thecyclist

It's just for show.They do that 2or 3 times a year. Was in a Soi 6 bar once years ago when the cops raided the place. They checked upstairs too; came back down and asked the mamasan what the used condoms were doing in the waste baskets. Mamasan said that they rent out these rooms ,and that the bar is not responsible for what tenants do in their rooms. The cops were satisfied and left. The cops know what's going on upstairs and the mamasan knows that the cops know ,and the cops know that the mamasan knows that they know......It's a little game they play.

It's just for show.They do that 2or 3 times a year. Was in a Soi 6 bar once years ago when the cops raided the place. They checked upstairs too; came back down and asked the mamasan what the used condoms were doing in the waste baskets. Mamasan said that they rent out these rooms ,and that the bar is not responsible for what tenants do in their rooms. The cops were satisfied and left. The cops know what's going on upstairs and the mamasan knows that the cops know ,and the cops know that the mamasan knows that they know......It's a little game they play.

The old ,fat and ugly ones are there because they still get their occasional john. The darkness of the bars . the intoxication of punters, often stoned as well .bad eyesight of older customers ,all these factors can turn the ugly duckling into something desirable.

Two decades ago it was the South that was in the pollution headlines. Year after year during the burning season, Singapore, Malaysia and Southern Thailand were blanketed in smog, most of it coming from Indonesia. Is it seasonal in the north as well?

Pretty sure it was for one eye. At the Sattahip hospital they explicitly asked me on which side. Makes sense: Rayong and Sattahip are close to sin city, I assume they just doubled the price for those of the "wrong" ethnicity. Isn't it free for Thais under the 30 baht scheme , as long as they have it done in their home province?

My definition of idiot farang : Can't differentiate between apples and oranges, different logical inferences or analogies: What has two tier pricing (racial) to do with price differences between bars and stores,which is a global phenomenon, a totally different type of two tier pricing. I can point you to some books on the basics of logical reasoning to get started. Aristotle defined man as the rational animal , but the rational mind has to be exercised to develop.

A month ago, while still in Vietnam, I posted a query on this forum about cataract surgery in Thailand in order to compare rates in Vietnam and Thailand to help me decide where to undergo this procedure. During the last week I inquired at 3 hospitals in the Rayong/Pattaya area about prices. at the Rayong provincial hospital a monofocal lens will set you(if you are a farang like me) back 60000Baht. When I protested that this is almost as much as at private hospital she started ignoring me by sorting paperwork of other patients. Next up was the Sattahip military Sirikit hospital, where I was once 20 years ago(I still had my card from that visit), and which back then I found very cheap. Not anymore:50000Baht. I asked whether this is the farang price ,and she said yes. I replied in Thai that in this case I would have it done in Vietnam as over there they are not as "kee kong" as in Thailand. The last stop was the Banglamung hospital (pattaya area),where they were much friendlier than their Rayong counterparts.They said there is a 2 year waiting period for cataract surgery at their hospital . and they referred me to the Sri Racha Somdech hospital. I won't have the time to visit there on this trip. Anybody familiar with this hospital. Any chance that this Farang gouging on steroids is a Rayong thing? In my 30 years in Thailand I have never encountered medical racism like this .I thought the trend was towards abandoning 2 tier pricing. Vietnam seems to be way ahead of Thailand in this respect.

Some of the girls on TF seem to have gotten wise to the fact that many punters like newbies. They regularly cancel their old TF accounts, and set up a new one. which then says that she joined 2 days ago,giving her the appearance of a newbie.That's the disadvantage of digital dating, everything can be manipulated, looks,age,experience..

Yeah, but you don't know what you are getting. The pictures in their profiles are usually, to put it mildly, highly flattering. You open the door, and your first reaction is, oh my God, that's not what I "signed up for". To avoid this 'shock' you have to set up a meeting first.

something smaller ,but still reliable,is what i am looking for.I travel a lot,often by bike, with just a small backpack. Where did you buy this Cigii, and are there different models?

