​​Foreign nationals arriving in Thailand by air and by land from 1 June 2022 are required to register on Thailand Pass with details, as follows;


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1. Fully Vaccinated Persons must :

• Register on Thailand Pass
• Attach passport and certificate of vaccination
• Attach proof of insurance with at least 10,000 USD coverage for medical treatments in Thailand (COVID-19 test, both prior to and after arriving in Thailand, is no longer required)

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2. Unvaccinated / Not Fully Vaccinated Persons must :

• Register on Thailand Pass
• Attach passport and COVID-19 RT-PCR / Professional ATK (NOT self-ATK) test result issued within 72 hours before traveling (must attach on Thailand Pass only)
• Attach proof of insurance with at least 10,000 USD coverage for medical treatments in Thailand

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* Starting 1 June 2022, foreign nationals can also use a COVID-19 Professional ATK (self-ATK is not permitted) test result issued within 72 hours before traveling to enter Thailand 
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* Foreign nationals can also use their Thai social security or certifying letter from employer/agency/company in place of insurance. 
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* Please be advised that, starting 1 June 2022, every foreign national entering Thailand is required to have either a certificate of vaccination (for fully vaccinated persons) or COVID-19 RT-PCR / Professional ATK test result issued within 72 hours before traveling (for unvaccinated / not fully Vaccinated persons) as the mandatory quarantine option (AQ scheme) is no longer granted. 
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* Starting 1 June 2022, Thailand Pass QR Code will be automatically issued within 1-2 hours once you have completed your registration. Please note that your entry to Thailand is not determined solely by the Thailand Pass QR Code, but also by the validity of your documents attached therein. 
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* Unvaccinated / not fully vaccinated travelers who wish to be exempted from quarantine must attach a negative RT-PCR / Professional ATK test result issued within 72 hours before travel in Thailand Pass, including unvaccinated / not fully vaccinated children aged 6 - 17 who travel with unvaccinated / not fully vaccinated parents (children aged under 6 do not have to attach the test result). Please be advised that this does not apply to children aged under 18 who travel with fully vaccinated parents who will be automatically granted the same entry scheme as their parents. 
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* Applicants can use their approved Thailand Pass QR Code to enter Thailand on different date of arrival if the new date of arrival is within 72 hours (3 days) after the original date of arrival as indicated on the QR Code (no need to re-apply or modify your application). Be advised that for those entering Thailand using an RT-PCR / Professional ATK test result, your test result must remain valid by the time of your departure from the port of origin. Further note that each Thailand Pass QR Code can be used only once.  
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* Application on Thailand Pass is free of charge

Thе Tоurіѕm Authоrіtу Of Thailand (TAT), hаѕ already rеасhеd оut tо ѕеvеrаl mаjоr airlines аnd prominent travel соmраnіеѕ tо get thе wоrd оut about thе rеореnіng. Hеrе аrе things tо take nоtе оf.  
 
Entrу аnd COVID-19 Screening Measures For Thе Sandbox Mеthоd 
 
Phuket Sandbоx іѕ a саmраіgn created by thе рublіс and private sectors оn the іѕlаnd. Phukеt hаѕ bееn dеѕіgnаtеd as a ріlоt scheme fоr tourists whо аrе аlrеаdу vассіnаtеd аgаіnѕt COVID-19, tо vіѕіt without quаrаntіnе, wіth thе іntеntіоn оf it tо rоll оut to other parts оf Thаіlаnd аftеr 1 Oсtоbеr 2021. Lосаlѕ аrе being vассіnаtеd by uр to 85% so thеу are rеаdу fоr thе reopening tоо.  
 
Hоtеlѕ and оthеr еѕtаblіѕhmеntѕ рrоvіdіng accommodation to any tourist heading to the Phuket scene, muѕt fоllоw the рrоvіnсіаl public health guіdеlіnеѕ, including travel mоvеmеnt tracking. Holidays аrе mеаnt to bе fun, but at this tіmе certain businesses аrе ѕtіll not granted thе rіght tо ореrаtе, however, mаnу оthеr business are already permitted tо rеореn since June. Hеrе ае ѕоmе thіngѕ you can еnjоу whеn you arrive in Julу.  
 
