JensenZ

It's actually on Kasetsin. I lived on this street for over 6 years. I would consider Cozy Beach to be one of the best areas in Pattaya to live, but it's essential to have a motorcycle. Rents in Cozy Beach are not lower than anywhere else on the Hill... in fact probably higher as the area is somewhat exclusive since it's not on a through road. All the traffic is local only.

You can go on as many dates as you like, but they will usually be on their best behaviour until you actually become serious, then you start to see their bad habits. Don't think you're the only one dating them either. They are probably hedging their bets, assuming they must be attractive because you chose them, and the choices are endless. Acting very interested after the first date works quite well for most of their male victims. You're playing an unfamiliar dating game. They want you in bed as soon as possible as they see this as the best way to hook you... then there's always the very real possibilty they are married, and looking for a new source of funding.

The answer is not hard. It's impossible to break the military hold on power - they have the guns. I don't think Pita would have achieved that either.

You got that right - they have been working on it for 91 years... and now you're suggesting the best outcome is to wait another 4 years. If they ever get it right, most of us won't be around to see it.

Each Soi dog is someone's pet. Their "owners" expend a great deal of effort to feed them to the best of their financial capabilities. You don't think a lot of people would be very angry if you killed all their pets? They might not seem like pets in the traditional way, but they are pets and people care about them. You often see people playing with them and even looking for ticks. As I already illustrated, using the park as very good example, the govenment stands by the dogs. We're talking about a famous public park which is a breeding ground for these dogs. In fact, I'm barred from entering the park between 10pm and 4am, so the dogs have more privileges than park users LOL

Of course they need to eat, that's why rounding them up at their feeding spots would be a very easy way to clear them if it was felt necessary by the council to do so. Having hunters running around with rifles is a bit dramatic and it would not work out as well as you seem to think. It would at the very least cause quite a public outcry as the Thai people love these animals. Obviously if a public park is a sanctioned breeding ground for dogs, and their numbers continue to increase, and they are always fed, that's a fairly good indication that nothing will be done and that no one wants to do anything.

You might get some, but the dogs would soon be very hard to find. They would soon scramble off into the bushes. Apart from the fact there aren't fireworks every day, the dogs would certainly be able to distinguish the difference between gun shots and fireworks. Catching them at feeding spots is the easy and obvious way to clear them. They need to eat, and most only eat food they are fed every day by Thai people.

Pratumnak Soi 1 has very few dogs. There's about 5 that I know well, and none are aggressive or chase motorcycles. In the adjoining alley (Soi 4 Theppraya Road) there are a few more, but I've only been chased twice in 6 years, and they were half hearted chase at that. Soi 2 is at the top of the hill - I don't go there, so I can't comment on that soi.

This is a ridiculous idea. They are small targets and they run fast. Do you think the dog packs will stand still waiting for the gunman to shoot them all in the head? It's very unlikely a gunman would make a clean kill shot, and more likely they will injure the dog so it will limp away and bleed out slowly. If he did make a kill shot, it would be his last in that area as the dogs would get the hell out there very quickly and hide in the bushes. Dogs are quite smart too and have good eyesight and memories. After one kill, as soon as a gunman turned up with a rifle, they would disappear faster than lightening. If he discharged one shot, that would warn all dogs in the next 5 sois that a killer with a gun is on the loose. There are many other reasons why you don't want idiots with guns chasing soi dogs too. Regarding dogs' eyesight and memories. Here's an example from my own experience. There was a dog in the park that persistently chased me when I was walking in his territory. One time I picked up some stones to throw at him. I didn't even hit him, but whenever I'm there, he recognises me from quite a distance and runs away. This dog sees a lot of people every day. I was absent for 4 months, and upon my return, he still ran when he saw me. Good luck to anyone stupid enough to chase them with a rifle.

So their solution causes even more stress for these poor animals. Soi dogs are born and live in their little corner of the world for their entire lives. Imagine the stress of being uprooted and moved somewhere else, and then have to fight for new territory. I wouldn't be surprised if many of those relocated dogs died from battle wounds... a slow death from infections.

These articles are quite absurd. Nothing is being done to reduce the "stray dog" population in Pattaya. It would help if they used the correct term to define what these animals are. Most of them didn't stray from anywhere. They were born and raised in parks and empty lots around the city, and correctly called "Soi dogs" or Street dogs". I walk in Chaloem Phrakiat Park (Park on Phratumnak Hill) and sorrounding areas 3 - 4 times a week. On my one hour walks I have become very familiar with the around 100 dogs I observe on a 1-hour, 6km walk. These dogs are fed at least twice daily by people who live and work in the park. In the late evenings around 9pm, these people ride arond the park on a motorcycle, dropping food for all their pets. It's not very nutritious food, and mainly just a blob of white rice. Occasionally they get bones. All of these dogs are malnurished and highly prone to infectious and degenerative diseases. I actually feel bad for the dogs, watching them eat their little pile of rice. Just allowing these animals to exist is animal abuse. I took a few months off from my daily walks and just started up again this week. I was astouned at the huge increase of dogs since my previous walks. There were dozens of puppies to add to the population. In my own soi, these dogs are fed daily by Thai people who come along and dump piles of white rice. Dinner time is about 5:30pm. These Thai people who feed them live quite a distance from them, so they ensure we have plenty of dogs to disturb us at night, while they sleep undisturbed at their own homes. These Thai soi dog feeders are really just pretending to look after them, because if they really cared, they would feed them nutritious food. Of course they could not afford that.... These dogs should be removed and euthanized. Their life is cruel punishment. If the Thai people want any of them, then they should take them in and give them a good life in their own homes. Please note I'm not a dog hater. I just don't like seeing them live (survive) like this. In my own Soi there is a real stray that has lived outside a condo building for as long as I've been in this street (6 years). I'm sure this dog spends all his waking hours scratching. I've never seen him awake and not scratching.

