mikesalaugh

Planning a trip to Udon for 4 or 5 days in mid/late January and then on to Khon Kaen for 4 or 5 days before heading to Koh Samui.

I've not been to Udon for 6 years (only 1 trip there before) and never been to Khon Kaen.

Whats the weather and temperature mid January? Not too worried early mornings as I don't wake till afternoons and enjoy the night times more.

How do I get from Udon to Khon Kaen? I looked at the bus time table and seems to be only 1 bus per day leaving just before midnight? I really don't want to travel that time of night.

Possible via taxi or bolt - any ideas of the cost of this? Any alternatives?

Also looking for a hotel in Khon Kaen near the night life area (1500 - 2000 baht/night) but must have a balcony for smoking and a safety box for my valubles.

What is the central entertainment area there?

I hear the night life is split up in Khon Kaen are tuk tuk's/bolts taxi/motorcyle taxi's easy to arrange at night?

Yes I'm on holiday so out for a good time, so last question, what time to the bars close up there? Any nightclubs or similar for "after hours" entertainment"?

I appreciate any helpful answers, I'm just out for a good time and good holiday, relax and enjoy and drink after working hard for very many months.

I am due to arrive 15th at 06.20 in the morning. IF the deadline is the 15th then am allowed in, or does it cut off at 23.59 hrs 14th?

Not sure if the deadline will be up to 15th or including 15th? Any know?

I just received my 60 day TR visa from the London embassy (2 days to get approved). My surname is also written first and then my given name after.

I was going to start a thread to ask if this is normal or if I needed to contact them to get it corrected, but then I came across this topic.

Anyone else had thier names reversed on their entry visa's?

3 minutes ago, kennw said:

I worry about the alternative, could it be "out of the frying pan into the fire"

 

Yes, be careful what you wish for. You might just get it!

We all know he is not capable to run a government.

Another coup? - Would that be for the better or for the worse?

Is it better the devil you know than the devil you don't know?

I'm not judging what is the best or worst scenerio, just asking the question - Who will take his place?

4 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Its not going to take Thailand 12 months + to vaccinate 70% population, nowhere near that, maybe Feb or March at the latest.

 

Don't get me wrong I agree with the devastating impact on the economy but I also do not see Thailand as a good case to be one of the first countries in the world to jump the gun on this.

 

As we know there is an ongoing project in Phuket, better to view that as a barometer for replicating it in other parts of Thailand. Its not the tourists who are spreading the virus, its the local commu

you say it's not going to take 12 months +nity in Phuket where the numbers are steadily growing. Growing so much that they've now gone back and changed the rules for the project to allow for this steady growth including the previous restrictions on stopping it if hospitals reach 80% occupancy. How that spread goes will be a key factor in my opinion but currently its not looking good.

The trouble with Thailand is it is always cautious and very slow to react to anything going on outside its own bubble. They don't listen and they don't learn, they are not pro-active. When the rest of the world were procuring vaccines Thailand sat on it's <deleted> and did nothing. This is not a forward thinking nation by any etreme of the meaning!

Ok, you say it's not going to take 12 months plus to vaccinate - I'll accept that if they step up the roll out - but with the delta variant its not about 70%, it's more like 85%.

More to the point is it worth wrecking the ecomony, do they realise what they are doing (yes, I guess so in a currupt society). - There is a life after coronavirus and we all have to live with it.

14 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Opening up depends on Thailand's vaccination and virus level though, at the moment they are behind.

 

"Our country’s target is 100 million doses to cover 70 percent of the population with two doses each by the end of 2021"

 

That said they have been doing good numbers daily if they are to be believed, its just the lack of actual stock that is the main problem

I agree the opening depends on the vaccination numbes but  - also on the infection rates. The infection rates are reflected in the testing numbers which are rapidly dropping.

If Thailand waits until 70% are double vaccinated we are looking at 12 months+, it's not going to happen this year. - The big pledge was to open in "120" days - imho it won't happen. Just to add that the U.K are over 75% double vaccinated and cases are still 30,000 a day (with diminished hospitalisations and deaths). - You can't beat this virus and all countries need to learn to live with it and not wreck thier economy.

So when even 10% of tourists are confirmed positive (after 10+ days) they will still keep it open because it's the farrang fault and nothing to do with catching it in Phuket off the the local population. Dirty unwashed farrang, they should look closer to home in their own population,.

So the promise of opening in "120" days - the numers are falling "just in time for the opening". Obviously nothing to do with the reduced testing then? Nothing to do with the rapid antigen tests? Just asking - not making accusations ????

