LeoTex

Inquiring minds want to know the answers to these questions. I'm a little confused by this thread. Harris, are we concerned that he is doing something wrong or causing a traffic problem on walking street at night when the street is closed off? I too have seen him over the years and a few times I have purchased a flower or two from him. Not sure if you are having a problem with him working Walking Street. I think its great the the guy is doing something to make a living and not begging like some do. LeoTex

Kingsknight, The agent that Jim posted is good and here are a couple more that may help. Right now even the hotels are slow getting back because of all the bookings for the Christmas high season. pattayahotel hotelthailand I have used both in the past and they have been good on answering replys in the past. Hope this helps, LeoTex

laffnliv, IMHO, the wireless mouse is the only way to go with a laptop. I could never get the hang (speed) of using the pad on the laptop. I started out with a small cord type mouse and when it went out, replaced it with a optic wireless one. It also is great on the plane with no wires and with the optic you can use it on any surface without the need of a mouse pad. I even went with a 'pocket 10 key pad' as I was never good at using the numbers above the keyboard. Hope this helps, LeoTex

Babepecker, If your country changes to or from 'daylight savings time' like here in the US, you much go back in and changed your settings. This is real easy and needs to be done when you go on 'daylight savings time' or come off it. Go to My Controls at the top of the page and cliick. Scroll down on the left and click on Board Settings. First make sure that the time zone is set correctly to your country local time zone. When 'daylight savings time' is finished and you got back to regular standard time you must uncheck "Is daylight savings time in effect?" Go to the bottom of the page and click on Change my Account Settings and your done. Hope this helps, LeoTex

I was there in early October and my room was 990 Baht. I also made reservations for both December and next April for my first two nights on each of the upcoming trips for the rate of 990 Baht. I made my reservations at the Dynasty hotel in Bangkok because of taking their mini bus to Pattaya. Could be I have the lower rates since I had the price locked in with my reservations and next time get charged the higher rate. deleted member, I think your right about the 1200 Baht rate being for the larger rooms because that what I paid when I upgraded back in August when I stayed there for a couple of days before moving to the Sandy Spring. LeoTex Just checked the Dynasty website, and yes the prices have gone up. * Effective on 12th November 2004 Room Rate* Starting from Dynasty Inn, Bangkok 1090 $ 27 £ 15 ¥ 3114 € 23 Dynasty Resort, Pattaya 1200 $ 30 £ 17 ¥ 3429 € 25 Dynasty Inn, Pattaya Baht 1 $ = 40 Baht 1 £ = 72Baht 10 ¥ = .35 Baht 1 € = 48 Baht

I have stayed at the Bangkok Dynasty the last 10 to 12 trips and have used my credit card as a deposit. I have never (knock on wood) had any problems or trouble using a credit card there. When I check in they will run my credit card and hold it until I check out. Sometimes I will put the room charge on the credit card when I check out or pay cash and they will tear up the credit card receipt. The first time I made reservations from the US by email they sent back a reply with a form to print out to fax to them with credit card information for a hold reservation on the room. They don't charge your credit and only will do so for a one night charge if you fail to show up or don't cancel your reservation 48 hours in advance. I had to cancel one time and gave them plenty of notice and there wasn't a charge against my credit card. I now make my next trip or two reservations while I'm checking out to leave. Again they will run my credit card and use it to hold my reservation. I use a credit card in Thailand for hotels that I can check on line to see if any activity had been posted. Like I said, I never had a credit card 'cloned' in Thailand and have used at several hotels like the Sandy Spring and both Flippers. LeoTex

sfgrunt, Like Sunny said if you do a search you will find volumes of information on cell phones in Thailand on this site. I have a phone on the 1900MHz band and it works with the '1 2 Call' system in Thailand with no problem. All you need to do is get a sim card and your good to go with a phone number and add a phone card for talk time. One thing to remember, make sure you have a charger cord that is good for the 220 voltage in Thailand. Most of the ones in the US are only 110. I just got one off Ebay or you can pick them up in Thailand. LeoTex

Alot of the hotels have the 'flat' outlets that match the US 'flat' plugs. One of the problems you can have using a 3 prong plug with a ground, is not being able to plug it in. Some laptops will not work or charged unless the ground prong is also pluged in. Just to be safe I just bring a converter and use it. I also bring a small power strip and plug it into my converter and then I can plug and use several items at the same time. If the hotel room is limited on outlets this can be very useful since your GF will need one outlet to keep her cell phone charged at all times. LeoTex

kikc69, I have never had a problem with a 'confirmed reservation' at the Sandy Spring. Even last April when the hotel was full, they had our rooms ready and availble when we arrived. When I was staying at the Sandy Spring last week, I tried to make reservations for this December. All the rooms were booked from December 24 on. They wouldn't even put me on a waiting list, saying all the reservations had a deposit. I also went next door to the Dynasty and the same thing, but did get put on a wait list. The Inn House across the Soi did have availble rooms for late December. I have reservations on Soi 8, but wanted to stay back on Soi 13 again. Will give it a try again, when we arrive in December. LeoTex

cybers1b, Sorry, but I also posted the same story in the 'members section'. Didn't notice you had already posted. At least here the non-members will be able to see it. LeoTex

cybers1b, Your not slow, you just don't understand. With you living in the LOS I would have thought you would understand more than any of us how the system works. You must call the TPV so they can get their cut of the 'shake down' money. It is a shame that this does go on, but with BigDUSA giving her a large tip, she should have no problem coming up with her monthly payment. LeoTex

