Baloo22

Oscar's is definitely still open and also has proper cheese. It's the best breakfast buffet I know of in Jomtien but I haven't tried those other two yet. They will be on my to-do list for early next week.

I also recommend Bistro Oscar. They serve a Brunch from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm every day. Top quality food, well-prepared and well-served. In the past three years, I've probably eaten their brunch 50plus times and never had a bad meal.

I was surprised to find an American breakfast at Linda's for 119BT.

Start out with refreshing towel, cappuccino,

scrambled eggs, 2 thick cut bacon, potato, small salad, orange juice & very good European service.

And they carry the Bangkok Post.

Hard to beat. No?

I tried Lindas continental breakfast today. Its really good value for money, 109 baht.

You get 3 toasted bread (white and brown) scrambled or fried eggs, mixed salad , ham and cheese, orange and strawberry marmalade, orange juice and coffee .

And you sit inside in a nice restaurant with aircon, the staff is really helpful and service minded. They give you a wet towel to clean your hands,

Cant get any better than this for 109 baht.

I'll give a thumbs-up for Linda's also! I gave their breakfast a try the first time when I having a bout with a nasty cold and wanted to avoid the heat of eating in a open air place. Went back 7-8 more times this March-April. I also liked their Continental Breakfast. Granted, it is not one of the "stuff yourself and gain an inch of fat on your waistline" breakfasts; but not everyone wants those types of breakfasts. Good quality food, well prepared, with good service and good aircon.

I used Green Bus twice last year. Once, round trip Chiang Mai <--> Mae Sai and later a round trip Chiang Mai <--> Chiang Rai. IMO the driver on both trips drove in a reasonable manner. I have never used NakonchaiAir bus company but have heard good reports from others on their service. Long trips such as Bangkok <--> Chiang Mai, I either fly or take the overnight sleeper train. IMO, both are preferable than taking a either a bus or one of the "suicide vans".

I have serious doubts that the chubby youngster with the crew-cut hair is really making any decisions more important than what to have for lunch. He is just a figurehead. So the question is really; why would the power-players behind him really want to re-start the war? They make these huge threats all the time. The only way I see them choosing to re-start the war is if China has given them some promises of protection of some sort. I wonder what the prevailing wind direction is now. I would think that a number of nukes exploding on the Korean peninsula would kick up a good deal of fallout drifting over somebody.

I still have doubts as to how accurate and reliable NK long-range delivery systems would be. Sure they could hit Seoul or other locations in South Korea. But outside of that?????

I would not be surprised to find a few US attack-class subs with nuke-armed cruise missiles in the seas around North Korea. If NK launches a nuke anywhere, those missiles could eliminate most, if not all, NK airfields and missile launch sites within a very short time. Would Obama have the balls to give the order? That's another question.

And I don't think he would have to ask anyone's permission. Remember, the war did not end. There was only an armistice. If the NKs break the armistice, would not the original UN authorizations still be in order?

To some it may seem a nice convenience to be able to bribe your way out of a traffic ticket or get preferential treatment at a government office. But the end effect is much deeper and causes substantial harm to Thai society and the Thai people. When police expect to get bribes and "gifts", what you end up with (and what the Thai people now have) is a police force whose primary "duty" is their own personal profit with public safety and enforcement of laws for the public good being of very little concern to them.

Why bother stopping for that red light at the pedestrian crossing? You know there never is any enforcement to do so. Nightclubs operate without the required licenses and proper safety standards. Not a problem after that police colonel got his share of the business. Can you say "Santika"? How many people in the north of Thailand are suffering lung damage right now because of the "I want to burn it and I'll pay off any cop who shows up!" standard? On and on and on.

I have read several article estimating that between 25% to 35% of the funds for any public construction project is siphoned off in bribes, kickbacks, and other forms of corruption. Does what's left end up being enough for quality construction? Or is the end result like a new sidewalk installed in Jomtien that started falling apart within three months of completion.

In the end the cost of avoiding a traffic ticket is much more than 200-300 baht!

