Eneukman

That's pretty good Ranger - I paid £53 last year with Halifax for an annual policy. This also excludes winter sports, but as I don't go skiing, that aint a problem for me. Bank of Scotland was cheaper (about £45) but the price was put up following Halifax's takeover (sorry, merger) of the Bank of Scotland. The only slight downside is that to get this price you also have to have your household policy with the Halifax. Alan

My travel insurance is with the same company as my household insurance - I have an annual policy. It may be worth seeing what your houshold insurance nompany will quote you for travel insurance as you may get a discount from them. Alan

I like the RG and stayed there again last month. It's certainly not "miles" from the action though it is a bit too far to walk to the Walking Street area when the humidity is sky high (like, most of the time ;D). However, it is no problem to get a baht bus to wherever you want to go - though you may have a problem trying to cross the road - even at 8.00 in the evening! ::) Alan

I like staying at the Residence Garden - far enough away from the action to be quiet but only a few minutes jouney by baht bus. As a rough guide, it takes about an hour to walk from Walking Street to the Dolphin Roundabout at North Pattaya. But why walk when baht buses are plentiful? Alan

I'm just back from a 2 week stay at the Residence Garden and was charged 1,350 baht per night. The higher rate could be for the Christmas/New Year period or perhaps they have just increased their prices? The "deposit" asked for is a precaution against you not turning up for whatever reason. I believe they have a rule that if you don't cancel your booking in advance and just fail to turn up, they will charge you for the first night's accommodation. This is common practice amongst hotels and quite understandable as they need their occupancy rates to be as high as possible. Nothing will be charged to your credit card until you arrive (or fail to as the case may be). Alan

Having started this post, I had my boarding pass to hand when I approached the Immigration desk on my visit to Thailand last month. It wasn't needed though no doubt had I lost it, it would have been asked for! I would still keep hold of your boarding pass though - will make life a lot simpler if asked for. Alan

A few days ago in Pattaya, I withdrew funds from an autoteller in Pattaya. The rate given to me by Nationwide Building Society, as far as I can tell from looking at my account on the internet was a bit over 68 baht to the £. A week earlier, I got just under 67 baht to the £. Certainly a vast improvement from a few months ago when the rate had gone below 65 to the £. Alan

Definitely got the Pattaya blues just now - however, it will soon be fixed ;D ;D ;D ;D 4 days, 16 hours 2 minutes and 30 seconds to go ......................... and counting ;D ;D ;D Alan

I'm flying into Bangkok from Heathrow on Saturday 15 November on flight BA 9. It is due to arrive at around 15.40 after which I'll be heading straight for Pattaya. Is there anyone arriving on the same flight wanting to share a taxi? Alan

The scale of some of the maps can be a bit misleading. A rough guide to distances in Pattaya. From Walking Street to the Dolphin Roundabout (by the Dusit Resort Hotel) in North Pattaya is about an hour's walk - assuming you don't get too distracted by the freelancers along the beach side of Beach Road ;D Alan

This is ancient, but I still like it Alan The bricklayer’s song Dear Sir, I write this note to you to tell you of my, plight, for at the time of writing it I am not a pretty sight. My body is all black and blue, my face a deathly grey and I write this note to you to say why I am not at work today. While working on the 14th floor, some bricks I had to clear. But tossing them down from such a height was not a good idea, the foreman was not very pleased. He is an awkward sod – And he said I had to cart them down the ladders in my hod. Well clearing all these bricks by hand, it was very slow. So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below. But in my haste to do the job, I was too blind to see that a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me. And when I untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead and clinging on tightly to the rope I started up instead. I shot up like a rocket and to my dismay, half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down. Well the barrel broke my shoulder as to the ground it fell and when I reached the top, I struck the pulley with my head. But I clung on tightly numbed with shock from this almighty blow while the barrel spilled out half its bricks some 14 floors below. Now when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor, I then outweighed the barrel and so started down once more. But I clung on tightly to the rope, my body racked with pain and halfway down I met the bloody barrel once again. The force of this collision halfway down the office block caused multiple abrasions and a nasty case of shock. I clung on tightly to the rope as I fell towards the ground and I landed on the bricks the barrel had scattered round. Well as I lay there on the floor I thought I had passed the worst but the barrel hit the pulley wheel and the bottom burst. A shower of bricks rained down on me, I didn’t have a hope. As I lay there bleeding on the ground, I let go the bloody rope. The barrel now being heavier, it started down once more. It landed right across me, broke 3 ribs and my left arm and I can only say I hope you understand why I am not at work today.

