Bangkok/Airport/Customs JBR

[cooperspooky]

Just got back from 2 and a half weeks in LOS. I spent the first night in Bangkok, then 3 nights in Pattaya, then 8 nights in Patong, then back to Pattaya for 4 nights, then the last two nights in Bangkok. I'll just cover Bangkok/Airport/customs here.

First night--Stayed at the Nana Thai Mansion, a dump but friendly and not too far from Nana. I would stay there again. I didn't get to the hotel until past midnight and I never made it to Nana since I stopped at the Hillary 1 bar....ended up taking 4 girls across the street for pizza. This first night set the theme for the trip---have as much fun as possible and then wake up the next morning wondering where all my money went.

First day--went to Soi 7 beergarden and thought there were a lot of hot women. Interesting that at the end of my trip after being in Pattaya and Phuket and I went to the beer garden I couldn't believe how unatractive most of them were. I did go into the beergarden at 10:00am at the end of my trip and I was the first real customer there and there were about 5 girls already inside and they were good. After awhile those good ones get plucked or they get lost in the crowd with all the others.

Manhattan hotel at the end of my trip--I've always stayed there but never again. They now charge 500 baht joiner fee if you bring someone back after 6pm. See ya.

Airport--It's great and it sucks at the same time.
The good--40 minutes from the time my plane landed to go through immigration, get luggage, and be waiting for my taxi.
--check in time for my domestic flight was less than 5 minutes. When you walk in to the Thai air part there were about 5 counters open but people just expect there to be a line so they keep lining up behind one another. The result was one line had about 15 people in it, another had 5, and the other 3 had one or two. Just don't stop at the first one.
The Bad--it's dark. dark like you walk into a place before it's officialy opened and they don't have all the lights turned on yet. Grey isn't a bad color if it's bright but grey with no lights is gloomy.
Plenty of bathrooms but not enough urinals in the bathrooms. One of the ones I went into had only 1 urinal and 3 toilets. Lines in everyone I went into.
I've been through the exit twice now and still haven't seen any type of sign saying "ground transportation" or something similar. I've read you have to walk down but both times I went through I said screw it and overpaid to get out of there. If you are patient I don't suggest that because the great part about the old airport is the limos were right there parked and waiting for you. At the new airport they have to call them and it takes them awhile to get to you--somewhat defeating paying the higher cost. I paid something like 650 to Nana Thai and 1200 to Pattaya.

The Ugly--maybe this is a Thai Air issue and not anything to do with the new airport but getting to onto the plane leaving for Phuket was a disaster. It's like they designed the security checkpoint for your carryon expecting 200 passengers to arrive perfectly evened out and not all at once which of course is what happens. You walk through a door and there is room for about 5 people to line up at two checkpoints. After that people are hanging way out into the walk way of people heading throug the airport.
Thai Air should invest 500 baht into a microphone. They changed the gate and nobody knew. At the time and gate we should have left everybody stormed the door creating massive gridlock, pushing, shoving, etc.etc.. All they needed to do was one simple announcement but they didn't. The result was all the people from a Thai Air flight fighting for position with people from another airline all trying to get to the front. Then when you get to the front you see it says Nok Air so then you head back through the crowd trying to get out. Just insane and unneccesary and easily solved with a microphone or even someone just yelling out about the gate change.

End of trip Bangkok,
Two interesting days. Soi Cowboy review...
Tilac--not busy at all and two lookers out front who get you in to see average girls.
Black/White--same except without the lookers out front
Living Dolls--better but nothing to get too excited about
Midnight--naghtier than the others but the girls seem disinterested.
General review of Cowboy? If you've recently been to Pattaya these places will bore the heck out of you.

