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I have booked The Quarter Silom Hotel in Soi Tarntawan through Agoda for the one night Test & Go in January. That's the brand new hotel across the street from the Mango Tree restaurant. For a superior room with a balcony, the Test and Go package with breakfast and transportation is 3,899 baht. They are advertising a 6 hour test result from Paolo hospital in Saphan Kwai. After arriving on a flight at Suvarnabhumi about midnight, I'm hoping to check out of the hotel right after breakfast the next morning. Or if you are really desperate, for an additional 4,500 baht, they offer an "urgent" test result, with no timing specified. I chose the standard 6 hour test result, as I'll probably be asleep when the result arrives in the early morning, after traveling halfway across the planet.

NOTE -- When I attempted to access the site with the hyperlink below, I encountered a problem. It may be a work in progress. From Bangkok Post Thailand has launched a new tourism website, aiming to make travel to the country easier for the 8-15 million tourists expected to visit next year. The central platform, named Entry Thailand, includes necessary information before arrival, providing basic information and documents that tourists have to prepare in advance with complete links to third-party organisations involved with entry requirements, websites for authorised SHA+ hotels, Covid-19 insurance, Thailand Pass registration and MorChana -- the official tracking app. The extensive services also cover arrival, tax refunds and online alerts to the Tourist Police through an application. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said the ministry created the portal website as a part of its e-service roadmap between 2022 and 2024 to facilitate tourists who face more difficulties due to complicated requirements during the pandemic. "The pile of paperwork and several organisations tourists have to deal with are inconvenient. The ministry wants this platform to help reduce their difficulties when planning trips to Thailand," said Mr Phiphat. As the Covid-19 situation has improved recently, he said the government is hoping that border reopening to four neighbouring countries -- Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia -- will drive the number of tourists next year to 8-15 million, generating 1.3-1.8 trillion baht for the economy. He said if the upward trend gains momentum in 2023, Thailand should receive 20 million international tourists, and that will require the country to have an established system to handle such huge demand. According to the ministry, the portal website will help centralise the scattered information regarding travel experiences in Thailand, such as attractions, transportation and food. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2232631/tourism-ministry-unveils-portal-to-assist-visitors

Just got my Thai Pass. Two more weeks. Now I just hope Omicron doesn't throw up some last minute obstacles. Just like last time, my annual travel insurance policy was accepted without problems. As usual, I'm not covered if I have to go into for quarantine (I might be covered for a few days if I'm lucky).

If you're looking at options it might be worth considering the current Le Meridien deal: https://www.marriott.com/offers/step-into-thailand-in-style-off-34608?propertycode=bkkdm They say that they do a drive-through test at the BNH hospital on the way to the hotel, so i would imagine that would significantly improve the turn around time. I stayed there for my last BKK trip and loved the hotel, no AUNTS in sight.

A Supreme Court judge in Brazil has ruled that foreign visitors will need to provide a Covid-19 vaccination certificate to enter the country. The ruling invalidates regulations issued previously by the national health agency demanding only a negative PCR test for foreign arrivals. The judge said it would be impossible to check all visitors and prevent the spread of the new Omicron variant. Lenient measures had made the country popular among non-vaccinated tourists. The ruling is seen as another defeat for President Jair Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly undermined efforts to control the spread of the virus in one of the world's hardest-hit countries by the pandemic. The president, who says he has not been vaccinated, had denied requests of the health agency Anvisa to demand vaccination proof from visitors. Judge Luís Roberto Barroso said exceptions would be made for those coming from countries that had been unable to vaccinate most of their populations. They will need to quarantine on arrival for five days. It is not yet clear when the new requirements will be introduced. The announcement comes ahead of the country's busy summer season, with cities hosting popular New Year's Eve parties and Carnival parades. But several celebrations have already been cancelled because of the Omicron variant. In Rio de Janeiro, the famous fireworks display at Copacabana beach on 31 December has been called off for the second year in a row. Since the start of the pandemic, Brazil has reported 22 million Covid-19 infections and 616,000 deaths. About 65% of the population has been fully vaccinated. The country has confirmed four cases of the new Omicron variant. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-59625304

