edwardandtubs

4 hours ago, mrmagyar said:

No hassle at all. No questions asked.

 

I had been away for 5 months though, prior to returning in September.

 

Cheers for the visa heads up.

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.

7 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

This is Thailand, not the USA or UK where standards are documented, approved, taught and enforced. Instead there are local standards and established practise, that's as good as it gets and the closest thing to a standard as you know it, that exists here. Given the thousands of builders operating in the Kingdom, each of them constructing buildings in their own, unregulated, time tested way, the idea of having centralised agreed building standards and that they might be enforced/able, is a joke. The police can't even get citizens to all drive on the left side of the road so enforceable building standards stand zero chance.

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.

16 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Oh please!

 

"Apparently, most balconies in Thailand have barriers that are about 700 or 800 mm high - for the shorter Thai people - and there is little or no policing of building regulations". 

 

If you need any more proof, feel free to google for it!

 

 

 

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

7 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

Twin beds or a double sir; smoking or non-smoking room sir; western or asian balcony rail height sir.

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.

2 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

You said that, not me!

 

Perhaps if people understood the average height issue they would be able to better help themselves. TBH it was one of the first things I noticed when I first visited in the 1990's, probably because I'm 6 foot 3. But I'm not sure how reasonable it is to require all building codes that involve height related issues, to be constructed to Western standards. What about the step ladder maximum weight issue I mentioned, should they all be constructed to allow for a 150 kg foreigner, in case he happens to buy one!

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

45 minutes ago, leosmith said:

Thanks very much for the warning. Ko Lipe and Bali out for sure then.

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.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Certainly an option.

Clearly you are aware of the options. 

Don't see why you are asking for advice. 

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".

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

"That's not good advice"

fine ignore it.

 

 BTW I suggested ONE border bounce followed by trip to Hanoi and obtain setv there.

Up to you.

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

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Obviously the more time spent in Hanoi the better..

Depends on your longer term plans regards how long you wish to stay in Thailand. 

As you are aware it's 2 visa exempt per calendar year via land. 

You could do a border bounce now while it's 45 days and "save" the setv for later.

Then at some point fly to Hanoi and obtain the tourist visa. 

Obviously less hassle entering via air with a visa. 

 

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.

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, I'm sure you are aware that a tourist visa is also an option at HCMC and return flights cheap.

They require an appointment.

Just another option.

Being UK you are visa exempt 15 days for Vietnam. 

 

Also did you consider just a border bounce to Laos.

Visa exempt entry will give you 45 day stamp that can be extended by 30 days.

Dont follow the tv option for land border. 

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?

4 hours ago, thejudgegiles said:

get in early so that it's all processed before midday?

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

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, I'm sure you are aware that a tourist visa is also an option at HCMC and return flights cheap.

They require an appointment.

Just another option.

Being UK you are visa exempt 15 days for Vietnam. 

 

Also did you consider just a border bounce to Laos.

Visa exempt entry will give you 45 day stamp that can be extended by 30 days.

Dont follow the tv option for land border. 

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.

On 1/1/2023 at 10:37 AM, Saigon said:

The mini-van didn't drive past The Immigration

Complex on the way back to Hat Yai so you have to

go to the mini-van station first to go back to Hat Yai,

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

14 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I am saying that being vaccinated reduces (but does not vompletely eliminate) the risk of transmitting ghe virus to others. 

 

In the first couple of months post vaccination. circulating antibodies will usually prevent the virus from taking hold. Risk of transmission to others at that point is very low (but not zero).

 

After that antibodies gradually subside but cellular immunity remains. Infection can take hold but the body is able to mount a quicker and better defense than the unimmunuzed, which translates to a shorter duration of illness and lower  peak viral levels. Which means less infectious (not non-infectious) and for a shorter period of time. 

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.

5 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

For the initial (Sinovac) jab, I was refused, (foreigner), then it was administered July 2021 when I was admitted to the main provincial hospital for an operation. I had my second jab there in November, took two attempts (we have no records so wait and see what is available at the end of the session). They could not provide any paperwork to certify the vaccination  because as I understand it the "ad hoc" nature of the initial vaccination meant they had no record. No paperwork no booster. The provincial hospital says it is up to the local hospital, they say that they can not do it without the paperwork. Bureaucratic impasse.

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.

On 12/23/2022 at 5:00 PM, snoop1130 said:

compare its efficacy against that of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is also an inactivated vaccine.

No it isn't.

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.

10 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

70% had not been infected as you say, they may have been Infected. Did you even read your link...

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.

59 minutes ago, cubism001 said:

I'm returning in a month, & see that the king & queen among others have tested positive for covid.  In 2020 there were many rules about coming from BKK & getting a hotel, etc., so I want to be prepared.  Not an hysterical reaction. Where would I find statistics for the north of Thailand like before.  Hope you can help.  Thanks!

You're wasting your time even looking. 70% of Thais had been infected with covid back in September:

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/virologist-claims-70-percent-of-thais-may-have-been-infected-with-covid-19/

The official figures are now totally meaningless but you can rest assured there will be no more rules or lockdowns or anthing because covid is endemic and there's widespread recognition that we all just have to learn to live with it. This sentiment is likely to increase when their majesties make a swift recovery from their mild symptoms.