JMS

I too am looking for something in South Pattaya or Jomtien, but not Bali Hai Pier, which is always packed with drunks.

I want a family-type setting.

Mulligans in Baan Mabprachan has a free buffet (or so the sign said this morning), live band that plays a good variety of music, and a great area for the kids to run around. It is not hard to find once you find the lake, just follow the road, it is on a corner just after a small minimart, about 2.5km from Soi Siam Country Club.

Yes the children do run around and what a pain in the A*** they are, never going there again

The Thai Baht has already weakened, and the U.S. trading currency markets have not even opened. Wait until tonight.

Barry

The Baht strenghtened against the pound today and later this week when the UK lower interest rates you will be very lucky to get 50 to the pound

Also there will be more interest rate cuts in the US and Europe but unlikely in Thailand as they do not want to have a weak currency

Although we are not a newspaper, I can assure you that Pattaya One News will continue to report as normal. This idea about reporting restrictions issues by the Mayor is utter nonsense and has never and will never happen.

Howard

Pattaya One News

Howard,

I wonder really wether you would really admit to this.

I remember asking you to follow up a story of a German developer who had cheated me out of 1.6 million baht also my friends as well. In total over 5 million baht and you refused on the grounds you didnt want to get a bullet in your head.

Fair point as that guy has had soemthing to do with a major development in jomtien that has managed to shut every forum that mentions it. but bearing this in mind i really dont think in my opinion you would dare breach the mayors rules if he has issued them.

You wouldnt want to become another statistic as you have told me before. And that would definatly follow with the Mayor and any order he issued.

Pattaya is in major turmoil. There is very little law enforcemenmt unless it comes to telling girls at 2pm in the afternoon to get back in there bars in soi6 or some other "lets Gloss Over The facts" direct action to grab the headlines.

So there is a german as well as an Australian ripping people off in developments in Jomtien that we can not mention

The point missing here is that now the UK is in recession with nobody spending money. The only way out of a recession is by getting people to spend money hence large interest rate cuts. That is why the GBP is so low. As other countries around the world go into recession the same will happen to them, but I do not think Thailand will be one of them so the currency will remain fairly strong against most currencies. I hope I am wrong but we will see. Also after the last coup the Baht got stronger

I wouldn't pay a flat 3% to people to market a property. They can work on a sliding commission scale with stop limits or they can go jump. 5% is just potty.

I've seen contracts for some of the more prestigious condo blocks with hidden commissions and double prices as a sale through someone first to pocket a wedge. Some I know are good. Most are crooks.

A bit off topic but I have just read an article on the BBC's website. It states that the estate agents back in the uk are in big big trouble and many will go bust over the next 18 months.

One of the comments at the bottom of the pages creased me up

"Why the panic?! Estate agents don't have to worry if they lose their jobs as there are plenty of jobs out there stacking shelves and the qualifications required for these jobs are the same as for an estate agent."

There are a few good real estate agents in Pattaya mainly Eastcoast, ABPC and Northshore but there are a lot of dodgy ones that also deal with dodgy developers and they are also members of REBA ES. Says a lot for that organization.

I'm a real estate broker from America living in Pattaya for about three years. I come from a family that's been four generations in the real estate business; I've personally have been in the profession 17 years. I certainly have been enjoying the break here in Pattaya after years working putting transactions together. Unfortunately the way things look in America I will be here many more years before the correction there is completed.

In the field of sales there is a saying 20% of the salespeople do 80% of the business. If you have 10 salespeople generally speaking 8 will be lazy, marginally educated in the field and almost worthless; 2 will be skilled professionals that have learned their trade, they close a lot of deals and make things happen. The question is how do you find the 2 skilled professionals and stay away from the second-rate talent.

Regarding commissions a real estate transaction that will close has key elements; it has to be a good deal for the Seller, it has to meet the Seller's needs, it has to be a good deal for the Buyer, it has to meet the Buyer's needs and it has to be a good deal for the real estate Salesperson, the needs of the Salesperson have to be meet as well. Transactions that meet everyone's needs close. Real estate transactions generally take some time to close so everyone has time to think, if the Seller, Buyer or Salesperson's goals are not being realized problems will occur as the motivation to close will be lost. Evaluating and understanding the ultimate goals of the Seller and Buyer and meeting those needs are what make a successful real estate salesperson.

