Emil

Martin, About a year ago when I arrived in Narita from SFO I discovered that the United flight into BKK was going to be delayed 4 hours. The United flight from LAX was delayed leaving and that was the aircraft that they were using for the flight into BKK. I sent Mr T an email telling him to pick me up 4 hours later. Fortunately someone was in the office and replied. I don't think that Mr T has someone who does the emails around the clock in the office because sometimes I'll get a reply back in an hour and other times almost a day later. My last reply was the same form letter reply as always and same phone number to call if a problem. Only this time it had the Pattaya Taxi Service website included.

I believe that many of the places where your paying for the utilities, they'll ask for a large deposit. It's happened to me and the last place I stayed, where I was on a yearly rate, I initially had to pay 1st and last months rent plus a deposit. Didn't get stuck when I moved.

Yesterday I fired of an email to Mr T to pick me up at the airport next week. Today I got my confirmation which also included the website: www.pttaxiservice.com and informing me that I could also book through it. I checked it out and the name is Pattaya Taxi Service. The prices remained the same, 1000 baht for pickup and 900 baht for drop off for Pattaya. I don't know if they changed their name or they were bought out or mergered.

When I went to the Immigration office on the 14th of Dec to notify them of my change of address (I found out that this was no longer required) the work was completed to the Sugar Hut. There was alot of construction activity going on so hopefully it will be completed soon.

Pattaya has Subway, McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, A&W, Sizzler and many seafood places. Cookong in your own room or going to the large markets like Carrefour,Big C and Topps you can select your own cut of meat/seafood and have them cook it for you for free.

Only on my first trip to Pattaya did I book a room on the hotel website. I quickly learned, because I was staying for 3 weeks or more, to talk directly to the manager and always got a very good discount. I would do this either on the trip prior or once I arrived. On follow on trips I would email the manager directly and ask for the same rate as the last time.

Siam View Residence has a weekly rate of 4500 baht. This include utilities, wifi and daily housekeeping. The place has a rooftop pool and lift but no in room safe. Security boxes at reception. Located on Soi AR (near Jamisions) about a 5 minute walk to 2nd RD and Soi 6. They also have a monthly rate but I don't remember the cost.

I don't spend much time worrying, I just look at the potential risk and make my decision that will limit my risk. So far its worked for me, I've spent at least 4 months a year in LOS since 2001 and the last 5 years around 9 months a year and to date haven't had any problems what so ever. I enjoy Pattaya and if I did want to explore more of LOS I would travel by air, bus, hire a driver with car or even rent a vehicle as from what I hear driving outside of Pattaya and Bangkok is not as hectic.

Yes, before that the owner had The Cherry Restaurant people as tenants. Apparently he got an offer that he liked. Myself I like the all you can eat off the menu as I don't like having food sit around in the trays. Even though I'll have to wait I only go their to meet up with friends and BS so the wait time is used for discussion.

When I first decided to live in Pattaya I did consider buying a house as you get more for you baht than a condo. The 2 things that put me off was that you had to go the company route becasue a falang can't own in his name and the security issue. Maybe I worry to much but I wasn't going to take those risks. It took me a couple years to find a condo that I liked because it wasn't until recently that one had many options in the centeral Pattaya area to purchase. Its 170 sq meters and we don't have any children so its adequate space. I'm lazy so I don't have to maintain the pool (cost is buried in the association fees) and a nice little fitness center for a workout. Only 55 units so the pool area is never crowded, most of the time empty. Granted I can't shag the TGF in the pool or lay naked in the backyard if I owned a house, but those days are past when I hit 60. Like I said earlier I tend to worry about things and one of the other things that I was concerned about with owning and driving a car in Pattaya is me being involved in an accident. I've always considered myself a safe and courtious driver and have never been involved in an accident during my 48 years of driving. If I were driving in Pattaya I would be stopping for those entering a crosswalk, pedestrian walking through an intersection or not being aware of some motorbike driver passing me on the shoulder and getting involved in an accident. I wouldn't want the thought of seeing someone lying on the pavement seriously injured or dead. I actually enjoy driving and when I'm home I think nothing of driving down to Las Vegas/Laughlin area which is about 600 miles and nine hours away.

