hunghung

I would be visiting Ko Lanta as a single around late Feb. or early March, 2008. Does anyone know or can offer a good lodging deal for a full week (perhaps even two weeks)? Around B700/day with tax, service, and breakfast included would be ideal.

Hunghung

Tip: Inflation will be high in the next 1-2 years. Buy stuff (e.g. pasta, canned food, toilet paper) before their prices increase, saving you lots of money. After that, there would be a worldwide economic depression, at which time prices would decline.

Hunghung

Thanks for that.

I have just been out and bought 100 cans of baked beans, 200 cans of Spam, 100 bags of pasta, 50 cans of mushrooms and 50 Double packs of bog roll.

Just worked out if things increase by 10% per year, I will have saved myself about 300 baht a year

Again thanks for this information, something I would never have thought of on my own. Any ideas what I can spend my savings on?

Glad that you are enlightened. However, don't overdo buying stuff (foods are perishable). Spam isn't healthy food and I don't think you should eat that much Spam over the next 24 months. For your savings, convert the money to PHYSICAL gold (it's real money and you can sell and buy it at numerous gold shops in Thailand). Also, liquidate your stock holdings, if any, now. A worldwide market crash is imminent.

My sources say banks around the world would have major problems soon and I advise you to take excess cash out of the bank (when there is a bank run, this will save you lots of grief; if you think bank runs are unlikely, look at Northern Rock). One day, you would thank me many, many times for giving you the tips. You may invite me for a luxurious Thai vacation then!

Hunghung

The world runs on oil and oil is priced in US dollars. As the US dollar and other currencies (including Thai Bhat) are in a competitive depreciation (printing loads of money), nominal prices have to rise. Inflation is happening in almost every country.

Tip: Inflation will be high in the next 1-2 years. Buy stuff (e.g. pasta, canned food, toilet paper) before their prices increase, saving you lots of money. After that, there would be a worldwide economic depression, at which time prices would decline.

Hunghung

I was in Hatyai in late Feb. and Pattaya in March.

Lee Garden Plaza Hotel in Hatyai has a breakfast buffet for only 100b, all inclusive. I enjoyed the fried chicken wings very much. Very good value in my opinion. The hotel also has lunch and dinner buffets for under 150b.

Lek Hotel on Pattaya 2 has a breakfast buffet for 110b, all inclusive. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of food selections. There were even desserts! I think this is the best buffet value in the whole Thailand. The hotel also has dinner buffet, but unfortunately I didn't have the chance to try it when I was in Pattaya.

I visited Pattaya a month ago in March and I am reporting my bad experience with Pattaya Park. I was aware of the Park and the tower's revolving restaurant before my Pattaya visit and I thought the buffet at the tower should be very good as the tower is a landmark in Pattaya. When I was in Pattaya, I asked a travel agent to phone the Park to ask the price of the lunch buffet and the answer was 300b, which was okay for me. When I was at the Park to purchase a lunch buffet ticket, the price was 500b, not the quoted 300b! Why did the Park quote 300b on the phone? This is why: the lunch buffet includes a cable ride from the top of the tower to the ground, which by itself is 200b. 500b minus 200b is 300b. Sorry, if you don't want the cable ride, you still have to pay 500b. This is evidently an intentional rip-off practice. When I was at the buffet, I found the foods very cheap and horrible and not worthy of even 100b. This is the worst buffet I ever have. The windows were dirty and this is surprising as the selling point of the restaurant is the view. Some staff members were walking with slippers with feet exposed and some were sweeping the floor while visitors were eating. I was disgusted. Finally, the staff members for the cable ride were less than friendly and they spoke hardly any English. Before I went to the Park, I was thinking of doing other activities there (e.g. monorail), but I left the Park with disgust after the cable ride, not wanting to spend another dime on this rip-off place. Visit the Park yourself and see if what I say is true. If you hate rip-offs, spread this message. Hung

Thank you guys! That's all I need to know.

Most of us are entitled to a 30-day stay without a visa. What is the penalty, if any, for overstaying for a few days? Do they charge a fixed amount per day of overstay? (I may choose to overstay for a few days instead of doing a visa run.)

Hunghung