Bangkok Reports

Hi everyone, I'm currently in Tokyo Japan and will be flying to Koh Samui and BKK in the next few days. I have a few questions for BKK though if anyone can help.

I'll be in town during the Thai New Year, what can I expect to happen besides so called massive water fights?

I have read here that many bars and massage places will be closed, will mongering be mostly unavailable, or does this just means I need to look harder?

Lastly, I'm hoping to find a place that sells great quality replica watches, such as Seiko / Omega, etc, can anyone recommend some specific places that hopefully won't be closed during the new year?

Thanks!

Can you all please take your politics and demo views over to the Expat area and into the Politics thread.

Thanks

[QUOTE=Bbc Booya]... I have read here that many bars and massage places will be closed, will mongering be mostly unavailable, or does this just means I need to look harder? ...[/QUOTE]

During the Songkran holidays, many P4P girls go back home to celebrate the Thai traditional New Year's Day with their family and friends, but fortunately, not all of them. So, this usually just means that you will have to look harder, indeed, at this time of the year.

Again the warning - be careful out there.

Today red shirt groups have moved to the parliament, trying to break into the compound.

Background is the a decision of the cabinet (meeting in the parliament building) to ask Thaicom (satellite operator) to take action against certain television channels before noon. Those satellite television channel are said to "broadcast distorted information about the government and the country". Channels were not named but it is understood that the cabinet was referring to Dstation or People Channel of the red shirts.

This is the way to escalation.


Giotto

PS:

A list of hotels difficult to get to at the Rajprasong Intersection:

- InterContinental
- Holiday Inn
- Grand Hyatt Erawan
- Four Seasons
- Centara Grand
- Renaissance

Closed Shopping Malls:

- Siam Discovery
- Siam Centre
- Siam Paragon
- CentralWorld

[QUOTE=The Pro]Can you all please take your politics and demo views over to the Expat area and into the Politics thread. Thanks[/QUOTE]
TP: Is your head in the sand today?

Maybe go and get a massage...you'll feel better. Don't forget to leave a [i]nice[/i] tip.

[QUOTE=The Pro]Can you all please take your politics and demo views over to the Expat area and into the Politics thread.

Thanks[/QUOTE]

As someone who will be arriving in Bangkok on April 24th for a two-week LOS vacation, I greatly appreciate the updates by Giotto and others about the political situation on the ground, as it might seriously impact my vacation plans. They certainly belong here. None of these updates has even remotely contained a bias toward any political or "demo" view. Mr. Pro, you have once again succeeded in sticking your head up your ass. I have been perusing this board for months now in preparation for just my second trip to Thailand, and I'm finding your "contributions" to be tiresome in the extreme...

[QUOTE=The Pro]Can you all please take your politics and demo views over to the Expat area and into the Politics thread.

Thanks[/QUOTE]

It's possible a civil war is on the verge of breaking out, and this guy wants to disallow any mention here of it. What I'm hearing is that the red shirts entered the parliament today. Explosions have been going off all over town the last few weeks, including in front of the biggest massage parlor in town just a couple days ago, and just around the corner from Soi Cowboy. Anyway, this is the Bangkok section. It's relevant. Keep up the updates.

Anyone who wants to stick their head in the sand, feel free to go do that.

[QUOTE=Orlando Man]Hello Gentlemen,

I was hoping that someone would be able to answer a few basic questions for me. I'm currently planning my very first trip to Asia in September. I've traveled extensively throughout Central and South America (Medellin is my favorite), but have never taken the long trip to the Orient. I plan on being there for two and half weeks in total. The first week and a half, and the primary reason for going, is to visit a girlfiend in Hong Kong. Most of my time there will be with her (although I might slip away for a day!). I will then have seven days to visit a second destination. I would like to visit either Thailand or the Phillipines. I've also heard great things about both. Given my limited time, the fact that I will be travelling alone, and that have never been to Asia, which one would you recommend? I've been digging through the material on the forum for both countries, but there are hundreds of pages and it is hard to get an concise version.

