onzestan

To be honest I don't know.

It has changed so much during my lifetime, so I think it all depends on different circomstances, age group,

sexual drive, married to your job or not, etc.etc.

Anyway I asked my wife and she just smiled knowingly........

Cheers

Onzestan

I would value advice on where to go next Jan

Stayed in Krabi (Ao Nang) in Jan 07 and loved it!!! Will be going back July 08.

Have stayed in Phuket (Bang Tao & Karon) and Koh Samui (Chawaeng & Bophut).

Krabi was the nicest so far................I like great beaches, good local food (not pizza, not tourist) and can take the heat, a few shops, fantastic scenery etc. but not too many people or too much noise.

I have heard that Khoa Lak has gone very upmarket since the Tsunami and also that Koh Lanta is more expensive than the mainland.

When we were in Krabi, the most we paid for dinner for two was B450 and the quality and choice was fantastic.

Many thanks for any advice you can give me.

My advice is stick to Krabi, maybe try Raileybeach.

I have been to Koh Lanta and Khao Lak only once. Never again but thats my personal opinion.

Cheers

Onzestan

Thanks, I had had me doubts about both Koh Lanta and Khao Lak so I may well head back to Krabi, although I think I prefer Ao Nang 'coz the beach up by the "Last Cafe" is almost perfect (except, when the tide's out, it's a bloddy long walk to get wet!) and we love the atmosphere on "Massage Alley".

On the other hand we may look at Kamala in Phuket (see below)

Hi again,

There is nothing that compares to the beach at the last cafe. The towering cliffs, the islands in the background, etc. etc.

My first visit to Ao Nang whas 17 years ago, when there where only 4 hotels there and 2 resto's on the promenade.

There used to be a membership club at the "Last Cafe" then. More a joke from the owner than anything else, and I was member nr 7.Brings back memories.

Anyway since then I have been going minimum once a year to Ao Nang and have always enjoyed it, although it's starting to become a bit like Patong now.

Anyway enjoy yourselves there and say hello to Rasta at the Last Fisherman's cafe.

Cheers

Onzestan

Hi there,

Today my Firefox upgraded itself, and out of curiosity I checked out what add-ons where available, and stumbled upon " JAJAH ".

Can any one explain to me what this is and does, bearing in mind that I am not very literate about computers.

Thanks beforehand

Cheers

Onzestan

From Mozilla.org;

JAJAH - Web-Activated Telephony

by Gilad Katz, Nadav Shatz

The JAJAH extension for Firefox integrates call functionality into your browser. Phone numbers on web pages are automatically detected and highlighted. When clicked, JAJAH initiates a phone call from your phone

- landline or mobile - to the desired destination. Alternatively, phone numbers can be entered directly in the toolbar, thus effectively combining phone communication with everyday web browsing.

Regardless of your phone company or plan, JAJAH allows long distance and international calls for less than 2 cents a minute - no monthly fee, no registration fee, no need for prepayment. Trial users receive 5 free minutes to experience the outstanding quality and simplicity of the JAJAH service.

For more info please visit www.jajah.com

Reviews:

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2577/comments/

OK thanks a lot for the info.

Will try it out

Cheers

Onzestan

Hi there,

Today my Firefox upgraded itself, and out of curiosity I checked out what add-ons where available, and stumbled upon " JAJAH ".

Can any one explain to me what this is and does, bearing in mind that I am not very literate about computers.

Thanks beforehand

Cheers

Onzestan

I agree that one should not be judged by his/her sexual orientation, nor the color of their skin, race, religion etc. but by their behavior, character, loyalty and sense of responsability.

Having said that, we have all had an upbringing that was based on our parents feelings towards certain facts of life, and much of this heritage lingers for the rest of our lives.

Having been married to my Thai wife for over 17 years now, I trust her implicitly with everything financial, loyalty and everything else.

However there is only one exception where I do not trust her judgment completely, and that is in her opinion over her family. Thais can be overprotective where family relations are concerned and do not readily accept negative comments about them.

If the OP has negative feelings about the person in question, for whatever reason, he is entitled to have his doubts and should do what his heart tells him. We are talking about HIS children for god sake.

Onzestan

I would value advice on where to go next Jan

Stayed in Krabi (Ao Nang) in Jan 07 and loved it!!! Will be going back July 08.

Have stayed in Phuket (Bang Tao & Karon) and Koh Samui (Chawaeng & Bophut).

Krabi was the nicest so far................I like great beaches, good local food (not pizza, not tourist) and can take the heat, a few shops, fantastic scenery etc. but not too many people or too much noise.

I have heard that Khoa Lak has gone very upmarket since the Tsunami and also that Koh Lanta is more expensive than the mainland.

When we were in Krabi, the most we paid for dinner for two was B450 and the quality and choice was fantastic.