Going rate is 150 Reals for Sao Paulo and Rio

1) It appears that at some point an antigen test was added as an alternative to molecular (eg, RT-PCR), but these screenshots are from a Brazilian consulate in USA, so best to check if it’s otherwise for a non-American, as it may simply be cross-national reciprocity. However, my best guess is the antigen test is now accepted from anyone. 2) I am quite sure the quarantine option for non-vaccinated was removed, but it seems moot for board members here that would not want restrictions to enter establishments, however enforced or not those are. ******Obviously a typo error as the intention would be the full vaccination regimen would have been completed at least 14 days PRIOR to boarding for travel to Brazil. 3) I assume is same format as when introduced months ago. I wonder if at some point it will be required to enter vaccination info on this declaration.

From Vietnam News HÀ NỘI — Fully vaccinated foreign arrivals with negative COVID-19 test results will only need to self-quarantine at home or places of accommodation for three days upon entry into Việt Nam by air, according to the latest guidance from the health ministry issued on Thursday. The new policies will be effective from January 1, 2022, the day Việt Nam is set to resume – on a pilot basis – regular international flights, starting first with Beijing/Quangzhou (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Taipei (Taiwan, China), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and San Francisco/Los Angeles (the United States), before pushing ahead with more destinations, including Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Hong Kong (China), Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Sydney (Australia), and Moscow (Russia). According to the guidance, the arrivals must have proof of negative COVID-19 test results (using the gold-standard PCR method) within 72 hours prior to entry (except in the case of children under two years old), must declare their health status before entry and must install Việt Nam’s PC-COVID app (available on both Android and iOS) for contact tracing and medical declaration purposes. The installation of the app is only on a ‘recommended’ basis for diplomats and entrants on official businesses. Two RT-PCR tests will be conducted, on the first and third day of entry. If the results return negative, then the entrants still need to self-monitor their health status for 14 days after arrival, but this is already a huge step down from the current policies of mandatory seven days of centralised quarantine and seven days of follow-up medical self-observation. If they are willing to get a COVID-19 test (RT-PCR) on the tenth day, then the medical self-observation could end then. https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1106932/viet-nam-cuts-self-quarantine-to-three-days-for-fully-vaccinated-arrivals-with-negative-covid-19-tests-health-ministry.html

If i have listened to @vinapu, my Shifu, i wouldnt have to spend ~ $50 for AXA insurance, ~ $10 for skype and i could have saved multiple visits to thai pass site for status check. now i am having a collection of 3 approved thai pass’es in my hand Lesson learned - always listen to Shifu’s here on this forum. 😍

Which apps are you using? I am also finding some interest as well but not for free as I’ve passed the point of no return at 71.

Hotel: Glo Hotel Sukhumvit 5 Plane landed 2230 on Nov 30 Tested next day at 0930 Result at 1930 Two people, Two tests, two results. Stayed the extra night at no cost. Food: Disgusting. Cost: $312 Canadian or about 8000 Baht via Agoda I think we could have done a lot better.

My hotel has an express option for an additional $70, 4 hours guaranteed. The total package - car from airport, testing and express results - costs around $180. The $110 car from airport + non-express test is the standard cost of the hotel's chauffered Benz, so they are not adding anything extra for the non-express test.

Go for a fast track opton. My hotel did not mention there was a fast track option when I booked. I only discovered it was available on a call with the conceirge. 4 hours guaranteed. All going well Bangkok Guy and I will meet over a late lunch. I agree with Vaughn that the Le Meridian is a great AUNT-free option.

I’m staying at the Le Meridian in January. They told me 10-12 hours for results without fast track. With fast package (1700 baht) they say 6 hours. I’m not arriving till midnight so 12 hours is perfect.

