Pdoggg

Just had lunch at the Tin Cup. No prices on the menu but most dishes are 40 baht if together on one plate and 80 baht if separate on two plates. Free ice, free water, free condiments. It's directly across from Sports World on Buakhao. Sounds like fun!

Some Grand Ave Condo units are now occupied although some units still require some finishing touches and furnishing. It's located on Soi 15 between the Avenue Mall and The Hideaway. Very long swimming pool that wraps around the complex plus multiple gyms and a steam and sauna. They don't have studios but they do have 1 Bedrooms that are studio size. I asked how much to rent and she said she would contact me as she wasn't really sure but when pressed said 16K to 18K per month for the small one bedrooms. Unclear if this is for a long term contract or if you could get this price for one month. So it seems there will be a glut of housing on Soi 15 just around the time that the powers that me on clamping down on condo rentals of less than one month. So renters should be in a good negotiating position in what I think is a superb location. http://grandavenuepattaya.com/

Is Surprise Yourself now Spot Bar?

You can find Baby Boom info

The Thai bank I like best is the Yellow Bank, Krungsri aka Bank of Ayudhaya. I recommend having two accounts with them. A regular savings account which pays 0.3% interest and a Mee Tae Dai savings account which pays 1.3% interest but there a a hefty fee if you make more than 2 withdrawals a month. So the bulk of your money would be in the Mee Tae Dai account and then once a month you would transfer what you will be spending every month from Mee Tae Dai to the regular savings account. You can link these accounts online so that you can transfer between them but have the debit card linked to only the regular savings account. Let's say that you have an average balance of one million baht in your Mee Tae Dai account. If the interest rate remains 1.3% you'd earn 13,000 baht in interest that year. If you don't register your Tax ID number with the bank they would withhold 15% of the 13,000 for taxes. This works out to 1950 baht. It's best if the bank doesn't withhold any of your money. If they do you can file a tax return and get a refund but it's best to avoid that process. You don't get the Tax ID Number at Immigration. You get it at the Revenue Office which is just off Jomtien 2nd Road next to Tony's Gym. The Tax ID number is free. The Revenue workers don't speak English nearly as well as those at Immigration so it might help if you bring Dao along with you. https://www.krungsri.com/bank/en/PersonalBanking/DepositProducts/SavingsDeposit/MeeTaeDaiSavings.html

Farangs are now having 15% of their interest withheld if you have a Thai bank account. It started in May; just realized it was happening now. If you show the bank your Tax ID Card it should revert to old method that they only withheld when the interest for a year is more than 20K baht. I already have a Thai Tax ID number which seems to have complicated the situation. I gave the lady at the bank my ID number but she said my number was not in the system. She said I needed to get a card at the Revenue Office which is next to Tony's gym off Jomtien 2nd Road which is easier to get to than going to Immigration on Soi 5. Given that I have a new passport number I probably should have just asked for a new ID number which would (maybe) come with a card. Instead they gave me a printout that had my number which makes it a little more difficult for the bank. So the bank could not promise me exactly when the witholding would stop. I have a special type of savings account (not a time deposit) at the Yellow Bank which currently pays 1.3% interest. I hope it is fixed before January 2020 which would make life easier for me, So how do I get my withheld money back? I believe there is no tax due if one earns less than 150,000 baht. To get a refund you must fill out a very short form at the Revenue Office between January to March. Then at some future point they mail you a notice that your refund is ready and you go back to the Revenue Office and pick it up. The problem arises if you're out of Thailand when the notice arrives. SoI plan to go the first week of January and if goes as expected I such get my refund. What if you aren't here in January to March? I believe you can file late for a 200 baht fee. You can also file late going back 3 years. In the past I filed late for a few years as I had assumed that the tax withheld was actual tax instead of just withholding that I would get refunded. There is a longer time lag for if you file late but I eventually got my refund which is why I currently have my Tax ID Number. It's not all that complicated and not a big deal for me to hop on a baht bus to go to the Revenue Office. But could be a hassle if you live in Nakhon Nowhere. Many of you might just choose to fuck it if the amount withheld is rather small. But if you are in Thailand now you probably can get it sorted out once and for all by getting your Tax ID Card now and then in January just filing once for your refund and in 2020 there should be no money withheld.

