Hub

Bill: My wife used Samitijev Hospital for a crown 3-4 years ago and we were very pleased with the service, costs, and results. We also had a full pre-marital screening exam and testing. The benefit of samitijev was that it was one-stop shopping - the dentist and oral surgeon in same building. Has a nice place to eat also. We were dropped off by taxi and they checked our bags like a hotel. Very clean place and very friendly service. We used the branch on Sukhumvit: http://www.samitivej.co.th/sukhumvit/aboutus_en.aspx Hub

Player: Why not just go to the stand and have them turn the meter on? Completely traceable...

Emil: Last November when I arrived I was going to Bangkok, but we had to meet the wife's nephew at the airport who had our stepson, so we didn't prebook a taxi. I was surprised at how easy it was to go outside and almost no wait for the airport taxi stand, with a new car and SUV offered also. If you have a trusty service that is cheaper, no reason not to prebook, and have always prebooked for the way back from Pattaya or whereever to the airport for 800 baht. I had good experiences with Mr. T also. But it's worth pointing out that if you don't get a chance to prebook. there is a new taxi no haggling waiting for you at 1,200 baht at the airport stand.

Maybe because you didn't walk to the official taxi stand?

jjj: I think if you walk to the line, it is 1,200 no haggling needed

No reason to go upstairs, in fact I would recommend against it, as I would rather have a registered taxi I can track back via my ticket if there are any problems. Just walk outside arrivals to the line, get a properly insured new taxi (must be less than 5 years old) with no haggling. Never waited more than a few minutes (YMMV) and always got good car and driver. SUVs available for a but extra.

60 minutes had a great story a few years ago, here is an excerpt: These look like the authentic thing,” says Herrington. What we learned is that the Great Big Bertha of China was hitting 240 yards on the robot – only 10 yards shorter than a genuine. Pretty good. But then, we gave them to a real golfer, Jim Colbert of the PGA Champions tour, who swings with Callaways. “Uh, that’s ugly,” says Colbert. Our club kept slicing the ball to the right of the fairway. Then Herrington showed us why: “This is supposed to be a titanium club. You paid for titanium, and you got steel.” Unless the average golfer had a saw, he or she wouldn’t necessarily notice what 60 Minutes II discovered – that the head of our Great Big Bertha was actually two pieces welded together instead of one, which is what one might expect for $275. The fakes and real clubs are not made in the same factory. The fake may have a mold from the real place, but that does not guarantee the same manufacturing methods or materials. I got stuck with a Ping Raptor knockoff last year I bought for $250 as a used model. It looked exactly the same, but didn't hit the same (my nephew and brother in law are both Buyer beware, especially in Thailand.

The Butterfly Bar and jade have been stops in the past after golf.

You will find a list, and some reviews, prices, maps and course details here: http://www.thaigolfer.com/search/search.phtml?area=1 Personally, I liked Legacy but a few of the recent reviews indicates its gone down hill recently with new ownership and I haven't played for a few years. Alpine is very nice, but tough to get on as private and not cheap. Solar might be able to get you on. Navatanee is close to city and has a good rep, if you can get on during the week (its private but website says open to international players during the week). I would call course. This is where I would try and get on if I was in Bangkok based on it's location and good reviews.

That was almost too obvious - almost made same post myself

I just stayed at Tims for 11 nights and just hasip hasip for the price. Good location though. I had resvervations at the new amari, but they were just opening and still doing a lot of work and the restaurant wasn't open, so I cancelled. Part of that decision was also that it was off the beaten path (out by nova park) and also didn't want to make the wife pack and move again. I checked out the rooms, and very nice if you like the chrome/white ultramodern look. I would only do for the current half off special and again not near baht buses. For the price of Tims (~ 2700 baht ) I would rather go with a prima or bella suite at the Bella Villa on Soi 4 for around the same price http://www2.bellavillapattaya.com/roomrates_bvp.php They have free wirless (Tims charges you) and the staff was very nice at the bella (tims also). I happen to like the bella location on soi 4, quiet but near baht bus routes and centrally located, but not in the middle of the action so may not be for you. Also, underground car park with elevator is nice.

