Walt

Read about two years ago on a web forum a post quoting the results of a government water quality survey for these beaches. Surprisingly the water quality at Jomtien was as bad and even worse in some areas than Pattaya's. Wish I could recall it in greater detail. Your family will enjoy an outing to Koh Larn, try not to miss it.

Stayed in Jomtien last month and rode the buses several times a day. Amazing change from my last visit The drivers I had to speak to were actually polite and some even friendly! No offers for going to "boody massah" either. There was one bus I happened on a few times in the evening where the woman riding shotgun thanked and wished every customer a good evening in very good english. Ok a few drove like maniacs and one seemed to have a minor emotional breakdown along the way...but it was Pattaya ..so okay :) Not once was I gouged on price...paid 10bt for the Jomtien/Pattaya run and 5bt for short trips in town..I did give them 10 for long in town runs from s pat to way past big c not wanting to press it for 13 cents. On the one long off route run where I had to hire a bus (knowing that it varied from 80bt to 150 for that trip) I told the driver "I pay 100" he answered with "I charge 110" I guess a little face saver hehe No Prollem!....big smiles all around...driver helped load the suitcases ..me and my lady rode in the cab..he even asked if I wanted the air con turned up higher.. all conversation in english...no gossiping in Thai with my lady even I was tempted to ask about a inflight movie :) but thought the better of it. Did things change because the city put their own buses on these routes? Or was it that they were on Ya before and have kicked? I used to hate being pissed off by these guys on earlier trips on my way to or returning from a fun evening...now no prollem

Now you've done it!! Samet visit goes back on the list Thanks irishman for the Malibu info

Sometimes the tailoring can be pretty good, but the materials are often poor. Shock of shocks some fabrics pitched as being 100% wool are actually blended. Test it ...take a small narrow corner of the fabric and put a match to it. Wool won't form a bead and melt like synthetics and the smell it gives off differs. Of course the !00% honest goods does vary in quality and that's where the "trust me" factor comes in That solved although it's a pain, would be to take a suit from home that is done and fits exactly how you like em ..show them how it fits you.. point out the cut,sizing,padding,linings and say..make like this 100% Or concentrate on what's important and have any follow up fittings with "miss right ...of the night" rather than some tailor

Thanks for the help scratching that bright idea from the list

Wondering if it would be practical to try a day trip from Pattaya to Koh Samet. Read that some agency at View Talay runs a joiner van for 179bt ..don't know if it's set up for day trips or if it's open to non guests. Would there be enough time to go and get a reasonable look around the island and return the same day? Not knowing my options a joiner van seems best. Thanks

Depending where you live in most cases digital cameras in Thailand cost more (much more than in the usa where I live) or so slightly less (uk and western europe) that it's not worth it to have the potential warranty hassle. Even the "International" warranty's offered in asia to foreign buyers are not always honored in their home countries

Ok got all of one trip to ko larn under my belt so quite a newbie But would like to add that there's also a glass bottom boat that takes you from the pattaya pier directly to (forget the name) beach for 200bt The ferry is a smaller than the public ferry and you arrive and return to pattaya from that beach. The details and that beaches name are mentioned at the web site link that wrassell posted. The glass bottom part is just the trip into the beach from the ferry in a large lifeboat when they raise the floorboards lol...but you do see a little Just an option between the speed boat or the public ferry and the baht bus