henrik2000

With the booking sites, i happily pay 7 % more for my peace of mind.

I do speak enough tourist Thai to book a room on the phone, and i did it long time ago. But these days i want it more "safely" going through a booking site (can be the hotel's own one, if available).

Yes - and still, i want more safety.

Yes, sure. But i appreciate the (feeling of) safety when i go through a big site. More so if i don't know the hotel and maybe not so much of the lingo. Booking by phone call or message, i had several bad mishaps, when 2 different people did reservation duty without synchronizing their bookings.

Yes, for that one hotel. But that town has a few others that for personal reasons i'd prefer. And they are not bookable through one of the big sites, but maybe only by e-mail or phone call or by aforementioned, but seemingly unknown here Choowap.com (in my limited search i didn't see a local hotel with their own web-site that allowed online booking; if they had a website, it showed the rooms and said "call us"; i opened some Thai language hotel websites in Google Translate).

Hi all, thanks for your input so far! Does anybody have any experience with the (Thai?) booking site Choowap.com? They offer substantially more small town accommodations online than the biggies and would be good in my case (if they are honest). They can be switched to a number of languages. They are much less convenient than the biggies. I don't see any interesting comment on Choowap's reliability or if it is a fake shop anyway. Back in the day, for small places, i used res24 and asiarooms. They seem to have been gobbled up. As said above, i prefer not to rely on walk-in, phone-calling or e-mailing, if possible somehow. Especially walk-in and phone-calling i will avoid. YMMV.

Only that in small towns there are the hotels, but no deals. That's why i ask here.

Yes, still they offer differing hotels and booking procedures.

Hello, do you have favourite web-sites to book small or mid-range hotels in SMALL towns? Say, in Phichit or even Taphan Hin. I have difficulties getting a decent selection or even 1 usefull offer for my preferred dates. I am NOT asking for the best booking-site for Chiang Mai or Surat Thani. In upcountry small towns, there are some hotels marked on Google Maps, but mostly they are not available on booking sites. They also don't seem to have their own booking website. So often i use, but sometimes am not happy with the up-country selection on Agoda Booking.com Expedia AirBnb I saw recommendations for, but want to ask your opinion about selection and seriousness of Laterooms.com Hotels.com Trip.com Traveloka (used that in Indonesia) Choowap.com/en/ Or any other recommendation for a tried and tested site? Thanks! --- PS. Of course if a hotel isn't bookable online, I could call them (speak barely enough Thai for that) contact them by e-mail, Line or Facebook (abhor FB) simply walk-in and try my luck. I did all that successfully in earlier decades.But I don't have those nerves and that trust anymore. I always worry something goes wrong. These days I want a reliable readable booking agreement beforehand, even if I/they pay 7% commission to a booking-site. I am happy to pre-pay if that guarantees my room. I have 99,9 % good experiences with booking.com and 99,5 with Agoda.

Thanks, lots of good ideas indeed!

Thanks for commenting!

Thanks, very interesting suggestions which don't gel with my lifestyle though (even if i wish i could completely ditch the car). Rather than staying near a train station, i'd try to be far from them, as they (and the tracks leading there) act as a roadblock. Nice that people welcomed you on a bicycle. I thought that Thais often looked down on me bicycling (especially if not in a shiny supersports outfit with colourful helmet + sunglasses), like "That foreigner bicycling/sweating in all the heat and dust must be really unlucky, and i won't ask him into our well-cooled SUV with the smooth-sounding 5.1 loudspeaker system" Audacious to post HEIC image files, and i can't see them on 2 different browsers (Safari not among them). Your iphone should convert them to JPGs. Would still love to see them.

Chris, thanks for interesting out of the way recommendations! Sounds like my kind of destination and i will check them out online first. Still open for more recommendations.