It took me exactly 7 days (including the weekend) for my Thai Pass application to be approved. Since I live in a state where there is no such a thing yet as QR code for COVID vaccine certificate (yes we dont participate in CDC's VAMS system if anyone wonders), I just submitted screen shots of my CDC white card vaccine certificate. everything on the card is handwritten except stickers of the vaccines' lot/batch number. Regarding the health insurance, I just used my current local one.. i thought i'd just wait and see what happened since i still had a little more than two weeks before my trip. That time, i didnt realize that we needed a dedicated confirmation letter from a hotel for our one night quarantine stay. so i just submitted a screen shot of my booking confirmation from agoda site. It took me about only 10 min or so on my little phone screen and i got the confirmation email immediately with the receipt number. My anxiety kicked in after 3 days or so ... then I decided to submit another application with more prepared documents including a confirmation letter from Furama Silom for the test and go program. My first application was submitted around 2 pm EST on a Monday and when the status said still "Reviewing" on Sunday night (Monday morning BKK time), I started making phone calls to the numbers listed on Thai Pass site using Skype. The first question I was asked was my intended departure date. then I was told that i still had more than one week, and it could have been the reason I was told. The staff was quite helpful and she gathered my info including passport number, thai pass application receipt number and my email address etc. Then she said he was going to forward my information to "the officer". I also explained to her there's no way that i could get QR code for my COVID vaccine certificate, also asked her if i would need a Thai insurance plan. She said as long as i have a health insurance that would cover COVID related expenses, I wouldnt need to buy another one. But she urged me to submit another application if i wanted to. So, I decided to submit my third application after I talked to her on Sunday night. This time, I used Adobe fill and sign to put in my passport number and nationality on my vaccine card front page and my info again on the back of the card as well. Also I bought an insurance from AXA thailand (costed me about $45). and i submitted my third application. When the status of my all 3 applications remained "Reviewing" when I woke up on Monday morning, I started to make phone calls to local Thai consulate and started thinking to use an agent's help. Then all of the sudden around 2 pm on Monday, i received an email saying that my application was approved. When i checked it was my very first application, I still have two applications under "Reviewing". the approved one was the one that i submitted using my small phone screen without proper confirmation letter from the hotel etc. the one without a thai insurance.

Hotel: Amara Plane landed at about 10:50 am. Transported to hotel by Mr Ball, not shared. Arrived about noon. Told to come down to lobby at 3pm for test. I did so but sent back to room to await a call. Finally tested at 4pm. Down to lobby in one lift then up to carpark via another lift for testing. Food: 3 choices, very tasty but small serve and no drink. Test result at 8am. Cost about 6400thb via Agoda

Hotel: Centre Point Silom Riverview Plane landed 6 am, in hotel at 7, test taken at 10.30 am in the hotel, result came 9.55 pm Transport not shared, I did not care if it would as plane was 80 % full anyways. Food, sampled all three but breakfast on the next day as I was full after flight. I was presented with some choices. I liked what was left at the door for me. Cost 5200.80 baht Also booked at Agoda with cancellationnavailabe to a day before arrival / Thai time /

Hotel: Trinity Silom Plane landed 8 am Test result 1.30pm same day (just over 3 hours but was originally told it would be next morning by the hotel rep on arrival). Transport not shared, confirmed by e-mail in advance, no extra charge. Food: Fair. Only sampled lunch. Left outside door, Thai option only. Cost: 5000 approx (Nov 2021) Booked via Agoda, with good cancellation rights Additional note: Test was taken as soon as I arrived at the hotel. A nurse and a hotel rep was waiting in the basement of the hotel where they had a small area for swabbing guests on arrival.

Picture says it all! Hope someone can do a report on the opening!