The most skilled people in any field make the most money; the amount of money someone makes defines the value of their service. I know many persons successful in the real estate business they are motivated to do the work because of the money. When I put a transaction together my number one concern is to meet the needs of my client because I know if I do I will get paid. However I know that there are a lot of properties on the market and I will do the work necessary to meet the needs of my client and my own as well. Ask yourself would you have the same motivation to take the job that paid you 120,000 baht as you would for the one that paid 200,000? You have to ask yourself as a Seller is it worth saving 80,000 baht not to have all that extra motivation focused on your property.

R….

Robert is it not true that it takes the same time, effort and paperwork to sell any type of condo regardless of price. So why should you get a comission of 250000 on a 5mil condo and double that on a 10 mil one for doing the same amount of work. Would it be a lot fairer to charge a flat fee for all sales.

A company in Pattaya are busting UK pension schemes for a massive 25% fee.

Has anybody done this, and if so tell us about the experience and has the inland revenue caught up with you yet

Can you give more details. There could be two meaning to what you are saying?

I will try to explain this a little bit better.

The company in question advertises by posters in bars or by word of mouth that you can have all your pension money (does not matter what age you are) from any company or private pension scheme that you have less a 25% fee. I do not know how they do it that is why I posted this to see if anyone has done it. Also as this is illegal has anybody been prosecuted by the inland revenue

A company in Pattaya are busting UK pension schemes for a massive 25% fee.

Has anybody done this, and if so tell us about the experience and has the inland revenue caught up with you yet

As my previous post was deleted I will repeat it without mention to the said company. Paul stated his company were not selling this product, but after challenging him with names in a pm he then came out and said they have done 5. So Paul are you now using a HK company, now that the Singapore one has been closed and how much commision do you receive from these schemes. The only benefit that I see from someone transfering into these schemes is the money you and the company receive in commision

<br />

I have visited here for 4 years now but am new to looking at Condos here. There are so many!<br /><br />I am looking to buy now, or very soon. I am looking for very high end with a good reputation, security and already finished or close to completion.... under 75 MBht.... <br /><br />What would you all recommend?<br /><br /><i>Which condo building would be your dream condo to have here in Pattaya?</i>

<br /><br />I bought one from Indochine, something I will regret for the rest of my life<br />

<br /><br /><br />

This thought cannot be expressed on this website.

It was expressed very well on a previous thread that was removed that is why I regret from buying a condo from Indochine

I have visited here for 4 years now but am new to looking at Condos here. There are so many!

I am looking to buy now, or very soon. I am looking for very high end with a good reputation, security and already finished or close to completion.... under 75 MBht....

What would you all recommend?

Which condo building would be your dream condo to have here in Pattaya?

I bought one from Indochine, something I will regret for the rest of my life

You are correct with the point that there is a lot of confusion. The Police are interpreting the law as they see fit and many bars including the Outback are taking a safe line of no smoking at the actual bar face. We are open air but the second law says that we must provide a non smoking area and a segregated smoking zone. We, like many other bars are waiting to see how the chips fall while keeping very safe. The personal fine is 2,000 baht but the bar fine is 20,000baht for allowing smoking at the bar. No bar is willing to pay that just so that a couple of guys can have a durrie.

CB

So are you a customer at the Outback bar or one of the owners? Because you use the term "We are open air".

I am the manager - not owner

CB

Exactly as I thought a bit of free advertising for 'your' bar in the context of the smoking topic. Other bar owners like myself would be given a 'warning' or a 'holiday' for such a stunt!

Following up on my PM and out of interest - how are you and other bar owners coping with the law?

Indoor or outdoor?

A/C or Open Air

Designated smoking area and where?

cheers

CB

We are 100% air con CB however I am lucky in that I have front and back outdoor area's that I have made smoking area's. My only concern now is they may say the front area should be No Smoking as its in view to Non Smokers. The best way to go about it really is invite City Hall down yourself to check and advise. Thats what I intend to do and will report back, King Kong bar of all places did that a while ago, I asked the City Hall guys to check us out but they were tied up with all the smokers in there. There back door faces mine!!!!

Hi Bert just returned back from the states and seen the no smoking ban for the 1st time.

You say that you have a smoking area at the front but you have food tables there

Confused

John

not allowed to mention ! yes all of us we know the cencorship !!!

but can you explain where is the development in half words ??????

Same as a sailing event on Dongtan beach

Anyone who has been in Pattaya for more than the past five years has seen it all before. Condo projects abandoned; developers belly-up. Unpaid workers and unfulfilled contracts; investors with nothing to show but paper.

Look around you. Read the newspapers. The world just isn't putting money into artists' renderings of living in a lush tropical paradise. People who used to be looking for second properties are now looking for lifelines.