Hello, in December + January i will be touristing the area Ayutthaya – Nakhon Sawan – Phichit – Uttaradit – Kamphaeng Phet – Tak - (maybe) Kanchanaburi for about 60 days with a rental car plus private bicycle carried by car. Once checked into a midrange hotel/bungalow, I hope to not use the car for 4-6 days on end and to only move by bicycle/songthaeaow/Bolt/Grab/foot. I like provincial city walks and even more bicycle day trips based on GPS apps with Open Street Maps (not Google Maps) across rice fields and up hill temples. I am quite focussed on the area mentioned and won't go to Chiang Khong, Sukothai or Pizzanoluck even if you say I must. Been there. Aware of visa requirements. I speak enough basic tourist Thai and use Google Lens/Google Translate for language conundrums incl. translation of signs and menus I did this kind of provincial travelling with car/bicycle already in several areas, including Nan-Phayao-Lampang-Phrae, Sisaket province, Nakhon Si province. I don't need girlie bars, dramatic national parks or WWII monuments, Starbucks or imported steaks/beers. I'm fine with rural idylls, lotus ponds, village rice soup breakfast a decent tom yam khung or fried chicken for dinner old Thai live music (luukthung, morlam, Carabao-style) (can't do "90s music" and Thai TV) rambling provincial city centers temples, also to cool and relax Thai-oriented food markets and country restaurants lower mid-range room/bungalow/apartment w/ private bathroom + private parking below 1600 THB Now my questions: Should I base myself both in Nakhon Sawan and separately in Phichit? Or is one of them enough? Why so? Outside the provincial capitals mentioned, could you recommend a resort on the edge of a village or small town? Especially with helpful, knowledgeable staff? They are difficult to find. Do you know if young rice will be (not) growing in the provinces mentioned in December + January? Any other insider tip? Thanks for your tips!

Thanks, actually I had this decathlon foldable on my mind last time in Thailand, but switched to 29" non-foldable bought locally in the last minute and was very happy with that (about 6000 THB) for extended range and sturdiness (but stressful to heave into economy car (Yaris)). Oh, that's nice to know, thanks. Thanks, good hint, there is no battery whatsoever. And thanks all for your input. And sorry for the weird formatting in the first post. I formatted around like a madman and it came out with a mad format indeed.

Hello, i ponder bringing a small foldable bicycle on THAI Airways from Europe to Thailand. (I rode bicycles in TH many times, so far locally rented wrecks or bought in TH. I transported bicycles on other flights before. THAI has the by far most convenient connection for me and well-priced too. I might consider another airline only if the total price or the handling is much better. My questions: Supposed I managed to stay within 30 kgs, would I be allowed to bring TWO pieces of checked luggage (reg. travel bag + bicycle carton)? Do I register my "Special Unit" (bicycle carton) when booking online? I don't see it on the Thai Airways site. Or will it only be added AFTER completing the normal booking (like special meals + seat reservation are added afterwards)? What are your real-life experiences with transporting a bicycle on THAI? (Handling, brokenness.) Did you note that they closely watch the scale and won't grace you a few kgs of extra weight un-charged? (Of course nothing to rely on.) Would you rather recommend another airline price-wise or handling-wise? In theory, I could fly Turkish, Emirates, many others from Europe to Bkk. But any other airline would be longer, more inconvenient and not much cheaper for the regular flight (but maybe for the bicycle allowance). General luggage allowance on Thai Flexi (only tariff option for me): 30 kg I would have: regular travel bag about 20 kg bicycle in carton about 16-20 kg regular cabin luggage 7 kg So, my checked luggage would be around 36-40 kgs total incl. bicycle. I cannot bring that down to 30 kgs (I know me, it's too hard for me, and I need my books, jeans, thermos and bicycle parts). That means, I would pay regular ticket price plus 150 USD Special Unit Price Flat Rate for bicycles (because I'm over 30 kgs total). For bicycles, THAI say online: total luggage allowance in Flexi tariff for me 30 kg yes, 1 bike per pax included in allowance (obviously within the regular 30 kg, but as a 2nd checked luggage?) if total luggage weight exceeds the allowance apply Special Unit price (Flat Rates) Special Unit price (Flat Rates). Charge : USD 150/Unit (A bicycle may be included as part of your free baggage allowance. For a bicycle above your free baggage allowance: If it exceeds the allowance apply. Special Unit price (Flat Rates). Thanks for your experiences! Small Print: Link to Thai "Special Baggage Rules" (not "Excess Baggage"): https://www.thaiairways.com/en_TH/travel_information/baggage.page Link to Thai Special Baggage Pricing per Unit: https://www.thaiairways.com/en/travel_information/Excess_Charges_Special_Baggage.page? In THAI parlance, I understand my trip will be between TC2 (Europe, Africa, Middle East) and TC3 (Asia, Australia, New Zealand). There is no Premium Economy Class offered on my flight. I believe I am not a ROP Silver Member. I write here "THAI" in all-caps to distinguish it from Thai people, Thai language etc. For now I would only buy a 1-way-flight into Thailand (prices below). I did that many times. Looking at THAI's website, a flight both ways would be about double priced, so there is no incentive to buy a return ticket right now. I might buy another cheap outbound flight like Bkk-Cambodia on Air Asia only to show to immigration + consular visa officers. If later the price for the return trip rises, I'll survive and stilly enjoy my flexibility to fly out when where from where to I need a foldable MTB with 26", 27.5" or 29" (larger is better). I transport it around in a rental car for 2 months (economy size). I've had non-foldable MTBs that only just fit into the car with the front wheel removed (and only because it was a station wagon (Yaris, see pic), and you don't know which car you'll get from the rental company) and there was always the risk of damaging/dirtying the inside of the car and its driver. As far as I know, there are no foldable MTBs from 26 inches up to 300 USD in TH. (There are decent non-foldable ones below 300 USD, but as I said, they are a bit too big, or I must rent a bigger car, which I don't like at all).

