Youngone

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/
 

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.
 





 
 
 

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/
 

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

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

If you are under 50 (which I am), it is about the only viable option aside from annual work permit extension that allows you to stay here. The extras are just nice to have IMHO. I bought the 5 year visa essentially and have little/no need for the perks.
 
Edit, Just as an aside, couple days ago coming back from Laos, the Laos officer when I left was very interested in the gold visa sticker as he'd never seen one before. The Thai officer claimed she knew all about it - then had to go and ask a colleague what to do with it. Got my 364day permission to stay eventually but for sure they are not common knowledge even among visa officers at the various borders. I believe there are only something like 5000 of said visa been issued. So they are very rare.

I applied in my home country for a Non-Immigrant O-A (long stay) based on retirement. You can find the details for this on your country's Thai Embassy/Consulate website. The plus side to doing it this way is you have a visa that if you use it correctly you will get 2 years (minus a few days) permission to stay in the country. You must exit and return before the 'enter before date'. This gives you the second year of permission to stay. You'll need to file 90 day reports. The only downsides are: police report, medical certificate and while the first portion of the visa is multiple entry, any time after the 'enter before date' is not multiple entry, so you would have to get reentry permits if you leave. If you choose to you then apply for 'extension of stay' for the 3rd year and beyond assuming the laws don't change. Total cost for me to get this was $380US.
 
As Youngone said Thai Immigration is tightening rules as time goes by. My guess is they are trying to curtail the people who live here most of the time on 30 day visa exempts and tourists visas. An example of this is the recent change in visa exempts. On land crossings people are now limited to 2 per calendar year. But this does not apply if you enter by airport. There are plenty of people here in Chiang Mai who could not get themselves out of Thailand and back to their home country if they needed to. I think they are curtailing the visa runners with little money.
 
If I knew I was going to make Thailand a place where I was going to hang my hat most of the year for the next 5 years I'd go with Thai Elite. 500,000 thb and no hassles for 5 years. They kiss your ass.
 
Remember This is Thailand. Here in Chiang Mai one can get an agent to do just about anything one might need for the right price. Probably similar deals all over Thigh-land.
 
Thaivisa.com is a good source once you know how to filter out the noise from the signal. And there is one hell of a lot of noise. UbonJoe is a moderator there and I'd take his word for just about everything immigration related. People on Thaivisa can be assholes if you use the wrong terminology. Basically you get a visa from outside Thailand and an extension of stay inside Thailand. Some visa must be obtained in your home country.
 
Health questions are: do you have 1) 3rd stage syphilis 2) TB 3) elephantiasis 4) drug addiction if memory serves.

I stayed at Cozy @ Ten this last weekend for 2 nights. For the price (1400b net) I was impressed. I'd been allocated a 6th floor room on a smoking floor. The bonus was it has a balcony which are only in 6th floor rooms. Non smoking floors are 2,3,4. The room I got was at the rear, so overlooked CIB. Rooms at front (1600b) overlook Chuwit Park and are larger.
 
Comfortable bed, Decent aircon, free wifi, decent hot shower. Had everything I look for. Also had safe in the room. Onsite Italian restaurant is decent and very cheap. I had Pasta Carbonara and it was 170 baht and pretty decent to eat.
 
Hotel has some neat lift which is basically a moving floor and doors that lock until the floor arrives on your floor. Reminded me of a French apartment building from years ago, albeit this lift system looks brand new.
 
I'd stay here again without 2nd thought. The missus loved the bed and rated it almost as good as the one in our house.
 
You can see the 2 pics are different sized rooms. The smaller is same as we had (at the back) - the larger are at the front as I took a peek when a maid was cleaning one. Rooms at the front are likely quieter for quirky reason. At the back you can hear all the various aircon units and restaurant extractors going on like an ensemble. Not such an issue with window/balcony door closed but very noticeable when you step outside. No such vents at the front.
 
Apparently, This hotel is well used to CIB LB's visiting according to the info my GF fed me. So presumably it is very LB friendly. From the back door, it is about 25 feet away from CIB front door.
 
