christianpfc
December 12th, 2021, 14:30
Phnom Penh to Bangkok 10dec2021
I have settled in Cambodia (found new foreign friends and new Khmer friends and many more places to go), but I have been paying rent for my room in Bangkok for all the time, and life in Thailand is a bit more comfortable and a bit cheaper for me, and I have foreign and Thai friends who I want to meet again after over 20 months out of the country.
If it hadn’t been for these social ties and for my rented room and for the fact that I speak Thai (but have to rely on locals speaking English in Cambodia), it would not have been worth the trouble and expense to go to Thailand. And I will spend 90 days or longer if possible in Thailand, I wouldn’t have done it for anything shorter than 60 days.
The issue is not so much that you now need insurance and one night in quarantine hotel, but rather the uncertainty of the outcome of Covid-test, and the time sensitivity (72 hours before departure to Thailand, but Singapore only 48 hours or USA 24 hours), and the uncertainty when Thailand Pass will be approved, or your flight be cancelled. There are reports about people having their flight cancelled or missing their flights because they didn’t get Thailand Pass in time or testing positive asymptomatic.
For me, it (staying in Cambodia or going to Thailand) was a decision on knife’s edge. In December, a unique window of opportunity opened: direct flight from Phnom Penh to Bangkok resumed (by Bangkok Airways, Cambodia Airways, Lanmei Airways), Thai embassy in Berlin starts online visa service from 22nov, my permission to stay in Cambodia expires on 18dec (extension for one year would cost about 350 USD, which is good value for money if you stay in Cambodia for a year as I did this year, but not for a few month as I would in 2022), and Thai immigration would ease entry requirements from 16dec (later rescinded due to Omikron).
Mon22-Sun28nov2021 Phnom Penh
A friend has a medical emergency so I’m busy helping him every day, no time for trip to Siem Reap or to prepare trip to Bangkok, anyway for planned departure on 17dec there is enough time.
Sat27nov2021 Phnom Penh
Read about flights to Bangkok, Test & Go hotels, Thailand Pass.
11969
27-29nov2021 Phnom Penh
Until now entry conditions to Thailand got better with time, but now the trend reverses:
Thailand bans arrivals from 8 African countries as a precaution against new COVID-19 variant Omicron November 27, 2021
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-bans-arrivals-from-8-african-countries-as-a-precaution-against-new-covid-19-variant-omicron/
Antigen testing for visitors in doubt as Omicron variant spreads, 29 Nov 2021
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2223539/antigen-testing-for-visitors-in-doubt-as-omicron-variant-spreads
Tue30nov2021 Phnom Penh
Due to Omikron variant worsening of travel restrictions expected, advance my to 10 instead of 17dec. Friends recommend I advance my trip to Thailand, for fear of Thai government introducing restrictions for Omikron. And with the easing of entry requirements from 16dec scrapped, there is no point waiting until the last day, rather leave a week before my permission to stay in Cambodia expires; if I can’t make it to Thailand, still enough time to extend without getting into overstay.
Bangkok Airways has flights on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun. But when I check for Mon29nov on https://www.flightradar24.com/airport/pnh/departures, the flight did not take place. Whereas Lanmei took place. There is little use of getting everything in order, just to have the flight canceled at short notice. Wait and check on flightradar which flights actually take place.
The mystery is solved here (flights resume from 1dec, the flight on 29nov was in Bangkok Airways and flightradar’s systems, but didn’t take place):
Bangkok Airways resumes flights to Phnom Penh, December 2, 2021
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50980851/bangkok-airways-resumes-flights-to-phnom-penh/
But it cost me a day that my preparations are delayed.
Wed1dec2021 Phnom Penh
Check on flightradar: today’s Bangkok Airways flight took place.
Now it’s fine for me to Bangkok Airways flight for 10dec. Cost 98.99 EUR when booked on mytrip (would be 160 USD on Bangkok Airways). No refund, no change. I have resigned to losing all money in case I can’t take the flight. Elsewhere you get indecent offers (pay 15 EUR more and cancel without reason up to 4 hours before flight, and get a voucher for 90% of your flight price; or pay 200 EUR for a flexible ticket with a fee of 50 EUR to change flight date – It’s cheaper to buy a new ticket for 100 EUR).
