thaibeachlovers

I know it's the weekend, but Central Festival was really busy today, mainly Thais. Never thought I'd see it so busy. Might prove me wrong, yet!

2nd Rd was pretty jammed, but mainly baht buses with hardly any passengers ( as usual ).

From surit thani you can go by bus 1 hour to dunsak and then go to Koh phangan,and then on to Samui.

You can go from Donsak to either Koh Samui or Koh Phangan.

Take the VIP bus from southern Bus Terminal in BKK direct to Koh Samui (night sleeper)

Goes direct to Donsak and catches the 7 AM Ferry.

If you arrive before 6 AM, just get of the bus and take the 6 AM ferry.

If you take the ferry without the bus on board, you will have to make your own travel from the Samui pier, and the songtheaws are now a rip off, I believe. If you go with the bus you get taken to Na Thon where you will be able to get the "round the island" regular service.

There isn't a ferry to the best of my knowledge linking Pattaya and Samui.

Probably your best bet is to go to Bangkok where you can pick up the Lompryah bus from the Kosahn Rd (sorry about the spelling). The bus will transport you the Lompryah catamaran which then hops to Koa Toa onto Koh Phangan and finally onto Samui.

The entire trip takes a while, about 12 hours if I recall.

You can also take the train from Bangkok to Surrathani, then then ferry.

You xcould of course fly from Utapoa - but the return airfair with the budget/recession minded Bangkok Airways is a whopping 7,600 baht!!

I made the mistake of taking Lompryah once. Never again. I now consider them to be just another shoddy private company. If anyone wants to know specifics, I can go into detail.

I also recommend not to take ANY private ( tourist ) bus.

I recommend the train ( 2nd class AC sleeper ) to Surat Thani and bus/ ferry to the islands.

If not possible to take train, VIP bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Station. There is a bus from Pattaya Northern Bus Station direct to the Bangkok bus station.

I know there is a bus company that runs inclusive of the ferry to Na Thon, but haven't taken it from the Bangkok end, so don't know where the office is.

Is there no respect for the most important Thai religious holiday of the year? What does it matter if bars are closed for one day. Are you going to die?

Short answer- I care about as much as they care about Christmas or Easter.

I have more respect for the POOR people that will lose out yet again because they are unable to earn a living. I'm sure they care more about eating and paying their bills than some religious holiday.

They already lose out so many times due to elections etc.

Personally, doesn't affect me as I no longer frequent bars etc, but if I was so dependent on alcohol that I couldn't go a day without, I'd just stock up beforehand.

I finally saw the Glitterman on Beach Rd.

Cheered me up no end to see a real eccentric.

The world needs more eccentrics to balance out the dreadfully boring people that mainly inhabit the planet ( unfortunately that now includes me- boring , that is ).

Keep it up GM.

Are the hinges visible on your side of the door? If so, you should be able to punch out the pins and open the door that way.

Otherwise, I agree with the locksmith suggestion, as the lock metal may be too hard for an ordinary drill, or if the bit breaks off in the lock you will have a real problem.

Once sorted, suggest you keep a key hidden outside your bedroom to avoid a repeat episode!

Thanks for that. Been coming to Thailand for many years but this will be my first extension!

please confirm that the extension starts from the last day of the current visa, and not the day of application.

Is a week too soon to apply?

Thanks.

Big C: North Pattaya. Located on the second floor just outside of the mobile phone shop enclave.

It also provides photocopying, postal, laminating and other such ancillary services.

Couldn't find the place.

There are 2 places that rent for 500 bht/ month, in Soi Yamato and in Soi Buakao near Sawasdee Hotel.

Large supermarkets are doing a roaring trade in home safes.

Appears that "new" bars will replace the old.

Never seen it quieter all over.

No buses outside Mike's at 9pm! They must be suffering big time.

Walking Street quieter than I've ever seen it.

Most farang bars lucky to have 1 customer ( except some long time favourites ).

Couple of instances-

On a discussion show, the "host" said outright that the Abhisit govt was "illegal", which really PO the "pro Abhisit" guest, who then started shouting and interrupting. The Red shirt guest loved it!

