bkkjames

What are they trying to achieve with this? So what if your drunk-as-a-skunk in the back of a taxi? There's no law against that is there? I very seldom carry my passport/work permit with me (never if i am out drinking that night) - but usually carry a photo copy of my passport ID page, current Visa and Work permit in my wallet... would this be enough to pacify the cops at one of these road blocks?

Usually it's the fishing for drugs thing I guess but if one is truly annoying enough when dealing with them, they can do you up for the not carrying the passport rule / law for 5k.

2000 baht per person per night including accom!!! that's a deal. For a family of 4 it's only 8k.

Not uncommon for this time of year but would like to let everyone know that the BIB are out in force at night doing their usual spot checks of farangs heading home late in the evening.

Case in point, last Thursday night I was returning from setting up an event at CF lad prao at 2:30 am and the taxi turned off Rachada onto Petchburi Road - into a road block.

Now normally one would think they are doing this to check for drunk drivers but nope - it's hassle the farang time of year again.

The head cop pointed his flashlight through the windshield and saw me sitting in the back of the cab. At which point he summoned it to pull over. He approached the passenger door where I was sitting and then asked me to get out. What proceeded was the usual silly questions 'where have i been / going x 2' at which point he realised that I hadn't been drinking and perhaps my dirty hands and clothing were enough to convince him that I was in fact doing what I said and was just heading home.

On other occaisions, the BIB usually do the old empty the pocket / look in the wallet routine and ask for the passport, but this time it was just the annoying questions. FYI, Sukhumvit Road up to Ekkamai is notorious for these 'security checks'.

In early January, American friends will be visiting Bangkok for a few days...and I am trying to plan one day for them to spend with one of my Thai friends. So far we've decided on the things to see -- they will choose from a number of choices such as Wat Phra Keow and Wat Pho in the morning, and Vimanmek and Wat Benchamabophit in the afternoon.

The problem -- a good place for dinner somewhere along the river. They will be staying in Thonburi way down by the Krung Thep Bridge. The places I know are all around Silom, Rajadamri, and Sukhumvit. However, since they'll be spending the whole day nearer the river, it seems that a restaurant in the area of the river makes more sense. It can be on the "somewhat expensive -- but not rediculous -- side", should be "very Thai in terms of authentic culture", and some place that both my American friends and my Thai friend will feel comfortable.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

any of the 5 star riverside hotels include the Shang, Oriental, Peninsula, Marriot Riverside and Sheraton have what you are looking for.

James, when you say 360 is not cheap, is it out of this world expensive or like V9?

I really find V9 very resonable.

Robert

It's been almost a year but if I recall standard drinks were 180-250 baht ++ so if you drink as fast as i do, it can add up quickly

I will definetly check out the 360 bar, I have always wondered what was up there.

Good to hear that there is a sign for Long Table now. I was there during the first week they opened and it was a bit hard to find.

Robert

The 360 Bar in The Millennium Hilton is excellent. Great views of the river and a nice, relaxed atmosphere.

Wine Pub in the Pullman Hotel, near Victory Monument, is a very nice place also. No river view but some nice wine and tapas.

By the way, how can you say this about Long Table:

Hard to find

- there's a massive sign on the side of the building, visible from miles around!

360 is nice, great views of the river, as expected not cheap though.

Re: The Long Table, nice big ugly sign on the side of the office building - evokes class

SHERATON GRAND HOTEL...IS FANTASTIC,,,was there last year and was a lot of fun as well,,,,, Santa will show up and come say hello to you,,,,, happy holidays to all....

that's because they have a Canadian F and B manager

I wish....."certain someone" would just leave me alone!!

i left you alone a long time ago

This is silly.

Those that can afford to use the bts and / or already do, do not need to earn points in order for them to continue to do so.

I mean, I am not about to give up the convenience of my daily 20baht per trip bts ride for an hour commute in a 10 baht bus.

