Here’s What to Do If You’ve Got a Non-Immigrant O Visa Based on Marriage in Bangkok…
I have Thai Non-Immigrant O visa based on marriage to a Thai wife. And April 15th, 2020 was the date I needed head to exit Thailand and return to reactivate another 90 days.
But… because there’s this COVID-19 mess going around and travel has semi-halted and borders have shut in and around Thailand.
As a result the first few weeks of April the Thai Government Immigration office in Bangkok saw a surge of panicked foreign tourists and Thai visa holders trying to get in to sort out things out. And I read people were turned away because staff couldn’t handle the unexpected workload.
On top of that, I have a baby due sometime near the end of this month or early May.
Which means traveling outside the country, even if I could, is not an option since going out and about increases my chances of getting infected with the disease, and bringing it home to my family.
Thai Visa Amnesty of April 2020
Lucky I waited a little while before heading to the Thai immigration office in Bangkok. The Thai government came out with a visa amnesty giving tourists some breathing room until April 30th. Before the amnesty went into effect, very long lines of foreign tourists could be seen waiting outside of immigration offices.
The Wayfaring Soul Tip #9 “It’s better to over-prepare than under-prepare.”
As most foreign tourists making their way to Thai immigration offices throughout the country were short term visitors but couldn’t get out of Thailand due to flight cancellations or border closures. A lot of foreign visitors got panicky. I wouldn’t blame them.
Because any foreign overstaying visitor would’ve been hit with a 500THB per day penalty fee at immigration checkpoints.
With the Thai visa amnesty in effect, this was great news for me as I could expect a lot less people inside Bangkok’s Thai immigration office.
Doing some research about what paperwork I needed to bring …
Here’s How My Experience Started…
It’s April 12th. My current visa stamp expires in 3 days. First thing I did was do a little google search and check what paperwork I needed to bring with me. You would think you’d only need to bring your passport.
But as a guy living here for a long while, I know things are not as simple. It is better to over-prepare than under-prepare and you will soon read why.
I could not find anyone sharing any experience about going to the Thai immigration office to reactivate a Non-immigrant O visa due to the fact that I can’t leave the country.
I could only find the information about Thai visa amnesty. But the information found there was not specific to my visa type.
So the next thing I did was call the phone number as listed in the photo for Bangkok’s Immigration Office and ask around.
Surprisingly, someone answered after three rings. I explained my situation. Which is I have a Non-Immigrant O visa based on marriage. I was told to just come in with my passport.
I Wish It Was That Easy…
In a way she was partially right, you do need to bring your passport. But the other paperwork (which I list below) I brought was not mentioned. But I brought it anyways. That’s just the way I do things.
But, you have to make photocopies. Which you can do inside Thai immigration office. Since I didn’t know for sure if there would be lots of people inside I wanted to get all my photocopies done beforehand.
Here’s What I Photocopied and Brought With Me:
Passport photo page, including Thai visa page, last exit stamp page including TM 7 departure card.
1 Passport sized photo (obviously you don’t need to photocopy this)
Thai marriage certificate plus any paperwork regarding your relationship to spouse. **Also bring the original paperwork**
Spouse’s Thai national I.D. Card
Blue book or Tabien Baan (ทะเบียนบ้าน), which is a house registration book. Either with your name or spouses’ name.
A short letter written by your spouse stating you live with your spouse including current Thai home address.
I saw some photos days before Thai visa amnesty and saw lines right about this point…
Off to the Thai Immigration Office in Bangkok I Go…
I was confident that I got all my paperwork. My wife and I left our home at a little before 8am and reached the Thai Immigration Changewattana building B around 8:30am.
My wife is nearly 9 months pregnant and we felt prudent she stayed inside the car.
When I walked to the front entrance of the building I was pleasantly surprised not to find a long line of foreign tourists waiting to get in.
Normally, there would be people streaming in and out of that office…
When I made it past security I thought, okay, maybe there will be more people waiting inside to get their visas sorted out.
Nope.
The Thai visa amnesty worked its magic. I wouldn’t exactly say there’s no people inside. Which there are. But it’s just a lot, lot less people. Even less people than I remember when I had was visiting Thailand on Multi Entry Tourist Visas.
I also saw photos of this area last week where there were lines of people…
There’s a makeshift table near the entrance of Immigration Division 1 office. I explained to the immigration officer my situation. The officer asked where’s my wife and I told them she’s waiting outside, inside our car because she’s pregnant.
I was handed the visa extension form which I happily filled out and went to get my ticket number.
My ticket number…
I was surprised to see there’s 22 persons ahead of me. Which is not a lot. Numbers were called relatively quickly.
Only thing is there are not a lot of seating available, due to social distancing measures. I think previously before the visa amnesty went into effect lines of foreigners had to stand and sit a meter apart. Plus many seats were taped off to keep people away from each other.
I can see why the environment would be so inhospitable before the visa amnesty.
Social distancing at work…
My Number’s Up…
Overall I waited about 30 minutes before my number came up. I went to the cubicle I was directed to and laid out my paperwork like a proud schoolboy laying out his prized book report.
And then.
“Where’s your wife?” I was asked.
First, I assumed my wife didn’t need to accompany me. Also she being nine months pregnant I didn’t think this would be an ideal environment for her to be inside.
There’s no way I could talk myself out of this one even when I explained to them she was pregnant. But I didn’t want to be difficult. Seeing as there’s a lot less people inside I thought it should be fine. I called my wife and met her near the entrance.
When I brought my wife in, from then on everything was smooth sailing.
So if you have a Thai Non-Immigrant O visa based on marriage, bring your spouse!
But as I said, she’s pregnant and I wanted to be on the safe side. And there are a lot less people inside the immigration office.
Waiting to get my passport back. Still not a lot of people inside…
I was never asked about TM 30, the reporting of foreigners requirement in Thailand. My wife has me registered already but this information was never asked.
Signing Paperwork and Taking Pictures…
Remember to bring your original Thai marriage certificate. The immigration officer handling me used her webcam to take a photo of my wife and I holding our Thai marriage certificate together.
I asked for 90 days and got laughed at. They gave me 60 days which is better than 30 days. The fee was 1900THB so I’ll take that.