I just guess that I must be lucky then as in 5 years I've been caught out in the rain maybe a half dozen times and I'm out alot. Like you said it tropical rain and when I've have been rained on no big deal as its not cold, better than spending the 19th of April on Beach Rd. If for some strange reason that it did rain for 4 straight days and I ran out of supplies I would call a cab, however Foodland is only about 100 meters away. At first the hauling of water was a pain but I quickly discovered a water service that delivers bottled water right to the location I desire inside my place. I'm happy that your quality of life improved when you moved but I'm quite happy with mine and I like being not too far out so that its easy to walk to many different eating place nearby or hop on a baht bus if we want to hit Walking St or go to a movie. Last week during the early afternoon traffic was so bad along both Pattayaklang and also Pattaya Tai that it was quicker to walk and its only going to get worse.

Well if you insist. I've lived in Pattaya for 5 years and don't own a car or bike. Never had to bring things back from the store when its pissing down rain. The key is don't go shopping when its raining (most of the time the rain only lasts for about a half hour) and also to find a place close to a market and the baht bus route. Also stores like Carrefour will deliver your stuff to your place if you buy "X" baht of items. Because I don't own transportation I feel that I am improving my quality of life as I do alot more walking than when I lived in America and drove everywhere. I do like to eat so this help me keep my weight somewhat reasonable. The cost of owning a vehicle is not even a consideration in my decision to owning a vehicle, its the way people drive in Pattaya and the congestion which is only getting worse. If I lived up country I would definitely buy.

I'm not defending this place but the breakfast nor any of the other meals were ever advertised as buffet style. Also around the 1st of Nov the breakfast meal changed from all you could order for 99 baht plus 1 drink to a set menu breakfast meal costing 99 baht that included coffee. Was told this change was at the request of the LK management as they were having most of their hotel guest eat at this restaurant instead of theirs. I also heard that this place changed owners recently.

Hi Larry, I would be too, but unless one has access to the actual insurance papers how would they know how much a pax is covered, 50k baht, 100K baht, etc? I'm covered by my medical insurance at home, I would have to pay up front and then seek reimbursement.

Hub you make the walk to the garage sound like the Batan death march. I've got the luggage on a cart and when I met the driver in the arrival area he does the pushing to the car. Beside after all those hours sitting in the plane I like to use the leg muscles. About the insurance issue, are your concerns that if involved in an accident that the passenger could be held liable for damages?

Thanks for the tip, but I maintain a place year round in Pattaya and have TGF waiting for me. Once the skytrain connection from the airport become operational, what your suggesting should become even easier.

Owen, I'll be looking into that aspect next month when hopefully I'll be in my new place. In California the condo association purchases the fire insurance out of the association dues it collects for the condo, as an owner only owns what's inside the interior walls of his unit and would only have insurace for its contents, again I'll find out how its works in LOS. A place burning down is highly unlikely for the majority of the condos. The ones that I've seen are constructed as follows: Concrete, brick and rebar for the structure with tile roofs and floors. If someone were to fall asleep smoking in bed it should remain confined to the bedroom with mostly smoke damage. The unit that I purchased has no common wall with any other unit. For flooding look for a condo away from water and on high ground, also many of them have only parking on the ground floor along with an office.

You need to read my post a little closer. I never stated that you were only getting 2.72% nor do I care. I said that's what one would get today if they put their money in an IRA without any risk to principle and that would be an investment over 100k for 5 years, anything less or for a shorter duration would be lower. You stated that one of your concerns is the exchange rate and that is what I was addressing. Purchasing a condo would eliminate any concerns for a drop in the exchange rate for your lodging costs. If you think that having the exchange rate drop from the current 33 to 1 to 25 to 1 in 5 years is not realistic keep in mind that when I first visited Pattaya in 2001 I was getting 45 to 1. Eight years latter its down to 33 to 1. I'm not trying to give you financial advise, only trying to make you aware of some of the negatives of renting and other options. I wouldn't take advice from someone on a message board and I would also be very leery of taking advice from someone who would make a commission from me for giving me advice. I'm sure that your heirs are very happy that you can live off your SSI and interest without touching your principle.

