SooKee

Cheers for info. I'm with the girlfriend so I'd like a hotel that's a bit more than a crash pad for the night but it doesn't need to be a 4-5* resort with facilities you only use if hanging round the hotel every day. Will have a look at Vdara. Also been recommended a place called Little Village that I've mailed. Friend of the gf recommended Sakorn Residence.

For us peaceful is better too. We'll drive when we need to. Will consider Baan Wang Taan. Would have to watch the aircraft noise though. Doesn't fit the bill of peaceful for me if it's too regular and intrusive. Will check out Lanna Pinery too.

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Hence the comment "ˇJust about to hit Trip Advisor etc."!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last minute decision to fly out to CM tomorrow to look at some locations to rent from next year. We will likely be looking around the Mae Hia area, at least as a starter.

Just about to hit Trip Advisor etc. Are there any reasonably nice, modern, hotels in the Mae Hia area and would that be a well placed area to base ourselves in for looking around? Not that much interested in night life / bars on this trip as it will mostly be up early and out to look around, not to get loaded on booze.

Good wifi would be a plus together with clean and modern rooms. Pool would be a bonus. Not bothered if it has a restaurant as we'll mostly eat out.

Any thoughts appreciated.

I'm quite happy with camera enforcement if you can trust the integrity of those doing it, and when using devices that incorporate a degree of evidential integrity. Some BIB (with their particular brand of inventiveness, when it comes to generating income, which sadly doesn't seem to extend to ACTUAL law enforcement) with his Samsung Duos doesn't really cut it.

All sounds a bit grim. Just occasionally it's nice to get a drink after 12. Esp when commitments mean you can't get out until 9 or 10.

I rent in Phuket at the moment, lots of places open until 3. But they're finding other ways to kill Phuket. Close and bulldoze the beach bars; no sun-loungers, umbrellas or tables on the beaches; people unable to buy food or drinks near the beaches. Way to go.

Perhaps not the "best" but maybe the best deal for hungry farang might be Hooters all you can eat fish and chips offer on Frydays:

http://www.hootersbangkok.com/promotion.php

SL

Looks a good deal. Like you say, you'd need to be hungry!! Not sure about the all you can eat Nachos deal. I think I'd pass out or throw up before I could eat 800฿ worth of Nachos 555.

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.........That place on Soi 23 kind of looks a bit like a real chip shop........

And, aside from the malt vinegar, that's where the similarity ends 5555.

The batter on the fish is quite heavy and absorbs a lot of oil. The chips (and bear in mind you only get about 8 of them!!) are pre-fried (as they are in many chip shops) but they seem to screw the process up there. Add the very waxy texture of the potatoes they use into the mix and the chips are about 2 out of 10.

I'm not sure if F&S is the same place but I quite like the Fish and Chip shop on Soi Sukhumvit 23 opposite Jasmine Tower. 240 baht. Couple of time I've found the batter a bit thick and heavy and the chips are always from those waxy potatoes that have that slightly rubbery texture. I wouldn't say it's the best, maybe best available in that vicinity.

I found The Brink to be a bit boring TBH. Mostly 'smile humour' as opposed to that funny, and not much of it either. Kinda felt like 'what's the point'.

Must admit I think this year has been one of the worst for ages. Even a couple of years ago I remember between July and Oct there were several sunny days a week. This year REALLY crap. Add the smog and the humidity, great

Thanks for that, noted down, we'll sure go take a look.

I'm not that in to town living as I'm not a bar/club person too often, maybe 1-2 times per month. In which case I'll take a taxi there / back rather than pay more for less just so I'm in walking distance. Prefer a bit of peace and tranquility when it comes to living.

I'm in Phuket at the moment was considering moving out to BangTao. Very nice condo, 35k pm. But I'm thinking it's STILL a condo, nice enough for sure. But in CM that will get so much more and better weather too!!

90% of the time I use the bike to get around, just so easy.

Bastard Executioner is OK I think. If a bit slow.

Sense 8 I binned after about 5 episodes. Talk about sloooooow. Write up for the show talks of people connected telepathically trying to avoid those hunting them. 6 episodes in and it's still just a bunch of folks who pop up on each other's radar now and then. Not a 'hunter' in sight. Bucket loads of gay sex though. The point being what exactly?

Wolf Hall ok but quite slow and a bit drab / dull. I too think The Tudors handled it much better and at least had some live. Wolf Hall is a bit like watching a televised Shakespeare play.

Hopefully The Americans will be back early 2016. Prefer that over Homeland but both good.

Plan to give Blindspot a try too.

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Interested in this as I'm coming to CM for a look later this month. I've seen lots of places on a few Facebook rental sites and can't believe the value IF the places exist. I can only guess they might be a way out of town. 17k pm for a 3 bed villa with pool.

Friend of my girlfriend recommended Doi Saket. Never been before so I don't know if it's good or not, or how far out. Guess we'll take a look at Mae Hai too.

We have transport but don't want to be so far out that it's a 20 minute drive for a half decent bunch of restaurants. Nor too central that you're living on top on neighbours with noise and yapping Soi dogs 24/7.

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Depends how much you use it and how much credit you need / use. If you buy your credit in 500 baht top ups they extend the life for 3 or 6 months each time. I used to come here often and used the credit for the 7 or 30 days data packages. Didn't take me long to get well over 1 year lifespan. Of course you need to be using it enough and often enough to warrant that. I was. So it suited me.

When I did mine I had finished my about 12. Told me to come back the next day to collect. Seems to fall into a banding as to what time you get it it. Early enough and it's 3pm, later and it's next day. I actually preferred the next day option.

