sandyf

I have been traveling around Thailand throughout the pandemic under the WTT scheme. Some of the hotels were fully booked and not a foreigner in sight. Not always the case, beginning of last week we were at a resort in Khaoyai and the only guests in the hotel, asked to eat in the room. The following night at Kabinburi a bit better, maybe 20% occupancy. All about where and when, Thai tourist areas can be busier than those frequented by your "farangs".

That is the dry season(well used to be), not the high season.

That is a question of where and when.

I had a fairly serious issue with them over my quarantine but in view of the service over a fairly long period I wouldn't hold it against them, just a bit more cautious in the future.

That is a bit misleading. Normally there is a full refund period and when that expires only the first night will be charged up until 24 hours before booking starts. Obviously you are of the opinion that "payment on arrival" removes any obligation to turn up. Good luck on finding any reputable hotel that will take a booking without a guarantee of some partial payment.

Discretion is the order of the day. If seen it will be confiscated little risk of being "thrown off". I usually try and get first class, you have your own cabin and once the ticket check and bed is done you are not disturbed by security again.

You would be wrong. I have seen many that thought the same have it confiscated.

Sri Ratcha

Check with the office, my office takes them up to one year old.

UK paper notes have been phased out in favour of Polymer, a growing trend. When I first came here in 1999 the 50 baht note was polymer but it wasn't popular and witdrawn from circulation in 2011 with a paper note being introduced. Earlier this year the 20 baht note was issued as a polymer note.

"Chonburi police admitted that the two sides had a personal conflict." Since when did personal conflicts make a city savage? Didn't Trump have a bit of a personal conflict?

Well said. I have been in the area for many years and really like the place. I used to stay at the Yanadin Apartments in the years prior to my marriage in 2008, had our wedding reception at the Tide Resort. Have lived in Chonburi since then and regularly go to Bang Saen but never witnessed any trouble. Bang Saen has grown quite a bit in recent years and it would be extremely surprising if there wasn't some issue now and again. I grew up in a very small town in the north of Scotland and brawls were a fairly regular occurrance. Bang Saen can hardly be described as a "tourist area", particularly for foreigners. If it wasn't for the expat community on the outskirts the foreigner would be as common as a nine bob note. I go to the hospital there and the number of foreigners I have seen over the years you could count on one hand. As far as I am concerned, one of the best places in Thailand to live, ticks most of the boxes.

Not the case, there has been a multi entry Non O in various types for long enough. I spent my first 6 years here full time on MEs, forced on to an extension in 2014 when my passport got caught up in the UK fiasco, I got another at HCMC in Dec 2019, managed a border bounce just as the pandemic started but again forced on to a 12 month extension in the May when I couldn't leave the country. In recent years they have become less readily available.