Or are they thinking they can entice commuters out of their million baht camry's and accords to ride the bts because they will earn points?

Like the last poster mentioned, sounds to me like a good way to gather specific ridership data for nothing more than marketing purposes.

Good day all,

I posted this in Hua Hin section but maybe will get a response here.

I was thinking about a trip to Hua Hin or Cha Am for a few days between xmas and new year. Hua Hin or Cha am, which is the busiest? Just me and the wife, price range 1000-3000 baht per night. I would prefer a place with a beach or close to the beach, pool and has internet connection. A walkable or short distance to food/pubs etc.

I have never been to Hua Hin/ Cha Am before so if anyone has any ideas it would be most welcome.

Thanks for your time.

Grand Pacific Soverign Hotel and Spa, have stayed there several times..a five star hotel in Cha-Am...and very good prices at present. plenty of places to eat..try the 'shop' at the harbour end of the beach road, on the sea front just before entry to harbour.

sovereignresortandspa.com/accommodation.htm

booking2hotel.com/hotels/grand_pacific/grand_pacific_rate.asp

By coincidence, when I tried to book at another hotel the other day via sawadee.com, I got the usual full treatment but recommended this hotel to me @ 4000 baht a night ++ and a 5000 baht New Year's Eve mandatory dinner. To which I said, no thanks - I was born at night but it wasn't last night.

Had to go deep into the search engine for this I guess, seeing as it was over a year ago. Still not sure what the point of it is though.

I like going to the Dusit Zoo.

Look at this way, you are on target to be the richest club in the Championship.

What's the story here? Even the hotel where we stay once a week keeps taking a photocopy of both our ID, the wife's and mine, every single time! ** For T/Cs the passport details are looked at, then written down. Especially with higher than $ 100 per check or many checks at once, the duty of care is required.

I would raise a big stink immediately. Start by making sure you did all you could (Police report?). Then call AMEX' New york HQ and speak to their Execurive Relations folks.

If you are from Europe, get the banking ombudsman involved.

They are terrible with their cc's. They froze my cards based on false information which the CRA apologized for in writing. I never was reinstated.

Fight them hard, do it right now.

Even if your passport was stolen, too the problem of your photo remains.

Granted this was year's ago, but a golf caddy nipped some out of my bag during a round here. Phoned Amex, they told me to go to make a police report. Did that, and within a day or so they replaced em.

This whole thing 'uncomfortable with gays in the gym' that comes up about every 2nd year is really just a turnaround of the typical straight male fantasy of 'coming on' to women at the gym turned inside out. They get a taste of the kind of atmosphere that fantasy creates for the women, with the exception being that they are the only ones bothered by it (the gays enjoy flirting!) and then without any actual harm or harassment- in fact, probably without any reference to them- they want to complain about it.

At best it exposes odd attitudes about relationships with people of all kinds. Most together gay guys don't really care anything about straight guys, and don't attempt to flirt with them. Most together straight guys are amused or flattered if a gay guy makes the mistake of flirting with him. Would imagine that OP has some major issues re. sexuality and is projecting them onto the very natural activity happening in young people around him, while they could probably care less about him (it isn't about him).

I dont disagree with much of what you say but the big problem is that most are NOT together. Still wanna stand up for them, run a poll on how many straight guys on tv have been hit on by gays here.

^^Sorry, I'd have to confirm there are plenty of hot, hot gay guys seeking to drool over your super-fit body at Ratchada and Ekkamai, too. What a pity!

:D

Silom is of course chock full of them, and one of my last dates goes to the branch at Pin Klao. Another guy I used to work out with now goes to the one in Pahon Yothin. A few fashion queens I know prefer the Paragon (bleh!)

after your descriptions, it's no wonder I gave up exercising for chasing women. thanks for the reminder

And I'm sure the women have thanked you for it!

Some have, some haven't, but I am VERY thankful to each and every one of them.

