asanee

For the time being-I guess as long as stock lasts- Kasikorn bank gives away free vouchers to use the airport expresstrain IF you change money at their newly opened booth in the LOWEST=train level. They claim this booth is new, but it was already open late nov. '11. Kasikorn also gives slightly better rates as the otherbanks kartel. I do not know if there is a minimum set that you need to change though.
It is the light-green bank. Note there si also the dark-green bank, which is a new Islam bank for Thailand, this does not give the vouchers and comforms the the lower kartel-rates.

Just to inform you-as I very recently saw ads for this on taxi's and signs at the hypermarket concerned:
Online booking for long-distance ''government'' buses (Borisat KonSong) is now possible using the
TTM= Thaiticketmajor.com site. I did not try it out, so O do not know what kind of cards they take or how lang advance is possible. Fairly often there are Qs here from panicking freaked out people who want to ''be sure'' for their holidays 8-9 month advance-thats makes no sense at all.
Also-as this site is more often used to buy tickets for all kinds of concerts, venues etc. at TescoLotus it is also possible to do the same-assuming you can communicate your wish to the salespeople (at info desk only-no need to que up at normal tills). There is a 20 bt servicecharge. Do not know if ALL shops offer it, but this seems reasonably to assume.
And once more, as in this TV site ill-informed parrotting seems the norm;
the BoKoSo ONLY runs part of the 100s of buslines from BKK to upcountry. Even on the routes they serve, there will also be numerous other private companies. In fact on most routes they simply share-like airlines do as codeshare. The BoKoSo stands out in 2 particular types of bus:
the 99 basic service, which now is driver only-no conductor and ONLY has advance sale and thus only stops at designated stops, where tickets can also be bought in a nearby shop.
The 999 premium service, purple coloured buses, mostly 2+1 seating as bisnis in planes and with full service. The tipical half naked tattooed farang should be aware, that the hi-so Thai people using these buses often complain about farang onboard )behind their back-and in Thai) and there have been many cases where they have been told ''sold out'' even when not. This is also Thailand-part of.

Has anyone any knowledge if there is some form of passengertransport opened across this newly opened bridge-like the one between Mukdaharn and into Suvannakhet/Laos? Ferry withdrawn? Most often TV has pretty quick info on these new links- but I guess not now as there is no Thai consul across.

as per today, 26/11, many train servcies have been able to put back to more or less normal.
1.SOUTH-trains now again start/finish BKK, but delays may be heavier as usual still. ONly the (no farang would even know about this) the 1/day local to Suphanburi is cut short. BUS to Nakorn pathom not needed anymore. UNCLEAR about the local tourist trains to/fro Kan-buri from Thonburi-I guess may still partly flooded there.
2. NORTH line=to Ch Mai: reroute via east not needed anymore, BUT service still limited to just 2 trains: the daytime sprinter and the overnight nr 1/2 special sleep\express. They have to run at lower speed-via still partially flooded sections, so again delays will be stiff. OTHER trains (as there are 5/6 daily overniters planned) are NOT running or just over limited sections=no use for BKK.
3. ISAN=North East: as north-reroute withdrawn for SOME trains=mainly the bus-lookalike sprinter DMU sets. The Rapid trains still rerouted and face delays-some of these have limited sleepers. Again-though not clearly stated, it seems NOT all trains run or only limited parts.
4. EASTERN line as usual and the short single lines to Mahachai and Mae Klong=probably still out of use or only for those having swimmers.
As always- I assume people can read and any Qs if it still holds are useless-untill further news comes (this I got from reliable inner SRT people). Instead of fear and panick start with some proper logic thinking and reasoning. Qs about WHEN back to normal etc. are also completely useless-they do not know themselves either. Provide your own crystal ball.

for the time being Sai Thai (new) is relocated to this place along Ram II rd in south-west part of BKK, bangkHunTien. Perhaps -as I have done before, regulars on transpo like billp, GOPBI may take note of this-I wont entertain further nervous questions.
Ram II rd is served by numerous city=BMTA-buses. The most useful are (for normal times- dont know how much they are also affected by floods on other parts of route):
140. AC-white/yellow/orange- to bangpakok-then Expresway-comes down at Pratunam and does 1way loop along Ratchprarop-VICT-Monum-then Phyathai ARL-and back. This is about the only busline in the whole of the BMTA to make a profit.
141. as 140-Exway-down at Klong Toey (MRT)-then 1way loop via Ram IV-Siam=BTS-Chula  and back. Mostly older white/cream stinky AC-buses
76. new orange AC; Bangpakaew-BigC-BTS=WongWienYai-follows more or less BTS=no need to change, along Satron-then Silom-1way loop via Lumpini-Wittayu-Pratunam-WTC. SOme=very few busues run on to Makkasan ARL-these have big sign in Thai telling you. runs 24 hrs.
17.White private: bangkpakok-loops around-then over New Road-Satorn-Lumpini-WTC-Pratunam-Vict.;Attention: Most of these stop short at Bgpakok-ASK on entering if you think you want this 17-76 is most likely far better
68. white normal, NOT private and AC-private. bangpakaew-Mall TaPra (floods??)-PATA-Pinklao bridge-ends at Wat Bovorn just round corner from Khao Sarn.
558. brandnew all-yellow bus: to bangpakok-then Exway-to Bangna-Bang Phlee- and ends SWAMPY BUSterminal-one of the few remaining buses to there-VERY long ride-at least 90 mins-but quite frequent.
For those too nervous to understand: yes, all these buses also do reverse-except where I noted 1wayloop, there exit=entry.
INbound buses=to centre stop at same side as Holland beer=big wooden lookalike western style beersaloon with a big windmill that started life long ago as HEINEKEN beer hall. This place is very close to a BigC and a Central on opposite side of road-if you see this, you have come too far from centre-walk back+cross road is then still short.
Normal taxifare toward Silom/Saladaeng (about 13-15 kms) should be about 110-130 bt+more if exxessive waiting As most arrivals are by nightbus very early=no jams, so no real need for expressway.