jacko

My head is getting a bit old but that looks like less than 90 days total, obviously depending whether you mean later this year or that year.... ... but I think you are OK. This rule is going to be hell for the check in staff to figure out..

Not much experience of this, we bought our last one from Carrefour off the shelf. Generally though, I think they will have a go at making one if you supply a photo, although they seem to use gelatin rather than icing ..yeuch. The best looking cakes I see are in the Berlin Cafe on South Pattaya Rd/ beach junction.

There are no bloody droughts in Thailand at the moment......there are floods....currently pipes are being replaced around Pattaya causing loss of water in central areas. I get monthly water bills, my water is metered. My water comes from a big lake about 5km away which is full at the moment. They had rowing races on it last weekend. I have been retired here for a couple of years and never filled in a tax form, perhaps others can expand....do you have a company for home ownership which will require a tax submittal maybe?

My belief is the new rules were implemented as of Oct 1st. After that date people arriving without a visa and being issued with a 30 day permission to stay were having numbers written on their card/ entry stamp (1 or 2 or 3). I suspect you would not have had this done...hence are "free". Are you just asking curious questions or do you plan to stay in Thailand for 3 out of the next 6 months? If yes, I would say get a tourist visa anyhow!

My GF just went back and says the place is still open......I stayed in Pattaya! The wife lady was apparently hard to work for, and even her husband told me she 'shouted at him' My GF says the Thai food is poor there, and getting her to eat falang food is hard, so I will have to drag her in! I need to chat to someone in English every now and again.

Get real, 530 will be rounded up to 600, and LT rounded up to 1500. The 'taxi' will be 60 baht not 50 now.

Not Pattaya related, but couldn't decide on a forum to post in. Anyone familiar with this place may wish to know... Grapevine....TGF, via friend in Korat who used to work there, tells me that the owner of The Pizza Shop in Korat,( Amphoe Muang) died a few days ago. I recall he was a Swedish National, about 59 years old and I believe his name was Christopher. I always visited there when in Korat and he always chatted and offered me free books from his library. He introduced me to Archa beer when I said Heinekin was too expensive and Chang messed me up. I am not sure if his wife will continue the business as she may not need to, Have a bit more info via PM if needed..but remember at least 2 TGs and translation are involved so it may not be exact.

Yeah I saw this guy on the BBC....... Should work wonders for the competitive pricing of tickets on BA. It's like a sneak tax, one you cannot selectively avoid. Global warming...those that live in Northern England are all for it!

Gulf Air are not a particularly good airline,,,,,unless you travel Biz or 1st class. I found economy cramped and the 'company' noisy and irritating. Service was pretty good in the air, but a shambles on the ground. Bahrain airport is showing it's age. They are good on price, but I prefer a more direct route.

This very question was asked at a meeting I attended yesterday. Answer was 'No they do not look back before 1st Oct in this respect' what you hv donne prior to trhat date is irrelevant... so long as you didn't get blacklisted. If you are coming in at the airport I would not expect any problems from out of sorts immigration officials.

36.83 on Bloomsberg this AM....

Not sure if you can do it while home.....I went in the office while in Korat and they sent me a lovely girl to talk to in English. She did it at the computer terminal there and then. My confirmation SMS said 'for more info call 1175'. Maybe you could get the GF to pop in the office (if you can get her to understand what you need) or call 1175...or do it next time you are in Thailand. Good luck!

I think some of the borders closed last year at New Year, just one day, plus they were busy with local people going back and forth at that time. If you are just doing a 'Visa Run' in a day, the company you book with should be well aware as to whether the border post is open that day. Visa runs are probably going to be more readily available this year due to visa changes limiting the number one can do, and that the market is saturated in Pattaya. I will be off there next month, great opportunity to get some duty free booze and cheap viagra. (Cost me 150/3 there, scalpers try to sell it for 1000 in Pattaya)

Bloomsberg are just discussing the strength of the Thai baht, the best performing currency in the region relative to the $, but also the Rupiah doing well. Currently 36.88 baht/$ and 1.89 $/£....Not sure where the £ is going, seems to cycle between 1.89 and 1.86 depending on the time of month. Probably up today as US interest rates have been held, UK ones are expecting a hike. I lost a chunk of money a few years ago by transferring into $, as the £ slid...I think I suffered a 1.48-1.6 movement the wrong way, and shitty USA interest rates on top of that. Since I have retired in Thailand, exchange rates, inflation and interest rates are my obsession!

Well as of today......same date....??? . I can only hope the UK puts up interest rates further.

Glad to hear that, safe sex practitioner?

Well thanks for explaining.....I stopped reading the site when I came across this statement..... I'd like to take the opportunity to clear one of the biggest lies floating around everywhere in the World: "Second Hand Smoke (SHS, a.k.a. ETS, Environmental Tobacco Smoke) damages your health". and this was amusing too... the NAZIs also sported a huge Anti-Smoking campaign? Yes, they did and the one we experience now, frightningly, carries exactly the same insignia. Really, one must question whether smoking also affects ones mental abilities too. Perhaps raised levels of carbon monoxide causing oxygen deficiency in the brain

My ACER 4650 is beginning to look worn, but still works perfectly and has all the features I need. It is also a make that is common in Thailand. I think buying a cheaper brand is a fair decision, as the desire to upgrade will come along soon. Not sure I see the need to spend over $1500.

Well the text I get when I top up says the credit is valid for a year...but of course I do not know if that would be the case if I was not utilising the phone. I live here so I use it frequently. Likely different network/ suppliers have there own policy on when they cut a phone number that appears not to be in use. I have also previously registered my number by filling in some passport details and giving it to telewhiz, I wonder if people who did not bother, and the number appears not to be in use, are being cut off.

Well my regular GO-GO has put up my beer to 105 from 85. Wasn't so long ago when all beers were under 100 in Pattaya, now 110 and 115 is common. Even beer bars that charged 50 baht now ask 60+ There was a meeting of Pattaya Hotel owners reported on the news recently, ostensibly to discuss supplying non-smoking room as a guest option......but increasing room rates for 2007 was slipped in there. Barfines were always 500 in the GGs. now 600 is common. Yes inflation is impacting me in Pattaya.

I suppose you mean the 1500 baht lasts him including call costs, how much of the 1500 baht is credit? I know when I top up my card, if my total credit exceeds 500 baht, my validity is for a year.

Government inflation figures are like all statistics, massaged. I would bet 6% is on the low side, particularly around Pattaya. My weekly BJ went up 16% last month!