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Archive for October, 2011

About Money Transfers and Thailand Author: admin Oct 27

With over 32,000 ex-pats in Bangkok alone it is fitting that they have a variety of options for transferring money overseas. Many residents need to regularly send money back home to family, loved ones and so on. Here is an outline of the variety of the more convenient, fast and inexpensive ways to transfer money from Thailand.

The three main expenses when transferring money are due to:

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1) The actual money transfer fee

2) The current exchange rate.

3) Additional fees that may need to be paid by the recipient of the money transfer. In Thailand this is often the case for bank wire transfers.

Of course most companies make there money from the money transfer fee. this fee is calculated dependent upon various factors such as the amount of baht being sent, how soon you wish the recipient to receive the money transfer and where you are sending money to. Be careful here for some companies will advertise no money transfer fee. this may be the case but if you take a look at the exchange rate they are offering to you it may well be the case that it is a very poor exchange rate and overall you may be losing money despite not paying a money transfer fee.

The exchange rate is of course very important. rates change daily and you can check them in Thailand in the daily Bangkok Post newspaper or of course online. Money transfer firms generally have slightly different exchange rates so double check with as many companies as you can.

As mentioned previously if you are looking to perform a bank wire transfer the recipient may actually incur a fee at their end which shouldn’t be overlooked. Some of the major banks who are able to perform a wire transfer from Bangkok are: Kasikorn Bank, Siam Commercial Bank, and the Bank of Audhya. They have many branches all over Bangkok and throughout Thailand.

Some firms such as iKobo use a system combining ATM cards to send money overseas. The fee for this may be more expensive for Thailand so check with the company offering the service.

Send money via a bank transfer in Thailand is a good idea for large amounts of money as it is very safe. They use a safe system with encrypted messages. To do this you would need a Thai bank account.

To acquire one of these you would need to provide several different documents such as: passport with a non-tourist visa, work permit and proof of earnings amongst other things. It may however be slightly easier to open a bank account outside of Bangkok as restrictions seem to vary dependent on location. However Thai banks are usually very helpful and efficient when processing wire transfers overseas. If you are sending to the UK you would need to provide a BIC number and an IBAN number so the bank knows exactly where to send the money to.

Western Union and MoneyGram also play a big role for transferring money overseas from Thailand. western Union has two very convenient branches in tourist areas on Khao Sah road a main backpacker ghetto and Sukhumvit road where many ex-pats frequent.

At time of writing the exchange rate for UK pound sterling and US dollars is:

Thai baht, 10,000 = 320 US Dollars

Thai baht, 10,000 = 161 UK Pound Sterling

As ever with money transfers it pays to take care of any reference numbers, receipts, carbon copies and so on just in case you run into any problems. This is generally not the case but better to be safe than sorry. with so many money transfer service agents available at the moment the key advice would be to shop around.

About Money Transfers and Thailand

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Thailand Lifestyle Tips – How to Live in Thailand on $600 a Month Or Less Author: admin Oct 24

Many travelers, vacationers or retirees have the erroneous belief that if they come to Thailand they’ll have to fork out thousands of dollars a month to experience an ideal Thai lifestyle. However, they’d be mistaken. In actual fact you can live a great Thai lifestyle for a lot less than that…

For starters, pretty much everything in Thailand will cost you a LOT less than a similar lifestyle in Europe or USA might cost. But don’t just take my word for it. Let these examples (in US$) prove it to you:

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o You can enjoy superb high speed Internet (broadband) for under a month.

o You can rent a lovely, 2 story home with huge garden for around about 0 a month (depending where you live of course. Some areas more expensive, and some a lot less!)

o You can go out at night and tantalize your taste buds with a 3 or 4 course Thai dinner for about (depending what you eat of course!)

o Alternatively you can ‘eat in’ and still eat really well (feel full to the brim after) for a mere (and that’s pushing it!)

o You can buy your own zippy little 115 cc Honda or Yamaha automatic motorbike (scooter) for about 00 – or snap up a used bike for half that. (If you want to brave motorcycle taxis – it’ll be anywhere from – per trip).

o And as for general living costs, you’d stay right on top of things for about -10 a day…

Anyway, I’m sure you get the idea. As you can see, you can live a pretty comfortable Thai lifestyle for a lot less than 0 a month. Even more so if you budget your expenses carefully. Of course, you could just as easily fork out 00 or ,000 a month too, if you felt so inclined! So what are you waiting for?

Thailand Lifestyle Tips – How to Live in Thailand on 0 a Month Or Less

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Thailand Street Food – Go for It! Author: admin Oct 23

Travelers to Thailand will find that during their holiday they can eat some of the worlds best food while spending very little. They can do this by staying away from the expensive tourist restaurants and eating from the delicious variety of street food available to them.

In my experience, one of the best reasons to spend time in Thailand is the food. One of the best and cheapest ways to eat in Thailand is at one of its endless street vendors. All over one will find all kinds of street food from simple sliced fruit to Pad Thai Noodles, delicious Thai fried chicken and many others.

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It is easy to get overwhelmed with the large variety of food available and scared by some of the common myths about street food. First and foremost in peoples mind is the notion that street food is not safe. While sanitation can be an issue but with a quick once over of the vendor will tell you all you need to know. Most street vendors in Thailand are very clean and do their best to offer clean and delicious food. When looking them over you will quickly see that most have facilities for washing and cleaning their dishes and utensils. Most will also not use their hands but use gloves or tongs to pick up the food.

Personally, I have never gotten sick eating street food and it makes up most of my primary diet while I am in Thailand due to its low cost. One of the great hidden Bangkok destinations is the Khlong Toei market. Khlong Toei Market is a vibrant food market that comes alive at night and is the major supplier of all kinds of meat, vegetable, poultry and seafood to the street food and restaurant industry found on every sidewalk of Bangkok. It is hard to imagine and is like any open farmers market in a western country five times the size on steroids. It is not uncommon to see giant blue prawns, entire pigs or even wheel barrels full of pig’s heads and tails being carted down the alleys.

Of course if you are hungry there is plenty of prepared food to be had such as freshly made Pad Thai, spring rolls, pork, chicken and soups galore. You can order any Thai dish that you want to be prepared fresh and will rarely cost you over a dollar. At these prices you can splurge and try a lot of different things so jump in and just do it! Enjoy.

Thailand Street Food – Go for It!

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Thailand Expat Life – Visa Run to Vientiane, Laos Author: admin Oct 22

A few days ago, I made my first visa run to Laos, by bus.

Normally I go to Singapore to get a 60-day tourist visa, but the last time I went, they refused to give me a 60-day visa because I have an open e-ticket back to Canada. They now want a confirmed ticket, and will not accept an open ticket. This is stupid, if you ask me. I told the lady at the front desk that if the violence in Bangkok gets bad, I can phone Air Canada and be on my way next day, so an open ticket is much better than a ticket for a particular date. No dice. So I had to fly back to Bangkok and got the usual 30-day entry at the airport. The entire trip cost me 18,000 baht, counting hotels, flights, meals, taxis, etc. What a waste.

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I did a couple of visa runs by bus to Cambodia, and find that a pain in the bum, since you only get 14 days and then have to do it again, and it costs 2000 baht each time.

So this time, I signed up for the bus to Vientiane.

I must say that the service by the visa run company was excellent; the bus (a 40-seater) was full, and it was the same comfortable bus they use for the Cambodia runs, with the same driver. The driver is relatively conservative, seems to be mindful of the fact he’s got 40 farangs on board, and is as careful a driver as you would want.

The bus left PB Tower on Sukhumvit Soi 71 exactly at 8:30PM.

There was a pee break about an hour later at a service centre, and then another 2 hours later, and so on, throughout the night. These gave the driver a chance to relax a bit, which I thought was a good idea.

Unfortunately, I have never been able to sleep on a bus or airplane, and this trip was no exception. While my seat mate happily snored away the night, I sat there bleary eyed, shifting in my seat periodically as my bum got sore. I appreciated the rest breaks as well.

A DVD movie was played at the start of the trip, but after it finished, it was after 11PM, so no more movies were shown.

We arrived at the border early, before 6:30. I watched the sun come up. We had to sit around for a while until the border office opened, and then one of the bus company ladies got all our passports processed. She had previously collected them on the bus.

After being stamped out of Thailand, we took 3 mini-buses (vans) across the bridge (Mekong River) into Laos, where again we waited while the lady got our passports processed by Lao immigration. In less than an hour, we took the mini-buses into Vientiane, and arrived at the street for the Thai Embassy about 7:30 or 7:40 AM. There were already at least 200 people lined up along the sidewalk, and it was hot.

The embassy gates opened about 8:15 AM, and we all filed into the embassy compound. There was a ticket machine at the front, and we joined the queue.

However, our erstwhile visa run lady ushered us up the stairs into an air-conditioned area and handed out low-numbered tickets from the machine. Our numbers started around 95, whereas the people at the ticket machine were getting tickets numbered over 350. So I presume she had some contact in Vientiane who stood at the beginning of the line at the gates at an early hour, and then passed the tickets to her when she arrived an hour or more later.

The ticket numbers were called out over the public address system in both Thai and English, and repeated once: “Ticket number 37, please proceed to counter number 2″.

I soon noticed that there was no pause in the number callout, the announcements came non-stop, and soon reached the 80s. We all rushed downstairs to the counters and were there when our numbers came up. But the numbers just kept on rolling by. Our lady collected our passports and tickets, and lined them all up along the counter, and then told us to go wait in the other building.

Over there, we found there were four more counters, numbered 3 through 6, but only one, counter 4, was active, and there were at least 100 people waiting, sitting on chairs. This waiting room was also air conditioned.

Again, the numbers were called out, but this time there were big gaps between, and there was a substantial pause after each number was called. When a number was called, a person went up to counter 4, received a paper receipt, and then exited stage left.

After every batch of 10 or 12 numbers, there was a 5 or 6 minute delay. That was when I noticed that the Thai lady behind the counter was printing out and then separating the receipts. Clearly, the passports and applications were being processed in the other building, entered into a computer, and then the receipt was printed in this building at counter 4.

After about 30 or 40 minutes, my number was called; I went up to the counter, got my receipt and exited. The guy next to me had a lower number, but his number was not called, so he got a little upset and went up to the counter, where the lady told him to wait.

I went out the exit, and there was my visa run lady collecting the receipts, and then ushering us over to one of the vans. My receipt had shown “60 days double entry tourist visa” and “fee: “, so I was happy.

The van took us to a local restaurant where we had a Thai/Lao food breakfast or brunch of fried rice and whatever. This was free, paid for by the visa run company, but soft drinks were 20 baht extra.

In Laos, you can use Lao kip, Thai baht, and US dollars interchangeably. If you pay in Thai baht, you get change in Thai baht. If you pay in US dollars, you get change in Lao kip, which, like Cambodian currency, has very high denominations and no value. A Pepsi was 20 baht, which was reasonable, but no diet drinks were available. By the way, ATM machines in Laos only dispense Lao kip.

After brunch, we were taken by van to the hotel, which turned out to be quite acceptable, maybe 2.5 stars. There was no pool, just a room, but it was a big room, private bathroom, and cable or satellite TV with many Thai, a few Lao, and some movie channels, including HBO and Star Movies.

The bathroom was typical Thai-style, with no shower stall or bath, and a shower head on the wall. There was a flash water heater which worked, and the toilet worked. The towels were large, red, fluffy, and obviously new.

