lovedog100

I'm going to agree with you. And as usual disagree. I agree that we should rate the post, not the person. I made a pact with myself not to go back and rate old posts. I've also made the statement that I will give positives for posts that I like, much more than negatives that I don't. A useful post that gives us information that helps us in our travel, mongering, eating, sleeping, enjoying ourselves, not being swindled and such are worth a positive. In a topic where me and joekicker disagree politically, you have every right to your opinion, and to try and make me see your perspective. I will not give you a negative rating for that. I firmly believe in free speech. However, a post that is abusive, threatening, or just being an asshole, will receive a negative rating from me. Crazy rantings might as well. I'll be honest here, political jokes in the funnies section will probably get a negative rating as well. They are only funny to some, and may be insulting to others. However I will give the same negative rating to a joke that supports my point of view, if it's put in the funnies section. Keep in in politics if you don't want my rating. That all said. I think cebual took to many negative hits for his topic http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/topic/55178-an-idea-to-improve-the-forum/page__p__895918__fromsearch__1#entry895918 Giving him a negative for the topic was maybe fair, I didn't, yet don't agree. Going down and giving him another every time he posted was not, that was personal. Again Ken's post on http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/topic/55192-nannybabysitter-wanted/page__p__896172__fromsearch__1#entry896172 was abusive. He was defending himself so I let him slide, but he was very close to a negative rating for me, because I thought he went overboard. (pun intended) I see that he crossed the line in some others point of view. A post I made my self, I was very worried about. The topic was of a sensitive nature, and I was scared that I would offend some and did not want to show any disrespect. http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/topic/55231-a-friend-of-many-long-time-flb-members-su-has-passed/page__p__896658__fromsearch__1#entry896658 Lucky for me, most of you understood where I was coming from. Now, Joe, this is where we disagree. I think if I rate posts as outlined, I also rate the forum member, or the person themselves. While I am rating posts individually, it will rate the poster personally as to his contribution to this forum. Someone that adds value to this forum will receive positives from me. Others that are combative, assholes, abusive, or threatening will receive negatives. Those member will be rated per post, yet it's accumulative, buy who they are, and their contribution to the forum. I think it's fair. What are your thoughts? Believe it or not, I quite often respect your incite and viewpoints.

I have known several men that travel Thailand and know a few magic tricks each. Amazingly they go over very well with the bar girls. Magic transcends language, and keeps the ladies amused trying to figure out how they were done.

Right behind Big C on Sukemvit road is a row of shop houses, with storage spaces behind them. They are probably bigger than the OP needs. They are big enough to put two big motorcycles in them. I have a couple of friends sharing one for that reason. I don't know the price, they are in PI right now. For someone needing a larger place, or knows someone willing to share space, they may be a good option.

Wow, vicious. I'll agree, a mongers board is not the best place to find a babysitter. However there are expats on the board who may know a stable person that they have seen interact with children, and able to recommend. Personally, I would take Ken's recommendation over someone with no recommendation at all. Of course you could always ask a Thai, who's only interest would be that they get a finders fee from one of them, or a cut of the salary.

I agree with you, there are many sitting with a scowl on their faces, and don't look approachable. Some may only come in with enough money to buy a couple of draft beers, and they know that they aren't going to get any action. I can only add my experience. When I go into a gogo, it's usually with friends or on a bar crawl. I know how to play the game I flirt with the ladies, am playful, and spend money. If within ten minutes of walking in, or after a stage change, I don't get any play, or noticed, I may turn into one of those unsmiling faces just waiting for my friends to finish their drink, or the 35 minutes more the bar crawl will be there. There are times where I'll go into a gogo on Tuesday and have a great time, then come back on Thursday, and the lady, or ladies I had fun with are either gone, or with another customer. Sometimes I can find another lady, if staff are friendly and playful, I may just play with them. If not I'll just move on to the next place. There is no shortage of ladies, or gogo's in Pattaya. I can say that MM's experience in gogo's is not mine, nor is it the average tourists. He has been a regular in many of the gogo's for years. I have gone to gogo's with him, with him and other BM's, and on bar crawls. I have watched him. When he walks in, he already knows several ladies, some he has history with. He knows staff, mamasan, and management. He may even go back to the same place 5 times to try to get into one lady. Most of us wouldn't go to that effort. We aren't as well known, or have his reputation. Even as an expat, I'm not likely to be able to get a reputation in more than two or three gogo's. I just don't have MM's time or income/money to spend. Not to mention that his GF seems to put up with it much better than mine. One thing I do enjoy, if MM and I walk into a beer bar, our experience is reversed. I'm more comfortable, and more likely to enjoy it than him. However being a boob guy, I do enjoy the gogo's and being able to see boobs before investing time, effort and money into a lady I'm may not end up interested in.

