ozstamps

Thai pays for hotel rooms on invol. overnights on some fares (STPC) and in the past they have put us into the Airport Amari when transittting - which is (was) very nice.

Anyone know which hotel at new airport they use - I have read there is a Novotel inside the airport - so perhaps that one?

Do you need to go outside customs for that one or can we stay all airside as one can in AMS etc? (Need to pay Departue Tax otherwise.)

Thanks for your help.

transpac

My guess is that they'd use the Novotel at the new airport. This hotel is landside, so to access it you would have to enter Thailand (clear Immigration/customs), walk ~ 300 m to the hotel, then upon departure pay the departure tax and clear Immigration. Did you pay the departure tax when you stayed at the Amari?

BTW with the new visa regulations that means you'd be burning one of your three allowable (in a 180 day period) VOA's (Visa on Arrival) or Tourist Visa Expemtions (TVA's) visa exemptions, all for a visit of less than one day. Amazing Thailand.

Soju

I've never done it myself, but have read about other people doing this, and they claim that if THAI puts you up in the hotel, that you are escorted to the hotel without passing through immigration, and likewise on the return. So I'd imagine they'll do the same thing at the new airport. I think this is quite common at international airports around the world where transit passengers are forced to stay overnight due to airline delays/cancellations.

RWY02KTM

I have got STPC a few times. You get to choose the hotel and I twice choose the Amari Watergate in downtown, if the layover was long. You go through Immigration /Customs and contact the THAI desk outside the customs and they deal with it. No exception or escort through immigration.

If it was short, i choose to stay Airside and got STPC for the Louis Travern Day rooms.

I think in cases, when THAI has to provide hotel acco. due to overbooking or mis-connect, they do provide things like escort through immigration, but never happened to me so far.

ozstamps

Absolutely .. and it always irritated me.

Soju

Good point. I didn't think of that affecting some of the hundreds of thousands (or maybe even millions) of transit passengers. I imagine most of them just stay airside, but for those that go landside for brief accomodations and are frequent travellers they'll soon have a problem doing that.

rhodeswood

Anyone know what will happen to the Amari Airport Don Muang once NBIA opens? One of the most overpriced hotels in Asia IMO.

Trajan

this interpretation is not settled yet....the immigration bureau HQ (on Soi Soon Plu, Sathorn) advised us today that as long a you stay a maximum of 90 days out of 6 months (on a "visa exempt" or "visa on arrival" basis) you are fine (no matter how many in-and-out trips you make).....

we will know for sure when the rules are actually implemented on Oct 1, 2006...

CHC Kiwi

I had a rather heated argument with the airport authorities about this when departing BKK after a 19 hour layover. EK was paying STPC, so I managed to get them to pay my departure tax as well (they'd stuffed up my travel, so I thought it only fair). After a couple of glasses of Dom in the TG First Class lounge, I went back to apologise to the official I'd raised my voice at - I didn't want to run the risk of being denied entry to Thailand in future.

jkingsle

I asked them that last time I was there. They told me that they were going to turn it into a serviced apartment complex. Not sure who would want a serviced apartment by the old airport......

SorteeWammie

Firstly one doesn't need to pay the tax for a visiti of less that 12 hours.
http://www.airportthai.co.th/airport...service10.html I would expect that Novatel will do as the Amari did and assist you with the expemtion..

I would opt for staying at the new airside hotel. I expect there will be plenty to do as there is/was at Don Muang
here is the link..

http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/49
Now, for example I refer you to the menu at the barber shop in the current transit lounge for just one of the many activities and I expect that SuwannaBoom will be the same same.


Secondly, The visa comments is not correct, you can visit as many time as you like but not for a total of 90 days in six months....That issue is moot for transit passingers. I would expect that even if it were true an immediate waiver would apply. Look, the new visa stuff is just an expension of an ongoing issue of people cheating of working etc.
ME, CGAF...I have an OA visa so I have only to report every 90 days....

kinchai

My flight was cancelled last year, but it was with GF and not TG. I was put in the Amari airport hotel overnight (included a buffet dinner). I was escorted through immigration and they hold on to my passport. This result in me not able to retrieve my checked in luggage and nope I didn't have to pay the 500 Baht airport tax. So guess it's down to TG and not government regulation.
I was in C, the next day I asked to be put on a TG flight out of BKK .

UA Fan

whats stpc?

CHC Kiwi

Services To be Paid by Carrier. Generally speaking, where an airline pays for accommodation etc. on a forced layover.

nldogbert

Hi,

Is this STPC still applicable for long transits? I have a transit of approx 10hrs hours, arriving @ 1 am and leaving the next day at 11 am. This is on an award ticket both flights are with Thai in J.

Cheers!