hendrix

Thanks, where is Casa Pascal?

2nd road across from Royal Garden. Very good.

300 baht to basically anywhere in Pattaya to anywhere in bkk. I have never seen this service offered anywhere. What a delight.

When I arrived at the train station in bkk, I found out the trains are on strike! Doh! So I took the bus to Hua Hin where there were many young maidens eager to be my tour guide. I will fly back. The Thais are simply too noisy on the bus.

Seems odd, considering it's only 150 baht to go to the airport (including the pickup at your hotel/residence).

Do you know if it is a direct trip to the station, or is it via the airport ? If they drop people at the airport and then carry on to the train station, that would make it a 150 baht trip from the airport to the train station. Not sure if that is good or not.

1 big bus so my pre trip assumption is that it is via the airport or maybe they transfer passengers into a smaller van at the airport to the train station or maybe they will drop me off first at the train station and make all those heading to the airport delayed?

I'll report back post trip.

And now for some good news...

038370056 or [email protected]

Source Pattaya Ghost:

A Pattaya port call scheduled for this month by a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier group is now in danger of being canceled due to escalating chaos stemming from the week-long occupation of Bangkok's Government House by the People's Alliance for Democracy. The U.S. embassy put out word over the weekend that aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and destroyer USS Russell were set to arrive at Laem Chabang port, near Pattaya, for a four-day "rest and relaxation" visit sometime this month. No date was specified, but now embassy sources say the visit may not happen due to Monday's declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok and spreading strikes by transportation and utility unions across the nation.

Cancellation would deal a huge blow to Pattaya's local economy. With more than 6,000 horny (edit by hendrix) sailors, marines and aviators on the two vessels, spending by U.S. military forces could easily approach 200 million baht for the four-day visit. Bar and restaurant owners ravaged by this year's low season say the port call could carry them for all of September, traditionally the slowest month of the year.

I bought a Fuji Japanese Restaurant membership card this week which is good for discounts via credit accumulation. They give a temporary paper card while the plastic card is being prepared. I had lunch at Fuji today and was told the temp card is not valid for the credit accumulation scheme. I said to the waitress, "so would you suggest I not eat here until my plastic card is ready?" Silly marketing. My little contribution to Insane Things Around Pattaya.

I am a cat lover myself, so i know how you feel, i am so pleased the cat it ok. 2 weeks ago, i was woken at 4am by a cat crying in my Soi, there are about 8 wild Soi dogs in my Soi, so i got up quickly, to find a beautiful white kitten lying dead outside my gates, the dogs were all around it, and by the time i unlocked my gate, the dogs ran off, and i had the task of having to dispose of the body of this poor kitten. I am a huge cat lover, and was very upset about this, and wonder WHY did it have to happen outisde my house. (the cat was not mine) but i still have a heart and was very sad. I hate those dogs now, and live in fear from my own cats getting out, I wish something could be done about it, i really do, but no one seems to know if there can be anything done legaly i mean. Thailand is Thailand i suppose, and life is sad at times.

Poison meatballs. Many silent neighbors will applaud.

Why a dog can be poisoned without regrets and when a cat is hurt everybody screams murder.

One of my neighbours cat comes to piss and shit on my motorbike for aq log time already now.My previous motorbike the cat came to damage the seats when I put a cover over it.Where can I buy those arrows?

I'll lend you some of mine... I bought a pack of them a few weeks ago!!

The beauty of a forum: Very differing opinions.

Seeing fat yanks with their t shirt sleeves rolled up on their sholders thinking their cool, trying to suck their guts in talking about how many fights they have had, with a young girl hangin off him.

seeing huge, steroid laden, tattooed Englishmen walking around like they own the world and starting fights

[sorry to all you Englishmen but this posting jerk doesn't need to bash Americans]

I think they give Pattaya bound Brits free optional ugly tattoos at the airport and lessons on how to be a prat while in Thailand (as if those that misbehave here weren't already misbehaving in their own country?). The Scandinavian men get a brainwashing that having a completely dependent uneducated Thai girlfriend to send money to who shall remain in Pattaya long after you go back home makes a lot of sense. Hello Finland!

