jacko

Fair points, when I was travelling for work I always used BA as they went through the UK (my origin) and pretty much everywhere else in the world. Now I travel on my buck and despite travelling Biz Class, I look for best price. BA isn't going to offer that, nor Qantas. Domestic presence matters not for the little old UK, and we have quite a few alternatives to BA, but my important factor, is alternatives to LHR.

I guess you have your reasons to add the cost and dog-leg to Singapore. You avoid airlines because they are NOT in the One World Alliance ... For me it's a bit like saying I wouldn't be a member of a club that would have me as a member. The One world alliance has BA in it....!

Who is this guy with only 1500 posts telling us what to do?

I just flew round trip on KLM on tickets I purchased 7 months ago for the outward leg, and 4 months on the return. (I live in Thailand but purchased tickets ex-UK) No surcharges. Are these surcharges applied by BA when you purchase the ticket, or is it the heinous practice of hitting you at check-in when you can do nothing but get your wallet out?

I seem to have lost about 1,300 posts and have dropped to a 'Senior' from 'Elite'. I see Joe Kicker is still Elite but has only 2300 posts now.... must be wrong, he does that many daily!

I have been using KLM, they are no great shakes but the FF program is pretty good. I just tried to do a mileage booking and apparently Man-BKK can go via Nairobi...????? You need to consider whether you will just be doing UK-BKK or going elswehere before fixing on an airline. Beware of paying for expensive tickets just to accrue miles, a false saving. Some of the USA guys recommend United, yes American flyers offer great FF packages but that is to compensate for crap flights (in coach, they are good up front) and of no use if you will not go to the USA... I still have a shit load of Continental miles. I will need to look elsewhere soon, the KLM Biz class is getting too expensive and I will be trying Qatar or China. As to BA, well I would rather do a swamp than Heathrow.

Mine found their way!

Don't both Qantas and BA fly direct Bangkok-Sydney? Also Emirates...Ethiad....

No, I read some 'read me' file that said uninstall it using the Windows Program Removal Tool. I only removed Norton and some time later found a Semantics Update program (that claimed to be required by another unidentified program) but I went ahead and uninstalled that too. My computer seems to be working OK and I feel there could be a risk using the program at the above link

Maybe the place next to the Carrefour supermarket, and the one next to Big C (South Pattaya). One is called HomePro, one is HomeWorks, I always get the names mixed up. They also sell Thai style furniture near the Big C (South Pattaya, Sukhumvit/Pattaya Tai), infront of HomeWorks. Shopping around, as you seem to be doing, great idea.

The OP also said he would be here a little over 6 weeks, so a 15 day extension may not quite be enough. (Do they still issue 15 days?) He was really only looking for company on a visa run in the OP. What Joe posted seemed useful..... it may only be semantics but the confusion of calling a 30 day stamp a 'visa', when it is far from it, isn't a good starting point.

I think it would be more accurate to say that the insurance offered (perhaps 'freely' included) by the dealers is the minimal obligatory insurance. It is only about 500 baht/ year. They dealers may well offer theft insurance (as I purchased) at a price. The obligatory insurance must be purchased, it is required for vehicle registration, it is also available at the vehicle registration department near The School of the Regents and at any brokers. But you can buy it from wherever you wish, and with whichever insurance company you wish. If you decide you would like a more comprehensive insurance, you will still need to purchase the 'obligatory' one. It makes sense that these two policies are from the same supplier, to simplify any claim. Try putting a claim through 2 different companies and see who gets left in the middle holding the liability.

This might be an issue if it is going to be parked in the open for an extended period. I have one of those little locks for the front disc ..... short term parking. Also a big padlock and cable for those less secure places..... extended parking. When I go away for several days the bikes get locked together in the kitchen!...Long term....

Yes agreed, I am still finding bits of it. I got the AVG loaded (Hippo), and Spybot as well........had to go find me a better internet connection than what I use at home. Anything else that would make my notebook safe as houses?

I don't recommend taking any hasty action based on what the above know alls are saying. It might be a case of better the devil you know. I foolishly listened and downloaded AVG 8.0.100... took nearly an hour. But it won't install unless you uninstall Norton... then it still won't install and maybe you have to shut down your computer. Then you will have to wait another age and download AVG again because it isn't something you can save and try to install again (that I can figure out) you have to start from scratch and download the 45MB ,again, and this time connected without virus protection. By now my internet connection here in Pattaya is getting slow and the download has failed 3 times. I now have a no virus protection. Have wasted many hours and am beating my head on my keyboard.

As said above liability insurance is a must. The obligatory cheap insurance does not supply sufficient cover, for example, the bail amount you would need would not be enough for a falang, it is twice that for a Thai. It might keep you out of the cells until cash, that you might never see again, could be obtained. Sufficient cover can be had for about 2,500 baht/year above the oligatory cover. Buy these insurances via a broker from the same company if you can. This figure does not cover theft... that bumps the premium up a great deal, to about 7,000. Obvious reasons. But I did get a deal from where I bought my motorcycle new, theft insurance for 2 years, 80% value for 1st year, 50% for the second, about 2,500 baht again. This policy had to be taken up within a week of buying the bike, from the dealer. My other insurance was via AA brokers, near the Big C on Sukhumvit.

Comparing prices to 'back home' is one thing that has been going on for years, yes of course the cost of living in Thailand is a lot less than there. But nevertheless inflation is here too, and some guys who budgeted to live in Pattaya on 40-50,000 baht/month may need to move to 'village of the scratching chickens' for those numbers to work. The amount I pay for food basics, alcohol etc has gone up.... and I put diesel in the truck yesterday, it is 37 baht/litre now rather than just over 32, a month or so back (been out of Thailand for a month). As for the price of cigs, irrelevant....... a waste of money and an easy thing to economise on.!

Perhaps the fact that it didn't last.

Not sure if I would agree that they beat KLM in Business Class. I just got back to LOS using them. They have upgraded and now have electric seats that go flat and interactive entertainment with a bigger personal screen.

Well share some details... £450 inclusive of taxes? Which airline.... Who did you book through? Aussie chick..I agree this can be the case, but certainly not for all airlines... Singapore for EG

Agreed Emil, Bangkok Bank charge for both out of province deposits and withdrawals. But how they define this (as per the Bangkok to Pattaya being free) well TIT.

If you pop along to Weatherspoons (Soi Buakao) ,or The Sportsman (Soi 13, beach rd) you can book yourself on a visa run for about 2400 baht. There will be 5 other guys on the mini-bus and normally a couple of them are old hands... very old..and old guys we like to be helpful.

Well, some good feedback there Joe, but, as much as I dread to do so (who in their right mind would get into an argument with you? ), I dispute this above statement. I checked my bank book, a Bangkok bank savings account, and I most definitely have been charged for some withdrawals. Ten baht several times for use at a Bangkok Bank ATM, but in another Thai region than the account. I have also been dragged all over Pattaya by Thai friends, looking for ATMs of their own bank, to avoid some inter bank charge. My GF often gripes about charges exacted when she draws from her Korat account, here near Pattaya. ( I am in awe at what I can learn from Thais regarding saving a baht). Perhaps you meant the charges were trivial?

A starting point....... http://www.uk.mobissimo.com or you will likely end up here... http://www.lastminute.com/

You don't want to be trying to get TOT to do anything, they really are imcompetent.