Kaoboi Bebobp

I don't think Poipet is going away soon. A friend sat with a Thai gambler on the return from Aranya-Poipet. He takes the minibus six days a week from Victory Monument to the border to gamble and come back. He was Thai Chinese.

I think the term "filthy" belongs to backpackers, having shared space with them on escalators, on the BTS and in cafes. Pattaya sexpats are just one-note Charlies, Changing their lives away. For example, there are five of them in my complex, drinking from morning till, well, morning. And that's no exaggeration.

^^^I do the route all the time. I'm in BKK at the moment so haven't gone since Friday. Your route was doable then, if you have a motorcycle. You just drive through the cones at the railway road.

I drive a car. So I'm blocked from accessing that area from the east?

Am not 100% sure but since Nern Pub Wan is not very busy these days, you easily could drive to the railway road and see. But I think they have cones. Again, I say, that was last week. Maybe they've have imposed the one-way status with NPW running one way from Suk.

The Golf Club, LK Metro. Not the cheapest, but good quality. NIce view of Devil's Den as well.

Agreed. Golf Club on LK Metro has a big breakfast menu with many choices. But if you're still on the Darkside, Lucky Time bar on Nern Pub Wan, eastbound past the PT station, on the same side, has a pretty good English breakfast for 115 baht.

(TBH, I don't care anymore but the Devil's Den kind of shocked me. The personnel left a lot be desired. No different than any Buakhao beer bar.)

^^^I do the route all the time. I'm in BKK at the moment so haven't gone since Friday. Your route was doable then, if you have a motorcycle. You just drive through the cones at the railway road.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=466472140170695&fref=nf

unhappy Thais try to explain to Pattaya traffic manager that shutting all the roads causes everyone hardship

calls for a very simple solution open all roads as they where before and have extra volunteer traffic police manning the junctions at rush hour

( I assume let the traffic free flow at other times.)

Didn't understand a word but the body language was definitely emotional. Glad to see local folks standing up and complaining face to face. Gives me hope.

It seems a rather bizarre solution IMHO as this only makes Klang one-way (west) for a whole 260 m between the Third road traffic lights and the Big C Extra (Charoemprakiat/Arunothai traffic lights.

Earlier in the day, they had police directing traffic at the top end of Third at the Nua traffic lights... where they happily allowed buses coming in from Sukhumvit to make u-turns. I didn't go east on Nua but is this because they may have blocked the u-turn in front of the bus terminal to allow faster egress from Sukhumvit?

This is exactly what they've done. Found out today and had to divert clear across Nua to 3rd Road and come back to join the thousands heading for Sukhumvit to get to Nern Pub Waan. Fortunately I was on a moto, passing dozens of cars waiting at 3rd Rd to turn north or u-turn. What a disaster. They have installed the coloured plastic barriers, presumably filled with water. They are stacked really close together and run fully to the median ends so that not even motorcycles can get through. I assume the Bangkok buses will now turn later/earlier to a nearby soi on Suk and go the back way and into the bus station. Even more delays. Overall a disaster of epic proportions.

Amazing considering that the intersection is so narrow that most buses need to make a 2- or 3-point turn.

Maybe they should enforce lane management instead and insist that buses don't double park and stay in a dedicated bus lane when moving.... nah... too hard.

The buses coming from BKK go all the way to Dolphin Circle to turn. This probably adds 20-30 minutes to route under current conditions.

I go to BKK and back a lot. This is going to hurt. Every day there's another reason to abandon Pattaya.

Yeah, the new location kind of turns us off. However, the new location is owned by the boss. I imagine he wants to avoid greedy landlords again. I get a satisfying feeling sometimes when I see the former Londoner space still unrented -- 8 months on! The landlord has lost millions.

I live (not for long again) in East Pattaya.

First, I have watched the progressive closure of Klang crossing and then the crossing North of it.

Then, realized how Sukhumvit. now has no left turns or u- turns for like 4 Kms.

Then, the 're-organization ' of flow by railway road and crossings. In most cases I do not see a legal way of going from point A to B except by taking 40 minutes detour.

