richard_smith237

I find both Agoda and booking.com good for searching for hotels and getting an idea of price. Then I run a google search for the hotel I like, put in dates and get a range of other sites that may (or may not) offer more competitive pricing or have better inclusions (such as free cancellation, included breakfast, early check-in / late check-out etc). Some say contacting the property directly may yield a better deal.

I'm not sure about being drunk every night or the ability to have a bed friend every night, but your sentiments are correct - it's nearly OVER. Enjoy whatever you enjoy, and DO IT if it harms none - you will be dead for a long time. I agree... enjoy whatever you enjoy... but there are surely limits to this and exceeding those limits impacts your longevity and quality of life later on... I'm sure some may comment with an element of faux bravado that they don't want to live into their 90's - but why not if you're quality of life remains because you've looked after yourself ? I'm sure my Son wouldn't have a grandfather by now if my father had chosen to drink every night and hire a bed friend in Pattaya.. the same can be said for his Thai grandparents.. and both grandparents take great pleasure in their grand-children - perhaps more so than those getting drunk and banging a bed friend every night, which is perhaps just filling an emptiness left by having no family around... (although I don't expect the mongers to ever admit something like this).

Awww Malcom… at least try & be original with your juvenile attempt to trigger a response…

C'mon bob... Prove you're not a liar... Your friends don't have to be in the photo !!

100%... during Easter I was looking at a 'father-son' trip up to Chaing Mai... take the train up and go on trek.. fly back. There is no way I want to get on a train without a little booze - I'd want to chill on the train ride with perhaps a bottle of wine... I'd perhaps decant the wine into a flask... my guess is most people do the same and decant something. I haven't been on a train for years - so don't know if people just ignore the rules and take their own beer and booze on it anyway.... and if all of this 'media announcement' is just out of touch nonsense.

Fortunately, thats a minority of the most idiotic and mentally challenged of posters.

Yeah totally. Great pool, gym and nice view. I'd hope the pool and view are nice... it'd be too depressing staying in a 30 sqm bedsit studio all the time....

They are already patrolling along the borders for incoming drugs. I agree, always go after the dealers, but these addicts will turn in the dealers in a lot of cases. It’s a start! Much higher than that - those 'allowing' the product across the borders are closer to the issue, they're following orders. We'll see someone get caught from time to time - this plays the media game for the public...

Agreed.. I think every parent has concerns about the influence others may have on our children... At the same time we can't be overbearing as this may push them away... ... I try to provide my son with the confidence to think independently so that he can walkaway if or when exposed to such things - but also he has to be fearful to a degree... my son should know that if ever if he accepts being involved in such activities or with those involves in such activities that the $£it would hit the fan so significantly, it would be life changing....

Its flawed... Go after the dealers... Go after those bringing it into the country and producing it in country... Ever thought about how all these drugs get into Thailand, how they are distributed within Thailand? A lot of very powerful people make a lot of money on the back of all this...

5,000 baht to 10,000 baht rentals... living it up, eh...

The educated ones speak English Valid point... Thus: while nowhere near 75 years old, I have been here over 25 years... One of the things I did do and that I'd recommend to do is to make friends with *educated Thai's... Having a health mix of genuine friends, both Thai and Western makes life here far more normal... A lot of the comments I read on here are from those who have hardly integrated or scratched the surface they clearly see a different Thailand than I have - in many cases they have yet to come full circle. (*of course, that doesn't mean don't make friends with non educated Thai's - I had to add that as I know some idiot will pick-up on that)... That said: Knowing the language has great value, even trying has value and while those educated friends will all speak perfect English... they are not there with you when you need to deal with some bureaucratic situations or need to have dialogue with those who lack the English skills to assist you when needed or wanted. Even knowing some of the language just makes everything much easier than not knowing any of it.

Some people have not been here long enough to know anything about life here.... Yawn... already mentioned the stupidity of the "if you don't like it you can go home" type of comment...

An amusing statement from someone who's been here for such a short time...

I've been here for over two decades... I know very well what I can and cannot get away with when dealing with those in positions of authority. I've had dealings with the police here, I have friends well placed with the police force here. I know exactly what I am talking of - when a lowly police officer tries to 'pull a stunt' and you politely but calmly hold firm, they very quickly recognise that you are not a fresh arrival. I've been stopped on a handful of occasions over the years in Bangkok... on all but one occasions the police quickly backed down... on one of those occasions the group of police did not back down and the stop seemed like an obvious attempt at extortion (corner of Asoke in Bangkok - the area at the time was notorious for this)... I refused to get out of the taxi, called a police friend and handed the officer my phone - I was on my way again within minutes. Regardless of how you or others think on this forum - I've been here long enough to know exactly how to deal with these situations. You may sit at bars with your girlfriend... but that sounds a bit sexpatty-soi-sixish / nana-ish... ... Its not something my Wife and I do... It seems you've projected from your limited world here... you've perhaps yet to come full circle in here Thailand and understand what its really like. On this - IF the police have just reason to drugs test a person - it has to be done at the station, they are then within their rights and your rights will not have been violated - but they have to give you a reason (which to a friend of mine was, you fit the description of a foreigner who was reported dealing drugs in the area - then there is not much that can be done). Nearly always with the police, I'm polite and comply, while driving at a police check-point I'll open my windows so they can see in easily, at night I'll turn on the interior light... I'm happy to make it easy for them to see me etc.. But I won't pi$$ on the side of the road for them and if they push for that or indicate something untoward they will be met with resistance. ... and on that last point, I do agree - while its easier and probably better to simply comply, especially for someone who is unable to communicate effectively here, there remains a line. ... If people such as yourself are easily intimidated, then you'll allow the police to cross that line... other's have more spine and know how react in such situations.

