little_me

I haven't noticed any changes in the taxi system since my first trip through swampy when it was new, except maybe a machine giving tickets instead of a person. Skytrain shuts down at midnight. And depending on how far down Soi 24 you are, I'm not sure you're going to want to be walking it with luggage. Traffic will be light'ish at midnight. It might even be light enough to save the few Baht on expressway tolls depending on day of the week.

The leading cause of death in Thailand is traffic accidents. Google's shortest route could direct you to cross a somewhat major thoroughfare that's always busy with traffic in an uncontrolled spot. And if you do decide to risk it, remember they are coming from the wrong way (i.e. driving on the left side of the road). This might all seem silly to point out to grown men, but a few couple of drinks and in a hurry to get busy with your newest love of your night and stop paying attention to such basic issues, all the habbits from the rest of your life are backwards.

At $30 a night you'll want to make sure they have AC, if that's important for you.

Well, I was curious about what kinda place would call itself "night hotel"... So, looks like it used to be Dream Hotel, quick peak on google's street view.... And if you've never been to Bangkok, or similar Asian city, make sure YOU KNOW HOW TO FIND IT, the taxi won't (the will know Sukhumvit Soi 15, but nothing more specific), and it looks like that name might not be on the outside of the building.... (street view images can be dated...) Be prepared for some minor confusion... It's near Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy, more or less, again, google is your friend, and I'd suggest checking WALKING directions and make sure you're comfortable with the distances. You might find taxis from there might be a bit of a challenge and want to either screw you or not bother such a short trip, especially in traffic. With the odd combinations of one way streets and lack of places to pull a Uturn on Sukhumvit, I would really not be surprised if it legit took a taxi 5 miles in gridlock to make a 1/2 mile walk in that area (2 hour lesson I learned the hard way). Motorcycle taxis would be an option if your brave enough. That area has a bunch of smaller less well known (but still can be very nice) messages shops sprinkled around really close, similar to https://asok-massage.com/, but most won't have websites. I've heard Soi 13 is full of much smaller places but I've never bothered visiting. And it looks like Thermae is right down the street also...

One thing to be aware of on the 5 star end is you never know when some dignitary is going to show up for whatever and the hotel go to high security. I stayed way out at the Shangrila years ago (along the river), I went down to the lobby and found metal detectors installed one morning that weren't there at 2:00 am, which a small group of security manning them. Wandering through the hallways between that hotel lobby and the more "mall" kinda area nearer to the skytrain I noticed the door to one of the ballrooms open and it was full of uniformed police. No idea who showed up with that kinda security to stay at Shangrila, and I was checking out that day so I never got to find out what kinda checks they were doing on guest's coming and going. But I do know that Clinton and Bush have both shown up and stayed at the Marriott (after they term in office), at least once, Clinton likely multiple times. And am sure the lobby was probably full of local security on top of the secret service detail. I'm sure these stays are rare, and the hotel probably tries to operate as normally as possible... But it happens. (I'm sure none of them are staying at the Nana hotel!!! or really even the double tree or the landmark...)

I usually bang my head on shit, and they all kinda look at me wondering how the hell I hit anything with my head that's so far up there...

It was "yesteryear" I guess, maybe 20 years ago, that they did try and stop me from bringing a Thai girl to my room... And if I remember, it was the Rembrandt. The doorman started giving us grief, even though she was registered as a guest when I checked in. The older tower, not the suites, the straight hotel part. Slightly more recently, but still maybe 15 years ago, summer something on Sukhumvit Soi 16, not sure that place is still there.

Never heard of it, and previously having a high status in IHG rewards flush with points, staying the Intercontinental and Crown Plaza for free before, I'm a bit surprised to see it's there, guessing it wasn't there last time I was (little over a year ago). It's an upscale area, near a bunch of Western Embassies and several other high end hotels. But depending on how you get about, it's still probably one kilometer walking to skytrain or a street jammed with gridlock traffic most of the day.... If you do stay there, and like to explore a bit on foot, there's a "sky walk" starting on the NE corner of Lumpini park... I'm curious if it goes all the way to Benjakitti park and if you can get to the end of Sukhumvit Soi 4 from there? I was staying at the Crown Plaza at the far corner of Lumpini several nights and walked back, giving up on taxis at closing time at Nana, only seeing this from the wrong end and never sure if it went through.