Quarantine Hotel (or rather SHA+ Hotel to avoid using “quarantine”) booking was not straightforward. https://thaiest.com/blog/bangkok-sha-plus-hotels or selecting “SHA+” on agoda gives prices for all available hotel room (regular rooms as well). But I walked past Prince Palace Hotel (missing on thaiest!) many times and like the building and the location (good views of old town), and they have an SHA+ package for 3900 THB advertised on their homepage
https://www.princepalace.co.th/
https://www.princepalace.co.th/special-offers.php
https://www.princepalace.co.th/images/Prince_Palace_Hotel___FlyerTest&Go3.jpg
You can stay for 24h (interesting for people who arrive at night), non refundable. Here again I have resigned to losing all my money. Better than spending hours on the internet reading cancellation and refunding details.
And anyway, if I can’t make it, I rather have a fresh start next time than vouchers for flight or hotel.
I get a general booking confirmation immediately and they ask for my passport and flight details to send me a SHA+ booking confirmation within hours.
Apply for tourist visa online at Thai embassy Berlin. Only later did it occur to me that Thai embassy Berlin is for people currently residing in Germany. My place to go would be Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.
3700 THB Axa insurance for 59 days
https://direct.axa.co.th/TA-Inbound/CoverageOptionPlan
Finally after 5 hours on the internet everything booked/submitted, in this order: flight, hotel, visa, insurance, Thailand Pass.
Thu2dec2021 Phnom Penh
Check Thailand Pass: my registration from yesterday not found! Register again, with SHA+ reservation, takes 11:35-47. Check my registration: in progress. Can’t copy paste in fields for SHA+ registration number, insurance contract number, have to type it.
Check my evisa applicaton: pending payment. Did I not complete payment yesterday? Process payment again and check: “payment” button is inactive, but “payment received” can download receipt. 35 EUR for visa.
Fri3dec2021 Phnom Penh
When I got vaccinated in Cambodia, I only got a vaccination card but no vaccination certificate. Go to Olympia Mecial Hub to get a vaccination certificate for 25 USD. That might be helpful to take my vaccination date into Thai and German systems to issue vaccination cards there. Unfortunately, vaccination certificate has no QR code and no batch number of vaccine.
Check Thailand Pass: in progress. Register again 14:27-35 with Vaccination Certificate.
Mon6dec2021 Phnom Penh
Check Thailand Pass status: both registrations reviewing.
Tue7dec2021 Phnom Penh
Can’t find my flight details via amadeus or checkmytrip, neither on Bangkok Airways (flight details only available when booked directly). Follow link in email to mytrip, finaly the mystery of two flight numbers (6 digits, letters and numbers) is solved: one is only for mytrip, other for airline.
I’m not sure which is the SHA+ booking number at Prince Palace (there are two booking numbers) and I notice they put my nationality instead of my family name: Christian Deutsch (Christian German). Email them and get a new SHA+ booking with correct name within minutes.
Spend 16:48-54 for new (fourth) registration for Thailand Pass, with correct flight and booking numbers, but: api server error.
There are still 3 days left until my flight, and it could be that my Thailand Pass is approved in natural course in these days, but I rather write an email with my details and documents in attachment. If that is fruitless, I will call tomorrow and still have one day left before departure.
No reply on email, but I get two Thailand Passes approved within hours.
There are three places that do RT-PCR testing in Phnom Penh:
Cambodia Visa and Work Permit Group, Brendan Mark > Departure from Cambodia Pre-flight PCR Testing Thread (created 12jun2020)
https://mobile.facebook.com/groups/333901840112789/permalink/1597672033735757/
Pasteur Institute is the cheapest at 80 USD, I register but get reply that they are booked out tomorrow. The other two not much difference 125 and 130, but National Institute of Public Health NIPH 130 USD is in an area I have not been before, so I can spend time there for walking around.
Wed8dec2021 Phnom Penh
Spend one hour waiting and processing time and 130 USD for Covid test at NIPH in the morning.
Thu9dec2021 Phnom Penh
Pick up Covid test result at NIPH. I’m the only one, in and out fast.
And I get another two Thailand Passes, now I have four Thailand Passes with slightly different QR codes and IDs.
I had all my documents printed at reception of my hotel, now ask them to make copies so I have everything in duplicate. While the printouts were okay for general purposes (but not what I call “job-application-grade printout”), the copies of Thailand Pass are poor (QR code not enough contrast) and I ask for my Thailand Passes to be printed again.
