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it looks that as 1st step government decided to open country to non-bar frequenting tourists first giving others 2 1/2 months to sober up

Without wanting to jinx it, it looks like I am traveling (frantic crossing of fingers and toes, touching wood and sacrificing chickens). I got the AXA insurance. The hospital from which I got my booster had never seen a yellow international vaccine card before but willingly completed it for all my shots and I submitted scans of both it and the regular card to the Thailand Pass system. My Thailand Pass arrived within a few days of my application. My hotel turned out to be SHA+ and very efficient once I contacted them. The quarantine deal basically costs the same as using the hotel car to meet you at the airport, so I am making a stylish return in a Benz. I have an appointment with my tailor who is hilariously enthusiastic. A customer!!! He sent pics of every swatch of shirt fabric in existence. The final brick-in-the-wall is Bangkok Guy’s vaccination. He is not one of the 70% of vaccinated Bangkok residents for a very Bangkok Guy type of reason. He has been doing comparison Shopping for vaccines and announced via Line “I get vaccine Moderna”. I decided to investigate the reality of this decision and found both Bumrungard and Sukumvit hospitals have Moderna. Bumrungard’s website offers a Moderna gift certificate. I called both hospitals – both answered efficiently – and found the reality was more in the marketing than in fulfilling Bangkok Guys decision. First round is taken. Can get second round, first quarter 2022. I told Bangkok Guy this and suggested that he would probably need to be vaccinated before we could take a planned flight – maybe Astrazenica would do until he can get Moderna? A very fast response “I’m going to vaccinate Astrazenica”. Hopefully he does and once I am out of the overnight quarantine we will go to Bumrungard and get him a Moderna gift certificate.

From VN Express National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will operate its first regular direct flight to the U.S. on November 28, achieving a dream conceived nearly two decades ago. The flight will depart from HCMC in the evening and arrive at San Francisco 13 hours and 50 minutes later, CEO Le Hong Ha said at a press briefing Tuesday. The return flight will leave San Francisco on the evening of November 29 (U.S. time) and arrive in HCMC on December 1, 16 hours and 40 minutes later. The wide-body aircraft Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will be used for the direct flights. Initially, there will be two flights a week and this can be increased to seven when the pandemic situation is under control, Ha said. Vietnam Airlines thus becomes the first Vietnamese carrier to operate regular flight route to the U.S. https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/companies/vietnam-airlines-direct-flight-to-us-takes-off-next-week-4386594.html

Obviously people do manage to get their first-time retirement visa, but I don't know how it works or what people have to do if they don't already hold a Thai bank account. Maybe it has to be done through one of the visa agents. Maybe they can also help to open a Thai bank account. Can't hurt to try. I've never used a visa agent, but I do know in Pattaya Mots-Services is reliable, reasonably priced, and honest. One of the services they provide according to their web site is "OPEN THAI BANK ACCOUNT" When you read the details, their fee is 3500 baht and they can do it even if you have only a tourist visa. See: https://www.mots-services.com/ One thing is clear - things involving Thai bank accounts and retirement visas are not getting any easier. I wish I could provide better advice, but this is the best I can do.

@VanbcanthonyI have no idea how Manny meets these guys. Maybe he has a casting call like Michael Jackson for his THRILLER VIDEO. I'm soooo looking forward to this weekend to see if it gets and stays hard.

Here are the details they sent to me: Hi Robert. We offer 2 different packages depending on which is suitable for your own circumstances. These comply with the Thai Government 'Test and Go' and 'Sandbox' programs. The 'Test and Go' package is for a one night stay with us at The Venue. The 'Sandbox' package is for staying with us for 7 nights. Both packages include SHA Plus+ taxi/limo pickup from the airport, RT-PCR test carried out at Jomtien Hospital then the same taxi bringing you to The Venue. The 'Sandbox' package also includes an ATK test The package price for one person in a Deluxe room for 1 night 'Test and Go' is 4,900 Baht. The same package but in a Junior Suite is 5,100 Baht. The package price in a Deluxe room for 7 nights 'Sandbox' is 12,900 Baht. The same package but in a Junior Suite is 14,300 Baht. To make the arrangements we need- Copy of Passport Copy of insurance Copy of vaccinations Copy of travel details/flight ticket Payment (payment must be made in advance and can be made locally in cash at The Venue by a friend or Bank transfer/Paypal) Please let me know which package you require and also the above documents and we will arrange your package. Thank you Chris The Venue Residence and Cabaret Jomtien's award winning Residence and Cabaret Show www.thevenue-jomtien.com www.facebook.com/TheVenueCabaret

Richard Barrow published the following numbers for top 10 “countries of origin” for people flying to Thailand from 1-14 November. The figures do not distinguish how many entered under COE and those arriving on Thai Pass. 1 USA 7,999 2 UAE 7,935 3 Germany 5,648 4 United Kingdom 2,706 5 Japan 2,530 6 France 1,953 7 Russia 1,875 8 South Korea 1,729 9 Israel 1,532 10 Switzerland 1,507

