General Reports

[Member #3428]

They are all over, two main brands 12 go or something like that and another, 50 baht got me a sim over at MBK but sim's can be found all over. refill cards for 12 are found at every 7-11 and other stalls all over the place. The other refill they charge it up for you electronically or such. Refil places for loads are all over also.

As a tourist, can you buy Prepaid SIMs in Thailand for cash, i.e. without a local bank account or local address?

What are the denominations?

How much is a local call to a mobile?

Where are the SIM sold?

Reason for asking is, that in some countries in Europe, one needs a bank account and an address, in order to purchase the first one, i.e. the phone number. (Before someone flames me, I do know that there are workarounds, but they are bothersome)

[Member #3428]

I have no experience with the Philippines, so I can't help you there.

My experience is the best place is China, after that Hong Kong, then Bangkok but I had some nice experiences in Korea.

Philippines.... don't waste your time, you'll be over priced and the quality is poor, trying to find decent fakes is hard.

My advice to Bamboo Pete, is if you find a good P4P girl who you get along with and such, then see if she'll take you to Patpong and start the negotiations. Usually that helps break the price down lower and get's some better quality if you are with thai over just being a lone farang walking around. That is if you are unsure about Patpong, not sure about the stalls, etc... There's a farang price and a thai price in everything and if a local girl starts the work it helps me. But I usually have a GF I'm with anyways. Just don't trust touts or tuk tuk or taxi drivers to help you get best quality IMHO.

[Artisttyp]

[QUOTE=Freeler]Artisttyp,

Police do random checks (or at least they appear to be random...) in gogos and bars.
When they do EVERYBODY inside gets tested on the spot.
You should find reports of such searches on
http://www.pattayamail.com/
on a regular basis.

Wow it is very true. I cant knock another culture but man that is brutal. I wonder if the 100 people who tested positive in one article will all face brutal prison sentences ?

Maybe I should stick to latin america.

By the way is this common in asia ?

[Freeler]

Artisttyp,

Police do random checks (or at least they appear to be random...) in gogos and bars.
When they do EVERYBODY inside gets tested on the spot.
You should find reports of such searches on
http://www.pattayamail.com/
on a regular basis.

Here are some search results:
http://www.google.com/custom?domains...&sa.x=9&sa.y=9

[Artisttyp]

i just came back from the bookstore where i was reading roughguides' bangkok. i will certainly buy a copy of it before i leave. it had everything i wanted to know and alot more.

the one thing which stood out to me was the paragraph on police searching tourists for drugs. the book mentioned they look for it.

i would never do drugs in thailand or most places i go. if i do its a joint in jamaica or mexico......i dont do anything else.

the paragraph went on to say that they even go as far as [CodeWord109] tests in some cases.

they would find weed in my [CodeWord109] for sure...no chance of that not showing up.

i look a little edgy with a few tattoos but im 38 years(look 27) and wear decent clothes. what are my chances of a random search ? i usually only keep a lamenated photocopy of my passport.

thanks

first timers planning a trip to bangkok should read roughguides' bangkok

[LittleBigMan]

Now that's the problem with having so many Threads, last time I look
"General" could include any one of the current Threads on the Board. So if someone ask a question it is usually, someone will answer it.

LBM

[Freeler]

Richo Stevens,

"Can't believe you guys waste money on business class while traveling to Asia for cheap mongering? Save your ticket expenses and get double the amount of girls during your stay."

I could not possibly have twice the pussy. Exhaustion would kill me.
BTW At today's ticket prices staying at home and screwing the Colombian ladies at the local RLD would be cheaper anyway.

Bold Focker,

"I think bussines was £1000 more. That gets a lot of pussy in Pattaya!"

My business ticket is only 400 Euros (£285) more - that's both ways, not a one way upgrade! Great seats, good food, airport lounge, no queueing, seat pre-select and reservation and pretty damn good cabin service too.
Just thought of one restriction: 20 kg luggage max. No prob, I'll be damned if I carry more than 10 kg!
And I get more pussy than you no matter what!

[John Euro]

Ive b,

Also some tickets from amsterdam to bangkok are way more than nyc to bangkok. I assume thats the euro coming into play or are flights just more costly leaving from europe?

Thanks

Ticket pricing is Internationally calculated in US$ and as nothing to do with the Euro.

All flight from Europe to Asia are mainly fully booked, why should Airlines or agents reduce there prices then when they are the king? When competition is high or some Airlines that are starting new routes will discount to take customers from other company’s.

JE

[John Euro]

Not all airlines and routes are the same. In some parts of the world and on some carriers, Biz Class is only a little higher then a full fare,
I think many folks would pay that difference to fly up front over the back and I don't think it's a waste at all.

I agree for 100% with you, specially on the so called multiple city combination or " around the world " ticket. If you check out several Buss. Class pricing you always find good deals. Long time ago when I started my business I was searching always for the cheapest economy ticket to fly to US or Asia, arrived most of the time there like a wreck after a long flight between the smokers etc. Stupid me but that was at the beginning. When I checked my company tax bill on profit at the end of the year I quickly changed over to Buss. Class and afterwards the tax men was paying my B. C. Tickets and I arrived always in good shape.

