Mark22

Thanks for the recommendation and sounds great so I'll definitely give it a whirl. However has No Idea now rebranded as Pasha Wine Bar & Restaurant or is that a different venue altogether ?

Good news for us in the North of England as Norse Atlantic have announced the return of the direct Manchester to BKK route for Dec 2026 to April 2027. Not only that but they will increase the service to 4 times a week. In addition to that they are also launching a new Gatwick to Phuket direct service as well.

Mainly because some of us have a long drive to and from the airports where direct flights depart. Norse Atlantic ran a direct service from Manchester last winter which was brilliant. Unfortunately they have now knocked that on he head which leaves Heathrow and Gatwick as the only UK airports offering direct flights to BKK.

That said it might make me get my ducks in a row and apply for the DTV which is multiple entry for 5 years and is 180 days at a time. Technically I do need it anyway as I'm working remotely whenever I'm in Bangkok.

Going to be a pain in the arse this one as usually I stay between 30 and 40 days at time and was also planning a slightly longer trip for later this year. Loads of options available but all will cost a fee and require paperwork etc. Simple answer is to stick to 30 days but there aren't any winners doing that.

Having avoided the middle east now for at least the last decade there's no way I'm going to be tempted by saving a few hundred quid. Strange really as I used to have a gold card with Qatar Airways but after the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud incident left many stranded the decision was taken to fly direct to BKK whenever possible. That subsequently proved to be a very good decision during March this year when all flights through the middle east were grounded and our direct flight was unaffected. That said I have occasionally flown via Paris & Amsterdam but getting stuck there shouldn't be anywhere near as much of an issue.

Honestly I've never heard of them but if as you say they're offering competitively prices seats from the UK via Frankfurt then they'd definitely come into my thinking. Especially as at the moment transiting through the Middle East is best avoided in my opinion. Please let us all know how you get on.

Seriously thinking of stealing the idea, along with the name and then opening a chain of coffee shops throughout all the main tourist areas of Thailand. Now how do I get Fiat to come in 50/50 with me ?

Worth keeping an eye out with this airline as there is a possibility they may decide to do a year round schedule in the future from Gatwick. Currently it's Oct - April but their load capacities have been very impressive since launching the route and revenues are up overall. However it's a complicated situation as Norse currently lease six of their 787 Dreamliners to Indigo Airlines which were grounded due to the Iran conflict but are apparently now being introduced back into service. Bottom line is any of these budget airlines could go out of business at any moment so be aware when booking tickets well in advance.

Have visited this bar 3 times now and it's been busy each and every time although it was to watch the football so probably to be expected. It's located on the 4th floor (accessed by a lift) and there's also a large outside terrace for those that like to feel the Bangkok heat whilst having a pint.

Used this service in premium economy recently and it was excellent as well as being decent VFM Hopefully they decide to continue it later this year and then in future years as well.

Thanks to everyone who's responded and the good advice. On this occasion I've decided that what will make me feel most comfortable is to book the refundable fully flexible Emirates ticket. I'll choose a date somewhere near the end of the 60 days tourist visa which will mean I've actually got a ticket out of dodge should I need it at short notice, although the plan is still to refund it and purchase a cheaper one at some point.

Thanks for that, have had a look and it does seems a straightforward inexpensive option. My concern would be getting rumbled at Thai Immigration and then as you've basically cheated the system getting refused entry. Has anyone heard of that ever happening ? Just checked my last Digital Arrival card and onward travel is definitely required on the form.

I've travelled before to BKK on a one way ticket, but also had a ticket out booked as well. However no one asked about the return ticket, so how did they know it existed or would it somehow appear on the airlines systems even though I was using different airlines ? Reason for asking is I want to book another one way but as I'm not sure how long I'm staying and so would prefer not to book a return until I'm ready. I'm guessing booking the fully refundable return ticket is probably still the best option. Just checked with Emirates and a Flex Plus ticket states Complimentary Cancellation/ or 300US Cancellation charge if you're a no show. Seems you have to go to Modify My Booking to request the cancellation and then complete an online refund form as well. All this seems a pain and of course have to shell out the 37,565 Baht for the ticket as well.

Many thanks @SAGuy A very welcome addition to the BKK direct routes from the UK.

There looks to be plenty of options around there so many thanks and your help is much appreciated.

Many thanks for the great advice.

Many thanks @Denbosch1971 Unfortunately when I've looked at the monthly prices for later this year it's 69000 a month for the cheapest 2 bed and not the 46,800 quoted as general guide price.

Great stuff and many thanks for that. My situation would be slightly different as I'm technically self- employed, although in a partnership. So my thinking was maybe a covering letter from myself and then another letter from accountants/solicitors to verify my status. Another option would be retirement visa, however the DTV visa would be more accurate as I'd still be still working whilst in Thailand and then travelling back to the UK roughly every 60 to 90 days for a few weeks before returning to Thailand. I'd probably try and avoid spending the 183 days per year in Thailand that means you need to do a tax return.

Has anyone successfully applied for the DTV yet ? I'm thinking of applying and just wondering what evidence is required to prove you're working remotely.

So I'm looking for a 2 bedroom condo/apartment to rent for roughly 12 months but would prefer to have a monthly contract in case plans change. If anyone has any recommendations/advice other than look at the usual websites that would be greatly appreciated. Location wise is fairly flexible and I'm thinking mid/upper Sukhumvit. Budget is roughly up to 50k a month but nothing wrong with cheap and cheerful either and would sign a years lease for the right place.

Thanks for that @SAGuy Just priced a trip up using the lowest fares quoted and came to £618 rtn with one piece of checked luggage. Not enough of a saving to persuade to change from LHR but will keep an eye on them.

Anyone know of a good dental practice in Bangkok and maybe the actual dentist's name as well ? Just for regular stuff like fillings, crown etc. Thanks in advance.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Bangkok Smile (not sure which branch) is probably one that I'm going to explore further due to the locations and overall reputation. If anyone has any experience there (thanks KIWI66) then that would be greatly appreciated.