Fri10dec2021 Phnom Penh to Bangkok
Tuktuk to airport.
Queue for check-in. Wants to see Thai Pass, hotel booking, insurance, visa. Ask when I will leave Thailand. I have no flight out of Thailand, no problem at check-in, but says immigration might ask for it. Technically, visa holders are not required to provide proof of leaving Thailand, and I want to extend my stay as long as possible and depending on various circumstances I might go to Cambodia, Germany or Myanmar.
11970
My suitcase shows 21 kg on their balance, my allowance is 20 kg, but no problem. Having a backpack and a laptop bag no problem either (handluggage allowances vary).
Few people around, immigration and security fast. Airplane about 90% occupancy. Snack and drink served.
At Suvarnabhumi Airport an hour from touching ground, passing all checkpoints, luggage reclaim, to hotel counter.
11971
11972
Hotel limousine to Prince Palace.
11973
At reception I have to download Mor Chana app. In room 14:37. I missed lunch today, but have food leftovers from Phnom Penh that get me through to dinner. Room and meals all fine, nice views (even though there are rooms with better views).
11976
View from window at elevator:
11975
I can recommend Prince Palace Hotel and will be back to their rooftop bars/restaurants for views.
Large choice (Thai, Western, Chinese, Japanese), good meals of ample size, served warm at the requested time:
11974
I wonder when Covid tests will take place, ask at reception: doctor comes tonight.
Sat11dec2021 Bangkok
Midday call reception to ask for test results: negative, I can leave. Check out and taxi to my room.
Summary:
100 EUR flight on Bangkok Airways PNH to BKK, 35 EUR Tourist Visa, 3700 THB AXA Insurance, 3900 THB one night quarantine + Covid PCR test +individual transport from airport at Prince Palace Hotel, 130 USD Covid RT-PCR test at National Institute of Public Health in Phnom Penh, at current exchange rates (1 EUR = 38 THB, 1 USD = 34 THB) total 17 kTHB = 450 EUR = 500 USD.
Booking and submitting all documents for e-visa and Thailand Pass took 5 hours, and I spent many more hours reading and testing, let’s estimate total 24 hours.
11977
Copyright 2021 ChristianPFC
I have settled in Cambodia (found new foreign friends and new Khmer friends and many more places to go), but I have been paying rent for my room in Bangkok for all the time, and life in Thailand is a bit more comfortable and a bit cheaper for me, and I have foreign and Thai friends who I want to meet again after over 20 months out of the country.
If it hadn’t been for these social ties and for my rented room and for the fact that I speak Thai (but have to rely on locals speaking English in Cambodia), it would not have been worth the trouble and expense to go to Thailand. And I will spend 90 days or longer if possible in Thailand, I wouldn’t have done it for anything shorter than 60 days.
The issue is not so much that you now need insurance and one night in quarantine hotel, but rather the uncertainty of the outcome of Covid-test, and the time sensitivity (72 hours before departure to Thailand, but Singapore only 48 hours or USA 24 hours), and the uncertainty when Thailand Pass will be approved, or your flight be cancelled. There are reports about people having their flight cancelled or missing their flights because they didn’t get Thailand Pass in time or testing positive asymptomatic.
For me, it (staying in Cambodia or going to Thailand) was a decision on knife’s edge. In December, a unique window of opportunity opened: direct flight from Phnom Penh to Bangkok resumed (by Bangkok Airways, Cambodia Airways, Lanmei Airways), Thai embassy in Berlin starts online visa service from 22nov, my permission to stay in Cambodia expires on 18dec (extension for one year would cost about 350 USD, which is good value for money if you stay in Cambodia for a year as I did this year, but not for a few month as I would in 2022), and Thai immigration would ease entry requirements from 16dec (later rescinded due to Omikron).
Mon22-Sun28nov2021 Phnom Penh
A friend has a medical emergency so I’m busy helping him every day, no time for trip to Siem Reap or to prepare trip to Bangkok, anyway for planned departure on 17dec there is enough time.
Sat27nov2021 Phnom Penh
Read about flights to Bangkok, Test & Go hotels, Thailand Pass.
