jaizan

I wonder why the likes of TrueMove don't simply publish their USSD codes for phone packages. What could be simpler than landing at Suvarnabhumi, typing in my USSD code and having the package I want ? Instead, I have to navigate to the app, consuming data & then buy the package I want. If anyone knows where to get a list of up to date TrueMove USSD codes for each package, please share the link.

Well, after a little more testing I solved that problem: The Thai SIM does not receive incoming text messages (or show any sign of a connection) in my Nokia 1661 phone, but DOES receive them in on a newer Android phone My UK SIM receives incoming text messages in both phones. I don't quite know precisely why this fails, but suspect my 2018 Thai SIM is not compatible with the older phone, whilst my 2023 UK SIM is. I find the Nokia is very convenient for receiving 2FA text messages on my UK SIM in Thailand & other countries. It's small, has a long battery life and boots up quickly. Unfortunately, reversing that process and putting my Thai SIM in the Nokia in the UK fails. Naturally I use a smart phone for my main SIM, whatever the country. One day I must look into e-sims.

As usual, the New Year death rate was BELOW the daily average for the whole year.

I cannot currently receive TrueMoveH text messages when in the UK. I've tried with TrueMoveH web login and Kasikorn banking, both of which should send me a text message. On the TrueMoveH app, I have the roaming settings to receive calls and data ON. There is no separate setting for SMS. What is the likely cause of this problem ? [Without SMS messages, I cannot login to the TrueMoveH website or make payments from my bank account website. I can do both via the respective apps, still installed on my old phone. ]

On the TrueMove app, I can buy additional validity, cheaply. 180 days costs 14 baht. I can only buy up to 12 months. I go to Thailand every year so this is OK. If I didn't go to Thailand, I could set a google calendar reminder to check it every 50 weeks.

Thank you. I'm likely to do exactly the same. Using the app on my new phone will have to wait until I return to Thailand. In the meantime, I don't need it much, so I can get by with web based access or using my old phone.

I've been using the Kasikorn banking app on my old phone for years. I now install the app on my new phone and it insists I firstly log in using the cellular network rather than wifi. So I switch off wifi and it comes up with the same error message, telling me to use the cellular network. I am currently in the UK, using my UK SIM. Is the app somehow expecting me to use a cellular data connection from my Thai SIM registered with the bank account for the first login ? Or a Thai cellular network ?

What is the normal expectation for motorcycle insurance when renting ? I saw one company which offered insurance. However, the cover was for 100,000 baht, with a 20,000 excess. So just 80,000 baht cover. Like about £2000. So I'd better not run into anything expensive! Does anyone here do proper insurance? With decent cover for unexpected events. Please assume I will have all the correct licenses, so no need to discuss that.

At what cost though ? I hear some charge 3500 in Pattaya. Another quoted me about 1600, but that was as part of a much larger "fee" proposed for a retirement visa, bending a few rules. (I didn't go for it) My actual account was opened over 10 years ago. The first branch said no. The second said yes. If faced with a 3500 fee, I would at least try walking into half a dozen branches first.

Does anyone sell Sidegra in Pattaya at the correct price ? ie 100 baht for 4 x50mg or 180 baht for 4 x 100mg. I'm not interested in Kamagra or any number of alternatives.

There is potentially an app for the railway. This You Tube video shows it. However, they don't demonstrate ticket booking. I cannot find the app on the play store. I don't know what's wrong with building a station as close as they can to the city centre and having a ticket office that takes cash for tickets. That has worked for almost 200 years elsewhere.

I don't yet have experience, but hope to try it in a couple of months. From what I hear, the official ticket offices only take Union Pay or some odd Lao banking app. Nothing sensible, like cash or Visa/Mastercard. Then, in the age of computers, you have to buy tickets within 48 hours of travel. Anyone would think it was run by communists, rather than some practical business minded people who want to provide a good service in order to earn a return on their capital. The problem was solved by using a ticket agent.

