mattelyo

Yesterday morning I checked in Bay breeze hotel. Last time I was here is more than 15 years before. Rooms become clean and no more extremely slow lift. The new lift moves up and down speedy at the same place of the old one. The room safe which is not installed before is convienient for me. The pool is in level 3 and is very small, but clean, already some guys were swimming. Yesterday morning I came here at about 7:30. I thought Pattaya is different from what used to be. Check-in time may be 1:00 or 2:00　o'clock, so I prepared to go to short time hotel to spend the time untill afternoon. But I can check in at 7:30 in the morning, there is still flexible Pattaya. The restaurant is good, with delicious dish and reasonable price. I will stay 2 nights in dx room, 1650 bht per a night with brecky.

Now you can see amazing shunga-pictures at British Museum、London. If you dont know what is shunga, click the link below, you can see some famous Utamaros. ---------------------------------------------------- Shunga Sex and pleasure in Japanese art At British Museum, 3 October 2013 5 January 2014 ----------------------------------------------------- This is the link to British Museum http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/shunga.aspx There is a special issue of monthly magazine showing pictures exhibited at the museum, which is Geijutsu Shincho Dec. 2013. You can buy the magazine and enjoy amazing pictures by excellent printings. The link to magazine is bellow, Amazon deals with it. http://www.shinchosha.co.jp/geishin/2013_12/01.html Amazon http://www.amazon.co.jp/芸術新-2013年-12月号-雑誌/dp/B00GA9ACRG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387369704&sr=8-1&keywords=芸術+新潮 Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Geijutsu-Shincho/dp/B00006KFCU

Smog blankets northern Thailand By Digital Media http://www.thaivisa....thern-thailand/ CHIANG MAI, March 14 - Health-threatening smog, rising levels of airborne dust particles, is now threatening the northern provinces of Thailand, which could affect the health of local residents. Prayat Ananthapradit from the centre to prevent smog in the upper North reported today that yesterday the level of dust particles in the region was reported at a level which could impact residents' health. Three provinces are at risk with dust particle levels measured higher than 120 micrograms per cubic metre which is the upper limit for Thailand’s acceptable level of dust particles. In Lampang, the particulate matter was measured at 159mg per cubic metre at the provincial weather station and 142mg at the provincial natural resources and environment office in Mae Hong Son. The highest level was found at Phrae provincial weather service office at 205mg. Mr Prayat said the centre has instructed all upper northern provinces to keeps monitoring the air quality as for other provinces. He said although the dust particle level remains below safety standard, it keeps increasing, such as 112 micrograms measured in Phayao, 99 micrograms in Nan and 82-99 micrograms in Chiang Mai provincial seat. Meanwhile, in the northeastern province of Loei, forest fire occurred in Phu Sawan Forest Park in Phu Ruea district, covering a 5 kilometre radius. Forest fire workers rushed to combat the fire and prevent it from expanding to other areas. The initial damage assessment found that the fire quickly burned 500 rai of parkland mainly due to leaves, grasses and underbrush which are quite inflammable when dry. (MCOT online news) -- TNA 2013-03-14 ====================================================================== The dust particles are as small as 2.5 micrometers in diameter, they fly far far away. These particles are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause breathing problems. In a few days, heavy pollution is predicted in Thailand, you can see it in the website: http://sprintars.ria...movie_casu.html On the figure, time is shown at the right upper side of the figure. 2013(year) 3(Mar.) 13(day), (time) 06 hours. The time shown is GMT or JST, I don't know. Google [pm2.5], the key word.

