General Reports

[The Scout]

those in need of internet because you have none or bad internet or the hotel charges daily... i bought a truemove sim card from 7-11 for 49 baht. then activated and topped up for 600 baht to get the 599 unlimited 3g for a month (for 799 the wifi spots will be included). works in bkk and patong. when in pattaya you'll probably get the 2g network. you can tether your phone as a modem or buy a dongle at an it place for about 3000 baht.

speeds are decent. 1-2mbps down, 300kbps up. i've been using it for a solid 10 hours and haven't been disconnected.

see coverage areas here
http://www.truemove.com/en/05_service_3g_3.html

my speed tests
http://speedtest.ookla.com/result/682775219.png
http://speedtest.ookla.com/result/682796085.png
http://www.speedtest.net/result/625383169.png
http://www.speedtest.net/result/627225958.png

[Lowkey1]

So I was at Rainbow 4 and barfined a real stunner. About 18 and looked great. Well we did our business and the condom broke! She did not seem worried and said she was just done with her time and not to worry. I insisted on getting her info where she only gave or had an email. I gave her mine as well just so she could contact me. I sent an email a day ago and no response? SO my questions are here. 1) If a bar girl gets preg what do they do? Just have it and single mother? Try to contact person it may belong to? Abortion? Or do these girls take birth control? I am a responsible person and do care to know if she did get preg so not caring is not an option for me. I know her first name and not her bar numer! I have a few pictures with her so I know that helps. What would you guys do or a little insight please. I planned on returning to BKK because it was so fun, but not until like Feb/March. This little issue makes me want to return in like a month or so just so I know.

[Jeff46]

For the Fifth consecutive overseas trips. BKK is still my port of Call. I was at angry mode last year when I was trapped in Bangkok during a closed of airports saga. The BKK escape via Phuket was expensive, but is was a necessary thing to Do under circumstances.

This November 2009 trip is consider a great trip with all activities normal in Bangkok and I do Not see any problem cause by political demonstrations.

I have visited Pattaya and Phuket.

I have visited Bangkok manytimes and still want to come back in the future.

You lucky. The red shirts plan to rally and demonstrate with a million people this time from nov 29 to dec 04 if the gov is not gone they come back after dec 6 after the k. Birthday.

Is nov 29 your traveling date. Watch carefully the news and have a travel plan be ready.

[Tratnguyen1]

For the Fifth consecutive overseas trips. BKK is still my port of Call. I was at angry mode last year when I was trapped in Bangkok during a closed of airports saga. The BKK escape via Phuket was expensive, but is was a necessary thing to Do under circumstances.

This November 2009 trip is consider a great trip with all activities normal in Bangkok and I do Not see any problem cause by political demonstrations.

I have visited Pattaya and Phuket.

I have visited Bangkok manytimes and still want to come back in the future.

[Run Mann]

The last person who did this died in Thailand now Mr. Butts face the same fate.
________________________________________________________________


BANGKOK - Thai customs officials said Wednesday they had arrested a Pakistani man at Bangkok's main international airport with 54 condoms in his stomach containing half a kilo of heroin.

Kamran Pervaiz Butt, 24, was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Tuesday morning on a Thai Airways flight from Islamabad, customs authorities said in a statement.

Thai authorities received a tip-off that there would be a drug smuggler on the flight and stopped Butt because of his suspicious manner as he came through the nothing-to-declare channel at customs, they said.

An initial search of his body and his bags revealed nothing but X-rays later showed that he had swallowed 54 condoms packed full of heroin, the statement said.

The total weight of the drugs was 570 grams (1.2 pounds) with a street value in Thailand of approximately 1.7 million baht ($50,000), customs said.

Butt was charged with possession and trafficking of class A drugs, which carries a possible death sentence in Thailand.

[ThaiLearner]

Anyone stayed in the expat hotel in patong beach?

Phuket?

Is it girl friendly?

Hi

I haven't stayed there but it is girl friendly as I have read this on another forum

[Cadjan]

Thanks, but any prior arrangements before to activate roaming?

No, just key in those numbers. And add credit.

