Unavowed

The measure is expected to be introduced by the end of August and will allow millions of travellers to avoid traditional immigration queues at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. But there is small a catch:
Travellers arriving in Thailand in the coming months could soon have a considerably faster experience at immigration. Thai authorities are preparing a major expansion of the automated immigration gates at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, which will become available to citizens of 33 nationalities.
Until now, automated gates for international arrivals have been available only to Thai citizens, Singaporeans and holders of Hong Kong travel documents. The plan, according to Thai media, is to add 31 more nationalities, with the expansion expected to become operational by the end of August, once the necessary administrative procedures have been completed.
The nationalities expected to be included are:
Australia Austria Belgium Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Japan South Korea Latvia Luxembourg Malaysia Malta Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Hong Kong The selection of nationalities took into account factors such as entry refusal rates, countries’ positions in the Henley Passport Index and security assessments
 
Despite the expansion, travellers entering Thailand for the first time will not be able to simply head to an automated gate. During their first trip, they will need to go through traditional immigration, where their biometric data will be collected.
 
Source:
https://www.fly4free.com/flight-deals/europe/thailand-to-expand-automated-immigration-access-to-33-nationalities-at-bangkoks-main-airport/

Just landed and am in my taxi to Soi 11.
I never installed the app. I just did my TDAC as usual. And as usual they never asked to see it anyway.
THIM definitely not mandatory yet, but I still don’t know about TRIM, haha

@CanadaVisitor - they are the same thing. One is a webform and one is an app. You’d get a QR code and your trip will be registered with immigration whichever option you choose.

Yes it’s live and I’ve used it in the last week. It’s not an additional thing to do, and it’s the same information that you need to enter into the webform. The difference is that you can create a profile to store your passport and personal detail which will pre-fill most of the requested information before each trip.

Thanks everyone for the information as I'd not heard of this.
Have installed the app, registered, scanned my passport and done the facial recognition so all I need to do now is add my trip 72 hours before to get the QR code.

@CanadaVisitor - they are the same thing. One is a webform and one is an app. You’d get a QR code and your trip will be registered with immigration whichever option you choose.

Backstory
ToTo is visiting BKK as she is looking for wholesalers for her new Laos business and has also been invited to the WN04 Staff Trip later this week. @Behan suggested we take her to No Idea, which is a really nice restaurant on soi 18. 
I had visited No Idea with @Behan once before and remembered that it was a favourite of Iain's when it was located on soi 22. As Iain was a qualified chef, that was quite the recommendation.
There was a comical episode when I was trying to give the directions to ToTo:
ToTo: Where we meet?
SAG: No idea
ToTo: What name of restaurant?
SAG: No idea
ToTo: How I find it?
SAG: On soi 18.
ToTo: How I know I am there?
SAG: Stop at No idea
etc.
I finally managed to cut through the confusion, but must admit, it is a daft name for a restaurant!
The Restaurant
No Idea is situated about 300 metres, or a 5 minutes walk, inside soi 18, on the left hand side. It is set back from the road, with steps leading up to an outside area. 
The inside is spacious and feels very roomy, with a modern decor and tables far enough away from each other that you can have a private conversation.
There is also a bar area, which has a bar menu, and there must be 1,000+ bottles of wine on the walls. The cocktails and wine menu is extensive, 
What makes the restaurant stand out is that there are a lot of staff, who are very attentive and are well trained, with excellent English. 
The menu has about 8-10 starters and the same number of main courses and desserts. But what is quite unique about No Idea is that the list of specials is probably bigger than the menu itself. I have never seen so many specials and they definitely change from visit to visit.
The type of food is modern farang, and is probably most similar to the Wine Connection on soi 11, although the quality at No Idea is way better and the service cannot be compared.
If you're thinking that it is expensive, you would be wrong, I had the grilled chicken and seasonal vegetable, which was about THB 500 and the portions were very generous.
ToTo had the Wagyu Carpaccio as a starter and then the seafood pasta, which she seemed to enjoy. The carpaccio was THB 550 and the seafood pasta, which had a lot of seafood in it was 950. 
A sign of a good restaurant is that there is little to no staff turnover and I recognised three of the waiting on staff from the previous visit.
Summary
If you are looking for a nice place, that has very good food and excellent service, but is neither pretentious nor over-priced, then No Idea ticks all of the boxes. It is a perfect place to take a LB out for a special occasion, without her feeling intimidated or like a fish out of water.
If you set the benchmark at Wine Connection, then that place gets a 3.5/5.0 from me, as it is just OK food, with cramped tables and so-so service, as compared to much better quality food, way better service and a nice spacious layout. It is the difference between a corporate chain restaurant and an individually owned establishment.
I give No Idea a 4.5/5.0 and IMHO it cannot be faulted.
Highly recommended if you fancy some farang food and it has a highly extensive drinks list!
The customers were mainly farangs and it was a nice relaxed atmosphere.
Cheers
SAG
 