Thanks MM

I haven't looked at my list. It's irrelevant, those on ignore, are ignored, and their whole post size doesn't show up as before, just a small line that I don't really notice. Big improvement. Something I don't like is there isn't a button to see my last ten post like before. Also, by others names, there used to be an arrow to click and I could look up someones topics, and posts. That seems to be gone, or I haven't found where it's moved to. The same thing could be done from someones profile. Now it seems that I can only click on their "find my content" and I get topics that they have posted to, in what looks like a random order. If the topic is 20 pages long, it's not worth looking for. The positive, negative rating for posts is an interesting addition.

nutosf, I really hate to reply again, I don't want to make this about you and me. However, you are not listening. None of us expects you to turn your place into xzone, babydolls, or windmill. What we are saying is that your ladies stare at the mirror, a spot on the wall, or anything other than look us in the eye and smile. I don't want mamasan dragging a lady over to me, when she never noticed I existed, even though I have been sitting right in front of her for ten minutes. I'm not a rapist. I don't want a woman forced on me. I don't care if she is just pretending to like me, I do care that she hasn't noticed that I exist. We all can stay in our home countries and have beautiful ladies act like we don't exist. That is not what we come to Pattaya for. We all know that we are not handsome men. But it does feel good when a woman makes us feel like we are. We are willing to pay for that fantasy. You are in business to sell drinks, and we are willing to buy drinks as long as we are being entertained. Being ignored is not very entertaining. No hassle is great, no interaction at all, is not. You said that your ladies are doing ok with lady drinks and bar fines. I don't believe that. Me and my friends have walked out to many times with out buying either. If they are doing OK, they certainly aren't living up to their potential, because they aren't getting money out of my pocket, that I am more than willing to give away. You do understand that I am saying, that I want to spend money in your establishment, and no one seems to want it? Not a great business plan. I really want you to know I'm not picking one you. I like to see farang succeed in business in Pattaya. I make a point of using farang owned businesses, unless there is no other choice. Go back and read what has been posted, you will see we have all been saying the same thing.

Torque, you do know that about 1% of pattaya tourist read the forums don't you? That should give some new meaning to your statement "It would be far more accurate to say that over 99% of tourists need no advice whatsoever about being a sponsor or getting duped into marriage than to say that there is some horde of people needing rescue from it." I have a feeling that your post is aimed at me and my post in the newbie section. I live in Pattaya, as does Bushcraft. Neither of us are stupid. We both agree on this subject. Both of us know many of this forums members. I know many of the FLB chat members. Most don't announce it, but I have learned to spot a sponsor. When I ask, they will usually admit it, and then ask me not to say anything to anybody. Quite frankly I'm uncomfortable with it. Often I know the lady has another sponsor, and just as often a Thai husband or boyfriend. I am between a rock and a hard place when I get this information. I really want to tell the man that he is being taken. However, he is really just an acquaintance that I see several times a year. I usually know the lady better, and am much better friends with her. If I were to tell this person that is not really a friend, I could end up getting a really bad reputation with the bar girls in Pattaya. Pattaya is a much smaller town than you think. I could end up with a group of moto taxi drivers giving me a very violent visit. So, I keep my mouth shut. It's hard, but I say nothing. Most that read this forum regularly know that I have a live in GF. She was a bar girl, and privy to much more information than I am. Yet she makes sure I know about ladies that are getting more money from sponsors with out having to do anything, than I give her for taking care of me, my house, my motorcycles, and my dog. She pretty much tells me about most of them, no matter how much they are getting. I don't know where you live or what your experience is, but it seems very limited to me, or you are just really gullible. MM isn't shy about calling a liar a liar on this board. So if I get this next part wrong, we can fully expect a correction. Not long ago I was in his bar and and talking to him when an ex-bar girl came in showing off her new sponsor. Now this is a girl NOT working bar. She very proudly told us that he was sponsor number five. This girl I know for a fact has had in the past, members of this very forum as a sponsor. You can make up all the numbers that you want. We are talking one girl here. I couldn't even guess as to the number of sponsors this one girl has had over the years. She is fairly smart, and obviously knows how to work men much better than they work her. I can only guess that you live in some fairyland world full of unicorns, elves and such. Your Pattaya experience is zero, or your just an idiot. Since you can write, I'll assume it's lack of experience and being just a bit gullible. Between Bushcraft and myself we know literally hundreds of this forums members, and many more bar girls. While there may be some political differences, here, we are known not to be liars, and bull shiters. We would never make up crap on a subject as important as this. You will never have the experience or credibility that either of us have on this subject. Much less our combined experience. I have no idea what the purpose of your post is, but I think you would much better sticking to a subject that you actually have knowledge and experience in. This sure isn't it. I'll give you a free pass on your math. Last month I made a simple post and screwed up the numbers considerably. It happens.

