LivingNThailand

I did not know there was a lounge you could pay for at Phuket Airport. Gladly pay to get away from the crowds. Man, I wish I had "talked" to you sooner. If I ever leave this rock again I'm headed straight for the Coral Lounge. The ultimate pain we had was that we had to go downstairs, and about 5 flights were waiting to board, and all of them appeared to be late. The room was packed. At this point, I whipped out my emergency mask. Then we had to get crammed into a little bus, bused over to the plane, and climb up the stairs to the plane. I paid extra to sit in front of the plane to be first in and out. Anyway, enough of my whining. As my friend says, I'd like a little cheese with my whine. I guess it was worth it to find out about the lounge. thanks.

An update from my experience getting a single entry at the Phuket Airport. No problem at all. Just look for the big sign that says OVERSTAYERS PAY HERE and there is a group of officers to help you. There was no one in front of me and it took the officer about 10-15 minutes to process everything. I had all the forms filled out and photos with me. A group of airline flight attendants came in after me, but they seemed to process them pretty quickly, passport, photo, fingerprint, and approval, so it wouldn't have been too bad being behind them in line. There is no need to go to Phuket Town anymore! Thanks for all your advice. On another note, and this doesn't have to do with my original post, but I have to say something. The Phuket International Departure Lounge is an armpit. They keep saying Phuket is a world class destination, but where is the world class service? It was crowded, we were pushed around like cattle, the "food" servers where rude, the only "food" I could find was a couple of sandwiches and pizza, and there was nowhere to sit. It was a totally miserable experience. And they want MORE tourists? Are they crazy. The Ho Chi Mihn departure lounge was pleasant, with plenty of seating, sit down dining, and nice, calm people. Ok, end of rant, but it's going to be a while before I fly again out of Phuket International.

I highly recommend internet banking as a backup. If you are worried about secure transactions you can do them right at your home with your secure internet. I set up internet banking way before mobile banking. BBK was quite picky about giving me this "privilege" until I got my long-term visa status. I think it might even be harder now, because now you cannot even open an account at BKK unless you provide them with one of those proof of residency papers from immigration. Back in the day, I just gave them 200 baht and a copy of my passport on a tourist visa. Internet banking only asks for your login ID and password. I think you can use it from any computer, but not sure. I used to use Internet banking from my phone before mobile banking, when I was in a secure environment, that is. Login and password. Lastly, in defense of being a bit old fashion, I've seen those mobile apps fail at stores and ATMs many a time. When a good old fashion piece of plastic works every time (unless you are over your limit or you put your password in 3x incorrectly. Good luck.

A Thai friend asked me to look at her daughter's English test and correct the problems the daughter had. There were about 100 questions. After about 50 I was saying, this is ridiculous. About 20-30% of the questions did not make any sense, and the answers were WRONG. Can't they have an English speaking person look at the questions and make them correct? I was in Vietnam a few weeks ago and was amazed how many young people spoke English.

One of the first things I learned when I moved here is to NEVER ask a question that started with WHY. WHY encourages thinking, is challenging, and problem solving.

I'm curious how it ends up, if you could follow up that would be great. FYI, I had an issue with my ATM card. I was buying groceries and my ATM card was denied 3x because the store said I forgot my password code. Impossible. I called the call center and they told me that I inputted my code wrong 3x ( again impossible) so the ATM card was canceled and I had to go to a branch and get a new one. Any branch they told me. So I went to a convenient branch, and they told me I had to go to my original branch to get the ATM, which I refused because the Call Center said, " Any Branch No Problem". The girl took me outside to the ATM and made me try my old card again. It didn't work and she insisted that I forgot my code. Sigh. It took me almost 2 hours to get a new ATM card because by then the girl was not happy with me. The card worked just fine until I was at the same store buying groceries again and it was declined 2 times. Not an idiot, I decided not to try 3 times and used my credit card instead. I called the call center and the 2nd agent told me I had a 5,000 THB limit on my ATM card it was declined because the charge was OVER my limit. No one told me that the first time I called, they just told me I inputted the code wrong 3x (impossible). The second agent walked me through the procedure to raise my limit and now I know WHY my card was declined. The reason I'm going into detail about this, is that there must be a work around your problem, you just need to get ahold of the right agent at the right time. I hope it works out.

(66) 0 2645 5555 from overseas.

Why don't you call the Call Center. They are usually helpful. They are based in Bangkok and speak very good English. If you don't get a good response, you can call back later and another agent. Do you have a Skype account? If not it's easy to set up. To call the bank should only cost about a $1 for about 20 minutes. Just an estimate. I use Skype to call the US all the time and $10 lasts a long time.

I read it 3 times. Very very confusing. I've flown business class a couple of times. If I was stuck in the middle of economy I would be pissed.

A friend of mine from the US just did that. I couldn't believe the documents he had to provide, including a bank statement proving he had $5000 in the bank and a letter from his girlfriend saying it was OK to stay at her house. If his mom was alive, I bet they would want a note from her too. Yet Russians can come in 90 days no problem. I'm not against Russian tourists, it's just I believe there should be some even ground here.