I didn't say that you couldn't, but right now one will not get that much of a return. I just stopped by my credit union and from their current rate sheet an IRA over 100K tied up for 5 years will get you 2.72%. Don't forget that when you start making withdrawals it will be included on you tax form and the state and feds will want their share unless your IRA is a Roth. How well do you think that IRA performed if the exchange rate drops to pre 97 and your only getting 25 to 1 in 5 years? Not a problem for those living in the states, but if your planning to live in LOS its a major factor.

I used Dr Aree after my dentist Dr. Darika left PIH on maturnity leave. Dr Aree along with Dr Darika did the routine procedures at PIH but if one needed some of the more advanced dental work they would refer you to another one of their dentist which would require advanced planning on getting an appointment. If your interested in getting dental work done at PIH here's their email: picpih@loxinfo.co.th

The same thing that happens to any of your assets in your home country, they are dispersed according to your will. If you invest your money in the market you may or may not make money, ask those that stood in line and needed a reference to invest with Bernie Madoff if they would have rather bought a condo in LOS. You could keep your money in a safe bank in America and enjoy a whopping 1%-2% return before you have to give the state and the feds their share which would reduce your effective yield. With the out of control spending that is going on now and appears to only get worse in the future I wouldn't expect a favorable exchange rate on the USD soon. If one rents they could see rent increases in the future, by buying you have locked in your housing cost and for that portion of your expenses you don't have to worry about the decline in the USD. At the end of 10 years a renter only has a handful of rent receipts, a dollar that could be worth less than today and you've also paid the taxman on any income generated by your invested funds unless you were in a tax free investment.

Great airline, but if you don't qualify for UA frequent flyer miles it's not a good price. I'm paying less for my Nov trip and I accumulate enough FF miles for 1/2 of a free trip. On top of that UA is running a promo where you get double elite qualifing miles so 1 R/T and you qualify for premier status and more than 2/3 of the way to premier elite.

Well the immigration process was quicker without the uncordinated travelers in the area to slow the process. The security process for me was the same as before, very quick. Only time will tell if it stays that way when and if high season arrives. Unless they add more x-ray scanners to the current system, I can't see how they can process travelers through the system as fast as they did before now that they have fewer x-ray machines. Also, we've only been discussing the speed it takes to pass through security and not whether the new process provides better security. So far Joe is the only one to provide any info about the improvement to security and it came from the security company who provides security. Which stated that the process was better now because they didn't have enough qualified workers before. All that means is that they didn't provide adequate training or that the Thais are not smart enough to learn. It doesn't mean that having the security checks further away from the gates and consolidated into fewer areas is better for security.

If you can't read that's not my problem. I typed in my routine that my first security check was just prior to reaching the "D" gates. Never had my suitcase x-rayed before check in at the new airport, they did it at the old airport. I repeat again, no change to the number of security checks for me at the new airport since it opened under the old system and the new system which began in Sep. I assumed that you knew that under the old system that they had security checks at each group of gates, it looks like I gave you too much credit. I must admit that this last time was the quickest I had passed thru immigration, it must have been because all those flying in business and first class were using the Fast Track and not clogging up the area. You know, the ones that have difficulty walking and carrying a passport/boarding pass in their hand.

Are you drinking prior to posting? When I say the security checks were at the gate areas it means that the security check points were at the "C" gate area, "D" gate area, etc. A security check at each of the group of gates with the exception of the "D" gates where they had one for those using gates 1-4 and the other for the other "D" gates. These security checks for the group of gates could be accessed through the main level and also the level just below. I went through one security check for the "D" 1-4 gates. Now please explain how you went through more than one security check prior to the new change over.