After we signed the paperwork I waited for another 20 minutes and my passport was returned to me with a fresh 60 days.
Conclusion
Bring your wife! That is if you need to sort out your Thai Non-O Immigrant visa based on marriage in Bangkok when you can’t exit Thailand. I guess it makes sense. I mean a Thai marriage certificate is just a piece of paper and immigration officers don’t know if you got divorced.
And bring every piece of photocopied paperwork I mentioned above. Bring the originals also just in case.
Bangkok’s Thai Immigration office opens 8am to 5pm with a one hour break for lunch at 12pm.
I hope this information helped you out. I wish I found it online or wherever earlier.
Assuming that your plane ticket and hotels are non-refundable and you’re planning to visit Thailand between April to July, I think you’ll be fine.
As long as you don’t have any serious pre-existing health conditions such as a compromised immune system and history of lung issues, heart and kidney complications.
I’m not a doctor but that’s just my opinion. But keep check with your countries’ government travel advisories.
1pm at Chatuchak Weekend Market, there should be a lot, lot more people…
WHY I THINK IT’S SAFE TO VISIT THAILAND… FOR NOW
Here’s My Long Answer
The Coronavirus or COVID-19 has made its way near my home in the suburbs of Bangkok. There were reports about a Thai family member returning from a vacation to Japan with sever flu symptoms. He went to a hospital just three kilometers from my home, where he tested positive for COVID-19.
The infected family were already in Thailand for a week. So fear among the people in my area were elevated. The hospital went into emergency mode. Staff and doctors in close contact with the infected were quarantined and ordered to stay home.
The elementary school with a student that had close contact with the infected patient, had to shut down for disinfection. Things started looking pretty grim for the community around my area. Like a set of ominous dominoes set in motion everyone was rightfully scared of an impending outbreak.
WE WERE PREPARING FOR THE WORST
People started buying out surgical face masks and rubbing alcohol. And even if we’re lucky enough to find masks and alcohol in our area it’ll cost four to five times more than usual.
There were small cases of panic buying in certain supermarkets. But currently everything has settled down and Thailand still has a steady supply of toilet tissue.
Everyone we spoke with or encountered was on edge. You could almost feel it in the air.
People still have to go out and eat despite corona virus scare in our neighborhood in Bangkok…
BUT LIFE GOES ON…
A few weeks had passed since the initial shock about the hospital incident. Like many others, I have been following the latest news and updates about the Coronavirus spread in my area of Sai Mai, Bangkok. The locals we interact with on a day to day basis now have lowered their guards slightly.
I think everyone was expecting a flare up of COVID-19 cases since the incident hit so near our home. And especially because the disease is highly contagious.
As of writing there are total of 75 COVID-19 cases and one death in the kingdom. That’s a small number compared to the rest of the world. I don’t think it’s an entirely accurate number because testing in this country is not extensive. And the people whether they have the common flu or actually COVID 19 are probably staying home to recover.
Though officially, 31 Thais have recovered from COVID 19.
Currently, I personally do not know anyone being treated for the disease. Or know anyone that knows any person with COVID 19. Compared to what’s going on around the world, it seems that Thailand and neighboring Southeast Asian nations seem to be chugging along just fine.
Even then damage is done, COVID 19 has had a devastating affect to the Thai economy. Most notably the tourism industry. An essential engine driving the Thai economy will reportedly fall 50% in the first half of 2020.
Will you be one of those statistics cancelling your plans to Thailand?
If you don’t have Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance, I can’t blame you if you don’t want to waste your hard earned money spent on plane tickets, hotel rooms and shiny new luggage.
If you were already planning to be in Thailand around the month of April you might just be alright.
WHY IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO VISIT THAILAND IN APRIL
April is the hottest month in Thailand with temperatures topping 35°C (95°F) and higher. Which might help keep the virus at bay. The Spanish Flu of 1918 ended in the summer with warmer weather. Although the worldwide population recovered and built up an immunity by then.
I wouldn’t stay around Bangkok where there’s more concentration of people, especially during Songkran Festival which is the Thai New Years. I recommend exploring the areas outside of Bangkok. There’s so many beautiful places to visit and I’ll get more into that later.
But this in no way guarantees COVID 19 will subside in warmer weather as it could behave differently. Here’s a handy COVID 19 geographic outbreak map you can periodically check.
I hope I’m right about this but only time will tell.
AIRPORTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO CONTAIN CORONAVIRUS
Airports around the world are doing their part to combat the spread of COVID 19 and it’s too soon to tell whether or not the preventive measures are effective. Currently, there are reports of infected travelers but they were stopped at the airports in Thailand and undergoing medical treatment.
Patong Beach Phuket – Not as crowded as before
TWO TIPS ON HAVING A SAFE TRIP IN THAILAND
Stay around the beaches and islands of Thailand. There are many attractive areas to choose from.
Stay away from areas that have a large concentration of people.
A good friend of mine just traveled to Phuket from Hong Kong for two weeks. It was a trip he booked through the height of coronavirus fears. He rented his own car, thus won’t have to worry about public transportation and getting in close contact with other people.
There’s definitely fewer tourists now in Phuket and you can get by with not being around a large group of people.
TAKE A PRIVATE TOUR
I don’t think there are large tour agencies operating full capacity in Thailand these days.
However, why not take a touring around Thailand with a private local tour guide?
I recommend a company such as TakeMeTour.com where a knowledgable guide is able to take you along a private walking tour or even drive you around in a private car.
They’ll hook you up with available local experts where I’m sure have your health and safety concerns at heart.
Kanchanaburi is beautiful and quiet…
Instead of staying most of your days in Bangkok, perhaps spend more time in Phuket or Hua Hin. Go check out Chanthaburi or Kanchanaburi. Even though there are reported cases of COVID 19 patients in those areas you won’t be surrounded by many people as you’d find in Bangkok.
Staying in an area with less concentration of people is just one way to safeguard yourself against the Corona virus and having a safe trip in Thailand.
A supermarket sign informing customers sanitizing routine
WHAT’S CHANGED IN THAILAND AMIDST COVID- 19?