Room at the back (1400b)

 
Room at the front (1600b)

this has been discussed inumerable times on the sister forum, and probably here too.
 
regardless of your intentions, many hotels follow the laws set down for hotels that require every guest to be registered. the number one reason is safety in case of a fire or some other calamity. this is the primary reason why most hotels ask for the "joiners" ID/TH Card.
 
another reason is if it is a hotel that charges a joiners fee, they want to get it.
 
but most importanlty, any decent hotel will take the ID so that the girl most go and retrieve it. then they will call the room to see if you know she is leaving, and if you are OK with that. this gives you a chance to check your belongings, etc and if there is anything wrong like a missing cell phone, laptop, wallet, passport, empty mini-bar, etc, they will hold her at reception for you.
 
they also want to make sure you are still alive and well. that may sound over the top, but too many crazy episodes over the decades with girls and guys fighting or worse.
 
granted, all of this negates what you are trying to accomplish.
 
needless to say every hotel/guesthouse is different, and they all apply the rules as they choose (or whoever is on duty chooses), and the interactoin with the staff and other guests that may be around can be aggravating if they choose to offer their opinion of your choice of partner.
 
when i worked the hotels in Pattaya back in the day as a department head, there was a security guard that was found to be harrassing the guests with joiners. he was not only being an impolite ass-hat, he was telling them they had to pay a joiners fee, and he would then pocket it. not only was he fired, they changed the security company soon after that.
 
if what you say is so
 
 
you should bite the bullet and make sure the girls register. its for your own safety, and it really can keep the crazy drunk/high thieving ones in check. most of all, it will be a great deterent to theft.

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.

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.

I must admit to being rather curious about the maid service for cleaning the room......

The plan for this are already pretty advanced and by look of things will be opening quicker than anyone expected. This is what I have been told and also what some guys are trying to influence June so it works well.
 
The CIB building is at least 30 years old and has all the main plumbing at the back of the building. The rooms were previously rented out to Thai's in price range of 3,000-5,000b month. They were in terrible state. Floor by floor, everything is being ripped out and done again. When CIB opens it will comprise the first 2 floors (Ground and mezzanine). There are two rooms on the mezzanine which will be used for hourly rentals.
 
On each of the floors above, there will end up being 3 rooms and one suite. The suite takes up half the floor space and has a fully integrated bathroom with walk in shower etc. Separate bedroom then at the front is the living area with windows etc. The 3 rooms will have their own shower but not an integrated toilet within the room. Only one of these 3 rooms has a window. Two rooms are internal. The toilets are on each floor at the back of the building. As a result, the prices will be pitched accordingly. Some guys maybe OK with that, some not so cool. The plan for rooms is king size beds, powerful aircon, powerful water supply and sound proofed rooms. Beds and linen will be 100% cotton and very good quality. Prices expected to be somewhere around 800-1000 baht per night. The suites will be somewhere in the 2,500-3,000b night range and drop down the more nights you stay. i.e., this is not full service hotel, the preference is for guests to stay longer and pricing will reflect that in the suites & rooms. There will likely only be 2 suites converted, but that could increase to 4 if it is a success. It is being looked at now if the suites can create a balcony as well, no word on if this can be done.
 
The 1st floor (Ground, mezzanine, 1st, 2nd etc) rooms will likely be ready in September. At this stage I have no idea how bookings will be made and June is focussed on getting the bar ready first and then move onto the rooms. For guys planning trips this autumn/winter may find this useful. The rooms have their own access into the building seperate from the bar with key code access.
 
The 1st floor and 2nd floor are walkable easily, any higher and I can't see people walking up. There are 6 floors in total. There is no lift.
 
That is what I know so far.
 

Just a follow up after our stay. I can well understand the reviews. This is a rather odd hotel but strangely quite charming in its own way.
 
First off, I will stay again as I liked it and have no need for guests to join me, so no idea if they actually invoke the 500b joiner fee advertised on a sign at the front desk.
 
