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Thank you so much Jacko. Unfortunately that's all I remember. I have been there once, but do not recall anything beyond what I mentioned. I think his office is in a house by itself. I guess I will have to walk those sois once I get there and take my chances.

Can someone post the telephone number of Dr Aphichai Kritsadayurat - he is a dentist on, I think, Soi 4 or 5 near Beach Road. I need to make an appointment, my next visit wil be short and I need to get in. Thanks.

I wonder if an attempt tp get "Thai" prices won't make a difference? That $7000 figure looks very large. How to get Thai prices is a question - going to a dentist in a less tourist oriented town might be a way. Or a recommendation from someone. Problem is dental implants are a lengthy procedure and require regular monitoring. Sometimes they don't "take" according to my regular dentist. All those factors have to be taken into account in any decision.

Dentists are probably the biggest legal thieves in the US. And they know it - I have a few dentist friends who admit it. I have been in a dentist's chair, overhearing a meetiing of the dentist's staff in a room next door, where they were all urged to use all manner of methods to increase revenue. If you can do it, then going with a DMO - dental HMO- is the best way of fighting them. Those big organizations force them to fixed prices. Problem is, dentists then come up with their own ways of stealing. They will suggest unnecessary procedures to you and charge extra - refuse them all.

I dont know that I know the programs any better than you, Emil. I know you have been using United's for a long time and have frequently made sensible suggestions. Keep them up, always glad to learn!

I understand Emil, and I have been there. I have been at United’s Premier Executive level for at least two years and know its benefits. In fact, of the frequent flyer programs I have used, I consider United’s the best, based on past experience (I am not sure if they have made cuts recently). Currently I have Gold membership with Continental Skypass, but I don’t consider it as good as United’s, though it gives double miles too. If I am in a situation where one flight makes the difference between Executive level and Premier level, I will spend the extra $100 on a United flight to get the Executive level. Or more. It’s not all about money – my next trip, tomorrow, is on Thai which was quite a bit more expensive than the next cheapest airline. But I am flying on from BKK and it made sense to take a direct flight to BKK and then connect. Similarly, I won’t fly certain airlines whatever their price – such as Korean, which stopped pre-assigning seats from LAX a few years ago. However, sometimes there is a huge difference between United (or Continental) and other airlines – sometimes as much as $1000. I don’t know the reason, other than that they have sold their seats. (I just checked – for a January trip LAX-Bkk Continental wants $2290, Thai is $1532 and several airlines, including United, are just above $1000 – I don’t think double miles on Continental is worth paying their price. For a June flight United wants $420 more than Delta.) So I decided to set a limit – and $50 to $100 difference is what I believe I can stomach comfortably. If the difference is any more then I will pass. As for cards with points, currently I am trying Citi's Thank You, because they give points for flight miles also. I have never redeemed, so I dont know if it is a scam - I guess I will find out!

Thanks Emil. But the procedure you describe is a little too involved, and the outcome uncertain. I would have opted for a card with a fee, but I do not stick to one airline irrespective of cost. I was with United for a long while - and still use it on occasion - but if I get a decent competing flight for, say, $50-100 less than United's fare, then I will take it. I find that between United's and Continental's (Skypass) frequent flyer programs I can cover most of my needs. United is affiliated with airlines like Thai and Singapore, while Continental offers EVA and COPA.

Emil, you have an airline credit card with no annual fee? Which one is that? The offers I receive from United are for no annual fee for the first year, and from then on it's $60 a year I think. I use Citi for that reason - no annual fee, and they give one-third points for miles flown. (I guess it used to be more, but I never got it - they changed the rule just after I joined.) But I have never redeemed any with them, so I don't know if they are any good.

Anyone know what View Talay 3 is like to stay in? I believe it is right on the beach – which is a good thing. What about the negatives – is it hard to get to? Will someone be able to find it easily – say a girl I give the address to? How far from the Jomtien baht bus route? Any other comments will be appreciated.

Thanks guys! Didnt realize there were no low-cost airlines on the route. What I am considering now - for the excitement value, not just because of cost - is flying to Phnom Penh, and taking the bus to Saigon the same day (6-7 hours, with a-c). What I have to find out now is what time the bus leaves. On the way back I know I will need to spend a night in Phnom Penh, which will be fine.

Hi Folks I am having trouble finding an airline - the low fare kind - that flies Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh (or Saigon). I have checked the common ones like Air Asia and Jetstar, and they don't have that route. Anyone know of any airline? Or of a Search Engine that sniffs out low fare Asian airlines? Any ideas on other forms of transportation will also be appreciated. Thanks.

