Just booked my first international trip since early last year.

[Dial H For Hero]

I'd like to go to Thailand, and I was looking for award availability on ANA from JFK to Tokyo in October and November. I would love to fly ANA's new first class ('The Suite') and business class ('The Room') products, and those are only on a single route to Japan out of the USA, from JFK to Tokyo. I looked at leaving in October, and there was award space for first class on a single day. Ok, I'm retired, I can make any day work....but what about coming back?

Again, there was award space on a single day in November, roughly a month later, business class this time. Perfect. I already had plenty of ANA points, so I booked both flights on the spot. I then checked for award space from Tokyo to Bangkok. There was tons, I knew that wouldn't be an issue. At this point I didn't have quite enough ANA points to complete the itinerary, so I sent 28,000 AmEx points to my ANA account, which took a couple of days to transfer. I then booked flights from Tokyo to Bangkok and back (premium economy there, business back).

This is all predicated on actually being able to go to Thailand in October, of course. There's a plan being floated to open up Phuket Island (my favorite place to stay in Thailand) to any international traveler who's received the COVID-19 vaccine (as I plan to do in a couple of weeks). If it doesn't work out, everything is fully refundable....but I would love to spend a month in Thailand. Here's hoping.....

[HipChick]

1. Enjoy your trip!..

I miss the travel

[Dial H For Hero]

10. I certainly hope to do so!

I'm cautiously optomistic that I'll be able to go in October. If not then and on those exact flight, then surely by the end of the year.

[msongs]

2. flew ANA rountrip to singapore thru tokyo from honolulu bix class. lovely airline

flight back from singapore to tokyo was delayed but they still got us on the back to honolulu leg by waiting the flight a few minutes

[Dial H For Hero]

6. Their service is top-notch.

The drink menu for first class lists Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Whisky on the JFK route. I'm not much of a drinker, but when $1300 a bottle booze is there for the asking, I'll have a couple of glasses, thanks!

[left-of-center2012]

3. What about Thailand attracts you?

It seems to be a repressive dictatorship with a military junta.

I've read about tourists being arrested for the slightest infraction.

[Bev54]

5. I lived in Thailand for 4 years and yes there is some unrest but

it really doesn't affect the tourist areas. The new King is quite nuts but again, it does not really affect tourists. I still have many (farang) friends who live there and am in contact with them. Life has not changed and no Thailand is quite safe. Just stay out of certain areas and those areas are well known. It is a beautiful country and lovely weather, usually. Very easy to travel within the country, one of the most friendly tourist countries I travelled to.

[Dial H For Hero]

7. The people. The weather. The beaches. The food. The cost of living for what you get.

It seems to be a repressive dictatorship with a military junta.

I've read about tourists being arrested for the slightest infraction.

I've never had the slightest problem there. Any tourist who doesn't act like an idiot is safe enough, especially in the "touristy" areas, which Phuket certainly qualifies as.

Cost: I'm looking at renting a moderately fancy 1 bedroom villa with a private pool for $800 a month....and that's one of the more expensive places to rent. If I was looking to do it on the cheap, I could get a basic but clean place for $300 a month. You can have your laundry done for a dollar or so per kilo, washed, ironed, and pressed. A casual lunch is $3 or $4. A sit down dinner, $7 to $10. A 2 hour massage (legitimate!) for $20.

A month there: paradise.

[captain queeg]

4. I went there about 15 years ago and it was great

I have a friend who has been there several times since then. They treat tourists very well. If you don’t do stupid shit you won’t have any problems

[ChubbyStar]

8. This post is hilarious

Thanks for the good comedy.

[Dial H For Hero]

11. How so?

It simply describes my experience boooking some premium award flights. You can find countless examples on travel blogs. I thought it to be timely, given currrent travel restrictions.

