Bazle

Is the offer only for today?

I wasn't referring to the developer's asking prices but to what the well located units are fetching on the "resale" market.

QROPS is something that is relevant only to people in UK pension schemes. For a pension fund member not yet drawing his pension and not intending to return to the UK, it could be a wise move. However, there are many hurdles and risks involved. It is an area where some middle men are making rich pickings and in which there are people operating with fraudulent intent . I would urge anyone of thinking of setting up a QROPS to take considerable care they fully understand the ramifications, and check very carefully the experience and repute of any adviser they employ. This is particularly the case if they are moving out of a final salary (defined benefits) scheme.

Nev I don't think you read to the very end of my post! Thanks again. Bazle

Yes, here: http://www.pattayatalk.com/forums/topic/57297-news-from-the-front-3/page__view__findpost__p__933203

Nev You subsequently amended this to Saturday. I duly arrived a few minutes before 11pm, sat down and ordered a bottle of Heineken. I wanted to be somewhere else so needed just the one beer, hence did not try any secret code to get two for the price of one. My drink arrived and I looked around to see if there was anyone who might be the big boss. Failing in that, I explained to a mamasan-looking person that I had agreed to meet you there. She went off to the cashier's desk and, shortly after, signalled me to join her there whereupon I was given your note and the gold card, for which I thank you. I rejoined my beer and a rather good looking lady joined me. I wasn't staying long but bought her a drink. A few minutes later, I asked to check bin. The bill was 260 Baht but, now equipped with the gold card, I was expecting it to be reduced to 208 Baht (20% discount). The service girl took the dockets away along with my card to get the bill revised. She returned with a request for 233 Baht - just 10% discount. I just could not be arsed to dispute it, but the tip was discounted!!! [Edit: Having just finished writing the above, I realise I am the one who has it wrong - the discount was correct as it applied to my drink only, not the LD. Apologies!}

Confirmed! Now Saturday. Hope to see you around 11pm.

Is anyone aware of a high-end development at Bali Hi called Waterfront? Apparently, they are selling off-plan like hot cakes, and some people have already run up 20% profits. Apart from that, I can't help but think there is a property bubble about to burst here; so many condos being built yet ones finished 2 or 3 years ago still unsold. The Russian buyers intrigue me. Most of the units where I am seem to be owned by Russians, and I think that is quite common. Surely they can't all be oligarchs, so there seem to be quite a few well off "normal" Ruskies around.

Avenue Shopping Mall I mentioned previously about the changes happening at the back of the Mall. It looks very much as though the back is to become either the new front, or an equal front. Work continues on that with much of the back walls demolished in order to become shop-fronts. Inside, one of the circular areas is undergoing work with Coffee World, Cream & Fudge, and Pizza World on the ground floor all currently closed. On the floor above, the unit adjacent to the upper floor in Starbucks, is also being worked on. Outside the main entrance to Villa Market and the entrance to California WOW, a large part of the floor has been raised by about 10 inches and tiled with wood-look tiles. The reason is not yet apparent to me. Another area closer to the back has been concreted over. Also, there haven’t been any market stalls in The Avenue for several days. All taken together, some master plan seems to be being put into action. Perhaps the revised emphasis on the back of the Mall is partly explained by the following. Soi 15, Second Road This is the soi that runs from opposite Boyztown off Second Road in a general north-eastern direction and ends at Soi Buakhao. Along it are a number of large condo developments, the Mercure and Pattaya Bay Resort hotels, and the (current) back of The Avenue shopping mall. Between The Avenue and Soi Buakhao are some major new building works. Adjacent to the Pattaya Bay Resort and opposite the new wing of Areca Lodge is this new building in the course of construction. The hoarding reads: “THE OZONE LIVING BY NATURE WITH GREATER BUSINESS POTENTIAL AT SOI BUAKHAO MODERN CORONIAL STYLE 7.9 MILLION BAHT”. The other side of the road from that, adjacent to Areca Lodge new wing, is a sales office for a new very large development by Centara consisting of a hotel and 3 blocks of condos. I believe the development is by an Israeli company and, judging by the size of the site, will go on for at least a couple of years. Building noise looks likely to affect people staying in all parts of Areca Lodge, and possibly Pattaya Bay Resort. Soi 13/2 (Beach Road/Second Road) Hot & Cold Agogo appears to be moving a few yards closer to Second Road, right next to the open-air Bodega Bar. Soi 11 (Beach Road/Second Road) This new building is going up at the Second Road end but I could not see what it is going to be. Soi 10 (Beach Road/Second Road) Most of this soi from Second Road down to about 80 yards from Beach Road is a mess! It is partly dug up for (I think) drain laying and in a bad state where not dug up. The construction of a new hotel is almost complete. It is adjacent to SeaMe Spring Hotel and opposite Sawasdee Sea View. Pattaya International Firework Competition This is being held tonight and tomorrow. If a Tourist Police Volunteer man was correctly informed, there might be a few fireworks tonight but the main show will be tomorrow. In the meantime, most traffic has been banned from Beach Road and the pavement/sidewalk is full of market stalls making it close to unwalkable. Pattaya Klang from Beach to Second Roads is also closed. I think the fireworks are going to be let off from this barge out to sea between Pattaya Klang and the Hard Rock Hotel. These pictures were taken near Pattaya Klang on Beach Road. Is this a first for Pattaya – a “mobile toilet truck”? But only one!