This is an old post but since it was revived I will add what I ended up doing. What everyone has posted is correct, by the way. I was tempted by the overland route from Pattaya to Siem Reap but eventually decided against it for two reasons: the bad roads, and the fact that I wanted to check out local talent in Phnom Penh. The reports I got on PMT, which supposedly flies from U-tapao to Siem Reap, were not reassuring, and the fare was not all that attractive. That left Bangkok. As mentioned earlier, Bangkok Airways has a monopoly and charges an arm and a leg. I kept a watch on the Air Asia site, and eventually found a round trip to Phnom Penh for about US75. The only problem with Air Asia is the early flight - you have to leave Pattaya at 3 a.m. to catch it. From Phnom Penh airport I took a taxi to Siem Reap (arranged through the hotel) for US50 - a comfortable Toyota with a/c, and the journey took about 6 hours with a break. Getting a visa at the airport takes 10 minutes or so - US 20 and a photo is all you need, so I wouldn't worry about getting one ahead of time. On the way back I debated between various forms of transport, and settled on the bus - very comfortable, same time as a car, safer than a car, and only US11. The boat sounded intriguing, but I talked to someone at the hotel who had taken it - he said they had to sit on the roof and got burned nicely, and he wouldn't do it again. If I was to do it again I would probably: Bite the early bullet and fly Air Asia to Phnom Penh. Spend a a few days in Phonm Penh. Take the Mekong Express bus to Siem Reap. And vice versa - maybe spend a night and catch the morning flight back. Any other questions - go ahead and shoot and I will try to respond.

Anyone know if any of the newer no-frills airlines fly Jakarta to Bangkok? I have checked Air Asia and Nok, and neither of them does it. The regular airlines are very expensive on this route and I am looking for a cheaper alternative. Thanks.

The exchange rate for the US dollar has always been bad at the airport. Last month it was consistently about 50 satang (half a baht) less than what you could get in Pattaya. I wish I had noted the exact figures, but I didn't. Maybe next time I will, out of curiousity. Yes, sometimes the difference in rates between money changers in town is so little that it doesn't seem worthwhile looking for a good rate. However, for some people it becomes a challenge, I guess, maybe a game. And it does have serious consequences - it brings in competition which in turn helps lower rates. You may think your $100 doesn't mean much - but when 20 or 50 people decide to bypass a money changer because he is charging 2 satang more, it begins to hurt him!

This is a true story ... a friend, an Iranian, visited France on a business trip. While being shown around his hotel room by a business associate, he asked what the bidet was. The business associate, a woman, tactfully replied that it was meant for washing feet. A year or so later, the subject of bidets came up in conversation, whereupon my friend proudly informed us that the contraption was meant for washing feet. Perhaps, Dennis, you should have exercised similar tact with Flthyanml? Sometimes a little mystery in life is not such a bad thing!

I couldn't quite tell - are there rooms with a sea view also at Silversands? And what about guests - is there a joiner fee? As for the original question, Silversands is close enough to central Pattaya that you should not have transport issues. And since you are staying as a family you really have no great need to be heading to the bar zone frequently. I think you are okay as long as your hotel is not much farther than Soi 5 or 6. I just returned from there, but I was living much farther south - beyond Chaiyaphruek Road. Baht buses dont go there as a matter of course - you had to negotiate and they usually settled for 20 baht. I never returned late at night, but I suspect it would have been much more then. Again, I was with someone so it was not a great issue with me. But it would have been a pain if I was barfining frequently.

As you all know, the best price is what you are willing to pay for it. I was going to be in Pattaya for a month - my longest vacation in living memory, and I could not possibly stare at blank hotel walls for that long. I wanted a view, and a sea view preferably. The studio I got through Fair Properties - after searching through their web site - had all of that. The studio - about 54 sq m, close to 600 sq ft for the metrically challenged - was large and had one of the best views I have enjoyed in recent years. In Jomtien. I can only think of rooms in Bali and Greece that had better views. The disadvantage was that it was far. It did not matter too much to me, because after the first week I was living with a Thai lady.We would come into central Pattaya, meet some friends or have lunch, and then return, and she would usually cook me a nice dinner. But if you plan on mongering frequently, then a room that far will be inconvenient. Baht bus drivers - I think they are a special category of assholes - dont want to go that far, and I may post a special report about transport issues. About cost - I paid 15000 bht for the month, plus water and electricity. You should be able to get lower costs for long term rentals. I know Bangapiiboy rents condos and he is probably interested in market rates. Just remember, rates are what you are willing to pay. I tried to find a room through this board, but members wanted far too much.

