Leadbelly

Justin Case, I'm wondering if you dealt with the owner (Ib Ottesen) or someone at the front desk when you booked (via email I'm guessing??) , because the long term rate (30 or more days) has always been 1000 per day and only in the last year raised to 1070 baht per day. If I were you I'd address another email to Ib at ottesen@loxinfo.co.th and tell him you have a friend who also wants to stay there long time as well, but you have another "friend" (me!!) who has stayed there on the long term rate of 1070 per day and can you both get that rate. It certainly won't hurt to ask. Good luck and post what happens as I'm curious now if the 30 day and longer rate has been raised to 1390 per day....that's 40,700 baht a month and I personally would look elsewhere if I go back and use the R.G. long term. You will still like the place whichever price you end up getting it at, in my opinion.

For long term stays like yours the rate should be 1070 per day, at least it was in June. Upper floors are better if you like to be higher up and away from swimming pool noise. No problem with bringing guests back to room, moto rental directly across the street, same with laundry. Try room 507 or 607. They are busy, have you secured a room for the 2 months there yet? If not, better email them soon! Have fun. Do a search of the Residence Garden in the hotels section, lots of information about them. Very popular with many board members here. P. s.- your written English is easy to understand

You are right that you could save money by not going on the tour, and I understand you wondering about how you will make out by going on your own. But most of us went without using a tour-type of a package deal. I'm assuming that at least part of your time (if not the majority of it) would center around the nightlife and women there. I doubt if the tour would help in that area. As a first-time visitor on your own you could always sign up for a day tour here and there if you wanted to see something that interests you and didn't have the confidence or knowledge to do it yourself to make your own arrangements. What if you sign up for the tour, are locked in to Bangkok for 7 days, but find out after 2 or 3 days you want to see Pattaya now (or Chiang Rai, etc.) ? You're kind of committed to riding out Bangkok until the tour goes to Pattaya. Also a lot of the fun for me was the 1st couple of trips being on my own, discovering things on my own at my own pace, and making the inevitable mistakes that are made, and learning from them. IMO, try going without the tour....but up to you!

Bachelor...since the forced log off, after clicking on the forums it was just taking me to the non-member area where there was no box to check. After your post I clicked on the "log in" from this area instead of putting in the username and password from here, and found the "check box" place, so now it's fixed....thanks!

Since the forced log off, every time I check back into the forum I have to supply username and password from home computer. Before I never had to do that. What do I do to get around this?

sommy, the hospital is on Soi 4 between 2nd Road and Beach Road...click on the link for a map.Map to hospital

I corresponded by letter back and forth from California to Pattaya for a couple of years with an expat in Pattaya before he got hooked up with email, have sent packages to Pattaya Orphanage since 2001 for a child's birthdays and Christmas gifts, received thank you acknowledgements from there, gotten monthly reports from the orphanage, and have sent post cards to friends back in the U.S. from Pattaya and everything has been received on both ends so far, so my experiences have been good with the mail system. I've never tucked two or three $100 bills in a card and mailed it off to Pattaya for a bar girl, however...that would have to make it through both the U.S. Postal services and the Thai system...I don't like those odds...

Forget now the exact cost, but I think a regular letter from Pattaya to the U.S. is around 30 baht or so (less than $1 U.S.) but maybe an ex-pat there can give you the exact figure. The length of time it takes to get letters and packages varies...usually around 10 to 12 days has been my experience.

This was asked about a month ago. Dr. David Pack in Pattaya was mentioned as one chiroprator who did good work on a few board members. Check out the thread for more info. on him...Chiropractor thread

The city of Hua Hin is about 100 miles (?) southwest of Bangkok. If you use the link below,you'll see Pattaya is a little bit southeast of Bangkok, and Hua Hin is southwest of Pattaya on the opposite side of the Gulf of Thailand. Map of Thailand

