How long to fly from Russia to Thailand: all options with time and transfers. How to get to Thailand from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Thailand, the Kingdom of Smiles, is a very popular tourist destination. But don’t think that only moneybags can afford a holiday in this country - if you plan your trip wisely, you can save a lot. In Thailand itself, prices for accommodation and food are low. The lion's share of the cost of a vacation is the air ticket. It is this item of expense that can be sky-high, or maybe... quite acceptable.

The pricing of an air ticket is influenced by many factors, and some of them do not always fit into the concept of ordinary human logic. For example, it is more reasonable to assume that a Kyiv-Moscow-Bangkok ticket from Aeroflot will cost more than just a Moscow-Bangkok ticket from the same company, but no: cheaper. Sometimes it is more economical to fly west to Europe and then go to Thailand. It is also important how long before departure you buy tickets, what season you buy them for, and even the day of the week of departure. Let's look at the main factors that influence ticket prices in order to make our flight more budget-friendly.

1. Fly with transfers. Direct flights from Russia to Thailand are more expensive by default. So a direct flight from Moscow to Thailand and back in mid-January costs about 32 thousand rubles, if you book a ticket 2-3 months before departure and miss the peak moment of the winter season from January 1 to 10. If you want to save on purchasing direct air tickets to Thailand, you should look for special offers from other airlines on the companies' official websites. Regular flights to Thailand are operated by:

• Qatar Airways
• Etihad Airways
• Swiss International Air Lines
• Egyptair
• Turkish Airlines
• Emirates
• Uzbek and Turkmen Airlines.

Try browsing airline websites and looking for promotional tickets for the dates you are interested in. It is quite possible that you will find special offers for direct flights in the region of 25-30 thousand rubles.

You can also use special services that track prices in real time for the destination you specify. Today, the best of them is Aviasales.ru, which will tell you the best prices without any commission. If you are not afraid of transfers in Doha, Cairo, Tashkent, etc., you can subscribe to the newsletter and you will be aware of all the new offers for your date. When flying with a transfer, you can expect tickets to cost from 19 to 25 thousand rubles (round trip), depending on the destination and day of departure.

2. Departure city. Don't get hung up on Moscow and St. Petersberg. If you travel by land from the city on the Neva to Helsinki, you can fly to Thailand very profitably with Finnair, and from the cities of Siberia (Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk) the inexpensive airline S7 flies there. In general, you shouldn’t get hung up on the city where to make a transfer. It’s better to pay attention to which airports are the cheapest to get to Phuket or Bangkok.

3. A round-trip ticket will be cheaper e, than two one way. Moreover, if you arrive in Thailand without a visa, you must present a return ticket. It is better to purchase electronic tickets than directly from ticket offices or travel agencies.

4. The pricing of a flight to Thailand is also influenced by How long before departure do you purchase your ticket?. As a rule, cheap air tickets to Thailand appear 3-4 months in advance for regular flights, and a week or even 2-3 days in advance for charter flights. Decide for yourself: if you are easy-going and free to take a vacation even tomorrow, take advantage of the charter offers.

5. Travel time. Of course, during the peak season (December-April) the price is very high. If you decide to go to Thailand during the rainy season (June-October), you will be surprised to find that regular flights do not even think about reducing ticket prices. This is due to the fact that charters do not fly during the “wet season”; there is practically no competition. Those who want to save money are advised to fly to Bangkok in the off-season - in May or November. Get double benefits: low prices and almost cloudless skies on vacation.

6. Day of the week. Most people take Monday off, but leave home on Friday or Sunday evening. Don’t be like everyone else, and you will be able to make your flight more budget-friendly: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the most “successful” departure days if you want to buy cheap air tickets to Thailand.

Hello! Today you will learn how to fly cheap to Thailand! This question was asked to us by many friends in personal conversations or at meetings in a teahouse - it is very voluminous and could go on for a very long time, so let’s now consider how to get to the capital of Thailand by plane at minimal cost to yourself. We'll leave the path on the ground for another time, when we've done it ourselves :-)

Of course, air tickets make up the lion's share of the budget for the entire trip to Thailand, but it is better to spend the money saved within the country on something interesting and exciting (there is more than enough of that here!). And for wintering it is very important to find inexpensive tickets, given that now life in Thailand has become more expensive due to exchange rates. In this article we will tell you everything we know about how to get to Thailand cheaply! Read to the end))

How to get to Bangkok - fly to Thailand cheap!

