breadbin

Some very good tidbits suggested by the posters. Thank you kindly for the recommendations. I've been to most of the recommendations but some of them like the Bangkok Forensic Museum and the Fertility shrine are a perfect twist to include on a BKK exploring junket. Thank you also for the reminder to explore China Town early morning by one poster as I'm sure it takes on a completely different character at those hours.

Jasun - From your perspective was the Siam Narawit show and dinner well done and somewhat educational or horribly kitschy?

AyG - Some great suggestions and you're a savior. I have been to the Aphawa market before and enjoyed the ambience in contrast to the Damnoen Saduak market but for the life of me could not remember the name or location. A round of drinks or meal on me if you're in BKK when I get down there for relieving me of my headache trying to remember the spot.

Like you suggest I shall be exploring some outlying areas to break up Bangkok.

Because the op has lived in CNX he thinks, as many others do, that they are Thai experts when all they really know about is bars and being ripped off!!

My advice to the op is hire a Thai tourist guide for a day or two

Breadbin your summation of my character reeks of generalization and assumptions, a scary cocktail. Sadly my experience with tour guides in this country has me concluding they are next to useless. Their knowledge on the sites visited is limited at best and incorrect at times. In my experiences I've been better served travelling by myself and doing background research online of the locations and sites I'm to visit. This method has for me, far surpassed the experiences I have had with local tour guides, both here and in other Southeast Asian countries. The one exception was a quality guide in Khao Yai National Park However if you know of somebody that could raise the stakes in this arena feel free to PM me his number.

PM'd you.

Poor kid. Trained to support Man U!!

Congrats grandad to be.

Because the op has lived in CNX he thinks, as many others do, that they are Thai experts when all they really know about is bars and being ripped off!!

My advice to the op is hire a Thai tourist guide for a day or two

I went to one in Ealing last year. It was complete rubbish so good luck for this one.

And the point if the post is?

Google tycoon place Pattaya

Why so difficult?????

How do you know it exists then?

What does this have to do with Thailand?

In any case Lhr - JFK is around £400+ depending on airline and offers

400 is fine. But where to get this fare. I checked on Kayak.com and it's quoting more than 1000 at the moment. Flying either July or Next month.

From Lhr can fly BA, Virgin, AA etc. keep looking - skyscanner?

What dates and how many pax?

What does this have to do with Thailand?

In any case Lhr - JFK is around £400+ depending on airline and offers

You know you need a work permit to do a gig?

Not to be in a band and practise he/she doesn't,

If they're playing gigs for money then that's different, if for free no WP needed as its a hobby/interest

If you play a gig for free, you entertain other people which is classified as work. You need a work permit.

People have been nicked for doing a gig without a work permit. You can be deported when you work with out one.

You need a work permit for voluntary work too.

Not correct

You don't know what you are talking about.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=1329

Calm down old man

You know you need a work permit to do a gig?

Not to be in a band and practise he/she doesn't,

If they're playing gigs for money then that's different, if for free no WP needed as its a hobby/interest

If you play a gig for free, you entertain other people which is classified as work. You need a work permit.

People have been nicked for doing a gig without a work permit. You can be deported when you work with out one.

You need a work permit for voluntary work too.

Not correct

These links may be helpful.

see: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/travel_to_ireland/customs_regulations_for_travellers.html Travelling to Ireland from countries outside the EU

Cash controls

Since 15 June 2007 if you are entering or leaving the European Union and carrying €10,000 or more cash you must make a declaration to the Customs authority of the member state you are entering or leaving. Under Regulation (EC) 1889/2005 you must lodge the declaration at the airport, seaport or land frontier through which you are entering the EU – see “How to apply” below. If you are travelling to or from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man you also must make a declaration"

see re taking money out of thailand

http://www.bot.or.th/English/ForeignExchangeRegulations/FXRegulation/Pages/ExchangeControlLaw.aspx

Foreign Currency

The travelers bringing foreign currency more than USD 20,000 or its equivalent into or out of Thailand are required to make a report to Customs. This report is required by the “Ministerial Regulation (No. 25) B.E. 2530 issued under the Authority of the Currency Exchange Control Act B.E. 2485 and relevant regulations.

The Regulation and Notification require that the travelers bringing foreign currency into or out of Thailand, both a bank note and a coin, with the total aggregate value exceeding USD 20,000 or its equivalent, must report it to a Customs officer at a port/airport of entry or exit, using the given Foreign Currency Declaration Form. The travelers must complete, sign, and submit the Form to report their foreign currency where such currency are physically carried by a person arriving in or departing from Thailand, or where they form part of the person’s baggage and that person and his or her baggage are being carried on board the same conveyance across the border.

A person who reports currency has to answer truthfully any questions that a border services officer asks about the information required for the report.

Spot on.

Different rules when transferring via a bank for example.

Good post.

Just to clarify, the info is correct as much as if you walked or transferred it into Thai then you should have been given a form/certificate. That's proof of the derivation up to that amount,

You know you need a work permit to do a gig?

Not to be in a band and practise he/she doesn't,

If they're playing gigs for money then that's different, if for free no WP needed as its a hobby/interest

I definitely prefer the options here in the UK with so many different cuts available, I tend to buy thick cut back bacon when it's on offer in Asda. I visited my brother in the US a few times while he was living there and could only find wafer thin streaky bacon, 90% of which was smokey bacon. Not a fan.

EDIT: Sorry, sticking to topic, I never found anything close in Thailand, though the GF wouldn't let me go to Hard Rock in Pattaya.

Thanks Gary UK for your decent response.

Can't be bothered

Here we go already.;

Western bacon

Where are you from Smokie?

just a simple question - does Hard Rock Hotel serve real bacon at breakfast in the buffet?

Thx

She has done 2 years with one more to go. I want to get her out now

She has already done 2 years, and now you want to get her out ?? What's the catch ??

+1

BA used to have 2 flights a day to BKK that mirrored TG.

Yes he was last their 10 years ago.

I was just curious, what would you have to do to get banned for 100 years.

According to another current thread, possibly grabbed a cop?

Grabbed or groped!!

Now is not the time to buy gold of any sort.

Unless it's a gift for a girl you want to bed.

And then think carefully and don't give the gold over until after you bed her (a few times or more) to get value for money!

Thai fly direct using modern-ish 777 ER200.

Overall a good experience (certainly by Thai standards).

My only real complaint is that the air-con struggles and so it can get a little hotter than I would like (there are no personal ceiling fans you can adjust).

That has nothing to do with the 777, I can assure that the air con is not struggling, it is a Thai crew issue you are dealing with there.

For starters, the out side air temp is about -40'c to -50'c for most of the time that plane is flying, the air is actually being warmed significantly and pressurized by bleed air via a mixer. (B787 the exception) There are control's in the cockpit to control the air temp then the cabin crew can control the temp in section a few degrees warmer of cooler from the master setting by the pilots.

Thai's are notorious for feeling the cold, ever noticed that?...... so they make it warm for them selves, and you feel hot and stuffy and pissed off when on THAI flights.

Often on other companies it is the other way around, and as cabin crew are "working" walking around, doing "service" etc, they feel hot and turn it down. Another reason is on some budget air lines , it is often turned down so you have to buy a blanket where the crew get a commission on that sale.

Not going to argue in the air con issue but I have one commen/question to make.

You say that Thais feel the cold so turn the heat up!

Have you ever been on a Thai bus? BKK BTS? Been in a Thai cinema?

All freezing!!!

Your argument my good friend is flawed!

You don't get any interest?

Interesting bank! I suppose they must make by lending at higher rates?

No idea but good luck anyway

Was just interested.

Cheers for responding.