There may be differences in the situation or changes in policy since, but I visited Lao for a day, August 12, 2014. Arriving in BKK at Swampy I was stamped into Thailand on 8/7/2014, good until 9/5/2014 (on the stamp). Stamped out of Thailand on 8/12/2014 and back in on 8/12/2015, good until 9/10/2014. Had to pay Lao for a visa, stand around and wait for them, fill out a form, etc., then go to another window for the entrance... (why two window, it's Lao, I guess?). You do need a visa to enter Lao. It's not free (I forget, but it might have been $100). The do issue them at the land border next to the peace bridge. Reentering Thailand, quick stamp. This was on a minibus tour from Udon Thani to Vientiane, which was a nice place for a quick side trip, pretty quiet and clean, have considered going back for longer but never got around to it. It looks Air Asia will fly you there and back for under $200, but I have no idea what you'd need to enter Lao like that these days.

Most countries are getting passenger lists from the airlines before they arrive and Thailand is probably in on this. And they probably include information if you have a round trip ticket. I don't think I've shown them any flight information for leaving in a long time now. That used to be part of the arrival / departure cards you'd fill out, along with where you are staying, but on my last trip late 2022 those weren't being used (good riddance I hope). And, whether visa or waiver or whatever they are granting permission with, at the airport, with US passport, good for 30 days.

I've gotten a bug at least twice that I clearly remember in Thailand. Both times from under cooked meat (I'm pretty sure, once beef, once chicken) that I was too dumb to stop eating. If it's fully cooked it's fine, especially fully cooked right in front of you, even if on a cart in the street... Fresh food, fruits and vegetables, stick to things that can be pealed. Any kinda leafy green that needs to be washed, i.e. no lettuce, no raw cauliflower or broccoli, etc. Doesn't really matter where, street cart or fancy western'ish restaurant, if you're not going to drink the tap water don't eat shit that relies on being washed in it. I've had sushi numerous times at different Fuji and Shabu Shabu locations, never had a problem. But my experience eating packaged sushi (never tried in Thailand...) has been that the rice gets all gunked up and it end up just tasting poor enough it's just not worth bothering. Never understood how the rice can get funky before the fish, but, remember what they say "Eating sushi is a lot like eating pussy, it's all about the texture, if it taste like fish, it's gone bad, stay away from it!!!".

Every time you leave they will check the date on your entrance stamp. So, you really can't not get caught, just a matter of whether they hold and deport you or if you're already at the airport ready to leave. There are trains to Malaysia, if travel costs are the issue, they are cheap. Not terribly comfortable, and about 2 days to Kuala Lumpur one way. Just to the border is about a solid day, if I remember (and things didn't change) we switch from Thai to Malaysian trains at the border, so the Thai train probably loaded up and headed back to Bangkok... But also not sure if stepping across the train station and stepping back would renew a tourist VISA...

I'm not understanding the "can't find it" either, from the link, looking at google maps: Not sure how you could walk by this and not see it?

My understanding is they fine you leaving, when they see the entry date too far in the past. Not having the entry stamp can't be a good thing, at least for a normal person that's getting an escort like that...

5 Star? JW Marriot. That's where George Bush and Bill Clinton were staying when they were in town together, way back on their Tsunami relief trip (wonder how quick they renamed that ground floor restaurant).... On Soi 2, about 100 meters from Nana Plaza. I would expect any 5 star hotel to be DISCREET and not be concerned about anyone joining you unless there's property damage or interference with other guests. Further down Sukhumvit are the Sheraton and Westin, near Asoke, on opposite sides of Sukhumvit. Both probably 200 or so meters from Soi Cowboy. And there might be a few other 5 star hotels in that area. I think a Radison Blu maybe, the Landmark might be 5 star, and there's probably some other French / European brands I'm less familiar with. There are a huge number of great 4 star hotels (i.e. Double Tree). Which all have rooms that are just as nice, mostly just don't have as upscale restaurants or spa inside.