Tomtomtom69

Well, there's a surprise...what makes them think they can ban locals from entering "their" premises as guests in a foreign land? Then they're surprised when the local community rises up against them.

Who says you need USD? USD isn't used in Thailand. Depending on where you are coming from, bring that currency, if it is a MAJOR currency. Nearly all major currencies can be exchanged in Thailand. The only ones that are becoming a little more difficult because those countries are essentially cashless now, are Swedish, Danish and Norwegian Kronor. If you're coming from those countries, bring Euros or Swiss Francs instead.

$1000 equivalent in either USD, EUR, AUD or another major currency works well. Good advice.

Except at the Ranong border, where you will be asked but might be able to talk your way out of it. It's a corrupt border down there.

YES, absolutely. The Centara Hotel on the mainland has been closed since December 8th (Monday) and while it is obviously much closer to the border than Koh Chang and Koh Kood are, both are accessible only by passing through areas relatively close to the border in Chanthaburi and mainland Trat. Many people are worried, also because both islands are well within the 50km aerial radius of the border, especially Koh Kood.

Nearly 3 weeks ago, my friend came to Thailand from Cambodia, essentially in transit to Australia (he had to change airports though). He told me that Cambodians were nearly left in tears because they were treated very harshly by Thai immigration, even those who were essentially transiting to other countries. So it's definitely happening in both directions.

Thailand needs more Thai pilots. Foreigners might be able to fill the gap in the meantime, but ultimately, Thailand needs to train more local pilots, who will eventually takeover from the foreign ones in the future.

Thailand, being a developing country largely skipped a lot of things we do/did in the west: Internet banking was never really big here...most Thais don't own computers or laptops (they can't afford them), so when smartphones came out, mobile banking became popular to the point that many banks, including SCB, have now scrapped internet banking. Their mobile banking apps quickly became more sophisticated than their internet banking portals, and since very few people used internet banking (mostly just farang I guess) it was eliminated over a year ago without any fanfare and other banks have since done the same. Due to low incomes / difficulty in accessing credit, credit cards never became very popular in Thailand. The urban middle and upper classes nowadays tend to have one, but probably no more than 15-20% of the entire Thai population has access to a credit card and most establishments that accept them, are corporate owned. Very, very few non-corporate owned businesses accept credit cards in Thailand, hence why someone who's trying to charge their way through the country will, at best, be able to use their card at fewer than 50% of establishments and barely any in remote and rural areas, except for 711s and gas/petrol stations (and then not everywhere either). Credit cards are more widely accepted than 20 years ago for sure, but it's a far, far cry from the west or even Malaysia, where at least in peninsular Malaysia, cards are very widely accepted. Instead, QR codes are all the rage here and have become so popular that there are now a small, but increasing number of QR code only businesses, which accept neither cash nor cards. So far, these seem to be limited to small tea shops selling Taiwanese style bubble tea and similar, but over time, expect Thailand to follow China and accept only QR codes at many businesses. Checks (cheques) - were never a thing here. Account transfers, now via QR code, quickly replaced them. Deposit ATM machines and ATMs which offer the possibility to transfer money, top up your phone balance and even pay bills all became popular before mobile banking and now work in tandem; most people thus use one or the other, although increasingly, it's just phone banking apps nowadays as nearly everyone with a bank account will have one and also, many ATMs have been removed in recent years.

Didn't Cambodia extend a 60 day visa waiver to Thais back in June or July (strange timing, but that's what I heard)? Sounds like they didn't, as you are saying they could offer the 14 day visa waiver.

Rates are usually fine but ATM fees are high, that's the way it is in most countries in the region these days.

Surprised they ever hired white people. He's the first white person I've heard of who ended up in one of these scam centers. He must have distracted all the Asians and Africans, who would have probably said "hello" to him and snickered all day long.

It WILL be implemented by January 1, 2026 when it will be mandatory for everyone. It's currently being used on a trial basis.

You ONLY clear immigration at the arrival airport if your flight has arrived from abroad. If you're on a CONNECTING flight, you clear immigration in Bangkok.

You clear immigration in transit. I did that once on my way to Chiang Mai.

Ok let's see how well you do trying to cross the border. Why don't you test your theory?