yermanee

Here all the info you need : http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/detail_map_to_from_parking_en.php

Hope to have helped

Yermanee

<br /><font face="Comic Sans MS">This is the one i am looking at, had any experience with this service?</font><br /><font face="Comic Sans MS"><br /></font><br /><font face="Comic Sans MS">BR</font><br /><font face="Comic Sans MS">JH</font><br /><a href='http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.thaifastt...1_10_Fast-Track</a><br />

That's the one I used.

Yermanee

I've used it twice to my complete satisfaction.

Arrival : The 10-15 minutes depend on where your arrival gate is (I'm a slow walker) and how quickly your baggage arrives, but immigration is a breeze, and yes I was met at the arrival gate.

Departure : They even checked me in, escorted through immigration in less than 15 minutes.

Hope to have helped

Yermanee

Can you tell me which fast track service you used ?

There are several services avalaible but they not all that good.

Thanks in advanced.

Have PM'd you

Yermanee

I've used it twice to my complete satisfaction.

Arrival : The 10-15 minutes depend on where your arrival gate is (I'm a slow walker) and how quickly your baggage arrives, but immigration is a breeze, and yes I was met at the arrival gate.

Departure : They even checked me in, escorted through immigration in less than 15 minutes.

Hope to have helped

Yermanee

The temples I wanna visit are:

Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha)

Wat Phra Kaeo (Emerald Buddla) - guess not?

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)

Wat Saket (Golden Mount)

Which ones will I be ok to visit in the aforementioned Armani cargo shorts (fairly long), leather slippers and t-shirt?

Any other good ones?

The thing to do is : Show some respect for the people of the country where you are a guest !!!

But that's just me

Yermanee

My problem is that they are charging for a service which should be a standard service in the first place i.e. 10-30 minutes processing on arrival.

So seeing a business opportunity is being " cheeky bastards".

And for your information the poster to which I give the information was asking about this service, so as a good TV-member I gave the info he was seeking.

The situation is what it is and if someone does not want to stand in line for long periods of time, and is willing to pay to escape that, I don't see anything wrong with that on the contrary.

Yermanee

Check this : http://www.thaifastt...1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

'Normally, the processing time for a visa on arrival is approximately 1-2 hours. But with fast track service, this procedure will take a maximum of 10-30 minutes.'

Cheeky bastards, the only time it takes 1-2 hours to get a visa on arrival is when the queues areright out into the check-in desks

So what's your problem ?

Yermanee

Check this : http://www.thaifastt...1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

Bad service as a business plan.

I've used it on 2 occasions. Saved me a lot of hassle. Well worth the price.

Yermanee

It was very bad when I was there last on January 15th. There are entrances to Immigration labelled VIP, I think, that they were turning people away from. A friend suggested this might be a privilege you can get at a price - a privilege card or something - but I couldn't see anything on the airport website. Does anyone know anything about this?

Check this : http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

I wouldn't call it a repulsion, more a preference.

I mean are you saying you are the deep and meaningful type for whom looks doesn't matter, especially when you first meet? If so, bully for you. Then again you might not be. As you say, you have a preference for the north eastern look. Others like fat chicks. Who knows, you might prefer both in the same package. As they say in พัทยา, up to you, handsum man.

Happy to say, i am generally shallow.

As for trying to sell Patters (or พัทยา as I call it) as some sort of cultural learning centre, well mate, you had me pissing myself there. So should I head to the red light district of Amsterdam if I want to be Dutch, or the Dubliner pub in BKK if I want to be Irish? What next, claiming that Pattaya rivals Auythaya for historical significance? You should work for TAT. Or maybe a Pattaya property estate agent!

As for the traffic jams to Pattaya, yeah, there are. Many Bangkokians hail from Chonburi and still go back to visit families on the weekend. Bang Saen is a popular spot for Thai families on the weekend. In terms of it being a popular 'destination' for most Thai's, well, that died off in the mid to late 90's as Pattaya became the sh!thole - sorry, intercultural 'hub' - that it is today. Those who are unfortunate enough to make it there come back shaking their heads saying 'never again'.