The amount is different with different ATM's. Also what your card limit is. Most will give only 20 bills. That is 20,000 baht, however, on many holiday weekends, they run out of 1,000 baht notes, and give you 500 baht notes, so you can only get out 20, 500 baht notes or 10,000 baht. When the US dollar dropped, I had friends that couldn't get 20,000 out because it went over their card limit. When I need extra, I've gone to a different ATM and got more. However MM informed me, that you can put your card right back into the ATM and get another 20,000 baht. I had never thought of trying the same ATM a second time.

Read it again, it was not out of order. Several men in the last month have had problems with bill padding. I don't care how it was run in the past, and I'm well aware if their reputation. However, something seems to have changed. I gave a warning to keep an eye on the check bin, not black list the place. Because you have never had a problem in the past, doesn't mean that someone else hasn't lately. The detail I may have got wrong was that it was mamasan that went into a rage, it could have been the manager, or the owne. An older woman that defiantly wasn't a hostess and had some authority. Mamasan was what was reported, but I don't know for sure if the men could tell what her status was for sure. In one case I actually got the name, as the guy was a long time customer, but I am much better at remembering boobs than names. It's a good idea to keep an eye on what goes into your bin everywhere in Pattaya.

That may be, but it just shows that rents are to high, and the land owners need to take into account the economy and drop in tourists, as well as the change in tourists. The Arabs and Russian families are not spending their money in bars and disco's. Lets be real here, Tony has put them on the market because they are not profitable for him anymore. We can be assured that he wasn't paying that kind of rent and key money. If he couldn't make a profit, how could someone else paying so much more for rents? That's not taking into effect that some remodeling would have to be done, as well as sign changes and such. Disco's have typically made their money after the bars have closed down, now they are being closed as well, and who knows how long that will go on, or how much tea money it would take to stay open later. 7-9 million baht is a sizable amount of money to invest in a business that has a good chance of not surviving a year. Then in 3 years having to come up with it again. Should the economy improve, and tourism come back, would you trust Tony to renew your lease after investing such a sizable amount of time and money into the place?

This is a good list. The sailor bar while always being one of the cheapest places to drink, has lately been accused of bill padding by several different people. Mamasan when confronted with the "mistake", fly's into a screaming rage at the customer. Many have always considered it a cheap friendly place to drink. That may have changed, so I would add, check your bin each time something is added to it. Wonderful bar 2nd road, has always been one of my favorite cheap places to drink, I like live music, and the ladies are very low hassle. Tigglebitties soi 17 off 3rd road is another favorite cheap place to drink, with great food, while the drinks are cheap, the food is not, but well worth the price. Few ladies, and very low hassle. I doubt that the average tourist could find it though. Harlech bar between Tigglebitties and Eden club, Has the best Sunday deal in town. Free all you can eat dinner if you buy 3 drinks, 100 baht if you do not. At 60 baht for a San Miguel with a good meal included is very tough to beat. The ladies are a bit older, although known for their level of service. Most came from the Eden club when it changed hands. Drinking street is full of cheap drinks, a lot of women, though most over my preferred age group. Buffalo bar 3rd road, is inexpensive, I wouldn't put it in the cheap range, but is inexpensive, the number of ladies, and quality makes up for it for me. It could be a bit hard for the average tourist to find as well. Bamboo bar on Pattaya Thai at the start of walking street I haven't been to in a couple of years. However I have a few friends that are regulars there because of their cheap beer prices, and the ever changing group of freelance ladies available.

Looks like I guessed it right. In keeping with tony tradition, it also looks impossible to even break even, much less make a profit. Not to mention the ten meter tall picture of himself he plans to put on the front of the building to drive customers away.

Do you get the feeling that it will be vacant for a while?

