jacko

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!

Yes I spotted a 'baht bus' on S S Country Club the other day, I thought perhaps he was lost. If they are hourly I thought I might have spotted more during my 5 months living here. Stopping at 5pm isn't going to help me get to the go-gos

This is the type of idiotic dimwit statement one comes to expect from a selfish smoker...... I doubt if I will ever find someone's Galloise odour refreshing!

Pretty good assessment, although I don't know why your missus needs to go to Carrefour and Naklua market daily. (Boredom ) I manage pretty well with just the bikes, but it is just me and her, hardest thing is carrying the cases of beer. That said, recent rains have been a problem. Naklua market is only needed once a week, when I fancy a fish. I go to Big C once a week.... There is a market on Soi Muslim that the TGF goes to every day with a basket on the bike. A car makes for slow but safer getting about, and if you have kids you sure will have more of a load....... There are some pretty crappy roads on this side of suk too.

Sorry to post when I haven't flown with this carrier. But coincidentaly they were mentioned on the BBC World Fastrack programme very recently .... something about good design of the seats.

I live up Soi Siam CC, about 1 km up. No baht buses to be had at this end. I have my motorcycle to get around. I could find a motorcycle taxi if I walk down my street to Soi Siam CC, normally some about. Another idea is to keep the mobile nos of several local MC taxi drivers to get them to come pick you up. At night coming from Pattaya a MC taxi is about 80-100 baht, wouldn't like to ask a baht bus, especially in high season...expect 200-300 if he will even bother. I get the TGF to come pick me up on our MC...or you could drink more local. You should rent a car for a while until you get sorted, about 800-1000 baht/day. Getting down Soi Siam CC in a car can be a bitch too....at rush hours. Bet it could take you 20 minutes to do those 4km. Short answer, crossing Sukhumvit suks, could be the death of you on a motorcycle. PM me if you want more bad news!

You have a visa that is valid 6 months from date of issue, that allows you 2 entries, each up to a max of 60 days stay.....(can get a 30 day extension). You come in once, you get 60 days allowance, but if you leave, even if only a day later, that is done with. Next entry to Thailand would be your second and then that visa is effectively done with. Flights to anywhere can easily be bought in Thailand. You can enter Thailand without a visa (30 day permission to stay, shall we call it), you can stay a max of 90 days in any 6 months with this method.

Actually I was treated very well on my departure at Bangladesh..I was travelling biz class on Gulf....personally escorted to the front of all the queues, then to a lounge area. When I arrived the airport was bedlam...... I have seen Biman 'delayed' just too often on the flight info screens around the world...normally by many many hours. And hence would avoid them. Plenty of cheap flights about without traveling on crap like this.

Discussing with your fellow passengers what they paid for a the flight can be real eye opener. The prices vary incredulously. I was quite smug at having a cheap biz class seat on China Airlines as I settled down in Bangkok to my glass of plonk. Until I talked to my neighbour who had bought his ticket in Bangkok, I thought I got a bargain in the UK! What is the price of anything? The maximum someone is prepared to pay for it! I am sure a lot of travel agents have some big secrets....at least the internet has opened this up somwhat.

I would not even consider a 14 hour layover...it's ridiculous. Earlier rather than later is normally best so long as you are SURE your dates are fixed. Shop around a plenty........but you are in the high high season there! .

Yes, Mahon Air... they also come up with the cheapest Biz Class fares too! Anybody know whether you can get a nice glass of Brut before take-off and whether they use Bombay Sapphire in the G&Ts???

Half tempted to say 'it serves you right'........I mean Ethiopian Airlines????? What the meals like?

Well that depends on where in Korat. There is a small group of expats that hang around the main city (Nakhon Ratchasima)...near the Pizza Shop. You can visit Pimai, Thailand's answer to Angkor Wat. Go visit the National Park at Khao Yai. Quite scenic. But to be honest, I tried living there, bored nuts after a little while. The city is big, polluted and driving seems nuttier than Bangkok! Nightlife. Plenty of nice girls with the University, but you will need to go to the Thai disco to meet them, perhaps at the Rachapruk Hotel. I read on Stickman that a GO-GO has opened in Korat. I also tried going off to the 'village', sitting around in the dirt sweating and scratching mosquito bites wasn't fun. But it was nice to meet people who were generous, pleasant and not always scrounging for tips. Just wouldn't want to live there.

Old guy has answer! I flew Air Asia PP to Bangkok and had a great punctual flight. Getting to the airport is another matter! As others say, having 'connecting' flights with budget carriers is a risk, so why not stop off in each place for a day or two and look around! With Air Asia, the sooner you book the better price you will get. And go directly to the budget airline websites, expedia aren't going to offer the best 'budget' deal. I might recommend coming back to BKK though, as you are finding PP is limited choice-wise. Enjoy the adventure!

That really depends on how much the extra cost means to you. Personally I found it difficult to justify spending an extra 'weeks work', just to be comfortable for 24 hours. That said, coach is pretty horrible! I always fly business class now as I am older and the money means less than the misery of being stuck between the crying children and boozy loudmouths on the 747 row of 5. But I use my airmiles, and shop around. I can easily save $1500 on the ticket by shopping around. Trouble is, hard to go back to economy.