Warning over Thailand’s new digital arrival card

Get smart on form

We are independent travellers and have visited or stayed overnight in Bangkok many times. We were unaware of the new digital entry form until we landed in Bangkok. The new Thai Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system, introduced in May, allows for registration three days before or on arrival and is similar to the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC).

The big difference, however, is that unlike Singapore which has many kiosks and people to assist you in the process, there are few machines and most people end up completing the form on their smartphone. Fortunately, Bangkok airport provides an hour’s worth of free Wi-Fi but beware of the scam forms on websites that are almost identical to the Thai government site, but charge a fee to process your application. Another important thing to know is that a hotel name is not sufficient, you need to know the district and province, so keep those details handy.
Jennifer McKay, Ashbury, NSW

Letter of the week: Not so fine

I travelled to Italy for three weeks in April 2024 to visit family and rented a car from Avis in Vicenza. Last month I received a fine from Venice Police for speeding. It turns out that the vehicle I rented was indeed caught speeding – but months later in November, in Venice. I wasn’t even in Italy in November so it couldn’t have been me. I believe Avis had received the fine, entered the date of the offence, 4 November 2024, in the American format of MM:DD:YY so it became 11 April 2024, so I was hit with a substantial fine, and whoever rented the vehicle in November was let off the hook.

Avis’s customer service (both in Australia and internationally) has been astonishingly poor. Avis informed me they couldn’t resolve the matter and I must “contact the issuing organisation directly”. I have received no acknowledgment that Avis is at fault, or any assurance that they will rectify their mistake. So now I’m left trying to persuade the Italian police that it wasn’t me. It’s not exactly the plot of The Fugitive, but it’s annoying all the same.
Tim Stephens, Haberfield, NSW

Penguins, whales and Wales

Ben Groundwater’s excellent piece on Argentina (Traveller, October 11) was wide-ranging, but missed one of my personal highlights: Y Wladfa, or Welsh Patagonia, a small Welsh colony set up in the mid-1860s. It’s not easy to reach, but rewarding for anyone with Welsh heritage or a weakness for tea, cakes and sandwiches, which are in endless supply at one of the historic tea houses. Don’t miss the historical museum in the small village of Gaiman, the whale and dolphin watching from Puerto Madryn, or a visit to the penguin colony at Punta Tombo.
Sam Heselev, Northcote, Vic

Park-entry pain

With my daughter, I enjoyed an amazing experience visiting and trekking in the magical landscape of Patagonia last December. However, I was shocked at the daily park fees charged in Argentina of $US45 ($69) a person a day. I don’t have a problem paying a fee to enjoy national parks worldwide, but I thought this fee was crippling. While I could afford it, this high cost prevents many backpackers and travellers from enjoying the magical landscape. It was a relief when we crossed over to the spectacular Torres del Paine in Chile where park fees were a fraction of this cost. I still rate it as one of my greatest travel experiences. Don’t miss it.
Lynne Phillips, Mosman, NSW

Tango led

On my first trip to Argentina in 2003 I arrived in Buenos Aires knowing nobody. Armed with my violin and determined to study with the tango maestros, I was lucky to meet a musician who had a tango orchestral school. Among 12 subsequent trips, I lived in San Telmo, Almagro, Recoleta and Palermo Soho, made lifelong friends, played a lot of music, ate a lot of meat, drank vats of malbec, and fell in love with the generous, passionate Argentinian people who still believe the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas) belong to them.
Maggie Ferguson, Potts Point, NSW

Get stuff

In response to Lee Tulloch’s column (Traveller, September 30) I understand concerns regarding souvenirs. However, I worry about the advice that the best souvenirs are “pictures and stories”. These may be good for the tourist but less so for those whose countries we visit. I try to buy locally made crafts or products that I can use at home. I avoid bargaining, as the small extra I pay directly improves the finances of the craftspeople and their families. Alternatively, paying for experiences with local businesses also contributes to the economic wellbeing of the wonderful people who welcome us as travellers.
Linda Page, Baulkham Hills, NSW

Dinar downer

On a recent long trip back home from Morocco after 10 wonderful days, our tickets took us via Amman in Jordan and a change of airlines. This meant we had to collect our bags and re-check them. It was no problem as we had plenty of time. However, we were informed we needed a visa. “But we are not leaving the airport”, I said. “No exceptions”, was the answer, so we reluctantly agreed. The charge for two visas amounted to almost $200. It was an extra cost we weren’t expecting, but tired as we were and with a long way to go, we just paid it instead of arguing the point. Travellers should be aware of this potential charge. We did have a great trip to Jordan some years ago, but this seemed an unfair money-raising impost serving no purpose other than just that, raising money.
Greg Lindsay, Rookhurst, NSW

Editor’s note: Michael Gebicki recently covered the issue of transit problems in his weekly column. You can read it here.

