Internal flight question please help

I am wondering if anyone can tell me what time you have to arrive before a internal flight I am attempting to book a flight with Nok Phuket/Bangkok - Bangkok/Chiang Mai and I don%26#39;t know how much time to allow between flights can you book connecting flights? I could not find this information on their website.

Also can anyone please tell me how soon after booking do the flights have to be paid for?

I have read varying opinions regarding whether to book online from here or whether to book at Phuket airport when we first arrive, would this be cheaper we are arriving 09/3 and will be flying out to Chiang Mai on the 18/3.

Also I have been scouring TA forum arcives for all info on Malaria as my husband and I and 3 teenage children are spending 4 days in Mae Hong Son area, I have made the decision to avoid Malaria medication but wanted to know if you are able to take insect repellants from Aus on the plane and I have heard mention of plug in repellants for hotel rooms at night, are these readily available in Thailand or should I bring (can I) them with me?

I have made note of all the factors to be taken into consideration e.g times to be extra careful, long sleeve shirts and long skirts or trousers, but as a mum am understandably nervous and want to use a repellant that I know is effective.

Sorry my posts are always like a book just have so many questions it%26#39;s a bit scary doing this all yourself.

Thank you in advance for your help

Internal flight question please help

Hi H2Odreamer,

If you arrive one hour before an internal flight it should be OK. We travelled from the old Bangkok Don Muang airport to Chiang Mai last year with Air Asia which we booked online. See the Air Asia website.

Luggages cannot be checked through if you are using Air Asia ( I have checked). It is another hassle of reclaining your baggage from Oz and re-checkin again with Air Asia. Make sure they do not levy you departure tax if you are not leaving the airport.

I will be travelling in a few days%26#39; time to Mae Sot, Mae Sariang %26amp; Mae Hong Son and I have taken insect repellant sprays, plug-in repellants and permethrin spray for clothings for protection against ticks, mites and mosquitoes. For the simple reason that I do not trust the quality or effectiveness of their local produts. Local bug sprays and repellants are easily available there and probably even cheaper. Permethrin spray for clothing is odourless and last for 6 weeks or 6 launderings.

We here from UK are allowed to take these as long as they are in checked luggage.

I hope I%26#39;ve answered most of your queries.

Internal flight question please help

A challenge when it comes to booking connecting flights is to predict how much delay you will experience... and that%26#39;s (for most of us) pretty hard... You do need to build in a comfortable ';buffer'; on all low cost carrier flights.... without exception they are late... a lot of the time.... and most likely the most critical one is the one that%26#39;s delayed the most.. if it%26#39;s a ';use it or loose it ticket';... allow yourself plenty of time....

About the only airline where this is a lesser problem is Thai... you pay more... but they will put you on next available flight... and they also have interline agreement with many international carriers.. enabling you to check luggage through if you arrive on airlines such as Qantas... If you arrive on jetstar... which (as you know) is a low cost carrier... you%26#39;ll have to lug you suitcases from arrival to departure anyway.

When you book on-line.. you pay with credit card when you book and you get an ';e-ticket'; which you trint out and present this with the credit card you used at time of booking...

Departure tax... all airports have an airport tax.... paid when you buy the ticket.. as for international departure tax... at the moment it%26#39;s 500 Baht... paid when you depart Thailand.. If you bought a ticket after 1 Nov.... for a flight after 1 Feb., 07... a 700 Baht tax will already have been paid with purchace of ticket...

Thank you for your help I did originally intend to book with Thai airlines but it is a lot more expensive.

I will definetely get some of the clothing protectant thank you so much for that advice.

Hi H2O,

My doctor is a malaria expert and he said that if you are going to be over there for more than a couple of weeks he recommends meds... a short holiday doesnt matter as much (Not sure of the reasoning!)... he also recommends using Bushmans Repellant which you can get in any camping store or chemist here in Oz... It is 20% DEET which he said is plenty... We also got an 80% DEET Bushmans cream repellent just to use on our feet and ankles of a night.... Mozzies love my feet!!!

My son is 13 and will only be there for 3 weeks but because we are going into Khao Sok National Park he has recommended meds for him... I am taking them because I am there for 6 weeks and going overland to Cambodia as well....

I am sure you will be fine... when you get home you can always get a simple blood test to check to make sure there is no malaria in your system.

Emjay xx