ivan96822

How much would a decent, one-bedroom condo cost in the Sukhumvit area in Thai baht or $US (preferably on a third story or higher)?

I've been browsing other forums and have found nothing quite conclusive. Any information would be appreciated.

The fine is 500 baht per day.

They will put an overstay stamp in your passport.

They could put you in jail and send you to court. Not likely but it has happened; so not 100% safe.

Thanks for the quick response. What exactly does an overstay stamp entail? Banned from LOS? Do a weekend in jail? Pay the fine and get on the plane?

I know TIT rules apply, but I'd like to know some plausible scenarios to this issue of having an overstay stamp in my passport...

Based on posts by members, you should have no problem at all getting the visa-exempt permission to stay for 15 days. Take your electronic ticket for the flight out of Thailand with you, just in case you should be asked for it, but I doubt very much that this question will come up.

What if someone were to stay two days over? What would be the penalty?

The reason I ask is because I am getting to BKK on June 12 and staying till July 14. What are my options? I thought I read somewhere that for every day you overstay, you must pay approximately 480 baht? Is this a "big deal"? Do I need to worry about them putting any funny stamps in my passport?

Looking forward to your replies. Thanks.

I am a Honolulu resident currently working in Thailand and have used several carriers between Hawaii and Thailand. The lowest fare is normally on China Air with stops in Narita and or Taipei. I have also used United as well when they had reduced fares. UA's food was probably the least in amount of all carriers I have taken but the crew was a HNL crew and very friendly. I have also used JAL with a stop in Narita. I have used Philippine Airlines but only between Manila and BKK but their service was just as good as Thai Airways and the food was the normal airline food and I have visited their kitchens which are clean. In reply to the post that PAL flies to Hawaii because they can't fly to Europe, while being banned from Europe may be true, they serve Hawaii because of the very large Filipino population. Hawaiian Airlines also serves Manila for the same reason and I have used Hawaiian to Manila and then that night flown to BKK on Cebu Pacific, however Hawaiian is usually a kind of expensive way to travel to BKK. Best of luck.

So, kamahele, no problems on the flight with Philippine Airlines?

Can anyone else pitch in on this inquiry? Philippine Airlines is by far the cheapest I have come across ($1100/US from HNL to BKK with a stopover in Manila). Has anyone else on this forum taken Philippine Airlines? Surely it can not be as shoddy as some on this forum have suggested.

Please respond. Thanks.

I am currently seeking informed insiders' suggestions on what airline to travel on from USA to BKK, specifically Honolulu, Hawaii to Bangkok.

I appreciate all those who have provided information based on their own intelligence, but I am still seeking noteworthy and informed input on what airlines to travel with.

I am not seeking any negative or incriminating input. Please don't bash a certain airliner, but please assist in suggesting practical advice. I am not looking for luxuries, such as leg room, fancy food, or pleasant interiors....but on the same token, I am not interested in getting stuck at a terminal for hours on end with little to no comforts in sight. I am aware that China, Philippines, and Korean Airlines offer multiple services, but at multiple prices. Free beer or alcohol is a major "plus," in my opinion.

Can you please provide your own insight into this topic? I would love to travel to Thailand for cheap, but I do not want to have any bad experiences with any airliner for whatever reason. Any information that you can provide or suggest is appreciated. Please be mindful of negative comments. While I appreciate your candor, I do not want any one or any suggestions to be banned by the administrators on this forum.

I look forward to your insight, travelers. Thank you.

Thanks for the speedy responses....

Rak, I considered flying Philippine Airlines for approximately $1100 but I have heard nothing but horror stories (flights are consistently delayed hours, the lines and logistics at Manila Airport are a nightmare, bribing officials just to get basic services, etc), so I opted for Korean Air...

I did consider China Air, as Pom suggested, but flying from HNL to Taipei, staying over for six hours, then taking another flight to BKK would not be fun. This year, when I went to BKK via Narita, I had to stop over for five hours and was grateful as hell that they served beer at a decent price....Do they got cheap beer in Taipei that can be drank in the airport terminal? Can you drink for free on a China Airlines flight?

