gerry53

Musiclover - re bookstore in Jomtien. Best value I found was on Soi Chayipreuk heading up from Beach Road to the Sukumvit about 1 km (or less) on the right hand side. It isn't huge but has a constant flow of books through it. You can buy used books 100 baht or exchange them for 50 baht. Also has books in other languages.

The Wednesday movies at the various cinemas for 60 baht was a great suggestion also, very inexpensive and a great way to keep out of the heat these days!

Musiclover

Some things like cars are as expensive as back home and some people need them for the reasons you stated. True Satellite TV sucks here and is relatively expensive for the number and quality of channels you receive and their service is poor. Books and magazines are more expensive but there are some good second hand book stores around town and Jomtien. I do most of my reading & research on the internet (news - financials) and it isn't expensive. I supplement that with local papers that are inexpensive.

What I do like is I spend less time in the condo and more time at the beach, pool, gym or just travelling around town. I seldom eat in my condo because food is so inexpensive here. In Canada these things would be expensive and a treat, my 1 plus hour daily massages I just couldn't afford.

If you had a non emergency medical issue you could always travel home for treatment.

I do find it less than half the costs of back home with much more agreeable weather and is definitely more fun. I know in the UK you have taken a real hit on the GBP (as has the Euro) and that is the real reason for things in Thailand being and seeming more expensive. The Canadian & Aussie Dollars have held their own or increased their value over the Thai baht so we don't notice the increases as much. If the GBP went up 20 - 30% as it was in the past you'd probably feel less impact.

Moderators should deal with the one child like poster and let others observe the developement as it progresses.

Regarding Naam's comment about fish and chips. Around Crazy Dave's (Soi Chayipoon area) there are a number of restaurants selling this meal for 110 baht or less. Seaside 2 has an airconditioned section, serves theirs with 2 nicely done large pieces of fish with proper chips for 110. Try buying that back home for that price. And yes it is probably local fish but tasty and fresh anyways, if you want Atlantic cod you'll pay tourist prices and it will probably have been frozen.

HP sauce, tea bags etc can always be brought over in bulk on trips home by yourself or friends (we all have some food vices).

Many countries you can't get medical proceedures done quickly due to waiting lists, here I can walk in pay a very reasonable fee and get it done immediately. The quality hospitals here are like hotels, have excellent foreign trained english speaking DRs and extremely efficient. Why would I want to wait months or years for proceedures in my own country - politicians, inmates and famous celebrities would have it done immediately at the taxpayers expense. To save your life or eliminate pain it is worth it to get certain proceedures done here in Thailand.

The OP complained about 120 baht beers in GoGo bars but in every country there are places that charge tourists ridiculous prices for products and services. Most true expats (not 2 - 4 week visitors) limit the time and money they spend in these clip joints. I still find the Pattaya area inexpensive compared to my home country, Canada. Western food you are going to pay more for because of shipping, import fees and lets face it - it's farang food, often Thai equalivents are very reasonable.

Some realistic comparrisions

-1 hour legit oil massage here 200 baht - my country 1,800 baht

-Western restaurant meal 140 B - my country double that at least

-Thai food here cheap - back home expensive and terrible

-Cheap beer in bar 45 B - my country 120 B

-Ocean view studio condo rental here about 1/3 the price back home.

-Electricity much cheaper here.

-Very few taxes and surcharges here also.

-Traffic fines here 400B - back home 10 times that then an increase on insurance.

Medical proceedures are cheap and fast even in the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital or Bumrungrad compared to western countries. Dental services here are a fraction of the prices in Canada. Gas prices about the same so I drive a motorcycle locally. New motorcycle here about one third of the price back home.

Besides the financial pluses this area is far more fun and you don't freeze off your body parts!

Hello Jack - the reason I asked about the fuel injection was for slightly better power and gas mileage, this usually occurs with EFI. I talked to you via email and purchased a new 135 Yamaha Elegance last year, I have over 6,000 km on it and am very happy with it. I may buy another new bike next year but will hold off until (and if) the 135 Elegance has the EFI system that has been hinted at for the last 2 years.

Love the bike and your reasons are spot on, thanks for the recommendation. I like the larger frame for farangs and it is nice to beat the crowd at the lights - much safer in my opinion if done right.

Does anyone know if and when the 135 Yamaha Elegance will be available with electronic fuel injection?

Thaifan2 needs to get a life, I don't know why he feels the need to put others down for their choices in real estate. Maybe because he is insecure in his own investment cramming himself, a wife and 2 children into a 30 square metre condo. I have no real estate in Thailand period but am getting fed up with his gloating, narrow minded, pompous and juvenile remarks about other members and other developments. Could it be he is promoting his choice of a condo to hopefully increase it's value when he sells his perfect choice? If you like your choice that's great just don't go bashing and belittling others who may see things differently.

Yes the mayor did say the whole project including the Jomtien second road extension would be completed by April 2010 earlier this year. I don't think Pattaya interests want to see the roadwork completed as it may effect their businesses negatively. You have to look at who may prosper with the delays, it sure isn't the business people on Thappraya Road or in Jomtien. When the project is not completed by April I am sure the city will blame the rains or some other convenient scapegoat but the fact is people are getting tired of getting bounced around the roads and breathing dust after 4 years of incompetence.

