JESSVANPELT

The Indians and Arabs have always been bad and mis treat all the Thai's, especially women. I can remember about 8 years ago there were bars that has signs posted as you entered stating that the Arabs and other Middle Easterners were not allowed in because of the way they mistreat the women. Unfortunately its part of their culture, So should we expect different when they come here? YES we should as when you visit a foreign place you must respect there culture wether you like it or not.

The Thai tourist industry is mostly responsible, Each year they go to a selected country and sale the trips and everything else about Thailand and then the following season we get those people. 6 years a go it was the Indians, you old timers might remember when they were here as much as the Russians. Then came the Russians, in such big numbers we were all astonished, the condo builders even started making smaller condos so they were affordable to the Russians and Indians. But once more we se the same pattern, Cultures which have no Background of basic manners, its not there fault its there culture. So should we expect different when they come here? YES we should as when you visit a foreign place you must respect there culture wether you like it or not.

Now the Chinese are coming and once more we see more of the Same, A culture with no manners.

Well now that the Ruble has diminished the Russians have all but gone, a few Indians still come but Just the men, and now we have to deal with the busses full of the rude Chinese.... so it seems to me in hindsight that the Thai Tourism Authority has it all wrong...they continue to bend over backwards to get the horribly wrong tourist to come here.......I guess we have to understand that its just part of living here.

A thought full POST, and helpful to some. I had this problem in The past and found replaceable remotes in Tuk Com in the shop across from the Tops Supermarket. Later on I found that most of the Thai, Hardware, electrical and electronic shops carry them prices range from 200 to 350.

Once Big C became the owner of the good old Carefour Stores Prices began to rise quickly, I went from getting about 12 things there I like each week to not going there at all. They are the most expensive store now for imported farang foods.

I still think Friendship is by far the best

A couple of years ago I saw that all (and I mean all) the kebab vendors in Pattaya increased their prices overnight from 50B to 60B. That's 20%.

Was there any real justification for this? I dont think so. Personally I'm not too bothered as I wouldn't eat a kebab if I was paid to, but I just happened to notice it.

There actually was some logic to this increase as most of the chicken that is supplied to the Kebab carts come rom 2 places and they got together and decided to raise there price to the cart vendor it was about 2 years ago now

I got your point, Jess, and your post was simple enough. I think what you are missing is the city doesn't spend a minute thinking about ways to save money--it is focused on spending money and taking its cut. My point, again, is that the city is not going to increase what it spends on its trash pickup, its police patrolling or lack of patrolling, its tree trimming and so on whether there are more or less people on the beach, walkways and benches. The city will do the bare minimum with maintenance and sometimes even less than that. To use an example, I live off of Jomtien Second Road. The storm drains have never been cleaned and they have tall weeds and now also what looks like shrubs growing out of them. No maintenance being done there at all and let's not even speak of the road itself. We have sidewalks but the grass and weeds are so thick and tall that in some places the sidewalks have completely disappeared under all the growth. Someone posted that the city loves concrete. I WISH it loved concrete!--then maybe the sidewalks would be made of durable low maintenance concrete rather than these very high maintenance pavers that always become loose or missing and allow grass and weeds to quickly overwhelm them. We have a city that in most cases does very little or no maintenance on any regular basis but always picks very high maintenance and difficult to construct items that soon fall into disrepair.

I agree whole heartedly, That this the main problem.

I keep reading these letters complaining about the Jomtien Beach improvements. The first thing that surfaces is very few complainers actually consider what is best for the community as a whole and only think of there own needs or wishes.

In any country when you create a New project the first things that any city will consider is how it will effect and improve exspense and budgets.

I like most of you love trees regardless where they are but from the city's perspective they have to pay to have them pruned every two years and continually they add to additionally cleaning from dropped leaves. Yes the shade is nice but if we were al honest we would admit that these shady places usual end up being the places where undesirables sit, so to eliminate the trees and replace them with Palm trees saves the city money and keeps the undesirables at a minimum.

As for seating, this is something also that should not exist or should only be there at a very minimum, if you walk down Pattaya beach you will see most every bench filled with undesirables , making the the beach area less presentable and appealing to tourists. If you want to go to the beach and sit, pay the $40 Baht and get a nice comfortable beach chair with a umbrella and a table .

Also if the siting area were increased then the amount of garbage generated would increase and that would mean an additional expenses to keep the cans emptied and the area clean. If you walk down Beach Road in Pattaya you will se that the city has not done a good job at this and rubbish over flows the bins daily making the area undesirable........So further more this would give me all the more reason not to want additional seating.

If the city were to have left the big trees and added more free siting areas the only thing that would happen is your would get more undesirables, which in affect would mean more crime and expenses to Police it.

