GezT

Unbelievable! After searching high and low for a Baby's playpen here I contacted friends in the UK.

They got me a top of the range model from 'Mothercare' for 99.00 GBP. They contacted DHL

for a quote to send it to me here in Pattaya, Thailand and were quoted 200.00 GBP.

After thinking about it I decided to go ahead, my friends in the UK were told there would be no

other charges this end. Having lived in this country for 19 years I knew better. A few months ago

I bought a new putter from Edwin Watts in USA, the putter cost US$300, I had to pay 1,500 baht

this end. Working on these numbers I figured 1,000 baht, tops! For the playpen.

4,300 baht!!!!!!!

I've been in touch with DHL Thailand and have a lady "Looking into it". Will keep you posted.

"About russian tourists: true, they are noisy, but also colourful and they are an attraction on themselves!!!...."

I don't know where 'Romanoba' was (or what he was on) when he drew the above coclusion but if he had of stopped after "Noisy" he would have been bang on.

They are the most dour, illmannered race I have come across in Thailand.

http://www.tourisman...e_badly_abroad_

This guy has it 100% bang on.

As a long term member of Siam Country Club, Old Course, and it being closed on Mondays I decided to try the driving range at the Plantation Course. This being due to playing so badly of late and needing to try and get things put right. I arrived at the bag drop this morning at around 10.30 but no caddies or the usual caddy master to unload my clubs, no problem, I drove to the car park and carried my own clubs up stairs to the Pro Shop. There was about 5-6 cars in the car park and a mini bus.

I went into the pro shop and explained to the lady I wanted to hit a couple of trays of balls at the driving range, "Do you want to play 18 holes", asked the receptionist (who worked at the old course for a number of years), "No", I told her I needed to practice. "Sorry, new rules from big boss, can only use driving range if you pay to play 18 holes". I politely told her I was a member of the old course (this she already knew) and as it was shut on Monday's I couldn't practice there, "I just need to hit a couple of trays of balls", I told her, "There's no one on the course, there's hardly likely to be anyone on the driving range, what's the problem?" I asked. She called a couple of numbers then told me the Manager was coming to see me. The lady who arrived hes worked at both courses, but originally was at the old course a long time. I've always found her most unhelpfull and seems to enjoy telling you what you can and can't do. "Sorry, you can only use the driving range if you pay to play 18 holes and caddy" she smilingley told me. "But there's no one here, whats the problem?", I asked. She just stood there with a smug grin on her face.

I will never go there again, and I wonder how long they will continue to try and stick people over 2,500 baht just to use the driving range. Is it a wonder the course was empty?

As a long term member of Siam Country Club, Old Course, and it being closed on Mondays I decided to try the driving range at the Plantation Course. This being due to playing so badly of late and needing to try and get things put right. I arrived at the bag drop this morning at around 10.30 but no caddies or the usual caddy master to unload my clubs, no problem, I drove to the car park and carried my own clubs up stairs to the Pro Shop. There was about 5-6 cars in the car park and a mini bus.

I went into the pro shop and explained to the lady I wanted to hit a couple of trays of balls at the driving range, "Do you want to play 18 holes", asked the receptionist (who worked at the old course for a number of years), "No", I told her I needed to practice. "Sorry, new rules from big boss, can only use driving range if you pay to play 18 holes". I politely told her I was a member of the old course (this she already knew) and as it was shut on Monday's I couldn't practice there, "I just need to hit a couple of trays of balls", I told her, "There's no one on the course, there's hardly likely to be anyone on the driving range, what's the problem?" I asked. She called a couple of numbers then told me the Manager was coming to see me. The lady who arrived hes worked at both courses, but originally was at the old course a long time. I've always found her most unhelpfull and seems to enjoy telling you what you can and can't do. "Sorry, you can only use the driving range if you pay to play 18 holes and caddy" she smilingley told me. "But there's no one here, whats the problem?", I asked. She just stood there with a smug grin on her face.

I will never go there again, and I wonder how long they will continue to try and stick people over 2,500 baht just to use the driving range. Is it a wonder the course was empty?

I don't think there can be reconciliation or peace unless Abhisit and Suthep resign from there current positions.

Too much blood has been spilled, Thais do not forgive and forget.

The Reds have no one to blame but themselves for what happened. The government offered compromise. the Reds refused. At that point the Reds lost face and there was no way they would regain it short of destorying the Kingdom. They are piss poor losers and like a pouting child who takes his toys and goes home, The Reds burned down or ransacked everything in their paths on the way out of town. resignation of Abhisit and Suthep will do nothing to pacify the Reds...if nothing else it would give them more reason to continue to rape and pillage the country.

