wpcoe

That's another confusing puzzle piece. If there is a quarantine, then you can't leave the hotel, right? But if there is no quarantine (just a "sandbox") and they still insist on a hotel, then I could walk out of the hotel after checking in and stay in my own condo until hotel check-out day, when I would return to check out. The hotel shouldn't mind: I wouldn't be using any of their resources.

Thanks. Those kinds of changes (delay from Oct 1 to Nov 1) are little details that can really much up one's plans. Do you recall how far in advance they changed it from Oct 1 to Nov 1? (Here is a Sept 16 article still quoting the Oct 1 start for Pattaya: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2021/09/16/these-five-places-in-thailand-will-soon-be-quarantine-free-for-vaccinated-travellers ) Now, that's good news. I assume the hotel booking is for the 7-day quarantine pre-Nov? If there is no quarantine, is a specially-designated hotel still needed?

I might be making a November 2021 trip to Thailand. I recall something about an additional five cities opening up in a sandbox fashion on October 1st, including Pattaya. Did that happen? Is there currently the ability to travel from overseas to Pattaya without quarantine, as long as I stay in the city a designated period of time (7 days)? If so, do I need to stay in an approved hotel, or can I go directly to my own Jomtien condo? I've been skimming topics on entry requirements as they pop up on the daily newsletter summary, but with so many changes – some literally day to day – I don't know what is current. Because I had vague plans to return to Thailand "sometime" I wasn't watching details or keeping up. Also, is the 30-day visa-waiver exemption still possible for a US citizen, or is some sort of visa required? If the visa-waiver option is available, what other entry requirements are there besides (a) a CoE, (b) proof of Covid insurance coverage, and (c) proof of vaccination?

Oh. I thought he was a NYC Police Detective who wandered in.

Remember the (green?) mambas that were released into the flood waters last time? Wonder if they're still around, too.

If you don't have a clothes dryer with a super-hot setting (and/or a washer without a hot setting) when you take the clothes out of the washer, put them in a black plastic trash bag while wet, seal it tight, and toss it on the roof. A couple days of sun exposure will steam the hell out of them and kill any bugs.

Facebook listed for sale after web site goes down The best part is Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's comment: "How much?"

I hope this falls within the parameters of the original discussion. I think Americans living abroad *are* less likely to be severely divided. IMHO, way too many Americans are insular. A Karen would seem unlikely to pick up stakes and move overseas. She likes her comfy ivory tower too much. The torch and pitchfork carrying rabble rousers are willing to destroy America but they'd never even consider leaving it. In general, I think (hope!) that Americans who have moved overseas or even just traveled a bit to non-English-speaking countries with different cultures (i.e. not just a week in winter in Cabo drinking with other American tourists) have had their eyes opened enough to the fact that the USA is not the end all of all there is in the universe and perhaps have their eyes opened to alternative viewpoints. Perhaps. And, maybe American expats have had enough reality checks in dealing with the politics, laws, lifestyle and culture in their new country that they develop an appreciation of some of the strengths of their motherland and become more tolerant of difference viewpoints and less likely to want to shred it to pieces for some narrow self purpose.

I don't know what the kerfuffle is about. They cancelled the 01-Oct Hua Hin opening date a full week in advance on 24-Sept. What kind of tourist, domestic or international, makes travel plans more than seven days in advance? </sarcasm off>

Not sure what is left in Pattaya now after pandemic closures, but one I don't think was there before: Mayan food. Are there any "Canadian" restaurants serving a good poutine and Tourtière? And, what about Hawaiian? In a list form: 1. Mayan 2. Canadian 3. Hawaiian

Shouldn't those customers be getting Covid tests, not just checking/monitoring symptoms?

Rats. Sorry to hear that. I knew Manila was the regional office, but was hoping there was still some sort of local liaison at the Embassy in Bangkok.

Is there a Social Security and/or Medicare representative at the US Embassy in Bangkok? I turned 65 while living full-time in Mexico, and I'd need to track down any notes I might have to be sure of the exact process, but I know I talked to a SSA representative by calling a USA phone number and she referred me to the US Embassy in Mexico City, since she could only help US residents. There was some back and forth -- NYC said Mexico City had to process me, and Mexico City initially said NYC had to process me -- but between those two contacts I was finally successfully enrolled in Medicare Part B before my initial enrollment period lapsed. This was in June or July 2020, so the pandemic was probably already affecting staffing at USA offices. I do remember it took several tries to get a person on the line for the USA phone number (I think it was the generic 1-800 number for the SSA?) but once I got through they were helpful.

Well, I roared in my twenties. Happy to be quieter and more sedate now, though.

With a 60-day tourist visa, do you need a round-trip booking when you check in at the airport, like you do with a 30-day visa-exempt entry? i.e. Would I need to make a dummy reservation for a return flight that would occur within 60-days of my entry to Thailand, or could I either (a) make just a one-way (to Thailand) airline booking or (b) make a round-trip airline booking with the return between 60 and 90 days after my arrival (even though technically the visa I'd be holding at the time of check-in would require a return within 60 days)? I know some airlines have Check-In Nazi agents and would want to make sure they didn't create a problem.

I wonder if they are electronic on some sort of big screen display?

(Underscore in quote added by me.) Granted, while 96,087 technically does qualify as "at least 50,000," why the discrepancy in figures?