Thailand Sandbox entry rules from 1 April 2022
April 1, 2022Official Update! Thailand Sandbox entry rules from 1 April 2022
Thailand Sandbox. Pretravel testing is no longer required, and after completing 5 days within the Sandbox destinations, travellers will be allowed to travel domestically within Thailand.
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This information has been updated on 31 March, 2022.
Thailand Sandbox. The following rules will be in effect from 1 April, 2022, and will also apply to travellers who have applied for/obtained the Sandbox Thailand Pass or Certificate of Entry with scheduled arrivals from this date.
Points of entry:
- By air – Direct international flights to Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, Phuket, Krabi, Samui, Chiang Mai, U-Tapao, and Hat Yai (new) international airports, or transit domestically via dedicated flights.
- By land – Via border checkpoints in Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Songkhla, and Satun (new).
- By water – Eligible types of vessels include private yachts and ships of Thai government agencies, while Thai crew members on cargo ships will also be allowed to enter Thailand.
Eligible travellers / countries:
- For arrivals by air and water: Fully vaccinated Thai citizens and foreign travellers from all countries/territories.
- For arrivals by land: Fully vaccinated Thai citizens and foreign travellers from neighbouring countries connecting with the reopened border checkpoints (Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Songkhla, and Satun).
Eligible Sandbox destinations:
- Krabi, Phang-Nga, Phuket, Surat Thani (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao), Chon Buri (Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Si Racha, and Sattahip – only Na Jomtien and Bang Saray) and Trat (Ko Chang).
- Sandbox Extension – Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi, and Ko Samui/Ko Pha-ngan/Ko Tao.
Thailand Sandbox. Pre-arrival Requirements
All travellers must have the following documents for entering Thailand:
- A Thailand Pass (via https://tp.consular.go.th/) for arrivals by air and land; or a Certificate of Entry (via a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General) for arrivals by water.
- An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$20,000. Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand’s national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement.
- *TAT recommends that travellers make sure to check the small print of any COVID-19 insurance policy before purchasing. Ultimately, the policy should cover the cost of treatment and other medical expenses associated with being infected with COVID-19, including in-patient hospitalisation, hospital isolation, hotel isolation, or related quarantine. The insurance policy should also cover the whole duration that travellers are planning to stay in Thailand, plus at least 10 extra days as a precautionary measure in the event that the traveller’s second test result returns as positive.
- A proof of prepayment for 5 nights of accommodation at government-approved hotel/s; such as, SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) hotel, within the eligible Sandbox destinations.
- Travellers to Krabi, Phang-nga, or Phuket can change accommodation 3 times within the first 5 days (can book 3 different hotels) within the province.
- Travellers to Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao can change accommodation 3 times within the first 5 days (can book 3 different hotels). However, they must stay the first night on Ko Samui and must receive a negative result for their first RT-PCR test, before being able to change accommodation to other hotels on either Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, or Ko Tao. Or, they can choose to book 3 different hotels on Ko Samui alone.
- Travellers under the Sandbox Extension programme; such as, Phuket and Phang-nga, Phuket and Krabi, or Phuket and Ko Samui, can change accommodation 3 times within the first 5 days (can book 3 different hotels) within the areas. However, travellers on the Andaman (Krabi, Phang-nga, or Phuket) extension with Ko Samui, must extend their trip by air only.
- Travellers to Chon Buri (Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Si Racha, and Sattahip – only Na Jomtien and Bang Saray) and Trat (Ko Chang) can change accommodation 3 times (can book 3 different hotels) within the province/destination.
- A proof of prepayment for 2 COVID-19 tests while in Thailand: an RT-PCR test upon arrival (Day 0-1) and an antigen self-test on Day 5.
- Krabi, Phang-nga and Phuket: Travellers can reserve and prepay for the RT-PCR test via www.thailandpsas.com (2,100 Baht/test).
- Surat Thai (Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan, and Ko Tao): Travellers can book and prepay for the RT-PCR test when booking and prepaying for accommodation at SHA++ hotels (2,200 Baht/test). The test on Day 1 will be conducted at Samui International Airport.
- For travellers under the Sandbox Extension programme, as well as travellers to Chon Buri (Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Si Racha, Si Chang, and Sattahip – only Na Jomtien and Bang Saray) and Trat (Ko Chang), please contact your hotels for more information.
