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Youngone

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Everything posted by Youngone

  1. Well, I've just gone through the process with Thailand Elite for a 5 year Privilege Entry Visa (PE Visa) and have this morning received confirmation of my Membership nr. I had been considering moving back to Thailand for about 2 years when I received some good news 2 weeks ago which accelerated my decision. Once I had made up my mind that starting a new chapter in my life, thus moving back to Thailand, was the right decision, I re-acquainted myself with all the Thai visa options available. I'm 46, so not eligible for a retirement visa, which means it would have to be a Student Visa, the new 6 months visa, various multiple-entry options, the PE Visa or just go in and out via the 30 days visa exempt system. After weighing up the various pro's and con's of each Visa, I decided the PE Visa was the easiest option around. Sure, it costs 500K Baht, but over a 5 year period that's not so much more all the other options would cost either when taking visa runs into consideration. This is the timeline it took for the membership to get sorted: Sunday, 22nd of November I asked for info via the Thai Elite website ( http://www.thailandelite.com/index.php). Monday, 23d of November I received a reply with explanation, requirements and application form (6 pages). Monday, 23d of November I emailed them a scan of my passport, scan of a picture and the application form in pdf format. Tuesday, 24th November Thai Elite emailed me acknowledging receipt of my application and explaining the procedure. Main point was that they were waiting for Immigration clearance which could take 5 working days. Wednesday, 25th November I received confirmation that my application had been approved by Immigration and was given bank details for remittance of funds. Monday, 30th November I transferred the funds from a UK based HSBC Premier Account and emailed them the remittance details. Wednesday, 2nd December they emailed me acknowledging receipt of funds and informed they were in the process of setting me up on their system. Membership ID nr. would follow in a couple of days. Wednesday, 2nd December, a few hours after their previous email, I received my membership nr, together with some practical information I have opted to receive the actual visa upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport. In order for everything to run smoothly Thai Elite has asked me to communicate my arrival details 5 days in advance by either phone or email so that they can arrange for a pick up at the gate and an escort to immigration. All in all I must say that I'm extremely impressed with their service, it was fast & efficient + every time I rang their office the girl(s) I was speaking to spoke excellent English. If budget is an issue than this Visa might not be for you, if however, you're willing to pay for comfort and ease of mind this is the way to go in my opinion. Let's be honest, if you're looking to emigrate to Thailand without intending to work or start a business and don't have enough funds to afford a 500K expense, your best option in most cases would be to stay at home. Below the last email from Thai Elite confirming my membership... Dear Mr. XXXXXXXXX: Greetings from Thailand Elite . Welcome to Thailand Elite Member Club, the worlds first membership club, backed by the government. We already registered your name into the system and your ID number is XX XXXX XXXX We hope you would find our privileges and benefits useful during your stay in Thailand. Please be noted, members are required to make advance reservations for all privileges and benefits. Also, please kindly find the welcome letter and fact sheet showing privileges and benefits you are entitled to . Please be gently reminded, Thailand Elite Members are require to do 90-day report at the Immigration Office as well. Furthermore, members who have permanent residence in Bangkok, we have a staff do on behalf of you. Please kindly drop the passport before 90-day report due at our office on Tuesday and come pick it up on Thursday. Regarding to the request for Elite Visa, kindly inform Member Contact Center (MCC) for 5 working days in advance. For more information or reservation on service(s), please contact 24/7 MCC at +66 2 352 3000 or memberservice@thailandelite.com and identify yourself with the aforementioned ID number. Moreover, the list of vendors, Please find them in the privilege book. kindly go to download at http://www.thailandelite.com/downloadable_form_file/downloadable_form_file30.pdf Should you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact us anytime. We are looking forward to welcoming you as a guest of the country soon. Best Regards, Ms. Sucheera Noisumran Sales Support Thailand Privilege Card Co.,Ltd.
  2. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    ShyguyUK and myself had our traditional New Year's lunch this Friday at Artur, a very traditional steak house with a lot of classic French dishes on the menu such as frog legs, burgundy snails, sole meuniere, pan fried foie gras, bisque d'homard, home made sauces such as an excellent Bearnaise etc etc. The last few years we had always opted for Le Normandie, but we decided to mix it up this year around and we sure as hell didn't regret that decision. The food was more than excellent! Artur ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/ARTUR-Restaurant-330562996849/ ) is located in Soi Ton Son, in between Phloenchit and Chidlom BTS stations. I exited at Chidlom and it took me about 5 minutes on foot to get there. I had the Bisque D'homard ( lobster soup), sole meuniere and tarte tatin accompanied by some wines recommended by the Thai female chef ( who speaks fluent English and French). Full marks all around and the return factor is very high! Very quiet for lunch, for a more lively atmosphere it is recommended to go for dinner. Amuse bouche, very tasty! House white wine Bisque d'homard A light red recommended by the Thai female chef. Sole meuniere, the beurre blanc and the home made bearnaise that came with it were more than excellent. A glass of the recommended red wine and a glass of Sancerre to go with desert. A raspberry bavarois on the house. Tarte Tatin The least pleasant bit of the afternoon
  3. Youngone

