samtam

All done. I had an SG VPN on and the JAL website was much for navigable, (than even the Japanese site). Go figure.

@gearbox I am indebted to you for your advice to use the Live Chat facility. Was going along swimmingly yesterday until they had an IT glitch. Then couldn't get back on Live Chat until today, and spent 4 hours booking 2 flights, (using 2 laptops for the two of us), and we successfully managed to book JAL with Avios points (plus the fees) from Qatar. The Live Chat went down in the middle of the process, but everything confirmed, except now I need to check the JAL site for booking, (which is not yet showing), and to select seats. When/if that happens, I will proceed with the unrefundable accommodation bookings. A major palaver, and frankly not one I will undertake again. Only use Avios on Qatar or BA, not any of their partner airlines, as the system is simply not geared to it.

Yes, it is a protracted process to make it as unattractive as possible. To put it bluntly, it is a complete con. If the airlines don't want to give reward miles, just drop it, and stop pretending it's a benefit.

Absolutely agree.

@gearbox Thank you. I managed to get through and thought I was about to book, but they've asked me to come back and try again in 2 hours, as they have an IT glitch🤨 Initially they asked me to do what I have already done....go and make the booking request on their website. Not sure we wont go back to that rigmarole again, which is a complete waste of time and effort. The Avios points (77,500 each) come with a service fee of THB14700 each.

Oops. Found it.

I did chat online yesterday, but cannot find the chat facility today, (just now). I used the search option, but nothing comes up. Maybe it's closed for the weekend. Certainly the booking request doesn't get handled over the weekend, despite Qatar being an international airline, and it's headquarters operating in a country that has it's day off on Friday.

I travelled with my partner, and we had the two centre seats together. On one leg we decided to have dinner, with a pre dinner drink. Everything was served at different times, so would have been better sitting on the same side, and separately. Again the "meal on demand" means that service is haphazard, and even between seats divided by an aisle. Some customers received food and beverages long before others, in that configuration. They really are uncoordinated. After that experience we decided to pass up on the F&B service, as it was just too irritating. The answer is to eat in the lounge before you depart, and at the lounge in Doha, if it's not too crowded. On the first leg there was a queue of 10 or more for each of the shower facilities.

Yes. transferring reward points from Qatar to JAL, (one of their partner airlines), is indeed clunky. Apparently they have to do it "manually". Avios transfers between Qatar and BA can be done by the customer online. Not so with any of their other partners. And weirdly, BA requires 90,000 points plus THB12,500 to transfer to a JAL flight, whereas Qatar requires 77,500 for the exact same flight. I tried doing it from BA too, but their IT systems are worse, and obviously with the variation in point requirements, I was not prepared to fork out for more Avios points. Ergo, best only to use Avios on BA or Qatar, and not with any other of their so-called airline partners. It's a guaranteed exercise in futility and time wasting. I wish they would just be honest about it. But I know now, and so will anyone reading this.

I agree. The meals are dire, whatever class. My last trip on Qatar I closed the door (Q Suite) after take off and telling the female waiter that I didn't want to be disturbed for the rest of the flight. Qatar's "meal on demand" is a complete load of <deleted>, resulting in waiters and waitresses walking up and down the aisles all the time. At least with the Q Suite you can mitigate that irritation but just closing the door.

I cannot find a travel forum, so please move as required. I was a true fan of Qatar Airways pre-pandemic, but since then they have gradually deteriorated in every respect. My latest attempt was to use my Avios points on their website with their partner airline, Japan Airlines. You request a booking through their website and it gets acknowledged. They claim they will respond within 48 hours. They didn't the first time around, so I rang their Doha office and was informed the dates (in May) were not available, so I asked them to advise me which dates were available. They gave me them. I had to then go back online to rebook, and was asked to call Doha back with the acknowledgement reference ID, which I did within a few minutes. The answer came back "dates not available". So I thought this silly game could go on forever, I'll just trip off to their office in Exchange Square, Rachadapisek. Arrived there and was informed that walk-ins for customers no longer available. OK, my fault for reading an out-of-date website with the office details and opening times. Was given a Thai number to ring, which I did. The rep informed me of "wide open" dates to book my reward flights with their partner airline and they would respond within 72 hours. That deadline passed today, so I rang them again. They now say response with 96 hours, but as it's Friday, by Tuesday at the earliest. This is a joke service. Or more likely, reward points on Qatar are literally pointless. So I will book the Business Class tickets on JAL and pay the USD3,500 (for 2)...BKK to HND. Thinking how I might instead use my Avios points on Qatar, I checked their website for flights on their airline. The use of points is bonkers. A round trip flight on Business to Madrid is 300,000 points plus THB14,000 or some such BS. I've lost track. Booking without points is only about THB120,000, but flights are nearly all sold out for May. So, I shall continue to live the life of a hermit, and stay put. In all my years of travelling I have rarely had success with mileage points, which must surely be the biggest load of nonsense. But Qatar are taking their disdain of usage of reward points to a new level. OK, rant over. I'm having a much cheaper excursion, daily from my flat to my pool, as per usual.

