josephbloggs

Don't defame the defamation laws!

Yawn. Another groundless bash. You do realise the airport director doesn't tell Thai Airways how many staff to employ? And you do realise the click-baity story on here about the long queues at check in happened for one single day then was solved. But yet everyone on here still goes on about it even thought they never saw or experienced it themselves. I have flown out internationally twice in the last couple of weeks (including this morning) and there were no queues at check in, just business as usual. Big queues at Vietjet though, but nothing much at Thai. But "webfact" won't come back with a follow up to say that, best to let the TVF populace froth - the TVF frothers who haven't been anywhere near the airport! When I arrived at Heathrow a couple of weeks ago it took me 90 minutes - as a UK citizen - to clear immigration. Should the Heathrow Director be fired for a poor immigration s**t show? My two recent returns to Thailand have taken no more than five minutes each time. Way better, way more efficient. But that doesn't get people clicking, raging, and commenting. If you had a bad experience, post about it as it is valid.. If you are just reading headlines on this website please don't post your outrage because it is not valid.

It is not moot. They don't need local insurance. They can use their foreign insurance. Do you not understand there is no mandate to use Thai insurance companies AT ALL. The coverage requirements are super minimal, most travel insurance covers it, ergo most people don't need to buy anything. And even if they do they can chose the beautiful foreign Western company of their choice and make them rich instead. But nice work on getting the TVF cliches in there - by the way you missed "brown envelopes". Must do better.

Sorry what has the media got to do with it? Technology evolves, society evolves, advances in payment technology is not driven by the media, whatever are you on about? I use pay wave because it is super convenient and faster than cash and I don't have to carry change.. The media has never told me to do that believe it or not, I made my own decision. I am not a zombie or a lemming either. Seeing as we are throwing names around are you a luddite?

Thailand Pass is free. If you already have insurance that meets the requirements you don't need to buy anything. If you are employed by a Thai company you don't need insurance. If you do need to buy some you can choose who you buy it from (Thai or foreign company). So, erm, who is making money out of this? Right, so I didn't just have to do two separate online submissions (way more complex than Thai Pass) to get permission to enter Singapore then? I must have imagined it, silly me.

A bit over dramatic. Have you ever done a Thailand Pass application? It is now incredibly simple and takes three minutes maximum (it has recently been simplified from when it took 5 minutes). Insurance costs 650 baht and is open to anyone up to the age of 85, no questions asked, and takes 5 minutes. But if you already have insurance that covers the necessary you don't need to buy anything at all. If you think three minutes is a considerable time and 650 baht in total is a considerable expense then how to you manage to go online to book flights or hotels?? It took me a lot longer to go through all the hoops to go to Singapore tomorrow.

Ubon Joe already gave you the right information, but be aware there is some stuff to be done to get entry to Singapore (I am going there tomorrow). If you were vaccinated in Thailand you will need to have your vaccination status verified online by entering your details and uploading the QR code - you'll then be emailed a letter to present to Singapore immigration. Here: https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/STO1/VCP Then, (up to) three before you fly, you need to fill out a SG arrival form and health declaration which, again, includes uploading your vaccination status. Here: https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard/ There is actually more to do than there is to get a Thailand Pass but it is simple enough. (At least I hope that's all there is to do - guess I'll find out in the morning if not)

Nope, not trolling, just asking for someone to explain how they know what they say because I can't find mention of it anywhere other than on here. Absolutely nowhere. To be clear, if you come six times on six visa exempts that would be counted as six arrivals, yes. There would be absolutely no way for them to separate that. And that would be exactly the same for any other country that reports tourist numbers (ie. most countries). I am not taking issue with that. I am taking issue with people stating as fact that people returning on re-entry permits on Non-B or non-O are counted as tourist entires (as claimed by Excel). I don't believe they are as they are logged as not being tourists on the immigration database. All I am asking is for someone who categorically says these people are adding to the tourist figures to let me know how they know this. And no one can. And you state transiting passengers who don't even enter the country are added to the tourist count! Wow, that is stepping it up a gear. So same question to you: how do you know this? Where is this information coming from? Simple question. If someone can show me I'll happily concede. But saying "it's on Thai websites, find it yourself" doesn't count. Show me the Thai website, I can translate it.

