teelack

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Has anyone used the Over Seventies desk? I believe that this is to the far right hand side of the immigration area and is also used by wheel chair passengers as well. As I understand it the queue is short and quick. I have never bothered with it but have been told by a number of people that it is a good service for the golden oldies. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

... and Jacko from a country where there is no actual booking office. I just spoke to a Chinese lady in Hong Kong on their 0800 number. As far as I can work out this means that I cannot use the vouchers for flights from my home country as I cannot book direct. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

For me a enforced stop was where I was unable to fly from Hong Kong to Bangkok because the international plane I was on was running late and as it was the last one of the day I was put up in the airport hotel. The reasons for the vouchers is contained in my recent trip report. I have realised that there is no booking office for Cathay in my country and the only ways I can see of using these vouchers is to fly again with Cathay (the prices are going to have to fall a lot before that happens) and use them for duty free or list them on an online sales site and hopefully get fifty cents in the dollar.

Hi there and thanks Butch. I will follow up on your thoughts. It would solve every thing if I could get duty free in the airport. I did however think after posting to put the query on Google and find that I am not the only person frustrated with vouchers like this. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

As reported recently in my trip report I had an enforced stop over in Hong Kong. When I got home I sent a complaint into them about the miserly HK $75 for meals and lo and behold they sent me $US 100 in service vouchers. I believe that there a number of boardies that fly Cathay or Cathay Dragon I wonder if they have any ideas how I can use these vouchers for other than international flights? I managed to get a one off special fare from them last time but normally they are twice the price of my usual carriers. I am unlikely to use them again in the near future and wonder if anyone had found a better/different use for them?

I wonder if this is as bad as it sounds. There are quite a few punters out there sending money on a monthly basis to their loved ones in Pattaya. I sometime think (from some personal experience) that when a girl sees the opportunity to move into her boyfriends hotel that this is a great holiday for her. Lets face it hustling in a bar, getting groped nightly, or doing the freelance scheme in Insomnia must get to be hard work at times. Nothing better than to over eat, swim, laze by the pool and have a few drinks a fit the odd shag into the days holiday routine. I think that there are a few people who could save a buck and getter a better deal by buying a plastic Barbie.

Worth a listen for sure. Thanks for posting.

So far this hasnt impacted on me but I amsure that there will be a catch up. I suspect that this ban and other like it will continue to be implemented and should there be one proven bombing of a Western based plane then it is a sure thing. The question that I as is do bans like this really matter? I am aware for instance that immigration in the US has gone tough and that some people resent it but get on with the changes. Getting through airports world wide are tougher now than they were but again, we have to just get on with it. I hear people grumbling in Bangkok about taking their belts off and removing their trainers but the locals are in charge so we get on with it. I now realise that I need to keep my mobile charged and try to have as many addresses as possible in it so that if I am off loaded I can keep in touch should I have a lap top or not. I have been putting my lap top in my suitcase for some while now on my return home. It was becoming too much to carry my 7 kg bag, laptop and also three bottles of duty free booze. I also have a phone stoppage battery in my carry on (for how long?) should I be delayed and need a charge. Complaining about this is a waste of time and energy. The rules will inevitably become tougher rather than easier. If you want a lap top on your travels you may simply have to allot space in your suitcase. If you are travelling from many parts of the world to the USA you need to get to the airport earlier and possibly expect to be delayed. It was even suggested here last week that you wrote your most needed contacts on your arm with pen before leaving home as you might be delayed longer than you think. This is the world that we have inherited.

Agreed about both Mash and Submarine. They lasted into the years. Certainly not the shortest lived but what a waste of money. This was the Climax on the corner of LK and Buakhao. As least it seems to be making a hell of a lot more money as a beer bar now so good decision. Same could be said about Zero.

Byblos was a bit of everything. It was a gogo and a cabaret show. There was a weight lifter and girlie acts. It was occasionally on two floors where the raunchy stuff was on the top floor and the more staid stuff one floor down. At tis stage the ground floor wasn't open. When they closed floors two and three they tried to resurrect the place on the ground floor but it never took off. In its day it could be one of the best places to visit in Pattaya.

I sympathise with you. I have some help with a very good free budgeting programme called Ace It is a US programme but easy to download your own currency and away you go. At the moment I have all my known costs and income to the end of June inputted and a few guesses. This progamme allows you to have two accounts linked for free (say current and savings). With the amount of travel that I do I find this almost essential.

I went to the library and could only get Pulp by Bukowski. I have already started looking for the others. He is one of those writers where you constantly want to get the yellow marker out and highlight some of his prose. I also noted that one of the contributors here didn't like John Burdett but can I suggest that he falls into the same category. I constantly want to underline and recall some of the gems of wisdom. Thanks for the intro to Bukowski.

I was in here a week or two ago and as far as I could tell this was simply Overmind with the bar moved to the WS end of the building. I am happy to be wrong about this but to me what is D Club is exactly what was Overmind with a change in lighting and bar position.

Stand corrected but I think that this place was open at least a couple of years. Last time I was there in walked 13 cops in uniform , and they settled in for a night of debauchery!

