gerefan

Sounds good. Live with it...which is what some countries are beginning to realise. However, if they are to reopen successfully they must not go all “Thai” over the entry requirements and over what is allowed to open. It is actually quite simple!

This time last year I began looking at my usual winter 3 month trip to Pattaya and it looked as if there was no chance. Not because everything was shut, but because the Thai border was firmly closed. I usually get there in November. However about October Thailand announced ‘O’ visas would be issued for 90 day stays, so it was Game On. There then followed weeks of paperwork and I eventually got to Thailand mid December and did my solitary. I stayed for 4 months. Most of the time everything operated normally. A good trip. So, here we are again a year later...Since last year the Thai border has always been open and I can go any time I want, with the same amount of paperwork, but actually simpler quarantine by going to a Sandbox. Good. However the BIG difference at the moment is all entertainment is closed. So in answer to the threads question, “Forthcoming holidays 2021/2”, I see absolutely see no problem travelling again in November from the UK to Thailand, providing I do the quarantine. No big deal if I stay for 3/4 months. What I’m not prepared to do is travel there and find everything is closed. So it will be a last minute decision nearer the time depending on what’s open.

Another important point raised by that post. DO NOT book with a retailer. Nowadays pay the little extra and book direct with the airline. It save a lot of hassle if you need to change flight schedules and what happens if that retailer goes out of business?

Don’t rush and book months in advance. Airline ‘street cred’ is at an all time low and they cancel on a whim. If interested suggest look at their reliability over several months to see how many “cancellations” happen.

Can’t they better spend their time helping sort out the pandemic/starvation/unemployed/Suicidal....Etc etc.?

Have they nothing better to worry about in these days of Covid/unemployment/bankruptcy/starvation etc ?

I too have the UK Vaccination Certificate. After seeing the above posts I had a good read of it. As said no Passport number. In addition mine omits my middle name. No letterhead. And nothing at all on it to say it is issued by the UK! It could be from anywhere although it does mention NHS on it. That would be meaningless to any petty Thai official.

I believe that stupid policy has been revised...due to hospitals being full ...well there’s a surprise!

Are readers aware that Sansuk has been closed for about a year? I drove by a few times last winter (January/February 2021) and it was still closed with an awning, which covered the open air areas, blowing in the wind and ripped to shreds. It showed no sign of reopening...ever. When it was last open (summer 2020) the entrance fee was 230 baht and had been the same for a number of years. As far as I’m aware Babylon is closed permanently and their entrance fee was very similar to Sansuk, maybe a few baht more.

That is not my experience. I went there several times over that last few years and never experienced anything like that, although I did read about it on forums such as this. Regular prices for Farangs of any age when I went. The only thing is that it got raided and so now closes early, which is a shame.

No. It highlights the need for more prisons. Remember they are all volunteers. Prisoners must be over the moon reading some of this stuff.

Flight schedules are notoriously fickle. Airlines cancel flights at a whim.The map even shows flights from Australia which is closed! Nothing can be trusted nowadays.

There are no significant changes to the rules, except that the proposed reduction of the length of quarantine has been cancelled. Anyone needing to go to Thailand now ( for genuine reasons....Nobody would go for a holiday) should consider themselves lucky that they haven’t shut the border completely and closed the airport again.

You would be foolish to book anything until he last minute. Things change so quickly....

Last minute booking is the ONLY way. Imagine if you had booked months ago and arrived now... Also book direct with the airline. Do not use brokers. They are going out of business and in the event you need to reschedule it makes life much much easier. These days you have to accept the extra cost. Although some fares are still very reasonable.

I too did quarantine in December last year. It was really very, very little different to what is required now. One extra test maybe. No biggy. I did the full 14 days, starting with day 0, and not released until day 14 was complete. So really 16 days. The rules changed half way through...not allowed in the exercise gym...because I was British. Not allowed to swim, just sit by the pool. Not nice with all the kids running around, so with the no exercise rule I spent the whole time in my room, except for one visit to the pool and one to the exercise yard. I got a lot of jip from some people on the boards for even bothering to come at all to Thailand, but at the time everything was open. So it was worth it. And I enjoyed my 4 month stay. I have to say now, with everything closed, I wouldn’t bother. But when things are open again of course I will return...for an extended stay of course (minimum 3 months).

When do I expect to visit Thailand again? Next November provided: 1. The Thai entry requirements are the same, or easier, than last year. I stay for 3 months so the quarantine is acceptable. 2. The lockdown is over. I would not book to go if bars are closed and everything is closing at 9 pm, or there is a curfew. That said it means booking at the latest possible time and taking the risk that there is not another outbreak whilst in quarantine.

Locked and striped bare inside. No loss.

It’s Songkran which always has a LOWER level of deaths on the road. The national average is actually 65+ per day. The logic being that the roads are so crowded at Songktan and New Year etc, you cant actually go fast enough to have a decent accident. Older members will remember that in the UK, years ago, we used to publish these holiday death rates...until they realised they were actually lower than average!

Sounds dramatic but....It’s still only a recommendation. We have seen many of these before. Many are amended. It needs to be signed off by the Big Boss Thailand tomorrow, Friday. Notwithstanding the comment that there will be no U Turn remember TIT. So, wait until tomorrow to see how much this is watered down. Let’s all keep fingers crossed!

I thought Babylon Sauna was closed. It gets quite a write up! Is the hotel open?

I have eaten at Cafe John twice. The first time was not too good but I forgave them and tried again. The second time was worse! When looking around View Talay 7 I came across a small cosy restaurant overlooking the pool. I didn’t note the name but assume it must have been Moonlight. You are quite right it is upmarket with prices to match...300 baht for a bowl of soup! Was still open a few weeks ago.

You don’t say where you are going to in Thailand but here is a rundown of the gogo bars in Pattaya. There were about 10 fully active (every day) gogo bars last year before the covid problems. Now there are only 4 and one which is open some days of the week. The full time ones are: Nice Boys and Winner Bar in Sunee Plaza. Nice Boys is usually fairly well stocked and seems to specialise in what I would call rough types, although it does have the odd Twink. Winner Bar specialises in twinks but you have to get there early. They are not flush with boys and later in the evening you may find hardly any in there. Boyztown now only has two everyday gogo bars. XBoys and Dream Boys. X boys only had about 6 boys available last time I visited. Dream Boys even less. The other gogo bar in BT is Cupidol which is only open weekends. Last few times I visited they had no boys at all available. I haven’t been back for a few weeks. So you see you may be in for a disappointing time if you are going to Pattaya. If it’s ONLY gogo bars you are interested in stick with Bangkok!

The Caddy Shack on Soi 10 off Threppasit is awesome. They do a 3 course dinner for 225 baht or the same thing including a Sunday roast for 245. There is a great selection of beers including some good Draught Guinness. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293919-d4450404-Reviews-The_Caddy_Shack-Pattaya_Chonburi_Province.html

I have been looking for new places in Pattaya and have recently tried two places recommended in this thread. They were both very good indeed. Robin Hood on Second Road and Masala Twist in Jomtien. Many thanks. My recommendation...Tulip House on Jomtien Beach Road. It’s towards Na Jomtien about 2 or 3 miles from the Complex so you will need wheels to get there. Worth it though. And somewhere definitely NOT recommended... Pan Pan near Threppasit. Absolutely awful.