Anto: That sounds correct. Either way, his was a good warning that once anyone knew where he needed to go (the impound) they were going to try and overcharge or not take him at all. He admits to being shook up and agreeing on the 500, but who wouldn't be after all that?

Piero: Thanks for the info. I think thoose are the "Terrace Suites" advertised on their website, correct? I normally would pay that much in Pattaya, unless going for the "special experience". In that case, I would probably choose the Royal Wing Spa suite at the Royal cliff- 12,000 baht/night with your own butler or maybe the beach suite at cabbages and condoms. If you are in Bangkok, you can't beat the chakrabonge villas (http://chakrabongsevillas.com/) right on the river across from wat arun with private grounds and pool and staff of 11 - that's where we stayed with some of our families a few years ago for our wedding/honeymoon. Hub

I think the point was that he didn't know where the impound was and he states it should have been only 100. Also, 30 baht seems pretty low for a MB taxi, I thought they were getting abit more for even short trips, but may be wrong.

I think that was the point of the post - that he got burned because they used his misfortune against him. I am glad he didn't pay those assholes the 700. The motobike taxis have a nice little scam with the cops on confiscated motorbikes - like the ones left of walking street after dark.

Over a hundred? Try 12 pages of posts and many many other oblique references without "skytop" in the post. Emil: If you do a simple search with filtering bigdusa as the member, sky-top as the keyword, and click "show results as posts", you will find literally hundreds of posts by Bigd stretching back to 2003 overhyping the Sky-Top. He innocently claims above as an apparent abused party that: "I've never had a financial interest in Sky-Top nor to I ask for or receive any "special discount" for referring customers. All I try to do is steer guys to a clean well run honest guesthouse. Is that so terrible?" So when Martin directs him not to spam or he gets abuse from BMs that have been on the board for awhile, he must be getting unfairly persecuted, right? He's just a model citizen helping out his fellow BMs!!! LMFAO What’s that saying about being careful what you put on the internet as in never goes away? In his early posts on Skytop Denny (BigD) inadvertently stated his 50% partnership with the owner of the skytop in another hotel 50 yards away that is booked thru the Skytop: http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/index.ph...ost&p=68683 Posted on: Dec 11 2003, 05:51 AM There maybe a few high season cancellations at the Sky-Top Hotel. Email: skytop2003@hotmail.com Mention that Denny asked you to check it out. Don't delay. I am involved with the owner of Sky-Top Hotel in a business venture concerning another hotel. http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/index.ph...ost&p=68823 Posted on: Dec 7 2003, 12:12 AM I'm part owner of a newly renovated hotel called the Alamo that may be finished by 20 December. I'm here in the US but my partner Rick is in Pattaya. Give him a call on Tuesday at Sky-Top Hotel they are booked out. phone # 663-842-7526. Email: skytop2003@hotmail.com Tell him Denny told you to call. http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/index.ph...ost&p=68009 Posted on: Dec 2 2003, 06:10 PM If your still looking for a room during the high season. Sky-Top has availability and my hotel the Alamo is located 50 meters away from Sky-Top on 2nd Rd. I own 50% of a newly renovated 9 room backpacker type guest house. Some rooms have ac others fans. No fridge or tv. New mattress and we are guest friendly. The price is cheap and the place is clean. Rates are 250 and up. Book thru Sky-Top. email skytop2003@hotmail.com It doesn't take a genius to figure out, especially during high season, that punters calling Sky-top get diverted to this Alamo as he actually instructs them to book thru Sky-Top in his last post. Let's not forget that most of his Skytop posts state "Tell him Denny told you to call.", "and make sure you mention Denny told you to email", etc. etc. So Denny is technically correct, he “doesn’t have an interest in the Sky-top”, just 50% ownership an associated guest house fifty meters away that takes skytop overflow and is booked through the sky-top. Je keeps a low profile on this. And if people think Denny is not cashing in on his sky-top referrals and is doing it out of the "kindness of his heart", I have some land in Florida to sell you. Actually, Denny mentioned the Skytop recently moved into an adjacent “eight room guesthouse” – coincendence? For those like myself that have been on the board since the beginning and garnered a lot of good and useful information (including from yourself on things like FF miles), it really sullies what the board is about when people use it as a spam vehicle. Also, let's not forget his partner posted a glowing Sky-top review here under an alias not revealing he was the owner. Those two things alone would make me avoid the Skytop and Alamo like the plague. As some may know, I am not even responding to BigD directly on this board anymore as he invariably resorts to hiding behind his PC and cowardly taking shots/posting lies about my wife, son and family. Any future similar discussion can take place face to face. I hope that some of the newer board members that have read board exchanges previously with BigD can understand he's been posting half-truths like this for years and can understand the animosity and contempt some BMs feel towards him. Many BMs know what he is about, but he (probably correctly) thinks that enough new board members will not know his game and may call the skytop to put some money in his pocket. I am also curious as to Martin's reaction, as Denny has blown through the stop sign on his last two posts and has continued spamming the skytop and all it’s “benefits”. Hub