Many thanks for any advice you can give me.

My advice is stick to Krabi, maybe try Raileybeach.

I have been to Koh Lanta and Khao Lak only once. Never again but thats my personal opinion.

Cheers

Onzestan

Thanks to every body for all your suggestions.

Might consider doing Pnom Penh combination.

Back to the drawing board.

Thanks again

Cheers

Onzestan

Pattaya is (to my impression) built almost totally around the sex trade.. sure theres some other things there now in case people get bored of gogo's and hookers but thats its basic service sector.. I am not knocking it, it is what it is, quite good fun for a few days of lose moralled fun (wears thin on me after that) but I stand by that opinion.

Now where in Japan has a whole city whose main reason detre is selling sex ?? Where in japan are gogos rammed with girls dancing wearing only boots, a number, and a smile ?? Street after street of them.

I am not saying Japan doesn't have prostitution, it most certainly does, but theres nowhere thats taken it to quite the level that Thailand / Pattaya has..

Japan doesn't that kind of city because almost all of their sex trade is only reserved for the Japanese themselves. That's why. And that doesn't prove it in anyway that the prostitution in Japan is not was widespread as it is in Thailand. Just because it's harder for foreign eyes to see, it doesn't mean that it's not prevalent. And that was the whole point that Shochu and I were making.

Also your comment about Thailand being the world leader can only be taken with a grain of salt, because I'm sure you yourself don't have any concrete stats to back it up. have you travelled around the world and collected the statistics? I bet not. It's just your own perception which shochu and I (who have seen what's going in japan) disagree.

Try Cuba and or Brasil !!!!!

Cheers

Onzestan

A couple of years ago (2001) I was told that foreigners cannot get Thai bank credit card.

I had my Thai wife apply, and then I applied for second card as family member in my name.

There is 100.000 Baht blocked on my normal bank account and I do get interest on this amount.

Cheers

Onzestan

I'm talking out of my d.ick.

We know that.

:D

onzestan

We went a few months ago, and the road from Aranyaphet (PoiPet) to Siem Reap is atrocious. Dirt not paved, very potholed, dusty, truly the "Wild West." We rode in a Toyota Camry sedan, which might be cramped for four big tourists and the driver and tour guide. A van would be better, but you would not enjoy it.

Thanks PeaceBlondie,

Looks like we will have to resort to Bangkok Air

By the way, I am the only one of us 4 that can be considered big, and then only at the waist line (joke)!!!

Thanks again much appreciated

Regards

Onzestan

Hi there,

We (2 adults and my 2 grandchildren 16 and 14)) are considering a trip to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat,

and find the monopoly prices of Bangkok Airways a bit steep.

So we might consider going overland but we do have safety concerns, especialy since I am 67,and do have a medical condition. Is the trip from the border to Siem Reap comfortable, are the road conditions acceptable (hard top-dirt)?

The hotel we are considering is Prince d'Angkor Hotel and Spa, having read some positive reviews.

Any comments, tips, advice is very welcome.

Thanks beforehand

Onzestan

That's the most inane statement yet on this thread. Please tell me, MM, where you can get away from exhaust fumes on any street in BKK or any any other road in LOS? Clean air space? Go to a sleepy little village and the main road is full of lorries/trucks, buses, bikes, and diesel powered vehicles belching out exhaust. And noise.

Oh, and MM, I never smoke in enclosed areas. The milkrun bus was all open windows, too. You militant nonsmokers should do a temple retreat. Chill!

Well said!

I couldn't agree more, it's the militant non smokers that spoil it for every one.

I recall one incident in particular on one of my birthday party's where a friend brought a friend to my house, to enjoy my food and my booze and the music, but was offended (in a loudly manner) when I started smoking an after meal cigarette. You probably can guess what happened next but anyway the atmosphere of the party was shattered.

The world is getting smaller and smaller for smokers for all the wrong reasons. All the militant non-smokers always want to prove their point mentioning statistics and more statistics, thereby (knowingly) forgetting that statistics are made by people or organisations that want to prove a point, and you can prove anything with statistics. Fact is that even the WHO is not unbiased on this topic.

Governments are quick to point out how much money is spent on smoking related diseases, but fail to mention that the amount of taxes they receive on smoking is much higher, so who is paying for it?

And please don't tell me I should stop, I don't want to!!

Cheers

Onzestan

My husband and I both smoke and are on our way to Bangkok and Phuket in April so we are curious to know how serious this ban is in Thailand.

If you smoke in the street, bars, beach, hotels etc, Will we be fined by the tourist police? Ouch!!

Thanks

Cessnock

Dear Cessnock,

As stated before don't worry about it. The few very negative reactions you have received, are not at all representative for Thailand. As a rule the Thai people are very tolerant and welcoming, and a lot of them also smoke.

