SilentReader

Sri Lanka are making it easier for travellers/tourists.

- No silly COE required, just a visa.

- Any vaccine type accepted by the country of origin will be accepted

- Fully vaccinated are exempt from obtaining the mandatory COVID local insurance (which only costs USD12 valid for a month)

- No on-arrival PCR test for fully vaccinated

- Fully vaccinated travellers can arrange their own accommodation, transfers and transport. No special expensive hotels required.

Sri Lanka is planning/hoping to welcome visitors from ALL countries from mid-August.

They seem to have really put some thought into this https://www.sltda.gov.lk/storage/documents/SLTourism-OperationalGuidelines.pdf and while one of the requirements is to have several tests done in-country, these are provided free of charge. Can't see Thailand following suit though.

1.1 Tour booking

1.1.1. A prior booking of the tour package should be done online or via SLTDA registered travel agency.

1.1.2. It is mandatory for all tourists to commit to a minimum stay of five (05) nights in Sri Lanka and book all accommodation only at SLTDA registered and ‘Safe & Secure’ certified establishments; the first night should be booked at an accommodation establishment in close proximity to the arrival airport until results of the on arrival PCR tests are released (Colombo/Negombo areas for arrivals from Bandaranaike/Ratmalana International Airports and Hambantota area for arrivals from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport).

1.1.3. The accommodation service providers, travel agents and/or tour operators should share accommodation and tour details of tourists with the SLTDA through a data login process.

1.2 Visa procedure

1.2.1. The “Visa Free” status and the issuance of “On Arrival” visas are suspended until further notice.

1.2.2. All tourists entering Sri Lanka are required to obtain online tourist visas before arrival.

1.2.3. An online tourist visa fee of USD 100 will be applicable until further notice.

1.2.4. The following documents are mandatory for processing online tourist visa;

1.2.4.1. A valid travel insurance with health and hospitalization coverage for the entire duration of stay.

1.2.4.2. A valid return air ticket.

1.2.4.3. Travel itinerary and details of confirmed reservations made at SLTDA registered and ‘Safe & Secure’ certified accommodation establishments, with the first night stay at a facility in and around Colombo/ Negombo or Hambantota depending on the arrival airport.

1.3 Airline requirement

1.3.1. Any Airline operating flights to Sri Lanka will check tourists for valid visas and negative PCR test reports before allowing them to board the flight.

1.4 Country health authority requirements

1.4.1. A Negative PCR report issued by an accredited laboratory within 72 hours prior to the landing in Sri Lanka.

1.4.2. All tourists should undergo a PCR test at the arriving airport.

1.4.3. A repeat PCR test to be conducted 5-7 days after the arrival or if the guest develops respiratory symptoms, whichever comes first. 10 www.sltda.gov.lk

1.4.4. For tourists staying longer than 10 days, another PCR test will be carried out between 10-12 days after the arrival in Sri Lanka.

Special notes:

- The necessary PCR tests detailed in 1.4.2 to 1.4.4 will be conducted free of charge.

- If any tourist is tested positive for COVID-19, he/she will be sent to a hospital or a quarantine hotel and will be charged at the rate of USD 100 per night.

- The booked in accommodation establishments/hotels, travel agents or tour operators are responsible for arranging safe transportation of tourists within the country.

- Sri Lanka Tourism has initiated discussions with relevant authorities to consider relaxation of tourist visa conditions to encourage long stays and multiple visits of tourists.

AIDAbella was due for its final visit to Samui this coming Wednesday but has since cancelled.

https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/coronavirus-aida-cruises-zieht-kreuzfahrtschiffe-aus-asien-ab-a-64032c36-6699-495c-9478-4bd1e0357f62?fbclid=IwAR0wbdbyfXqobVe0AeUuJmp461oiyViAd4K92d3ZYwubs5lWZK4qc3X3-Ng

I currently have an extension based on marriage by use of the 400k in a bank account. Next year I want to use the income route. My income will be from salary received in Thailand.

What are the exact documents relating to income that will be required by immigration for this? And how many months worth of documents/records will I need to produce?

Have just arrived back to Thailand with a new Non O based on marriage. Is it a fixed rule that you must wait until the last 30 days of the 3 month stay to apply for the extension at immigration or is it possible to apply before this?

You can apply up to 45 days early at some offices.

Any idea about Samui immigration office?

Have just arrived back to Thailand with a new Non O based on marriage. Is it a fixed rule that you must wait until the last 30 days of the 3 month stay to apply for the extension at immigration or is it possible to apply before this?

I wonder if now the powers that be will take a good look at security at the car ferries. While I guess it is possible to create a bomb simply from material found on Samui it is likely this one was transported from somewhere else and brought to the island. As most cars and trucks coming to Samui are lined up and waiting for some time to board it would be possible to carry out quite a good inspection of each vehicle. And it would not take too much man power to do this. I assume Central Samui will now implement a more complete check of vehicles like they do in most other Central stores. Thought it a bit odd that elsewhere they tend to open and check the car boot/trunk and use a mirror for checking under the cars, but on Samui you simply fly by the security guy grabbing your ticket.

