yermanee

So what happens when airlines start charging according to the size of the passenger?

I would fly a lot cheaper than now, and so would my wife.

Yermanee :jap:

There's also Oman Air now with very newish planes. The oldest being 2 years.

Check out their website for the comfort levels offered.

Flew them once in business, marvelousexperience. Have booked them again for this december.

Yermanee :jap:

Fast track only makes sense on international flight in and out of Bangkok, since there is no passport control for domestic flights.

Yermanee :jap:

I just did a ghost booking on Thai Airways.

Following cards are accepted : VISA - MASTER - AMEX - JCB

Yermanee :jap:

perhaps they made an exception weil du so grosse Titten hast?

Not my tits, just have a good eye for worthwhile views

Yermanee

I just did a ghost booking on Thai Airways.

Following cards are accepted : VISA - MASTER - AMEX - JCB

Yermanee :jap:

It has everything to do with one's own priorities coupled to financial status.

For me it's more than worth it to fly business class, but then again my motto is " Live rich, die poor !!!"

Yermanee :jap:

Here are some more facts:

Fatalities per 100.000 inhabitants :

Thailand : 19.6

Sweden : 2.9

Fines in Sweden for speeding : from 1500 upto 4000 Kr. at about 5.5 Baht to the NOK is between 8.250 and 22.000 Baht.

Sort of proves my point that implementation of traffic laws and hefty fines do work.

Yermanee :jap:

First of all I want to point out that this is the kind of topic that has the potential to upset certain people despite the debate being held within the realms of TV rules. I have even seen posters ended up being accused for racism when they point out that Thai people are bad drivers. Personally, I think Thai drivers suck. Big time. They are by far the worst drivers I've experienced anywhere. And every piece of statistics agree – at least if driving skills are measured by the number of people killed and injured per capita.

It is a fact that Thailand suffers from a seriously high number of road fatalities per capita. I cant see the reason why anyone would be offended when someone presents facts. This "total pigheaded unwillingness to look facts in the face" doesn't do any good at all, to be honest.

Here are some facts :

World road fatalities per 100.000 inhabitants : 20.8

Thailand : 19.6

As I said before it's all a matter of implementation of traffic laws.

Just my 2 cents

Yermanee :jap:

25 years and counting.

Yes it has changed a lot, but the biggest change is that 25 years ago I felt 50 years younger than I do now.

Coming from a country where a middle aged single man's chances of meeting a youngish woman for a bit more than socializing, were either very slim indeed or a very expensive

exercise.

No need to go into details, but what a change Thailand was and still is.

What living standards concern they are way better than they used to be, plus the fact that nearly all the food items that I used to crave for are now readily available makes living here a lot more agreeable.

I do miss the old days fun and games though.

Yermanee :jap:

Do you mean the aluminium one with one door and two drawers...

Vegetables at the bottom, ice-refrigerator in the middle and "normal' fridge at the top?!?

No, its got the freezer on top, normal fridge in the middle, vege drawer on the bottom.

Thanks for the replies, and I'll try google now.

I have this model for over 3 years now. No problem whatsoever.

Maybe damaged during the move ?

Yermanee :jap:

From what I hear Cambo is good value for money & not particularly dangerous. I live in Bangkok & I am very secure & confident going about my lawful business. I don't use alcohol so I guess that's a plus.

Cambo is like what Thailand was 10 or 15 years ago.

If that's what you've heard then you have been misinformed.

Thailand never was what Cambodia is today or was in the past.

Just my 2 cents after living over 25 years in Thailand with occasional visits to Cambodia.

Yermanee :jap:

I personally don't specially like it when people in hotel speak my own language / or say something about my "culture" to me.

I realize the other person is making an effort to make me feel comfortable.

But It usually involves sport, politics (ah Thierry Henry good! ), or some other stuff I don't care to much for, or worse some embarrassing fact about my country (ahah Dominique Strauss Khan, French men, oohlala!), to which I end up having to make an effort also to come up with something vaguely relevant or polite.

I am on holidays and make forgetting home as much as poss and tell me about the place I'm in, rather than reminding me of what I just left, is the best I could expect from hotel staff.

Very astute observation Aneliane !

Yermanee :jap:

It's simple really, if traffic laws and their implementation were not so draconian in the west it would be exactly the same or worse.

Just my humble opinion.

Yermanee :jap:

People get all excited about huge tourist numbers because of the money it brings in.Phuket will continue to get bigger and bigger regardless of all the problems down there.

Thailand is already the text book case of how to ruin a beautiful country through mass tourism and corruption. The Gulf of Thailand at the top end is already a dump with beaches smelling of rubbish and pollution.