I stayed in Sea View Suites of Inn House hotel at end of May, 2008. Walk-in rate was 1800 Bht/night without breakfast. The Sea View Suites is located at 8th floor. Two rooms ( I suppose two standard rooms) are connected to suites; one is for a living room and the other is a bedroom. The two bath rooms are remain, one in the living room and the other is in the bed room. Each room has each TV and each air-con. TV sets are big. An in-room safe is in the bed room. Water pressure was not enough, but shower is OK. A pool is on roof-top and is small like a big bath-tab. The hotel is located in soi 13, about 100m from the beach road. The location is excellent. The royal garden is just a couple of minutes walk. Walking street, some beer bar complexes are walking distance from the hotel. Cherry bar too and Scandi bar are only a minute walk. Great buffet breakfast at Lek hotel is 110 Bht, it is on soi 13. I have uproaded AVI files. The room feature is here, http://homepage3.nifty.com/opi2on/Pty/InnH...SeaViewSuit.AVI The view from the room is here, http://homepage3.nifty.com/opi2on/Pty/InnHouseSeaView.AVI

In Pattaya there are some hotels which have rooms for handicapped. But most of the rooms are not big. Pattaya bay resorts has big rooms for handicapped, such as Standard Room (28 sq. meters), Deluxe Room (42 sq. meters), Mini-Suite (56 sq. meters), One Bedroom (50 sq. meters), Presidential Suite (56 sq. meters). I stayed at a mini suite in end of May, 2008. Room rate was 2500Bht/night. At the entrance to the bath, the floor is slightly slope down from the living to the bath. The entrance to the bath is about 65cm, or 25.6 inches, width, it is narrow for a wheelchair but you can pass through it. If not, you can arrange it little wider by a screw driver. At the shower a hand rail is mounted as shown in the photo, but there is no hand rail at the toilet, so if you need a hand rail when you move from the wheel chair to a toilet, or vice versa, this place is not for you. The shower chair is good. Again there is no hand rail at the bed. I woke up at about 5:00 o'clock in the morning. Why ? Bed in the next room was squeaking, A couple next door began exercise, eventually emitted a moan (sorry I don't know proper words, but you can understand what I want to say. How do you say in English?). The noise insulation of the wall is awfully poor. If the wall is improved, I will stay again. Otherwise I don't.

You can see movies showing a suite room and a standard room of Sandy Spring on soi 3. This was taken on Mar. 13, 2007. http://www.sakai.zaq.ne.jp/dufgi200 A link to the movie is at the bottom of the page. The room charge is shown on http://www.scandibar.com/

travlling Almost every visit to pattaya, I buy a　transformer at Carrefour. I use it for 100V electric apparatus. It may be 220/100V 50Herz. So called capacity is 500VA, but doubtful. I only use under 100 watts, but it reaches a high temperature. So I use stainless cup to cool it. The price was 1179Bht. They had only one type.

I stayed Sun Shine Vista with my wife in wheel chair. We stayed in exective studio but I saw the room for disabled person. I don't remember exactry about the room. But I have a vivid recollection of my thought that the bath room is very small. - a minimum 76cm (30 inchs) width in doorways I am not sure but I think the door width is more than 76 cm. But in the bath room, I remember, you should walk a few steps to the toilet as the entrance of the toilet is narrow. You shoul drive very carefully in the bath room----you cannot turn the chair so you may need eyes on your back. - about 106cm (3.5 feet) clear on one side of the bed. If you move the bed to one side, the other side may have enough clearance. - an area of 150cm x 150cm (5x5 feet) to turn the chair around without banging into furniture. u--n, ??. At the entrance of the hotel, there is a step, it's aboout 5 - 8 cm high. Can your wheel chair break over this ? After that thre is rapid slope. It's hard to drive by a non-powered wheelchair. After the slope, there was another step to enter the hotel building. When there was a boy, he helped us. The slope is narrow, and it bends at right angle. ---------------------------- As for my wife, she went to the bath room entrance by wheel chair, and then walk in. She can walk if there is a handrail. I bought bars with springs that adjustable to desired lengths at Big C. With the bar and the suction cups brought from home, I made handrails in the bathroom. ------------------------------- You had better to ask the hotel. There maynot be anybody who are fluent in English, so the hotel will not answer your question. Try to ask Mr. Klein who is a Sun Shine Group Assistant Manager. He maybe helpful for you. jklein@sunshinehotelsresorts.com

