cottesloe

Hi Guys, I think you might be right there - NN. I'm sorry but I've never come across Irn Bru in Thailand ... Another mildly interesting piece of trivia concerning Irn Bru - is that Scotland is the only country in the world where the most popular soft drink is not coca cola - it is, of course, Dandelion and Burdock Must be possible to get it somewhere? All the best, C.

That's my favourite (and they are all good). I'll leave it to the OP to explain. SinBin - Thanks a lot for these - I'll use a few tonight! All the best, C.

Hi, Try - www.latestays.com for an idea of prices that should be paid or are being asked. IMHO, If there is availability then they seem to offer the best prices - at least in low season. Scandibar.com - has already been mentioned. Any hotel in Soi 13 will give you a decent room, with pool for well under 2000 baht. Try the Sandy Spring or The haven (there are loads more in the archives). Also for a weekly stay you could try negotiating with - www.lkpattayahotel.com - the LK group and check out MM's LK Metropole discount thread pinned at the top of this section. You c

Hi Emil, Thanks for that - I had taken it into account and gambled on it being ok. There is always a risk that any Pattaya trip will be inconvenienced by construction work. Maybe it would be a good thing if the road was totally screwed ... Imagine, a whole new apartment block with full facilities all to yourself I'd buy a pair of wellies and stock it with a few of Pattay's finest !!! Thanks for the advice it is appreciated. C.

Hi Guys, Thanks for all the feedback. I've taken the gamble and booked it - and had it confirmed ... I'll post a full review etc when there. I actually like the area (proximity to Sois 6, 7 & 8 - restaurants etc) and, of course, would love it to be on beach Road but none of the hotels/apartments there have the advertised facilities that this place does. If it lives up to the advert then the money is good and well within my budget - My MO is to spend a lot of time in the hotel and use the gym / pool and all the other facilities during the day and evening before heading out

Hi JJ, The price is OK - I've been quoted 39K ++ and electric at 5 or 7 baht a unit. I reckon a month will be well under 50K baht. 100 square metre suite, daily cleaning, two flatscreen TVs, broadband, gym, swimming pool etc etc - if all works then it's a steal at that price ( ). I'm really tempted to take the gamble and knowing that nothing is ever as it seems ... I've decided - off to fax and book! Any further info would be appreciated ... Thanks, C.

Hi, I was looking at the new Amari Nova Suites as accom for a a forthcoming trip (2 weeks to go!!) and before booking thought I'd ask if anybody has checked it out yet ... http://www.amari.com/novasuites/ Thanks, C.

Hi Chaps, Just a small aside ... I was coming back from Phuket to Pattaya via U-Tapao last July and met one of the owners of First Class Visa at U-Tapao. He very kindly gave me a lift into Pattaya, dropped me off at the door of my hotel and generally went out of his way to sort me out. I bumped into him a couple of time throughout my stay and he was always most pleasant. IMO - a great guy and it seems with a great Visa Service as well. A treble thumbs up from me!!! Cheers, C.

Hi O, I see what your saying and yes it's to a certain extent true ... but for me, certain things being in place, you need a base. Also for me that base has to be in my home turf ... I can get mail, register with health care, lock up and leave with a rucksack, return and open up, maintain a bank account, vote, run for office :-). So, what has to be in place - money to pay for it. But if that is there then it is the lack of hassle especially as you say places like the RG abound while on holiday. I've moved many times and no matter how you plan it or pay for it or whatever - it

Hi S, All the changes that you mentioned sure are worrying but I bet you I can make an even more worrying case about either the USA or the UK. No constitution. Did the lawlesness in Thailand ever affect you before and is it likely to now? Is crossing 2nd road not more worrying. The coup - undoubtedly worrying, but what effect does it have. The new visa, currency laws. Do they really have any affect for a retiree. Has it not always been the case that Thailand was likely to be volatile? 5, 10, 20 years ago. Personally, I'm not too worried about any of the changes but

Hi Chaps, Very interesting thread. Interest rates in U.S up to 5%, commodities took a hit today along with OIL ... I think we'll see at least a 10% correction over the next three months. I know this is posting after the fact ... the start of it was the last few days. I did sell some of my equities last week before the hike in U.S to 5% as (at least) a little hedge. Cheers, C.

Hi, Not stayed there but had a good look round ... top class facilities and rooms. Check out - http://www.lkpattayahotel.com/ For price details. Watch out for the utility charges. know that a few board members stay there full time ... so maybe they can give the full gen. Cheers, C. I

Hi, As an add on to EMan's last post ... It generally works a little like this. Interest rates are generally used to keep a cap on inflation. The base rate in the UK currently runs at around 1 - 2% greater than the inflation rate. So, you are only going to get at most 2% (taking into account ISAs, tax allowances etc) greater than the rate of inflation. So, to stand still on your capital and get £14K a year, you need to invest an amount where 2% (at best!) gives you 14K and that amount is around £700K. Now that doesn't include any thought of exchange rate fluctuations that can

Hi, 1. No CGT on the sale of your main residence. 2. Income tax on rental income after expenses. 3. Income tax or CGT on any investment of capital on the the proceeds, if any, of the sale. 4. Remember Income tax and CGT allowances. I agree with BB on the posts initial concept ... Don't sell but rent - I would temper that by saying - at least for the 1st year. Renting property while abroad can be a real hassle - I did it for ten years and I'm now glad I did but there were quite a few moments along the way. Cheers, C.

