Hopefully I can travel from Ayutthaya to Pattaya ( Mabrachan Lake area ) on 23rd with no issues.

The reason being the cremation of a close friend, am assuming that would be allowed ??

No idea. I haven't seen any guidelines of what constitutes "essential travel" or examples of what people have been able to list as their "essential" reason that were approved.

The only thing to do is to list your reason as "attending cremation ceremony at (whatever temple) on (whatever date) and then give it a try (getting the form approved). If they say OK, then no problem.
It will probably be like everything here. If this office/branch/person says no, then go to a different place and ask them and hope they say yes.

1 hour ago, Kerryd said:

No idea. I haven't seen any guidelines of what constitutes "essential travel" or examples of what people have been able to list as their "essential" reason that were approved.

This is true and all I have heard is for Eg, Travel for medical services and travel to and from work. A funeral could be considered non-essential.

3 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Ah OK. 
Do internal flights still go in/out of U-Tapao ? (Still in a different province but a fair bit closer than Bangkok. Lol - the provincial border is almost at the front door of the airport !)

No flights available from KK to Utapao only Bangkok's two airports   and there used to be  scheduled  flights from Udon Thani to Utapao  but are now unavailable

 

I understand that one of the reasons for no checkpoints is the scandal of senior officers ripping off all of the funds allocated by the Govt for extra "COVID Duty" by the rank and file police.

 

No money, no Stopee!

22 hours ago, Nout said:

For the OP. Swampy is a nickname used by 3 or 4 people. It refers to a time, about 15 years ago, when people wished the airport to fail and envisaged it being invaded by snakes from nearby swamps. The airport, like so many successful construction projects, was completed under the guidance of the democratically elected leader Taksin thus another reason to mock it for people who support the military regime. BUT.. There is a VIP bus running regularly from the International Airport to Pattaya/ Jomtien and it terminates near the junction of Thapraya Rd and Threpasit Rd...a convenient place for your friends to meet you. When  you arrive I hope you have a good time but do yourself a favor. Don't refer to SuvanapoonI International Airport as 'swampy'...nobody else does.

How do you figure Taksin was democratically elected?

30 minutes ago, jmurch said:

How do you figure Taksin was democratically elected?

A lot of people are unaware of how things went in the elections Thaksin ran in. My understanding was that he could get votes for as little as one hundred baht each in large parts of Isaan, where the majority of his supporters came from (even though he was never "one of them").

On 1/14/2021 at 5:56 PM, n210mp said:

and bring me back to Pattaya on Monday the 18th.

 

Will he need to  get any special permissions from the district office 

Where are they coming in front don't they need to do 14 day quarantine?  Off topic sorry!

2 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Where are they coming in front don't they need to do 14 day quarantine?  Off topic sorry!

Domestic flight from Khon Kaen apparently. No flights to U-Tapao so they/he/she has to go through Bangkok.

On 1/15/2021 at 10:26 AM, J Town said:

and I always buy two tickets

Last of the big spenders, eh? 

On 1/15/2021 at 3:20 PM, Nout said:

Don't refer to SuvanapoonI International Airport as 'swampy'...nobody else does.

Yes sir!  Any further orders, sir? 

6 hours ago, Kerryd said:

knickname

Or maybe knick-kname? 

6 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

At about 9:30 in the morning I started from Pattaya to Bangkok... and then started my return about 2 p.m., returning about 4:30 p.m. There were NO checkpoints. The route was as follows: Sukhumvit Road entry to Highway 7 to Bangkok and then transition to the Sriwat Expressway over Central Bangkok...then taking the Sukhumvit Road exit (Soi 1) and turning east towards Asoke. Return was down Asoke Road to the Sriwat Expressway on-ramp and then transition to Highway 7 all the way to Sukhumvit Road terminus near North Pattaya Road. No checkpoints or stops of any kind.

What a fun day you had! 

5 hours ago, Kerryd said:

But no mention of where any checkpoints are.

And where are these “maximum controlled areas”? 

9 minutes ago, PGSan said:

Or maybe knick-kname? 

"

TOP DEFINITION

 

knickname

Knickname also spelled nickname, is an alternative version of the proper term for a name added to or substituted for the proper name of a person, place, etc., as in affection, ridicule, or familiarity."

But thanks anyways professor.

4 minutes ago, PGSan said:

And where are these “maximum controlled areas”? 

As of 4 January:

"Provinces now in the highly controlled’ (red) zone:

 

Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Chumphon, Kanchanaburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phetchaburi, Prachinburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Sakeao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Singburi, Suphanburi, Tak and Trat."
 

 

As of 7 January from a different source:
Only essential travel is allowed to and from the 5 coastal “red zone” provinces under the highest level of control to contain the spread of Covid-19. The new travel restrictions for Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Rayong, Trat and Chanthaburi were made official in the Royal Gazette."

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/only-essential-travel-to-and-from-5-coastal-red-zone-provinces

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/only-essential-travel-allowed-to-and-from-5-thai-provinces/

 

Strange country this ‘Urban’.  Did you find that spelling variant in any ‘English’ Dictionary? 