    Soi 11 Hotels

    I've stayed there many times and have always found it good value for money. Rooms are spacious, beds large and extremely comfortable, bathrooms adequate. Below some pics of the room featuring Ming as a willing participant to brighten it up a little If I stay in the soi 11 area my preferred hotel nowadays is Fraser Suites. Large modern rooms, decent swimming pool, great rooftop bar (Above 11) for only a little bit more money than the likes of Mercure.
  4. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    Considering 6 months had passed since our last culinary excursion to Le Normandie, Shyguyuk and I decided last week that it was high time to once again make our way to the Oriental Hotel and indulge in Le Normandie's 8 course Menu Gastronomique accompanied by a Wine Arrangement. I'll let the pics speak for themselves, save to say I needed a nap after this lunch!
  5. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    No updates to this thread for a while so high time for some new pics For the Ramen lovers amongst you I can wholeheartedly recommend Mensho Tokyo, located on the corner of Sukhumvit road and soi 31. I had the Tori Taipan: a very rich chicken broth, pork chashu, duck chashu, green onion, marinated egg and lemon grass. Outstanding and at 320b not bad value either!
  6. Great recommendations above from the guys! Just to make your life a bit more difficult here are a few more suggestions from a fellow non romantic software guy Uno Mas, 54th floor of the Centara. http://www.unomasbangkok.com/ Above 11, top floor of Fraser Suites on soi 11. https://aboveeleven.com/bangkok/ Sala Rim Naam, riverside dining at The Oriental ( far from cheap). https://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/chao-phraya-river/fine-dining/restaurants/thai-cuisine/sala-rim-naam The Horizon Cruise from the Shangri-La hotel ( she will absolutely love this). http://www.shangri-la.com/bangkok/shangrila/dining/restaurants/horizon-cruise/ Nahm at the Metropolitan Hotel in Sathorn. https://www.comohotels.com/en/metropolitanbangkok/dining/nahm
  7. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    ShyguyUK and myself had promised ourselves to start 2019 with a culinary feast, so to that end we made lunch reservations at Le Normandie; the Mandarin Oriental's flagship restaurant. https://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/chao-phraya-river/fine-dining/restaurants/french-cuisine/le-normandie The restaurant has great views over the Chao Praya river and has been awarded 2 Michelin stars 2 years in a row. In the past the dress code was quite strict with compulsory jacket and tie for men, but luckily they have relaxed their dress code a bit; business casual for lunch and just jacket for dinner. Anyway, we ordered the 8 course Menu Degustation together with the wine arrangement ( 5 glasses) and what followed was exactly what we had in mind: a culinary feast . I'll let the pics speak for themselves
  8. Youngone

