whitespider

I am moving to Thailand permanently in December 2007. Currently I am semi-permanent speding around 6 months of the year here. This will not be to Pattaya though. Been working on and off in SEA for 21 years and when I move I will be 46. Funded by sale of house and business (I have never worked for anyone else since leaving University all those years ago). Over the last 5 years I have been building a "online" business which can be run from anywhere. That is currently gross around $7k per month nett around $4.5k. My point is twofold 1. However old you are its best to plan for a reasonable length of time - I made my plans to relocate 5 years ago hence the deliberate decision to develope the online business. 2. Younger guys - you may not be able to sell a house a business or have the "saved" funds - but it IS possible to relocate with proper planning. I have TWO tips for anyone considering it, though I stress this is a personal opinion only as each person will feel differently about this kind of thing. The first was passed to me by a UK national who has been living in LOS for over 25 years. He told me "why do a business that has a market of 25,000 "farang" when you can sell your products or services to 20 million Thais, or in the case of online sale "to ther world" (those figures are just off the top of my head but you get the point. Effectivley "don't get into the bar business"! Secondly - if you have been an "employee" all your life be VERY careful about suddenly becoming "self employed". It doesn't suit everyone for a myriad of reasons. Failure rates are high even in your own country so you need to be especially dilligent relocating and changing your whole way of living/thinking. Many people I have met in Thailand tried it and simply could not cope without the regualr pay-cheque. PLAN PLAN and PLAN - however great the temptation to jump ship and move asap. Also I think Owen's advice is VERY sound - be VERY sure its what you really want. I had been here over 40 times before I finally made up my mind to actually relocate. Far better to work hard and have two holidays a year here for a while. As many people can attest to - the thrill wears off for some people after a while. http://www.cheap-flight-deals.blogspot.com

Firslty PLEASE no-one take offence at this post it is meant to be amusing and by no means to imply its typical. Regarding the "lager louts" - I remember seeing a rather fetching anecdote on another board (shortly after they found the little pygmy man relics in SEA) which went along the lines of:- "Anthropologists were excited recently at the discovery of what they believe to be the real "missing link". Named "pattayaman it was evidently shaven headed highly covered in body art and there was evidence that its knuckles scraped the ground when it walked (barely upright). Amusing yes - sadly sometimes true - it has been spotted with alarming frequence over the last few years.

Johnny EVA have good cheap price in April for direct flights to LHR. It may be just as well to contact the EVA office at the airport direct.

Whoa Pattaya_Mad - where do you buy? yesterdays price (in BKK admitteldy) was 68.73 for cash. Todays 68.13 Shop around I would suggest

There are 3 "bands" of fakes Rolex available (so probably similar for other brands). These tend to be rubbish - 400-500baht - these tend to be the "gold style ones" - you can sopt them a mile off as they look cheap. Ok - usually around 1000 - 1200. These are the ones usually sold on the streets and the most commonly offered to farang customers. Top quality - with (perhaps) seiko movements and sapphire glass. They are quite easy to spot as you will see that where the band joins the watch itself it is not a "straight" joint but a bevelled one. They will also have a "proper" double clip not a single one like the former two. Also look at the link pins - they will be a screw not a flat topped rivet. When you do get offered these they are usually at around 2000 - 3000 but are available for 1500 - 1800 if you insist. These SHOULD last a lifetime or at least a very long time with no problems. If something goes wrong you probably got one of the first two types. The best thing to do is to go to a larger dealer and demand "show me the good stuff" then when asked for silly prices try and get for 1500. if you pay 1800 and really DO have the top quality one then you have a decent price. At the end of the day it comes down to the usual adage - if you like what you bought and are happy with the price then you got a bargain. Don't get too hung up about it - someone else will always have paid both more and less than you have. If someone says they can let you have a top quality one for 1000 then decline it as they are not available to the dealer at that price.

Hi Mine is the same as the link Mescalito added. XE.com is (probably) the most widely used online converter as it is real time (updates every 2 minutes I think). My own version has the Baht at the top of the lists so its (a little) easier to use. It would be really nice for me if you use it as it improves my web-traffic - thanks http://www.financial-index.co.uk/currency-converter.htm

I have a "real time" currency converter on my website. It shows mid-prices but they actually tend to be very close to the rate you will get in banks and bureaus in bangkok and Pattaya. I have out thai baht at the top to make it easy for you guys to use. http://www.financial-index.co.uk/currency-converter.htm

if you are looking specifically for Thai or EVA then you could try BKK Travel Ltd (London) on 01372 747 695 or 01372 743 115 This is Thai run company based in London who always seem to get slightly better deals than available on the internet. They also seem to be able to get seats when some of the websites say they are fully booked. Well worth a call to find out anyway.

LHR - BKK I always try and get EVA Current economy price around £420 and under £600 for the evergreen deluxe. Night flights out of LHR and direct too

EVA for April is £411 lhr-bkk return (excluding the Easter weekend outbound which is a lot more)

whoops sorry £90 not 390

.... and for about 390 more you can get EVA direct

2 points 1. Evergreen deluxe is fine for me and Im 6'3. I would guess that 6'5 would be fine but of course Business would be better. I doubt necessary though. 2. I use e-bookers for EVA and always get the frequent flyer miles - thats not a problem.

