henrik2000

Thanks for commenting! So far i only had mechanical disc brakes or the very old style ("block brakes") and didn't find it tiresome. (I don't cycle super fast or steep downhill usually.) I only worry about mechanical disc brakes getting easily distorted when heaving into the car's back and then getting noisy/slowing while riding the bike.

Hello, next month i (experienced tourist in TH) want to buy an 29", 8000 THB, mountain bike (MTB) in TH and carry it by rental car around central Thailand for lots of day trips out of provincial mid-range hotels for hopefully 2 months of touristing. I did this in the previous winter and it was great for me. So here I don't need general travel planning advice, just specifics as mentioned. I would like to bring some special spare parts from the west, only I am not sure if they will fit. Thus my questions: 1) Typical tyre size: 29x1,75? I might want to bring - special "protective" tyres - replacement tubes (even if available in TH). The two mountain bike models I'm eying currently (below) have 29x1,75 and 29x2,10 respectively. 2) Typical valve: Presta/Sclaverand/French – OR – Schrader/car valve? I want to bring a small pump. Last time in TH I didn't manage to find a decent SMALL pump in provincial Thailand, only huge stand-pumps. I believe my last TH bicycle had a Schrader valve. Photos of valve types mentioned, on bicycling.com == That above was the important part. Thanks for an informed reply! == About dealer and hydraulic disc brakes I want to buy from an on the ground bicycle dealer that I know and trust. I had his 8000 THB 29" Zeus Maxiumus MTB last winter, and it worked well. For this time, he offered me 2 different bicycles by LINE-messenger (before I walk into his shop next month) both for around 8000 THB. But his English is not good. I don't write Thai, it is difficult; also I don't trust Google Translate especially with technical questions. Face to face we do get along well with spoken Thai/spoken English. It seems his bicycle offers are available 1000THB cheaper on shopee, Lazada etc., but I don't care, I will buy in that shop. He offered me: Offer 1: Zeus Maximus 29" ER, 8000 It has 29x1,75 tyres (preferred over 29x2,10), hydraulic disk brakes (not wanted), double-layered rims (good!) Full description in Thai on shopee (Google site translation doesn't work in my browser, I don't see company website in EN) Offer 2: Java Terra 29" 21speeds Unlike the Zeus Maximus above, it does have Shimano parts (important or not?) and "mechanical disc brake" (good!). I don't see if it has the desired double-layer rims (or is that standard anyway?). It has 29x2,10 tyres (too fat for me) – if I bring my own "protective tyres" of 29x1,75 – would they fit? Or would even smaller ones fit (rim wideness not specified) Full description in Thai+English on shopee (Google site translation doesn't work in my browser, I don't see company website in EN) Hydraulic disc brake ("oil break", ) standard? The mentioned Zeus Maximus 29" ER prides hydraulic brakes. But I don't want them. The Java bicycle is mentioned with "bicycle Mechanical Disc brake" – better. I will take the bicycle's front wheel off several times a week to get it into the car between hotels. I understand with hydraulic brakes there's a danger of a "blocked" brake, if you take the wheel off and don't keep brake things apart with some small thingy. But I would either - forget to apply the thingy and/or - loose the dedicated thingy (even if you could also use some non-specific thingy) Thanks again!

Oh, that sounds stressful if you don't have (access to) pay by scan. Thanks for reporting this. Reminds me slightly of the car wash that so much preferred pay-by-scan, but finally took my cash as well (i believe they worried about Corona).

Thank you, interesting.

Thanks! So I will forget about "pay by scan". I will look into Truemoneywallet, or maybe another forum member could say here if that service is useful for a tourist to pay everyday things like groceries, restaurants, gasoline.

