mrclough

Oh how I wish... (for an affirmative reply!).

mayebe start a wee club up here

.i will contact the pattaya northern soul club to see how they got their club up and running

need to hear Eddie parker blaring oot a decent set o speakers

speak with Joolz from Bamboo Bar in San Sai, he has an excellent collection of Northern Soul. Joolz also used to own The What Bar in town until a few years ago.

Rip i cannot really get through the whole 108 thread, its too terrible, theres hardly anything left of the bus

I was on a motorbike tour on this stretch of highway once... It was raining and I counted no less than seven (!!) accidents there! Cars going off the road left and right, a truck did an unintentional 360 just in front of us but managed to stay on the road.

I think what needs to happen is that this road gets redone. As it is its a slippery slide.

They have been resurfacing a lot of the 118 over the last couple of years. It is a very long and very slow process in this country for some reason.

Lets hope someone in a government position has sense to realise just how dangerous this stretch of road is and does something about it sooner rather than later.

I've travelled it many times by motorcycle and think it's a great road but there are many places where the surface is bad and it's nearly all extremely slippery during or just after rainfall.

1 post usefull. 2 posts useless, one post sexist.

Thai visa +1

No wonder every single person I talk to says that they hate coming to this sight for advice.

What do the non-single people say?

I'm flying to Europe with Ethiad on Tuesday. I'm a bit worried over the comments about the food now.

I've flown with Qatar before who I rate very highly and I've used Emirates twice. I would never go anywhere with Emirates again unless there was no possible other option. Rude ignorant staff, both times I flew with them I was delayed, 30 hours last time and bussed from Birmingham Airport to Manchester. No meal provided, no offer of compensation and no refund for the connecting flight I missed here in Thailand. Never again whilst there are other options! I would rather fly with Biman Airways again lol (not recommended either).

I'm flying business class this time which is a first for me and I'm hoping it will be a good experience.

The only downside to Ethiad I have seen so far is that they bombard you with unnecessary promotional emails sometimes more than once a week.

I have never used a travel agent that is why I am curious to know why people use them. I'm assuming most people that use them are doing do for the convenience and are not as price conscious as others, or perhaps not so good with finding flights online. For others its much more convenience to book from home at the best available price.

If you have a good travel agent they can save you time and money. Thats a fact. Not everyones travel requirements are simple point to point flights. These can be booked on the internet easily in most cases if you have some knowledge of the routes and options.

Complex stuff, routeing out via a certain city, side trip to somewhere back via somewhere else, stopovers. Visa requirements if i route via ?, Might be bringing a bicycle back? Can i date change it? Ticket validity, 1 month, 12 months? Date changes free of charge on some airlines USD150 a change on others. Is that 500 baht cheaper ticket the with USD150 date change better than the one thats 500 baht more but has USD25 date changes and is valid 12 months? Aircraft types - the Qantas flight with brand new A380 or that other Qantas flight thats going an hour earlier, perfect! click booked it! (but its a codeshare using a 20 year old BA 747 - the website won't tell you that). Will it generate mileage with my TG freq flyer membership? I may do this at the end of september if its cheaper, if not the second week of october? I can't leave LA until after 18:30. I need my bags to be thru checked. Will i be reprotected if one of my flights are late? My partner will be meeting me in Seoul but he's coming back on this date. The website didn't tell me i can't enter Dubai with Israeli stamps in my passport! Try doing this kind of thing on an airlines website and are still sure you have the best deal?

you're asking many questions which are easily found on the internet for people who do a little research!

visa / entry issues can be found for pretty much any country in a matter of seconds via google.

The flights you are looking at booking nearly always tell you what type of aircraft you will be flying on and if it is code shared or not.

As for leaving after 18:30? You simply look at flight schedules, not rocket science!

Checking bags through? I've always found that to be standard practice when flying from A to B or A to Z. I recently booked from CNX to MAN (Manchester UK). Travel agent could only do this by booking two seperate flights, CNX - BKK then BKK - MAN. This would have meant picking my bags up at swampy then checking in again, not good as it also would have meant I lost 50% luggage allowance on the first leg. I asked them about this and they replied it was the only way they could do it. I then showed them the option I found on-line with booking direct with the airline and checking from CNX to MAN and they still told me you cannot do this.

I've booked on-line and fly very soon lol.

I've nothing against travel agents at all but 99% of what they offer you can get yourself, like I said I do enjoy the search and know not everyone does.

As for the issue of Air Asia moving to Don Mueang soon, they are usually my last choice of carrier for domestic flights so as far as travelling internationally goes they would probably be my last choice too.

I do agree the point made earlier about a flight being slightly cheaper having little to no flexibility but this is usually explained within the selection & booking process and slightly higher prices on the same flights are often offered which will include the option of being semi or fully flexible.

If you see the way the drivers act with the school kids in this was only a matter of time!

They are some of the worst & most inconsiderate drivers i Chiang Mai.

It's a shame this has happened of course but these "school bus" drivers frequently speed excessively, weave through traffic, run red lights and just about every other dangerous act you can think of doing whilst transporting these innocent children on a daily basis.

They have little to no regard for their passengers or other road users in any way and I know first hand that few have only 3rd party insurance on their vehicles.

Agent have to make money somehow so I doubt they can beat prices online. Even if they match it what's in it for them?

As an agent they are usually part of promotions only available to agents, i.e. bigger discounts on flights, lounges & transfers to name a few things.

As mentioned, they do this for a living and therefore it is in their interest to know who has the best offers on each route and at what times.

I have found that in most instances, with a lot of net time, I can usually get a better deal.

Some folk just don't want to do this and want the convenience, fair play to them. I enjoy doing the searching so I don't mind but it can get tedious at times.