With those priorities in place, maybe I can consider China Air? Please respond to any and all of my inquiries....

And yes, many can fly from LAX to BKK cheaper than I can from HNL. As one responder posted, flights from HNL are more expensive for a multitude of reasons.

Thanks again....Looking forward to your responses...

Transiting through Manila isn't that bad, since you stay in the terminal, can check out the scenery from the windows. PAL flies from Terminal 2, which is modern and nice. Now I will admit there is a good chance the IFE won't work on the flight. It's happened to me before as well. I hope they've realized the impact to their customers. But the arrival time is pretty good into BKK.

Taipei is pretty nice, much smaller than Narita. Like most airports, food and drinks are more expensive than on the street, but transiting is easy, if not boring. I wonder if you can get a pass to the Aviation Museum? Having layover time is good for exploring and no rush to worry about.

Nice thing about international travel on other than US airlines is you can get more adult beverages in economy.

I keep a variety of entertainment with me, you never know when travel can be disrupted.

What ever you choose, enjoy your trip and remember, travel is always an adventure.

Pray tell: What is IFE?

Thanks for the speedy responses....

Rak, I considered flying Philippine Airlines for approximately $1100 but I have heard nothing but horror stories (flights are consistently delayed hours, the lines and logistics at Manila Airport are a nightmare, bribing officials just to get basic services, etc), so I opted for Korean Air...

I did consider China Air, as Pom suggested, but flying from HNL to Taipei, staying over for six hours, then taking another flight to BKK would not be fun. This year, when I went to BKK via Narita, I had to stop over for five hours and was grateful as hell that they served beer at a decent price....Do they got cheap beer in Taipei that can be drank in the airport terminal? Can you drink for free on a China Airlines flight?

With those priorities in place, maybe I can consider China Air? Please respond to any and all of my inquiries....

And yes, many can fly from LAX to BKK cheaper than I can from HNL. As one responder posted, flights from HNL are more expensive for a multitude of reasons.

Thanks again....Looking forward to your responses...

moving to Health forum

Why is this being moved to the Health forum if it is directly related to traveling to Thailand?

I am planning on purchasing a Korean Airlines ticket this month (December 2011) for a flight to BKK in June to July 2012. Right now, the price from Honolulu (where I live) to BKK is approximately $1530 US.

That being said, some have suggested that I wait it out. For those of you frequent travelers to LOS, I must ask this: Will the price of the ticket increase the closer I get to June - July? Obviously, I know that purchasing an airline ticket a week before a trip is a silly idea, but would it be safe to wait until, say, March or April and the price will still be $1530 US?

I know that many members on this site have tons of history with the airline industry as well as entering and exiting Thailand....Please let me know. I would love to get the tickets now rather than later, but close friends have suggested that I simply wait.

I look forward to hearing your responses.

Thanks for all the contribution so far.

Every thing posted is taken on board.

Regards

Chris

Beer specials. There is a bar that I grew up close to and for $4 US you can get a plastic, 32-ounce cup of beer. This NEVER got old and it was always a place to fall back on, no matter what.

Of course, good music and good-looking women help. And of course, location, location, location...

Good luck with this. Opening a successful bar in Thailand would be downright paradise.

Twinrix vacination protects against Hep A & B, these are the two strains doctors recommend travellers protect against. Google and you will find out why it's a good idea.

I disagree...If dogs can drink out of gutters and live their lives, a farang can come to BKK and get by just doing fine without the dependence on meds. I should have done it last time and saved $130/US.

Take vitiman "C" seems to keep the mozies away.

Get your Hepitius "A" and "C" shots.

I havan't taken anything except these for the last 10 years.

aussiep...........

Why would I need to get Hepatitus shots?

I was messing around on the China Air and Korean Air sites and found some new developments:

1. Korean Air offers a flight out in mid-June and returning mid-July for $1536.

2. China would not release flight information that far in advance, but when I did a "mock" search from mid-March to mid-April, the price for $1477. Not much of a difference.

