Razzler1973

That Makkasan station is a right pain in having to walk around the corner to connect to the subway

I would say as a word of warning if you're going from town back to the airport to catch a flight be wary that a lot of people use the Airport Link to get to the stations like Hua Mak or Lat Krabang. I was in a bit of traffic but thought I had loads of time ... got on the platform only to find myself at the back of a long queue. Couldn't get on and had to wait for the next train.

Only 15 minutes and was no problem but kind of took me by surprise, no idea why that didn't cross my mind but someone with less time may get caught out

Wow, no backpackers but looking at 500 bucks! Can you get anything half decent for 500 bucks in Samui even? I'd look at least 700 or 800 pretty much on any island these days as minimum to stay away from thatched huts that look like they may go up in flames or were built in 1977

The semantics of who actually your passport belongs to isn't much of anything

If they're open to accepting money as a deposit then that's cool. Of course, it doesn't solve the actual issue with being skanked, they just give half your money back instead of withholding your passport. Ok, I have my passport but lost my cash now

Basically, don't scratch, if you do repair it yourself (anywhere on Koh Pha-Ngan?) and hopefully things will be cool

I got a bike from that Oms Place (?) on Haad Rin before and they seemed decent, I can't recall any out and out scammers with the repairs in my time

A big boat from Koh Kong up to Snooky, not sure if there's a bus these days but it always used to be a big boat. You could make it across passport control, bike to the river (which may not be requred now) and just about make it for the boat but in reality the boat waits for people IIRC. There was a couple of guesthouses in Koh Kong but first thing in the morning coming from Koh Kong is the best bet

For the people saying 'don't ever leave your passport' I think we all get that you shouldn't and it's not advised, etc but when you rent a bike what do you do? Leave money? Convince them to take a photocopy? (cant imagine that one being popular)

It's probably as much UK press asking them and then them commenting

Blame it on the UK press?

Journalists can only ask questions. They can't make anyone give a certain type of answer, nor can they stop people saying "no comment".

Well tabloids know full well that a 'the Germans say we're rubbish' story will always go down well' so they ask a particular question. Of course people could answer it differently or side-step it but I don't think they expect to be ambushed and have their 'comments' as a headline the next day and they probably also don't care.

It's like a conversation with a European player 'would you like to play in the Premier League' .. usual platitude of whichever country is interviewing them 'I'd love to, they have nice clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal' so next day "player X interested in Arsenal' with one line of quote out of context and voila, journalism

MBK used to be brilliant but a few years back they 're-branded' it or something and made it all fancy-smancy and it's not the same. Used to have a wide variety of dishes and khao gairng but now it looks like it could be from anywhere really

You're better off crossing in the morning in the normal way rather than being the only bloke going over really late and then sorting out getting to Koh Kong. Not cross there for ages but used to be a small river you'd need to get a small boat across in, not sure if that's road now though but still need some form of transporation and they have you over a barrel if you turn up later than most folk.

Hat Lek as someone else said. I stayed there before and then I think there's a night market that people got Songthaews from in the morning to the border, hotels were short walk from there and it was a well trodden path so easy to get info for it.

When I crossed before they try to 'ol 'need vacines' scam to get you to part with $5 or so. You can keep walking but sometimes they're more insistent so may hit you up for that. Some people actually have had vacines and had their little booklet thing so that caught them out It's like $5, no vacines ... here's $5 ... ok, you can go through now ... you still don't have the vacines, mind

Sit there staring into space until your flight out. Honestly, not much to do. They may have free internet, they do in Dubai, stroll up and down .. erm, take a book. That's all I got

Haha what kind of idiot feels there is no other way to continue staying in Thailand than to rob a bank ... on an island, no less? How about getting some more sent over or, you know, going home?

Ok, seems people are more open to leaving a deposit then? I don't mind that tbh if they're open to that as an alternative. I will try that next time and see how they go.

I am not sure I have seen too many of those credit card machines knocking about but rental companies here in Dubai for a car will run that through and block off a certain amount of money on the card for 10 days or so, standard stuff in case there are fines.

Personally I want both sides happy and happy to take responsibility for doing something wrong but obviously don't want to get skanked

People make out it's some evil Thai trick but even Western renters are doing it. I don't really have a problem with it providing if I do something wrong I don't get skanked.

On Koh Chang I like to rent a bike 4 or 5 days. Obviously that's a fair time so they want the passport. However, I am staying at their place so where the hell am I gonna go?