There is a library on Sukhumvit Rd...the following is from the Pattaya City Ex-Pat Club's newsletter: The North Star Library - Books, VCR Movies, Childrens programs and more "The NORTH STAR LIBRARY was established as a library for foreigers and Thai's. It has books covering all kinds of subjects, and in many languages. It is for you. The library is located on Sukhumvit Road, between Pattaya Central Road and North Pattaya Road, on the Pattaya Bay side of the road - look for the sign "North Star Library", next to the Redemptorist Center, and opposite the Index Furniture store. It is open at the following times: Mondays - 12.00–20.00, Thursdays - 12.00-16.00 Fridays - 12.00-16.00, Saturdays - 12.00-20.00 Sundays - 10.00-14.00. There is a support fee to join the library, based on a 6 or 12 monthly membership. The library operates on the fees it receives, plus donations, and happily accepts volunteer help. The library has an interesting range of fiction, and reference books, including some out-of-print early Thai books. The extensive video library (VCR only) is now available for rent, and has some excellent old movies and classics, as well as modern movies. Thursday afternoon activities include mahjong playing, from 1:00 PM onwards. A fee of 50 baht applies for non members. The Library has a meeting room available throughout the week for a nominal rental charge. There is a play group for children up to 3 years old which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. There is a fee of 250 baht per morning for this group. "

There are so many View Talay projects around it can get confusing which is which, but in June I looked at View Talay Residence (I guess it was Number 1....#2 was 3/4 finished right next to #1?). Anyway, was looking into places to do a 12 month lease sometime early next year if all goes well, and I was really impressed. VT Residence was just the style and quality that interested me. They have a web site but the pictures on it don't do the place justice. I believe there is a View Talay Residence 3 and 4 also planned. Maybe by the time I'm ready to move, some of the people who bought to hold as an investment will be looking for long-term renters.

There are 44 reviews of the R.G. in the hotel review section, you could start there. The general consensus from people who have stayed there is that it's a good place, well-run, but a little off the beaten path for a 1st time visitor. I didn't think it was hard to get to and fro from there when I used the baht busses, but some found it inconvenient. If you like a little space, it's great since the bedroom is seperate from the living room, each with their own A.C.

Cabbages and Condoms (don't let the name throw you...it's a very nice place) could work for you. It also has the best beach in the Pattaya/Jomtien area, IMO. Pricey, but it's your 40th B-Day, so splurge some, right? Cabbages and Condoms

Received this email from China Airlines (for those who may be interested...)- June 25, 2005, Taipei, Taiwan Imagine sending and receiving e-mail on board an aircraft and performing on-line stock transactions, all while cruising at 36,000 feet. That dream is now possible, thanks to China Airlines and Connexion by Boeing¡∫s advanced technology. China Airlines has launched a groundbreaking new service that allows passengers to broadband access the Internet while on board selective CAL flights. In cooperation with Connexion by Boeing, China Airlines has installed its first-ever high-speed Internet service, on a Boeing 747-400. Passengers carrying personal computers with wireless network cards can now enjoy the convenience of Internet while flying. By installing antenna on aircraft, the Connexion system brings high-speed broadband Internet to CAL passengers via satellite and ground operation centers. By the end of 2005, more features will be available, including web TV channels and more entertainment options. To promote the new service, China Airlines will offer a 30-minute trial on board the aircraft by the end of September to serve passengers with different needs. China Airlines also designs flexible rate plans for the new service. Passengers will have the option of paying for a full sector, or they can pay US$9.95 for the first half hour, and US$0.25 for each additional minute. For the full sector rate, a sector of less than 3 hours will cost US$14.95, a sector of 3-6 hours will be US$19.95, and a sector of more than 6 hours will cost US$29.95. Passengers can choose to pay by credit card, and Chunghua Telecom users can choose to pay by direct billing to monthly statement. The first CBB-equipped aircraft will be dispatched on various China Airlines routes. Starting from October, all aircraft serving the Taipei-San Francisco route will be equipped with this state-of-the-art technology. By the end of 2006, all 13 of CAL¡∫s B747-400 passenger jets will be installed with the new service. At that time, passengers travelling to destinations including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Anchorage, Vancouver, Amsterdam and Japan can enjoy in-flight Internet service. Currently, only six other airlines offer in-flight Internet service: Lufthansa, SAS, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Singapore Airlines and Korean Air. China Airlines becomes just the 7th carrier in the world to provide this cutting-edge technology.

Pieman, did you get a quote on the rate for the Royal Cliff condos for 6 months and 1 year? Do they have a seperate bedrooom from the living room/kitchen or are they one large room? Thanks in advance.