Hello, in provincial Thailand around New year 22-23 I saw Thai people "pay by scan" in many small shops and noodle carts. They held their mobile phone onto the vendors’ QR codes, and 10 seconds later the payment was confirmed. Thais were perplexed that I (foreign tourist) couldn't "pay by scan". One time a car wash almost didn't wash my car because I wasn't able to pay by scan, and they didn't like cash (maybe because of corona worries). I didn't see much "pay by scan" in Bangkok or Pattaya, but it was widely used upcountry. And I would like to use it too, if reasonable for a foreign tourist staying 2+ months. I would use it to pay groceries, restaurants, noodle stalls, hotels, gas stations, Bolt and Grab drivers. I will come back to provincial Thailand on another tourist trip around New year 23-24 for 2+ months (aware of visa rules). Can I as a foreign tourist do this "pay by scan" easily, or do I need a Thai bank account etc etc to "pay by scan"? I do have Google Wallet in the phone, and it's connected to two traveler-friendly Visa credit cards without foreign fees ("home currency" is Euro). And I will have an AIS SIM card. If access to "pay by scan" is rather complicated to get for a mere tourist, I would stick with cash. Thanks for your advice!

Hello, as a EU member in EU i want to apply online for a 2 months TR visa. In-country, I want to extend at a local immigration for another 30 days for a total stay of 90 days – purely tourism, then fly out. I have some questions: Exit ticket: In my online application for the TR visa, do I need to show an exit flight ticket out of Thailand after 59 days? My consulate says online I must show (quote): "Flight ticket with passenger's name, flight number, departure and arrival dates" This can be read in different ways… If I must show an exit ticket, it would be ticket after 59 days max, which then I would not use, because I want to extend to a total of 90 days. Or not? That means, I would buy a cheap exit ticket and not use it. Right? So far, I only have a one-way flight into TH. I want to buy the real flight out of Thailand only after days before actually flying (to be flexible, even if more expensive). Pay visa fee in advance: I already applied online for another TR visa 1 year ago. Back then, I had to pay the visa fee in advance and to upload a bank statement about the visa fee in my visa application. This time, the visa fee is NOT mentioned in the requirements on the consulate website and it is not asked for in the online application. I am confused – will they ask later to pay the visa fee? (This time, I must show a bank statement with 500 Euro to my name.) Hotel booking after arrivel: For my first few days in TH, I have a hotel booking that I must show when applying for a visa. But I want to cancel that hotel booking after I get the visa online, because actually I stay somewhere else without a proper booking. Is it ok to cancel that Thai hotel booking - after getting the visa - before entering Thailand? In other cases, I noted that international travellers are tracked quite closely and get contacted about anything immigration might find questionable. Thanks for your experience!

Hello, about Mae Sot town specifically: are there Grab / Bolt taxis available? If yes, - at all times from 6 a.m. to midnight? - only in daylight hours? - only motorcycle taxis, but not cars? Thanks for your proven local insight! I noticed in some northern towns like Nan, Lampang, Phrae, Phayao that sometimes - there is no Grab / Bolt at all - it's only available before nightfall and only motorcycles (food deliverers taking on a human) - it's only available until about 10 p.m. - they take you to the pub, but you must stagger back So it'd be nice to hear from somebody on the ground how much you can use Grab / Bolt in Mae Sot town or if there is another easy-to-use taxi service. Thanks!

Thanks!