Pattaya will be hit especially hard because the untrammelled greed of the past couple of years has led to folly after folly. Ocean 1 is the biggest symbol of the excess, but there are many others. Clowns like "beginner" will continue to cling to dreams of eventual triumph, but the facts are that, while "Rome wasn't built in a day", it did decline and fall.

There is a certain developer, who shall go nameless, who has been trying to recover his losses through perpetual lawsuits. He may find the courts here far slower than the creditors

Yesterday I received a once in a lifetime offer from this developer to purchase a condo in the development we are not allowed to mention. You pay a 25% deposit then nothing to pay till you move in. Desperate or what, with no assurances it will be built.

Anyone who has been in Pattaya for more than the past five years has seen it all before. Condo projects abandoned; developers belly-up. Unpaid workers and unfulfilled contracts; investors with nothing to show but paper.

Look around you. Read the newspapers. The world just isn't putting money into artists' renderings of living in a lush tropical paradise. People who used to be looking for second properties are now looking for lifelines.

Pattaya will be hit especially hard because the untrammelled greed of the past couple of years has led to folly after folly. Ocean 1 is the biggest symbol of the excess, but there are many others. Clowns like "beginner" will continue to cling to dreams of eventual triumph, but the facts are that, while "Rome wasn't built in a day", it did decline and fall.

There is a certain developer, who shall go nameless, who has been trying to recover his losses through perpetual lawsuits. He may find the courts here far slower than the creditors

Lets hope so. Pattaya will be a better place without him

K-TECK consruction seeking for new partners as it attempts to restructure debt

to adress it short term liquidity problems.

stock exchange bangkok quotation suspended !!!

employees not paid since two month !!

what's the future for OCEAN 1 ????

any information

The Bangkok Post also stated that the debt problem was due to 2 developers not paying them. I know I am not allowed to mention them but I wonder who they were

yes me too ! but never mind no censureship for the bangkok post ! we have the follow up soon

I do not think they will name the developers but I have heard there is one in Pattaya in trouble that has dealt with K Tech

hi there buriram expats ! i found that website from that american guy a while ago via google ! i myself married a lady from burriram last july ! ok i agree some of you might feel insulted by what he says about isaan ladys and its al to easy to say that every lady from isaan is no good ! i remember last summer after my wedding i had a drink with my wife in the bamboo bar and i still was wearing my wedding bands around my wrists when i started talking to some expats and they realy had a laugh at me when i told them that i didnt meet my wife in a bar somewhere in thailand ! most of them met theirs in a bar ! why are there so many storys on the net of so many farangs being ripped of by there isaan girls ! like driving with bulldozers trough the houses they just made after finding out she had a thai boyfriend on the side ! or when i go to an internet cafe in buriram i see many isaan ladys chatting with 5 farangs at a time on msn and i think the farangs on msn dont no about one and other and some of them are sending money to her ! or as my dutch expat friend told jokingly do you see al the nice houses being build here in buriram the girls are doing good bussines in the bars ! so barlady or not where did you guys meet your lady anyway ? because theres no such thing as a free lunch

I agree there is no free ride. Everybody has to pay if she is a bar girl or not. Why farangs get uptight about it I do not understand, you have old men with younger ladies so just open up your wallet that is what you are paying for.

K-TECK consruction seeking for new partners as it attempts to restructure debt

to adress it short term liquidity problems.

stock exchange bangkok quotation suspended !!!

employees not paid since two month !!

what's the future for OCEAN 1 ????

any information

The Bangkok Post also stated that the debt problem was due to 2 developers not paying them. I know I am not allowed to mention them but I wonder who they were

The best pizza place is on Soi 33 Naklua, 2nd right after the Dolphin roundabout. La Grotta or something. Top but no delivery. Best delivery is Pizza Company by a mile but there have been local ones whihc were better around Jomtien but they have all gone now.

Worst curry - all of them but probably that one near Footmart at View Talay 1. Utter &lt;deleted&gt;. The best curry is the frozen ones from Tesco at Bt149 and a good nan bread for Bt40. All other curry places I've tried (every one when I find a new one are crap).

A La Turka for non authentic food in small portions at mega prices and the taste is barely passable on some dishes and utter &lt;deleted&gt; on many others.

Door 2 Door - though I sometimes persevere with it on occassions due to necessity, what the heck they do to food to make it so crap is unbelievable.

Pig and whistle has gone somewhat downhill IMHO but still good for a brekkie. The Sportsman has gone to the dogs. Flannagans in Jomtien is a good bet these days.

