https://thailand-247.com/index.php?/rss/2-most-of-the-open-forum-areas.xml/Posts from the open forum areasenAn old friend drove 3 of us up to the North , first time I have seen a drive through in Starbucks here.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 14:44:25 +0000A friend of mine found a great deal for me at a hotel I had already booked, and I thought I'd let everyone know. Couldn't find a thread of this sort, so started one, but if one does exist then I'm fine with this post being moved into it. Holiday Inn Express Central Pattaya on Soi Buakhao is running a 7th Anniversary special: Not sure how long the special runs. As I said, I had already booked this hotel on the IHG website for 15 nights @ US$42/night. They booked a new reservation under my wife's name and canceled the existing booking, saving me ~US$150 for the stay. Add your hotel specials, finds and deals!Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:51:42 +0000Fri, 14 Aug 2026 18:18:04 +0000Many people worry about savings and investments as they age. The trade off between enjoying life and spending when the meaningful years start to diminish with age, as opposed to fears about security in an unknown future.. The sad fact is many never really end up utilising what they have accrued over the years. Looking back over time, experiences always seem to outweigh material wealth which points to breaking habits. Easily said than done. IMO.Wed, 12 Aug 2026 21:26:24 +0000Rest in peace buddy miss you.Sun, 09 Aug 2026 23:23:29 +0000For me 3. Things that would be considered normal during a life. I'm not including a fractured wrist a dislocated finger or when I tore the cartilage in my knee when vacuuming the living room 😳 So for me and number one was a 3 month bout of sciatica in 2024. Not ashamed to say it literally brought me to tears on occasions. I also suffered it during my first visit to Thailand in 2008 but not as severe. Number 2..and this was unforgettable for me.... I was 19 years old and contracted Gastroenteritis.... Bloody horrendous. Number 3....and I'm suffering again from another tooth infection or abscess. 2 days ago I looked like Quasimodo but it's eased somewhat. Your experiences please. Just physically not mentally... That's another topic.Sat, 08 Aug 2026 01:15:21 +0000Fri, 07 Aug 2026 03:04:50 +0000I am planning a winter trip from the UK to Thailand and have noticed a promotion from Etihad offering a free stopover for a few days. The stopover is complimentary and includes taxi to the hotel and a room-only stay. Has anyone taken advantage of this promotion and if so what are your thoughts? Are there any unforeseen issues?Tue, 04 Aug 2026 11:54:35 +0000Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:13:44 +0000Lots to see I've been through victory monument before but never Ari nice neighborhood just off the sky train as well worth a look if somebody's here for a few days and wants to do some exploring.Mon, 03 Aug 2026 05:23:48 +0000No surprise very few people out and the girls that are out are rough to say the least.Mon, 03 Aug 2026 01:31:33 +0000OK, we're now just under a month until relocation to Thailand. We'll be based in Thailand, returning to the US for a month or so once a year while my mother is still on this side of the veil. We'll be looking for a condo to lease/rent a full year at a time. Soliciting suggestions on where to look. Desired specs: - Condo/apartment, not a house. - Location preference 1) Jomtien 2) Pratamnak 3) Pattaya - One bedroom (not a studio). - Rent ~12K - 20K/month. Year's advance OK if the landlord is trustworthy. - Sea views a big plus. - 4th floor or higher preferred (wife worried about floods). - Walk to beach 10 minutes or less if possible. - On premise gym preferred but not mandatory. Swimming pool also a plus. - Shops and bars: Ground floor of building optimum, short walk preferred. Prefer nothing requiring transportation. - Near baht bus route preferred (obviously this is at odds with most of Pratamnak but...). - Farang ownership a plus, if already acquainted or friend a big plus (e.g. @CampariO). We're in no rush, and have a dedicated place to stay in the Ayutthaya area. Please suggest specific buildings and even units if possible. Contact info for owners/landlords would be appreciated. Also, please reply if you've used an agency and have gotten a good result. I realize these will be a bit more expensive but if they're good they cut down on the hassle. Thanks in advance. See you soon!Sat, 01 Aug 2026 14:58:15 +0000Quite a few of you guys seem to be using an air fryer these days. I don't do much cooking, but was wondering what your experience of them is and which one you use or would recommend.Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:41:13 +0000Effective from July 15th until September 30th 2026 with everything going to DMK. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40069124 Hope no-one here's affected.Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:42:42 +0000This is in support of the "Airport" thread. Please give experiences of transit hotels within airports or those nearby for early flights or late arrivals....Sun, 26 Jul 2026 10:52:26 +0000I've been in the Condo for about 6 weeks now. At first didn't notice any animals or bugs. Sometimes you have ants or cockroaches nothing like that in this condo. About a week ago in preparing my morning coffee I moved the toaster and little gecko crawled out. I was not fast enough to catch it. Then a few days later in turning the lights on in the morning I noticed a few gecko heads and body parts protruding from tiny gap between the wall and the built-in bed backboard. No problems this is the tropics. Last night I was laying on the bed watching WWII on prime. I fell asleep. When I woke up decided it was time to go to bed. When I moved the laptop off the bed/pillows a gecko scrambled out from beneath my laptop. This is the friggin pillow, the bed I sleep on every night and now I learn I'm sleeping with more than my girlfriend! This is absolutely crazy, wildlife in my bed (besides myself 555!). Is this critter licking my teeth at night or who knows what other symbiotic things this critter is doing? This critter is not king of the food chain either, so does that mean I could find snakes in my bed? I already worry about snakes popping up from the toilet every time I take dump, then taking a chunk of my dangling manhood. Maybe it's time to go back to civilization were there no critters in your bed (other than the crabs you bring back (thumb firmly in Cheek!).Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:30:56 +0000After the sad news that after a rent hike, Pitini has sadly closed, difficult to find a good alternative for breakfast? Anyone who knows Pattaya well, have any ideas? Coppertone, Golden Ferret, Hemmingway are OK but not as good. Quality wise, the Sportsman is as good, but capacity not great and the environment is a little dark.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:35:26 +0000But I am now https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/13565722/tyson-fury-vs-mariusz-wach-gypsy-king-says-world-is-yet-to-see-best-version-of-him-at-nearly-38-years-old He's fighting this guy in Pattaya tomorrow with all proceeds going to the Father Ray Foundation. Good man!Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:21:45 +0000But I am now https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/13565722/tyson-fury-vs-mariusz-wach-gypsy-king-says-world-is-yet-to-see-best-version-of-him-at-nearly-38-years-old He's fighting this guy in Pattaya tomorrow with all proceeds going to the Father Ray Foundation. Good man!Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:20:37 +0000We arrive in Thailand tomorrow night for 5 weeks. The plans is to spend a week or so in my wife's village just north of Udon Thani. The remaining time will be spent in Pattaya (Darkside) furnishing the house my wife has just refurbished. I will aim to do regular updates of our holiday (hopefully not too many house photos). I am mainly a daytime drinker and like to be a home body once the sun goes down so it might be quite boring for some.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:17:33 +0000Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:20:40 +0000A very very good friend of mine I convinced to do his 90-day online it wasn't his first one and it wasn't a new passport he did it within the time constraints but he was rejected. So he headed down to the agent Maneree gave them the passport they asked him for his TM 30 which they've never asked him for he didn't have it with him so they rejected him there. I guess this is something new because I have never ever had a TM 30 never ever. And I have gotten new visa extension done my 90 days just never bothered to get one and was never ever asked for one up to now but I'm guessing I may be the next time I try to do it unless even though I do it online maybe they see that there is no TM 30 in my record so maybe I'll get rejected as well. Getting tougher and tougher hate it you know you can almost see a bad thing happeningTue, 21 Jul 2026 07:40:38 +0000And if in fact they do it could scare the shit out of many people about even considering coming over here. Let's face it there's a percentage of people here because they had to leave where they were this is pattayaTue, 21 Jul 2026 05:47:46 +0000Sitting down this morning having coffee with Blue Streak. We were talking about his trip to Angeles City and how things there are becoming more depressing. And just generally catching up well I always have my phone with me and it sat on the table face down. So while we're talking about Angeles City The notification Bell goes off on my phone and it's Google with memories from 7 years ago of my trip to Angeles City. It could well be coincidental but I found it actually funny. I really don't give a shit a big brother watches but now I'm more convinced that he isSat, 18 Jul 2026 09:43:29 +0000I think @Horizondave will be the winner on the upgrades though, the lucky bugger flew The Concorde more than once 😀 However, still interested to read experiences of good flights, bad flights, incidents and anecdotes. I'll start with the time I had met Mrs Butch and been together a year but then on one trip to LOS I got chatting to an EVA Air Cabin Crew girl who was based in Bangkok, during a flight. We exchanged numbers and spent all my holiday time together over a period of a year during my 3 time a year 3 week trips to LOS. I was given an ultimatum by her, but decided to stay where I was. Life is complicated sometimes, and we choose our own path. Second time was wayyy back in the 90's when I boarded an Emirates flight out of Singapore to LHR next to a really nice fella, my age and really chilled, until he farted and shit himself, which was totally liquid, everywhere. 15 mins after take off.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:10:39 +0000