Some Help

[pattayaman 8]

the only problem i had with traveller cheques was when i changed them at the booths

some staff were very strict about the signature

it had to be exactly likt the original

also be aware of changing notes that are a bir crumpled or grubby

as they can be rejected by tellers

[DrPat 423]

A point here. Its only 90 minutes or so from airport to your Pattaya Room-if that and that is really only 50/60 more with compared with going to Bangkok. I usually get in the back and as I cannot sleep on planes I get a nap in the cab and then I am ready to roar when I get to Patts. I spend longer travelling than you and its just no issue.

 

I’m sure that a good number, probably the majority, look at it the same way – What’s another hour or so?

 

But what about my other point that there is so much more to see and do in BKK than there is in Pattaya. Soak up a bit of culture. Go see the palaces and monasteries. Have a ride on the sky train and the river taxis. Then have a good night shagging around Sukhumvit.

 

Also, on the way home if I can book an overnight flight leaving around 2am, I spent the last two nights in BKK, but only need an hotel room for the first. The last night can be spent in BKK with time for ‘one last one’ before collecting my luggage from the hotel and jumping in a cab back to the airport. That final bit of recreational bonking (plus a few drinks on the ‘plane) ensures me a good nights sleep!

[junkbot 0]

Thanks for all the reply's really helpful.

 

A few other issues, I hope are OK to raise in this post.

 

Mobile phones, if I have a UK phone how do I find out if it is unlocked, and if it is will it accept any Thai sim card. I have an Iphone4 and asume should be alright to use over there? Others have blackberrys.

 

We have to change at Dubai, and have to wait 3hours on the way there but have 7hours on the way back, do I also need Dirham or will I be alright to use Sterling?

 

Thanks

 

Junk

[chatkeow 28]

Thanks for all the reply's really helpful.

 

A few other issues, I hope are OK to raise in this post.

 

Mobile phones, if I have a UK phone how do I find out if it is unlocked, and if it is will it accept any Thai sim card. I have an Iphone4 and asume should be alright to use over there? Others have blackberrys.

 

We have to change at Dubai, and have to wait 3hours on the way there but have 7hours on the way back, do I also need Dirham or will I be alright to use Sterling?

 

Thanks

 

Junk

 

They took Sterling and Dollar last time I was there-probably Euro as well....

[Siam Sam 964]

the only problem i had with traveller cheques was when i changed them at the booths

some staff were very strict about the signature

 

Yes that caught me out once. I'd modified my signature slightly from the one that was in an old passport that was just about to expire and I couldn't get a TC changed in MBK.

[teelack 9,627]

I’m sure that a good number, probably the majority, look at it the same way – What’s another hour or so?

 

But what about my other point that there is so much more to see and do in BKK than there is in Pattaya. Soak up a bit of culture. Go see the palaces and monasteries. Have a ride on the sky train and the river taxis. Then have a good night shagging around Sukhumvit.

 

Also, on the way home if I can book an overnight flight leaving around 2am, I spent the last two nights in BKK, but only need an hotel room for the first. The last night can be spent in BKK with time for ‘one last one’ before collecting my luggage from the hotel and jumping in a cab back to the airport. That final bit of recreational bonking (plus a few drinks on the ‘plane) ensures me a good nights sleep!

 

Nothing at all wrong with this idea and I did used to use it but then thought that I would rather visit BK from Patts rather than stay there. For me the issue is the night life. I really cannot say that the big three, Nana, Patpong or Cowboy are as good as I can get in Pattaya and they are more expensive. In addition to this they are well spread out and travelling about in trains at night is not everyones cup of chai.

 

The other issue about the great cultural places in BK as well as say Chatachak. To be honest, once was enough for me but then its always up to you--this is Thailand!

[DrPat 423]

I think we are starting to converge on this one. If you’ve been there, done that and (in this case probably literally) got the T-shirt, no problem. We all have a different view on these things, but I just feel that there must be a fair few Pattaya regulars who view BKK as BKK - i.e. an airport.

 

I agree that the big three are well spread (if you’ll pardon the pun), but I haven’t been to Patpong for many years – it’s worth seeing, but like your perfectly reasonable view of the cultural places, once was enough for my. In my view, Patpong is for falang, not for regulars. Having said this, my main wing-man really likes the place.

