Kaoboi Bebobp

Katesiree on Soi Buakhao, 65 baht for both types.

Also on Soi Buakhao, Witherspoon's (light and dark) and At All have Beerlao.

If you want to avoid an extension of your bad luck, avoid Tukcom like the pest, and go to Numchai on Sukhumvit instead.

And Big C Extra, PowerBuy, Lotus, plus Jaymart and Gadget One in Central Fesitval. Only buy at the chain stores.

There's been a small positive byproduct of the tunnel project. Authorities have inserted new concrete "tiles" between the rails to smooth out the Khao Noi rail crossing. As a motorcyclist, I really notice the difference.

OP, this contact came from a thread on drug prices in Pattaya and Bangkok. Give them a call. The shop's on Rama 4, in the Silom district. I'd be surprised if they don't have it. You can get a price and see if it's worth flying to BKK for a resupply. This shop has great prices.

Below is eMail and Phone for S.C. Pharmacy in Bangkok (Mentioned above in post #3)
eMail is best, as not all staff speaks English. Payment can be made via bank transfer. EMS to Pattaya normally takes 1 or 2 days.
Contact: "MAI", her English is fairly good.

eMail: "S C. Drugstore" <[email protected]>
Phone: 022-330-223
.

It's common in Asia and especially Thailand to have security bars on windows. With poor policing, deterrence is important. It's really not correct to paint Pattaya as bad. This is common all over the country. It's the culture.

Yes, this^^^. And very often you will see barbed wire or even razor wire on the tops of security walls and around balconies. In Cambodia home owners are even more cautious with barbed or razor wire across the tops of pointy iron bars. In Phnom Penh the break-in threat is real. I agree with the above. I don't think it's as bad in east-side Pattaya, although you do hear stories.

Thanks for all the information. Has anyone had experiences with MacAllan Brokers?

Have used them many times. Very good service, for my needs anyway. All the front office girls (all agents, I think) working there have (pretty much) done a good job. I have both world travel insurance (I take a year's coverage) and moto insurance.

G o to MLG on Pattaya Tai towards Sukumvit Rd they can supply you with goverment Ins and Private ins.

Hmm, not sure if the OP likes ice cream, because that is what they are selling now where the MLG office was previously.

I'm not sure what you mean it has moved. I was just there 2 weeks ago. It's at the same spot at Pattaya Soi 8 and I just called to confirm. It has a new name though, MacAllan Brokers. When outbound on Tai, I look for the huge TOA sign and I know I'm there.

2road, 98% of what responders on this thread say is true. But let me give you another angle. You say her "friends" haven't heard from her. Bar girls do not have "friends". The next day her "friend" is just as likely to steal clothing or money or food, or even lottery winnings, or not pay back a "loan". (All of the forgoing was true, as related to me by a number of bar girls and GFs.) No girl trusts any other girl in Pattaya. No girls in Pattaya have a real friend, in the sense that westerners experience friendship. So the fact her "friends" have not heard from her is worth ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. So stop worrying and get on with your holiday. Be polite, be civil, be fair, but be sceptical and take nothing seriously here in Sin City.

BangkokHank, I don't want to divert the topic too much but a quick question: Did you manage to get a 1-year visa? Or are you leaving every 3 months to renew the 3-month multi visa?

Very nice report, by the way. I've been thinking about doing the same only VN's clampdown on visa terms has been a barrier. Yes, I am aware of back doors, which applies to almost all visas to VN.

Hooters.

Schmooters.

Are their wings really that good?

Next time you're in Bangkok, go to The Smokin' Pug on Surawong or Fatty's on Rama 9, if you want to have super wings. My American friends love these two places. Expensive though at the first place and you can't just walk in, you have to reserve a spot it's so busy.

If you are looking for something difficult to find in other pharmacies don't bother with the Klang branch. The Pattaya North branch is huge, very knowledgeable staff and the only place outside of the hospital where I have been able to get my eye drops. You can buy a discount member card for 100 baht, 10% off and valid for 2 years.

I believe it is 5% off.

Correct ... it is 5%.

but still very expensive compared to chinese pharmacies in Bangkok.

Yup, so I've discovered. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/834658-pharmacies-and-drug-prices/

Samran wrote:

The rumour was BKK Airways lobbied really hard AGAINST the road upgrade, which was financed by the Thai government as I recall.

Looking at what BBK Air wants for a return flight BKK-REP in January (11,700 baht!!!), this is not surprising. Cambo Angkok Air is half that.

Mostly I go to Advanced Lab between Soi 6 and 5. This lab's blood work has fallen right in line with Bangkok Hospital Medical Center (BKK) lab tests. I checked with Lifecare a couple of times and its test results fall in line too.

I had a very good experience back in September with a minibus service here on the Darkside.

The trip took 3.5 hours straight to the Centrepoint Ferry pier. Can't remember the price but think it was 300 baht in a very decent bus. No stopping and the driver went at safe speeds.

