newnative

Intramuscular

No, not in 11 years here.

Today I got an AZ booster in Pattaya. I had 2 doses of Sinovac, the last on July 5, booked with the Mor Prom app and my pink card. Sinovac administered at Pattaya City Hospital. Thai partner was able to arrange the booster, which was given at a Naklua school near the government center. The whole process today was well-run. We arrived around 12:45 and were done around 1:30.

Yes, Asians are a different race from Caucasians. But, once again, a country is not a race. Korean is not a race. American is not a race. Canadian is not a race. "I am of the French race." No, you're not; you have French nationality. If a Caucasian becomes a citizen of Thailand he or she is now Thai, but still Caucasian. Thailand's policy is not racist--it's not favoring one race vs. another race. It might be discriminatory, but calling it racist is incorrect.

Maybe for Issan but not necessarily Pattaya. Houses in nice gated communities in Pattaya are maintaining their values and houses are finding buyers. Two homes in my small project of 38 homes sold recently for good prices after being on the market for short periods.

Thank you!

Thanks for posting. Did you have an appointment or did you just walk in? I had 2 Sinovac shots at Pattaya City Hospital, the second July 5. Thanks again.

It's not really being lazy. The poster was using it as a word. RV has evolved beyond being an abbreviation. I think there's a magazine called RV Life. And blogs about RVing and, as the poster said, the RV lifestyle. People refer to themselves as RVers. It would be awkward to call themselves recreational vehiclers. Sort of like scuba--which evolved into its own word but actually began as an abbreviation for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.

It's always a surprise to me that you see abandoned houses in nice developments. My Thai partner's sister lives in a very nice gated community in Bangkok and there are at least 3 or 4 abandoned houses. I asked him about them and he thinks most aren't banked-owned. Rather, the owners are wealthy and just aren't using them. Wealthy, but letting the weeds grow high. In Pattaya, we were house-hunting and we visited a nice gated project and looked at a horrible property that looked abandoned. Termite-infested, bad water damage, filthy inside and full of trash. Needed a total makeover. Turns out the house is owned by a rich Bangkokian. One of those very busy sorts and he had not been to Pattaya and checked on the home in several years. Apparently had no idea it had so badly deteriorated until his agent sent him photos. Likely more of those than you'd think. We ended up buying a fixer-up property that had sat empty for many years. One of our neighbors told us that the weeds and undergrowth got so bad that the project paid a few times to have it cleared as a hazard before someone involved with the property arranged for periodic grounds maintenance.

30 million American domestic tourists visited Florida between April and June this year, bringing their 'local' and not 'international tourist' dollars. It certainly was welcome 'revenue' for plenty of Florida's tourist businesses. The key words in your statement are.'...money's just moving around...'. That's exactly what you want. Money circulating and not sitting around doing nothing, helping nobody. Instead of traveling internationally and spending their money abroad, suppose Bangkok families visit Pattaya instead and stay at hotels during their visits. A hotel is able to reopen and hires a maid to clean the rooms. She now has a job and some money and she can spend some of that money to get her hair cut. The hair stylist has now earned some money and she can spend some of it to . . . Money's 'moving around'. That's good.

No, it's not 'racist'. Korean isn't a race. Neither is American or British or Thai. They're all nationalities. At the most it might be considered discrimination to favor one nation over another nation with tourist policies. Ditto for favoring a citizen of one nationality over a citizen of another nationality. For example, a Thai citizen regardless of race might pay a park entrance fee in Thailand of 50 baht. Foreigners of other nationalities, regardless of race, might pay 100 baht. Possibly discrimination in some eyes. But, not racist. Now, it would be racist if an Asian American is charged 50 baht to get into the Thai park and a white American is charged 100 baht.

Bali Costa Rica Panama

Same for where we are by Lake Mabprachan.

Thank you!

Nirun wouldn't be my choice either but I suspect the OZ gentleman likely moved there pre-covid when it fit his budget. He could likely upgrade to something better now with rental prices so low. My partner and I used to get 25,000 baht a month for a 1 bedroom we owned and rented at The Base. Checked Hipflat and some are now listed for 8000 baht. I've seen listings for around 6000 baht on condos that used to rent for around 20,000 baht or more.

I had 2 jabs of Sinovac with the first in June and the second July 5--both at Pattaya City Hospital. I haven't received any notice yet about the booster. Do you know when her second jab was? Thanks.