I've tried to read the maps posted above, but they don't make any sense to me. I only know I that I'm cut off, and to get hope i have to drive to strange, far away places.

I think the inmates are running the asylum. Very happy to leave to soon.

I know the feeling. I also feel like I'm barricaded in. The maps don't make any sense to me either. I know I'm using more fuel by double because of having to go to the u-turn to cross over and all the way to Nua to come back. Idiocy.

I'm also leaving Pattaya after I get back from a home country visit. I am looking at leaving Thailand, frankly, for this and many other reasons.

I think the embassy option is even more money than the VoA at the Viet airport. Or they're very close in costs. But yes, the airport VoA process is a big bore. (The Cambodians are faster by far if going there.)

Note, you can NOT do visa on arrival at a land or water crossing.

You missed the point. I meant that they are "isolated" by the new traffic re-routings. Pattaya Klang is now one way from Suk to 3rd Rd. NO way to get to them from the west, except via that small road off of 3rd Road just north of Klang. And, of course, getting OUT and away will be a "day trip"! I'd call that "isolated".

" via that small road off of 3rd Road"

This already has to be one of the worst junctions around with many vehicles crossing 3rd road to the small soi which runs alongside the 711. I have seen countless motorbike accidents there when faster drivers don't have time to slow down

I just went through that junction about an hour ago - they have put up a couple of large plastic block barriers and strung something between to stop people turning right and or left from the north and from crossing 3rd from either way. It will just make it more of a mess as the bikes will now have to negotiate this extra obstacle.

Just passed their about one hour ago and the large plastic block barriers you talked about have already gone!

The thing is is that crossing leads you to a lightly travelled route to Big C North and the reverse, Big C Extra. You thus avoid Klang and 2nd Road.

BTW, FYI: the u-turn median in front of the Pattaya Nua bus station is now solidly blocked, not even motos can get through. So you have to run all the way to 3rd Rd. and u-turn.

i you search HEALTH 007 you will get same products even cheaper i think they all produced in china

According to my neighbour, the Thai mixed liquids are superior and most of the juice out of China not trustworthy. I advise the OP to go to the forum I alluded to in my earlier post. All will be answered.

My neighbour orders a lot of stuff online from local sellers and speaks very highly of them. I can't link here but if you search for "ecig thailand", that should get you what you want.

Yes. Yesterday travelling east from 2nd Road along Klang towards Sukumvit you were obliged to either turn left or right onto 3rd Road instead of going straight ahead. Of course this also makes it very hard to reach BigC and when I got there the car park was unusually empty.

Its seems a rather bizarre solution IMHO as this only makes Klang one-way (west) for a whole 260 m between the Third road traffic lights and the Big C Extra (Charoemprakiat/Arunothai traffic lights.

Earlier in the day, they had police directing traffic at the top end of Third at the Nua traffic lights... where they happily allowed buses coming in from Sukhumvit to make u-turns. I didn't go east on Nua but is this because they may have blocked the u-turn in front of the bus terminal to allow faster egress from Sukhumvit?

This is exactly what they've done. Found out today and had to divert clear across Nua to 3rd Road and come back to join the thousands heading for Sukhumvit to get to Nern Pub Waan. Fortunately I was on a moto, passing dozens of cars waiting at 3rd Rd to turn north or u-turn. What a disaster. They have installed the coloured plastic barriers, presumably filled with water. They are stacked really close together and run fully to the median ends so that not even motorcycles can get through. I assume the Bangkok buses will now turn later/earlier to a nearby soi on Suk and go the back way and into the bus station. Even more delays. Overall a disaster of epic proportions.

Robin Hood is the pub I frequent most when in Bkk!

Decent food, beer, wine and staff!

Don't go for the apple pie and custard at the Robin Hood though, it's horrible

The manager has a unique way of dealing with complaints on Trip Advisor!

Yes, amazingly, not everything agrees that it's the bestest pub anyone has ever been in!!

He reacts like a spoilt kid when someone kicked over his toys. Not particularly professional although his 'normal' responses in which he re-iterates or highlights their promotions are a good idea

Right, but as someone else pointed out above, a new manager is in place, only coming onboard a couple of weeks ago. He used to manage what is now the Royal Oak -- the old name escapes me.

