved to laptop to prevent further lost posts!)
Some airlines such as Emirates and Etihad offer a "free" insurance which covers all the requirements of the COE and sandbox. But their cover for close contacts or asymptomatic infection is very limited. From memory its something like 100USD per day, whereas Bangkok-Phuket hospital charge 500 per USD day.

I saw one poster that failed his test on arrival and then paid 5600B for an Ambulance (in full hazmat) to take him to hospital for a second test. After failing that second test he was committed to Bangkok-Phuket hospital for 14 days at a cost of 271,000B. As he was using a french insurance provider he will need to pay frst and then try to claim later

[colmx]

This is the body of the most recent post by the French sandboxer referenced above:

*** Disclaimer before everything I wrote: By no means is this post intended to discourage people to come to Phuket and Thailand in general, it is a beautiful country with the nicest people, worth visiting for sure. I was just one of the unlucky ones to be tested positive on arrival, 30 so far out of more than 22000 people who came through sandbox program) This post is just to help people who might be in the same case as me, so they know what to expect. And also please double check your insurance really covers you because the costs will be high for hospital quarantine. ***

Thank you all for your nice and sweet messages and those in MP who gave me some good advices as they went through the same thing before. I'll be okay.

For info I am vaccinated with Johnson and Johnson (one shot only needed) and the insurance I have is AWP (which is Allianz), I took it through a website in Thailand. Will update on how it handles my case.

I arrived on 18th of August at 1:30pm with flight from Qatar Airways QR840, was waiting for my result forever and then this morning finally they called... Positive !
That's going to be a fun visit to Phuket for sure. Anyone knows what is the next step? Hotel told me a doctor would contact me and then what? Transfer to hospital?

UPDATE 1: went to the hospital to get tested again, "only" 5600thb for a transfer in an ambulance with the sirens on, no windows open and no ac (they told me they would breathe my very dangerous air in front). Never been in an ambulance before, I thought I would die in a car crash since it was a really fast transfer (oh the irony to die in an ambulance for a covid test).
I felt so special, the guy came to pick me up in full protective gear and stayed far away from me, then at the hospital they did the swab outside in a special area for "biohazard bomb" like me. I didn't know until now that it was possible to go that deep in a nose, that was brutal, one nostril only though, there is a limit to the pleasure they would give you
Now have to wait for a few hours to get the result and hopefully it comes up negative this time so I can get out of my room. If not I can try again another test.

UPDATE2: got a call this morning and second test came up positive again so that's it I now have to move to hospital, for the next 14 days. I am trying to negotiate to get my first 2 days as quarantine days as I was anyway stuck in my hotel room, let's see how that goes. Now I sure hope the insurance will cover up for the expenses, I will be transferred to Bangkok hospital in Phuket, they contacted me directly and asked if I was okay to go there and made sure that I understand I need to come with my card or cash to pay 100k thb deposit first. And then the cost of the hospital for 2 weeks should be around 271k thb... I sure hope my insurance will cover all this. Pick up by ambulance at 2pm,will update you later on the situation.

UPDATE 3: I arrived yesterday afternoon (20th) in the Bangkok hospital (it is in Phuket just as its name tells you ;-) ), they took me to my room which is actually quite nice as far as I can tell for an hospital room. Again I got lucky to get the ambulance for the second time in my life with the sirens on!. After a few hours I got the doctor on the phone who asked me about my symptoms, when it started... Told her it started with mild headache at my layover in Doha when I went to the lounge and was feeling cold... so because of that she said she would take my first positive test as the first day with covid (could have gotten one more day but well), so since I have already done 3 days in Phuket since arrival they will let me do only 11 days in hospital.
Nurses came to check on me, told them I had headache , a little sore throat and feeling like a cold. Temperature went up in the evening to 38.3c, but this morning when they checked me I was okay, back to a normal 36.8c. I just feel a bit tired (but I think the jet lag is there) and I still have strong headache / migraine. So I definitely have something. Lungs X-Ray didn't show anything bad, so I am good.
No news from the insurance so far and from what I see on the website of the hospital my room is 12k THB a night without treatment and doctor cost. My 100K THB deposit was taken ;-)

To be continued....

[latintopxxx]

you should be ok, 99,5% of deaths and serious complications are amongst the unvaccinated.

[Brad the Impala]

I am one that is definitely considering the Sandbox for an October trip

The current deal-breakers for me would be:
-Lack of internal flights, hopefully sorted by end of August


This seems to be getting sorted already, albeit in limited supply so far. Thai Airways is starting twice weekly flights between Phuket and Bangkok from the beginning of September. Used to be ten or so every day!

Thanks for all your good advice.

[Khor tose]

TRY going to Krabi instead of BKK. New rules on Phuket Sandbox.
Copied from the internet

"Starting from 16 August, 2021, the “Phuket Sandbox 7+7 Extension” program allows eligible international travelers 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 (Samui Plus – Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, or Ko Tao). Now you can book hotels, rent a car, find fun activities, as well as other services for your Phuket Sandbox trips at your disposal."

[cdnmatt]

This whole sandbox thing seems like a waste of money at this point. Has anyone been watching the cases in Thailand over the last month? Who cares if a couple travellers show up with Covid at this point?

[Patanawet]

The CCSA spokesman just said that 'in the future' the Sandbox 7+7 'might possibly' include Bangkok.
About 12'30secs in.
https://fb.watch/7BGR3Hc3Vr/

[goji]

The CCSA spokesman just said that 'in the future' the Sandbox 7+7 'might possibly' include Bangkok.