If you're currently in Bangkok and looking for something to do when mongering maybe this could be of interest to you.
One of these could be useful if looking for somewhere to take a date but the other one probably not so much unless you just want an excuse to both get drunk.
Awakening Song Wat is a little festival where Songwat Rd and nearby alleyways are filled with light installations and art. It starts at 18.00 each day until 12/7.26 and if going I'd recommend you get there earlier than that to watch the sun set over the river from one of the riverside bars or cafes in the neighborhood before exploring the festival. Obviously there will be lots of food and drink available all over.
If you don't know already Song Wat is a neighborhood between Chinatown and the river, it's always worth a visit and there's excellent places to eat or drink in this area as well as galleries and interesting places to explore.
I haven't been to this festival this year but last year was pretty decent but very busy on weekends so I ended up hiding in bars to escape the crowd. If you're interested in trying it out I'd probably recommend going in midweek.
https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/awakening-festival-song-wat-052126
 
The other event is called Sip Thai. It's a craft beer festival in Dusit Central Park. If you haven't already checked out Dusit Central Park I'd definitely recommend that you do that anyway, just for a walk through the little rooftop park for the spectacular views of the city across Lumphini Park.
As well as there being lots of drinks available, there are DJs and live music so it could be fun for the beer lovers. 
This festival also runs until 12/7/26 from 11am in the Parkside Hall of Dusit Central Park.
https://www.timeout.com/bangkok/news/song-craft-thailand-craft-beer-festival-070326
 

It's almost 2 years ago since I was at Vesuvio, so about time to check it out again. I ordered a Capricciosa (or something like that), with mushrooms, tomato, ham, artichokes and olives. Thin bottomed and a crunchy crust, just the way it should be.
It tasted excellent, great value for money. Still best pizza place in town IMHO 
Edit: it comes for 420 THB ++

I buy a roaming pack from my local provider in Aus. It’s not too expensive and i know i might get a better deal with a Thai eSim but I’m too lazy to figure out how it works and if I have to somehow switch between two different numbers e.g. if I get 2FA texts to my home number etc.

As of July 1st, next to AirFrance/KLM, also Thai Airways will resume direct flights between Bangkok and Amsterdam.
I compared the price for a random 2-week period in August, which shows Thai Airways being approx. 100 Euro more expensive.
Prices shown in the screenprint below are excl. 30 Euro administration fee.
 

I've only flown Singapore regionally but I would be pretty annoyned had I paid for a full service airline and got a crap experience. Thai fly the A350 between Sydney and Bangkok and I find economy to be more than bearable as someone around 178cm and 90(ish!) kgs. Pretty good food and service too, and while it's business class is not in the top tier it's pretty good especially when there are sale fares. Qantas and the Finnair wet-lease A330 is pretty terrible by comparison even though the price is comparable to Thai. Tighter seating, noisy cabin, and poor to average service and food. I'll only use Qantas/Finnair if I have points to burn.
FYI - the Thai authorities have released the "Thim" app (Thai immigration bureau) where you can pre-fill your personal details, including a scan of your passport and then when you're ready to travel you can put in the dates against your profile for your travel declaration. It saves having to put in all the details for every trip on the website and is similar to the Singapore immigration app if you've used that before.
 