I just tried to do mine today. I entered all the information on the first page, entered the 'captia number' and then got the message to contact Immigration office. I did it successfully once. Last time it didn't work. I went in person and the IO person changed something on my records. I thought that was the reason on-line didn't work that time. Hoped it would work this time but no luck.

Preparing to transition into his new job as head of TAT. He might want to take a check on TAT's tourism statistics for the year of 2019. There were less than a million UK visitors to ALL of Thailand that booming pre-covid year.

Of course it was a huge failure. There should have been no quarantine, no curfew, no hoops, and everything open. Even with that the numbers would have still been small but it would have been a good test for opening up the rest of the country.

'Justice will be done.' In my opinion it already has. Give the Swiss hero a medal and a hearty thanks for taking care of this armed and dangerous thug for the rest of us and send him home. Well done, sir.

The only 'negative immigration issues' for me since 2010 is the requirement to have Thai health insurance with my visa type. 800,000 baht in the bank was required in 2010 and it still is. No change there. I don't like the 90 day reporting and would like to see that abolished, and the paperwork for the yearly extensions streamlined. I'd like to see much more flexibility with how people meet the income requirements, the 50 year age limit abolished, and the same policies put into place at all the immigration offices. Why do expats on Phuket not need the health insurance with the same visa I have, for instance? I realize others may have challenging 'immigration issues' but I was reporting on my experience in Thailand since 2010, not that of others. Let's see. What else. Right, lies from politicians. Well, I could have been in the US and suffered the--what was it--20,000 lies Trump told. Or the current endless lies in the US from politicians and others regarding being vaccinated or not. At least here the lies are much more entertaining. With regard to Pattaya infrastructure, of course more work is needed and, of course, there are still problem areas. Pattaya is not alone with street flooding, something that seems to be forgotten. I was in Bangkok this past weekend and there was road flooding near my condo. No place is perfect. New York City had bad flooding awhile ago. I am encouraged by the work that has been done in Pattaya, some of which I mentioned, and the work that I still see being done. I think if you are living in Thailand you need to learn to 'grade on a curve'. If not, you will likely be unhappy with things not always measuring up to what you might have expected in your home country. Yes, my partner and I eat out and yes, we do not like the alcohol ban. Or covid, or red zones, or deep red zones, or masks, or slathering on hand sanitizer, or travel bans, or curfews, or quarantines, or pool and gym closings, or . . . But, we are hopeful that things are opening up, vaccinations continue, and, fingers crossed, maybe we can take an international trip somewhere for Christmas.

My Thai partner and I are now on the Darkside and I agree with everything you said, with the addition of good health care available, as well. Worth a look, I think. Good luck to the OP and a warm welcome.

Well said but I suspect you will not get many 'Likes'. Some of the posters here are of the belief that only western tourists matter, only western tourist spend money, only western tourists stay at the nice hotels and eat at the nice restaurants, only western tourists should be sought out and valued. The reality is, of course, much more akin to what you pointed out. It's mostly Asians and Indians, with some Russians thrown in, staying at the 5 star hotels and resorts. Even with covid, parts of Pattaya were not doing badly until the latest lockdown shut everything. Enough Thais were coming on weekends before the current lockdown to keep Dusit, Grande Centre Point, Holiday Inn, Amari, A-01, and other big north Pattaya Beach hotels open. Construction mirrors demand. T21 was not built for western sex tourists. Neither was the new Amari Suites wing, it was built to accommodate the demands of families. The new Mytt Hotel has the Vertical Ballroom--a space that can accommodate a thousand or more people. Who was that built for? Not western sex tourists. The massive new Grande Centre Point 2 being built will also be accommodating things like destination weddings, business functions, and other events. Non-western tourists, especially Chinese and Indians, are mostly categorized as 'zero-dollar' tourists, contributing absolutely nothing. How many times have we read from posters that none of the money from these tourists stays in Thailand, none of these tourists benefit the local economy. Before covid, they might possibly have gotten away with such an inaccurate statement. Now, with more than a year and a half of covid, it is starkly evident, and on display every day, just how much the non-western visitors were contributing locally to tourists places like Pattaya.

He may be guilty and he may be a despicable individual but I applaud his refusal to participate in one of these ridiculous and dangerous sideshow publicity stunts the police like to put on and which accomplish absolutely nothing. And, anyway, I thought these reenactments had been outlawed.

It was my understanding that the new parking garage is a joint project between T21 and Pattaya City. Pattaya City wants more parking near Pattaya Beach in this popular area for holiday weekends and special events that draw locals and other visitors with cars. T21 gets more parking when needed. It seems like a win-win for both.