How long before Phuket is turned into a tourist rubbish tip?

I think Spain beat Thailand on that account by more than a country mile , but hey don't let me spoil your pleasure in bashing Thailand.

Yermanee :jap:

Agoda does not charge upwards 20%.

They charge between 7 and 16% depending on the deal.

Not true.

My airport hotel in Phuket is charged 25% commission, my Ao Nang guesthouse is charged 17% and my airport guesthouse is also 17% (I think!)

I've had no major problems working with Agoda, but their commission rates are higher than some other popular agents, (such as Booking dot com), and therefore Agoda is not at the top of my list of preferred agents.

I cannot influence bad customer reviews on their web-site, and nor can I get these removed, (unless there was some very fundamental error or mistake in the review). Also, unlike TripAdvisor, reviews on Agoda's website must be submitted by genuine guests who have stayed at the hotel, (since they need to provide their booking number etc).

Simon

PS - In 10 years of living in Thailand (and owning hotels), I can truthfully say that the only Thai women that I have seen swimming in bikinis in my pool have been prostitutes. It's a Thai thing. Good Thai girls wear shorts/shirts etc, (at least in my hotel they do!)

After having 1,000s of Thai customers in my hotel, I know exactly what the score is here.

Booking dot com also changes customer reviews.

I once gave a negative review about a hotel stating that the only good thing about it was that it was close to my relatives I was visiting.

They changed it to : perfect location and leaving the negatives out.

But anyway I prefer booking dot com over Agoda because they don't try to disguise the price of the rooms.

Yermanee :jap:

Why do I only see these deals when I have already booked?

Indeed,

Have booked recently for november with Oman Air business class at Baht 88.700.- to Frankfurt. Oh well, maybe next time.

Yermanee :jap:

It's supposed to be one of the perks of travelling premium, if it is no longer a perk, people will stop flying premium.

Somehow, I'm not sure folks will give up lie-flat First/Business Class seats with course servings on linen lined tables just because the Fast Track lines get clogged up a bit with the Economy Class folks?

Exactly!!!

Except for the fast track there's also the personalized service on board, access to lounges at both ends (and in between if you don't fly direct), comfortable lie-flat seats etc.

Somehow I think that all the negative comments are just that, the need to discredit the things one cannot afford.

Yermanee :jap:

Why do they feel the need to give specific details about his condition after the fall and show a photo? Everyone knows he'd be a mess after a 14 story fall.

We have a name for it : " Schadenfreude"

Used globally I believe.

Anyway I agree that it is not a healthy (mentally) disposition. BTW I haven't looked.

Yermanee :jap:

Got it! I definitely needed the specifics, as I probably would have ended up parking way out on the 5th floor after meeting her at the meeting point... Many thanks.

Please note that the airport level 3 corresponds with parking level 5 with 2 walking bridges.

One exactly above door 3 and one above door 8.

International arrivals are near door 8.

Yermanee :jap:

Maybe this can help : http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/categories_map_en.php

Yermanee :jap:

Don't despair, as Michael Jackson used to sing : - You are not alone -.

After 25 years in Thailand I can honestly say that I've had it with Thai food.

I must have fragile intestines because even if and when I eat in the better Thai restaurants I'm prone to getting a touch or full force of Montezuma's revenge.

I only eat some Thai dishes, and then only when my wife cooks them from fresh ingredients.

However, I live near Pattaya and therefore have an abundance of supermarkets available for my cravings, and a number of good western restaurants.

Having said that, I miss Carrefour already for certain items.

My advice, take regular trips to stock-up or move to a town with more international possibilities, it's normal that Makro Pattaya has a different range of items available than Surin for example.

Hope to have helped

Yermanee :jap:

Only problem with these insurance companies mentioned is that there's an age limit.

AFAIK the only viable travel-insurance WITHOUT age limit is BUPA.

BTW I'm 75

Yermanee

I hope the bakery products will remain the same. Best "batards" (French country style bread), " baguettes " and "pistolets" in Thailand.

Will also miss the Carrefour branded mayo.

Yermanee :jap:

First there is, as mentioned by someone, the fact of the different market.

Second, Thai Airways has an Ethnic tariff in place for Thais and their extended families living in Germany, which is a lot cheaper than their normal tariff.

This for flights originating from Germany only.

Hope to have helped.

To the OP, I wouldn't try the booking in Germany the way you propose, your bound to run into problems.

Yermanee :jap:

it's all Sarkozy's fault!

I think it's got more to do with what your smiley represents.

Yermanee :jap: