stevenl

"Allowed only in specific areas" - so essentially the attitude remains the same, which is deterrent rather than encouragement.

That quote does not come from Dr. Surapong, who presented the idea, but from Mr. Issara, who is opposed to more freedom for foreigners on the housing/land market.

Are they Thai BBQs

or normal farang style?

I really love Thai BBQs in Chiang Mai and Bangers when in LOS.

Farang style. For the Thai BBQ is a very good place in Phuket Town. There is also one in Patong, but the one in Phuket Town is much better IMO. Both are 99 Baht.

Mammas & Pappas on Sai Yuan Road (opposite Don's Mall further down the road) always had a Friday AYCE BBQ I know. Always crowded.

I am not sure if they're still doing it, but I guess they do. 150 baht if I am not wrong.

They do, but Don's is much better. There is quite often a big group at Mammas & Pappas that takes up all the space as well.

Don's: BBQ every Saturday, by far the best ribs in town.

I also add a steeply increasing fever every other day, fainted and was vomiting.

Yes, drink more water, you can add some electrolytes if you like.

Diveboats are going out at the moment, all destinations are possible except for Similans.

If it is not safe, the boats will not go out, but that happens very rarely. There is a bit of wind at the moment BTW, but it is nice and sunny.

If you have screens on all your windows and empty standing water at least every day, you can minimize your chances a great deal.

You're right, was not thinking about those screens.

I also had dengue a few years ago, spend 6 days in hospital, and it really was no fun. But still, in a country like this I could get it again.

Hope that you have taken your precautions with repellent and nets

Since the dengue mosquito only bites during the day, nets are not very helpful. And I would not like to put on repellent all day every day.

Yes, dengue is a risk, so try to avoid being bitten, but it is a risk one simply has to live with here IMO.

8. Muay Thai - Not in Phuket. I'm so p*ssed off at that idiot truck that drives around blaring "Tonight, Tonight, Muay Thai Boxing at Bangla Stadium, Tonight, Tonight." And they have those emaciated clowns standing on the up there smacking their pads and trying to look tough. One of these days Somtai is going to brake suddenly and a few of the "athletes" are going to go flying.

You should go to the one in Phuket Town, not Patong.

Check out this thread with the latest update.

Ban Sayuan (near Rawai and Nai Harn).

I agree, try to avoid them, but if you want to go from one side of Patong to the other side, what alternatives are available?

I think a tuktuk from one side of Patong to the other side will be 150 or 200 Baht.

Be aware perhaps Stevenl is attempting to dissuade you from my opinion because he is hostile toward me for other posts.

I don't agree with you in the other posts, but I have not posted in those threads nor will I.

And I really don't know where you got that impression. Main thing: the op is asking about diving, and recommending Bang Tao for that is about the worst recommendation you can give.

Some might think it's a good thing to bring a supermarket down here, but personally I'd sooner have the trees that have already been toppled than the tall parking lot lighting systems that will soon sprout up to replace them.

Same for me.

The entire southern portion of the island is now a traffic jam. I would go up toward Bang Tao and Cherng Telay.

As usual a very exagerated remark from Mustapha. Plus of course, from Bang Tao it is a one hour drive to the pier, so not exactly ideal for diving.

If diving is the most important thing: Chalong, if you also like more eateries and things to do, consider Kata or Rawai. Both are within 15 minutes from the pier.

Well, I can remember being back home, in public pools, that at the arrival of a storm, thunderstorm, people would be warned to leave the waters immediately!

In pools: yes. But the chances of being hit in the sea are extremely remote.

This is an unfortunate accident, I would not leave the water if a thunderstorm comes up (at least not for fear of being hit by lightning).

I am also Dutch, and to prevent any problems when I am taking my wife (already for over 5 years) to Holland, I have my parents send her an invitation (which the girls handling the visa request can't read because they don't speak any Dutch), and vouch for her. That is for me the only sure way to get her a visa..I have heard from others, that especially the french embassy will be a lot smoother.

BTW, how long (and expensive) would the home office route be?

reason 2) creating a store and only employing muslims, is racist and should be boycotted.. again.. refusing to blend..

reason 3) marketing a religion as a race... can piss a lot of people off

Right, and you are here marketing a religion as a race.

Check out this thread.

Of course the Ranong route is no option for you.

Redted, where the hel_l is Manik?

Did any of the recent rains help you at all?

Yes, I was wondering the same.

At work in Kata we have town water, which the last months has been good, no problems. Before there was quite often no water, so we had to buy.

In Rawai where I live we in this time of year quite often have to buy water, but with the amount of recent rain, we have had no problems at all so far.

What area are you talking about Ted?

I have no problems with my well in Rawai.

This is probably because they are bigger companys, having a lot more drivers and cars, cars for rent so they can charge less.

I really don't think that is the reason.

The only explanation I can come up with for a taxi ride to Chalong for 350 Baht, is that it was a shared taxi. Maybe meter taxi, but I don't see the new taxi service at the airport charging half of what the limousine service charges.

You really think farangs are not targetted more ?? you have to be kidding !!! I mean wouldnt it make sense to target the high value targets ? of course farangs are more common targets.

People with money are targetted more, and in general farang have more money than the average Thai, even on Phuket. So indirectly: yes, farang are targetted more, but not because they are farang, but because chances are they have more money on them than the average Thai will.

Secondly the 'it happens back home' line.. Well it may do but in the last year 2 mates were attacked at gun point.. another had a gun shoved in his face in the early evening at a busy 7/11.. This is from a circle of maybe 30 or so mates. In my entire life in Europe none of my mates were mugged with a gun. Now I have 3 in one year.

Agree with you there are way too many guns around in Thailand, especially compared to Europe.

Lastly, the police here really dont do anything unless theres financial incentive or pressure from someone important.. And as farangs we are faw less likely the either be or even know someone of sufficient importance.

Yes, and also back home the police won't do anything about a simple mugging or bag snatching.

Something i've never understood. A 'taxi' (often unlicensed cars) seems to cost 6 or 700 baht from Chalong area to the airport. Yet just last week, i used the pre-pay booking desk AT the airport - which is supposed to be really expensive/rip off/ etc and it was just 350 baht, pay up front, no more to pay in the car, no visit to a gem shop or any other nonsense.

350 Baht for a private taxi from the airport to Chalong? Meter taxi will be about 400 Baht, limousine I guess 600 or 650.

Is that the new one, the competition for the limousine service? If so, excellent price. If not, there is something I don't understand about these prices.

These things happen, to both farang and Thai.

What is done in the west about the car break ins, robberies, etc.

Every country/area has its problems, let us not make this 'us poor farang', because that is simply not true, and let's not pretend that these things are not happening back home, whereever that is, or that back home the police care about these things any more than the Thai police do.