Hub

Emil: Toon does drive, driven with him twice. Nice guy, but don't use him since he messed up my day once. Mr. T prolly doesn't drive since he had a stroke a few years ago. Some drivers could be the same, as Toon worked for mr T and they still have a relationship. I used to use mr T always to go back to airport, maybe will try again.

Dave; I agree on the PIC Kitchen and Lengkee, always stop at least once at each during a trip (however, the staff chasing around giant cockroaches on the beams did put me off PIC a bit last time ) Which is the smaller marine seafood? -

I know of at least one spot where bar owner friend's park - but if I gave them up they would kill me. Great post, but secret parking spots in Pattaya are more closely guarded than national defense codes

Two RT tickets from North America and signing up for one FF credit card (which can be cancelled and renewed every 6-8 months) will gain you about enough FF miles for a RT to Thailand. Thats 19K (one trip), 19K (second trip) and 25K (FF credit card) = 63K miles So the very next year he has one free trip and flies for half price. Factor that in as a 25% discount on four tickets. This is completely disregarding the other perks FF mileage nay bring - free upgrades, lounge use, etc. So unless the FF is at least 25% cheaper, one should not ignore FF miles. What is even better, sometimes the FF miles can bused used to get a partner airline (Cathay, Malaysion,etc)

I think he was getting the crowd energized and I am sure that we could find examples by Yurpeans in the last match in Yurp. Regardless of what Whinewood complained about, the key is that the crowd was quiet before shots, which from all reports and my watching of around 30 hours, they were. He was pretty much on his own with these complaints and he also was the only one that complained about the crowd. Regardless, as a golfer what Weekly did cannot even be compared to Sergio's attempt to twist the rules, IMO. That crap damages the game. And he has a history of it. http://blogs.golf.com/golfcom/2007/05/sergios_drop_qu.html I can't wait to watch him choke some more majors. " Normal" Stance

I would agree, with the exception of Westwood's whining about the fans and Garcia's contempable attempt at a free drop To think I banged the same girl from Peppermint that Westwood did during one of the Johnnie Walker events!

Thats not accurate, IMO. There are places with roaches and without. I am not talking about the occasional stray, I've seen both types of places. And the OP story isn't exactly about the "occasional" roach that is typical of SEA, it's a description of a serious infestation. If you are comfortable staying at a place like that, fine. Certainly a hotel that touts itself as high end shouldn;t have the roaches running at a coke can the minute its placed on the counter. Fucking disgusting.

Thats bad!! I would need to run to Sazanka in Bangkok for the rock salt scrub after that! A few years ago my wife and I were staying at the Royal Cliff resort. As they knew we were doing our Thai version of our wedding a few weeks later in Bangkok and also had family to come stay at the resort, they had flowers, fruit and personilized cake from their bakery waiting for us in our room upon check in. We put the cake in the fridge and somehow I noticed the next morning just before I left for golf a gecko had gotten in there. My wife called the front desk and a guy came up and removed it and it was like a bomb dropped - we had 2-3 different levels of management (all the way up to the GM of huge resort) calling and apologizing and offering us stuff for two days. A larger even more delicious cake and other stuff came the next day. the funny part of the story is that when I can back from golf my wife had eaten half the original cake locked up with the gecko overnight in the fridge I still bust her chops about eating the "gecko cake" Thats the difference between good management and bad - after your experience they should have done something for you. Based on your story alone, I wouldn't stay at the place.

Evades: You have a lot more patience than I do. I would have been out of there the first day. I had a lot of the little ants if any food was left out in one suite I rented at the Eastinny Place several years ago and had them switch me to another one pronto. Sorry, but I don't care how nice the place is in other areas, the description you have given is friggin disgusting and that would be a no go for me at what claims to be a high end hotel. I am not saying I have never seen a cockroach in Thailand, I remember seeing a few in the bathroom at a place in Sukhothai, but nothing close to what you describe. I'd take my digital camera and take some pictures of the multiple roaches you have seen and start showing them to the highest level of management you can find and start emailing if that doesn't work. Who needs to spend more than $1,000 US for lodging in Thailand on holiday and have to worry about a roach waking you up at night?

I like my chicken and mushroom pies too when in Pattaya. As far as I can tell, the pies at Jamesons and Shenanigans were not microwaved and were very good. The worst pie I had was at Secrets, no offense aa they have a lot of other good qualities to offer, but I hope the Queen didn't get served one of those pies.

As a BM that got hit by a piece of the WTC when it fell once told me, a vicodin goes much better than an olive with a martini!

