JustAnotherHun

54 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Yes!  Just setting off on a solo motorcycle tour tomorrow.  Travel does not need to involve airports and stuffing cotton bud sticks up your nose.

 

Where are you going? North?

12 minutes ago, JackGats said:

P.S. I think the IDL has no value by itself. I is meant to accompany the original national licence. Not much use as I see it.

With the IDL (+ national DL) you're allowed to drive 3 months here. Useful for each tourist.

2 minutes ago, JackGats said:

I converted mine. You need an official translation. I went to an address in Pattaya where the translation of my DE driving licence was returned with the stamp and certification of the "Amtsgericht Saarbrücken", lol. No need for me to travel to Bangkok.

Did you need the translation with or without having the IDL?

Due to my Thai license expried during Covid, I have to start the process again within the next two month in Pattaya. I'll report according to German license + IDL

9 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Are you trying to say there are 2 separate documents in Germany.

 

An International Driving Permit is a translation of your national driving license. The IDP allows motorists to drive vehicles in foreign countries. You must always have your IDP along with your national license at all times. 

https://internationaldrivingpermit.org/country/germany/

 

He's right.

The German paper (from 1968) is named "Internationaler Führerschein" (international driving license).

Only valid together with your national DL

Don't you have a two factor authentification with your GB credit cards?

I never had problems with my German Master- and Visacards.

I make my purchase and confirm with an app on my mobile.

9 minutes ago, Bruno123 said:

It was called Eataly and had a sister branch on Sukhumvit; near King Power. Now it's Stile Italiano. 

https://www.officinadelprosciutto.com/

 

 

Your link leads to Bangkok.

According to Google maps, "Stile Italiano" seems to be at same the location (corner Immigration soi) where the shop I told about was located. 

Hope it's still the same and I'll check it out on may visit to IO next week.

8 minutes ago, Bruno123 said:

 

Yes, there was another Italian restaurant on that soi that closed. 

Fusillo used to be on the Na Kluea road and have only recently moved to their new location on Soi 18.

So things turn out to be more clear.

You say Fusillo was on Nak Rd? Where? Coming from Soi18 a short way after Maj Thai on the right side? If yes, I know the place and it was quite good 2 years back.

But never checked their pizza.

13 hours ago, CLW said:

I guess it's still way under foreign based growing operations in the US etc....

You can bet on that. US and Netherland growers are on a professional level Thais never will reach. They produce strains with 25 and even more than 30 percent THC

5 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

 

Not sure as to why you would concoct such as story with regard to Fusillo.

Concoct?

I just asked a question, because I did not remember the name.  There WAS an Italian rstaurant left side on Naklua/18 and that IS closed and for rent now.

6 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

Keep dreaming...

Why so aggressive? Because your reality collapses day bay day? Just close your eyes and feel good.

How many of the 40 million were Chinese and Indian groups? 140k after invention of TP on Nov.1, another 140k until today in Dec? Yeah, no one will come.

And the earth is flat.

1 hour ago, Cherrytreeview said:

The amount of people on this forum in total denial is beyond me.

I think the deniers are the "no-one-come-to Thailand"-chanters.

You can see more and more of those who will not come. Day by day.

The tens of thousands appliers for test&go who overload the TP system, the dayly large crowds at Jontien Immigration - all no-comers.

Walking Street was mostly dead and the bar scene suffered already  before Covid. 

5 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I had a pizza there last year and thought it was very good. But I thought the thin crisp pizza at Frankie's was exceptional. Fresh cut Palma ham and burata cheese. Light, delicate but satisfying.

I'll check that when I come over the mountain next time. Does not happen too often.

There was an Italian shop on the corner to Immigration soi. No restaurant, but they had delicious Italian cheese, salami, olives etc and Parma ham and you could get some nicely made sandwiches and plates . But that has vanished too.

Afaik never. It was me who was the bad one ????

9 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

pizzariolo...?

Are you suggesting Grottino is not so good now?

Sorry, wrong spelt. Must be pizzaiolo = the man who feeds the oven.

To Grottino: Imo it never was good after Reto sold it to the Italian guy, but I never had a pizza there, after my few tries with their past over the years (and last Last saturday) were alle the same uneatable stuff.

But that's only my opinion and we all know tastes are different.

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

Thailand now the hub of hashish????

