LonelyPiano

Butch, thanks for good detailed info to the point! Of Rolling Live 3 in soi 8 I managed to see some videos. I guess I mean the Samran Pub on 3rd road you talk about (it was huge, and the owner was a westerner walking around the tables with a lovely Thai wife). The other music clubs you mention on 3rd road and Soi Xzyte I just worry they are what Thais call "90s music" – aggressive pop-rock, intended to be noisy, I am too old for that. I need lukthung/morlam and Carabao style (not folkie). Interesting that Hops on Beach Road is a hotspot now? Been going there for ages, when it was still called "Hopf". Agree about the good pizza (while all the Thais in there tuck into pork knuckles). Also love their home brew. The live band was too soapy in late 2022 – earlier they used to have an almost operatic Italian singer who may be gone by now. I searched "Khao Noi" on Google Maps – supposedly a "mountain summit" yes, in Pattaya's Dark Side. This would be very out of the way for me, even though Bolt + Grab make it easy now. Yes, thx for offering, please give details, also by PM if you prefer. If at all, i would go there, not order in. Don't worry, I won't visit Starbucks. Even I know much better places for ambience and taste.

Hello, back to Jomtien + Pattaya as a tourist after 1 year. I wanted to ask you what's new in Jomtien + Pattaya in these categories: live music, esp. Thai style live music, not plain rock restaurants, esp. Thai and Italian, not grill, not posh, not in heavy tourist areas like Walking Street or Soi Buakhao coffee shops standing out for ambience or quality attractions natural, historical transport with Bolt + Grab + Baht Bus traditional massage I don't need updates about girlie bars, agogos, soapy massage, fine dining, discos, gin tonic. About live music: I very much like Thai live music restaurants like Kon La Fun, Sin Lapin Isaan. From Google Maps I understand they are still operational? Any others come to your mind? Occasionally I like to watch live bands on Walking Street in Stones House, Candy Shop, Muzzik Café (but not live rock in girlie bars). And it seems that lukthung place Zac (?) at the very NE start of Walking Street ((roughly opposite Stones House)) has still not come back. – Also in the Jomtien hinterland, there was the Thai music hall Ban Morlam (roughly near Rom Pho Café, Rom Pho Barbecue Buffet, inland from Rom Pho entertainment complex), but it also seems gone forever? - Also Samran Pub on Pattaya 3rd Rd is no more? Thanks for all updates!

Google Lens to translate signs and menus. Osmand as an Open Street Maps based navigation app, much better than Google Maps for walking or bicycling (needs setting up and getting used to) (not better for finding ATMs or Starbucks). Other OSM-based navigation like Organic Maps. I would still like to get a good food app (food pic, Thai text, English description, well organized, various search ways, complete). The ones i have aren't great.

Hello, i ponder bringing a small foldable bicycle on THAI Airways from Europe to Thailand. (I rode bicycles in TH many times, so far locally rented wrecks or bought in TH. I transported bicycles on other flights before. THAI has the by far most convenient connection for me and well-priced too. I might consider another airline only if the total price or the handling is much better. My questions: Supposed I managed to stay within 30 kgs, would I be allowed to bring TWO pieces of checked luggage (reg. travel bag + bicycle carton)? Do I register my "Special Unit" (bicycle carton) when booking online? I don't see it on the Thai Airways site. Or will it only be added AFTER completing the normal booking (like special meals + seat reservation are added afterwards)? What are your real-life experiences with transporting a bicycle on THAI? (Handling, brokenness.) Did you note that they closely watch the scale and won't grace you a few kgs of extra weight un-charged? (Of course nothing to rely on.) Would you rather recommend another airline price-wise or handling-wise? In theory, I could fly Turkish, Emirates, many others from Europe to Bkk. But any other airline would be longer, more inconvenient and not much cheaper for the regular flight (but maybe for the bicycle allowance). General luggage allowance on Thai Flexi (only tariff option for me): 30 kg I would have: regular travel bag about 20 kg bicycle in carton about 16-20 kg regular cabin luggage 7 kg So, my checked luggage would be around 36-40 kgs total incl. bicycle. I cannot bring that down to 30 kgs (I know me, it's too hard for me, and I need my books, jeans, thermos and bicycle parts). That means, I would pay regular ticket price plus 150 USD Special Unit Price Flat Rate for bicycles (because I'm over 30 kgs total). For bicycles, THAI say online: total luggage allowance in Flexi tariff for me 30 kg yes, 1 bike per pax included in allowance (obviously within the regular 30 kg, but as a 2nd checked luggage?) if total luggage weight exceeds the allowance apply Special Unit price (Flat Rates) Special Unit price (Flat Rates). Charge : USD 150/Unit (A bicycle may be included as part of your free baggage allowance. For a bicycle above your free baggage allowance: If it exceeds the allowance apply. Special Unit price (Flat Rates). Thanks for your experiences! Small Print: Link to Thai "Special Baggage Rules" (not "Excess Baggage"): https://www.thaiairways.com/en_TH/travel_information/baggage.page Link to Thai Special Baggage Pricing per Unit: https://www.thaiairways.com/en/travel_information/Excess_Charges_Special_Baggage.page? In THAI parlance, I understand my trip will be between TC2 (Europe, Africa, Middle East) and TC3 (Asia, Australia, New Zealand). There is no Premium Economy Class offered on my flight. I believe I am not a ROP Silver Member. I write here "THAI" in all-caps to distinguish it from Thai people, Thai language etc. For now I would only buy a 1-way-flight into Thailand (prices below). I did that many times. Looking at THAI's website, a flight both ways would be about double priced, so there is no incentive to buy a return ticket right now. I might buy another cheap outbound flight like Bkk-Cambodia on Air Asia only to show to immigration + consular visa officers. If later the price for the return trip rises, I'll survive and stilly enjoy my flexibility to fly out when where from where to I need a foldable MTB with 26", 27.5" or 29" (larger is better). I transport it around in a rental car for 2 months (economy size). I've had non-foldable MTBs that only just fit into the car with the front wheel removed (and only because it was a station wagon (Yaris, see pic), and you don't know which car you'll get from the rental company) and there was always the risk of damaging/dirtying the inside of the car and its driver. As far as I know, there are no foldable MTBs from 26 inches up to 300 USD in TH. (There are decent non-foldable ones below 300 USD, but as I said, they are a bit too big, or I must rent a bigger car, which I don't like at all).