I just read a legitimate and serious post where the board member started his post with the line:

"Unless you have something constructive to add please don't reply to this thread."

I ask that this phrase (or something similar) be added to the emoticon list. Posters with serious questions could then use it to indicate that they are not inviting useless, irritating snipes and insults with their question.

...Who knows how these chaps got their jobs...

Unfortunately, we know far too well how

Yes. "Police entrance exam cancelled over scandal"

IMO, a series of smaller but more frequent buses would provide better service. Small buses would allow more of them, more frequency, and they would be easier to handle on the poorly-maintained and congested roads. Start with a simple route and with clearly marked bus stops. A route starting at the south end of Jomtien Beach Road and heading north along Jomtien Beach Road, on to Thap Phraya into Pattaya, then north along Pattaya Second Road, continuing north into Naklua. Then turn around and head south from Naklua onto Pattaya Beach Road, south on Thap Phraya, south on Jomtien Beach Road. Repeat and repeat and repeat.

That route would handle passengers going Jomtien <-->Pattaya, and also Naklua <--> Pattaya. It would be nice if the government would train some of the current baht-bus drivers to drive those buses, collect fares, perform maintenance, etc and relieve some of the potential job loss for them.

So the govenment should use a series of smaller busses (Baht busses) to be driven by the current drivers on a rout they are currently using??

I'm not sure this is changing anything.

Even when we falang use the term "baht-bus", they are still not buses. They are still just pick-up trucks with two benches!

When I wrote "smaller buses", I am referring to a small bus like this with a passenger capacity of 30, instead of using a large bus like this with a passenger capacity of 56.

Disclaimer: The above links are examples only. Many other companies produce similar buses.

yesterday I passed two brand new aircon city buses (public bus layout not tour bus !!) on pattaya klang. They looked really nice and all but they were empty.. I wonder why city hall doesn't setup those buses to loop from dolphin to jomtien

They tried that a few years ago...one of the first drivers was pulled from the bus and given a severe beating ( can't remember if he died or not )

also the fare structure wasn't very good for short distance 30 baht flat fee.

Wasn't it 20 baht? In any case it was a great service, though too infrequent, because it covered a HUGE area. You could from Jomtien beach to far out Naklua and then over to Sukhumwit passing BPH then going far south again ... No reason to take for a standard baht bus route assuming you can get a baht bus.

I read about an incident of "one of the first drivers was pulled from the bus and given a severe beating" that happened on Phuket Island when they tried to start a bus service in Patong. I would not be surprised to hear the same thing happening in Pattaya.

IMO, a series of smaller but more frequent buses would provide better service. Small buses would allow more of them, more frequency, and they would be easier to handle on the poorly-maintained and congested roads. Start with a simple route and with clearly marked bus stops. A route starting at the south end of Jomtien Beach Road and heading north along Jomtien Beach Road, on to Thap Phraya into Pattaya, then north along Pattaya Second Road, continuing north into Naklua. Then turn around and head south from Naklua onto Pattaya Beach Road, south on Thap Phraya, south on Jomtien Beach Road. Repeat and repeat and repeat.

That route would handle passengers going Jomtien <-->Pattaya, and also Naklua <--> Pattaya. It would be nice if the government would train some of the current baht-bus drivers to drive those buses, collect fares, perform maintenance, etc and relieve some of the potential job loss for them.

I don't think doubling the fare would solve a thing. They would just double the charter prices and do the same thing. Human greed knows no limits and I speak from experience being a human. There needs to be top level organized oversight, real rules, and real enforcement. Yes kick the violators out of the business.

"There needs to be top level organized oversight, real rules, and real enforcement."

First; You know that is not going to happen in Pattaya for a long, long, time into the future. Pattaya, along with a bunch of other cities in Thailand does not have a government or "real" police force that is up to that task. Yes, if Pattaya were a city in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and a few select other locales, there would be an effective bus system present already. Those countries also have city governments/management/planners with at least a semblance of competency. They also have real police that actually do, for the most part, care about public safety, public order, and enforcement of laws. I used to say that's western thinking but it is not really just western thinking anymore. It's more "first-world" thinking and I do consider countries like Japan, Korea, and Singapore to be "first-world".