I do actually believe that it is the correct thing (not the numbers being smuged shall we say) to open and accept fully vaccinated foreigners, They are a less threat to the Thai popoulation than their own native population.

If they manged the situation and not the paranoina then they would have a lot less "STRESS" on the streets in Bangkok and rapidly spreading around the rest of the country. - You can beat a dog down for only a certain length of time and then it bites back.. the temperature is ring.

Rapid test are not included in the offcial number - but - these people need to take another PCR test the next day (or 2 or 3 days) and if positive then will be included in the following days figures as confirmed cases. Are people missing this part of the equation they harp on about rapid tests being invalid and not taken into account in official numbers.

I don't blame them wanting to stay there. I'm in the U.K and things here are not too chipper at the moment either. If I had the option I would be on a plane straight to Thailand. Weather the Thailand statistcs are accurate or not (I'll let you decide) I believe its a lot safer there. I would be happy with a 2 week quarantine (as long as I could stay 3 months +).

If they can "apparently" bring the numbers of infection down more then maybe (just maybe) there will be an insurgance of foreigners to add a boost to the economy.

23 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Just to correct the above - to stay with freinds in Thailand you also need to provide a recent copy of their utiity bill as evidence.

Thanks for the info but initially I will be staying in a hotel (also cosidering a condo for a month but same same).

After reading the many replies on this thread I am definatley going to apply for a SETV ...... what amount of money do I need to show on my bank statement (I know it's £10k for METV) but what about SETV?

Also seriously considering entering via CNX as it seems the IO's are more reasonable there.

Carrying 20k THB with a hotel booking and retun ticket is no problem.

25 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

getting a one year visa doesn't make sense. They seem to be pushing the non imm O for the over 50s, assuming you are

Yes indeed, I am 54.

From my understanding you now need the Thai medical insurance for a non imm O (is that correct)?

Last visit to Thailand I enterd via Suvarnabhumi (I have always entered there) I was allowed in but told by the IO that next time I will need a 12 month visa.
Will this of been entered on the computer system that I was told to get 12 month visa next time?

I'm just about to book another visit to Asia for the End of January 2020 (around the 29th).
My plan is to spend 10 or 12 days in the Philippines and then fly to BKK (or should I try to enter elsewhere) to enter Thailand around 7th Feb to stay for about 28 days.

I'll give some detailed info here to make it easier for your advice.

I am from the U.K and have always entered visa exempt (30 day stamp).
The last 2 years I have visited 3 times per year, prior to that it was twice a year.
No overstays - No girlfriend, I just know some friends I have met over the years.

------------------------------------------
Entry history last 2 years:-

8th Feb 2018 - 1 March 2018 (22 days in Thailand)

(9 weeks 6 days out of Thailand)
9th May 2018 - 6 June 2018 - (29 days in Thailand)

(12 weeks out of Thailand)
29 August 2018 - 29 August 2018 - 4 hours in Thailand (in transit to Cambodia) -  but another stamp in the passport.
5 Sept 2018 - 27 September 2018 - (23 days in Thailand)

(16 weeks 6 days out of Thailand)
23rd January 2019 - 20 Feb 2019 (29 days in Thailand)

(10 weeks 3 days out of Thailand)
3rd May 2019 - 30 May 2019 (27 days in Thailand)

(12 weeks 6 days out of Thailand)
28th August 2019 - left 8 Oct 2019 (42 days in Thailand) - extended visa whilst there.
-----------------------------------------

I  will of been out of Thailand 17 weeks and 3 days when I try to re-enter.

I have never worked or looked for work in Thailand, I am self employed in the U.K and have no intentions of doing anything other than visiting as often as time allows. I feel I am a tourist (3 times a year) but I guess immigration don't see it that way.

So what should be my plan be to get allowed in again guys?

I realise I have been in visa exempt every time, so would getting a SETV make it easier (even though I won't be staying longer than 30 days)?
Should I try a different entry point to start with?

If I fly in to BKK from Manila and get refused I guess I would be sent back to Manila (My flight ticket would be LHR - MNL - LHR) or would I get sent back to U.K? Would I then get a stamp in my passport saying entry refused? If so could I still try to enter from another point within a few days? Or is that game over?

I normally enter from the U.K on a visa exempt (every 3 months or so) and stay for 1 month.

I always carry about 10 thousand baht and the rest in GBP (about 1000 GBP) - is this acceptable if questioned? Or should I be carrying 20,000 in Thai baht on entry?