geisha

The restaurants serve the cheaper rice. There are many marvelous varieties in Thailand, you just have to know how to cook it right, too much water and it’s awful. Buy always last years récolte. Basmati has the same problems, buy the good stuff. It is totally different grain to Thai rice .. We buy triple A . AAA first quality Thai delicious. There’s red rice, blue rice, black and brown, love the brown myself , and black with coconut milk and banana as dessert. I have a cook .

A gold chain or a watch , iPhone could easily addd up to 400 thousand Baht. Nothing unusual there. I once advised a uK older couple in a hotel at breakfast to take off their Rolex / Panerai and ladies diamond rings, put them in hotel reception safe and never to go out with them !! I leave all valuables at home at Bank. But, something needs to be done about these Chinese crooks that’s for sure. They have totally ruined Cambodia and are well known for trouble in other countries.

Not the healthiest of Asian foods., Lots of fried ,loads of msg , lots of oil in the stir fry. Cant digest myself., :Thai is much better.

As a woman, I can tell you, you get what you strive for. Of course, in places like Thailand , not every child/ girl gets the education they need to get on in life. Especially in poorer areas in the north. My parents helped me, good education, setting an example. I wanted to be successful, takes a lot of hard studying and work. My siblings and school. friends have had good lives, married or not, most could be completely independent if they wish. Even tho I had a longtime companion, I was always independent, had my own money/ savings. He also pushed me into good investments, I’ve never regretted, and am thankful for my upbringing.

I’ve never used Airbnb, and usually book hotels that are well known with good locations. Easy to check distance hotel to city center/ beach name etc online maps. But, you could be in a very noisy neighborhood for example , or on a main road , that, the hotel/ condo isn’t going to tell you. Or the place isn’t up to standard. That’s why I stick to more well known hotels despite the higher costs. Booking in advance once in Old Ceylon had me in a hotel in the middle of a bloody jungle with nothing around so only suitable for people driving which I was not !! I was out the next morning . ( near Kandy). Or one of the best hotel in Canton , no heating and no hot water, winter !!!

It’s the low season and not the best in Thailand. Tourists can travel in Europe for sunshine and fun. And no top price air flights. Can go by car, train, even bus if you’re on a budget. Western Tourists won’t be back till around November . Real * tourists* usually go for two weeks, not 3 months. Snowbirds go for the Thai high season and stay 3 to 5 months using a border hop and extension. No big deal.

Very enjoyable!!!!

Well gas could blow up the neighborhood surely ??? I’ve been in badly located places with a few bookings, not Airbnb. Sometimes hard to see where the hotel/ condo is really. I put it down to bad luck., next time I’ll be smack in the center of town !

It’s true, I’m a snowbird so see Thailand in the high season. I’m quite surprised that the standard of tourist that Thailand attracts is very bad compared to around 5/10 years ago. I’ve been coming since 1984, have lived the marvelous years of Phuket and the the other islands. The other islands I’d never go back to, stayed 3 months in Phuket last year but that was a failure due to post Covid and empty restaurants, unlit streets, and general abandonment. My mistake, but wanted to see old friends. This year they warned me off, crowds , tons of arrogant longstayers ( won’t say the nationality)., beaches over crowded and restaurants submerged also because of lack of staff. So I stayed in Jomtien. There it was mostly the same, but I have my good addresses. Bangkok was the only place I felt was more upmarket and more to my taste. Definitely there’s a going to the dog’s atmosphere, and I’m thinking I might not be back so soon. I left for Bali, and sadly it’s no better. It hurts me to see Thailand , and Bali , like this, having known these countries and their neighbours for so long. Great memories to look back on .

I must say the small contraptions they have in the UK are ridiculous.. Taking a shower is a major event with water too hot one minute too cold the next and not enough water strength. My elderly family take baths every night.

My question to the OP. How on earth can you live somewhere infested with ants or any other insects ?? Did you not treat your home immediately to get rid of them ? I would not last one day there. First day in any new home, I clean, look and treat everything floors, drains, etc for a few days. Never had a problem in 38 yrs, even living in a Thai house near a forest on Phuket . There, we put cups of oil or water ( can’t remember) under each bed leg because of the forest and no glass windows.

About the deaths which happened in a hotel in Chiang Mai and on Samui I think, one of the islands. That was the fault of the stupid proprietors of those hotels who used dangerous sprays on their mattresses to prevent bed bugs !!! Nothing to do with anti ant / insect products put on the floor.I stayed once in a hotel in Chiang Mai that room and bed stank of disinfectant. I immediately left.

