Mescalito

I've made 2 trips to LOS on Korean Air from Los Angeles and loved it. Thanks to them I am now unashamedly addicted to Korean food. And yes, even kimchi! The food was excellent, even back there in Oppressed Class, and the cabin crew was always very courteous and gracious. I have yet to fly Thai Airways or Singapore Airlines (#1 rated airline in the world, I believe), but I have nothing but good things to say about Korean Air.

I was in Pattaya for Loy Krathong last year and had a great time. However, we may go to Bangkok or elsewhere for it this year. There aren't any rivers or canals in Pattaya, so the krathongs are set out on the ocean. It was a very windy night (as anyone there will remember) and the krathongs kept getting either blown out or washed back into shore so it didn't quite have the impact it might elsewhere. Still, it's a very enjoyable experience no matter where you go. Walking along Beach Road throughout the day watching this amazing cottage industry spring to life as families set up stands to make some amazing and beautiful krathongs for sale is a sight not to be missed.

Both beautiful and heart-wrenching. The pictures bring this tragedy home to us even more. Thanks for sharing them with those of us unable to be there.

My donation is now on its way via PayPal. Thanks for setting this up, Martin.

What a tragedy. She was such a lovely person -- always a smile and I never heard her say a mean thing about anyone. Why is it that the world already has more than enough a**h***s, but nowhere enough people like this, people that we then lose to soon? My deepest condolences go out to her friends and family. She will be missed.

Yes. We are monitoring your every move. Please remain in your seat and we will be there shortly. In all seriousness, even the most secure and robust databases throw a tantrum once in a while. Usually when they re-index during the regularly scheduled systems maintenance the problem corrects itself. My theory on the event, anyway.

I realize that for either a local hire or ex-pat assignment there are probably quite a few legal hoops for a non-Thai to jump through to work in Thailand, i.e.- special work visas, etc. Are there any members with regular full-time jobs in Thailand? And by that I don't mean bar and/or gogo owners/managers ; I'm referring to the more "mainstream" world of corporate employment. If so, how did you swing it? I'm not old enough -- or rich enough -- to retire yet -- but would leave the Golden State of California in a second if I could land a decent job in Thailand. Just not sure how, or if it's even possible. The sage counsel of this august group will be greatly appreciated.

Loss of Sanity (in a good way)

Must have run out of minutes.

1600 sounds about right. When I'm in Pattaya I book a car back to BKK at the end of the trip from the front desk at the RG: 1500 including tolls. It's always been either a Volvo or a Camry. Still getting used to the drivers' modus operandi, though: 140kph into and through any open space on the road they can find! On my last trip I thought we were re-enacting the chase scene from The French Connection or Bullit!

I've never stayed at the Penthouse and from what I've read in the reviews I won't. I've always stayed at the RG and barring some major catastrophe I always will. For me it's perfect. As far as you being a newbie -- take heart. We all have to start somewhere. I suggest two things: read through as much as you can in the forums here; there is a wealth of information available, and some of it is even useful! In all seriousness, there are quite a few true veterans of LOS and Pattaya in general among the members, and there probably isn't an experience someone hasn't had (although the quest continues! ) Second suggestion is to get a copy of the Thai/English phrase book published by Lonely Planet. It has a purple cover and is pocket-sized. Learning a few important phrases, as well as reading its sections on the basics of Thai etiquette, will do you a world of good. It's the best book of it's type that I have found.

Gotta second the nomination of PIC Kitchen on Soi 4. I had one of the best meals of my life there, and spent less on it than I have for just an appetizer in Los Angeles. That's where I also discovered that a bite of fresh sliced cucumber provides instant relief from the heat of some of the spicier dishes.

What some consider negatives of the RG are actually positives for me. I like that it's a bit out of the way; I need a little down-time after a big night, and the somewhat isolated location works well for me. I actually like the stroll into town, but being a bit lazy I take the baht bus back at night. And yes, the beds are a bit firm, but my back has been wrecked by years of abuse and neglect (deteriorating L6/7 disk, herniated C4/5, 5/6 and 6/7 disks) so a firm mattress is what I need. It just comes down to what each person needs and wants.

As far as LAX departures go, I've booked LAX-BKK r/t on Korean Air for between 750 and 800 USD. Change planes in Seoul, with a layover of anywhere from 3-10 hours depending on which flight you take. Excellent food on the flights, and as a result I've become a huge fan of Korean food; beats the hell out of the food on China Air, which I've also taken via Taipei. Incheon Airport in Seoul also has an excellent transit hotel inside the terminal that you can book in advance (6-hour minimum) with an adjoining restaurant. It's a great resource if you're stuck there with a long layover but not enough time to get into the city.

