A close look at Agoda’s cancellation policy is a post from: Thai Vacation News

As Agoda increases in popularity with people traveling around Asia and particularly in Thailand, it has come under closer scrutiny from travelers. After writing about the review of Agoda done recently over at ReserveThaiHotels.net, I have been looking into their cancellation policy and have come across a lot of posts in forums and such, on the subject.

I also became interested in this topic just this week as I was planning my year-end vacation. I have Royal Orchid Plus miles in my Thai Air frequent flyer account that are expiring at the end of the year (why do they do that? so annoying).

We decided to go to Ko Samui and started looking at hotels on Agoda. I was just about to book our first night of accommodation when I checked the cancellation policy of the hotel. It stated that the reservation was non-refundable and could not be canceled. Since we hadn’t secured the flights yet I decided to do that first, and I’m glad that we did.

Thai Air only has two flights a day to Samui and there were no award seats available to Samui for a week either side of the dates we wanted to travel. If I had booked the hotel first I would have had to either pony up 300 dollars for the flight to Samui and let 17000 miles expire on December 31st, or cancel the hotel reservation on forfeit the money I paid for the reservation.

We ended up choosing to go to Phuket, which had plenty of award seats since they have numerous flights a day to Phuket.

The point of this little story is, that most of the people that you find complaining online that “agoda is a scam”, “Agoda’s cancellation policy sucks” and “I got burned by Agoda, will never use again”, could have easily saved themselves the stress and trouble, not to mention the money if they had just taken the time to read the cancellation policy of the hotel at the time of booking.

The cancellation policy is examined closely at Agoda’s cancellation policy examined over at the Thai Hotels Blog, ReserveThaiHotels.Net

If you are going to book through a discount reservation site at the lowest rate possible, you should expect a little inflexibility. So much aggravation can be avoided if you just follow what seems like common sense:

• Read the cancellation policy of each hotel before you book it.
• If the hotel cancellation policy is restrictive and doesn’t allow for changes or refunds, DON’T book until your travel plans are final.
• If you think that you may need to change your plans but really need or want to book anyway (perhaps to secure a room in peak season) choose a hotel whose cancellation policy will accommodate changes and not be so restrictive.

There is no point complaining about a policy that is clearly stated and which you agreed to (whether or not you took the time to read it) when you made the booking.

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Hua Hin vs Cha Am is a post from: Thai Vacation News

Just a couple of hours south of Bangkok are two smallish beachside towns well known to Thais but not so much so among tourists.

Situated on the Gulf of Thailand, the once-sleepy fishing villages of Cha-Am and Hua Hin are well-known beach resorts within easy reach of Bangkok. The resorts are around 190km (120 miles) south of the city which makes them popular destinations with locals as well as tourists, particularly at the weekends. Their reputation as a tropical beach destination began in the 1920s when a railway was built connecting Hua Hin to Bangkok, and it soon became a weekend retreat favored by the Thai royal family.

While they may seem similar, there is quite a difference. One is very quiet, especially on weekdays, and the other  is a little more developed and has a fledgling  nightlife, something the other definitely does not have.

Find out the differences at this article posted at Gather.com – Cha Am or Hua Hin?

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Visa overstay crackdown- jailtime possible is a post from: Thai Vacation News

“Allegedly tired of foreigners overstaying their visa and then arriving at Suvarnabhumi airport with a valid air ticket and the maximum fine of 20,000 baht in their hands, the Immigration Department is now arresting and jailing people before permitting them to leave Thailand.

Anybody who has overstayed a valid visa in Thailand beyond a period of six weeks (42 days) is no longer permitted to simply turn up with the cash and an air ticket and leave the country after filling in a few forms and handing over the wedge.

For many years now it has been possible for people on long overstay to simply gather together the maximum fine under law of 20,000 baht, purchase an air ticket, travel to Suvarnabhumi and leave Thailand after completing a few formalities. With a change in the command at the top of the Immigration Department ladder this has now altered and anyone whose overstay is 42 days or longer is likely to be arrested.

