Summary
My delayed trip to Thailand and Vietnam began in Bangkok on January 10, 2025, after my medical emergency postponed the original September 2024 plans. The trip included visits to the Golden Mount Temple, Wat Pho, and the King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper, dental and optical appointments, and a visit to Ko Samet.
I was scheduled to travel to Thailand and Vietnam on a Delta flight from Seattle to Bangkok on September 24, 2024, returning on December 12, 2024, using 86,000 Delta miles. However, I was admitted to the University of Washington Harborview Emergency Room on September 22, 2024, by ambulance and spent 5 days in the Intensive Care Unit until September 27, 2024.
I had a severe respiratory infection caused by Haemophilus influenza, epiglottitis, atrial fibrillation, and pneumonia. I received antibiotics, steroids, and blood thinners. After discharge, I visited the emergency room four times due to complications.
I underwent a cardioversion on November 4th, which cured my Afib, and my pneumonia has cleared. I rescheduled my trip to January 10, 2025.
Delta refunded 86,000 miles and $107 airport fees, while Travelguard Insurance reimbursed unrefunded reservations and visa fees.
I tried to rebook my Thailand trip with Delta Miles, but they needed 96,000 to 120,000 points. Instead, I booked with Qatar Airways, the best airline in the industry. They only needed 85,000 points, and the airport fees were $145. My reservations are from January 10 to March 27, 2025.
On January 10th, I boarded the light rail from Seattle to the airport under gloomy skies. I departed Seattle at 5 PM, flew to Doha, Qatar, and arrived in Bangkok on January 12th.
Airlines charge a fee for seat selection, so I asked the agent for a no-cost aisle seat at the back. It was quiet there.
Qatar Airways, voted the best airline, resembled other foreign carriers. I prefer international carriers with courteous staff, attentive service, and good food. Perhaps the ratings are based on first and business class passengers.
Arriving at dawn, I used a less-used bathroom on my way to immigration to freshen up and shave, as I was one of the last passengers.
Despite the delay, the lines were long due to simultaneous aircraft landings. I recall a section for diplomats and seniors on the far right of the immigration hall during my last visit. I went there and only had one person ahead, so I quickly obtained a 60-day visa on arrival for Thailand.
I withdrew ฿10,000– about US$300– from an airport ATM using my Schwab ATM card. The processing fee is ฿220, regardless of the withdrawal amount. Schwab reimburses all transaction fees, so the size of the withdrawal doesn’t matter to me. However, if you don’t get reimbursed, consider withdrawing a large amount of Thai Baht.
From the airport’s bottom level, I took the ฿45 airport train to downtown Bangkok, connecting with the skytrain at Phaya Thai. I bought a ฿150 one-day pass and rode the next skytrain to Nana. I walked to my Orchid Inn hotel on Soi 4.
After freshening up, I took the skytrain to the weekend market to shop for a new Hawaiian shirt, have lunch, and browse the mini shops.
Then, I took the skytrain to Saphan Taksin station, boarded a yellow flag Chao Phraya ferry for ฿21 to visit Wat Pho temple, and paid the increased entrance fee of ฿300 for foreigners.
I enjoyed walking through Wat Pho and seeing the reclining Buddha with his ivory inlay feet and the offering bowls beside him.
After that, I saw thousands of Buddha statues with saffron-clad monks passing by.
On this day, there were many food stalls on the grounds, and I tried some small taco-like offerings that tasted like desserts.
A large group of men dressed up received blessings before heading home.
For a few years, the ferry boat dropped passengers off at Wat Arun, where they took a shuttle ferry across the river. However, the recent reconstruction of the Tha Tien ferry landing replaced my ferry-side restaurant, which had been torn down along with other shops at the old wharf.
The next day, I had a medical tourism appointment with my dentist, Dr. Pacharee, who had given me veneers on my upper front teeth for $250 each back in 2004.
My last US dentist visit cost $476, while Dr. Pacharee’s visit at Bumrungrad Hospital was $117. I’ve decided on Dr. Pacharee for my future dental appointments.
I visited Chareon Optic for clear prescription bifocals at $200. My new glasses had an annoying yellow tint despite trying three times to get clear lenses from Zenni Optical, an online company where I had previously received proper service.
Afterward, I walked to Khlong Saen Saep canal, a few blocks north of Bumrungrad Hospital, and boarded a canal boat for ฿16 to the Golden Mount Temple and Wat Saket.
On the way up, I was encouraged to ring the bells and hit the gong, a form of sending blessings as I approached the Golden Mount stupa.
At the bottom, there were colorful animal statues.
I took the skytrain from the National Stadium to Bangkok’s tallest building, King Power Mahanakhon, which has a bar and skywalk. I paid the senior rate of ฿350 instead of the ฿880 for others for the elevator to the top.
The elevator ride had amazing graphics scenes on both the way up and down.
At the 78th floor, I approached the skywalk area and cautiously walked on the glass overlooking the buildings below. My first step was tentative. Cameras weren’t allowed, and we wore protective booties on our shoes.
After four nights in Bangkok, I took the Sky Train from Nana to Ekkami, then a three-hour bus to Ban Phe, followed by a half-hour ferry to Ko Samet.
My seatmate, Joe from Australia, and I swapped stories about our Camino adventures on the way to the island.
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