thaibeachlovers

Thank you very much for that report, HB.

That price is 40K baht which includes BOTH EYES, or 40K each eye INCLUDING the internal lens?

I think local local anaesthetic is usual for this surgery.

Can I ask about the method for removing the old lens? Do you he used the more modern laser method for that? There have been other reports the this doctor is a bit too enthusiastic in ordering surgery when it is not needed but in your case you obviously needed it urgently, so no issue with that. Congrats on your good result.

Where do you get the "more modern laser method" from? I work in a UK hospital eye department where the normal operation for cataracts is dissolving the old lens with ultrasound and sucking it out ( PHAKOEMULSIFICATION ). The other method is cutting the eye open and manually extracting the lens which is extremely rare now, and normally only used in the event of complications.

To my knowledge the only use of laser is to reshape the cornea to eliminate the need for glasses.

Yes, most operations are done under local, but we do many under general as well.

has anyone else noticed that page 11 of the "is Pattaya dead right now" topic is not showing anything? I've tried 2 different computers in different places, so not this computer.

I've looked, but can't see a help button. Maybe I'm going blind!

Would be nice if someone can fix the problem.

Does anyone know if that will have any effect on the weather in Pattaya, other than a little rain?

Stay indoors and wear a raincoat

Real windy last night, not so much this AM. No rain so far.

It does seem quite quiet around but a mate of mine arrives tomorrow and reckons he had to call 4 different hotels before he could find one that would take a 3 day booking, which suggests a different story. Unless there's gonna be a lot of cancellations....

Perhaps, he tried booking on a weekend in one of the more popular hotels. I was surprised how many Thailand based tourists were around only on Saturday and Sunday.

when I called my favourite ( cheap ) hotel from the UK, I was told "full", so a bit surprised when I checked on arrival, just in case, to find several empty rooms. Even so, charging "high season" rates.

Even the AP Hotel had a vacancy sign out. Never saw that before.

Thanks for the replies. Good in a way, as I am reluctant to have to start "learning the ropes' in a new place.

The only question is whether it will still be affordable with the exchange rate. Surely the baht has to fall sometime, even against sad old Sterling.

Given the c**p exchange rate on the £ now, would I be better off ( re visa, cost of living, accomodation, life style, fun ) to retire in Pattaya, Cambodia ( Sihanoukville ) or Phillipines ( Cebu )?

I was intending to live in Pattaya, but I've heard that Cambodia is cheaper and has better visas, while Phillipines seems to have better visas, but same cost of living etc. I've only been to Thailand, so have no personal experience of either Cambodia or Phillipines.`

Thanks for any personal knowledge.

Strange that the GBP should take a nosedive as Europe announces a massive bailout for Georgia. Not to mention that Osbourne is being investigated for trying to solicit donations on the Russian front. To a certain extent has the rise of the Euro and GBP been pushed along by the Russians over the past years and have they now pulled the plug?

While I am not an economist, IMO the present situation is only to be expected, as the long awaited "financial correction" has at last arrived. Personally I wish it had waited another year, but there you are.

Can't speak for any other country, but the UK has been pursuing policies that could only lead to disaster. Basically encouraging growth by getting as many people into massive debt as possible. Banks almost giving money away, even to people that were bad risks. Mortages of over 100 %. Housing vastly overpriced. Then the incompetent policies of new labour, allowing as many unskilled people as could get into the country to stay, but not making them work or train. Allowing more people to claim larger benefits for longer. Spending vast sums on illegal wars overseas. Taxing the lower and middle classes till they no longer had sufficient to spend on non essentials. Allowing the industrialsts to export most of the real jobs to cheaper countries so they could make even more profits ( well, they won't be happy now, when no one can afford to buy their imported products- factories already closing in China ). Allowing all essential industries to be taken over by foreign owners who only want to make a profit; fewer and crowded public transportation, electricity and gas too expensive for pensioners to use, airports become huge shopping areas at expense of passengers comfort. Public services underfunded, the NHS only functions as they have poached trained staff from overseas prepared to work for low wages ( haven't seen any English people training as nurses in London for years; in fact, hardly any English people work in London hospitals ).

Then, when it all goes wrong, the authorities dither, till finally they give the very people that caused the crisis vast sums of taxpayer's money, but without even stopping them rewarding themselves with huge bonuses for incompetence. To add insult to injury, the Chancellor now claims that giving the Americans billions of £ for a new Trident system will stimulate the economy! We need more people doing real jobs, not buying better ways to kill millions of innocent people.

