Daewoo

I probably wouldn't want to take mums to Pattaya, for the same reason I wouldn't want to take my wife... it might make her question my motives for spending time in Thailand, after seeing so much drunken debauchery... that is your call... there will be no hiding that most of the visitors she will see (other than Thai's) will be older guys with young girls, on a sex tour....

Use a hire car or find a car and driver... getting around is usually the hassle and the biggest problem, other than that, you can avoid anything that you don't want to be involved in...

I took my mum to Krabi, and thought that was really nice... a lot less touristy than Phuket (Kata)...

I would definitely think about Chiang Mai, but no beaches...

Cheers,

Daewoo

What a freaking joke.....I've been to about 25 countries and this is the only one which allows it, imagine that...... Thailand and North Korea on the same page, who would ever guess?

Australia does it (well I know they do in Sydney anyway)...

Police raid on nightclubs where there are known drug issues, sniffer dogs, all patrons and staff drug tested using field test kits, and if a positive result are taken to the police station for a proper test...

At the entrances, and within music festivals they often have undercover and uniformed police...

not a problem for me - I just drink until I can't stand up - perfectly legal

The one I missed is Air Aisa - $Au921.00, via KL. Still have to question why you wouldn't pay $40 more to fly direct.

I did a dummy booking with a few airlines, just to check.

Sydney - BKK Dept Aug 03, Return Aug 12

Scoot (Fly, Meal, Bag) - $Au772.18. Return leg is 12hrs40, with 3 hours in Sing in the middle of the night.

32 hours outbound (overnight in Sing) so you would probably want to use AA or something to get to BKK, if it is possible after arriving at 7pm. Other option would be to overnight in Gold Coast and fly out of there, because flying from Sydney for a 9am departure isn't possible. Either overnight option is going to drive the cost up greatly.

Jetstar (Fly, Meal, Bag) - $847.74. 16hrs45 outbound (via either Melb+Sing or Syd-Melb-BKK). 13hrs45 Return (via Melb).

Qantas (Full Service) - $Au957. 9h 35m there, 9h 10m return,

Emirates (Full Service) - $974.54 9hr 25min there, 8hr 55min return

BA (Full Service) - 1202. Direct on Qantas.

Thai (Full Service) - $989.78 Direct.

Singapore 1,073.34 - 11hrs 45mins there, 11hrs 25mins return via Sing.

Virgin (only fly into Phuket) (Fly, Meal, Bag) 1,236.94 - FLy via Perth, couldn't be bothered working out the times. No overnight required.

For $80 to not overnight, I would be choosing Jetstar over Scoot. For $110 to save a further 10 hours travel time, and at least 2 opportunities to miss a connection and screw things up, I would probably choose Qantas.

Emirates have newer planes, but arrive at stupid O'clock in the morning.

The small difference in fares between the 'budget airlines' and Qantas surprised me. I think it shows that Qantas doesn't really know where they want to sit in the market. Old aircraft, old crew, not cheap, not best quality - maybe that is their market position.

Cheers,

Daewoo

I remember this case, and the pages upon pages of ThaiVisa discussing blame and punishement...

My response at the time, and the same now... there should be no difference in treatment of this girl, regardless of rich or poor... she was driving a car, without a licence, talking on a phone, tailgaiting, at an unsafe speed... 90% of the other cars on the road were probably doing exactly the same thing... and every car she has ever been in was probably doing exactly the same thing...

She didn't intentionally ram the van, like every other car around her, she was driving in what we would call a crazy way, but which their drivers just don't know better... It isn't murder...

If she drove like that in Australia, I would expect the most sever of penalties... but in Thailand, she should be judged against the acceptable standard...

As for restitution, in Australia, she would go to prision, the families who loose loved ones (no monetary value) and income earners would claim agianst the government, and get almost nothing... (edit: for car accidents there is compulsory insurance. For all other crimes they claim against the government).

In Thailand with even less of a safety net, the tragedy of loosing a loved one is compunded greatly by loosing an income earner... for I think it is imoprtant that they receive a significant financial payment... but that is compensation to the family, not punishement...

Punishement should be in addition, and should be directly related to the crime, without fear nor favour...

Cheers,

Daewoo

Is it only me that doesn't have a problem with a business requesting and holding the one thing that will ensure you pay your bill???

Would she have preferred that they didn't start treating her until she called daddy dearest and cleared the 400pound...

