clarky23

Hi, we just fly to UK Sunday.

I recommend Sukhumvit Hospital at Ekkamai BTS, efficient, 24h service to get PCR result via email.  Got tested around 8.30am, results came around <8h.   PCR with fit to fly certificate costs 3200bht per person.

Certificate checked at flight checkin.  There are long checkin queues as staff have to check many documents before issung boarding card and no online checkins with thai airways right now. 

Would like to update, maybe useful for others waiting on uk tourist visa:

1. Submitted application/payment online: 4th Nov, biometrics in Bangkok 11th Nov, finally received passport back this morning (10th Dec), was valid from 7th Dec so guess this is the day they processed it.

2. Didn't bother trying to get yellow vacaination book, check the mor phorm app, click international certificate, we were able to select 'receive by email', was free, waited a day, then QR code appeared on this page in the app.  Scanned it and takes you to full digital international vacination certificate with name in english, date of birth, vaccination info, all that is required by UK.  Printed this and will use for trip.

Hope other people waiting in Uk visa queue will received it soon in time for xmas.

Its been an uncertain week few, something that could be avoided with better visibility into application process and current processing times.

@DaLa thanks, thats about 7.5weeks.  Helpful to know. 

Disappointing as would put us after xmas.

@Bushtuckaman.  thanks for info, what a mess.   We are starting to get worried about missing planned Xmas with the UK family, would be such as shame after 2years of covid restrictions ????

Your wife must be ahead of mine in the queue, let me know if you hear anything please. 

@Tony M fair, didn't know they were processed centrally for many countries.  Thanks for insight.

My points is more,

a) long processing times compared to previously is poor (last two tourist visas took 2 weeks to return passport to my wife). I bet there are many families like mine trying to return back to the UK after 2years not seeing each other.

b) lack of visibility into queue times.  If it was me, I'd publish current queue time from biometrics to decision on a website and update daily.  At least people know where they stand then.   Currently I don't even know if we are able to get back for Christmas, sad as when we applied start of November we were dreaming of having month or so with the family before Christmas arrived.  Now we are stuck just waiting in the unknown.  

@stat this is thai nationals (i.e. the wife) applying for uk tourist visa, physically have to provide passport and biometrics, then wait.

@DaLa agree, when my wife submitted biometrics it was empty, on other years its been packed and passport back in 2weeks.   

I don't get how there can be massive demand when there is only Thai Airways airline flying direct and only 4 days of the week .  Previously there was BA, Eva and Thai airways all flying direct.  Emirates only started backup the A380 from Bangkok on 28th November. 

Why are they so under staffed to process this return in demand?  We knew travel was coming back.   Its been 1month since we submitted/payed for application, still waiting without any update.

@hotandsticky 15 working days from submitting biometrics?  I'm well over 15 working days from application/payment date.

thanks for info @AliG.   7weeks is so long ????

Hi, my wife applied for uk tourist visa on 4th November, still waiting on 1st December.

No news/emails except generic facebook post on 'UK in Thailand' saying "significant delays".    Finally get chance to visit UK family and visa is taking ages, so frustrating after 2years of travel restrictions.

Anyone else applied in November got passport back yet from standard service?

Anyone gone to UK without yellow vaccination book?  Passport is stuck with visa service so unlikely to have any time to get this (and appointments on mor prom app full til mid-Jan).  Planning to go with hospital vaccination cert and mor porm screenshot (english name but doesn't have date of birth).

i've been ordering from lazada.  Recently ordered from this seller (jj.grocery) who had good selection of seeds that i couldn't find in makro/homepro/local garden shops.

At home i'm currently using grass cutting, dried leaves and cut up banana/pattaya leaves that have dropped off.   Trying to build up a nice layer of mulch from recycling within the garden.

DMK is alot worse this year,  two short haul international flights I've spent longer in the immigration queue at DMK than in the plane and more recently it took 50mins to clear immigration.  Will try avoid DMK where possible now.

i looked into this recently and read section 19, particularly around item5. I'm no expert in this process but came to the conclusion if you're living here your not a resident outside thailand so can't just withdraw from your thai bank account to buy the condo. you could setup foreign currency account in thailand in another currency and transfer your bht into this, then back into bht when ready to purchase, however bit of pain to setup and bank makes money on exchange/fees rate both ways, therefore not much different to transferring back to your home country bank account then back into thai bank when ready to buy. i did this recently using swift transfer but had to get salary cerificate from employer to prove i earnt the money here, after this no problem transferring my money out of Thailand.

This is just my view on the subject after bit of online research so would be interested if anyones bought second hand condo without foreign exchange certificate and earnt money here.

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hello,

Anyone know a good shop to buy car speakers in bangkok? I'd like to upgrade the door speakers with good quality 2-ways, either myself or maybe let the shop do it if good price.

Thanks all reading.

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hello, thanks for getting in touch. Would be great to have a game! I'm not playing regularly at the moment so will be rusty too. I can play Mon to wed 7pm. Let me know when your ready for a game. Cheers. Chris p.s My line is littlechrisc

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cool. Just let me know next time your in bkk and want to play. my mobile is 0928242383. Cheers. Chris

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sites times Sunday night too

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Yes. Still I

looking for squash players. I can play Monday to Wednesday 7pm to 9pm

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Hi canardo, we can both hit the ball around as played many times but are definitely not experts, just enjoy having a friendly game and bit of fitness. Why not come down and give it a try? I play with a guy called Graham.

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I've been playing squash at sukhumvit soi11 ambassador hotel with another guy from the forum. We are looking for more players.

Court is good and 150bht per person for 1hour. If anyone is interested in playing please get in touch. Would be great to have more players.

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Hi Lax,

I've just moved to Bangkok and like to play squash. I'm looking for people to play if your still looking for players? I enjoy playing socially, can play ok but am no pro. I'm on sukhumvit soi11.

Cheers.

Chris