Wow, you didn't have to go through this whole farce if you need a few strokes! First the staged car crash last year and now this? Just kidding and hope you feel better. Hub

Joe: You have nothing to worry about the funny thing with Dodgy Denny, is that as a BM since the beginning of this board as I have been, you see him repeat himself and yet contradict himself so many times it is quite easy to recollect. If he even got in the same room with truth serum, his head would explode and they would be wiping shit off the walls for weeks!

Gate, I think.

Chasing them balloons again, are we rich man? Try and let the staff get the plastic off before attacking this time, will you??

I used them several times under precisionreservations.com and no problems at all.

Doggie: I was wondering if any of the bar owners themselves would deign to show up for their own events this year? We had the FLB owner stumbling on to the course halfway through the day last year that was so hungover he could barely hold a camera And of course we had the not-to-be-named Catz owner that had a temper tantrum on the way to the course from a little traffic . Maybe Derek should have the baby bottle ready in the morning before we leave for the course this year.

So no more 28 HC's hitting onto par fives in two and lipping eagle puts? More seriously, that sucks but I am sure we will get some other good rounds in there after the 4th.

DS: I stayed there last year for a few week. I also thought it was a bit overpriced. The staff was very friendly, prolly the best part about the place. They charge for wireless and it is not cheap. Best rates through latestays.com (1800/night). Tim prolly won't go below 2,000 if negotiating directly. Good location like you said by new mall. Use the cheap laundry with the homely katoey just up the soi to save some baht. Shenanigans in mall also has free internet, AC and lunch specials.

Bill, just make sure you figure it out before july ends

Bill: Actually, the Cathay (CX) flight Deal of the Month is as low as $1,050 all in (including fuel surcharges) if you leave midweek. I am flying on a friday, so 1,100. http://www.cathay-usa.com/dotm/dotm.asp I don't think there is a chance your going to beat that. Hurry though, only good for booking during July for the fall and seats fill up quick. There are a lot of reasons why it's great. Short (90 minute) layover in HK, then another few hours only until bangkok. Can sleep up until bangkok, and usually time to slip into a day room for a shower change and then hit bangkok running. HK is a great airport and CX usually os rated in the top 3 airlines worldwide. They just redid all the economy classes on their transpacific flights, and I thought they were nice before. Free booze, good food, friendly cute FAs, great ptv under your control, and better seats than most.

Pros: Good location, cheap breakfast, cheap rental clubs. Cons: Little old rooms worn with thin stained carpets and old towels, paper thin doors (you will hear EVERYTHING outside), screaming kids in the pool in morning, surly owner, cliquey golf groups that acted like asssholes a few times (I am a golfer), funny stuff on bill on checkout, usually clueless staff. Summary: would NOT go back again. You would do better in this price range at staying at a newer place like the seaside on soi 3, eastinny place soi 8 and playing golf through the various bars advertised in the Pattaya Mail with a PSC card or through solar golf. IMO

Sateef: Good call. Couldn't agree with you more - this is a good deal and I just recently booked it. The way it actually works out (and it is imporatant mentioning fuel surcharges as every airline I have seen is charging these costs) is that the RT ticket from NY is: $808 and with all taxes and fuel surcharges is $1,100. That's for a Friday departure - it is $50 less if departing midweek mon-thur). Also, $50 less from LAX. You're not going to get much better of a deal nowadays than that. I am not sure where you saw long layovers - we have one for an hour and a half in hong kong on the way out and two hours in hong kong on the way back. Total of 20 hours travel on the way out and 19 hours way back, which is very good. It should also be mentioned that all the long haul planes have been upgraded with a new economy product, with much better seats, ptv screens, power outlets at all seats, bigger laptop trays, etc. Their seat pitch has always compared favorably to other trans pacific carriers. http://www.cathayusa.com/cxseats/subdefault.asp The service is almost (IME) universally great, including better food and free booze. They come when you hit the call button and will fetch drinks all trip. They also have someone on duty in the galley at all times if you want to grab a sandwich or some noodles if you get hungry. I like the stop in HK as compared to other asia hubs (e.g., narita) as a great airport and you can grab a shower and then only quick 2.5 hours to Thailand. For those that have flown Northworst , flying cathay and it's cute and polite hostesses and much nicer cabins will seem like a lovely dream. Hub

Callum: Put myself and my nephew down. I'll play for either team, but let me know if it is Europe so I can have someone hit me in the mouth with a shovel so my teeth will fit in with the team. If you try and saddle me as last time (re: grouping) I will burn your house down and kill all your pets (I know where you live and may be staying with you anyways). My HC: 18.3 currently and rising, and I will get my nephew's later (I would guess 22-24?). Shirt: largest you have for me (also long) and nephew is 6' 2" now and thin - xxl long? (if Duece fits into a Thai size xxl I will sh*t my pants )