Now - the investigation or lack there of, with respect to the deaths is a different story all together... striking similarity to the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai that was originally put down to food poisoning, and would have stayed that way if one of the victims Aussie fathers didn't pull out all stops to ensure a proper investigation...

Is it only me that doesn't have a problem with a business requesting and holding the one thing that will ensure you pay your bill???

As far as I know, a passport is a document owned by the country of issue. The person travilling on this document is only the "holder". How would you like the idea if every shop owner would keep your passport by assuming he was underpaid?

It is true that you are the holder but I'm not sure about ownership remianing with the country of issue, and I don'ty think it is relevant...

I don't have a problem leaving my passport when I rent a bike, because I know that is how a small business ensures that, if I stack their bike, I don't just fly home leaving them 300,000 baht in the hole... that they keep it somewhere secure while I am not there concerns me, but the intent I think is OK...

And I don't think that anyone can walk into 90% of the hospitals in The US without any proof of ability to pay, and expect to be treated... In Australia if you turn up in an ambulance, in an emergency, you would probably be OK... but if you don't have a medicare card, or are from a county with a reciprical care agreement, you are in deep poo... a public hospital will probably treat you, bill you, and hope for payment... but an private hospital wouldn't...

Is it only me that doesn't have a problem with a business requesting and holding the one thing that will ensure you pay your bill???

Would she have preferred that they didn't start treating her until she called daddy dearest and cleared the 400pound...

Now - the investigation or lack there of, with respect to the deaths is a different story all together... striking similarity to the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai that was originally put down to food poisoning, and would have stayed that way if one of the victims Aussie fathers didn't pull out all stops to ensure a proper investigation...

Thanks for the long and reasoned reply.

However, there are 2 things that I think have been overlooked in all this

1/ the problems in origin countries, IMO, come from overpopulation, but no one is daring to say or do anything about this. So, theoretically, over the years the trickle will turn to a tidal wave- what you gonna do then?

Neither Iraq or Afganistan are overpopulated... just like Australia, they have masses of unariable land, and both had good infrastructure until outside countries 'foreign policy' (read covert and overt military activity) destroyed that and left them open to extremists... Neither Iraq or Afganistan would be the sh!tholes they are now if it wasn't for America (supported by Australia), and in the case of Afganistan, the USSR using them as pawns for expansion... we created the problem or at least threw fuel on the fire (over many decades)...

2/ Rather than running away to another country, an option would be to stay in their own country and do something about it themselves. Is it our responsibility to sort other countries problems ( think about it )?

I think that, if I was living in Australia under the constant threat of death through bombings attacks because of my race or religion, and Afganistan or Iraq were safe places with good infrastructure where I knew I could build a new life for myself or my family, I would seriously consider leaving rather than hanging around to try and fix it...

IMO multiculturalism is a sick joke, perpetrated on western host populations by bleeding heart liberals with white guilt. How much muliculturalism do you think saudi arabia practices? They don't even allow you to practice Christianity, let alone build a church, but they expect the right to build mosques in western countries.

The thing that irks me immensly though, is that the guy who wants to bring his Thai wife to the west faces all sorts of legal hurdles and financial burden, while an illegal gets all sorts of taxpayer help.

I don't disagree... I intentionally bought a house in Sutherland Shire (those from Sydney will know what I mean) to get away from 'multicultural' (read excessively Arab) areas where I know my sons would be subjected to violence and discrimination at school... I think it is a disgrace that my son will never have the opportunity to go to my High School, where my Grandfather and Father In-Law also went, because it is academically selective, and despite being highly gifted, I won't tutor him for the entrance exam the way the Chinese will...

I just think that we could accommodate 6,000 Arabs (Iraq) and Persians (Afgan) refugees escaping genuine sh!tholes in fear of their lives, if we didn't have 158,000 coming in through the open front door as 'legal' immigrants...

I would be shutting the doors to the Chinese who really do have the desire and capability to overrun the country, will the full backing and assistance of their own expansionist government, well before I shut off humanitarian migration, especially when their problems have in a very significant way, been added to by Australia and the US...

Mods – I understand your desire to keep this ‘on topic’ but I think the reason for the backlash against ‘illegal arrivals’ isn’t soley because of how they are entering, but more so what they do once they arrive. I hope after taking the time to write this up you will let it stay…

So many topics within this thread - Islamists Vs Christian? Asylum Seeker or Economic Migrant? Processing Vs Process? Claiming Benefits instead of working? Taxes being used for immigrants instead of pensioners? Come by boat or overstay? Stopping the boats Vs a legitimate queue? TPVs versus Residency???