Nicely written, Samran. My view of Pattaya is not hatred for the place...rather "fun place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." There are a lot of good folks there. Unfortunately, Pattaya also attracts a disproportionate number of scumbags and certifiable nutcases.

The Thais that live in Pattaya are ABSOLUTELY NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF NORMAL THAIS. To generalize a bit, most Thais that are in Pattaya are there to make money. It's rare to even meet a Thai who would say they're from Pattaya. Have yet to meet one outside of Pattaya that would say they're from there. These Thais are in Pattaya to make money. Fleecing farangs is not a Pattaya pastime, but it's certainly "optional." Contrast that with, say, Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is full of Thais from Chiang Mai that are just living their lives. Doesn't seem like much, but it makes a big difference. There are farang-hunters in Chiang Mai as well, but in much smaller numbers. I would think that if all you've done in Thailand is interact with Thais in Pattaya (and other tourist districts in Phuket and BKK), then you haven't a clue what real Thais are like. Newsflash! The average Thai is very much like the average westerner (although not necessarily like the average westerner in Thailand).

Wow, obviously you two don't like the place.

I do however.

On question though : what do you consider NORMAL Thais?

Yermanee

euro 2400 versus euro 1700 is more than a few baht

Indeed, but don't forget that in 2009 the Euro was 50 baht against 40 now.

So the price hike is influenced by the exchange value big time.

There's also Oman Air at 86.000 Baht now that's 2.150 Euro. There the onboard comfort is even better than etihad, and Muscat Airport is heaven compared to SVO.

I've flown Oman as recent as december 2010 (just before the weather havoc) and can vouch for their onboard service being excellent. plus it's A330 all the way.

I'm also balking at the prices of Etihad and Qatar, (I guess there following Emirates example), but I will not fly Egyptair or Aeroflot.

Good luck

Yermanee

Hi Tartempion,

Here some pictures of the seats on their A330's both 200 and 300.

Looking nice but angled flat seats.

However sheremeteyevo is a dump.

Hope to have helped

Yermanee

I have to say, in my experience the situation with passport control is getting worse. I used to allow an hour, to check in and get through to airside.

Now I allow 2 hours for this.

This blockage is easy to fix, have all the booths occupied, and manage the staff properly - I've never seen such a bunch of moody, sullen, unenthusiastic 'public servants'.

The reality for the airside businesses is that the passengers have less time to shop.

That would be an interesting new topic : Immigration boycotting King Power

Yermanee

Yes that surprises me too. I would think they would lose quite a bit of custom not doing something like cooking a steak how the customer likes it. But I suppose if it goes well then they must be doing something right.

It doesn't surprise me at all. And I'm not saying a steak shouldn't be cooked as the customer wants it.

I am saying if a customer orders something the chef is not willing or able to procure, then honesty is the best for both the resto and the client. One cannot reproach someone for being honest.

But again that's just me.

Yermanee

Of course you are correct the customer is always right. But it would be better for everyone if people who ordered well done steaks didn't go out to eat. The small amount of money earned is not worth the trouble.

Hi Mark,

Although I (almost) completely agree with you, it would be very easy for the person who takes the order to mention : Sorry Sir, we don't do well done steaks here.

That I would consider the appropriate course of action for any restaurant that is proud of its reputation.

But that's just me.

Yermanee

I wouldn't risk it.

Basically you would be relying on the goodwill of 4 different immigration officers.

That would be stretching it.

Yermanee

I believe it has a lot, if not all, to do with the reason why they came to live here in the first place.

Yermanee

Like the OP I noticed that the "TV members rates" were exactly the same as those offered to anyone who logged onto the Agoda main site.

Maybe they're cheaper for only certain hotels? How do Agoda verify if it's a TV member browsing the site anyway, e.g. if I were to forward the email onto someone else (who's not a TV member) and they clicked the link, would they see the same rates as I do? If so, what privilege do TV members get that everyone else doesn't get?

None whatsoever !!

Once I had booked a hotel through Agoda and at check-in I asked the girl at the front desk if I could book straight with the hotel at the same rate. The answer was ; NO !!

Later I had a conversation with the assistant manager and lo and behold she agreed that the whole thing was not very logical, but that the instructions from the owner/manager were very clear.