Following up on another post. I saw a fare that looked good. Next day it had increased by about $40. This for me was a double whammy as I have a "lowest price guarantee" as well as a $20 voucher off my next flight. I cleared the cache and as a result the lower price returned. I copied and pasted to my travel agent and got the best price less $1 plus my voucher. All up about a$70 savings. Thanks for the tip whoever posted it. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I wonder if the Overmind, now the D Club is up for nomination. It isnt just the time it is the expense. They re jigged Overmind spending a fair bit of dosh in the process but then left all the Overmind signs up on the three streets where there was/is entrances. Bizzare.

The one rule about booking early is that you should never look and second guess the thing. You make a decision and make the booking and then leave the subject alone. It can be depressing if you could have got better or euphoric if you did a great deal but whatever else it is, in most cases, set in concrete. The other point is that depending on how long you are staying, an extra few dollars makes little difference to your holiday. If I saw a better airline with better times I would be happy to pay a bit more. Book and be damned!

Yeah! I found another book in my library by John Burdett. This is the Bangkok 8 Bangkok Tattoo etc writer. This one is called The Bangkok Asset. Now a short while ago I read Vulture Peak and thought that he was going well away from what I love about his writing but it was an OK read if not up to the standard of the past. Asset was however dreadful! I had carted this book 10000 kilometers and sadly Burdett has lost all the fun and realism that he once had. So sad. OK, if you want to keep up to date with the doings of Sonchai Jitpleecheep, go ahead and read it but you have been warned.

1) I gave my experience. Can't see how you can disagree with that unless you were with me. I am not disagreeing with your experience. Its the conclusion that your way is the best. 2) You disagree that the fare is 1500 baht? What is it then? Granted, I haven't taken a metered taxi in 6 months. Has it changed? Agree that you paid 1500 baht and that this is the going rate. 3) I've never seen a private hire double parked in the roadway, rather than using the parking lot. That's got to be convenient. Who are these scofflaws you ride with? Never said that it was in the roadway but if you look in the ground floor of the parking building you will see then double parked. 4) I don't need a driver that knows Pattaya, since I know where I live and can give directions. I always need a driver that knows Pattaya as I believe do most visitors. Most visitors could not give directions. 5) I've been lucky I guess...never had a long queue when I arrive. I have spent much more time looking for a private driver, and in fact, one time there was no driver at all (Mr. T...after which I stopped using private hires from the airport). Being lucky is a great asset in life. 6) I've had a private hire stop off to visit a friend or relative...not sure what the reason was, but it was a good 20 minute detour. No tip, obviously. 7) In general, the private hires are better cars. That's been my experience as well. 8) Yes, I suppose so. Hasn't been an issue for me. I have read here of both forgetful and losing stuff out of pockets such as the odd passport. 9) Let's just say the 500 baht savings is obviously a benefit of your private hire. Well lets also say that in my case it is 2000 baht a year for what I believe to be a superior service Note that I am not saying that taking a metered taxi is better for anyone but me. My experience leads me to take that path and I gave my reasons why, based on my experience. Note. Like you I am simply responding to the question in the best and most honest way that I know how. Because the question has been asked I therefore assume that the OP neither knows Pattaya or enough Thai to give instructions to a driver.. The response was for his benefit, not mine..

Sorry to say but I have to disagree on every point here. This is my experience. 1. I order by email and therefore get a guaranteed fare of 1000 baht as well as the contact numbers of the company and driver. When delayed simply email with revised details. 2. Taxi or pre order we all have to go to ground floor. Driver has the name on his card and usually takes my trolley to his car. Has only failed once in the last say, ten years. Driver was there but outside the terminal door. 3. Mostly drivers leaves their cars on ground floor with the brake off double parked and it is therefore perhaps a couple of minutes from exit three to being on my way to Pattaya. 4. Most drivers will have done the homework and know where your hotel is from the details supplied when booking. Many come from Pattaya. 5. The queues for taxis can be long and time consuming and normal taxis quickly get lost in Pattaya. 6. Bangkok drivers can do all the bad things that ordered cabs can like heading off to their favourite gas station, speeding, going slow or (in one case for me) heading off home first. 7. Generally speaking private cabs seem better quality than those from the streets of Bangkok. 8.If you happen to leave something in the car it is easy to contact them or them contact you. 9. For these reasons plus the 500 baht saving I see absolutely no reason to use a normal cab.

Thanks for my morning fix. Appreciate your words of wisdom as always. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I have only used Mr. T and PT Taxis over the last few months. 1000 baht all up confirmed by email before arrival. Only one minor hiccup but not enough to put me off pre booking. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I found that the only reason to look at Sawadee was to keep the others honest. They usually have nothing that Agoda etc has. For me, if I am satisfied with the service I have received in the past then I will use them again in the future. Generally speaking it is only the good /bad service that diffentiates between the various agencies. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I visited this place late last year and wrote a good review of the place. I decided to take Lek there a week ago for a Thai view point on the cuisine. I really didnt get an answer as the whole visit was a farce. It took some tie to place an order but why worry as we sat out doors enjoying the evening. I decided on the prawn basket again. Not sure what the lady wanted. To drink simply two bottles of water. First thing we get is the rice. This sits there getting cold. Then after a wait the water arrives. Next Lek's meal arrives. Five minutes later nothing for me. Its been forgotten so I wait again for it to arrive. I then request hot rice as recall it was first served and quite cold by then. This took a committee decision and by the time that arrives the main is cold! Bugger it. Eat up, no tip and head off into the night.