In my job previous to this one, I worked with many Muslim Iraqis and Iranians (no Afgans that I can remember)... they were sponsored by the Chinese company to fill jobs that should have gone to Australians, because they would accept about half the wage an Aussie would, despite it being theoretically against the law... Every single one of them was a top bloke... and the one woman was GORGEOUS... I have no problem with Iraqis, Afgans, or Muslims... that should not be a criteria by which their suitability to enter is judged...

There isn’t a person in 90% of the worlds countries that can’t claim some sort of oppression… in most countries in half the country is one party is oppressing the other half, and the other half of the country it is the other half being oppressed… I think the obligation is upon the International Community to prevent situations in those countries from becoming so untenable that it creates a refugee exodus… I’m guessing that bombing the hell out of Iraq and Afghanistan, then turning our backs on them hasn’t exactly helped things… Khmer Rouge and Cambodia ring a bell???

The vast majority of the 7 million Aussies on Centrelink payments, are on small payments such as Child Care Benefits, and Parenting Payments, used to offset the cost of raising a family against the massive cost of living...

By nationality or race, some groups have significantly higher representation in benefits, including Lebanese, North Africans, Iraqis, and particularly Aboriginals – whether that is the case because of discrimination against them, their lack of work ethic, their lack of appropriate skills… that is another topic… but choosing to live on benefits alone would be a major struggle… I looked into it when I suddenly found myself unemployed… payments would start after 3 months, because I had cash in an account that I had borrowed when I bought a house… after that 3 months spending the borrowed money, with 2 kids and a baby, and a wife who couldn’t work, I was eligible for a monthly payment of almost half of each months mortgage payment… choose to live on benefits, isn’t choosing life – perhaps why those same minorities are overrepresented in crime and imprisonment statistics…

The job market and wages for unskilled labour just doesn’t exist in parallel with the rest of Australia… It is impossible for all these people to simply ‘move to the country or the mines’ and get work… they don’t need dumb labourers, they need skilled and qualified people… aside from a bit of seasonal fruit picking for $6 and hour, or working in a hotel of $13 if they can find work… The immigrants with the lowest levels of unemployment or Chinese and Indian because they also own businesses and discriminate in favour of their own kind to fill any positions…

All asylum seekers are processed following a process… sure they destroy their documents, which they undoubtedly had when they left their country… otherwise they may have had repatriation forced upon them by any of the countries they passed through on their way to Australia… it isn’t like they couldn’t also pick up fake documents along the way, or before they leave using bogus information and bribes… Australia follows and established process of seeking input from NGOs active in the area the people have come from (left leaning organizations like Amnesty, Red Cross and UNHCR) along with the governments own intelligence gathering, to understand the level of threat and establish the truth within the ‘story’ provided to them by the refugee… doing that takes time, which is why the men (not women and children) stay in detention for so long… if it was more simple, or their case is more clear cut, their term in detention is shorter… if their application is denied, they have access to the entire Australian legal process, including free representation, to appeal to the highest court in the land, and then the UN… They people who have been in detention incredibly long times are those that have been determined as not eligible, but are fighting against that decision, as is their right… the argument is against keeping them detained for so long, but the other side is allowing them to create a life in Australia for 4 years, then send them back when their appeal is denied…

Almost no one working in Australia now will be eligible for the OAP… The government gives responsibility for looking after oneself back to the individual… I think it may have been to early with that, as my Dad for instance didn’t really understand the need to do that until about 15 years before he retired… that combined with the GFC wiping out about half of what he put away, has left my mum in a pretty precarious position financially… but I’ll look after her, which is how it happens all over the world… The connection between that and the refugee issues is far less relevant that government spending in other areas…

I think the crux of the issue is really about immigration as a whole, which represents about 60% of Australia’s annual population growth, and many people don’t like it… not just us ‘dumb Anglos’… 158,000 new arrivals each year, of which illegal maritime arrivals would make about 3.5%... sure there is something in here that Australia should have the right to control, but seriously, if we want to impact upon immigration, should we be focusing upon the other 96.5% that is set by government policy and not impacted by humanitarian and UN Obligations… for me, I am far more worried about Chinese immigration that 3.5% from Iraq and Afganistan, who have mostly become displaced in part by actions by foreign policy of The US with support of Australia…