The common solution you all prefer would be more trees and more benches CORRECT? If they did that would you be willing to pay a fee, such as a tax increase on hotel rooms or increased VAT or a new local tax? This would be necessary to do what you want and keep the area safe, clean and policed.

I'ms ure a few of you will whine about my posting buy the facts are the facts.

Factually wrong. The city does NOT trim the shade trees every 2 years. It is the coconut trees that are an expense requiring city staff to remove coconuts for safety reasons. The city stopped having staff pick up leaves at Jomtein Beach a few years ago. The city has 95% of it's police force working on revenue making detail, not walking the beaches keeping "undesirables" under watch. There are only a couple of spots along Pattaya Beach Rd to sit now (in front of Klang & Mike's Mall) and nearly all who do are elderly expats and a few of their female Thai partners.

I suggest you walk the full length of Beach road to see that there are benches scattered periodically all the way to the top of beach road all the way to the Dusit, The sitting area you refer to in from of mikes in not a sitting area at all i, the xpats and lady of the day/ night sit on the steps. And yes the older growth trees are trimmed every 2 years. But the point I made was that if a lot of siting area was made more undesirables would appear and then those related exspenes would increase ..this the city does not want to do that...next time i write a post I will make it in a easier to under stand.

Hey, Jessvanpelt. Your posting might have made some tiny little sense except for a few things. I don't see any evidence that the city is spending any money to trim any trees and the city certainly doesn't sweep up any leaves--I haven't notice it sweep anything. The city spends the bare minimum for trash collection and has the bare minimum of horrible, ugly trash cans and that wouldn't change. Ditto for police protection--the police aren't out on the streets, beaches, and busy traffic intersections now and more or less trees and benches isn't going to change that. One last thing--if you design an area so that your so-called 'undesirables' don't want to hang out there, it's likely few others will want to either.

Exactly my point, They don't spend and are making sure by these changes that they won't have to spend anymore then they are doing so now. I did not say the Police were out, I said that if more undesirables come then they may have to increase the amount of Police expenditure which they don't want to do.....ems like you missed the whole ;point, next time I post something I will do it in more simple terms.

I keep reading these letters complaining about the Jomtien Beach improvements. The first thing that surfaces is very few complainers actually consider what is best for the community as a whole and only think of there own needs or wishes.

In any country when you create a New project the first things that any city will consider is how it will effect and improve exspense and budgets.

I like most of you love trees regardless where they are but from the city's perspective they have to pay to have them pruned every two years and continually they add to additionally cleaning from dropped leaves. Yes the shade is nice but if we were al honest we would admit that these shady places usual end up being the places where undesirables sit, so to eliminate the trees and replace them with Palm trees saves the city money and keeps the undesirables at a minimum.

As for seating, this is something also that should not exist or should only be there at a very minimum, if you walk down Pattaya beach you will see most every bench filled with undesirables , making the the beach area less presentable and appealing to tourists. If you want to go to the beach and sit, pay the $40 Baht and get a nice comfortable beach chair with a umbrella and a table .

Also if the siting area were increased then the amount of garbage generated would increase and that would mean an additional expenses to keep the cans emptied and the area clean. If you walk down Beach Road in Pattaya you will se that the city has not done a good job at this and rubbish over flows the bins daily making the area undesirable........So further more this would give me all the more reason not to want additional seating.

If the city were to have left the big trees and added more free siting areas the only thing that would happen is your would get more undesirables, which in affect would mean more crime and expenses to Police it.

The common solution you all prefer would be more trees and more benches CORRECT? If they did that would you be willing to pay a fee, such as a tax increase on hotel rooms or increased VAT or a new local tax? This would be necessary to do what you want and keep the area safe, clean and policed.

I'ms ure a few of you will whine about my posting buy the facts are the facts.

Well for those of us that have been here for a few years , this is just normal low season. First and foremost one must remember a lot people come over and open a Business with not a clue what the place is all about and if you cant make enough in high season as a bar to save you through the low season, you wont survive.There are also plenty of places still very busy.

As for the Baht its at weakest point in almost 5 years so that is a plus and it looks like it will continue to weaken as the year goes on I would not expect the levels we saw 10 years ago when the Dollars was worth 40 baht and the pound worth 70 but I think it will continue improve. As long as Pattaya remains cheap in all aspects compared to other places in the world people will come and I don't know of anywhere else in the world that offers nearly half of what you get here.

This place is very resilient we have been through 2 military coups and various changes of currencies and when The European countries get cold you cant find a room here come December.

NOT TO WORRY!!!!!!