Thе following vеnuеѕ and buѕіnеѕѕеѕ are аllоwеd to rеореn from 1 Junе, 2021 оnwаrd:  


Outdооr & іndооr ѕроrtѕ vеnuеѕ.  
Prеmіѕеѕ fоr tаttооіng оr ріеrсіng.  
Prеmіѕеѕ оffеrіng ѕеrvісеѕ for fishing.  
Snоrkеlіng аnd scuba dіvіng buѕіnеѕѕеѕ.  
Cаfеѕ, rеѕtаurаntѕ  аnd ѕtrееt fооd vеndоrѕ.  
Amulet аnd Buddhа ѕtаtuе trаdіng mаrkеtѕ аnd сеntеrѕ.  
Phukеt аttrасtіоnѕ like thе bеасhеѕ, еlерhаnt rеѕеrvеѕ, theme раrkѕ, etc.  
Wаlkіng ѕtrееt markets, flеа mаrkеtѕ, rеtаіl stores аnd whоlеѕаlеr vеnuеѕ.  
Gоlf courses and driving rаngеѕ аrе аllоwеd tо open, but without аnу tournaments.  
Aеѕthеtіс сlіnісѕ, medical сlіnісѕ fоr bеаutу service, wеіght-lоѕѕ centers, аnd mаnісurе/реdісurе ѕhорѕ.
Hеаlth-rеlаtеd like ѕраѕ, fіtnеѕѕ, bеаutу shops, аnd establishments for trаdіtіоnаl Thаі mаѕѕаgе. 
 
All аfоrеmеntіоnеd venues аnd buѕіnеѕѕеѕ аrе tо ѕtrісtlу fоllоw newly ѕеt COVID-19 рrеvеntіоn guіdеlіnеѕ and all tоurіѕt аrе tо follow іnѕtruсtіоnѕ uроn their vіѕіtаtіоn tо thеѕе рlасеѕ. Tо рut thіngѕ in prospective, іtѕ bееn a lоng wait fоr ѕоmеthіng lіkе this tо hарреn аrоund thе world аnd еvеrуоnе, іnсludіng thе TAT аnd the Thаі Gоvеrnmеnt, wаntѕ it tо bе a ѕuссеѕѕ.  
  
​Last nоtе to rеmеmbеr bеfоrе уоu bооk уоur flіght and Phukеt hotel rооm. All airline раѕѕеngеrѕ wіll be rеfuѕеd trаvеl to Phukеt іf you are unable tо рrоvіdе thе nесеѕѕаrу dосumеntѕ rеgаrdіng COVID-19 travel, аѕ mеntіоnеd аt thе ѕtаrt. Check wіth thе Thаі embassy іn your соuntrу first bеfоrе making аnу соnсrеаtе рlаnѕ. Wіth that, іtѕ time fоr a great hоlіdау once again and hореfullу fоr уеаrѕ tо come. 

The Phuket International Airport sits at the northern part of Phuket island. This truly is inconvenient as it sits so far from everything and everyplace people are heading to but there's no choice and we all have to live with the high priced taxi service that they have going on. For departure, good idea would be to set a deal with a taxi driver wherever you are in Phuket and not do it with any agency. You'll save a lot if you bargain with the driver directly.

The Phuket airport is fairly large and strangely with almost 3 million passengers a year, it all flows fairly smoothly when you're processing your check-in for arrival or when departing. The airport is still under going an upgrade but many people get a little lost with the fact that they have a terminal 2 that is hidden and passengers need to go to a different section on a different level for certain airlines to be checked in but they need to head back to terminal 1 area to get to the departure lounge. Yes, it's all a little confusing so be thankful you need to be there two hours ahead of time or you will be overwhelmed by the airport confusion. Oddly, they do not have an information counter to provide directions for passengers at the Phuket airport even though there is over 50 different airlines that have routes there.

Many people going for a holiday in Phuket have fears of missing their flight but there are many Phuket airport hotels which are very close by and still makes for a great time but only draw back is, it is not as busy in terms of the famous Phuket nightlife scene as it is in a remote location. However, it is great for a family holiday in Phuket.

The airport interior has a lot of food and beverage stores to grab a quick bite or if you feel you need a last taste of Thai food before heading back. There's also a foot massage and spa at the departure lounge so that could help kill some time or even prepare you to relax for your long flight ahead. Another thing, many do not know that they have a baggage storage service area at the airport. This is good for people that may leave Phuket for a short trip elsewhere in Thailand and return to pick it up later rather than carry everything around. Really useful for golfers with their golf bags.

Overall Phuket Internationl Airport is an adventure in itself but once you've been through it you can easily find your way around for years to come. 

So it looks like the Phuket scene is gearing up for Loy Krathong day this 28th November 2012. Loy Krathong is celebrated not only in Phuket but all over Thailand. So what is the meaning of the Loy Krathong festival. It is said that the festival had it's origins in Sukhothai, north of Bangkok, approximately 800 years ago. It falls on the twelve month of the Thai calender which, in a normal calender, is November.

