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Inter-Thailand Flights   Bangkok Airways (PG)

PG flights are bookable on points through JAL, CX, EY and AB.

JAL
Required Mileage: Transferable from SPG. JAL uses a distance based award chart and allows up to a maximum of 7 stopovers (8 segments). To figure out how many points you will need, add up the total amount of miles that will be flown (can do this on GCMap.com) and then find the appropriate row in the award chart (http://www.ar.jal.com/ar/en/jalmile/use/partner_air/p_jmb/jmb_mile_ar.html). If you are traveling before 3/31/2017 there is a promotion for trips up to 4,000 miles (see http://www.jal.co.jp/121campaign/pg_discount/index_en.html for reduced mileage rates). The promotion makes JAL the best award redemption option for PG flights. 

Booking the Flight: The only way to find out if there is availability on the flight that you want is to call JAL. Recommended that you do so before transferring points. JAL doesn't allow you to hold a reservation so you have to hope that the flight doesn't get booked up while you're waiting for the point transfer to go through. Once the points post to your JAL account, call JAL back to book.
+1 800-525-3663 (5:00 - 18:00 PT) press 1 - 4 - JAL membership number - # - pin - # - 0 (for human or 1 for computer search)

Traveling with Infant: Tell JAL that you are flying with a lap child. They will put the infant on the reservation, but they will also tell you that you need to call PG directly to get the infant's ticket issued and pay for any taxes etc. JAL will only charge you for the adults on the reservation. Unless you speak Thai, calling PG won't work (when you press 9 for English when calling any of the Asian offices, the message will tell you to go to their website, and the office in Germany can't issue tickets). To add the infant, send an email to reservation@bangkokair.com with your confirmation number and tell them you want to have the lap infant's ticket issued. They will email you back with the price (data point: it was ~$96USD for CNX-USM-HKG for me) and ask you to reply with your cc info split into two separate emails for security (one email with first 8 digits, exp. and name on card, second email with last 8 digits, cvv, and billing address). I believe they only take Visa or MC. You'll then get an email back with confirmation.

Baggage Allowance: Economy passengers are allowed 20kg, infants (and dolls) are allowed 10kg. Excess weight on domestic flights will incur a charge of 80thb ($2.25ish) per kilo. International overage fee chart can be found here. Join the PG FlyingBonus program to receive an additional 10kg.

Contacting PG: In general, if you have any questions, the only way to speak with them in English besides email is PG Live Chat. You can find the link if you log in to your Flyer Bonus account. Chat reps are very helpful.

IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE TO PAY (JAL AND PG) WITH A CC BELONGING TO SOMEONE THAT IS TRAVELING ON THE ITINERARY. PG WILL SOMETIMES ASK YOU TO SHOW THE CC USED TO PAY FOR THE TRIP WHEN YOU CHECK IN, AND RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DENY BOARDING IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT.

CX
Required Mileage:

EY
Required Mileage:

AB
Required Mileage:



Bangkok   BKK/DMK

Hotels                                              Activities                                          Chabad                                                                Additional Info
Viengtai Hotel (Ohr Menachem)
Davis Hotel (Beth Elisheva)
Shangr-La (Even Chen)
Sheraton Resort (Hua Hin)
Riva Surya
Kao Sahn Rd
Night Markets (near stadium)
Shopping Malls
Grand Palace
Kanchanaburi (2 hrs away)
Floating Markets
Beth Elisheva (Financial & Shopping district)
Even Chen
Ohr Menachem (Kao Sahn Rd)
ALWAYS use meter in taxis and
   try to say destination in Thai - if you
   need help with numbers as Cbs ;)
(Free) sim in airport at kiosks -(true move(h- sim), dtac
   (happy(micro) sim for iPhone)
Songkran (water fight week)- April 13th!
Kosherthailand.com
BKK Luggage Lockers - 100 baht/day/bag (~$3)
Public Transport
Domestic flights:
   Air Asia, Tiger Air, Thai, Bangkok Air
Tailor:
   Rajawongse




