DFPhuket

I'm a very frequent flier and find that booking directly with the airline gives you more control, faster assistance, and fewer fees overall. If you book through an online travel agent (OTA), any cancellations or refunds can take longer to process. Instead of dealing directly with the airline, you’ll often have to go through the OTA for changes or refunds, which can add extra steps and delays. Another downside with OTAs is communication delays. When there’s a schedule change or irregularity, airlines notify OTAs first, and the OTA then has to inform you. This extra step can slow things down, and rebooking options may be more limited, too. If you call an airline about an issue, they will tell you to call the OTA. You might not have access to the same flexibility in rebooking alternatives that direct bookings offer, so if having more control over your travel plans is important, booking directly with the airline is usually a better choice.

Last week, I met two female friends in their 50s who arrived in Phuket on Saturday. At the long immigration queue, they were approached by an official offering a “fast track” service for 200 baht each. They paid and saved about 45 minutes in line. They weren’t sure why they were singled out for the "service", but I suspect their appearance suggested they could afford it. I travel in and out of Phuket monthly and only occasionally encounter long queues. When it happens, this "service" creates a financial incentive to keep desks closed, let the queue grow, and offer paid shortcuts.

My dermatologist has recommended Nicotinamide (similar but different) which does not cause flushing. I mistakenly bought Niacin once, and I had the same flushing reaction that lasted for a few hours. A 2015 New England Journal of Medicine article found that Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) has been shown to have protective effects against damage caused by UV radiation and to reduce the rate of new premalignant actinic keratoses. (Source) Hence, the recommendation.

The Amazon Prime Visa credit card does not have a foreign transaction fee. This means that there are no additional charges when using the card to make purchases outside of the United States. You get the mid-market Visa/MC exchange rate, which is a good rate.

Bangkok Airways and Thai both include 20kg checked bag, seat assignment and a snack/drink plus don't seem concerned about carry-on bag weight. The first price you see is what you pay. All others are low cost and add for all of the above plus a credit card fee. The first price you see won't be the final price. If you are checking a bag, make sure you go to the final step to see how the price compares to Bangkok Air or Thai. Prices are indeed up. Total inflation since 2019 is about 9%, but prices have gone up more than that.

If at BKK with an international to international transfer on one ticket, you would be a transit passenger and go from one gate to the next without going through immigration. Your bag would be checked from your first airport to your final one. It's the same process at DMK. If it's a BKK international to domestic transfer on one ticket you would follow the "transit to Phuket Chiang Mai, etc" signs and go to a special immigration area. You'd get CIQ sticker to wear and after being stamped into Thailand you'd go up an escalator and be in the domestic section. You'd pick up your bag and go through customs at the final domestic airport. It's the same process at DMK. If you have two tickets or if you arrive BKK but depart DMK (which would be different tickets), you'd go through regular immigration, get your bag, go through customs and check in for the domestic flight at the departing airport.

When I applied for health insurance through a broker four years ago, I disclosed that both my hypertension and cholesterol were well-controlled with medication. Some carriers considered these as pre-existing conditions, meaning any heart-related issues wouldn’t be covered. However, Cigna did not, which is why I chose them. I recommend submitting applications to multiple carriers to see how each one handles your situation before making a decision. It’s frustrating that some insurers penalize you for taking proactive steps to manage your health. I get an annual wellness exam and take medications to prevent future problems, yet some carriers saw this as a red flag. Ironically, if I hadn’t monitored my health, I’d be at a higher risk but potentially more likely to be covered.

I just checked today (a Tuesday morning) and a $5,000 transfer via Wise gets 168,095.52 THB and on WU 169,367.50 THB - a difference of 1,271 THB in favor of WU. I remain surprised at Western Union, which historically had been one of the poorer transfer options, is now the best option.

I’ve been looking into transferring $5,000 from my US bank to my SCB account, and after comparing options over the last 5 days, I’ve noticed that Western Union (WU) is actually beating Wise. Traditionally, WU had a reputation for poor rates and high fees, but it seems competition from other platforms might be changing that. As of today if I send $5,000: • WU is offering 168,720.50 THB, with funds arriving in my SCB account in 0-4 business days. • Wise is offering 167,039.35 THB, with funds arriving in just 18 minutes. In my experience, WU delivers funds relatively quickly during business days. For an extra 1,681 baht, I can wait a couple of days for the funds. Is this a one-off, or has WU genuinely improved its service?

If this online submission can be done in less than 5 minutes, as is the case for neighboring countries, and then allow you to walk off the plane and go through the e-Gates instead of standing in a queue, I'm all for it. It has worked great for me in Malaysia and Singapore.

In business class, Qatar, Singapore and ANA are three of my favorites. I make the choice based upon cost, departure and arrival time, and total journey length. Those details would also apply to economy class. But since all airlines don't fly to all cities, you'd get better advice if you indicate the city you're flying to or from.

I usually travel with only carry on and it has never been weighed, internationally or domestically on Thai. There is little incentive for them to weigh it since, unlike discount carriers, they include a free checked bag. For low cost carriers, if your carry on is overweight they earn money when they force you to check it. For Thai, if found to be overweight you could just say, "ok, check it", which would cause them extra work, but not generate an extra baggage fee since one checked bag is free.

As others suggested, I'd just check some nearby hospitals for wellness exams rather than just get the labs done. They will usually have a variety of packages to choose from (could include things like PSA or chest X-ray) and you'll get a report and, more importantly, what they mean. Bangkok Hospital Phuket (a more expensive option and you may live in another area) has packages under 3,000 (or higher) baht that includes a consult with a doctor once the labs are back. I get mine there and am in at 8 AM and out by 11 AM. Most other hospitals offer wellness exams.

I'm on a Non-O retirement extension, have a multiple re-entry permit, and fly in and out of Thailand 10 or more times a year. There has never been a requirement to do anything at an immigration office upon return. You just get stamped in and out with immigration at the airport. Whether traveling domestically or internationally, I don't update my TM30 since I'm returning to my condo. Also, note that a 90 day report resets when you enter the country, so a paper in the back of your passport with a 90 day reporting date will be incorrect.

I did not make a small deposit to my Fixed Deposit account on the day of application. My most recent bank book entry was in April, when it matured and interest was deposited. The signed/stamped bank letter and the signed/stamped bank statement, which showed the required funds for 12 months, along with my bank book copies, all showed the exact same 801,000+ baht balance. The officer checked the bank letter carefully, checking that the balances were in synch on all three documents and funds didn't drop below 800,000. My sense was that she was used to seeing a fixed deposit account, which is only updated once a year at maturity. Perhaps a regular savings book would need to be updated with a small transaction that day, but it wasn't required of my fixed deposit account. The Phuket Immigration Volunteers website suggests bank documents could be generated up to 7 days in advance, but I've found some of that information to be outdated or incorrect (e.g., all passport pages need to be copied).