Hello, - Can flights on Thai Airways Economy Premium be cancelled by me online and then be refunded? - If yes, is there a refunding fee? - Is the refunding procedure bearable or very complicated? It must be online and unbueraucratic, not by visiting a Thai office on the ground. - Or is it easier to seek a refund on Bkk Airways? Background: I might want to book a flight BKK-Phnom Penh that I might ultimately not use at all, but might cancel 1 week before take-off. There seem to be these options: Air Asia – 1560 THB Thai Airways Economy – 3800 THB Thai Airways Economy Premium – 8100 THB Thai Airways Business etc. – not available Bangkok Airways Web Freedom – 7045 THB – refundable with fee, seemingly 2000 THB penalty Now I guess Air Asia wouldn't refund me if I don't use the flight, and maybe Thai Airways Economy also. I read online that flights with Thai Airways Economy Premium ARE refundable if cancelled a few days before take-off (no problem). If the refunding process with Thai is complicated, I'd rather book Air Asia and if I don't fly, I just lose 1560 THB. Thai has a long text in Accounting English about the cancellation policiy on Economy Premium (see below) – English even in non-English territories – and for the life of me I don't get it. Bkk Airways seems to charge 2000 THB refunding penalty – that means it's better to buy Air Asia and throw that ticket away if the flight is not needed. Or not? Btw, I do not wish to use online services to "temporarily borrow an exit ticket" or some such, but want to actually buy a ticket on my name. Thanks! == Bangkok Airways says for the Web Freedom tariff: Refund conditions. Prior to Departure of first flight: Refund: Allowed with restrictions Penalty fee between: 2000 THB / 2000 THB (at today exchange rates 2000 THB / 2000 THB) Maximum Refund penalty fee for entire ticket: 2000 THB == THAI: Adult Cancellation fees on Thai Airways Economy Premium 1 - PSGR P1 ADT RULES DISPLAY FARE COMPONENT 1 ADT BKKPNH TG U1LOEFF PU 1 N FCL: U1LOEFF TRF: 8 RULE: FF02 BK: U PTC: ADT-ADULT FTC: WR -PREMIUM ECONOMY RESTRICTED PE.PENALTIES FOR FARES VIA RTG7655 NOTE - NVA / NVB - NOT APPLICABLE CHANGES BEFORE / AFTER DEPARTURE - FREE OF CHARGE CORRECT NAME BEFORE DEPARTURE - FREE OF CHARGE CORRECT NAME AFTER DEPARTURE - NOT PERMITTED CHANGE NAME BEFORE/AFTER DEPARTURE - NOT PERMITTED -------------------------------------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION FOR REROUTING/ REBOOKING TO TICKETED FLIGHTS FOR THIS FARE ARE AS BELOW- 1- CHANGE EQUALS TO REISSUE REVALIDATE REROUTING REBOOKING CORRECT NAME 2- ONE FEE APPLIED 3- CHANGE OF AIRPORT WITHIN ONE CITY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AS REROUTING 4- CHANGE MUST BE MADE WITHIN VALIDITY OF TICKET 5- THE CHANGE FEE- IF APPLICABLE- APPLIES PER TRANSACTION/PER PERSON FOR ADULT/CHILD AND INFANT WITH SEAT. 6- INFANT WITHOUT SEAT -NO CHARGE FOR CHANGE FEE / NO-SHOW FEE 7- CHILD/INFANT WITH SEAT - DISCOUNT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE CHANGE FEE / NO-SHOW FEE 8-WHEN THE NEW ITINERARY RESULTS IN A HIGHER FARE - COLLECT FARE DIFFERENCE -AND- COLLECT CHANGE FEE- IF APPLICABLE 9- WHEN THE NEW ITINERARY RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE - UPGRADE TO A LEVEL WHICH IS AT LEAST EQUAL AS THE BASE FARE OF PREVIOUS TICKET. FARE DIFFERENCE AND A CHANGE FEE- IF APPLICABLE- MUST BE COLLECTED. 