[BannonsLiver]

19. Very on brand.

I hope you get to go.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. They have one very unofficial and distinctive tourist sector

[BannonsLiver]

24. That may be the most artfully worded post I've ever read on DU.

[Initech]

9. I was supposed to go to Vancouver last April.

That trip has since been pushed back to this October. And I found out that one of the places we were supposed to visit during that trip was closed indefinitely due to COVID.

That sucks. I hope I'll be able to visit in October, I have been really looking forward to this trip.

[Dial H For Hero]

12. That's so frustrating. I hope you get to go later this year.

What was closed indefinitely there?

[Initech]

22. It was a bar / music hall.

So I was going because these clients of my dad's who are frequent guests here have wanted us to come visit them in Vancouver. So we booked the flight and hotel only to find out our trip was canceled. I even paid extra money to have my passport expedited.

[bullwinkle428]

13. Thailand was doing GREAT re: Covid through calendar year 2020, but there's

been a spike there since the first of the new year. See this...

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/thailand/

[Dial H For Hero]

15. I saw that recently. It should be kept in mind that even since the spike, their total deaths

from Covid have risen from 60 to 83. To put that in perspective, their Covid-related per capita death rate has now risen from 0.07% of that in the U.S. to 0.1%.

Of course, they take Covid very seriously there, so this may well have an impact on the resumption of intenational tourism.

[bullwinkle428]

14. "Thailand's borders are still closed for all foreign nationals with few exceptions."

Thailand's borders are still closed for all foreign nationals with few exceptions. Thailand has resumed domestic transportation options, (including airport operations) and business operations (including day cares and schools). Visit the Embassy's COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 in Thailand.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/thailand-travel-advisory.html

[Dial H For Hero]

18. Oh, it's still possible to visit Thailand right now....with *lots* of hoops to jump through.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/thailand-travel-covid-19/index.html

In short, you have to get a certificate of entry (a lot of paperwork, but doable) and stay in a "quarantine hotel" for 14 days upon arrival. You also need proof of a negative Covid test taken right before you head to Thailand. You need to purchase Covid insurance as well (roughly $200 for a 30 day policy).

Once you've quarentined for 14 days, you're free to move about the country for 31 more days. That being said:

(from the article)

Bars in Bangkok remain closed, while restaurants have had their operating hours shortened and are forbidden from serving alcohol. Theme parks, museums and fitness centers are permitted to open.

Unlike Bangkok, bars and entertainment venues in Chiang Mai are open.

Most beaches and national parks remain open, though some have imposed restrictions.

Areas within driving distance of Bangkok have been able to benefit from domestic tourists, but other normally popular destinations such as Phuket and Koh Samui haven't been as fortunate. Visitors to these destinations will find empty beaches and heavily discounted accommodation options.

I could live with most of the restrictions (I'm not much of a drinker). I would actually benefit from the lower prices in Phuket (and likely still will in October, if I go then). But staying in a quarantine hotel for two weeks at a cost of $1500(ish)? No thanks. If these sorts of restrictions still look to be in effect in October, I'll have to cancel my flights and get my points refunded.

[Ponietz]

16. Whatever

Will leisure travel become immoral? When?

Link to tweet

?s=21|

[Dial H For Hero]

20. You think it may be someday be considered "immoral" to take a vacation which involves travel of a

significant distance?

Really?

If so, I can live with the shame. I'll keep traveling around the world on a regular basis, just for the fun of it.

[brooklynite]

17. I've been asked which week in Oct is best for a School Board meeting in Rome.

[Dial H For Hero]

21. That's a very specific question. You may have to contact some of the locals for that level of

detail.

[lucca18]

25. A friend just flew to Bangkok Thailand.

He had a mandatory two week quarantine at a designated hotel, where all meals were included.
Before he flew to Bangkok, he had some problems since he needed a certain Visa, and also proof of being vaccinated.
He will then go to “Pattaya” for a few months.

My brother lives in Bangkok, and said they are starting to slowly let tourists back in.
He said some hotels have closed since Thailand relies heavily on tourism.

Good luck with your trip!