torrenova

And who do you think writes the king's speaches ? bet you a dollar that Toxin sees them before the king does !

If you're set on staying there or have prepaid, then it won't matter will it ? If not, have you got a back up ?

Unless looking for seclusion - and I guess not, then head to Chaweng beach. I went back to Lamai last year and was thoroughly disappointed at how it had very much become the poor cousin to Chaweng.

The last words from the Pattaya authorities (Governor or mayor I can't remember) were that they had petitioned whatever government department or cabinet committee they had to about relaxing the closing hours. This was after a tour of Walking Street venues. The last I read was that they were awaiting a reply but would abide by the new rules (yeah right) until such an answer was received. Perhaps that was just a smokescreen but I cannot see the Thai business owners and landlords letting this go without a fight as it would cost them too much if implemented. Already the heat is on for some with the 1am closing but 12am would be disasterous. Again as I said previously, I suggest that it may be a revenue collecting exercise as I don't really see how they can realistically close bars at 12am when they cannot now close them at 1am.

I think you would be greatly disappointed at the salary levels offered for local hire jobs in Thailand. The way to go is to have a western company transfer you out to Thailand on your western salary plus all the usual expat benefits. This is usually for middle / senior management and upwards although some engineering and sales positions may be available at lower managerial levels. The bonus of expat work is that you are usually paid a hardship allowance for working outside of your home country. Personally, I would not like to work here as an expat. I just don't think I could get the job done.

I have a large daikin aircon unit in my condo and a massive (1.5m+ fan) above my bed which I have on continuously when I am in the condo but are switched off when I leave. I keep the temperature at 23c and my bills for electric, which also includes water heating, TV, fruidge etc. come to around Bt1,300 per month. I could hardly use the aircon more but would not consider using it less when the monthly bill is less than £20.

Why would he care ? He is one of the 15% minority. Toxin is from a Chinese background, not Thai. He's robbed the country and now wants to rule as a dictator. "His" people tried to get rid of him permanently a couple of times before. I would not be surprised if they tried again.

No, but I'm not asking them to go and give the bar business, thus inciting them to cross 2nd Road Hell, I wouldn't even advise anyone to stay in an hotel on the other side of 2nd Road.

Last year when this came in (Bt50,000 licence etc.) we had some people come round. I just wonder if this latest act is designed to raise cash by perhaps offering bar owners the chance to close at 12am or pay the money and open later. I'm sure that quite a few don't have the correct paperwork. Tangentially, I posted a long time ago about the underlying trend of making things more regulated and introducing greater and more widespread taxation in the bar industry. I pay taxes but I suspect many do not. If you are registered with the correct licences then you can be cross referenced for taxation purposes I would have thought. Also on that subject, I think that the medium term prospects for the bars will be that the girls will become subject to more formal taxation. Just paying below the tax threshold may no longer be enough. What that will mean for the girls I don't know but it could mean them having to declare tips or other income. Of course, the post work income cannot be taxed under present legislation.

I'm sorry to hear that it is finally going. I will however have the opportunity to savour it in its present location later this week. I might nick or ask for a menu to see how much they increase prices in Walking Street !

MK does not sell beer so there was no surprise there. This letter Dave is talking about has nothing to do with that.

No doubt there will have been some gullible farangs buying into beer bars there in the last few months despite the fact that the writing has been on the wall for some time !!!!!!! As for asking people to cross 2nd Road whilst drunk, then I hope you will be picking up the hospital bills ?

Sorry Dave but it will not force all beer bars to close at 12am. Whether there is a law or not, it just will not happen. Remember also that ST bars don't exist, they are just bars. Sure, Toxin is back in again and looking more and more like a dictator, especially after the last announcement that he and one minister can now effectively bypass the cabinet but you just can't tell 12,000,000 tourists and the X,000,000 who come to Pattaya to go home at midnight. It may well be a ruse to create different licences to give the BiB more money just as they did a while back, substancially increasing the licence fees.

As of last night, I have heard nothing about this proposal. However, as we were largely unaffected by the 2am to 1am change, I cannot see us being affected by this. I'll post up any further information as and when I receive it.