Sure not. Would be enough they went back to the once famous Thai Sticks, strong (for the time then), Sativa based weed. But that won't happen. They'll produce some CBD <deleted> for "medical use". 

29 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Everyone's tastes are quite different.

I remember the bellas that closed down. I used to prefer it to grottino but would still go to grottinos. Now i find myself going to grottinos. It ain't perfect but it's not bad and the service is good. 

I find it hard to find a good pizza in Pattaya.

My top pick is IO Italian osteria in terminal 21 but they are not thin.

Pizza big - the pizzas are indeed thin but i stopped going after being served brown pesto. 

Bellas other restaurant is nothing compared to the soi 33 one imo. I had one there the other night where the base was cooked but the toppings weren't and cheese was barely melted. As if a precooked base was stuck under a grill for a minute to melt the cheese and appear cooked. I threw half away.

There is fusillos in naklua 18 which is very thin and pretty decent but i find too expensive (eg, extra salami 120฿).

Doms pizza is ok. Grab deliver it but it's a bit further away so i don't order it too much.

There's others but yea not much that stands out as being good enough to definitively recommend. 

IO is the best taste but it's Roman style similar to the asok bts shop and definitely not thin. 

 

 

Thankyou for the detailed reply.

You named Fussioles in Naklua/18. Was that on the left side when coming from Naklua Rd? If so, it's closed and "for rent".

Grottino once was my absolute favorite, but that was many years ago when it was owned by a Swiss guy called Reto, who later opened something on the dark side (sadly too far for a fast pizza).

When he left, his pizzariolo and some staff switched to the other side of the street to Little Bella Italia. The man knew how to make a pizza.

But anyway, with all those recommendations given in this thread I will have to check a lot.

Thanks to everybody. I wish you all many delicious meals ????

9 minutes ago, Road Warrior said:

Thailand dont want retire ex pats that's why visa are hard  acquire !!  Thailand loss for the economy, which they need ????

Long stay in Thailand is hard to aquire if you're 50+? That's laughable. The requirements are low. Meet them and everything's easy.

They don't want low budget retirees here. OK, maybe, as many other countries do.

And you really believe the inpact to the country's economy provided by retirees is big? Get real.

5 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

 

Unless an overstay has a very good reason like illness the fine should be more like 200k baht and a mandatory 10 year ban, at present too many just take the risk as it's worth it. 

The risk surely is not worth it. The 20k fee and blacklistiung after a long overstay is your best option, only IF you reach the airport. Otherwise you'll go to IDC and that nobody can want.

QR code is not mandatory for TP, but it may accelerate the approvement.

5 hours ago, champers said:

Not sure which restaurant you liked that has closed but if it was Little Bella Italia (directly opposite Grottinos) then that closed before Covid and became Nikkis Bar. All that side of the soi is now awaiting demolition.

Little Bella Italia has a sister restaurant on 2nd Road almost opposite Soi 6. It is called Bella Italia and has a wood fired pizza oven. Pizzas come in medium or large size and there is a wide choice of pasta dishes too.

I really like Grottinos and was in there last week. The Rum Baba dessert was pure joy. My better half had the cherry sundae and she was well impressed too.

Good luck in your search.

You're right, it was the "Little Bella Italia" and I remember now that it was sold pre Covid, after the quality went downhill already.

When I was in Soi33 last weekend for the first time since my return I was shocked. The street once had a bit of mediterranean flair with the two Italian rstaurants and the tables on the street. All gone now.

Grottinos is a no go imo. Over the years I tried it a few times and each time the pasta was far overcooked. This time I tried a pesto and nothing has changed.

Thankyou for the sister restaurant opposite Soi6. I forgot about that and will give it a try next time.

Just now, Alldar said:

I have the booking already. Fully paid with confirmation letter as well. I will just not send them the documents via e-mail.

Good luck.

1 minute ago, Alldar said:

Definitely safer. It is not stored digitally, cannot be hacked, cannot be intercepted during transfer, cannot be forwarded to other parties etc.

You seem like you don't care about sensitive private information at all. If I don't mail them a copy what will they do? I will have Thailand Pass already and all the documents so I am coming to Thailand. Can they revoke my Thailand Pass?

I'm taking care of my privacy but I'm not paranoic.

Without test&go booking you won't get the TP.