I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong. However I believe there is a member of this board called Dancewatcher that rents condo's in View Telay 6 That may be a good option for you. I'm sure that someone here has his e-mail address or phone number. I would check the members listing for you, but I'm really tired right now. Maybe google has him listed.

That has been my experience as well. I can only remember one time that a lady there even talked to me. It was on one of the bar crawls, all of us were sitting alone waiting to go to the next place. Then I noticed MM had three ladies, and appeared to be the only one not ready to leave. Well, I walked over and asked him how he got the nicest looking ladies in the place, when the rest of us were sitting alone. He passed one of them over to me, she was a hottie, and friendly. I came back for her a couple of days later, but was ignored again. I have no idea how MM does it. Two of the ladies he had, I had offered to buy a drink when they got off stage, but they never showed up. Once going to the toilet one of the ladies outside smoking noticed that I was alive, I offered to buy her a drink when she came in. When she cam in, she walked right past me. To put it in perspective for nutosf. When in Heaven above the last time, I bought one drink, even though there were several ladies I was interested in, and tried to get to sit with me. I don't remember what I paid for that Bacardi and coke. I do remember going to Windmill later and having an almost 5,000 baht bin. With tips, it was over 5,000. There wasn't one woman in Windmill that I would have barfined, but I obviously had a lot of fun. Had just one of the ladies at Heaven above that I was interested in, noticed me, I probably would have never made it to Windmill. Thinking about it, the owner of Windmill probably owes you a thank you, I wasn't the only one that bought one drink in Heaven above, and then many at Windmill.

Okay, this is just my opinion, but you can take it for what it's worth. I only visit your gogo on a bar crawl with FLB anymore, even though I have always found it having lots of stunners in it. What puts me off, and it seems that those that I sit with agree, is, the ladies are not friendly enough. They seldom make eye contact or smile directly at men. Even calling them over gets a cold shoulder. If I just wanted a drink, there are plenty of cheaper places to sit alone and get a drink. That's not what I go to a gogo for. If I were to make an assumption, it would be that most of your ladies have Thai boyfriends and are living off their salary, and not interested in lady drinks, or bar fines. Last month your gogo was on the bar crawl. Bushcraft was sitting to my left, he actually got up left and waited for us out side. When I saw him outside as we left, I made the comment that, "that was the hottest bunch of ladies that I have been ignored by in a long time." His reply, "yah, but what's the point?" Drink specials aren't going to get us in there. We like ladies that are fun to be with, and available. I actually got a chuckle out of your discount barfine. I have no idea how much your bar fine is, of all the times I have ever been in Heaven's above, I have not made it to the point of asking how much the bar fine is. What good would a card that gives me the 7th barfine free, if I can't get even one? Sorry to sound so negative, but it's an honest assessment. As a customer, I think a bigger draw to your place would be an attitude adjustment from the ladies. We can all find lots of arrogant snobs at home, why fly to Pattaya and pay to see the same?

The price of fuel is to high !!

Just a suggestion MM. You have pinned topics. Why not add one to trip reports asking for hotel reviews under that section. Most hotel reviews that I see are in trip reports. It's not easy to look up from trip reports. Even if I tried to look, I'd get sidetracked by pictures and forget what I was looking for LOL

Naklua and Jomtien are where the Russians stay with their family's. I can't really give you any names of hotels, but I'm sure you could find them on your own. If you don't mind walking street, La Fontain on the south end of walking street has a kitchen, living room, bedroom, pool, 2 TV's and a DVD player. I didn't see any family's staying there, but it looks like a place you could at least stay for a few days while looking for some place that fits your needs better. I believe I was paying close to 900 baht a night during high season. The Marriott, Hilton, Hard Rock, Amari Orchid Resort, and Holiday Inn are all family friendly, I'm not sure that they would fit into your budget though. Might be worth a look.

I thought the same thing. No name, no location, not much use to me. Tony is advertising on TV that he has places on walking street for sale or rent. He makes it almost impossible to have a viable and growing business. Anyone renting property from him would have to have a 10 page contract stopping him from renting out every square inch of property not actually inside the doors of the rental property. Also his adding advertisements of his own, blocking your own sign, or sight of the property. Even street parking, he is likely to rent out to food carts, motorbike renters, or street performers. Not to mention the sidewalks, you could show up to open your business one day to find that clothing racks in front of the doors, because he has rented out that part of the sidewalk, if not all of it.

Now that is a good question. How public, is public?

