to 
|  |
TonyT's 6th Thailand blog:
A month in and around the country:
April - May 2022.
Page 1
This sixth journal or blog was written whilst in Thailand in April 2022. Although it's called the "6th", I've actually traveled Thailand firstly in 2007, twice in 2011 and three times in 2012 which are not documented on-line, so this is visit to Thailand No.12.
The main reason for my being in Thailand principally was to to give my Thai wife and our 7 year old son, an opportunity to catch up with her family (my in-laws) and for both of us to meet up with old friends as well as sneaking in a genuine holiday.
This visit was originally planned to take place in March-April 2020 with flights and accommodation booked and paid for the previous November.
Unfortunately, the devastating 2020 COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) outbreak put paid to our plans along with millions of others on the planet.
With only a few weeks before we were due to leave, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) declared that ALL foreign travel from the UK is ill-advised. Because of this I was forced to to cancel all aspects of this trip.
Shortly afterwards, Thailand closed its borders to all foreign visitors because of the pandemic.
We need a minimum of 4 weeks in-country to make our visit worthwhile; lots of family members to go visit as well as taking a genuine holiday somewhere.
In March/April 2022, it remained a tedious process to get into Thailand as many restrictions were still in place. The things we had to do added a very considerable sum of money to getting to and into the country.
2 - 7 days before our departure date, all visitors have to apply for permission to enter Thailand. At time of writing the methods were. Thailand Pass system for the Test and Go, the so-called Sandbox and Quarantine entry programs. As we were all fully vaccinated and we were traveling to Bangkok, the Thailand Pass system was our only option. This meant a compulsory RT PCR COVID test (2600THB per person) and a minimum of a 1 day stay at a SHA* registered hotel of apartment.
2. Before flying, we had to purchase "Fit-to-fly" certificates in UK; £160 for 3 persons.
3. We were not permitted to travel to our apartment from the airport via public transport; ie taxi. Our apartment block had to send a car out to the airport to collect us.
4 The apartment had to be SHA* registered., which it was, thankfully.
*SHA is a certificate given by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to hotels and services that meet pandemic-level safety and health standards. Basically, it’s a certificate meant to assure you that the establishment you’re staying at practices proper hygiene protocols and is safe to visit.
As said all this added very substantially to the cost of our brief stay in the capital.
At this point I feel I must make it known, from first-hand experience, just how devastating Coronavirus was.
In March 2020, my wife, Aom contracted COVID-19 with ever distressing and worrying symptoms. She became so desperately ill with very severe breathing difficulties that I had to 999 her into hospital with Coronavirus.
The doctors who have been looking after her in hospital said that if I had not have called 999 when I did, she would have certainly died from the coronavirus. It was 50/50 when she arrived in hospital for a few hours. Very scary and shocking!
She was given oxygen treatment in the ambulance and rushed to the A&E hospital department.
It was the emergency treatment she received in the first 15 minutes that saved her life.
Following this it was long hard journey of oxygen, injections, antibiotics and drips that finally got her body to respond to the treatment.
The doctor told me that if she had arrived in hospital 15 minutes later she would have either been dead or beyond saving.
The UK's NHS and her sheer determination to live saved my wife's life!
I am delighted to say that she has recovered 100%.
To anyone who has stumbled across my original blog pages they will note that the occasional photo may be repeated on these pages. This is purely because at times we have visited the same places again and I've seen fit to make use of some of the photos and movies again.
For anyone interested, the original 3-month visit in 2013 around Thailand can be viewed here:-
TonyT's 1st 3-month Thailand blog
Additionally, there are four more blogs which can be found via the links here:-
TonyT's 2nd Thailand blog, early 2015
TonyT's 3rd Thailand blog, late 2015
TonyT's 4th Thailand blog, 2017
TonyT's 5th Thailand blog, 2018
TonyT's 7th Thailand Blog, 2024
TonyT's 8th Thailand Blog, 2025
Anyway, here’s the journal/blog:-
Our mixed itinerary on this trip was:.....
Manchester to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands: (1hr:20mins) with KLM Airways
Zero hours stop-over in Amsterdam.; due to delayed flight leaving from Manchester.
KLM flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok: a total of >14 hours, 12 of which are airborne.
Arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok at 15:00
Bangkok stay: 3 days stay at our apartment in the Nana/Asok district.
