josephbloggs

I think the Emirates lounge in BKK is great, what are you comparing it to?

The Emirates lounge in Dubai is without question the best I have ever been in, although the Thai lounge at Don Muang back when they had free massage service would be a close second...

I agree the Emirates lounge in BKK is great, as is the one at LHR. I have to disagree about Dubai though - it nowhere near the top of my list. It reminds me of a school canteen - too noisy, too many people, too big.

why anyone with a white face drives anything in Thaihand makes no sense to me

let the girls drive if they are Thai

What an utterly ridiculous and ignorant thing to say.

I've been driving here for 19 years and have been stopped at plenty of checkpoints in that time and nearly always waved through (although I have been breath tested two or three times - no problem).

I know several Thais who have been busted for drink driving including one guy I work with who got arrested last night, spent the night in a holding cell and is up in court next week.

Again, an utterly ridiculous and ignorant comment.

When you look at so many people face to face every day, you become adept at social profiling. Any one of those security people could smell a Thai rat among the vast majority of good people.

Less likely to understand all the body language of foreigners, they will do a cursory check, and anything in your response that raises the slightest suspicion will keep the search going deeper into your luggage.

Two Malays in front of me were given closer scrutiny, for good reason. Many of you couldn't even tell the difference between a Thai and a Malay, but the Thais can.

I have been on the Bangkok rail systems all day for the past three days, including probably a dozen times through the MRT security checks. I prepare for it, having my laptop case or camera outfit bag partly open to save time and have it up on the table before he/she needs to ask.

A few times they have even said sorry to me. I reply in Thai words meaning. "No it's fine. Security is important. Thank you" which it is. Remember, that the MRT is a totally underground tunnel system. A fire or explosion could cause mayhem and huge loss of life. I have not been in London for a couple of years to know what they do there, I think for the channel tunnel? .. they have checks similar to airport security. But otherwise nothing.

The Bangkok system doesn't bother me at all.

I don't grumble the old lines: "Why do they get different treatment from what I get?".

We should live with it, be cooperative and thankful.

Yep. In London - which is a city that has been through many devastating terrorist attacks - there are precisely zero security checks on the underground, over ground, intercity trains or the airport trains to Heathrow or Gatwick. There is "airport style" security on the Eurostar though as you say.

In Shanghai there are luggage X-ray machines at every entrance to the MRT and they are used for every bag big or small, and they are vigilant as I have had to explain sharp looking items in my bag. However, many locals just push through and barge past the security guards when they try to get them to Xray their bags. They don't call them back, so therefore the entire security system is negated really.

On the 7th Jan I asked for an appointment and got a reply in one hour saying I got an appointment 2 days later on Friday 9th Jan. Today, I got a phone call saying to pick it up ! Amazing after all the stories I had heard about 3 months etc.

That's good to hear but also quite annoying. My passport is almost full and needed renewing so I checked the website and they said currently there was AT LEAST an eight week wait once your passport arrived in the UK for processing, so probably 9-10 weeks including postage etc. I need to travel a lot for work and I can't wait that long as once they receive your application your current passport is electronically cancelled and you can't travel. So I flew back to the UK to do it where it can be done in four hours. I wish you could pay for that express service from here (even 24 hours from when received would be fine), but you can't.

Oh well, for once in every few years it's not too much of a pain really.

I was stopped last night after passing customs on my arrival from Dubai. I was carrying a Dubai duty free bag which looked quite full.

The guy approached me and asked to see in my bag and asked me if I was carrying cigarettes. I said no I wasn't, told him they were chocolates and opened the bag to show him. He smiled, said "thank you sir" and waved me on my way.

It's obviously not a scam as so many have complained as they were in uniform, they were polite, and they were doing their job and my bag did look like it had a few cartons of cigarettes in it. But, I'm wondering, why do they stop you after you've already passed customs? Why not as you are going through where the X-Ray machines are? Is there a reason behind it? Or is it just extra proof that you intentionally smuggled as you passed all the way through the green channel?

Let's not forget the crap internet.

You arrive at a foreign airport and want to get online to maybe book a hotel or taxi.

Easy in KL or Singapore.

A nightmare in BKK.

Try it in London or the US.

Why do people expect everything to provided free for them immediately?

There are plenty of hotel and taxi booking services in the airport. There are also booths selling SIM cards for local providers with data service and they are very cheap. This is what I would expect to do at a foreign airport. Why do you expect it to be free and given to you on a plate as soon as you land? That is not how the world works, sorry.

Nice to see you placing BKK with those awful airports.

The new ticket machines have done nothing to speed up the taxi line.

So if you have hundreds and hundreds of people arriving constantly please tell me exactly how YOU would speed up the taxi line? Rather than sitting in front of your computer being a Thaivisa moaner, come up with a solution.

