torrenova

What is on in your area ? NYE is not really a night for bar hopping, at least not late on. It is more a time to park yourself and enjoy the night. I would not be looking to move anywhere after about 10pm at the latest. Fireworks are ok but nothing new. I think it really depends upon your other half. If she want to go out then perhaps she has friends, even if you do not have many. Doing something together with her friends may be possible. Whatever, I'd sort it out beforehand as you don't really want arguments on the day.

Even better value is the Aspen Suites on Soi 2 http://www.aspenbangkok.com/ Farther down the Soi than the Adelphi but a better location and better price. Bumrungrad is just over the road. It is the same as the Adelphi on Soi 8 and as new. The rest in that list are not in the same league.

Make sure you have a visa if you are going on an open ticket.

LHR-BOM ok, BOM to BKK shit, on ground in BOM very shit and long walks between gates but cheap and at a certain lavel of cheapness under the likes of Etihad, they are viable. They cannot compete head to head, except on price.

But if he had booked it at the time the poster you refer to did, he could presumably have chosen any day to fly for around the same money. Leaving it until 2 weeks beforehand when all the news has been that airlines are withdrawing capacity is not the way to get a cheap flight. When booking ahead, one has to consider the potential upside, which is little on a £500 fare being further discounted, against the downside of that £500 fare turning into £850 or £1000 or more.

I would not worry too much. Mileage accrual is not what it was, now that you have to pay for all the taxes and so forth, it hardly qualifies as a free flight. Useful, but the cash saved is far more valuable.

That fat fucker should have been forced to buy 2 tickets or denied check in.

Agreed except that if the OP wants to avoid the rip off fixed pricing at about Bt1600 or so instead of Bt1000/1200 or so, then he could pre book. Out of interest, does anyone know if the official taxi queue just do it for the meter plus Bt50 or do they want to break the law and refuse to go unless they get a higher rate ? The OP also needs to know whether tolls are included as often with the cheaper prices they are not and many many taxi drivers argue that they are not included, even in the Bt1600 fares. Try Max (Thai guy) on 0844 991 453 / 0864 013 372

Yeah, Mininova is RIP

My understanding of the guarantor is multi faceted. Financially, the person paying the loan back has to have about twice the loan amount in free disposable income. Thus, if the loan was 15k a month, then they'd have to show 30k a month. If they had a mortgage of 10k a month, then they'd have to show 40k a month etc. Then you get onto where they are registered. As a foreigner you can't own land and you might not even own your own condo so it connects the loan to someone who is resident. A westerner having a WP is obviously connecting them to Thailand to a degree. If the guarantor owns land then that is apparently good, presumably because way down the line they could perhaps use that to make the guarantor pay ? All in, the system is archaic and piss poor. I've seen people who cannot guarantee acting as guarantors and vice versa, with quite rich people being refused finance. My impression is that there is a lot of deal brokering going on and not much in the way of risk management.

I guess the reason he is asking people is that the people on this forum are his target audience and prospective customers. I guess that might be thought of as astute in certain quarters, actually listening to what the customer wants.

Pretty much every hotel chain has their lowest prices linked to full prepayment with no changes to the reservation possible. They do have rooms on less strict conditions but with higher rates. I recently booked the Marriott and was able to get some very decent rates but I did have to cede flexibility. I thought it was a very good trade off. Not sure where this business is going though. Maybe prepayment is only possible when you have established your reputation but that guy with the hotel near the airport in Phuket said he was doing the vast majority of his business via prepaid on-line bookings so perhaps it is possible in certain circumstances. His guests certainly did not know who he was. I'd guess a real proper website with some decent money spent on it, rather than the usual $100 crap which most places make do with would go some way to establishing credentials.

That quaint Glasgow greeting of friendship - bottling your customers Stay at the Rockhouse, only 10 minutes from intensive care. I don't think any of the places with only a few rooms will have lifts. Some accept CC, safes are never 100% but their installation is paramount, shower over the bog is one of the classic design gaffs (but doesn't have to be if planned in advance or thought about).

Look all the time. Over time you work out the places which come up with the best deals for your preferred carriers and routings and checking the price doesn't take long. Don't forget to check the airline's own website as well. Recently I got someone an Eva 6 month return with full flexibility for Bt22,000 and the same starting in the UK was only marginally worse. No reason to avoid Emirates although my perception is that they are not what they once were. More limited choices from Manchester than London. Flying in mid February can bring Valentines Day into question but that hikes short haul prices far more than long haul. I'd be looking at my hotel to see whether they lowered the prices around the time I was there, down from high season that is, and look at the total cost of the booking as a higher flight price could be offset by lower hotel charges etc. for different dates. Just note that prices on some of the comparison sites, such as Expedia, Ebookers, Netflights etc. can vary enormously. Even check out Lastminute but be aware that they are resellers for resellers and making any changes can be a nightmare. West East is often up there but as you have no direct flights, all the middle east mob come into play and you should join all their programs to receive their emails.

http://www.uknova.com/

Well, they had better invest some money in a decent website first. That which they have is shockingly poor o speed and some of the graphics are amateurish. Low number of outlets seems to hamper this type of venture every few years when someone else brings it back to life. No good if only 1 or 2 venues or outlets on your list and no decent and honest discounts available to make you use it elsewhere. Mathematically, if places you went to gave you 10% discount, then you'd have to spend Bt15,000 there to break even and I don't see many tourists doing it for that reason. Golf will be where it wins but you have to look at the total cost and not just headline green fees. Buggy, caddy, date and time restrictions etc. will need to be checked. Do golf courses really need more discounted business than can be provided by the current discount channels, such as the PSC ? and won't the PSC come back with matching fees ? I guess the real incentive will be selling the card for businesses where they can advertise it as giving an immediate and ongoing discount in their outlet. It would be interesting to know what the commission structure is.