Tesco. My point is some days 7am sratr to 1am finish is too much for anyone. I know 25k profit at a market is unrealistic but i am happy with 12k. Dont like seeing her half dead through work. Have been togeather for 5 years and she did it to prove a point on being self sufficent. I know what its like to hate your job but have never done those kind of hours. She has no degree and i dont want her in a resteraunt or bar.

Credit to her for working so hard. If you want to see her less tired and see more of her, then help her establish a market business. But as you note, she won't make much money. If any, I say. If it's just to keep her busy, admirable indeed. However, there are probably a 1,000 clothing sellers in the Pattaya area. The mobile carts at night sell dresses for a 100 baht, which probably means 20 baht profit. Girls won't look at a dress for 150 or 200! Might want to think of higher end but then you'd have to have an expensive shop in a decent area.

Overall, the problem at markets is they're way oversubscribed, just too many selling the same things. A tough project.

For several days now I leave my Nern Pub Wan home, park my moto at Numchai and walk across the pedestrian bridge to Big C etc. I just don't like mixing with speeding vehicles on Sukhumvit Death Valley. I also don't like riding all the way from Klang to Pattaya Nua and back down again for 5 more km, although I take Soi Yume. I'm not going to do this for 3-4 years. What a mess, a mess that will just get worse and worse. It will soon be time to leave Thailand

Bamboozled, as you can see, a complete range of anecdotes and experiences arrayed before you. Some farangs get away with it, some don't.

I remember sitting helplessly in my (ex) GF's restaurant off Thepphrasit, Jomtien and not being able to help her do very simple, non-customer things, such as speeding up the closing chores or picking up my meal plate and things to place in the kitchen. There's no way she could afford to hire a helper and there's no way I could help her legally. It was the worst feeling.

In this scenario, if Bamboozled is wanting to help his wife, he has to be on really great terms with competitor neighbours. But all it takes is one slight annoyance and that nasty phone call goes out. I think that vendors are not so ignorant that they don't know a farangs can't work in the retail business. Farangs who do this may get away with it for 4-5 years, but one phone call could take it all away. I am aware of a farang who was fined 30,000 baht in court. He was lucky to get off lightly because his wife knew some immigration types.

Last, nothing annoys a local more than seeing someone with advantage running a successful business. There's something in their character, which we could call jealousy, that causes them to make trouble. This is based on my experiences with entrepreneurial GFs and that of another farang friend.

A repair shop or moto dealer will give you your registration. For a small fee, which I can't remember since it was 3 years ago. I can't remember ever getting insurance either. But there must be some insurers these days.

Otherwise, a certain forum for expats in Cambodia has copious info on all your questions but I can't link it on this bloody site. Google for "expat forum Cambodia." It came up first in the results. Go to the Moto subforum. Poster AE86 knows his stuff.

Just speak to the Buakhao Market supervisor. He has the only 7-day-a-week fruit and veg stand on the far side of the market space and he's usually there solo. Go there on non-market days, otherwise he's too busy. Sorry I've now forgotten the Tuesday-Friday stall rental prices. On non-market days, it's 700 baht a day for a big space, if I remember correctly.

Rompho Market (Jomtien) has an office open weekdays. They have fixed spaces along the bar complex road, inside and out. But you can only sell at the outdoor market in evenings and it's too much money for a food vendor and not enough customers, if you ask me. I and the GF watched some evenings.

Short story, my GF sold soup for 3 months at Buakhao on non-market days. Very good product and a lot of customers. Still she was not clearing very much profit even after paring down costs. I think it's very hard to make money at markets because of the fixed costs and auxiliary out of pocket costs.

I have noticed an increasing trend in Pattaya for middle-aged farangi to wear bicycle helmets to get around the laws on wearing helmets when riding motorbikes. These are better than nothing but offer no protection for face plant type accidents.

You would think they would know better wouldn't you?

