I'm going over the options for the flight itinerary for my Visit with Dr. Suporn in thailand. I'm originating from the Tampa International Airport in Florida here. Now, we need to be there 3 days early and trying to work with the stay for recovery due to the whole need for a visa after 30 days and not getting one so need to stay within that.

After looking it up, the example flight I'm looking at shows the following:
Depart-> Tampa,FL Aug 20th @ 3:27pm
Arrive-> Bangkok Aug 22nd @ 8:00am
Flight time -> 29h, 33mins with 2 stops.

My issue is, are they adding the timezone difference already to the timezone date? It just doesn't add up otherwise and Sophie mentioned having to account for the timezone differences.

Day (-3)            Arrival, Collection from Airport, Hotel Check In
Day (-2)            Rest, Visit Clinic, Clinic Administration, Pre-op Consultation with Dr Suporn
Day (-1)            Hospital Patient Admin, medical tests, X-Rays, meet Anaesthesiologist, Check In
Day (0) Operation
Day (7)             Discharged from hospital
Days (8 ) - (23)   Recovery, Examination, Rest
Day (24) - (30**) Departure as desired

**Day (28) onwards - requires visa in advance

My other question would be that going by this - and August having 31 days and my Surgery being Aug 25th, I can only apparently stay for 27 days after surgery due to arriving 3 days early rather than the 28 days otherwise suggested, is this correct? What is throwing me off though is the the schedule shows it not counting the surgery day and listing it as Day 0. So essentially I must leave 26 days after on the 20th of September then due to the 30 day limit, am I correct?

I see the clinic would assist for a visa extension but since I'm not getting one that wouldn't account for staying an extra day. If it's a round trip ticket showing proof of departure, what would happen if we did - in fact, stay an extra day beyond the 30 days without the 30+ day visa? I'm being completely thrown off by the listing of the surgery day as Day 0.

I'm mostly confused a bit on when exactly I should be scheduling the flights to avoid issues and still allow the maximum recovery time as I want to stay as long as possible during that time period.

In short the 30 day visa is good from when you step foot past customs and is good until September 21st going by the itinerary. Take-off/Land time with airline comparison and booking sites is always in local time (so leaving is EST and landing in the timezone Thailand is in).

Quote from: Flan on June 28, 2014, 10:19:16 PM
In short the 30 day visa is good from when you step foot past customs and is good until September 21st going by the itinerary. Take-off/Land time with airline comparison and booking sites is always in local time (so leaving is EST and landing in the timezone Thailand is in).

AH! Perfect - many thanks Flan.   

I used ebookers / expedia to look at schedules and then found it cheaper to book direct with the relevant airline (Thai). Cheaper being like 1000$. So take time to find the right solution. Thai and Asian airlines may be more accommodating to someone flying in discomfort than western airlines but there is no generalization.

Quote from: Monkeymel on June 29, 2014, 01:07:05 AM
I used ebookers / expedia to look at schedules and then found it cheaper to book direct with the relevant airline (Thai). Cheaper being like 1000$. So take time to find the right solution. Thai and Asian airlines may be more accommodating to someone flying in discomfort than western airlines but there is no generalization.

Airlines are generally equally bad these days unless you pay for business class. Premium economy is a good compromise for international travel. For everything else there are sites for selecting the least bad coach/economy seat http://www.seatguru.com/ Asking the airline for a wheelchair on the flight coming back usually gets a good seat (at least when I flew with Delta from surgery).

Hey,

I pulled out my itinerary from my visit ... The three day prior to surgery is a minimum.  You might consider adding an extra day or two.  I arrived 5 days prior to surgery, and feel like that was a really good amount of time.

That extra time getting over jet lag, spending a few more meals with other patients,  time to walk around the area near the hotel.  Just time to stand on the pedestrian bridge crossing the street at the clinic, looking out at the horizon.  Realizing I am on the other side of the world!  I am standing on the edge of a life changing event.  I am glad I had that time to center myself

My general schedule
Dec 1: leave  home
Dec 3: arrive Bangkok at 2 AM.  Checked in to the hotel and then up in time for the breakfast buffet.  I did all my pre surgery that day.  It was kind of rushed it, it turned out that I had arrived on the Friday before a  holiday weekend celebration of the King's Birthday, which is a huge holiday for the Thai people. 
Dec 4 and 5: Rest, walk in the vicinity of the hotel, socialize, acclimatize.
Dec 6: pack for hospital, check-in to hospital, pre-surgery prep.
Dec 7: surgery
Dec 31: leave Bangkok
Dec 31: arrive home

That itinerary was exactly 30 days in country, it worked great for me.

I used Kayak to search for flights.

Another thought for you, have you considered or have you gotten Hepatitis B vaccinations?
The vaccination are not required, but they are advised.  I would consider them a good investment, although it is a bit pricey (it is a series of three vaccinations, and will probably run at least $250)

My county health department has a Travel Clinic, You pay for an evaluation of your travel plans, and they make a personalized health risk portfolio for you. 