Businesses are proactive about sanitizing public spaces so customers can feel safe shopping. There’s a lot more wiping down and spraying going on than usual with alcohol based solutions. Hence, the scarcity of rubbing alcohol in Thailand.
Most Thai people are wearing masks. Though medical professionals claim if you’re healthy already there’s no need to wear one. Only the sick should wear mask to contain coughing and sneezing.
Notice of businesses conducting temperature checks at a local mall in Bangkok
From what I can see, life is still going as usual for the locals. People are still going out. But I don’t think they’re spending as much money. Just in case shit really hits the fan.
Instead they are buying up food essentials, such as instant noodles, rice and other non-perishable food items. Just in case there’s a citywide lockup ordered by the governments of Wuhan, China and just recently Lombardy region in Italy.
I don’t think it’ll ever go that far here in Thailand. But there’s so much uncertainty going on that even I started buying more bags of rice. And I don’t even like carbs.
Photo Credit: Bangkok Post – Locals buying up rice and toilet tissue at a supermarket in Bangkok…
ARE PEOPLE HOARDING TOILET TISSUES IN THAILAND?
I’ve been watching news reports about people buying up toilet tissues until the shelves are completely empty. Somehow word got out that there’s a severe toilet supply shortage in Japan due to factory shutdowns China. But Japan have their own toilet tissue factories.
The Wayfaring Soul Travel Tip #2041 “COVID-19 does not cause explosive diarrhea…”
Recently I saw a video of people fighting over toilet tissues in Australia. And Australians are known to be the friendliest and most laid back people on the planet. Talk about shit hitting the fan. I’m beginning to get concerned that civilization as we know it might actually crumble.
I mean, did I not get the message that COVID 19 causes explosive diarrhea?
I’m glad to report that Thailand have toilet paper producing factories. And at my local supermarket there’s plenty of it going around to build a wall around yourself to fend off COVID-19. Or build yourself a TP wall to protect yourself against people stupid enough to get into a fist fight over it.
Even when there’s a buy one get one free toilet tissue deal at my local supermarket I don’t see any mass hysteria now. I know this is all due to herd buying mentality and I’m not immune to the effects myself. I started piling a bunch of toilet tissue into my shopping cart.
Until I convinced myself that in Thailand you don’t have to be too concerned about TP supply. After all, every single residential household in Thailand has a water butt spray near the toilet.
I’m quite confident there will be a steady supply of toilet tissue in Thailand for the long run…
Sad to say though the real shortage occurring in Thailand are surgical mask and cleaning alcohol. Hospitals need these items more than households.
And price gouging is rampant. I’ve seen a box of 50 surgical mask priced for 1000B online. While pre-coronavirus normally it’s around 100B at pharmacies in Thailand.
IS THERE RACISM AND HATRED TOWARDS THE CHINESE IN THAILAND?
There are loads of saddening news reports today that anyone that looks Asian are getting discriminated against, verbally abused and physically assaulted. As if the corona virus is inherit in Chinese genes. Yes, it originated from China. But that doesn’t mean every single Chinese in every corner of the globe is spreading the disease left and right.
There are ethnic Chinese in Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Japan pretty much everywhere in the world. Especially in Thailand where there’s a large Thai-Chinese community.
To be fair, there are businesses in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Vietnam discriminating against Chinese nationals as well. Stupidity knows no boundaries.
That said, it doesn’t look good when there are Chinese nationals acting like complete fools like this lady coughing on Thai Airway crew members due to a long wait in the cabin. Repercussions are bound to happen.
THE OUTLOOK
Instead of writing new posts about the COVID 19 in Thailand I will update this post when there are drastic changes. Things can get better from this point. Or it can get way worse.
But if history repeats itself then we’re going to get over this. And we’ll forget about this like we did with the SARS outbreak in early 2000.
With a baby due in a few months I’m concerned about the road up ahead. We can dwell on the worst case possibilities and drive ourself crazy thinking the end is near.
Or we can push forward by being sane and rational. Which is what I rather be doing. Because there’s too much work to be done then driving ourselves mad about the coronavirus.
Ultimately you will be the one to make that final decision to come to Thailand or not during these trying times.
Until then, I hope things get better sooner. And I wish you all safe and happy travels.
A local mall in central Bangkok – Life goes on in Thailand
BANGKOK’S NEW JJ GREEN 2 NIGHT MARKET – IS IT SAME AS THE OLD?
When the original location of the iconic JJ Green Market closed down in late 2019, a noticeable grumble was heard throughout Bangkok.
I was one of the many voices that cried out, noooooo! This can’t be happening! It was Bangkok’s coolest night market with an amazing vibe.
JJ Green was located inside Chatuchak Park, right across from the market and 90% of the market was open air.
JJ Green Market “2” has come back to life in Bangkok’s Laksi district…
There’s music, food, all sorts of flea market items and vintage clothing. Even power tools if you’re planning to lug one back home.
FLASH FORWARD TO FEBRUARY 2020 – THE ALL NEW JJ GREEN “2” NIGHT MARKET
I was thrilled to find out that JJ Green has opened up not far from one of my businesses in Bangkok’s Laksi district (เขต หลักสี่).
This time they added the “2” next to JJ Green as a confirmation that this is the second iteration of one of Bangkok’s most famous night market.
Lots of young Thais selling trendy fashions…
Though also at the front entrance sign is the an additional word “Square” in Thai สแควร์ which is kind of odd. Hope they’re not going through an identity crisis as it certainly might confuse people.
In addition they’ve extended their days of operation. Now JJ Green 2 night market is open Thursday to Sunday, from 6pm to midnight.
JJ GREEN 2 NEW NIGHT MARKET LOCATION
The map still says JJ Green, but I updated the information so hopefully Google will approve to clear up any confusion.
DIRECTIONS TO THE NEW LOCATION
BEST WAY TO GET TO GET THERE
JJ Green 2 Night Market is located in Bangkok’s Laksi district. On Prachachuen Road (ถนน ประชาชื่น). It’s about 15km west of Don Mueang Airport.
Chances are you passed it while traveling from DMK airport to central Bangkok by taxi.
The market area is about two football fields, nestled in a largely residential area. So I don’t think they’ll be able to play loud music and host live bands. And also not far from Dhurakij Pundit University so no more rustic bars for beers and interesting cocktails.