For these people starting a new life in Indonesia or Malaysia isn’t an option… they have ‘non-person’ status, which means that none of those countries laws apply to them… they can’t work, they can’t secure accommodation, they are subject to eviction ad-hoc by police forces, there is no life for them there, because those countries won’t take them either… stay in their own region… in the Middle East – the only place they will be in danger more than at home is in a neighbouring country where there are centuries of built up and institutionalised hatred…

So they come to Australia, do we, once we decide their claim is legitimate, allow them to start a life here? Put their kids into school, provide them the basics of life, accommodation and health care, so that they can become a productive member of society? Or do we give them a TPV, which basically says that when The Government decides things are OK back in their country, we will round them up and send them home, whether they like it or not…

I know I am coming across as a bleeding heart lefty, but I am not… I will pay $80,000 in income tax this year, plus all the other hidden taxes, and it makes me sick… I don’t like immigration, and think multiculturalism is mostly a complete failure, because it is basically too high to be manageable… I don’t think anyone should be allowed to stay in Australia without our say so, but we should decide that fairly, and once they arrive give them every opportunity to thrive and become a productive member of society… history with the Lebanese and Vietnamese where society didn’t do that is not what we should use to measure the current wave of entrants…

Cheers,

Darryl

Number 1 - stop creating an environment where terrorism is encouraged... bombing and killing innocent people until they don't hate you isn't good foreign policy...

Number 2 - targeted search... The gels that they are looking for are not the explosive... when mixed together, they burn very hot, enough to be the trigger to an explosive elsewhere on the body... I have no problem with full body x-Rays to find the explosive, because I am not American with an exaggerated sense of where Civil Liberties starts and ends... but I do have a problem with walking around Auckland at 2am, to try and buy some toothpaste and hair-gel for the morning, because I travel without check-in luggage...

Number 3 - a proper risk assessment and planning, not some knee-jerk reaction... I fully understand that in the days and weeks immediately after the attempted attack, the measures they put in place were appropriate... I don't think it should have taken 3 years or more to come up with a more workable solution...

If the OP ever comes back to this thread.

I have two Masters Degrees from a Level 1 University in Australia, albeit at the bottom of Level 1. Due to said University wishing/needing to gain a lot of it's income from full fee paying international students, the lectures were filled with 2nd rate students, with limited English and no experience. My learning outcomes were poor for any of the lectures. I graduated with honours, however don't feel I had to work very hard to achieve that, just a bit harder than the International Students, who plagiarised all their assignments, and did little study during the course.

I would imagine that the classroom in Thailand would be very much the same - therefore, you aren't actually going to gain anything from the University environment (no sharing of experience)...

As an employer, I would definitely question the worth of a degree from any University in Thailand, relative to one from the US (and I would have no idea what US University are level 1, or level 51)...

That said, unless I was employing a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer (to do engineering work) - a field where the degree is a must have to join the professional body, or a legal requirement - the piece of paper or university that provided it, isn't high on the selection criteria...

So go to a Thai University, slam all the girls, take photos, send me the links - nothing lost really...

Daewoo

Two things...

Australia and most countries did not apply this silly rule to domestic flights - it was an International Air-Transport requirement...

Secondly, most countries are looking to phase out this silly rule for international flights over the next year...

I reckon if you are relying on a bomber not being able to figure out a way around such a stupid rule, or picking them up at the airport, we are all in serious trouble...

to hammer screws?

Also removes some of the responsibility for the lifeguard/lifesaver, and allows them more freedom to choose to risk their own life... although again, that choice is always there...

That surf didn't look particularly big, but I would have been using a rescue tube rather than a board... getting a big board through the surf is hard work and dangerous in itself...

I am a patrolling lifesaver (lifesavers are volunteers, lifeguards are paid employees of the local council) in Australia. We use the same patrol board that this dude was using, so I assume that it was donated by Australia, and Surf Life Saving Australia provides the training to Thailand, and many other countries.

Here the lifeguard (not the lifesavers) has the authority and responsibility to close the beach. That only means that they cross over the flags and put up signs saying that the beach is closed, it does not make it illegal to enter the surf.

Most people will either not go in, or change what they will do (e.g. wade not swim).

From a lifesaving point of view, the message is that closing the beach removes legal responsibility for choosing not to save someone for risk to your own safety. I am not sure if that has been tested in court. Not sure if it removes the responsibility for the lifeguard.

