wabear

The Asia Hotel in Bangkok used to be one of my favorites because of the BTS link. The lack of WiFi in most rooms and little English language programs on TV led me to other options. The website now says Wifi in each room. Has anyone stayed there recently? Wifi? Satellite TV?

Leave them in the labeled bottle. No little bag of pills.

I was in Bangkok recently and two bad experiences with taxi drivers and a great experience with Grabcar. Year and a half ago I was on Samui and the taxi drivers weren't bargaining. I hope taxi alternatives survive in Thailand.

Since we are complaining about Samui here, what is Koh Phangan like these days? I'm NOT looking for world class resorts and spas.

I think you need to figure out your needs first.

1) Do you want a Thai phone number that can work with anyone in Thailand? This gives you the most convenience. This also give you access to location based APPs. If so get a Thai SIM.

2) Are you trying to keep in contact with people back at home for emergencies? Turn on the international plan on your home phone number and ask your friends to text or email you while you are gone.

3) If it's OK to have access only while you are in your hotel room or shop that has free internet, get a WiFi tablet. You can check emails and use APPs such as Line, Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp, etc to chat or talk to your friends. Your friends would have to have the same APP installed on their phone or PC. I believe iPhone Facetime allows you to call iPhones from a WiFi in Thailand free. Facebook Messenger also works great over WiFi.

4) If you are worried about the new SIM, which apparently are for both Thai and Visitors, and would allow the Thai government to track you, well you will be photographed both entering and existing Thailand, and all hotels notify the local police when you check in.

For the average Visitor that wants the convenience of a Thai phone number, they are cheap. There will be times when internet will be iffy so signing up for a few GIG of data and your phone can drive your laptop while you check your emails.

Speaking for me only, Thailand has gotten a lot more expensive. I'm a gay man, and Thailand is no longer the only gay friendly country. Even China is opening up in the big cities. I've been vacationing in Thailand for almost 30 years, obviously I like the place, but I'm thinking in a few years when I retire, I'd prefer the freedom of spending time in different places in Thailand, and in Asia. And am I wrong that the weather is getting worse in Thailand?????

I'm not sure how much traveling you will do.

1) Do you need a smart phone in Thailand or will something like the Nokia Dual Sim 3310 be enough phone for  you without having to recharge every day?

2) If you MUST be in contact while traveling, AT&Ts service has an option for automatic and immediate connection most anywhere in the world. Step off the plane and you will have bars and and be able to make and make phone calls, and send and receive text messages. It's not cheap, so train people to text when you travel :) Combine that with a local SIM and phone number in Thailand and you have the best of both. Note: checking your ATT VM does require calling up US so be careful about that.

3) Will you be using your phone as a camera much of the time? Maybe check out a new or used iPhone 6s.

4) You are traveling, the least of your expenses is  your phone. It's not the end of the world if you get a nice traveling phone.

You are getting good advice here. You should have no problem. However getting into Canada is another story. They do seem to have access to about everything Homeland Security does. Make some sort of hotel reservation for your first few nights so you have something to put on the entry form. Be calm and look them in the eyes. Have fun, play safe, and fly Eva Evergreen Deluxe class for some extra comfort.

I just got the new Surface 3 (new one, not the PRO). The screen might be too small for you (10.8 inches), but it's very light, has no fan and runs cool. It's Windows 8.1 with a free upgrade to 10.0. The keyboard is much better than before. Costco in USA has a package with Surface 3, keyboard, and pen. If you get the larger RAM and storage it's $699 at Costco, quite a bit cheaper than a Mac.

There are two different tests for low testosterone. My primary care doc gave me the standard test and it didn't show anything bad. He sent me to an endocrinologist and used a different test that showed I had very low-T. The shots I'm taking now have made quite a difference in reducing fatigue, increasing my sex drive and I'm losing some weight. Don't trust the standard blood test.