11969
27-29nov2021 Phnom Penh
Until now entry conditions to Thailand got better with time, but now the trend reverses:
Thailand bans arrivals from 8 African countries as a precaution against new COVID-19 variant Omicron November 27, 2021
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-bans-arrivals-from-8-african-countries-as-a-precaution-against-new-covid-19-variant-omicron/
Antigen testing for visitors in doubt as Omicron variant spreads, 29 Nov 2021
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2223539/antigen-testing-for-visitors-in-doubt-as-omicron-variant-spreads
Tue30nov2021 Phnom Penh
Due to Omikron variant worsening of travel restrictions expected, advance my to 10 instead of 17dec. Friends recommend I advance my trip to Thailand, for fear of Thai government introducing restrictions for Omikron. And with the easing of entry requirements from 16dec scrapped, there is no point waiting until the last day, rather leave a week before my permission to stay in Cambodia expires; if I can’t make it to Thailand, still enough time to extend without getting into overstay.
Bangkok Airways has flights on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun. But when I check for Mon29nov on https://www.flightradar24.com/airport/pnh/departures, the flight did not take place. Whereas Lanmei took place. There is little use of getting everything in order, just to have the flight canceled at short notice. Wait and check on flightradar which flights actually take place.
The mystery is solved here (flights resume from 1dec, the flight on 29nov was in Bangkok Airways and flightradar’s systems, but didn’t take place):
Bangkok Airways resumes flights to Phnom Penh, December 2, 2021
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50980851/bangkok-airways-resumes-flights-to-phnom-penh/
But it cost me a day that my preparations are delayed.
Wed1dec2021 Phnom Penh
Check on flightradar: today’s Bangkok Airways flight took place.
Now it’s fine for me to Bangkok Airways flight for 10dec. Cost 98.99 EUR when booked on mytrip (would be 160 USD on Bangkok Airways). No refund, no change. I have resigned to losing all money in case I can’t take the flight. Elsewhere you get indecent offers (pay 15 EUR more and cancel without reason up to 4 hours before flight, and get a voucher for 90% of your flight price; or pay 200 EUR for a flexible ticket with a fee of 50 EUR to change flight date – It’s cheaper to buy a new ticket for 100 EUR).
Quarantine Hotel (or rather SHA+ Hotel to avoid using “quarantine”) booking was not straightforward. https://thaiest.com/blog/bangkok-sha-plus-hotels or selecting “SHA+” on agoda gives prices for all available hotel room (regular rooms as well). But I walked past Prince Palace Hotel (missing on thaiest!) many times and like the building and the location (good views of old town), and they have an SHA+ package for 3900 THB advertised on their homepage
https://www.princepalace.co.th/
https://www.princepalace.co.th/special-offers.php
https://www.princepalace.co.th/images/Prince_Palace_Hotel___FlyerTest&Go3.jpg
You can stay for 24h (interesting for people who arrive at night), non refundable. Here again I have resigned to losing all my money. Better than spending hours on the internet reading cancellation and refunding details.
And anyway, if I can’t make it, I rather have a fresh start next time than vouchers for flight or hotel.
I get a general booking confirmation immediately and they ask for my passport and flight details to send me a SHA+ booking confirmation within hours.
Apply for tourist visa online at Thai embassy Berlin. Only later did it occur to me that Thai embassy Berlin is for people currently residing in Germany. My place to go would be Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.
3700 THB Axa insurance for 59 days
https://direct.axa.co.th/TA-Inbound/CoverageOptionPlan
Finally after 5 hours on the internet everything booked/submitted, in this order: flight, hotel, visa, insurance, Thailand Pass.
Thu2dec2021 Phnom Penh
Check Thailand Pass: my registration from yesterday not found! Register again, with SHA+ reservation, takes 11:35-47. Check my registration: in progress. Can’t copy paste in fields for SHA+ registration number, insurance contract number, have to type it.
Check my evisa applicaton: pending payment. Did I not complete payment yesterday? Process payment again and check: “payment” button is inactive, but “payment received” can download receipt. 35 EUR for visa.
Fri3dec2021 Phnom Penh
When I got vaccinated in Cambodia, I only got a vaccination card but no vaccination certificate. Go to Olympia Mecial Hub to get a vaccination certificate for 25 USD. That might be helpful to take my vaccination date into Thai and German systems to issue vaccination cards there. Unfortunately, vaccination certificate has no QR code and no batch number of vaccine.
Check Thailand Pass: in progress. Register again 14:27-35 with Vaccination Certificate.