I had paid an extra 200 baht at the front desk for a private room. The visa run fee of 5000 baht includes a shared room (2 per room). The fee will increase to 6000 baht after the free tourist visa promotion ends June 5.

In bed by 1PM in the afternoon, I slept for several hours, got up, showered, watched a movie, then went out in search of dinner. I walked up and down the main street near the hotel, but there was nothing appealing. However, the office complex 20 meters from the hotel had a restaurant, so I went in there and found 5 other farangs from the visa run also there. The food was good, the prices were not expensive, and I was able to pay with Thai baht. The young lady behind the bar was probably the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on, and I have been to Thailand off and on for 20 years. She made me wish I was 25 again.

Next day, I had breakfast at the same restaurant, and then around 1PM, we piled into the vans again and were taken to the border. There are a lot of “duty free” shops at the border. We waited about 45 minutes or so, and then the visa run lady showed up, and we all went through Immigration with the Lao border people just looking at us, not asking to see our passports, which the visa run lady had.

Back across the bridge to Thailand, where we waited another 45 minutes or so, then it was back on the bus for the return trip. Within an hour, we stopped at a restaurant, where we had another Thai meal, again free, soft drinks extra, 20 baht.

The return trip seemed much faster, as several DVD movies were played, which occupies the time and the mind.

We arrived back in Bangkok at 1:30 AM. You can get dropped off anywhere along the route; some exited at Ramkhamhaeng. I waited until the end, which is just beside Ekamai BTS station, where I quickly discovered that the BTS was closed. An 80 baht taxi ride later, I was home again.

Would I do it again? Definitely, yes. The whole process was pretty much automatic. The company took care of everything. You do have to book a seat in advance, though. One farang apparently called to find out the price and time, showed up and was angry that there was no seat for him. But he had not made a reservation, had not left his name or phone number, so was out of luck. Of course, he had left it until the last day of his visa, so he would have to leave the next day somehow and pay the 500 baht overstay fee.

To summarize: you leave at 8:30PM, spend a night on the bus. Then it’s half a day waiting around, with brunch included. Check into the hotel, sleep a bit or, if you have the stamina, explore Vientiane. Not much there, though. Have dinner, sleep one night at the hotel. Next day, wait around for a morning or visit Vientiane, then bus it back to Bangkok, arriving about 1:30 AM.

If you want to do this yourself, the company I used was “Quick Thai Visa Run”, 6th floor, PB Tower, Sukhumvit Soi 71. The contact is Phillip, who speaks perfect English, at 02-713-2498 (office hours) or 09-0245-255 (24 hours). They have a web site at ThaiVisaRun.com, but it hasn’t been updated in a while, and only mentions their Cambodia run, not the Laos run.

Thailand Expat Life – Visa Run to Vientiane, Laos

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Luxury Samui Villas – Horizon Homes Development, Thailand Author: admin Oct 21

Horizon Villas is a luxurious villa development on Thailand’s popular tropical holiday island of Koh Samui, offering Samui luxury villas for both sale and holiday rental. The villa development offers two, three, four and five bedroom Samui villas, with both garden views and sea views, each with their own private swimming pools and tropical gardens. The villas are located on a gently sloping hillside which overlooks the picturesque clear, blue waters and golden sands of Choeng Mon Bay. A major attraction for holiday makers is that these Koh Samui villas are only a short five to ten minute stroll (800 meters) to popular Choeng Mon beach and town. Choeng Mon town also offers a large selection of bars, convenience stores and restaurants.

The two and three bedroom garden view villas are found on lower part of the development hillside. The two bedroom garden view properties are in an L-shape with a 36 square meter swimming pool and shaded, outdoor, pool-side covered pavilion. The L-shaped configuration ensures privacy as the pool area is hidden from beyond the garden walls. Also in an L-shaped design are the three bedroom properties with a generous, 60 square meter private pool. Each of the three bedrooms has their own luxury, en suite facilities.