Still, JJ Green will surely benefit from all the locals and university students living and studying in the area.
As much as I think they like having a cool night market in their neck of the woods, I think they don’t like the amount of traffic its attracted.
THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM
As long as I can remember Prachachuen Road has always had a traffic problem during the rush hours. There are lots of homes, condominiums and apartments in that particular area and also community malls.
Traffic was really bad getting to JJ Green 2…
We drove to JJ Green 2 at around 8pm. What normally takes 30 minutes took 2 hours.
It’s a long stretch of road with no traffic lights. Adding to the problem, Prachachuen road has 4 lanes, two lanes going northbound and two lanes southbound.
If you’re coming from central Bangkok you’ll have to pass through the northbound lane of Prachachuen Road.
Lots of drivers were frustrated trying to get to JJ Green 2 Night Market…
The right northbound lane, while we were there, was stuck in a perpetual rut. While the southbound lane cars had easier access to the bridge entrance going in to the market’s parking entrance. Even then there was really long wait due to traffic congestion.
Drivers on our lane got frustrated. We could see cars in front of us peel of and make U turns to head home. Or to Talad Liab Duan night market or a mall.
The wife and I on the other hand, planned to stick it through.
BUT THERE’S HOPE IF YOU’RE COMMITTED TO GOING THERE
IT’S EASIER TO GET THERE WITH A TAXI
While doing this blogging thing, I look at it all through the perspective of foreign tourists.
As I mentioned earlier the original location was super easy to find cause it was near Chatuchak Weekend Market. Which had more choices of public transportation to get there.
This time it’s in Laksi district and there are no train stations in that vicinity.
Your options, if you’re staying in central Bangkok, are the metered taxis or Grab taxi.
And long distance running if you’re up for it.
If you’re staying at a hotel in the Pratunam area I think a metered taxi fare might cost about 250B to JJ Green 2 Night Market.
Don’t run there. I’m only kidding. Had to put it here because you just never know…
Clothing prices at JJ Green aren’t too crazy. There’s probably room for discount if you ask for a reasonable discount…
I’M A TOURIST. IT’S KINDA FAR. SHOULD I GO DESPITE THE CRAZY TRAFFIC?
Yes I say you should absolutely go check it out. Go eat the food, shop around and go support the local businesses.
The traffic is a huge problem only if you self drive, like we did. It’s a different story with a taxi because you don’t need to look for parking.
An experienced taxi driver should know to stay on the left side of the northbound lane of Prachachuen Road.
The driver can let you off opposite from JJ Green 2 night market. From there it’s only a few minutes walk over a short bridge.
The left lane moves a lot quicker because there’s policeman controlling traffic and not allow vehicles to park long on the left lane.
Taxi drivers are briefly permitted to drop off and pick passengers.
Lots of shops have not opened yet and still many vacant locations…
BUT…
This JJ night market is still “green”, get it? Okay, joking aside, it’s February 10th now as of writing.
This market opened on February 6th. All things considered, it’s still very new and undergoing a soft run.
If any chance you’re reading this and it’s still February 2020, I recommend not visiting at this point in time. Especially if you don’t have a lot of days in Bangkok.
A night market is like fine cheese. It needs time to marinade, ripen and develop its own flavor.
I know, I’m horrible with metaphors.
If you have a lot of time in Bangkok and nothing to do, go buy something from this shop inside JJ Green 2 Night Market…
Lots of shops are not open yet. And there are still lots of vacant shop locations to fill with renters. So everything inside is not running at 100% capacity.
However, if you’re like me and have plenty of time in Bangkok, then please go check it out!
At the time I visited there were still many shops not opened for business…
WHAT TO BUY AT JJ GREEN 2 NIGHT MARKET?
AND IS IT EXPENSIVE?
Lots of cheap accessories, jewelry and trendy clothes …
I’m not a shopper. And I’m old. Most of the items found inside JJ Green 2 are geared towards the younger Thai generation.
And that’s their target demographic and rightly so since there are so many university students living in that area.
So the answer is most of the items sold inside JJ Green 2 Night Market won’t be that expensive. As most of the visitors to the market at this point are local Thais.
JJ Green 2 will definitely get busier as more shops open in the near future…
I didn’t see any counterfeit merchandise like you’d find inside Bangkok’s MBK Mallwhich is geared mostly towards foreign shoppers.
But as I mentioned this market is mostly about local Thai fashion trends.
Also t-shirts with pop culture appeal and unique styles can be found. If you’re a western L or XL size you will not have a problem finding cool graphic tees to add to your closet collection. I’ve noticed Thais like to wear larger and looser sized t-shirts these days which could be the current fashion trend.
Ladies clothing are not so expensive at JJ Green 2 Night Market…
For ladies clothing most of the items I saw were priced from 100B to 500B, depending on style and trends.
Most of the shops we saw had sale signs…
Men’s graphic t-shirts were about a 100B to 200B. There’s a sneaker shop but I don’t know how much they charge nor if it’s legit. Lots of customers inside checking out their styles though.
This sneaker shop had a lot of customers looking at brand name shoes…
Prices were never too crazy and there might even still be some space to bargain. But I wouldn’t try to lowball the vendors too much.
I think JJ Green is a great little market for vintage t-shirts…
I found out the rent for a shop selling ladies clothes pays 15,000B a month. Keep in mind shop owners inside only open 4 days a week from 6pm to midnight. So they have limited days to turn a profit.
Thai vendor selling collectible toys inside JJ Green 2 Night Market…
GEL MANI AND PEDI ANYONE?
Every night market in Bangkok have small little nail salon setups that charge really cheap prices.
I saw shops charging gel manicures for 100B and 200B. Whether or not they can do a good job or use good gel polish products is a whole different story.
Outdoor nail salon setup are a familiar sight at any of Bangkok’s night markets…
Though one of the best nail salons in central Bangkok is Glamour Girls Nail Art Salon so I don’t recommend any ladies coming all the way out here just to get your nails did.
This shop selling raw crab salad was very busy…
THE FOOD
As of February 2020, shops inside the JJ Green 2 night market is not fully open…
Most of the foods sold inside JJ Green 2 are located in the middle and end section of the market and the entrance to the parking lot. Though the middle food section area was a lot busier than the hawker stalls in parking section.
