soi two

I bought my ticket through Trailfinders. I didn't do it online but in one of their high street shops. I asked for a six month option on the return date. When I looked at the terms and conditions there was no charge for changing the return date within ticket validity. I asked the Trailfinders rep specifically about this as Emirates had charged me £75 with a similar ticket. No charge within ticket validity. Due to a family bereavment I had to fly home after 5 days in Pattaya, China Airlines were very helpful in getting me on a flight back. Unlike KLM who could not assist me getting from Amsterdam to Glasgow.

I got a six month option on the return date with China Air from BKK in January. There was no charge whatsoever for changing the return date home. Emirates previously stung me for a £75 charge with the same type of ticket. There were seat back screens on the flight I was on, in economy. Excellent airline.

I flew out in January from Glasgow via Amsterdam. KLM cityhopper/ China Air direct to BKK. China Air are great and I would recommend them to anyone. I flew economy and the return with a six month option on the return date was £604.00 maybe a high season price. From Glasgow it was poor timing with the connecting flights. I had to get the 0555 flight to Amsterdam and my flight to BKK was 1425. Arriving BKK 0725 local time. Bit of a wait in Schipoll, but there's worse airports to hang about in. For me the plus side is that the direct flight seems to go in quickly. Compared to two flights, that is. Although with my flight connection times it probably works much the same travelling time. conley, very good price with Emirates. The only reason I go with China Air is that Emirates charge £75 to make date changes even within ticket validity. I like a bit of flexibility coming home.

I love curry's. In Glasgow my favourite curry house is also called Little India in Charing Cross. (No relation to the one in Pattaya.) sinbinjack, I like spicy food as well. IMHO Pink Kitchen in the Big C's beef curry was a vindaloo beater. Especially if you copy the Thais and mix chillies in with the rice. Cheers

Hi Jack, I enjoyed reading your review of toilets in Pattaya. I agree that the toilets in Big C are top quality and have used the facilities there several times. I know well the place you mentioned on Soi Diamond. There is actually a toilet there, as you approach the door at the top of the stairs there is a corridor beside it, if you go down there you will find a toilet the girls use. There is also a public toilet down by the entrance. I can barely remember but I think you walk past the hello girls, you pay 5 baht to use this one. If you are going for a substantial bowel movement this one affords more privacy. The Aussie owner is a great guy there and I'm sure he'll sort out the toilet facilities. (I was last there in November.) The beer bars past Big C, yes there are a few lady boys in this bar area. I have used the toilet in this complex and thought it was basic but OK. I would use it again. Cheers

I heard that Universe was relocating to Third Road. I don't know if thats happened yet. There have been a few threads about gyms here. Tony's fitness centre's sound O.K and there's also A1 Fitness at the Cruise Ship hotel between soi 2 and 3 on Beach Road.

I flew with Emirates from Glasgow. Very pleasant flight. Certainly seemed like a decent enough airline.

These essential salt products are good for hangovers as well !

To help fight dehydration. I used to buy essential salts in sachets in Boots. It was less than 10 baht a sachet and I had three a day to keep my right. Similar to the sort of product that someone who has diarohea might take. Sorry but I can't remember what they were called. It did say: For exerciser, who exercise a lot. On them though !

GF friendly. Its a cool hotel. Few different pools to sit round. Decent rooms. You'll love it.

Thanks Hub, an interesting review of Koh Samet. I had toyed with the idea of taking a TG here but my buddies said I would get bored. Having read your review it sounds a nice place for a short break. Nice to have a bit of a change of scene from Pattaya I think.

The Sabai Inn is a great hotel. I can't imagine how much they'd charge if it was in Europe. When I first arrived in Pattaya I think I spent nearly a whole week here. As a newcomer I must have barfined a girl from the third bar I went in to on my first night. That was day one. Then I discovered Classroom 2 on my second night, it was my new friend who told me that I could use the pool at the Sabai Lodge.

Well I've got a bit more information from the bank now. It would appear that they are correct. As there are different authorisation codes from VISA for the different withdrawals, they must be different transactions. I think I dropped my bank card in the bank (Kasikornbank, in Big C) after taking the money out. I know people talk about Thailand being dodgy for credit card fraud. But someone handed my card in to the bank and I was actually able to get it back by showing my passport. Which I thought was quite nice. Thanks again, Barbarian !