Most of the big hotel chains now offer the cheapest prices on their own websites (Accor - Holiday Inn etc) for their hotels, and I think the others will follow.

What I don't like about sites like Agoda is that you have to be very careful checking if service charge and taxes are included yes or no, and they are not very forthcoming with this info.

Yermanee

Go to super rich money changer, near Pratunam, they give you the best rate

Could you state exactly where they are. The only info I could find on the net appears to be several years old.

Many thanks

This might help : http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/default.aspx

Very usefull info.

Yermanee

If I can get it uploaded here a picture of the seat.

Yermanee

Oman Air, never occurred to me, not much talked about. Flat bed is the selling point for me, no sliding down the seat, which keeps me twisting and twisting. BTW Doha airport is also nothing to write home about so much improved.

Can you tell a bit more?

PS I did a quick check, Oman 86.000b compared to Qatar 95.000 restricted fares.

for early June departure. I don't fly that often anymore, in your experience how to go about picking a good time for final booking?

Sorry I didn't reply sooner.

As said Oman Air is very, very good, except Muscat Airport. The biggest letdown is the unfriendliness of the locals. The lounge is ancient and small.

A very good trip report is here : http://www.airliners...ead.main/167162

The food on board is excellent, as is the entertainment system.

No complaints about lounges at departure in Bangkok (Emirates Lounge) and Frankfurt.

If your itinerary gives you short transit times in Muscat then I wouldn't hesitate if I were you.

As for booking, in my experience 2 to 3 months in advance is ideal.

Hope to have helped

Yermanee

If the roof is flat on top that leak could be from anywhere in the building Just like wood in the U.S. water can flow down the rafters or floor joists & make you think it is from directly above It can just as easily be running on the beam & eventually dripping into his ceiling. Our contractor put in one bad pipe in our house(not glued correctly) unfortunately I put in 95% of the plumbing but was away for 3 weeks when the inside lines were laid. The water leak was almost 30 meters on the other side of the house before it dripped down. So just to be objective It could just as easily be in the condo down he way or in entombed in concrete along the walls. Let your neighbor discover where the leak is- if it is yours & he could show you the leak you pay for repairs. I would make sure he hasn't knicked into the pipe or cut or pulled the pipe to cause it to look like your fault. At any rate you will have a hell of a time getting the condo owner to pay to have it looked at. Even in America the condo board are reluctant to accept any responsibility & the condo owner usually pays & has to take them to court after.When it comes to water it is not iron clad at all. Water runs downhill & the way they build here nothing is ever square- in fact most of the tradesman(even if they have t-squares or levels) rarely uses them & some are not to sure how to use them!

Good luck. I used to hate to get calls to fix a skylight leaking -usually to find out that wasn't entirely the problem.

If you look at where and how they put drains (even in the roads) I'm not so sure that Thai architects, engineers etc have discovered this fact.

Yermanee

Personally, I think it's much more difficult for a Thai woman to find a decent farang amongst the millions of farangs that choose to come to Thailand.

Most come here for sea sun and sex, pure self gratification, try finding a diamond amongst that lot !

From what I see in Thai/Farang relationships, the Thai women usually ends up with someone she would rather not be with and is only with him because she's poor, and he gets a slave and kids himself that she loves him for what he is, not for what he has.

Though I'm sure you fine posters here are different.

Spot on, except your last sentence.

In the community where I live their are many, many decent Thai wives who have to put up with less than faithful drunks farang husbands.

Yermanee

I'm also looking for a May flight.

My last flight was with Oman Air. Their business class is awesome (fantastic flatbed seats), however Muscat Airport is a big let down.

So I'm watching daily on Etihad (which has gone down in service levels) Qatar and Oman.

I think I'll wait another month or so and then bite the bullet.

hope to have helped

Yermanee

sorry, pet peeve and I hate being the spelling police but its not pigeon, its pidgin. pigeon is a bird.

And speaking pidgin English does not help the Thais who want to improve their English. Better you learn how to speak Thai to communicate, IMO

It is my experience that most Thais do not seek to improve their English. The majority just want to understand what you're saying and for this the pidgin English is a usefull tool.

I agree that other than that it is ridiculous to use pidgin.

yermanee