Daddy bull and baby bull are standing on top of a hill

Baby bull goes "daddy, look at all those cows down there - lets run down and fcu** one of them"

Daddy bull replies, "son, i have a better idea, lets walk down there and fcu** em all"

Saree said under the telcommunication law, mobile phone operators are banned from releasing the list of subscribers without their consent.

She said Abhisit should opt to keep contacts with the people via television and other public communication outlets in order to avoid infringing on the consumer's right.

The operators did not release their lists of subscribers to the PM. He, or more likely his office, sent the message to the operators and they sent them on a blanket distribution to one and all.

Next thing khun Saree will be telling us he personally and individually sent every one of those messages.

If anything the operators are guilty of spamming their subscribers. Yeah, right sue them.

Stupid isn't she, can't believe the nation covers this. it states that MP Korn instructed (paid) to have a message sent out to subscribers, no different than the other junk mail sms' i get.

^^Sorry, I'd have to confirm there are plenty of hot, hot gay guys seeking to drool over your super-fit body at Ratchada and Ekkamai, too. What a pity!

Silom is of course chock full of them, and one of my last dates goes to the branch at Pin Klao. Another guy I used to work out with now goes to the one in Pahon Yothin. A few fashion queens I know prefer the Paragon (bleh!)

after your descriptions, it's no wonder I gave up exercising for chasing women. thanks for the reminder

Well, its next to INTERCHANGE and EXCHANGE Towers.

Personally I think they are attracted to this one because afterwards they get in full drag and head out to Cowboy and Nana.

On the nation website...

PM's SMS might violate privacy: consumer advocate

By The Nation

Saree said under the telcommunication law, mobile phone operators are banned from releasing the list of subscribers without their consent.

She said Abhisit should opt to keep contacts with the people via television and other public communication outlets in order to avoid infringing on the consumer's right.

The Democrat Party should not place financial burden on mobile phone users, she said.

Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij, tipped to become the finance minister, asked every mobile phone operator to transmit a text message to subscribers on Thursday.

The message read, " I am your new PM committed to lead Thailand out of the crisis. If you are interested to receive my messages, please send your five-digit postal code to telephone No 9191 (Bt3 standard rate applies)". It was signed "Your PM".

as mine is AIS, suffice to say I don't expect alot of spam from the current administration.

funny, after posting this, I have now recieved the same SMS from "your PM", I guess he is mine afterall PB, forget what that other guy said in the other thread.

Nobody cares where the PM received his education. Its the Dark Forces that control everything anyway.

Didn't most of the country's PM's graduate from that UNI in the UK?

Does anyone know of a hotel or bedsit near the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Im off to get first non imm b from there next week and was wondering if anyone could give me some advice of where to lay my head. Have stayed in Kl before but would like to be near the embassy as dont know that aprt of town and wouldnt mind getting to.

Cheers

James

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thai-Embassy...el-t225187.html

samuibeachcomber, bkkjames - I think these are 2 good ideas - which I can combine. I will send some emails and if that is not too good then I will wait until I get there and walk into some places as well. I have hotels booked for 2 days anyway, one day in Chaweng and one day in Lamai, so can look at both resorts as well. See if its as 'dead' there as some people say before I commit to anything

mate, on thing to consider is your length of time on the island. If you are only going for a week, why would you want to waste alot of it running around looking for a slightly better deal.

if it were me, i would book 3 days in chaweng and 3 in lamai. Perhaps starting in Lamai and taking a trip one day to Chaweng to see if a) you like it better and the rate situation.

has anyone ever seen one of those machines that change coins into cash here? they have them all over the US but i can't recall ever seeing one in BKK. i have a huge jar of coins i would like to change. i was told i can take it into a bank, but the teller would have to count it all by hand and they would charge me extra for that- that can't be right can it?

you worried about having to pay a few baht to convert all those 50 satang coins girlx or as I suspect too embarrassed to walk into a bank and change coins?

It's ok if you are, we all are!