sharastani

I have been allocated seats at the very back of the Emirates plane that lands at 12.05pm.

Is there only one exit from the plane open at BKK?

Just trying to avoid the delay getting off the plane and then being at the back of the queue at immigration as we have a tight schedule to get to the domestic terminal.

If necessary sounds like changing our seats to nearer the front may be best....

I am thinking of staying in Karon (maybe Crown Plaza). Just thinking it is a a bit more low key for a married couple.

Is there plenty of places to shop and eat within walking distance?

Most of the information i can find says that there are a few shops by the Karon circle and few at the south end on the way to kata. But I can't see how long it is in between. Is there anything in between or will it be a long and fruitless walk??

Any idea how long the walk is from Crown Plaza to the Karon Circle and to the south end of the beach and Kata??

Also, please let me know if you have any restaurant recommendations in karon or other resorts. It is my wife's birthday while we are there.

Thanks

Have to say, this is the first I've heard of any problems. Last time I booked online (from UK with UK bank credit card) with Nok was a few weeks ago - worked like clockwork as usual. If you fancy the flight, try the booking procedure; assuming it works, you'll get immediate e-mail confirmation to print out as proof of purchase/booking.

All my experience with Nok is that they're 100% professional from start to finish.

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I have just tried to book the Nok air flights and you get all the way to confirming the payment and you get a message saying that they now only accept thai credit cards until they have a new international anti fraud system in place. I have asked them to contact me to see if teher is any way round it?

The earlier 3.45pm TG flight appears full so I think Ive got to chance with the 2 our transfer or go for the 3.55pm Air Asia flight (cheap and nasty) or 4.45 TG flight ..

There is a Bangkok Air flight at 5.20pm, but thats 5 hrs at bkk airport....

the next flight

Seeing your schedule on your other thread, if it was me I'd book the later Nok flight BKK-Phuket. Presumably cheaper than Thai and I'd prefer to feel more relaxed about possible delayed arrival of the Emirates flight in BKK than build in  all the worry and rush to get from International to Domestic. Better to kill a couple of hours in either terminal than a fraught journey - and the Domestic departure area is pretty civilised............ 

You'll still arrive in Phuket at a reasonable time and the Nok website is a model of user-friendliness.

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Thanks Steve2UK - There premium seats look better too.

Do NokAir take UK credit cards? I saw on a post that they are thai credit cards only.

I have read posts that Thai Air tickets are more expensive through their website but I imagine this is best/only way from UK.

Also, There is a domestic flight from Bkk 2 hrs and another 4 hrs after I arrive in Bkk. If I book on the later one but manage to get to the terminal on time will they let me on the earlier flight if there is room.

Emirates customer services tell me I cannot check my baggage all the way through to Phuket from UK... which means the dash through immigration, baggage collection and walk to domestic could be difficult to check in time for early flight.

I land at 1205 at Bkk (Emirates) a Thair Air flight to Phuket leaves at 1405.

I think you can check baggage in through to Phuket from UK. I believe there is a shortcut to domestic terminal if you don't have to pick the bags up and check them back in.

Previous trips I have gone through immigration, picked up bags and walked through the walkway to the terminal....2 hrs might be a bit fine..

Alternatives are get the 1555 Air Asia flight which although cheap probably wont leave till much later or Bangkok Air or Nok Air flights about 1630ish....

Any ideas?

Looking at the cheap (and free) flights which are available - The V, P and J fares all seem to have the same conditions - Is there something I am missing? I know the baggage limit is on £15kg but excess is only 70THB or so per kg....

Also, I am looking at getting a late return from Phuket to Bkk for my onward connection (3hrs later) - is this a big risk as I'm not sure on Air Asia's reliability/punctuality.

Is it easy to pay at the gate if there are other flights leaving Phuket e.g. Thai Air?

Depends on your age and what you enjoy...

I personally would dissagree that the girly bars are easy to avoid as that really is Patongs whole nightlife zone and if your not here for nightlife then Patong is not where I would stay... I enjoy the bars discos etc and dont mind the girly bar aspect as its easy to ignore for me, that said I dont know if I would be bringing my wife to Patong on vacation.

