guido13

http://feeds.thailandnews.net/?rid=6d3458d...d3138244bed&f=1 One would be concerned that if these computers are distributed in the poorer rural areas, what is stopping the parents from selling them. Guido

I flew Korean on my last trip. Very good. If you can get the schedule to work for you, they are a good choice. Guido

I used Mr Tooms service this past June and my experience was not a positive one. I spotted a sign being held at the airport that somewhat resembled my name but I wasn't sure. My first and last names total 11 letters. I counted 7 of 11 correct. I asked the young man if he was from Mr. Toom and he shook his head yes. The car was an older BMW, very clean and not bad looking. The young driver spoke no english at all. When I spoke to him I usually got a nervous smile. Well I don't speak Thai very well and I think the lack of communication between us contributed to the bad experience. It started when we were exiting the parking lot and the driver stuck out his hand and expected me to pay. I told him the fare of 1200 baht included all parking and tolls. He just smiled and said you pay. After 21 hours in the air I had no energy to argue. I paid. We then left the airport and made it to the tollway. At each tool booth I was made to pay the toll. Then he exits and we are driving in Bangkok. We drove around some not so nice areas until he stopped at a gas station. He had a conversation with an attendant and we drove on. He could sense my displeasure and said only 5 minutes. Well 5 minutes turned into 35 minutes until he found a station and filled his tank with a hose to a modified system mounted in his trunk. I then realized why the other stations could not fill his tank. He needed something called RPG fuel. He gets it filled up and, you guessed it, Falang has to pay 200 Baht. I'm starting to understand that this guy doesn't have a satang. He showed up at the airport to pick me up with no money and no gas! The ride to Pattaya was not a good one. The car pulled heavily to the left and many times we came very close to sideswiping cars as we went by. The cars headlights needed replacing and the driver had to use his highbeam lights most of the time. It began raining and the windshield wipers were so worn they were useless. The reckless driving of the young man coupled with the poorly maintained vehicle, made for a dangerous and scary ride. He had no idea where my hotel was, even though I provided him with a map. Fortunately, I have a good sense of direction in Pattaya and had stayed at the hotel before. The trip took 3 hrs 20 min. I paid him 800 baht(1200 minus gas, tolls, and parking). He gave me a confused look but I think he sensed not to give me any grief because I was having none of it! These discount car services are hit and miss. I realize the vast majority of BM's who have used Mr Tooms service have had a positive experience. I sometimes think the boards give guys like Mr Toom more business than they can handle, and they farm it out to people they are not familiar with. However, I don't think it's too much to ask to be driven in a well maintained vehicle, in a safe manner. I also think it's reasonable to expect the car to be fueled up and ready to go when I'm picked up. Therefore, I will not be using Mr Tooms service again, and I cannot recommend him to others. Guido I also have used Image Limo. Brand New Toyota Camry, leather seats. Great smooth ride, very safe driver. More expensive, but a good experience.

I had Breakfast at Cool House Resturant on several occasions, and found it to be a decent value. The 50 Baht special consists of 2 eggs (cooked to order), choice of bacon or ham, toast, fruit juice, and choice of coffee or tea. The food was good and the service was excellent. This is not a huge breakfast but it worked for me as I don't like to stuff myself. You can also add additional items at very reasonable prices. I added a bottled water and was only charged an additional 10 baht. They also have a full menu of Falang and Thai dishes but I only tried the breakfast. The Cool House is Air Conditioned. It is located on Central Pattaya Road (Pattaya Klang), between 2nd Road and Beach Road, right next to the parking lot of Tops Supermarket. Cheers Guido

Pete I just completed a 17 night stay at The Vault's Penthouse #4. The rooms are huge and the website pictures do not do them justice. I was very pleased with the room, the staff and the owner, Michael is a great guy who will help you if any problems occur. Having a computer in the room was a big plus for me and the FREE laundry service was top notch. The shower in the Penthouse rooms can hold 5 comfortably and the jacuzzi was a must for me on a daily basis. That being said, The Vault does not have a lift, pool, or restaurant. If those things are important to you, you may want to look elsewhere. The penthouse rooms are very popular and tough to get. I booked mine 5 months in advance. Hope this helps. Guido

Thanks for the info. Guido

Do they do exams there as well? Guido

Same for me. Mr Toom replied to my e-mail within a few hours. A pleasant surprise considering the response time from many LOS businesses. Guido

Returning from Thailand to the US is a different story. I get stopped about 50% of the time. No rhyme or reason in the US....1 year - 4 trips - never got stopped in US. the next year - 3 trips and stopped each time. Last year went 3 times and got stopped once. Asked a bunch of irrelevant questions (where do you work, what do you do), a cursory look at my stuff and then sent on through. Those so called irrelevant questions are designed basically to observe your reaction to them. People that are lying, up to no good etc, will often display nervousness during routine questioning. If the agent notices any unusual behavior, you can bet they will be going through your luggage very closely. Guido

Thanks, Larry. I appreciate the info. I'm already booked for my June trip at The Vault. I'm hoping to talk a buddy of mine into making the trek as well. He is a cheap charlie, so this info helps. Guido

Anyone know if this place can be reached by E-mail? Thanks Guido

Hi The Vault has free high speed wireless internet access. http://www.thevaultpattaya.com/ Guido

I agree. It is also a very nice hotel and a good choice for a first time visitor. Here is the website:http://www.arecalodge.com/ Guido

I agree. It's not that bad. Guido

Emil How do you get the exit row seats in advance? Guido

Glad to see you are enjoying The Vault. I can hardly wait until I return in June. Guido

Got lucky and booked a penthouse room for 16 nights in late June. Still a long ways off but I'm already getting excited. Guido http://www.thevaultpattaya.com/

Rooms on website look nice. A bit overpriced, IMO, at 1800 a nite for a standard. Guido

I stayed in a standard room on the first floor. Very nice, good maid service, no hassles or problems. Guido

Ting I appreciate the info. i will have a look. Guido

Ting I cosidered staying on Soi LK Metro, however, I am a light sleeper and a noisy Soi is not for me. Can you recommend a hotel in a quiet area with resonable rates? Thanks Guido

The only way to deal with trolls is to limit your reaction to reminding others not to respond to trolls. When you try to reason with a troll, he wins. When you insult a troll, he wins. When you scream at a troll, he wins. The only thing that trolls can't handle is being ignored. Guido

I have another question. In the penthouse room there is a pc desktop, have the dvd recorder and a firewire port (and a memory stick/card reader) ? (This summer i'll go in the penthouse room and bring with me a dv videocamera for make movie and photos). I recommend you e-mail the hotel. mike@thevaultpattaya.com Guido

Tom No elevator. Cable TV. If you are walking on Second Road in the direction of Walking Street it turns into Phratamnak Road. The Vault is on Phratamnak Road near where it intersects Soi VC, directly across from the Baiyoke Hotel. Here is a link to a map. http://www.pattaya-at-night.com/postcard/p...pattaya-map.gif Click on the botton right to enlarge. Hope this helps. http://www.thevaultpattaya.com/index.html Guido

I have seen some recent photos of the rooms. Based on those I would give this place a pass. The place is very run down and shabby. I think you can do much better, even in that price range. Guido