News Forum - Reopening Thailand has a busy activity schedule

[Thaiger]

The Tourism Authority of Thailand took the occasion of the country’s full and unrestricted reopening today as an opportunity point out a busy event and attraction schedule they hope will bring a variety of people from around the world to the kingdom. From new flight schedules, to international political and business meetings, to sporting events, exciting new restaurants, and several new theme parks, the TAT laid out exciting options to stimulate their “Visit Thailand Year 2022-2023: Amazing New Chapters” campaign. FLIGHTS The Tourism Authority of Thailand shared updates to Thai Airways International’s 2022-2023 winter schedule for October through the end […]

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

3 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Amazing New Chapters

The previous chapter was a sad one, glad that's over. Next chapter is called amazingly expensive flights.

[yselmike]

4 hours ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

The previous chapter was a sad one, glad that's over. Next chapter is called amazingly expensive flights.

€900 was €600+- direct from Amsterdam.

[Anya]

Exciting?! Try stupid .. .for Thai Airways at least. After many years of a convenient departure time from Bangkok to Sydney which allowed for connections from other cities they have suddenly re-scheduled it for 8.30am meaning no same-day connections are possible and necessitating a transfer and stay in Bangkok. I'll be switching airlines after years of loyalty.

 

 

[KaptainRob]

1 hour ago, Anya said:

Exciting?! Try stupid .. .for Thai Airways at least. After many years of a convenient departure time from Bangkok to Sydney which allowed for connections from other cities they have suddenly re-scheduled it for 8.30am meaning no same-day connections are possible and necessitating a transfer and stay in Bangkok. I'll be switching airlines after years of loyalty.

Singapore Airlines or AirasiaX, depending on your budget, both run rings around TG.  I can travel out on one, return on the other to suit schedules to my travel plans.

[Stevejm]

1 hour ago, KaptainRob said:

Singapore Airlines or AirasiaX, depending on your budget, both run rings around TG.  I can travel out on one, return on the other to suit schedules to my travel plans.

I like Singapore Airlines because I can fly direct to Manchester from Singapore but it is expensive. If having to use a different airline than you are used to is the worst impact of the reopening I would say that things are pretty good! At least  with TG you would have earned Star Alliance air miles. I am just happy that I don’t have to think about organizing Thailand Pass, Insurance, multiple tests at both ends and Test and Go Hotel for my annual Xmas pilgrimage to UK. Everything else pales into insignificance. Even the vaccination requirement has been dropped although I am well covered for that anyway.  I will be using Emirates as usual with flights booked months ago. Things are looking pretty good IMO and even the CCSA emergency decree has been cancelled effective 30 September thus proving the Doom and  Gloom brigade ,who predicted that it would be kept going indefinitely, wrong 

[Anya]

Yes, I agree, it is minor by comparison, and the reason I haven;t returned to Thailand for 3 years now. But it was a comment more about managerial stupidity or whatever it is that leads them to make such decisions that will lose them custom and inconvenience people (they "apologised" for any inconvenience by causing me to have to stay and pay an extra night in BKK plus transfer.) Yes, i will be looking for other carriers, but to get from eg CHiang Mai to Sydney without stayover i haven't found yet. Perhaps Qantas, perhaps Singapore . . . 

[Anya]

On 10/2/2022 at 3:09 PM, KaptainRob said:

Singapore Airlines or AirasiaX, depending on your budget, both run rings around TG.  I can travel out on one, return on the other to suit schedules to my travel plans.

Yes, but doesn't that mean 2 one-ways which costs more . . . Thai Air still runs to Chiang Mai from Sydney without stayover . . . it's just teh otehr way they changed . . . thanks for info anyway . . ..

[KaptainRob]

11 minutes ago, Anya said:

Yes, but doesn't that mean 2 one-ways which costs more . . . Thai Air still runs to Chiang Mai from Sydney without stayover . . . it's just teh otehr way they changed . . . thanks for info anyway . . ..

Sometimes 2 one-way tickets can cost more, not always.   I usually shop around for best Returns with preferred carriers and compare with the likes of the ones I quoted above. 

Schedules are very important to me as I do not want late night arrivals or transit times of more than say 3hrs so I've usually found a good compromise includes AAX and SIA bought well in advance.  

[Stevejm]

25 minutes ago, Anya said:

Yes, I agree, it is minor by comparison, and the reason I haven;t returned to Thailand for 3 years now. But it was a comment more about managerial stupidity or whatever it is that leads them to make such decisions that will lose them custom and inconvenience people (they "apologised" for any inconvenience by causing me to have to stay and pay an extra night in BKK plus transfer.) Yes, i will be looking for other carriers, but to get from eg CHiang Mai to Sydney without stayover i haven't found yet. Perhaps Qantas, perhaps Singapore . . . 

Have a look at Air Asia. They seem to do flights from Chiang Mai to Sydney with a few hours wait in KL. TG may have reasons that aren’t obvious for changing their schedule like having their slots taken off them for example . They have only recently avoided bankruptcy so probably look very closely at the economic impact of all operational decisions. At least you don’t travel to somewhere really off the beaten track. 

[Stevejm]

8 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

bought well in advance.  

That  is the key to obtaining convenient flights at reasonable prices. My New Years resolution for next year is not to wait until summer to book my Xmas trip to UK next year. If I had booked in March this year it would have saved me a fortune and allowed me to travel on more convenient dates