The other major health issue my primary care doc managed to miss is congestive heart failure. All my standard blood tests and annual physical showed within good limits so there was no obvious symptoms except for my fatigue. I went to a cardiologist and an echocardiogram showed a serious heart issue that eventually would have lead to a heart attack. A few years on pills and I'm back into the normal heart beating range.

So see a couple specialists to eliminate physical issues.

The Blue Moon in Las Vegas has various theme weekends including bears events.

Since he has little travel experience, Thailand could be an eye opener for him. I'm a bear, and usually get approached in the Babylon Bathhouse by very good looking Thai guys that feel quite lucky to have found a hairy chubby bear, especially if he is a bottom. The guys there are mostly middle class and looking for fun. If you chose later to go out with them, many will expect you to pick up dinner and drinks. If you get real lucky, they will buy dinner for you. Some place like Pattaya or Phuket is too money boy oriented for the first timer to handle. However I can't imagine someone with no travel experience getting on a plane to Asia and making his way to a gay bathhouse. If he checks the chat room on Silver Daddies he can probably strike up a friendship with a Thai that likes older men, and be his guide.

I'd suggest flying Deluxe Economy class (Elite) on EVA to Bangkok. More expensive, but much more comfortable.

Look into Startpage. Their claim is to be the most private search Engine. You can connect to them via HTPPS to keep your local ISP in the dark. They have an option to browse and search through them, and even if Google records the search, it's not under your IP.

I flew there since I had limited time. I made the mistake of seeing the most touristy parts of Angkor Wat, It was very hot, and no jungle or trees. Do some research. Apparently there are parts of the park that are much more interesting.

Even more phone fun, there are programs that will wait for a call from a certain incoming number, silently answer the phone with mute on, and let the caller listen in. Maybe a way to find out what your girlfriend is doing in her spare time

Bangkok is pretty hot and humid for those newly arriving. You didn't mention the approximate ages of the ladies in question. I think most are assuming older. If so, start early for outings, leave some afternoons free when the heat is max, for some lounging by the pool, spa, or a long nap.

The express boats are great. Keep in mind the microseconds they give you to get on and off An alternative is the tourist boat with more comfortable boats, English speaking guides on board. Don't miss one of my favorite places, Wat Arun. You can get off at Tha Tien Pier, change to the other dock, and ride across the river. If you are ambitious you can also walk to the Grand Palace and another favorite, Wat Po.

http://www.chaophrayaexpressboat.com/en/tourist/

There are certain places that are especially taxi hell and the area around the Grand Palace is one of them. I hope you have better luck but be prepared to pay extra. The last time I tried, they wanted 5 times the meter fare. Going most of the way by boat is a nice way to avoid some of that.

Someone mentioned hiring a local tour guide which is a good idea if your guests are the museum type. You can also hire an English speaking guide at the Grand Palace. Hiring a car and driver is not that expensive if you want to explore outside the usual tourist areas.

The buffet up the Baiyoke is ok, but it's also taxi hell around there. A more expensive but better alternative is the hotel in Central World. There is an open air bar/restaurant on the 55th floor and an inside restaurant on the 54th floor. If the food is outside your budget, at least go up there for a drink.

http://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centaragrand/cgcw/restaurant.asp

If you want a good buffet, a Thai friend recommends the Erawan. I thought it was one of the better buffets and fantastic service.

http://bangkok.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/TheDiningRoom.html

Have lunch at the Oriental Hotel. Expensive! but still one of Bangkok's most famous hotels. Sit outside in the shade, have a cold drink, and watch the river traffic go by. You can take a boat there from the Sky Train.

Dinner at Shangri La. They have both inside and outside restaurants on the river with live music. It's easy to get there from the Sky Train and a short walk.

Tons of dinner cruises.

My mom and aunt did the river cruise to Ayuttaya and enjoyed it. It's nice. I suggest taking the boat in the morning and the bus back. They also did the floating market, Rose Garden, coconut farm tour. The Rose Garden puts on a nice Thai cultural show.