Rawai, Phuket is finished. I counted 35 weed shops on Saiyuan and I was driving. Probably double if I paid attention and that was on 1 street. Big Bike drivers being A-holes, driving around people and cars and honking. Shirtless wonders going into the stores. I haven't really been to Rawai for over 1 year to spend my money. Just to pick up a few things here and there. Totally ruined. No control from the officials. I know this thread was about Chinese, but who in their right mind would want to visit this area, despite where they were from, China or ????. No high-end visitors. Just scum. I was in Ho Chi Mihn City a few days ago, very civilized and tourists not behaving badly and spending a lot of money. If the Thai government doesn't do something soon about this then the Thai tourism will be totally finished and the people that will pay good money for a good experience will truly stop coming to Thailand. End of rant.

China Airlines is Taiwanese. Not Chinese. At one point during the pandemic, China Airlines was contemplating changing its name so people wouldn't think they were a Chinese airline. I've flown China Airlines quite a bit, and it was quite nice. For some reason when a newspaper writes about Chinese Airlines, they show China Airlines photo. You think they would know by now.?

I hope not.

That's very sad. I only use the internet for banking or if I use my phone, ie paying the electric bill, I use the mobile app in my secure wifi at my home only.

This is a weird question. but here it goes. If I go to the airport 2-3 weeks before my flight can I get the single entry in advance. I just got word from 2 of my friends saying that Phuket immigration is totally nuts right now with Russians extending their visa. wait time up to 2-3 hours. Not a pleasant experience. Part of me doesn't "trust" the same day service at the airport. Maybe I've lived here too long? Advise?

Dr. Jack, there was no date on this post. 2023?

I'm going to take a short international trip and was wondering how easy it is to get a single re-entry permit at Phuket Airport. Where do you get it at the international terminal, opening hours, ease of issuance, complications, etc? I'd hate to get to the airport and not get the permit. I just signed up and successfully completed the 90 days online, and then realized I would still have to go to immigration to get the reentry permit. Ugh. Does anyone have any information or input? Greatly appreciated.

Here in Phuket, it is up and down. One day the streets are empty and no one is in the shopping centers, the next day it is packed. Weird. I think "high season" will not be so high—just a gut feeling. I haven't seen too many tourists yet, Russian or Chinese. A lot of Russians that are living here, but most of them are okay and pleasant enough, at least the families. A lady who lives there who was in front of me at the grocery check-out counter actually smiled and said thank you to the clerk. That was a first. I just don't get the Russian tourists that are grumpy and scowl when they are on vacation. That was last year's "high season" I'm curious what will happen this year's "high season"

Every day I see tourists in Phuket on their illegally rented motorbikes either talking, texting or looking at their phones. It's going to be a very bloody "high season". I've even seen people walking across the street looking at their phones and not paying attention to the cars/bikes/buses/taxis whizzing buy. I'm amazed more people aren't taken out. Phones should have a governor on them, if you are moving then it shouldn't work. (in my dreams).

This article in another paper had the word However, at the beginning of this sentence. I knew it was doomed the second I saw, "However, not all app functionalities will be operational immediately..."

Hasn't anyone told them about the Chinese economy falling apart, Chinese unemployment, Chinese real estate sector in shambles and the Chinese government discouraging their people to travel internationally. Here in Phuket I have seen very few Chinese tourists and I think the ones I have seen are Taiwanese, Hong Kong or Singapore. They are too quiet.

Phuket did nothing to clean up the streets, beaches, sewers, power lines, dilapidated buildings, roads during covid. I could go on and on. The place is a mess and now the property owners are building building building. The infrastructure can't take it. The street near our house is crumbling because of all the lorries and cement trucks going down the street to build 3 new mega houses. Now the new PM says he wants to build a new airport. Where? The "new" international airport that opened a few years ago was a big disappointment when it opened. Not enough seating, restaurants, bathrooms. It was too small the day it opened. The only way they could fix it is to tear both terminals down and start all over. Which isn't going to happen. The new PM is here today in Phuket doing a PR junket. Blah Blah Blah. I like living here, but Phuket needs a strong government that will kick some butt. And there are No Chinese here. A few scattered about, but nothing like TAT says are here. Maybe they are all staying up North, but here is Southern Phuket they are pretty sparse and this is the time of the year they used to come. I'm sort of ranting here, but everyone kept saying that Phuket needed to diversify during covid, and nothing was done. It's sort of sad really. But they are growing pineapple now. It's really good. ????

Where do you get the Thai version? And I don't care if it bothers them. What they put me through in March was awful. Put me in a room with about 1,000 Russians wanting to avoid the draft and trying to get 7 day extensions, 7 days at a time. Shouting and yelling, what a bunch of BS. Here I am a law-abiding senior citizen living in the same place for 8 years and supporting the local economy during covid...... Sorry, I'm ranting now. Just nice to have documentation to support my cause. We are all in this together....???? If you have a link to the Thai version that would be nice too. you all have a good evening.

Thanks. I knew I saw it here. Much Appreciated. I printed it out and put it in my immigration book. Earlier this year one of the newbies at the renewal desk (Room 103 for Phuketians). told me I had to renew my address every 3 years no matter what. "It was required" I knew that wasn't right. I hadn't even left the province in 3 years because of Covid (I didn't count Krabi and Phang Nga as leaving...it's not really leaving is it?) What a big hassle with everyone including my landlady. When I finally got back to immigration the senior guy said I didn't have to. What a waste of time and stress. Anyway, thanks, I will keep this with me whenever I go to immigration. CYA.