Mon6dec2021 Phnom Penh
Check Thailand Pass status: both registrations reviewing.
Tue7dec2021 Phnom Penh
Can’t find my flight details via amadeus or checkmytrip, neither on Bangkok Airways (flight details only available when booked directly). Follow link in email to mytrip, finaly the mystery of two flight numbers (6 digits, letters and numbers) is solved: one is only for mytrip, other for airline.
I’m not sure which is the SHA+ booking number at Prince Palace (there are two booking numbers) and I notice they put my nationality instead of my family name: Christian Deutsch (Christian German). Email them and get a new SHA+ booking with correct name within minutes.
Spend 16:48-54 for new (fourth) registration for Thailand Pass, with correct flight and booking numbers, but: api server error.
There are still 3 days left until my flight, and it could be that my Thailand Pass is approved in natural course in these days, but I rather write an email with my details and documents in attachment. If that is fruitless, I will call tomorrow and still have one day left before departure.
No reply on email, but I get two Thailand Passes approved within hours.
There are three places that do RT-PCR testing in Phnom Penh:
Cambodia Visa and Work Permit Group, Brendan Mark > Departure from Cambodia Pre-flight PCR Testing Thread (created 12jun2020)
https://mobile.facebook.com/groups/333901840112789/permalink/1597672033735757/
Pasteur Institute is the cheapest at 80 USD, I register but get reply that they are booked out tomorrow. The other two not much difference 125 and 130, but National Institute of Public Health NIPH 130 USD is in an area I have not been before, so I can spend time there for walking around.
Wed8dec2021 Phnom Penh
Spend one hour waiting and processing time and 130 USD for Covid test at NIPH in the morning.
Thu9dec2021 Phnom Penh
Pick up Covid test result at NIPH. I’m the only one, in and out fast.
And I get another two Thailand Passes, now I have four Thailand Passes with slightly different QR codes and IDs.
I had all my documents printed at reception of my hotel, now ask them to make copies so I have everything in duplicate. While the printouts were okay for general purposes (but not what I call “job-application-grade printout”), the copies of Thailand Pass are poor (QR code not enough contrast) and I ask for my Thailand Passes to be printed again.
Fri10dec2021 Phnom Penh to Bangkok
Tuktuk to airport.
Queue for check-in. Wants to see Thai Pass, hotel booking, insurance, visa. Ask when I will leave Thailand. I have no flight out of Thailand, no problem at check-in, but says immigration might ask for it. Technically, visa holders are not required to provide proof of leaving Thailand, and I want to extend my stay as long as possible and depending on various circumstances I might go to Cambodia, Germany or Myanmar.
11970
My suitcase shows 21 kg on their balance, my allowance is 20 kg, but no problem. Having a backpack and a laptop bag no problem either (handluggage allowances vary).
Few people around, immigration and security fast. Airplane about 90% occupancy. Snack and drink served.
At Suvarnabhumi Airport an hour from touching ground, passing all checkpoints, luggage reclaim, to hotel counter.
11971
11972
Hotel limousine to Prince Palace.
11973
At reception I have to download Mor Chana app. In room 14:37. I missed lunch today, but have food leftovers from Phnom Penh that get me through to dinner. Room and meals all fine, nice views (even though there are rooms with better views).
11976
View from window at elevator:
11975
I can recommend Prince Palace Hotel and will be back to their rooftop bars/restaurants for views.
Large choice (Thai, Western, Chinese, Japanese), good meals of ample size, served warm at the requested time:
11974
I wonder when Covid tests will take place, ask at reception: doctor comes tonight.
Sat11dec2021 Bangkok
Midday call reception to ask for test results: negative, I can leave. Check out and taxi to my room.
Summary:
100 EUR flight on Bangkok Airways PNH to BKK, 35 EUR Tourist Visa, 3700 THB AXA Insurance, 3900 THB one night quarantine + Covid PCR test +individual transport from airport at Prince Palace Hotel, 130 USD Covid RT-PCR test at National Institute of Public Health in Phnom Penh, at current exchange rates (1 EUR = 38 THB, 1 USD = 34 THB) total 17 kTHB = 450 EUR = 500 USD.
Booking and submitting all documents for e-visa and Thailand Pass took 5 hours, and I spent many more hours reading and testing, let’s estimate total 24 hours.
11977
Copyright 2021 ChristianPFC