Personally, I believe Thailand has a long road back form this one and Thaksin should have the remiander of his assets seized to pay for the damages.

I think you've summed it up very well, I'm in complete agreement with you. I think the PM has handled this very well and gained a lot of support.

I certainly don't agree with the guy getting a dig, but as in Pattaya with baht bus drivers who you hire to take you from A to B, without stopping to pick up passengers, agree the price, pay when you get off, end of story.

Ok, In his case he feels he's been had for 50 baht, in my view a small price to pay for a lesson learnt. It wont happen to him again.

Don't really know about the tuk-tuk drivers in Phuket, but from what I read I hope they stay there.

I'm looking for a 5 Star hotel on Patong beach within walking distance to Soi Bangla, can anybody give me any help?

Regards

GezT

There seems to be some criticism of how the Thais are unable to remain sober for the election and have to have this order imposed on them.

It seems from some posts that some expats are unable to manage a few days without drink as well as those they criticise.

I doubt whether this will have much impact on tourists other than those on 'boozy' trips who are hel_l bent on getting pissed at every given opportunity.

A few days sobriety wont do anyone much harm!

You sound to me like a tea-total bible basher who would have fitted right in during the medievil times in England operating the "Ducking Stool".

The majority of expats I know don't drink during the week or maybe 'have a few after golf' and look forward to the weekend to get out and socialise with friends and watch the live sport we have so much of on TV.

I have two good friends here at the moment from the UK with their Thai family's (Seperate groups) who have been coming here years and are still amazed at the alcohol ban during election periods, their wives I am talking about.

With regards to tourists, I was sitting outside Gullivers, north Pattaya last night around 5-ish having a beer, there was five or six tables occupied by groups of tourists who had wandered in after coming of the beach, obviously heading back to their hotel's. One of the waitresses who knows me came over with a number of slips of paper in her hand with various way's of explaining why there was an alcohol ban this weekend, when the election is not until next weekend written on them. She told me (In near perfect English) her boss had asked her to get a note written to explain the situation in order to give to the staff to show customers as this was going "To be a big problem".

I left Gullivers about 7.30 with a few more tables occupied and as I looked around I didn't see one "Boozy table" with people "hel_l bent on getting pissed" on them.

Lighten up slick and get a life!

Hi,

I heard a rumour the bar's in Bangkok are closing this week end, 14, 15 and 16 December, some Pre Election thing. Fuelled by a sign at Foodland saying "No alcohol being sold" on the dates mentioned. Had planned a few day's up there but......

Any information would be much appreciated.

Regards

GezT

Got it! Thanks Pattaya_Fox & mamanoodle.

Can anybody tell me where Liberty Computers have moved to from Second road in the new Plaza close to Second road and Pattaya Klang and near the Ceasars Palace hotel?

Regards

I've lived in Pattaya a good many years, it's only been in the last few that "Rib Joints" have spouted up and become popular here. I've tried most in this town, if they haven't been to good the first time I still try them again just to make sure. In my opinion Tequela Reef do the best, most consistent ribs of the lot. The funny thing is I've never been in the place, I have always ordered them through Door-to-Door, another first class service. I regret having a kitchen fitted in my condo since they came out.

I have lived in Pattaya, Thailand for over 14 years and was amazed at the after-sales service provided by Khun Sompop, the General Manager, and Khun Pahk, Manager of 'Easy Golf Co. Ltd', the Ping dealer to Thailand, whose shop is located on the second floor in Thanya Plaza, off Silom Road in Bangkok.

Around August/September 2006 I bought a set of Ping i5's with graphite shafts from the above, 3 iron to pitching wedge, the sand wedge was extra. I paid approx. 45,000 baht. By December the outer layer of graphite started splitting around the hozel on the pitching wedge. In January I was going to Hua Hin on one of my frequent visits to play golf with friends of mine so I called Easy Golf in Bangkok and explained the problem. They checked their stock and told me to take the club into them to replace the shaft. I drove up on the Saturday morning went into the shop and they said it would be ready on the following Monday. I explained I was heading down to Hua Hin the next day, Sunday, so "No problem, call back at 4.00 pm today". Went back, new shaft fitted for free, thank you very much, good bye.