In the middle is a large central covered food court. Though not all the shops inside are open yet. Which is a common sight while we were there.
JJ Green’s covered food court section…
Flanked around the central food court are designated sections of food vendors selling grilled meats, juices and desserts.
Whatever food you purchased you can sit down and enjoy your meal at the food court.
Lots of western style foods can be found in the food section…
I saw restaurants on the second level above some shops but those aren’t opened yet. Though the chairs and tables are already set up.
Many shops sell western foods. I saw french fries, kebabs, burgers and Korean fried chicken. The young Thai generation today love western and far east fast food.
This little sticks of beefy goodness cost 10B each. I ordered 6…
I also spotted some of my favorite Thai foods also. But I’m trying the carnivore diet so I opted for some grilled beef for the night.
Most restaurants located above shop levels are set up but not opened for business yet…
CONCLUSION
I loved the original JJ Green. There were more shops selling curios and bric a brac. Plus there were plenty of antiques to gush at and get nostalgic about for old farts like me.
This new JJ Green had more vendors selling clothes that matched the style and taste of the young business owners. Swank fashionable clothing is the common theme now which makes a lot of sense because it’s a university town.
Definitely a night market for the young and trendy…
But honestly the new JJ Green 2 at the moment is missing the original ambiance, back when it was located inside Chatuchak park.
There’s no music or live bands as that will surely piss off the residential neighbors. And it’s a lot smaller than the original.
I don’t think it’ll ever get that special charm back. That’s not to say I don’t think that number 2 will ever succeed.
I think it will certainly be successful by the sheer amount of local residents living in the Laksi district of Bangkok.
It’s like the movies. The Matrix was awesome and it blew everyone’s minds. Then Matrix 2 Reloaded came out and it was like, meh. Yeah, I still need work on my metaphors.
I might go back to JJ Green sooner just for these awesome steamed coconut pandan puddings ขนมถ้วย…
If you’re doing your Bangkok trip planning at this moment and thinking of dropping over in a few months, I say go check it out. A few more months and and I’m sure all the vacant shops will get filled up with vendors.
If you’re here right now reading this you might want to wait until your next trip to Bangkok.
Personally I’m going to give it some time before going back. And I will be excited to see how it looks then.
Centara Q Rayong Resort – Small Quiet Semi-Private Beach at an Affordable Price in Thailand
One of the best things about living in Bangkok is that you can take a road trip to some of the best beach resorts. Which is one of the main reasons why I decided to settle down in Thailand.
Case in point, the Centara Q Rayong Resort my wife researched and found while searching for reviews on four star beach hotels in Rayong. This Centara property is located on Laem Mae Phim Beach which is not exactly a well known beach in Thailand.
We’ve talked about staying over in a Rayong for a few nights many times. Because usually we pass over Rayong on our way to to Koh Samet or further to Koh Chang in Trat province. We just think the water is cleaner out on the islands and further away from the mainland.
But it was a good time as any to check out Rayong as the current smog situation in Bangkok is ridiculous.
Laem Mae Phim Beach at Centara Q Resort Rayong…
HOW MUCH?
The Centara Q Resort is a 4 star rated hotel with only 41 guest rooms. Guest staying here will feel a lot of privacy. We booked our stay during a weekday in January inside a Double Deluxe Seaview room type for several nights.
These rooms cost more and are located closer to the swimming pool and short walking distance to the beach.
Deluxe sea view rooms can only be accessed through a single stairway…
The price for a single night came out to about 4000B or $130USD including taxes and breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children under 1 years old.
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WALKING YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THE DELUXE ROOMS
Deluxe rooms are not recommended for anyone with mobility issues or for elderly travelers. There’s only one set of stairs leading down to deluxe rooms and could be an issue for anyone with walking impairments.
If there’s someone traveling in your group with a physical disability, I highly recommend booking a superior room instead, as it’s the only building with an elevator.
Not sure why I don’t see a mention of this on Centara Q Resort Rayong’s website or even on Agoda.com where we booked our room.
BEST TIME TO BOOK A ROOM FOR THE BEST RATES
Centara Q Resort Rayong is very popular with Thais. The Centara name is a Thai owned hotel chain with properties all over the major cities of Thailand.
My wife read on a Thai travel forum that this resort is often fully booked during major long holidays in Thailand. During those periods expect to pay 20% to 40% more.
The bright colors give this room a nice beach feel…
For us the price is a decent bargain. But there are smaller superior rooms back only a little further away from sea view rooms that cost around 800B less. Or if you want to save even more you can leave out the breakfast option which will save you another 800B or so.
I never got a chance to see Centara Q Resort Rayong’s superior room. But judging from the building where the superior rooms are located it looked newer.
This is the main building with superior rooms…
HOW WE GOT THERE
Self drive is the easiest way to get there. Besides, you’ll need your own car to get around Rayong. There are no metered taxis. Expect to pay around 2500B to 3000B for private car service from central Bangkok to the steps of Centara Q Resort.
As of writing the highways leading to Centara Q is a mess due to construction of new roadways. Despite a few U-turns and taking local roads we managed to reach the resort in just under 3 hours. From central Bangkok, Centara Q Resort is 210 kilometers away, past the city of Chonburi.
If you’re staying here during certain days you can make use of Centara’s complimentary shuttle service to local markets…
Centara Q Resort Rayong provides their guests a complimentary shuttle bus service to a couple of local markets during certain days. It’s a nice added touch if you’re staying at this resort longer.
CHECK IN TIME IS 3PM
We arrived a little after 3pm which is the standard check in time at Centara Q Resort Rayong. That’s kind of late. But from our experience most Thai owned hotels allow guests to check in a little earlier. As long as there’s a clean room available.
From my experience, usually Thai hotels allow guests to check in earlier as long as there’s a room available…
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF OUR ROOM
We were handed our key cards to room #106 our deluxe sea view room. As mentioned already we had to walk down some steep stairs to the second floor. Porters are available to help with your bags if necessary.
The hotel design is quite interesting and it seems the property was carved out of a small hill which is where all the deluxe rooms are situated.