I've only flown Singapore regionally but I would be pretty annoyned had I paid for a full service airline and got a crap experience. Thai fly the A350 between Sydney and Bangkok and I find economy to be more than bearable as someone around 178cm and 90(ish!) kgs. Pretty good food and service too, and while it's business class is not in the top tier it's pretty good especially when there are sale fares. Qantas and the Finnair wet-lease A330 is pretty terrible by comparison even though the price is comparable to Thai. Tighter seating, noisy cabin, and poor to average service and food. I'll only use Qantas/Finnair if I have points to burn.
FYI - the Thai authorities have released the "Thim" app (Thai immigration bureau) where you can pre-fill your personal details, including a scan of your passport and then when you're ready to travel you can put in the dates against your profile for your travel declaration. It saves having to put in all the details for every trip on the website and is similar to the Singapore immigration app if you've used that before.
 

After arriving home just over a week ago, I was thinking about some of the high and low points
Certainly meeting my latest crush was a high point, but as far as the low points, there thankfully few of them. Probably my best trip ever. 
But there was one thing. Singapore Airlines. Now normally I find them to be in the top echelon of airlines. I had four legs with them. On two of them it was not a pleasant experience!
The second leg, Singapore to London in an A380 was to put it mildly a pain in the ass. I had to sit on an angle as if I sat straight ahead, my knees were buried in the magazine pocket. Not good. I did call the flight attendant but there was nothing she could do. The plane was full. So the 11 hour flight was less than good. To cap it off, the guy who was to pick me up got his days mixed up, said take a taxi. Welcome to England. A 14 minute ride cost 55 pounds!!!!!. Not a typo.
Flew Thai from London to BKK on the return. No problems. Then BKK to Brisbane via Singapore. Bingo!, the Singapore to Brisbane on a A350 I had the same issue. No idea what is going on except to suggest that they are putting extra seats in and reducing the pitch. 
The woman next to me was all of 160 tall and was wondering what the fuss was about. I am all of 185cm so not overly tall by any means. 
I have been a Singapore Airlines fan for years, but this took the edge off it.
Oh one other thing. On my arrival in BKK and anxious to start my sordid activities I had forgotten to fill out the new arrival card. So before the climb up the slope to immigration I started to fill my card out along with about 15 others all scrambling over the paperwork. There was one question I was stumbling over and I looked up and saw a couple of guys with jackets on that said Ambassador. Ah just the right person, so over I went and started to explain my query. Before I had finished the guy held up his hand and said "sorry, we have had so many complaints about the form, that we have, (now get this), decided not to help anyone!". I thought about it for a second and then decided that it would not be good to start what only could develop into a heated discussion, so walked away and filled out the form as I thought appropriate. No problems after doing that. I wont draw conclusions or make insinuations, but just leave it there.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/3257580/thailand-ends-60day-visafree-stay?tbref=hp

Not law just yet but expect the changes to go through soon

Might be worth it if it curtails the hordes of Israeli's and Russians 

Exactly this - insurance. I am off to Asia for month next week. When booking the (company) flights, connections with EK, QR, EY etc are ~70% cheaper than what I am taking instead (BA direct, ANA etc).
FCDO is clear, advice against all but etc travel. Insurance companies will do whatever they can not pay out, so the moment you get stuck, let alone travel to the region (ME) and end up in hospital, medevac flight you are buggered. Queue a front page Daily Mail sob story image in your head of some family from shitsville in the UK stuck in Tenerife after granny had to have her kidneys removed. 
I will have to go to Oman, and that’s only possible with special company approval and dedicated insurance. Insurance Insurance insurance ….check check check.
I will be back in Bangkok as part of the trip - so may see some of you there. May even do a Lidl version of last years speed pool event. 
 
