^Downriver from Asiatique.
Topper, if you're returning to PH on balikbayan privilege (travelling with Filipino spouse), you'll need travel/ health insurance for PH (which includes covid, 35k usd minimum & should be applicable in PH). You'll also need to show your marriage certificate. If you already have a 13A visa by the time you leave, it's not required for 13A. The insurance thing for foreigners entering PH is a new requirement - just announced this Friday. Good luck on your travel plans.
@naptownmike - glad you got back safely in TH.
^ yep i forgot you did that thread, nice one.
Thanks Katie. We've decided to wait a few months due to the ever changing travel requirements imposed by both Thailand and the PI. We've looked at travel insurance for Thailand and it costs about 2500B/person. I'm hoping the insurance for our return trip will be a touch cheaper.
"I was a good student. I comprehend very well, OK, better than I think almost anybody," - President Trump comparing his legal knowledge to a Federal judge.
Welcome back Anapolis' loss is Slyam's gain.
If it'll ease your guilt Finland is wonderful in the endless saunas, sex cider and shenanigas once your realize teh Suomi are crazy.
P.S. as a life member of Kittos the Finnair reporpoised cutlery SWAT team you must
1 Return 1st class to 163 Thanon Surawong, Khwaeng Suriya Wong, Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand arse end of Patpong in a SEAL envelope or Kangaroo pouch forthwith.
2 Send EMS to Mendip
3 I'd pop round and collect in person but what with the reind eer and the Covfeve wish you a happy stay and suggest you don't ramp up to knifing or forking hell.
Your wife is a PH citizen, she doesn't need travel insurance to enter PH. However, she needs it to go out as a tourist. PH govt now requires insurance for outbound Filipino tourists.
Yeah, wait for maybe 6 months to 1 year. Maybe by that time, PH & TH will have removed many requirements.
Btw, I'd advise you to file your 13A as soon as you're able to. There's an election in May and we don't know if the new govt will change the rules (for better or worse). For now, foreign tourists are required to have insurance upon entry. I follow travel updates and the question among would-be travellers is if insurance will be required for visa extensions. As of now it isn't, but that could change. There was a foreigner/ expat who got sick with covid & had difficulty in paying his (private) hospital bill. His story was on FB. That's one reason for the insurance mandate.
The govt could also decide to require insurance cover for residence visas like 13A or SRRV - we don't know. But governments all around are tightening visas.
I've heard that for Mexico, if you have plenty of 6-month tourist visas (doing visa runs) , the IOs don't give 6 months VOA anymore. For Albania, VOA for USA citizens used to be 1 year - it was recently changed to 90 days. General trend is that governments don't want perpetual tourists and want you to apply for the appropriate residence visas.
Last edited by katie23; 07-02-2022 at 06:48 AM.
Nice pictures Mike.
Welcome back!! I know exactly how it feels we were also away for two years before we came back last May.
Where is home here in Thailand? I am sure you have mentioned in one of your posts but I have either missed it or forgotten reading it.
Could you not do your second test at your final destination? But I understand wanting to keep it simple and get it over with. With travel requirements changing so often it's best to get it over a easy and uncomplicated as possible.
Let us know how you find Thailand after away for so long.
The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.
^ I did consider doing my second test closer to home but with it all being so new I thought it best to just stick with the same hotel for 5 days. It’s not so bad as I can go out and travel around.
Five days in BKK is not so bad, we were there a couple of months ago to get our third covid booster shot, and it was a pleasant few days. We certainly enjoyed the wider variety of ethnic food available there that we cant get in KKC. One day we took a ride to Ayutthaya , it was pleasant way to spend a day. We had a car, but see if there are any tours. Also years ago when we were there we took a tour to The bridge on the river Kwai and that was also interesting. Not sure if they have then mow with covid, but it might be interesting to do if they do have them.
After being away for so long I an sure you are anxious to get back home though. When we got back we did 7 days of quarantine and and we could not even leave the hotel room. We gorged ourselves on Grab food LOL.
You picked a good time to come back as I think the pandemic will start ending soon and hopefully things will get close to normal again, with all the closings and restrictions it had being a bit boring in the past year. It did give me the incentive to do a lot of work around the house though LOL.
At 9 in the morning I wasn’t really sure what to do so killed a half hour at Siam Square having a coffee.
Looks like some major things happening around there.
I was sad to see a that they have leveled my favorite restaurant only for sentimental reasons really. Making way for another shop or something maybe.
I took the sky train to Nana and walked to the Benchakitti park.
No swim zone.
It was my first time going there. What a nice place to get a break from the city.
Made my way back to Nana and took a walk down soi 11 as it’s a place I know well.
I was shocked to see the wrecking ball had been there also. So much has changed in my two years away. Honestly most of the places were crap but somehow it’s still sad.
At least the old German restaurant was still there. Got to have a nice lunch and take a break from wearing my mask.
I finished the day off having dinner with my niece.
Back to Siam square it was heaving with youngsters. I might have been the oldest person around @49
I got this last picture walking back home over the Taksin bridge.
Attachment 82461
Great Pics Mike. Couple more days now and home bound.
What happens if you test positive on Day 5?
Locked down in the hotel or self-isolate at home?
Good question Plank.
I hope not to find out. Doing another week here would suck.
Sounds horrible no matter who’s paying.
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