I was just looking at going to KL on Air Asia in a coupe of weeks and it was around 4500 with all taxes. Seems reasonable to me.

I agree. It's not expensive but only in comparison with the 1700 baht visa run offers here in Pattaya which includes lunch. There and back in a few hours.

-The vast # of one armed men. Never saw so many in my life until I hit the shores of Pattaya. A 1 armed man convention or something?

-Thai mothers carry their kids in the womb for 9 months and proclaim they love their children but then ride around at all speeds not willing to spring 150 baht for protective headgear. <deleted>?!

-The amazing # of ugly tattoos on old men covering much of their upper bodies.

-How Thais find it normal to stand still at the top or bottom of a moving escalator.

-How farangs can suicide jump off tall buildings (at least farrangs remember to check the heights first!) regardless of who will have to find them and scrape them off the pavement with a spatula.

-That soi dogs in often menacing packs are given free roam of the entire city (often seen camping out on the lawn at city hall believe it or not) yet we are billed as a world class family resort? Oy vey!

-How the police makes a big spectacle of fining/closing bars that have nudity with the accompanying press capturing everything with their cameras yet if all the nudity did not exist, some police officers would be out of a job as the city would be much quieter requiring less officers. I know they're following orders but still...

-How you can get fined for a moving violation in the morning (ie no helmet) and continue that offense all day but as long as you have paid once, you won't get fined again. Ha!

-Thais working on high platforms with zero protection or security. One slip up and get the spatula!

-How some farrangs can disrespect everyone around them, their hosts, and themselves by acting like a complete ignorant <deleted> all because he's on his 2 week holiday so that gives him a license to do all the things in Pattaya that he would never dream of doing in his home country out of fear, respect, or impossibility.

<snip>

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-More later.

I am a cat lover myself, so i know how you feel, i am so pleased the cat it ok. 2 weeks ago, i was woken at 4am by a cat crying in my Soi, there are about 8 wild Soi dogs in my Soi, so i got up quickly, to find a beautiful white kitten lying dead outside my gates, the dogs were all around it, and by the time i unlocked my gate, the dogs ran off, and i had the task of having to dispose of the body of this poor kitten. I am a huge cat lover, and was very upset about this, and wonder WHY did it have to happen outisde my house. (the cat was not mine) but i still have a heart and was very sad. I hate those dogs now, and live in fear from my own cats getting out, I wish something could be done about it, i really do, but no one seems to know if there can be anything done legaly i mean. Thailand is Thailand i suppose, and life is sad at times.

Poison meatballs. Many silent neighbors will applaud.

Flying isn't cheap. Here is the flight schedule/fees without taxes from Phuket to KL and Singapore.

As the title suggest. Thank you.

As the title suggests. Thank you.

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

Where can we find the younger ones? They seem to hang on longer and longer. Some bars on 2nd road look like a geriatric home.

Which bars ?

Maturity can have it's benefits. I vividly recall a 40 year old BG in Soi 6/1 (OK, she looked about 28) who knew all the moves.

I don't doubt you at all and I've been there, done that. I just find it a sad reality when I see their older faces staring out hopefully.

How about when you go to a beer bar and all of the girls you saw there a month ago have been replaced by younger ones? But who is complaining...

Where can we find the younger ones? They seem to hang on longer and longer. Some bars on 2nd road look like a geriatric home.

Simplest cheap option:

Take bus from North Road bus terminal direct to Bangkok South Bus Terminal. Go early.

Find Hua Hin ticket office ( not that easy the first time ), plenty regular buses throughout the day. Food court nearby for breakfast.

Once in Hua Hin, guest houses all over the place near the bus destination, or if you have booked ahead, it's really small, so can walk, or take a trishaw. The Tuk Tuks are rip off bandits.