    Suvarnibhumi Airport lockers or storage

    https://www.airportels.asia/solution/suvarnabhumi-airport-luggage-storage/
  9. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    Last night a non BM friend, Shyguyuk and myself made the pilgrimage to Savelberg ( https://www.restaurantsavelberg.com/ ) on Wireless ( Witthayu) road. The restaurant is located about a 10 minute walk along Wireless road from Phloenchit BTS station on the side of the US embassy and is within the compound of the Oriental Residence. Plush surroundings but the staff were quite relaxed and were not overly formal as can happen in Michelin starred restaurants ( Le Normandie at the Oriental Hotel is a good example of that). The place is owned by Henk Savelberg ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henk_Savelberg ) , a relatively famous chef in The Netherlands who has relocated to Thailand to start a restaurant here. All 3 of us were well impressed with the quality of the food which by western standards is very good value, the only dish I found overpriced and disappointing was the cheeseboard. The wine list is extensive, not cheap but I wouldn't say overpriced either due to the high import duties Thailand charges on imported alcohol. Return factor: High. A look inside the kitchen from the table. Amuse 1: the silver ball was filled with crab meat. Amuse 2: a very light foie gras mousse My non BM friend was keen on the caviar dish so we asked if we could share a portion: no problem the waiter said, instead of 30 grams you'll get 15 grams each . It was served on crème fraiche and surrounded by a potato mash. Most excellent! Starter: Lobster, tasted very light and refreshing. Main dish: Veal & Foie Gras, very delicate and an outstanding combination. The let down for me was the cheese board: 700b for 4 tiny pieces of cheese is terrible value for money when compared to a place like No Idea where 8 large pieces are charged at 590b. Mango dessert, again very light and refreshing. We had 3 bottles of wine with the meal: a terrific Chablis ( 4500b) to accompany the caviar and lobster, an outstanding Saint Estephe (5000b) to accompany the veal & foie gras and we treated ourselves to an unbelievably good Chateau d'Yquem (15000b) as a dessert wine. Both the Chablis and the Saint Estephe were recommendations of the sommelier and he was spot on.
  10. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    You're welcome guys, it's actually fun going through these pictures and remembering the good times had... Here are a few more Zuma Bangkok is located on the ground floor of the St. Regis Hotel, right next to Ratchadamri BTS station. Zuma has branches in 14 locations worldwide, some of which are notoriously hard to get reservations at; particularly the ones in New York and London come to mind for me. The Bangkok branch thankfully does not have such issues, in fact chances are you can get a table when you walk in without reservations such as I did on the 2 occasions I had lunch there. It is by no means a cheap restaurant but when compared to the branches in the West it delivers good value for money. The atmosphere is pleasantly informal and the food is excellent, particularly the duo of salmon & tuna tartar with Oscietra caviar and the Wagyu beef gyoza stood out for me. Will I return a 3d time? For sure yes. https://www.zumarestaurant.com/zuma-landing/bangkok/en/welcome A Japanese restaurant that is consistently highly rated on TripAdvisor is Tsu Nami in the basement of the JW Marriot on Sukhumvit soi 2. Nami is the Teppan Yaki side of the restaurant where I have never dined, whilst Tsu on the other side of the restaurant serves more traditional Japanese food. It's a very large restaurant so showing up without reservations should generally speaking not be an issue. Service is attentive without being too formal and the food is of very highly quality. Sadly this restaurant lets itself down for me on the pricing level. Whilst I do not mind paying over the odds for high quality food I do object to a restaurant 'taking the piss', which in my opinion Tsu does. It is for that reason I will not be returning in a hurry... http://jwmarriottbangkok.com/dining/tsu-japanese-restaurant/ Brasserie Cordonnier is conveniently located on soi 11, more or less right across from Insanity. It is a French Brasserie style restaurant that serves classic French dishes such as snails and steak tartar. The atmosphere is informal, the food is good and well priced for this part of town. The only thing that needs improvement in my opinion is the selection of wines by the glass. Great place to go with a group of friends prior to a night on the town. https://cordonnierbkk.com/