Second; You are assuming that the purpose/goal of the Pattaya "public transportation system" is effective transportation. I don't believe that is true at all. The real reasoning behind the current "herds of baht-bus" system is to keep a large group of the "lower-class" people with subsistence-level jobs. It's working fine.

It's the same problem with the thinking that we tend to apply to the "rice-pledging" program! Loads of us TV members post about how bad it is and how ineffective it is. When, actually, the "rice-pledging" program is doing exactly what it's creators expect it to do. It's lining the pockets of millers, dealers, and select others and buying the votes of a large segment of the voters. It's working just fine!!

I keep reading about various famine-struck areas in Africa and the accompanying requests for food aid. At the very least they could take some of that stored rice (hopefully the rice that is still fit for human consumption), put it on some ships, coordinate with the U.N. and send it over there. They could then call it "humanitarian aid" and get bragging rights for it.

Might be a better plan than letting it sit, rot, and have rats (of both rodent and human varieties) get fat off of it!

Fitness Thailand and the gym at Duangtawan Hotel are probably your closest bets to the Old City. A little further away, north-west from the Old City is Powerhouse Gym.

It on Soi 6, Nimmanhaemin Road. Clean with good setup of free weights and machines. They do have a Squat Rack and a "Smith Rack". The shower/locker facilities are good also. I have been going there for about ten months now and am very satisfied. Staff is polite and helpful and I have had no problems with any of the other patrons. When something breaks, they are on it right away and get it fixed.

I signed up for a "mid-day" plan that allows me to train there from 10:00 to 16:00. It was 9500baht for one year. Since I am retired and have no "pressing engagements" during the day, that plan suited me fine. I'm sure they have monthly plans that allow full access at all open hours also. You can just walk in and they will give you a tour of the place and answer any questions. I'd recommend that you just stop by for a visit.

To get to Powerhouse Gym:

Go NW along Huay Kaew Road, turn left onto Nimmanhaemin Road. Going south on Nimmanhaemin, you turn right onto Soi 6. The turn is just prior to a bank and a Tesco Express. Continue on Soi 6 passing Empire Residence and Punna Residence on your left. Just after Punna Residence, take a left. That brings you into Punna Place "shopping center". If you run into the statue of the 3-headed Elephant, you've gone too far, turn around. (It's a round-about) There is a number of restaurants and other shops there. Powerhouse Gym is at the southern end of Punna Place.

This http://www.mapjack.com/?mWcyUrPWac5E shows Soi6 (circa 2009?) from Nimmanhaemin Road. The building with all the green tarps is all finished now. It's Empire Residence and today you would be looking right at Tesco Express and the bank right on the corner of the building.

I have been going to Powerhouse Gym on Soi 6, Nimmanhaemin Road, for about ten months now and am very satisfied. Clean with good setup of free weights and machines. The shower/locker facilities are good also. Staff is polite and helpful and I have had no problems with any of the other patrons. When something breaks, they are on it right away and get it fixed.

I signed up for a "mid-day" plan that allows me to train there from 10:00 to 16:00. It was 9500baht for one year. Since I am retired and have no "pressing engagements" during the day, that plan suited me fine. I'm sure they have monthly plans that allow full access at all open hours also. You can just walk in and they will give you a tour of the place and answer any questions. I'd recommend that you just stop by for a visit.

I believe to open the linked Facebook page, you must be logged on to Facebook in the same web browser (that you are using to open the linked page).

I have used Agoda to book hotels seven times here in Thailand. Most of them have been for hotels that had discounts at the time. Never had any problems with their service. I print out the voucher they send via email and present it at check-in. Never had any problems at check-in. I like their website layout and search methods. I'll look at the reviews for specific hotels on Agoda and check reviews on Tripadvisor for the same hotel. Once I find a hotel of interest, I do check that hotel's website. Many hotel websites have "special offers" pages with deals for early booking or booking for a certain number of nights. I have managed to get some decent deals that way also.