The krathongs are made up of the cellulose trunk of banana trees. Making them is usually a family affair. These "boats", as they are nicknamed, are usually well decorated like a parade float and the person using it will have the intention of clearing away all bad luck and misfortune. The well decorated krathong is usually made of colorful flowers and banana leaves with room for candles and incense sticks. People usually place a few coins, nail clippings and some of their hair to represent them before launching it into the rivers, streams or oceans while making prayers as they watch it float away.

This act represents bad luck being taken away and new beginnings coming in. Coincidentally, the rice planting season begins after the fall festival and will later lead to the harvest being in mid April and that's when they have the water festival Songkran. 

Many young couples tend to place special items in their krathong to have a successful marriage and better futures or even kids. As years have gone by the Thai people have become more creative in their efforts to gain better things in life. Tourist are more than happy to partake in the festival as it is such a unique sight to see all the rivers, canals and oceans of lit candle krathongs moving along. It's just a spectacle in itself and not to be missed if you are there on that November full moon in Thailand. It makes for a great reason to have a holiday.

So what is the Loy Krathong process like? Well, just before sunset people go to the beaches, rivers, etc and light their candles and incense after placing their items inside then as the sun almost sets and the full moon visible, they release their krathong. Tradition says, if it floats away from you then good luck is to follow for the new year ahead but if it floats back then things are not going to be as rosy or the year ahead is not as fortunate.

Usually in many places all over Thailand, the festival incorporates a beauty queen contest,  after the release of the krathongs. This goes back to the legend of  of Noppamas who is said to have created the first krathong. She is supposedly the consort of the Sukhothai king.

Coincidentally, and mostly in the northern area of Thailand, the festival of Yi Peng is also celebrated in the same full moon period. There is a massive display of lighted lanterns that fill the skies at night. These are massive balloon like laterns know as Khom lai or Khom fai and are made primarily of thin paper. The same belief of sending bad luck off and getting better luck for the future is in line with the method of the floating krathongs. Only these go up into the sky. 

So with lighted floats in the ocean, rivers, lakes, etc, and massive balloons lighting the skies of Thailand; your luck could just change for the better. Only way to find out is to be there for Loy Krathong.

The Phuket scene can be fun, exciting and trilling for new arrivals but if you're lucky you might find yourself thrown in the middle of some festival and your Phuket holiday just got far better.

Of the many events that take place every year on Phuket, the vegetarian festival is arguably the most colourful, not the food event implied by its name but more an annual purification ceremony. The ‘chosen ones’, or Ma Song, entering a trance like state and puncturing their faces with anything from multiple skewers to beach umbrellas. Not for the faint of heart. Around the same time as the vegetarian festival is the setting adrift of the Chao Le, sea Gypsy, boats at Krabi. The ceremony takes place at midnight and makes for a beautiful, haunting spectacle.

The other festival of note is Songkran, Thai New Year, in mid April. The celebrations last for four days and have become a somewhat notorious, and embarrassing, spike on the road accident graph of Thailand. In earlier times Songkran, or ‘Water Festival’ as it is often translated, was an altogether different prospect. Thai people would leave their homes to greet friends and neighbours, anointing them with water or powder in a ‘good luck’ gesture. This gentle tradition has morphed over the years into the full-on chuck-fest that we see today.

Songkran is fun, people come out with buckets, water blasters of every size, and bags of dubious white powder to ‘anoint’ each other in a crazy, messy, high spirited romp that lasts for several days. If you don’t play well with others or are too kool for skool then maybe it’s not for you.

It’s often said that the arrival of foreign tourists, farang, was where the corruption of the festival of Songkran began. The statistics, shocking as they are, don’t back up this view though and the vast majority of road deaths occur among the native population. In 2008 the road death toll ran to some 350 over the seven days of Songkran from a total of just over 4000 accidents. Tellingly, Phitsanulok province, a place where most farang would struggle to find on a map, led the carnage with 15 fatalities. There is talk, serious talk from serious politicians, about making Songkran alcohol free. It may happen, and it would be wise to keep an eye on news coming from Thailand if you are planning a Songkran trip.

Loy Krathong, which is usually in November, is another festival on the cards. Less impact but non the less important to the Thai people as it is the beginning of the rice planting season. Through out Thailand the festivals can be found everywhere through out the year like the Thai king's birthday, the royal barge procession, the illuminated boat procession or ‘Lai Ruea Fai’ and many more found all over.

Even during seasonal peaks such as Christmas and Songkran there is accommodation to suit every pocket on Phuket, from 500 baht per night guesthouses to the 50000, yes fifty thousand, baht per night and enough to keep the most demanding of travellers busy. From the photo opportunities of Phang Ngha bay and the stunning sunsets of Laem Promthep, the balmy beaches all around the island, to the heat of the Patong nightlife, Phuket is a place that once visited, is never forgotten.