Bangkok to Surin Province, Phanom Dong Rak: 6 hours by mini-bus.
10 days at the family farm in Phanom Dong Rak
Drive 380km to Trat in south east Thailand.
Car ferry over to Koh Chang island
Enjoy an 8 day stay on Koh Chang.
Return drive to Phanom Dong Rak
3 days on the farm with family.
Mini-bus to Bangkok.
2 nights stay in Bangkok.
Return flights via Air France to UK via Paris with a 3 hour stopover.
SUNDAY, APRIL 3rd, 2022:
13:00 hrs: Friend, Andy collected us from our home for the trip to Manchester Airport. In spite of checking-in online beforehand, we arrived at the airport a lot earlier than we would normally because of the additional health (COVID) checks.
Bit chaotic at Terminal 2 and very long queues at security due to, apparently, staff shortages. Health checks (covid vaccination & Thai Pass) no problem.
Aom and I both have received our "Fit-to-fly" certificates (negative COVID).
First flight was delayed and even on arrival at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol there was a problem getting the walkway in place. Take off finally @ 17:30 to Amsterdam.
Fortunately our connecting flight to Bangkok was similarly delayed. Just as well as it took over 30 minutes to get to the gate. By the time we arrived at check-in, the plane was already loading. No time for a stop-over drink or two.
AMSTERDAM and BANGKOK
MONDAY, April 4th:
The flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok was almost 2hours late taking off, arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport at around 15:00 instead of 13:00.
Things very different at Suvarnabhumi Airport from the last time we were here. The usual crowds were non-existent. First call was the health check where out Thai Passes were checked followed by security/passport control. Here it is usually mayhem with very long queues, but these were absent.
Only real delay was waiting for our limo to battle through the Bangkok traffic, but we arrived at our SHA hotel at 15:30.
Bit of a mix-up as the limo driver should have dropped us off at a local hospital to do our PCR COVID checks. We waited in our room for a taxi to take us to the hospital. So, fingers crossed that we are all a big negative.
Either way we are confined to our room for 12 hours... just the Thai way of doing things. Seems daft to me seeing as were checked negative in UK before we left; hardly likely to contract the bug for it to be registered in the time it took to fly to Thailand.
Anyway, sod it I thought, I popped out to a local 7-11 for some beers to take back to our room. So instead of chilling in a local bar/restaurant we\re stuck in our room with room service for food.
TUESDAY, April 5th:
At 10pm last night we got a phone call to confirm Aom & I were tested negative for COVID, but young Jack's result was inconclusive and as of 9:30 this morning we still don't know. Aom & I are now free to roam but we're unsure about Jack.
Anyway, we have things to do and some chores to undertake this morning. First off is breakfast somewhere; this is so easy in Bangkok. We then need to get some local SIM cards sorted for our phones and one for my MBA (MacBook Air for uninformed). Also we needed to change some cash; exchange rate pretty poor at this time.
All this done it was a case of mooching about the area until evening.
At 5pm it was time to venture out. Started off in one of our old favourite bars on Soi4, Hilary 1. A few delicious beers followed by some very good food, followed by more beer!; On the way back we hit another bar in Soi8
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6th:
Our son, Jack, now considered virus free (we knew this anyway) we were now free to wander at will.
Asking Jack which he preferred, the Bangkok Aquarium or the Bangkok Safari Park & Zoo; both of which are excellent. ; He opted for the latter.
Long taxi journey to the zoo, arriving at around 10am.; Very hot at 36ºC made even more uncomfortable at having to wear facemasks (a Thai mandate). Spent hours wandering around the zoo and attended two shows; the excellent elephant show and the equally good sea-lion show.
Later we jumped the safari park bus which toured the enclosures; rhinos, lots of tigers & lions, hippos, etc, etc.
Taxi back to the hotel and it was up to the rooftop swimming pool. Good fun and cooling. Later, we were out again in Soi 4 for beers and dinner.
TOP: Typical modern Bangkok street scenes.
BOTTOM: The view from our apartment.
TOP LEFT: Family at work in Hilary1 bar/restaurant, Soi 4
TOP RIGHT: Typical street food vendors. Note also the mass of cabling so typical of Thailand.
BOTTOM: Aom indulging in her favourite street food; barbecued squid
TOP LEFT: Young Jack with a giraffe friend.
TOP RIGHT: Croc killer.