People on overstay of less than three weeks (21 days) are still able to arrive at the airport with the correct amount of folding stuff, pay the fine due and leave Thailand.”

Source and full story- ThaiVisa.com

As with any new “crackdown” regarding enforcement of laws and/or foreigners in Thailand, it will be interesting to see how long this practice will continue.  As stated in the original article quotes above-

As with many legal situations in Thailand involving foreigners and money, the rules tend to bend with the circumstances, and the mood of the relevant official or officials.

So what, if any jail time visa overstayers will face remains to be seen, and watched closely over the next few months. Various Thai forums are rife with calls for a one month amnesty period which is highly unlikely.

Blacklisting is also in the cards, which in my opinion in a good thing. The easiest solution of course would be simply to not overstay your visa. Such cavalier visa overstayers obviously don’t take Thailand or the Thai government seriously and are rightly not welcome in the kingdom. I mean, how hard is it to look in your passport and get to the airport before the expiry of your visa?

Below is a summary of the current penalties for overstaying a visa in Thailand.

• Overstay 1 – 21 days: Pay a fine 500 Baht/day at Airport/land border
• Overstay 22 – 41 days: Pay a fine 500 Baht/day, possible arrest/detention, deportation, possible blacklisting
• Overstay 42 days or more: Pay a fine up to 20,000 Baht, arrest/detention, deportation, possible blacklisting

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Samui Jazz Festival- Sept 24-30 2010 is a post from: Thai Vacation News

The 2010 Samui Jazz Festival kicks off in one week from now and the air of Koh Samui will be filled with Jazz music as Thai and international artists gather at this beautiful, tropical island to perform at various locations.

A large range of international and local Thai artists will be performing at several locations spread over the island including Bo Phut, Lamai, Chaweng, Krua Bophut over the seven day event.

The international guest lineup includes jazz-saxophonist Alexander Beets, Eddie C, Eline Gemerts, Gijs Dijkhuizen, Jeroen van Vliet, Marius Beets, Mete Erker, Peter Beets, Phaedra Kwant, Renske Taminiau, Rolf Delfos, Roos Jonker, Saskia Laroo, Susanne Alt, Warren Byrd and Cyril Directie.

Thai artists include 8 Maithao, House Party, Nontri Orchestra Winds, Insomnia, Sixty-nine, jazzyfrank, Dorothy Band, Piggy Gang, Six nature, Bun Suwannochin, Funny Refill, Roberto, Tong Lhor, วงลำดวน ละติโก้, Samui Social Band and Jazz Kid.

There will be 11 stages and 42 shows starting on September 24 until September 30. All concerts will be free to the public.

This annual festival event takes place once per year and has its origin in the successful Samui Jazz Series, which in the previous years took place once per month. The objectives of the Samui International Jazz Festival are to bring the joy of Jazz music to this fabulous location and inspire young Thai Jazz musicians by granting them the chance to perform with international artists. The event also promotes Koh Samui as a tourist destination during the rainy season.

The full festival schedule can be viewed at the official website of the Samui Jazz Festival 2010.

Check out some of the stunning Ko Samui hotels and resorts for the duration of the festival, and you also might like to try a detox or green smoothie class on Ko Samui while you are there.

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Agoda reservation site reviewed is a post from: Thai Vacation News

Thailand has a reputation for being an inexpensive vacation destination, which is well deserved. Tales of people chilling on the southern islands of Thailand in beachfront bungalows for 15 US dollars a night or less are not uncommon.

Of course everybody also knows that great deals can be had at the many markets throughout the country, provided you aren’t adverse to a little haggling. The malls also have great deals on clothing and other consumer goods. It is also known in some circles that if you are in the market for a round the world air ticket, that starting in Bangkok will get you one of the lowest fares available.

One of my favorite things about Thailand when it comes to prices though is the hotels. Many people (my mother included) will say something like, “Oh it’s just a place to rest your head overnight”, but I am a bit of a freak when it comes to hotels- I love them.

