Daewoo

I don't know about that, EnjoyYourLife - if you've been caught at Immigration for 40mins like I have, you'll start looking at other options, especially if you regularly come in on the same flight.

KL is good for going out and drinking. Massive variety of places, lots of local girls and guys out drinking too. Not that expensive but decent looking bars

I used to party pretty hard in KL - but when I was there, I was late 20s early 30s. Tall, white, handsome, professional - I had the whole package, and I was there with a crew, so I had partners in crime.

Now I'm 40, not handsome, and only an old working stiff, on short stays, BKK is great. I can hit the town at 2pm, and not be lonely until I choose to go to bed.

Traveling a lot for business is a lonely life.

Results in case anyone finds this looking for info.

No wait at immigration, plenty of officers on duty.

No wait for Taxi at official rank, no heaps of taxi's but enough that there was no waiting.

I guess the authorities should just have a chuckle and let the nice lady go?

Yeah - hadn't they read in Cosmo where it says all is fair in Love and War???

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It got me - and I am sure many others to read an article - which is actually interesting in it's own right...

She planned and deliberately tried to set her husband up for sending poison the President of the USA... I would have thought that in itself is a pretty interesting article...

Thanks Apiwan - this is new to me, as the usual flights from Aus arrived late at night, but before midnight - now that Qantas has done a deal to ditch BA and form an alliance with Emirates, most of our flights to Europe for via Dubai instead of Asia - so services have changed and reduced dramatically...

<snip>

Your limiting the amount of replies you will get with the

"Please spare me the....." Line

555+


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I know, but it is so frustrating when trawling through treads try to pull together up to date info, only to have 75% of replies be someone voicing their (opposing) opinion, and not providing info...

Cheers,

Daewoo

Sounds like there is no need for a Fastrack then - happy days - My only real bad experience has been when I have arrived at the same time as a full flight (or maybe two) from China... that is absolute bedlam...

Surprisingly, had exactly the same experience at LAX last year

By all reports the queues at the official Taxi rank seem manageable - so that seems the go as well... Shame really, I used to feel special knowing how to get out of the airport the fastest... people just don't the importance of every second when you are arriving towards closing time in BKK...

Thanks,

Daewoo

Eppic. Seems I was wrong about the age thing

Yeah - expat packages - those were the days - I was on one in KL in the early 00s.

I went to Brix, last trip.

At 9:55 there wasn't a single female in the club, at 10:05 after they let hookers in, it had about 200 (or so it seemed).

None of the girls are interested in having a couple drinks and a chat and a party, they are 100% focused on a $200 overnight relationship.

I'm surprised that when you have girlfriends you aren't able to find good places to go (although 2am closing is a hassle). I had some great nights at The German Beer Hall.

Then again, I've had even better nights at Papa2000 in Chumpon and Robot in Loei.

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Thanks Crossy - I'll try and find a map to suss out how to get between the two - I don't mind paying 800 baht if it is going to get me through 15mins faster, but would feel pretty silly if it was for nothing.

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Eppic - I'm guessing either, you're 10 years younger than me (in your late 20s, early 30s) or you have more than a passing tourist knowledge of Singapore.

I've been coming to BKK for work and leisure (on my way to somewhere else in Thailand) for 15 years. I know where to go, when flying solo, to have a good time (and don't mind buying a heap of lady drinks to precipitate it)...

I am sure that Singapore, once you get the hang of it, could be great fun, and more able to make friends in a normal bar/club situation due to there being no language barrier, less social barrier.

I am sure if I was hitting the bars there before I turned 30 like I was Thailand and KL, I would also have had a very different experience.

As someone who is only new to Singapore on a regular (monthly) basis, of a certain age where I can't really hit nightclubs and try and meet people without coming across as an old creap, who isn't interested in just buying sex but wants to have a solid party, Singapore is boring and ridiculously expensive... $60 for a lady drink on Circular Road or 4 Floors just knocks the fun clean out if it...

Also, there just isn't the Internet info on Singapore that there is BKK... I walked the streets of Tanjong Pagar last trip (on a Thursday night) based on Internet info,looking for a busy bar that looked like fun, and they all seemed either dead, or straight up hooker joints.

Give me Queens Park Plaza for a couple of thousand baht for many hours of pool and drinking any day.

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Ahhh - but I am replying in work time, which means it is free - better still, I'm being paid for it.

