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How to get to Thailand with the Phuket Sandbox? No Quarantine & 30-Day Visa Exemption

October 1, 2021 /

Right now, there are 2 ways to get to Thailand:

  • by quarantining for 14 days (we talked about it here) in Bangkok
  • or by being vaccinated (2 doses) for at least 14 days, and arriving directly in Phuket. You won’t be quarantined but will be required to stay only on the island of Phuket and surrounding islands for 7 nights.

We’re going to explain how to get to Thailand via the Phuket Sandbox, without going through an agency.

It’s very easy and quick, you just need to understand English and have a fairly well-filled wallet.

Should you opt for a visa?

We compared the different visa options in this article.

Personally, we chose to come to Thailand with a visa exemption (30 days right now). This allows us not to have to go to the Thai embassy in Paris or do the e-visa online.

The 30-day extension is super easy to get on the spot. Right now, stay extensions (Covid extension visa) are 60 days each time, so we don’t see why you’d bother so much for a visa.

CoE: Certificate of Entry

However, even with a visa exemption, you need to apply for what is called a “Certificate of Entry” on the official website https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/

If you plan to come with a visa exemption, here is the process for the corresponding CoE:

  1. You provide the required documents for pre-approval, namely: proof of international insurance covering COVID (minimum 100,000 USD), a scan of your passport, and your vaccination passport
  2. As soon as you’re pre-approved by the embassy (one business day right now), you book the flight and a hotel for the entire duration of your stay in Phuket
  3. You upload these new documents to the platform to complete your application. These documents must be uploaded within 15 days of pre-approval.
  4. Your Certificate of Entry is issued (one business day at the moment)

Currently (September 2021), the processing time observed is 7-9 business days. There are many applications, so they are processed by arrival date in Thailand (the most urgent applications first). Feel free to call the embassy if you haven’t received a response. Attention! CoE emails can end up in spam so check every day. At worst, check the status of your application directly on the website to not miss anything!

What documents to prepare?

  • Pre-approval:
    • Scan of your passport info page
    • Certificate of international insurance covering COVID for a minimum of 100,000 USD
    • Vaccination passport (to obtain directly from the ameli.fr website)
  • The remaining documents:
    • Round-trip flight tickets
    • SHABA Confirmation Letter from the hotel in Phuket

How to obtain the documents?

Here are the required documents and where to get them:

  • Scan of your passport info page: we had it scanned in color and saved as a PDF. If you don’t have a scanner, go to any photocopy shop, they’ll know how to do it for you. If you’re in the middle of nowhere, you can just take a photo. Make sure all the information is clear and readable.
  • Certificate of international insurance covering COVID for a minimum of 100,000 USD : We simply went through our current international insurance Yupwego. You can get this insurance certificate directly on their site. You need to buy insurance for the duration of your stay (minimum 45 days). Personally, since we plan to stay longer, we paid for insurance for 4 and a half months (knowing that unused days will be refunded). The certificate looks roughly like this. I’ll just show you an excerpt. You can also go through Chapka who is used to handling this type of request.

Insurance will cost you around 50€/person/month.

  • vaccination certificate: to download from ameli.fr You need a vaccination certificate for a vaccine approved by the WHO or the Thai Ministry of Health. The last dose must be dated at least 14 days before you travel (counting from the day after the second dose until your departure date). Both vaccine doses are mandatory even if you’ve already had COVID-19 before, unless you received Johnson & Johnson (Janssen). The two doses must be of the same vaccine. The vaccine certificate is not required for travelers under 18 if they are traveling with vaccinated parents.

Round-trip flights cost 500€/person

  • Booking of 7 nights in Phuket in a SHA+ hotel
    • Tourists must stay in Phuket for 7 nights in a SHA+ (SHA Plus) certified hotel before being able to leave the island. The first 7 nights must be booked consecutively in the same hotel.
    • Tourists who wish to stay in Thailand for less than 7 nights must present their exit ticket from Thailand and the SHA+ hotel booking for the entire stay in Phuket.
    • During the first 7 nights on the island, tourists must undergo 2 RT-PCR tests (at their own expense), in addition to tracing measures and the mandatory use of phone tracking apps. Those without smartphones will be given a tracking bracelet.
    • You can also check prices and book via Agoda. Only book hotels with the SHA+ logo. After booking online, get in direct contact with the hotel to request a SHABA confirmation. The hotel will guide you through the payment of the two PCR tests before giving you the SHABA confirmation
  • How many days to book? 7 nights
    • Plus you need to add: 2 PCR tests (to be paid at the hotel): around 2500 baht/PCR test via a website with online payment (the hotel will send you the link)
    • After booking, the hotel will provide you with a confirmation issued by SHABA (it’s their responsibility to enter your information into the SHABA system)

Prices start at €40/night. And budget 2500 baht/PCR test

How to apply for the CoE?

Go to https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/

Select Non-thai nationals

Watch the video and read the explanations carefully

You need to choose category 11 (Exempt) (if you come with the visa exemption) / Sandbox Program / Phuket Sandbox

Upload the following files:

  • Scan of your passport info page
  • Certificate of international insurance covering COVID for a minimum of 100,000 USD
  • Vaccination passport (to obtain directly from the ameli.fr website)

Once pre-approved, upload the rest:

  • Round-trip flight tickets
  • SHABA Confirmation Letter from the hotel in Phuket

After getting your CoE, what’s next?

  • One week before arrival: send your CoE-related documents to the hotel
  • At least 72 hours before departure: get a PCR test and ask for results in English
  • Send negative PCR test results to the hotel
  • The day before your trip:
    • Download the ThailandPlusapp. Prepare your Reference ID = the 6 digits given when you created your CoE file. And your CoE number.
    • Fill out and download T.8 Form (Health Declaration Form) on https://bit.ly/34X6sAJ
  • D-DAY: At the airport, after check-in: enter the 6 digits and your CoE code in the app ThailandPlus
  • Fly to Phuket
  • 7 nights in Phuket and 2 PCR tests on site
    • If you test positive for Covid, you’ll be transferred directly to the hospital. Good luck!
    • You can only leave your room after your first negative Covid test (usually comes back on day one)
    • During your 7 nights in Phuket, you’re free to move around anywhere in Phuket
  • If all goes well, with your negative PCR tests, you can now travel anywhere in Thailand. You can apply for a visa extension quite easily on site

To print and bring with you

  • Print two copies of your documents. Even if they only keep one copy of the negative Covid test, you never know…
    1. Passport
    2. CoE
    3. SHABA
    4. Negative PCR test
    5. Return ticket
    6. Completed T8 form https://bit.ly/34X6sAJ
    7. Covid insurance
    8. Vaccination certificate
    9. On the plane, you’ll be given the T6 form (blue), fill out only the “arrival” part, and keep the “departure” part until you leave Thailand

Sources

Here are my reliable sources:

Updated on October 1, 2021: I will no longer update this article. It’s up to you to find out about the latest measures. Call the embassy if needed, you won’t find the most recent information on a blog!!!

Planning a trip to Thailand? Our partner Get Your Guide offers entry tickets and guided tours with French-speaking guides at very reasonable rates. Click here to see what they offer and book online.

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  2. Scooter rental in Koh Tao (Thailand): address & prices
  3. How to Apply for the 60-Day Covid Extension in Thailand? Koh Phangan Immigration Office
  4. [Covid] How We Got the CoE (Certificate of Entry) for Thailand + 45-Day Visa Exemption
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