Hello,
My wife (US citizen) travelling alone from MAA-BKK-IAH has a 13 hour transit (5:30am through 9pm on Saturday) in BKK. She is traveling on my miles (I'm a UA Prem Plat).

I search the FT forums to find a thread but I'm afraid I could not.

Questions:
1) For a lady traveling alone request you to share some ideas to spend the whole day. She is not planning to stay at a hotel as it is only day time.
2) The half day tours that I researched all start from hotels...but since she is not staying in any of them...can she still join the tour?
3) Does she have to pay an Thailand PFC when she returns back to the airport in the evening? If so do they take credit card? How much??
4) Are there any tours that start from the airport itself?
5) Read some posts on bad immigration lines at BKK - is that a concern on a Saturday morning around 6am and at 7pm the same day?
6) If she wants to take the Airport link train from BKK to say Makkasan SARL station and she wants to take taxis to go to Aloft or other places nearby - are taxis or tuk tuk easily available near the station around 7am on Saturday morning?
7) If she wants to go to the Grand Palace herself - can she take the train to Phaya Thai and will there be taxis available from there that take her to Grand Palace? Do you even recommend touring the palace on your own?

Many thanks!