Thanks for the information everyone. In the light of what you've said I suspect that the bank may in fact be correct with the 31st August transaction going through in October. The only nagging doubt I have about this being the same transaction is the fact that on my statements there is a Thai baht conversion rate to three decimal points meaning that every withdrawal has a slightly different amount in sterling (a couple of pence). Which in this case is the same. Also the fact that on my October statement it doesn't tell you the name of the bank I withdrew the money from, nor is there a VISA debit charge for using the card abroad. Its not a great deal of money but I'm asking them nicely at the bank if they could provide me with a bit more information ! Thanks again.

Hi, I would be grateful if anyone could give me some advice. Basically what happened is this year I made an ATM withdrawal at a bank in Pattaya. Half an hour later I realised I had lost my card. So I went back to my hotel and contacted the Bank of Scotland and cancelled it straight away. This was on the 30th of August, 2004. When I got home I looked through my bank statements and saw that this transaction had apparently gone through on the 30th of August and then appeared in my October statement dated 31 Aug 2004 with the same amount as I had withdrawn. To my mind it looked like the same transaction had gone through twice. I contacted my bank and they didn't really have much of a clue at the branch. At first the branch staff said as my account had been suspended that the withdrawal had gone through twice. What my bank are trying to tell me now is that, if you make a withdrawal in Thailand the money comes out your UK account two days later. So they are saying that the money shown on my statement for the 30th was withdrawn on the 28th. I asked to see the time of the withdrawal to see if it was the same withdrawal but the bank tell me that as the withdrawal was in Thailand they don't have that information. Surely if it is using an electronic banking system they must know ? So two questions really - 1. Is this time delay of two days correct for a withdrawal made in Thailand to clear from your UK account ? 2. Are banks in the UK unable to tell what time of day a withdrawal is made in Thailand at an ATM ? My gut feeling is that the bank are 'winging it' and hoping I won't pursue this. Any advice would be very welcome.

Gona, The sauna and steam room at A1 Fitness aren't private. Any member of the gym could use them. Barbarian !

If your looking for a non gay sauna. Head down to the A1 Cruise Ship Hotel on Beach Road between soi 2 and soi 3. There is a gym there you can join, A1 Fitness, 2000 baht for 10 visits. Which has a sauna and steam room that you can use. When I was last there, it had just opened and was very quiet. If you join there gym you can use the big pool at the front of the hotel as well.

Bouncer, I stayed at the Sabai Inn a month or two ago. I'd really recommend it as being a great hotel. I would definetely go back.

Hi, I've just found out that the Jack Tar on Soi 6. Has a South African channel that will cover Old Firm games. Cheers.

LOL ! Oh, right ! I thought it was some sort of moonshine. No wonder the security guard at my apartment was laughing when I staggered past him tapping a bottle wrapped in a plastic bag. Mumbling - Ya Dong !

I think Gabor is right, as Sang Som is made from sugar cane it is a rum. Its too sweet to be whisky. I had to laugh when my tilac called lao khao (a rice spirit drink) Thai Tequila ! I found a particularly lethal drink called - Ya Dong. I noticed some girls drinking it and asked what it was. They gave me a shot and I think they expected me to cough and splutter but I thought it was alright. It is STRONG stuff though ! You can't get it in 7/11 (although I did ask, much to their amusement in the shop) you need to hunt it out at some 'locals only' type place. Enjoy !

I couldn't find any Scottish football coverage at all in Thailand. I might be wrong but I think your only hope is to find an internet cafe and listen to the game over the net.

I've just come back from Pattaya. Had a great time - lasted for nearly three months, thanks to some good advice from friendly ex-pats. Which kept me out of trouble and from wasting money. Now I'm back I'm looking for some music that I used to hear in a lot of the bars. I had meant to buy some CD's in my last few days, but didn't manage to get round to it... The Cranberries - Zombie seems to be a bit of a Pattaya bar anthem and I don't think I managed to go a whole night without hearing it somewhere. The song I'm looking for is by a German DJ - Pattaya Pattaya. I kept asking Thai people but no one seemed sure what it was called. There's a line in it - the party you won't forget, marine discotheque... I'd be grateful if anyone could tell me the name of the artist/ song and any suggestions as to where I could buy it online would be appreciated. (I used to post as The Barbarian - but had problems accessing the forum - hence the 'new' name. Cheers.)