Pieman

I can't speak for Mark, but it is too late for me as I've got an important meeting at 8pm - in the FLB. Hope to catch you later in your trip though. Cheers Pie

Mark, Don't know if your are fixed up yet but I've got a car booked to leave the Majestic at noon on the 18th. PM me if you want to share. Cheers Pie

To all golfers out there that are as bad as I am, then this book review might be of some interest. It appeared in a local paper here in SA but they have no website worthy of mention so I can't cut and paste the article. So what follows is a brief extract from that review that had me laughing out loud simply at some of the Chapter titles............ This is a guy I can relate to - I'll be buying it !!!!!! Cheers Pie

Doggie, I would like to enter a plea of not guilty, yer honour. I seem to recall that the last time as I drifted off to my cot you were still firmly planted at the bar at 0530. I am blameless as you well know. Sadly I'll have to miss the Sunday round as I've made lunch arrangements for that day. Otherwise your proposed schedule looks great - looking forward to it especially Laem Chabang. I'll have a word with Robert and see if he wants to play one of more of those days. If Siracha doesn't work out and you fancy a repeat at Khao Kheow then I'd be up for that - always enjoy that course

Doggie, Originally I wasn't going to bring my clubs this trip as I was expecting to be in Pattaya for just 10 days. However, that's since been extended so count me in for any game from Monday 20th onwards - excluding the Wednesday of course (day after your b'day party at Kittens). Cheers Pie

Hi doggie, Count me in and stick me down for a L shirt please. Looking fwd to it. Cheers Pie

I can understand you being keen to finalise your plans but you might be better to ask again in January, as no member here is a clairvoyant to my knowledge. A lot can change in 6 months and I can assure you that you will have no problem in securing a reservation for March at that time. Cheers Pie

1. Better than at home. 2. If you go to your GP (or listen to nervous types) you will wind up like a pin cushion. What do you need ? IMHO - precisely zilch, you have more chance of being knocked over by a baht bus than catching a tropical nasty. I've taken the square root of fuck all over the years and live to tell the tale. Your call. 3. I have an idea or two on that front but your missus might not be so keen. 4. Jaded and faded and unless you are already locked in then I'd look elsewhere. If you are locked in then don't despair - there are worse places, you'll be OK. Cheer

Deuce, Just caught up with this thread - great post. I'm in the same boat as a few others here. Having taken 90 LTs to 10 about Ernie a few weeks ago, I had my dick ready in my hand as he stood over his putt on 18 and was already congratulating myself on my impeccable judgement. Now, what's the cheapest route from Don Muang to Ekamai again ? Cheers Pie

No, you can't get a 60 day visa upon arrival. You have two options (excluding leaving the LOS and returning) which are.... Apply for a 60 day visa from the Thai embassy or a Thai consulate before you leave or simply go to an immigration office (Soi 8 in Pattaya) before your 30 day visa on arrival expires and for 1900 baht they will give you an automatic 15 day extension. You will need passport photos and a photocopy of the "ID" page of your passport. You hand over all the relevant documents, they give you a number and a time when your passport will be ready for collection - it takes a

Jerry, Your are right. I missed papillon's second post and from the description contained therein, it couldn't be the Parkway. Cheers Pie

Papillon, Sounds like the Parkway Inn to me too. Is there a narrow entrance way to the side of a tailors ? Lift immediately to your left (which only stops at reception on the way down) with reception and small bar one floor up ? If so then definitely the Parkway. Cheers Pie

BB, All of your criteria in the "must have" dept are met by the Sandy Springs on Soi 13 bar one. To my knowledge, they don't have separate shower cubicles so you are stuck with the over the bath method. However, being a shower afficionado myself, I can assure you that the water pressure is good and the temperature constant. The latter is one of my bugbears - I hate going from boiling to freezing every few seconds as happens in some hotels, depending on how many people are using the showers at any given time. All else is covered and then some. Top hotel. Well within your price range mo