By April/May of this year I noticed the same was happening to the 5, 8 and sand wedge. In August the 5 iron snapped while I was playing a shot. I called Easy Golf in Bangkok and it turned out Khun Sompop and Khun Pahk were coming to Pattaya the following Tuesday to visit a golf shop on 3rd road, 'Pattaya City Golf' who sold their clubs, I arranged to meet them. I showed them the 3 clubs and started explaining about the pitching wedge when Khun Sompop finished of the story for me by saying "Yes you were on your way to Hua Hin the next day, I was in the shop at the time". He went on to ask me what I wanted them to do, I told them if they replaced the 3 shafts I would be happy. No problem, they would take them back to Bangkok with them and send them back to me here in Pattaya on the Friday. Great.

About an hour later Khun Sompop called me to say that he had decided the best thing to do would be to replace the complete set of i5's with new ones as they were obviously a faulty set. "How much?" I asked, "Nothing, free" came the reply. I thought I was hearing things, "Pardon?", "Free". "We will have them delivered Friday afternoon, if you leave your remaining i5's at the Pattaya Gity golf shop we met you in you can pick up the new set". This sort of service was a new one on me here in Thailand. The best is yet to come!

I had been looking at the new Ping 'Rapture' irons while I had been waiting for Khun Sompop to arrive in Pattaya City Golf on the Tuesday. Black graphite shafts, a new weighting system in the head of the club, a different type of metal, overall a very nice looking club reflected in the price, 55,000 baht, 4 to 9 iron pitching and sand wedge included.

I called Khun Pahk in Bangkok and asked would it be possible instead of them giving me a new set of i5's, could I have the new Ping Rapture's, and how much difference would I have to pay. He had to speak to Khun Sompop and would get back to me. Sure enough, later that day he called me. He told me the i5's were now only 38,000 baht in Bangkok, bearing this in mind Khun Sompop said if I paid an extra 12,000 baht I could have the Raptures. To be honest, considering what they were doing for me regarding the i5's I was expecting to be asked for 20,000 baht and would have gone to 25,000 baht, so 12,000 to me was an excellent deal. They faxed me their bank details, I paid in the 12,000 baht and on the Friday morning TNT delivered me my new Ping Rapture's. Now thats what I call service. I know where all my future business will be going.

Sorry to be so picky but in the third last word of your last sentance you forgot to put the letter 'i' after the 'u' and before the 'n'

If you are applying for the extension of stay based on retirement. You now need to provide a map from Immigration to your house.

How ridiculous is this? Immigration cant read an address? If someone has a detailed map of my moo ban...please let me know.......I've never found one.

Will a sketch suffice?

Seriously...is this a joke?

Very ridiculous.

So a retiree can come live here (well, for now anyway), but his wife is not welcome ??

And how many wives of retirees are going to have an independent income?

And as for maps, have you ever met a Thai person who can read one ?

I seriously question the sanity of some of the people 'running' this country

This sounds like a personal problem to me. Do we really want it here in our golf thread?

Up yours and your "Golf Thread". These forums are for airing views, opinions, incidents and basically anything you want. So get your head out of your arse and lighten up Nobby!

like his money isn't far, far away !

they never get it, they better give the 500 million bath back they gave to army. (read, the 500 million bath the army paid themselves for kidnapping the country) what ? you didn't know that one ? happily ignored it ? sdtill pretending that isn't more blatant corruption then all Thaksin did ?

Hi, I never heard anything about this. Could you enlighten me?

When will this country catch itself on as to how totally stupid it comes across to the rest of the world with the draconian, pathetic, not to mention stupid, laws and policies it comes out with.

I will be applying for my first extension this May. My accounts will show well over 800k in Thailand over the last 3 months. But the vast majority of the money is on deposit maturing january 08; only some 400k will show in a savings account at the time of application. Any part of the deposit however can be withdrawn - there would be a loss of interest penalty of course, but the money is available at any time.

So far as I can discover there are only vague and ambiguous answers as to whether immigration will accept deposits as part of the cash requirement. Does anyone have a definitive answer on the basis of an actual, recent application showing a deposit as a sunstantial part of the 800k? In Chiang Mai would be even better.

If the answer is that they won't accept it, I will move deposit money into savings beforehand and thus improve my chances with immigration.

I hope someone can relieve my mind on this.

I applied for my first extension at Jomtien last October and used my Krung Thai deposit account book with a leter from the bank saying how long it was in. I couldn't take the money out until this May without losing interest, but had no problem.

GezT

So, a tourist comes here on a long haul flight to Bangkok for 30days. After a few days in Bangkok he decides to take a trip to Ankor Wat using Thailand as his home base. He then takes a trip to Burma for a few days then returns. He then takes a trip to Laos and returns.

