Calling all Bangkok Guru’s!
Have booked Bangkok for departure in January.
Is it better to get a taxi at the airport to hotel in Bangkok or should I arrange with the hotel?
Since we’re going for longer than 30 days, is it easy to extend at an immigration office?
Any info on a SIM card?
Is it worth taking the train from BKK to Chang Mai?
TIA

Take taxi from BKK by yourself
Get tourist Visa online in Canada for 60 days stay.
Get SIM card in BKK. Arrival floor before leaving
Night train was fun and time saver. but I couldn't rest well.

Where will you be staying in BKK and the arrival time? Traffic jam is bad during rush hour so you might want to consider the additional cost.
For SIM card, you can buy an eSim ahead of time, and it's not expensive.
For the train to Chiang Mai, are you going to take the day train or night train? There are multiple trains each day and some are more comfortable than the others.

Fly air Asia. Train is a fun experience but a cheeky 1hr flight you’ll be thankful.

The airport in Chang Mai is right in the city as well so it’s effortless.

Ryan I personally love the overnight train to Chiang Mai. It books up pretty fast so get your ticket early if you want to go that way. You get on about 8 at night and arrive in Chiang Mai about 12 hours later. It’s a quintessential Thai experience.

it was a good experience. But doing it once is enough.

Ryan I'd completely disagree with suggestions to fly with
Fly AirAsia . They are the worst budget airline there is. You can easily google their comments on any platform with unreturned fares to customers when they change and cancel flights very often. I'm still waiting for my refund from 10 months ago when they cancelled my flight last minute and had to rebook everything last minute. I am but one story. Save the headache and book with a better airline.

Depending what you want to spend. Air Asia is cheap. So I get that. But it seems like every Airline stinks these days.

Ryan Air Asia is fine but also consider Nok Air. They are also reliable, cheap and comfortable. I have never had a bad experience with them.

See if the hotel does a cheap shuttle. In Thailand they use GRAB rather than uber (you can download the free app). There are tuktuks as well for public transportation.

Annemari
How much is a cheap rate?

Jacqui cheap is “cheap”. Lol. However you have to consider traffic.
We stayed at harmony living airbnb which is about 10 min walk to terminal 21.
Cost my sister about $12-15 to cab. Cost me about $9 to cab to airport train and take airport link for 4 people. I chose to train to avoid traffic although depends on time if day

People say to not get sim from airport for better rates. But I needed one in order to download grab to take a cab to our airbnb. Cost us about $12 to get to airport when we arrived in the afternoon.
If you buy your sim through klook or kk day it’s much cheaper $8 for 8 day compared to $15 (dtac)

Depends on how many people you have. There are a lot of private arrangements in Bangkok (or most parts of Asia). A taxi is about 600-800 from airport to downtown Bangkok. If you have more than 2 people, I think it’s worth it.
If you travel light, and the hotel is either near BTS or MRT, take Airport Rail Link directly from airport to city center for less than 50 baht each
Get the SIM card on arrival floor, should cost too much. Most plans are 5G with unlimited data + talk.
You can take budget airline from DMK or BKK to Chiangmai. The time saving out beat the cost in my opinion

1. You can book a car on expedia (or other sites) beforehand, more reliable and cheaper than taxis. If your hotel provides a free ride, take it; if they charge, find out how much and compare to booking your own. Grab works as well (like uber).
2. Normally 90 days is fine, but Thailand requires you to leave the country to extend your visa, not at a Thai immigration office.
3. The best SIM in Thailand is True Move, part of the True Communications company. Biggest network including the gulf islands. ais and dtac are both pretty good, too, though, can’t really go wrong. Buy them anywhere, but not at the airport or you will pay too much.
4. Fly to Chiang Mai. Bangkok Airways is best, but Air Asia Thailand is also good, but they fly from DMK, not BKK (Don Mueang Airport, in north part of Bangkok; BKK is Bangkok Intl, in east Bangkok). Bangkok Airways flies from BKK.
If you go to an elephant park, do NOT go to one where they ride elephants. Elephant Nature Park is the best.

Bernie if you have a 60 day visa you can extend it with Thai Immigration at any office.

Carol for only 15 more days.

I researched the visa issue like crazy. First off I would suggest the op join a thailand specific fb page such as “ thailand travel and advice” ( or something similar). The visa question is very common. From that ( and from friends who travel to Thailand frequently) I learned
- you can renew a 30 day visa in Thailand a cost of 1900 baht. You have to go to an immigration and be prepared to spend most of the day. But very straightforward.
- many folks do a “ border bounce” . Go to another country, spend a couple of days, come back and you get a new 30 day visa.
- I looked at the Thai embassy requirements for the 60 day visa. Apply in advance, upload personal photos and copy of passport page, recent bank statement , proof of where you are staying, proof of onward travel out of Thailand. Way too much hassle for me but I am old!
- The big eye opener for me in research is finding out that you must have proof of onward travel out of Thailand within 30 days ( or 60 if you go that route) when you check in. Your airline has every right to deny you boarding if you don’t have that.

Hi I recently booked a flight as well ….long story short.
Call The Royal Thai Consulate in Vancouver.
They answered the phone promptly and will answer all your questions.

!

