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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 732215 times)

Offline Yehuda25

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3720 on: February 20, 2017, 11:52:20 PM »
what's the story with zika here?
“To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”


― Aristotle

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3721 on: February 21, 2017, 09:30:15 AM »
what's the story with zika here?
אין זיקא

Offline Yehuda25

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3722 on: February 22, 2017, 12:20:24 AM »
“To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”


― Aristotle

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3723 on: February 22, 2017, 04:01:08 AM »
great, source?
יש זיקא
But but it seems reported cases are all in BKK.

US + UK government travel website + Google

Offline SRM

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3724 on: February 22, 2017, 12:48:19 PM »
How do I know which location is best for shabbos? Do all three serve shabbos meals?

Anyone have advice on this? Which chabad do I want to base myself around for shabbos in BKK?

Offline Saulius

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3725 on: February 22, 2017, 12:59:14 PM »
Anyone have advice on this? Which chabad do I want to base myself around for shabbos in BKK?

Definitely Beth Elisheva in the Sukhumvit Road area. The other one, Ohr Menachem is more geared
to Israeli backpackers.

Offline SRM

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3726 on: February 22, 2017, 04:07:04 PM »
Definitely Beth Elisheva in the Sukhumvit Road area. The other one, Ohr Menachem is more geared
to Israeli backpackers.
Thank you!

What hotels near Beth Elisheva do you suggest? (not using points)

Offline Saulius

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3727 on: February 23, 2017, 12:53:52 PM »
Thank you!

What hotels near Beth Elisheva do you suggest? (not using points)

Imperial Queens Park or The Davis Hotel

Offline Denverite

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3728 on: February 23, 2017, 02:28:20 PM »
יש זיקא
But but it seems reported cases are all in BKK.

US + UK government travel website + Google

You gotta look more deeply.  Were those actually transmitted from Mosquitoes or they came from somewhere else and then the Zika was sexually transmitted in Bangkok.  A lot of these instances of Zika reports in a certain area was not because of mosquitoes in that particular place...

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3729 on: February 23, 2017, 03:01:39 PM »
You gotta look more deeply.  Were those actually transmitted from Mosquitoes or they came from somewhere else and then the Zika was sexually transmitted in Bangkok.  A lot of these instances of Zika reports in a certain area was not because of mosquitoes in that particular place...
Isn't it a matter of time for the mosquitos even if it didn't originate from them.

Offline Saulius

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3730 on: February 23, 2017, 04:43:01 PM »

Offline AJK

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3731 on: February 24, 2017, 06:08:00 AM »
Imperial Queens Park or The Davis Hotel
We did Davis and found it fine.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline SRM

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3732 on: February 27, 2017, 02:08:55 PM »
We did Davis and found it fine.

You spent shabbos at Beth Elisheva Chabad? How does it differ from Ohr Menachem?

Offline AJK

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3733 on: March 01, 2017, 07:06:55 PM »
Shabbas was great. Don't know how it differs, as I've only been there.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Moishebatchy

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3734 on: March 01, 2017, 07:08:26 PM »
Shabbas was great. Don't know how it differs, as I've only been there.

+1

Particularly enjoyed Shabbos there, Rabbi Kantor is a great guy.

Offline SRM

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3735 on: March 01, 2017, 11:52:53 PM »
I got a number for someone to plan the tours in Chiang Mai from the Chabad Rabbi called 669 tours. is that the tour company recommended by  and used by most?

Also it mentioned in the wiki to ask for a discount and use my own driver? Does anyone have a driver to recommend and is the discount so much that it's worth the bother?

On average each activity recommended by this tour company cots between 1600 to 1800 bht...is that what it should go for or am I better not planning it in advance and walking into the office when I get there for better pricing? TIA

Offline SRM

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3736 on: March 02, 2017, 11:59:07 PM »
The wiki says:
Use  המרכז המטייל as travel agent for trips
   (next door to Chabad)

Is that the same as 669 tours?

Offline Emkay

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3737 on: March 03, 2017, 12:40:07 AM »


The wiki says:
Use  המרכז המטייל as travel agent for trips
   (next door to Chabad)

Is that the same as 669 tours?
669 tours is next to chabad.
המרכז המטייל
Just means travel center.

Offline SRM

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3738 on: March 03, 2017, 11:49:06 AM »
669 tours is next to chabad.
המרכז המטייל
Just means travel center.

Thank you  :)

Offline SRM

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Re: Thailand Master Thread
« Reply #3739 on: March 06, 2017, 12:01:47 AM »
Has anyone stayed in any hotels other then the ones listed for Koh Samui and what was your opinion of them? Looking for some recommendations. The Conrad is not available and many of the other's don't look too nice when I look at the pictures on trip advisor. Would love some first hand opinions. TIA