Thanks LeoTex...just testing if I got it...The Onion This link has the Iraq exit strategy Bush came up with...

Travlling, here is a link to the Nana Hotel if you want to check it out. There doesn't seem to be a lot of middle-ground with people on this hotel....most either really like it or think it's a dump. With their large lobby, disco, and parking lot attracting many freelancers, plus it being right across the street from Nana Entertainment Plaza, that's really the Nana's selling point. Apparently they do have some refurbished and larger rooms at a higher price than their other rooms, but I've only stayed in their shabbier rooms. Rex gave you some good advice, if you choose to stay there or don't like the looks of the room, there's many other better places nearby. I've stayed at the Dynasty Inn, Omni Towers, and the Nana (all on Soi 4, although the Omni is a bit of a hike up Soi 4) and as far as quality of rooms, the Omni was hands-down #1 among the 3, followed by Dynasty, then Nana. While never staying there, I've heard good reports on the Majestic Suites, which is in the same price range as the Nana Hotel and just a very short walk to NEP. http://www.nanahotel.co.th/html/index.html

Pattayahappy, check out the link below if you want more info. on Cabbages and Condoms, http://www.cabbagesandcondoms.co.th/

Rascall, there is a second pool at the RG as well, more secluded behind the long-term building behind the restaurant. Sometimes this pool is used by small groups learning to scuba dive, however. The rooms I've had there have about a 3/4 of full-sized fridge, plenty big enough to put lots of food/drinks in. They used to only have a T.V. in the living rooms, but have added 2nd sets in the befrooms, but I don't know if all the rooms have them...ask for a room that has 2 if that's important to you. The air cons work well, one unit in the L.R. and one unit in the bedroom, both on seperate controls. The hotel and surrounding area has always seemed safe to me. The R.G. has 24 hour security, 2 guys on from about 7 P.M. and then 2 more guys taking over for them at 7 A.M. No bath in rooms, just a shower. Rooms cleaned daily, swept, mopped, etc. It's very clean, at least from my experiences.

yorkshire, there is a very nice pool hall that opened not too long ago. I believe the name is Mega 8. It is east off of 2nd Road just past a group of beer bars on the right (I think down Soi Diana, but maybe someone else knows for sure?). I think it's around 120 baht per hour; they charge by the table and not per person, so if you share the table with a friend you can split the 120 cost. They had a big tournament on a Saturday with a buy-in for the players. I don't know if it's a weekly thing or not. They have girls there who will rack your balls (no, no, no! Not like that!) and who will also play pool with you if you want a playing partner. Nice jazz music was playing not too loudly when I was there several times in Dec. Comfortable sofas to sit on, about 12 to 15 tables; all-in-all very nice. They were doing a lot of advertising on T.V. back then as they just opened.

They are women's handbags, so they probably wouldn't suit you, Pattayahappy (but I don't know you, so maybe they would suit you?). They are not knockoffs of original handbags, but named after a man who started a silk business years ago in Bangkok. He mysteriously disappeared years ago...kind of an interesting story. Cowboy is right, the shop in the Marriot is small, but if you're looking for a nice purse, beach bag, or smaller bags for make up, lipstick, glasses, etc. they have a decent selection. They are not cheap compared to what you could buy off the street, but they are good quality.

There's a small Jim Thompson shop on the right hand side of the Marriot Hotel's lobby as you enter from 2nd road.

Thanks for your answers Alan. Let us know how the search goes, as some of us will be in the same boat after you go through this and can learn from your experiences. As Shilo mentioned earlier, I may have to stay in a hotel for awhile before finding a permanent place. I'd been thinking of doing exactly as you plan, staying at the R.G. for a month if I can't get a place leased before the move.

Alan, I have a few questions for you if you have the time. I'm planning on retiring to the Jomtien area, but in about 19 months. Is your condo one large room with the bedroom within it, or is the bedroom seperate from the rest of the living area? Did you look at a lot of places first....by yourself or with a realtor? I'm looking for a 1 bedroom, seperate from the rest of the living space, in the 15,000-20,000 baht range as well. I'm not interested in buying, but getting a yearly lease.