dddave

You will need to consider the time of your flight if using the airport link. I believe it operates from 6am so allowing at least 2.5 hrs for check in your flight would need to be after 0830hrs. If it is you can get on the airport link at Phyathai and get off at Ramkhamhaeng. Opposite the station is a cheap hotel called Nasa Vegas. From Ramkhamhaeng to the airport via the airport link is about 20 minutes and cost 30 baht. You can Google Nasa Vegas and book or get their rates.

This is a good recommendation...I live in the Rhamkhamheng area and when my family visits, they always stay at the NasaVegas and find it convenient and comfortable.

If you book through AGODA.com, you will save even more....rooms at Nasa for as little as US$12.

Even if you need to leave before the Rail link opens at 0600, Taxi fare to the airport from there is never more than B200.

Was that information about visas or a hotel advertisement?

That's a bit harsh. This is a forum for sharing information and people do frequently ask about accommodations near Consulates and Embassy's.

I have sent at least 100 packages over the last 6 years via EMS and never had one lost. Often, once the package is in the hands of the destination countries postal system, EMS tracking stops.

doubt u will get the visa for $20, expect to pay 1,000 baht.

go to the casino for lunch

If you can wait, you can get it for $20 if you insist. Since there are no cross border buses at that crossing and $20 is what they are supposed to charge, all you have to do is politely insist and don't back down. There is little reason for them to refuse.

Several years ago at the Hat Lek crossing I witnessed a fellow who did as you suggest and become insistent on the $20 fee get "ENTRY REFUSED" stamped in his passport.

I fly in and out of BKK no less than 50 times a year

Wow, you must spend an awful lot of time on planes and hanging around in airports or travelling to and from airports... How's your health? I once flew about 20 long hauls in a 2-month period and I felt all the time in the air was affecting my health considerably. Do you mind me being nosy and asking what you do that requires you to fly in and out of BKK at least 50 times a year?

I have discovered my single true talent: sitting on my ass in airplanes.

I contract as an air courier doing world-wide "Hand Carries" originating in Thailand for an international logistics corporation.

It can indeed be a lot of flying. During one 12 day period this past spring, I literally circumnavigated the earth 3 times.

Don't get me going on airline food.

Favorite airlines: (usually economy) Singapore, Thai, Korean, Gulf. Most dreaded: United, Delta. (United "Premium Econ. worse than most standard coach...$7 for a drink other than beer or wine, horrible food in mercifully minuscule portions)

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A number of years ago there was a great joke making the rounds: "What if Bill Gates had designed the automobile."

Does anybody still have it?

Is this it?

http://www.laughbreak.com/lists/if_microsoft_built_cars.html

Close, but not all the tag lines I remember.

The Suradeth Hotel is decent, not at all fancy but only a 10 minute walk from the Consulate. Rooms are small but clean. Rooms in the garden area to the rear are the nicest. There is a Disco in the front of the hotel but I never heard it. Rooms about 5-600 Baht'

Directions: Exiting the Consulate, turn right, walk 50 meters to the intersecting street and go left. Walk on whatever the shady side is to your first right (street,,,not driveways), probably 500 meters or so. Hotel is 100 meters on the right.

There is little nightlife nearby and Tuk-Tuks don't hang around at night. It's a good choice if you just want to be close to the consulate so you can be there early.

A number of years ago there was a great joke making the rounds: "What if Bill Gates had designed the automobile."

Does anybody still have it?

Just what we all need...more DING-DONGS in our lives.

I remember that "NOXZEMA" skin cream used to be touted as effective in removing age spots and blemishes. Was Hydroquinone the active ingredient in that product?

I haven't seen it advertised in ages.

I seem to remember that several years ago when Thailand negotiated an oil trade deal with Nigeria, the repatriation of several hundred Nigerian inmates from the Thai prison system was part of it. I believe it was Thailand that pressed the issue. I wonder if that sort of exchange is frequently a little talked about part of international trading. For instance, one frequently reads about Iranians arrested at the airport for drug smuggling but then they seem to disappear. I've always wondered if they are quietly repatriated as part of some deal.

""Do you currently have a 3G plan? Do you have a decent 3G connection? Do you encounter these issues when on 3G?""

I pay B399/Mo for 1Gb..AIS 3G, Usually install apps when connected to my home wi-fi. never have issues installing other apps.

