Ohyesuare

OP asked about driving there, not flying and said he was fully vaccinated with a cert so none of these requirements apply to him. Even on Bangkok Airways own website and their screening form, it says nothing about a PCR/ATK test being required. https://www.bangkokair.com/eng/health_screening_for_traveling_to_samui

Not to mention you have to pay the 1000+ baht doctor fee and few hundred for nurses to take your temperature, BP and weight each time.

Yup. Just like the hotels didn't want to let go of getting full payments for a short time use of their rooms. I'm surprised they scrapped it so early.

Downloading CP (she said she's 13) from the web is your advice? Better not to engage at all, social media use should be monitored better by her parents.

Door knob on the table because the maid had to call her brother to break in the article said, seems like she didn't have a spare key like most maids do. Sparsely furnished and barely any belongings and only booked for 3-4 days so could be an expat from out of town just getting a cheap place to crash. Of course, these cheap places usually never ask for any documents to rent a room. Cut on back of head could be from a slip and fall as others have said, that's how Bog Saget recently died.

I get many calls from numbers I don't recognize, just never answer, ignore and block usually. Also get many spam texts since I used to sign in with that stupid ThaiChana <deleted> app. Never read them, delete and report as junk.

You mean their services? Yes some are Bangkok only. I only really got it for the visa and the free taxi options which they've now expanded to places further than Bangkok and departure/arrival fastlane/lounge are a nice bonus. They're very quick to respond and helpful over email too. I never bother calling them.

Throw in the soi dogs too while you're at it.

Neither do I, nor any of the drivers I encounter daily. Even just walking across side streets carefully, I have drivers coming so close, they can almost touch me all the time, no respect for pedestrians at all in the cities I've lived in.

I don't recall if this Thai cop was drunk or even tested but unfortunately you have stories in Canada/US of drunk drivers killing whole families and being let off on full parole after 5-6 years because they're considered low risk to reoffend. I think it should be treated the same as manslaughter everywhere at least. People should be terrified of the consequences of intentionally driving under the influence.

Great point, breathing in Bangkok air everyday year round without a properly fitted N95 mask is just as harmful I bet. when I was staying in Bangkok, I couldn't even open the window when taking a shower without coughing and having a sore throat after during the crop burning season.

I agree, one year for killing an innocent person who was crossing legally where you're supposed to is ridiculous. I can easily see him being let out early or pardoned once people forget the story and move on to other ones and probably be welcomed back to his police job.

I answered your question already but I'll do it once more. Samui is in Thailand so it follows the rules set by Thailand and the emergency decree, it's not self governing. You can travel to Samui by car without any PCR or ATK test. Is that more clear now?

"She then called her brother to help open the door" Guess they only had one key and had to break in. Usually the maid has a copy as well and wouldn't need her brother to help. Cambodian labourers have free accommodation on-site usually, even at 300 baht per night for that <deleted> room, that's their full daily wage almost and them being 40-60 also makes it more unlikely.

You can travel anywhere within Thailand by car without a PCR test. You can even fly into Thailand without a PCR or ATK test from May 1st. Some domestic airlines might ask to see your vaccination status when flying domestically but not sure if they still will.

Official site for Thai Elite is https://www.thailandelite.com/ It was the only option for me being under 40 and not married and it saved me from having to fly back home on literally the last day I was allowed to stay. The Elite staff have been very professional and helpful so far and they seem to be improving the program as well since I've joined. I also feel like TH is home to me so even if I don't use the full 5 years to stay continuously, it's nice to know I can leave and come back as many times as I want without hassle.

Multiple reports saying 30 days of insurance is enough even for longterm extensions but might as well do 40 days if that's the length of your trip.

I was talking about my previous experience with 60 day covid extensions and always doing them 30 days in advance. I didn't think it was different for visa exempt extensions, thanks for the correction.

That's what I said, isn't it?

I've done it 30 days before many times in the past, any more than that, they'll probably tell you to come back another day. You need to do your extensions at the immigration office associated with your TM30 address usually.

Having a certificate of residence would help, it's easy to get at immigration. Even without though, Bangkok Bank is pretty foreigner friendly or as a last resort, there are agents that can guarantee an account opening for you at a friendly branch. Many banks will also open an account for you but ask you to buy some expensive insurance first too.

Good advice. You can get ibanking setup through their ATMs, it will give you a temp username and password. I think it does use OTP for some things though.

I have a Thai friend in Dubai with Bangkok Bank and her app works just fine with a Dubai SIM, she lost her Thai one. ATM use I don't know but I've seen reports that it works just fine but like the poster above says, you will be hit with fees.

Always @ubonjoe

It's mostly the people who have been here for years on COVID extensions, ED/Volunteer visas that have a higher chance of being denied after only being away for a few weeks or months and returning on only an exempt. If you were here on a by the book marriage extension, very little chance that they will hassle you.