pedrinho

wine shouldn't come in a box. period. spend a few more baht and get a bottle.

Among the top twenty things one might dislike or criticize about Thailand and the Thais, I wouldn't rate Suvarnabhumi : I've used the new airport numerous times since its opening and find it no more inconvenient congested, unfriendly or slow than most other major international airports. In fact, many of the criticisms outlined by other respondents here, equally apply to numerous other Asian, American and European airports. And in some instances, matters are far worse elsewhere. On a scale of 1(horrible) to 10 (excellent), Suvarnabhumi scores a solid 7 in my book.

go find some REAL crime and leave this man alone.

many of these frequent media messages of foreigners being picked up for minor offenses, while they make for good 'Thai chest thumping' at home, contribute to an ever worsening climate for western tourism to thailand. 2014 is, by all accounts, the worst year for voluntary repatriation : rarely have so many europeans returned to their homelands, or gone elsewhere, because the living climate in thailand is getting pettier and they feel abused and harassed by local authorities. this s NOT good for thailand, its economy, its reputation and its tourism.

NEW YORK beats all eleven (??) cities, hands down. greatest variety, fierce price competitiveness and exceptional seasonal 'sales' culture. besides, shopping in NYC is a comfortable, enjoyable experience. not to mention the sizes : have you, as a large or tall farang, ever tried to fit into a pair of shoes, a jacket or trousers in an asian shop ? shop in 'the city that never sleeps' !

there are other, at least equally important, reasons why thai tourism is suffering.

i will cite only two : 1) competition. the emergence of other s.e. asian destinations that offer a similar product are giving thailand a run for its money (Vietnam is a good example), with less fuss, fewer scams and lower prices; and there's always Bali, which is an alternative when thailand gets bad press (as it often has in recent years);

2) confusing image and campaigns: it is difficult to aim, as TAT wishes, at BOTH the 'high end' tourist and be seen as a 'family-friendly destination', for those who expect high end products and services (which thailand does possess) AND at the same time be widely seen as a 'down market' destination for cheap package tours that thrive on single male tourists and 'party animals' (pattaya comes to mind).

meanwhile, as these self-obsessed 'politicians' bicker back and forth, the country's economy, reputation and tourism further deteriorate. regardless of your view on suthep and his acolytes, the damage their prolonged action has caused the nation is unfathomable. it'll now be the other side that gets to hammer a fresh nail in the nation's coffin. it's terribly sad to see a great nation and people waste so much time and economic prowess on these silly personal political vendettas.

if we can organise parties and break plates, YES !

falling off balconies (especially in pattaya) jumping from condos : thailand must be THE world leader in this dubious category. call me cynical, but i am beginning to suspect that the lyrics from that famed Beatles ballad "a little help from my friends" --enemies, perhaps more aptly-- could be applicable here. these apparently sudden, unexplained or self-inflicted deaths certainly save the police a lot of investigative work. should i visit pattaya again, i'll be asking for a hotel room on the ground floor without a balcony. just to be sure.

there's no such thing as a good suit that's cheap and made overnight. you get what you pay for. the tailor shop that satisfied my annual need for well made, comfortable and durable dark blue and gray business suits is SILVER on sukhumvit (between the aprt and soi 22). NOT cheap and requiring three fittings. but still a handmade, made-to-measure suit for under THB20K: a lot cheaper than similar quality in europe or new york. the two elderly thai gentlemen --and their english-speaking son--

know their craft.

perhaps s/he was unsure if s/he was an oMani or an oWomani...

NB : not only did i need to show in my bank book an THB800K balance and produce a letter from my bank manager confirming this, i was told by the officer that the 800K should have been in my acc't for at least 3 months prior to my application. (it hadn't been, of course; but this minor obstacle was overcome with some cash moolah to the officer, so i'm unsure if this is a hard and fast rule, or simply a convenient local interpretation to extort a bit of cashola). either way, i was very happy to get my one-yr extension on the spot. other docs required : 2 p/p size photos, proof of residence/home ownership, photo copies of your bank book, and several pages of your passport. all in all, quite straight forward and relatively easy, when compared to the demands that some other countries place on foreign residents.