@Karl *****

I was here for the whole shebang. Living in Bangkok but travelled extensively during that time. Bangkok was easy. Bars were paying off the police and operating behind closed blinds. Cowboy and Nana were closed of course, but a few choices in 8 and 11. Had four days in Cha-am. It was good. Brought our own booze and stayed in a unit with large balcony opposite the beach. Beach was deserted. Great times! Great beach restaurant at the north end of Cha-am beach where the owner was happy to serve beer and wine!

@Karl *****

Nope. Travelled extensively. Just had to register journey on an app, give a good reason (visiting sick relative 😆), stopped at province checkpoints, they checked the app, took a photo of the car, and waved us through. Too easy. Some bars were open in lower Sukhumvit, others serving alcohol in milkshake containers! Good times! In Rayong the beach bars served the beer in bottles no problem. Even flew to a couple of places, just had to show vax certificate and they checked temperature before boarding and in the destination airport on arrival! Loved the tranquility. We stayed at a hotel at Chao Lao beach, there were only four rooms booked out of about 80! Restaurant on the beach we were the only customers, so we had eight waiters looking after us! Car hire was dirt cheap, hotels cheap. Rented a room for two nights on the Chao Phraya opposite Wat Arun for 600 baht a night - now they're back to 3600 a night! Good times! I'm probably one of the few who enjoyed covid, but I certainly was not locked down or locked in anywhere!

@Karl *****

For me it's totally true. I was never locked down. Maybe you chose that way, I didn't

@Peter ******

Probably your interpretation. I never saw it that way as I was never restricted in my movement. Sure, everything was closed, so there was nowhere to go (unless you knew where to go 😆), but I never felt I was ever locked down. I travelled freely around the country, driving to Kanchanaburi, Ko Chang, Chantaburi, Phetchabun, Ayutthaya on frequent occasions without any restriction. Anyway, to each their own! 👍

@Brandon ***********

You can start with OA, and during the two-year tenure commence monthly transfers, then leave the country allowing the OA to lapse, re-enter with Visa Exempt and then apply for non-O at an immigration office, using the up to two years of 65k transfers to meet the criteria. That's how I did it, and avoided the 800k lump sum

@Graham *****

I switched from OA to O via visa exempt so I never needed the 800k lump sum as I already had almost two years of 65k transfers, but without that I would imagine the 800k would be required

@Peter ******

I don't remember any road closures. I know I had to register on an app of any travel I was doing, and I did travel extensively during covid as car rentals and hotels were so cheap, and temperature checks weren't just in Sukhumvit Road, they were everywhere. But perhaps you can explain how that relates to "lockdown". I always thought "lockdown" was unable to move anywhere.

You simply transfer a minimum of 65k from overseas each month. I've done it for years

@Brandon ***********

I was in Rayong for that "curfew". The head honcho in Rayong was pissed off with Prayut's stupid restrictions, so it didn't apply down there. He even kept U-Tapao Airport open. It was a great time! I was actually referring to general lockdown. Many countries around the world restricted people to staying indoors during the day!! Thailand was fantastic during covid! There were a dozen bars operating in 8 and 11 in Bangkok during the alcohol bans. They were great times

There never was a "lockdown" in Thailand. There were restrictions and alcohol bans, but people were free to go out every day for as long as they wanted