Managed to renew my 5yr Thai DL at Chatuchak (Bangkok) Department of Transport this morning with relative ease. They accepted my DLT eLearning QR code, which I completed last week on 13 March 2024, despite the fact that the acknowledgement of completion stated the date as 19 September 2023; (my laptop has all correct dates and times). They simply noted that today was the last applicable date, to fall within the 6 month validity. Anyway, that obviously saved time, and I only had to complete the eye and co-ordination tests; the brake machine almost had me fuxed, but they let me have second go. Subsequently I applied for and received an International Driving Permit (IDP), which I will require when I travel to Japan in a couple of months. All very efficient, and the staff helpful and polite. Thai DL less than 1 hour, IDP about 30 minutes.

Could they use AI technology to control traffic in Bangkok? Oh wait, I think they had some sophisticated technology, but they decided it was more fun to do it themselves and enjoy the benefits of natural selection, (of victims for handouts).

Mine were both single focus lenses.

Can't open your link.

1 eye at Rutnin THB140,000 (ish) and 1 eye at Samitivej THB75,000

The dish best served cold.

Certainly when I bought my condo here 20 years ago and was renovating it for the first time, my contractor told me that he was asked to pay THB5K a piece for three metal balcony drain covers. I was surprised then, but he paid him, or rather I did. (A similar drain cover today costs around THB100 a piece.)

You're assuming too much right now. I wanted to hear a few opinions, and yours is certainly helpful. I am aware it is how the country runs, but there are obviously specific circumstances which I have chosen not to disclose, such as the history with the management company etc.

I hear what you are saying about leaving well alone, but the contractor's bribe comes from somewhere, and I think it's pretty adjacent to the contract fee.

I think I can be certain, (if that isn't a contradictory way of putting it), that it does not involve any other committee members. I will be speaking to them privately.

When is the OP travelling? (See below). Taking it out of Thailand in hand luggage would be the problem, if over 100ml per item.

I suppose I am being totally naive, and should not have expected any thing less. As a committee member for our condo, which is managed by one of the so-called top building management companies, I was rather taken aback today when I was informed by one of our contractors that he was asked for a payment to the building manager for a contract awarded by the board. He also showed me proof that the subcontractor carrying out the renovation was asked for a similar bribe. For another simultaneous project by the same contractor and another subcontractor, they have to pay a fee to some/several (as yet undefined) of our management or juristic team to have the quality control approved. As it's Thailand, it is possible that this practice is the norm, and I should turn a blind eye to it. It does however absolutely disgust me, knowing what potential adverse impact there might be on the quality of the work, aswell as the ultimate cost to owners. It also goes against the very fibre of my being. The contractor whistleblower is not Thai, so he obviously felt comfortable telling me of his experience, otherwise I would doubtless never have heard about it. Anyone have any experience of this, and advice. Is it just "When in Rome..."?

Just completed the course and received my certificate with QR code. The date is completely wrong....says completed Private Driving Licence on 19 September 2023. I will be going on 19 March which is exactly 6 months, and it states *results of training are valid for 6 months from completed training date. Hope it works. Maybe the QR code says something else?

I agree, sadly. It is not surprising given the very different ways we live our lives, but respect for property amongst those who don't own anything of (high value), is quite strange. But I suppose there are other priorities. The last time I had my aircons cleaned I moved everything out of the range of the machines as they were cleaning them, (as per usual), including the pieces of silver and bronzes on top of a George III piecrust table. Sometime later, because it was almost in my eyeline, I noticed one of their wet cleaning cloths hanging from the side of it. It must have been there for several minutes, and it of course left a water stain, which I am still trying to remove with a antique oil designed for such purposes. Still, I suppose it's seen a few things in its life, and this just adds to its rich tapestry, almost literally. And besides, it's barely noticeable in the dim lighting I use at night; even better when the lights are off. I literally supervise all activity in my flat like a hawk, so that micromanaging is par for the course.