What's a Samui "Adopted son" ? Does it mean he has simply been here a certain number of years and thinks he is now worthy of saying he belongs here, or has he been adopted by a local Samui clan or is the "Adopted sons" some sort of gang?

Homepro. Have the fancy ones which are quite expensive but also the simple ones. 3x3m about 2 to 3000Baht I think.

What happened last time there was a coup or a curfew?

Did anything change on Samui or did things just move on as normal.

Everything was almost as normal last time.

You could not get news from true visions (UBC) but Samui cable got CNN and BBC from Malaysia.

Samui Cable still have a few channels active. BBC News, Fox News, SciFy, Universal, Australian Network, Golf Channel, plus a few others.

Spoke too soon. As at 12.30am no signal on Samui Cable. Will have to check again in the morning.

What happened last time there was a coup or a curfew?

Did anything change on Samui or did things just move on as normal.

Everything was almost as normal last time.

You could not get news from true visions (UBC) but Samui cable got CNN and BBC from Malaysia.

Samui Cable still have a few channels active. BBC News, Fox News, SciFy, Universal, Australian Network, Golf Channel, plus a few others.

I know of a cargo boat that runs from Samui(Nathon - Seatran pier) to Koh Tao and I assume it makes a stop at Phangan on the way. I have seen motorbikes being loaded onto the top deck several times.

Both of these sites indicate a sort of schedule for a cargo boat:

http://kohtao.sawadee.com/kohtao_transfer.html

http://www.kohtaocenter.com/kohtao/time.htm

It is a common Radiated Ratsnake. Non-venomous, not dangerous except they are big biters!

Now I'm really pissed! I checked ASN ch. 157 this afternoon to make sure it was working so I could watch the Superbowl and it was. Sure enough when I go to watch it that channel is no longer working. I tried unpluging the box and let it sit 10 minutes then rebooted it, still nothing. Of all days for this to happen. Called 2 friends and they say theirs boxes are woking fine. For me at least 6 channels that I know of are not working though I suspect there are others as well. Thanks True....NOT!

I'm in Samui and I too have several channels not working. BBC Knowledge (18), BBC Lifestyle (62), BBC World News (89), Discovery HD (123), HBO HD (131). Maybe others. So Pakaty in Phuket, phukettrader in Chiang Mai and me in Samui all have to same problem. I guess the problem isn't in our houses.

"Non Sung Police Station superintendent Colonel Pissanu Wattu said the track where the incident happened was relatively new. "It has been in service for less than a year," he said."

Relatively new ? Looks like 2 tracks made out of rust. I wonder what 20 year old track looks like. Well never mind, at least it looks like the professional repair team are at work.

You have obviously never been around railways long enough to understand that all steel track gets surface rust, What you see in the picture is new (rust coated) rail being laid on concrete ties and the guy with the yellow bar is setting the gauge. 20 year old track is rusted with a shiny surface where the wheels contact. No traffic, everything gets rusty.

What is not surprising is that the scene resembles a family gathering with kids and onlookers right at the work area with flip flops, there appear to be only 3 workers reasonably attired for this kind of work.. Perhaps that is the charming part of Thailand that will vanish when they enter the 20th century with their fast trains.

You do sound knowledgeable about railways but my comment was meant more as a tongue in cheek comment. I am aware that steel will rust but from the image(although a bit grainy) it appears there is excessive rust for "new" tracks. More than likely any new rail that is laid in Thailand uses track that was either produced some time ago or even taken from older rail systems. Searched close up images of rail and very few appear to be rusty as much as these do. In fact even when searching close up images of "rusty" railway tracks hard to find some that look as bad condition as those.

"Non Sung Police Station superintendent Colonel Pissanu Wattu said the track where the incident happened was relatively new. "It has been in service for less than a year," he said."

Relatively new ? Looks like 2 tracks made out of rust. I wonder what 20 year old track looks like. Well never mind, at least it looks like the professional repair team are at work.

http://goo.gl/maps/UwFbf

Nora Buri nearly 3km from Ark Bar so at least a 30 to 40 minute walk when you consider the long slow climb of the first incline from the hotel.

Last I heard we didn't have an operational Australian Hon Consul on Samui & that was from the embassy.

Ken is the official Australian Honorary Consul here on Samui. He has been in that role for at least the past 8-10 years. In the Australian Embassy's website under Services for Australians it mentions the Australian Consulate in Samui. Contact details through the embassy. He doesn't handle issues with passports and visas but it the representative for Australia here on the island.

PM sent

Probably something to do with this

Can any one tell me where on KS I can buy a piece (12inch x 36 inch) of 1/4 inch (5-6mm) plexie glass? It doesn't have to be clear white/clear is fine.

Thank you in advance

Sign making shops. Used for backlit signs.

The boat repair shop on the left about 2-300m past Big C heading towards Bophut should have that thickness. Most backlit signs are made with a thinner sheet.

I am quite certain newer models of most makes of mini buses have a child safety lock on the sliding door just as most cars do. "vehicles have been built with this feature since the early 1980s"

I bet the guy who spent 89 days imprisoned is a bit peeved off he couldn't have managed another day behind bars(89 x 411=36,579Baht; 90 days=750,000Baht). And same for the guy that was locked up 179 days.

This doc might be of interest