Just look where there are other smokers around, hotels have smoking rooms, the only places where you can't light up is in official public places, and many airconditioned restaurants. Evrything open air is no problem.

Cheers

My husband and I both smoke and are on our way to Bangkok and Phuket in April so we are curious to know how serious this ban is in Thailand.

If you smoke in the street, bars, beach, hotels etc, Will we be fined by the tourist police? Ouch!!

Thanks

Cessnock

In case you were unaware Thais are incredibly sensitive when it comes to personal hygene. Therefore as you both smoke why come here with your entire body, clothes and breath reaking like dirty ashtrays as most locals may consider that disgusting.

Well well well, aren't we hospitable.

Plse bear in mind that if all the smokers stay away from Thailand, that would mean 30 % less tourists.

That would be very nice indeed.

Plse bear in mind that 1 (one) motorcycle polutes more than 10 smokers. Do you want to ban them to.

Cheers

Onzestan

My husband and I both smoke and are on our way to Bangkok and Phuket in April so we are curious to know how serious this ban is in Thailand.

If you smoke in the street, bars, beach, hotels etc, Will we be fined by the tourist police? Ouch!!

Thanks

Cessnock

Don't worry about it. It is clearly marked where you can't smoke, mostly in airconditioned rooms/public places.

Cheers

onzestan

Hi There,

I may have overlooked it in other threads, but will they use the former Domestic terminal or one of the former internationall terminals ?

Cheers

onzestan

Thanks Bendix, I suspected that might be the case. I think I'll just stick with the limo and save the haggling time, an extra 1000 on the taxi fare is less than 10% of my air fare and probably less than my evening's drinks tab.

The meterd taxi's have fixed prices to Pattaya.

I have used them a couple of times now and the price is 1300 Baht + 50 Baht booking charge.

Cheers

Onzestan

After taking control of my travel destiny eight years ago I have never been "had", big time or otherwise. But if you'd care to share one or two of their "stories" I'm sure we'd maybe learn a few new tricks.

Dear Lomatopo,

This will be the last time I will respond to this topic.

You want to persuade me that I can find all the info I need on the internet.

I'm trying to make the point that airlines should provide me with all the info that I need, and in my opinion they could if they would.

So we are getting nowhere.

And in response to one of of you claiming that I would be laughed at when asking for a specific aircraft, let me explain to you that aircraft schedules are known months before each flight, for each aircraft.Then these are adapted to changing circumstances and become firm approximately 1 month

before the actual flight.

OK that's it for this topic, notwithstanding all the information that I received from you I remain convinced that airlines could be a lot more honest in their relation with their customers but most of them are not interested.

Cheers

onzestan

If you have the money to regularly fly to Europe first class for check ups, why don' t you save the money, the time and the aggravation, and just go to Bumrumgrad, or one of the nice hospitals here......

Hi there,

I fail to understand what your remark has to do with the topic in question. My topic is about airlines and not about Thai hospitals.(I can write books about my experiences with Thai hospitals)

My health is more important to me than saving a few bob, and if it takes flying to my home country to be able to explain my symptoms in my own language to a doctor that speaks the same language, and understands what I am saying then so be it, or are you unable to understand the logic of that.

cheers,

onzestan

OK Guys I give up.

It seems that I'm not able to express myopinions clearly.

That's my mistake and not yours.

I strongly feel that airlines withhold, or make it difficult to find, all the relevant information.

It should not be that only computer literate persons can find what they are looking for.

The budget airlines have an open and clear pricing policy and I now beforehand what I get for my money.

The other airlines do not offer me this service, and some not even on request by email.

I know about possible technical problems, but that is an excuse to often used for the wrong reasons.

I have traveled a lot, and it is because of a lot of mishaps that have happened to me and fellow passengers, that I am convinced that the airlines and their representatives are getting away with far to much at the expense of their passengers.

Airline travel should be a positive experience and much to often it is not, which leaves many passengers

with a nagging feeling that they have been had, and this should not be, and is also not in the best interest of the airline industry

Maybe I expect to much, but I have worked very hard for the money I earned, and do try to get the best value for the money I spend, and if that's wrong in your opinion then I'm advocating in the wrong forum.

I also have a couple of friends that have worked in the airline industry, and if only half of their stories is true, than we passengers are being had big time.

Cheers

onzestan

[

The key is to to become an informed consumer, only then can you get over your misperceptions that the airlines are some sort of Mafia and move on to gettting what you want, at the price you are willing to pay.

Seatmaps are available on most airlines' websites.

Further you can typically do a "phantom" booking to get a look at the seatmap which allows you to determine the aricraft configuration and the presence of "the new seats".