 

I beg to remain, Sir, yours apologetically,

PGS

Distinguished Professor of Jests and Harmless Leg-pulls, U of MH  

15 minutes ago, PGSan said:

What a fun day you had! 

It was either this or another day in shutdown Pattaya ????

Cheap Charlie :)

On 1/15/2021 at 3:20 PM, Nout said:

For the OP. Swampy is a nickname used by 3 or 4 people. It refers to a time, about 15 years ago, when people wished the airport to fail and envisaged it being invaded by snakes from nearby swamps. The airport, like so many successful construction projects, was completed under the guidance of the democratically elected leader Taksin thus another reason to mock it for people who support the military regime. BUT.. There is a VIP bus running regularly from the International Airport to Pattaya/ Jomtien and it terminates near the junction of Thapraya Rd and Threpasit Rd...a convenient place for your friends to meet you. When  you arrive I hope you have a good time but do yourself a favor. Don't refer to SuvanapoonI International Airport as 'swampy'...nobody else does.

Well,well, 3 or 4 people?? I think you underestimate seriously the matter. 55555

On 1/15/2021 at 3:34 PM, spidermike007 said:

 

You could not possibly be more incorrect. It is called Swampy by millions. Why? It was built on reclaimed swamp land. Simple enough explanation?

 

The airport is on what had formerly been known as Nong Nguhao (Cobra Swamp) in Racha Thewa in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan province as well as the districts of Bang Kapi, Lat Krabang, Bang Na and Prawet in the eastern side of Bangkok. The site, known as Cobra Swamp, was drained and named Suvarnabhumi, meaning "realm of gold".

Correct me if I'm wrong but Swampy was originally also used to absorb the water coming down in rainy season in order to avoid Bkk being flood... 

12 minutes ago, jomtienisgood said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but Swampy was originally also used to absorb the water coming down in rainy season in order to avoid Bkk being flood... 

 

The sounds correct. Often swamps are a part of a flood plain. In this case the area was long used to alleviate or prevent Bangkok flooding, and that is part of the reason there was so much controversy surrounding the development of Swampy. The location of the airport in the natural floodplain of Greater Bangkok has created tension between the flood protection needs of the capital city, and the imperative to protect the airport itself from flooding. As one of the lowest lying areas in the east of the Chao Praya Basin, Cobra Swamp receives run‐off from the wider basin, and thus from Bangkok itself. Indeed, such flood risks underpinned arguments that were made in the press at the time of the approaching final approval of the project. Presciently arguments were made, that the reduction of the flood retention area to the east of Bangkok as a result of the airport’s construction increased the risk of a flood disaster for greater Bangkok. These concerns were to be realised in the 2011 floods that affected the whole of the lower Chao Praya Basin.

22 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 

The sounds correct. Often swamps are a part of a flood plain. In this case the area was long used to alleviate or prevent Bangkok flooding, and that is part of the reason there was so much controversy surrounding the development of Swampy. The location of the airport in the natural floodplain of Greater Bangkok has created tension between the flood protection needs of the capital city, and the imperative to protect the airport itself from flooding. As one of the lowest lying areas in the east of the Chao Praya Basin, Cobra Swamp receives run‐off from the wider basin, and thus from Bangkok itself. Indeed, such flood risks underpinned arguments that were made in the press at the time of the approaching final approval of the project. Presciently arguments were made, that the reduction of the flood retention area to the east of Bangkok as a result of the airport’s construction increased the risk of a flood disaster for greater Bangkok. These concerns were to be realised in the 2011 floods that affected the whole of the lower Chao Praya Basin.

Yes, exactly as I remember. I also remember we never had that high water level in Asoke as then .....

11 hours ago, Kerryd said:

On 1/15/2021 at 12:28 PM, Susco said:

There is a checkpoint on Sukhumvit, opposite Banglamung police station if you enter from the North, or at least it was there a week ago.

No checkpoint there on the 14th. Didn't even see the "tents" set up or any barricades anywhere.

 

 

No check point there, and no tents, then how you call these.  They were there 1 week ago, and they were there today, so I doubt they removed them on the 14th for 1 day.

 

And yes there also were tables with policemen sitting at them, to check documents if needed

 

On 1/15/2021 at 10:26 AM, J Town said:

Is it feasible for you to take the Swampy/Jomtien bus? Extremely inexpensive, and I always buy two tickets so I don't have to sit next to someone like me. ????

'so I don't have to sit next to someone like me.'

 

You've got good taste!

On 1/15/2021 at 12:22 PM, jacko45k said:

3x per day, 9am, 12 and 3 pm.

Limited to 10 passengers on each bus 

 

6 hours ago, fulhamster said:

Limited to 10 passengers on each bus 

 

Not  lot of capacity there!

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Not  lot of capacity there!

I wouldn't think there are too many Pax to be honest 

8 minutes ago, n210mp said:

I wouldn't think there are too many Pax to be honest 

Well they would all need those signed and stamped bits of paper, but prior to this lockdown I did a trip and the buses were frequent and pretty full. Bit of a choke hold on business.