eyebee

From what I understand the touts take you to a bar and you pay 200-500 baht entry fee (depending on your negotiating skills). For that you get a "free" drink. The touts tend to target Indian and Russian tourists who are obviously newbies.

The thing is you can go into the exact same bar by yourself, not pay an entrance fee (just tell the doorman you're not paying), and buy a beer at the normal price (65 baht).

I think the inflated bill scam is only confined to Patpong - never come across it in Pattaya.

And lining pockets...

The specialist place for this is Inkman. There is a shop on Pattaya Klang, opposite the TOT office. I get my B/W cartridge replaced for around 750 baht. They take your old cartridge and give you a "new" one.

I would recommend the Pharmacy next door to Tim's on 2nd road. The lady in there is very knowledgeable, and if she doesn't have something in stock will send out for it (you can pick it up about an hour later). I take Bestatin 20mg (same as Simvastatin), and from my recollection it was about 400 baht for a pack of 30. Also recommend getting Aspent aspirin (for blood thinning), a box of 1,000 costs around 500 baht!

I live in North Pattaya (Markland) and have the TOT 9Mb package. Most of the time it's fine - though torrents can be throttled sometimes. I have had a couple of downtimes, which took AGES to resolve. However most of the time taken to resolve is finding out who is responsible for the downtime: TOT or the condo. That, and my very limited Thai doesn't help either.

Overall, though, I am very pleased with the service.

Nope, no change. You may even get a reduction to 400,000 (or 40,000 a month) if at your next extension you apply as a person married to a Thai national.

PS - Mods, wouldn't this be better in the Visa section?

It's not about lack of booze, in my opinion, it's more about there being nothing to do! And don't tell me to go visit a temple, have a good walk, read a good book or watch TV. I like to go out and enjoy myself! There will also be thousands of benused holidaymakers wandering around WS wondering why nothing is open. Great advert for Pattaya, eh?

There is a great mnemonic helping one to remember the relative sizes of the planets in the solar system. The Mnemonic is MMVENUSJ: Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter. You only have to remember that the first M is Mercury and the rest fall into place

You could try Power Buy in Central Festival. I know they had some recently. Don't know if they have them now. I bought my DVD/HDD recorder in Australia. Only cost about 7,500 baht.

7-11 charge 10 baht for processing the TOT bill. But that's still cheaper than schlepping over to Pattaya Klang on a baht bus!

I am a dummy in Thai address. My quiries are not answered yet. Someone please help.

So is this place near Royal Garden ? Looks like it's near a Central Mall or something in North Pattaya. Is there any big mall and many cafes within walking from this hotel ?

It's on 2nd Road opposite Big C in North Pattaya. Lots of bars, restaurants and massage parlours nearby.

1) So why is it my friends back in Canada tell me they also watch Universal Station and they get the current year and new series of "The Event", and "Law and Order" etc? You think if the UC played TV shows from 2002 that they would still be in business? Sorry but you are wrong.

Err... There was only ever one season of The Event, and it was cancelled on May 13, 2011...

Imagine there's no Heaven

It's easy if you try

No Hell below us

Above us only sky.

J. Lennon

You only have to report to Jomtien Immigration every 90 days - you do not have to leave the country. If you do leave the country you will need a re-entry permit (1,000 baht for single entry, 3,800 baht for multiple entry). Also if you leave Thailand the 90 day reporting is set back to day one when you re-enter.

Variety and Vitamins, no alcohol, smoking or drugs - you can't go wrong - unless you have a genetic symptom

Oh yes, and a good night's sleep

Life ain't worth living!

My practice on tipping is 10 baht for a bill up to 100 baht and 20 baht for any bill over that (even up to 1000 baht or more!). I've never got the pout woth this practice. If the change comes with a mixture of coins and notes, I pick up the coins and say "for songthaew", and leave a 20 baht note behind. And yes, I do make sure I have plenty of 10 baht coins for the baht bus.

I also have suffered all of the above problems with these pick up trucks. They are not a Bus and they are only supposed to carry 11 passengers. I.e. 5 on each bench and one sitting inside with the driver.

I remember a few years ago riding in a songthaew (from the school stop) to Jomtien which had 22 passengers! Three in the front seat with the driver, 14 in the main compartment (six on each side, plus two children sitting on laps), and 5 hanging off the back! I wonder what that did to the suspension...

For some reason, the monthly charge in my condo is 60 baht (no typo)! Must be some special deal done between my condo and Sophon...

Unfortunately for the UK Treasury, as long as the UK is still in the EU then they will have to pay pensions and increases to any UK OAPs living in the EU. But there is no requirement for them to pay anything at all to those living in Thailand.

What is weird, though, is that you DO get the pension increase in countries like the USA and The Philippines, but NOT in Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa - all Commonwealth countries. HM Government spout out something like they have bilateral agreements with those countries (as well as the EU) and that is the only way they can grant pension increases. They also have stated that they don't intend to pursue any further bilateral agreements. I don't understand why a bilateral agreement is needed - surely it is of no concern to the foreign government what the British Government pay to their retirees.

And to clear something up, as I am 63 I don't yet receive the OAP, but I am receiving my Local Government pension (superannuation), all paid for by myself and my employers. On that pension I do pay UK tax, which invalidates some of the comments made by the Ambassador about not wanting the cost for letters and passports falling on the British tax payer. I AM one!

Where is the scoll box at the bottom to switch between the forums ?

Please bring this back as it is very usefull, otherwise i would like to stick with the old version.

If you click on the icon to the right of the "View New Content" button, it will open quick navigation - much like the previous drop down box. See below.

For everyone's information here is the official MFA web page about the Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long Stay). Should answer most people's questions.

It was always 10% service charge plus 7% VAT. Not sure that adds up to 17.7% though ....

It does if you include the 7% VAT on the service charge. Thus 1000 baht +10% service charge equals 1100 baht. Now add 7% to that amount and it comes to 1177 baht...

And all the bars will be closed...

I see this thread is going down the toilet...

They have already appointed a replacement. And it is a full-time paid job, not an honorary post, which was advertised well before Howard resigned. I understand that a Thai/British woman has been appointed and will start the job in January. They are also appointing a full time vice-consul. Howard was interviewed for the job, but I understand that he said he could not take a full-time post because of his other business interests. But there may be other factors at work here.