10 -TOTALLY UNUSED TICKET REPRICE THE ENTIRE NEW ITINERARY USING TG CURRENT FARES / RULES IN EFFECT ON DATE OF NEW TICKET ISSUANCE. NEW TICKET MAY BE EQUAL /HIGHER VALUE THAN ORIGINAL TICKET AND COUNTING ADVANCE PURCHASE DATE - IF REQUIRED- FROM TICKET REISSUE DATE. 11 - PARTIALLY USED TICKET NEW FARE WILL BE RECALCULATED USING FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE HISTORICAL FARES WHEN THE ORIGINAL TICKET WAS ISSUED. 12- WHEN THIS FARE IS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER FARE - MIXED RBD/FARE FAMILY/BRAND A CHANGE OUTBOUND OR INBOUND RULE FOR CHANGE AND FEE APPLY BY FARE COMPONENT. B CHANGE BOTH OUTBOUND AND INBOUND THE HIGHEST FEE OF ALL CHANGED FARE COMPONENT WILL APPLY 13 CHANGES PERMITTED ONLY WITHIN SAME OR HIGHER BRAND. 14. IN CASE OF REISSUE THE ORIGINAL NON- REFUNDABLE FARE REMAINS NON-REFUNDABLE. THE REISSUED TICKET WILL INCLUDE THE HIGHER NON- REFUNDABLE AMOUNT FROM EITHER THE OLD OR NEW TICKET IN THE ENDORSEMENT BOX. NOTE1 -EMD SHALL BE ISSUED FOR THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES AND TFCS. THE UNUSED TAXES MAY BE REFUNDED. NOTE 2 - THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION/SERVICE/HANDLING FEE MAY APPLY IN ADDITION TO ABOVE NOTES. -------------------------------------------------- NAME CORRECTION IN CASE OF ITINERARY INVOLVING CODE-SHARE AND INTERLINE SCENARIO NAME MODIFICATION MAY BE RESTRICTED BY THE AIRLINE. NOTE - NO SHOW - CHANGE OUTBOUND TH - PERMITTED WITH CHARGE THB 3000 -------------------------------------------------- NO SHOW APPLICATION 1. WHEN CHANGE / REISSUE / REFUND IS REQUESTED WITHIN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OR AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED FLIGHT SHOWN IN THE E-TICKET THE AUTOMATED TICKET EXCHANGE TOOLS WILL CONSIDER PASSENGER AS NO-SHOW FEE. 2. IF THE ORIGINAL RESERVATION IS CANCELLED MORE THAN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE OF THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT IN ORDER TO AVOID NO- SHOW /BUT THE NEW RESERVATION /RE-ISSUE / REFUND IS MADE AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT/ IT IS PERMITTED TO PERFORM MANUAL TRANSACTION WITHOUT USING THE AUTOMATED TICKET EXCHANGE TOOLS IN ORDER TO AVOID THE COLLECTION OF THE NO-SHOW FEE BY SUBMITTING THE PROOF OF EVIDENCE UNDER REQUIRED CIRCUMSTANCES. 3. IN CASE ANY APPLICABLE NO-SHOW FEE IS MISSING TG WILL SEND ADM. -------------------------------------------------- CHANGE AGAINST NO SHOW IN CASE OF NO SHOW ONLY ONE FEE IS TO BE CHARGED I.E. EITHER THE NO-SHOW FEE OR THE CHANGE FEE WHICHEVER IS HIGHER AND NOT BOTH. A - CHANGE OUTBOUND OR INBOUND CHARGE THE HIGHEST OF FEE OF CHANGED FARE COMPONENT. B- CHANGE OUTBOUND AND INBOUND WITHIN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OR AFTER ORIGINAL SCHEDULE FLIGHT DEPARTED IN ONE TRANSACTION CHARGE THE HIGHEST FEE OF CHANGED FARE COMPONENT. NOTE - CANCELLATION BEFORE DEPARTURE OUTBOUND TH - PERMITTED WITH CHARGE THB 2000 CANCELLATION AFTER DEPARTURE - FREE OF CHARGE ALL CHARGES ARE NOT COMMISSIONABLE. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CANCELLATION/REFUND 1-CHARGE WAIVED IN CASE OF DEATH OF PASSENGER OR DEATH OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY. WAIVERS MUST BE EVIDENCED BY DEATH CERTIFICATE. 2-THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION / SERVICE / HANDLING FEE MAY APPLY IN ADDITION. 