Phuket/Patong/Koh Phi Phi/Krabi   HKT/KBV

Hotels                                                            Activities                                                                            Additional Info
Westin
JW Marriott
Sala Resort
Sheraton Krabi
The Pavilions
Holiday Inn Koh Phi Phi
Ritz Carlton Reserve
places w/ private pools
Beaches
Monkey Show
Cable Skiing
Longtail Boats
Island Tour
Koh Phi Phi:
Diving
Fire Show (wed is biggest)
Maya Bay (full day trip)
Nice Lookouts
Kayaking (to Monkey Beach)
Thai Boxing
Beware of summer weather; monsoon season
Best weather: Jan - May
Island Tour (can be done as a day trip or overnight):
   Andaman River, Maya Bay, Similian Islands, Krabi Islands,
   Koh Lanta (Emerald Cave)




Koh Samui   USM

Hotels                                                            Activities                                                                          Additional Info
The Conrad
Sunday Resort
Sheraton
Le Meridian
The W
Le Murrya (Near Chabad)
Fx Hotel (Near Chabad)
Beaches
Diving (Koa Phangan, Koh Tao)
Ang Thong Marine Park Islands
Water Sports (at chaweng and boh phut),
Safari Island (elephants, tigers, zip line)
Scooter (around island)
Kayaking $30
Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan Island trip w/ snorkeling
The Conrad will gladly make arrangements with
   the Chabad restaurant for Kosher food. Email them at usmks.fb@conradhotels.com




Chiang Mai   CNX

Hotels                                                            Activities                                                                            Additional Info
Le Meridien (10 min. Walk to Chabad)
Shangri La (2 min. Walk to Chabad)
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi
Sukantara Cascade Resort
Maese Elephant Show
Maetaeng Elephant Park
Patara Elephant Farm
Thai Elephant Home
Thoms Pai Elephant Camp
Bamboo Rafting
Tiger Kingdom
Monkey Shows
Snake Shows
Crocodile Shows
Zip Lining
Trekking
White Water Rafting
Longneck Tribe
Gun Shooting
Night Safari
Temples/Palaces
Chiang Mai River Boat (To Cooking School)
Extreme Sports!
Repelling
Caving,
ATVing
Bungee
Segways
Rent motorbikes (5$ day)
3D museum right down the road from Chabad
   (if you have an hour or two to kill)
Sunday Market (ratchadamonoen  Rd, old city)
Night Market (Changklan Rd, near Chabad & Le Meridien)
Sat Night Market (Wua Lai)
Tiger Kingdom is best in morning
Use ישראל 669  as travel agent for trips
   (next door to Chabad)
Recommended Zip Line: Flight of Gibbon or Flying Squirrel,
   can be reserved through Yackov (המרכז המטייל)
   for best price.
When reserving tours, ask for a discount due to
   using your own transportation
Tailors:
   CM Tailors
His and Hers- 3 minute walk from LM on the way to chabbad.




Chiang Rai   CEI/4hr drive from CNX

Hotels                                                            Activities                                                                            Additional Info
Le Meridien
Four Seasons Tent Camp Golden Triangle
Black House
Queens Residence
Night market
Day trip to Burma/Myanmar
Waterfalls
White Temple
Ruaamit elephant camp
Pai village (3 hr drive)
Hot Springs
Scooters
Golden Triangle

« Last edited by CR on July 26, 2020, 11:38:14 AM »

Author Topic: Thailand Master Thread  (Read 750547 times)

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3600 on: September 28, 2016, 03:35:46 PM »
Oh, I trained them quite well the 5 times that I was there for Shabbos. They told me they keep everything that I taught them on file for whenever they have Jewish guests. 8)


Well you did a great job!  ;D Literally every single person we dealt with needed no explanations. It really helps make the hotel and CNX in general an amazing place to spend shabbos.

When I was there they originally thought I'd want the elevator buttons pressed for me. When I said no thanks, they immediately gave me the steps option. Hope you didn't teach them the elevator part.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2016, 05:58:42 PM by SLMYRCB »

Offline shimino1

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3601 on: September 28, 2016, 05:53:25 PM »
Thailand has seen plenty of frum yidden.

When I was in shanghai it was trickier. At first they insisted that they didn't have stairs! to which I replied that it was impossible and I'm not buying it. They finally let us use the stairs that happen'd to be right behind the check in desk.

Friday night we came down the stairs into the employee area and this one Chinese guy looked at us completely dumbfounded for a few seconds as to what we were doing there and suddenly his face lit up and he asked: Shabbos? Shabbos? (not shabat, a real yiddeshe shabbos)

Offline Moishebatchy

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3602 on: September 28, 2016, 07:51:18 PM »
It's a great city but how come you went 5 times?  ;)

It's a nice Shabbos stop as part of a longer trip to somewhere else in Asia.