Met up with a mate for a couple of drinks last night and was quite pleased when he suggested the Family Mart on Soi 15. There are three tables out front in the lot within almost spitting distance of the Hideaway. The place is not devoid of ladyboys as it seems robed ladyboys from Baby Boom and elsewhere occasionally plopped into the place. My buddy and I aren't down and out pathetic losers such that we have to drink in a joint like this but we thought we'd give it a go since it is quite convenient for us and you can avoid walking on Soi Buakhao which I find unpleasant. It's an alternative to hanging out at a friend's place. If drinking beer it's not that much cheaper than Kateseree which is a proper bar that offers free buckets of ice. But the advantage comes when ordering drinks other than beer. Breezer and Vodka Ice type drinks are 35 and 37 baht in cans. Cheap snacks are available and if one wants to avoid a hangover you can switch to Club Soda for 9 baht. The refrigeration system is superior to most bars. And they have a bottle opener. There are some negatives though. The bench seats are at an odd incline making them a bit uncomfortable. There aren't any fans. There were a group of Thais having a party of sorts at another table and they had their car door open blasting music. If it rains you're under the stars (there are actually a few seats inside with AC but not really conducive to an extended chinwag). Probably the biggest downside is the lack of a hong nam. The Thai guys were going across the soi and urinating in a somewhat hidden area but I wouldn't want my mug in the Pattaya Mail for peeing outside a Family Mart. There is a 24/7 free toilet in the Avenue Mall but the round trip is 5 minutes. Bottom line is we won't be in a rush to go back but won't rule it out either. Sometimes it's just nice not to have any bargirls around.

I never even realized there was such a thing as salt farming. Great idea for thread Stoolie! It's nice to see something new and different about Thailand!

Welcome back Stoolie!

The falang owner of Hidden AGoGo on Walking Street didn't pay his staff so the girls went to the police to complain.

Seems in this thread forum members have had different experiences with this bus as far as departure times. My experience is more in line with BB's. They sometimes add extra busses during busy times. Of course a bus and a driver needs to be available at Swampy. Here is the official schedule: https://airportpattayabus.com/from-suvarnabhumi-airport/ My feelings are kind of the opposite of QG in that he seems to prefer the service going to the airport and I prefer the service coming from the airport. I never know for sure what time my flight will arrive so it's difficult figuring what time to book the Bell Bus. And if you have the wrong debit card sometimes Bell won't accept it. It's frustrating to get knocked back over such a small purchase. OTOH, I am more concerned about timing, reliability, and making it easy when going to the airport. So, I usually use the Bell Bus. I don't want going to the airport to be stressful. I'm more willing to put up with hassles when coming from the airport. Also when coming from Jomtien the baht bus stops an easy 5 minute walk, 7 with luggage, from where I stay. The reverse is not true as going there I'm packed like a sardine at the Pattaya Tai to Jomtien baht bus queue and my luggage becomes problematic. Note the last two busses of the day from the airport don't go to Jomtien. Instead the terminus is the North Pattaya Bus Station. The Bell Bus in now 300 baht compared with the 140 (130 for Jomtien bus + 10 baht for the baht bus) but it's worth it to me when catching a plane. http://www.belltravelservice.com/shared-transfer/ Where should one get off the Jomtien Bus as they make a couple quick stops on Sukhumvit? For most people, I recommend taking it all the way to Jomtien although there are a few stops on the wrong side of Sukhumvit. I used to stay at a place a minute's walk from Pattaya Tai and 3rd Road, so it was more convienent to get off at Sukhumvit and Pattaya Tai. But using the Sukhumvit overpass in the rain with luggage blows. Taxis? Friend have had good experiences with PT (1000 to airport; 1100 from the airport). https://pttaxiservice.com/services-rates/ If flying at an inconvenient time an often overlooked alternative to taxis is staying at the Great Residence Hotel near the airport. It's inexpensive, saves a night's lodging in Pattaya and offers 2 way reliable transport to the airport. It's about a 7 minute drive. Can generally be booked on Booking.com or Agoda but sometimes they have multiple options so you need to be careful to choose 2 Way Airport Transfer Included. I've used it both when arriving late and departing early. To Book Great Residence on Agoda Through Our Partner Site Travelling to Bangkok for a quick one or two night trip? I'll take the Jomtien Bus as I'm just taking a backpack. At the airport I'll take the Airport Link to either Makkasan 35 baht or PhayaThai 45 baht. If going to Nana best to get off at Phayathai and transfer to the BTS. If going to Soi Cowboy best to get off at Makkasan and transfer to the MRT. If travelling to Bangkok City from Pattaya with luggage perhaps the door to door service of the Bell Bus plus two vans at 400 baht is better. But just a backpack prefer the Jomtien Bus plus rail transport to avoid Bangkok traffic. https://www.bangkokairportonline.com/bangkok-airport-rail-link/ Waiting at the airport is not really a big deal for me. I like to walk around the basement exchange booths in the basement, maybe go to the AIS counter to see if my Sims are still valid as I find it difficult to open my phone but for them it's a snap, maybe have a bite at the cafeteria near the bus ticket counter, take a dump, read my Kindle, the time goes by fairly quickly.

