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joshhb

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Everything posted by joshhb

  1. Seems to be getting less bad - in time for my arrival on Monday http://aqicn.org/city/bangkok/ I think the biggest culprits are 1. Badly-maintained diesel trucks / buses. 2. Crop burning. Last year Indonesian fires caused a huge blanket of smog all the way to KL. Chiang Rai was also very badly affected by northern crop burning Solutions: 1. Aggressive roadside checks and immediate impounding of failing vehicles. 2. Subsidize Happy Seeder and other technologies that deliver the nutritional benefits of burning, without the smoke.
  2. I’ve stayed in the apartment block of the Ascott. Nice place but it is is quite a walk to Patong. If it’s not too late try and find something near Chong Nonsi. Soi 3 is best for apartments near the action but not crazy noisy.
  3. I'd rather do the real thing. Ayutthaya is quite amazing. Rough at the edges, but I don't want Disneyland Thailand.
  4. By ancient city I presume you refer to Ayutthaya. It’s a great day out. For $50 there is a tour that departs from Sheraton. Coach up to Ayutthaya. See the old city and palaces and then a river cruise with lunch back to Bangkok. I’ve been to Bangkok so often in the past 2 years to be with my BF I feel I have exhausted all the obvious things to visit so any new ideas would be welcomed.
  5. Agree with you Pantanawet. For me size has no correlation with enjoyment.
  6. Why do posters feel the need to stay in Silom hotels. AirBnB has so many apartments on soi 3. Its not far from Patpong, and you can "live like a local" as they say. The sub-soi directly behind Bangkok Bank has some great food. Anon's 88 Eatery and Bar on the main 3 is great.
  7. While on this subject, what does sa-moke mean, and what's the derivation of this word? Thanks
  8. joshhb

    Hairless

    Well, my Thai BF is in the top 1%. Apart from his front, he is not hairy. Beautiful smooth skin. But on his chest he has a luxurious pelt, and a glorious treasure trail. Mmmm, so sexy.
  9. At 16:00 Friday the traffic will be flowing out of the city centre. First go down to the ARL level and change some money at Superrich, including some small notes. Then back up one level for the taxis. Very efficient queuing system. Always metered. 50 Baht airport premium and ask to use the toll road - I think it is 20 and 50 Baht. All up 400 Baht to Silom, and no hassle trying to interchange metro systems with a big bag.
  10. The highly rated (on travelgayasia) Magic Touch opens at 10:00 each day. Not much choice in the first few hours. Easy to find - its off the soi that runs up the side of Le Meridian hotel. Google maps has the right location.
  11. River, early monks, French cuisine influence, mid-upscale, English menus, night market - it has to be Luang Prabang. It is a great place. I also do the "sharing money" thing, especially in Bangkok - he is always seen to pay for meals and drinks by the staff. I did not know that "You need to lelax" is a standard Thai exaltation.
  12. I know exactly how you feel. My relationship is now stable, and we see each other every 6 weeks. He's totally under my skin. Just said good bye to him in Dubai - he's back to BKK and tomorrow me to London. Long distance relationships can work, but it takes a real effort. The first trip we did together was to Myanmar and Malaysia. He'd only ever been on a plane to Chiang Mai before. When we parted at KL, he simply did not understand the procedures of an airport, and how to find which gate etc. Now, he's fine with it all. Tonight he changes in Bahrain for the flight to BKK, and I have no worries.
  13. I've never had the nerve to try and strike up a conversation with him. It seems odd to own a bar, and then not interact with staff or customers.
  14. I arrived at BKK this afternoon. It was very empty - no immigration line and no-one wanting the taxis. I've never seen it so quiet. I'd say there were as many Indians as Chinese.
  15. Well, she must be lying. A couple of months ago she was giving food to customers to mark her birthday, and she explained that Welcome is her new bar, and that she also owned Banana
  16. I never understood the business model of the bars after telephone. This one is owned by the same woman who owns Banana. Thanks for the info. I’ll be there on Saturday with my BF. It’s very relaxed and the drinks are reasonable. Change of subject, what’s the story of the boss of Balcony? He cycles in at 22:00, rarely talks to customers. We call him “Mr Angry “. Apparently he was in the British army.
  17. Paypal is good, but slow. GBP to THB takes 5 working days.
  18. For really long flights i.e. London - Bangkok I much prefer night time flights when flying business class, and get a decent night's sleep. For me EVA is the best for night flights. I really hate long daytime flights - its so utterly boring, but Premium Economy is just fine daytime. I recently did London - Vienna - BKK on Austrian, business class. Night flights both directions, and £500 cheaper than the cheapest non-stop. On the outbound, the Austrian arrival into London was late so I was moved to the EVA. A result! I agree about British Airways - to be avoided is at all possible. (Unless the new A350). For short flights I love the low cost airlines - Air Asia is great for hopping to other cities and nearby countries for 3000 - 4000 BHT return.
  19. I'm an LTR guy. I'm very fortunate to have found a long time Thai partner and have been to Thailand 8 or 9 times in the past 18 months. Last September I went out to his family home in Pathum Thani , before the ceremony held 12 months after the death of his father. I totally get the tale of the upstairs being closed off in respect of the deceased person. I went upstairs with my BF and burst into tears. The cabinet displaying a memorial to his Dad was is a terrible state, and the room was covered in bird shit. The actual ceremony was actually a happier event.
  20. Thank God it does not have the range to do London - Bangkok. My selection criteria is different to the OP article and Vinapu. Apart from timings and price, aircraft type is an important criteria for me. If I'm not treating myself to Business then I'd rank them in the following order for long flights 1. A380 / A350 2. Increasingly rare 3 - 3 - 3 777s 3. 787 4. 3 - 4 - 3 777s Horrible 5. Any narrow body aircraft For 1 or 2 I'll pay more.
  21. Don't forget to bring your passport when you first buy a Rabbit card. Its something to do with money laundering prevention, apparently.
  22. Even in the rainy season, the mornings are often dry. Take a 4 hour bike tour with these guys https://www.followmebiketour.com/ Their jungle tour is best. It starts wandering through Khlong Toei sois, and then a boat crossing to Bang Kachao island, the "Lungs of Bangkok"
  23. I've stayed in just about every AirBnb on Silom soi 3. Ranging from £30 per night to £80. Its a much better experience for stays more than 3 nights. Silom Lofts and Baan Pipat are the best. Quad Suites next to Holiday Inn Express are dark and dismal. Klaas Silom Condo are very small, but modern. Best value has been the slightly shabby "penthouse" on the top of The Oasis.
  24. joshhb

    Ko Samet

    Thub Thim is probably the best for you, Boy69. Enough people for people watching, but not overcome with hoards seen on the main beach. Has a gay vibe. Low key place, but enough going on. If you stay on Sai Kaew, you might as well stay in Pattaya!
  25. Well said, Londoner. My experience is more compressed than yours, but same same. I met my BF 18 months ago, and so far we have been together every 6 or 7 weeks. Either in Thailand or he travels to be with me somewhere in the world. 10k km is a long way, but it can work if you find someone special. And like you, I have!
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