I will continue to monitor this situation, and I would appreciate some more information from those of you in the know. Are there any other airlines that you can think of besides China/Korea? I checked Asiana, (as another person suggested in another forum), but that connects directly to Seoul, Korea, and I would need to find a flight from Seoul to BKK, which is doable, but not worth the time, money, or effort if China and Korea Air both offer a stopover, yes, but a stopover that connects to BKK within a matter of hours.

Thanks again for the responses. Please keep me informed.

There is a reason PAL flys from Hawaii. There are banned to Europe because of safety concerns.

Come on...In today's day and age, how bad could Philippine Airlines be? Certainly they are not falling out of the sky or getting stuck on the tarmac at some southern Philippine Island....

In all seriousness, please respond with some detail/proof/concrete evidence as to why to avoid them.

Thanks for the speedy responses, and I look forward to hearing from more of you on this.

Also, I checked China Airlines and they have nothing available for June - July of 2012. What's up with that?

There is a reason PAL flys from Hawaii. There are banned to Europe because of safety concerns.

Come on...In today's day and age, how bad could Philippine Airlines be? Certainly they are not falling out of the sky or getting stuck on the tarmac at some southern Philippine Island....

In all seriousness, please respond with some detail/proof/concrete evidence as to why to avoid them.

Thanks for the speedy responses, and I look forward to hearing from more of you on this.

By the way, I am not particular regarding seats. I could care less if I have to sit business class or economy, so long as I can order four beers and have a shot or two of whiskey for the flight....It's all about finding the cheapest flight possible. Please let me know your input.

Thanks.

I have been tinkering around with several airline industry websites and am currently seeking information on the cheapest flights from the States, particularly Hawaii, to Bangkok.

I noticed that to travel in June via United Airlines, the tickets are TWICE AS MUCH as Philippine Airlines. As it stands, Philippine Airlines offers a two-way flight from Hawaii to Bangkok for approximately $1111/US.

Does anybody here have any other suggestions? I looked at some of the other suggested airliners, such as Tiger Air, but Tiger Air does not go to Hawaii (mostly based out of South East Asia and Australia).

Any suggestions from you, the members of this forum, who are hopefully in the know, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Are you referring to the Crystal Design Center, that place where they sell the home furnishings/upgrades, etc?

If you're going to Bangkok don't bother. If however you are planning a jungle trek then better buy your smarties.

smokes, thanks for the quick reply...I figured that. I live in Hawaii and could do without the whole "jungle-sticks-camps-whatever" sellathon.

Much good news....Born and raised in Los Angeles, lived in Honolulu my entire adult life, and look forward to getting back to a major metropolis that starts with a B, ends in a K, and needs no introduction to life in the city consisting of grime, crime, and slime.

I'm anxious to get back to the entertaining city of Bangkok for a plethora of reasons. HOWEVER, I am wondering if getting the immunization shots/pills is a must.

This year, when I left the States bound for LOS, I went to a doctor's office, had a physical taken, then was prescribed two medications: one that was anti-malaria, the other anti-typhoid (I think). My question, then, is this: do I need to do this next time I come to Thailand (the pills cost a total of $130/US, which was not at all cool)?

Is there an immunization shot that is available for cheaper?

Are these precautions necessary? Of course, my reasoning last time was that it would not be worth it to get sick as a dog in Thailand and spend time recuperating in a hotel. Has any members here left the States (or Europe, NZ, etc) and not gotten the shots/pills?

Please let me know. I don't wish to be redundant; I only wish to make a smooth transition into LOS by spending as little as possible with pre-arrangements.

Thanks.

Okay....so it's been a while and still I see no responses....Can anyone provide information related to obtaining a local BKK bank account? Do I need a work permit? What is the minimum amount required to open such an account, if it is possible? What sort of documents should I bring along?

Looking forward to some valuable input.

Thanks.

You can open an account with your passport and an address. Any address will do as they won't be sending you out anything. Fee will typically be around 1k Baht a year for this.

Card will be made there and then. Try Siam Commercial Bank or others until you find one which is amenable.

Thanks a lot, Smokie. I hope there is a Siam Commercial Bank in the Sukhumvit area?

Okay....so it's been a while and still I see no responses....Can anyone provide information related to obtaining a local BKK bank account? Do I need a work permit? What is the minimum amount required to open such an account, if it is possible? What sort of documents should I bring along?