""For Kakao Talk, did you receive the 4-digit registration code and complete the installation?""

Yes, for both KAKAO and CHAToN...but when I sent the completed registration, it bounced "NETWORK ERROR, Try again later. Tried multiple times over several days with no success.

""Can you share the exact content of the "... partial AIS warning Saying all voice services are blocked"?""

Only showed on my notification screen, a small triangle with an exclamation pt. within, "AIS GSM: RESTRICTED ACCESS C..." Below that:"All Voice Services Are Blocked."

I have AIS/3G

I have tried installing several different messaging apps; some like VIBER, WeCHAT and LINE seem to work well but when I try to register for CHAToN or KAKAO TALK, my registration is blocked.

Later I got a partial AIS warning Saying all voice services are blocked. It there any special AIS package that allows voice messaging? Is this also the policy of TRUE & DTAC?

Is SKYPE or GOOGLE VOICE also blocked from 3G?

Ahhhhh...so that was it. My Gmail loaded as slow as cold fudge uphill around 9am local time.

True just gave me free a new "Billion" router because I was having dropouts and I was blaming the new router.

Hasty heart.

Most banks will now send you are security warning via Email so you know in advance that there is a question or problem before using the card. I had that with Bank of America because no matter how many times I informed them that I spent the majority of my time in Thailand, they would still sometimes arbitrarily close the card because of Thai transactions.....Finally fired them!!

Take note!; Sometimes there can be a problem activating a new card from your home country. I ran into this once. Local Thai ATM's only transmit a 4 digit PIN code. Some activation's require six or more digits. I had to send my card back to a family member for them to activate at a local USA ATM.

Last time I was in the Pattaya bus station a month ago, buses to the Southern Bus Terminal were hourly so I think safe to assume the opposite way the same

I would also suggest considering BANG SURAY, a small but relatively unspoiled beach/fishing village just south of Jomtien. Nice beach, great seafood restaurants on the water and fish pier. Strolling that same fish pier is really interesting.

The town itself has a nice temple complex and some interesting shops.

Some very nice Guest Houses close to the beach. Sorry, I forget the names.

There are enough Farangs resident there that several sports bars will have the Footie of the day on TV.

Singapore: She will get to see how differently a large city can function; good in someways, maybe too sterile in others but SO many interesting things to see and a great transportation infrastructure.

My GF loved Sentosa Island and the Cable Car ride to it as well as the train ride around it. If she likes flowers there is one of the worlds most extensive orchid gardens. There is also a small rain forest within the city.

The Night Safari was a lot of fun.

Good street food but restricted to designated food areas, not helter skelter on sidewalks.

Check the Thursday Bangkok Post travel section, always a lot of 2night/3day deals but you can probably do better on your own.

The E-visa is not valid at all crossings..be sure to check to list on the website. The crossing at Hat Lek has always been one of the more difficult ones. Frequently would only accept Thai Baht...refusing US$20 even though that is the legal fee. Sometimes demand B1200++++. I have seen people have "REFUSED ENTRY" stamped on their passports if they got too obstreperous regarding the Entry Fee scam.

This was all 3+ years ago, things may have changed.

Also, very intensive tout action on the Cambodian side...Cigaretts, Liquor, Vitamin V, "Take care visa for you"...

I used Agoda while traveling in Vietnam last year for 14 days and was very satisfied with the rates I received and the rooms we had.

I used the customer reviews as a guide; ignoring the over the top raves and below the belt rants. We were never disappointed and never paid more than $20 per night.

There is a professional studio that produces TV commercials and other video presentations called FILM FACTORY that has extensive in house video editing facilities. I have no idea if they would be interested in doing the kind of work you want done. If they did, it would probably be quite expensive.

Even though it is likely that you would not end up using their services, they might be a good place to start and they might be able to refer you to a freelance professional who would be more suitable.

They are located on Sukhumvit Soi 99, one km down to the very end. BANG CHAK BTS (next stop after On Nut) If you take exit#3, Soi 99 is located at the base of the stairway to the street.

I did see MSI's either at Fortune Tower (Rama-9) at one of the 3rd floor retailers or at Power buy. Sorry, I wasn't shopping for one so I didn't pay much attention but I did see them.

Can someone give a simple explanation of what a "Seedbox" is and what it is used for?

My only experience with one is for growing tomatoes.

Thanks