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UPDATED! Sandbox entry programme suspended from 22 December 2021 (except Phuket Sandbox)
This information has been updated on 23 December, 2021.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide an update on the latest announcement published last night (22 December, 2021) in the Royal Thai Government Gazette that officially orders a temporary suspension of the Thailand Pass for all new applications under the Living in the Blue Zone Sandbox Destinations entry programme (except the Phuket Sandbox), effective from 22 December, 2021.
Travellers, who have already received a Thailand Pass QR code, who will be entering Thailand before 24 December, 2021, will be allowed to enter under the existing conditions of the scheme.
Travellers who have already received a Thailand Pass QR code, and will be entering Thailand from 24 December, 2021 onwards will be subject to the requirements as follows:
- They must have proof of a confirmed payment for at least a 7-day stay at an approved accommodation; such as, a SHA++ hotel, within a Blue Zone Sandbox destination.
The prepayment must also include the expenses for 1 RT-PCR test. - They must undergo their second COVID-19 test using the RT-PCR technique (not ATK self-test) at government-designated facilities on Day 5-6 of their stay, or when they experience respiratory symptoms (no additional cost). The test must be arranged by their respective prepaid accommodation.
New travellers under the Phuket Sandbox
All new Phuket Sandbox applications submitted from 22 December, 2021, onwards, and received a Thailand Pass QR code with scheduled travel dates from 24 December, 2021, onwards must have all the required documents and will be subject to 2 RT-PCR tests under the following conditions:
- They must have proof of a confirmed payment for at least a 7-day stay at an approved accommodation; such as, a SHA++ hotel, within Phuket. The prepayment must also include the expenses for 2 RT-PCR tests.
- They must undergo their second COVID-19 test using the RT-PCR technique (not ATK self-test) on Day 5-6 of their stay, or when they experience respiratory symptoms.
Existing conditions
- Eligible travellers
- Thai citizens.
- Foreign travellers, including but not limited to diplomats, guests of the government, Thai work permit holders, students and their family, and patients seeking medical treatment.
- Eligible countries
- All countries/territories except African countries.
- Currently, travellers from 8 African countries – Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, which are listed as high-risk countries are not allowed to enter Thailand.
- The rest of the African countries are listed as low-risk countries. Travellers from these countries or those who have stay in these countries in the last 21 days will not be eligible to enter Thailand under the Sandbox Programme.
- Returning Thais and eligible foreign expatriates, who previously travelled from Thailand, are exempt from this requirement, except for those from the 8 high-risk African countries.
- All countries/territories except African countries.
- Points of entry
- By air at Thailand’s international airports.
- By land. *This has been postponed until further notice.
- By water, provided that everyone on board the vessels
- Eligible destinations within Thailand *All closed for new Thailand Pass applications except Phuket.
- 8 Blue Zone Sandbox provinces.
- Designated Blue Zone Sandbox districts/islands within 18 other provinces.
Pre-Arrival Requirements
All eligible travellers travelling from eligible countries must have the following documents for entering to Thailand:
- A Thailand Pass, which can be applied via https://tp.consular.go.th/. *The system is currently closed for all new Sandbox applications, except for the Phuket Sandbox.
- A Medical Certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected issued no more than 72 hours before travelling.
- Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents with a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before travelling, are not required to have a pre-arrival negative RT-PCR test result and can have a saliva test when entering the Kingdom.
- For arrivals by water, everyone on board the vessels must have a medical certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected within the officially specified time frame. Anyone on aboard with a history of COVID-19 infection within a period between 14-90 days must have a medical certificate of recovery.
- An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$50,000.
- Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand’s national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement.
- A confirmed payment for at least a 7-day stay at an approved accommodation; such as, a SHA++ hotel, within a Blue Zone Sandbox destination. The prepayment must also include the expenses for the RT-PCR and self-antigen (ATK) tests. *See new COVID-19 testing conditions as described above.
- A Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination/Recovery
- 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. Those travelling with parents are exempt from this requirement.
- Travellers 6-11 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 recovered by medical treatment and travellers who have received at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine after post-infection must have a certificate of COVID-19 recovery.
All travellers must undergo ‘exit screening’ at the point of departure, i.e., at the airline check-in counter and present the required documents to the person-in-charge to carry out the checks.
On-Arrival Requirements / During the Stay
The following guidelines are for those who have already received their Thailand Pass QR code as described above. From 22 December, 2021, the Thailand Pass remains open for Phuket Sandbox and Alternative Quarantine applications only.
- All travellers must undergo ‘entry screening’ including body temperature check at the point of entry.
- Travellers arriving on a direct flight to the international airport at the Blue Zone Sandbox destination must present the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures.
- Travellers with a transit flight to the airport at the Blue Zone Sandbox destination must undergo entry screening at the first point of entry or at the final destination:
- At the first point of entry, present the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures before boarding the transit flight;
- At the final destination of entry, present the required documents to the Immigration/health Control officer to carry out the checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures.
- Proceed to the prearranged accommodation or medical facility to undergo the RT-PCR test. 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.
- If testing negative for COVID-19, travellers are free to go anywhere within the Blue Zone Sandbox destination. They will receive an ATK for a self-antigen test on Day 5-6. *See new COVID-19 testing conditions as described above.
- If testing positive for COVID-19, travellers will be referred to a healthcare facility for appropriate medical treatment, for which the expenses must be covered by the required insurance, or national healthcare coverage for Thais and eligible foreign expatriates.
- Travellers with negative test result can enjoy travel activities within the designated Blue Zone Sandbox areas throughout the 7 days, but must return to their prearranged accommodation on a nightly basis. They are not allowed to stay overnight in any other places.
- Travellers must stay at least the first 7 nights within a Blue Zone Sandbox destination if planning to continue the journey to other destinations in Thailand. If staying less than 7 nights, the traveller must leave Thailand to another country immediately.
- 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 result on Day 5-6 in the application.
Guidelines for Domestic/International Departure
- For 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.
- For domestic departure, after having completed the required 7-day mandatory stay within a Blue Zone Sandbox destination, travellers are free to go anywhere in Thailand.
Kindly note the information is to serve as reference only and is subject to change without prior notice. 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.
The post UPDATED! Sandbox entry programme suspended from 22 December 2021 (except Phuket Sandbox) appeared first on TAT Newsroom.
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