 

I used to stay in both Hyatt Regency and Sofitel, including JW Marriott when I used to frequent NPL more frequently some years back. I just book a normal room. I like both Hyatt and Sofitel. Sofitel used to be crap until they refurbishment the rooms 2 years back. Sofitel is also good as on the second level, you can head straight out onto the raised walkway to Terminal 22. Or if you are taking a girl from CIB11, you just walk direct to Sofitel from the overpass without going through the lobby.  But Personally I prefer Hyatt. Both are LB friendly. In fact, I had a 4some at the Sofitel once.
However, I now usually stay at Mercure at Soi 11 or the Adelphi Suites in Soi 8. Mainly to do with price. The rooms at Hyatt/Sofitel are twice what I pay at Mercure!!  And there is nothing wrong with Mercure!!  Though I think the showers needs refurbishing!!
 

Thank you very much. I stay a lot in soi 22 and it’s an Indian hotel but they do have a swimming pool and the rooms are huge. The service is good too. Just off the Emsphere and cross the road. 
Yes I go too often to pay for 5 star hotels every time though I have occasionally stayed at the Hilton and the Westin. Mercure is a hotel I have kept an eye on but never got a decent rate when I am looking for. What I like are large rooms and big bathroom. At my age now a shower is what I prefer. 

Ouch...talk about misinformed medical advice.
First off, if a person (LB or whoever) is HIV+ and is regularly taking an approved ART drug, you are exceedingly unlikely to be able to be infected when having sex with them. If a person is on an approved PrEP drug, ditto.
Second, use a condom, regardless. Not only are condoms quite effective against HIV, they are also quite effective against a long list of other sexually transmitted diseases that HIV drugs provide zero protection against, and some of those diseases are pretty nasty in their own right. And if you're using condoms you don't have to worry about the honesty of your partner.
Third, no, people should not be on PrEP (not PReP, get the acronym right, dude!) no matter what. If you're using condoms it makes no sense. PrEP drugs are pretty potent and not suited for everyone. Those who might want to consider PrEP as an option are those who drink to excess or take party drugs when playing with the LBs, and might stupidly go bareback under those conditions. Or those who plan on rolling the dice and going bareback.

With my frequent visits to Thailand to see the temples and eat street food (*cough*) it has made sense for me to sign up to the Accor+ program as it more than pays for itself. One of the main benefits is the free nights offer and I used this recently to stay at the Sofitel.
I usually stay in mid-level hotels like the Mercure on Soi 11 and the Holiday Inn Express in Pattaya but often like a nicer hotel to finish my trip when the rates are good in the off-season. My usual go-to is the Hyatt Regency which I very much like, and this was my first time at the Sofitel where I spent 4-nights. I booked a 'luxury' room with club access so I could compare it to the Hyatt, but I was upgraded to a junior suite which makes it an unfair to compare rooms.
What I will say is that the size of the bed, its comfort and the quality of the bedding is on par with the Hyatt. The bathroom amenities are similar as is the quality and responsiveness of the cleaning services. The main difference was the rooftop bar area, lounge, gym, and overall quality of service.
Spectrum at the Hyatt is a more 'showy' place, it's got spectacular views and its where tourist like to visit for the skyline and the vibe. Belga at the Sofitel is really an outside terrace and lower key with a discreet service sort of vibe. I've taken LB guests to both and they enjoyed it and the staff treated them with respect. Also, you can get a 30% discount on food and drink at Sofitel with Accor+ which is a good benefit. I have been given a couple of free drink vouchers at the Hyatt but not always. The lounge at the Hyatt is small and can get busy, but the lounge at the Sofitel is one can get lost in and takes up an entire floor, but most people congregate near the food area. Food and drink offerings are broadly on par, maybe the wine is better at the Sofitel The gym at both hotels are good, but the Sofitel is far better for my needs. Unfortunately the pool at the Sofitel was closed for refurbishment so can't compare those. Service standards are very good at both hotels, but I would put Sofitel ahead here. Its just that bit more attentive and personalised. You can also walk direct from Nana BTS to the Hyatt under the covered skywalk, and from Asok to the Sofitel using the footbridge but the Sofitel access is covered all the way so you won't get caught out if its raining (although not sure if that access is 24/7). I will still be using Hyatt as part of my points collection strategy and to maintain my current status but the main driver when deciding between either will be the cost, including club access. Hyatt is usually cheaper but using Accor+ benefits and reward points can balance this out.  Overall, both are very good hotels that you can spend all day in especially if you have lounge access, and of course its very guest friendly! It's a case of give each one a try and see which one gives you the best value. Either way I don't think you will go to far wrong if you want a better standard of accommodation near the action.

