Gaybutton

In my opinion, the short answer is absolutely no. I live in Pattaya. From where I sit, the current situation sux. In Bangkok none of the bars are open yet. Whether they will be, what the imposed rules will be, and how many boys will have returned to work in the bars by then is anybody's guess. Right now restaurants can serve alcohol, but only up to 9:00pm. No word yet when that might change. In Pattaya no bars and no alcohol even in restaurants. As it stands now, restaurants in Pattaya will not be allowed to serve alcohol until January 16 and there is no word at all as to when the bars will be allowed to reopen. The government restrictions have effectively killed Pattaya's holiday season. I keep stressing that for the bars can reopen is by far not the same as will reopen. We really don't know how many bars, especially go-go bars, have even survived to be able to reopen. I am expecting many of the bars won't reopen until it appears there will be a good chance of enough customers to make it worth reopening. There will be varying opinions about this, but my own opinion is I wouldn't be planning a trip to Thailand at least until we have a much better picture of what is happening and when it will be happening. If it were me, I'd be hoping for a trip to Thailand maybe around March or April if things are returning to at least a semblance of normal by then - and the way things are currently going, that's a mighty big if . . . I have a gay Thailand board too. If you wish to check it out, it is: https://www.gaybuttonthai.com

https://www.facebook.com/pattayagaysauna/ https://sansukthailand.com/

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.

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.

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 . . .

Bear in mind the way things seem to work with the banks. If you don't get the answer you want at one bank branch, just go to another - and another. Chances are if you go to enough of them, sooner later you'll be able to open an account. Don't forget to also get online banking. I suggest trying Kasikorn Bank, aka K-Bank.

If Thailand really wants an influx of international tourists, I think the obvious thing to do is to eliminate the unnecessary hoops and come up with an app that actually works. I don't see how Thailand can expect mass tourist arrivals when they make just getting to Thailand so confusing and difficult.

After submitting the application, how long did it take until you received the approval?

Obviously I have no personal need for it, but perhaps it works the same way the 90-day address report online works. With that app they don't send anything. You have to go back to the app and there will then be an icon to click on that takes you to the page that has your verification. Then you print out that page.

You can buy it from any insurance company. Seems to me you actually have to buy it from other insurance companies. From what I am reading, you must already have it and be able to prove it on arrival in Thailand. Just think - this rule might actually last a week or so before they change the rules yet again . . .

I disagree. You can practice nudism at any beach you want - right up to the moment the police show up and arrest you. Then you get to practice even more nudism at the police station when they order you to bend over and spread your cheeks. But don't worry. You can tell the police you saw a web site that said nudism at the beach is perfectly acceptable. I'm sure the police will then apologize for arresting you, give you a wai, and immediately release you - maybe even giving you a lollypop on your way out the door . . . "I went to a nude beach. They made me park in a handicapped space" - Rodney Dangerfield

That is because there are none. Sometimes it is easy to forget that anyone can write whatever they want on the internet and anyone can set up a web site. And there are many who think if they see it on the internet, then it must be true. Based on what he says about Bangkok, that tells me how much attention to pay to that web site. I see nothing on this guy's site to indicate who he is or how he knows anything more than anyone else about the places he writes about. How come he knows more about Bangkok and what to expect to experience than those of us who have lived in Thailand 20 years plus? El toro caca . . .

Probably not. As for me, I would be much more interested in how many people travel to these places and don't get mugged . . . If I was seriously thinking about such a trip, those kinds of reports would not scare me off. But I would make sure to take proper precautions, such as carrying only the amount of cash I might need, leaving important documents in the room safe, going from place to place by taxi rather than walking, staying in areas with plenty of people around, asking hotel staff about dangerous areas to avoid, etc. I would probably do those things anyway traveling just about anywhere. After all, you don't even have to travel anywhere for the possibility of getting mugged or falling victim to other crimes to exist.

I would not be basing my own decisions based on the experiences of just one or two trip reports. No matter where you go there are potential problems if you're not careful or if you're naive. I believe most of you who have been to Thailand and read these boards are well aware of the potential problems. And you are probably also well aware that the vast majority of people who travel to Thailand have a great time and encounter none of these problems. I would need much more than a bad experience report from just one person before I would consider it as part of my decision whether to travel to Colombia or anywhere else. I'm sorry that happened to him, but that doesn't mean the same thing is likely to happen to me. Compare it to Thailand. How many of you have been to Thailand and had a great time, without any serious incidents? Considering how many read these boards and are longing to return to Thailand, I'd say probably almost all of you. A taxi driver overcharging or getting short-changed at a restaurant is not my idea of a serious incident. I don't even have to leave home for things like that to happen.

