General Reports

[Nyezhov]

I totally agree Banana Boi. I love Bangkok and I love Tokyo. I enjoy the nightlife but also the culture. When I am in BKK, I usually get a BJ in the morning and then go off to explore and photograph Bangkok all day. I like to go to places where you don't see farangs or barely see them. I find the Thai people to be some of the nicest people anywhere I have ever traveled. If you show respect, they show respect. If you smile, they smile. The food is outstanding. I am missing Thailand badly. I was about to make my 8th trip there when all of the Covid stuff blew up. I wish I had gone. I would be safer there than here in the USA where people are so angry if you wear a mask.

Try Sukhothai. It is a pleasant little town. It has ruins from long ago. I photograph there all of the time. The different seasons have different light. Don't go in the burning season. In the summertime, it is all Thai tourists for the most part. I looked up hotels recently and they are so cheap. Places are showing up that I had never seen listed. If college is back in session, I recommend Phitsanulok as well. It is dead in the day. The students and faculty come out at night and they are fun. Interesting little town with some of the best street food in Thailand.(in my experience) The Chiang Mai train passes through Phitsanulok. It is an interesting ride north. Going south to BKK is grueling.

I'm with these guys. I love Bangkok and am totally bummed I haven't been able to go there from my home here in Siem Reap. As soon as they ditch the quarantine BS and allow Visa waiver entries, me and my camera are heading back, I have a condo lined up and loads of spare batteries.

Phitsanalok is great, I though what Yai was gorgeous and I really spent some time with Phra Buddaha Chinnawat, which itself is worth a trip.

[Mr Enternational]

I suspect the whole setup is aimed at just some small VIP groups and business people that are just being given a legit way to enter so they don't have to jump through bribes or bureaucracy

What business people or VIP groups do you know that have 2 spare weeks to sit around waiting?

[BuschMan]

1200 tourists per month! So 40 special people are allowed in to Thailand per day! Yep, this will get the economy rolling. Don't even dream about being one of the 1200 per month if you live in USA. This will purely be a China money grab with only the richest of the rich getting in.

That is about how many boaters / rafters are allowed to raft the Grand Canyon in Arizona per day. That is a drop in the bucket for Thailand.

[GrapeMan]

Most would agree that the high costs, the jumping through regulatory and medical hoops, time commitment to stay minimum 90 days, and the uncertainty in dealing with bureaucratic shape-shifting, is not ideal from a tourism product marketing perspective.

But their point is that we are in the leper colony now, not them.

Sure, economic complacency will set in eventually, but I'm not holding my breath any more. I've given up, been gasping too long.

I suspect the whole setup is aimed at just some small VIP groups and business people that are just being given a legit way to enter so they don't have to jump through bribes or bureaucracy or who knows what to get back in and do what they need to do. These would be people who work or have business interests in thailand, but come in on tourist visas which is pretty. Business people have found plenty of ways around thai visa requirements, just like everyone else has.

[AmPervert]

...Bangkok DOES NOT need tourists or the sex industry to survive. imo Bangkok is one of the coolest cities in the world if you like shopping and culture and #2 for food only behind Tokyo....

I totally agree Banana Boi. I love Bangkok and I love Tokyo. I enjoy the nightlife but also the culture. When I am in BKK, I usually get a BJ in the morning and then go off to explore and photograph Bangkok all day. I like to go to places where you don't see farangs or barely see them. I find the Thai people to be some of the nicest people anywhere I have ever traveled. If you show respect, they show respect. If you smile, they smile. The food is outstanding. I am missing Thailand badly. I was about to make my 8th trip there when all of the Covid stuff blew up. I wish I had gone. I would be safer there than here in the USA where people are so angry if you wear a mask.

Try Sukhothai. It is a pleasant little town. It has ruins from long ago. I photograph there all of the time. The different seasons have different light. Don't go in the burning season. In the summertime, it is all Thai tourists for the most part. I looked up hotels recently and they are so cheap. Places are showing up that I had never seen listed. If college is back in session, I recommend Phitsanulok as well. It is dead in the day. The students and faculty come out at night and they are fun. Interesting little town with some of the best street food in Thailand.(in my experience) The Chiang Mai train passes through Phitsanulok. It is an interesting ride north. Going south to BKK is grueling.

[DanCee]

Just think how much money this is going to cost after 2 - 3 weeks before your holiday even starts, I'm guessing around $5000 to basically spend 2 weeks on a leper colony and go through the worst bureaucracy on the planet and then to top it all off they want to track you on an app which leaves me with more questions. What happens if you run out of battery and the tracking stops or you lose your phone, will you get into trouble? There must be a lot more to this that they will only reveal once you land on the leper colony as you will have no choice but to comply.

This is really only for people that really need to return and there is no other way for them. There are just way too many obstacles and out of pocket expenses for the ordinary tourist for this to make any sense.

Most would agree that the high costs, the jumping through regulatory and medical hoops, time commitment to stay minimum 90 days, and the uncertainty in dealing with bureaucratic shape-shifting, is not ideal from a tourism product marketing perspective.

But their point is that we are in the leper colony now, not them.

Sure, economic complacency will set in eventually, but I'm not holding my breath any more. I've given up, been gasping too long.

[JohnnyO]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiU9SppsvJs&t=65s

It's probably easier to go to the moon with SpaceX (and maybe cheaper)

I'm close to losing my mind without a imminent return to mongering in Asia but these are some hoops I'm simply not willing to jump through. The whole thing is just insane and a farce. I'm presuming the overpriced flights and ASQ will have to be booked before your visa is approved, what happens then if you go to the embassy and they don't like your paperwork, we all know what its like dealing with these people in Thai consulates or if there is an issue or delay with your test before you fly, I doubt you will get your money back or they will be accommodating in any way.

