Trip Costs
The cost was $5,483 for a daily cost of $60. Food costs were $2,507 for a daily cost of $28 per day. Lodging costs for 86 hotel nights were $2,136 for a daily cost of $25 per night—2 nights were on night bus rides and 3 were on air flights.
Travel Insurance
My Travelguard Insurance for this 90-day trip was just $10.12 since my reservation and upfront costs were just $95--3-night hotel reservations at the Majestic Suites. The air ticket was paid for using Barclay credit card points.
On May 15th, Travelguard paid my claim of $434.32 USD for my mini iPad 4 I had left behind at a Bangkok restaurant and was not recovered. I had no police report to file, and I provided a receipt for my Apple purchase, and my boarding passes.
Note: It only works if you have receipts for items lost or stolen along with your boarding passes or flight itinerary.
I have had Travelguard insurance for over 20 years of travel and they always come through for me. They are the best.
Travel/tour costs were $840. I used 92,300 Barclay MC points for the round-trip flight with Asiana Airlines from Seattle to Bangkok.
Bus, metro, moto-taxi, and boat expenses were about $363 for travel from city to city and within the cities in all countries I visited. I really enjoyed traveling long distances on these comfortable buses. Unlike in the US, there were frequent departures from a large number of bus companies, and they were inexpensive. Some had Wi-Fi along with chargers,
The 5 boat tours, Muay Thai boxing, Ladyboy shows, and park fees were $346.
The 30-day Thai Visa extension costs $56.
The 2-night train expenses were $40.
First Class Night Train Sleeper to Surat Thani
The 3 taxi rides cost $23.
COVID-19 Restrictions Are Gone
This was my 7th international trip during the COVID-19 era. There were no COVID-19 documentation requirements at the border crossings. Mask-wearing was almost non-existent except for riding the Bangkok Sky Train and Metro where it was voluntary but strongly encouraged. Almost all people wore masks on the Sky Trains and Metros.
Just like in the USA, a number of people on the streets and in stores wore face masks.
Some restaurants had hand sanitizers at the entrances and on tables, but they were probably just using them up.
Homeless
I saw very few people sleeping along the sidewalks, cooking up drugs along alleys and storefronts, or people begging along the many walking streets. Unlike the US where most urban areas now have tent cities filling up the parks and sidewalks. Here in Thailand, they have Universal Medical care. People with addictions or who are mentally ill get treated unlike here in the US where the insurance companies and their lobbyists continue to oppose medical care for all.
Getting Money
Before leaving the Bangkok Airport I use an ATM machine to get the Thai Baht I need for travel and replenish at one of the many ATMs found everywhere. Many restaurants charge an extra 2-3% when using credit cards. The 7-11 and Family Mart stores let you charge small amounts with credit cards and add no extra fee.
Getting Bank Fees Back
When I travel internationally I always take about $300 in USD and then rely on ATMs for funds. I recently got a Schwab ATM card which reimburses customers for all ATM bank charges and exchange fees. For this trip, Schwab reimbursed me $91.20 on these charges.
Delightful Food Choices
As you can see, my major trip expenses were for food. Here are some of the meals I enjoyed:
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