See more Ladyboy-Ladyboy here. See more Ladyboy-Ladyboy here.

It has a discreet side entrance. Does if have a discreet rear entrance? The idea of staying above a ladyboy bar might sound like fun and might actually be fun for a few nights. But long term I wouldn't want bargirls see who I am bringing home. I don't think his arm would need to be twisted very much to bring the price down from 21K a month as that type of room rents for about 10K a month plus electric. Good chance there is no electric meter so there would have to be an all in rate. But maybe they really don't want monthly tenants, especially with high season on the horizon, until they figure out how many short time rooms they need. Generally big turnover is a hassle, but perhaps their weekly guests could turn out to be big spenders in the bar.

Schoolgirls are way ahead of Nurses in this poll! GOTV if you like nurses!

Don't know where Triple J's is but went to Cheap Charlie's for a cheap breakfast this afternoon. There 89 baht brekkie is pretty good value. I don't eat eggs so told them no eggs. The breakfast was quickly delivered with no eggs and a third sausage instead of the two promised on the menu perhaps since I didn't get eggs. Also 2 slices of bacon, Canadian style rather than American style. two diagonally cut half slices of toast, one diagonally cut half slice of fried bread, beans, a tomato, OJ, and a mug of coffee. You can get tea instead of coffee. With tip, 100 baht so it's a pretty good deal. It's advertised as a small breakfast but it seemed pretty big to me. On the menu is a roast chicken dinner for 99 baht which seems like a good deal too. On the board some specials were listed and for Wednesday (not sure this Wednesday, every Wednesday, or every Wednesday this month) Indian Curry is 99 baht, another good deal. They also have a loyalty card which costs 199 baht. One benefit of the card is that all specials are just 99 baht, even if priced significantly higher. Maybe there are some other benefits but wasn't in the mood for quizzing Thai staff about a promotion that some falang thought up. The sign says beer is 49 baht so assume a Heineken would be just 49 baht. Shakes are 49 baht.They have a few TV screens but it has the feel of a restaurant, not a sportsbar. If one was just going there for beer there is an outside area right next to a sex massage joint. Had a close look at the Kateseree menu, the one near Soi Baby Boom. Small Leo and Chang are 50 baht, large Leo and Chang 70 baht. Tiger Light and Singha Liight are 55 baht. It doesn't say if ice buckets are free like the other Kateseree. Spy is 60 baht, and Breezers 80 baht. Some joints prices for Spy and Breezers are way out of line with beer prices. For comparison I pooped into the Family Mart on Soi 15 that has three tables outside. Leo was 39 baht, Spy only 32 baht, and Breezers 49 baht. It can get expensive to bring the missus to a place that might have reasonably priced beer but high prices for Breezers.

I just checked Mr DIY at the Avenue and they don't have toasters. Perhaps another branch does. If I was going to buy a cheap toaster I'd go to Big C. They would certainly have them. I just bought a blender there. There are Big C's at Pattaya Tai and Sukhumvit where I generally go, Pattaya Klang between 3rd Road and Sukhumvit, and 2nd Road around Soi 2.

As shown in the video, Tin Cup has delicious food at rock bottom prices including free water. Note they might ask if you want your rice on a separate plate. That's actually two orders at double the price.