Offline Moishebatchy

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3603 on: September 28, 2016, 07:53:53 PM »
Hope you didn't teach them the elevator part.

I most certainly did, along with the stairs option.  8)

This may come as an utter and complete shock to you, but... there are actually other rabbis out there whose opinions differ from those of your rabbi. For example, there are rabbis that permit having a goy take you up in an elevator (as long as certain conditions are met).

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3604 on: September 28, 2016, 07:59:33 PM »
I most certainly did, along with the stairs option.  8)

This may come as an utter and complete shock to you, but... there are actually other rabbis out there whose opinions differ from those of your rabbi. For example, there are rabbis that permit having a goy take you up in an elevator (as long as certain conditions are met).
Unless by "conditions" you meant illness or a group of people (hard to get in an elevator), I don't think there's any other hetterim for amira l'akum.
Even if the akum knows from before Shabbos, all modern elevators (and the LM CNX is modern), use counter weight technology on the way down (advanced ones on the way up, as well).
Wrong thread though but point taken: ask your local Rabbi

Offline Moishebatchy

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3605 on: September 28, 2016, 08:01:48 PM »
Unless by "conditions" you meant illness or a group of people (hard to get in an elevator), I don't think there's any other hetterim for amira l'akum.

Nothing personal, but that just goes to show how little you know about this topic.

Wrong thread though but point taken: ask your local Rabbi

That's more like it. :)

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3606 on: September 28, 2016, 08:06:02 PM »
Nothing personal, but that just goes to show how little you know about this topic.

We can take it off thread, but I did study the mechanics of pre-modern and technologically advanced lifts. (Three cheers emjee)

That's more like it:)

Offline bendor

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3607 on: September 28, 2016, 11:40:28 PM »
👆 גם אני מצטרף להנ״ל

I've been there twice in March/April. No problems other than a little bit of haze.
I have been there in April. I was expecting the worst after reading all the reports online. It was def hazy at times but really nothing to worry about.
Thanks so much. Full steam ahead on CNX plans!
Now I just have to decide if we should head up to Chiang Rai as well, or skip it and head straight to the islands (USM, Ko Phi Phi and Ko Phangan).

Offline shauly

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3608 on: September 29, 2016, 09:58:06 AM »
I'm not one to post Charidy campaigns usually, but in this case, I'm making an exception.

Chabad of Thailand is running Charidy campaign now. I'm sure everyone's been swamped with enough Charidy campaign ads in the past that I don't need to bore you with all the details of exactly how it works ("ONLY 24 HOURS!!!","every dollar you donate will be matched and QUADRUPLED!!!", "we MUST meet our goal or we get nothing!!!" - etc. etc, blah blah blah blah blah). I'm not gonna bore you with all the nitty-gritty details, accompanied by many unnecessary exclamation points; I just want to appeal to you to help this amazing organization right now, during the 24 hours that this campaign is live. If you've already been to Thailand, you've seen their work firsthand - and this is also an opportunity to show your hakaras hatov (times 4, no less); and if you haven't yet gone (but are planning to in the future), consider this "paying it forward" in advance. And if you haven't gone and aren't planning on going at all... well, it's still a good cause, anyway. :P

Please visit their campaign at https://www.charidy.com/jewishthailand within the next 19 hours (or so), and make a donation. You can choose from that page to donate to a specific Chabad house (for example, if you've spent Shabbos in Chiang Mai, you may feel like donating specifically to Chabad of Chiang Mai), or the "donate to everyone" button to donate to Chabad of Thailand as a whole.

Tizku l'mitzvos!!!

They made it, with 2 minutes to go!  ;D

Offline CS1

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3609 on: September 29, 2016, 07:00:26 PM »
They made it, with 2 minutes to go!  ;D

B"H -- That's great news!
California Gourmet Belgian Nut-Free Chocolate Chips https://bit.ly/CaliforniaGourmetDirect

Offline Aaaron

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3610 on: September 29, 2016, 08:22:14 PM »
Lol.  That's how Charidy works; it's rigged with an additional matcher waiting in the wings.

