richs

PattayaPete: Thanks for the instructions. My reviews are posted. An interesting point I meant to post with my review of the Chiangmai Plaza is that a member of the Thai royal family stayed there & that might be indicative of the hotel's quality. Richard

I'd like to add a couple of Chiangmai hotels to the review section but the new format does not appear to have a 'post review' option like the old format.

albaker: Many Pattaya hotels & other buildings have stepped entrances because of the potential for flooding & many of those have luggage ramps that can be used for wheelchair access. These can be as steep as 45 degrees but hotel bellboys were always there to help me in & out of the hotel I stayed at (Sabai Inn). Accommodation options are not limited just because hotels might not advertise they are wheelchair accessible. Many ARE accessible, although minimally. Just remember this is Thailand, & the Americans w/Disabilities Act usually doesn't apply. A helpful thing that I found is that many hotels now have grab-bars in the bathrooms. Many recent rennovations in Pattaya include features like this. As other posters have mentioned, once you're out of the hotel, Pattaya isn't particularly safe for a wheelchair-bound or otherwise handicapped person to navigate, especially at night ( even if a person has no mobility problem). Have an able-bodied person help you from place to place (you could even hire someone very reasonably for this, but my TG helped me get safely around). Pattaya has many friendly people ready & willing to help tourists, & with some advance planning & extra allotted time, I enjoyed myself as much as I did when I wasn't handicapped visiting Pattaya 20 yrs ago. Richard (I may have double-posted this. Sorry!)

A number of hotels in Pattaya have luggage ramps that can also be used for wheelchair access, but might be as steep as 45 degrees. Hotel bellboys always helped me in & out of the hotel I stayed at (Sabai Inn). Pattaya, with the exception of some hotels & public buildings, is not wheelchair accessible in general, or particularly hazard-free to navigate for anybody, even if they aren"t handicapped. But with advance planning & a little extra allotted time, my handicap was not a problem & I was able to enjoy myself as much as when I was not handicapped visiting Pattaya 20 yrs ago.

I used a consolidator in Dallas last February. They mailed my ticket to me here in Phx and their price was very competitive. Gateway Travel, 1-800-999-8893. Koe hi me quom sook! (Have a nice day!)

My main concern is that my bags will leave SFO and arrive in BKK unlocked. I spoke to the TSA helpline and they said my carrier (EVA) may allow me to lock my bag after screening in SFO. My LOS trip is in February and hopefully by then this new TSA rule will not put a damper on it! Now I probably need to carry all my condoms with me on the plane because I think maybe the new screening machine will give them too much of a zap.

Is there anyplace in Pattaya where I can rent a VIP room for a few hours for me and my TG? Because I don't know if the Sabai Inn has a big bathtub, renting a VIP room for few hours might be an option. Thanks Richard

I read on another board (last Sept) Thai Airways had a promotion that discounted domestic tickets (maybe 10%) for persons w/proof of Thailand residency. Does anybody know about this?