Good thread. Will have to try and grab a few bottles Theakstons Old Peculiar, great for those cold wintery nights in front of a log fire (maybe I'll up the air con and find a flame effect screen saver for the laptop). Marston's Pedigree I enjoy also and I'll have to try that Meantime stout.

Agreed on Black Sheep brewery, especially Riggwelter

Often makes me laugh with these comments along the lines of "can't understand why people travel half way across the world to.......". I didn't travel across the world to buy English beer here, I live here. In the same way I didn't travel all the way here to eat Italian food here or drink French wine here. Luckily many restaurant owners never listened to those who thought "I can't understand why anyone would travel half way around the world to eat Indian food in the UK". Some of the best Indian food you can get, and of course it gave birth to the 'Balti'. Odd how some people seem to class it as a right of passage towards full integration when they say "I only eat Thai food". Great, enjoy. I don't eat just Thai food here any more than I ate JUST French food when I lived in France or just Arabic food when I lived in the Middle East. And I can certainly see the incentive to drink different beers here when the staple diet is Chang, Singha, Tiger, Leo and San Miguel Light!!

This place is brilliant: https://www.facebook.com/Hai-Yent-seat-cover-392782640775829/timeline/

Purpose made to measure for a range of bike. Best quality I've found. Their net is interwoven with a kind of coiled material that keeps an airflow under you while you ride. The covers also repel water well. Forza cover around 900 baht delivered. More expensive than the crappo net you can in many of the shops, because they are crappo

I see NSW police in Australia were cracking down on cams in 2014. Maybe the BIB thought "ah...now there's a missed opp!!"

I would not have thought a helmet cam was illegal. Maybe it was not in a secure bracket and safety issue. Interesting one ...

No, the camera was in a proper rig. Straps and mount. Everything. But he had to take it off.

Would be a real dumb move if full face helmets were deemed illegal. Heavily tinted or reflective visors obscuring the face I could understand. But not just all full face. Then again TIT.

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Was stood on the corner of Soi Sansabai waiting to meet friends to go and eat and overheard the conversation between the cop and the rider, stood right next to us.

AFAIK helmet cameras are legal, would be nice to see the ticket, will probably say driving without helmet or license.

Not sure about that. It was a long conversation. Cop was telling him if he wanted to use a cam he should use a bike mounted one. Made the guy unstrap and take off the cam before letting him go saying 'safety, safety'. The cop's English was very good. No offer of settle there and then either. Trouble is we never know most of the time what they may have recently adopted recently.

Was stood on the corner of Soi Sansabai waiting to meet friends to go and eat and overheard the conversation between the cop and the rider, stood right next to us.

Not seen this one before. Saw a cop pull a falang over in Patong and gave a ticket for wearing a helmet cam. I know the police in some countries are cracking down on them but didn't realise it'd caught on here.

Maybe it is a safety drive, or maybe with so much rain of late there's a need to up the coffee money takings, and maybe disuade people from wearing them so they can't video the cops taking bribes.

Another one to watch for.

Just downloading Narcos now.

Agree with The Ship. Some abysmal acting but some of the story lines are OK. Thats said I'm still on S01.

There's a new series starting tomorrow that quite appeals 'The Ba***rd Executioner'. Plan to give it a look: tells the story of a warrior knight in King Edward The Third's charge who is broken by the ravages of war and vows to lay down his sword. But when that violence finds him again, he is forced to pick up the bloodiest sword of all.

Went out in Bangla a few nights ago, buddy over from Belgium so duty calls. Not much of a walk around, had a party to go to but from what I saw, everything really dead at moment, Bangla really quiet. Literally no customers in many of the Bangla bars and this was about 10:30pm.

Tao had zero customers and it's been the same for a long time apparently. I actually wonder if theming it along the lines of Suzie Wongs was a good idea. It might be corporate but must folks won't know and won't even care if it's owned by the same company. As it is, it has a Chinese name, Chinese style and the PRs that they had were targeting SEA customers (which many might mistake as PRC (mainland Chinese) as they walk by and simply give it a wide berth). The PR's now though are long gone and no podium dancers also. I guess pitching the beers at 180 didn't help, gogo prices for NOT a gogo. Prices are slashed right down now but to no avail. I guess the low low low season is also not helping.

Somewhere new for me - 'White Room' disco. Never been before and the party was being held there. Apparently it has been open a while but go closed down to refurb. Have to say that for a Phuket disco this was actually OK. It seems to be targeted at Scandinavians and while being about 80% full most of the night there were hardly any TG freelancers in there at all. Maybe it's because most of the crowd seem to go with their wives and girlfriends so there are no pickings for the FLs. Just a couple of bunches of 2-3 who either got scooped into the VIP area or left after one drink. Quite a good crowd overall (though it does seem Scandinavia has bogans too or is it bögans). Pretty good DJ too. Also has some tastefully attired and very attractive hostesses but only in the VIP area. They seem to be well occupied with what seems like an army of managers and security staff though. I also liked the decor and lighting. Way different to the concrete doom and gloom of Hollywood and Illuzion, all white with wooden style floors and a good display of lights / lasers. Can't comment on the drink prices as it was all hosted. It was busy all night until the police / army shut everywhere down at 2:30. What for this time Lord knows.

Tazmania, the new pool lounge (v2) under Illuzion has failed and is now closed.

Hollywood is also closed now for refurb to Hollywood Anno Zero. Can't wait (yawn).

Other than that, not much news, except it's the quietest I've seen Bangla. Will be out again tonight and will see how the Tigers and side sois are.

Sorry to hear your 750 is affected Did you buy it recently or after the recall was announced? I might pick one up at some stage and wonder how much affected stock is still laying around. Seriously not impressed with Nikon QC these days. Hope you locate an authorised agent but I thought the closest was Singapore?