I fly in and out regularly and I think the taxi wait is not too bad. It is certainly better than many other airports (even some that people on here laud) and this new ticketing thing is an effort to improve. So, come on, instead of moaning, how would you make it better? We're all ears. Let us know how you would service so many people without a queue.

Amazing what people would do to save 100 baht.

My God there are some prats on this forum. Did you even read the thread? He is not doing it to save 100 baht. He is doing it because last time he came it took two hours in a taxi and that is not what you want after a long and stressful flight with a baby. The negativity and utterly unfathomable hostility to questions on this forum is genuinely sad.

Just to clear up some of the lies and misleading information: all the ARL stations have escalators and lifts, all of them. The lifts are too small and sometimes you have to wait but they exist and they work. You arrive at 2pm on a Sunday. The train will not be packed, you will not be crammed in like sardines. You will get a seat as you are boarding at the airport. Just walk down to the front of the train as all the late comers clog up the end carriage.

The walk from Phaya Thai ARL station to the BTS station IS NOT FAR. I don't understand why people say this. It is about 100 metres. 150 metres maximum. How does anyone expect that two completely different rail system stations could be built any closer together than that. Seriously? I would love for a "terribly long walk" moaner to answer me that. It is not far - it just isn't. The queue for the ticket machines can be long after an ARL train has just deposited everyone at Phaya Thai though.

Is it worth it on a Sunday afternoon when the traffic in a taxi would be light? Probably not. But if you want a test run in anticipation of an early morning return to the airport then it's probably not a bad idea. The OP has already said he is fine with the bags. Why does it matter so much to people that they feel the need to be rude? Please, step away from the forum and get a life.

There is the information. Make your choice and good luck.

If you believe that, then seems you would believe anything!!

Tell me what in that post isn't true

The part where you say "he isn't doing it to save 100 baht".

And you know this how. Because he says so??

I'm saying under the OP's circumstance he is doing it to save costs. That's just my opinion and kudos to him, it's and extra 100 baht in his pocket however it is amazing the lengths people go to save 100 baht, that's all I'm sayin!!

As for the rest of your post, you may be right or you may be wrong, I couldn't care less.

Ah, so you know what the OP is thinking better than the OP himself when he already explained his reasoning. Of course you are right. He said it wasn't about the money but naturally he was lying and it is. Thank you. You are amazing.

Again, thank you all for your contributions so far. For all those who came herr for some unjustfied bashing without really contributing to my decision making: give this thread a pass and find some other place to vent.

For all the others:

I wonder where I wrote to arrive on a Sunday?? Someone must have misread SAMUI for SUNDAY.

I wil arrive on Wed, Jan 21, around noon.

I will ONLY need to travel from the airport to around Phaya Tai station, so would only have to use ARL without BTS, if I favour the train option.

I am returning to the airport on Sat, Jan 24. I must be at the airport at around 6 a.m.

So I reckon it all depends on the werkday and time (traffic jam vs. crammed carriages).

I don't really care about the annoying fellow travelers- factor anymore, since

a) the ARL was built especially for my purpose, the commuting just a side effect ( even though seemingly in full occupation of the livals by now), right?

b ) I've done my three months of wai & smile, getting scammed and milked like a golden cow enough now in Thailand to feel it is payback time. So I wouldn't bee too regretful to block some space in the carriage on two occasions.

In that case - if you only need to get to Phaya Thai and it isn't a Sunday - you should definitely take the train, 100%. But if you need to be at the airport at 6am on your way back then you will need to find another option as the first train only departs Phaya Thai at 6am meaning you'll be at the airport at 6.30am.

Amazing what people would do to save 100 baht.

My God there are some prats on this forum. Did you even read the thread? He is not doing it to save 100 baht. He is doing it because last time he came it took two hours in a taxi and that is not what you want after a long and stressful flight with a baby. The negativity and utterly unfathomable hostility to questions on this forum is genuinely sad.

Just to clear up some of the lies and misleading information: all the ARL stations have escalators and lifts, all of them. The lifts are too small and sometimes you have to wait but they exist and they work. You arrive at 2pm on a Sunday. The train will not be packed, you will not be crammed in like sardines. You will get a seat as you are boarding at the airport. Just walk down to the front of the train as all the late comers clog up the end carriage.

The walk from Phaya Thai ARL station to the BTS station IS NOT FAR. I don't understand why people say this. It is about 100 metres. 150 metres maximum. How does anyone expect that two completely different rail system stations could be built any closer together than that. Seriously? I would love for a "terribly long walk" moaner to answer me that. It is not far - it just isn't. The queue for the ticket machines can be long after an ARL train has just deposited everyone at Phaya Thai though.

Is it worth it on a Sunday afternoon when the traffic in a taxi would be light? Probably not. But if you want a test run in anticipation of an early morning return to the airport then it's probably not a bad idea. The OP has already said he is fine with the bags. Why does it matter so much to people that they feel the need to be rude? Please, step away from the forum and get a life.

