I'm not yet 50 so still on tourist visas and have to leave the kingdom every three months. I generally just fly from Samui to Penang for a couple of days using Firefly. I noticed a few other airlines use the airport so perhaps I could just get a ticket with them, wherever they are going. I've a triple entry visa so I just need to leave and come back. British passport BTW.

Not quite sure whether I got you right.

You use Firefly so far and look for another flight abroad and don't want to use Bangkok Airways?

This leaves very little (to what I can find):

1) SilkAir to Singapore

2) "Beijing Capital Airlines" to Chongqing (China)

2) does not sound a practical alternative (and I would not set foot on such a flight).

The other flights abroad are Hongkong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with Bangkok Airways.

Not quite sure whether I got you right.

You use Firefly so far and look for another flight abroad and don't want to use Bangkok Airways?

This leaves very little (to what I can find):

1) SilkAir to Singapore

2) "Beijing Capital Airlines" to Chongqing (China)

2) does not sound a practical alternative (and I would not set foot on such a flight).

The other flights abroad are Hongkong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with Bangkok Airways.

Why would you not step foot on such a flight?

At least I would not fancy a 3:35h flight into China as a border run.

A flight that goes only three times a week full of Chinese holidaymakers.

Very inconvenient when so many easier options are there.

I don't understand why it is inconvenient?

I don't understand why it is inconvenient?

Maybe because to board the flight would require a Chinese Visa only obtainable from Bangkok?

I don't understand why it is inconvenient?

Maybe because to board the flight would require a Chinese Visa only obtainable from Bangkok?

.... in relation to....

At least I would not fancy a 3:35h flight into China as a border run.

A flight that goes only three times a week full of Chinese holidaymakers.

With regard to needing a visa. Been a few years but never needed a visa to go to west China in the past. Used to hang around a couple of days seeing bits and pieces then head back down to 'Nam or Laos or where I fancied next. I guess things have changed.