Recorded Covid Infections are now levelling off at 4-5000 cases a day and with the vaccination rate here increasing, Thailand came off the red list for the UK in October. Additionally, from the 1st of November it also became much easier to enter back to Samui with test and go and the new “Thailand pass”.

I hadn’t seen my family in over 2 years so decided to go back to the UK for a holiday and to see what was involved for our customers travelling to Samui.

Even though, for some reason, BA have suspended their route to Bangkok there are still plenty of other options. Pricing is also very favourable now. When booking flights, I always recommend www.skyscanner.net. So many options and with the filter you can choose by price, length of journey etc. I chose to go by KLM, which meant a quick stop in Amsterdam. One thing to note is make sure you book Koh Samui right through to your final destination as it seems wise to get all your flights on one ticket.

To fly to the UK, it is more than simple as long as you have been double vaccinated with a WHO approved vaccine 2 weeks before you travel. 48 Hours before you travel the PLF (Passenger locator form) has to be completed online : Fill in your passenger locator form – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For this you need to advise passport number, vaccination status and a booking ref for the appropriate test. The test must be done within 48 hours of arrival and in my case, it was a simple lateral flow test. As I write this could change to a PCR test so check. Travel test providers can be found here: Find a coronavirus (COVID-19) travel test provider if you’re arriving in England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

This is a painless exercise, and you get approval immediately via email

Onto the journey, I arrived at Koh Samui airport for the initial leg of the flight and again straight forward, in fact all they did was a temperature check on arrival. The only painful thing was the luggage could only be checked to Bangkok, so it is there you had to re -check in for the trip to London. At the check in desk my bags were checked to London, you had to show vaccine certificate and PLF and you are good to go

The flight to Amsterdam was full and for me the worst bit, 12 hours with a mask on is a pain so drink, eat plenty and sleep is my advice. In Amsterdam, all flights to the UK have an additional check in procedure where again they look at your, Passport, Boarding Card, PLF and vaccine passport. Once approved you get a sticker on the back of your passport and then clear to the main boarding gate.

I arrived in Terminal 3, and it was straight through, on the normal passport scanners, not a queue in sight. My daughters came to meet me, and I was out in the terminal waiting for them as the entire process in London was so quick

The next day I did the lateral flow test and uploaded it to the provide who confirmed negative status and then I started to think about the Thailand Pass as I had heard some horror stories about getting it

This is an online free of charge process and is available to certain countries free of charge. Currently there are 63 counties on the safe list, and you do not need to quarantine. You can apply here: Thailand Pass Registration System (for air travel only) (consular.go.th)

To complete this form, you need:

Passport

Vaccination Certificate (ideally with a QR code)

SHA+ Hotel Booking reference for one night and with paid PCR Test through the hotel

Covid Medical/Travel Insurance for up to $50,000

You have to upload pictures of all these documents, my advice is making sure they are one jpg per document as it looks like the form doesn’t cater for multiple documents. TopCats does not have SHA+ status so for the first night use google to find a suitable place that you like /fits your budget

I completed the form in about 15 mins and that was because I made an error and did it twice. Within 6 hours the Thailand pass was in my inbox. I would advise that you take hard copies of all documents, but from what I saw they were perfectly happy to see them all on your phone

After a great time eating and drinking too much, taking in Rugby and Horse Racing, I was ready to return

On the return journey, I suggest you allow 3 hours before you fly, when I went there was no queues but the check in process was at least 10 minutes, checking the Thai Pass and all the documents mentioned plus a negative PCR test  certificate taken 48 hours or before the day of your flight

My luggage was checked right through to Samui although the London ground staff said I had to collect in Bangkok

In Amsterdam transit the same thing they checked Thai pass and vax certs at a temporary gate before you head for boarding. All very quick and easy.

The plane was full to brim but the flight comfortable. On arrival in Bangkok, I was greeted with my name on the board with 4 other passengers by airline staff and given a “Samui Sandbox badge”. We were then escorted through the airport, firstly a temperature screening and a log of where you sit on the plane, then to a separate immigration where no queues before being escorted immediately to the gate for the Samui Sandbox flight as it turns out your baggage does go right through to Samui

A 3 hour wait at the gate was no fun but there is a vending machine and actually they do bring you a tuna sandwich.

Bangkok Air lay on a turbo prop for this flight and mine was nearly empty with 14 people on it 12 French and 2 English

At Samui there is the obligatory temperature check and then a medical person again checks the Thailand Pass and your passport. You are guided to the meeting area where you are swabbed for the PCR test before heading to your hotel transport

I stayed at the Samui Garden Home resort in a beach bungalow for about £40 and the PCR Test was about £50. They provided free breakfast and by 9am confirmed I had tested negative and was free to head back to TopCats

In conclusion this was an extremely effortless process, well organised and well-staffed

Things are changing all the time, some rumours say that it could even get easier but for the time being it is not difficult, so now is the time to book your dream holiday to TopCats Fishing resort

Check our website for more details www.topcats.com