Post 2 - Bangkok report My trip was broken into 5/6 days staying in each of Bangkok - Phuket - Pattaya - Phuket - Bangkok. As explained in the previous post I'll give a report of each location rather than a chronological order of the trip, so this post will be about my Bangkok experiences. Daytime activities During the day I like to do a lot of walking. General plan is there is no plan. Went exploring and got lost, have a coffee, move on see where the wind takes me. I couldn't access lumphini park, the entrances I found were all closed but I saw people in there so there must have an entrance I couldn't find. Visited the Ari area, the riverside area and took 2 boat trips. To enter the malls had to scan temperature each time. Generally each day ended up with a massage from one of the establishments on either the surawong or silom roads. I didnt get to any of the more upmarket gay massage places this time, mainly through being otherwise occupied rather than choice. Bars/Nightlife I should point out that food was available in all the establishments I visited. The place to be was Silom Soi 4. The place was buzzing, even on week nights. When I visited at the weekend I couldn't get a seat either at the new Circus bar or Balcony bar so ventured on those nights to a quieter cozy bar at the end of the soi where I got a seat (and happily chatted to some handsome waiters). The Circus bar seemed to be in the in place to be and when meeting up with some local guys this was the bar of choice where they would like to meet for a drink. I frequented the Pride bar (seemed to be more local Thai oriented - maybe because of the live singer - but just my impression) and visited Connections bar where I was warmly welcomed by the Australian owner and his boyfriend. In my first Bangkok stint I mainly frequented Balcony, Circus and Connections but I'd have no hesitation in supporting any of the bars on this soi and would be happy drinking in them all. Closing time most nights was either 11pm or 12 pm and earlier in the trip on some days alcohol could not be purchased after 9pm or 10pm. I don't know what rules are/were, and would simply follow the flow and directions of the staff. Soi 2 - I visited the DJ station complex a couple of times and the bar opposite as it had opened up during my visit. There were times where I was the only foreigner there and I didn't get to chat to anyone. I still enjoyed visiting though. I think they closed at midnight. Patpong area - This was very quiet and dark. There was one gogo bar open and this changed to three on my return. I did visit one of the gogo bars open (full street clothes only) which I won't name because I didn't enjoy the experience. The tout told me a drink was 250 bht only to be given a bill for 450 bht. I'm not tight, but that left a sour taste so I finished my drink, payed my bill and didn't return. Maybe it was just some confusion. I hope that post covid this area can get back in full swing again. Jupiter 2018 - This turned out to be the highlight of my trip. It had opened up on my second visit. Unfortunately for the bar there were very few customers but fortunately for me it meant much more interaction with the staff. About 8-10 models each night with a rotating live singer and catwalk format for the evening. About 15 minutes each rotation. Drink price was 170 thb for a beer and no entry fee - expect this to change when the shows return. Because they were very welcoming and had reasonable drink prices I was happy to open up and spend. The mamasans/captains here are not pushy and I found them very friendly. I got acquainted with a few of the guys there strutting the catwalk where some of them were happy to come back to the hotel after the bar had closed on various evenings to discuss the climate crisis. Hotels I stayed in Trinity Silom (one night only), Crowne Plaza and Quarter Silom. Crowne Plaza without a doubt turned out to be the best value for money for me and I enjoyed staying here. It was very cheap at average price of about 1400 thb through the Agoda app. For my stay at Quarter Silom Soi 6 and paid an average of 750thb. In normal times I would stay at the quarter again, but, for a brand new hotel I was surprised at a couple of things. Firstly the bathroom and part of the room flooded when taking a shower (could be avoided if holding the shower head and carefully angling away), only two bath towels provided (not hand towels) and a lack of storage space. For a city centre hotel I would stay here again but in my opinion there are much better value options during the present time with many good quality hotels heavily discounted (purely my opinion of course and we are all different and I guess my view was tainted as i had been spoiled with high end hotels in other parts of the trip). Restaurants Many options in Silom Soi 4 but don't expect anything fancy. I had good meals in Gs, Pride and Balcony. I also visited some more upmarket restaurants and was taken to a fancy Italian restaurant on Witthaya Road (can't remember all the names sorry...) Two restaurants visited on Sukhumvit soi 11 - Hemingway's for Sunday lunch (nice roast) and Oskar for dinner. Guys Ive already mentioned my acquaintances at Jupiter. Everything else was via the apps. When I first arrived was bombarded with many offers from mostly Cambodian guys looking for some tips and got to know a few of them. What did surprise me was how many local and other expat asian guys there were interested in meeting up for free. It just needed a little patience and spectrum ranged from 21 year old twinky students to 35 year old very handsome muscle guys which wouldn't look out of place at some of the model bars and a few older gents too. Would you believe I even had one very attractive 25 hiso guy take me out to dinner picking me up in his BMW!! I couldn't believe my luck - he was just sexually attracted to older white guys. Back to our friends looking for some support I noticed more isaan boys on the apps for the second Bangkok stint where I became acquainted with a few of them - hopefully a sign many are starting to return back to the cities. Transport Mainly walking. I used the BTS and when needing to take a taxi I used the bolt app. The bolt app ended up being the best and cheapest taxi app. Overall, with the exception of Patpong being closed, and with some adjustment elsewhere there was much on offer in Bangkok.

