Patong Bob

I'll second Hat Yai for all the reasons mentioned above. Also most people you will interact with have some command of English.

If you are have a reasonable level of Thai, then Trang on the South-West coast is beautiful.

Consider Patong or Pattaya only if you are a drunken old degenarate...(hic !!}.

Good Luck.

When I lived full time in Thailand I was with AIG, they were good but were getting more expensive every year, especially after 60.

Now I visit for three months twice a year. I buy my return ticket with a Westpac Gold Mastercard, which covers me for all health costs through Zurich Insurance in Australia. I had to use it two years ago when I had a fall and had concussion and three broken ribs. No problems with them paying everything at Phuket International. Great service and by paying with Mastercard no extra charge.

WARNING : I have seen several people have to return to their home countries because of medical problems or emergencies, no problems usually. This trip, for the first and last time, I was on Jetstar who refused to change the booking unless I paid full fare for an extra flight. T stayed in Thailand until my return date but if the injury or illness had been life-threatening it would have cost me #1,000 +, full price Phuket -Melbourne

Depends on where you are from. If you are from a country which has a health care agreement with Australia you are covered by the Medicare system - basically free care.

The UK is covered, Thailand is not. Your travel agent should know, if not I believe you can register on arrival.

Can't beat The Islander in Soi Patong Resort, Patong. Best English food in Phuket.

Spent two days there about ten years ago, after escaping from my lady's village.

Two suggestions :

1. get drunk; and

2. stay drunk.

Ever been to Ranong when it wasn't raining ? I believe it is the rainiest province in the country. No beaches, a very ordinary casino in Myanmar waters (owned by a Thai Senator, I believe).

People friendly enough, no western restaurants that I could see. Wpod be a good, quiet place to live, but not suitable for large scale tourism.

My two baht worth....

Why cant I start a new topic ? I have started quite a few over the years and now I'm told I cannot.

What happened to member no. ? I'd quite liked seeing how experienced posters were.

Thanks.

Old Croc,

are we taking about the same place ? Patong Bay Garden Resort is on the beach side of Thaweewong, between Bangla and Swadirak. If so, I stand by my report. But I've just had a funny feeling, do I mean Patong Beach Garden Resort ?

I can't ride down to see as I'm in Melbourne just now. The resort I mean has no upstairs to flee to and you can't outrun a tsunami anyway.

Re post 430 : assets and income are taken into account when assessing DSP. Liabilities are not.

It's a good place and on the beach, until the tsunami I used to refer visitors there. Everyone working or staying there wew killed in the tsunami.

Paul Green died on April 16th while on holiday in Northern Thailand. He was 51.

Paul worked in the timeshare game in Phuket, Samui and Pattaya.

In Patong he spent a lot of time in the Paradise Complex, ezpecially the old Monte Carlo Hotel and the Flying Handbag bar.

He was one of the good guys.

Rest in Peace.

I was seated at an emergency exit on Malaysian once. The stewardess explained what was was expected of me. I remember thinking " Mmm, she must not realise how drunk I am".

er. I actually served in the Australian Army. I bet you didn't.

I was in the Provost Corps. I bet you don't know what that was.

Good to have you lecture me about diggers.

I was trying to help you.

I think I answered this a few weeks ago. There is no Dawn Service (who gets up before 11am ?). Diver's Place will hold a service in Surin. Diver's cellphone 01-788-8477, bar 076-271-379.

Here is a question that i have asked quite a few people and have never had an answer............. Why do you NEVER see a lady boy older than around 40 - 45 years old........... what happens to them? where do they go??? :-)

VM

With no research at all, I believe that they have a huge suicide rate.

Diver's Bar in Surin usually organises a service.

Chalong is a long hike from Patong to do twice a day, and Kathu, while cheap means two trips a day over the hill - believe me , you take your life in your hands every trip over the hill.

Suggest looking at the Sky Inn condos in Patong, very quiet and not expensive.

Did the laser therapy three days ago at a cost of 15,000 baht.

Stopped me smoking for a whole three hours.

Jim's car was fully insured. The insurance company refused to settle ( a bad idea as it has turned out) and paid for the court cases. They have also paid the bail.

My apologies to the British consul, as I was wrongly advised

It has been suggested that he parked an unlit car. I don't know how you light a parked car at night, however he was parked under a streetlight and he has reflective stickers on the back of his car.

No, I still don't know the section of the penal code and it's not the time to be pressing Jim for details.

I know I'm dealing with a lot of cynical people, but I promise you that I am being as honest as I can.

Everyone should read the article in The Age in above post.

Jetstar ignored all safety precautions, illegally didn't report the incident and when Air Safety (C.A.A.) got on to this they initially lied about it.

Why am I not surprised ?

If a Thai airline did half of this, the forum would be flooded by sarcastic and cynical posts.

Jetstar are a crap airline.

Jim has today been sentenced to one year in jail..He is currently on bail, pending an appeal. Let me re-iterate : he was apparently legally parked, he was asleep in bed when a woman on a motor bike ran into the back of his car at 0330.

No, I don't know the penal code section number. I can't even imagine what the charge, other than illegal parking, could possibly be. I know he is in shock.

We all love Thailand and think it is wonderful, but when something like this happens I think I may change my retirement plans to somewhere like my home town of Melbourne.

Can't stand these adverts, they spoil the rythym of the topics.

More and more people are now realising that climate change is another scam, similar to the Y2K scam. Gore and others have made millions from this.

After SARS, bird flu , AIDS (it was going to kill us all) I wonder what the next big scare will be, and who will make money from it ?

They leave every hour from about 0800, any hotel or travel agent will arrange one for you or take a motorbike taxi to thebu station.

Trang, in the deep south is beautiful and has a nice beach.

Basic Thai will be OK, not a lot of English speakers.

Enjoy yourselves.