As you know mate, back in our country there is a lot of push back against immigrants who show up and demand everything to be same in their countries WHEN it suits them. Nothing worse. Locals hate them Another flawed response - no one is demanding everything to be the same as the countries from which we originate... ... The statement is that there are Thai laws which would be contravened if enforcing drugs tests on the general population and children without reason... Thats not an overseas law - its a law in Thailand.... It suits me perfectly that more of society are drugs tested - its safer for my family and I to be travelling around with fewer people on the roads who are under the influence on amphetamine... the same goes for alcohol... So, I'm all for the testing.... But I am not all for the police abusing their own powers - drugs testing any member of the public without a valid reason is illegal...

They can, and do. i suggest if you don’t like it here pack your bags and head to Don Mueang. Which also highlights what newbie you are.... one of the most unimaginative worn out replies on this forum... the "if you don't like it here go back to where you came from' response is that of those who lack brain power to intelligently to a discussion... even the most stupid of posters have stopped using this response... And.. They [the police] behave as they do because they wing it... neither the police nor the public know their own laws.... ... If they tried to get 'educated folk' in for a drugs test - they'd find resistance from those who know their legal rights. Of course, like any other halfwit winging it and making assumptions... you have no idea of what you are discussing... which is a very common pattern from your posts.

But not you. being a non Asian foreigner has its perks. They're possibly going off the 'house registration'.... BUT... this is a huge contravention of rights - the Police cannot drug test people without reason (The Narcotic Control Act) While police have certain powers, they must also operate within the legal framework and respect individual rights. Arbitrary or unjustified drug testing without reasonable suspicion could be challenged legally.

Absolute nonsense you have imagined. Not imagined at all.. Had you not been a newbie to Thailand you'd know about this. The Thonglor Police were notorious for stopping foreigners in the street and forcing them to take a urine test - this became such an issue and drew such publicity embassies got involved and the corrupt police had to back down.

And so is drink driving you raging hypocrite. You 'don't condone drink driving universally'... you just condone it when you do it yourself... hypocrite... Quite possibly.. thats why I don't drink and drive... You mention this point score as if there is something wrong knowing I shouldn't drive after two beers... Pathetic hypocrisy again. I do agree that amphetamines is an issue for 'some of society' and that needs to be dealt with. Just as drink driving is an issue for ALL of society, and people like you need to be dealt with. However, testing children (12 year olds) would contravene various laws (Child Protection Act 2003), the police in Thailand are not even allowed to question children without a parent present. But... it seems you only care about the laws that suit you, others you can ignore.

Somewhat hypocritical from the guy who condones drink driving...

Excellent post which adds a lot of points not many of us would consider. I've had the BMW-X5 and agree - the suspension is more stiff. I've test driven the Ford Explorer (previous iteration) - it felt like driving a barge down Sukhumvit road, but I'd take a serious look at the latest model. I've had a Honda CRV - the are more 'car like' with a higher seating position. I've had a Mazda CX-5... Same as CX-8 (which is 30cm longer) - ride is very comfortable. Regarding the actual type of vehicle itself... I know its quite different, but how important is an SUV ??... Would a Tesla Model Y be worth considering ? or does that also have a 'hard ride' ? - food for thought.

They don't... I suspect there is no more 'incidence' of 'tragedy' compared to regular journeys. ... Its just the ironic-nature of the event... i.e that people undergoing merit making are still struck down by fate...

Why, what's you're reasoning? Sanctimony... perhaps... certainly seems like it. Before this ban (put in place after a drunk railway employee raped a female) - were there any reported issues of drunk and disorderly behavior on the trains ? I've taken the train a few times (Malaysia - Hat-Yai / Hat Yai - Bangkok (a couple of times) / Bangkok to Chiang Mai (a couple of times)... I never saw anyone acting up - admittedly, in taking the train so few times its unlikely I'd be exposed to such behavior... But, has anyone seen drunken and disorderly behavior on trains at all ?... any regularity at all ?

So... how many times does that happen ??? I don't want to sit next to a *loud obnoxious pi$$ head in a restaurant... (*I added that caveat as pi$$ heads can also be polite and quiet - I'm sure many of us enjoy beers to the point of being inebriated and behave perfectly well).