BOTTOM LEFT: Part of the elephant show.
BOTTON RIGHT: Ditto
Page 1
This sixth journal or blog was written whilst in Thailand in April 2022. Although it's called the "6th", I've actually traveled Thailand firstly in 2007, twice in 2011 and three times in 2012 which are not documented on-line, so this is visit to Thailand No.12.
2 - 7 days before our departure date, all visitors have to apply for permission to enter Thailand. At time of writing the methods were. Thailand Pass system for the Test and Go, the so-called Sandbox and Quarantine entry programs. As we were all fully vaccinated and we were traveling to Bangkok, the Thailand Pass system was our only option. This meant a compulsory RT PCR COVID test (2600THB per person) and a minimum of a 1 day stay at a SHA* registered hotel of apartment. *SHA is a certificate given by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to hotels and services that meet pandemic-level safety and health standards. Basically, it’s a certificate meant to assure you that the establishment you’re staying at practices proper hygiene protocols and is safe to visit.
At this point I feel I must make it known, from first-hand experience, just how devastating Coronavirus was.
To anyone who has stumbled across my original blog pages they will note that the occasional photo may be repeated on these pages. This is purely because at times we have visited the same places again and I've seen fit to make use of some of the photos and movies again.
Anyway, here’s the journal/blog:- Manchester to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands: (1hr:20mins) with KLM Airways Zero hours stop-over in Amsterdam.; due to delayed flight leaving from Manchester. KLM flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok: a total of >14 hours, 12 of which are airborne. Arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok at 15:00 Bangkok stay: 3 days stay at our apartment in the Nana/Asok district. Bangkok to Surin Province, Phanom Dong Rak: 6 hours by mini-bus. 10 days at the family farm in Phanom Dong Rak Drive 380km to Trat in south east Thailand. Car ferry over to Koh Chang island Enjoy an 8 day stay on Koh Chang. Return drive to Phanom Dong Rak 3 days on the farm with family. Mini-bus to Bangkok. 2 nights stay in Bangkok. Return flights via Air France to UK via Paris with a 3 hour stopover.
SUNDAY, APRIL 3rd, 2022:
MONDAY, April 4th:
TOP LEFT: Family at work in Hilary1 bar/restaurant, Soi 4 TOP RIGHT: Typical street food vendors. Note also the mass of cabling so typical of Thailand. BOTTOM: Aom indulging in her favourite street food; barbecued squid TOP LEFT: Young Jack with a giraffe friend. TOP RIGHT: Croc killer. BOTTOM LEFT: Part of the elephant show. BOTTON RIGHT: Ditto
The main reason for my being in Thailand principally was to to give my Thai wife and our 7 year old son, an opportunity to catch up with her family (my in-laws) and for both of us to meet up with old friends as well as sneaking in a genuine holiday.
This visit was originally planned to take place in March-April 2020 with flights and accommodation booked and paid for the previous November.
Unfortunately, the devastating 2020 COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) outbreak put paid to our plans along with millions of others on the planet.
With only a few weeks before we were due to leave, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) declared that ALL foreign travel from the UK is ill-advised. Because of this I was forced to to cancel all aspects of this trip.
Shortly afterwards, Thailand closed its borders to all foreign visitors because of the pandemic.
We need a minimum of 4 weeks in-country to make our visit worthwhile; lots of family members to go visit as well as taking a genuine holiday somewhere.
In March/April 2022, it remained a tedious process to get into Thailand as many restrictions were still in place. The things we had to do added a very considerable sum of money to getting to and into the country.
2. Before flying, we had to purchase "Fit-to-fly" certificates in UK; £160 for 3 persons.
3. We were not permitted to travel to our apartment from the airport via public transport; ie taxi. Our apartment block had to send a car out to the airport to collect us.
4 The apartment had to be SHA* registered., which it was, thankfully.
In March 2020, my wife, Aom contracted COVID-19 with ever distressing and worrying symptoms. She became so desperately ill with very severe breathing difficulties that I had to 999 her into hospital with Coronavirus.
The doctors who have been looking after her in hospital said that if I had not have called 999 when I did, she would have certainly died from the coronavirus. It was 50/50 when she arrived in hospital for a few hours. Very scary and shocking!
She was given oxygen treatment in the ambulance and rushed to the A&E hospital department.