Not gay, never done it... in over 17 years here. Commiserations on your huge bill.????

No, a crackdown begins only when bodies are discovered in freezers - something that has never happened before in Pattaya. What Mr Joke is suggesting is that they have never done their job, but now they will start earning their pay. This knee-jerk policing is tiresome, with a new crackdown promised every time a crime is committed by foreigners. The reality is that Pattaya is still a very safe place to live and crackdowns won't change a thing.

If the driver asked me for 56 baht at the end of the ride, I would have given him 100 baht. I always tip honest motorbike taxis handsomely. It's always a pleasure catching these guys in Bangkok and I tip them well. I always ask the price first, but in this case the passenger knew the price from the Grab App. Likely the rider will lose his job with Grab.

If this concerns you, there are easy steps to protect your money. You open 2 accounts. One with a debit card and a small balance. Another safety step is you can limit daily spending. That can be done online and changed at any time.

There's no problems buying plane tickets online with a debit card. Why would there be? I've never had a problem buying anything online. I won't be renting cars, so that won't be a problem. The last time I rented a car was the last time I drove a car, over 10 years ago, so it's not a big thing on my shopping list. If I really do want to rent a car, I have a Citibank Visa credit card for that purpose (not issued in Thailand).

Let me clear up your ignorance. 1. Let's start with a dictionary definition of "resident": Resident: a person who lives somewhere permanently or on a long-term basis. That is quite self-explanatory. I haven't lived anywhere else for 17 years. 2. There is no complications with my Thai issued Visa debit card. If you paid attention, you would know I don't have a Thai issued credit card, nor do I want one. 3. Wise gives me Thai bank exchange rates and instant transfers. No Wise card is necessary. Is there anything else I can help you with?

You're being rediculously pedantic. I've lived in Thailand full time for 17 years, so I'm a resident. Obviously I live somewhere, right? I'm not a resident of my home country. This is the message you get if you use your Thailand address and phone number on Wise (even with my Australian passport): Sorry, our cards aren't available in Thailand Join our waitlist to be the first to hear when our cards become available. When I log in, I'm asked for an SMS code sent to my phone number. Wise considers you a resident if you have an address and phone number in that country. There's no need for official PR documents or proof of citizenship.

Yes, they work online. You need to activate the (K-Bank) card for online use at any K-Bank ATM. Once you've done that, you're good to go... I'm not sure about the process for the Bangkok Bank card. I have one, but haven't used it. It's a Mastercard.

I had a situation where, when I visited Australia with my wife, my ex-gf (same age as me) found out my wife was the same age as her youngest daughter. To put it midly, she wasn't happy about it and had some choice words to say about it... nevermind that she had married an Australian and we were over a long time before. It didn't help that my wife has a babyface and looks younger than she is. If you want to have a happy marriage with a (much) younger woman, best do it in Thailand or another SEA country where it is more acceptable.

I agree with you - a huge percentage of Thailand's voters care, a lot. They have been quietly simmering since 2014 and if Prawit is elected, it could bring on a new round of violence as seen in May 2010. The 2014 coup happened half a generation ago. Don't count on the new generation being as apathetic as they were 10 years ago. A new coup might be a bit more problematic for the military as it has been in the past. The Thai population are now extremely well connected through social media - it will make a difference. The sad reality, proven over and over throughout world history, is that you cannot gain freedom peacefully. "If we want to be free, we must fight". Sacrifices will be necessary.

I'm in this situation myself, but Wise transfers money to my Thai bank account nearly instantly at bank rates in Thailand. I can't see any need for a card, which I cannot get anyway.

I've used credit cards for most of my life and still have one (not from Thailand). Yes, there are SOME benefits, but nothing I needed other than renting a car. Most of the difference is marketing to try to get you to borrow money at obscene rates in the hope you can't pay your balance in full and it works. People get into debt they cannot repay. Debit cards are becoming much more user friendly these days as competition in the market place is high and payment options have become more varied for most companies. You can dispute a charge on a Thailand issued debit card. I've done it a number of times. Please understand that my comments are in the context of people living full time in Thailand, as I do. Your needs in your home country might vary and a credit card may become necessary depending on your lifestyle.

I can confirm recently, Wise does not issue cards for Thailand residents.

It seems you're out of touch with banking. What you get from K-Bank and most other banks is a VISA debit card or Mastercard debit card, which for all intents and purposes is the same as a credit card, but you can only spend your own money. I've been using mine for 14 years and have never had any problems. When you make payments these days, most companies ask for a debit or credit card.