I did the trip last Friday. went to the Nakhornchai Pattaya bus station. I got there at 1pm and was told that the next bus would be at 5pm.They have buses every 30 to 60 minutes in the morning,and the fare is 80 or 90 Baht ,depending on the class of the bus.I ended up taking a Rot thu/van for 100Baht. The problem is that neither bus nor van go to downtown Rayong, they stop at the bus station outside of town,about 8km or 80 Baht by motorcycle taxi .

Are you just selling, or are they for rent too?

Other than Cadence bikes in Jomtien, are there any bicycle rental shops (hotels renting out bicycles),preferably Pattaya side?

Are the Songthaeo running between Pattaya and Jomtien still 10 Baht, or have they gone up to 20, when the ones within Pattaya went up from 5 to 10 Baht?

Well, my Thai is probably still good enough to avail myself of the cheaper upcountry option, my Vietnamese, unfortunately, is nowhere near that level I am currently only working online, so a more extended stay in Thailand is a possibility. Whether I am in Thailand or in Vietnam, my daily expenses are about the same. So it all comes down to the price and quality of the operation itself.

Thanks for directing me to similar threads. Actually, I live in Vietnam now, but still a regular visitor to Thailand. So this is done as comparison between Thailand and Vietnam. I posted a similar inquiry here in Vietnam. The ophthalmologist who diagnosed my cataract yesterday referred me to an eye clinic(haven't been there yet) that does this procedure routinely. The English proficiency of Vietnamese doctors is nowhere near that of Thai doctors. She said that in Vietnam it can cost anywhere from 7 to 30mil (approx 10000 to 40000 Baht). I didn't really understand her explanation as to why this range, other than that it depends on the hospital. After reading up on the subject, I know now it must been type and quality of the lens.I also know now, that there is no rush. So I can take my time researching and comparing. On the other hand, one part of me wants to get it over with.

Yes, totally agree, not something where the cheaper the better. But more expensive does not always mean better. The escort girls from Hi-so agencies do not guarantee a satisfactory ending..

Don't think Laser is part of the primary cataract surgery. A laser can't possibly insert the replacement lens. Secondary cataracts, which affect the Sac containing the lens can be corrected with a Laser. Nevertheless, an accidental, tiniest of slips of the knife can have catastrophic consequences when we are dealing with an organ as delicate as the eye. But do western doctors have steadier hands. You can minimize, never eliminate, the risk by choosing an experienced surgeon who routinely does this procedure. Would be a lot less problematic if it was an operation on a toe.

Wasn't really asking it in the "pub", rather in general discussions, which had health as a subdivision. Probably not that many people perusing the health forum.

How much is cataract surgery in Thailand? What's the range,from cheap government hospitals to top private hospitals? Anybody undergone this surgery? I think it is possible to do on an outpatient basis. Any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Done it several times at land borders, but not recently. Took a few minutes. Used to be free of charge and only required old and new passports. The last 2 times was charged a fee (can't remember how much, maybe 200 Baht) and they require a letter from your embassy that certifies the transfer. That letter too used to be free, last time 1000 Baht. Done it once at Manila Airport where it was super fast and totally free of charge. No transfers of visa, just stamp you out in the new passport. That's how it should be done, but bureaucracies have a tendency to expand and complicate totally unnecessary BS.

Wow, U-Tapao the same capacity as Suvarnaphumi. 60 million tourist per annum heading to Pattaya. And they want to get rid of the sex tourists. 555

He was on a motorcycle, not in a Lamborghini, so unlikely to get the Red Bull treatment. Possibly a hitman, judging by his marksmanship. Their life expectancy is low :they either end up in prison or get shot.

Oh God no. The Thais' raison d'etre is whining.

I avoid the old looking ones. Problem is these machines seem to be out of fashion. Very few new ones around.