He then decides to go to See Singapore of Kuala Lumpur.... On his return to Bangkok he is refused entry as that means a 4th Visa on Arrival. He cannot continue his holiday with a final week in Phuket and has to spend a week in the Airport Lounge waiting to catch his flight home.

As a business man I always used Bangkok as a base for covering the Far East, returning there at weekends and between meetings in different nearby Countries, as do many others becuase it is cheaper and the food is great. We rely on tourist Visas on arrival as we are not doing Business in Thailand. I hope that this is just another crazy idea which similar to others in the past will not be fully implemented.

I am married to a Thai with three children, but currently rely on tourist visas, as I work 70 days in Libya and 17 days vacation in Bangkok. However, there is another twist that I need to make a side trip during my Vacation to Kuala Lumpur to collect my Libyan Visa which is already 2 VOAs in 2 weeks. I had a marriage and Own Company Visa before, but the problem is it takes too many visits to the immigration Bureau before they finally give you the stamp, and I am not here to go to the office. On top of that there is all the hassle of a reentry visa. I hope that we get a clearer picture soon.

I'm not an expert by any means, but for the above case scenario couldn't the tourist apply to immigration for a 'Multiple re-entry Permit'?

So, a tourist comes here on a long haul flight to Bangkok for 30days. After a few days in Bangkok he decides to take a trip to Ankor Wat using Thailand as his home base. He then takes a trip to Burma for a few days then returns. He then takes a trip to Laos and returns.

He then decides to go to See Singapore of Kuala Lumpur.... On his return to Bangkok he is refused entry as that means a 4th Visa on Arrival. He cannot continue his holiday with a final week in Phuket and has to spend a week in the Airport Lounge waiting to catch his flight home.

As a business man I always used Bangkok as a base for covering the Far East, returning there at weekends and between meetings in different nearby Countries, as do many others becuase it is cheaper and the food is great. We rely on tourist Visas on arrival as we are not doing Business in Thailand. I hope that this is just another crazy idea which similar to others in the past will not be fully implemented.

I am married to a Thai with three children, but currently rely on tourist visas, as I work 70 days in Libya and 17 days vacation in Bangkok. However, there is another twist that I need to make a side trip during my Vacation to Kuala Lumpur to collect my Libyan Visa which is already 2 VOAs in 2 weeks. I had a marriage and Own Company Visa before, but the problem is it takes too many visits to the immigration Bureau before they finally give you the stamp, and I am not here to go to the office. On top of that there is all the hassle of a reentry visa. I hope that we get a clearer picture soon.

Suvarnabhumi Airport set to open on Sept 28

THAI Airways top management confirms date

BANGKOK, June 8 (TNA) - Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport is now set to open for commercial purposes on September 28, the Transport Ministry announced here on Wednesday.

The opening date of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport was set recently by the government commmittee on management and development of the new airport, Deputies Transport Minister Gen.Chainant Charoensiri and Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai told a press conference after a meeting here Wednesday with the board of directors of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), the national flag carrier.

A new committee comprising of representatives of all parties concerned, including Airports of Thailand Public Co., Ltd. (AOT), the Customs Department, the Immigration Bureau, THAI and other international airlines, would also be set up to oversee the relocation of Bangkok's internatonal airport from the Don Muang Airport to the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the two ministers said.

The committee set-up will be complete by June 17 when Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will chair a meeting of all the parties concerned to review all projects and plans involving the Suvarnabhumi Airport, including the remaining construction and decoration works, to ensure that the new airport will be opened as scheduled, according to the ministers.

Gen. Chainant oversees AOT, while Mr. Phumtham supervises THAI.

"Construction and decoration works at the Suvarnabhumi Airport have been nearly complete at the moment. Only some minor works are to be settled over the next four months; so, I can say we're now ready for the opening of the new airport," said Gen. Chainant.

THAI will begin moving its offices from the Don Muang Airport in early September and will completely move to the new airport the night before its opening on September 28, according to the company's top management.

--TNA 2006-06-08

And Elvis is going to ride in on Shergar lead by Lord Lucan for the opening ceremony!

Going back to the initial quote by George, I get the feeling the authorities are trying to stop the trend where company's, that are falang controled, are buying large plots of land then sub-dividing them, re-registering the plot's with the land office then selling on the individual plots at a greater profit.

I don't think they are so much targeting 'Pattaya Pete' who is living with or married to 'Nakon Nok' and just trying to keep his property should things got tit's up.