So, what's in it for them? Earning a living, developing a good reputation and gaining repeat business which means they are recommended on forums such as this one for example!

Surprised this thread has lasted so long as it mentions a sponsor.

It's usually closed and OP suspended or banned in most cases, be the post true or not lol

The Old Bell seems to manage to get a lot of play time in comments.

Maybe, just maybe its because people like it....

The comment was merely aimed at the fact that virtually every post mentioning a sponsor appears to to get closed and suspensions / bans handed out like M&M's in a school yard these days.

It was in no way meant as a dig at Pedr, who I consider a friend, and I'm sure he knows me well enough to know that.

funnily enough were only talking about this thread recantly as it happens

Dr. Zu

Airport Central, bottom floor near entrance to Robinsons.

71 Export Hai Kaew road near junction with 121.

Ebay?

Hopefully in his own country after the incompetence displayed in the investigations into the events at Downtown Inn.

A terrible tragedy for this to happen to anyone let alone a young man in the prime of his life.

I have one too but I'm not convinced that the build quality is as good as my old one in the UK.

Doesn't feel nearly as solid.

I'd heard that they were all recalled as the Thai authorities refused to give them a legal classification and therefore could not legally be used on the roads. Obviously there will probably be numerous loopholes and ways around this issue if indeed there is any truth to it.

Only what I heard.

I did see one on the Chiang Mai Toy Ride this year. Really nice looking bike and went like stink.

Would imagine it to be a bit of a handful but should be stable enough looking at the design.

Something not right there. My little fino would reach 100 and I'm not exactly small lol

I'm in the process of selling up and moving from Chiang Mai and have lots of stuff. It has all been bought from Global, Homepro, Index, koncept etc but as it's all now second hand it's no longer at them prices.

Please feel free to PM me with an email address or contact number and maybe we can help each other out.

Cheers.

As this is more bike related that dealership related you may be better reposting this in the Motorcycle forum. I'm sure you'll get a much better response there.

re .. Does anyone know where I can take a glass product to be engraved here in Chiang Mai

on the outer moat go past siam tv .. chinese consulate , and theres one next door to the kawazaki dealer

from chiang puak gate head past the mercure hotel and almost opposite this entrance to

tanin market theres this one

dave2

Thank you for your help with this.

Nice one!

Don't usually post "Where can I find" questions but here goes.

Does anyone know where I can take a glass product to be engraved here in Chiang Mai?

Would like to get this done ASAP hence posting the question on here whilst going out and about trying to find somewhere as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I'm planning to take one of the public buses. Too many safety issues with minivan drivers. Anyone know the answer to my question about the air conditioned buses?

Too many safety issues with all drivers in Thailand.

Please do not be fooled into thinking that because they drive for a living they are good drivers.

They aren't, 99.9% are really terrible drivers and drive dangerously taking unnecessary risks with little to no regard for their passengers.

On a recent flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai there was a bit of a write up about it, sounded and looked great. Always does in magazines though I guess lol

it's only today then everything is back to normal.

No great hardship really.

PM sent

Surprised this thread has lasted so long as it mentions a sponsor.

It's usually closed and OP suspended or banned in most cases, be the post true or not lol

if Burma opens up we will see a resurgence of such travel over there for a brief time

Except for a few blips, Myanmar has never been not open.

While we were allowed into the country, we were NEVER allowed to roam at will. Our rather shaby dressed hotel-hired 'driver' was changed after the first three hours to one who had to 'call his wife' before we left, every time we wanted to go to a different venue. Four men, dressed exactly like our driver, (white shirts, dark pants, shinned shoes, sunglasses, and never a smile,) managed to be at every venue we visited, maintaining a 10-meter box around us, the same four men for the entire five days we were there... Our driver was most inquisitive; 'why are you REALLY visiting Myanmar?' 'Who are you meeting here?' 'When is your meeting taking place?' 'What is your purpose in driving around Yangon?' 'Why are you looking out the back window?' Why are you really here?' He asked these same question every day for five days... It became so uncomfortable that on our last day there we decided to stay inside the hotel and read a book rather that putting up with more of the same... Of course the four men were also sitting in the hotel lobby... all day.

Doesn't sound like too much fun then.

I'm keen to visit the place but still a little unsure of it to go yet though.

I'll wait a while I think, can do without the interrogation lol

No phone will be nice for a few days. I've had a mobile in my pocket for 13 years. This next week will be an experiment. I may even like not being able to be contacted, no Facebook alerts, no email, no calls, no texts.

If I can find a battery in the next 6 hours, I'll buy it, if not never mind.

Sometimes it really is nice to go out without the distraction of a phone, particularly so if it's a smart phone.

Still, if it were that smart it would have told you were to get a new battery

It's still making interesting reading this thread.

Bit of bashing of travellers with suitcases going on a little too much for my liking.

Kind of hypocritical saying backpackers are all peaceful and friendly then venting what appears to be dislike and anger towards people with a case. It's a means for carrying your possessions for gods sake. That like saying all people with tattoos are bad people lol.

Also, just a thought mind, but all these places that were discovered by the backpackers who then told the world how great they were really ought to consider taking some responsibility for their downfall to tourism. Should have kept it off the beaten track!!

Ha ha, seriously though, some of you guys have to realise that time has moved on considerably since you settled here or ended your backpacking adventures. People of today want and look for different things. I've stayed in some 300 / 350 baht guesthouses. some are fine like the one I spent the last 2 nights in up in Chiang Rai, some I wouldn't even put a dog in.

Another side note, some of the people who stay in places like Holiday Inn, Ibis hotels etc do actually talk to each other and socialise with each other you know? Most of them have bars too where people make new friends and discuss their holidays.

Backpackers are not the only sociable people on this lonely planet you know lol. Even pensioners on their Saga holidays have a great time and come back with new friends!!!