traveller123

An interesting question to ask CB. My part of Isaan is Khmer heritage and the villagers speak a form of Khmer language and many (including my partner) look more Khmer than Thai. Presumably CB has come across similar lads, does he consider they fit his description of Thais or does he think they act like Cambodians? My partner and I have made several trips to Siem Reap as it is a shorter trip than driving to Bangkok or Pattaya and it always amuses me when people assume he is Khmer and he with a little indignation informs them "No, I am Thai" Can I add my thanks for your fantastic, well crafted reports and taking what must be a fair amount of time to write them

I am just back home in Thailand after a trip to San Francisco flying economy with Eva Air. Only good things to say about the journey, good food for the class of travel, nice cabin crew (but all female) and at the time I booked a good price of 29,405 baht. I could have bought a cheaper ticket on the mainland China airlines but didnt fancy the longer stop overs and shorter leg room.

I think it's probably that you have too many other things going on to worry about the hard beds! - long may it continue

It isn't going to help you as we haven't stayed before, but we have booked to stay here for a week at Christmas www.theagatepattaya.com

Guess it is all down to where you live. I live in Isaan and I'm excited because next week I'm going to visit family who live an hour out of San Francisco

I have always found Bangkok Airways to be the best but they are expensive. In June we flew Air Asia for the short flight BKK to Luang Prabang and they were fine with both flights on time and at a great price. June 2015 we also flew Air Asia BKK to Bali, the flights were very early in the morning (just after 6am) which isn't the best time for me but again both out and return flights were on time and at a great price, particularly if you book during Air Asia's regular promotions. Guess it is all down to how you want to spend your money. My partner and I are happy with each others company (ok I like a massage when we are on holiday), I don't need the most expensive flight but I do like eating in good restaurants and will happily pay for good food (a real treat when you live out in the sticks)

I havent heard from her either, perhaps because I am not a handsum man

Similar question. I will shortly be flying Eva economy to the US. Has anyone tried their special seafood meal?

We live in Thailand but are only 4 hours by road from Siem Reap, in years gone by I have had three great holidays there over Christmas. I noticed the low temperatures this year in both Siem Reap and Luang Prabang in Laos, which was strange as we didnt experiance them here. I would have enjoyed digging out jeans and sweaters and cuddling even closer to my partner.

Whall, please take note of Moses's comment about March potentially being very hot (and humid) If you can avoid March, April and May as sightseeing would be exhausting. June to October is hot but cooler than March-May and you can get days with rain. If you can take Moses's recommendation of December - February

I second Alexxs recommendation on SMS notification.

Alexx, I'm interested in your post as I have a Bkk Bank debit card and I set the transactions to zero but it still allows me to use my card in person in stores without entering a pin. Making the settings zero stops me making payments through internet banking.

I have a Thai bank debit card/ATM which has no name on the front but it has a signature strip on the back. I agree with Alexx that I have never noticed a cashier in a shop checking the signature against the signed receipt (in any case it probably isn't too difficult to copy the signature when you have seen it on the signature slip) so I assume if someone stole the card, without the pin number they couldn't extract cash but they probably could use it to buy goods.

My obervations are disabled passengers board the aircraft first disembark last

If anyone wants a good and reliable taxi company / guide pm me and I will send the contact details. The company is not gay owned but we enjoyed our trips with them last November

That is the problem with the service charge in the UK, the suspicion is always that the restaurant owner may keep it

Wow Ryan 5000 baht. Are you interested in a 70 year old with a pot belly. I could travel ha ha Your current topic - have a good trip to Burma,

I do not understand this comment. In the UK you have the option to tip or not to tip. If a service charge is added to the bill and you dont want to pay it strike it out. I'm also surprised you have had some of the worse service in the world,that is not my experience

Apologies for my previous post, this is what I watch

Another superstition that is common, at least in my part of Isaan, is hanging a red shirt at the entrance to the house. I was told it stops ghosts coming into the house and taking a member of the family

There is a similar thing for us Brits called UKTV which I have subscribed to for two years and would not like to be without.

You have to go with him on this. If he doesn't follow his and his family's beliefs because of you and something goes wrong it will be your fault. I also had exactly the same thing on the start date for our house (also known as the first post ceremony). We had to wait until the right day, like you it was in October. Remember it is a completely different culture and you will never and I mean never understand it, but if you accept that and go with it, your partner and by extension you will be a happier man.

The US is also similar to Thailand in that prices quoted in Thai restaurants do not include taxes. In the US, if my memory is correct that practice even includes prices displayed in stores. Not really wishing to restart the whole scam thing, to a European, this feels like a scam. Anyway next month I'm visiting family near San Francisco so will be able to revisit the tipping scene. I just remembered another thing, 3 years ago at SFO the bus stopped outside departures where there was a conveyor transferring luggage into the terminal and I was asked for a tip for loading my bag onto the conveyor, so I hauled the bag off it. SORRY if I have gone off topic

I come from the UK and I believe tipping is a reward for good sevice and I always reward it often generously. My worse experience tipping wise was in the good old USA. We went into a restaurant/cafe type place for breakfast and got seated in a back, dismal room. Service was slow so I didnt tip, and on my way out was rewarded with a sarcastic comment from the middle aged waitress

We live in Surin and my partner is so proud of this guy winning the medal