There is the information. Make your choice and good luck.

If you believe that, then seems you would believe anything!!

I use the ARL regularly. Tell me what in that post isn't true instead of just coming out with flippant comments. I gave the poster some unbiased info so he can make a choice - explain what I have lied about please.

Amazing what people would do to save 100 baht.

My God there are some prats on this forum. Did you even read the thread? He is not doing it to save 100 baht. He is doing it because last time he came it took two hours in a taxi and that is not what you want after a long and stressful flight with a baby. The negativity and utterly unfathomable hostility to questions on this forum is genuinely sad.

Just to clear up some of the lies and misleading information: all the ARL stations have escalators and lifts, all of them. The lifts are too small and sometimes you have to wait but they exist and they work. You arrive at 2pm on a Sunday. The train will not be packed, you will not be crammed in like sardines. You will get a seat as you are boarding at the airport. Just walk down to the front of the train as all the late comers clog up the end carriage.

The walk from Phaya Thai ARL station to the BTS station IS NOT FAR. I don't understand why people say this. It is about 100 metres. 150 metres maximum. How does anyone expect that two completely different rail system stations could be built any closer together than that. Seriously? I would love for a "terribly long walk" moaner to answer me that. It is not far - it just isn't. The queue for the ticket machines can be long after an ARL train has just deposited everyone at Phaya Thai though.

Is it worth it on a Sunday afternoon when the traffic in a taxi would be light? Probably not. But if you want a test run in anticipation of an early morning return to the airport then it's probably not a bad idea. The OP has already said he is fine with the bags. Why does it matter so much to people that they feel the need to be rude? Please, step away from the forum and get a life.

There is the information. Make your choice and good luck.

Thanks for the update. Is this the major overhaul they needed or is this a temporary fix? I seem to remember them saying it would be several months to get the parts.

Years ago I went to Por Tek Tung HQ, near Sampantawong and said that I had seen a documentary of them on TV, got the full treatment, including a hour and a half of the grossest videos in their professional video editing booth (pre digital), couldn't really leave, bringing in kanom and coffee etc. Do you want to see the rescue of the train that derailed at Nakhon Phatom?

All around there are shops selling all the accessories for their private rescue vehicles. It's worth a look if your in the area, don't mention the word video though. Also a good chinese temple opposite that was very friendly during Gin Je, Sancho Hong Kong I think.

They also did a good job after the tsunami.

Because of these rescueworkers i don't dare to carry much cash with me in Thailand. I read too many story's of them cleaning wallets of victims first.

For me this is as low as it can get. Thailand really has to stop this but even the Police can't do it! They need the army to help and even then it takes 4 hours!

Thainess at it's finest.

So let me get this straight......you don't ever carry much money with you in case you somehow get in to a car crash and then in case it is serious enough that you need rescuing and then in case one of the rescue workers then steals your money. Really? I mean, really?

I don't carry wads of cash on me either in case I am involved in an accident and don't know anyone who does. That's up to you

Best not carry credit cards either in case you get in a accident and they are stolen. You'll have half of Lazada racked up before you know it. Leave your mobile phone at home too because they'll certainly have that if you crash and need rescuing. House keys are also risky in case the rescuers know where you live then they'll undoubtedly go and steal your house.

Best avoid all these risks and just walk everywhere with a few coins in your pocket.

I must be tremendously lucky. I've lived here 18 years and always carry money with me and I've never got into a crash and had it stolen from me, but that's just me - I live on the edge.

Years ago I went to Por Tek Tung HQ, near Sampantawong and said that I had seen a documentary of them on TV, got the full treatment, including a hour and a half of the grossest videos in their professional video editing booth (pre digital), couldn't really leave, bringing in kanom and coffee etc. Do you want to see the rescue of the train that derailed at Nakhon Phatom?

All around there are shops selling all the accessories for their private rescue vehicles. It's worth a look if your in the area, don't mention the word video though. Also a good chinese temple opposite that was very friendly during Gin Je, Sancho Hong Kong I think.

They also did a good job after the tsunami.

Because of these rescueworkers i don't dare to carry much cash with me in Thailand. I read too many story's of them cleaning wallets of victims first.

For me this is as low as it can get. Thailand really has to stop this but even the Police can't do it! They need the army to help and even then it takes 4 hours!

Thainess at it's finest.

So let me get this straight......you don't ever carry much money with you in case you somehow get in to a car crash and then in case it is serious enough that you need rescuing and then in case one of the rescue workers then steals your money. Really? I mean, really?

Another thing to point out is that the domain name you choose has to be the same as your company name or obviously closely related to it (for example your company initials). And, as already mentioned, you do have to send them a copy of your company registration and VAT certificate.