Does anyone have any recent experience of LAO ATMs and cash withdrawal fees ? Last time, I think I mostly used cash taken with me (~4 years ago). The one thing I noticed was that it was cheaper to convert GBP to THB in BKK Airport Rail station (about 0.5% loss v mid-market at the time) and then convert the THB to LAK in Vientiane than it was to directly convert from GBP to LAK in Vientiane. Having noticed the difference in spread, I checked the live exchange rates online, so this was definitely down to a poor GBP spread and not exchange rate movements. If the ATM charges are reasonable, I think I prefer that to taking cash this time. As for the trains, there is a separate thread for that.

Thank you for the recommendations everyone. I probably get bitten by a mosquito about once a week, usually when I forgot to put any chemicals on my skin until noticing the mozzies. So I'm not going near a doctor unless I'm ill. I just want something to stop the itching.

What do people use for insect bite pain relief ? I have found the Hydrocortisone gels sold in the UK worked very well and some of the alternatives were of no use. Now most of the places near me don't stock Hydrocortisone. So I can either buy some unknown brand off Amazon, or buy something in Thailand, as long as there are some good recommendations.

How long is the Air Asia check in queue at DMK these days and how long should I allow for it? My proposed flight is likely to depart at 12:50. Pre-covid, I always used to buy their premium package, which included a checked bag, a good seat, a meal and best of all, access to the fast check in queue. This wasn't that much more expensive than the price for checking a bag. I remember that the check in queues often looked quite long, so picking the premium package was an easy decision. Now they have repriced the packages, so to get access to the fast check in, plus some irrelevant benefits would cost me +1200 baht.

Ubon 8 Khon Kaen 6.5 Udon Thani 7.5 Nong Khai 7 Phitsanulok 6 Sukhothai (Town 5, historical park 9) Lopburi 6 Khorat 6 Nakhon Sawan 6.5

When I last checked Emirates, the Premium Economy fare was for just one leg AND it was far more than I used to pay EVA to go the whole way in Premium. Not only that, it was the "wrong leg" in Premium. Whilst I could tolerate the A380 economy seat from London to Dubai, it's on the 777 from Dubai to Bangkok where I want something better than the awful 777 economy seat.

The Scoot Website shows next to no flights for September and subsequent months. Every day I click on is the same as below. If they are quitting already, I wish they would declare it. Whilst I have no intention of flying BA, I would at least value the competition for fares. So this leaves EVA and Thai. I used to prefer EVA, but they now have some quite high prices. So it's either Thai, or an indirect flight. I've been using indirect flights in the last two years. However, getting on a flight in London at about 21:30, having a few drinks, taking a sleeping tablet and waking up somewhere over Myanmar is preferable to an indirect flight, involving waking up in the middle of the trip for a walk around some airport in the middle-east.

Are any of these agents in Pattaya useful for working miracles and getting extensions when I'm not strictly entitled to one? eg 90 day O-visa is not eligible for a 30 day extension or a 60 day COVID extension. Note: I only plan to stay about 3 weeks longer, so don't need anything too complicated.

Which ones ?

A good question. Also which agent and how much ?

Exactly how much work do I need to get the extra 7 days ? I'm on a 90 day O visa so don't qualify for the covid extension. If I could wander into the Jomtien office, quickly confirm I can't get an extension and leave with 7 more days, that's time well spent. If I've got to pfaff about for a couple of hours, with no hope of getting a COVID extension and no guarantee of even an extra 7 days, it's less attractive. Also, how close to the visa expiry date should I leave this? For instance, if I already have 1 week remaining, do they still give an additional 7 days ?

So exactly what paperwork do I need to travel to Ko Samui from within Thailand ? I've been in Thailand since November and gather it's proof of vaccine OR a test to get to Samui. I'm not taking a test, so it needs to be the vaccine option. Will my NHS vaccine certificate do ? Or can I show my Thai Pass from November ? That effectively proves the Thai authorities checked my vaccination status. Or do I really need to fill in that Samui pass application ?

Can you take those away for test at home ?