Thanks Martin

Tom: FYI - I used to do it at the Eastinny Place Soi 8 with no problems and just reserve a room when I returned - they actually have a special storage area designated as I saw bellmen getting the luggage. Other than that, I had a few BG friends that would store my clubs and some clothes - but beware jealous sponsors!

Joe: I have to disagree with you. You say that this story is about bad ground services, but the author clearly gives a nod to the UA ground service when he says: Whenever I call United Airlines’s frequent-flier program, I am startled by the politeness and efficiency of the people manning the phones. Many of United’s ground personnel are cordial, business-like and ready to shoot you a favor, if they can. The frequent-flier program itself is more generous than it has to be and I’ve already asserted in this space that air travel is no worse than it’s ever been. Also, I think any article usually includes first-hand examples, otherwise you would end up with an article that states "US carriers suck". Relating an experience does not presume that the same experience will be had UNIVERSALLY, just that the example may be representative of a general idea. In this case, I agree - US Carriers can't shine a light on many of their foreign competitors. I've seen bad things from flight reps on NWA flights, to myself and others, that were so bad they were surreal. Bunch of pissed off union reps where some people are afraid to ask for a glass of water. I've also experienced so many over the top good things on some asian carriers. You mention CX - the first time i flew them I mentioned at JFK that my friend flying with me had a recent back operation (he got hit by a piece of the WTC coming down) and they upgraded us for free to business narita to bangkok. In terms of ground services and FF programs, I tried for over two years to cash in my 130,000 miles on NWA for a biz class seat. I literally was totally flexible on travel dates. They just weren't giving it up. When I called CX to use my 120,000 AA miles for a biz class ticket, I got the ticket first call. Does that mean all people have a similar experience to mine? No, but there are enough stories out the to prove a general consensus on US long haul carriers. You stated "US airlines' in-flight "service" very often leaves much to be desired, but to be fair, the very worst "service" is on domestic flights where you have to bring your own food and buy your drinks, and there aren't a lot of smiles My last flight (hopefully ever) on NWA during November 2007 from USA to Thailand included 5$ beers, no smiles whatsoever, and crap IFE. They also ran out of the food choice both my wife and I wanted twice. I don't drink as much anymore on flights, but the option of having a few JW blacks and watching a shitload of movies like SA or CX have makes a big difference on a 20+ hours in the air. Or just a litte common courtesy from the staff. I can understand and Emil here has posted how good UA's FF program can be once you hit levels - but not my cup of tea. Hub

I am going to do option 2 also.

You can keep singing the same song, but as the many many posters here that have stayed at the RG have said, it's a NON ISSUE. I stayed at the RG maybe 4-5 times and never had an issue or wait that I remember- and that includes both on the baht bus route and when I was driving my own scooter. Hub You can keep singing the same song, but as the many many posters here that have stayed at the RG have said, it's a NON ISSUE. I stayed at the RG maybe 4-5 times and never had an issue or wait that I remember- and that includes both on the baht bus route and when I was driving my own scooter. Hub

No. you are exactly right. As someone who has stayed at the RG several times and also at Tims Royal Residence (just off Second Road) last month, despite the talk of "choke points"/etc above (?? Hub

It's available at latestays.com during high season at 2,500 bt/night, including two breakfasts. You should be able to negotiate down to 2,000 w/out bfast (i did). Hub

Good on you Greg for helping her out and clever on her part. I wonder if my 500 baht for her to play in the Rideher would come off the top? Hub

Nuff said.