The advantage is also that you earn so much miles that you fly on a free or on a upgrade ticket when going on holiday.

Buss. C. Ticket are much cheaper when buying in BK, I recently came back from BK to London on Ethiad Airlines on a one way ticket, I paid only 52300 Thb for a B. C. Ticket include 2% for paying by Amex. , great flat bed seat like first class, they leave in the morning and arr. The same day at evening with cutting the 12h difference, price is just a bit more than some economy tickets, it all depends on how much time you spend to figure it out and your travel agent his market position.

Another advantage, no hassle with overweight or surcharge for your golf bag or heavy hand luggage, not talking about the extra service and priority’s everywhere.

John Euro

[Member #2041]

Thanks , Member 2041 ,

I'm still hesitating , but will go for it on my next Bangkok trip. I'll be in Philippines in March , would that be a better place to buy (I don't think so).

You mentioned good Rolex immitations in Sukhumvit . Around which soi should I look? Do they also have a clear back?

I have no experience with the Philippines, so I can't help you there. As far as decent Rolex copies - Rolex copies are all over the place. Which ones are good and which ones are bad varies - and I haven't shopped for fake Rolexes in over a year - so I can't offer you any specifics. I can say that there are more vendors with more stock in Patpong than anywhere else, so the odds of finding the better copies are higher there - but a range of fake Rolexes of varying quality can be found pretty much anywhere. But, again, you need to know what you are looking for.

[Daddy San]

As a tourist, can you buy Prepaid SIMs in Thailand for cash, i.e. without a local bank account or local address?

What are the denominations?

How much is a local call to a mobile?

Where are the SIM sold?

Reason for asking is, that in some countries in Europe, one needs a bank account and an address, in order to purchase the first one, i.e. the phone number. (Before someone flames me, I do know that there are workarounds, but they are bothersome)

[Blunderer]

Jackson has made it quite clear in various forums in response to various posts of the type you've written below, that the intent of this forum is also to provide travel information. Good travel information is a critical part of the hobby. This would also include photographs not directly connected to girls.

It looks like all the Wise Travellers have invaded this section with Airline rubbish, I was not aware ISG also offered Travel agency services.

Can someone book a flight for me then? or can we go back to some more Appropriate conversations?

I believe if you are looking for "Air" advices, the net is not short of Airline specific Forums that can help you better.

[PinkPearl]

It looks like all the Wise Travellers have invaded this section with Airline rubbish, I was not aware ISG also offered Travel agency services.

Can someone book a flight for me then? or can we go back to some more Appropriate conversations?

I believe if you are looking for "Air" advices, the net is not short of Airline specific Forums that can help you better.

I believe there is a Travel Plans and Announcements thread at this site for the cuntry of Thailand. Perhaps that would be more appropriate for the topic? BTW, I will assume by the A word that weddings and halloween parties are excluded, but rear end reports are always welcome. Speaking more generally from BKK, my ass was sore last week but feels ok now.

[Tom1055]

The good ones almost invariably have a clear back so that you can see the movement. And I can't give you a fixed address - it's a bazaar, with something like 100 booths along the Patpong 1 street, perhaps a quarter of which sell mainly watches. Perhaps 1/4 of those booths had access to the better stuff - usually hidden somewhere out of sight - and shown only when you asked for something specific that they don't have out for showing. As for being able to tell the good from the bad, you are on your own - however, here's some hints - look for reasonably thin, mechanical (as opposed to quartz) watches with a clear back that you can see the movement. And look for very upscale brands - i.e. MORE upscale than Rolex, Tag/Heuer, Omega, and Breitling. Some will be automatic, some will be manual wind. Hence the ones I bought: Patek Phillippe, Vacheron Constentin, Breguet, Jaeger LeCoultre. The real things of those brands sell for $8K to $20K each.

Oh, BTW, the quartz movement watches work fine and are reliable, and thin - they are just not convincing counterfeits of the name brands.

2041,

Of the brands that you mentioned "Patek Phillippe, Vacheron Constentin, Breguet, Jaeger LeCoultre" do they have much selection. I was looking at the Breguet TOURBILLON MARINE, damn that is a sweet watch, would they have something like that? What are the names of the watches that you have seen there?

Thanks

[Hoboken Michael]

Hello everyone! A few minutes ago, I looked at Bangkok's current weather as well as 5 day forecast and am stunned to see that the city apparently is. And will be. Scorching under unusually high temps. For December. If you are reading this and are currently there or are considering going, I am curious to know what your thoughts are about this? I am on the verge of canceling my vacation to Bangkok. With a few days in Pattaya. Because I would hate to see what the weather might have in store for me in early-mid Feb. 2008.

Sincerely,

Michael
Hoboken, NJ resident