Koh Samui is Open Latest News

Koh Samui could not be more beautiful than it is now as it now - a typical tropical island with crystal clear calm waters, coconut plantations and coconut strewn unspoilt palm fringed beaches that rival some of the the best in the world. The chic cafes, beach clubs, rustic thai restaurants, food markets and boutique tourist shopping are all open and add to the vibe of Koh Samui drawing visitors from all over the world.

The global Covid pandemic for the last 18 months has made it difficult to enter Thailand to enjoy this beautiful island however we were delighted to welcome many of our guests who took advantage of the short 2 month window to enter under the Test & Go scheme (one night SHA Plus hotel stay) that was in place before being suspended until the end of January when it will be reviewed again.

TEST & GO

At the current time the Test & Go scheme registration is suspended indefinately.

The latest information we have is that the Government will honour entry for those arriving in Koh Samui who had secured their Thailand Pass under the scheme Test & Go before 22nd December 2021 for arrival up to 15th January 2022.

Flights arriving after 15th January 2022 can be changed to an earlier flight under the traveller's existing Thailand Pass.

We are hopeful that the Test & Go scheme will return soon.

The Samui Sandbox (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan & Koh Tao) returns !

Here is how you can plan your holiday and still enjoy one of our luxury Koh Samui villas.....

After the Samui Sandbox were suspended on 22nd December the Samui Sandbox is now back. Registration for the Thailand Pass restarted on 11th January 2022 and open to fully vaccinated visitors from all countries.

See below of how to register for the Thailand Pass

SANDBOX

The Samui Sandbox scheme is one of the 4 province sandbox schemes for southern Thailand islands that allow for a minimum 7 nights stay in a chosen SHA+ hotel. During this time there is a large number of SHA+ approved restaurants, tours and venues that can be visited before being permitted to travel freely elsewhere within the sandbox province or elsewhere in Thailand. The important rule is that you must sleep in the same SHA Plus hotel booked for all the 7 nights.

The Samui sandbox covers the 7 night stay in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.

There is a PCR test on arrival and if negative a further Covid test on day 6/7 will be required. Payment for the tests are included in the hotel/villa accommodation booking confirmation.  

FLIGHTS

All flights booked to transit through Bangkok for arrival in Koh Samui must have the  international flight and domestic flight to Koh Samui on one ticket with luggage checked through and not to clear immigration in Bangkok. Travellers are held in a transit area before boarding one of two specially sealed Bangkok airways flights to Koh Samui that operate daily at the current time.  If two separate tickets are issued the current rules are that the traveller will have to spend 7 nights in a quarantine hotel in Bangkok before getting a flight to Koh Samui.

The sealed flight numbers with Bangkok Airways from Bangkok to Koh Samui are PG 5125 (12.00pm) and PG 5171 (5.00pm) and they do not carry any domestic travellers from Bangkok.

Another option for arrival would be a direct flight from Singapore operated by Bangkok airways three times a week. If flying with an international airline to Singapore and onward travel to Koh Samui with Bangkok Airways, it is again recommended that both flights are on one ticket as unless you plan a long stop over in Singapore the entry requirements for Singapore are occasionally quite strict.

KOH SAMUI PLUS VILLAS

We have a number of SHA Plus Koh Samui villas and also a villa in Koh Phangan that are ready to welcome you to enjoy the initial 7 nights stay or longer on request and we have listed these here in a special SHA Plus Villas Collection

Check out our Samui Holiday Villas website for a post sandbox longer stay in Koh Samui

THAILAND PASS

Applications for any of the above sandbox schemes can be processed through the Thailand Pass - an online digital platform set up for streamlining the entry process to Thailand.

To obtain a QR entry code or Thailand Pass ID, travelers will have to:

• Register at Thailand Pass web portal https://tp.consular.go.th/en/plan
• Input personal details
• Choose which Sandbox Scheme and name of accommodation
• Submit the required information and documents (jpeg format)
• Receive a confirmation email after registration (within seconds after registration)
• Wait for the Thailand Pass approval QR code (within an hour or up to 7 days)

Requirements

• Bio page of passport (6 mths remaining until expiry)
• Any Visa (if not visa exempt country)
• Flight Number and arrival date
• Vaccine Certificate (fully vaccinated = 2 shots of approved vaccine)
• Health Insurance Certificate with medical cover of at least $50,000 including Covid cover
• Confirmation of prebooked fully paid accommodation (SHABA Certificate) and payment of 2 PCR tests

There is a support email/telephone contact for the Thailand Pass should applicants experience difficulties

A negative RT-PCR test is required withinn 72 hours before departure.

CHECK IN

The Thailand Pass QR code together with copy printouts of the relative documents plus the results of the negative test will need to be presented at check in and will be needed again by immigration on arrival at your chosen destination Thailand province. The documents can also be shown on your phone as images however it is quicker to pass over the printouts rather than search for each of the imageswith a queue growing behind you.