>I looked at the rooms last year, and they were about the same as Sabai's 'Superior A' rooms - little run down but okay. There is no safety deposit box, though - just a locker and you have to bring your own lock. Trvlr, you already knew what you want to know. My friend in Bangkok likes this mansion very much, he always stay here when he comes to Pattaya. I stayed two nights here in the begining of last year. I like better Bay-breeze(spel ?) hotel which is about same room rate, What I don't like is the bathroom is narrow. When I take a shower, the whole toilet waterlog. I feel wet toilet something being insanitary. If you don't mind this, this mansion is Ok. They had IDD phone that is good to do internet by your laptop.. I don't know the utily prices exactly but it is cheaper than other places. If you stay long( by monthly rate) this save you a little. The room faces to second raod gets noise from the bars in soi 2. but now they become to be calm at around 1:00 o'clock. TV channel was few when I stayed, but now it is plenty, BBC, CNN, ABC, ,,,and so on. I think security is good. This is not a hotel, so you cannot get a service like you get in a hotel, but staffs are friendly.

Thank you for quick reply, Leadbelly　！！

My friend want to buy a Jim Thonpson's Bag. Please let me know where　is the bag available ?

New Places I am now staying in Nova　Park. Nova Park is 50m father than Leelawadee from 2nd road or Big C, or Leelawadee has a rear gate that is 100m walk from 2nd road, but it is not open all day long. In night, I see a security guard there so he may open the gate for you. Yes, Leelawadee is big, you must walk 3 or 4 minutes from the rear gate to the front gate. All building is 3 stories and there are no elevator. In front of the Leelawadee, there is a Dang Apartment, and Next door of Nova Park is Jameson's Apartment which will open in Jan. The place is convenient to live, Big C and Tops are within a several minutes walk and Carrefour is in 8 or 9 min walk. Leelawadee Superior/Junior Suite 1,500/2,500 Daily rate incl. American BF. 21,000/36,000 monthly rate for 1-3 months stay. Monthly rate does not include electricity and water which are 6Bht and 25B per unit. I saw a junior suite which is very big 1 bed room suite. I think it is bigger than 60 sq meters, or nearly 70 sq meters, but be aware my skill of visual estimation is not good I asked a room for Dec 29 to Jan 03 about a week before, only superior room will be available. It is soft opening, but it seems have some guests already. Dang Apartment(in front of Leelawadee) 550bht/daily and 7,000Bht/monthly. Cable TV, Refrige., Air con., Telephone, Hot and Cold water, lift, Parking,,, Tel 038-362063-66, Fax 038-362067. Room(s) is(are) available from Dec 29 to Jan 03 about a week before. Jameson's I don't know whether this is expansion project of Nova Park. There seems no delay of contraction. It will open in Jan. 5 stories building, it's bigger than Dang apartment, little smaller than Nova Park. The Pine wing suite (Green Building, Next door of Pinewood Condotel in 2nd road) One bedroom suite is 950 B for daily and 25,000 Bht for monthly. I think it has no other room category. Yes, there are 1 bed room, 1 living room and a bath room, but the room is very small, my estimation is it is about 40 sq meters or less. The electricity and water is included in the room charge. DD phone is 10 Bht/call, but when I asked if it is disconnect at some time length, the girl in the reception said internet connections is not able in the guest room, only at the lobby. Why not ? pinewingsuites@hotmail.com 038-362273-5, Fax 038-361821

In Bangkok,I usually stay in Park Hotel in soi 7. It is guest friendly. It offers good rooms and bad rooms with same room charge. I don't care whether I get a good room or a bad room, I like it's location. Refurbished rooms are very good. Clean spacious room with IDD phone, big TV, digital temperature setting of air -con,,,,. While non refurbished rooms are bad, worn-out carpet, leaking tap water,,,,,. I hear big bed rooms are only 10%, every time I asked a big bed room, but never.