That is precisely the problem. They keep coming up with these harebrained schemes, none of which have worked - no surprise to me. I can hardly wait to see what their next scheme will be, especially since their announcement that Thailand won't be opening in October after all, along with the restaurant restrictions that so far are going to be imposed in October - none of which make any sense to me. For the entire month of September the restaurants have been open to anyone who wants to dine in - with no restrictions about vaccinations or anything else. As far as I know, not a single Covid case has been traced back to any restaurants at all anywhere in Thailand since they finally were allowed to reopen. Why all that is supposed to change in October goes beyond me. And don't forget the latest scheme designed to attract very wealthy foreigners. I can't imagine that working either. If they get any such foreigners coming to live in Thailand on that basis, I will be surprised In my opinion, no matter what kind of schemes they come up with, not one of them will have a chance of working. I believe the only thing that has a chance of working is opening Thailand, stop unnecessary restaurant restrictions, and let the bars and entertainment venues reopen. I think they also need to get rid of this nonsense about trying to recreate Pattaya to become a "family oriented" holiday spot. WHY? That is not what Pattaya is all about, has never been what Pattaya is all about, and the bars and nightlife is what attracts foreigners. If they want an influx of foreigners, do they really believe a "G" rated city is going to do it? What planet are they living on? How many reading this would go to Pattaya if what is on offer only consists of things like tours of Big Buddha Hill and the Pattaya Sheep Farm. Yeah, right. They need to let Pattaya become what it has always been - without prudes involved in making the decisions. I have yet to see a rational explanation as to why sex is considered something bad. One of my favorites was trying to forbid girls to wear bikinis and boys to take their shirts off during the main Songkran water splashing day. Again, WHY? What was the harm in that? I'm sorry if I am coming across as angry, but I am angry - at the stupidity of it all. If sex and the enjoyment of it is truly bad, then I intend to be bad until the day I die . . .

Maybe not. See: https://tpnnational.com/2021/09/17/the-phuket-sandbox-does-not-help-most-small-business-owners-says-local-entrepreneurs/

Based on the reasons for keeping Thailand on the banned list and what apparently it will take to remove Thailand from the list, I am guessing you can start packing, but I wouldn't start making airline and hotel bookings just yet. One thing is for sure, Thailand definitely wants and desperately needs a high season. I imagine the Thai powers-that-be will be exerting as much pressure on the UK powers-that-be as they can. Whether that would help anything remains to be seen.

Unfortunately, if you live in the UK you won't be going to Thailand any time soon whether Thailand reopens or not. In a surprise decision the UK has not removed Thailand from its list of banned countries. See: https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/uk-continues-to-suppress-visits-to-thailand-372364

Just out of curiosity, does anyone really think Thailand is going to open to foreign tourism in October? Despite all the hype, my prediction is it just isn't going to happen. "Do you know what fat chance means?" - Cary Grant (Walter Ekland), 'Father Goose'

Here are a few of my favorites: "Go ahead. Make my day" "What a dump" "Fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy night" "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" "Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape" "Open the pod bay doors, Hal" "Is it safe?" "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too" "They call me Mister Tibbs" “I'll be back”

That man is in real trouble - no mask and no seat belt . . .

The problem is not what you or I imagine. The problem is what Thailand's powers-that-be imagine. Considering how so much has been knee-jerk reactions imposed by people who really are not my idea of competent to do so, hardly anything they come up with surprises me anymore. And to me, the more absurd the restrictions, the less I'm surprised.

That very well might happen if that new MU variant makes it into Thailand. So far it hasn't, but I think it is inevitable that sooner or later it will. If that happens, and since what I'm reading says the current vaccines are rather ineffective against it, don't be surprised if all the most difficult of the previous restrictions are right back in place again - possibly including border closings. I hope everyone planning a holiday in Thailand makes damned sure about what is going on in Thailand before packing bags and booking flights and hotels. This is no time to allow wishful thinking and/or your crotch to make your travel plans. You better be very certain about the reality of what to expect.

I don't remember kangaroo or crocodile, but I'll take your word for it. Personally I don't want to eat kangaroo - ever. As for crocodile, people who have eaten it tell me it tastes just like chicken. In that case, give me a piece of chicken . . .

Yes, that's right. I too am not sure I correctly remember the name, but it was there. I even tried their ostrich steak and it was quite good. That restaurant, whatever its name was, is long gone.