On one news item, the western female who does all the reports from Bangkok wore a bullet proof vest and helmet, despite not being anywhere near the "action"! Must have realised how daft it made her look, as hasn't worn them since.

Good report Roamer.

Now, can you tell me when the baht is going to go down, as really need a better outlook for Sterling, if I'm not having to go looking for a big cardboard box to set up home in.

Anyone know of a nice bridge we can live under?

Some here are advocating support for thai family members when they are in need as they would a family member in our own country. The difference is in our own country there would be a legitimate need for them to ask for money. In thai, the family member ask for money regardless if they need it or not. My in-laws ask for money all the time and they have more money than I do! Primarily, they want the money to give to their other children so they don't have to use their own money.

You cannot compare western culture to this culture. This culture is finely tuned to fleece the farang at every opportunity. I say culture because it is not unique to each family. ALL thais do this. Even the government makes laws to compliment this fleecing.

Rubbish. I told my fiance straight out no sin sod, no money for her family, has to earn her own money ( just like a western woman ) and she's still my fiance.

I do pay the rent, power, water and most of the food, plus I bought all the household appliances ( which would remain mine if she changed her mind ).

However, the idea of buying her a house, car etc- don't make me laugh!

Agree with preceding. However, you need to check with your travel insurance company, as there is talk that some governments have said not to go, and I believe that may affect your travel insurance.

Has she introduced you to mother yet and discussed how much Sin Sod (dowry) that you will be expected to pay for the pleasure of having her. Many Thai women the second time round expect twice as much as the first Thai husband paid because you are a foreigner. I am taling from personal experience.

Well, the answer lies in your own hands. If she will only marry you if you buy her, either refuse and see how much she REALLY wants YOU, or give the amount you give her each month and tell her to ask her parents for it back, or go without.

Do you REALLY want to marry someone who only wants your money?

Incidentally, my GF told me that a Thai businessman paid 10 million sin sod for some Thai "superstar"! Cripes.

Do you guys think the Red Shirt leaders are even able to stop this now? Or have the hardliners gone off on their own? I get the feeling they have.

No way the hard line leaders can stop now, as no doubt looking to the future, and if give up without Abhisit resigning now will lose credibility.

eg: ( some time in the future )- Red leader- "I want you to go to Bangkok and protest"

Peasant- "and get my butt kicked like last time, for nothing. No thanks".

What do you guys think would be the next appropriate step Govt could take if this violence carries on for furhter 2-3 days ?

Guys with "kill them all" approach pls don't reply...

They need to really seal off the area, and after trying to get as many children and oldies as possible out, put so much tear gas in continuously that they are forced out.

What happens after that is the really tricky thing, as if not dealt with properly, will only happen again next dry season, or it will be the Yellows turn ad infinitum. Personally, I'd charge all the red guards with rebellion and attempting to overthrow the government, and put them to hard labour for 30 years, but probably won't happen. I don't see any difference between them and the Times Square bomber. Anyone reckon he'll be getting a slap on the hand, despite not actually killing anyone?

I'm sure there are alternatives to tear gas too. The US is working on non lethal sound weapons I believe. Good chance to test them here.

They did used use some sound weapon when reds broke into parliament two months back.. it didn't worked then....

Army was supposed to get the women and children out from there ... don't know what happened to that plan...

I heard on tv that they were going to get the red cross to do that. I don't blame peasants for believing that the army would probably kill or harm them. No idea what happened to that plan. Probably like all the others- BS.

As for sound weapons they could always play Jinger Bells over and over- Oh sorry, they already do that at Xmas and it only works on farangs ( apologies for bad joke ).

What do you guys think would be the next appropriate step Govt could take if this violence carries on for furhter 2-3 days ?

Guys with "kill them all" approach pls don't reply...

They need to really seal off the area, and after trying to get as many children and oldies as possible out, put so much tear gas in continuously that they are forced out.