When you land at BKK get past immigration/security and go to basement where the trains are and exchange some cash at Super Rich then go to a SIM card kiosk and get a sim. Can get eSIM’s too which I do so I can keep Canada number.
When you land it depends how much screwing around you wanna do. A lot of screwing around order a bolt or grab (cheapest). Some screwing around get the hotel shuttle (most expensive). No screwing around get a taxi (fair and they’ll have the meter going).
You can go to Thai embassy downtown Vancouver and get a visa to stay longer than 30 days which would avoid more screwing around in Thailand.
Yes to train Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Sleeper overnight only in 1st or 2nd. Have to book same day reservations open for first class sleepers during busy season. Also you could check out Ayutthaya and Lopburi by train.

If you’re on the direct YVR-BKK I think it lands in the morning so you could also take sky trains which are fantastic. But if you have the connections in Japan or Korea or Taiwan you usually land around 11-12 at night and too late to take the trains.

David Roth the skytrain doesn't go to the KhoSan area though. I stay in a great hotel there a little removed (10 minute walk) from the chaos and noise. It's a funky interesting area and close to the temples.

Bonnie ooooh cool what’s the name of the hotel?! I usually stay mid Sukhumvit, On Nut area, at this one hotel because it’s right beside Best Beef BBQ

David Roth I've stayed at Ratchadamoen Residence for many years. I've stayed in Sukumvit area too, and Silom. But I like KhaSon area best.

David Roth I have been travelling to Thailand for 30 years and THIS is great info.

David Roth
Not a very techy person.
How much should I expect to pay for an esim card?
Do you just pop it in and it knows your number
TIA and your information has been appreciated

Jacqui you just give your phone to the person at the counter and they do everything for you. Depends how long you need the sim for and how much data you want but it’s extremely reasonable, much cheaper than you’d pay in Canada.

Jacqui I was in Thailand in March. During a previous visit 8 years ago I got a sim at an airport kiosk. Did again this trip but found out later that we paid way too much. Should have waited to get one at a store closer to our accommodation. If you want more info please DM me and I can ask my son, who was with me, about costs. Also you get a local number with a new SIM (keep current one safe for returning back home). In Thailand all the calls are local, throughout the country, so no long distance charges!
Also make sure your phone is "unlocked".

There uber's are called Grab!

Barb or bolt

Just make sure when you go to leave arrivals you go down to the lower levels for a regular taxi. If you go straight outside from arrivals all the "taxis" are suvs and cost 3x as much. I personally go down to the lowest level and take the train for 35baht to Makasan and then transfer to the MRT line.

I pre-booked private car on klook (my cousin suggested since they went to Thailand before). Traffic jam in Bangkok is crazy. I arrived around 4-5pm...boy!! Traffic
I picked up a rim card at the airport, cost much more than at MBK mall

I've been living in BKK since Feb and my advice is to get a sim card at the airport, withdraw some cash at the atm and take the airport link skytrain into town. Once you're at the end, book a Grab to your hotel. It'll not only be a lot cheaper, and less traffic but you'll get to see Bangkok more on the way in. As for Chang Mai, definitely fly as the journey is soooo long. But if you want to experience the country via train that's fine, just book a first class ticket for the best comfort.

Please fly BKK to Chiang Mai. Flights are frequent and cheap. Once you are in Chiang Mai there are lots of day excursions into the countryside so it’s not necessary to see the scenery from a train.

My husband and I thought the overnight train was a fun experience in a first class sleeper. You sleep for most of the trip anyway so it saves paying for a hotel night and gets you into Chiang Mai early in the morning. In my opinion it was easier than getting to and waiting around at the airport for a flight. Plus you don't have to pay baggage fees.

I've been to Thailand 19 times. It's easy to take a taxi at the airport. On the main level, where you arrive, take the escalator down to the taxi level. There's a place to get a taxi sanctioned by the airport. I go to the old city area, near where the temples are, and it's about $20-25 canadian. It's a set rate, depending on area, so the drivers can't overcharge you. You can also get a large taxi if there's many of you.
Do not extend your visa! It takes an entire day and was about $100 can when I did it years ago! You can apply to the embassy in Canada and get a longer visa before you go. Or get the 30 days and visit another close country fir a while and cone back and you get another 30 days (only at airports). If you overland I was told you only get a 7 day visa. Maybe check that out.

Bonnie yup recommend Siem Reap. At least something to see. Better than a border bounce to Myanmar.

Bernie or Lao, ir Vuetnam if you have time. 4 nights in Siem Reap should be good if you need a visa run. And Ankor Wat is a wonder of the world and really worth seeing.

I took the train once. I fly now to Chiang Mai. I use Bangkok Air. They have a lounge at BKK for all passengers. Free wifi there and beverages and a few snacks. It's a good airline. Ice only paid $50-75 to fly to Chiang Mai. I really don't like Air Asia and dislike Don Mueang airport that they fly out of. But it is cheaper if that is a concern.

We flew to Chang Mai

Which airline? Im flying that way (Singapore) in January and still "shopping". I find flights are a lot more expensive this year than last year.

Ron we booked the direct flight
$4800 for two round trip

Use Grab for a ride or take transit, it's cheap and easy. Unless you want to ride the train for the experience, grab a flight to Chiang Mai (12go.asia is the best site for that, just be aware most internal flights originate from Don Mueang airport), they're only around $50. Any Sim Card is fine from one of the many kiosks. They're all pretty competitive.

You get your visa for beyond 30 days from https://www.thaievisa.go.th/ not the thai embassy in Vancouver $65 cdn
THAIEVISA.GO.TH
Official Website of Thailand Electronic Visa