Mr Conrad

Good news/Bad news

Well the good news is my account has been activated. Not sure if it was the e-mail I sent (see earlier post) or the woman in their office in Nakhon Phanom that helped.

Looking at their terms and conditions for points accrual paragraph four sentence 3 . I quote "Points accumulated in a member's account are 6 months validity only. After such a period, points that have not been exchanged for Saen Sabai Pass fares will be expired".

Also only the home page and the profile page seems to be in English.

If I am reading this correctly ? it will not be of much use to myself, to tight a time frame to get qualifying points.

Hope this is of some help.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Amsterdam "wrote"

Great thanks. I am not sure how much I trust their website to make a purchase but good to know.

I must have purchased 30 + tickets via their website and never had a problem yet with them. Good little airline, even better if their membership scheme works IMHO.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Hi a quick update regarding there scheme.

Last night I fired off an e-mail to them at [email protected].

Today I also visited a PBAir agent in Nakhon Phanom, who was really helpful when I showed her the problem. She made a phone call and then suggested I return on Monday 15th September when she had spoken to the Bangkok office. I also mentioned that there were a few other people having the same problem.

On returning home I have a reply from PBAir requesting I send them my account number and they will activate my account for me. Don't know if it was my e-mail or the lady in the office that has got me this far. I will post an update if my account is activated.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Hi,

I tried last night to join their scheme as well. I got to the same position TBWG, I have not bothered to e-mail them yet.

Might be handy if it ever takes off, I use them at least ten times a year on the Nakhon Phanom/ Sakhon Nakhon route.

I wonder if visiting their office in Nakhon Phanom in person would bring about any progress ?

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Hi,

There is plenty of alternative accommodation available in Nakhon Phanom, but as other posters have pointed out it might be too late to book for the festival.

These are the ones I have stayed in before I started renting my house in Nakhon Phanom.

JR MANSION (tel no 042516356) up past the hospital on the same side of the road, currently being extended to double the size I think it is unlikely the extension will be finished before the festival. Hope your Thai is of a reasonable standard very little English spoken here when I stayed. Normally 350 baht a night but 2-3 times that during festival.

BAAN RIMKHONG (tel no 042521500/042520234) new room for rent block on the Mekong River Road in the Nong Seng area of town. Again very little English spoken when I stayed here just after it opened. Normally 400 baht a night.

Charoesen Bungalows sorry no number for these. Located just south of the town on road to Mukdahan. Normally 500 baht a night. I stayed here during the 2005 festival as nowhere else had rooms then, will probably need your own transport if staying here.

Here are other ones that I have not stayed in, sorry no phone numbers also.

WINSOR HOTEL

FIRST HOTEL

KRUNKRAO PLACE

SEETAP HOTEL

SP MANSION

GRAND HOTEL (not grand view hotel on the river)

If you need any numbers I could get them for you when I return to Nakhon Phanom on 7th September.

Hope this is of some use to you.

Mr Conrad

Dave the Dude wrote

They do have a website but its unlikely you can book from there.

Not true, they have an on-line booking engine which works very well, look at their site. I book BKK-KOP and return about ten times per year, no problem whatever your location.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Hi,

Does anybody know if they check that you have the bike with you on leaving the country.

Regards

Mr Conrad

monkeytunes wrote

60K for the security alarm system.

15K for the security lights.

45K for the bars

and 4K for the dog.

Worth every baht to us, but as mentioned, if they want to really get in they will, so you need to decide if you think the cost is justified.

Thanks for the pricing information.

I work in the UK fire service and break padlocks on a regular basis to gain access to buildings, yards etc., so I know what little protection they provide.

Will be building a house soon so just wanted to know an approximate price.

Thanks again.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

monkeytunes wrote

This is what Ive done and we feel 100% better, we put security bars all around the house, padlocks on all the doors and windows, and got a security alarm fitted to the house, which included magnetic window and door connections, plus sensors in the main rooms, the one area I was most concerned about was the roof, having a bungalow its so easy to get into the house via the roof, so we had a sensor fitted in there, we had keypads fitted to each bedroom so we can activate the alarm when we go to bed, we had automatic security lights fitted around the house,

If you don't mind me asking how much did that lot set you back, even a ball park figure would do.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Use them about ten times a year, really good service no complaints at all. Slightly expensive but there is no competition on most of there roots.

Nearly always on time as well. (there's the kiss of death for you)

Are they not a branch of Thai Airways ?