Just to reinforce what the others are saying: when you enter just go straight down two levels and it will be half empty. So many people just drive round and round and round and double park on level five so they don't have to go up or down the stairs or in the lift to get to the terminal. Utter laziness.

Nope, they don't have it.

250 baht per day.

I will draw a circle with a 615m radius centered on this building on my map of Bangkok and be sure not to enter that area once its built.

Ok, you do that, because, yeah, it's going to fall over on you. And draw your circles around all the other skyscrapers here too.

My God this forum is getting more depressing by the day,

"Isn't this "10,000" figure already out of date?"

There was some talk recently about raising this figure, as it seems hopelessly out of date. But as per usual for Thailand, all talk and no action, so assume that it remains 10,000 baht?

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/travellers/arriving+in+thailand/arrivinginthailand

There were threads/articles on this aspect here and elsewhere, ~ 4 July.

There also was a "clampdown" on enforcement, on or about 1 July - I arrived 1 July and noticed quite a but of new signage and activity, but again, This is Thailand, so this clampdown lasted a day or two.

There were threads and/or articles on this, ~ 2 July.

Quote from an article:

The proposed new limit is in the range of 80,000 to 100,000 baht, the source said, adding that the current duty-free limit is too low and not in line with economic circumstances.

The trip to the Customs line may be a little less stressful soon, if the Customs Department amendments pass. The 10,000-baht import duty-free restriction has been in place for several decades and is not in accordance with the increased income of Thais and foreigners.

The Customs Department recently raised the limit on the amount of money each traveller can take out of the country to 500,000 baht from 50,000 baht previously to comply with the growing value of cross-border trade.

The Customs Department this week caused panic among both passengers and airline crews by posting signs announcing the enforcement of the limit at Suvarnabhumi airport, saying if personal goods including new clothes, shoes and bags in non-commercial form exceeding the 10,000-baht limit are brought into Thailand, they must be declared to customs officials and the duty paid before their baggage goes through the X-ray machine.

FWIW, arriving on TG they do play a video outlining Thai Customs regulations, and it seemed like you could get a 10,000 baht exemption for goods purchased overseas, and an additional 20,000 baht for goods purchased in-flight or upon arrival, but I'll admit to perhaps not exactly understanding the wording of this video.

For me, over ~ 20 years (or about 150 arrivals) Customs officials ask that I put one or more of my checked bags through the X-Ray machine. Maybe three times they ask what is in my bags, they have never conducted a more thorough search (thank goodness). I can only assume that they have specific profiles, and/or tips, which might move them to conduct more thorough searches?

Flew in from Shanghai tonight on TG. During descent they showed a video from the Thai Customs Department. It was awfully made and badly dubbed but there you go. They made a big point of the 10,000 baht thing and the penalties. I flew in on the same flight about three weeks ago and we weren't shown this video so it is a new thing. But walking out from baggage claim absolutely nobody was checked that I saw.

Looks like the "Express" has been officially scrapped. On the trains, above the doors, where they have the map of stations there used to be a blue line showing the City stations and a red line between Makkasan and Suvarnabhumi showing the express. These have now been replaced and no there is no sign of the express line at all. I just got the train from Suvarnabhumi tonight and the Express area was completely roped off and shut down. I think they have given up. Whether or not this will change when they have done their maintenance and all the trains are back in service I don't know, but changing the station map on the trains would indicate it is permanent to me.

No complaints other than about the rather unfriendly immigration officials.

Coming off the plane into the land of smiles those people are the first Thai you come in contact with.

I sincerely hope the new executive will take note.

Generally this is true, but which country does have smiling friendly immigration officials?

Last time through I had written the wrong visa number. I was very surprised when the immigration officer pointed it out in perfect English (calling me "sir") with a big smile and helped me put the correct number in.

I guess he was probably new....

The place is an eyesore, a dump and the worst airport on the planet. It feels cold an unwelcoming and is bloody he'll to get around. Bulldoze the useless piece of junk

A quite ridiculous statement. It's not an outstanding airport by any means and it does have it's flaws, but it's not that bad. I travel a lot and I'd take Suvarnabhumi over dozens of other airports any day.

You want a dump of an airport? Try Manila. Try KLIA 2.

"The improvements are also geared toward reinforcing the image of Suvarnabhumi being an 'Airport of Smiles'"

Please, make me smile, next time I come to Suvarnabhumi and not have to stand and wait for hours on that horrible immigration queue.

Haven't been through there in a few months have you....

Same here. Within the login.asp file is an error message:

Sorry, you cannot do this transaction at the moment. Please try again later

If you have any questions or need assistance, Please call 02 777 7777 to contact SCB Easy Call Center.

Busted - hopefully they fix soon.

Thanks guys.

Hope they sort it out soon - I have bills to pay! But yeah, typical for it to break on a Friday afternoon....

They fixed it - it's working again. Woo Hoo!!