Looking forward to some valuable input.

Thanks.

Paully is correct, get some time in the UK, it is very hard to get a job internationally if you haven't even finished your PGCE. Recruitment season is about to begin, the first job fairs start in January, in Sydney, then Bangkok, London, Cambridge (USA). The companies all follow each other around.

You probably could get a job in the Middle East, but it will be a horrible school with horrible students and administrative staff, although the money would be pretty good, but ME schools are notorious for night runners (teachers who pack their bags and leave with no notice).

There might be a few in China who would be interested, but I wouldn't risk it cos there are plenty of crappy ones there too. You do have to be careful and make sure they have credentials, but even then they can use you. There are even some terrible international schools in Europe. Like I said before check out International Schools Review, they also have a help section where you can get advice from lots of international educators.

I taught in Australia for six years before heading overseas and I really think that it better prepared me for teaching overseas.

The other thing to realise too that if you are doing privates after school as a first year teacher you will be exhausted. The first year or two of teaching is exhausting, if you take the job seriously of course. I have had friends who had done TESL teaching overseas before doing a teaching degree and they couldn't believe how tired they were considering they had been teaching before.

Here are my personal qualifications: I have a teaching credential from the state of Hawaii, and a Master's Degree in Education. I also teach British literature to seniors at an American high school. Could I expect 50-70K Baht per month with these qualifications?

I know that I have floated this information in the past, and I need no forum members poking in and commenting about doing such. In my opinion, those types should mind their own business. What is the harm of getting information from multiple/credible sources? I am only looking out for the best information available, as I have major decisions to consider.

Let me know, Mezzy. Thank you.

I thought for a moment you was going to advocate selling body parts^

I'm glad you suggested that as I was starting to feel inadequate with only my SCB card and I suppose my gob...!

Your never inadequate around Sukumvit if you any type of ATM edit... to add and a gob.... man or woman!!

Great posts, people, and thanks for the supportive and informative advice. Mai Chai mentions opening a bank account (or accounts) up in Bangkok, which sounds very practical and ambitious. HOWEVER, I was under the impression that in order to open a bank account in LOS, one needs to be in possession of a work permit???

If it is possible to open up a bank account without a work permit, I of course would be interested in doing so. Can any of you please clarify whether the work permit is a requirement for opening an account in BKK? Also, if it is not, what are some of the preferred banks that you know of? Also, what is the minimum that needs to be deposited into the BKK account in order to be "accepted" as a customer of the bank?

Again, thanks for the responses and I look forward to your informative and insightful feedback.

You saw those belts with pockets ?

I had a better one made in robust leather for 1000 baht,

and in one of those pockets i carry a knife in a quick draw,

that knife has a button that trigger the blade, and when i draw my thumb will be right at it.

I had the belt 2-3 years now and it's as good as ever.

Probably gonna cost 1500 now, but a thief would absolutely alert you trying to get anything.

Those belts at market cost perhaps 400, and will wear out in 3 months, but i think it would be a good idea to buy a couple for you to find out how you want it arranged before having the best you can think of hand made

Thanks for the speedy replies....I understand that there are bank fees, and I have no desire to carry around a kangaroo pouch containing cash....

Simple question, friends: And, as I must assert myself at times, or re-iterate, or re-emphasize, I have been to BKK and know the nuances, ups/downs, etc....which brings me back to the crux of my inquiry:

Aside from bank fees, both local, US, etc....Is/Are there ATM machines that can conduct transactions by "sliding through" as opposed to "feeding in / sucking in / depositing" my trusted MC American bank card. If not, scream NO in my forum's face....if yes, please provide from logistical information that will benefit my self-serving priority of being back in BKK but not being schmuck about simple bank transactions.

Thank you in advance for all ambitious members who would like to contribute to this conversation, and thanks to those who are more in the know and can provide some cynical information to this realistic inquiry, but in all seriousness, I like to get to the nitty gritty of things and get some concrete information that may or may not serve me well. Just the facts, people, and please, no TIT stuff. I get, got it...good.