We will be traveling to Thailand on a *A award ticket that I've booked for August.

I'm now looking to book separate tickets for BKK-USM and for USM-BKK-REP. We're thinking about springing for the Bangkok Airways flights since AirAsia doesn't save all that much money for those routings once you count the transfer hassle from BKK to DMK and the ferry hassle to get to Koh Samui.

How long do we need to make the connection at BKK since we'd be doing this on a separate itinerary? Also can we still get our luggage interlined for these flights even thought the flights are on separate itineraries and alliances?


Already booked: CNX-BKK on TG103 (lands 11:25AM), so the logical options for BKK-USM are:
PG 135 (departs 12:30pm) -- is this cutting it too close? (~50 min to make the connection)
PG 151 (departs 2:45pm) - should be more than enough time but then we have to kill time at BKK between flights with no lounge access (no status and not on award ticket)


Similarly, how long would we need to connect at BKK for USM-BKK-REP? ITA is pulling up this itinerary as an option, but it is actually doable with 1h to make the connection?
USM-BKK on PG 134 (arrive BKK 1pm)
BKK-REP on PG 913 (depart BKK 2:05pm)