3-TG MAY REFUSE REFUND IF APPLICATION IS MADE LATER THAN 90 DAYS AFTER EXPIRY OF E-TICKET / EMD. 4-REFUND FOR PARTIALLY USED TICKET IS BASED ON CALCULATION OF ACTUAL FLOWN SEGMENT USING FARE OF ORIGINAL TICKET DATE - FOR THE SAME TYPE OF FARE IF APPLICABLE - IF NOT - THE HIGHER FARE TYPE AVAILABLE / LESS ANY APPLICABLE PENALTY /THE RE- PRICE FARE MUST BE EQUAL /OR HIGHER THAN THE ORIGINAL FARE. EQUAL OR HIGHER RBD/ REFUND RESIDUAL VALUE IF ANY TO ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT. 5- THE MOST RESTRICTIVE REFUND CONDITIONS APPLY WHEN COMBINING ON A HALF ROUNDTRIP BASIS. A WHEN COMBINING NON REFUNDABLE FARES WITH REFUNDABLE FARES THE MOST RESTRICTIVE RULE APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE PRICING UNIT. 6- IF NON-REFUNDABLE FARE IS REISSUED TO A REFUNDABLE FARE THE ORIGINAL NON REFUNDABLE TICKET REMAINS AS NON REFUNDABLE. 7- WHEN TWO OR MORE PRICING UNITS ARE COMBINED THE SUM OF CANCELLATION FEES WILL BE APPLIED. 8- IF A FARE IS NON-REFUNDABLE YQ MAY BE REFUNDED. 9- INFANT WITHOUT SEAT- NO REFUND FEE 10. -THE APPLICABLE OF HIGHEST CANCELLATION FEE WILL APPLY PER PRICING UNIT. NOTE - NO SHOW CANCELLATION OUTBOUND TH - PERMITTED WITH CHARGE THB 4000 -------------------------------------------------- NO SHOW APPLICATION 1. WHEN CHANGE / REISSUE / REFUND IS REQUESTED WITHIN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OR AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED FLIGHT SHOWN IN THE E-TICKET THE AUTOMATED TICKET EXCHANGE TOOLS WILL CONSIDER PASSENGER AS NO-SHOW FEE. 2. IF THE ORIGINAL RESERVATION IS CANCELLED MORE THAN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE OF THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT IN ORDER TO AVOID NO- SHOW /BUT THE NEW RESERVATION /RE-ISSUE / REFUND IS MADE AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT/ IT IS PERMITTED TO PERFORM MANUAL TRANSACTION WITHOUT USING THE AUTOMATED TICKET EXCHANGE TOOLS IN ORDER TO AVOID THE COLLECTION OF THE NO-SHOW FEE BY SUBMITTING THE PROOF OF EVIDENCE UNDER REQUIRED CIRCUMSTANCES. 3. IN CASE ANY APPLICABLE NO-SHOW FEE IS MISSING TG WILL SEND ADM. -------------------------------------------------- REFUND/CANCELLATION AGAINST NO SHOW IN CASE OF NO-SHOW ONLY ONE FEE IS TO BE CHARGED I.E. EITHER THE NO-SHOW FEE OR THE REFUND / CANCELLATION FEE WHICHEVER IS HIGHER AND NOT BOTH. -------------------------------------------------- RESERVATION SURCHARGE // YR // FOR TG -217- INTERNATIONAL TICKETS ISSUED ON/AFTER 15NOV2022 TICKETS ISSUED WORLDWIDE // USD 10.00 PER TICKET OR EQUIVALENT VALUE IN LOCAL CURRENCY TICKETS ISSUED IN THAILAND // THB 350 PER TICKET // NO DISCOUNT FOR CHILD/INFANT NON REFUNDABLE EXCEPTION - JOURNEY ORIGINATING FROM HKG - THAILAND DOMESTIC FLIGHTS - ID TICKET Adult Surcharges 1 - PSGR P1 ADT RULES DISPLAY FARE COMPONENT 1 ADT BKKPNH TG U1LOEFF PU 1 N FCL: U1LOEFF TRF: 8 RULE: FF02 BK: U PTC: ADT-ADULT FTC: WR -PREMIUM ECONOMY RESTRICTED OPTION LIST RU.RULE APPLICATION MX.MAX STAY SR.SALES RESTRICT AP.ADVANCE RES/TKT FL.FLT APPLICATION CD.CHILD DISCOUNTS TC.TOUR CONDUCTOR AD.AGTS DISCOUNTS OD.OTHER DISCOUNTS SO.STOPOVERS TF.TRANSFERS/RTGS TE.TKT ENDORSEMENT PE.PENALTIES CO.COMBINABILITY HI.HIGHER INTERMEDIATE POINT MD.MISCELLANEOUS DATA VC.VOLUNTARY CHANGES VR.VOLUNTARY REFUNDS ****** SELECT CATEGORIES ******

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.