Thank you for the detailed reply. There are 2 options for Bangkok destinations at Pattaya North station: Ekamai and Morchit. I'm assuming Morchit is the south bus terminal you've mentioned. You mention "go early." Is this because there are infrequent buses or is it each 30 minutes like the Ekamai bus? How long is the travel from bkk to HH? Once in HH, how far on foot is the beach from the bus station? Thank you.

No. Morchit is the NORTH bus terminal.

Perhaps they've cancelled the 3rd option of the direct bus to the South Bus Terminal, but that's what I used last year. If that's so, there are various options. Personally, if I was on my own, I'd go to Ekamai, take the sky train as far west as it goes, then a taxi to the South Bus Terminal. If I was with someone else, I'd take a taxi from Ekamai, as it would work out about the same cost.

There might be a connecting bus from Morchit, but I always get confused in that place, it's so huge.

There's also the train option. The train station is just around the corner from the bus stop in Hua Hin. You can get sky train/ subway train direct to Hua Lumpong from Ekamai.

I say go early, as it's a long day's travel, and you don't want to be getting to Hua Hin in the evening ( unless you've booked accomodation ). I think Hua Hin buses go every half hour.

I think it was about 3 hours travel from Bangkok.

The beach is no more than a 10-15 minute walk from the bus stop ( it's only a shop house ), but it's not a beach such as in Pattaya. There's no road along it. The big hotel occupies the entire beach in town, and condos/ hotels line the rest of it. There is only 1 major access to the main beach on the south of the town.

Other than expensive places along the coast, all accomodation ( except a few places built over the water, next to the sea food restaurants ) is in the town, away from the shore.

Very helpful info. I've decided to stretch the trip out by taking a bus to Bangkok and then taking the 1pm train to Hua Hin. It takes 4 hours but I've got nothing but time. I used this handy train site: http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

Thank you very much.

Farangs that come here and then whine because things aren't like they are "back home".

Like clean streets, polite people, and employees who give good service because they value their jobs?

Another easier option might be taking Bell Travel service to the airport and then either flying or taking a bus to HH from the airport. Doing some research now.

Simplest cheap option:

Take bus from North Road bus terminal direct to Bangkok South Bus Terminal. Go early.

Find Hua Hin ticket office ( not that easy the first time ), plenty regular buses throughout the day. Food court nearby for breakfast.

Once in Hua Hin, guest houses all over the place near the bus destination, or if you have booked ahead, it's really small, so can walk, or take a trishaw. The Tuk Tuks are rip off bandits.

Thank you for the detailed reply. There are 2 options for Bangkok destinations at Pattaya North station: Ekamai and Morchit. I'm assuming Morchit is the south bus terminal you've mentioned. You mention "go early." Is this because there are infrequent buses or is it each 30 minutes like the Ekamai bus? How long is the travel from bkk to HH? Once in HH, how far on foot is the beach from the bus station? Thank you.

While I enjoy making new friends, I have stopped trying to remember their nicknames anymore. I might remember their job title but seldom their actual names anymore. I have their job title listed in my phone so whenever the person calls, I always say : "Hello (job title)" or "Hello Teacher" as an example.

You?

Thinking of checking it out all by myself sometime soon. What are the most affordable travel options? I assume if I take the bus, I will need to change buses in Bangkok. Is this done from Ekamai or Morchit or other? Out of curiosity, anyone ever take a private taxi there? What did this cost? Thank you.

I'd like to move there if I can find a nice serviced apartment/hotel around 15k which is what I pay monthly now. I'm also sick of the "typical" looking farrang toursist/expat here in Pattaya. See pic.

As the title suggests. I have heard the post office is an inexpensive option for less than 3000 baht. Has anyone done this? Would I simply drive my bike to the post office and they take it from there? Any insurance options? Please do not suggest I drive my Fino there. Not interested. Thank you.

shipped one 4 years ago from Pattaya to Pra Saeng. No problems worked very well, just take your bike to the post office in Naklua.

Thank you very much. Any other info about preparation, costs, what to do/not to do? Advise for a first timer?