The article is quite lengthy, so let’s roughly divide it into parts.

As a rule, no matter where or how you fly, prices in the high season (in Thailand this is September-March) are higher than in the low season (April-August). This is worth remembering when planning your trip. However, this applies not only to Tai.

The second point that I would like to draw attention to is that due to the increase in the exchange rate, the cost of air tickets has increased, so it is important to be able to find the cheapest option that is available.

Air ticket search engines, ingenuity, perseverance, and our advice will help you with this!

1. Direct flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg

Naturally, of the two Russian capitals, Bangkok has the most flights, and the prices are among the most attractive. But this applies to a lesser extent to direct flights.

From Moscow

Direct flights from Moscow to Bangkok are operated by Aeroflot and Thai Airways. By the way, prices from Thais are often cheaper than from Aeroflot, and you can fly directly not only to Bangkok, but also to Phuket, Krabi and Chiang Mai. Prices for direct flights to Bangkok from Moscow and back start from 32 thousand rubles (I write this at an exchange rate of 56 rubles per dollar). Travel time is a little over 9 hours.

Direct flight Moscow-Bangkok Aeroflot

From St. Petersburg

There are no direct flights to Bangkok from St. Petersburg at the moment. But even when they were, the prices were very high!

2. Flight to Bangkok with connection

There are many airlines flying from both Moscow and St. Petersburg that will take you to Bangkok after making a transfer at one of their hubs (main airports). These are primarily Gulf airlines, but there are also Chinese and European ones.

Etihad Airways - transfer to Abu Dhabi (UAE).

Emirates - transfer in Dubai or Abu Dhabi (UAE).

Qatar Airways - transfer in Doha (Qatar).

China Southern Airlines - transfer to Guangzhou (China).

Air Astana - transfer in Astana and Almaty (Kazakhstan).

Finnair – transfer to Helsinki (Finland).

Cathay Pacific - transfer in Hong Kong (announced the cessation of flights to Moscow from June 1, 2015).

Usually the cheapest tickets to Thailand from Moscow and St. Petersburg are from Etihad Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways. By the way, these airlines are distinguished by their impeccable service, which has been repeatedly awarded)).

Look at the screenshot:

How to get to Thailand cheaply - Emirates flights

How to get to Bangkok - Qatar Airlines flights

The cost of air tickets from Moscow and St. Petersburg is not much different, in this example by 3,600 rubles. If you go first from northern Palmyra to the capital, then the savings are quite small, but much more time is spent.

How to fly cheaply from St. Petersburg to Thailand

3. With a transfer in Asian countries

This is a variation of the previous option, only in this case you buy a ticket to any Asian country, from where you can fly very cheaply with a low-cost airline to Bangkok. These may be the following cities: Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, cities. The main thing is to track the sales of low-cost airlines, for example, they often have sales, sometimes even the tickets themselves are free, you only pay airport and fuel taxes. This way you can combine two sales (for example Moscow-Hong Kong and Hong Kong-Bangkok) and fly cheap to Thailand.

Read also:

4. Flight to Thailand from the cities of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East

Thailand can be reached not only from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also from large cities in the Urals, Siberia and the Far East.

From Yekaterinburg

Tickets from the capital of the Urals to Bangkok are not the cheapest, but the most interesting prices are again offered by airlines from the Persian Gulf countries. For example, it is proposed to fly with two transfers (in Moscow and Abu Dhabi) for almost 29 thousand rubles, the travel time is 20 hours.

Cheap to Thailand from Ekaterinburg

From Novosibirsk

Residents of Siberia are luckier, since from Novosibirsk you can get to Bangkok quite cheaply. Flights are operated by S7, China Southern Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Aeroflot, Transaero. S7 usually has the best prices, which is not surprising, since Novosibirsk is the hub of this airline.

The cost of a direct flight Novosibirsk-Bangkok is about 22-23 thousand rubles, the travel time is 7 and a half hours. But direct flights are not frequent, and you need to be able to plan for them.

Direct flights Novosibirsk-Bangkok airline S7

You can also choose a flight with a transfer in Irkutsk, Hong Kong or Beijing - in this case the cost will be slightly lower or the same. Either there is a direct flight there, and back with a transfer. The advantage of this option is that flights operate much more often, and you can choose convenient dates.

