CheshireTom

You clear immigration in Bangkok and customs in Chiang Mai - assuming you're booked on a through ticket.

Is that the same Toy that had the bar on the corner of Soi 2?

C'mon, guys ... there's got to be more to Pattaya's musical offerings than Pleng and New Yuth Bar. Or not?

No. Compared to the PCX, I found it had an awkward riding position (low seat height?) which didn't feel very comfortable at all and, as I said earlier, I couldn't justify the cost. That doesn't stop the girls at the dealers trying to sell me one each time they see me though.

That doesn't say a lot. How much is a small bottle of Singha outside of happy hours? Or do you only go for the 59 Baht draft? Who are you to judge who should, or shouldn't, be taking a holiday from the board? Delusions of grandeur, or what?

Moonriver was OK but it was a bit hit and miss as to whether it would be packed, or empty - the location probably didn't help. The filipino band was ok as Filipino bands go.

Sheesh, all the guy wanted to do was meet up with a bunch of non-drinkers. For all we know, he could be an ex-alkie who doesn't trust himself in a bar/go-go setting. Much the same reason I try and avoid bars that allow smoking these days.

One of the things that grated me in Pattaya was the lack of half-decent live music venues ... The Hopf was probably the only place I ventured to on a semi-regular basis - The Blues Bar was OK a couple of times, but then it became a bit of a deja vu experience. Have things improved? Are there any more places that do decent drink and scoff and have a live band? I've not read too many nightlife reviews that make much mention of places that offer a decent alternative to beer bars and go-gos. Along the same lines, are there any decent hostess lounges with live music?

They compensate for that with the drink prices. As for Pleng, I think she's misunderstood this coyote thing ...

The visa isn't transferred, only the permission to stay and associated re-entry permit.

What the new regulation says is that your extension of stay won't exceed the validity of your passport. It means you'll have to put some thought into when you actually renew your passport if it's due to expire. I'm not sure how it works if you renew your passport because you run out of pages after you have your one-year extension. I'll find out in the next couple of months.

Pier N9 is Tha Chang, Maharaj is N*. (it doesn't have a number as it's not a public pier i.e. it's only for the tourist boat, not the river taxis). Tourist boat info and schedule ...

I don't think they transfer the actual visa, only your permission to stay and any re-entry permit you may have. It's meant to be a free service, but ... There is a form to complete (and you'll need copies of the relevant pages from both passports).

Presumably from Don Meuang.

A tuk-tuk driver told me that Wat Arun is closed for repairs starting this week (for around 3 years). Worth checking before you make a trip specifically to visit the temple. Personally, I love the BTS and MRT - lots of top totty hanging onto the poles and no-one hassling you for ladydrinks. You can't beat it!

I find that if I am staying in the Asoke/Nana/Ploenchit area it's better to just buy tickets as you go (unless you are doing a couple of trips out to Chatuchak or some other station further out). You'd have to make a couple of trips out to the likes of Siam or National Stadium from Asoke for the Day Pass to be worth the cost. The minimum fare is 15 Baht nowadays - then 25 and 28 Baht.

The number of BA miles (Avios) that can be transferred is limited to 24k and attracts a fee (140 quid). For a one-way flight to Bangkok, it'll cost you the 24k miles, an additional 50 quid plus tax and airlines "fees". Not worth the hassle IMHO. All the info is on the BA website.

No you didn't. You said, " I finally started yelling at him to stop the f'in car". As they say, compare and contrast. No, you started yelling at the guy and kicking his car based on your, possibly flawed, assumption. I don't think I'm better than you - you speak the lingo better than me for starters. However, you are different from me. For example, I subscribe to the theory that it's counter-productive to yell at a Thai. If you're lucky, they'll just totally blank you ... if not, that's when your problems start.

You said that his obscenities were in response to you shouting and swearing at him. As I said, you don't seem to have learned very much. Sure, I've lost my temper. However, I don't then go around kicking cars, punching walls or head-butting lampposts. The most likely outcome is obvious to most. FWIW, I've had the odd taxi-driver who couldn't fathom out where I wanted to go - but I've never felt compelled to shout and swear at the guy or kick his car. That is the difference between us, not the situation, but the response.

Believe me, only stupid people think they'll achieve something by kicking a car.

You didn't learn very much from your time mixing with some of the top natives. What did you hope to achieve by kicking a car? That's the sort of thing spoiled children do. I think you've highlighted the real difference between yourself and others.

I live in a "touristy area" and it isn't my perception.

His only "cable channel" is most likely Sophon Cable. I imagine it's quite difficult to "manage without one of the cable channels" if he only has one to start with.

Bloomberg put the figure at 100m. "Ellison spent more than a decade and hundreds of millions of dollars to win the trophy off Valencia, Spain in 2010 and Oracle ran another $100 million campaign this cycle". CBS at 500m over the last 11 years. "There were hugs and handshakes after he steered the cat across the finish line, 44 seconds ahead of Team New Zealand. Ellison, who has spent an estimated $500 million the last 11 years in pursuing, winning and now defending the silver trophy, hopped on board and the crew sprayed him with champagne."

What have you done to them that they can't be trusted? Is that really your perception of the majority of local people? It's one thing to keep your wits about you, quite another to actively distrust most folk. The only two people who have tried to rip me off for significant amounts of cash in Thailand were a Welsh guy and an American - I always keep that at the back of my mind.