js007

The first time I was there was about five years ago. After that, it seemed to go downhill a bit, with not so many food stalls. It's still OK, I guess. The outside tables are nice for the view.

Here's the lunch I had in the USA a little while ago. Spring Rolls: $2.50; Pho: $6.75, all plus tax and tip. I guess that would be about 375 baht. I'm sure in Pattaya it would be much much cheaper.

Agoda rates can be tricky. For example, they'll show the hotel at one rate, and then add taxes and a currency transaction fee at the final checkout page.

That doesn't sound right, so I just looked it up. A room for 2 people goes for about 7000 baht per night.

You could always look it up, but from what I recall 6000 baht would be in the ballpark.

One time in Phuket I bought a ticket from a travel agency. It was an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur. Anyway, when he purchased the ticket, the travel agent used a credit card, but when I went to check in, the Airline only wanted to see my passport. They didn't ask for the credit card at all.

As for the Thai nonstop routes? I've done both the JFK - BKK flight and the LAX - BKK flights. To be sure, 17.5 hours is a long flight. But on my last trip back, from BKK to LAX, the flight was only 13.5 hours for some reason. That was a pleasant surprise, as I was expecting a longer flight. Anyway, with the Premium Economy seating, the flights were all OK. I guess there must be other airlines with Premium Economy seats?

I don't necessarily "want" the world to run in any particular way. I learned a lesson, that's all. Now that I know, no problem.

The Londoner has good food. Just don't make the mistake of thinking that the iced tea comes with free refills. That's common in the USA. I was eating there one afternoon and had some iced tea instead of a beer. Every time I finished my tea, the girl asked me if I wanted more, so I said "sure." I think I had three or four refills at 90 baht each. An expensive lunch.

I'm not a computer guru by any means, but they say that the only way an application program can be installed on a Mac is with the owner's permission.. Anyway, I occasionally run a virus check on my computer, but all that ever turns up is a few "heuristic fishing" emails.

The day I found a key logger program on my PC is the day that I unplugged it, wiped the hard drive, and went to the local computer store to buy a Mac. I'm not sure how a key logger was installed on my computer, but it was there. Scary stuff.

I opened an account with SCB on Beach Road about five years ago. No questions asked. The girl that opened my account seemed friendly enough. She just wanted to see my passport. Currently, I use Kasikorn Bank. Again, no problem opening an account.

Granted, I know next to nothing about the bar business in Pattaya. But from what I do know, I wouldn't take the place for free. 7 Million baht? LOL I'd be better off taking the 7 million baht, investing it in some dividend paying stocks, and pocketing the dividends. I could then sit around in the same bar, pretend I own it, and have none of the headaches.

I once asked my Tokyo girlfriend about English teachers in Japan. She just sort of laughed. I guess they make enough money to live in Japan, but they don't exactly have much "status." Anyway, it still sounds like fun to me for a single guy.

I have no idea. By most accounts, the US dollar should have already crashed. And yet it is still the world's reserve currency. Recently, it's been on a "flight to safety" run. I guess it's all relative. What's the alternative? The Euro? That's in trouble. What's left? The Chinese Yuan? Hardly. That currency still doesn't float. Perhaps some basket of commodities or "Special Drawing Rights"? Personally, I hope we all muddle through over the next ten years. I wouldn't be surprised to see the dollar at 25 baht, nor would I be surprised to see the dollar at 38 baht.

There's no free lunch. If you get a "decent" rate of return, you have risk. If I were you, I'd be less worried about the rate of return and more worried about the currency value. A 6% rate of return won't be so good if the currency drops 15%.

One of these days, the reality of the world economy is going to hit the Pattaya condo market. From time to time, I've looked with a view to buying, but in the final analysis, it never made much sense. And for the buyers, things can only get better. I still see mostly overpriced shoeboxes. Three million baht for something that should cost no more than one million. I think I'll rent.

I'm in the USA, and the last time I went to Thailand I went on Thai Air. I'm positive I selected my seat online. I had a reservation in Premium Economy and wanted an aisle seat. So, that's what I selected. Maybe you guys are missing something on the website?

Well, if you don't mind a walk of a few blocks to Bangla Road (the nightlife), then you could always try one of the many guesthouses. Most of those should be in the right price range. Try the Andaman Sea Guesthouse, perhaps, or the Ferb Guesthouse for a slightly farther walk.

Try the Summer Breeze. That always gets good reviews.

A person doesn't have to read too far to find horror stories about people paying large deposits for apartments and then never getting a refund. Perhaps, on a one year lease, a one month deposit might be reasonable. But on a one month rental? No way Jose. Just find a nice guest house. You can probably get a good monthly rate and the deposit will only be 1000 baht or so, for the key or whatever.

I'm not in Thailand, but if you're from the USA I'd say just buy the stuff in the USA, at least from what I've seen. You can probably get a better deal and the warranties will be good at home.

I haven't read all the posts, but last night Pattaya Talk on Tappatalk didn't seem to be working.

Back and forth to Pattaya, the only airlines I've taken are Thai Air and Northwest/Delta. I guess it's time I tried something new. I'm sort of pissed at Thai, because last time, the girl at the counter in LAX weighed my carry on and made me take a bunch of stuff out of it so it would weigh less than 10 kilos. That was a pain, as my other suitcase was full. Maybe I'll try Cathay Pacific or EVA or Asiana or Korean Air next time.

59K baht? That's almost the regular price.