The BTS covered walkways close around +/- 1 hour around midnight. I can't remember the exact time.
For hotels and amenities, sometimes your home country can give you an advantage. In North America, many of our hotel credit cards give us loyalty status upgrades as part of holding the card. I get Marriott Platinum status from one (free lounges), Hilton Gold from another (there is one card out there I don't have with diamond/lounge access), and a third with IHG Platinum. I will be using my Marriott Platinum perks at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in May.
All those cards have annual fees. But if travel, they will pay for themselves very quickly.

Sent from my SM-S948U1 using Tapatalk

With my frequent visits to Thailand to see the temples and eat street food (*cough*) it has made sense for me to sign up to the Accor+ program as it more than pays for itself. One of the main benefits is the free nights offer and I used this recently to stay at the Sofitel.
I usually stay in mid-level hotels like the Mercure on Soi 11 and the Holiday Inn Express in Pattaya but often like a nicer hotel to finish my trip when the rates are good in the off-season. My usual go-to is the Hyatt Regency which I very much like, and this was my first time at the Sofitel where I spent 4-nights. I booked a 'luxury' room with club access so I could compare it to the Hyatt, but I was upgraded to a junior suite which makes it an unfair to compare rooms.
What I will say is that the size of the bed, its comfort and the quality of the bedding is on par with the Hyatt. The bathroom amenities are similar as is the quality and responsiveness of the cleaning services. The main difference was the rooftop bar area, lounge, gym, and overall quality of service.
Spectrum at the Hyatt is a more 'showy' place, it's got spectacular views and its where tourist like to visit for the skyline and the vibe. Belga at the Sofitel is really an outside terrace and lower key with a discreet service sort of vibe. I've taken LB guests to both and they enjoyed it and the staff treated them with respect. Also, you can get a 30% discount on food and drink at Sofitel with Accor+ which is a good benefit. I have been given a couple of free drink vouchers at the Hyatt but not always. The lounge at the Hyatt is small and can get busy, but the lounge at the Sofitel is one can get lost in and takes up an entire floor, but most people congregate near the food area. Food and drink offerings are broadly on par, maybe the wine is better at the Sofitel The gym at both hotels are good, but the Sofitel is far better for my needs. Unfortunately the pool at the Sofitel was closed for refurbishment so can't compare those. Service standards are very good at both hotels, but I would put Sofitel ahead here. Its just that bit more attentive and personalised. You can also walk direct from Nana BTS to the Hyatt under the covered skywalk, and from Asok to the Sofitel using the footbridge but the Sofitel access is covered all the way so you won't get caught out if its raining (although not sure if that access is 24/7). I will still be using Hyatt as part of my points collection strategy and to maintain my current status but the main driver when deciding between either will be the cost, including club access. Hyatt is usually cheaper but using Accor+ benefits and reward points can balance this out.  Overall, both are very good hotels that you can spend all day in especially if you have lounge access, and of course its very guest friendly! It's a case of give each one a try and see which one gives you the best value. Either way I don't think you will go to far wrong if you want a better standard of accommodation near the action.

