chinofarang

hey everyone,

i am flying from l.a. to seoul then chiang mai. i ck my luggage straight through from los angeles. my question is how strict is the customs at cnx when it comes to having a bottle or two over the declared limit of spirits? and what will they do if they decide to hassle me. any suggestions? i know you are allowed one liter but what if i need that extra bottle of famous grouse? thanks for all past advice. this forum is the best.

chinofarang

hey folks,

i am flying into phuket from bkk around 1pm and need to get up to ranong on the way to koh phanyam.

is there a service from the airport that goes directly to ranong and how much etc? or do we tuk tuk to

phuket city and find the bus station for a public one? any ideas on the departure frequency and duration of

the ride to ranong?

thank goodness for this forum and to all out there.

Kudos to smokie 36 and lomotopo for your insight on my situation. i was tempted to cancel this trip b/c of my concerns on the timing of my second leg. but do you guys have any idea of the on time record of jin air? and will there be a problem w/ my luggage making the transfer from korean air (nyc to seoul) to my second leg (seoul to bangkok) on jin?

i am hoping for mercy from the folks at thai if i am late coming in from jin air. i didn't realize that they are under no real obligation to put me on another flight if i am coming from another carrier.

once again, thanks for soothing my already frazzled nerves.

i am getting into swamp bunny from seoul on jin (gin?) airlines at 1:30pm fri jan 1. can i make my thai air flight to cnx at 3:40pm? that's after immigration etc and getting my bags? the online site vayama slipped this jin airline as my second flight after my korean flight from nyc. now i can't get my bags sent straight through b/c this jin airline as i found out, doesn't have an agreement w/ thai.

watch the fine print w/ this travel site. it takes you through the process thinking you are flying one airline straight through then when you get to end of the transaction, it will show no airline logo where your flight is.

i had to call them to see what was up and they told me that my korean airlines flight was now this jin airlines and i had to call korean air or this jin airlines.

i called korean and they said this is called "ping ponging."

i thought i was pretty savy with this stuff but what a lesson! now i either cancel this whole flight cause of this or just go with it.

help me out, folks! this most informed forum and its always been a great resource!

thank you mario and lite beer for the quick response and helpful info. this forum has really been a gem for those of us who don't know the ins and outs of the essentials of being in thailand.

i am an american with a t.r. multiple entry visa. just did my mae sai run for my second and last entry. got 60 days which ends on the 8th of april. i need an extra 10 days to make my exit to the states on april 18th. so i go to chiang mai immigration and ask for another 30 days for 1900 thb or pay out for a 2 week extension? is either free b/c of the new tourist incentive?

thanks for all the previous advice!

hello!

i arrived on the 2nd of jan. 2009 on a u.s. passport tr no. of entry 2 toursit visa issued nov. 10, 2008. the visa says in need enter before feb 9th 2008 inorder not lose my second entry, i believe. a couple of questions for you guys out there.

1) can i do the mai sai run still inorder to activate the 2nd entry or do i have to reenter by air so i can get another 60 days?

2) that should give me until the 8th of april, i think. then do i go to chiang mai immigration to extend for 30 more days? i leave on the 18 of april back to the states.

3) if want to go to lao for a few weeks, how does that affect my time on my visa and is it possible for me to leave thailand w/out big hassle or messing up the extension process?

this big confusion was brought on by various sources (local travel agent, c.m expats, and the news of the 15 day visa screwjob). i should know better to use other sources besides the thaivisa because of great feedback from udonjoe, litebeer and others regarding my previous posts.

once again, khap khun khap!

chinofarang

Arriving on Cathay will surely mean you'll have to retrieve your bags, go through immigration and check back in for the local flight on Thai. I say you need a minimum of 2 hours and an extra hour if you have to change airports.

No this is not true. Interline bags from Cathay to Thai Airways Chiang Mai is possible

Fine if it is possible, but wouldn't you still have to deal with immigration and if the Thai flights are going from Don Muang, then I'm not sure how long I would leave it to trust them to transfer my baggage.

The OP said his flight was leaving from Swampy,he only have just over 1h30

His bags will be transferred and he will go through customs in Chiang Mai

Immigration is in Bangkok but at a different section within the transit area

This is NOT possible with Air Asia

from what i can gather from all the replies back is that i will be able to check my bag from los angeles to chiang mai straight through and bypass the regular immigration cue by heading up (or down) to my connection to thai airways where there is a immigration desk for connection flights. this is fesible within the 1 and 25 minutes from arrival swampy on cathy pacific to my connection on thai at swampy.

thanks again to khun krub and terrenova for the valuable insight.

sawasdee!

i am flyin into swampbunny on 2nd of jan, 09 if things don't go more sideways on cathy pacific. i get in around 1130 am and am wondering how much time i will need with immigration and all to connect with a chaing mai connection on thai airways? i recall but am not sure that i won't have to go through regular immigration if i have verification (ticket) showing a connection but i want to make sure that i allow for all possible snafus.

thanks to everyone on this great forum and i hope that things straighten out soon.

