Darrel

Darrel could you explain the difference between English style Chinese and what I would expect in America for instance ?

I would love to, but unfortunately I have no idea what US Chinese food is like. What I do know is that UK Chinese food doesnt always taste like Chinese Chinese food does. The same applies to Indian Indian and UK Indian. (Personally I am a great fan of both Indian types, due to the spicyness.)

I think the point is that if you are accustomed to (and like) a style of cooking, you just want to have the same style again regardless of whether it is "right" or not. So most British expats will be very pleased to find a UK-style Chinese restaurant here (and the lack of one was a very common complaint). Try it, UK-Chinese isnt unpleasant and I suspect it would suit American tastes also.

Isn't that one of the "Fine Wine Dine" places on Pattaya TV?

I've rarely found good value in places that advertise a lot.

My smartphone has an internal slot for MicroSD but no external slot. It's hard to imagine any smartphone without such a slot: unless it comes with a huge amount of built-in memory. Where would you put your audio and video, and all the other data that smartphones can deal with like books, pdf files, office documents, games, maps? It all sounds a bit daft.

Unless it's a crappy overpriced iPhone of course!

Are you sure the phones you are looking at dont have an internal slot like mine? If they dont, how much memory do they come with?

".......I rejected their offer to refund the purchase price of the laptop........"

From comments that you have made elsewhere about this laptop and your problems with it, I think that Dell have done the best they can with you and I understand why they wont talk to you any more. You should have taken this offer, and if I were you I would politely ask them to renew it.

I would prefer to live like that in a community than installed in a condo-box 30 floors up, isolated from the world, no garden, never meeting the neighbours.

If you get a decent sized balcony you can turn it into an attractive garden area. A garden with a sea view even. I've seen some very nice ones.

"Isolated from the world and never meeting the neighbours" sounds like heaven to me. What more could one ask for? Especially as the neighbours at ground level are usually screaming kids, barking dogs, motorbikes and karaoke bars.

That is because you are not old enough. I didn't know who I was until I reached my mid sixties. Many of my assumptions changed 180 degrees from what I was once certain about.

Isn't that just Alzheimer's?

At least moaners dont go out in the streets and moan at people whilst they are trying to work, or walk somewhere, or eat. Shame the water-throwers aren't as considerate.

Men were born to hunt, and when we are simply fed, we get lazy and bored.

I dont hunt and I'm very lazy but I'm not bored at all. You only get bored if you have a small brain.

And as for entertaining oneself by hanging around in bars watching sport on TV and talking to ex-US military people as someone suggested, it sounds like hell on earth. I would rather have my fingernails pulled out than do that.

Does anyone know why it's on different days around the country?

Probably to give people a chance to avoid it. If it was on the same day everywhere then you would have to leave the country to be left in peace.

Full marks to the ladyboys.

Ever notice that the worst offenders are those that have been marginalized in life? Ugly, or morbidly obese, or failures in love, business , school; just a big sorry collection of losers.

Just about sums up the average farang in Thailand, I would say.

Personally I think that all water-throwers that are over the age of 10 should be humanely put down. They are nothing but a nuisance, like soi dogs, and about as intelligent.

Of, if they must be tolerated, they should be confined to specific streets by armed police, with orders to shoot at will if needed.

Why do defenders of all things Thai constantly say the exact same thing "if you don't like it then leave".

Probably because there is nothing else they can say, without agreeing with the comments to which they are objecting. "If you don't like it then leave" is the last resort of someone with little or no brain.

.. personally I don't think there is currently a bubble in the local condo market for foreigner named condos......... I think it's a normal market, with balance for buyers and sellers.

Do you really think that a "normal" market has so many places for sale for so long at such high prices? We are talking about years for many of these units. In the UK the general assumption is that if a place doesnt sell in 2 months it is overpriced.

And is it reasonable that a small condo near (not on) the beach in Jomtien should be selling for the price of 2 or 4 houses, when just a few yards away there are large empty plots waiting to be buit on, and there are untold kilometers of virgin beachfront land within 15 minutes drive?

I am convinced that condo prices in Pattaya are being artificially supported by the unusually high proportion people who own many units.

This condo complex just finished, they are still doing some touch up painting, and of course there is only one 1 bedroom unit left....sure sure. It is a 7 story complex with 76 units.