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The upper part of the hillside and the hilltop is home to a selection of three, four and five bedroom luxury Samui sea view villas. The three bedroom sea view properties are designed in a U-shaped configuration with the central focus being the spacious sun terrace and swimming pool. The rear of the villa hosts the living area and kitchen and the bedrooms are located towards the front of the property. Four bedroom properties are built on two floors and the inspiring panoramic sea views can be seen from every corner of the villas. Five bedroom sea view villas are built on three floors, offering 5 luxurious bedrooms with stunning en suite facilities and glorious, panoramic views from every area of the properties.

Each of the different villa types in the development are furnished in different styles to the same level of luxury and opulence. All three, four and five bedroom properties offer state of the art entertainment systems and luxurious en suite facilities in all bedrooms. The villa development is easily accessed from a flat, wide, concrete road that runs from Choeng Mon town. To ensure guest safety, the gates are manned with security staff 24 hours a day.

Luxury Samui Villas – Horizon Homes Development, Thailand

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Flower Culture in Thailand Author: admin Oct 20

Thai floral art is as old as the people of Thailand. Mainly practised by the wealthy and those related to the palace, it was also something that local villagers used in offerings to Buddha. There is a definite style to Thai floral art and it can be clear that an arrangement is north or north eastern as opposed to a southern or city based arrangement. Form and technique is what prevail over material for most of the Thai floral art.

There has been a strong flower culture in Thailand since ancient times. Closely related to religious symbols and seen in offerings to Buddha, the seemingly simple Lotus flower has many different meanings and translations in Thai culture. Perhaps one of the most painted and prevalent flowers in all of Thailand, the Lotus is certainly one of the earliest documented species in Thai literature.

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One of the most popular and familiar of flowers associated with religion is the Lotus flower. Not a particularly exotic species, its commonness and prevalence may be indicative of the Buddhist religion in Thailand.

Other flowers that have gained in popularity over time and are forever thought of as symbols of the Thai people are orchids. There are more species of orchids in Thailand than any other place in Asia. with such a high export market, the humble orchid can be used not only as a decorative botanical item but also as a food ingredient. Turmeric is cultivated from orchids and makes up another strong export market commodity for Thailand.

There are many botanical gardens that pay homage to the different nationalities that have come and settled on the pristine beaches of Thailand. Bringing with them the gardening taste from whence they came. Swiss themed gardens abound in the Rose garden just north of Bangkok. Such contrast against the Thai climate and scenery is actually quite beautiful and perhaps encapsulates the Thai welcoming and accepting personality completely.

Flower Culture in Thailand

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Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu of Thailand Author: admin Oct 19

Mae Hong Son city is Thailand’s second northern-most provincial city and it is also one of the most sparingly populated cities with a population of just around 300,000. All visitors who come to Mae Hong Son city first go to visit the Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, which is located to the west of the town but on top of a hill. The temple was built by Phraya Singhanatracha, the first king of Mae Hong Son.

The temple has two chedis, which are built in Burmese-style architecture; the larger of the two was built in 1860 while the smaller one was constructed in 1874. Once you reach the temple, you get one of the most panoramic views of Mae Hong Son and you will understand why the city got its name which literally means City of the Three Mists.

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At the foot of the Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu is Wat Phra Non. This temple has a 12-meter long reclining Buddha which is built in Thai Yai style architecture. The reclining Buddha was built by Phra Nang Miah, wife of Phraya Sihanatracha in 1875. Another attraction of Wat Phra Non is its two large sculpted lions which stand side by side to provide passage to those who wish to pay homage to the Buddha’s relic in Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu.

Just opposite the Wat Phra Non is Wat Kam Ko. This is another old temple of the region and it was built in 1890. The temple is popular for its special architectural feature which you can see right at the entrance. The cover over the entrance arch leads to a wiharn which is built in Burmese style. The temple is a repository of the history of Thai Yai and all the text in the temple is in Thai Yai script.

Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu of Thailand

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US K1 Visa Thailand – How to Get it the Surest Way Author: admin Oct 18

A US K1 Visa Thailand is also known as the Thai fiancée visa. This is a perfect visa for engaged American man and his Thai fiancée to acquire so that the Thai can easily come to the US for marriage. However, obtaining a US fiancée visa is tough ordeal because of the many requirements and complex procedures which it entails. There are many hoops to jump through indeed. But if the applicant follows the proper path and have a true relationship with her petitioner, then getting the K-1 fiancée visa will be the joyful outcome.

The US K1 Visa requires a great deal of information about the American petitioner as well as the Thai fiancée. The American will have to complete an affidavit of support, proving financial capability to support the Thai fiancée in the United States. The last three years of tax returns, a letter of employment, bank statements and more are required.

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The relationship between the Thai fiancée and the American must be fully substantiated. It is important to provide proof of the relationship and the more of this evidence the better. This can be in the forms of photos together, plane tickets, phone bills and anything else that might prove their relationship. Letters of how they met each other and fell in love may also spell the difference.

Once all this information had been compiled, the US citizen must submit a K1 petition on behalf of his/her Thai fiancée with the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS). Assuming that the K1 visas petition has been approved it will be sent for visa processing at the National Visa Center (NVC). From there, the entire package will be forwarded to the US Embassy in Thailand for the penultimate step, the interview.

The interview is the highlight of the process because it will result either in the approval or denial of the K1 visa from Thailand. The US embassy usually provides the appointment as soon as the visa fees have been fee paid. The applicant must show up on time and have all of the information presented in the original petition. This means copies are really important in case something was lost along the way. During the interview it is important to be honest and upfront providing all the information requested by the interviewing official at the US Embassy in Bangkok. If the relationship can easily be proven then the K-1 visa is not that difficult to obtain.

However, despite the notion that the Request of the applicant, the statements are executed, it would still be useful to consult a trained and experienced in U.S. immigration custody for help. You would need to see an American lawyer in Thailand to him / her for help because the applicant Thai girlfriend is usually not trained for the complex processes involved in the application. It 'important to remember that once a mistake is made, it may be too late to do anything, and comeup with a possible remedy.

Many people have filed their K1 visa Thailand by themselves only to find out that they made costly errors on the application that resulted in long delays or oftentimes denials. Thus, it is important to plan ahead with a US Visa Lawyer in Thailand to assist the Thai fiancée applicant so the problems with the Embassy or USCIS, can be avoided. The US visa attorney in Bangkok can identify and prevent the red flags from becoming problems, before the USCIS or Embassies make them issues that could permanently prevent the beloved Thai fiancée from ever coming to the United States. Simply stated sometimes the Thai fiancée can say the wrong thing to the interviewing officer at the US Embassy in Bangkok without realizing it.

US K1 Visa Thailand – How to Get it the Surest Way

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Thailand, A Safe Place For Immigrants In Asia Author: admin Oct 16

Thailand has always been a preferred destination for transnational migration in Asia. Its geographic central position in South-East Asia and its open economy have paved the way for Thailand to be considered a safe haven for immigrants, including individuals seeking political asylum. The social and economic development has been considerably rapid and Thailand has grown in popularity as a destination country many people looking for a new home.

The study of Thailand’s immigration history reveals that the 1800′s saw a large number of Chinese enter Thailand for the purpose of survival. The conditions in China were so bad that if a person were able to acquire a single olive, it was not eaten but passed from father to mother to child to suck on before eating a rice soup meal. There is an expression “to travel with a mat and pot”, this bad was the condition of the Chinese in the 1800′s. Other nationals like Indians, Japanese, Westerners, citizens of neighboring countries like Burma, Vietnam, Korea, also started migrating into Thailand. Some came as traders, some as labors, some came to spread religion and some came in search of the natural resources in Thailand.