How to fly to Thailand cheaply - flight to Bangkok from Novosibirsk with a transfer in Irkutsk

From Krasnoyarsk

The cost of a direct flight Krasnoyarsk - Bangkok and back is from 20 thousand rubles, but usually around 24-25 thousand. Here again the best prices are given by S7 airline, and there are also many connecting flights for about the same price.

How to get from Krasnoyarsk to Thailand

From Irkutsk

As you understand, in all cities east of Novosibirsk, S7 is the most suitable option to get to Bangkok. Also from Irkutsk - from this city there are usually the lowest prices for flights to Thailand from Russia - about 20-22 thousand rubles (round trip).

We fly to Thailand cheaply from Irkutsk!

From Khabarovsk

Unfortunately, prices for flights from Khabarovsk to Bangkok are not very reasonable - they start at 30 thousand rubles for a flight with a transfer.

From Vladivostok

It’s also not possible to fly cheaply from Vladivostok to Thailand - air tickets cost from 28 to 32 thousand rubles (with transfers). Again, there are not many options for residents of the Far East. I can advise you to fly separately to Hong Kong - here you can get a good sale from Aeroflot. And then - on local low-cost airlines, for example Air Asia.

— Buying tickets to Thailand immediately there and back is almost always more profitable than buying separately there and back separately. One-way air tickets cost at least 60%, and even 70-80%!

— Try to play with dates, sometimes tickets for neighboring days are significantly cheaper. The calendar of low prices will help with this - it’s very convenient when you can see what the price is on what day.

— Look for air tickets to Thailand with flights from neighboring cities, the difference can also be significant. The only thing, keep in mind that then transportation costs are added to get to the departure city.

— Most often, cheap air tickets to Thailand are sold specifically to Bangkok, but there are exceptions: you can grab tickets directly to Phuket cheaper than to the capital of Thailand.

— This advice is associated with sharp fluctuations in exchange rates, and you can also win from this: airlines change their internal exchange rate once a week, on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. Take this into account when you are planning to purchase your coveted air tickets - especially if the exchange rate falls, you should wait a little, and the price will expectedly decrease.

6. Cheap flights to Thailand, special offers - sales and airline promotions

You can fly to Thailand cheaply by purchasing a ticket at an airline sale. Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways often hold sales - their price for round-trip tickets is about 20-22 thousand rubles (in the best case, usually 23-25 ​​thousand rubles). Aeroflot sometimes has sales - the cost of an air ticket to Bangkok from Moscow and back is about 26 thousand rubles, from St. Petersburg - about 30 thousand rubles, which is not bad for direct flights. I recommend subscribing to the email newsletter about airline promotions - this way you will be the first to know about new offers.

Also, for example, on Aviasales, there is a function to subscribe to a specific destination - as soon as the price changes, the search engine will immediately notify you! To subscribe, enter your email in the form at the top right of the flight search window. As soon as you see a good price, grab it immediately! In the paragraphs above I gave examples of prices.

7. Charters to Thailand

It is possible to get to Thailand cheaply using charters. These are blocks of seats purchased from tour operators, and when they are not sold out, they are sold, often very cheaply. True, almost all options require departure from Moscow or St. Petersburg. This tendency is also typical - the closer to departure, the cheaper. So this option is suitable for active people from the capital region who are not tied to specific dates. Air tickets for charters to Thailand can be viewed at.

Here are a few examples; there are especially many charter tickets in the off-season.

Ticket to Phuket for $200

In my opinion, flying to Phuket from Moscow for $200 is a great option! Even taking into account the new course, and even if you count on the old one, it’s a fairy tale :-)

How to get to Bangkok - charter tickets to Thailand for 9900 rubles!

Tourdom has both one-way and round-trip air tickets, plus ready-made packages.

Well, the ticket is almost in your pocket, now it’s a good idea to figure out how much money to take with you.

Let's first decide why you decided to go to Thailand on your own? Many people think that they travel to Thailand on their own only because it is cheaper. But this is not entirely true.

I’ll tell you a few reasons that independent travelers don’t like to talk about.

