4niceight

Couldn't understand any of that post. Are you for real? Please enlighten us mere mortals.

Sandy Spring Hotel, Soi 13. Ask for a room on floor 3.

Try Silver Sand Villa. Conveniently situated near soi 7 and girl friendly. I stayed there for 2 months last year and several of my friends who were new to Pattaya have now stayed there and enjoyed. Room prices from 700 baht per night depending on season. www silversandvilla.com.

Jackjones...I went to Massic today and they couldn't quote me a price for November with Emirates either return or one way. They said come back in 4 weeks. So I went to soi 6 and forgot all about the flight!

Chivas...Thanks for that. I can get 30% extra miles if I book on line but I'll head to Massic tomorrow and enquire.

Chivas....Where do you get your Emirates prices from? I want to go back to UK in November and return to Pattaya in March. I am an Emirates frequent flyer, and on their website the prices for travel to UK return are over 80,000 baht . If I fly on 31st Oct the price is around 44,000 return. I have checked these prices daily for the past month and will be booking as soon as their November prices are realigned with October prices. I e-mailed Emirates three weeks ago and was told to check their website toward the end of this month when their prices would be adjusted. Do you know something that I don't? I can fly with Kuwait for 31,300 baht return but want to build up my airmiles with Emirates. One way on 31st. Oct. is 28,110 One way on 1st. Nov. is 84,765 cheapest, (and routing via Hong Kong) Those prices from Emirates website as I write this post.

Cecco...Thanks for that info, although it came a bit too late. I decided that 8 hours on the bus to Khon Kaen was going to be a drag, and the buses were generally night sevices. I then decided to take the train to Udon but was told that there were only two seats left on the two dates I gave them, and they were on the night service too. So I finally booked a flight with Air Asia to Udon for 1656 baht return. I will be staying at Silver Reef for 2 nights, as this was recommended to me by a friend who stayed there long term last year. I'm then going to stay 1 night in Vientiane at the Mali Namphu hotel. Thanks to all BMs who've contributed. It's not the itinerary I ideally and originally wanted, but I'm sure that the advice, recommendations and info I've received from you guys will have stood me in good stead.

Soi unwise...sorry..soi UNWISE, ...you haven't the slightest idea what the situation is with the shop, so stop flaming.

Soi unwise...that's very unfair. I know this guy and he's nothing if not genuine. He DOES have experience in real estate in LOS, and is trying to make the most of the situation he was left in with a small shop he took on for his TG.

Thanks to The grogmonster but I don't want alternatives. I REALLY want to go by bus and to see the country. I'm trying to do my homework in plenty of time, so, please, guys, no alternatives.

I will have to do a visa run before my first 90 days expires in 7 weeks, and as I have never been to Isaan, I was thinking of taking a VIP air conditioned bus to Khon Kaen, spending a few nights there, on to Udon for a few nights, then making my way to the border at Nong Khai. I have asked and asked many people, farang and Thai, and cannot get a definitive answer. I have also e-mailed Nakornchai Air and received no reply(I expected that). The nearest advice I've got so far is to make my way to a petrol station on Sukhumvit near to Pattaya Klang, but some threads say turn left at Suk and some say turn right, making me even more confused. Can anyone tell me where to get a ticket, where to board the bus, and what is the cost to get from Pattaya to Khon Kaen. I would prefer to travel by day so that I can see scenery and life, and a VIP air-con'd bus is essential. Any other tips/advice welcome.

Liquid repellent called "15" is good. Can get from supermarkets. Costs little, (40 baht), and contains 25% DEET. Always look at the DEET content of whatever brand you buy. Suggest no less than 25% .

I withdrew some money from Nationwide on 10th. July from an ATM in Pattaya and was charged at 67.8887. which would have been not far off the rate available at the banks here for cash. I assume that they would apply their own rate and not the rate in Pattaya. Can you imagine Nationwide seeing your transaction and then making a phone call to a bank in Pattaya to see what rate they would apply here? I don't think so. I count myself lucky that I have had a Nationwide account for many years. They have been independent of all the major bank groups, and do not apply ridiculous charges.

OK Thanks, but can you give me an idea of cost of lessons and where to get them?

I'm on the threshold of retiring to Pattaya and will need something to do to keep me out of the bars. I have never played golf although I am an avid televiewer. Can anyone give me some advice about how to get started. Cost of 2nd hand clubs, lessons etc.

Last September I walked into Siam Commercial Bank and gave them 50,000 baht in cash and asked them to send it by SWIFT to Nationwide in UK. The money was in my UK account the same day. There was a small fee. Can't remember how much. They did ask me where I got the money, but I just said I had been here several months and had changed a lot of sterling into baht.

OK guys.... I contacted Eric when I arrived in Pattaya two weeks ago. He seems like a good guy to me and we got along well. Upshot of this is that I have yesterday completed the rental of his apartment for a one year period. The apartment is very nice and as described, and I can only say that my dealings with him have been very satisfactory. This is a testimony for Eric. He has a number of condos which he rents out long term, and if one becomes available in the future I would recommend him and his properties. Of course, I'm only at the start of my dealings with him but I'm quite happy so far.

I DID ask about the town of Sukhumvit. Just a bit of a joke! As a newbie many years ago I saw Suk road in Bkk and Suk road in Pattaya, and it got me wondering. Am an old hand now, so just joking!

I've always wanted to go to Sukhumvit. There seem to be many roads leading there but nobody can tell me where this town is. Is this just a devious ploy to mislead farangs?

I am a member of Emirates frequent flyer club, Skywards, and have flown with them many times. However, I am finding more and more that the aircraft are getting fuller, Dubai airport is now getting too busy with the queues for the security machines getting out of hand and people of all nationalities lying on the floor sleeping, presumably waiting for connections. Also their prices seem to be creeping up. For instance around 100 GBP minimum more expensive from UK to LOS than Etihad or Qatar. If that's the price of their success, then I'm happy that I've used my airmiles up with a free flight. I shall now be looking at other airlines for my trips to LOS. Perhaps when they've completed their new terminal at Dubai, and if their prices come into line I might reconsider.

I've booked Mr. Toom to meet me from this flight then take me to Pattaya. Anyone arriving same flight/time is welcome to share taxi and cost.

Winner...Buy a Thai owned condo?...OK might be cheaper but have to buy with limited company? With all the shit that there is just now with investigations into Thai directors? Surely not. Even if the condo were cheaper, what about resale value, not that I would be going that way. I'm looking for a place to keep and live in. Am I missing something here?

Try joining their frequent flyer programme (www.skywards.com) then phone their office in Dubai on #9714 316 7000 or Manchester on #44 1625 445 402 (from UK 0870 241 2251). Maybe that'll help you to get some help or at least a freebie. If you don't want to join their frequent flyer programme, let me have your name and dob. by PM and I'd love to add you to my family as a brother in law and get 20% of your miles!!!! That's serious, but MORE seriously I hope you get some satisfaction. I've always found Emirates to be good, but looking on their website for a flight to LOS recently they're getting expensive, and full.

Thanks for the concern, bob 2005, but there are considerable costs involved in sending money by SWIFT to my bank in UK, then sending another transfer from there to LOS. My bank in Gambia charge 1.5% plus a service charge, and I would think that Nationwide would charge similar. That's not to mention the double loss in exchange rate.

I am about to transfer some funds to my account at SCB by SWIFT. I live in Gambia at present and am not sure yet what currency I will be transferring. I have options of GBP, USD and Euro. Depends on the rates here. Can anyone tell me whether SCB will immediately convert the funds to Thai baht, or will they keep it in the currency I remit until I tell them to convert?