I,d stick to Furama as they have bigger rooms and better view from them. Important when you enclosed forcibly. Don't worry about reviews by a strangers though. People tend to extrapolate their one time experience into universal truth. Turnaround is important but your timing may not necessarily match that of others. I used Centre Point Silom, took their biggest room available ( this trip because rates are so cheap in every hotel with exception of Raya I splurge on the best room to treat myself) and did not worry about Turnaround time as that may be factor beyond their control. What I liked is the despite fact I arrived at 6 am they let me che check in early for free so I was not worried about need to pay for second night. Most important fact is that you arrive in good tome to be in Bangkok IMNSHO

Thank you all for the responses. I have my original vaccination card and a clear photo of it on my phone so I guess I am good. Headed to the airport now and will be at 117 tomorrow night. Can’t wait!

Things are looking up on the Bad Buddy Series... 🥰

Next in opening line is Fresh boys, I visited on Tuesday, familiar Mamasan, ( no, not Lucy), few fully dressed boys on the stage so it, s just beginning but start it is ! Twink lovers would pick somebody, that sure thing. Drink 350, boy drink the same. Mamasan told me that Tawan will be moving across the soi, news confirmed by one of their boys I met on Wed in Sabaidee spa. At this time, no sign of moving though. The same Tuesday at Jupiter I survived (barely) shock of my life. 20 years after I first went there I received a smile from one of their guys and it was, repeated few times. So when they did their usual parade, still fully dressed and handsome as always I rewarded him with 500 note so that historical moment was not lost neither on me nor on my pocket. For now they have karaoke format with few guys on duty waiting in the wings I. E. on their phones and not paying attention to audience and their but considering circumstances it makes some sense. Smiling guy was kind of exception. I should take an advantage of situation but that night I had another expactancy, not realized as I learned later. At one point karaoke stopped and for few minutes guys made their usual parade on the stage and audience, whole few of us and still couple od them managed studiously to avoid even cursory eye contact so old habits die fast but as I said, there are signs of encarougemnt. SoiTwilight is now green space, even if fully boarded and inaccessible, I will post picture later as I have it in plain view from my Raya window.

Last night show at Dreamboys was almost like old days with lip sync singing by glorious ladyboys, c****k sucking, big c****k presentation, vigorous dancing by Johnny etc. Notable absence was f****k show and, thanks God Almighty ladyboys's dicks presentation. Even ridiculously loud music was the same like before. Guys on stage fully or half dressed with top removed. Not to many of them though and quality still lacking. Mamasans pushy as always, quite well attended. All that did not prevent disaster- Vinapu was seen leaving with twinky twink, cute like hell and according to Reuters, AL Jazeera and Russia Today they did not go to neither church nor Wat Hualampong. Late night CNN report stated that Vinapu was happy which is beyond comprehension, him and twink, go figure, world is turning upside down.

I'd still go to Foodland Patpong as I don't like to be distracted when eating , just like every dog

Im more interested to know which bars have those muay thai guys performing? Also, that dj station scene at the end, is it pre-covid?