Hotels are very cheap in Thailand, which is great if you want to experience a wide range, or perhaps a higher grade of hotel that you normally stay at. The current global economic woes combined with the political unrest in the first half of this year have combined to bring prices down even lower.

One of the major players in the hotel booking market in Thailand is Agoda, based in Thailand and recently purchased by Priceline. Although they are now a part of Priceline, people that don’t travel to Asia frequently might not be familiar with Agoda and have questions before they book. Questions like “Is Agoda reliable?” or “Is Agoda legitimate?” I think now that they are backed by such a large company, people can feel a little safer booking their hotels through Agoda and not have to worry about a scam or anything like that.

There is a video review of Agoda over at ReserveThaiHotel.net, which looks into price comparisons with other hotel booking sites, their “Agoda Rewards”program, their cancellation policy and their customer service.

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14th Thai Short Films & Video Festival Screening Schedule is a post from: Thai Vacation News

The screening schedule for the 14th Thai Short Film and Video Festival 2010, held from August 14th to September 5th has been released, and as promised, I am making it available for download here.
Download the 2010 Thai short film festival screening schedule.

Held from 26^th August – 5^th September (except Monday) at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Pathumwan junction, the opposite of MBK, admission is free of charge.

It should be noted that some Thai films will not carry subtitles in English, though all foreign films not in English will.

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Bangkok Airport Rail Link to start commercial operation Aug 23 is a post from: Thai Vacation News

The long awaited Bangkok Airport Train rail link between Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and downtown Bangkok opens on August 23, with promotional fares of 100 Baht through the end of the year.

The 28km rail link connects Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province east of Bangkok and the City Air Terminal (CAT) in Bangkok’s Makkasan area, where passengers will be able to check in their baggage. The baggage check-in system however is not yet completed and is expected to be ready by the end of the year.

Services of both the Express Service and the City Line will be operational on the same tracks at speeds of up to 160km per hour.

The Express Service is a 15-minute non-stop journey between the City Terminal and the airport with a fare at Bt150 per trip. During the opening period, the fare charged will be Bt100.
City Line commuter trips, with set fares at Bt15-Bt45, take 30 minutes to reach the airport, departing from Phaya Thai, Ratchaprarop, Makkasan, Asoke, Ramkhamhaeng, Hua Mak, Ban Thap Chang, and Lat Krabang stations, and will end at the last stop of Suvarnabhumi. The promotional fare will be Bt15 for all journeys during this period.

The City Line commuter train connects with the Bangkok public transportation network at Phetchaburi station for MRT (subway) Blue line and Phayathai Station for BTS Sukhumvit line (Skytrain).

While the speed of the express service of the new Bangkok airport rail link – at 15 minutes-  can’t be beaten, if you are traveling in a group of 3 or more people and time isn’t such a big concern, I would suggest that a taxi makes more sense, considering that you can get dropped off at the door of your hotel for the same or cheaper price per person. A taxi ride into the city takes more or less 30 minutes depending on the time of day and can cost around 500 Baht.

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Thai Short Film & Video Festival is a post from: Thai Vacation News

14th Thai Short Film & Video Festival kicks off August 26th.

Organized by the Thai Film Foundation, with support from Office of Contemporary Art and Culture and Ministry of Culture, serve the best Thai and foreign short films to audiences who want to explore the non-mainstream film in the 14^th Thai Short Film and Video Festival throughout 10 days.

Apart from the local and international competition section (selected from more than 700 shorts), the festival is full of the special programs. As good response from audiences, some special programs recently become regular. For example, best selection from Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival, the biggest short film festival in this world, the very successful Queer Program and the S-Express programs, the collection of shorts from Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan.


As for the other special programs exclusively for this year, the festival will present the short documentaries program to commemorate 110^th birthday anniversary of Pridi Banomyong, and the best animation showcase program to late Payut Ngoakrachan, aka Thai Walt Disney. To dedicate to the recent political turmoil, the festival will exhibit shorts from around the world focusing on the life and relationship after conflict The most specially, the festival will premier Baby Arabia, the new documentary from the makers of The Convert.