This is a typically old money business. Trends may change but little seems to have changed here. I found all the staff (well all two of them) to be very nice and both have great English. There is an old lady who sits in the lobby all day. I can only guess she is the original owner and that operational control has passed down to children/grand children. I did see an absolute stunning looking GG coming out of a back area. Deffo a top drawer Hi So and probably a grand daughter aged about 24.
 
The rooms have modern air conditioners and work well. The deluxe rooms are on the two highest floors (8 & 9) and have crap water pressure. We moved to the 4th floor and had perfect pressure. Moral of the story is they need a pump on the roof to push the water.
 
Breakfast from 7.30am to 10am and cooked by one of the receptionists. Coffee is instant and you make it yourself !! Breakfast set is only 100b. Probably all it's worth to be honest. Just to re-inforce the old fashioned odd style of the place, there is a probably 80/90 year old manual sewing machine set up in the restaurant and still being used as some linen was next to it waiting repair. Also the breakfast plate was Bone China and from a very expensive set that I looked at for my house about 15 years ago !!!
 
Lovely view from the top floor rooms overlooking Chuwit Park and up over Sukhumvit. Has a small pool which we never used on the ground floor. If you look in the pics of the skyline, you can see where new CIB will be. Its in the building which has red & white telephone mast on the roof.
 
Deluxe rooms (floor 8 & 9) are 1500b night. Regular (lower floor with carpet not laminate) was 1250 b night. Fantastic value for money if you're ok with the oddity about the place. My missus prefers this over the Ever Rich for some reason. no more than 125m walk from the main Sukhumvit Rd.

The food and drink menu is on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1500219286936955/menu/?p_ref=pa
 
It pretty much looks like standard restaurant prices for soft drinks, beers and wine; cocktails however seem rather expensive. I'll definitely give the place a try later this month.
 
 
 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

I stayed at Phachara during my short trip last April. Besides being close to the action, like SheLuver I also wanted to check it and see if it could be good for my August vacation. I had the same room he had and I found it good for a short stay. But for my next long trip I wanted a One Bedroom apartment so I talked to a management girl and asked her to see one of them. The Deluxe one was just ok but I found the Executive one great. Large bedroom and living room and big balcony with table and chairs. Got it booked for 65.000 for the month.
Shama was one of my other options but after having seen the apartment I will be staying in at Phachara I opted for this last one.
 
Of course it's only booked and not paid yet, especially now that CIB could relocate somewhere else. If they should move the bar before August and the new location will be around soi 22, I will change my hotel too. My evenings will start in different places but most of the nights will end at CIB so I prefer a place close to the bar.

Hilbert Space was here

Great location for sure... Shama is at least 1 grade better than The Phachara, the rooms are larger and more modern whilst the rooftop pool is far superior as well. There were 2 minus points when I stayed there around 3 years ago: the wifi sucked big time and the choice of TV channels was very limited + mainly dominated by Arab stations. Not a surprise given that the majority of clientele were Arabs, but still a bit of an annoyance to me. The poor wifi was however the main reason for not returning. The room itself and the onsite amenities were excellent.
 
Enjoy your stay and, like Boomerang, I look forward to an up to date Shama review.

Great location for sure... Shama is at least 1 grade better than The Phachara, the rooms are larger and more modern whilst the rooftop pool is far superior as well. There were 2 minus points when I stayed there around 3 years ago: the wifi sucked big time and the choice of TV channels was very limited + mainly dominated by Arab stations. Not a surprise given that the majority of clientele were Arabs, but still a bit of an annoyance to me. The poor wifi was however the main reason for not returning. The room itself and the onsite amenities were excellent.
 
Enjoy your stay and, like Boomerang, I look forward to an up to date Shama review.

I can't answer your question, but I do know that you will surely get more reliable advice from a dedicated STD site than you will from this board.
We are just a bunch of pervs here, not doctors .
 

Hilbert Space was here

Perhaps they've changes their policy as I've stayed there 3 times during the last 12 months and never had an issue bringing back (multiple) guests. Both LB's and GG's were met with a friendly nod by the doormen whilst the reception girls didn't even glance up. The Sofitel gets a big thumbs up as far as I'm concerned.