Cost of doing business

A return business-class flight Sydney to Perth at the end of October on Qantas costs $6051. A return business class flight Sydney to Hong Kong in early December on Cathay Pacific costs $5695. I wonder why support for Qantas is waning?
Chris Sinclair, West Pennant Hill, NSW

Given the boot

Thank you Lee Tulloch (Traveller, October 9) for giving me confidence to use an Uber instead of a taxi from Sydney airport. My husband and I are in our late 70s and quite often take the train to Sydney airport. However, when arriving early mornings after a long international flight, we usually take a taxi home. Our last taxi ride in late August saw us with a driver who did not utter a word, not even “good morning”. On reaching our destination he popped the boot and stayed in his seat while my nearly 80-year-old husband unloaded our bags. We decided not to close the boot, which meant he had to (finally) get out of his seat. We’ll be using an Uber next time.
Alison Briggs, Oatley, NSW

Silver service

We have been using Silver Cabs after making contact with a good driver some years ago who gave us his number so we could book direct. The taxis have always been on time for a pickup, with the price given, and we book the return giving our flight number and arrival time. When we land, we get a text message with details of the car registration, and we then text when our bags have been collected. We then go to the pick-up area where our cab is waiting. Perfect.
Margaret Horton, Roseville, NSW

Tap and go

I had an interesting but worrying experience using the public toilets while visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa last year. After a long time in the queue, I had my euro coin ready and handed it to the woman at the desk but was informed they did not accept cash and I could only pay by card. I was taken aback, but nature called, so I placed the card on the machine only to be told I should enter my PIN. By this time, I was anxiously holding out and so followed instructions and eventually gained entry. My worry for many weeks after, was of course, will I be hacked? Luckily, nothing eventuated, and I’ve chalked it up to a weird travel experience.
Keith Lawson, Melbourne, Vic

Lost luggage alternative

On our last eight-week trip to the UK and Europe, my husband suggested we just use carry-on. I was aghast as to how I would fit in all my belongings. We bought a good quality carry-on suitcase each and a fold-up bag to fit under the seat in the plane. All belongings fitted, including two pairs of shoes and there was no anxiety about lost luggage or waiting at a carousel. Just make sure your carry-on is at or just under required weight.
Louise Collins, Bonbeach, Vic

Tip of the week: Brothers in arms

I have just returned from the World War I Western Front, in honour of my great uncle, who was fortunate enough to return. There are several commemorative sites acknowledging Australia’s contributions in France and Belgium and one of the newest is the poignant Brothers in Arms Memorial Park near Ypres in Belgium. This beautiful park commemorates brothers and sisters and includes the Hunter brothers from Queensland who enlisted together. When John was killed, his brother Jim buried him with great care and promised to return to take him home. But, once peace was declared, he was unable to find the grave in the remnants of the battlefield. Then, a few years ago, John’s body was found during construction work, and through contact tracing the story of the brothers was revealed. The memorial park is the result of a remarkable local resident, Johan Vandewalle, who felt the story should be told. There is a heart-rending sculpture by Australian Louis Laumen, of Jim cradling John’s body. The park is at Zonnebeke and can be accessed by car or taxi from Ypres or by bus and a 30 minute-walk.
Jill Grogan, Albert Park, Vic

Petit France

I was pleased to see Ute Junker include L’isle Sur la Sorgue, France (Traveller, September 28). We stayed in this gorgeous place and used it as our base to explore Provence. The reception at our cabin park sold fresh baguettes daily, and we had an easy walk into town along the waterways, with the water bubbling along so clean and fresh. We were amused one night when we were having an early dinner and a man got up a few tables from us to do some fly-fishing over the barrier. No one seemed surprised. We loved this peek into French village life, it brought us lasting memories.
Anne Runting, Keilor, Vic

Water gates

Although the flood barrier in Venice is fortunately not often seen (Traveller, October 10) I was surprised that Brian Johnston did not mention the Thames Barrier. It is just a short boat trip from the other must-see sites at Greenwich, where you can use the Greenwich Foot Tunnel to walk under the Thames.
Marjie Williamson, Blaxland, NSW

Closer to home

I’ve been addicted to travelling ever since I started when I was 12. We have driven across the Sinai to Egypt, been on safari to Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya, driven around Turkey and many other countries. However, now that I’m over 80 I need the security of being closer to home. Now is the time to revisit our favourite parts of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Don’t stop travelling, just make it a bit easier.
Margaret Zarifeh, Nunawading, Vic

Bali highs and lows

I recently stayed at a fabulous hotel in Ubud, Bali. The service was the best I have received at any five-star hotel in the world. But oh, the steps. I am not young and have aches and pains so asked for a room close to reception, knowing that Ubud hotels are built on the sides of hills. The only problem was that the restaurant and spa (daily treatments were included) were at the bottom of what seemed like Mount Everest and I had to climb up and down at least twice a day. It got so bad the hotel kindly sent me to a local doctor to get painkillers. Thereafter, I had my meals and treatments in-room. Keep this in mind when choosing a hotel in Ubud.
Jennifer Saunders, Canberra, ACT

Two becomes one

In South Korea this month we were ripped off by booking.com who take no responsibility for the misinformation published on their website. Our advertised and confirmed “two-bed apartment” had only one bed made up and a small futon mattress with no bed linen. The owner admitted he had not updated the site and refused to provide the required bed linen, encouraging us to cancel. Complaints to booking.com were futile. Their response was that it was up to the property whether to give a refund and to ensure accuracy on the site.
Vee McPavian, Ocean Grove, Vic

Pillow talk

Judy Hungerford asks what all the pillows and cushions are for in a hotel (Traveller, October 11). The pillow library should have a choice of one thin, one medium and one thick pillow for each hotel guest. The cushion is to rest on your lap to lift up your tablet when you are sitting in bed.
Colin Sutton, Newtown, NSW

The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com