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The emigration of Thai citizens to other nations is a more recent phenomenon. With the natural resources, local wealth along with the small population, Thais did not have the necessity to venture into other nations either for money or food or for any other reason. More recently however, the growing number of immigrants to Thailand with skills more suited to a developing nation than many Thai citizens have, has forced many local Thais to find opportunities elsewhere. In the early nineties many moved to the Persian Gulf to make money as the oil production was heavy. The Thai government has considered strengthening Immigration rules to ensure the locals are safe guarded and there is more employment opportunities for its citizens.

The trend of immigrants and the details of their causes for migration in the last decade or more shows Thailand remains a safe haven for many reasons. In the last decade alone Thailand has given shelter to over 100,000 persons who had conflicts in neighboring countries. In 2004, official immigrant information shows that Thailand gave shelter to over a thousand people who were illegally charged in over 40 countries around the world. These immigrants feared persecution in their own countries.

Thailand, not being a very populous nation, has allowed over 2 million contract workers to work in Thailand. In addition to these facts there are approximately 135,000 refugees residing in the border camps that are hosting the displaced persons from Myanmar. The residents in these camps are provided with all the required basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter and medicine, though they are not permitted officially to get employment in Thailand.

On the whole, Thailand, as observed, still remains a safe haven for migrants from all over the world. These immigrants have formed a great deal of the work force and helped build the fast growing Thai economy.

Thailand, A Safe Place For Immigrants In Asia

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Wheelchair Friendly Holidays Abroad in Pattaya, Thailand Author: admin Oct 15

If you are a wheelchair is sometimes difficult to plan your vacation and find a place that establishments that cater for people to stay with your needs.

You can see the holiday displays with pictures of the pool and beach, but as wheelchairs is the situation?

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This article is about Thailand holiday accommodation in Jomtien Pattaya wheelchairs. It must be said that Thailand is not the wheelchair to dedicate land in the world, but in recent years, thetourist industry realized that it is missing out on a large slice of the tourism industry. Namely wheelchair users and is now encouraging hotels and condominiums to upgrade their premises to cater for this market.

Pattaya and Jomtien have become on of the most popular holiday destination in Thailand and South East Asia.

This article is about View talay 2B in Jomtien Pattaya. View Talay 2 condo has ramps for easy access to the main reception and lobby area with lifts to take you to your room. Once inside everywhere is accessible for the holiday maker who needs a wheelchair. There are three lifts to choose from and the security guards are always on hand should you require a helping hand with you luggage.

View Talay 2 has one of the biggest swimming pools in Pattaya with a bar and restaurant serving both Thai and western food. Around the pool there are plenty of places to sit and relax or you can hire a sunlounger for the day (50 Baht).

Now access to the pool is through the ground floor which leads directly out to the pool. At the moment there are two steps down to the pool. Not very good if your in a wheel chair. BUT to gain access to the pool is quite simple. As I said before there is wheel chair access to the main entrance, there is also wheelchair access to the rear car park from the reception. To go to the pool simple go out of the rear entrance and down to the swimming pool where there is a wheelchair ramp that takes you straight onto the pool. Its hoped in the future that the steps to the pool from the building will be replaced with a ramp. Apart from the is minor over site View Talay 2 is the ideal holiday accommodation for the traveler who uses a wheelchair.

View Talay 2B has a complete range of facilities that are available for the travelers convenience, such as a fully stocked mini mart which keeps just about everything you could possibly want while on holiday, Thai massage shop, four different laundries, coffee shops restaurants and beauty salons. Internet access is available via WiFi. The WiFi connection charge is sold as two options 460 Baht and 780 Baht vouchers. The more you pay the more time you have.

Getting out and about in Jomtien is a lot easier now they have almost finished the new 2nd road in Jomtien.

From View Talay 2 you can have easy access to the beach and be able to travel almost all the way to Na Jomtien along the beach.

This article has been about holiday rentals in View Talay 2 Jomtien but View Talay 5 is also worth considering stay at for the wheelchair user. 

Wheelchair Friendly Holidays Abroad in Pattaya, Thailand

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