fresher

No mention of the damage being done to tourism by Thailand's horrendous February to April air quality, international awareness of which is steadily growing. What travel agent is going to send its customers into this smog?

I have been a regular visitor to Chiang Mai, spending up to six months, the UK's winter months, here every year for 12 years. I love CM. But this year I am going home at the end of February instead of early April to avoid the seriously damaging aq in March and April. Even being here in February is looking unwise. No Travel Agent in the world is going to risk its reputation by sending customers to SE Asia during the smog season. If you take out the rainy season and the floods in October, that leaves November, December and January as the only sensible months to visit Thailand. And the way things are going with the smoke, you can soon take out January too. Leaving two months smog, flood and rain risk free.

A friend of mine entered Thailand in Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok October 2024 with a 60 day visa exempt stamp and returned to his home country UK within the 60 days. He flew in again this month January 2025 and was challenged by the Immigration officer for requesting another visa exempt 60 day stay within a year of the October entry. Only after answering questions and showing his return ticket did he eventually get another visa exempt stamp in his passport. Apparently the granting of repeat visa exempt entries within a year of each other is entirely subject to the IO's discretion. Is this another own goal for Thai Tourism by the Immigration system?

Silly me. I always thought it was a real submarine they've been talking about all these years.

Insurance inadequate, doesn't cover motor bike riding, or nullified by no helmet? Teachers are not supposed to be stupid.

Awareness of the small window for a pleasant holiday in Thailand is increasing all the time. May to October is the rainy season. February to April is the smog season, which appears to be growing year on year. That leaves November, December and hopefully a smog free January. Except Bangkok of course, which is currently beset by smog as well as floods now in mid-October.

7 - 11? This is about Street Food. ( Dictionary 'food :- any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth.')

Knut was King of The North Sea Empire in the early 11th century. England, Denmark and Norway including parts of Sweden

This story of Cnut (King Canute) resisting the incoming tide was first recorded by Henry of Huntingdon in the early twelfth century: This has become by far the best known story about Cnut, although in modern readings he is usually a wise man who knows from the start that he cannot control the waves

MB dealerships. In Thailand, people know what is going on, but do nothing

No, the profits on them will go up

So long as they keep it simple, I think this is a reasonable development. It needs to be free of payment and upload hassles.

Many people seem to be assuming this or have been told this. But nobody can have obtained a 30 day extension to a 60 day stamp yet. And this is Thailand. And the Thai Embassy clearly says you need a return ticket for 60 days or less to get a 60 day stamp. So will all Immigration offices be consistent and deal with this the same?

"the 60 days visa-exempt can evidently be extended at local immigration for 30 days" Not so, I believe. This is what the Thai Embassy in London is saying:- "Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme UK ordinary passport holders can travel to Thailand without visa for no longer than 60 days (maximum 2 times/year). All UK travel documents (Refugee/Emergency) must apply for the visa before traveling to Thailand. - Foreigners entering Thailand by any means under the Visa Exemption scheme are required at the port of entry to have proof of planned travel (confirmed air, train, bus, or boat tickets) to leave Thailand within 60 days of the arrival date. Otherwise, a visa must be obtained before entering Thailand."

What are they thinking? Here is April last year for Chiang Mai

90 days takes us to mid-April, close to the end of this year's severe smog season, after which it's all forgotten. Until January 2025 of course. Then 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, ..........

At 10pm Monday evening in the UK, the pound has barely moved against the THB

Same tradition in my father's family, he always left one pea on the plate. Drove my mother crazy, her family ate everything. All 100% Devonshire (England) people. So these opposing 'cultures' are not confined to China and Thailand.

Decimal point in the wrong place? Probably either 5,700 international arrivals or 250 flights in one day. I wonder which.

Try applying for the visa! (Maybe it's changed since I tried in August. The point is that not all of the requirements are shown on the web-site - you don't know/can't see all the rules until you actually apply)

Thai people? It's all nationalities. Everyone. Just look and you will see many Europeans/North Americans/Australians and other non-Thais also blatantly breaking the rules. It's about failure of enforcement. Which in turn is a failure of Government.

Totally agree. That's why I didn't resume my 2x3months a year in Thailand until now. Two and a half years away from my friends in CM. But even now the 'O' visa requires 7 or 9 uploads, including the disgraceful compulsory health insurance that you can only purchase from one of a list of Thai companies. I refused to pay this (I had been coming on an 'O' visa for over 10 years), so this trip is on a multi-entry Tourist visa.

My lovely Thai lady-friend wanted to go to the "Wine and Steak" restaurant. Its sign shows a bottle and glass of wine. But she couldn't remember where it was. "No problem" I said, I'll google it. Couldn't find it despite many tries and combinations, so gave up. Several days later we found it by accident. There it is, she said. And there indeed was the sign with the bottle and glass, and restaurant name, Why Steak.

Why the laughing and confused? This is a valid and useful enquiry.