CAM fee is 30BHT/sqm

Sinking Fund 500BHT/sqm paid once upon transfer

Developer is Shiwalai Inter House Co. ltd

Those figures sound average for a small/medium build. The purchase price is high, of course. You can get a 3 bedroom town-house in many parts of the UK for that, or indeed 2 houses in other parts of Pattaya or 4 houses in the north of Thailand (though you would need a Thai person's name to buy them, of course).

I've never heard of that developer, but that doesnt mean much as I'm not very interested in new builds.

My main concern with condo property in and around Pattaya is that a lot of it is owned by a relatively small number of people. I've lost track of the number of people I've met who own 2, 5, 20, 75, 150 condos here. Most of them seem to have one or more units for sale, in fact many of them seem to have all their units for sale though they are mostly hanging on for a high price. This seems suspiciously like a large bubble to me.

If this finished unit is being sold by the developer then I would want to look for resales in the same building. You may find some at a discount. Is it foreign name or company? Company is worth less for resale and may not be entirely compliant with the law anyway.

Watch out for maintenance fees (from 10 to 60B per metre) and the sinking fund. There will also be a small charge for meters for new builds. Not everything you see in the unit may be included in the price, so ask and get it in writing. Get everything in writing.

Property prices in Thailand are highly negotiable. Most asking prices in Pattaya are well over the top and places (especially used ones) can stay on the market for years as a result.

Anyone who tells you otherwise probably has property for sale.

Dont automatically believe anything that anyone selling property here tells you. If you assume that it is all lies then you will never be disappointed. There are a lot of very third-rate people living here and most of them seem to become involved with property as a money-spinner at some point.

There is another building a couple of sois down (soi 8) that might be worth a look, for comparison.

I suggest that you go and look at that and other new buildings (there are loads in Pratumnak), just to get a feel for what you are being offered.

It is not, IMHO, Western style but English style Chinese

That will be why there were so many people eating there then. Lots of British farangs in that area and nearly all of them seem to like (and miss) a "proper" UK-style Chinese meal. Sounds like the owner has targeted his market well.

Not really. Units without A/C are normally just shells with no floor tiles or lights or anything. I dont think anyone would put A/C into a room before the floor, walls and electrics were done as it would only get broken by the builders.

I have seen a few places that have been partially finished with floor tiles and electrics, but they mostly still needed a kitchen and A/C putting in.

I have seen even fewer places that needed only furniture to make them liveable.

Two years ago during Songkran I signed up for here and 'Facebook' to relieve the boredom!

Wow. Facebook. Can one stoop any lower? That is like drinking paint thinner.

Aww, my 4500Baht Blade isnt in the list.

Oh, I've got (unofficial) Gingerbread already anyway.

Not sure what an Inter SIM is, I think it may be for international calling?

I have an InterSIM. It's the cheapest pre-pay option available that I found and, above all, it remains valid for 365 days after the first top-up regardless of how much you use it. International calls are 1B (VOIP) or 3B (real).

I bought mine from Family Mart or 7/11 back in November 2010 for 49 or 99 Baht (I cant remember which) and that included 10B credit. I topped it up with 50B at the time (7/11 wouldnt do less) and my credit is still 47B.

Needless to say I dont make many outgoing calls.

I get a lot of calls, and I have sent one or two SMSs, and of course it is handy for getting SMSs from Kbank etc. My main interest was in the long validity for little cost and I am very happy. It can be upgraded to 3G or other packages. True keep sending me offers via SMS in Thai which I cant read, but there is a nice chap downstairs who can.

Actually Kohinoor means "mountain of light". It is the name of one of the world's most famous diamonds (the Kohinoor diamond in fact) which is now part of the British crown jewels.

It has a fascinating history.

"I'll be arriving in Bangkok in May."

If you are coming from somewhere that sells them (like the UK) you may be better off buying a Blade (aka Orange San Francisco) for under 5000B before coming here.

I still cant see the point of paying 2, 3 or 4 times more for another phone (especially as you say you want a cheap one), unless you particularly want to use True 3G.

I would probably try a Chinese buffet.

The other problem with a full English is that it can take up to 16 months to digest.

When will it begin? Too bleedin' soon.

When will it end? Not soon enough. :realangry:

Many shops and restaurants (including my favourite one :realangry: ) are closing from the 11th till the 20th.