I had problems with Jack Golf on a 60 day visa renewal in early January. 1st problem was guide would not answer his phone in Poipet. 2nd was we were supposed to leave early on the 3rd morning but was delayed until 7pm. We had to leave rooms after 1pm and wait around, they would only provide a voucher for a bowl of rice. 3rd they provided no information other than it was delayed (supposedly due to Thai embassy in PP), they told us to meet them in hotel lobby at 1pm and the guides did not show up. It took repeated calls to BKK and another 1 hour delay before they showed up. 4th - when we finally left at 7pm they took us back in Mini vans ( I took this tour because I like big buses not mini vans) and put us out on the freeway outside of BKK to make our way home! I'm sure they hired mini vans because it was cheaper. 5th - I tried to contact (Korean) owner to complain a month ago and have not heard from him only staff saying he is not available.

Others in the group had used Jack Golf many times before and said up to this point had never had a problem, my experience was far from satisfactory. It's one thing to have a mechanical breakdown but a series of issues with no customer service or follow up tells me to look elsewhere next time.

Does anyone know of reasonable priced 2 seater piloted ultra light flights in the area? One I talked to quoted 1500 baht for 15 minutes with no discount for 30 minutes or longer. Prices were cheaper in North America.

Thanks for the input. Whoever it was must have seemed very import to be protected to this degree as they were uniformed officers with sidearms and very serious. Even the dignitaries at the Asean Summit didn't command this degree of protection.

Does anyone know why the Jomtien Beach Road road was crawling with well over 50 police officers last night from Chaiyopruk Rd (sp) to to south end? I suspect high level dignitaries as there were road blocks plus officers every 50 metres plus at all Soi's.

Thanks farangpattaya, I rode in to see them this afternoon and they recommended the Vientiane Laos run for my circumstance and it was 7,800 baht I believe. I would love to see Penang, I've always missed it in my travels for various reasons. I have spent time in Vientiane and may do the Penang trip just to take in a new area and keep out of the bus!

Thanks PoeDogg I'll go see the 5 Star people.

Sorry - I was not looking for a link for a train trip to Lao or times the consulate were open in my original post. I am looking for a recommendation for a reputable visa company that people were satisfied with that provided these types of no hassle trips. I would prefer not to worry when the consulate was open or the best train to catch, I did my backpacking trips years ago. I also only need a single entry visa as opposed to the double. Thanks

I will have to leave Jomtien - Pattaya to get a new 60 day visa later this year. Has anyone got any recommendations as to which country is easiest and fastest (Cambodia, Maylasia or Lao). I don't mind using an all inclusive visa company for the trip if it's reasonably priced, reliable and comfortable. I have read older reports but conditions and companies seem to change frequently. Next year will be a retirement visa for simplicity. Thanks

I will have to leave Jomtien - Pattaya to get a new 60 day visa later this year. Has anyone got any recommendations as to which country is easiest and fastest (Cambodia, Maylasia or Lao). I don't mind using an all inclusive visa company for the trip if it's reasonably priced, reliable and comfortable. I have read older reports but conditions and companies seem to change frequently. Thanks.

Not a problem Lost in LOS, you couldn't pay me enough to open a business in the Jomtien - Pattaya area, never mind risking my hard earned capital. My best wishes and luck to anyone who tries though, especially in the bar - restaurant industry.

Sorry guys but I have no personal interest what so ever in the restaurant at all. I did sit and have a good BS session with the owners and liked the food - sorry to ruin your commercial conspiracy theory. I pass by the restaurant every day in my activities and am not driving out from Pattaya. Incidentally it is about 20 metres before the 90 degree bend at the south end of Jomtien Road. You are foregiven bahtboy but I've noticed if anyone talks badly about a particular restaurant it doesn't draw the flak only when you talk well of one. Should one stick to negative comments only?

Uthai the cook specializes in sausages that she makes on the second floor and gave me a few samples of regular and spicy. They were fantastic and I ended up packing 10 back to the condo as take away! Great with mashed spuds or on fresh bread.

The Ding Dong cafe - bar had about 75 things on its menu with a mix of thai - farang foods. It had something for everyone and the seafood specialty restaurant ordered meat dishes for their customers who didn't want seafood. The seafood spagetti was loaded and a great deal at 120 baht.

T-Bone steaks were great quality and huge for 280 baht with all the trimmings, same price as the imported lamb. Nice view of the sunsets in the early evenings and a great place to kick back and relax.

A bunch of us tried the Ding Dong Cafe at the south end of Jomtien Beach Road this week and it was good. If you are at this end of Jomtien Beach it has great New Zealand lamb, thai, and all types of farang dishes. It's right before the 90 degree turn between all the seafood specialty restaurants and is quite reasonable for food and drinks. I tried it for breakfast on my morning walk and besides being good was the only one open in the morning. Run by a Ozzie - Thai couple.

From my enquiries the one in the Jomtien Complex (Boystown) moved to Threppasit Soi 10 - Pattaya storage.

The road truly is a disgrace with no end in sight. You don't see major road jobs like this take years to complete that ruins tourism and the local business owners lives . I see no long term disruptive projects in Pattaya, Naklua or the Pratamnak areas. It seems like someones got it in for Jomtien in the government here and this has to be helping these other areas.

Even the completed section going down the hill towards the flyover from Jomtien has dust caked for hundreds of metres and is an irritant for motorbikes and baht bus passangers choking on the dust as the speed increases on the new surface.

You would never see long term mess this in Phuket, Hua Hin or Chang Mai but they find it acceptable to screw the people of Jomtien. My rant over.