Todays post in Thai visa gives the update on this topic.
New taxi rate ceiling for provincial taxies set

BANGKOK: — The Land Transport Department has adjusted the ceiling of taxi fares for taxies registered outside Bangkok to not more than 100 baht from 50 baht for the first two kilometers, 20 baht for the next kilometer instead of 12 baht and five baht per minute in case the taxies get stuck in traffic gridlock.

Department’s deputy director-general Mr Chirut Visarnchit, however, said that the rate adjustments would not be effective yet until there is a ministerial announcement setting new taxi rates for each respective province.

As for the taxi fares at airports, he said that the ceiling rates remain unchanged plus a 50 baht service charge for taxi-calling by phone service.

The licenses of taxies registered from December 26, 2005 until December 26, 2008 will expire in December 2017, said Mr Chirut, adding newly-registered taxies must not be equipped with child locks for the safety of passengers.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-taxi-rate-ceiling-for-provincial-taxies-set

They have closed in Central also.

If you need someone with some knowledge I'd recommend talking to Numchai but buying elsewhere.

I bought mine recently and shopped allover. From Tesco to Big C to power buy in Central mall and even Numchai. I found the best price for what i wanted at Makro on Sukhimvit. They don't carry a lot of brands but the ones they do carry are usually priced well below anyone else in Town. I got a Samsung 40 inch Series 5 with the extra USB ports etc. for $15,900. every where else it was at least 2000 baht more.

Power Buy in Central has the best selection by far.

If you don't want new check out the second hand shops on Third Road they have them from time to time for as lows $10,000 baht.

Good Luck

To open a Bank account, Purchase a car or motorcycle in your name or get Thai drivers license you are required to provide a Residence certificate ONLY, Nothing more is required.

Good luck

The best in Town Is Mr. T, his rates are good and his drivers are professional and always on time. I have used him for over 8 years as my friends have also.

His office is just off Soi Diana near the Areca hotel. To and from Bkk 1000 Baht all tolls included.

Well I see everyone s afraid to say how much that pint costs? In Central Pattaya a proper pint will cost 170 to 180 baht. With the occasional special of 150 baht.

I wish this place success but as most will concur its usually a location where good ideas tend to go to die.

The best price fruit and also the cheapest is the trucks which ride up and down the Soi's and sale it by the Kilo, the downside is they are only going to have the fruit in season. June and July its normally Mangosteens, Rambutan amend Manao (or what the locals call lemons).

The local Thai markets such as the Tuesday/Friday market On Soi Buakhao near Pattaya Tai, will usually have a pretty broad variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables although there prices will not compete with the seasonal truck vendors they will be much less then the Local super stores such as Big c, Tesco or Makro.

The super stores will of time to time have good deals on advertised imported fruits such as grapes. (They are imported so the price although a special one is still probably higher then you pay at home).

The Wan Chai Market Place( I could be spelling this wrong), which is a permanent market place of all types of foods located across from the Temple on Pattaya Tai some what close to Second Road will have reasonable prices but you will ned to spend some time there sorting out the best supplier as the place is pretty big ( you ned to go inside not just stay on the street).

The prices for fruit in front of Mikes department store On Second round is nothing special, it s just there to gouge tourists so don't bother.

Watermelon tends to be the least consistent fruit grown here as it come from areas that have to much water and normally it grows to fast so the flavour can be minimally sweet to no taste whats soever.

Good luck and members if you have a place I did not mention please let me know.

Contct some one at the Jesters Biker club or one of the other local clubs, seems kinda simple to figure out?

Beach area renovation has been a constant money make for the elected officials for years, they only make things so they can be redone 2 years down the road. How many times has Pattaya beach road been made over in the past 10 years..

Personally I think getting rid of the walk way seats is a great thing to do, anytime i'am there all i see is a bunch of over 70 men drinking beer and learning at all the girls, certainly not a family venue.

Just because she works for a licensed company does not mean she was not pandering illegally...wht if she worked out of Bangkok was she asking for donations in Pattaya?, another scammer. this one with a licenses but no permit to solicit

if you missed you were checking out some girl...its the busiest place on the 6th floor by far , the asians love the place and you might have to wait.

enjoy

Avoid both in August, if it fits your budget go to Krabi.

Technically the awareness of your Thai address is mandatory, one your in the computer you don't have to bring proof again unless you change residence location and then you need to bring copy of the new rental agreement.

Bottom-line they must always know where you are residing. If you are not in the computer you need to bring a copy of the current rental agreement.etc......

Mosquitos don't care about height, if someone has a flower pot with stagnant water on any floor Mossies can breed profusely.

So educate your neighbours

Villa Market in The Avenue shopping Mall sales imported Oscar Mayer Hot dogs of various blends including beef, But they are a bit pricey.

good luck and don't forget the Onions and Ground Mustard.

Enjoy!