I sty at The Venue few times and sadly must agree. While show noise is not that disturbing , on few occasion soi late night noises were. One I was so desperate that at 2 am I went down to QMark bar and hired twinky Cambodian to calm my nerves in the room. It worked

From The Loyalty Lobby International Passengers who are in the process of leaving from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport will be impacted by renovation efforts on the security check and passport control zones. Airports of Thailand (AOT) has announced that they will close certain areas of the departure hall in order to facilitate the improvements over the next two months. Suvarnabhumi Airport will make over the security check and passport control Zones 1-2 on the fourth floor of its passenger terminal as part of the on-going works to further enhance service quality. The improvement at Thailand’s main air hub will be carried out between 15 November and 5 January 2022 in such a way that it will not affect departure international passengers, said Mr. Kittipong Kittikachorn, General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Under the improvement, the security check point and international departure passport check point Zone 1 (behind the Row A check-in counter) will serve first class and premium passengers, air crew and those in need of special assistance. On the other hand, the waiting area for passport check for international departure passenger at Zone 2 (Fast Track area) will be expanded. The renovation is due to start with Zone 1 that will be closed for service. Zone 2 will be closed for the improvement after works at Zone 1 are done and re-opened for service. Following the makeover of Zone 1, the number of passport check counters will be increased to 13, from six currently; the waiting area for passport check will jump to 348 square metres (SQM), from 80 SQM now; and the processing capability of passport checks boosted to 660 per hour from 232 people at the moment. However, during the renovation of the security checkpoint Zone 1, Royal First Class and Royal Silk Class passengers and air crew of Thai Airways International can make use of the Fast Track facility at Zone 2 instead temporarily. Mr Kittipong noted that the improvement of security check in the Fast Track area of Zone 2 is aimed at turning it entirely into a service area for security and passport control for only economy class passengers. Eight passport control counters will be added there to bring the total number to 28, while the waiting area for passport check for departure passengers in Zone 2 will be expanded by 260 SQM to 860 SQM to tackle congestion problems in the terminal. Suvarnabhumi has coordinated with all relevant units such as the Airline Operators Committee Thailand (AOC) and airlines about the renovations of Zone 1 and 2 which would take 52 days. It was agreed that the improvement should not affect the service of departure passengers because the areas will be gradually closed at a time and there are other areas set aside for the service. Meanwhile, the waiting area for security screening will be doubled to 114 SQM from 50 SQM now, with three X-ray machines being added to the two currently in operation. https://loyaltylobby.com/2021/11/15/bangkok-suvarnabhumi-airport-security-check-passport-control-renovation-through-january-5-2022/

Now that would make too much sense to do it then

From Bangkok Post Myanmar will reopen its land borders with China and Thailand from next month due to improvements in its Covid-19 vaccination rate, its information ministry said on Tuesday. The reopening, for which no specific date was set, would be followed by resumption of air travel in the first quarter of next year, the ministry said in a statement. https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2216471/myanmar-to-reopen-land-borders-with-thailand-china-next-month

so it looks bars when they open in January will be properly staffed

Now without holding the retirement visa it is very difficult to open a Thai bank account, but if you try hard enough and are willing to try enough different branches it still can be done. How much longer it can be done is anybody's guess. If anyone has any reason to believe you might sooner or later need a Thai bank account, I suggest doing whatever you need to do to get it during your next trip to Thailand. From what I understand, Kasikorn Bank (aka K-Bank) is the bank most likely to approve opening an account.

Dear Husband and I, here in a gloomy Vancouver November, got our Thailand Passes approved without much trouble; we just followed the directions. I also got my 3 month visa approved, again not much trouble. Four days start to finish for all of this. Yes, we will have to stay one night in a quarantine hotel, so we will see how that goes. But it is not a huge turnoff to me, just a bit of extra expense. So we arrive late on November 29th, and will let you all know how it goes. We are hoping to travel freely in LOS by the end of the day on the 30th. Very much looking forward to seeing his family and various acquaintances and friends we haven’t seen for two years.

Do you remember which visa you had at the time? Those of you who have been on the boards long enough may recall I used to very often urge those considering retiring in Thailand or making multiple trips to Thailand to open a Thai bank account while you still can - because it was getting more and more difficult to do so. Many years ago when I opened my Bangkok Bank account, which I still hold, I had no problem doing it on the 30 day privilege. Obviously now it is far more difficult for foreigners to open a Thai bank account. No problem at all, though, if you hold a retirement visa. So - if TotallyOz's friend succeeds and we find out how he did it, I'll repeat my advice - if you may ever need a Thai bank account, open one while you still can . . .

based on recent announcements bars won't open until mid-January. Whether they will open at all and have a show there's no way telling until they actually open. I'd not worry about charges now as they may go 3 ways after opening- stay the same , go up to made up for lost income or go down to bring custom and earn ANY baht in the same way hotel charges went down. So in short all entertainment is great unknown now IMHO

I am very happy to hear so many are planning trips soon. The country needs it. The boys need it. I have really enjoyed the past 2 years of having all of them mostly to myself. But, I'm tired and happy to now share.