Hi Tabmule, For some strange reason I found this amusing / sick. C'mon give us a break - please, no more!!! Cheers, C.

Hi, I assume you are looking for a place in Patong ... 1. Try www.latestays.com for some late deals on hotels. 2. Try a search on the www.phuket-info.com message board. 3. Watch out for the taxi mafia from the airport - they give an extremely hard sell on hotels. If you want to take a metered cab then you have to walk out the airport (200m) for one. Try a search about this on phuket-info. 4. For location and room type I personally like room 210 at the Safari Beach Hotel but don't know how much they are charging in "£high season". Send them a mail. Good luck and enjoy

Hi All, Being British I fly BA all the time. The flight timings/schedules usually suit me best. One thing though - I always set my expectations of service extremely low and not surprisingly I'm never disappointed. Off Topic: Sailfast, I hate when this happens. I sometimes think its an employee tactic - If I lie to and piss off as many customers as possible not only do I get to enjoy it but if some nutter (who I've pushed to the limit) comes back and gives me a good kicking at work then I can spend the next five years off sick and get paid compensation! Cheers, C.

Hi Millwall, I concur with the previous poster - musty, old, worn - no too pleasant a place to stay - but OK if there is nowhere else. On the up side - Excellent location - just next to Gullivers, Foodland and not too far to Soi 7, Nana and the Sky Train. 2k Baht seems a bit steep and maybe better quality for the same price elsewhere or same quality for less .... BUT, the location is great! Cheers, C

Hi, Good advice already about booking on-line ... I did exactly the same in July - Utapao - Phuket - Bkk (- London). I just popped into the travel agent at the entrance to the Flipper (not sure if its the Flipper Lodge) Hotel on Soi 8, gave dates and times of connections etc and they had me processed and booked with electronic ticket receipt and schedule in hand, for around 5000 baht, within 10 minutes. So, if you're a lazy bastard like myself, who likes other people to sort out the arrangements, then pop into a local travel agent when in Pattaya. Cheers, C

Hi T, You would expect that to be the case ... But the Sunshine Vista wouldn't negotiate at all with me when I popped in there a few months ago. They wouldn't even give me the RES24 rate at the front desk and instead stuck to a higher rate than that but told me to book one night and the remainder through RES24!!?? Maybe I didn't speak to the manager or the right person and my negotiaton skills are obviously not up to the mark!! It was very frustrating and in the end I just walked ... Cheers, C.

Hi, I flew from u-Tapao to Phuket direct three weeks ago. No stop in between. The flight took nearly two hours as the plane was a propeller type and therefore rather slow. The flight is very scenic and with a good book to read the time passed very quickly. The cab from Pattaya to the airport cost me about 600 baht but as previous posters have said it is quite remote and if you can get back for less than 800 baht then its a deal. The journey takes about 45 mins. Much better than going to BKK as there is minimal hassle as it's a very small airport. I hope this helps. Chee

Hi Chaps, Looking to share taxi on 17th May at approximately 13:00 - I arrive at the Airport at 12:30 so looking at around 30 minutes to clear customs etc. All welcome!! Cheers. C

Hi Guys, I add my recommendation for the Nationwide flexi account / debit card. Always useful to have threads like this - just in case anything better comes on the market that we can use ... Clubman, You said - "£ GBP rising against Thai Baht imho we are on way to 100 baht = £1" Now, that would be nice. Why do you think that? I'm thinking of locking in some baht at about £ = 75 ish ... that's why I ask. Cheers, C

Hi BOS2, I agree with the previous posts about you not getting anywhere at the branch - you have to be so persistent!!! to get anywhere. You can check GBP/THB rates over the days in question on many FX sites. It seems that something is wrong if the rate was exactly the same a few days apart. Possible but not that probable. That coupled with no charge for the transaction - then at the very least you are owed an explanation ... Bad luck about losing the card and good luck with the bank! Cheers, C

Chaps, Not only that - you also get one free draft carlsberg a day from the Scandinavian Bar if you book through them!! So, why have all of us members joined? Beats me. I will demand a refund of my 350 baht the next time I'm there - plus interest of course I really like the Sandy Spring and can't recommend it highly enough. All the times I've stayed there I've had good service and felt very comfortable. It has many faults - no security as the guards fall asleep, no breakfast, no gym, no in-room safes - but all in all my favourite hotel in Pattaya. Cheers.