edwardandtubs

Thanks. I was actually asking you about the two visa exempt entries you've done since September 2022. Did you fly out and fly back in the same day or did you spend a few days or a few weeks outside of Thailand? If you're planning to go from Vientiane to Udon then you may want to consider taking the bus: The only problem is you then have to get a taxi from Udon bus station to the airport, which can be overpriced but it's still my preferred way of doing it.

How long were you out of Thailand for your two visa exempt air arrivals? In terms of same day bouncing, no problem at all at Vientiane but I don't know about the border crossing you mentioned.

Not that low, about 20% remain unvaccinated but this new rule is a nonsense because someone from, say, the UK who is unvaccinated will have natural immunity from catching the virus at least once and probably two or three times. Someone from China on the other hand has probably had no exposure to the virus until the past few weeks so has lower protection and higher exposure as the virus rips through the population. So there's every justification in treating visitors from China differently and the fact that they aren't just shows Thailand's independence is slipping away if it hasn't gone already.

I agree and if we're talking about a 300 baht a night fan hotel in Nakon Nowhere then of course you wouldn't expect any standards to be reached. But for a hotel promoting itself to international guests, they need to do better than the inadequate wooden structure shown in the photo.

That just tells us that balconies are lower, which we all know, not that there are any "standards" that make that acceptable.

There are tall Asians as well. If there is such a thing as "Asian balcony height" standards (please provide a source) then it would also be dangerous for them.

Hotels with international guests should certainly be safe for those guests, don't you think?

So balconies should only be safe for Mr Average? I think they should be safe for everyone. A country that's trying to promote itself as a "wellness" destination for international visitors needs to update its standards so people don't keep falling to their deaths from balconies.

It's just temperature screening (like we used to have in 7-elevens) so no reason to say "out for sure". https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-china-covid19-border-health-checks-not-discrimination-3182191

I don't know about condo sales but when I had a problem getting my rental deposit back I went to the Consumer Protection Board at Chaengwattana and filed a complaint. A few weeks (or was it months?) later I was invited back and they told me they thought I had a case, so they talked with the landlord on the phone. In the end we settled and I got some of it back. The money involved was considerably more than 6000 baht and by agreeing to settle I lost a lot more than that, but I did feel a sense of justice, which I imagine is what the OP is looking for.

I thought you might have some thoughts on the question I actually asked which was the likelihood of getting hassle at the airport if coming in visa exempt but the truth is no one really knows on what basis they stop people or what the statistical chances are. I didn't expect you to have "The Answer".

Better to get two 45 day visa exempts in before we go back to 30 days at the end of March.

That's not good advice because if I did two more land visa exempts then went to Hanoi for a short holiday and came back, I would be even more likely to get hassle at the airport, even with an setv.

You've given me an idea. For my next border bounce I could go to Hanoi and take a holiday in north Vietnam for a few days (I much prefer it to the south). The only problem is, if I come back visa exempt I'm concerned about problems at Suvarnabhumi airport. My situation is I was on covid extensions from the start the pandemic through to 2021 but then returned to my home country right at the start of 2022. I came back to Thailand in September 2022 on an SETV and then did a border bounce to Laos for another 45 days. Do you think I would have problems at Suvarnabhumi?

Getting in early won't help it get processed any sooner.

Yes, OP could still do two border bounces before the end of March and then start doing the SETVs after that if needed. I don't see any benefit to getting an SETV now.

Why did you not get the van from Penang to Hat Yai?

A booster does not provide long-lasting protection, according to this study: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.29.22282916v1 A breakthrough infection provides longer lasting protection. Bearing in mind the OP's wife has very likely had a breakthrough infection (maybe at the same time as the OP), there probably wouldn't be much real-world benefit to the OP if his wife got the booster. Some small benefit maybe, but not much.

I would try another hospital but don't mention the previous sinovac doses. You'll be given an mRNA or astrazenecca vaccine as I believe they've stopped using sinovac. Or get yourself to one of these walk-in centres. https://members.bccthai.com/BCCT/asp/news.asp?NewsID=1101&SponsorID=0 Again, just tell them you haven't received any vaccine yet.

Care to share your problem? Everyone else seems to have had no problem getting their booster.

No it isn't.

That seems to have clarified things to everyone's satisfaction.

I think it's free for everyone. A few ago I went around Ayutthaya when this same offer was running and got in everywhere for free. I definitely recommend it as the sites are nice but to be honest not really worth the 'farang price' entrance fee.

As has been stated many times now on this forum, there are no requirements.

Of course it's a 'may'. This is the normal, cautious language of a scientist. The only way they would know for sure is if they tested everyone, which is never going to happen. But Dr. Yong Poovorawan's estimate, based on blood tests of a sample of the population, is approximately 70% had been infected at the time of his study.