 

On Sukhumvit, to travel from Nana to Cowboy is a 50 baht taxi ride, one stop on the sky train, or a 10 minute walk. Also there is the Thermae coffee shop (always entertaining), the German beer garden on Soi 7 (good for afternoons) and action to be had in the Nana Hotel carpark.

 

My theory on anywhere in the world is if you have a good time the first time you go there, you’ll go back and try and recreate it. If you dislike somewhere the first time, it’s very unlikely you’ll ever go back. The first time I went to Cowboy, it became my ‘happy place’.

 

I 100% agree that BKK is more expensive than Pattaya, but to me they compliment each other.

 

Bottom line, when visiting the LoS my view is, have a day or two in BKK at each end of the visit if possible, but, especially if time is tight, spend at least two thirds of the time in Pattaya – my other ‘happy place’!

[notquitevanilla79 7]

Screw the TC. Just arrive in bangkok with half your cash. change it and get the other half out of atm when you run out. Obviusly you have to be careful with the cash. When you go out just keep enough in your pocket for your daily use, buy a money belt put a wod in there , some in a safe or saety deposit box in the hotel and or hide some in the seam of your backpack if you have one.

Spread it around a bit so if you do get ripped off it wont all go at once.

[jacko 8,813]

Sounds complicated. I would lose track of where my money is.

Not sure that is the best advice notquite.

Edited January 12, 2012 by jacko

[notquitevanilla79 7]

LOL. Well i can only imagine you wont forget about the money in your pocket, or the belt strapped around your waist. So you only have to remember where the hidden stash is. If you have trouble remembering one thing. maybe pattaya may not be for you.

In my past experiences TC are a big hassle and they charge to change them. If someone steels your crap they aint gonna give the TC's back cos they cant use them. you'll still lose your money.

Edited January 11, 2012 by notquitevanilla79

[keyman 1,413]

Thanks for all the reply's really helpful.

 

A few other issues, I hope are OK to raise in this post.

 

Mobile phones, if I have a UK phone how do I find out if it is unlocked, and if it is will it accept any Thai sim card. I have an Iphone4 and asume should be alright to use over there? Others have blackberrys.

 

We have to change at Dubai, and have to wait 3hours on the way there but have 7hours on the way back, do I also need Dirham or will I be alright to use Sterling?

 

Thanks

 

Junk

 

Hi Junk

Regarding your mobile phone. I brought my Iphone 3 over believing it to be unlocked, then found it wasn't! Took it to Tuk.com(?) which is a large store that sells everything electrical and technical and they unlocked it for me for the princely equivalent of @ £6 I think, Certainly not a lot anyway.

To check if your phone is unlocked before you travel, put in a sim card from a different network and see if it shows as being locked. Whatever you do, don't use your UK sim without turning off your data roaming or you'll have a chuffing huge bill when you get home!!

In fact, you can get a sim card before you leave which gives a UK landline for you to redirect your UK mobile to, which then redirects to your thai sim and you don't get stung with the call charges. If you want further info let me know and I'll dig out where I got mine from .

 

Hope this helps and you have a great time

 

Keyman

[jacko 8,813]

LOL. Well i can only imagine you wont forget about the money in your pocket, or the belt strapped around your waist. So you only have to remember where the hidden stash is. If you have trouble remembering one thing. maybe pattaya may not be for you.

In my past experiences TC are a big hassle and they charge to change them. If someone steels your crap they aint gonna give the TC's back cos they cant use them. you'll still lose your money.

Loss of memory in Pattaya isn't so rare, by the way I live here. I think, let me look outside, yes, I do.

Yes TCs can be a hassle, but to be honest I changed cash yesterday and the bank gave me just about as much hassle as I ever had with TCs, seriously. My fault for using an out of town branch I suppose... the girl was cute though, if slow and under training.

TCs are covered if stolen, Amex, for example, will organise replacement quite quickly, so I am afraid you are wrong there.

Also yes they do charge to exchange them, but that is covered by a better exchange rate. Don't take my word for it, research it yourself. I was at Bangkok airport Tuesday and there the TC rate was 1 baht/£ better than cash. So change £34 or more and you are ahead. That differentlal surprised me, normally it is a little less, but always better for the TCs.

A money belt, really, you will get a prickly heat rash.

Edited January 12, 2012 by jacko