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In August, we took a Bolt from Pattaya to Suvanabhumi there were no safety belts in the back and the front safety belt didn't work, the car was so old that it had a cassette deck, and as usual the driver had to get gas on the way and do all kinds of U-Turns Also in August, we took a meter taxi from Suvanabhumi to Pattaya and the driver was not willing to take less than 1800 plus wanted us to pay tolls, when we tried to negotiate we were surrounded by a gang of other taxi drivers and BF was told "that's the price, take it or leave it" by the mob Next trip we will definitely be pre-booking through TheLimoPattaya or similar companies

You can get it a lot cheaper on Klook: https://www.klook.com/activity/336-tiffanys-show-pattaya/?spm=Activity.TopNavigation.SelectCurrency&clickId=b3cf9d49d9 Alternatively if you know somebody "in the know" i am told you can get tickets to the cheap seats for 500b

correct! I am surprised that so few others thought it was elsewhere! Xboys has those annoying digital clocks in the background, where the time is never correct and both clocks are never on the same time!

Thanks for the TR Sudoxi Curious as to why you never visited Silom Soi 2 (DJ or Espresso) or Soi Freeman (GOD) during your visit, as a younger farang you would probably have picked up a few non MBs for some mutual fun or even some freelancers. Perhaps night clubs are not your thing?

Whilst I have never participated, I have been in the vicinity of Home bar during the bingo and it's usually standing room only each Wednesday Bingo night. So it is a very popular night out. I have heard plenty of departing expats tell their friends that they will see them again the next week. Seems it works for them and the people that enjoy it

Dr. apichai is def the best ENT guy in town. Works in the international hospitals in the day time. So his clinic is usually only open in the evenings. Sunday 5:30–7:30 p.m. Monday 5:30–7:30 p.m. Tuesday Closed Wednesday 5:30–7:30 p.m. Thursday Closed Friday 5:30–7:30 p.m. Saturday Closed Per koko recommendation get there at 16.45 to get a into the queue.

Recently the fast track lane at the far right of the main immigration hall (to the right of the Thai Citizen and Autogate lanes) which dealt with Business/ Elderly/Disabled travelers also started accepting families with lots of children On my last 2 trips (biz) i found it quicker to deal with the main line, than deal with several families of 4-5 all trying to cajole their 4-10 year old kids to go through immigration on their own, get pics taken etc

Ching Chong is an informal Thai term for urinating/taking a pee http://www.thai-language.com/id/141748

Back in the early/mid 2000s when we had the Pattaya Gay Festival (PGF) there was usually a fundraising event at least once a month: Gala dinners, Valentines parties, street parties, beach party, Mister PGF, Miss PGF, Mister Muscle, Gay Parade, charity auctions etc. This would culminate with a week of events around world AIDs day in early December Most of these events were fundraisers, so represented a great way to mix with other like minded gay farang, unfortunately these days its every man for himself and the PGF is long gone - but thankfully Dr. Phillipe and HEARTT 2000 are still around saving countless boys lives Image below is from the Wayback Machine https://web.archive.org/web/20040202183017/http://www.pattayagayfestival.com/about_us.php

i usually have breakfast in the 7-11 at 5-6am after stumbling there from a late night venue!

The Tarntawan was tired when i first stayed there in 2000. they have changed the mattresses and replaced the carpet in the bedrooms since, but everything else (even the condoms in the basket) are still from the last millennium. it is only fit for knocking at this stage

where is the trip report! (and you never DM'ed me to be your tour guide!)

I'm sure others could do it more elegantly, but assuming i was going from Jomtien to BT and was in the front seat i would indicate using my hand showing a right turn and saying "Bpai Tlad Sophon" followed by a left hand movement stating Pattaya Tai / Wat Chai. I think most would get it (assuming the driver actually knows pattaya in the first place!)

Sure, but if you make any money by extorting the scammers...you owe me half!

For the last few years I get these almost every day when home in Ireland on Hornet/Jack'd Fit Asian guy in early thirties, that is visiting for his business, always moves straight to conversation about what i do for work and him explaining that he is in investments/property/crypto and wants to exchange WhatsApp. I usually tell them that i work in computer crime and fraud detection for Europol... for some unknown reason they suddenly lose interest!

Suggest you stay elsewhere. The building site on old Soi Twilight is working noisily from 07.00 to 19.00 so if you are unlucky enough to get a room on that side of the building (60% chance from memory) then you will not be getting much sleep

Your driver should have taken a right at the overpass intersection and taken Third road all the way to Naklua, driving the same route the pattaya mayor does (his offices are next to Terminal 21)

Pattaya traffic is only a problem if you are on a songtaew, it turns left at the Bali Hai Overpass and gets stuck in traffic at the lead up to marine hotel If you are in a bolt tell them to turn right at the overpass and then get to Pattaya Tai by Sophon market intersection or through soi yensabai, soi day night or soi Holywood. Takes no more than 10 mins Jomtien to Boystown

We did this during Songkran, rented our usual condo near Sinlapin Issan, but also booked a room in the agate for 7 nights, we could then choose where we would sleep depending on where the night took us. In the end, we only slept in Agate 1 of the 7 nights, but did use it plenty of times as a staging area for clean toilets, hot showers and wardrobe changes! I would not really consider the HI Express on Soi Buakow to be near BT, it is in the middle of the straight district and the roads from there (Soi 15 or the one that is like the surface of the moon) are not pedestrian friendly so i would recommend finding somewhere else to stay

Even more confusing is that there is also a harborland on the top floor of Terminal 21!

There is also a Harbor Mall in Pattaya , it is on Pattaya Klang (Central Road) past Big C Extra and next to Foodland

It was so much better fun there when Balcony bar closed for Songkran and the water play went on without the fun police

Pattaya will likely start on the 12th and finish late on the 19th, 13 & 14 will be busy, there will be a little lull around 16& 17 before things kick off again on 18th and the main day of the 19th. If last year is anything to go by water play will not stop at 19.00 and will continue in selected pockets all night long or water/powder fights will break out spontaneously in venues as the night progresses. I have already seen pics on FB of powder play starting in Jomtien Soi 12 late at night. Bkk will likely start on the 12th and finish late on the 15th, Songkran lovers will move to Pattaya for a continuation of the fun

Even worse is when they grab your bottle by the mouth piece and pull it out of the cooler sleeve to see what you have left!

Seems you are limiting your potential friend circle to a group of people that may be quite jaded and cynical about life in Thailand. Remember today's tourists are tomorrow's residents and potentially know more about what is going on than the expats that live sheltered lives. Us temporary tourists are human too!