treetops

4 minutes ago, Oxx said:

The "news article" is simply trivial journalism, not based upon a rigorous analysis of the costs.

Tell that to the business owners shown in it.  Do  you think they made up stories to satisfy their national broadcaster's taste for trivia?  Please!

5 minutes ago, Oxx said:

In the supermarket cash back scheme, the supermarket has to pay a fee for the debit transaction.  However, this is less than the costs of handling the equivalent amount of cash.  (If this weren't the case, the supermarket would be losing out by offering cash back, and they wouldn't do that.)  So, it does follow that cash is more expensive than card.

They know that both types of transaction will be made and will cost them something, so the best they can do is minimise these costs and cashback is one way of doing it.  When the card charges have a fixed element per transaction then your logic is flawed.

5 hours ago, Oxx said:

And yet British supermarkets are very keen on cash back at the till since it reduces their cash handling costs.  Undoubtedly they've done the sums and concluded that cash works out more expensive than card.

Reducing cash handling/banking costs by offering cashback makes sense as long as some people still use cash.  It doesn't follow that cash is more expensive than card as the examples in the news article show.

9 minutes ago, Tony Doc said:

My flight with FIN AIR for 28th September was cancelled last week. They also said that all flights for August and September had been cancelled. I applied for a refund and was informed that this could take at least 8 weeks! Finding a way to cancel the booking and request a refund was not easy - you need to find a page on the website with a blue Chat link. 

Was that a flight to Bangkok or from Bangkok?

1 hour ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

How can they sell you an economy seat and then tell you you haven't got one? Must be some law/rule against this even in these utterly bizarre times?

Airlines have always done this (overselling) as there were inevitably no-shows and this allowed them to maximise seat occupancy.  Historically though, it did not result in forcing you to pay for a Business Class ticket so I expect there's more to this story.

5 minutes ago, Shey420 said:

Once most people realize what this will actually cost them they will pass. I have never been to phuket or resorts there but I'm sure 6000 euros for 15 quarantine is a bit much. The cost and restrictions definitely out way the benefits. 

If the scheme goes ahead and is going to be effective it'll certainly need more places to sign up at a range of price points.

Continue to use cash as otherwise the costs of processing these payments will cripple small businesses or get passed on to the consumer, as described in this recent article.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-53444700

1 hour ago, taxin said:

Will the visitor be able to choose their hotel to quarantine, or will it be only certain hotels they can stay ?

I expect you'll be able to choose from the list which currently is woefully small.

Both Etihad and Emirates (if they're flying) require Covid tests.

3 hours ago, jaffas21 said:

So is it a safe bet to book with these airlines at the end of the next month and are they generally leaving the airport as advertised? Does anyone know? Id expect these flights to get busier as we approach end of september.

Take the flight numbers from skyscanner and enter them into flightradar24 or similar and you'll see their recent history.  It doesn't tell you if they've been carrying passengers or not, but I've read reports from all the ones you mention except Etihad that confirm they are.  I'm sure Etihad are too just I've not read any reports.  Here's QR837 showing it's daily record from BKK to Doha.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/qr837

4 hours ago, kinyara said:

Saw the bus sitting there just now at the office in the Foodnart car park so just asked for confirmation. 3 going to the airport daily, 9am, 12 mid-day and 4pm. Forgot to ask about return journey.

It's linked to in the post mentioning they've restarted, and the times are also 9am, 12 noon and 4pm.

1 hour ago, MadMac said:

But perhaps a way for stranded expats to come back, if anything at all.

Agreed, and also for those that have been here since Mid March when things went pear shaped to return to their home country with the knowledge they can get back here again via this route.

On 8/20/2020 at 9:49 AM, wpcoe said:

Interesting.  Looks like a hybrid of the Bell Travel Service to Pattaya Nua, and the "official" bus from Suvarnabhumi to Jomtien (Foodland parking lot.)

 

The online booking system looks like the old Bell Travel site.  It even has "Bell Travel Service" and the red bell logo in the title tab, and "Pattaya City" is the only option in the drop down menu.

 

However, if you continue through the booking process, from where the "Trip details" say "Departure from: Suvarnabhumi Airport To Pattaya City", on the next screen, the "Trip details" now say "Drop-off location:  Thappraya Bus Office" and the "Select hotel" button no longer lists the destinations of the Bell Travel minivans.  It only offers the Thappraya Bus Office.

Bell used to offer a booking service for Roong Reuang coaches to Hua Hin and charged 25 baht for the service. This looks like a similar offering, but as you say, without the Bell Travel benefits.  Can probably book direct and avoid the booking fee if you trust space will be available.

I did this trip a few weeks ago and for the train we took which was C Class only they could only be bought on the day.  The higher classes could be bought in advance.

There was a form to complete with personal information before you purchase a ticket and these were available all over the station.

On 8/15/2020 at 10:09 AM, mtls2005 said:

Can you provide links which support this requirement?

No, I just saw the headline and assumed it was all passengers, but you're right it's restricted to the countries listed.

Is everything in Thai or just some bits, like food menus?

Unless your final destination is Heathrow you have to transit somewhere, so also look at Emirates, Etihad and Qatar via the Middle East, or Finnair, Lufhansa, Swiss or KLM.  There my be more but these are ones that appear to have been confirmed, although not all are daily flights.

The Middle East three all require Covid test certificates before they'll let you board so bear that in mind.  I'm not sure about the others.

18 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

I noticed a login at the top of the page.

http://hsscovid.com/

 

Do you have to book through the site or can you contact the hotels directly?

The hotels.

The airlines are selling flights to Thailand in anticipation of regular incoming passenger flights resuming so that they'll have passengers when they start up and to get some cash in to repay those already cancelled.  At the start of August when flights were cancelled late July as the airlines realised they wouldn't be allowed to fly, so it'll happen again towards the end of this month, unless the government changes its tack.

The airlines are gaambling and so are the passengers that buy them.  I hope it comes off as it means travel will getting easier.

A 40% increase when it started at next to nothing means it's only up a smidgen, but makes a dramatic headline.

On 8/9/2020 at 6:14 AM, richard_smith237 said:

Has anyone secured an ASQ booking recently?

 

A friend is returning on 19th August, every ASQ he has tried is full.

 

Just throwing this out there - has anyone had success over similar dates? Which hotel ?

There's a new (to me) box appeared on the website labelled "Alternative Local State Quarantine"   It doesn't lead anywhere yet, but worth keeping an eye on in case it provides some alternatives.

http://hsscovid.com/

3 hours ago, tso310 said:

Is it still the Ambassador on Sukhumvit and some place in Jomtien for the government ones ?

There are over 30 State Quarantine hotels listed and more in the approval loop according to the website.

Encouraging folk to book for next year in anticipation that tourism will go ahead then.

I doubt that is practical either.  IATA doesn't reflect the 48 hour requirement, but may be out of date, or it may be because you could self isolate and test once you're there, which is indicated in some places.  Is that an option for you?  What nationality passport do you hold?

Not going to happen IMO.  Using your own figures of 24 and 18.5 hours, then adding 3 hours before departure to check in and say 1 hour from getting the results to travel to the airport you're already at 46.5 hours of the 48 hours you say is available.

What country is this to, and what is your routing to get there, in case someone can come up with a more practical alternative?