Pete, FWIW - and it ain't worth much as I imagine you are aware of it - but the transfer to the new server resulted in all commas, hyphens, full stops etc being translated into question marks on a recent rip report I did. I've subsequently edited the one in question but have left the others as they are "old hat" by now anyway. It has done the same with other posts I notice. Just thought I'd mention it lest you didn't know but I'm assuming that it won't re-occur with any new posts made anyway. Cheers Pie

partyanimal, Thanks for that link. As you say it appears to be more the type of place to stay when you have someone "special" with you than a place to stay alone but it certainly looks impressive. I didn't know it existed and have "filed" the info for future use. The website is one of the best of its type I have seen too. Just for the record, when I said "price immaterial" don't get the wrong impression. Rockerfeller I am not. :crying But as I am only going to be staying there for 3/4 days then price is less of a consideration than it would be if I was staying a month or so.

lv2play, Thanks for taking the trouble to post the photos. I've since looked up the place and it seems they have some new rooms, albeit at a higher price, and this is what I will probably go for. I'm in Pty for a few days before I move to Jomtien so I'll drift over the hill and check them out first. PNO, Knowing nothing about Jomtien, the Boathouse was my original intention. There is a review here that mentions noise outside the rooms and as I am far from an early riser that put me off. Otherwise I agree that it is well located and the rooms look perfectly OK. It remains a backstop

Your contributions will be sorely missed. My weekend is in tatters. Cheers Pie

For reasons I won't bore you with I find myself needing to spend a few nights in Jomtien next month. Other than a few hours sipping cold ones under an umbrella I have no experience of the area. Anyone out there with any recommendations that fit the following criteria ? Guest friendly. Close to main drag/main bar beers/beach. Bright, airy room with good shower. King size bed. Price is immaterial. Cheers Pie

Intersting story. If they do go through with the increases then they will quite likely lose a fair amount of traffic. Of course, we all know what the answer to that will be - raise prices again to compensate for lost revenue. TIT. Cheers Pie

Deuce, I thought I said that I'd be out every NIGHT practising for the PARTY. Damn - got it wrong again, and I've been working so hard at it too. Best I get my arse down the driving range then ! Looking fwd to this year's event and tks for pitching up on the 4th - from what little I recall it was quite a night. Cheers Pie

I can recommend http://www.orchidresidence.com - simple but nicely furnished, clean rooms. The deluxe rooms at around 750 baht, off season, are great value. No pool but they have an arrangement with a neighbouring hotel if that bothers you. Location, on Soi San Sabai, can't be beaten. It's quiet but you are only a 60 second stroll from Soi Bangla and all the action. If the link above doesn't work and it didn't last time I tried it for some reason, then click on http://www.orchid-residence.de/ and when the page comes up click on the union jack for the english version. Cheers Pie

I agree that portable DVD is the way to go. You can buy them for $100 or less. The one I bought at Panthip 18 months ago weighs 11oz and hooks up to any TV. DVDs are 120 baht or less - then you get to choose the movie you want to watch, can fast forward etc etc. Also useful for those lazy afternoons - you can watch a latest release movie without either freezing your balls off or listening to some prat have a 30 minute conversation on their cellphone from the row in front of you. Cheers Pie

Jimmy, They were probably just being bone idle as it requires them to fill in forms and collect money. Nothing new there then. :) Either that or you were just unlucky with the reception staff on duty when you arrived. For your next stay, I would recommend booking via e-mail and mention in your e-mail that you will be taking out a membership on arrival. Nuansri Phanichphakdee is pretty efficient and unless away for a few days as happened to me once so e-mails went unanswered for almost a week, then you will get a quick response. That way you will be on file as paying the lower rate. I

Jimmy, You said that you payed 1500 for a deluxe room. This may have been because it was early Jan and they had jacked up prices over that period but that is the normal rack rate. With a "membership" (available on arrival at reception) which costs 350baht a year, the rate drops to 1200 a night for a deluxe and 990 a night (from 1200) for a standard. You could be aware of this and if so apologies for trying to teach my grandma to suck eggs but the 1500 seemed high. To all, Similar to my earlier remarks (not entirely serious either) that I was going to stop recommending this hotel be

Not often I disagree with you Valentino on matters like this but I did the minibus from U-Tapao to Pattaya the first time I landed there and would never do so again. Firstly, by the time all passengers had paid and had their luggage loaded etc etc, I would have been 20 mins closer to Pattaya if I had just hopped into a waiting cab. Secondly, and admittedly it's luck of the draw, my hotel was the last one they stopped at on arrival so I spent about 30-40 mins touring various hotels on arrival in Pattaya before being dropped at mine. For those on tight budgets (e.g. those that prefer to