Thanks, Nev. I will try to get there. Am I going to have ongoing problems with the cashier's fellow service staff?

Nev Thanks fot your reply. I will try to go X-Zone tomorrow. What time will you be there? What is the issue with the cashier? Is she just refusing to follow instructions or did she not receive any? Cheers. Bazle

Why am I not surprised that this proved to be an abject failure! I went into X-Zone at 9.30 this evening and immediately went and spoke to the cashier. I showed her my white card, pointed to my name written on it and said "Nev tell me on internet that if I give you white card, you give me gold card". Her response was to say that the gold card costs 1,000 Baht. So I repeated what I said, and she repeated what she said! I asked her to call her manager. She ignored me and set about counting bags of 5 and 10 Baht coins. I assumed she was waiting for something but, after several minutes, it was obvious I was being cold-shouldered. So I asked her again to call her manager. She refused, and just said: "Manager come later". After all of this thread, I could not believe this one simple thing had not been communicated to the cashier. I was also surprised how rude the cashier behaved. :banghead :banghead Needless to say, I left.

Good point! At least Nev is taking on board the points we have made. More than can be said of places like Heavens Above!

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1171298/1/.html

Nev Thank you for the offer which I will attempt to take up in the next few days. Could you also please deal with the issue of advertising 2 for 1 draught beer when, in fact, you have none. The guys should not be holding placards advertising something which is not, in fact, on offer. As to the date from which the cards were to be made available, your post on Secrets made it clear that it was LAST Friday, and on this board your post was ambiguous. Cheers. Bazle

I went into X-Zone at 10.15 this evening. As I was there well before the 10.30 offer cut-off time, I ordered a draught beer expecting to get two for the price of one (as per advertising placards). I was told that they had run out of draught. Now, this is the second time this has happened to me, so I query whether they EVER have draught available at Happy Hours. I ordered a bottle of Heineken thinking that at least I’d be able to get a 10% discount with their card. I duly walked over to the cashier and requested a card. (I had not done so before as the discount is not available for Happy Hour drinks.) At first, the cashier had no idea what I was talking about, despite extensive consultation with a service staff member wearing a Santa Claus hat. Eventually, the cashier produced a plastic bag full of boxes of discount cards. The plastic bag was sealed, so I assume I was the first person to ask for a card. After about 10 minutes, the cashier made a ‘phone call to someone who I think was Nev. Several minutes after that, I was given a silver discount card after I had written my name on it. I returned to my drink only to discover that I could not get 10% discount as I had ordered the drink PRIOR to having the card. I objected and asked that Nev be consulted again. The service staff refused. Nev, I have supported you up to now as I think you have been responsible for an improvement in X-Zone, but on the issues of 2-4-1 drinks and discount cards you have lost ALL credibility.

The above two statements do not reconcile: 16 December is in the week AFTER Nev posted this. I think he really meant 9 December. Nev has not been around this board since 6 December but posted this on Secrets on 8 December: So we should be able to get the cards NOW! Incidentally, if you wonder what the VIP room is, it was explained to be "for those who wish some private moments inside the club" at a cost of 250 Baht and has a shower.

I've been to Kinnaree on several occasions and probably on about half of them have done exactly that - without any hassle.

If you want a slightly more upmarket place, try the top floor food court of Royal Garden Plaza.

I walked past Sexy Agogo (Soi 7) last evening and the evening before. On both occasions it was closed. I can't say I was surprised. Today I located the new gogo opening in Soi LK Metro - Paradise. It is 2 doors up towards Soi Buakhao from The Drunken Duck. I took a picture of a notice in Sexy Girls Agogo (Soi 8) at the end of last month which shows both Sexy Agogo and Paradise are in the same group. Out with the old, in with the new. Let's just hope Paradise is considerably better than Sexy (AND not staffed by agency girls!)

Not trying to thread fuck but there are some strange things missing from the shelves - e.g. I haven't been able to find tonic water nor kitchen towels in shops for the last 4 days.

Thanks Losgrad. The pictures are just fine. Were you allowed to road test any models?

I looked into taking insurance before hitting the dreaded 61 y.o. I used a broker whose name is mentioned on the forums from time to time. I concluded that the potential maximum payout didn't justify the premiums. Self-insurance is the way to go!

I'm not sure I understand your question so I've PM'ed you a full size copy of the picture. Hope that helps.

It was a public holiday (King's birthday) today and so a lot of Thai families on the beach and, perhaps more so, on the pavement adjacent to the beach in Jomtien. There was also the anticipated multitude of Russian holidaymakers - this one over-exposed in more ways than one It seems that I had just missed the Jet Ski World Cup as the stands were being dismantled. All these pictures were taken along Jomtien Beach Road except the last two which are from Pattaya Beach Road; when I returned to Pattaya, there was the inevitable Holiday procession.