In Aug. when I saw rooms of Bella Villa Prima, staff said it has installed a wireless lan. The wireless PC-card is lent. At the time, hotel guests can use it free as it was the time of test running. If you are interested, ask the hotel, bella@loxinfo.co.th

My wife is in wheelchair and we stayed Pattaya from July to begining of Sept.. Walking around with wheelchair is really hard, especially beach road with side walk and beach side preasance is　under construction, so our way is closed at every where. I know there are three hotels have handicaped friendly rooms. They are, Woodland resort http://www.woodland-resort.com/en/index.htm Thai Garden Resort north pattaya rd. http://www.thaigarden.com/t3/english/index.htm Sunshinevista serviced apt. http://www.sawadee.com/pattaya/sunshinevista/pictures/ There is a step at the entrance of the handicaped friendly room of Thai garden resort. The step is about 20 cm high. The entrance of the Sunshinevista has also a step, it's about 5 cm. Further, you must crime the steep path to the hotel entrance、　it's so steep to crime by yourself in wheelchair.　　But, usually a gurd or a boy is around there, and they will help you. I don't know about Woodland resorts. We stayed at Markland and at Sunshine Vista. Markland is easy from the road to the room. If a man can walk within the room, this place may be not bad. As written above it's rather hard trip from the road to the room at Subshine Vista, the hotel itself is convenient for handicaped. They has a handycaped friendly toilet near the reception. It has two rooms for handicaped. We stayed normal room (not handycaped friendly), but it is still good for my wife. Wife could go toilet walking with support by herself. The room has bathtub and shower room separately. I bring a chair from verandah, wife take shower with sitting the chair. Next time we will stay Sunshine Vista again.

I have just come back from Pattaya. I usually travel alone, but this time I was with my wife. Quality of Buildings in Pattaya is very poor, the insulation of the sound from another room or corridor is very low. Pattaya is a place to have party till late night or through the night. This time I stayed at Mike Orchid Resort on soi 4, Cond in Markland Hotel and Sun Shine Vista. Though it is low season now, but we were suffered from noise from neighbor room at mid night or at early morning. You had better to avoid hotels which are used by single man travelers whoes time sensation is very differrent from yours. I stayed at suit room in Nova Lodge. It was 2000 Bht per night, but it was nearly ten years before. The room was little run down but a spacious living room connected to a bed room and also an spacious verandah. But there was only one big bed. Residents here are not young, so they don't make big noise.

When I visited Bella Villa Prima on soi 4 in beginning of Aug., the hotel provides a radio LAN internet with free of charge as it was a test running period of the radio LAN system they installed. I don't know how long is the test-run period lasts. I bought a 12hours + (2 hours for beginning OR 4 hours for refil) loxfinfo card by 160 Bht at the net cafe in Big C 2nd floor. The hotel (Sun Shine Vista) I stayed charges 10.7 Bht for one connection that disconnects at 30 minutes. I bought 2 Loxinfo cards, and I connected 30 minutes every time, so my connection is 14hours(28 halh hours)*2 cards=56 connections, So the telephone bill should be around 600 Bht, but it was nearly 900 Bht. Be careful, connection to the Loxinfo is failed but still you must pay phone bill. Mattelyo

You can see what is going on near the Sunshine Vista. The photo was taken on July 4th. The left building is Sunshine vista, and right is Mike orchid resort in soi 4. The building under constraction is an apartment house of Mike orchid

For me noise from the A/C unit or the fridge fan is no problem. The lights are not sufficient for reading. They say 1000B for a night officially. It's just an official rate.