People travel to Thailand on their own to:

1. Relax not as a “herd”, but individually. To avoid crowds and relax in a calm environment.
2. Stay in Thailand for more than the standard 10-14 days.
3. Stay in a good hotel. Really good! But at the right price. Many tourists don’t even realize what luxurious accommodation independent travelers can stay in at an incredibly low price. In Thailand you can rent a house from $300 per month or a villa with a pool from $800 per month - no travel agency will offer this. And this is especially convenient if you are traveling with a child. You can rent an apartment with a kitchen or a villa with a sea view. In this post below I will give a link to excellent inexpensive apartments with a kitchen in Phuket.
4. People go to Thailand on their own when they want not only to lie on the beach all day long, but also to travel to different places. For example, 3 days in Bangkok, 5 days in Phuket, then travel around the islands.

If you just want the cheapest prices to Thailand, and living conditions are not at all important to you, and you are traveling for no more than a week, then it is better to buy the cheapest tour on sale in the summer.

But for those who want to get the most out of their holiday in Thailand, read on.

Step-by-step instructions: how to travel to Thailand on your own, without a travel agency

Russians do not need a visa to Thailand when traveling for up to 30 days. If it’s more, then you need to do it, however, for the first independent trip to Thailand, 30 days is quite enough. Therefore, plan your trip within these dates. Please note that the day of arrival is the first day, and the day of departure is the last.
A foreign passport is required. English is not required.

How to buy an inexpensive air ticket to Thailand

It is better to start looking for tickets 6 months before your trip. If you want to buy a ticket to Thailand inexpensively, it is better to use a price comparison for different airlines, for example.

Where is the best place to book a hotel in Thailand?

Prices: expensive on holidays, cheap in the off-season. Lowest prices from May 1 to October 30. The highest from December 15 to January 15, as well as on Chinese New Year.
To avoid any unpleasant surprises, book through trusted sites. I like Booking most of all - the lowest price guarantee, honest reviews, convenient filters for finding a hotel, and certainly the hotel will be as in the photo. I choose a rating of at least 8.5 and look at the reviews.

Hotel prices in Thailand:

Do you need insurance in Thailand?

Definitely needed. Insurance is not required to cross the border, but tourists go to the hospital much more often than in other countries (exotic viruses, poisoning, fractures) and are very surprised when they find out that the cost of medicine is more expensive than in Europe. When tourists receive a bill for 1000 euros for a day in the hospital, this greatly spoils their vacation. Moreover, before entering the hospital, the price is not mentioned. Usually they say “well, about 300 dollars,” and then they roll out a bill for 1000 - a common situation. You can’t leave Thailand without paying your medical bills – there are already too many such cases. Therefore, it is better to immediately buy insurance and drive safely.

Which insurance is better to take?

This has already been written about more than once, I will not repeat it - read it (at the end of the post).

That's it - it's that simple!
However, I know that many people are afraid for the first time and often ask for help buying tickets and hotels from intermediaries. Don't do this! To avoid scammers, do not trust anyone with your money and do everything yourself.

Let's look at the specific easiest route on how to go.

First time to Thailand. Independent route No. 1 for a beginner - going to Phuket

So, how to go on holiday to Thailand, to Phuket on your own.

1. Buy air tickets to Thailand yourself

To find tickets at the best price, use the airline search. We find the tickets we need and buy them. Tickets will be sent by email - you need to print them out.

2. Book a hotel

If you have never been to Phuket, then when booking a hotel, first select or view.
Don't have time to figure it out? Then see Kata Beach or Karon Beach. Kata is an inexpensive good beach, Karon is a beach with white squeaky sand. However, they are nearby and walking from one to the other will take about 20 minutes. Or you can take a few days on one and a few on the other. We are now independent!

Very good inexpensive hotel The Beach by Glitter House:

This hotel doesn't just have rooms, it... apartment with a small equipped kitchen, where there are dishes, a kettle, a microwave, a stove and a refrigerator. The rooms have a balcony with an excellent open view (which is rare in Phuket for inexpensive hotels). At the same time, the hotel is located in a quiet place, there is no evening noise. The beach is about 3 minutes walk.

There are many good hotels in Phuket. Here are the discounts and special offers:

We choose and book a hotel.
Hotel reservations will be sent by e-mail - you need to print them out.