After the crisis really started to take effect, I was shocked when, on going into my bank, I was approached by a staff member who had been assigned to try and get customers to take on a new credit card. Just what we need, even more debt!

As for the Osbourne affair, it's just a smoke screen to take people's minds off the farce going on in Parliament.

The last time the world was in a really serious financial crisis, it took a world war and millions of dead people to recover, hopefully it won't get that bad this time.

Sadly it's locked up until end of November!

And the rate has dropped another 1bht since my post earlier this morning

now down to 56! aaaaargh!

and double aaaaaargh! Just as I'm about to go there; bummer.

We have Gordon and the plonker running the BoE to thank, doing their best to talk us into a recession. 2 days ago 58, today 56. ( mind you, the £ fell 6 cents, so it could have been a bigger drop against the baht. I think David Cameron is going to enjoy taunting Gordon about the "end of boom and bust" for some time to come.

Anyone know an easy way to explain to the friendly ladies of NEP that their asking price is no longer realistic?

I've spoken substantially to a senior election commission official (who hates Taksin by the way) and this election was fair. Claim otherwise all you want, but the EC (certainly not TRT / PPP supporters or dogsbodies) have the information and the strengh to say it how it was - fair.

H90, just spouting on and on and on an ubsubstatiated (and clearly incorrect according to respected authorities) opinion carries no weight - quite the reverse.

Did your associate, the EC Commissioner, say this before or after all those red and yellow cards were issued for vote buying by them? Which, btw, they're still issuing... from a December election... with 5 more just a few days ago.

Be as sarcastic as you like, but the facts remain:-

1) All sides cheated (normal Thai politics, sadly) and were issued with yellow / red cards.

2) The PPP got the votes to form a government.

All this despite the fact that the army (remember the coup?) and the people they put in place to 'check' the election were desperate for the PPP not to form a government. Even despite these huge odds, and the stacked cards, the PPP still won, because that's who the majority of Thais wanted and continue to want.

I repeat one hundred times: If Taksin (who I hate personally) came back to Thai politics he would win an election by a landslide. I know it, you know it, The Thai populous knows it and PAD knows it too.

I am completely inline with your clear hatred of Taksin and the PPP. The only difference is ;I believe the PAD to be equally bad, and I also respect the Thai populous vote - you and PAD don't. Luckily for the masses you / PAD are a very tiny minority.

So, if you were back in the 1930's, knowing what you know now, would you support Hitler's democratically elected Nazi government, or are the "people" sometimes wrong in their choice of leader?

It looks like all the Falangs on this thread are Pro PAD.

Not at all, just anti Taksin and all his fellow travellers.

As for those that say because the PPP won the election they are OK, remember the Nazis won power in a "democratic" election, but they were not OK, and it took the death of millions to get rid of them.

In WWII London was blitzed by high explosive devices that blew apart buildings and created fires. No buildings imploded.

In NY the WTCs were hit by 2 aircraft. Building 7 wasn't touched by a projectile but may have been hit by floating paper and falling bodies. It imploded. Start asking <deleted>. The thought that a democratically elected government may behind this is unbelievable, unthinkable and even unspeakable. Start thinking, start investigating and start discussing.

The Pentagon was allegedly hit by a large commercial airline. We are told this large commercial aircraft was flown by an Arab pilot (with a few hours of flight training in small Cessna aircraft) who managed to avoid the most expensive and sophisticated air defence in the world, fly the plane parallel to the ground and avoid other buildings, electricity pylons etc in order to hit the building just a few meters above the ground. There are security cameras covering every inch of this part of the world but NO images that show the impact. There are NO eyewitnesses. Plus the width of the impact clearly indicates that the wings of this commercial aircraft failed to damage or touch the building. However, on Youtube you can find a short piece of video that shows something that suspiciously looks like a cruise missile heading towards the building.

Stop accepting the lies: Iraq, Iran, Georgia, The Patriot Act, Banking system collapses, Fed bailouts.

Nothing new about any of this. I was reading interesting books about world domination by the Rothchilds and other rich families back in the 1980's.

So assuming that you are right about it all ( and the collapse of building 7 was well dodgy ), what does someone like myself do about it? I own no property to go hide on, and have only small amount of savings. After all is said and done, I have no options to change whatever is coming.