I stayed 4 nights from Feb. 02. They are still under construction, but you can stay. Every thing is new, good for money. All hotel staffs except one or two are also new in this business, all are very friendly. I really enjoyed staying here. The hotel is about (1/3) of soi 4 from the beach, The room is spacious, about 30 sqm, it is 20 % bigger than my usual room I stay in Pattaya. Flooring is wood, very clean. Bath has a tab, hot and cold water is sufficient. There are 2 telephone consent, one is for telephone and the other for internet. No in-room safe. TV channel is poor, many Thai programs. English programs are only Asian News Channel, Sports, Music, Movie-channel. No BBC, no CNN, ,,,. No other language programs. Swimming pool is under construction. They are constructing another two buildings, one is hotel, the other is apartment house. The resort will be build up with three buildings and a pool. The pool will be central part of these buildings. New buildings will open within the year. Restaurant will be opened in the old building. Only standard rooms are available; dx or suit will be in the new building. 1,000 B/night is their official rate. Good for money. I stayed in the sea-view room, garden view rooms maybe noisy with construction; a bulldozer was working. Every hotel in Pattaya is poor acoustical insulation;the acoustical insulation from the corridor of this hotel is also poor. Over all, I will back here next time. Tel. 038-36-2192 Fax. 038-36-2193. mikeorchidresort@hotmail.com a single and a kingsize beds you can stock every thing under the TV Right is A-One Crews hotel verandah, Pattaya tower cond and Mike beach resort(left)

I stayed at Grand Inn on Sukhumwit soi 3. I never return there, very noisy as the soi 3 is a main road, there were so many heavy cars in the early morning, and the lady at the reception was not friendly. I usually stay at Park hotel on soi 7. Good location; Beer garden, Foodland, Bamboo bar, Galliver, Nana, Thermae,,,, all are very near. 1150 Bht/night.

After the proud announcement of success of their manned space vehicle, Chinese Government said China is still a poor country, need ODA,;The success of manned space vehicle is not a reason to cut AID from foreign country. Japan is one of countries they deliver big monies to ODA, for example in 2001, Japan give ODA money of 686 million US$ to China, which is about 9.21% of Japanese total amount of ODA. I think these must be applied to another countries those are suffered from more serious poverty. So, by reading the news I give a big hand to PM Thaksin Shinawatra. ------------------------------------- Thailand rejects future foreign aid Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has announced that Thailand will stop accepting foreign aid from next year, saying the money should instead go towards poorer neighbouring countries. He says the foreign ministry will thank all the donor countries who have helped Thailand. Mr Shinawtra says aid should be spent on programs in its neighbours, which include military-ruled Burma, Laos and Cambodia. -- AFP http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1000094.htm

At the hotel you can get ,with free of charge, some booklets introducing touristic places in Pattaya, in the booklets you can find some maps with rough scale. Click the URL, you can see one of the map copied from the booklet. The scale is in meter. http://homepage3.nifty.com/usan/mapwithscale.JPG

Here is a map, on the map big blue rectangular is Don Muang airport. http://www6.big.or.jp/~ozw/thai/bkk_ah.htm Jumbotel 34/5-8 Chaengwattana RdADon Muang, BKK 10210. Tel: +662 573 1240 Fax: +662 574 1008 TK Palace Hotel 54/7 Chaengwathana RdADon Muang soi 15. Tel 274-1588 Don Muang Mansion 118/7 Soranakom Rd. Telephone (662) 566-3023A FAX (662) 566-3514

I stayed Jumbotel several times. It is 10 min from the airport by a taxi. The room charge was around 1000Bht for Farang in 1998. For Thai it was 200 or 300 Bht cheaper. If you are with a Thai lady, you can get a cheap price. The room is OK, it is almost same level to Eastiny or Flipper in Pattaya. In front of the Jumbotel, there is TK Palace Hotel. This hotel may be little pricy than Jumbotel. Jumbotel is difficult to find, but you can find the big neon sign of TK palace. There is Don Muang Mansion. It was 600 Bht in 1998. I hear this is 2-star hotel. You can walk from the airport, about 15 min walk or you take a bike-taxi from the air port station it's 10 Bht. JumbotelF34/5-8 Chaengwattana RdADon Muang, BKK 10210. Tel: +662 573 1240 Fax: +662 574 1008 TK Palace HotelF54/7 Chaengwathana soi 15. Tel 274-1588 Don Muang Mansion F118/7 Soranakom Rd. Telephone (662) 566-3023A FAX (662) 566-3514 Here is a map, on the map big blue rectangular is Don Muang airport.