I had an acquaintance, a girl knew a bit. ( I’m a lady). She knew I was in phuket and, invited herself. Well, I thought, a few days is ok. She stayed 2 weeks !! I told her I wasn’t up to discos etc so she went by herself. I did give her a few tips on behavior, Thai men etc. one night 5 am, she wasn’t back. I was freaking out . In she wanders, shoes in hand. The tuc tuc driver lift back from Patong , suggested a beach stroll under the stars in, I think, N’ai Harn. Nowhere near my place and you don’t drive near it from Patong. Well, she must have been lucky, nothing happpened and he deposited her in front of my door !!! Could hardly believe it. I had to tell her to go, you just don’t do things like that, anywhere. We were about 30++.

it was always like that , no change.

Thanks Sheryl , wondering if there’s a similar drug in Thailand that is not dangerous to take.? ( Tanganil is an over the counter medication in France. )

Please listen to the posts. You do not get more in Laos than Cambodia. Same entry rules !! If you get a visa 60 days in Laos or Cambodia , it’s valid 60 days. This you can extend once in Thailand for 30 days only !! Then you must leave the country again . So you do NOT get 6 months. If you do a border hop with NO visa from the Thai embassy in LAos or Cambodia , you get 30 days VISA EXEMPTION zone entry to Thailand . This you can extend 30 days in Thailand. Then you must leave the country. You are allowed to do these border hops with NO visa 2 times in a calendar year.

Yes , I was hoping Sheryl would answer, she’s helped me a few times over the years. Fantastic.

I won’t have time unfortunately ( or fortunately!) . I’m leaving this Wednesday morning BKK France and only have 8 tablets left. Thinking I’ll share them out to 2 a day. It could get better .

Thank you Sheryl, I’m quite surprised it’s not sold in Thailand , it’s over the counter in France which also surprised me. It’s been quite debilitating for 2 days, started the Tanganil last evening at 6 pm,, seems a bit better this morning. ( took 2). Instead of the 2. X morning one evening ( tot1500’mg) daily, do you think I can share out my tablets to only 2 a day to last me ??? And should I then take the 2 in the morning, or 1 morning 1 evening.?? Thought of calling France, but will be difficult to get the doctor concerned on the phone, as it’s a very big busy ORL center. Thanks Sheryl.

What’s the pollution in Bangkok like at the moment .?

Hi all, in Bali at the moment but back to Bangkok Sunday 16 th. I’ve had dizzy spells since yesterday, so going on 48 hrs. Had them before about 6 months back. I take Tanganil prescribed by my doctor in France, so have some luckily, but won’t have enough . Can I buy them in Thailand ?? It’s been stifling hot here, lots of heavy rain , and 90 + humidity, so that might be the cause. I don’t drink alcohol. I’m very used to finding what I need in larger Boots. Any info welcome., thanks.

Anywhere they supply restaurants, woks, fridges ,micro onde etc.

Nowhere in the world can you walk into countries and do as you like ! You do not stay illegally in US, UK or any other countries either without risk of being deported etc. Why should Thailand be different ? Get a visa, do border runs, milk the system if you like but don’t consciously break the rules. There are a lot of people that need to go back to their own countries.

Probably depends on the airline policies. I’ve always been asked by Emirates as I stay usually 3/4 months. This year flew with Swiss and no one asked .

Thé problem is the Thai authorities do not care ! Tourist Phuket last year , Kata beach, not even street lights working, non existent pavements , how on earth do people with kids ( maybe not welcome?) or seniors manage to get back to their hotel/ condo evening ?? In front of the famous Boathouse , not even a pavement, so if you want to go to the beach in the day, a restaurant, or a meal in the evening, cars and hundreds of motorbikes rush past you !!! The drains are wonky , 30 years ago at Christmas, my leg went through the gap, so lucky it didn’t break, just a chipped bone , 8pm no lights , death trap drains. Nothings changed. Thais don’t walk/ stroll as foreigners do, so don’t care. Third world 100%. ok, so the clever ones say, TIT, you take the risk, why be so stupid to go out with a baby stroller or , take a taxi to the 15 min evening restaurant and back, total rubbish. Thailand and its expats, don’t complain about the low class of foreigners that come here, the drunks, the idiots , the barstool politicians, the wife beater clad / bare backed expats , sex tourists, that’s the type you are attracting. Nuff said .