[The Pro]

The ATM fee of a couple of banks has been reduced from 150 baht to 15 baht for a couple of banks, and hopefully all the others will follow.

Presently BofA and SCB are putting their machines down from 150 to 15, some are done and others not.

So if you get a machine wanting 150 baht then keep trying the others until you get one thats got the 15 baht fee.

A lot of BofA machines (the yellow ones) are still not charging anything, some will say 150 baht and others 15 baht.

SCB is 15 baht, but the SCB machines in prominant tourist area's (like the airport) are still at 150 baht.

[JohnnyBraz]

Anyone stayed in the expat hotel in patong beach?

Phuket?

Is it girl friendly?

[Member #4537]

DTAC happy dial *118*9# then dial.

Works for me in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam

Thanks, but any prior arrangements before to activate roaming???

[Daddy San]

Rjsss212

unfortunately I cannot second KTV's remarks. My experience with the optician in Soi 22 was on the negative side. Though I provided him with a current prescription from my US doc and a locally performed eye exam the new glasses didnt work for me. As I need bifocals this had happened before also in the States but rather then to get the glasses redone for free ( definitely not my fault that the glasses werent ok ) the optician insisted that I would have to pay again if I want them to be redone. I declined as we were talking 12000Baht and recorded it as 'experience'.

Generally the cost for prescription glasses here inThailand are much cheaper than in the US or Europe but there is also a flipside to it.

I did some quite thorough research, i.e. compare quality, service and price earlier this year and finally bought top quality Hoya multifocals, including frame and a magnetic polarizing sunglass clip for THB 8000 at "Modern Optical" on Suhumvit between Asok and Soi 14.
In Germany, we pay the equivalent of 11000 THB for one single Hoya multifocal lens!
You have to remember, that all the chains, Top Charoen, Modern Optical and others, are franchises with more or less independant shop operators. They all order their lenses from Hoya, Rodenstock and others.
But it is the optometrist's skill, which determines if the glasses work for you or not.
This means not only the correct prescription, but also the placement of the lenses in the frame (optical vs. mechanical axis, pupilar distance etc.)
I found that some of the clerks, (even at Top Charoen) were total morons, who could only read from the flyers. God help you, if you get one of those.
Btw. Hoya lenses (Japanese) are the most common in LOS, but you can get Rodenstock (definitely better quality, especially for strong, high dioptries lenses) at about 50% premium, BUT long deliveries. Hoya multifocals take 3-4 days.
I made a deal UPFRONT with the optometrist/shop manager, that if the glasses did not fit (optically), there would be no charge, and he knew, that I did not have time to wait for a second attempt.
This time I am going back for another, slightly stronger pair with Rodenstock lenses, right at the start of my SE Asia trip.

[Member #2041]

Pattaya or Phuket for Christmas / New Years? What's better for quality off women, price, beach party atmosphere etc.

Thanks,

Johnnybraz.

Phuket is always better for beach quality and always more expensive. Pattaya is always better for women as far as quantity and price. As for women quality, you can find many gems among the WGs in either place - up to you.

You will pay more in Phuket - of that, I am certain. It might be worth it for you, or it might not. Only you can make that decision. If you are seriously considering Phuket, I might add Koh Samui (Lamai or Chaweng beaches) to the list. I prefer it to Phuket as far as an upscale beach resort with plenty of companionship available. But for me, I am spending most of my time in Pattaya next trip, because this trip for me is all about getting laid very well, many times on a constrained budget.

[Cadjan]

DTAC happy dial *118*9# then dial.

Works for me in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam

[JohnnyBraz]

Pattaya or Phuket for Christmas / New Years? What's better for quality off women, price, beach party atmosphere etc.

Thanks,

Johnnybraz.

[Member #3428]

Did you have to manually activate roaming by calling the provider or did you just go to Phillipines and find out that it works automaticly?

http://www.gsmadvance.com/services/Chapter4_eng.pdf

http://translate.google.fm/translate...%3Den%26sa%3DG

Those should help you scroll down the first one....

It's automatic for me everyplace I've been.... AIS is 12Call