DrPhibes

Good example of what's going on.  We booked two rooms (connecting) in resort at Karon Beach for a total of $85 USD/nt in mid October.  That same exact 2 rooms are now $619 USD/nt for the time period of Dec 23rd - Jan 3.  They also want mandatory 5,000 baht per person for a new years dinner.   I can see 2x or 3x low season, but over 7x low season?

The crazy thing is that when looking for Phuket lodging, a lot of the resorts are showing booked.  Having 5 adults makes it tougher to find rooms for a good chunk of resorts unless you want to rent 3 rooms. Looking at AirBnB now.

1 hour ago, kingstonkid said:

New year's is when hotel's all over the place raise prices it is a major tourist season

I can understand 2x, 3x price difference, but about 7.5x low season is nuts.  Thanks for the input everyone.

Grab is a gift from heaven for us here in CM.  Two very physically active, social, voracious teens with lots of after school stuff and one vehicle (I don't let the wife or teens drive in Thailand).  Food Grab usually only adds about $0.60 to the food cost as a delivery fee, very popular, you see their motorbikes everywhere here.

20 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

or even Beer Saigon, Beer Hanoi, Angkor Beer, Cambodia Beer, Myanmar Beer and ABC Stout (black beer).

Oh how I miss you brown bottled 6.5% Chang, many a cool CM night you have sat on the veranda with me (and baby makes 3!)

Thanks guys for all your help.  Looking at Khao Lek to do the Andaman Sea at this point.  Their prices don't seem to be so crazy and it is the Similans...

14 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Don’t book until much nearer the time when it’s finally penetrated their thick skulls that they’re not gonna get those prices.

I presume you’re looking via hotel booking agencies (Agoda etc). Just booked Ko Lanta for next week and noticed the pricing has been coming down since first looking a few weeks ago. Try Hotelscombined.com which screenscrapes all the agencies. 

Ya, Agoda and direct booking at hotels.

Looking to book our yearly December dive trip from CM to Phuket from 12/26 - 1/4/20 and are finding at least 2x the price in baht from what we paid the previous year at most of the Karon Beach hotels.  What happened?

Was actually cold this morning here in CM.  Refreshingly brisk walk!

10 hours ago, ezzra said:

Sometimes i feel that the i'm living a in one of Franz Kafka stories, having to put up with and face surrealistic and bizarre predicaments and incomprehensible bureaucracies...

Not to mention the people sized cockroaches... 

5 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Instead of band aid's they need to revamp the whole country much like a lot of the world you have to fun for the whole family especially kids

 

Imagine how a hotel in Bangkok would do if it had a water park

The young people have some money but the family rules.

So, why would I travel 1/2 way around the world to stay in a hotel to hang out at the water park when that kind of thing is in every country?

On 10/12/2019 at 8:29 PM, onera1961 said:

I think all US insurance has unlimited coverage including Catastrophic insurance after you meet your out of pocket expenses.  It is mandated in ACA. However, in recent years, after Trump admin removed the penalty for buying non-ACA compliant insurance, lots of deceptive insurance are spreading rapidly. I have a Catastrophic insurance with an HSA master card that currently has close ot 500K BHT, accumulated over 10 -years. My out  of pocket expense is 7600 USD which I can easily pay using my HSA master card. I paid 70K BHT in 2017 in Bangkok hospital and 3K Euro in 2016 in Amsterdam. 

Better read your insurance policy.  My large US insurance company, Anthem, only covers 6 months out of the country in a calendar year and only for life threatening treatment for my policy (good coverage in the US, not cheap).  Already had to use it once here in Thailand 3 yrs ago for hospitalization due to severe dehydration and it was a bitch to get them to settle.

On 10/10/2019 at 9:31 AM, essox essox said:

where IS THIS country???

On 10/10/2019 at 8:58 AM, pluto1956 said:

Im not im in the Philippeans 555

Oh, it's a country.  I was trying to find the bible we had boxed up around here somewhere to look up the passage!

2 hours ago, Artisi said:

I sure that the majority of tourists were previously flocking into Thailand just for craft beer. 

At least we have some fresh craft beer here in CM.  There is a single craft beer producer (CM German Microbrewery) here in CM and my once a week trek for real beer is satisfied.  About as good as it gets here in the North for fresh beer.  Coming from Fort Collins, CO and all the micros there.  This is at least some fresh air.

5 hours ago, legend49 said:

Or higher. Downtown CNX you can count those tourists on your hands no need for a calculator. But its all good news I am sure they will find more hospital countries to visit.

Yup, was down on Niemannheiman last Sat. with the wife on our rare downtown Sat date nite and it was at least 30:1 Asian vs white guys/gals.  It was somewhat vibrant near Maya (their rooftop entertainment is pretty good for the youngn's) but as we got down some of the side streets is was pretty dead.

3 hours ago, WhatupThailand said:

I think when he said "Risky", he meant to say "Frisky" which makes more sense.

 

Sure it is up to a Country to make their Rules and Laws, but normally it is done with some form of Common Sense. Not like a herd of Buffalo's in a China Shop.

 

But like they say S*** Rolls down hill, and the Stink is driving many away.

So now we have the Land Of Stink to deal with.

Sorry,

Did not realize you beat me to it!

3 hours ago, Tagged said:

Men above 50 year

Risky, I thought it read Frisky!  I must now stroam with haste to the local phoropterist to procure some new spectacles.

Power company has been installing new very high voltage line along the second ring road.  I can see power cuts as this new system is brought online.

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Windows XP.

regards Worgeordie

And an illegal copy of XP at that!  Swear I thought I saw one of the banks computers running Win 3.11, made me miss writing my own batch files for things...

On 9/29/2019 at 8:19 PM, kingofthemountain said:

555

no it's not an ''issan thing''

it's more a farmer thing

how do you think they can communicate from one ricefield to another if they don't speak loud?

 

Agree, sort of.  In the wife's village, some of the houses are not that far apart and since all the windows are open during the day, it is not uncommon to see a conversation going on between the houses and they are not yelling.  Have seen the wife in one room downstairs talk to the maid who is upstairs deep in aother room with just the door open.  She counts on how echo of the house to carry her voice.  Wife has two conversation voice modulations, loud and mumbling.  years of pointing this out to no avail.

On 9/29/2019 at 9:19 PM, bwpage3 said:

Isaan life, you either accept it or move.

 

I accepted it, even the roosters at 4 AM don't bother me!

Ya, the crowing time is a genetic thing as I understand it.  I hear the 4am roosters make the best soup stock ???? 

Just popped in for a liter of the Octoberfest which may run out about Oct 5-6th.  Found it very yummy with pork knuckle.

Wife called the number for them you gave us in another post a while ago when error discovered.  Have shifted my plans to exit and return on Oct 16, 2 days before expiration date, giving me another 90 days and then head back to the US a bit early for tax season thus avoiding the whole extension thing.

Thanks again for your time Joe