midlifecrisis

All this sounds wonderful but you need to come up with a web site, some pictures of the hot ladies, costs for things like transport to and from the airport and Bangkok as well as vip costs to have ladies aboard. Frankly though, vip ladies are usually just hand holders and it is better to just get to Pattaya asap.

any links on condo rentals? thx

Your captain and stewardess:

unfortunately that is all he is he contributes nothing of any Pattaya value to the board

I am keeping an eye on my drink when you are around, hehe.

www.thaivisa.com for lots of information + they have a board too

too bad i can't use it at work

Any idea where to find official info?

I cannot wait - one year i will be living there - woohoo!

Thanks Alan! I will be in LOS in August to do just this. Is it a nationwide banking network? Is an account opened in Jomtien the same as in Bangkok or Chiang Mai? The reason I ask this is that I have been told, though no verification, that a branch ofiice in the Philippines is separate from the whole in case of branch failure. If a branch fails, in other words, you lose what is in the branch. The mother bank is not responsible. I understand there is no FDIC type entity in Thailand. BTW, I am definately moving to LOS next year. Yay!

No I haven't but that is not to say I wouldn't in the future. I have no knowledge of life in Cambodia so it is not an option for me at this time. Your information is stored and I appreciate the feedback. Options are a good thing!

Thanks, Joe. Very helpful. My concerns are gone. I am going to move forward.

I am seriously considering retiring next year and moving to Thailand (possibly the Philippines). There are some issues regarding a one year visa to Thailand that I need to resolve in my mind before I make a final decision. I would appreciate any info from you with personal experience with this type of visa 1. On one thread I saw that you must leave the country after one year and re-enter. Can this be true? This could be very impractical for an elderly man, someone in the hospital, etc. Not a problem for me at 58 but as we age infrimaties take over making travel difficult. 2. What is the procedure for subsequent years? How do I re-apply? 3. I am under the impression that you cannot leave Thailand without written permission or this invalidates the visa. How fast can this permission be obtained say for family emergencies? 4. How safe is the Thai banking system? Are the funds insured like our FDIC in America? 5. My plan would be to come back in August and open an account at a major Thai bank and then have my bank in the states wire additional money to make the 800,000 baht deposit. In a few months I would apply for the visa. Can funds be in a CD or must they be liquid? I would tend to leave the 800k separate and transfer funds for living expenses to a separate checking account. 6. Which banks are best? Kassikorn seems big, with branches every where. I need to be able to transfer funds to it from the States. 7. Not specifically visa related but in a few years I can receive social security. Can that be applied for in Thailand and can it be mailed to me in Thailand or must I pick up my check monthly in Bangkok at the embassy? 8. What if I marry later to a Thai national? How will that affect my status? I am certain to have more questions. Thailand is my first choice for a place to retire to. Your answers now and in the future will help me make an informed decision. I welcome any of you with this visa or knowledge of this to pm me with your experiences or share them here, both positive and negative. Even negatives do not have to be a show stopper if I am prepared for them. Mentors on this process are welcome! Thanks in advance! Norm

Makes me glad I'm not gay - sounds painful! I wanted to add Mr. Stallion, that most of the bargirls are from Issan and are often much browner than other asian women. There is a bit of prejudice within their own culture toward lighter skin, I think, but it does not extend to westerners. I also think that you will find that most of us on this board don't give a damn either. Hook up with those of us that you can, especially on your first few nights. Do a bar crawl too!

A competent pilot didn't even need to be aboard. Let's see. God threw birds into both engines so He could show us how great and merciful He is without revealing Himself.

come on Feb 8th and I will show you around. btw, although white, I have never seen any signs of prejudice towards Americans in my two previous trips. I have seen a few white assholes treated like they should be. You will have a blast if you have money and respect the people and culture. It is their world and they let us borrow it for a little while.

Both the original post and the first reply having me laughing my ass off - both cheeks!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would be happy to hold them out of the way to keep her shot legal!

We are a bunch a lard asses here in the States, especially as we age.

Someone told me once booked with an outfit practically across from the Areca Lodge on Soi Dianna I am planning too spend a few nights elsewhere and would like feedback on this subject also. Consider this a bump.

Thanks, Tom!

A friend at work is from Thailand. He is good friends with Alex at Renoir Club. I will be spending three nights at the end of my trip in Bangkok but would like to be halfway between Soi Cowboy and Soi 33. Can anyone recommend guest friendly hotels midway between the two? Thanks!

technically misleading that is water on a Mars and not water on Mars.

If we need one? People have laptops, cameras, money, passports... People need to be able to secure things. I have been in many hotels without but almost always there was a private safe deposit at the front desk - available 24 hours a day.

I will visit your bar in February. I met you briefly once at FLB in March 2007. My last trip I did not stop by. See you soon. and Nikki? star power must account for something after all