Check agoda.com for hotel discounts.

Have them stay near a Skytrain station.

The Asia Hotel is directly connected to a station but the wireless internet sucks:

http://www.asiahotel.co.th/asia_bangkok.htm

One of my favorite places to stay on Silom if you want access to shopping and restaurants. Get a room away from the gay soi next door, the music goes until 4am on the weekends. A room with a bathtub is nice.

http://www.ballys-studio.com/silom/

If you want 5 stars:

http://www.bangkok.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

If you want near the river, this is a short walk from the Skytrain but a short walk in the rain/heat can ruin a vacation.

http://www.shangri-la.com/bangkok/shangrila/

This one is boat trip to get to the other side of the river from the Shangri La:

http://www.peninsula.com/Bangkok/

Look around in your family tree, you might be facing some bad genes. I'm built exactly like my Grandfather, and it's not good Check in with a good heart Doctor and a good hormone Doctor and make sure there are no medical reasons adding to your weight issues. If you think your eating habits could be better, keep a food diary for a while and show it to a dietician. It's amazing what we can tweak pretty painlessly and cut down on the calories.

Finally, the last time I lost weight I was playing tennis. It was very painful at first. Find some money in your buget and hire a trainer, or someone to shoot hoops, or play tennis, walk in the park, whatever. Make the exercise more fun and you are more likely to do it.

A lot depends how old and trusty your XP is. Vista and Win7 need a better video card and run so much better with at least a dual core. Newer versions of IE require Win7 or Win8. I like the UI of Win7 though it's not hugely different from XP. I did notice a speed improvement in Win7 and a big improvement in the newer versions of IE that won't run on XP. Finally new PCs have USB3, HDMI with sound output, faster wireless, Bluetooth, and other nice features.

So upgrade to Win7 along with a new(er) PC.

No beaches, no ruins, want to do touristy things like see VIP movies, elephant rides, and ziplines, but don't like doing things alone so you want to find other tourists to hang around with. Well, Sankran in Chiang Mai is not a bad idea, but living there? Not much to do and that much difference any more from Bangkok in heat and pollution.

Skip Phuket (everyone should), see Pattaya as a more likely place to live. Lots of expats, lots of shopping, easy to get around, lots of things to do. Don't discount the beach on a hot day

I've never been, but apparently the backpacking crowd hangs around Khao San Road. You might meet some other travelers to hang around with and do things.

I do challenge you to broaden your ideas. Treat your Thailand trip as less like a trip to Disneyland with lots of rides, and more as place to make some friends and get to know the place. I was lucky enough to spend my first trips on Koi Samui a long time ago, staying at family owned bungalows on the beach. You couldn't help but interact with real Thai's outside the tourist areas. Unfortunately Koi Samui has been developed too much for that Gilligan's Island feel any more

If you go to Koi Samui, stay near Cheweng beach for the nightlife, but live cheap. This will force you to interact with the backpackers and also Thai's on vacation that go to the cheaper hotels. If you want someplace cooler, head up to Nong Khai. You can include a side trip into Laos.

There was a time in Puerta Vallarta when they had a very visible tourist police, no guns, but dressed in white and spoke English. The last couple of years the men in black with the big guns are starting a bigger presence, and the tourist police are gone. I don't feel safer.

Hong Kong was another place that used to have very visible tourist police. There was no place I felt unsafe.

The one time I went to Mexico city, I have never seen so many guns and guys with earplugs. I did not feel safe.

Thank you so much guys for clearing my doubts and saving myself(as well as natives ). i've got one more issue regarding my visit sorry if this isn't belongs here.. I need internet connection in my mobile whilst i stay there (atleast 2G connection). What shall i do for that? Does True provides mobile internet for tourists??

You can buy prepaid SIM cards over there with data plans. Not all mobiles will work in Thailand check the frequencies of your phone on the True website.

