Bangkok from 28 March to 9 April

In few words it was crazy time, plans changed all 24h, for you we will try to make it simple. All this time we didn’t move, we stayed in Bangkok in the same hotel going out only for food and papers. Good time with our neighbors in the hotel sharing information and mealtime to time. We were with a couple Spain/Sri Lanka, who was working here in Thailand in one island, 2 Pakistanis guys who were working there too and couldn’t go back home and a swiss long term traveler here to renew his passport.

So about us and our different options:
A) Going back to France for Dorian and to Russia for Veronika → prefer because Veronika need to validate our marriage in Russia and change all her documents (no, administratif it’s not finish)
B) Going back together to France → need visa of wife for Veronika, due to the virus possible to get here
C) Stay here in Thailand up to the end of the epidemie → need to extend our visa.

Monday 30 March

Email from Aeroflot, they canceled Veronika’s fly at the 13th of April, we managed to book it for the 5th of April.

Thursday 2 April

Call to Aeroflot because e-ticket for the 5th of April still not received and we understood that the plane was again canceled. Impossible to rebook by phone we had to go to the airport the next day.

Friday 3 April

At the airport impossible to rebook, the only information “Maybe a plane, (charter) will come on Monday (and maybe one on Tuesday), you have to come early at 6am it will be first arrived first in the plane”. We get the confirmation of Veronika fly cancelation, with this paper she can ask another paper to the embassy to be able to extend Thai visa.

Saturday 4 April

Veronika’s Birthday! We cooked a super crepe cake, and a marinade for chicken, really tasty!
Russia canceled all flies, so no need to go to the airport on Monday.
In addition Russian invited to register on a website to see how many people need help.

Monday 6 April

We had a drink with the Spanish/Sri Lanka couple, they will move the next day with a special plane.
The french documents (of our marriage) are finally received by Dorian’s friend in Bangkok, with it we can make the France visa for Veronika. At midnight a call and a message from Russia on Veronika phone, we were not in capacity to take decisions.

Tuesday 7 April

Hard morning, the news of the night is from Aeroflot saying there is a plane at midday today! Russian change decision taken 2 days ago and open again the border for charter. We tried to call them but no answer and it’s too late.

We went to pick up french documents from Dorian’s friend (again thanks to you Thomas!). We continued to Russian embassy to get the document to extend thai visa. Normally they should have send it by email, but we still have not received anything after 3 days (and the hotline of russian embassy is not working). And we have to extend before to do the visa process with the french, otherwise, Veronika will probably be in overstay for few days, for both we need the passport.

Very nice people in the embassy, possible to discuss and ask questions even if normally they are completely closed. Advice from them wait to make the extension process, regulation will change in the next 48h and it should became free and much more simple. But anyway they made the paper we were looking for in less than 10 minutes. Other information new planes will arrive in the next days, so stay near your phone first answer first in the plane.

Wednesday 8 April

Morning information Russian will bring back only the one who left Russia after the 01/01/2020, and Veronika left before. So the end of plan A
End of the day, the news from thai newspapers, the process for thai visa extension is much more simple it’s automatic and free!

Dorian asked (by email) to french embassy to modify visa appointment (taken this morning) for as soon as possible at 4h30pm, they answered in less than 10 mins and propose the next day at 8h30am. Really super efficient administration!

Thursday 9 April

Visa request at the french embassy for Veronika, they said 2 to 3 days normally, (before we had information 7 to 10 days), we will see. Maybe we will even be able to not modify Dorian plane and go together on Monday!