IMHO, if this thread rolls over to 5 pages, we need to ask Pete to put in 'The Archives'. I guess we would need to ask Hilly, if its ok for his Batam Trip Report to have second billing. LeoTex

kikc69, The Sandy Spring has a 'membership' card for 350 baht. By using the card you can save on the rooms charge for night. Just as clubman posted you can get a discount. The suites go for 2500 baht, but with the membership card he got a rate of 1990 baht. Even in a standard room you can recover the cost of the membership plus a little extra savings in three nights. When I stayed there during Songkran, I was told that the membership rate didn't apply to the suites on the 8th floor, due to the fact they were always booked because of the great 'seaview'. I will check when I'm back in a few weeks. Maybe because Songkran is high season was the reason. The view on the 7th floor is almost as good. A few have posted that they can get the special rate by booking thru one of hotel travel site on line. I haven't seen this, but I also haven't looked. I have also used the membership card when booking two rooms and getting the discount for both rooms and my friend didn't need the card. Again, IMHO, the Sandy Spring has the better location, and Soi 13 is a quiet street and near all the action. I better not say anything else good about this hotel, because Roland may accuse me of pimping the hotel for my good rate. LeoTex

kikc69, Yes the suites have two seperate rooms with a nice TV in each. Both the bedroom and living room have sliding doors going to the balcony. I think nice hotel and rooms and a better location than the RG, IMHO. What I like is having the living room to use while your new best friend is sleeping in. Get a cup of coffee and news paper and watch TV while waiting for her to wake up. LeoTex

ClitPirate, Is there a problem with Bangkok Airways, or are you just checking other options? This past July we took the trip to Siem Reap using Bangkok Airways. They have the best flights availble for a R/T. Here is a sample of what the schedule and prices are. From Bangkok To Siem Reap, 19 October 2004 Flight Departure Arrival Aircraft Stop(s) Web Fare 1 Year THB 5,640 Web Fare 6 Months THB 5,200 Web Promotion (16JUL-31OCT) THB 4,500 Web Promotion (01SEP-15NOV) THB 3,500 PG940 07:30 08:30 AT7 0 PG930 08:00 09:00 AT7 0 X PG932 11:00 12:00 AT7 0 X PG938 14:30 15:30 AT7 0 X PG942 18:05 19:05 AT7 0 X PG944 18:30 19:30 AT7 0 X From Siem Reap To Bangkok, 23 October 2004 Flight Departure Arrival Aircraft Stop(s) Web Fare 1 Year THB 5,640 Web Fare 6 Months THB 5,200 Web Promotion (16JUL-31OCT) THB 4,500 Web Promotion (01SEP-15NOV) THB 3,500 PG941 09:00 10:00 AT7 0 F F F F PG931 09:30 10:30 AT7 0 F F F X PG935 12:30 13:30 AT7 0 X PG939 16:50 17:50 AT7 0 X PG943 19:40 20:40 AT7 0 F F F X PG947 20:00 21:00 AT7 0 F F F X Your other option would be President Air and would have to go from Bangkok to Phnom Phen and then to Siem Reap. The return would also be from Siem Reap to Phnom Phen and into Bangkok. Insead of the 1 hour direct flight it would take you anywhere from 3 to 6 hours each and go thru Cambodia Imigrations one extra time each way. That not really a problem, but sometimes it takes forever, and I'm not sure, but I think you have a extra departure fee because you are going thru 2 airports to leave the country, one domestic and one international. Do a seach on some reports from Ting_Tong. Good advice about hotels and a good taxi service to use while there, both for the temples and night life. Most hotels will pick you up at the airport without a charge. You can use your rented taxi/driver to get you back to the airport when you leave. soi6 is right on about the taxi and hotels. LeoTex

Zeus, You are correct about which way to travel works out the best, in the long run. My second trip this year was Business going over and coach coming back using miles. I got a last minute bump to Business from BKK to Toyko, because coach was over booked. I also got a upgrade from Toyko back to the states using miles. My trip next month is one of the 'cash and miles' offers from Northwest. Cost $439 and 20,000 miles R/T from Houston to BKK. I also got two R/T tickets for me and a friend in December using miles. My ticket will be busines and his coach, but hey, they are my miles. I will loose all my 'elite' status after Feb 2005 because of not earning mile when using miles. I will miss the 125% bonus miles. I have tried for the last few years to find a trip just using miles, but could never find one. So when they opened up this year I took advantage and booked the flights. I will have to start over next year with the 'elite' program. The way I look at it, I couldn't make the extra trips this year without the free ones. Ticket Designators: PD333 This is one of Northwest codes for a special. I remember last year a special came up on the Northwest website for a R/T, Houston to BKK for only $697, and BTW, you earned the miles. I called Northwest to book, because I didn't like the way they paired up the out going and return. They had 6 or 7 different paired R/T listed at that special price and I wanted to use one going and a different one to return since they were all listed at the same price. When I had 'elite' reservation on the phone they didn't show the same price and the cheapest price they had was $1073. While I was talking to reservations, I pulled up the special and after she checked with Northwest internet department, told me that it was a internet only special and had to be booked on line. While still having her on the line I hit the buy button and got the ticket for the special price. In just a few minutes she saw the flight and price and made my seat reservations. The next day I told a friend about the special, but it was gone and never was listed again. Sometimes you need to check several time a day when you have your dates and hope a good price pops up. LeoTex