FROM ANDREW DRUMMOND Royal Thai Police HQ, Bangkok MAY 18 2011 Police in the Thai capital Bangkok today promised ‘transparency’ in an investigation into a massive fraud committed on an Irish businessman on the holiday island of Phuket – which is increasingly being dubbed the 'island of greed' by local expatriates and tourists. 'Police hid file' As a gang thought to be comprised of police, lawyers, and local ‘businessman’ tried to hang on to their newly acquired assets and cash, officers from the Thai mainland who had been ordered to investigate were turned away by local police, who insisted they handle their own investigation. The mainland Police Colonel Cherdprong Chewpreecha from Region 8 Headquarters in Surat Thani had allegedly discovered that police themselves were hiding evidence including a whole file involving local police themselves. But he and colleagues were forced to return to the mainland after a standoff in Chalong, Phuket. On hearing the confusion Police Major General Prawut Thavornsiri national spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police, said: “Those guilty must be brought to justice, whoever they are, even if they are police and lawyers.” 'Robbed of seven houses' At the centre of the fraud is Irish businessman Colin Vard, 57, a former Dublin President and Secretary General of the All Ireland Leo Club, and cousin of the singing Vard Sisters, who has been robbed of over €1 million worth of properties in Chalong, Phuket. His land title deeds, it is alleged, were taken by his housekeeper, who, with the assistance of lawyers, police, and influential businessmen, transferred them from his company name, and sold them off at bargain prices, in an at least one case to the relative of a senior policeman. 'Children thrown into well and padlocked in' The housekeeper, Nittaya Sukumpa, 37, is believed to have profited to the tune of less than 15 per cent and is the only person so far to be held in custody. Her elder sister was released on bail after officers from the mainland left on other duties. During the later stages of the fraud, Colin Vard’s children, Jessie, 12, and Daire, 9, were allegedly padlocked in a well at the family home, while their father was in Ireland to attend a wedding. Two senior policemen from Phuket, one based in the Chalong area, and one a senior provincial officer, were named as suspects in the conspiracy by investigating officers. It is the sister of one who was reported to have acquired one of Vard’s houses. A triumph: Police track down Irish boy to Udorn and return him to father Said Major General Prawut: “I was personally involved in this case . I met Mr. Vard and I called Police General Pisan Jumvirod in Surat Thani to take charge. A team was set up and we successfully found Mr. Vard’s son who had been taken up country, and returned him to his father.“The housekeeper was arrested as was her older sister and the last I heard this matter was going through the courts and Mr.Vard would get his houses back. It has been stated that police and lawyers were involved. I am seeking clarification of what has happened. I will keep you informed.” Meanwhile Mr.Vard, whose father was Cecil Vard, who drove for Jaguar in several Monte Carlo rallies, and was also the founder of the Dublin Lions Club, was last night still in hiding with his children. More dangerous now “I’m afraid with two different sets of police now up against each other this makes matters more dangerous. Police in Surat Thani have advised me to move every three days, and change my phone regularly. I am told it is not safe to go back to Phuket because I am of course the major witness. “And actually the housekeeper is in danger too, whether she is in jail or outside, because she got very little of the real money and the gang would not want her to testify.” Island of Greed? The reputation of the island of Phuket has been massively tarnished over the last year with widespread allegations of scams and rip-offs on everything from hiring jet skis - a damaged one can cost the tourist up to $5000 ,and police have been involved in the extortions - to simply catching a cab . Tourists have reported they have been thrown of taxis out on the way to the airport after they refuse to pay more than the agreed price. Running out of time Last week Dirk Naumann, the German Honorary Consul on the island in an unusual public outburst, said on a local news site Phuketwan: ''Too many people on Phuket only seem to care about money. It really is time for those who can see what is happening on Phuket to speak out, to show that they want Phuket to be a better place, a place that their children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy. “'I believe Phuket is running out of time. Unless changes come soon, it will be too late for this beautiful island.'' Police Major General Prawut "If there are police or lawyers involved they should be arrested." Children Padlocked In Well As Irish Father Is Robbed link

You didn't give your price range. That would help, as would the area that you would like to stay in. High end: Hard rock hotel, Beach Road, has exactly what you are looking for. Mid range: Sabai Has several pools, one should be to your liking. Budget: Honey lodge, on Pattaya thai The pool on top of Mike Mall is cheap and a good alternative. You can use the hotel that you like best, pool or not, and then use the Mike pool. Another idea along the same lines is Koh Larn island. It's an ocean, not a pool, but it's big, has shade, chairs, and food and drinks will be brought right to you. Some of the beaches have a lot of eye candy as well.