Chiang Mai: Post-Covid Escape
Winter pounced on Sydney before anyone expected to have to dig out stored blankets; the unexpected cold snap was accompanied by a sharp rise in heating costs. It was too stormy to go outside so, rugged up on the couch and scrolling down emails, I found that Thailand was to open its borders the following week. After two years of intermittent Covid lockdowns and border closures, the wheels of tourism had started turning – and here was Thailand promising me warmth!
I left for Chiang Mai on June 5, 2022 just after The Land of Smiles started allowing fully vaccinated – and unvaccinated – passengers to enter the Kingdom, although the latter were required to quarantine in a designated SHA+ hotel for 14 days and test negative before entering the community. No RAT or other test was required before boarding, but masks were mandatory onboard. I had to show my Thai Pass to check in. This was issued by the Thai Consulate and was downloaded to my mobile as a QR code. To obtain this, I had to submit my Australian QR code (or certificate) showing my vaccination status to the Thai Consulate. Unvaccinated passengers also had to have a Thai Pass but, unlike mine, theirs sent them to quarantine on arrival. The rules changed three times during the booking process and have changed again several times since.
A 12-hour layover in Bangkok was the only flight option when I booked. What I found at Suvarnabhumi Airport, famous for not having a transit hotel, may be of interest. After clearing customs, a nearby elevator took me to the basement where the Avagard Capsules and the Boxotel are located with the Novotel at the end of the same corridor. Online sites don’t explain that these are actually inside the airport. (They don’t technically qualify as ‘transit’ accommodation only because passengers must collect their luggage and pass immigration to reach them.) After a restful sleep in my single Boxotel cabin (1,800 Baht), the elevator had me at Departures within two minutes. (Note: the small Capsule and Boxtel rooms, although affordable and comfortable, do not come with bathrooms. Toilets are down the hall.)
Images below: The Avagard Capsules, exterior (white) and interior (blue); The Boxotel, exterior and comfy single bed interior; The colourful foyer of the Novotel at the end of the same corridor (5x the price for 5x the comfort). All can be booked ahead, online. The online booking site for the Boxotel implies that only four-hour blocks can be booked. However, on arrival, I found they had an ‘all-night special deal’.
Thai Visas and Extensions (current at the time of writing)
Post Covid, it’s still imperative to keep checking the rules because they’re still changing. (Using a travel agent would have been wise had I known the rules would change three times while I was organising my trip.) If intending to extend a visa, try to get your information from an immigration office within Thailand because consulates abroad are sometimes not immediately updated. There are also efficient Thai visa agencies with the latest information. In Chiang Mai, for example, there’s WWW.ASSISTTHAIVISA.COM that will complete the entire visa extension process for a not-too-exorbitant price. Long-term expats I’ve spoken with tell me it’s well worth the cost of this service for convenience, assurance and security. There are many types of visas available for Thailand, each with its own requirements, permissions and restrictions. It’s wise to read the fine print and if possible check with contacts within Thailand (visa experts, expat clubs and the like).
My example of an intended 6-month stay abroad started with a 90-day, type O, single entry, non-immigrant retirement visa at AU$120. At the time of applying, I needed to purchase health insurance from a Thai provider for the duration of my stay that included comprehensive cover for Covid, and show bank evidence that I could support myself while in Thailand.
To extend a trip to 180 days, there are options including the 3 below; the first is possible to arrange in Thailand, the others require a ‘visa run’, at present, by plane.
1. 1-year retirement visa obtained within Thailand that complies with stringent fiscal regulations.
2. 60-day extendable tourist visa, or, another 90-day retirement visa obtained outside Thailand.
3. A 30-day visa-on-arrival (extendable for 30 days) combined it with a visa-on-arrival elsewhere.
(Note: visa/border runs overland – stopped due to Covid restrictions – are expected to resume.)