Their recommendations:

Watch out for food poisoning, (poor sanitation, etc).  I ate all my meals in the hotel prior to surgery.  After returning from the hospital I ate at the street restaurant by the clinic.

Wear bug repellant, they suggested some really heavy duty deet, although the chance of malaria is extremely low.  I took a bottle of repellant and never wore it.

Do not get bit by a dog or cat, well any animal!  Street dogs are really common and they do not have any strict program of rabies vaccinations for dogs like there is in the west.  One of the girls did get bit while I was there.  She was petting a stray dog and it nipped her hand drawing a touch of blood-- the clinic took her for rabies vaccinations.  So this is a valid warning, although it sounds a bit funny in way when you read it in a list.

Hepatitis B Vaccinations:  which I decided to get.

I had a wonderful experience in Chonburi,  I felt safe and well cared for at all times.

I had an easy recovery while there.  Some of the other folks had rougher times, some physically and some emotionally.  It will be an experience.  Once you embark there is no turning back,  your experience will be yours and yours alone.

I would be glad to share more with you, Skype or a phone call would be easier than writing.  I am a couple hours time difference if you are interested.

Elaina

Quote from: Elainagirl59 on June 29, 2014, 12:10:36 PM
Another thought for you, have you considered or have you gotten Hepatitis B vaccinations?

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/thailand#vaccines-and-medicines
Bottled water is recommended (and readily available) as the sanitation systems there aren't up to the task of the population. (Hotel might have warning stickers on the sinks)

Quote from: Monkeymel on June 29, 2014, 01:07:05 AM
I used ebookers / expedia to look at schedules and then found it cheaper to book direct with the relevant airline (Thai). Cheaper being like 1000$. So take time to find the right solution. Thai and Asian airlines may be more accommodating to someone flying in discomfort than western airlines but there is no generalization.

So would that be without a round trip ticket made out thus arranging both ways seperate? The prices I saw were $1,280 per person to $1,333 per person round trip as it seems the prices are lower when boarding mid-week. Are those essentially fair for the costs and distance? I already see something like $200-$400 for within the USA flights as it is round trip so for the distance it seemed rather fair. The airline I would be using is Emirates by Jetblue.

Quote from: Elainagirl59 on June 29, 2014, 12:10:36 PM
I pulled out my itinerary from my visit ... The three day prior to surgery is a minimum.  You might consider adding an extra day or two.  I arrived 5 days prior to surgery, and feel like that was a really good amount of time.

That extra time getting over jet lag, spending a few more meals with other patients,  time to walk around the area near the hotel.  Just time to stand on the pedestrian bridge crossing the street at the clinic, looking out at the horizon.  Realizing I am on the other side of the world!  I am standing on the edge of a life changing event.  I am glad I had that time to center myself

My general schedule
Dec 1: leave  home
Dec 3: arrive Bangkok at 2 AM.  Checked in to the hotel and then up in time for the breakfast buffet.  I did all my pre surgery that day.  It was kind of rushed it, it turned out that I had arrived on the Friday before a  holiday weekend celebration of the King's Birthday, which is a huge holiday for the Thai people. 
Dec 4 and 5: Rest, walk in the vicinity of the hotel, socialize, acclimatize.
Dec 6: pack for hospital, check-in to hospital, pre-surgery prep.
Dec 7: surgery
Dec 31: leave Bangkok
Dec 31: arrive home

That itinerary was exactly 30 days in country, it worked great for me.

Great information Elaina! If I were to go a bit earlier I would risk staying 31-32 days instead as I want to stay as long as needed during the recommended aftercare days. I contacted Sophie regarding the flight itinerary and she stated the following:

"If you overstay, you just risk a small overstay charge (1000 Baht per day) when you depart, but in practice the Immigration officials usually ignore that for just a day or two."

It also works out because if I arrive on the 3rd day earlier than surgery the prices end up $1,333 roundtrip per person, going 4 days earlier brings it to $1,288 but going trying to fit either dates in within the 30 day limit ends up raising the roundtrip ticket prices to $1,468 per person as the cheapest.

The only thing I cannot seem to find is the return trip info for a flight on Expedia.

I'll consider your offer on the direct contact sometime, thanks!

Once you choose departing times it allows you to select the return times,  also be sure you pay attention to which seats you choose, while flying to Thailand in a window seat may be nice, a seat next to the walkway on return and close to the bathroom as well becomes very convenient.  I flew delta when I went to Thailand and on the first leg I was able to choose seating so no issues there,  but once I got on the flight leaving country, it was booked so Def pay attention to seat choice.  Oh and delta was fantastic, they let me get like 2 blankets and 6 pillows on each flight!!!,