irishman

Ivorbigin, Does it usually take 4 tries to figure out you don't like a place? But I disagree. I like my ribs juicy and New Orleans has the juciest in town for my money. Have tried Bob's and The Great American Rib Place but New Orleans wins hands down. Now for my money, Tony Roma's in the States has the absolute best baby back ribs I've ever eaten but I can't afford to fly to San Francisco every time I want to eat ribs. So I just have to make do with the ones at New Orleans, BTW, went to Great American Rib place on Teppressit road last night with 5 others and we all agreed that the ribs were dry. Had the sampler though and the rest of the stuff was good to downright tasty. Especially liked the chicken, pulled pork and potato salad. Cheers

Here's a picture of the birthday boy himself with Yu!

I have heard that if you are flying in and out of the country and not trying to stay for months at a time, you will not have any problems. The new rules are supposedly designed to try and catch the guys who are staying here and working while only holding a 30 day tourist visa. But we shall see how it is enforced come January. Cheers

Mine looks like yours MM. Cheers

Perturbed, I hope you are just joking. But I have never seen any on the sides of the bed. Usually I find them most often in the bathroom. I'm familiar with silverfish and this thing isn't anything like one. Very, very slow moving and just acts way different. No feelers out in front either. Sure wish I could figure out what they are! Cheers

Can't always tell that much from websites. They are extremely unlikely to tell you about the gay guys next door that party until 4 am every night. Your best bet is to come and look around and try a place out before you decide. The Soi Diana and Soi LK areas have been good values 6 months to a year ago but are a bit over the top right now. But since the slow season has now started, maybe they will get more reasonable. But come and look around. No one else has your exact tastes! Cheers

They like to climb walls and then stick in the corners but I have also seen them crawling on the floor at night. Here's another picture of one that has climbed up to the ceiling.

In my condo, I am currently experiencing a bit of a bug invasion. I don't know if this is a serious problem or not as I only come accross one or two of these guys a night but since I now have my library here, I'm worried about what they are eating and how they are getting into my condo ( The condo was renovated in the last year and I am on the 20th floor. I have screens on all the windows and sliding doors so they can't just fly in!) Does anyone else know what these guys are and where they hide and what they eat? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

I agree with an earlier post about NEVER paying anything up front or before a place is complete. One fellow mentioned the huge complex down on Jomtien beach. I have seen others around. Some huge ones down on the beach near Ban Chang. And don't forget that the North Shore complex was just a shell for over 5 years and all the original investers got screwed when the current developers took over the project. There are still quality units around and you don't have to pay in the 70 - 80 range either. Then there is always the question about what constitutes quality construction. They all say that they do it but if you have ever watched what they are doing, you might very well be surprised! Also remember the three principle things to look for in a house/condo! Location, Location, Location! People will get tired of the commute when going very far from Pattaya beach. Even the far end of Jomtien Beach is a drag when you have weekend traffic. My choice is Pratumnak Hill! But don't tell anyone because it is already getting over developed! Cheers

I use an ATM from an interest earning account with a brokerage firm that allows up to 6 free transfers a month. When the baht/dollar ratio gets above 42/dollar, I usually transfer a few million baht and will use that part of the time also. Cheers

This may be a silly question but what do you do about a Visa? I hadn't heard about this route before but it certainly looks interesting. Will they issue a Visa when you land? What about Thai Nationals? Cheers

It seems to vary from person to person about what is considered a valid license. When I originally got my license, I was with a group of about 15 expats. Some had international driver's licenses and had no problems getting both a motorcycle and car license. Some had licenses from states that clearly identified what the license was for and those that had licenses just for autos had to test for the motorcycles. And some had licenses which were a bit vague in their wording and the poor guys had to take the whole test procedure including sitting through the hour long presentation in Thai. It's a bit like life. It's a gamble and sometimes you get lucky. You won't be sure of the outcome until you go and try it, no matter what anyone tells you. Cheers

While I have an account with Siam Commercial bank just across from Tops at Pattaya Klang and Second road, and never had a problem with them I am considering opening an account with Bangkok Bank. The reason is that they are currently offering a 10 month CD paying 5.125% interest. This is only during the month of April. The Bangkok Bank near Soi 6 on Second road ( actually it may be the corner of Soi A.R.) also has a separate line for expats which makes it less of a hassle than some other banks with their endless lines. Note that they will withhold 15% for the tax from your interest but that's still a fair deal. Cheers

I was fortunate to find a real estate agent who was honest and helpful. She even managed to get me the property at the original agreed price even though another agent brought in a higher price when they found out that I already had a deal in the works. The only problem is that she is now so overworked, I have a hard time getting her to look for potential rental properties. The moral of this story is to not tar all agents with the same brush! Cheers