I just asked the Thai lady who handles this at the condo that I rent. She said something like, "if you don't mind when you come back from Bangkok we can do a TM30 for you. We can do it online". I liked this answer as I thought I might put her out if I asked her to do this. But usually when I go to Bangkok for a night or two I stay on the sofa at my friend's condo. So in that case, I wouldn't ask her to do a TM30 as my friend would not have done so in Bangkok. Actually, he would be violating condo rules if I was staying for less than a month. I guess the problem is if you don't know if a guesthouse is filling out a TM30 or not. You can ask but the guesthouse receptionist will probably just guess which answer you want to hear. A buddy of mine went upstairs at bar in Jomtien to get better acquainted with a hostess. They didn't file a TM30.

Wing Commander Suthirawat Suwanawat, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Airports of Thailand (AOT), said on Friday (October 25) that Suvarnabhumi Airport will close the eastern runway (runway 01R-16L) and rapid exit taxiway at night from 1.30 to 8.30 am to repair and improve the surface. “The project will start on November 8 and is expected to be completed in 5 months, reopening on April 6 next year,” he said. “The total length of runway to be repaired is 1,100 meters, while the surface of taxiway nos. B3, B5, B7, B8, B10 and B11 will be replaced with asphalt to increase the strength to handle increased usage in the future.” Suthirawat further explained that the construction was scheduled at night time to avoid causing problems for passengers. “The west runway will still open during those hours, and both runways will be functional from 8.30 am everyday.” “During the periods of new year (December 25, 2019 – January 6, 2020) and Chinese new year (January 18-31, 2020), the repair on eastern runway will be temporarily suspended since the airport will be very busy,” he added. “AOT will also provide additional staff to facilitate passenger check-ins at every gate.” Suvarnabhumi Airport’s runway repair and improvement project will be carried out in 3 phases. The first phase covered 900 metres of eastern runway and was completed in April. The second phase will start November 8 as mentioned above, while the last phase will begin around October 2021 and covering the remaining distance on both runways. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30377757

Ladyboy A's bulge has 45% of the vote!

It woke me up from my afternoon nap. There was an aftershock a couple days later. Thought it might have been a dream. The aftershock was much weaker and not as scary.

I'll check and get back to you. But I suspect that they do. There seems to be 4 Mr DIYs in the monger areas of Pattaya: TukCom, Avenue, Royal Garden, Harbour Mall (Pattaya Klang). Lots of locations all over Thailand. Stores in the Philippines too but not at SM Mall in Angeles. I think they have a good business model. Their stuff is priced so low that you don't have to shop around to see if you can get a better price elsewhere. Here's their Thailand store locator: https://www.mrdiy.com/th/storelocator/

Popped into Mr DIY at the Avenue today and bought 19 baht reading glasses. A case would be more expensive than the glasses but you can buy 10 baht soft cases for 10 baht on the ground floor of TukCom. There is also a Mr DIY at Royal Garden Mall and probably lots of other place. Batteries are dirt cheap. You can buy 99 baht boots perhaps useful if living on Soi Pothole. But don't know if it the sizes were UK or USA sizes. I'd rathe rthey use Euro sizes to avoid ambiguity. Also the Coffee place had a two for one sale so got 2 bags of coffee. Had them grind one on the spot and will have them grind the second bag when I need it. The saleslady has a barista certification certificate and seems quite knowledgeable about coffee. She said if coffee was roasted over 6 months ago then they sell it 2 for 1. I think maybe it matters more when the coffee is ground than when the beans were roasted.

Strolled down Soi Chaiyapoon late in the afternoon and it is crawling with ladyboys. Ironically one of the few places you won't find ladyboys is in the Ass. For those who have seen Nick's videos and are inspired to enter the Ass, you won't have any trouble finding it as there is a prominent black and yellow sign that you can't miss. There are a couple of ladyboy bars plus Zaza Massage and it seems plenty of ladyboys were hanging at other massage shops. The 3rd Road end of the soi is paved to some degree but a big stretch still isn't paved. Guess the good thing about it not being paved is that it slows down motobikes. Downside is stumbling into a muddy hole half drunk at night. At Soi Buakhao the Oasis GoGo is renamed but that may have been for awhile now. Soi Xcyte isn't as busy as Soi Pothole but a pussy chasing buddy of mone had a good time at Club Xcyte earlier this year.