The festival will be held from 26^th August – 5^th September (except Monday) at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Pathumwan junction, the opposite of MBK.

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Thailand Links roundup 1 is a post from: Thai Vacation News

Here is a list of links to  interesting posts I found around the blogosphere this week about Thailand

• Katherine Wentworth over at WomenLearnThai.com has an interesting post on learning Thai for the shy.

  Here’s a suggestion: Walk around your world for a week, jotting down notes of your experiences. When the week is over, pare down the results to the phrases used most often. If you are a basic beginner at Thai, simplify the phrases to suit what you can handle.

  They also have a Facebook page.

• Paul Garrigan is a recovering alcoholic and chronicles his sober adventures after years of  living in Thailand in a daze. He has discovered that there are many sober things to do in Thailand.

  One of the things to shock me when I became sober was that my Thai was nowhere near as good as I thought. It seems that I was in denial about more than just alcohol.

• Now this is a great one. Archive.org has a digitalized version of a book published in 1908 called Twentieth Century Impressions of Siam. It is a fascinating look at turn of the century thought and has some fascinating pictures and interesting turns of phrase, to say the least. You can read it right there in your browser or you can also download a PDF version for free.
• Richard Barrow introduces an iPhone app that let’s you quickly compare prices on Thailand domestic flights. He has a couple of promotional codes to give the app away, and all you have to do is leave a comment by Sunday. Thai flight search engine iPhone app.
• I found this one on Newley.com, the blog of Bangkok based journalist Newley Purnell. An interview with Claudio Sopranzetti: The Politics of Motorcycle taxis.

  Before 2005, every win, i.e. every group of motorcycle taxis, was organized independently, by a local mafia — what they call pu mi ithipol, local influential people. They tend to be very often policemen or army or thesakhet. These influential people would say: in this area that I control, we will have a group here, a group here, a group here and here… And everybody in the motorcycle taxis group had to pay a daily fee for the vest which produced and distributed by these influential people as well as for being on the “territory”. It was the cost of the vest or the cost of queuing. The big problem was that these fees were collected regardless if the driver was working or not.

• Another post by Richard Barrow, this time from his blog on Thai-blogs.com, on The Candle Festival in Thailand , which was last week.

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Bangkok’s Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) Opens is a post from: Thai Vacation News

Bangkok’s new Rapid Transport Bus System debuts.

Saturday May 29th saw the opening of the first BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) route in Bangkok, running from Sathorn Station (BTS Chong Nonsri) to Rajapruek Station.

The 15.9 km route has 12 stops and the estimated time from one end of the line to the other is 30 minutes. The air-conditioned buses are 15 meters long and can carry up to 80 passengers with seats for 20 people. The buses run from 6 am to midnight every day with a bus running every 5 minutes during rush hour and every 10 minutes at non peak times.

Ticketing will function like the BTS Skytrain and the MRT subway, where tickets are purchased at a machine in the station, and you proceed to the platform after passing through turnstiles. As the ticketing system is not complete yet, riding the BRT will be free from now until August 31 2010, after which it will be 10 baht through December 2010, then between 12 and 20 baht from 2011.

Below is a Google Map of the route created by @RichardBarrow, who made also made the immensely popular map of trouble spots during the Bangkok protests in May 2010.

View Bangkok’s Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) in a larger map

A summary of features

• Dedicated lanes separated by concrete dividers are meant to guarantee fluid traffic.
• Comfortable skytrain-like transportation at a fraction of the cost.
• Weather-proof stations
• At-level boarding: you get onto the bus as you would onto a BTS car, no climbing up steep steps.
• You pay at the station, which is much more convenient than on-board fare collection.
• Park and ride facilities, one at intersection of Ratchaphruek and Ratchadapisek (80 cars) and one at BTS Wong Wian Yai (120 cars).

You can also download a PDF map of the BRT route, showing it’s course along Rama 3 Road, as it runs along the Chao Phraya River, then up past Thanon Chan, Yen Akart, and on to Sathorn.

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