Offline kangarruu

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3611 on: October 10, 2016, 02:52:55 PM »
Hi all, we're in need of some advice from the hive-mind.

Here is what the itinerary for our upcoming trip looks like so far:

Oct 30 NY-HND
Nov 6  HND- BKK (landing 5 am)
[Questions on this segment]
BKK to CNX not booked yet
Nov 13 CNX- HKG
Nov 14 HKG- NY

Based on this thread and recommendations from others we decided to stay in CNX for Shabbat. We have a full day elephant experience at the Elephant Nature Park booked for Nov 10th, so practically speaking the latest flight into CNX would have to be on Wednesday Nov 9th. Our questions pertain to the window of time between our flight to BKK and our timeline in CNX.

FemKang is itching to do some diving/snorkeling in the Similans/Surin Islands and/or trekking in Koh Sok National Park. We figured the best base for that would be Koh Lak (JW Marriott?)  with a stop at the Phuket Chabad for "refueling," as mentioned by others.

We keep reading that travel time in Thailand eats up a lot more time than people realize. Are we over-exerting ourselves? Is it worth going south for 4 days (Sunday arrival-Wednesday departure).

The alternative would be to stay in the north for a week, but we're not finding as much of a draw there.

.35 baht for your thoughts?

Offline benjie1305

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3612 on: October 10, 2016, 03:09:00 PM »
Hi all, we're in need of some advice from the hive-mind.

Here is what the itinerary for our upcoming trip looks like so far:

Oct 30 NY-HND
Nov 6  HND- BKK (landing 5 am)
[Questions on this segment]
BKK to CNX not booked yet
Nov 13 CNX- HKG
Nov 14 HKG- NY

Based on this thread and recommendations from others we decided to stay in CNX for Shabbat. We have a full day elephant experience at the Elephant Nature Park booked for Nov 10th, so practically speaking the latest flight into CNX would have to be on Wednesday Nov 9th. Our questions pertain to the window of time between our flight to BKK and our timeline in CNX.

FemKang is itching to do some diving/snorkeling in the Similans/Surin Islands and/or trekking in Koh Sok National Park. We figured the best base for that would be Koh Lak (JW Marriott?)  with a stop at the Phuket Chabad for "refueling," as mentioned by others.

We keep reading that travel time in Thailand eats up a lot more time than people realize. Are we over-exerting ourselves? Is it worth going south for 4 days (Sunday arrival-Wednesday departure).

The alternative would be to stay in the north for a week, but we're not finding as much of a draw there.

.35 baht for your thoughts?

I went down South for 2.5 days and it was well worth it to me. Just adds a completely different aspect of vacation to the trip.

I didn't feel that travel was that crazy. The flights are all domestic and relatively short (under 90min ballpark) so if done at convenient times it really doesn't kill too much time.

If you do have other activities you want to do that you are sacrificing due to the full day Elephant Camp, both me and my wife felt very fulfilled after spending a half-day with them which included Riding, Feeding, Bathing, Playing with Baby Elephants and Feeding again.
Work hard, Play harder!

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3613 on: October 13, 2016, 01:05:40 PM »
Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, World’s Longest-Serving Monarch, Dies
http://www.wsj.com/articles/thai-king-bhumibol-adulyadej-worlds-longest-serving-monarch-dies-1476360104

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3614 on: October 13, 2016, 01:14:42 PM »

Offline GTR

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3615 on: October 14, 2016, 01:38:48 PM »
Will be in Thailand a week from today.  Planning to wear dark clothes and behave respectfully in public (in private as well). 

Offline moisheyb

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3616 on: November 14, 2016, 02:04:23 AM »
Hey im thinking about going to Thailand in end of March beginning of April, should I go to phuket or ko samui and chaing mai?
Where do you recommend for shabbos?

Offline Emkay

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3617 on: November 14, 2016, 02:16:14 AM »
Hey im thinking about going to Thailand in end of March beginning of April, should I go to phuket or ko samui and chaing mai?
Where do you recommend for shabbos?
For how long?

Offline moisheyb

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3618 on: November 14, 2016, 02:17:05 AM »
For how long?
Say about about a week total maybe 9 days

Offline moisheyb

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3619 on: November 14, 2016, 06:21:25 AM »
For how long?


Im considering sri lanka in place of chiang mai... Hard to look up sri lanka