jacko

Wow, that has scaled back since the first one I went to. I am sure there was at least 4 different countries putting on a 10-15 minute display one night, countries like China, USA, UAE, Singapore. This year, two twenty minute displays and a long one Saturday night. I remember last year mostly standing around while 'dignitaries' and various stage people waffled about nothing and tried to drum up enthusiasm. Got a bit tedious. I wonder if we will get it in 3 or more languages this year! The fireworks will probably be a sideline to the usual Beach Rd market! (Just remembered, take my side-cutters to get the cable ties off the barriers)

Great, can I come too! It is the Annual International Fireworks Competition.

In the Holiday Inn or Hilton! . In reality on the beach just around Klang... but I am not sure exactly where they are setting up this year. Or how restrictive they are going to get.... these things are not for the Pattaya residents or tourists anymore! Last year they put barriers up and kept the riff-raff off the beach like pigs in a pen, reserving that area for VIPs. Bloody area was empty for ages then people just started climbing over and security gave up. I ended up on the beach in a good spot later but the first hour, cramped in crowds, view obscured before the beach opened was infuriating, I nearly gave up and went to Mistys. I will be there again, one of those annual things the TGF has deemed to be 'we always go' category... like Loy Kratong!

But Gary, what plastic are you using in the ATM machines???? I bet you would have more than 5K in your pocket when you are in Pattaya.....

Thanks for that..... off picture in the panel. I had closed it. duh..... a bit dopey of me!

Of course my savings account is supposedly a pass-book account. If it wasn't for the annual retirement extension needs, I would completely forget!

Sally Field

Well thank for the response but I am not a Chrome user. In Firefox I only seem to see an abridged Google Maps URL so it is of no use to copy. Thanks for confirming that there used to be a 'LINK' button, I though my Alzheimers was accelerating!

No worries...... I carry a rather old fashioned idea around in my head that someone paying a small bill with a DC is being a little selfish, as they are holding up the line for a minor purchase (I certainly don't see them as being quicker than cash yet here in Thailand).Other possibilities are someone who walks around with little or no cash on them, and I can't get my head around that. Then my fear of fraud...... the more you use it, the more likely it is to happen. You highlight how very very easy it is. As to the bank, the managers are sour faced older men who rarely come to work, but some of the tellers are quite lovely. That is why I took the credit cards and opened a fixed deposit, and we had a laugh over 'short time' or 'long time' when discussing the latter!

You can't bounce back to the same actor in the same film!!!! I suggest.... Paul Newman!

Arnold Shwatzeegeggener

No I take cash in my pocket, (plus a Debit/ATM card and a few credit cards). It can be withdrawn and ready instantly. Where do people keep their cards? Yes, in their wallets and purses, so the fumbling is still inherent. We are not in the US, we are not talking about the US, and what happens in the US is not relevant. Think outside the box. I think you are the one venting rage and also exhibiting selfishness laced with a little dullness. Your 2 posts here are also contradictory. Debit cards are not so safe around this town. You might lose 1 baht and 45 satang..... I am not quite the Luddite you think. When this wireless tap-and-pay technology is made more secure (currently prone to scanning from your pocket), and more commonplace, I would be happy to simplify my common small payments, gas and Subway etc.

Very busy, obviously at a peak Xmas/New Year spell. NYE and Christmas Eve a pain to get hotel rooms, with shit like overpriced compulsory Gala Dinners. Mind you, shit stirring in Bangkok may yet take the edge off.

Linda Hamilton

With the higher prices maybe the Japanese will flock there!

Get down Rover, don't do that! You must be leading a very sheltered life, or too many oysters? How do you do that MM, post a link directly to a street view in Google Maps. I couldn't spot how a few times? Twas easy in the Pattaya Photo Guide.

Reese Witherspoon.

Pappy would never let his lack of knowledge interfere with his caustic SOH!

When I took my stuff to the laundry I pinned a little note to the shirt collar saying 'would you mind using a little more starch here please?' When I picked up the laundry there was a little note pinned to the lap at the back saying 'could you use a little more paper here please'. Cheeky buggers.

Yes, so do I. My debit card is an ATM card only. I used it once to buy a big ticket item at Numchai. Soon after I got a Thai credit card so that now covers the bigger ticket items. I can understand the lady in-front who fumbles in her bag trying to find her purse using one.. she has emptied the shelves at BigC and the total is mind-numbing. My bills rarely exceed 3-4000 baht there and if I haven't got that in cash I need to get to an ATM anyhow. My other larger ticket items, GGB bills, they like cash and using cards in there is as dumb as it gets! Using a debit card at McD is pathetic! There are more ATMs in Pattaya than MPs! And I normally pull enough to last me a week.

I recall that one, coming in from China and had been in very cold outside temps for some time. Fuel freezing in the lines wasn't it? Same issue?

Well the land there must be worth a fortune. I wonder if all the big expensive houses around there will hold their value if the course is in demise?

Yeah, the old solution of concrete it over!