3. Insurance

We buy insurance - if we want reliable insurance with a 10% discount, then we look for a discount.
The insurance will be sent by e-mail - you need to print it out and always carry it with you while on vacation in Thailand.

4. Mobile communications: you need a local SIM card

To always stay in touch with friends and family in Thailand, you need to take care of inexpensive mobile communications in advance. Here's a life hack: 3 days before your trip, order a Thai 4G SIM card online - - discounts up to 50%!
A SIM card is valid for 8 days, so if you are vacationing longer, order 2-3 pieces at once, otherwise you will have to buy it on the spot at full price.

Upon arrival, at Phuket Airport (Terminal 2), go to the ground floor to the DTAC provider kiosk. Show the employee a printed (or on your smartphone) voucher with a QR code and receive a Thai SIM card. The dtac kiosk is open 24 hours a day.

5. What else to take with you to Thailand

On the day of departure, we take a foreign passport and printouts of air tickets, insurance, hotel reservations, and, of course, bank cards and money (depending on your plans). The rest is optional.
You should not take a fur coat and felt boots with you to Tai - it is better to get to the airport by taxi in light clothes. It’s always hot in Thailand, so trousers and a sweater will be enough, everything else for relaxation can be done upon arrival.

6. Upon arrival in Phuket

Upon exiting the plane, we move along with everyone else. After passing through customs, we proceed to the exit from the airport. The airport in Phuket is small, it is impossible to get lost. Before going out, don’t miss the kiosk that sells tickets for transfers to the beaches. We are looking for the inscription “Minibus”.
In the photo on the left are prices for a taxi, on the right are prices for a minibus (3-4 times cheaper). If you are traveling with four, it is better to take a taxi.

We show the auntie at the ticket office the hotel reservation (she needs the address and name of the hotel where to take her), she will sell the ticket. Then we go out onto the street with a ticket in our hands. People will immediately run up, show your ticket and get into a taxi or minibus, which will be shown to you. Let’s clarify: “Caron?”
The minibus looks like this:

A minibus will take you to the hotel. If the hotel is small, then the bus may not go directly to the door, but drop you off nearby. Therefore, it is better to determine in advance on the map or by determining exactly where the hotel is located.
At the hotel you will only need to show your passport and you will be accommodated.

7. How to communicate? Where to buy excursions?

In Phuket there are restaurants with menus in Russian everywhere, and excursions where everything is in Russian - there will definitely not be any problems with the language. We just leave the hotel, walk down the street and see what we like - there are signs everywhere, it’s impossible to miss. However, it would be nice to remember a couple of dozen words in English before the trip :)

Inspired by the exotic beauty and rich cultural traditions of Thailand, you will begin to search for flights and book hotels. This process needs to be taken with full responsibility - especially if your wallet is not bursting with green bills. Buying tickets to Thailand can be cheaper than you think. Our article will answer your question “how to fly to Thailand cheaply?”

There are 6 international airports in Thailand. You can go to any of them, but we we still recommend flying to Bangkok. It is significantly cheaper, and you can easily get to the point of interest (Samui or Phuket) by local transport - ferry, boat, train or bus.

So, the final destination of your route is Suvarnabhumi Airport. It is approximately 40 minutes' drive from Bangkok.

Practice shows that it is better to fly to Thailand on your own, and you need to save on the air ticket. It is air travel that eats up most of your savings.

Let's reveal a little secret: direct air transportation always costs more. If you want to stay within your budget, calculate a route with transfers.

How long does it take to fly to Thailand?

When we are asked about the flight time to Thailand, we ask a counter question: what city are you going to fly from? Everything is relative. Times vary depending on distance, the airline providing your service and the air corridors you are traveling on. Usually the “corridor” difference is within 20 minutes.

And yet, general patterns can be identified. Flights from Moscow last on average at least 9 hours. If you choose a route with transfers, get ready to “kill” from 13 to 22 hours. It all depends on the flight you prefer.

If we take the Moscow-Bangkok flight as a standard, then there are also trips that are shorter. If you go on vacation from Samara, Kazan, Chelyabinsk or, say, Yekaterinburg, then you will have to fly 1 hour less.

An air cab will take residents of the central regions of the Russian Federation to the City of Angels in 7 hours. The inhabitants of the Far East can be called record holders. From Khabarovsk and Vladivostok the journey will take only 6 hours.

How to find cheap tickets to Thailand?