What happens after that is the really tricky thing, as if not dealt with properly, will only happen again next dry season, or it will be the Yellows turn ad infinitum. Personally, I'd charge all the red guards with rebellion and attempting to overthrow the government, and put them to hard labour for 30 years, but probably won't happen. I don't see any difference between them and the Times Square bomber. Anyone reckon he'll be getting a slap on the hand, despite not actually killing anyone?

I'm sure there are alternatives to tear gas too. The US is working on non lethal sound weapons I believe. Good chance to test them here.

Rubbish. The baht is still 46.6 for Sterling travel cheques today, which is lower than a few days ago ( 46.7 ).

at Heathrow yesterday afternoon, Thomas Cook were offering 40.30 baht =£1

Thomas Cook always offer 10-15% less. If you have ever changed money up in the UK once before, you should have learned your lesson, and not do again

Absolutely correct.

geesh I get emails all the time from Euro/NA rellies with the same bloody questions ....

It's not WW2 and it's not Singapore but to give a political answer to your question.."we are monitoring the situation" ( nah .....not really)

....waiting until the bows go under and the water is up to my waist...then I will look for a life jacket maybe..

It would be interesting to see/hear what answers you get from questions to the media bimbos your watching .... especially CNN

- Do you know where Bangkok is?

- Can you point to it on a map?

- can yoooooo say Thai.....land?

have a nice day in.......errr wherever you are hiding....

You're right about the media bimbos- though some are male.

Al Jazeera- had the wrong local time.

?BBC- remarked there had been ?dozens of coups in the last 10 years.

?BBC- referred to Klong Toey by some name I'd never heard of.

Sorry if I can't remember definitely which service it was, as been flicking back and forth between BBC, Al Jazeera and Asia News trying to get some images not recycled to the nth time.

My wife and I are going to Phuket for a short holiday in July ( FYI, 4 day weekend at the end of the month!), and the rates at most of the hotels we've looked at are still at their regular price.

While internet prices will remain the same, walk in rates will almost certainly be cut at lower end hotels. In July, there is no need to pre book, in my experience.

Thai tourism as we experience it is shattered and there is very little chance of recovery over the next decade. Tour operators who shape the market will not deal with Thailand, Europeans in particular have less spending money and currencies are still undergoing quite massive devaluations.

If you are in the game your only chance would be to cater to backpackers and sex tourists who are more resilient, or to the Asian market which will grow strongly once the violence stops. If you can it is better to relocate, Cambodia for example.

Reference your second category of resiliant tourists, it's a foolish person who thinks your average family/ package tourist will continue to pay good money to visit an increasingly expensive country with poor infrastructure and no "smiles", whilst given cheap lodgings, bars and willing bar girls, nothing is going to stop mongers coming.

While UK interest rates are 0.5 - 1 percent nobody will be investing in the pound.

Nothing to do with stable/unstable government, all to do with investing.

actually, lots of places have negligible interest rates right now but it's more to do with the long run prospects for the valuation of the currency which are currently totally dominated by relative indebtedness

Unindebted currencies look way stronger than indebted ones. What is happening is NOT a Baht phonomenon - it's a global divergence between indebtedness and solvency

BAHT IS actually underperforming other relatively unindebted currencies because, presumably, of the political risk that is already priced in there

(apologies for broken record tendencies but this really is the basis of understanding where we're at)

Not disputing anything you've written, but regardless, if the baht appreciates a lot once the political troubles are over, the tourism industry is looking at 3% occupancy rates and Pattaya, Patong beach et al will be ghost towns. Given that the tourist sector is 6% of Thai GDP and employs vast numbers of Thais, directly and indirectly can they afford to allow the baht to appreciate significantly?

Please don't tell me that the Chinese and Indians will make up for the loss of farangs. In my experience they stay in Chinese owned hotels and only buy from certain department stores. Never seen them sitting in a bar beer or GoGo, and given where the profits/ bribes from those go, I doubt that anything killing the golden goose will be allowed.

Or perhaps the entire farang bar scene will move to Cambodia, in which case who cares about LOS?