  11. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    If I'm in the mood for a simple and quick lunch I like to go to Ippudo for some of their excellent Ramen. There are a number of Ippudo restaurants across town, I like the one on the 5th floor of the Emporium Mall best. The spicy gyoza is fantastic and the Tom Yum Ramen is memorable... http://www.ippudo.co.th/en/ If you like Spanish food and you like dining with a view than look no further than Uno Mas. It's located on the 54th floor of the Centara Grand hotel at Central World ( BTS station Siam Square). They have a stunning array of tapas and a Spanish wine selection that is more than excellent at very competitive prices. Best is to order 5 or 6 different tapas as the portions are quite generous and forget about the main dishes. I dined here just last week with Shyguyuk, a fellow foodie, and we were both more than impressed http://www.unomasbangkok.com/ Probably my favourite restaurant in Bangkok is No Idea in Sukhumvit soi 22. It labels itself as a 'gastro pub' but I reckon they're too modest with that description. The place is run by owner Dave, a Kiwi who is a retired 747 captain with Cathay Pacific, and his wife who does the cooking. The atmosphere is very relaxed, the food is outstanding and the selection of wine is one of the best in Bangkok. They have great wines by the glass like Alexana, an excellent Pinot Noir from Oregon, as well as a huge bottle selection of both New World and traditional wines. The cheeseboard here for me is the best in Bangkok, 590b for a selection of 8 different cheeses is truly great value for money. http://www.noideabkk.com/
  12. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    You're welcome Privateluca. One of the reasons I love living in Bangkok, besides obviously the nightlife, is the fact that there are excellent restaurants galore for very affordable prices when compared to the West. Here are a few more One of the best coffee's in town in my opinion can be had D'Ark, located on the ground floor of the Emquartier. It's a good place to relax, watch the world go by and try one of their delicious coffee's or simple dishes. http://www.darkoffee.com/ Michelin brought out their first Bangkok guide earlier this year and awarded a number of restaurants with 1 and 2 stars. One of the restaurants awarded 1 star is Joel Robuchon, located in the Mahanakhon Cube right next to Chong Nonsi BTS station. There is an open plan kitchen where you can see the chefs at work and seating is either at the counter or at a table in the back. If you're going there alone or with just 1 friend it's fun to sit at the counter but if there are 3 or more of you that makes for awkward conversation and a table would be better. The food here is more than excellent, but it does come at a very high price; especially by Bangkok standards. Where this restaurant lets itself down for me is with their wine list. The selection of wines by the glass is very limited and too expensive, whilst it is virtually impossible to find a decent bottle on their list for an affordable price. It is for that reason that I am not too keen on returning. http://robuchon-bangkok.com/
  13. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    Personally I'm not a huge fan of Indian food but I did like Charcoal Tandoor at the Fraser Suites in Sukhumvit soi 11. Not cheap, but they serve high quality food in very nice surroundings... http://charcoalbkk.com/ If you like Barbeque and ribs look no further than Le Cochon Blanc on Sukhumvit soi 31. There's a very relaxed vibe about the place and the prices are OK for the food they offer. I particularly liked the sweetbreads ( ris de veau ). https://www.lecochonblanc.com/
  14. Youngone