As well as your password being case sensitive, I think your user name is also case sensitive. I've been refused access to the gallery because I got that wrong in the past. Alan

Thanks for the reminder Derek. I posted the original message some time ago after seeing this reported on another board but had forgotten about it. It seems that the reason for having to present your boarding pass is to ensure that you really have just entered the country. ??? ??? ??? I suppose it is all to do with ensuring that when your visa expires you really do LEAVE Thailand. Alan

I can't comment on China Airways as i've never flown with them but I'm certain that other members will give you their views on them. I would, however, suggest that 5 hours is too long to spend at any airport. If it was me, I would simply head in to Bangkok and meet your friends at your hotel. It'll give you a chance to find the best bars etc. As far as the return journey is concerned, I don't see why you can't go in to Amsterdam rather than hanging round the airport for 5 hours. Just make sure that when you check in at Bangkok that your luggage is checked all the way through to Aberdeen. Also bear in mind that you will almost certainly have to check in for the flight to Aberdeen at Amsterdam. If at all possible, I'd be inclined to do this when you arrive from Bangkok thus giving you a bit more time to explore the RLD ;D ;D ;D. Hope this of help. Alan

I prefer rooms that have electronic safes such as the Residence Gardens rather than those that have safes that you open with a key. Alan

Thought about that as well when I read the headlines of the story. It does make you wonder though what the guy would have done if a farang had tried paying him 5 baht and just walked off after he had demanded 10 baht. And no, I do NOT want to restart the 5 baht or 10 baht argument again. ;D ;D ;D Alan

The Thai Air limousine service will take the toll roads if you ask them though you have to pay the cost of the tolls. Alan

I think most hotels will change travellers cheques for you but watch the rate you are being offered. It may not be the best available. Alan

I've stayed at the Dusit before and never paid a joiner fee. There again, I have never taken my guests in through reception. I used to take them down the side of the hotel to the pool area and enter the hotel that way, then take the lift up to my room. I also took them out the same way, usually exiting via the gate on Beach Road. Don't think they would be too amused if they caught you though Your price seems to be good value though. Alan

Doggie, which course at St. Andrews were you playing at the time? I've played the Old, Eden, New and Jubilee. (Hated the Jubilee but liked the Eden and the New). I used to have a wild hook at times. It was so bad that with a very strong left to right wind, I could aim over the gorse on the right and end up out of bounds on the left. ;D ;D ;D Then on the way back in with a fairway at least 60 to 70 yards wide, I could aim well over the gorse on the right and still end up out of bounds on the left. ;D ;D ;D Alan

Even a 36 handicap would be on the low side for me. ;D especially as I haven't played for 20 + years. Still, suppose I could always start again sometime in the future Alan

I have just seen a report that to be able to pass through immigration at Bangkok Airport you MUST be in possession of your boarding pass. If you lose it or simply leave it behind on the plane (as I have done in the past) you will have to go to an area behind immigration to get matters sorted out. Not a great problem apparently but one we could all do without. It seems that the logic behind this is to ensure that you have indeed just got off a plane. ??? Alan

Me too! Alan

Dave, did you have to set up a company to buy the condo? I had thought that this was the only way a farang could buy one but maybe I was wrong there. Alan

There have been a number of times recently when (generally in the open to everyone section of the board) after I press the back button on my browser, I get a message saying that the page has expired. At this point I will only have been in the board for a few minutes at most. I then have to close down the message and log back on to the board. Has anyone else been having this problem or any suggestions to get round it? I use AOL to access the internet. Thanks, Alan