Room #106 is on the right side of second floor…
Room #106 is a deluxe sea view room that measures around 55 square meters. That’s a lot of space for just the two of us. It has one of the biggest bathrooms I’ve ever seen inside a Thai resort.
The size of the bathroom is typical size of most Thai hotel rooms itself. Yes, that’s one of the things that really impressed me the most about this room.
PRISON SHOWER SCENE ANYONE?
My camera is not wide enough to do this bathroom any justice. The shower stall is on one entire side of the wall. It’s large enough to shoot a prison shower scene for a movie. Okay, that might be exaggerating a bit.
Kidding aside, I wouldn’t mind having a large bathroom space at my home either.
But the setup between the bathroom and main room is a bit odd. There’s a sliding door on the wall separating both spaces. I guess the sliding door was installed so guests can quickly wash their hands without going inside the bathroom.
There’s a sliding door between the main room and the bathroom…
There’s a large bed in the main space. The mattress to me is a little too firm but the pillows are just fine. My wife complained that the air conditioning inside the room was a little too noisy. To me it was just fine.
It’s a simple designed room with one side of the wall painted in a cool turquoise color while the rest of the room is white.
A LITTLE WORN BUT I’M NOT COMPLAINING
But our room required some touch-ups. This isn’t a big complaint. I can understand that maintaining a property by the beach requires extra attention. Sea air and high humidity can seriously affect coastal properties.
Some tender loving care is needed inside room #106…
However, I think if Centara used better quality materials the room could hold up better through time. Almost the entire table pictured below had a lot of wear and tear. The door concealing the mini-fridge was off hinge.
The construction inside the bathroom was in much better shape as everything inside seemed to have better materials.
Prices for snacks were reasonable…
The main bedroom was quite spacious and I think if they shaved down the bathroom area they could fit in a small sofa and still have plenty of space.
Maybe a small work table and chair would be a nice addition. Especially for a digital nomad such as myself.
SO MUCH POTENTIAL
The balcony was just as large. And there’s a small sofa, but there’s so much space for more. They could fit larger and more comfortable deck chairs. I think if Centara Q Resort Rayong placed a jacuzzi and sun beds inside the balcony area like we found in Veranada Resort Hua Hin would make good use of the available open space.
IN ROOM SWAG
There’s free internet Wi-Fi throughout the hotel property. My iPhone had a connectivity issue at first, but when I logged in with my Macbook I connected. So maybe it was just a small glitch in the afternoon. Overall it worked fine and I had a good connection.
There’s an in room electronic safe, beach bag and bathrobes. Centara also provides slippers to roam around the resort, which you can purchase if you wish.
In room safe, beach bag, bathrobe and umbrella…
THE BREAKFAST
Breakfast is served from 6:30am to 10am. Our room rate included breakfast. I was really looking forward to see what was available. But to be honest I wasn’t expecting much because it was a small hotel. And it was a weekday so there were not a lot of guests.
But I was surprised by the variety on offer when we showed up for breakfast. There’s the usual cereal, salads, fruits, eggs to order and Thai breakfast options.
A well rounded breakfast for me…
Real pork sausages, I’m so happy…
What I’m about to say next might sound a bit nutty. But I was surprised to find they have real pork sausages. Even some of the best hotels don’t serve real high quality pork sausages. Big bonus points for Centara Q Resort Rayong in my book for that.
The room serving breakfast is not spacious but adequate. There are also outdoor seating to enjoy breakfast as well near the egg and Thai noodle station.
Breakfast was nice here, there’s no large crowds or wait lines. The choices were varied and satisfying. Especially the real pork sausages. I know I should get over the sausages but seriously this not a breakfast item I see often even in the best 4 star hotels.
The Wayfaring Soul Tip #4 – If you find real pork sausages inside a hotel, cherish it…”
THE SWIMMING POOL
After a very satisfying breakfast it was time to take a dip in the pool. During my short stay here I didn’t see a lot of people by the pool.
It’s a small resort so no doubt the swimming pool is expected to be small. But it was adequate for what it is. There are sun beds and large bean bags for resort guests to spread out on. I went in for a quick dip a few times myself and I like to look out at the sea on the edge of the pool.
I think most people that hang out at the pool also alternate hanging out by the beach where there are many sun chairs to relax and stare out into the sea.
The stairs I mentioned about leading down to the deluxe rooms are the same stairs you’ll need to walk down to get to the the resort’s swimming pool and beach. So to access the swimming pool and beach you can request a shuttle ride down.
Small swimming pool but adequate for the resort size…
FITNESS ROOM
These days I’ve been too lazy to hit the gym. The fitness room is open to guests 24 hours. And I know there are gym rats out there reading this and like to know about Centara Q Resort Rayong’s fitness room situation. I didn’t have a chance to go inside the room because a hotel room key card is needed to access the small gym.
It was my last day and check out is 12pm. By the time I got to the resort’s gym my room key card expired. So, I only got a chance to take a picture from the outside.
From the looks of things the equipment looks new with plenty of weights and what looks like a high quality universal machine.
Looks like a well stocked gym…
CONCLUSION
Centara Q Resort Rayong isn’t the easiest beach resort to travel to for foreign tourists. But there are benefits to that if you can rent a car and make your way out there. It’s a small property which means you’re not going to be crowded out by other guests at the swimming pool or competing for sun beds while getting a tan on Laem Mae Phim beach.
Look at the price point value too. You won’t end up paying a whole lot of money to stay at 4 star resort with a semi-private beach. So you can stay at the resort and enjoy spending your holiday longer in Rayong.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Address: 215/3 Moo.3, Laem Mae Phim, Klaeng, Rayong, Thailand, 21190
IF YOU HAVE A CAR
Self driving is the best way to reach Centara Q Resort Rayong. The resort is 220km from central Bangkok, about 3 hours drive by car. Punch in the name on Google maps and it’ll lead you there without a problem along major highways with tolls.
Having your own set of wheels has it’s advantages as you can check out places around Rayong.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A CAR
The cheapest option from Bangkok is to take the bus to Rayong at Ekkamai Eastern Terminal Bus Station or Mo Chit Bus Terminal and fares start about 100B.