You should allow for a minimum of 1h00 between flights

Your bags should go through to CNX (make sure at CX check-in time)

I would allow 1h30 at least

Good luck

thanks, krub for the prompt answer and info. i just booked through thai airways a flight from bkk to chiang mai leaving around 2pm and getting in at 300pm. the next day, they informed me that that flight was no longer leaving from bkk but from don muang. there are 2 other alternatives from swampbunny. a flight leaving at 12:55pm and one leaving at 515 pm. since my flight on cathy from l.a. comes in at 11:30am, the 515pm means almost 6 hours at the airport a late hotel search in chiang mai but pretty much a flight i can't miss. with the current situation at bkk, would it be reasonable to try for the 12:55 flight? it gives a 1 and 20 minute cushion to make it to the connection.

sorry to ask again but just a little unsure about it still.

khap!

I would risk it if it is a Thai Airways flight (TG) as you will not need to pick-up your bags and go through the 'normal Immigration and customs at Bangkok.

does it make a difference if i am coming into bkk on cathy pacific and connecting on thai airways to chiang mai? have you heard of many incoming delays and on time problems at swampbunny? so just check my bags in los angeles straight through to chiang mai.

khap khun khap, khun krub!

sawasdee!

i am flyin into swampbunny on 2nd of jan, 09 if things don't go more sideways on cathy pacific. i get in around 1130 am and am wondering how much time i will need with immigration and all to connect with a chaing mai connection on thai airways? i recall but am not sure that i won't have to go through regular immigration if i have verification (ticket) showing a connection but i want to make sure that i allow for all possible snafus.

thanks to everyone on this great forum and i hope that things straighten out soon.

You should allow for a minimum of 1h00 between flights

Your bags should go through to CNX (make sure at CX check-in time)

I would allow 1h30 at least

Good luck

thanks, krub for the prompt answer and info. i just booked through thai airways a flight from bkk to chiang mai leaving around 2pm and getting in at 300pm. the next day, they informed me that that flight was no longer leaving from bkk but from don muang. there are 2 other alternatives from swampbunny. a flight leaving at 12:55pm and one leaving at 515 pm. since my flight on cathy from l.a. comes in at 11:30am, the 515pm means almost 6 hours at the airport a late hotel search in chiang mai but pretty much a flight i can't miss. with the current situation at bkk, would it be reasonable to try for the 12:55 flight? it gives a 1 and 20 minute cushion to make it to the connection.

sorry to ask again but just a little unsure about it still.

khap!

You can skip the extension for your first entry if you wish because using your 2nd entry will give you enough time for your stay.

What is the use by/before date on your visa? You will need to use the 2nd entry before that date.

hey joe,

the date of issue from thai consul is nov. 10-08 and the is says to enter before feb. 9-09. am i cool with that? buddha willing, my flight from l.a. gets into thailand on the 2nd of jan. and i leave from bkk on the 18th of april.

thanks for the quick reply. you guys know your stuff!

khap!

chinofarang

On your 1st entry you will only be able to use around 38 days of it.

Make sure you do your border run before 9th Feb. Or you will lose your 2nd entry.

i guess i screwed that up pretty good. what should i have done or can do now?

thanks for the info!

You can skip the extension for your first entry if you wish because using your 2nd entry will give you enough time for your stay.

What is the use by/before date on your visa? You will need to use the 2nd entry before that date.

hey joe,

the date of issue from thai consul is nov. 10-08 and the is says to enter before feb. 9-09. am i cool with that? buddha willing, my flight from l.a. gets into thailand on the 2nd of jan. and i leave from bkk on the 18th of april.

thanks for the quick reply. you guys know your stuff!

khap!

chinofarang

sawasdee!

i am flyin into swampbunny on 2nd of jan, 09 if things don't go more sideways on cathy pacific. i get in around 1130 am and am wondering how much time i will need with immigration and all to connect with a chaing mai connection on thai airways? i recall but am not sure that i won't have to go through regular immigration if i have verification (ticket) showing a connection but i want to make sure that i allow for all possible snafus.

thanks to everyone on this great forum and i hope that things straighten out soon.

sawasdee!

i am new to forum as a member and i have looked through most of the posts looking for an answer to my question. depending on what happens at swampbunny, i am flying in on the 2nd of Jan, 09 and have a ticket out on April 18th, 09. i am a u.s. ciitizen and am 52 years old.

i applied for a tourist visa/tr 2 entries in november and just got it back a week ago.

if i got my facts straight, i get 60 days starting on the 01/02/09 and can go to immigration (chiang mai) to extend if i want another 30 days. after that, i have to leave thailand and will get another 60 days on reentering. then i can extend for another 30 days if i need to at immigration.

my question is whether i need to extend for the 30 days after my first 60 are up or can i just leave and come back and get my 2nd period of 60 days on reentering?