It's not cost-effective, but peace-of-mind-effective, as i can fly out exactly when where from where to i want to. Even if more expensive, a second one-way ticket is the price i pay for more freedom. I never know where i end up drifting around the Kingdom (not staying longtime in one place). For example, i might want to fly out after 2,1 or 2,9 months from Chiang Mai, Bkk or Hat Yai and to EU or PH or ID.

KWA and Painter, thanks for good input! In Thailand, an agent can do things like extending your tourist stay? I might like that, even for a certain fee, to spare the hassle. But from memory, Thai agents can't deal with Thai Immigration? What i thought was: Agents in Thailand deal with other embassies in Thailand, like Lao embassy Agents in Thailand cannot deal with Thai Immigration But agents in Cambodia agents can deal with Cambo immigration Anyway, when i need the extension, i will be somewhere upcountry, not in a tourist center, and there might not be agents anyway.

Hello, starting around November 2023 I would like to stay in Thailand as a tourist 3 months in a go. I'm EU-citizen, above 50, healthy, health-insured internationally. I don't like visa runs. 1) Plan 1: 2 Months + 1 Month So my plan is: - apply online für a TR visa for 2 months (already done 1 time before) - in country, get extension for another month for 1900 THB (already done several times) Is that a good/the best solution? I need it completely stressfree and legal. 2) Plan 2: Get 3 Months in 1 Stretch? Or could i get 3 months in 1 stretch without the necessity to extend in-country? I am confused here. What about Non-Immigrant Visa O-A "for applicants aged 50 and over who wish to stay in Thailand for an extended period without the intention of working". Do I need a health certificate from GP? (I'm healthy, but the GP makes me sick.) Do i need a paper from my health insurance? Source: https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84508-non-immigrant-visas Is a solution for 3 months in 1 stretch more costly than 2 months + 1 month extension? I might choose the 3 months in 1 stretch anyway to spare me the hassle of visiting an immigration office in TH. 3) Working in TH for EU customers: In TH, i'd do a bit of computer work for EU customers (as done before, as all the digital nomads do). Is that officially ok? I don't work for Thai customers, for Thai money, I don't do any journalism, blogging etc. 4) Departure Ticket: Personally i only need a one-way ticket into Thailand. My real return ticket I would buy 2 days before flying out. But to apply online for a TR visa, i think i need to upload a departure ticket? Then I would buy a cheap ticket like BKK-Cambodia with Air Asia, just for presentation purposes. Should this flight be timed for 58 days after entering Thailand? (1) I would not use this cheap no-show-ticket, because i want to stay longer in Thailand. But then after say 58 days I don't fly out, but I visit immigration (somewhere upcountry, not Pattaya, Phuket, Bkk, Samui, Chiang Mai; I speak some Thai). I wouldn't have a departure ticket valid say 88 days after entering Thailand. Is that a problem? If I extend the visa for one month for 1900 THB, do I need to show a departure ticket? I did this extension for 1900 THB several times before, but don't remember the question for a departure ticket. But one time they asked for my next hotel bookings. Your take? Thanks! (1) Sometimes online services for "renting", "sharing" or "generating" onward tickets are suggested. I won't use them.

Hi all, i'm a tourist who likes to explore upcountry. I won't stay for days on end in one place, especially not in a crowded place.