Thais believe in overcomplicating everything. It's why so many potential tourists are flocking to Vietnam.

KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid. Thailand delight in over-complicating anything which is why their tourist numbers are dropping exponentially.

Try Vietnam.

Whatever is most inconvenient, time-consuming, pointless and expensive, that's what Immigration will require. It's why more and more tourists are going to Vietnam whilst Thailand loses out. Do they care? No, it's all about power.

I live in Thailand; there are so many car/motor bike hire companies it is hard to imagine they are only for domestic use. In Pattaya, there are gangs of Arab youths who continually battle the police for street control - they stay for long periods.

It's just another hoop that Thailand wants you to jump through whilst bemoaning the lack of tourists. KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid. Now they're racially discriminating against foreign drivers despite doing nothing about their own drivers whose record is the 2nd WORST in the world. 14,144 deaths last year = nearly 40 every DAY! These are official figures which are not the whole truth.

I use Skyscanner to find flights then after making my choice, go direct to the airline site; except Etihad whose customer service department refuses to engage with disgruntled customers.

It's an accumulation of things that finally break the camel's back. A written driving test is just another hoop put in the way of potential tourists. Every day in Thailand 40+ people are killed on the roads; primarily because the general population have no licences; are useless drivers; there's no police force. Foreigners here, are among the few who have had to earn the right to drive by being tested on the roads AND in theory. To single them out is a racist policy (like the fee to enter National Parks which is TEN times the local fee). Thailand professes to want tourists - just not foreign ones.

If Thailand can complicate things, they will. They don't believe in simple; it's all about power; those in charge delight in saying no. Vietnam is full of ex-pats who've had enough of Thai BS.

Thailand continues to shoot itself in the foot then bemoans the low tourist numbers. Is there anyone with a brain in charge? 40+ road users die EVERY DAY thro having no police force; no driving test/licence yet they single out foreigners who have had to EARN their licences.