It was the emergency treatment she received in the first 15 minutes that saved her life.
Following this it was long hard journey of oxygen, injections, antibiotics and drips that finally got her body to respond to the treatment.
The doctor told me that if she had arrived in hospital 15 minutes later she would have either been dead or beyond saving.
The UK's NHS and her sheer determination to live saved my wife's life!
I am delighted to say that she has recovered 100%.
For anyone interested, the original 3-month visit in 2013 around Thailand can be viewed here:-
TonyT's 1st 3-month Thailand blog
Additionally, there are four more blogs which can be found via the links here:-
TonyT's 2nd Thailand blog, early 2015
TonyT's 3rd Thailand blog, late 2015
TonyT's 4th Thailand blog, 2017
TonyT's 5th Thailand blog, 2018
TonyT's 7th Thailand Blog, 2024
TonyT's 8th Thailand Blog, 2025
Our mixed itinerary on this trip was:.....
13:00 hrs: Friend, Andy collected us from our home for the trip to Manchester Airport. In spite of checking-in online beforehand, we arrived at the airport a lot earlier than we would normally because of the additional health (COVID) checks.
Bit chaotic at Terminal 2 and very long queues at security due to, apparently, staff shortages. Health checks (covid vaccination & Thai Pass) no problem.
Aom and I both have received our "Fit-to-fly" certificates (negative COVID).
First flight was delayed and even on arrival at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol there was a problem getting the walkway in place. Take off finally @ 17:30 to Amsterdam.
Fortunately our connecting flight to Bangkok was similarly delayed. Just as well as it took over 30 minutes to get to the gate. By the time we arrived at check-in, the plane was already loading. No time for a stop-over drink or two.
AMSTERDAM and BANGKOK
The flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok was almost 2hours late taking off, arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport at around 15:00 instead of 13:00.
Things very different at Suvarnabhumi Airport from the last time we were here. The usual crowds were non-existent. First call was the health check where out Thai Passes were checked followed by security/passport control. Here it is usually mayhem with very long queues, but these were absent.
Only real delay was waiting for our limo to battle through the Bangkok traffic, but we arrived at our SHA hotel at 15:30.
Bit of a mix-up as the limo driver should have dropped us off at a local hospital to do our PCR COVID checks. We waited in our room for a taxi to take us to the hospital. So, fingers crossed that we are all a big negative.
Either way we are confined to our room for 12 hours... just the Thai way of doing things. Seems daft to me seeing as were checked negative in UK before we left; hardly likely to contract the bug for it to be registered in the time it took to fly to Thailand.
Anyway, sod it I thought, I popped out to a local 7-11 for some beers to take back to our room. So instead of chilling in a local bar/restaurant we\re stuck in our room with room service for food.
TUESDAY, April 5th:
At 10pm last night we got a phone call to confirm Aom & I were tested negative for COVID, but young Jack's result was inconclusive and as of 9:30 this morning we still don't know. Aom & I are now free to roam but we're unsure about Jack.
Anyway, we have things to do and some chores to undertake this morning. First off is breakfast somewhere; this is so easy in Bangkok. We then need to get some local SIM cards sorted for our phones and one for my MBA (MacBook Air for uninformed). Also we needed to change some cash; exchange rate pretty poor at this time.
All this done it was a case of mooching about the area until evening.
At 5pm it was time to venture out. Started off in one of our old favourite bars on Soi4, Hilary 1. A few delicious beers followed by some very good food, followed by more beer!; On the way back we hit another bar in Soi8
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6th:
Our son, Jack, now considered virus free (we knew this anyway) we were now free to wander at will.
Asking Jack which he preferred, the Bangkok Aquarium or the Bangkok Safari Park & Zoo; both of which are excellent. ; He opted for the latter.
Long taxi journey to the zoo, arriving at around 10am.; Very hot at 36ºC made even more uncomfortable at having to wear facemasks (a Thai mandate). Spent hours wandering around the zoo and attended two shows; the excellent elephant show and the equally good sea-lion show.
Later we jumped the safari park bus which toured the enclosures; rhinos, lots of tigers & lions, hippos, etc, etc.
Taxi back to the hotel and it was up to the rooftop swimming pool. Good fun and cooling. Later, we were out again in Soi 4 for beers and dinner.
TOP: Typical modern Bangkok street scenes.
BOTTOM: The view from our apartment.