I've been looking at airfares from Hong Kong to either Manilla or Bangkok and both are very cheap. However, it appears that Bangkok hotels are cheaper. Which country is the best value for girls? I prefer overnight long term dates to short sessions. I also prefer more of a girlfriend experience to quickies. If I visit Thailand, would you recommend a few days in Bangkok and then the rest at Pattaya? The Penthouse Hotel which is advertised on the banner of the ISG looks like it would be a good option for a newbie and they offer airport pickup. Do you recommend it? Is there a inexpensive hotel (around $50-$75) in Bangkok which is girl friendly that you would recommend?

If I visit the Philippines instead, should I stick to Manilla or try to make it to Angeles City? It seems from the posts that I've read, it is difficult to get to Angeles City. Is there a recommended cheaper hotel for the stay in Manilla.

Thank you for any assistance that anyone can provide. One final question would be which country has more touristy things to do during the day. Thanks again.

Steve[/QUOTE]Hi Steve I hope I can help.

I would think Thailand is the better place to go. And I do think Pattaya is the place to be there I have been to Manila and Cebu and it did cost more than Thailand but I did not get to Angeles and I think it is probably like Pattaya and I do like to go see one day.

But Pattaya is cheap and there is so much there if you need more info just ask love to help.

[QUOTE=Wendella]It's possible a civil war is on the verge of breaking out, and this guy wants to disallow any mention here of it. What I'm hearing is that the red shirts entered the parliament today. Explosions have been going off all over town the last few weeks, including in front of the biggest massage parlor in town just a couple days ago, and just around the corner from Soi Cowboy. Anyway, this is the Bangkok section. It's relevant. Keep up the updates.

Anyone who wants to stick their head in the sand, feel free to go do that.[/QUOTE]Sukhumvit is situation normal, same for Patpong. Nothing much happening, all is fine.

Just some Yellow shirt freaks trying to scaremonger people into thinking there is something to be scared about.

This is why this scare mongering nonsense needs to be kept on the Politics thread, and not here. This is the Bangkok Reports thread.

Mongering Reports From Bangkok.

The expat area and the politics thread is where the nonsense should be kept. You know where it is. Use it.

[QUOTE=The Pro]Can you all please take your politics and demo views over to the Expat area and into the Politics thread.

Thanks[/QUOTE]
This is very useful information, essentially for non expats and occasionnal visitors, and all need to see it, so to put it in the BKK thread is the right thing to do.

State of Emergency decree imposed in Bangkok

[url]http://bangkokpost.net/breakingnews/173944/pm-declares-state-of-emergency[/url]

This is bad news....

I think it is good news for expats like Nic Frenchy because the price of getting your wenie licked, squeezed or whipped will be coming down as sex tourism dries up. Just stay away from the red shirts. There is always a positive side of a negative situation.

[QUOTE=The Pro]Can you all please take your politics and demo views over to the Expat area and into the Politics thread.[/QUOTE]T.P. You are wrong on this one. What is going on in the streets of BKK is relevant and has a direct impact on what can and can't be done here at the moment. This is vital news and I thank all those members who are providing their up to date reports on what's going on. I can only hope things quiet down quickly and without bloodshed.

T.P. respectfully, maybe you should take your views about the reporting of these vital news events to the Expat area and the Politics thread. Thank you.

Thank you, Giotto.
[QUOTE=Giotto]Again the warning - be careful out there.
Today red shirt groups have moved to the parliament, trying to break into the compound.
Giotto
PS:
A list of hotels difficult to get to at the Rajprasong Intersection:

- InterContinental
- Holiday Inn
- Grand Hyatt Erawan
- Four Seasons
- Centara Grand
- Renaissance

Closed Shopping Malls:

- Siam Discovery
- Siam Centre
- Siam Paragon
- CentralWorld[/QUOTE]

Their targets seem to be pretty unpredictable, and some of those targets are getting hit with explosives. The most active ones in this are extremists, who knows what they'll suddenly decide to do. They're getting desperate. Maybe it'll seem like a bright idea to one of them to chuck a grenade into Nana Plaza. Don't think I'd feel 100% safe anywhere in BKK these weeks.