Gullivers--much much hotter women here than Beergarden but most seemed to be there on dates with guys but still nice to look at. I met a huge drunk from Texas who loved to talk and talk loud. I sat between him a somewhat hot bird who rolled up next to me who after buying her a drink I quickly, albeit too late, realized she was nuts. She absoluetly hated him and made it perfectly clear to him. This would have been a classic fight that I did my best to stop since I was sitting between them. A big, 250 pound, whiskey drinking Texan against a 100 pound psycho, bitter, bar girl. I finished my drink and left because I could see where this was headed. The Texan followed me to the Beergarden where we had a few more drinks and he pissed off the hottest one there so I had to say goodbye to him.

Last Day--went to Beergarden at 10am hoping to find a real date for my last day because I always take it easy since I have to leave for the airport at 3am. I went in and my pitch was that I asked the girls if they had ever been to Siam Paragon Ocean Park and was hoping they would reply "I go wit you?" Instead I got "you boom first then Ocean Park?" from the two I talked to so I just left and went by myself. It's a good way to kill two hours without drinking.
Back to the beergarden where I did manage to pick up an average but very very nice 30 year old who spoke good english and took her to see the new James Bond movie.
Late night rolled into Thermae since it's right next to my hotel. Security guard there was screaming at an older Thai lady who had to be over 60 years old. Then he proceded to grab her and literally drag her across the floor. She tried to get up and he just kept dragging her. Myself, a guy from Belgium, and a guy from Canada converged on the security guard without provoking him and kind of said "what the hell are you doing man?" The guy grumbled something about "business" and eventually let her go where she went off balling but stayed in the bar. It was just kind of a sick feeling because you are not in your country, you don't speak the language and you really have no idea of what's going on, but on the other hand, that's not something you are used to seeing. I don't care what the situation or circumstances were but in the U.S. that guy wouldn't have gotten 5 feet dragging her before he would have been pounded by every person in the bar.
Just a weird end to the trip.

[K2]

Good report cooperspooky (for you Mai Chobesque report writers - take note of paragraph use).

Your Thermae experience was a bit rough, but always wise to not get involved in a Thai-Thai argument.

[cooperspooky]

I bought 4 watches while in LOS and claimed them going through immigration where there was not only a lady at the desk but also an officer. He proceded to ask me what I assume are basic questions..."did you go alone?", "do you know anyone in Thailand?" and for some reason I must have just been reaking of guilt. I just kept thinking this guy thinks I'm a pedophile. So they nailed me on the watches and sent me over to the line where they really go through your stuff. While a lady is "educating" me on liscencing laws and closely examing my watches, I'm looking out the corner of my eyes at the other two guys going through my stuff. Sure enough one guy gets to my camera and barks "turn it on". Oh dear.....

The only thing that saved me further hassle, embarrassment or worse was that I took about 300 pics on that card and about 80 were of sunsets and he got tired of looking at them and gave up after about 200 I'm guessing. My heart was about ready to burst through my chest. Not because I had anything illegal such as young girls nude but it was just kind of humiliating and it could have been worse. I would not have wanted him to find a pic of a naked lady and ask me "how old is she?" , and then another one, "how old is she?" and so on. In the end they said it was my lucky day and they let me keep the watches but it was not a pleasant experience. They go through everything. Even my books they opened every one and thumbed through the pages I guess thinking something might fall out? My guess is even without the watches they would have searched me. The watches just gave them an excuse.

[pablo]

They've gathered me "in", for the camera check...the last two entries to USA, coming from Thailand.

If your a single male, traveling alone, over the age of 14 (???)...I believe they do suspect you are a perv! Why else would any American man travel to Thailand, alone???

It all got really serious, after that guy (US perv), said he had killed Jon Bonett Ramsey, in Colorado! (pretty clever way for him to avoid Thai justice)

But with the HUGE news coverage, regarding the event...authorities (and most people), are suspcious of "single US males...traveling ALONE, to LOS".


Pablo

[Einheriar]

Mai pen Rai the world is full of people who presume...let them...its your life, and feck them

[Bello Uomo]

That was good reading cooperspooky.

I agree with the general gist of your first report - that Bangkok can be 'hard work' (see my own Trip Report for similar sentiments).

Looking forward to reading your comments on Pattaya and Phuket.