I can’t make any direct recommendations for private car service to Centara Q Resort Rayong but there are many companies that can get you there for around 2000B one way.
WHERE TO FIND HOTEL DISCOUNTS AND READ MORE REVIEWS:
Was my Centara Q Resort Rayong review helpful to you? These are affiliate links which means if you make a booking with either company I make a small commission. With no extra cost to you. You will be supporting this blog and also help care for soi dogs(and cats) we come across in Thailand.
A LITTLE FAR FROM HUA HIN CITY CENTER… BUT IT’S REALLY NICE…
Last week my wife and I traveled to Hua Hin with a couple of her friends visiting from the UK. Because we prefer staying at hotels and resorts near beaches in Hua Hin we did a little bit of searching.
I know that sounds negative but hear me out. You see, the Veranda is not very close to Hua Hin’s city center.
For some travelers that could be a good thing. I know most travelers coming to Hua Hin want to relax at a quiet beach and think about absolutely nothing.
While others want to get out and about and explore Hua Hin.
If you prefer to stay at a resort by the beach and think about absolutely nothing with a cold piná colada by a beautiful swimming pool, Veranada Resort, and Villa Hua Hin won’t disappoint. It certainly didn’t disappoint me.
The MGallery label just means that this hotel is a fancy one…
BOOKING A ROOM AT VERANDA RESORT HUA HIN
My wife has an Accor hotel membership card about to expire soon. We also had some coupons we wanted to use before her membership expired.
So while looking through the reviews and nice photos of Veranda Resorts Hua Hin we were excited to go check it out for ourselves.
Dining Room – Veranda Resort’s main restaurant.
This is without a doubt a 5-star hotel. And with that, there’s a 5-star price to pay for. The room type with the lowest rates are the deluxe rooms which we stayed in for a few nights to make this review.
Deluxe rooms cost about 4500B per night with taxes. We also stayed in Veranda’s premium deluxe room which cost 5000THB per night plus taxes. Breakfast is not included, however. Which is not an issue because we have a car. And we know where the good places are to eat in Hua Hin.
We found an amazing bakery called The Baguette not far away. It’s highly recommended so go check it out.
The resort’s beautifully clean and maintained beach made us fall in love with Veranda.
VERANDA RESORT & VILLAS HUA HIN BEACH FRONT
The beachfront at Veranda Resort is very clean. The beach sand is soft and fine. I saw hotel staff go out to pick up trash and keep things neat. That’s a big bonus in my book.
And because this is a small resort you’re not going to have to fight for a sun chair. It’s the high season in Hua Hin and there were many guests. But I don’t think it was half full. Even if it were there are so many spots around the hotel’s pool and beach to spread out and just be one with nature.
Very nice quiet beach in front of Veranda Hotel & Resort Hua Hin to enjoy the sunset.View from the beach looking into Veranda Hua Hin.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
After staying in so many hotels of this category through the years you can easily pick up vibes. So when I first stepped inside the open-air lobby of Veranda Resort Hua Hin I knew I was in a good place.
The lobby ceilings are high with a direct view of the sea. There are no hordes of hotel guests coming and going. Everything looked neat and orderly and there was no clutter. The zen water fountain at the center of the lobby added a nice touch to the overall ambiance.
Cool little zen fountain middle of the hotel’s lobby
We arrived around 3 pm and we didn’t see any other guests in the lobby. I could see a few people swimming around at the pool near the beach. And a few guests here and there. Other than that it was so peaceful.
Veranda Resort Hua Hin has a wonderful atmosphere.
WHAT ELSE IS SPECIAL HERE?
My best answer is the exclusivity. And that’s what you’re paying for. There are no hotels or resorts directly next to or even close to Veranda Resort Hua Hin. Although not exclusive to the point where there’s absolutely nothing around. Like our other favorite private resort La A Natu Bakery much further south from Hua Hin.
If you have your car you can easily drive a short distance to find restaurants and shops. Or go check out Blueport Mall, Hua Hin Night Market, and my all-time favorite Cicada Night Market.
The beautiful long stretch of beach in front of the hotel like I already mentioned is the main highlight of Veranda.
A small fitness room is located past the hotel’s coffee café
There’s a very small fitness room with cardio machines, free weights, and one universal weight machine. Haven’t tried the equipment inside but looks too tight.
If you’re looking for a really good intensive workout with weights I don’t think you’ll like Veranda Hotel’s gym. But the cardio machines look modern. Plus you can run up and down the long stretch of beach. The fitness room is open from 6 am to midnight.
Glassroom Espresso Bar open 7am to 8pm
The Veranda has one beautiful free-form swimming pool with two water slides. It will certainly delight kids and the young at heart. Your kids will spend all day at the swimming pool because it opens from 7am to 9pm.
We don’t have a little one yet. But my wife Dtan is 6 months pregnant and we’re super excited to take our little one around for a swim in the pool when we come back.
Overall I think Veranda Resort Hua Hin is a very nice kid-friendly hotel. Especially with the little man-made beach section of the swimming pool.
There’s only one large swimming pool for adults and children. The trees in the swimming pool are a nice touch.
Alright, so now that you’ve had a little look around the property, here are the rooms we stayed in at Veranda Resort Hua Hin.
A LOOK AT THE ROOMS
Veranda Hotel & Resort Hua Han has 12 room types. I only have the budget to check out two rooms on this trip to Hua Hin. I was tempted to book the slider pool suite but the price tag was too steep.
We stayed in the:
Veranda Deluxe – Room #210 (44 sq m.)
Veranda Premium Deluxe – Room #602 (66 sq m.)
Even with a pricey buffet breakfast, there were a decent amount of guests having breakfast…
Now, a look at the first room we stayed in, the Veranda Premium Deluxe room.
VERANDA PREMIUM DELUXE ROOM REVIEW
This is the room we stayed in during our first day. As mentioned before my wife has an Accor hotel membership card. Which came with a free one-night upgrade coupon. We upgraded from a Veranda Deluxe room just for one night to check out a premium room.
The premium deluxe rooms are located in a building a short walk from the main hotel lobby.
We were given room #602 which had a decent yet obstructed view of the sea. The room was clean with no funky smells coming from the bathroom. Which is a common thing here in Thailand no matter how fancy the hotel property is.