If I saw a red flag, I would not immediately know that the beach was closed, I might just assume that Thailand uses red flags to define the swimming area, not red/yellow like we use in Australia.

Cheers,

Daewoo

That's horrible - most of these scams prey upon people being greedy/dishonest... wanting to sell something for much more than it is worth, or willing to do something dishonest for reward...

The romance scams just prey upon people looking for someone to make them happy...

I would think that they would have to be paid the going rate. That being the case, why pay so much for half the input and shoddy workmanship? Did I miss something in this post?

Yes under Australian law all workers are treated equally and must be paid the paid equally whilst working in Australia. A little different for the hostesses the Australian airlines employ from Thailand because those hostesses operate out of Thailand.

Yes and No -

Under Australian law, they aren't allowed to discriminate and pay a foreign worker less than an Australian for an equivalent job grade... but doesn't stop them employing people on a lower job grade to do the same work... which is what they do with foreign workers...

Job descriptions are so vague that they are useless in determining a job grade, since 80% of the items are 'hygiene factors', work safely, non-discrimination, communication, and the 20% left are intentionally open ended to allow them to cover a wide range of roles...

I guarantee that they will be paying less for a Thai/Chinese engineer to complete the same job activity then they would an Aussie, Pom, Scott, Paddy, Yank or Canuk... They can get away with it, and would be failing their responsibility to their shareholders if they didn't do it...

What's the go with spamming other peoples threads with advertising? I would have thought TV would be onto that like a fly on stink...

Great report as usual Tony... although I seem to be missing the report on your visit to 'Lobot' when you were in Loei... I'll re-read now to be sure...

Cheers,

Daewoo

My interpretation on this, or how I have had it explained to me -

Thai women worry about farang who can speak Thai, because it can/often indicates someone who has spent a lot of time in 'the bars'... especially obvious if they use Issan Thai words of accents... I have never heard it indicated that it is because the Thai's can't talk as freely, or be deceptive...

Much the same as farang may be suspicious of a lower class Thai girl with good English skills - she probably didn't learn it at school, so she has been more likely been exposed to a lot of English speakers... it is easy to jump to the assumption that this exposure was in the context of bar work...

perhaps dean999's missus couldn't explain the reasons behind it, or perhaps there is another reason... but that would be my take on it...

Back in the Day, when I was 30, shopping in Siam Centre with my (farang) wife, I overheard one sales girl comment to another about the 'handsome farang'... the look on her face when I responded in Thai with 'thank you very much' was priceless, then she tried to cover with 'your wife is very beautiful too'....

Cheers,

Daewoo

This is, and isn't a total load of <deleted>...

Most FIFO workers only do it for a few years, to build a solid bank balance, and get themselves set up 'back home'... back home for 1/2 of Australia is Sydney and Melbourne...

I know young guys, willing and wanting to get into a job in 'The Mines', but they have no skills, and no knowledge of what they want to do... the days of filling in a form and the company finding a job for you are gone... The company doesn't employ people, a contracting company does... the contracting company employs you on a contract, so they don't supply training, because every 6 months you gt to decide whether to stay or go to the company next door... there isn't a labour shortage in Australia, there is a skills shortage... your average 'dole bludger; doesn't have the skills required by the mines... sure they have some token unskilled jobs for females, driving trucks etc etc... but a bloke with no experience has no shot...

I know older guys, who have done their 3 years FIFO, all are qualified tradesmen, away from their family for 6 months of the year... who are now looking to get back home, but can't afford it, because the cost of living in Sydney, doesn't equate to the pay of a blue collar worker...

Remember, it isn't the 6 weeks (more normal FIFO contract) of 12 hour days that is the killer, it is the 6 weeks full time living on a mine site, away from your family that is the killer... home for 6 weeks, but the kids are at school most of the day, you get to spend 6 weekends with them, but then they don't want to dump their friends and social life just because dad wants to 'catch up' on what he has missed... then you are back on a plane...

Of Gina's 1700 jobs, how many will go to Thai's??? I would hazard a guess it will be exactly NONE... The jobs will be placed through the contractor... the contractor will be a Chinese company, given the contract to appease the end customer, the Chinese Government... they will bring in Chinese labour, use Chinese equipment, ship the products to port in Chinese rail wagons (with maybe a US built locomotive)...

Gina gets rich, Australia gets screwed...

I haven't been a Union Member for 15 years, but the decline in work standards for the average Aussie, since power moved entirely to The Government and Corporations is astounding...