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

The name of the department store is Ying Git (spelling).

Topps occupies most of the ground (first floor) floor.

We always go there so my girlfriend can get her Scholl sandals on the second floor.

Hope it helps.

Regards

Mr Conrad

dsfbrit wrote

I am not bothered about the actual cost of the cab, I just hate being 'ripped off'. So should I make sure the meter is turned on or negotiate a price beforehand.

You will definitely have to negotiate, there is no such thing as a metered taxi in this neck of the woods. Although they might have a fixed price in mind.

I am flying into Nakhon Phanom on the 15.30 flight on Tuesday 3rd June, if on the odd chance you are travelling then ? I will give you a lift into town, as I nearly pass the bus station on the way to my house.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Hi, Nakhon Phanom airport is about 14 Km outside the town on the Sakhon Nakhon road. The bus station is located on the southern entrance to Nakhon Phanom town itself.

I have never had the need to use the bus but am pretty sure there is not a bus direct to Mukdanhan from the Airport. In fact I don't think there is a bus into Nakhon Phanom town itself.

There is a sign for a taxi service, but have never had to use it either.

I fly into and depart Nakhon Phanom about ten times a year. The girlfriend picks me up in our car.

Sorry can't be of more help, hopefully someone who does not have private transport will post a solution for you.

If I can be of more help with anything just ask.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

There is a course just outside Nakhon Phanom on the Sakhon Nakhon road.

Unsure if it's nine or eighteen holes, don't play myself.

Regards

Mr Conrad

Gary A wrote,

Actually Udon Thani is the closest at 120 kilometers. As far as I know Sakan Nakhon has no airport. It also appears that Kham Muang has no bus station. Your friend is going to have to help you with transportation.

I can confirm that there is definitely an airport at Sakhon Nakhon, I use it regularly when the flights to Nakhon Phanom do not match my schedule.

PB Air are the airline you need, but at 3000 baht one way is quite expensive. Check out www.pbair.com for schedules.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Can this be built for 1.5 million baht,no designs as yet i have no idea on how to design,have one family friend whose quilified designer in udon who can take care for this,what price would i be roughly paying for him to design.

Have you seen the house design books by Home Collection Group available in all decent sized bookstores, cost about 350 baht all sizes and styles of house's available in the books. If you after a bungalow then buy book number 120, ISBN No 978-974-8418-90-2.

Just show the design you want to your builder for a quote. Might save some money on having someone designing for you if there is a plan you like.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

There are two left luggage areas in the airport, one on the departures (level 4) behind check-in row P, the other is on the second level beside the tourist police office I think.

Might be better now as have not used them for a year or so, but there were stories of things going missing in the left luggage. Try doing a search of this forum to see older threads.

Price 100 baht per 24 hours.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Yes, there is a reasonably sized expat community in Nakhon Phanom.

How much do those go for? Do you need to have a Mac to use it?

Not a lot of price difference anywhere, think they are pretty much price fixed.

No you do not need a mac to run it, works fine with a normal PC and i-tunes software.

I have 30GB video i-pod myself, would not travel without it now.

Regards

Mr Conrad

Check their website as times have changed for other destinations in Issan as well.

Regards

Mr Conrad

Thanks for the replies,

lazeeboy wrote,

got to be a taxi ,lugging luggage on trains is no fun

Not an issue as I travel with one small piece of hand luggage all the time.

Will try the taxi direct this time.

Thanks again.

pbkk

Try a private helicopter, I believe the Grand on suk soi 6 has a heli-pad although you may have to pay a fee to land there

Very helpful and informative.

Hi,

I normally have 6-7 hours after my arrival at airport before I catch my next plane up to Nakhon Phanom. I usually catch a taxi to On-Nut sky train station and then the train to MBK/Siam Square or Plantip Plaza for some shopping etc etc.

Is this the quickest way to reach these destinations or would a taxi straight from airport be quicker, price is not a major consideration.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Hi Asian Frog,

I thought you were open already, will drop in at the end of January on my return for a bite to eat and to say hello.

Are you there most nights of the week ?

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Site loading quickly today in UK, Sunday 23rd.

The Blueberry cheesecake looks great.

Will look you up if I get down to Ubon.

Hope things turn out well for your business best of luck.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Tried to view your website but each page loads extremely slow. Does anyone else have this problem with the site.

Yes same problem for myself and I have an 8MB connection supposedly here in the UK.

Regards

Mr Conrad