Keir Starmer agreed visa free travel for British passport holders with Chairman Xi of the People's Republic of China, and this has begun as of 17th February. Too late for me, my Thai visa would expire on the 13th.

I had to buy an onward ticket from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, and then another one from there back to Bangkok.

Immigration were not happy with me in Guangzhou and I was passed back and forth, and as the only person requiring a 'transit visa' I had to wait for another officer to issue this in my passport (valid 10 days).
It was a worry, and a delay, and Johnny (Canadian DA40-180 at Boundary Bay) was waiting for me.

I stayed at the Hilton Hotel, Huangpu, near where Johnny lives and had two days touring with a tour guide followed by a day out to the airfield with Johnny.

Johnny bought a Remos LSA and it can fly occasionally from a small airfield on an island.
Pilots are allowed to fly within 5km of the airfield when approved by the People's Liberation Army provided someone is within direct contract with them.
On the day I was there there was no permission to fly.
In 2006 I managed to fly around 140 hours in the DA40-180s operated by Beijing Pan Am at Shijiazhuang, Binzhou, and Baotou in China. I had a Chinese CPL.
The limited hours reflects the trouble we had then in obtaining permissions to fly and teach Chinese students for the airlines.

This Searey is orphaned, not flown, and may be sold abroad if anyone is interested

This is an attractive and well made LSA, made in China, and is a statement of optimism and hope for the future of private flying in China... Perhaps in another twenty years?

The CTLS is well equipped with a full glass panel, so should not get lost within the five kilometre limit.

My flight, Guangzhou to Hong Kong

I was in another Airbus 321 of HK Express to Bangkok
I had to pay an extra $200HKD for a second cabin bag

My arrival at Thai Immigration at Suvarnabhum Airport was not welcome... The Immigration officer saw that I had already had a second 60 day visa on arrival and was not happy at all. (Until now we were allowed a third sixty days, but had to leave after that).
I was stood aside while I had to wait for his supervisor, worried about being deported there and then, with some of my stuff lodged in a Bangkok Hotel, and here in my apartment in Nonghoi.
A supervisor came, took me back to their office and gave me a form to fill in... I started to write.
Then another officer came and took the incompleted form off me and sat me down next to a desk... My travel history was displayed on the computer screen...
Then he stamped my passport and marched me out the door.

Be aware that Thailand visa on arrival rules are changing. The latest news is a return to 30 days rather than 45 or 60 days as set in recent years.

The Victory did not have a room for me and so I booked into the Bangkok Palace Hotel (not!) near Makkasan, Airport Train station... I decided a 25 minute walk as per Google wouldn't be bad, but it seemed the closer I got, the further away the hotel was. It took a long sweaty time to get there.

Twice the price, but not better than the Victory Hotel, and full of noisy Russians, but I was too tired to be kept awake.
The next morning I went to a laundrette and washed my clothes, I had few due to not expecting to be away from Chiang Mai for so long.
Left the hotel, and though it would have been another 25 minute walk, I took a taxi to the Victory Hotel, home from home at last.

Thai Lion Air flew me back to Chiang Mai from Don Mueang on time (amazing!), but I had to wait for my bags... I walked to Airport Mall and had Kao Soi Gai, ข้าวซอยไก่, a favourite of mine.