I do understand your point, and what I am telling you is that the information you require to make an informed purchase is available, from several sources. Considering you'll be spending what, 20+ hours, on the plane you might consider taking just a fraction of that time to research the best possible options.

If you care to supply your desired routings, with origin and destination, I'd be happy to suggest a short-list for you.

BKK-FRA-AMS

BKK-SIN-AMS

etc.

In this day and age you have to become an informed consumer or else you'll just fall back on those "Mafia" cliches.

Dear Lomatopo,

I appreciate the effort you make in replying to my topic.

Maybe I was mistaken in using the word "mafia" which seems to upset you.

However at your suggestion I just performed a ghost booking on qatar airways (which get good reviews on Skytrax) for following route

BKK/FRA 09.06.2007 and return FRA/BKK on 16.06.2007.

Indeed I find that the route BKK/Doha is on A330-300 aircraft and DOHA/FRA is on A330-200.

Then I go to the seating plan on the same website and find that their A330-300 has 5 configurations, and their A330-200 has 2.

What now, do they all have the flatbed, and if not which aircraft has them and which will be used?

I have just bought a new motorcycle for my wife which is cheaper than a business class flight to Europe, and I had all the information I needed to make an informed choice in the brochures provided. Why can't the airlines do the same?

I cannot understand how you can justify the pricing system of airlines. Why can a passenger originating in Germany fly for nearly 20.00 Baht cheaper than I have to pay originating in Thailand, for exactly the same service albeit in a reversed direction. In my book that is discrimination.

I am not very literate as far as computers and internet are concerned, and that should not be an excuse

to not get the information I want. I insist that airlines should give this information if requested or not.

Anyway once more thank you for your time and effort.

Let's have a beer together if possible and discuss this matter further among other things.

Cheers

Onzestan

You can get updated fleet information by reviewing the appropriate airline subforum on Flyertalk, and/or asking specific questions.

The key is to to become an informed consumer, only then can you get over your misperceptions that the airlines are some sort of Mafia and move on to gettting what you want, at the price you are willing to pay.

Dear Lomatopo,

The point I'm trying to make is that I should not have to resort to asking Flyertalk.

The information should be available on the respective websites of the airlines.

Anyway flying should NOT be a hit or miss situation, and why should any passenger have to become an informed consumer to get what he or she is paying for.

Thanks for the advice however I will try flyertalk.

Cheers

onzestan

I wonder if I could draw on anyones experience of hotels in the vicinity of Siam Paragon. We will be in BKK for a week at the end of April and want something close by that huge shopping mall. We are looking at a budget of about 1000 - 1500 per day, but could go a little bit further up if there is anything worth a little more.

Thanks very much

Try Asia Bangkok Hotel !!!

Cheers

onzestan

I think they are !!!!

For my regular trips to Europe for medical check-ups (I am 67 with a pacemaker) I

am always searching for the best possible comfort level in business class, and/or 1st class if the price is right. I should inform that for me the airport to which I fly is of less importance because I have the choice between Frankfurt, Amsterdam and/or Paris

since my final destination is in Flanders/Belgium and I have to rent a car at the airport anyway and don’t mind driving.

I have researched my butt of in Internet to find the best possible comfort level, and insist on having at least angled lie-flat seats in business class all the way.

Now for my problem.

I find it impossible to find all the info I need on the airlines websites, not even TG

because they have 2 types of 747-400’s one with and one without the desired seats, and impossible to find out which type they use on which route.

Further example is Qatar. The only info regarding used aircraft on a particular route

is the type of aircraft used and they have 2 configurations for their A330-200’s and

5 configurations for the A330-300 and no way to find out which have the good seats.

I have tried “seatguru” “skytrax” “flatseats” and others to no avail.

Emailing the airlines doesn’t help. Even if you do get a reply it is “sorry Sir we can’t

give you that information so long in advance.”

Anyway there should be a way to get the desired information at booking time, and if the info received does not match with the facts, there should be a system in place for compensation in whatever form possible ( extra mileage or free upgrade voucher for your next flight or even a rebate on your next flight)!

What use is a promotion campaign about new seats in 1st and business class if only one of the aircraft has them and the others will be refurbished in the very near future?

And what does very near future mean in airline lingo, one and a half years like Thai?

Furthermore I find the pricing policies a shamble to, for example on the Thai Air website for exactly the same flights on the same dates I found the routing FRA/BKK to be Euro 679,69 Euro that’s 31.266 Thai Baht in economy. The route BKK/FRA is Thai Baht 49.950. Can anyone explain the difference to me?

I may have opened a Pandora box here, and I am awaiting your comments with great anticipation.

Sorry for any spelling mistake, English is not my mother tongue.

Cheers

Onzestan

p.s. I have mentioned TG the most, not because I don’t like them but because I am living in Thailand, love the country for what it is, and Thai should be our first choice.