Lao girls can really mess with your head i guess

Soi 3 suk there are loads of indian/middle eastern places it's bts nana.

Here's an MS Paint of my current thoughts:

Just go where you are happy man.
Bangkok is nice in fact you just have to make a few more bucks to discover it.
Why not trying a month or two in issan ( udon thani or another city ) it's very nice. And you will learn to eat spicy there guaranteed.

i really suggest the non-self lighting coals for a hookah. obviously, if you don't have access to a gas burner or other way to start the coals you have to get the self lighting. make sure you let it burn hot for a little while before using it. you don't want to inhale the self lighting chemicals.

Have you considered the "WhoIam Bigelow-Bangkok Gigilo" option?

Perhaps you need to score a ruay, bored, 40ish Thai sugermama...

Funny cause we actually talked about becoming gigolos yesterday night with whoiam but ssshhhh...

This would probably work because older Asian women love me By this I mean older than me (27-33) but I imagine the middle-aged ones would as well. We actually were talking about this the other night. "Bangkok Gigolo" would be a great undertitle.

Hey all,
This was a fascinating thread. Really makes you want to visit Thiland. My law school has a bridge course with a two-week residence in Chiangmai, Thailand. I'm really considering going after reading this. I just hope two weeks with classes would leave me time to meet some local people and see some sites. Hope this hasn't been covered but how is Chiangmi?

Lived there for 18 months in 2002-2004. I really liked it. It is not huge like BKK; maybe 200K in the area. Very manageable size, easy to get around. Plenty of ex-pats there and a clearly defined tourist zone where you can easily get by without any Thai language. The best parts are outside of that though.

PM or add specific questions you might have. I can recommend a guesthouse if you do go.

KJS

KJS:

I'm hopefully going to Chiang Mai tonight. In Bangkok right now. What guest house? Also, for people who have been there more recently, who is giving the best jungle treks nowadays? Also where is the train station in Chiang Mai?

Basic Thai question also: In my book it says that "a" is pronounced like the "u" in "run." So that means that farang is pronounced furung ya? wat=wut(like what)? I need the basic pointers because I'd feel really embarassed if I mispronounced hello or thank you or something like that.

Go Here

You are not correct about those pronunciations. Ask a Thai how to say those words and it will help.

KJS

There's no standard system for converting Thai into the western alphabet. As a result, you'll see the same thing spelled in different ways, even something as common as Khao San Rd. I have a similar book and as KJS pointed out, you really need to hear a Thai person say the phrase. Even if you get the sounds right, you won't be understood because the tones and general flow of the words would be wrong. http://www.learningthai.com/ will show you how to pronounce all the basic stuff.

Does anyone have any ideas about what to do with all these 1 baht coins I keep accumulating? I'd like to give them to a soup kitchen or something provided they have a collection box. I feel like walking in somewhere and handing them a bag of coins would be a dick move.

If you have enough you can make a cool looking medieval armor.

Well I for sure just got ripped off for a taxi and now I'm paying 20 baht for 5 minutes of internet access just to tell 2+2 about it. I was going from Khaosan Rd to Hualamphong Station. I heard it was a 30 min drive (like airport to Khaoson), so when the guy quoted me 300 baht and he was in a metered taxi I figured whatever I'll not make the trouble 30 min ride would be close to 300 baht. So I'm riding and all is good and then he stops. I'm like wtf but alas it's hualampong. Probably got fleeced for $8US or so. time running out bye

Banking Question: Do the ATM cards the banks issue, work in the United States? Can you send Western Union or MoneyGram back to US?

KSR to Hualampong has never cost me more then 40 baht. Maybe 50 baht if there is a little traffic.

Obviously if he is quoting you a price instead of using the meter then he is ALWAYS ripping you off.

Also, someone mentioned that they needed hookah coal, Suk. soi 3 and 5 are where all the indians hang out and they sell that crap in the back of the sois.

ALmost every ATM machine I've seen in Thailand has the like 15 different logos of types of cards that work so I'd tentatively say, Yes. My gf's ATM card (issued from Bangkok Bank has the PLus/Cirrus/etc stuff on it)

I have also seen several Western Union Outlets over here (not sure bout moneygram).

I sent money to Stars via Western Union but the rake was ridiculous. Not worth it unless there's an emergency.

I'm pulling out of my personal Asian financial crisis and am going back to Laos on the 11th. No prostitution, but I did briefly consider teaching English before my luck turned around. Do you still have those firecrackers? This would be a good day to use them. Because today...is the day...we celebrate...our independence!

bit of a bump

currently in BKK for 2 months, was wondering a good place to buy high quality fake watches?

I have a friend who got a great one from china, and I had a look around silom and mbk but the watches don't look *really* good.

Any suggestions? :-)

That's funny, ofdabeat and I were just talking about this today. He knows of some places in China but nothing here. I assume you mean watches in the several hundred dollar range, right?

Shameless addition/promotion of friends place in Patong.

Patong Hotel

If anyone is visiting Patong, this place is close to the beach and nightlife and I can get you a decent disoucnt on their advertised rates.

(Owner is woman who spent a week with my gf at the temple and pretty nice/straightforward)

whoiam: yeah, most of the ones i've seen are in the 2,000B range and are ok. As I see it though, a fake watch that only looks ok is a waste of time :-/

Its their airport code (just like lga or jfk)

r u guys speaking broken english or with a thai accent yet?