Just think how much money this is going to cost after 2 - 3 weeks before your holiday even starts, I'm guessing around $5000 to basically spend 2 weeks on a leper colony and go through the worst bureaucracy on the planet and then to top it all off they want to track you on an app which leaves me with more questions. What happens if you run out of battery and the tracking stops or you lose your phone, will you get into trouble? There must be a lot more to this that they will only reveal once you land on the leper colony as you will have no choice but to comply.

This is really only for people that really need to return and there is no other way for them. There are just way too many obstacles and out of pocket expenses for the ordinary tourist for this to make any sense.

[Pimpampoumpipo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiU9SppsvJs&t=65s

It's probably easier to go to the moon with SpaceX (and maybe cheaper)

[GrapeMan]

One has to wonder if you have ever been to Bangkok. The sex industry is a VERY VERY small part of Bangkok. Bangkok DOES NOT need tourists or the sex industry to survive. imo Bangkok is one of the coolest cities in the world if you like shopping and culture and #2 for food only behind Tokyo. Bangkok area is 15 times larger than Paris, France in case you didn't know.

You are correct about Pattaya and Phuket. A gogo girl sent me a photo today trying to fool me. She said the Chinese tourists are back. Took a photo of 3 tour buses full of passengers driving down Beach Road. After I said WTF she fessed up and said it's a Thai tour of Pattaya.

Bangkok needs foreign capital, not necessarily foreign tourists, but tourism is a big part of the economy and shouldn't be discounted. Its not that different than other major cities, and with Thailand being a tourist hub in general, its pretty significant part of the economy. Even Paris, Tokyo, and NYC have huge tourism industries. But Bangkok really needs that outside business-investment from foreigners more than the vacationers, if it becomes less welcoming to foreigners, its hard to predict the outcome on it. The south of the country though and Pattaya. Now those areas need the tourists, badly.

[Rodwint2]

Don't know if anybody else saw the "Draft Process for Special Tourist Visa: in the business section of Bangkok Post Monday. Kafka in his most bizarre and surrealistic imaginings could not have come up the insane level of absurd bureaucracy involved. Available online at https://www.pressreader.com/thailand...81994674919727.

In yet another article on the front page of the same edition it seems there are more than 150,000 tourists who if still here post September 26th amnesty without a valid visa can end up in jail. Most of these it seems had visas which have expired but are covered by the amnesty. Getting extensions is anything but straight forward or guaranteed.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning...or-overstaying

Apologies if this all sounds a bit too much doom and gloom but as we speak this unfortunately is the reality.

On a brighter note though some of us will be off to Soi 11 later tonight for some BBFS / CIP / BBBJ / CIM / swallow.

Is Mullis or Australian Club open yet?

[Banana Boi]

Thanks for the information..

You're welcome Sirioja aka Bitumen.

[Franciscass]

"Booking a flight"? The only inbound flights available are those organised by the Embassies in the countries of departure and getting on one of those involves meeting the narrow criteria for those permitted entry (Thai citizens and spouses thereof, holders of Permanent Residence certificates, work permit holders etc). Likely you'll then go on a waiting list as there a a lot of Thai emigrants still waiting for repatriation.

Airlines or travel agents taking bookings for flights are at best borrowing from the customer or obtaining involuntary donations.

Don't know if anybody else saw the "Draft Process for Special Tourist Visa: in the business section of Bangkok Post Monday. Kafka in his most bizarre and surrealistic imaginings could not have come up the insane level of absurd bureaucracy involved. Available online at https://www.pressreader.com/thailand...81994674919727.

In yet another article on the front page of the same edition it seems there are more than 150,000 tourists who if still here post September 26th amnesty without a valid visa can end up in jail. Most of these it seems had visas which have expired but are covered by the amnesty. Getting extensions is anything but straight forward or guaranteed.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning...or-overstaying

Apologies if this all sounds a bit too much doom and gloom but as we speak this unfortunately is the reality.

On a brighter note though some of us will be off to Soi 11 later tonight for some BBFS / CIP / BBBJ / CIM / swallow.

[Pimpampoumpipo]

One has to wonder if you have ever been to Bangkok. The sex industry is a VERY VERY small part of Bangkok. Bangkok DOES NOT need tourists or the sex industry to survive. imo Bangkok is one of the coolest cities in the world if you like shopping and culture and #2 for food only behind Tokyo. Bangkok area is 15 times larger than Paris, France in case you didn't know.

Thanks for the information. If we don't know what to do if Nana, Soi Cow Boy and Patpong are closed, we can still go shopping.

Perhaps we should rename ISG to International Shopping Guide.

[Banana Boi]

Pattaya, Bangkok or Phuket now look like ghost towns that have nothing to do with what we experienced before the covid and will not return until the significant return of tourists.

One has to wonder if you have ever been to Bangkok. The sex industry is a VERY VERY small part of Bangkok. Bangkok DOES NOT need tourists or the sex industry to survive. imo Bangkok is one of the coolest cities in the world if you like shopping and culture and #2 for food only behind Tokyo. Bangkok area is 15 times larger than Paris, France in case you didn't know.

You are correct about Pattaya and Phuket. A gogo girl sent me a photo today trying to fool me. She said the Chinese tourists are back. Took a photo of 3 tour buses full of passengers driving down Beach Road. After I said WTF she fessed up and said it's a Thai tour of Pattaya.

[Goatscrot]

Pattaya, Bangkok or Phuket now look like ghost towns that have nothing to do with what we experienced before the covid and will not return until the significant return of tourists.

Aside from the Sukhumvit area from Nana to Phrom Pong, Bangkok is really pretty normal. Get out of the tourist areas and about the only difference you'll see from pre-covid is everyone wearing masks. Thonglor bars and restaurants had very good crowds last night.