For the vast majority of humanity life is always sh*t. Those of us able to use this forum have been fortunate to live through some good times. Now we are about to find out what it is like to be poor.

I suspect that the great majority of people will not give a dam_n till they themselves start to suffer. I work in a middle class occupation, and not one other person I work with cares about politics or climate change. They mostly have children and claim to love them, but are not prepared to lift a finger to preserve the future for them. I am just so glad that I myself do not have children to be left to suffer.

Times like this, the old saying is appropriate: life is sh*t, and then you die.

Can anyone who knows about such, tell me if the falling stock market is likely to lower the baht exchange rate, as the rapidly plunging £ is going to put a severe crimp in my holiday "fun"?

£ down to 57.

How longs it gunna last before we see an upturn?

This is killing me.

Likewise. If this trend keeps up it's going to be pre '97 exchange rates, but everything twice the price of back then.

With the daily worsening economic situation in Europe and airfares still high, it's going to look like low season during the high season.

Wonder if they'll discover that they really do still want low level tourists to come, when families discover that they'd rather eat and pay the mortgage, than take overseas holidays.

Even Sondhi admits to a large security force, if it was all peacefull, why spend the money on such a force, it just doesn't make sense.

...... that coward Sondhi out of governement house, and bring him to justice.....

A large security force? The leaders have some paid professional bodyguards ... and then there are the folks at the barricades ... the volunteers. What large security force are you referring to?

The 'coward' Sondhi? He's a coward now? he's been standing up to corruption and POWER oft times on his own, for years! Maybe you don't remember the rallies at at Lumpini Park ...

Indeed he is a coward, why wasn't he at the barricades then, at his self proclaimed, final battle. A coward, a cheat, who is not an inch better then the man he forcefully fights, the minute it became apparent to him, that he wasn't going to help him to get rid of some debts here and there. He himself is corrupt to the core. Please don't make me laugh.

No more a coward than George W and Tony Bliar for not leading their troops from the front in Iraq.

If it were not for the PAD Taksin would be bleeding this country dry.

When, oh when, are all you relative newbies going to understand that the major difference between Thaksin and the PAD leaders is simply who is going to continue the long established program of bleeding the country dry and how many people will be invited to the party? Thaksin's only sin to the PAD folks is that he kept too much of the spoils to himself and his immediate family and did not share. Worse, he was a relative outsider from the North who did not, as that southerner Prem did, ingratiate himself into the Bangkok club by paying his dues.

You're kidding, right! Taksin was the man who unleashed Purachai to destroy the farang nightlife scene, since when the party has been winding down, and the crime rate has been going up.

I think the Thais way overdid the mall developmen , just like they overdid the 7-11s on every corner. You have Big C, Gardens Mall, Mike's, the place where Shenanigan's is, and now that huge place. Not to mention the Tesco Lotus and Carre 4s that are around the corners. You know the typical Pattaya Thai native will not shop in these new developments. I guess somebody thinks they can make money or they pay very smally building loan interest or land rent or something. I don't like this many shopping places. Doesn't add anything to the city and doens't make one think they are in Thailand. I wonder who bankrolled this one? Foreign investors?

Speaking as a regular visitor to pattaya, I think the developers did not do any research to identify a clientelle base.

If they sought to attract Western tourists the outdoor design was wrong, as farangs are in no way going to window shop in the heat.

If they wanted asian package tourists, they were on a non starter, as Mike has that sewn up.

If they desired Thais the design is all wrong. The most successful mall in Thailand has to be MBK, and the RGM is the nearest to that, followed by Big C.

If they hankered for passing foot traffic it's in the wrong location, as not many pedestrians pass on that side of 2nd Rd, and there is nothing special enough to get them to cross the road for; McDogfood, KFCr*p and overpriced pizza- b*ll*cks.

IMO people go to shops and supermarkets to buy things and to restaurants ( anywhere ) to eat. They go to malls to socialise and peoplewatch with a bit of shopping thrown in, and while they are there they might as well get something to eat. Shopping and eating are not the primary motivation for going to a mall. Therefore to attract customers, the place has to be conducive to hanging about in, and have some interesting attractions, plus be in a convenient location. the mall that best fills these criteria in Pattaya is the RG Mall. Excellent location, nice environment and attractions eg Ripley's and the fountain, plus a good range of shops and eating places. Most important of the eating places is the food court, and I don't think Avenues has one.

