jacko

Someone told me recently it is just being renovated and not, as I originally thought, knocked down to be replaced by a big ugly condo or hotel. So perhaps it will be back like Arny.

Guys could drown in such deluges. Boy did I get lucky, I was going to ride to Jomtiem on my bike to meet a pal as we were off someplace. As it looked likely to rain I asked to be picked up. I would still be in Jomtiem now! Some more pics of the results here

Well a good heavy rain spell last night too so possible issues again. I only recall once trying to get to the airport after the end of a holiday weekend and we hit tail-backs about 10km back from the airport. This was all traffic returning to the capital. They had even choked up the entrance to the airport as they tried to bypass the queue by going in there. Had me sweating. There must be floods after last night, my lawn looked like a pool. And it rains on.

Tomorrow Never Dies

Same as here then but I bet an inch fell. Of course there can be heavy areas. I look at this site to get an idea of where the rain is and where it is going.

Tea with Mussolini

This is pleasing and surprising. I am pleased that some twats who skipped without paying their bill got their come-uppance. I am surprised that in a country where terrorists and criminals seem to go and come quite easily, they can catch up with a couple of bill skippers.

I haven't quite figured out exactly where this was but it sounds close to where I live and may impact those riding Hwy 7 all the way to Sukhumvit. I hope nobody got caught up in this coming from the airport last night. Trips to the airport may need to set off a little early if the rain persists. Remember the Bangkok area gets a lot more of the rain than Pattaya normally does. Bangkok-Chonburi motorway submerged last night. Source.

Yes I realise, I commented as you mentioned the escalators and stairs 'on the other side' of Suk.......not an option with a suitcase really.

I would not say Mr Colov looked particularly unhealthy Billions. Not seen him for a couple of week (he just got married), but always struck me as having a lot of energy. Their radio station is back on the air, (96FM and 91.75 FM), The TV channel appears to be on Sophon as normal at the moment. Although you are correct as I cannot get it to stream from the App. I believe a new guy was appointed into a senior position there (General manager maybe) which made me think changes were afoot.

Is Phloen Chit not nearer? Crossing Sukhumvit with a suitcase is not much of an option. The Skytrain seems busy at all times and anything other than a back-pack would be hard work in sweaty BKK.

Many years ago I used to get Non-Imm O type visas (multiples) from the very compliant Hull consulate and was required to do Visa runs every 90 days. I expect you only had a single Non-Imm B and extended it each year? What did you start off with? I recall a neighbour of mine had a dodgy lawyer (and dodgy work permit probably) and he made him leave the country every 90days and start his process again to make more money. When he wised up and baulked and said he wouldn't pay a big bill, the lawyer wouldn't return his passport to him.

The funny thing is, I mostly get up earlier now than when I did working! Early to bed, early to rise and all that....... Somewhat different if I have a night out in town though.

Yes, there are moments of boredom, but life is what YOU make of it. Plenty of things to do and diversions in Pattaya, more so than what is available to an old man back in Manchester UK! I have no return plans BUT an underlying nagging feeling that as I age, I will not be able to afford ill health out here, I have no place of my own to return to, but at this moment I could likely find somewhere to stay with relatives for a spell, that situation could of course change too. As a workaholic you may struggle, I slipped quite readily into retirement mode after a period of guilty conscience for the first several months. Enjoy your retirement, you have earned it. There are plenty of 'voluntary' avenues to pursue to occupy your energy.

I retained mine when I dumped my TOT ADSL, it only costs 115 baht/month. I figured some things still asked for a home phone number and the bill was a good proof of address document. I think I even used it as such for a bank account. I never use it and it rarely rings, and when it does it scares the bejeebers out of me. Normally some cold call seller! Actually I could get a land line from my True Internet/TV cable, one can be plugged into the back of the modem/router.

Where do you intend plugging it in? Phones in hotels tend to use different systems than what residential dwellings use. I am thinking it would work on a residential line.

Well transits in airports are never really painless and easy. You have to queue somewhat for security checks, but they aren't as stringent as London. The new airport in Doha is rather impressive but big, you can walk around and look in shops until your hearts content if that is your thing. Personally for me it isn't, I want a bathroom and then a comfy place to wait out the transit. I flew Biz Class with them and was very pleased with the BKK-DOH/ A380 legs, but as The Fiend stated, the leg to/from Manchester is a big step down. I have no choice but to transit somewhere, so mid-flight works best for me, a chance to wake the limbs up. I would never transit in LHR as it is just too horrible (memories of T4-T1 and the Connections Centre, we almost needed sheepdogs) I expect a T5 -T5 transit in LHR would be much better. I used to use KLM but the transit and crappy flight to Manchester after the long-long BKK-Schiphol leg was unpleasant, I was in a fog amidst all these crowds. We look forward to your comments on Qatar in Economy, Biz is just too much more money!

There are reportedly some other sources of water and the lake is but a fraction. That said, a month or two ago some local oink was telling us how we would not have a water shortage, apparently, more recently, a little back-peddling from the same guy, I commented on the low lake level elsewhere, after viewing it as I enjoyed a curry at The Fisherman Cafe Friday..... but thanks forcebwithu, the pics are worth a thousand words.

I had an excellent ride in Biz on their A380, May/June. The new airport, well big and spacious, very much like Emirates/Dubai you can end up walking some extreme distances!. The previous Premium Lounge was a much better arrangement. Still, security on arrival wasn't so bad in Doha, but flights seem to take forever to land and take off. I hesitate to recommend them as previously their Economy was not very good.