So - will there be plenty of taxi's? Immigration agents?

The difference between Level 1 and Level 4 used to be huge, both time and hassle.

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My flight arrives at 1:10am, I would like to make my trip into town as quick and painless as possible.

Will immigration be well staffed at this time? or should I look at buying a fast track coupon? (late hour, less agents = longer queues?).

What will the queue for Taxi's be like at 1:30am? I assume the airport is less busy, so therefore the Taxi's might be lower in numbers. (late hour, less taxis = longer queue?)

Is it worth trying to get a Taxi at the departures level?

I have always arrived at 11pm, and would use the Departures level, as the queues at the official rank were long, disorganised, and it is the only place where they would try and scam a high fixed fare. Departures level I never had a problem.

If the queue at the official rank will likely be long, will it be any quicker to go to the departures level through the carpark? or risk trying for one of the turnstiles that may or may not be open for people trying to exit? Seems like you are trading one wait for another. Will there be Taxi's on the departure level? (If consensus is that there will be no queue at the official rank, I will use that.)

Please spare me the "don't be a cheap charlie, pay the 50 baht" comments. I always tip taxi drivers very well, it's about reducing time and hassle.

Please spare me the "it's illegal and immoral" comments, one of the privileges about knowing a country is knowing how to get around most easily, and without hassle, and I've had enough bad experiences at the official rank to want to avoid it if it makes sense.

Please spare me the 'if you don't like the official rank, use a limo' comments - I am willing to pay a reasonable amount for a better service, but not 4 times the price of doing it myself, especially if the service isn't going to get me into town more quickly.
Please spare me the "use the rail link" comments - I don't want to catch a train - I want a taxi.

Thanks in advance,

Daewoo

Climax - used to be Spicy... Under Ambassador Hotel - Soi 11???

Sound right?

Still a week to go -

Normally the 2am closing is a big deal for me - If I'm in town for leisure (or weekend) I will have started drinking at midday, so well and truly wrecked by 2am. If it is a work day the next morning, I should already have pulled up stumps...

It is just this flying trip, which is really just an excuse to let my hair down before another (snooze) week in Singapore... I'm only in town from 2am on Friday night, and Saturday night... I don't want to throw Friday night way completely...

At the moment I am swinging between Hilary2 on Suk Soi4, and that disco that you get to from the underground carpark, but I will have to do some research and see if I can work out where it is. Normally I have someone who knows where to go as a guide, and I just pay the bills...

Don't want a doof-doof nightclub full of children...

county roads soi cowboy. Live band

Is that the big pub on the corner on the end at Asoke? I only knew it as the band bar.

The couple of times I've been there, I felt a bit uncomfortable, felt there seemed a lot of Thai boys spoiling for trouble.

I thought the laughing face after the first suggestion was a bit of a giveaway, apparently not enough so!

The lower end of Soi 3 is now home to people from many African countries and the first couple of soi's north of suckie is the subject of frequent raids by Immigration and the Thai SWAT equivalent, the end product is typically two or three trucks of people being removed, it's scary to watch. Bamboo aint what it used to be.

Not being ungrateful, but no, I didn't get the sarcasm, and if I'd been carted away in the back of a truck, you'd have been responsible... .

OK, back to the drawing board. It's a shame, 'cause Bamboo used have some nice staff.

So - Thermae is exactly what I'm not looking for - i.e. only reason it exists is as a hooker joint.

I won't be taking a girl home, so somewhere with lady drinks so the girls are happy to chat, play some pool, spend some time without needing to to move outside the bar...

Does Bamboo fit that bill??? In what way has it changed?

Cheers,

Daewoo

Ahh - Bamboo Bar - long time since I went there

I used to stop there for refreshments while walking to Soi Zero.

Diplomatico, thanks, I was thinking QPP, but last time I tried QPP (which I really like in the afternoon and evening), they were all pulling down the shutters at 1am.

My flight arrives at 1:10 am, and I'm only in BKK for 2 nights... so want to get out a bit, a couple of hours past 2am closing...

Pretty keen to grab a few beers and listen to some (Filipinoe cover band) music, but not keen on 'doof doof' night clubs... think beer and pool and a little dancefloor more than party drugs and electronica...

Don't care if it's a hooker joint, as long as that isn't it's only reason for existing... I'll be flying solo, so in bar company would be a bonus...

