London Lowf

It took the authorities over four hours to respond to the report? Not good.

I run a Kymco 300 in the UK and it's a great scooter - Kawasaki were so impressed that they marketed a re-badged version - but there are plenty of decent alternatives in Thailand and I would certainly never contemplate the hassle and grief of doing a personal import. An MV Agusta would be a different matter!

All Russians are not Putin or the Kremlin - clearly, a lot of those that are travelling to Thailand are at odds with their country's actions. By the way, how do you feel about Germans?

Whats with "they" - surely it's either a "he", a "she" or an "it"? I can't keep up with this modern language. Anyway, it has made many good catchy pop songs that are frequently played in Thai touristy bars - you would have heard them even if you were not aware of the artist. Also, it has plenty of money - you would think it could find a more attractive pillion.

Do you really believe that significant numbers of tourists are scrapping their Thailand holiday plans in case they come across some Russians? I can think of two other nationalities, one of which will soon be returning, that have a far greater negative impact!

How is this news? I thought that Russia and Ukraine were at war with tens of thousands dead. Odd story!

... and I'm sure that he was correct.

So, get walking and cut the juvenile nonsense.

Phew! So, the lucrative "arrangements" with bar and club owners will continue.

You don't need to be Italian to make a great pizza - the world has opened up in the last fifty years, and we now have the internet and YouTube. However, a problem that I find is that a lot of places dumb it down to appeal to a wider audience, e.g. not to much garlic, not too much oregano, not too much olive oil. Best pizza I've ever eaten? Warsaw!

She stayed in Kamala and yet traveled across the island to beg? Very strange.

This forum is not known for "astute observers" - just read any thread, particularly concerning a road accident, for the evidence.

My flights yesterday were Thai Smile plus Thai Airways. My ticket said Domestic terminal but when I tried to check in there they redirected me to International - not a big deal as it's only a five minute walk. Once checked in I just did a straightforward CIQ transit in BKK.

I very rarely see people smoking on the beach and I've never seen a stub in the sand - maybe that's because I never go to Patong during the day, only Kamala, Laguna, Layan, Nai Thon, Nai Yang - a nicer class of people once you get away from Patong.

Silly guy - as a local he should know that it is frowned upon to go shirtless on Bangla - instantly draws attention and marks you out as a bit of a tool.

Well, I messed up my flight calculations and left Phuket yesterday with one day overstay - sent to desk 1A and got a stamp in my passport (I can't read Thai!) but no fine so they're not being silly about it.

Why do so many people come onto the Phuket forums when they are not interested in the place and just want to bad-mouth it? I ride a scooter - no need for taxis - and taking everything into consideration, Phuket is as close to perfect as any place that I've ever been (and can afford!).

Great - thanks!

My homeward flight is HKT-BKK-LHR. Pre-Covid I would go to the International Terminal at Phuket and do all of the formalities there and get my boarding cards for the whole journey. However, last March I had to walk to Domestic Terminal and check-in there and then on arrival at Bangkok I had to pick up my hold luggage, check in again for my London flight and do emigration there. A pain! Can anyone tell me the current procedure? Cheers.

This. Patong is great for the nightlife, if that's your thing, but it's not a relaxing place to stay - the longest I do these days is an overnight.

About the same - I do that run every day. What is surprising is that the progressive re-opening of Patong Hill has not made any beneficial difference at all.

"Phuket going to be overrun" OP, you sound like the British tabloid press! The limiting factor for the forseeable future will be a lack of accommodation. Book into a high-rise hotel anywhere in Patong and look around you at the dozens of empty/mothballed/abandoned hotels. Walk along Rat-U-Tit or Nanai or around the area of 2-star hotels near Malin plaza - same thing. Many will argue that Phuket was in decline before Covid and the pandemic was the last kick in the groin for many businesses. It will get busier over peak season and the traffic will get worse, but nowhere near the levels of pre-Covid.

Well, I went to Da Moreno last night and had a Universale pizza. It was okay but the base was a bit thicker/soggier than I like. Quite frankly, I prefer the offerings at my local bar, Kamala Beergarden. Having said that, Da Moreno is evidently a gold mine - always busy and customers and Grab drivers in a constant stream at 10:30pm for takeaways, and I'm not Italian so what do I know!

I assume you mean Bucintoro Restaurant Pizza - good reviews on Google.

Yes, but the previous dispute was on a seperate flight. Two wrongs don't make a right (in the eyes of the law) so you can't play the two errors off against each other.