I have just returned after a month, and I give Fair Properties a good passing grade. I know there have been mixed reports about them, but some members were waiting to hear about my experience, so here goes. There were certainly some lapses in service, but the most important thing was that I believe Fair Properties had honest intentions, and tried to fix things. Some of these took time, but the girls were trying, which I consider very important. Settling of my account and return of the deposit was prompt and fair and took just five minutes after I got to their office. Now, some of the lapses on their part. The room had not been cleaned when I got there. They believed it had been, but the person they had asked had not done it. I was a little miffed, because I wanted a shower after a long flight. However, they sent maids inside an hour, with fresh towels, sheets and bedcover. Cleaning also became an issue because of the intervals. They had included two cleanings in the contract, anything more I would have to pay for. However, they wanted to clean after 2-week intervals. I said they should clean after 10-day intervals, because a cleaning at the end of the month would do me no good. They conceded, but I had to speak forcefully on the matter. The cable was not working. There was some confusion about this, because the building management believed the owner of the condo was responsible, and Fair Properties thought it was the building management's responsibility. It took almost two weeks to sort out, partly because I had taken a short trip in between. In the end a new cable box was needed. When I was checking out I mentioned that I had no cable for almost two weeks, and they charged me for two weeks only (cable costs 350 baht a month). There was a leak in the bathroom that I considered an issue because I was going to be paying for the water. At first they sent their driver with a screwdriver to try and fix it. When that didn't work they asked the building management to do it. I was prepared to bring up the issue at check out time. However, the water bill came to a little more than 400 baht, and I decided to just pay it. The electricity bill was about 1250 baht. This was because for the first time in Thailand I did not have to run the a/c constantly. The building faced the beach and there was no construction behind it, so there was excellent air flow. Even with just a fan it became quite cool at night. If the a/c had been running most of the time then the bill would have been at least three times as much. To sum up, despite these glitches, I will rent through Fair Properties again as I found them to be behaving with honest intentions.

Copying ATM cards and using a hidden camera to note PINs is not that uncommon. It is always a good idea to cover the pin pad with your hand when entering the code. I even do it in groceries in the US, though I am a little lax about it. There are some commonly suggested precautions that people can find over the Internet - it is a good idea to follow them. I am gradually going back to depending on travelers checks more and more, mostly because of the fees that US banks are hitting us with for overseas credit card and ATM use. There are ways in which you can avoid extra charges with TCs: Amex waives the 1 percent TC issuing fee if you are an Amex card holder. Any Amex card, so I keep a fee-free Amex card just for this. Again, the transaction fee is waived if you cash the TCs at the parent bank - Amex checks at an Amex office for instance. Even if you cannot find one, in Thailand TCs get a higher exchange rate and, if you use high denomination checks, that will more than cover the transaction cost. But you still have to show your passport (in Thailand, not everywere) so it is a bit of a hassle. All said and done, everyone needs a little luck also.

Come on, give the guy a break. There is absolutely nothing wrong with spending 1/12th of the cost of a taxi if the bus journey is pretty straightforward - the savings will equal two STs or an LT! Not everyone has money to throw on taxis. Even if they do, it is wise to take the bus if it is an easy trip. Do you take baht buses in Pattaya, or do you hire taxis all the time? I can easily afford to hire taxis, but I take baht buses. Besides, people from most cities in western countries are conditioned to look for buses rather than taxis, the cost of taxis and distance being so much.

Thanks Eneukman ... I do have a Bangkok Bank account. They are reputed to be the only bank that will open an account for foreigners with only a tourist visa. According to their web site, accounts of this type do not earn interest - so you may want to check if you are really getting interest. They do pay interest on time deposits, probably over a certain amount. Account holders cannot use Internet banking, and are not able to write checks. About the only thing the bank allows is ATM withdrawals, which is better than nothing I suppose. I would really like to be able to write checks - that way I can make desposits (for an apartment for instance) without having to pay horrendous money transfer fees. I dont know if things have changed recently, but I hope to find out soon.

Hilly, I have a few questions about Siam, which you say has great service. The first is whether they allow people without permanent status in Thailand to open accounts (work or retirement visa). Secondly, do they allow Internet banking to foreigners with tourist status, and do they give foreign nationals interest on savings? And lastly, do they charge any service fees on maintaining accounts? Thanks.

I am a little confused about the new tourist visa rule, because of conflicting info I am getting. According to web sites (including the Expats Club) people are allowed to stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 6-month period. But representatives of two consulates I have called said that it is the NUMBER of visits that counts, not the length of stay. According to them, if you have three visas on arrival on your passport in a month, even if you have stayed two days each time, you have to leave the country for 90 days. Has there been any further clarification on this topic? Thanks.

Thanks for the helpful postings. I was actually looking for an HSBC branch or HSBC-managed ATMs, but I guess they dont exist in Pattaya. I would have liked to open an account with HSBC in Thailand, but since there is no Pattaya branch I wont be able to do it unless I go to Bangkok. And if you withdraw money from HSBC ATMs you don't have to pay ATM fees. It's not a lot of money, but if it is as easy as selecting one brand of ATM over another then why not do it?

Anyone know if there is an HSBC Bank branch in Pattaya? Do they have any ATMs, if not a regular bank branch? I know they have a branch in Bangkok, but I am looking for one in Pattaya, or at least an ATM machine. If there is one then its location will be helpful. Thanks.