I'm staying on Suk Soi 4, so preferably won't spend half the night in a Taxi - somewhere easy to find would be best...

Suggestions please.

Jim,

I haven't read this, thread completely, but going by this and your other posts/threads, you are going into this with your heart open, and your mind closed.

This is the long con - she doesn't love you, she might not hate you, but she doesn't love you and to be honest, you don't love her.

She might find you more acceptable that Farrang 1 (or 1 - 99)... you might find her more acceptable than bargirl 1 (or 1 -99). You need to keep it in that perspective.

The long con might end at you giving her a salary for 1 year while still working in the bar and getting salaries from farrang 1-99... it might end at her quiting the bar, and living on only your salary (plus a couple fo random pick-ups/old favourites while you aren't around)... it might end at you marrying her, and giving her a salary for 5 years or maybe even moving her home with you (and her taking you to the cleaners for all she can)... It might end at you and her living together in happiness for 10 years are until you shuffle off this mortal coil...

You will notice that in all of those scenarios, she has nothing to loose... In many of them you have nothing to loose if you protect yourself... but as soon as you start giving her your heart, you are in trouble...

Do whatever financial deal you are comfortable with - with the full knowledge that it isn't love or anything close to it - be a lot more circumspect with regards to what you invest emotionally....

My understanding is this - and there is another very detailed thread here that backs it up;

If you are a tourist;

• On a tourist visa, or visa exempt stamp, you can not get a Thai license (because you can't prove residency, and don't have a Non-Immigrant Visa).
• If you licence is in English, and has a photo, (as well as other conditions under the Geneva Convention) it is deemed an International Drivers Licence, and you can use it without an IDP.
• Some UK Licence holders need an IDP because older UK Licences don't have a photo.

If you are not a tourist;

• i.e. on a Non-Imigrant Visa (as opposed to a tourist Visa)
• You can use your International Drivers Licence (i.e. English, photo) or non-international licences with supporting IDP for up to 6 months from entry.
• After that you are required to obtain a Thai licence.
• It seems the link is to the type of Visa you are using to stay in The Kingdom.

In NSW (in Australia road law is a state matter);

• If you are a visitor (i.e. tourist visa) you can use your valid licence from any country for up to 12 months.
• An IDP or English translation is required for Non-English licences.
• If you are on a temporary workers visa you can continue to drive on your home country licence for as long as you stay on that type of Visa (luck bastards don't loose their licence for too many demerity points).
• There is a list of countries whose licences are transferable to a NSW Licence without a practical exam, others need to pass the full exam.

It all seems pretty straight forward to me, and pretty consistent with the rest of the world (or at least Australia and The US) - I just wish I could get an official answer one way or the other on the need for an IDP (as I always come on a visa exempt stamp, only for short stays). I believe my stance to be correct, but would love a print out that confirms it that I could carry with me. IDPs from Australia are as expensive as the actual licence - for what is really only a translation.

My understanding is that all ASEAN countries accept each others licences, in the same way EU countries do, with the exception of Cambodia.

Back to the original statement from the OP about the BIB using this as an excuse to line their own pockets...

I guess I can understand that point of view - perhaps he feels he wouldn't have been pinged if there was nothing in it for the cops, and that they would be better off focusing on real crime or riders without helmets...

I feel that way about speed cameras - no cop is going to bother ticketing you for 10km/h over, so they put in cameras to gather the extra revenue.

I see it as being the same - as long as they aren't fabricating the offence - pay them, pay at the station - outcome is the same for you.

Cheers,

Daewoo

It could have been worse, 'wandering around' at ~4am.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/womans-body-found-in-a-brisbane-park-20131124-2y3i0.html

Wrong place, wrong time, and her parents are flying in to collect her body. Her crime ? She had to start early AM and found herself in a park at 4am - six weeks in the city and no real understandng of the dangers (her co-workers obviously didnt bother to warn her). Not the Brisbane I spent >20 years living and working in, sadly.

I'd say our Brit friend got off lightly - it could have been a whole lot worse than a ring, a phone and 10K baht.

The Police caught the guy in the article above already, and Australian justice will be done.

WRT the PatayaOne story and subsequent posts, which focus on blaming the victim.

The amount of money/jewelery/phone you carry only increases the outcome of the mugging, not the risk.

It is unlikely the motorsai guys stopped because they saw the bulge in his pocket and thought he must be carrying 10,000, but would otherwise have kept riding.