With my frequent visits to Thailand to see the temples and eat street food (*cough*) it has made sense for me to sign up to the Accor+ program as it more than pays for itself. One of the main benefits is the free nights offer and I used this recently to stay at the Sofitel.
I usually stay in mid-level hotels like the Mercure on Soi 11 and the Holiday Inn Express in Pattaya but often like a nicer hotel to finish my trip when the rates are good in the off-season. My usual go-to is the Hyatt Regency which I very much like, and this was my first time at the Sofitel where I spent 4-nights. I booked a 'luxury' room with club access so I could compare it to the Hyatt, but I was upgraded to a junior suite which makes it an unfair to compare rooms.
What I will say is that the size of the bed, its comfort and the quality of the bedding is on par with the Hyatt. The bathroom amenities are similar as is the quality and responsiveness of the cleaning services. The main difference was the rooftop bar area, lounge, gym, and overall quality of service.
Spectrum at the Hyatt is a more 'showy' place, it's got spectacular views and its where tourist like to visit for the skyline and the vibe. Belga at the Sofitel is really an outside terrace and lower key with a discreet service sort of vibe. I've taken LB guests to both and they enjoyed it and the staff treated them with respect. Also, you can get a 30% discount on food and drink at Sofitel with Accor+ which is a good benefit. I have been given a couple of free drink vouchers at the Hyatt but not always. The lounge at the Hyatt is small and can get busy, but the lounge at the Sofitel is one can get lost in and takes up an entire floor, but most people congregate near the food area. Food and drink offerings are broadly on par, maybe the wine is better at the Sofitel The gym at both hotels are good, but the Sofitel is far better for my needs. Unfortunately the pool at the Sofitel was closed for refurbishment so can't compare those. Service standards are very good at both hotels, but I would put Sofitel ahead here. Its just that bit more attentive and personalised. You can also walk direct from Nana BTS to the Hyatt under the covered skywalk, and from Asok to the Sofitel using the footbridge but the Sofitel access is covered all the way so you won't get caught out if its raining (although not sure if that access is 24/7). I will still be using Hyatt as part of my points collection strategy and to maintain my current status but the main driver when deciding between either will be the cost, including club access. Hyatt is usually cheaper but using Accor+ benefits and reward points can balance this out.  Overall, both are very good hotels that you can spend all day in especially if you have lounge access, and of course its very guest friendly! It's a case of give each one a try and see which one gives you the best value. Either way I don't think you will go to far wrong if you want a better standard of accommodation near the action.

With my frequent visits to Thailand to see the temples and eat street food (*cough*) it has made sense for me to sign up to the Accor+ program as it more than pays for itself. One of the main benefits is the free nights offer and I used this recently to stay at the Sofitel.
I usually stay in mid-level hotels like the Mercure on Soi 11 and the Holiday Inn Express in Pattaya but often like a nicer hotel to finish my trip when the rates are good in the off-season. My usual go-to is the Hyatt Regency which I very much like, and this was my first time at the Sofitel where I spent 4-nights. I booked a 'luxury' room with club access so I could compare it to the Hyatt, but I was upgraded to a junior suite which makes it an unfair to compare rooms.
What I will say is that the size of the bed, its comfort and the quality of the bedding is on par with the Hyatt. The bathroom amenities are similar as is the quality and responsiveness of the cleaning services. The main difference was the rooftop bar area, lounge, gym, and overall quality of service.
Spectrum at the Hyatt is a more 'showy' place, it's got spectacular views and its where tourist like to visit for the skyline and the vibe. Belga at the Sofitel is really an outside terrace and lower key with a discreet service sort of vibe. I've taken LB guests to both and they enjoyed it and the staff treated them with respect. Also, you can get a 30% discount on food and drink at Sofitel with Accor+ which is a good benefit. I have been given a couple of free drink vouchers at the Hyatt but not always. The lounge at the Hyatt is small and can get busy, but the lounge at the Sofitel is one can get lost in and takes up an entire floor, but most people congregate near the food area. Food and drink offerings are broadly on par, maybe the wine is better at the Sofitel The gym at both hotels are good, but the Sofitel is far better for my needs. Unfortunately the pool at the Sofitel was closed for refurbishment so can't compare those. Service standards are very good at both hotels, but I would put Sofitel ahead here. Its just that bit more attentive and personalised. You can also walk direct from Nana BTS to the Hyatt under the covered skywalk, and from Asok to the Sofitel using the footbridge but the Sofitel access is covered all the way so you won't get caught out if its raining (although not sure if that access is 24/7). I will still be using Hyatt as part of my points collection strategy and to maintain my current status but the main driver when deciding between either will be the cost, including club access. Hyatt is usually cheaper but using Accor+ benefits and reward points can balance this out.  Overall, both are very good hotels that you can spend all day in especially if you have lounge access, and of course its very guest friendly! It's a case of give each one a try and see which one gives you the best value. Either way I don't think you will go to far wrong if you want a better standard of accommodation near the action.