kinyara

I'm sure the arrival of the Russians who like to head up to Tesco Lotus and the Thepprasit Market is a factor.

My friend who used an agent still had to go in person and it requires 2 visits now I believe. The benefit to him was the agent actually driving him there and basically fast tracking the process, as in not having to queue and deal directly with the staff. I've done it myself previously but I think it will be the only thing I will use an agent for in the future.

Only if you let it and don't view it in the context of the enjoyable lifestyle/holiday you can have here. There's nothing wrong with making first time visitors aware of potential safety hazards but I wouldn't put any of the things you mention near the top of the list, traffic related incidents would be number one.

You're viewing it from your perspective as someone pouring over every daily localised news story, focussing solely on negative often one-off incidents however remote the likelihood of it actually occurring to/or impacting the millions of tourists visiting. Unrealistic. In terms of 2023 outlook and tourists travelling decisions, I think they are far more likely to be driven by the old Clinton campaign adage, " It's the economy stupid ", than the spurious linkage you quote.

Fortunately for Thailand I don't think extrapolating your personal daily obsessions living here as if it aligns in the slightest to the tourist decision making process is remotely realistic. Chinese Triads !!! Where have you encountered them, the meat section of Makro ?

You predicted only 6 million for 2022 a few months back saying their 10 million figure was utter fantasy, yet here they are on track to achieve that target.

28% from China in 2019 not 40%, however I still can't see anything near 80% revenue target being achieved, as well as the challenging volume target the visitor mix also appears to have changed in favour of a lower spend per head since re-opening.

"Hey kids wake up, it's 3.46am time to get up and enjoy our holiday"

The 24 million non-Chinese element of that tourist forecast for 2023 equates to 83% of non-Chinese tourists achieved in 2019, against the current and anticipated global economic backdrop going into next year that seems simply too optimistic. I'd be surprised if tourist numbers which have been increasing 100k a month in the last 3 months to circa 1.5 million November will be strong enough to even hit the required 2 million a month by Jan/Feb before starting to decline. The first monthly drop and when and at what level it occurs will be the key barometer for 2023. The changing mix already being experienced will also factor in regardless of the numbers. Glad I don't have an account with Siam Commercial Bank if this is the quality of output of their Economic Intelligence Center.

The first bus from Jomtien to Suvarnabunmi airport service is 7am, and every hour after that. The office/departure point is on Thappraya Road beside the Foodmart Supermarket at the intersection with Thepprasit Road. Typically around 1 hour 45 minute journey, cost 143 baht and you can book the day before at the office. I don't know if there are any running direct to the airport from the North Pattaya terminal, I'm sure someone will comment if there is. https://airportpattayabus.com/from-pattaya/

11 different destinations with 280 a time, I wonder how frequent the flight schedule is ?

I think you're right, I can see the value in it with this new level of security everyone is adding. Small price to pay to avoid the hassle.

Cheers, will look at giffgaff who I'd never heard of before.

Thanks for the information ????

I think my issues may just be a similar type one to RayWright's experience/problem above, down to wifi/internet/mobile phone compatibility. I had a quick look at Skype and it seemed to suggest a country number is possible which would be ideal, still won't solve getting my account active again but I'm sure with a bit of time I'll get there. Annoying as it's been working so perfectly and conveniently up until now.

Thanks, what is PAYG, I guess I'll just buy the credit with my UK credit card ? I don't have a UK mobile number unfortunately but if I'm understanding Soi3Eddie's suggestion I can request a Skype number to be a UK one, maybe I've got that wrong ?

You'll find it okay, let us know how it goes post trip. For what works out transport wise at 500 baht return all in I find it a convenient, easy and affordable way to enjoy a 2 or 3 day trip every month.

For others information, tried submitting online to Jomtien, ( Chonburi Immigration ), my first report after receiving a new passport and transferring my visa stamps to the new passport, and happy to report it was accepted Monday and came back approved on Tuesday. No subsequent withdrawal of approval so far.

No but funnily enough on the 2nd call to their techies they had me shut down the wifi reboot it and try and access my account with a different browser, which sounds a similar type scenario to what you're describing as a wi-fi compatibility issue. I'll get the Skype calling scenario set up like the suggestions above which at least gives my 2,000 minutes a month talking to them for cheap to try and get to the root of the problem, a Skype UK number on my account I suspect will be the easiest solution. Thanks for your information anyway, I was making transfers fine throughout COVID when I set Wise up and in October and the start of this month so I'm really not sure what has changed to cause a problem from Lloyds end.

My Thai mobile, which seems like the problem. Are you accessing the Lloyds website on a laptop entering the code on a laptop screen which I think is the way it works if UK based ? Sounds like doing it that way with the UK skype number is the solution.

You're correct, I realise I quoted the starting rate not UK specific. I'll go the recommended Skype route from now on as it looks like I'll have to do a telephone based transfer directly from Lloyds and suck up the higher transaction cost, I suppose at least I can get a direct comparison between Lloyds and Wise end result rather than taking Wise at face value. Thanks

Thanks for those suggestions re Skype much appreciated, I ended up checking on Ais charges before 2nd call and was at 3 baht a minute using 00500 prefix so still higher than Skype. Unfortunately tried the debit card option and encountered the same problem as last night with Lloyds, it redirected to Lloyds for authorisation with a 4 digit code that I'm supposed to enter when they phone me, as soon as I answer their call it cuts off before I get a chance to enter the code - transaction denied. So even if I get access to my online banking if every transaction requires this extra authorisation code procedure it's going to fail. Is anyone else experiencing this problem with Lloyds ?

Thanks, the more I think about it the more that makes sense.

The problem is I'm locked out of my internet banking and there is a technical problem that isn't allowing me to change my password, it's with Lloyds techies but I don't want to keep incurring phone charges trying to resolve it. I could barely understand the English of the 2 people I spoke to last night. Doing the payment to Wise using my Debit Card is what I can still do, I'm just wondering if Lloyds charge on that transfer.

Fair point, my own thinking is it's a UK bank to UK bank payment/transfer not involving foreign currency, the foreign currency element being done by Wise and their Sterling to Baht internal method, so it shouldn't attract a fee.