If you do go to Pattaya, watch out for the jetski operators and the "girls" at night

What trouble do I get with jetski operators ?? About girls !!!! What sort we would face ??? None of us been to and neither our friends.. so I have idea about your point .

The jetski remark is based on postings here about "damage" claims when you get back from the ride, not personal experience. It might be more of a Phuket issue. I haven't rented a car or scooter in a long time, but they used to require you to turn over your passport and then you lose your bargaining power should something happen. Does anyone have current experience?

You must have heard of Thailand's famous Ladyboys. If you look around you'll find the top 10 tips the girl you are with might really be a boy A lot of the ladys of the night are really "lads" of the night.

Since there are four of you, just hire a taxi to get you down there, around 1200 baht, maybe less depending on your negotiations. The public buses are uncomfortable and can be very slow. The taxi will also drop you off at your hotel which is nice when you have suitcases.

From Pattaya back to BKK or the airport you can easily rent a car or taxi. There is not much interesting to stop and see on the trip.

What exactly are you looking for on your first trip to Thailand? I happen to like Bangkok, but many hit the beach and stay there. If you are looking for something a bit old fashioned, or some adventure travel, neither Bangkok or Pattaya will do. If you do go to Pattaya, watch out for the jetski operators and the "girls" at night

You might want to head down to Pattaya from the airport and schedule a few nights at Koi Samet or Koi Chang. There are some good seafood restaurants outside of Pattaya. There is a large park with examples of Thai temples from different ages.

If you are looking a bit more for adventure plus some partying maybe fly down to Koi Samui. It's not the Gilligan's Island place it used to be, but you still have a better chance at making some Thai friends. Check on the weather first. Avoid Phuket.

Keep an eye on the flooding. Last year I went up to Chiang Mai instead of Pattaya because so many Bangkok people fled to Pattaya that the 7/11's starting running out of beer , and of course, the hotels doubled their prices.

I suspect what will save Thailand from itself is how quickly Laos and Cambodia will over develop and become corrupt. I was in Cambodia last year for the first time and enjoyed the trip but Siem Riep is getting full of very nice hotels so it's getting expensive, and PP apparently has a very large casino now (owned by Thai of course). I"ve not been to VN for several years but I hear the development there has been amazing.

I've been traveling to Thailand for my holidays for 25 years and it's not the same place I first fell in love with. Now is the time to visit VN, Laos, Burma, and Cambodia. 10 years from now I suspect they will be worse.

What I don't understand why the Thai government makes it harder for long stays or retirement there. Yes I know they want rich people to come in on their holidays and spend lots of money before they leave, but have they ever looked at the benefits to their economy for the long stay and expat community?

A friend of mine paid a $250 fine coming into US with 1kg of apples that his mom had put in his suitcase. One or two apples would have just been thrown away as long as you declare them.

I'm a gay white man, and have been traveling to Thailand for vacation for 25 years. I've seen many changes in Thailand, many not good. It might be different because you are SE Asian, but farangs still don't "fit" in Thai culture. I've had friends here for many years, but I still get the "you are not Thai, you don't understand'. I do admit not speaking the language but the people I know speak English well.

There is a culture shock that is stronger in some countries than others. Tourists in general don't experience it. That's how Thailand can be the "Land of Smiles". As you stay longer, you either have to move to acceptance or avoidance. I don't truly understand Thai people sometimes, even friends of many years.

Regardless you should give it a try. At it's best my experiences with Thai people have been interesting and rewarding. It's definately a place to experience. I wish you could have experienced the place 20 years ago. It was marketed as "amazing Thailand" and it ways in many ways it was.

I also understand the frustration those that don't take the avoidence or acceptance routes. Trying to impose your own ideas on how Thai's should act and you will go crazy. It's not your country. You don't make the rules I am of the belief, that the business and legal worlds are stacked against you but I have no personal experience.