I saw something somewhere on their website about this route: http://www.thaiair.com/Promotions/Thailand...mile_nyc_en.htm

The Royal Palace Royal Twins ( http://www.royalpalaceroyaltwins.com ) is OK and just opposite the Marriott on 2nd Road. Rates are OK if prepaid but too high if walk in as they stiff you for service and tax (17.7%). OK for guests.

I've never stayed there but doesn't the Lek have an old and new wing ? Mostly though, it appears to be somewhat famous for its breakfasts, not that I've tried any.

That BKK-USM fare for $50 is complete shit I agree. Bangkok Airways has the monopoly on Samui flights and really fucks you over. Last year, the flights Pattaya-Samui-Phuket were cheaper than the Pattaya-samui flights. Samui is a cash cow and Bangkok Airways are milking it.

Bring what you need. Daytime you'll be wearing shorts and sandals of some sort with a t-shirt or whatever. For nightime, I'd suggest linen shirts and I'd bring those with you as a lot of the cheap shit in Pattaya and Thailand is man made fibres. You may want long trousers but I never do. I might however put on some trainers at night. You don't really want to have to go shopping, then find that they haven't got exactly what you need and find yourself forced into having to buy somethings which you don't want but actually need.

I talked to East Coast before I got my condo. Their website is often out of date but the boss (owner I think) stated that a number of owners would take offers. However, the ones he showed me in View Talay were not as good as the one I got and were more expensive to boot. His agency and others I presume, take 20% of the rental. So if it rents for Bt15,000, the owner gets only Bt12,000. he also wants 2 months deposit and 1 months rent in advance.

Etihad on expedia £352 BA on their own website £596

One bedroom flats in View Talay vary enormously. The so called Executive floors (15, 16 & 17) are better fitted out in the corridors but the inside of each flat is solely dependent upon how much the owner has paid to have it kitted out. Also, View Talay 1 is somewhat older than View Talay 2. As for utility bills, I just pay these with my rent. A girl comes around each month and I just give her some money.

Fan room out of town - Bt2,000 per month Fan room in South Pattaya Bt3,000 per month Cheap hotel in South Pattaya - Bt10,500 per month Condo on ST rental - Yensabai - Bt12,000, View Talay - Bt15,000 per month Residence Garden - Bt30,000 per month Welcome Plaza - Bt18,000 per month Flipper / Eastiny etc. circa BT15-18,000 per month I'd probably check into an hotel for a couple of weeks and take it from there.

Alan, If its any help, I moved to View Talay 2 Building B in December. I had been wanting to live closer to my businesses in South Pattaya but the only condo options were Centre Condo, Markland, Mikes or yensabai. Yes there are others but I wanted a pool. None came close to View Talay. Sure, its out of town but it is, as you say, on the bus route. That is very important to consider as having to hire buses to get in and out of town each day can add up to a fair few thousand baht over a month. Better to spend more and live on the main route, unless you're going to buy a car or a bike. I pay Bt12,000 a month for a large studio on the top floor (17th). I could have perhaps gotton it slightly cheaper if I had been taking a lease in the low season. My other bills come in around Bt1500 per month for water and electricity and I have the aircon on all the time I am in the room. I can walk down to Jomtien beach or get the baht bus into Pattaya in around 10 minutes. You're sensible to check into an hotel while you look around. I understand that the RG will / did give a monthly rate of Bt30,000. If that is too high, then drop me a line and I'll see what is around. Also, if you're interested in View Talay, let me know as I rent from a Japanese investor (bought 10-15 in View Talay) who rents them out through a German agent. Mine through a high street agent would probably cost Bt14000-16000.

I don't think that either of those hotels has a pool. As I understand it they are basically rooms above a pub. Here's their websites: http://www.queenvictoria-inn.com/ http://www.lordnelsonpattaya.com/ I wouldn't choose them but if that's the sort of thing you want, I suppose you could email them and ask queenvictoriainn@hotmail.com enquiries@lordnelsonpattaya.com For transport, just get a cab or a limo (Bt1850 all in).