js007

And if it's anything like the Holiday Inn in Phuket, it won't be girl friendly. Or, maybe it will be?

I like the Sabai Lodge just because it has a mellow atmosphere. And the Soi 2 area has it's own bar scene. Big C is down the block, long with three soapy massage places. The baht buses come right by, down Soi 2. And it's girl friendly.

It may be just a lack of business right now. I stayed in the area for a few months and ate breakfast there most of the time. Sometimes lunch or dinner. It always seemed fairly busy. I'm not sure how full the guesthouse was, though. Anyway, I thought it was an OK place. The owner always seemed to be around, working, and the staff was nice.

Sounds to me like some of the landlords have lost their minds. Hiking rent in the middle of a worldwide depression? They'll end up with an empty building. I remember once in Virginia, there was a local BBQ restaurant in a strip mall around the corner. Anyway, the food was great and they did a good business. Then, one day, they posted a sign saying that they were going out of business because of an unreasonable rent increase. I ate there on the last day, and the next day they were closed. The place sat for the next two years with a "for rent" sign in the window. I always got a chuckle out of that. The landlord had a sure thing and his greed did him in. With any luck, he went bankrupt.

What's the street nearest Mike's Mall? Soi 13? Whatever it is, I used to walk down there pretty much every day and along the way I'd see a few massage places and a small laundry, I believe. Most of those places charge about 7 or 8 baht per shirt, maybe a pit more for pants? Something like that. I used to go through two or three changes of clothes every day, so I had a lot of laundry done.

Sounds to me like they're trying to find a sucker who doesn't know any better. I've seen the same thing in Phuket, except there, they get even more ridiculous. I've seen ads where they ask $600 a day or more for a place with two or three bedrooms. I guess they're hoping to find someone going on vacation and for whom money is no object.

1987 seems like yesterday, but I guess it was 22 years ago. Jeez, I was in the middle of a five-year sabbatical back then. Why didn't I think to go to Thailand? I could have easily done it. Anyway, nice videos.

Right. I always book ahead, at least for the first day or so. That way, I know where I'm going and don't have to fool around when I get there. I also try to pay in advance for the room. That way, they'll hold it for me if I get in late.

Wouldn't you have to go for treatment to the nearest VA medical center? I'm a vet also, but no disability. Still, I think I could get treatment at the VA if necessary. I haven't done that, though, as I have other insurance. So, where's the nearest VA hospital to Thailand?

For what it's worth, Tim's Boutique has some deals right now on Latestays.com. J

Isn't Tim Boutique sort of expensive? Here's a suggestion: rather than pay an outrageous rate for a few hours, why not book and pay for a less expensive place, in advance, for your first night. Something from sawasdee.com or Agoda. You'll spend less than half the money and still have a place to shower and sleep. The next afternoon, you can go to Tim's Boutique. J

Health insurance. I have it, but they take the money out of my pension check before I get it ($137 a month), so I don't really figure that into my calculations. Ditto for income taxes. Actually, even though my insurance is supposedly good anywhere in the world, I think it's probably the case that if I have a claim, I pay out of pocket and then file a claim. So, it might be in my best interest to also have a BUPA or other Thai policy, just in case of an emergency. I'm not sure what the hospitals will accept before they begin treatment. Or, maybe just a good accident insurance policy? I'd rather not die in an emergency room somewhere while they're trying to figure out how I'm going to pay them. J

I'm not sure about the airfare costs, and oil does seem to be on the rise, so, who knows. One thing I would do, however, it to make sure you have your hotel booked. The last time I was in Pattaya over the holidays I hadn't really booked anything in advance, and I had some trouble finding a reasonable place to stay. I finally got in at the Sabai Lodge, but only at an expensive price (1800 baht a night). So, it would probably pay to line up your room now. J

Are you implying that people need to consider that in their calculations? Maybe they already have it. Maybe they think they don't need it. J

Yes, but they're Malaysians. A falang living in Malaysia with one of their visas would be a different story, perhaps. Isn't there some sort of treaty or agreement between all the Southeast Asian countries as to their citizens and travel between countries? J

Yep. Get the Widescreen. You can always stretch the web pages to fit. Plus, you can watch widescreen DVDs. Really, there's no reason to buy a 4/3.

C & N is a hotel at Patong Beach. There's also a C & N Resort, I think. Anyway, I'm not sure about the pool. Phuket is not really like Pattaya. The expensive hotels with pools and such are not really girl friendly, usually. There are cheaper, girl friendly places, but they're likely to be cheap hotels or guesthouses. Anyway, why not just walk down to the Beach and rent a beach chair?

Sounds like a good deal to me. I've never stayed there, but I have eaten there on the way to one of my Soi 6 escapades. It seemed like a nice place. J

Just put it in the wardrobe under some clothes or in a suitcase. It should be OK.

duplicate sorry

I stayed there for a week in 2002. It's pretty quiet down at that end of Walking Street. Depending on the price, I might stay there again. I think, though, there be be better values around. J

I think the whole project starts out with Thai ownership, or at least ownership by a Thai corporation. They keep track of the sales at the land office so as to not exceed 49% foreign ownership. J

Maybe some sort of passive solar for hot water would work without too much trouble. For example, tubing and a hot water tank on the roof to heat water for showers. I think the solar panels that produce electricity might be too expensive without tax credits and the like. And don't forget regular old insulation. If you're using AC, there's no use trying to cool down half of Thailand. J

2500-2800 is a lot for a room. Anyway, the more expensive the hotel, the less likely it is that it'll be girl friendly. Many of the more expensive Patong hotels have a 1000 baht joiner fee. Some don't want bar girls inside at all. You best bet is to check Latestays.com for deals, and then email the hotel and ask about any joiner fee. The first time I was ever in Phuket, back in 2000, I stayed at the Tropica Bungalows. They didn't have a joiner fee if you booked a double. Maybe it's still the same, and they do have a pool and it's right off Bangla Road on Beach Road. Since then, I've always stayed at guesthouses and the cheaper hotels. That works for me. J