    The 5th capital sin...

    When it comes to restaurants Bangkok wins it from Pattaya by a country mile in my opinion. Pattaya for me is a bit of a culinary desert whilst the possibilities in Bangkok are endless, from simple inexpensive food to Michelin starred restaurants. Recommending restaurants is always a bit tricky though as different people value different things, but I'll take a stab at it... Since we're in Thailand I'll start with a Thai restaurant. Osha on Wireless Road offers terrific Thai dishes in a very pleasant setting and is surprisingly affordable. Great place to take a date with a good value for money factor. http://www.oshabangkok.com/osharestaurant/ Masu Maki on Sukhumvit soi 39 is a very simple little restaurant that serves high quality sushi for very reasonable prices. Perfect for a quick lunch or simple dinner, not so perfect to bring a date though. You'll struggle to spend more than 1000b here which for Sushi is a great deal.
  15. Youngone

    JW Marriott Sukhumvit soi 2

    Due to the protest site at Asoke I decided to stay at the JW Marriott this time around instead of the Emporium Suites which is my usual haunt these days. The protest site is actually very quiet, but it makes the late night taxi journey from Nana to Phrom Phong a bit of a pain the ass, hence the decision to change for this trip. This isn't the first time I'm staying at the JW Marriott, it used to be one of my favourite places to stay in BKK until I got tired of paying a lot of money for rooms that are nice but need a bit of upgrading. What speaks for the JW is the near perfect location, a 2 minute stroll from the hustle and bustle of Nana, and its extreme tolerance to guests, be it LB or GG; not an eye is blinked by security and there is no need to leave ID's at the reception. First impression: huge lobby with some comfy seating areas and a bar. The hotel had arranged a driver to pick me up from the airport and about 10 minutes before getting to the hotel he rang reception so that everything was ready for a speedy check in; nice touch I thought. The AC in the room was on when I got there, which always makes for a pleasant entry, Location: right on soi 2 in spitting distance of Guess Bar, NEP and Check In bar. Plenty of restaurants, coffee shops around the hotel as well as a 7/11 make for easy pickings if you're hungry or thirsty. The closest BTS is Phloenchit, which is about a 5 minute walk. Room: nice room, around 65m2, a living room with a comfortable sofa and large flat screen TV, a bedroom with an extremely comfortable king size bed and an OK bathroom with a shower cabin separated from the bath; no rain shower which is a miss in my opinion for a hotel like the JW. The best for me was the fact that there was absolutely 0 noise around and the curtains blocked off all sunlight. For a light sleeper who is sensitive to light like myself this is perfect... Pool/Gym: a good sized pool which gets sun until about 3pm. The Spa and sauna/shower facility is truly great, but the massages are way over priced as far as I'm concerned. Bottomline: I would recommend this hotel for shorter stays if your budget allows it. I found all other aspects of the place perfect, including very fast and reliable wireless internet ( I'm a Marriott Gold member, so get that for free, not sure if it's charged otherwise). It's totally Guestfriendly for LB's and GG's alike. The lobby The pool View from the room Living room Bedroom Bathroom Tub
  16. Youngone

    President park Hotel

    I have only stayed there once, back in December 2008, so my info is far from recent. At the time the rooms were very spacious, quiet and clean. The hotel/serviced apartment is definitely girl/Lb friendly, they did not take ID at reception. As far as I'm aware the hotel rooms have since been renovated. There are several good restaurants and coffee shops around the corner. My issue was the distance from the hotel to Sukhumvit/BTS station (Phrom Phong) which is a good 15 minute walk on dodgy pavements full of potholes. Taking a taxi could take even longer as soi 24 is a very busy soi...
  17. I tried Sushi Masa out today for the 1st time and must say I agree with you about the quality of the food. It's a simple restaurant in an unassuming local neighbourhood not far from Siam Square but in my opinion the sushi is on par with the much more fancy Japanese restaurants in places like Siam Paragon etc. I also spend just over 2000b, which for me is quite acceptable for high quality sushi. The Unagi was also my favourite Spicy tuna was good but next time I'll try something else on the menu The toro was sublime Water was cheap 555
  18. Youngone

    Rooftop bars

    I find the venue overrated and overpriced but I can't say the staff were ever unfriendly to my guests, whether they were LB or GG.
  19. Youngone

    BKK Craft Beer

    I am not sure about barrel-aged brews but there is quite a large selection of craft beers at the Taproom in soi 26. https://www.facebook.com/taproombkk Other options are the Beer Bridge in soi Lang Suan or Hair of the Dog on Ploenchit road & Soi 33/1.
  20. Yep, the 'Elite Easy Access' is the option I went for. http://www.thailandelite.com/glimpse.php#Introduction
  21. When you add in other benefits such as 12 free roundtrip limo pick-ups and 20% discount at Duty Free shop the cost becomes even more reasonable. In my case I use the limo service 10-12 times a year so besides the comfort it also represents a substantial saving...
  22. The current retirement visa regulations have nothing in them regarding criminal convictions so at the moment that would not be a problem. I do know they are actively tightening rules so that might change in the year(s) to come. An alternative is the PE Visa via Thailand Elite which I have got, simply pay 500K Baht and get a visa for 5 years without the need to leave the country.
  23. Youngone

    Kiwi Pub Soi 8

    Yes, the Kiwi Pub is owned by the Eclipse Group. It used to be simply called 'Soi 8 Pub' but got rebranded by Eclipse after they purchased it. The Australian on soi 11, where we recently had a pretty good burger, is also owned by Eclipse by the way.
  24. Youngone

    Silom short time or overnight hotel recs?

    They offer both ST and overnight options.
  25. Youngone

    Silom short time or overnight hotel recs?

    I like the Strand Inn on Patpong 2, straight across from Electric Blue and adjacent to Badabing. The Madrid on Patpong 1 would also be an option. Room at Strand Inn
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