Another time I got it from Koh Pha-Ngan at the place I was. As I was going along I was convinced some little stone flicked up and hit the wing mirror and all these thoughts ran through my head that they're gonna hit me up ... didn't say a word (not that they should and I would be happy to replace a mirror no matter how harsh it happend)

Soi 8 on Soi 8 for the rugby, or Tenderloins or its neighbours on Soi 33.

I like sitting outside The Old Dutch if I'm recruiting.

There's various I could recommend around where I live, but I imagine you would implicitly prefer somewhere more convenient.

SC

Got a nice breakfast on the go in there, don't think it's changed for years

You're talking about Honkers? I used to live there and most of the bars from my time in mid to late 90s are gone or changed their names. I used to work in Bahama Mamas back in the day and Californias too on the corner of Lan Kwai Fong. Oh to be young again and have an endless supply of female Chinese names in my address book!

This is a tough one, a friend who rents out bikes, trusted everyone and never took a passport ....

But after one bike totally gone missing, for over a year now and two missing , but found, at ferry terminal, ....... he now insists on proper ID being left.

I too generally leave my drivers license, but at shops that know me, they don't bother.... even if it is for someone I can vouch for.

Also never been hit up for a "scratch"!

The rental shops are not all bad, it's the few places that scam people who give everyone a bad name.

I think if I did something wrong I'd definitely pay, don't get me wrong and I can understand there's an element of risk on their part too.

I have never been hit up for a scratch either but apparently it happens. I am not a mental driver or anything so have never caused any hassle but you don't want someone inventing a scratch, I do check the bikes, etc so you'd think 'well, you shouldn't have an issue then' and I don't but you do get people that would rather chop off their leg than give a passport and I can understand that, I am never entirely comfortable with it.

I never experienced Thais being ok with it on places like Koh Pha-Ngan or even Koh Chang and they just seem confident that no one will rent to you so can afford to shrug and let you leave and I have gone around everyone and had no luck and ended up handing my passport over.

I mean, I am aware of the 'dangers' and I do wonder if a lot of places just ask for it as it's the thing everyone does, they don't even think about whether they need it or they should have it or anything

If you cant find someone of reputable character to hire you a bike without passport, perhaps consider not hiring after all.

My take on it is that they are holding which is something valuable to you hence a good bartering/blackmail tool however you like to look at it, and why put yourself in that situation.

I like having a bike though and you'd think if no one is handing over their passport then no one is renting which means they'd soon change their ways but they're clearly not :/

I never experienced Thais being ok with it on places like Koh Pha-Ngan or even Koh Chang and they just seem confident that no one will rent to you so can afford to shrug and let you leave and I have gone around everyone and had no luck and ended up handing my passport over.

I mean, I am aware of the 'dangers' and I do wonder if a lot of places just ask for it as it's the thing everyone does, they don't even think about whether they need it or they should have it or anything

Yeah, I am never uncomfortable with it but in years gone by have refused to give my passport and they have just shrugged and not bothered renting it. Seeing as I have never had an issue with any scams I do wonder why they're that bothered about insisting on the passport though

I have done but tend to rent from the place I am staying where I figure they have a bunch of my money from the place so perhaps won't pull a 'oh look at this scratch' scam on me. I have to say I have never, ever had an issue with that kind of thing renting a bike in Thailand but a lot of people are adament about leaving the passport.

In my experience if you don't then they are more than happy for you to walk away and not rent the bike so what can you do?

It's probably as much UK press asking them and then them commenting

Has anyone been to 'The Game' or whatever it's called, relatively new sports(ish) bar, I think Sukhumvit 20-ish?

I have a flight down South from Don Muang with Nok Air.

Oddly to get to Koh Pha-Ngan I am flying to Nakorn Sri Thammarat and then coach to Surat and then ferry. Any reason they're not landing in Surat Thani?

Ah good stuff, much appreciated, chaps

Yeah, already have that site bookmarked, good for info and times but not keen on booking online for a train ticket though. I think I trust that less than most of the travel agents just wanted to know if anyone regularly books on Koh Pha-Ngan is it's all problem free and so on

Yeah, I do recall that from Bulls Head, was quite small and same people night in, night out, which is cool. Ah forgot about Londoner, they do have women in there IIRC.

I don't mind it being packed with women all the time although that's a bonus. I guess for the packed with women option you need to be heading to Thonglor these days.

Not sure too many women like coming into lower Sukhumvit though with all it's joys

What's the deal with places like that CheckIn? Seems like a pub or is it a thinly disguised hostesses type place as well?