So, we start combing online for 2-3 months in search of “freebies”. Specialized resources will help us with this, the best of which can be called Aviasales.ru and skyscanner.ru. Popularly, such resources are called aggregators.

Let us outline the selection criteria for purchasing cheap tickets to Thailand:

Buy a ticket online

So let's learn book tickets through the Aviasales.ru service. In our opinion, this is one of the safest and most cost-effective online booking resources.

Here is a short step-by-step instruction:

1. Fill out the search form. Enter the departure and arrival points. We indicate the departure date (we will allow a three-day spread). We note whether we need a return ticket. Let's move on to the passenger section. Here you need to indicate the number of adult passengers, infants and children whose age does not exceed 12 years. The final touch is the class you intend to fly in: economy or business.
2. Search. Press the “Find” button. You will have to wait patiently for some time. Then you will see a list of tickets offered. On the right you will see a column in which you can adjust your search parameters.
3. Buying a ticket. The final stage. Having decided, click on the “Buy” button. You will be redirected to the airline’s resource, where you will have to enter passenger information, contact information and, of course, pay for the purchased ticket using a plastic card. Everything must be filled out correctly. Please be patient and have your passport.

At the end of the operation, you become the proud owner of an electronic ticket. It differs from the usual one only in the absence of a beautiful piece of paper.

Check your email - the itinerary receipt will be sent to you there. When checking in for a flight, you will present your passport and a printed itinerary receipt (the latter, by the way, is not always required).

You can check in for a flight remotely, via the Internet, a day before the flight. From your PC or airport terminal, you print your boarding pass. That's all, actually.

The most popular queries are:

1. Moscow — Bangkok
2. Kyiv — Bangkok
3. Bangkok - Samui
4. Moscow — Phuket

Charter flights to Thailand are now being concentrated in two key directions: Phuket and Bangkok. The advantage of charters is that they are cheaper than regular direct services. There are no beaches in Bangkok, so many people strive to get to the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. A charter flight is the only link leading you directly to Phuket.

It is better to use the services of native companies (Aeroflot and Transaero). If you take a charter for the spring, you can save a very decent amount. Airfare to Thailand (depending on season) can fluctuate between 70 and 400 dollars. Agree, the contrast is impressive.

Increasingly, charters are being sold outside of travel packages. Last minute charters are the apotheosis of savings. It is better to take them in March or November - these are the months that mark the alpha and omega of the tourist season. In the summer, it is extremely difficult to find last minute offers. Although, if you are patient, it is quite possible.

When is the best time to fly?

When planning a holiday to Thailand, make sure you don't fly in August or September. The seething waters on the streets during the rainy season will irrevocably ruin any vacation (however, there are exceptions to any rule, more on that below).

Optimal winter period (November-February)- summer heat, warm and calm sea. The only place you can encounter strong waves is in Phuket.

Return ticket from Thailand

It also happens that, flattered by the cheapness, we did not purchase a return ticket, hoping to choose the best option on the spot. How to buy a ticket to your home country while in Thailand?

We start, as always, with network monitoring. If you notice the ticket you need, contact us immediately by phone or email. Or better yet, via Skype. Agree with the travel agency about payment for the flight.

There are different schemes:

• Bank. Go to a local bank and deposit the required amount into the account specified by the tour operator. This is the fastest and most reliable way.
• Payment in cash. Come to a representative of the company and personally hand him crispy banknotes. The problem may arise if you are in the jungle and Phuket or Bangkok are 200 kilometers away.
• Good relatives. Call them and ask them to pay for your flight at the company's Moscow office. A simple and well proven method.

1. Stock up on round-trip tickets - it’s more economical.
2. A charter flight is the cheapest.
3. Look for tickets 2-3 months before the flight.
4. Reconsider your attitude towards the rainy season. This time of year is not popular with tourists, but it doesn’t rain every day in Thailand.
5. Pattaya will cost you the cheapest.
6. No need to support tour operators - book your tickets yourself.
7. Last minute tickets are valid for 15 days.
8. If fly with 1 transfer - you will save significantly. You should fly through Cairo, Doha, Guangzhou, Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
9. You can also find relatively cheap direct flights in one direction. This is a conscious risk - it is unknown what you will fly back on.
10. Daily Internet monitoring is the key to your success.