And I've also seen more than a few farang copying the Issan style of motorcycle riding by going against the traffic in the wrong lane

It's worse than being copy cats. Too many farangs push way beyond that, not recognizing there's a limit to what the Thai riders will do. There are times on the street when I go "what the <deleted>" and, yep, it's a stupid farang pushing far beyond the limits of acceptance. Such as bolting from behind a stationary baht bus on the curbside right at an intersection when there's crossing traffic. Happened to me two nights ago at Buakhao and Diana. I had to do a front-wheel stander, fortunately at a crawl speed because I was being cautious. The Thais, by comparison, are not so hell-bent-for-death, and will pause to check traffic in this scenario.

So the worst street riders in Pattaya? 1. Teenage Thai boy speedsters, three on a bike, 2. Dumbass farangs. 3. Middle-age ladies with kids on the bike who won't ever look.

You're not going to believe this. The intersection at Siam Country Club Road and Sukhumvit is now blocked with concrete barriers. Must have done it overnight. People like me were lined up to cross Suk about an hour ago and saw the lights were inoperative. Then I saw the barriers and could not believe it.

So two major streams of traffic (from Nern Pub Wan and Siam CCR) that want to go to the beach side will all have to travel south to that puny little u-turn. This is going to be the worst time to be in Pattaya, arriving or leaving but especially living here. I really have to think about my options now, including moving back to Bangkok or leaving Thailand. Point blank.

Robin Hood is the pub I frequent most when in Bkk!

Decent food, beer, wine and staff!

The service is quite decent at the Hood, although the staff never look particularly happy. And I don't see that customers at the Hood are terribly hard to please or difficult, unlike some customers at the Londoner, some of whom were right pxxxks. But that was mostly on 2-for-1 Wednesdays, which may explain when poster Bergen was there. Wednesdays were a zoo with TEFLers, students and beer louts. I stopped going there on 2-for-1 nights.

As for when the Londoner will open, a very highly placed staff member who joins my crew for late night drinks still can't tell us either. This was only last week.

So sad. It looks like the businesses on P. Klang are really going to suffer, once people make adjustments to their shopping habits in reaction to the increasing congestion. Big C X and Foodland are likely to see major drops, as customers choose either of the 2 main Tesco-Lotus stores (Suk or P. Nua), or the Big C on Suk for their groceries.

All of the many other businesses on P. Klang are likely to suffer similar losses of business. For some of the smaller businesses, it could mean the end. All due to the typically incompetent "planners" for any type of infrastructure work in this area.

Speaking of which, wouldn't an overpass been cheaper, faster, and easier to build than a damn tunnel? And I could add SAFER. Will motorbikes be allowed to use this tunnel? I don't think I have to expand on that frightening thought! And then there's the flooding issue. And, I have to ask, how confident will you be driving through a TUNNEL constructed by the same people who build and "maintain" the roads in Pattaya?! Just asking.

Think you are right, patsfangr. I decided to do my Foodland shopping late last night and did the long run from Nern Pub Wan to the southbound u-turn. Traffic was sparse. It was around 10:30 pm.

There was nowhere near the same number of customers I'd see in Foodland. I go there 5 out of 7 days a week. Motorcycle parking spaces were half empty and there were many car spaces available. Staff were idly standing around the cashiers chatting. You could grab a stool at the diner, no problem. Hardly anyone in the aisles. The usually bustling Foodland was hardly recognizable.

Returning home is a theme I'm hearing more and more from friends and acquaintances. Many are going back for much longer than usual. I'm one of them. Planning at least a 2-month long return, a personal record for me. As it is for emilymat, there are many reasons for leaving, one of them being the cost of living here constantly on the rise, partly due to exchange rate changes. Now the traffic nightmare has begun, or I should say, has increased exponentially from the usual Pattaya nightmare.

Yes, a Darkside superstore would be a big help.

I used Klang onto Sukhumvit at 2 pm on a scooter. It was a metre by metre crawl. Police were blocking the 90-degree left onto Suk from Klang. You and the thousands of other cars at rush hour are going to have to squeeze 3-4 Klang lanes into two at the little left-hander slip road before Suk and then one lane at the outlet onto Suk. OMG, what a clusteryouknowwhat. Three years of this.

I now am seriously considering moving back to the beach side of Suk.