Any aikidoists out there? And if so, is there a dojo in Pattaya? There are three in Bangkok that I've found, but googling for it in Pattaya yielded nothing. When a city of 12+ million has only 3, I suspect that a city of 60,000 may have none, but I'd like to be sure. I'm not the muay thai type; it can be interesting to watch but it's not what I've chosen to study.

Would love to play in it; when is it this year? I may need to talk my company into an urgent business trip to our Bangkok office. I'm a Classroom regular (when I'm in Pattaya), and divide my nighttimes between there and FLB. (And last time I looked my index was a 5 and rising.)

I'm another RG regular. Unless something goes disasterously wrong on a future stay I don't think I'll even try anyplace else. Very friendly and well-trained staff. The food is good and the coffee is great. The location is slightly out of the way but I like it like that: no street noise to bother me at night. It's also an excellent value when you book on-line through here or the FLB Bar site. TG's really like it, and my regular TG has told me how much she likes it; we've actually gotten away from having dinner at any of her favorite haunts on Walking Street in favor of room service at the RG.

Ditto the above comments. I've stayed at the RG on every one of my trips to Pattaya and a guest is never an issue, whether she checks in with you or magically appears later. The guest policy listed in the in-room brochures is really just directed at preventing large crowds from forming and partying loudly into the night to the disturbance of other guests. This I learned directly from Ib when I inquired during my first trip. The RG, if you've never stayed there before, is a great hotel and a great value, and the staff is very respectful of all the guests, both registered and "other"; provided, of course, than one is equally repectful and courteous in return.

Jasper, Not to get too far off-topic here, but I'm also in the US with similar aspirations. What kind of visa are you pursuing, and what's going to be your employment situation once you get there? Or are you one of the lucky ones who's retiring to Thailand?

My heart goes out to all the people affected by this tragedy, locals and falang alike. The devastation and loss of life defies the imagination. I realize that by comparison, what few troubles exist in my own life are so insigificant as to not be worth mentioning. I genuinely grieve for the people whose land and culture has so dramatically changed my life for the better.

I'm another RG fan. Both of my Pattaya trips this year were spent at the RG and I don't forsee myself changing. Absolutely no problem with guests, provided you don't make a spectacle of yourself, I imagine. My very regular guest and I have breakfast by the front pool each morning, and she's treated every bit as well as I am. Better, maybe, since she speaks Thai and I know about 6 words at best! The only downside I've ever experienced is that the AC can be a bit noisy if you're running it at night. However, foam earplugs and a tab of Tylenol PM solves that problem.

Wombat --- Thanks for the addition; damned funny! The people in this internet cafe in California gave me a funny look when I started chuckling over that one! Mescalito

A bit of an update for the others, and possibly answering my own question based on what is now first-hand observation. (and my sympathies to "flighty" for his bad exeprience there -- I've stayed at the Grand twice and had a much better go of things). From in the in-room services directory: "For security reasons, it is requested that all non-registered guests leave by 10:00pm." Looks like they're trying to discourage us, at least. Discreetly placed but still visible security near the entrances to both main and ground floor lobbies. HOWEVER --- An attractive young lady who I'm 95% sure was from an escort service knocked on the door of a gentleman 2 doors down from me as I was strolling through the hall. Very fair-skinned, without the darker tones of the typically Isan-born guests, and dressed seductively but not trashy. Much laughter and giggling ensued from behind their door shortly thereafter. And no -- I wasn't listening in; it was very hard to miss, and I'm deaf in one ear!. Also, as I gazed out my window at 5:00am the next day before an early round of golf I caught sight of a freshly-showered young lady of more the typical temporary guest appearance at the window of an adjacent room (Grand has some angled outside walls), and with the standard-issue towel wrap action going on. My follow-up results, for what they're worth. Might not to really be enough to draw firm conclusions, but what the hell.

Yes, sad to say, it's as bad or even worse in the US. Christmas decorations have been for sale in stores since October -- early October. The holiday has become little more than a chance for retailers and manufacturers to get one last boost to the bottom line before their fiscal year ends. Did the pagans in early England have this problem? Runes needed for the winter solstice being thrown or carved just after the harvest, perhaps?

I wasn't sure where to post this, so I guess that means it belongs under "Idle Chit-Chat". I'm playing golf later in the week with the husband of one of the people in my company's Bangkok office. I've played in LOS before (local tournament) but not as part of a quasi-business setting. Are there any particular protocols I should know about, or things that I would be expected to do during or after the round? I've been playing for 40+ years so I generally know what I'm doing and like to think I'm quite attentive to course etiquette, but any guidance on additional issues in this particular setting will be appreciated.