So no source then. Thank you.

Ah the old "suggest you do your own research" reply when asked for a source of your unsubstantiated nonsense,. In other words you don't have a source other than hearing it parroted on here. And you're right, I can't read Thai. And as a poster who is repeatedly negative and critical of Thailand I am very surprised and impressed that you can. So please, as requested, share your source as I have plenty of people who can translate it for me. As you can read Thai and I can't you'd be doing me a big favour and opening my eyes perhaps.

And how would you propose they separate every single person when there are (were) tens of millions each year? These dozens / hundreds of 4/4 workers must be skewing the figures so heavily they should devise a separate category just for them.

And how many millions of them are there?

Yawn. Another TVF old wives' tale. So tell me how you know the TAT count people returning on re-entry permits on Non-B or non-Os as tourists? Because you heard others on here repeat the same thing? How do you know they don't only count people on tourist visas or visa exempt? You're very confident in it so looking forward to hearing your source.

No it is not illegal to complain. It is illegal to publicly do so and cause damage to a business. Stupid and dangerous law, but there is a distinction. Making a complaint is absolutely fine.

Seriously, it's hardly controversial to say that the majority of posters here are fairly old. It's certainly not ageist. And you don't need to take a survey of everyone, just read the content. Nothing wrong with it, it's just pretty well accepted.

I just got an email from Avanti West Coast saying they are refunding my ticket cost as my London to Liverpool train arrived 90 minutes late (train travel in the UK is shocking at the moment)..........and that they are mailing me a cheque!! Not refunding me on the credit card I bought the ticket with but mailing a cheque which is going to be useless to me (I am guessing that is their intention).

Ha ha, I live in Bangkok - just turn left at the 7-Eleven and I'm right there. Hope to fire it up at the weekend and will make a post.

Don't be silly, the whole world is going cashless. I just got back from the UK and no-one uses cash there anymore - several business will not even accept cash at all.

Reporting back. I just arrived home with my pizza oven in its original box plus 20kg of oak chips. Not even a second glance at customs, just walked right through.

Thanks, but the only wood chips I have found - like Hickory - are for smoking. But for pizza ovens you want wood that doesn't smoke. So ideally looking for kiln dried oak or beech. I am sure it must be available in Thailand, I just haven't found it yet. I did find some cedar pellets so will try them and compare to the oak I am carrying back.

Cool, flying back Wednesday with the oven and 20kg of oak so will report how it goes (in my limited searches in Bangkok I couldn't find oak pellets so figured I would haul these back to give me something to compare to). I have also been after this for a long time so really looking forward to giving it a go - good idea to start a thread, I will.

And just got issued my QR code, 29 minutes after submitting my application. It really is super simple.

Thank you Charlie, that is really helpful. I think I'll print out the receipt and declare it, if it's only 7% VAT then it's no big deal. It's nicely packed in the box so I think unpacking and repacking would be a hassle. Plus I already have 20kg of oak pellets in my suitcase.... ????

Yep, the people who say it puts people off have almost certainly never done it themselves. I did one three weeks ago for a trip to the UK, very simple. And I have just done one now for a trip to Singapore next week and they have simplified it further. Previously you needed to upload details of each vaccine shot, state your purpose of visit. Now they don't ask purpose and you only need to upload a QR code of your third shot. Very very simple and quick. Took me less than 5 minutes. And now they promise you get your answer in less than two hours.

Hi, I am returning to Thailand next week and carrying a small wood fired pizza oven (15kg) that I bought. Does anyone know if I can go through the green channel or should I go to red and declare it? And if so what would be the duty to pay? I have searched and can't find if there would be duties to pay or not. It is not an electric item. It cost £250 so not an expensive thing, so if I have to pay it's ok, but if I don't have to I would obviously rather go through green and not have the hassle. Taking it out of the box and making it look used is not an option, I'll be taking it in its original packaging. Any thoughts or advice?