shit_happens, Here is a site that should get you the area to check on hotel reservations for the hotel your asking about. Hope this helps. I plan a return trip to Cambodia in April and was thinking of going thru that area. Let us know how it was. Thanks Casino Samet Hope this helps. LeoTex

BigDUSA wrote

Pat, I can't help you much with the 'camera cards'. I haven't checked Pattaya, but have in Pantip Plaza in Bangkok. Believe it or not they cost more than they do in the states, so I always bring several extras with me. I would think some of the Kodak Shops in Pattaya would have them, but I'm sure the price would be high. I remember going into the Sony Store in the Big C area to get a Sony Memory Card, and the price was almost double for what I can buy it here. The place I get my photos printed from my camera cards is the Photo Shop on Walking Street. Its the first one on the right, just after going under the arch from Beach Rd. I have also have him put them on CD's so I could erase my card. What I like about the shop, you can go in the back room and pick which pictures you want printed in private. He has some good equipment and they will take the time to color adjust the picture before saving. Also, they have printed photos for me that I can't get printed here in the States. Hope this helps. LeoTex

ramster, I think you can find the 'knock off' purses anywhere in Thailand. Just walk down Sukhumvit in Bangkok and about every other street stall has them. Even cheaper at MBK, and give the weekend market a try. In Pattaya you see them all the the place. I would try the 'Made in Thailand' market on 2nd Rd and about Soi 9 or 10. kikc69 is correct about bringing them back into the US. I have had a few knock off items and have been told on more than one occiasion that maybe you can get by with one. The US will not let you bring back any item that is counterfeit. Also any item that is copywrited or has a patent and is a copy or knock off isn't allowed back in the US. You are allowed to bring back one carton of cigarettes to the US tax free. I would suggest you check with customes on what the tax is over the one carton and how many total you can bring back. LeoTex

Looks like they extended the 'cash and miles' special later into the year. I got my ticket back in early July for my October trip. The total cost was $439 plus only 20,000 miles out of Houston. The only drawbacks, you can't upgrade to first class with this ticket and you don't earn miles, but for the price its a very good deal. LeoTex

Bigmike, I do agree with you about the rooms, infact the Sandy Spring is a nicer hotel and does have a nice pool which the Dynasty doesn't. However the Pattaya Dynasty is nicer than the hotel in Bangkok. The reason I'm booking again at the Dynasty is to take advantage of the free ride to Pattaya. I will be staying at the Sandy Spring in October and just booked again for next April during Songkran to stay away from all the water. Just a few bars on Soi 13. IMHO, both place are good places to stay and good location. LeoTex

ai, The room I stayed in had a tub with shower. I founld the room to be a little lighter decor than the rooms in Bangkok. The shuttle leave the Bangkok Inn at 11:00 AM and our mini bus went direct to the Pattaya Inn on Soi 13. Again I was there on July 31st and August 1st on didn't have any problem with constucttion. The day I got there the pump truck was in the Soi and pumping concret to the highter floors, but I didn't notice any noise in the rooms. I have booked there for October 10th for the 2 nights and then moving over to the Sandy Spring for the rest of the week. LeoTex

LBJ, Just spent my first two nights at the Dynasty and will stay there again. I didn't have any noise problems at all. I stayed on the Second Rd side of the hotel. I think if you were on the Beach Rd side you will get a little noise from the construction work going on. Most of the noise was from 'light' work going on. Two days they had pump trucks working the concret to the uper floors, but didn't notice the sound at all. Since I alway stay at the Dynasty in Bangkok, not a bad deal with the free ride to Pattaya. I also didn't notice any noise at all around the Sandy Spring. I had changed my reservation from there to the Dynasty because of previous reports and should have just stayed there. Now I have moved over to the Soi 8 area (for different reasons) and there is more noise coming from the beerbars, than from the construction on Soi 13. I will book a hotel on Soi 13 for my October and December trips, because I don't think construction will be a problem. LeoTex PS; now time to rest up for a visit to the FLB tonight.

jtiger, I have stayed at the Flipper Lodge and used the internet cafe in the lobby. Its been awhile, but I remember them being very slow and at that time costing 2 baht a minute. The hours of operation was also limited. The best place I have found, and use on Soi 8 is the one next to the Sun Shine Hotel across the breezway. The machines were fast and I think 1 baht per minute. LeoTex