Depends on your comfort level.. Its a fun town with lots of party potential, thats both a possible plus and minus.

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Thanks LivinLOS - I and my wife are in mid thirties. Enjoy decent restaurants, bars (without the bar girls) and shopping (both shops and your local thai traders).

I just wanted to avoid places where there is just nice hotels and nothing else within a short walking distance. Only to end up getting taxi's and Tuk tuks everywhere..

Looking to come to Phuket in February. I have been to Samui several times and I think its about time I tried something different.

I will be coming with my wife, looking to be able to chill out in a nice hotel, enjoy a decent beach, walk around a few shops and stalls and eat nice food. I understand that the girly bars and downmarket places are easily avaoided.

Looking at the Holiday Inn to stay. Please advise if you recomemend something different. Looking to spend upto GBP100 per night. I have used sawadee.com in the past and they seem about the cheapest.

If not Patong would you recommend Kata or Karon.

Are there any specific Thai charities tha we can donate too?

I have seen lists of general charities and aid organisations..

They keep you for hours on end give you the hard sell and try and get £8000 off you.

I was in Samui two weeks ago from Greece with my wife and another couple. My friend bought into one of these deals and it was around $14,000 or Euro, not $8,000.

£8000 is +- $14000

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Cheers LivinLOS =- I thought I'd got my figures mixed up......

When they tell you you've won a major prize worth hundreds of pounds ask them if they want to buy the scratch card off you for a tenner.....funnily enough they'll decline!!

sharastani, I too met one called Mick, a talkative British chap. These people are harmless, all you gotta do is say no!

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Beerguy - Had fun saying no, Its the naive holidays makers/honey mooners that need to beware. They wouldn't expect this in Samui and would be easy to get stitched up.

They are harmeless cos they're trying to get you in. They're not always so polite when you don't fall for the sale speil.

You can have some fun scratching the cards for different sales reps and listening to their patter. They always make the girlfriend/wife win the star prize, then they look totally amazed you have won one of only 3/4 star prizes, switch off their moped, shake your hands, say congratulations and then tell all the other sales reps and they all go along with it.

Then they pass you to the timeshare/holiday club salesmen who really go for it to get around £4000 - £8000 off you.

We won three star pizes within 10 minutes off different reps and they weren't always that polite when we said no. Maybe, cos they knew we knew their game.

If you are going to Samui watch out for the Samui Peninsula sales men that tell give you a scratch card to scratch cos they get money for each one.

Funnily enough, every time you scratch one you win a camera, holiday, laptop, cash etc etc etc.

All you have to do is go to a presentation.....and surprise surpise its a holiday club (apparently not timeshare!). They keep you for hours on end give you the hard sell and try and get £8000 off you.

And when it comes to the prize its a holiday but where you end up paying for most of it.

Chaweng regent charge $130 for a deluxe room with breakfast on the web (plus 10% service charge and 7% tax).

There is an offer in November of $90 plus about $22 for breakfast plus 10% and 7% tax etc. This works out about 5000 BHT for two people.

Anyone know whether it is possible to negotiate when you turn up at the door? Is 4000 BHT possible. If not, I expect I'll stay in one of the many other decent hotels in Chaweng.

I am staying somewhere else for a few days and may want to move there for about 10 nights?

Is mid to late december ok on Samui? I know it will be *very* crowded then. I'm going to bring someone on their first Thailand trip this year. Was really thinking Ko Chang for 3 nights or so. I was really more curious about the weather in Samui in Late December. I think I remember reading somewhere the water is a bit rough then?

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According to the weather sites I've looked at the rain calms down a bit in December but I expect those with first hand experience will be able to give a more accurate view.

Was anyone in Samui the other day when there was 80mm of rain (according the weather online site). Is this amount of rain a downpour in the evening, overnight or is the whole day a wash out?

Limbos - How has it been since Saturday?

Anyone know when the downpours slow down a bit - I'm there last two weeks of November. Made the mistake of looking at a website with climate info on that had completely rubbish info.

Considering flying off to Phuket if its too bad. Anyone have any other reasonable suggestions? I have experienced the evening downpours in July, August or September but I don't like the idea of losing a several full days in a 2 week holiday.