The current 7+7 allow people to move from the large island of Phuket to much smaller islands, or in the case of Railay, a part of the mainland only accessible by boat. It only takes a few hours to explore all of Railay, so I wouldn't want to spend a whole week there.

To state the obvious, Bangkok would be very different.

[Patanawet]

To state the obvious, Bangkok would be very different.
Hence my quotation marks.

[christianpfc]

Just make entire Thailand a sandbox / quarantine zone. Nothing to lose health-wise, only to gain tourist-money-wise.

[goji]

Just make entire Thailand a sandbox / quarantine zone. Nothing to lose health-wise, only to gain tourist-money-wise.

Hardly anyone will show up whilst the current lockdowns are in place.

Within 0~3 months after the lockdowns are ended, Thailand ought to have enough people vaccinated to allow people in with almost no restrictions (e.g. nothing or perhaps one covid test before departure). Abolish the sandbox, the COE, quarantine etc. Whether the Junta can figure that out is another question.

[Nirish guy]

As Thailand has just been added to the UK's "Red list" of Countries a few minutes ago ( i.e now considered to be one of the most dangerous Countries to visit Covid wise) I'm guessing that will all but wipe out any real chance of any / many visitors from the UK arriving in Thailand anytime soon, as to do so would mean an enforced quarantine for them when they return back to the UK in a government approved ( and extortionately priced) quarantine hotel. :-(

[gerefan2]

Not sure about that Nirish.

I think many (most) of the people taking advantage of the sandbox system are people with families, or with a business,in Thailand, which they want to return to. It’s better than doing 14 days solitary in a Bangkok hotel. They are going to Thailand for the long term.

No tourist in their right mind would be visiting Thailand while everything is closed.

[Dodger]

No

I think many (most) of the people taking advantage of the sandbox system are people with families, or with a business,in Thailand,

or...a HOT Thai boy waiting in the wings with open arms (and legs)...LOL

[cdnmatt]

This popped up on my Youtube feed, and thought some of you may find it interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFtZp8qpnBs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFtZp8qpnBs

[Moses]

11429

Hm... no bars and clubs anymore...

[Dodger]

What in the hell is a "Fish Fighting Arena"?

I picture two overweight sea bass fitted with spiked helmets and steel mesh fin protectors - dazzling the crowd with spinning back flips and tail slams.

[Moses]

What in the hell is a "Fish Fighting Arena"?

I picture two overweight sea bass fitted with spiked helmets and steel mesh fin protectors - dazzling the crowd with spinning back flips and tail slams.11430

like this

[dinagam]

11430

like this

... and the enthusiasts all appear to be plump or corpulent.

[arsenal]

I notice the chicken courts are closed too. This is typical Thailand. A legal system operating on a wing and a prayer leaving the defendant without a leg to stand on and unable to keep a breast of the case when he goes up before The Beak.

[christianpfc]

What in the hell is a "Fish Fighting Arena"?
Siamese fighting fish. There is even a museum dedicated to them in Samut Prakarn.

AFAIK, they are bred to be colorful with long tails/fins, and territorial so two fish in the same tank will attack each other until one is dead. More here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese_fighting_fish

Isn't cockfighting and gambling illegal anyway?

11432

[colmx]

This is the body of the most recent post by the French sandboxer referenced above:

*** Disclaimer
To be continued....
Just to update the post above from the French traveller that ended up in mandatory hospital:

UPDATE 4: All is good in the hospital, start to get used to the delicious food (actually to be really honest it isn't that bad, I had worst food in restaurant in UK ... just kidding), the visit from the nurse at 7AM to check my temperature, blood pressure and if my heart is still beating... she also like to ask me if I did poo poo and pee pee and how many times! She comes again at 6PM to make sure I will make it overnight and didn't die from boredom in my room. Doing a bit of yoga here and there to keep me heathy and stay against the window to catch a beautiful beach tan
Anyway, feeling better now (well was never that bad apart from the strong headache/migraine) and as per the doctor I will be out on September 1st in the morning. Hospital international dept (the one handling the insurance) called me as well and they have contacted my insurance which accepted to leave a payment guarantee so all good, insurance will pay. They apparently refused to pay for the Ambulance transfer (3000 THB), not really sure as I don't think I had any other choice. For information the bill for 3 days at the hospital is already 54000 THB, must be the super expensive paracetamol they gave (pills are yellow, it must be so much more expensive than the white one :-)).

LAST UPDATE: I am finally out of the hospital since the 1st of September, got a nice letter from the hospital explaining that all is good with me, I have spent my 2 weeks of recovery time and I recovered from covid, I am free to travel. Apparently I don't need to be tested anymore for the next 3 months as I could still test positive for a while. This document from the hospital would cover any positive test for 6 months I think. I have also been advised to self isolate for 7 more days.
When it comes to the bill, final bill was 178,000 THB for 12 days in the hospital, insurance was quick to reply to them at first and they have already accepted payment for 110k... they didn't approve nor saw the final bill at the time I was released so the hospital is not giving me back my 100k deposit yet, they are waiting on final approval from Allianz (received some paperwork by email yesterday to fill, sign and send back to them. Hopefully just a matter of days before my deposit is given back to me.
Glad to be finally out of this and be able to breathe some fresh air again, those 2 weeks seemed like forever. Now I can (almost) enjoy Thailand.