Jack and Caldera, thanks for advice!

London and Red Phoenix, thanks for more input!

Tim and Jack, thanks for clarifying TM30! If you say screenshot - sounds like i could show it to Immigration from my phone? Even photograph it off their screens?

Tim, thanks.

Red Phoenix and Dr Jack, thanks for good details! What's that, a proof i'm registered with a hotel?

Hello, starting around November 2023 I would like to stay in Thailand as a tourist 3 months in a go. I'm EU-citizen, above 50, healthy, health-insured internationally. I don't like visa runs. 1) Plan 1: 2 Months + 1 Month So my Plan 1 is: before traveling, apply online für a TR visa for 2 months (already done 1 time before) in country, get extension for another month from Thai Immigration office upcountry for 1900 THB (already done several times) Is that a good/the best solution? I need it completely stressfree and legal. 2) Plan 2: Get 3 Months in 1 Stretch? Or could i get 3 months in 1 stretch without the necessity to extend in-country? I am confused here. What about Non-Immigrant Visa O-A "for applicants aged 50 and over who wish to stay in Thailand for an extended period without the intention of working". Do I need a health certificate from GP? (I'm healthy, but the GP makes me sick.) Do i need a paper from my health insurance? Source: https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84508-non-immigrant-visas Is a solution for 3 months in 1 stretch more costly than 2 months + 1 month extension? I might choose the 3 months in 1 stretch anyway to spare me the hassle of visiting an immigration office in TH. 3) Working in TH for EU customers: In TH, i'd do a bit of computer work for EU customers (as done before, as digital nomads do). Is that officially ok? I don't work for Thai customers, for Thai money, I don't do any journalism, blogging, vlogging, commercial photography, influencing (Thai-related or not) etc. 4) Departure Ticket: Personally i only need a one-way ticket into Thailand. My real return ticket I would buy 2 days before flying out. But to apply online for a TR visa, i think i need to upload a departure ticket? For that, I would buy a cheap ticket like BKK-Cambodia with Air Asia, just for presentation purposes. Should this flight be timed for 58 days after entering Thailand? (1) I would not fly on this cheap no-show-ticket, because i want to stay longer in Thailand. But then after say 58 days I don't fly out, but I visit Thai Immigration (somewhere upcountry, not Pattaya, Phuket, Bkk, Samui, Chiang Mai; I speak some Thai). I wouldn't have a departure ticket valid say 88 days after entering Thailand. Is that a problem? If I extend the visa for one month for 1900 THB, do I need to show a valid departure ticket? I did this extension for 1900 THB several times before, but don't remember the question for a departure ticket. But one time they asked for my next hotel bookings and admonished me not to work in TH. Your take? Thanks! (1) Sometimes online services for "renting", "sharing" or "generating" onward tickets are suggested. I won't use them.

Thanks, Charlie. Yes actually it would be nice to have the post in the cycling forum, also because in the linked blog post I have some questions to more experienced Thailand bicyclists. So if that is doable, you could delete my second last post, where I give a wrong link by accident but can't delete it, and move my last post to the cycling forum. Or I could post another new short hint there and leave the original post here. I had to do a post in this thread here because I had been asked here for a report, but it has been seen now. Thanks!

Sorry, embarrassingly in my post above it is the wrong link, even if it seems correct initially. It seems I can't change or delete it anymore now. The link that I wanted 2 to give here about my bicycling experience in provincial Northern Thailand is this: https://hansblog.de/bicycle-day-touring-in-provincial-northern-thailand-w-20-pics-report-in-english/

Thanks, interesting.