NIrishGuy

@abang - virgin status eh !! I like the sound of that one, lets go with that eh ! It's been a while, my my a newbie and a virgin all in one day, I feel like I'm 14 all over again, 14 !! Did I say 14, I meant 18 of COURSE ! :-)

"As Fountainhall says, it's always worth checking the hotel's own website for a price comparison - it can be the cheapest." As well as checking their website I would also highly recommend ringing the hotel direct and speaking to reservations as a lot of the time ( especially in Thailand I find) the hotel web site prices are sent to the web programmer at the start of the season and are rarely changed, whereas in reality "actual" hotel prices can tend to flucuate wildly and if the hotel is not busy some great rates can be achieved. I was told by a Pattaya hotel manager that his (and most if not all ) hotels sign a contract with Agoda and their like to promise that the hotel will never knowingly undercut the Agodas published rate - at risk should they get caught of losing their Agoda bookings status, hence why the hotel website rate may not be the "actual" cheapest negoiatable rate, also sometimes taxes and other various Agoda add on's can mysteriously "disappear" when booking directly with certain hotels if perhaps cash is being paid etc. For instance I have just confimed a room with a nice Silom hotel which was shown on Agoda at an all in price of around 3300 baht a night and have secured EXACTLY the same room directly for 2400 baht a night ( to be fair that should have been 2800 Baht but I was given a further discount as a regular visitor, but still even the original 500 baht a night over 11 nights all adds up I guess so it was worth the original inital phone call to the hotel directly in my case. "Some hotels ask for credit card details to be sent to confirm a booking. They ask for this to be done by normal, unencrypted email - I hate that idea! " I would second that and after attending a crime prevention course on internet security would STRONGLY suggest that no one ever sends unencrypted credit card details via email as criminals are currently using many forms of botnets to infect machines worldwide which then trawl through emails trying to indentify strings of numbers that suit the "shape" of credit card details i.e card number length and expriry dates all in one email etc and then copy and send them in bulk once collected to the criminal gang, so if asked I always refuse and if I HAVE to send my details at worst I will agree to send them by fax and nothing else.

Can I just add on a slightly less serous note (which is always much better I find) that several people have (correctly) referred to me as a "newbie" - so, can I just request that you keep that up - for about 7 seven years in fact - as just for a split second there it made me feel terribly young again ! :-) Thanks for that, you almost made my week ! :-)

Whilst I appreciate what you are trying to do Khor Torse at the risk of repeating myself please do not deem to speak for me, I have not spoken anywhere about leaving anything, speaking personally I don't do drama and my simply regisitering here is ( to me anyway) no big deal and as I've already said nothing should be read into that by anyone and the fact that three different people all registered here for their own individual reasons is really nothing that this board should feel the need to worry about or discuss any more than any other random person joining. As has already been mentioned assuming that I ( and the other people I guess) adhere to the rules of this site I really don't see the need for any further discussion re this matter. And again in the very nicest possible way please don't assume to know my reasons for regisitering here as they may well and do in fact have absolutely nothing to do with ANY one individual poster who may or may not be posting on both boards ( actually I don't even know who you're talking about nor care less). I'm all for a quiet life and having a bit of fun and mutual enjoyment on the various Thailand boards is my aim, simple as that. I'm surmising by your posts that you maybe believe that three people joining all at once was some sort of coreographed move, I can assure you that it wasn't and in fact the three of us weren't even aware the others had also joined until we noticed each others names here after signing up. So, I do understand your believing (incorrectly) that there may be a need for caution at some level I can assure you (certainly in my case and I'm sure i can also speak for the others in this regard too) there is really no need for undue concern or discussion re this matter further and assuming all board rules are adhered to that should be the end of the matter. So lets all post or read or whatever it is we do as normal and move on now please as this thread has already raised the subject of three random people subscribing to this board much much more than should ever have been necessary anyway I believe. Many thanks - and thank you (all) for the welcome as well by the way !

As I've recently just registered ( even though I've been reading the board for many years) I'm not sure if you're referring to me in your three new members but I think you'll find I haven't or didn't announce anything to anyone either here or on SGF as I've nothing to announce. As SG said I came here without comment and had no intention of bringing a discussion from another board to here so have no fear there, as I've said previously I also post on GBs board too so posting here or there or anywhere is no big deal to me and nothing should be read into that by anyone. Meanwhile thank you for your open letter formal welcome ( at least I think that's what it was :-) and I look forward to continue reading and contributing at times hopefully to the many educating, entertaining and respectful posts that appear here.