I'll pay $80,000 in tax this year... if I loose my job, I am eligible for $650/fortnight payments (married with 3 young kids).... our mortgage is $2400/month, in a smallish house in a cheap suburb... maybe out in 'the country' families are living high on the hog on welfare payments, but not in Sydney... maybe they get by, but it isn't a life...

In Australia there is a massive need for construction workers in the arid/hot/inhospitable north of the country (Northern Territory, WA, Qld), because all the skilled workers have headed off to the mines… lots of Aussies do a few year stint, flying in fly out, at great expense to the companies until the lifestyle becomes unbearable… basically they earn a very good wage for working ½ a year total…

This has left massive holes in the construction industry, because all the workers are in the mines where they earn double or triple the money on a FIFO contract, Sydney and Melbourne are suffering, but nowhere near as badly as Brisbane, Perth, and Darwin where double or triple the money is only a couple of hours away…

These companies want reliable labour who will work 6 days a week, 48 weeks/year, for a decent pay and conditions… The companies will train them on site in local practices and expectations…

At the moment, the big problem is the Chinese workers on construction sites… lots of Chinese companies undercutting local prices to win contracts, 100% Chinese staff on dodgy visas, dodgy qualifications, dodgy pay… no English skills at all, not necessary because the entire crew is Chinese… but unable to work with other trades/contractors because they can’t communicate… there is such low Unionism in Australia, that they are virtually powerless now, and it will only get worse because no one new will join a union, because they are powerless…

Of course, all of this is driven by ripping up Australia, and shipping it to China as cheaply and quickly as we can, so that we can sell as much as we can before the China bubble bursts, at which time, Australia is f^cked… All the ‘cashed up bogans’ will go back to earning a realistic wage for their skills, the property market with implode, and there will be lots of immigrants with Permanent Residency and no jobs…

The true meaning of “The Lucky Country” from Donald Horne’s poem, which most Australian’s use a positive, will come home to roost… “Australia is a lucky country, run by second-rate people who share its luck.”

Better the Thai’s than more Chinese IMHO…

Sorry, didn't realise that other farrang were stupid enough to ride in Thai heat...

I rented a couple of heavy, steel framed, Chinese mountain bikes from Probike http://www.probike.co.th/ ... not sure if they rent higher spec bikes, but you could ask...

Rode the bikes from BKK to Surat... Thailand is perfect for cycle touring... but then I started riding motorbikes because I am old and lazy???

Cheers,

Darryl

I can't believe all the sanctimonious losers who get on here and would throw him under a bus for buying some weed... 'because it is illegal'... so is recording a TV show to watch later, quick, send around the BiB....

I haven't had a puff since I was 14, a good few decades ago... I don't like pot, I've seen lots of guys ruin their lives over it by becoming barely functioning idiots... living in filthy share houses, eating badly, having a hard time holding down a job, and just being 'wasters'... I don't buy into the 'legalise it' argument because of those things, but suggesting someone should face prison time or massive fines for pot use is ridiculous...

Fools here suggesting he faces 10 years for a joint, in a country where undoubtedly most of the same guys are buying sex from economic slaves, drinking and driving, living here when not entitled to by manipulating the Visa system, disrespecting everyone they meet...

In a country where murder goes unpunished and often rewarded, you let the 'lawmakers' and police tell you what is right and wrong??? Use your own brain for once!!!

Hope the subject of the OP got out of it OK... $600 is a fair amount to pay for a bit of a smoke...

To the rest of the hang em high brigade, "let he who is without sin..."

/rant

Daewoo

don't waste a two week vacation just to find a wife... they have girls at the airport collecting trolleys, working in Burger King, cleaning toilets... no Thai girls have any self respect, or mind of their own... it is just like buying a new shirt at WalMart... choose the one that is on sale and fits less badly than the others... you should be sorted in a few minutes and on your way home...

Buy the ring in the US before you leave, as there are lots of dodgy jewel sellers in Thailand...

Daewoo

Are you after a bike or a scooter???

Do you want to go touring? or just ride around town?

From BKK, http://www.bangkokbikesrental.com/#BBR_SHOP.L/s0c/All although if you want to tour, you would be much better off flying to Chiang Mai and renting there...

As for renting in Pattaya, I can find no information on recommended shops, so you'll just have to do the best deal you can with the guys you find yourself...

Cheers,

Daewoo