Maybe the risk of walking 2 minutes down the Soi was acceptable to him. I tend to walk if I don't know how much/hard it will be to get a motorsai/tuktuk/Songtao to take me to the hotel.

I just want to meet this guy to find out how he managed to end a night at 4:40am with 10K in his pocket... regardless of how much I leave the hotel with, I never return with more than an assortment of crumpled minor notes in each and every pocket... and sometimes with an IOU to return and pay the balance the next morning ...

Ok I admit I only read to page 3, 'cause reading to page 19 on an iPhone might make me look towards martyrdom.

I've worked with scores of Iranians. I was working for a Chinese company who of course ignored any embargoes and see embargoes only as assistance from The West. Through that Iranians had good knowledge of that company's technology, and became the go to source for cheap labour with good English (which the Chinese lacked).

Without exception every single one of them was a great guy, and the one girl was smoking hot).

On a night out, some drank a little, some drank not a lot, and one not at all... They were happy to spend the night talking about politics, on which none of them could agree, and they were all on the same side...

Chances are, half the group sees Merica as an ally, and hope for the day the US helps overthrow their I democratically extend government... If they are outside Iran, they are unlikely to be supporters...

IMHO you missed a great opportunity to learn about their country.

They are Persian, not Arab, which again IMHO makes them unlikely to turn violent...

Ongchart,

There is another forum for motorbikes in Thailand that will have a lot better information... I am sure you will find it quickly through google, and it has a lot of pre-prepared information and an active forum...

The three rental places in BKK listed above will have Versys 650s and ER6N/ER6F (aka 650 Ninja) for rent... those bikes are available in Australia, so your team can test ride them to check they are satisfactory... I live in Australia and ride a litre bike... a 650 Versys is perfect for touring Thailand...

Anything else is going to be a 'grey import' probably without registration, probably from a less professional rental place, and difficult to find in BKK - most likely need to go to Pattaya... One of the BKK rental places listed used to have an old 650 honda, not sure if they still do...

The bigger bikes are usually old as well... would you rent a car that has been a rental for 15 years???

As an aside, the best riding is in the North, out of Chiang Mai, with more rental options as well...

Hope that helps,

Cheers,

Daewoo

I've worked in Samoa, and flown Samoa Air a few times between Samoa and American Samoa... you need the context of their business before you all start jumping to conclusions about this being applied to long haul flights...

The flights Samoa Air fly are on 12-18 seat planes for 45 minute hops between islands... with a max take of weight of under 3 tonnes... the flights are usually full (or at least the ones between Samoa and American Samoa are) and the business is obviously run on a shoe string because a) both countries are quite poor, and, b ) the planes are not very well maintained.

When you talk about Samoans and weight, you aren't talking about your average fat arse American or Aussie (or other Euros)... even when they are training for rugby and probably carrying the kind of body fat that would make a supermodel envious, they are HUGE... Hands the size of baseball mits, heads the size of small children, children the size of families... yes, many of them are overwight, but when their 'natural weight' already 100kg, and then they put on 30% middle aged spread, it is only the same as an Anglo who has gone from 70kg to 91... how many people aren't 30% or more over their 'natural weight'??? Now when a normal Anglo hits 140Kg, they are probably 100% additional weight...

From a Samoa Air I don't think it is so much about the fuel costs, but if they get 10 big Samoans on a flight, they need to bump passengers, which means an extra flight, which means extra maintenance (based upon cycles as well as disctance), extra fuel, extra labour... their choice is to reduce the number of seats allocated on every flight, and charge everyone extra, or charge those who create the issue...

Now - getting to the important part - fatty bashing ...

Twice I checked in online 23hrs,59mins before departure to get the exit row seat, only have have the check-in chicks allocate the seats beside me to people who would struggle to contain themself within 2 seats... one of whom was Asian, so did the typical Asian thing as soon as arse touches seat - slept until landing... I couldn't get the tray out of my armrest, so had to eat with my food on my lap... had nowhere to sit my drink, and generally flattended one side of my body being pressed against the cabin side...

Now I forego exit rows, because they are less comfortable that a normal cattle class seat... I don't think it should go on weight, but on girth... either waist or shoulders... because seriously it does have a massive negative impact on other travellers...

Of course I wouldn't be saying this if at 72kg I was only 4kg overwieght...

Cheers,

Daewoo