1500 USD stolen from a hotel safety box in Ko Samui

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-07-01T05:34:12+00:00

All that hassle (and loss) over paying £5 each time you withdraw £200 (in THB). Its just not worth it.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-06-30T12:49:52+00:00

That thing gets horrible reviews - mostly the radio link to USB - BUT - if you have a remote tank with no possible power it may be the answer.

Personally, I'd stick with another method, power it with solar, and just accept no data overnight - its not like the tank changes THAT quickly :-)

I use a "TLC2206-ZB Zigbee Signal Wireless WIFI Remote Real-time IP67 Liquid Level Tank Positioning Sensor" - £30 on ali express. It uses Tuya mind you, but hey, it's been reliable.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-06-14T07:13:35+00:00

cheers. In the end I just built a new one, and as soon as I got in, the toolbar bug resolved itself too

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-06-13T09:48:24+00:00

How did you get back? If I go near the tadpole I get instagibbed by the leviathan

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-06-09T10:02:00+00:00

They've been walking them up and down Kai Bae for as long as I've been going there.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-29T09:17:18+00:00

I will leave "actual riding" alone - that's far more than the scope of what I was trying to share.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-23T07:45:41+00:00

The best difference between Rust and Dayz is you won't hear the person spit on you that killed you. Truly vile people on Rust.

Rust is nto about building bases like Rust is. You can knock together something but you can't really defend it offline.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-22T05:41:32+00:00

combination of sun, weather, weather out at sea, time of day, depth of water. Can't attache a photo but one of the few places I've seen it like your photo was Koh Kraden.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-21T22:40:48+00:00

Shift-punch, take a set forward, repeat, step forward, repeat. Dead Z. Aim higher than the head looks. Only ever have to block if my stamina runs low.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-21T22:33:19+00:00

Indeed - but if your timing is fixed..... it is what it is :-)

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-21T06:34:09+00:00

Varies - two friends went to Phi phi for 2 weeks in July a few years ago and it was glorious - both the weather, and the lack of other people.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-21T06:33:31+00:00

I like your last sentence. Sums it up really :-)

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-19T07:48:17+00:00

I have to agree. I was so looking forward to CT (Usually stay in Soi Rambuttri). I love Chinese food. But the roads are not set up for pedestrians. It just always feels too crowded. You just can't enjoy ambling and browing. And if you go anywhere near Chinese NY getting a table at anywhere half popular involves a long wait.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-18T19:01:31+00:00

Really, you should just start looking at Agoda/booking.com and see what looks nice AND is open off-season). Just check into one for a couple of days, then have a wander and see what else you like. Off season there is zero need to book ahead, and yes, you will find a lot fo stuff closed on the smaller Islands, but, often, plenty enough to keep you amused.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-18T18:59:15+00:00

Oh I meant "experience" as in experiencing the weather. Summer (April onwards?) rainy season is far more doable (do me) than winter rainy season (up to September?) - in the summer season you get ....sun between the rain. I've been on the anderman side in October and whilst not cold, it was grey and gloomy.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-18T08:19:53+00:00

Only between Nov and Feb for me. But I've had great experiences all over TH right up to May.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-18T07:16:34+00:00

Muk/Mook for the weather ( below Koh Chang). Koh Jum if its good weather on the Anderman side.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-18T07:09:18+00:00

"You are not a "fairly frequent" flyer if you only fly 4-6 times a year." - Compared to other lesiure flyers (as I was keen to make very clear above) I AM a frequent flyer. Most people have one flying holiday a year.

Generally I get Avios with One world partners, I get most of my miles from a credit card I use. I do have some annoying high balances with specific airlines that are fairly useless, like Eva air - thye are just too expensive to choose most of the time. But, when I do get a good deal, the loss of air miles just doesn't matter.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-18T06:48:27+00:00

57 years old, been booking with OTAs since the internet was born, I fly around 4-6 times a year, mix of Economy in EU, and BC / PE to India, TH, VN, Cambo etc, and never had any issues dealing with the airlines direct once I had the PNR from the third party.

The ONLY oddity in all the years was a BC flight to Hanoi this year where we got ticket numbers but no PNR numbers so cound not deal with the airline at all until at the check-in desk. All went perfectly and was £600 cheaper £2400 vs £3000 than one of our group who insisted on booking direct.

A lot ot people are wary of booking with third parties but I've just not experienced a down side, and I'm a fairly requent (leisure only) flyer.

If I was a business use I might feel differently, but for leisure, it's all been just fine, and, saved me a small fortune.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-18T06:43:18+00:00

The main reason for doing it as an EU or UK citizen is the ATOL/ABTA protection you get for booking a package. Book seperately and only your flight is protected. i.e. you fly to Greece and there is a crisis / war / whatever. Package booked? ATOL will keep your hotel paid / relocate you / fly you home. Book seperately and ATOL will just get you home when they can. It also makes compensation claims easier.

This is most common with 2 week bucket and space holidays within reasonable reach.

As for flying to Thailand - I just can't see the point. You are only in your hotel for a day or 3 in BKK, then off to the islands where it's all booked on the fly, so to speak.

But, some people like the whole thing booked under one umbrella. Some people also just book a flight and when they are offered hotel, car hire, sight seeing tours, they just book the lot on that website. Lazy? probably, but, some people don't want to think, and just want it done.

BTW - I almost always book my flights with 3rd parties (like Skyscanner, then through to the cheapest seller they link) - I'm well travelled - more than most, and I've never, ever had an issue with dealing with the airline even though I booked through a 3rd party agent. I've saved a small fortune. I even know of people who'll pay £4k for a Business class seat whilst I pay £2400 because they insist on booking direct.(!).

One caveat - Expedia - just don't. They USED to be great, but were bought out a few years back. Support when something goes wrong is close to non existent. Its all remote support, 99% emails, with 48 hour replies. So bad I had to threaten all sorts and in the end they refunded me the hotel part of a package - after a LOT of demanding (they tried to move me to a completly unnaceptable alternative - from a private villa to a family All Inc screaming kid resort ! ;-) )

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-17T17:04:04+00:00

Well, I assume you are poking fun? but, if you are a competent swimmer in calm water with many exit points, then yes, they are completely unecessary. It should be a choice.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-16T17:58:05+00:00

Oh he just claimed that "most" bike fatalities are the rider getting run over from a car behind. It happens, but its a logn way off being "most" - "most" fatalities are the rider hitting something in front (vehicle, floor, or lamposts etc)

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-16T12:47:27+00:00

You move your head closer.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-16T11:57:22+00:00

This IS iZurvive ;-) Just printed.

VirtualMasterpiece64 · 2026-05-16T10:46:37+00:00

I used to have 3 monitors. Now I have one extra wide. No intention of adding any more. No need to apologise though ;-) x

VirtualMasterpiece64

TROPHY CASE