The draught beer in Flannagans is well priced and good quality but the food is disgusting and well over priced. I have eaten there once, never again, I wouldn't even give it to my dog

The P&W, Rosies, Queen Vic are OK but Shenanigans is poor

Vientianne on Pattaya Tai is still good.

It is also about class as well. If someone can't find the money to marry someone then may be he is trying to marry out of his class and should look else where.

Love should transcend everything.

"You can't marry my daughter if you can't pay what I want" Disgusting!

Totally agree with you on that nick.

Agreed. Only greedy families will want you to do that. See up, its not too hard to distingush

I agree it is disgusting but a lot of people are saying it is part of tradition. May be this is the case but when an older man or lady want to marry a much younger person then I call it buying a wife/husband

Cannibalism used to be a tradition in Africa, but is no longer. Female Genital mutilation is still practiced in many backward countries where the inhabitants have no moral conscience, but is far less than it used to be.

Traditions and cultures change with time. It's high time sin sot was put to rest. In essence it is just for the parents to show off to their neighbours, but sadly many Isaan mothers refuse to return it. As other contributors have said it is nothing short of buying your wife. Disgraceful and demeaning.

I agree how could someone pay a lady (or man) to marry them. How many out there refused to pay, did they still get there wife

How did you get into their clutches, might be useful so that others do not walk into their approach blindfolded. I totally agree with

the other two replies although it didn't happen to me in Thailand, happen it did and had to employ a lawyer on return to u.k. to

get free of it also was almost imprisoned while they went through the spiel and yes those particular people were gangsters

Here they trawl about on motorbikes stopping everyone and ask if you speak English. They even have work permits.

I just tell them my only other english words F*** O**

All time share is a rip off and why do they only want to sell to holiday makers.

I wonder

Time to book a holiday, the novelty has worn of after 10 years or beer bellied guys soaking everyone in sight for a week, could cope if it was just a few days like everywhere else.

Baah humbug!

I love it, counting down the days already. Always get the odd misery moaning, but that is just asking to get wetter!

Very sad

I take it you are old bald with a pony tail

Just a guess

Been to Mulligans twice and am not gonna spend one more Baht there.

Wat a crappy service!

Have been once never again

I hope its OK to refer to a letter from "Billy" to Pattaya Mail. He is truly a man after my own heart and sees clearly we are the midst of the emergence of a truly fabulous INTERNATIONAL CITY.

I am not Billy but I could have written this part of letter myself, word for word. I don't agree with him on his baht bus fare rant though (see the newspaper), again proof I am not Billy.

Pattaya bashers: you are passe.

(Sorry for the typo on COSMOPOLITAN)

Pattaya has to offer.

3) The emergence of a city by the sea - Pattaya used to be a sleepy fishing village and then a beach resort but it is now becoming a city. People should no longer compare Pattaya as a less attractive beach resort to Phuket or Koh Samui since neither of the latter can be classified as a city with the scale of development that is and will continue to take place here.

4) The beauty of Thai people - No change! Regardless of the developments, fundamentally, the philosophies, behaviour and mentality of Thais have not changed. They remain a very proud nation who strictly adhere to their beliefs and culture even if some of their logic escapes the rest of the world!

5) The retirement destination of choice for Europeans - This has grown exponentially especially for Scandinavians and Brits. The warm weather, the variety of beaches, world class dining choices, world class medical facilities, world class massage and spa facilities, sailing, golfing, the lack of “government controls” for smokers and drinkers, general tolerance by Thais of “exuberant” behaviour means that Westerners from cold climates have a place that they can call home without being told what to do by others.

6) The cosmopolitan melting pot of races and countries - Pattaya is more cosmopolitan than any other city in Asia! In fact I would compare its cosmopolitanism with London and New York. If one gets on a baht bus one could easily be sitting next to an American, Russian, Arab, German and Brit! During any evening in Walking Street, one will literally see people and hear languages from all over the world.

One of the great qualities of Pattaya is how people from all over the world cohabit without the same fear, hatred and violence that seems to occur on a daily basis elsewhere. Credit has to be given to the Thais for creating such an ambience and feeling of harmony and to the visitors and expats who live here!

As every year progresses, the more fun and enjoyment I get from coming to Pattaya. Her unique qualities are increasingly being appreciated by more people from more countries than ever before.

In her own time, Pattaya will become the equivalent of Miami in Asia. Her potential is huge and still scratching the surface of what she will become.

If this is going to happen there is a lot city hall has to do. Clean up the beach's, get rid of crime, sort out the roads and corruption,

get rid of rogue developers, well we can only dream