Different folks will often like different booking websites. Sometimes it can boil down to personal preference. I happen to like Agoda for their website layout and search setup. Has worked well for me.

It is said that the completion of the high speed railway will turn Chiang Mai into a transportation and logistics hub in the Northern region.

Quite some Hub. Brand new five star hotels in the city center. Brand new conference center a few km North West. Brand new airport built on you know who's land in Sangkampheng, More shopping Malls than Hong Kong. Brand new high speed railway link station in Lamphun (cos graft finished off the budget before they got to Chiang Mai ).

And the ONLY way to travel between them is sitting for two hours in stationery traffic. Perched on a wooden bench in the back of some clapped out old red pick up truck belching clouds of global warming CO₂ that does a tour of every market in Chiang Mai before arriving at your destination. Then the driver realises there are farangs on board so stops at a "lady massage" and jewelry shop en route just in case.

Exactly!! All this talk about High-Speed Rail system and yet they can't seem to get a working intra-city bus system established in Chiang Mai. Heck, they could even save some money by simply refurbishing the bus stops all along Huay Kaew road. Some of them would only require a good cleaning of the seats!

There is nothing inherently right or wrong about Facebook. It's a tool. That's all.

My Daughter pestered me into getting a Facebook account before I came over here. My first question after getting the account was "Ok, now how do prevent anybody from finding me on this Facebook?" To which she replied (with a large sigh!), "But Dad, that's the whole point of the thing!" I have actually found it a pretty neat way to maintain contact with and keep up with the lives of my family members and some friends back home. And I also post about my life here and some of the trips that I have taken here. Also post a lot of the photos I take on my trips. But, I don't put anything on the internet (Facebook or otherwise) that would cause me any trouble either.

Of course, I am from a different generation than them. I have less than twenty "Facebook Friends", while they have hundreds! But again, it's just a tool. If kids are using it too much or when they should not be using it, that's the problem. Not Facebook. Heck, I had to take control of and put limits on when and how much the Nintendo box was to be used when my "kids" were kids!

I thought tipping was an American custom. You already pay for the service so why give someone extra after paying already. Maybe us Aussies are tight &lt;deleted&gt; and don't agree with paying twice.

No, tipping is not just an custom in America. I've seen Europeans (in Europe) leaving tips. One thing to keep in mind, in many countries, many bills will already include a "service charge" of some sort in addition to the VAT/Sales tax. Effectively, a mandatory tip. Most restaurants in the U.S. do not. They most likely will have a sales tax (type of VAT) but most do not add a "service charge". So, a higher tip amount is customary.

Yup! It's some type of problem with Yahoo. The Reply did not work on mine. Even when clicking on Compose for a new email; cannot type in an address. Did a quick Google search on this with results from the past 24 hours and many hits out there. It's not a local problem here. I have no doubt that some tech geeks at Yahoo are very busy right now!

Of course, everything is subject to change. That being said; In 2011, I sent my Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay) visa application to the main Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C. They did not require anything to be notarized. Their website still does not have a requirement to have any documents notarized. It may just be someone at the local consulate deciding to add on a requirement or two. You can always send the application to the main Thai Embassy. Here is the Royal Thai Embassy's (in D.C.) web page for Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay).

Yes, but the Honorary Consulates may grant an O visa for the purpose of investigating retirement. If that's what the OP wants, it's a simple matter to email all the HC's and work with the one that's most responsive. There's nothing that says someone HAS to go thru the Embassy to obtain a visa.

But, if an O-A is indeed what the OP wants, then, yes, the Embassy is the place to go, unless they direct you someplace else. (We got directed to the "real" Consulate in Chicago for O-A application, because we lived near there)

When you were "directed to the "real" Consulate in Chicago", was that during a phone, email, or letter inquiry? Or did they redirect your application?

I was residing in Washington State and sent my applications directly to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. and they handled them. A double-entry tourist visa in 2010 and a Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) in 2011. They did not direct me to any consulate or ask to have anything notarized either.