doggie888888

I opened a passbook account with Siam Commercial in Pattaya, armed only with passport and tourist visa. It was my laywer (I had just bought a property) who referred me to the bank manager, and apparently all the rules about having the appropriate visas for bank accounts did not apply because bank manager knew my lawyer! At no stage has banked ever asked or folowed up about my visa or property details.

I think if you dressed "politely", bring a lump sum to deposit and gave some convincing BS about how you are applying for work permit, you might succeed too. Or else, ask someone who knows a bank manager to refer you.

Bumrungrad is a REAL hospital and it does not cost more than BPH. The difference is Bumrungrad has more qualified and competent medical staff. I have been to both and resolved never again to go to BPH if I can help it.

My experience with BPH during my annual checkup was that they were more interested in which "menu" I had selected and once they had ticked off the tests, it was a cursory "you are oK" by the GP who seemed more interested in getting through all the patients in waititng room than answering questions. After I got home, I noticed some tests which suggested further tests, which GP did not even mention!

Bumrungrad also required me to select a "menu" of tests but their approach was more caring...suggested what I should select after discussing if I had any concerns. After the tests, the GP spent some time explaining the results, what I needed to follow-up (and why)before he let me go. It seems they are genuinely wanting to test to see if any issues arise, whereas BPH was more like "ticking off the tests as a matter of routine so we can bill you asap". I got the feeling that if there was a big red cross on any tests, they wouldn't even have bothered to explain.

I think, if eating was made an Olympic sport, Thailand would lead the medal tables by a country mile, lol !!!!

Penkoprod

Indeed. They would also take the gold for sleeping and would give the American Indians a run for their money for drinking. lol

Firstly, most Thais, like their Asian cousins everywhere, like to graze. I am led to believe that this is a healthier way to eat, rather than the 3 full(excessive?) meals a day. Secondly, most people get a little cranky when their routine relalting to meals get disturbed...although you can be sensible about it by planning ahead like where is next eating stall instead of getting cranky at everyone else.

And allow me to counter: if eating was an Olympic sport, perhaps the Americans and Europeans will take gold, silver and bronze. Most farangs in Pattaya are overweight or obese compared to the Thais. So, who is overeating?

As for sleeping, if you grow up in the tropics you learn the most sensible way to deal with the heat is to have your kip or nap.."chai yen yen". Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun and proceed to have a farang fit over everything and a box up with Thais for being Thais.

As for drinking, I do not think Thais drink anymore than the farangs...in fact the Thais in Pattaya think a lot of farangs are drunkards: who can blame them when you see farangs staggering around at 12 noon. It's all a matter of perception.

Some responses are more telling than the very "tongue in cheek" article. A bit close to the truth for some people I think. The Brits I have met since moving to Pattaya two years ago are mainly very nice people, sensitive to local custom and genuinely want to be here (not because they can't afford anywhere else or running away from whatever demons they left at home).

But there are also a significant number in Pattaya who are pure losers who can't possibly hold a job at home but who profess to be "managers and professionals" here. Alas, they give the Brits a bad name as they lord over the locals proclaiming loudly "they must be stupid because BLA BLA BLA". They pretend to have European standards but really in name only as they exploit locals who do the hard work (just think of some Brits in the building industry in Pattaya). Some behave like white rajahs just becasue they have a maid, forgetting that in their home country they themselves would be the hired help.

Yes the Thais are not very good in English, but a lot of them are more educated, intelligent and HONEST than some of the white faces here in Pattaya. And other expats can certainly tell if you are pure white trash that have been "expatriated" from your home countries. So I guess there may be some truth that "only failures run off to be expats" when one looks at Pattaya.

In 10 years i would like to see a skytrain circuiting Beach and second Road can you see it??

I can already Picture it....they`ll have a Stations at Central Festival , Walking Street, Hardrock, Big C and so on.....

Andy

HAHAHA....skytrain? They can't even build a road from South pattaya to Jomtien!!! Anyway, baht buses are workable as a feature of this town, all they need is some regulation and enforcement and signs ON ALL BAHT BUSES re: fares and a 24 hour help line. No ifs, no buts.

You don't get an upmarket clientele if:

- your major attraction is Walking Street

- your second main attraction is Sexy Soi 6

- your main beach and surrounding beaches are a cesspit of rubbish, murky water and unidentified foul smelling matter

- your Stepford wife and Brady Bunch kids are likely to be accosted by one of these: porno DVD vendors, paedophiles, drunkards, pickpocket transexuals and/or someone offerring "sexy lady/man/sex show/ladyboy show"

- just outside your fantabulous resort (or brand new condo) are loud bars, overflowing rubbish bins, sewage stink, potholes, stray DISEASED dogs, stagnant water from the last rainfall, tour buses belching black smoke and a dubious building site next door which may or may not be legal, blocking your 20mil baht seaviews!

- you say Pattaya, the word association is "sex" or "seedy"; not "tropical", "beach", "lush", "clean" or "paradise"

Unlike our Dear Leaders, I accept that our major industry is "adult entertainent" and there is nothing wrong with that nor the type of visitors it attracts. By all means clean up the beach and environment but do it because it is the right thing to do, not just to attract the Upmarket Clientele...they prefer more upmarket destinations rather than this sorry, seedy little town with delusions of grandeur and whose reputation is fairly entrenched as "sex destination" despite its big-words-cum-PR campaign.

I am not complaining; merely stating the realities on the ground in Pattaya and its reputation around the world!