Trip to Bangkok Thailand with Test & Go Version 1

So actually this is not our original plan, our winter trip was planned to south Africa and Dubai, flight and hotels all booked since September 2021, but couple weeks before our flight suddenly again another variant from corona shown up, and again exactly in south Africa, which made us had to change our plan.

So, after some research for quarantine free and also where we can do work and travel, we decided for the route Dubai, Sri Lanka and Thailand, which that moment Thailand just launched their Test & Go Program. I’ll write about our road trip in Sri Lanka later, first is about Thailand which is still very actual and might can be a help for those that apply Test and Go Version 2.

We applied and got our Thailand Pass on 10 December 2021, couple days before our flight on 20 December 2021 to Dubai, the Thailand Pass can be applied here https://tp.consular.go.th/ for free of Charge, before you apply you will need to book and paid the hotel and PCR Test package in advance, for current version 2 you will need to book and pay for the 1st and 5th night, it doesn’t have to be in the same hotel nor same city but it have to booked in package which for me is more like business to be.

Since we had our version 1 test and go Thailand pass in hand which approved before 22 December 2021 the regulation for us is a bit different, which is lucky for us, since the 5th night package is ain’t cheap at all.    When the government stop the program on 22 December 2021, is a big question mark either we can fly to Thailand or not, however we made a bet and let the booking as it is since the current day everything changed instantly. Our instinct is correct, end of January the regulation is still that those already hold the old Thailand Pass, which granted before 22 Dec 2021 can enter Thailand under that Test & Go scheme but need to do 2nd PCR test on day 5 or 6 but for free, where the traveller need to gain a pink slip in airport before heading to Hotel.

We do had a small issue since our flight from Sri Lanka was originally on 31 January  2022 with SriLankan Airlines, which was cancelled just like that by the airlines and rebooked us to the next flight on 2nd February (explain it here) that made our arrival date not as on the Thailand Pass which is 31 January 2022, for security I contacted the Thai Embassy in Colombo where I got the testngo consular email to got confirmation that the Thailand Pass we had is valid on the day of Arrival and +72 hours later.

When we applied our Thailand Pass, we booked the 1 Night Test And Go package with Ibis Styles Phra Khanong Hotel, the Test and Go Package for 2 person it cost us 6700 Baht, which are inkl. Airport pick up, 1 night stay, 3 times meals and PCR test for 2 people. Be aware for the flight you book, those arrive before 5PM o’clock will get the test results before 12PM on the next day and those after 5PM will got the results at evening which sometimes made you need to extend your stay. More over its also impacted for your 2nd test date because when you arrive after 5PM the next day is the day 1.

Arrived in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport on 2nd Feb 2021, around 12:35AM, you need to go through the Thailand pass checkup where they also will handed the pick slip for the one with Test and Go Version 1, fill the paper and show them all the documents like Thailand Pass, PCR Test less than 72 hrs from departure country, hotel booking, Insurance Paper. After that you will heading to a counter where a young lady sited and again check and scan all the paper. You got a stamp on the pink slip then next step to immigration.

The officers will ask you where you stay, which this was not common for before corona, so I just show him our hotel booking through booking.com app. After you got stamp on your passport you will heading to get your luggage directly, after we got our luggage, we take some money on the ATM, yes it cost 200 Baht but still better rate then exchange in airport, after it we went to True Provider and got 2 sim card for us, is slightly expensive as 7-11 but think we can’t go anywhere for the 1st night and not sure if hotel wifi good or not, so getting a sim card in airport is the best choice.

After getting the sim card ready, we heading out as normally and some lady in PPE clothing ask what is our hotel, we mention IBIS and she yelled someone which they come over and we had to follow them, show them the pink slip and passport. They took a picture on it and also our pictures, maybe have fear will mixed us with others, who knows?
Then again they will lead the way to the car, so make sure to go toilet etc during you still in the luggage area, when you know your hotel is far away because after heading out custom area your are not allowed to moved by yourself. don’t forget to wear your mask correctly 🙂

The driver will drove you direct to the hotel, and check in process is as usually only the difference they will wanna know where is your next hotel. The 1st PCR test was done at Hotel parking lot at the 5th floor, done it in less then 5 min. Then The hotel staff will guard you to your room.

The Hotel is standard, the food is not something special, can’t say it’s delicious but is better than have nothing to eat, however we do allow to order from outside like using grab food or food panda when you are not satisfied with the food the hotel given. During this moment use it to activate your Morchana App, we do download it when we still in Sri Lanka but it won’t accept our Thailand Pass QR Code, however after arrival it works, we done it in the car, but you can also do it after your check in so not in hectic and can kill out the time, anyhow no one ask about the App till now.

the Next day we got the result around 10:30 AM, which Thanks God is negative. We are allowed to leave the hotel and went to the next hotel we booked and we are free to move as normal tourist only the with mask as precaution. So far so good, however it’s not ended yet since we had to do the 2nd PCR test, here the story begin..

The 2nd PCR test for free had to be done on the day 5 or 6, no exceed because when exceed you will need to pay around 3500 to 3800 Baht per person.  Which is pretty expensive for 2 person, soon on 3rd day I start to look for the hospital which we can do the 2nd PCR Test, it is a bit chaos, although the government gave a list which you can found it through the QR code on the pink slip, not all the hospital do the 2nd PCR test for free, some not even pick up the call. As mention we arrived on 2.2.2022 on 12:35 so it should be counted as day 1, however some hospital said is day 0 so we need to do the test on 7.2.2022, some it’s not even sure when is the 5th day HA HA HA…

So after several call we got an appointment at Ramkhamhaeng Hospital, the appointment have to be done through Line App by sending the pink slip, passport, email and Thailand phone number in advance. According to them the 5th day is on 6.2.2022, so we booked an appointment following their requirements and choose timing between 15:30 to 16:30. So on the appointed day, we went there, was dropped by our Grab at the Emergency entry, just tell them that we are there for PCR Test then there will someone booked a electric car which drove us to the testing area which located in the parking lot, which quite far from the main building.

After doint the registration they ask us proceed to cashier’s, thought had to pay but no, they need only the pink slip. Then wait some minutes before the nurses with complete protection gear come to us and ask us to fill and sign some paper, then ask us to a tent where they perform the test. Whole process took around 30 minutes include all waiting time, then using the electric car back to the entrance and we are free to go, they said the results come in 6 hours.

In our case something went wrong, while my husband got his negative results around 8PM, around 4 hours after the test, I only got an email said mine need to get reanalyze, which cause a big question what happened next, what if mine positive, what should we do? Although I’m sure I’m negative since my husband do negative and we are stick together like stamp and envelope.. or now days said stick like mobile phone and finger.

Anyway as soon as sunrise, actually after office time start I called the Hospital and ask the reason, after back and forth it said my first PCR results was inconclusive, which made me more down and we had to figure out what to do incase I’m positive. I’m not allowed to leave the hotel room although my husband can. We only can pray and pray.. which is quite troublesome since we should heading to other province today and when the results not coming out after check out time, we need to pay extra for the room. But luck is on our side around 12 o’clock we did got my results which is also negative. Finally we can enjoy the rest of real Holidays from now on..

PS. For those with Test and Go Version 2, you don’t need to look for hospital to do the 2nd PCR test, since the PCR test is in the hotel package you paid and it will perform in the hotel area mostly.  The other difference is after the test you had to stay in the room until the result is there, while for old Version is not required to stay in the room. Which is weird for me…

So we hope this travelogue will help you guys which plan to coming to Thailand either with Test and Go Version 1 or Version 2.

Greetings from Na Jomtien

10.2.2022