Many posters have mentioned carparking as a factor, but in a tourist area, that's not going to be a major attraction, as most of us don't have a car!

I was there for the opening of Avenues, and thought at the time not enough people would shop there due to having to walk around in the heat, and in a town with an excess of shops and restaurants there wasn't anything special for enough people to make the effort to go there.

When in Pattaya, I go to Big C to buy supermarket things, to Mike for department store things and to RGM if I feel like fast food, ice cream or a food court. I'll go to the movies at Avenue unless the same one is at RGM ( cheaper ). No way I'll go window shopping in the heat. If I feel like people watching, it's RGM everytime.

I don't think the mall has much of a future as a retail/restaurant attraction. I think the better use would be as some type of "entertainment" plaza. By this, I mean a combination of family/couples entertainment, as already exists with the cinema, bowling and karaoke lounge AND a naughty nitelife component. For one thing, it already has the layout that would work for such a use and is in a good location.

The open-air layout, while a handicap for a pure retail/restaurant mall is ideal for an entertainment plaza. All the successful ones in Thailand are of an outdoor type (e.g., Walking Street, Nana, Cowboy, Patpong, Bangla).

Crossing Second Road is the problem in Pattaya - people will not come out of Soi post Office / Soi Yamato / RGP and walk across 2nd Road - they will drift North or South on the same side of the road

My model would be more like Nana or EDSA complex in Manila (except EDSA is enclosed). There already is a large entrance frontage on 2nd and bars and clubs would clearly be visible to folks walking around like they do at Nana. Heat, humidity, and rain would not be deterrents to the monger crowd. There could be some rules and regulations to keep it from degenerating into the squalor and sordid atmosphere you find around Nana or Cowboy, however.

If there is something interesting there, the "chickens" will cross the road. If it was really a problem, a pedestrian bridge could be built or even easier, speed bumps in the road.

What squalor and sordid atmosphere? It's the 2nd greatest show on earth after Walking Street! ( In the eye of the beholder etc. )

People seem to cross 2nd Road to go to Big C just fine, thank you.

... because there is a zebra crossing near there?

There's also white lines painted on the road outside RGP - where I was hit by a mo'bike.

No - the real reasons are that Big C is worth crossing the road for (The Avebnue ain't) and that Big C is situated beyond Pattaya Klang and traffic is much less manic in that area - few parked cars, less cars entering / leaving the traffic stream - more gaps in the traffic.

Yes, Big C is worth crossing the road for, but you're kidding about the traffic having more gaps, right? Perhaps in the daytime, but no way at night. IMO it's the worst place to try and cross on 2nd Rd.

I don't think the mall has much of a future as a retail/restaurant attraction. I think the better use would be as some type of "entertainment" plaza. By this, I mean a combination of family/couples entertainment, as already exists with the cinema, bowling and karaoke lounge AND a naughty nitelife component. For one thing, it already has the layout that would work for such a use and is in a good location. It would be no loss to visitors and residents not interested in such entertainment as Central will be up and running soon and a few years later, the MBK mall (and others we have yet to hear about).

The open-air layout, while a handicap for a pure retail/restaurant mall is ideal for an entertainment plaza. All the successful ones in Thailand are of an outdoor type (e.g., Walking Street, Nana, Cowboy, Patpong, Bangla). The ground floor could be reserved for non-bar tenants like already exist and for allowing families to make their way to the movies/bowling "unmolested" and the 2nd and 3rd floors could be fitted-out with "happy ending" massage joints, gogos and beer-bars. All of the existing restaurant/cafe tenants would surely benefit from the crowds that would come because mongers usually have/work-up big appetites and also like to often feed their ladies too. It might also become something like a tourist destination in its own right like Walking Street in the evenings.

The "new" mall would also benefit as the long-term trend is to kick-out the naughty places from prime beach front locations and the sois running between Beach and 2nd roads. It's only a matter of time when sois 7/8, Post Office, and Yamoto are redeveloped into hotels and other more upscale uses than their present ones. Malibu Bar across from Avenue has already been demolished and is being redeveloped. Over time, Post Office all the way to the Beach will likely go the same way. Where will all the bars go to...some to Bua Khow yes but the Avenue would be another great alternative. All the new small condos in the the soi behind the Avenue that are being build will also provide a natural customer base for the new use Avenue.

I agree.