Since I am on the wrong side of 60 and fast closing on 65, I have also been interested in the possibility of getting medical insurance here. But there is something different in the Thai or asian mindset. If you have insurance ( and just getting it is a major problem also ) and you need to use it, there is an element of the culture that approves of screwing you out of the coverage. The previously existing ailment clause is one of the ways that they do this. For example, I had glomerialur nephritis (sp) as a kid. It is a kidney infection which was a side effect of having strep throat. I was cured completely and haven't had any kidney problems for over 40 years. But as soon as I put that on my application, there was an exclusion for any future kidney problems. Also, just to apply, I had to pay something more than 8000 baht for a complete and comprehensive medical exam. Then I was quoted an exorbitant premium which would expire at age 65 and I would have to face the possibility of no insurance thereafter. Before anyone retires here, they really must consider the health care aspect. But I'm fortunate that I can self insure and even if I have a problem, I probably can cover it. It's scary I know but it's still worth it living here. For those of you who are younger, you can get pretty good deals thru the local expats club and is probably a good idea to do so. But for anyone over 60, it is a real problem and I don't know of any solution short of self insurance. Cheers

MM, There is a difference between the grace period and the length of time that you have to renew a license. There is no grace period as you would quickly find out if you were stopped for some traffic infraction. No valid license equals a big fine. But if you are in a situation where you weren't using it or driving, then you could renew it without doing all the testing and original paperwork for up to a year after the original license expired. I think either you misunderstood the lady or she wasn't clear about what she was trying to tell you. Cheers

Living here and using an ATM card to pay for day to day expenses, I find that 2 or 3 times a year I have my ATM card refused because the bank doesn't understand that I live here. I have called them numerous times and explained that I live here and yes, I am aware of the withdawls and have notified them of my traveling here but it's all to no avail. You just have to accept the bullshit as part of the day to day fun of living in Thailand. And it helps to have a spare card or two as well as funds here on deposit for when it happens. Cheers

There are a number of areas that have had a recent spurt of growth. I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out who is going to buy the properties and where the water for them is going to come from. From my balcony you can see about a dozen new developments. Everything from multistory condos to what appear to be single family dwellings. But it's still hard to find something with a good location and a view. Cheers

Both GM and Ford have plants here in Thailand. Maybe you might do an inquiry in the States about coming here to work. It would sure make it easier for you if they did the work permits, etc. for you! Cheers

There are always a glut of houses in the mid to high priced range in Pattaya and more are built all the time or become available all the time as farangs realize that security for a house is a BIG problem. After being ripped off for the second time, the house becomes available for rent as the owner moves to a condo. I wouldn't invest one baht in such a project but good luck to you! Cheers

As JohnnyK posted, there used to be a boat ferry to Hau Hin but it closed, seems like 5 years ago or so. I've often wondered if it wouldn't be more popular now as the trip from here through Bangkok and then down to Hau Hin is a killer. Not sure that I would like to try a speed boat with all the chop in the Bay of Thailand though. You might be fairly sore after several hours of that! Cheers

While I don't really recommend it as a top pick, it can be done as a day trip and isn't too bad. Malibu runs the whole package thing where they pick you up first thing in the morning, drive to Ban Phe, get on their boat which takes you to the biggest beach on the island, you can have lunch and swim for a few hours and then return just at dark. It's a long day but Koh Samet isn't a very big place. I've been for 3 days also and by the second day, was seriously looking for something to do. On a bigger island like Koh Chang, there are more possibilities but really not much to do on Koh Samet for a long stay. Cheers

There is a good discussion of this subject on the Pattaya City Expat club site. It has step by step instructions. Also in the Expat section in the member's forum. Best and easiest way to get your license is with an International driver's license and also you can't get it with a Tourist Visa. Cheers

Doesn't make any difference who is trying to import it. The have import duties and luxury tax structures that make it absolutely rediculous to try and import a vehicle. My 2004 Nissan 350ZX which was purchased in the States for about $35000 would have cost about $80,000 to import. Of that total, only about $3000 was for the shipping. The idea is to make it come out the same as if you bought the car here. If you try and buy a new 350ZX here, you will pay over $100,000 for a new one. The only cars that are about the same here and in the States are the cheaper pick-ups. Cheers

I have used Eva exclusively for years. Never had a problem with carryon luggage and while I have been asked for the credit card that I charged the e-ticket on, it's not like they haven't told you about the requirement. If you look at the e-ticket, it's stated very clearly right on the ticket that they will ask you to produce said credit card. Is it their fault that you can't follow directions? Cheers