As a relative vet' of over 45+ LHR - BKK return flights, my own opinion is that TG has gone really downwhill over the last four or five years. When I first strated using TG it was very much regarded as a "premier" airline in much the same way as Cathay Pacific and Singapore are regarded now - renowned for great cabin service with a personal touch. In my opinion that is no longer the case. In the last 4 years I have flown TG 5 times and on each occassion have been disappointed. I think the service/food is still fine but it just isn't what it used to be. Interestingly enough I was discussing this with a female TG crew just the other day. Jobs with TG are still highly prized (especially amongst the professional middle-class Thais) but even she was saying that the crew are becoming disillusioned with what they consider to be "cost cutting" measures that undermine their attractiveness. She cited in-particular the aging planes as being an actual "worry" for them from a safety point of view. She also said that they are getting increasingly pissed off (not her words) about the company's constant practice of offering prominent business people and politicians cut price deals in First Class for little apparent reason. Seems like TG is becoming like a lot of other things in "Toxins World". My conclusion - still OK but now very much superceded by the other direct fliers. Of the 4 direct flyers from LHR-BKK (BA, TG, EVA and Quantas) I would defintely put TG at the bottom of ther list now - 5 years ago they would have been at the top.

EVA - last time I went on thai they left the flippin blinds open - ALL their standards have slipped terribly.

Chivas That is good info' re the new EVA planes. I have used EVA a lot in the last few years - mainly because Thai's standards have slipped so much, from crappy planes to surly attendants (something unheard of a few years ago). I prefer to travel BA but found I could get EVA Evergreen at about the same price as a BA economy. Some people have said that Thai Airs food is better - I would agree as far as the set meals go but BA have a permamnet galley where you can get up and help yourslef to sandwiches and beer etc at any time. Also EVA have similar with good "pot noodles" available.

Chivas Tom has put a lot of good info about this in the Etihad forums. Apparently the new EVA 777 economy seat has 33" legroom when the old 747 was 34. I have not seen an increase in EVAs pricing (yet). EVAs prices for April are £411 inc taxes from LHR-BKK with the exception of outbound on the Easter weekend. http://www.cheap-flight-deals.blogspot.com

I agree witu Richerts comment about the return time but we will have to agree to disagree on the flight out. This is, of course, entirely down to personal choice as neither is "better". I usually get around 7 hours sleep on the outbound nite flight but have never found a way to sleep properly on the mid-day ones.

Tom, pheeeew - well I gotta bow to your knowledge - mine is based purely on experience. Interesting about the EVA change to 777 - I defintley went on a 747 on December 23rd 2005 and the same back on Jan' 16th. How does the 777 compare Tom? 1" less in leg-room - is it compensated by newer stock etc? With regard to the agents, again Im sure your right but as I fly about 5 times a year LHR-BKK I have always got a better deal with the agent on the phone (I usually use ebookers) than they show on the website itself. Maybe they all have the same with a few "under the counter" for callers??

Deadman - if you want my advice get the 9.30 at night flight. that way you will not only sleep but arrive at around 2.30 pm (usually a little early arriving). Theres not much to do in thailand at 7 in the morning. Also, if you arrive at 6am it will be midnite for your body clock and u will be knackered. If you are staying in bkk on arrival a 3 pm arrival gives plenty of time for a trip to hotel, shower and hit the nightlife for 7pm.

Monty - agree, its all about personal preferences My own opinion is that EVA has better service - though not to the standard Thai had 5 years or so ago. Maybe I have just had tired crew etc but the last few i flew certainly wern't what thye used to be. Both EVA and Thai leave LHR at 21.30 but coming back EVA is 1pm while Thai is about midnite. Some will prefer the extra day in BKK but personally I prefer the daytime flight back as I live close to heathrow and am back at 19.15 whcih means a good night sleep. That way I can stay an extra "day" in effect as I dont need recovery time - thai arrives LHR about 7am

In my opinion EVA - no question. Thai air used to be a great airline but has gone very much downhill over the last 5 years. See if you can get a quote for the Evergreen Deluxe class as its often only £60 or so more (not always) and is well worth the money.

Tom - EVA fly 747 LHR to BKK and their published legroom is 34" - Im not sure of the reality to be honest as I always use the evergreen deluxe service. I can only make assumptionas about the 17hrs, but in my experience the turn around time at stopover is rarely what is published due to late arrivals etc for connections. I am sure many DO arrive on time or even early but more will be late. All of this is purely "opinion" (though based on the real experience of over 45 return flights from LHR-BKK) - I am simply pointing out the advantage (usually) of direct flights, especially if only 30 quid more. I DO accept the arguments about egtting the Belfast ect - i am lucky, or not as the case may be, to live within 25 minutes drive of Heathrow. Both thai and EVA had LHR-BKK last Novemer at £350 and £360 respectively and I was still seeing people talking about the benefits of Finnair that month on another board. If you are a regualr flier it pays to get a "regular" agent who can usually get better than published deals, especially if hotels are included. But then again others would argue its better in those circumstances to pay the "going rate" to get the full miles allowance anyway. Horses for courses I guess spider

EVA have LHR - BKK (direct return) £411 April 2006 inc tax (excluding outbound at Easter Weekend) More details at http://www.cheap-flight-deals.blogspot.com

Bit more about the EVA April deal here http://www.cheap-flight-deals.blogspot.com