- A Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination
- Everyone 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand.
- Travellers 12-17 years of age travelling to Thailand unaccompanied must get vaccinated with at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand. Those travelling with parents are exempt from this requirement.
- Travellers under 12 years of age, travelling with parents, are exempt from this requirement.
- For arrivals by water, everyone on board must be fully vaccinated. This is except for travellers under 18 years of age, travelling with parents or guardians.
- Travellers with a history of COVID-19 infection who have received at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine post-infection must have a medical certificate of COVID-19 recovery.
- A Certificate of COVID-19 Recovery
- Travellers with a history of COVID-19 infection within a period of 14 days to 3 months and has yet to receive any vaccine post-infection must have a medical certificate of COVID-19 recovery.
Thailand Sandbox. On Arrival Requirements / During the Stay
- All travellers must undergo entry screening including body temperature check, and present the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks.
- At the point of entry for arrivals on a direct flight to Thailand’s international airport, and for arrivals with domestic connecting flights at either the first point of entry before boarding the transit flight, or at the final airport.
- Also, at the point of entry for arrivals by land and water.
- Proceed to the prearranged accommodation or medical facility to undergo the Day 1 RT-PCR test. The trip must be by a prearranged vehicle on a sealed route within a travelling time of no longer than 5 hours. Then, all travellers must wait for the test result within the hotel only. *Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents, can have a saliva test.
- Travellers whose test result returns as negative can enjoy travel activities within the Sandbox areas throughout the 5 days (nights), but must return to their prearranged accommodation on a nightly basis. They are not allowed to stay overnight in any other places. In addition, they will be provided with an Antigen Self-Test Kit for a self-test on Day 5 and be required to report/record the result via the MorChana application or another specified application.
- Travellers whose test result returns as positive will be referred for appropriate medical treatment in accordance with Thailand’s Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015). The expenses must be covered by the required insurance / own expense for foreign travellers, or national healthcare coverage for Thais and eligible foreign expatriates.
- Pending on their conditions, they may be medically advised to receive treatment in either hospital hotel isolation or community isolation.
- During receiving the medical treatment – at least 10 days, they must remain in their accommodation only. They should not leave their accommodation unless utmost necessary, and must notify the Communicable Disease Control officer in-charge.
- After having recovered from COVID-19, they will receive a medical certificate of recovery.
- Travellers must stay at least the first 5 days (nights) within the Sandbox destination/s if planning to continue the journey to other destinations in Thailand. If staying less than 5 days (nights), the traveller must leave Thailand to another country immediately.
- While in Thailand, travellers are advised to strictly follow standard, good personal hygiene practices; such as, wear a mask in public, maintain hand hygiene (washing with soap and water or using hand sanitiser), and keep physical distance of at least 1 metre from others. *Travellers who are experiencing COVID-like symptoms should get tested. If testing positive they must get appropriate medical treatment.
- All travellers must download and install the MorChana application, and set it on at all times for the COVID-19 precautionary measures and to record the self-ATK result on Day 5 in the application.
- *The self-ATK on Day 5 will not be required if the traveller’s length of stay in the Sandbox destination/s is less than 5 nights, or his/her scheduled international departure date out of Thailand is on Day 5 or before. For example, if the traveller plans to stay in Thailand for 4 days, then he/she does not have to undergo the self-ATK, but he/she must leave for another country immediately. However, the traveller may be required to take another test depending on the airline and the final international destination. For travellers who intend to stay more than 5 days (nights), they will be required to undergo the self-ATK on Day 5 although they are scheduled to leave for another country the next day.
- Travellers who intend to stay more than 5 nights and to continue their journey to other parts of Thailand must undergo the self-ATK on Day 5. After receiving a negative test result, travellers can obtain a ‘Release Form’ and continue their journey domestically.
Thailand Sandbox. Guidelines for Domestic / International Departure
Domestic departure – After having stayed the first 5 days (nights) in the eligible Sandbox destinations, travellers must obtain a ‘Release Form’ from their accommodation and from Day 6 are free to go anywhere in Thailand.
International departure – It is the responsibility of travellers or their organisations to make sure that the travellers meet the requirements of their specific international destination regardless of the point of departure.
Kindly note the information is to serve as reference only. It is especially important to check in regularly on www.tatnews.org to stay current on what remains a very fluid and fast-changing situation.
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