OK, here's how it goes. If you rent through a small agency or introducer, then they will commonly ask you for 2 month's deposit and 1 month's rent. This is because they take 1 month's rent as their commission. You don't have to pay that but many will say it is standard. What it means is that your landlord never received 2 month's rent as deposit and so he may well want to find a new tenant, to use their inward money as your deposit return. You have to be on the ball about this. I just didn't pay the last 2 months rent on one place as I knew the guy didn't have the money. That was an absentee western owner. Prices ? town houses with 2 beds and 1 or 2 baths from about 7k a month. Decent quality with newish fixtures and fittings from 10k. Single houses with 2/3 beds and 2 baths from around 12k a month. It is nearly always a buyers market if you avoid changing contracts over year end. If you have to buy anything, such as a washing machine or fridge, then discount it back to about 2k for resale and accrue the rest over the contract. Thus, an 8k machine is a loss of 6k over 12 months or Bt500 a month. If the rent is 1k less, then you are ahead 6k over the year. Get them to pay for the air con cleaning and gassing every 6 months (about 3/500 baht) and watch out for them saddling you with service charges (can be a few hundred a month and it is their charge, not yours - cheeky bastards). TVs work the same as fridges on depreciation but beds don't. A decent bed with frame or divan set will set you back a minimum of 15k or so king size and perhaps more. Furniture is another where the cost is too high to offset against the rent by depreciation as a half decent suite can cost 30k and you won't see much change out of 150k to sort out an unfurnished house as you'd probably have to upgrade the shower as well and maybe install aircon. Better to pay more and get one owned by a western guy and sign for 12 months. You should get everything and I mean everything in a 3 bed, 2 bath for 12/14k if you know where to look but they will be asking 15-20k.

Not sure about that one as immigration takes the US Embassy's sword statement that the income is XYZ as proof enough to issue a retirement extension. If that income then went into a Thai bank account, it may work. MM's WP going back some way and bank account would be key. As for guarantors, then the location of the garage is significant, as is the place where your GF is resident on her Tabien Bahn. I remember Isuzu asking me because mine was from Buriram and as that was not Chonburi, nor a province bordering Chonburi, nor Bangkok, she would not have been able to act as my guarantor. Also, she would not have been able to take the loan in Pattaya herself if she was not on a TB in those provinces. All very ancient way of doing things but then so are the banks locked in that time warp. Speaking to one of the guys from Toyota on Sukhumvit, it was made clear to me that with a decent deposit (say 30/40%) and cash in the bank etc. then there were ways and means of having the finance approved.

Glad to see this guy is not getting slagged off for requesting a deposit because of some guys booking rooms and then not going nor cancelling. It is probably the way forward at peak times or for pick ups etc. and it should just be the implementation and method that needs sorting out.

Well that sure wouldn't be a 6m baht house in Thailand. I thought the Pi was cheaper ?

Is that near Colon's place i Town in Town ? Bit of a faggot alley up there isn't it ?

Some good advice from Gary there. To be honest, you need somewhere you are comfortable with, rather than looking at your home as an investment. Much better to protect your downside. Rent for 6 months minimum and find out where you want to live. I lived in town and View Talay for years and swore blind that I didn't want to live out in the sticks past Sukhumvit but having a kid and moving out there to a detached house really opened my eyes. I am not sure I could go back to a condo lifestyle and if I did, I'd probably stick with View Talay 2 and get another place for a reasonable price per sqm. My viewpoint has changed I admit and whilst I'd never put large sums into a house, I could perhaps be persuaded to part with a few million for a 3 bed 2 bath house through a company. Condos tend to be nearer the beach but the lifestyle round some developments of houses is really nice and much cheaper.

Sure is lower taxed, it is taxed at zero ! Please put key money in a brown bag and leave on table. Leases over 3 years have to be registered and that is why you get all this 3+3+3 stuff. Obviously, any lease registered will have the rent registered and they will have to pay tax on it.

Don't bother with the expat club medical insurance as it is rubbish and won't cover you after 60 or 65 anyway. As stated by another, joining some schemes then is impossible. Speak to a broker. Get off this forum and onto http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Insurance-Thailand-f121.html Loads of information there. Thai Visa Insurance is actually AA Insurance http://www.aainsure.net/ and they have an office opposite BigC at the top of Pattaya Tai (you cannot see it from Pattaya Tai but go to BigC and you'll see it). Great staff and Peter the owner is always around and more than happy to deal with you personally. Hit the net backed up by some company names you get from research on Thai Visa. Some have online quote systems but many do not. Most if not all can be issued through a broker and at the same or cheaper price so why not ? you get a guy on your side who has something to lose if they try to shaft you. He's not a monger. There are loads of companies but the biggest decision you have is what cover and how things will be going forward. You also need to think about future premiums or self insurance. You also really need to work out whether you need the insurer to pay the hospital direct or whether you will pay first and then claim it back. Don't listen to others, let them guide you to where to get the information but you have to do your own work and it is boring yes, but it is worthwhile.

But aren't they still using those old MD-11s on the BKK route ?