And the room is well lit with plenty of light fixtures all over the room. Lots of hotels in this category go for a soothing atmosphere, which is what most guests would want for a relaxing holiday.
Veranda Hotel & Resort Hua Hin has struck a good balance of light and relaxation.
Veranda premium deluxe room size is 66 square meters.
Two queen-sized beds with very comfortable mattresses and pillows.
Spacious bathroom with plenty of closet space.Never heard of Thann products but supposed to be fancy.Toothbrush, combs, razor kit, and other little odds and ends.Day bed which can also double as kids’ bed.There’s a spacious balcony with jacuzzi and sunbeds.Jacuzzi and double sun beds to enjoy on the balcony.Finally, a hotel with a working in-room jacuzzi.Not many hotels and resorts I’ve been to have mosquito-repellent incense. Nice touch from Veranda Hotel and Resort Hua Hin.Two bottles of free water on the top bar.Two bottles of free chilled water inside the mini-fridge.Premium deluxe rooms are located inside a separate building.Lobby of premium deluxe rooms.
A BIG ROOM
The room is very big at 66 square meters. A bit of an overkill because there are only two of us staying inside. Even though Veranda’s premium deluxe rooms max capacity is 3 persons this is way too much space. Not that I’m complaining. But we should’ve kept our upgrade coupon for another time if we had known. My wife and I just wanted to be surprised.
This room is perfect if you’re traveling with a child. There’s a separate day bed for children. But the room’s double queen-sized beds are more than enough adequate more.
The bathroom has a shower stall setup with rain shower fixtures. THANN shower products are showcased. I don’t know much about fancy shower products but maybe you do and have heard of them. You can also have a nice bath on the balcony in a jacuzzi.
Veranda Hotel & Resort Hua Hin gets bonus points for hot water on demand. Even their sinks have hot water. Which is important to a guy like me that’s borderline OCD.
However, it would’ve been an extra nice touch if Veranda provided guests with spa salts like we found inside AWA Koh Chang’s bathtubs.
The entrance to the main hotel where our deluxe room awaits.
So my wife and I stayed in this room for one night only. We tried out the jacuzzi and it works great. It’s got the bubbles and water jet which worked well. And there was plenty of hot water running on a constant which makes me think each room is equipped with its water heater.
The air conditioning was quiet and there are a bunch of movie and news channels in English to keep one entertained if they don’t want to venture out. These are nice and comfortable big rooms to relax in after a 3-hour drive from Bangkok.
VERANDA DELUXE ROOM REVIEW
A look inside room #210 a deluxe room at Veranda Hotel & Resort Hua Hin
At first, we thought our deluxe rooms were located in the same building as our premium deluxe room. But when we went back to hand in the keycards for our premium room a friendly hotel reception staff led us to our deluxe room on the main property.
Which is better because we’ll be a lot closer to the swimming pool and the gorgeous beach. We got a room on the second floor room #210.
This is deluxe room #210 on the second floor.
This room faces the inner courtyard or as Veranda calls it garden view. Rooms facing the opposite side of the resort which I think doesn’t have a good view. And I don’t see any price difference between a room with a better view and the ones that don’t.
My suggestion is if you book a garden view room make sure you ask for a deluxe room with a better view. I’m sure if one is available you’ll get it.
Deluxe rooms are located in these buildings. The location is closer to the swimming pool and beach.
Our room was inside the building pictured above. The room on the second floor second from the right is where we stayed.
I much prefer this deluxe room to the premium. It’s 44 sq m. overall and for me a lot cozier. Closet space is smaller here in the deluxe rooms. Not that it matters to us as we still keep all our stuff inside our travel bags.
A little reading area by the balcony.
There’s a king-sized bed, a separate shower, and a large bathtub. The toilet however shares the room with the shower. This is the first I’ve seen inside a resort of this quality, but it’s not a big deal. I didn’t have a chance to try out the bathtub on this trip but the showers were good with strong water pressure and constant hot water.
Haven’t tried the bathtub, but it’s full-sized and looks comfortable.THANN bath products are also found inside deluxe room bathrooms.
The real highlight of Veranda Hua Hin’s deluxe rooms is the view and the balcony seating space. With the shade and the nice afternoon breeze coming from the ocean I slept on the balcony sofa for hours like a baby.
Plenty of space on the balcony overlooking the garden.
After staying at our deluxe room we felt we should’ve saved our room upgrade coupon.
We were just as comfortable and there’s a better view. I didn’t even miss the jacuzzi inside the premium deluxe.
Because we were a lot closer to the beach and especially the swimming pool. From the doorstep of our room to the front of the pool it only took us a couple of minutes to get there.
There’s a small man-made beach by the pool for children.
As mentioned already, there are 12 room types at the Veranda Hua Hin. The top room types are Beach Front Pool Villa and Sky Pool Villa.
But I took a look at the rooms in front of the pool and shorter walking distance to the beach called the Veranda @ Sea rooms. I’m interested in checking it out in the future because it looks pretty cool.
The resort provides free internet Wi-Fi and the connection was fast and consistent. You could even get Wi-Fi coverage at the swimming pool and sun chairs in front of the beach.
This is the Veranda @ Sea room type I’m interested in reviewing the next time I come back here.
Veranda Hotel and Resort is a very nice place to relax and enjoy Hua Hin. If you’re planning on visiting Bangkok I think coming to this resort would be a great compliment and contrast from all the noise that is in Bangkok.
My wife and I like this hotel and we can’t wait to go back and check out the other room types.
HOW TO GET THERE:
ADDRESS: 737/12 Mung Talay Road, Cha Am, Petchburi 76120, Thailand
Veranda Resort Hua Hin is 130km from Bangkok, about 3 3-hour drive by car. It is approximately 21km from Hua Hin’s city center.
WHERE TO FIND HOTEL DISCOUNTS AND READ MORE REVIEWS:
Was my Veranda Resort Hua Hin Cha Am review helpful to you? These are affiliate links which means if you make a booking with either company I make a small commission. With no extra cost to you. You will be supporting this blog and also help care for soi dogs (and cats) we come across in Thailand.
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