I took another service from the hotel on Koh Chang but that was a big mistake. Took almost 6 hours with stops and breaks. I should have gone back with the same company, which has an office just outside the Centrepoint pier entrance on the mainland.

The shop is behind the Numchai appliance store on Sukhumvit and Nern Pub Wan. Enter the Numchai driveway, go past it to the Tesco Lotus Express store. Directly across from the Tesco is a Faschino drug store. The minibus service is just to the right, when facing the Faschino.

Meanwhile, 3 months later . . . Twice I went to Anton's this week and both times was a sign out saying Open at 15:00. Bit of a shock when arriving late morning.

Well today a shutter was up and the owner inside. He came out and told me they will NOT be open in the mornings now. Having a hard time with staff, he said. Didn't ask details but a common problem everywhere in Thailand. The usual two girls (not exactly superstars) who worked before on Naklua and then followed the move to Soi 27 have disappeared. I noticed the last few weeks there'd been a real jumble of different and new staff. One time I think the owner's GF/wife (?) was serving.

Going to miss my home fries and bacon scramble.

Vietnam visa stamping fee has massively reduced from 23rd November 2015, for specific price list you guys may check here:

https://www.vietnam-evisa.org/visa-fee.html

Hot news for those who plan to travel to Vietnam from this year !

I checked a number of online Viet visa companies. Nearly all have updated their fee structures with the new lower stamping fee.

I wonder if anyone has gone to the Viet embassy in Bangkok to get a visa since the fee cut.

If you don't care about what mobile number you use, buy one at a 7-11. Not the Tourist SIM. Expires quickly. Every mall has a DTAC kiosk where you can buy a SIM and sign up for a prepaid plan. The DTAC web page is offered entirely in English. Check the prepaid plans there. I've been happily using DTAC for a couple of years now.

I would definitely recommend the True inter-Tourist SIM despite it's quick expiry as you can make calls to the US and Australia for 1 baht per minute. I use it all the time and the calls are clear. It's great for banking calls to Australia where you expect you'll be on hold for ever. You can call landline or mobiles in the US for 1 baht/min..., and similar cheap prices to other countries.

That's a good deal. On DTAC it's 2.5 baht to Canada using the 004 prefix. Used to be 4 bt.

I used to live on soi Kopai. There are baht buses going up & down Pattaya Tai, but you'll need to take a motorbike from the start of soi Kopai (or walk) or charter your own baht bus.

Do they go to 2nd rd? And do you remember if they run late at night?

I've seen baht buses mid-evening on South Road but I imagine it's like the Klang baht buses -- few and far between late in the evening and early morning. So if you have the patience, you'll get home eventually. I'd rent a scooter for the stay on Kopai, although I get that you probably want to avoid drinking and driving.

If you don't care about what mobile number you use, buy one at a 7-11. Not the Tourist SIM. Expires quickly. Every mall has a DTAC kiosk where you can buy a SIM and sign up for a prepaid plan. The DTAC web page is offered entirely in English. Check the prepaid plans there. I've been happily using DTAC for a couple of years now.

When I used to have True mobile, the only decent True shop was the one on Pattaya Tai, east of Tukcom. The rest were crap.

A few weeks ago I made the trip to SC Drugs on Rama 4 in Bangkok, thanks to recommendations in this thread. I travel to BKK a lot so it was not a special trip to save money! But I did save a lot, the price difference between Pattaya and Bangkok being, in some cases, shockingly huge.

Bought 4 items at SC. Bought them previously at Faschino near Numchai on east side of Suk and an indy (ripoff) shop on the Darkside.

Costs compared SC/Faschino/Indy. All brands the same throughout.

Item 1 (100 pills): 90/260/400

Item 2 (100 pills): 250/300/400

Item 3 (30 pills): 240/330/350

Item 4 (25 pills): 140/190/xxx

Thanks for the tips folks!

Sukhumvit, Third and South Roads were choked with traffic early Monday afternoon. Mondays on the roads are usually quite busy but this time it was high-season craziness. I had to wait to park my moto and wait to get out at Friendship. This hasn't happened to me this year.

I've heard so many Americans worry about their reception in Vietnam. It was 40 years ago! Come on up to the 21st century! Vietnam is a growing modern country filled with hard working young people and families who only want to improve their lot in the "here and now". They do NOT live in the past. Go to Vietnam, a beautiful country, top to bottom.

An IDP can only be issued by the authority in the country where you are licensed. Nowhere else. Of course, if you have, for example, a Thai license, Thailand's DLT will sell you an IDP. Last time for me it was 500 baht. One-year expiry.

Try Lucky Time Bar on Nern Pub Wan (Soi 53). I know the boss lady has 14 rooms but they were booking fast. Coming from the railway bypass road eastbound, run past Mini Big C, Pizza Co., PT gas station, Pizza Hut and about 100 metres on the right is the bar. It's pretty obviously a bar, sticking out because of its western look and the upright sign in the moto parking pad.