I reckon the Malibu show would go down well there, and could even get larger with more dancers etc.

]Malibu Bar across from Avenue has already been demolished and is being redeveloped....WOT...

NO No No Cant be.......manys a night...........

Yes Rinrada, it's very true...the old Malibu is just a pile of rubble as I write. HOWEVER, don't jump just yet...just do a search for "Malibu" or "Tina Turner" and you will get the latest on them...

In the smoke and keep getting things about hooch wot comes in Old Spice Bottles and pictures of Granny Turner in a mini skirt....

so wheres the Bar gone to....Yo Tee Nai Krup... .....?

Don't panic, "Tina" still mimes every night at the new location just past Soi 10 on 2nd Rd.

I had a look through the barrier wall at the old location, and it was sad to see the remains of the stage with new pillars rising out of holes cut into it. No matter how modern the new location is, nothing beat the atmosphere at the original.

On the positive side, they were testing the water jet display this evening and it looks good. Much better than the one at the Royal Garden Plaza.

Thats gonna be a private water jet then as nobody around to watch.

I don't care how great the water jet display is. No way I'm standing around in the heat to watch a fountain.

i never went to the full moon party, where is the fee collected, i mean when you go to the full moon, is the boat driing you to a special location or is the fee collected at the regular pier?

The fees are collected at speedboat piers some 300m from where the party is and on the opposite side of Haad Rin penisula. The piers are mostly used for party arrivals from Samui so it's hard to say they are regular. But unless one pays the fees not only the access to the party but to Hadd Rin itslef is impossible.

Thank you for all replies. I'm sorry I missed the previous post about the same issue.

Just as I thought the fee is only for people arriving from Koh Samui. But who says that people coming from Samui don't spend the same or more at KPG businesses than people staying there? But the fairness of it and the level of it aside the way fees are being collected show the lack of respect to visitors (mostly foreigners) and ruthlessness of organisers.

It's not the point that 100THB is not much for most tourists. It's a matter of principle that they are being surrounded with bariers (entrapment) and charge money if they want to leave the arrival area. But when the tickets are sold at Samui side nobody informs about additional costs to leave the pier on the other side. This leaves a sour feel amongst the visitors and should not be allowed.

As I suggested to the English speaking Thai gentelmen at the gate maybe a better way to collect the money for beach cleaning would be by some transparent surcharge on the speedboat tickets. But I guess that would require KPG mob to talk to Samui mob which is easier said than done. And the government ... is where?

Last time I went to FMP ( few years ago ) the speedboats pulled up off the party beach and people waded ashore, and visa versa. Does that no longer happen?

To attribute low numbers to an awareness of the Thai political situation is to overlook the fact that those attracted by mass marketing etc are largely unconcerned by anything very much beyond satisfying their own immediate needs.

I agree that most people don't follow politics, per se, but they do watch TV and see, on those occasions, people camped out protesting the government, hear reports of a state of emergency being declared (maybe even hearing its lifting) and perhaps hear of the change in leadership (such as it is).

People don't have to have a clear sense of the political machinations in Myanmar, for example, to feel that it might be unsafe to go there (whether that feeling is based on fact or not is immaterial).

Having said that, I think the economy is a factor as well, although I think, "The western banking system has collapsed..." must be hyperbole by the poster.

What I wonder is this: Given that the tourist numbers seem to be smaller than last year and the year before, what is going through the minds of all the people who have put a great deal of money into new construction projects that are dependent on tourists for their survival?

I get the sense that as the earlier poster said, this "travel depression" could go on for years.

After watching with despair over the past 10 years the destruction of many once wonderful beaches for pure greed ( none more so than Chaweng ) I hope the "investors" are sh***ing bricks.

I have been to Angeles City, but I gotta say I personally like Pattaya much better. Aside from my preference of Thai women to Filipina, I found the Phillipines to be a bit run down for my taste. Sure there are some that like to go there regularly, but it is not for me. I doubt I will be returning to the Phillipines anytime soon unless one of my Filipino friends invites me.

Been thinking about going there, for some time, but put off by stories of how difficult it is to get around. Can you advise me of any web sites/ forums that give good information about life in AC please. Also, is it like Pattaya, in that you can just turn up and get an hotel, and is there a high/ low season ( I understand there are a lot less tourists visiting the Phillipines than Thailand, and AC is not really a tourist destination as such?

Thanks for any advice.