TDY Gouge - Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand - The DAO will hook you up with transportation and accommodations. Le Royal Meridien (662) 656-0444 was fantastic and has excellent service and great rooms, gym, hot tub/sauna and pool on the top floor. Free breakfast to boot. The Meridien is right downtown, next to Planet Hollywood (the PH might be out of business now), and walking distance from Hard Rock Cafe. There's a good Thai place right across the street and a Starbucks. Phantip Plaza is the place for bootleg software and VCDs. You can't miss out on NaNa Plaza (2 train stations away)for the frog/fish/snake/dart "SHOWS" bar fines are 500 baht, beers are just under $2. Raja's Tailors is right by NaNa and is a great place to get the interview suit custom made at a great price. For jewelery there's Venus, Gems, and James. Eddy the bus driver gives a good tour of the city and if you have time the Royal Palace is worth a look. Take care (food, tips) of Eddy and he'll take care of you. Basically, Bangkok is a great place to get drunk and see hundreds of naked women..... ~The Royal Crowne was awesome it's downtown on Sillim Drive near the embassies. There was a metric ass-ton of European College students staying there and we ended up partying with them. The bar is nice and has a 4 member girl band playing every night. There is a business office to check email in and great service allover. They treat you like royalty. Ask the bell-hop for help getting a taxi to the go-go's or a tour of the city. The Crowne is next to a big 5 story mall and there is a ton of shopping both there and on the street. Tons of old artifacts, suits, you name it. Everyone takes greenbacks, and the food rocks. Can't wait to go back. The rate was $100 but you have to check on per-diem. NAS Whidbey Travel gave us the wrong rate and we got screwed on the card 2 months later. I have nothing but good to say about it and the Montien in Pattaya. Make sure you hit the Croc farms for belts, shoes, and purses for the old lady! ~Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit was a palace! Superb rooms, handy to Cowboy Street and elevated train.

Pattaya (Utaphao), Thailand - Dan Generette is the local rep for military flights into and out of Utaphao airfield. He is an outstanding rep (prior USAF with 20+ years) and will hook you up with transportation and accomodations. He'll probably ask if you have any preferences for the latter. If so, ask for the Royal Gardens or the Montien - call (66 38)428-155-6 for Montien. Excellent service and good food at the Montien. But the Royal Gardens offers equivalent service with a more convenient location (from a liberty perspective) and much better acomodations. The gym at the Montien doesn't even compare to the one at Royal Garden's. Both offer good in-house massage services, but again the Royal Garden has the edge in this category. That is, if you don't want to go out for a massage at one of the many places in Pattaya proper. ~Royal Garden Marriot was a Palace! You have not lived until you stay at the Royal Garden. It has the best breakfast buffet ever, excellent service, a nice bar that sells cigars, the best thai cuisine (hot hot hot) and a pool bar. It is situated in the middle of downtown Pattaya, so opportunities abound for entertainment and excellent restaurants. The Pattaya walking street is only 5 minutes away, where you can find some of the freshest seafood anywhere and then watch some kick-boxing at any of the streetside rings. The hotel itself is connected to one of the malls in town, and has many stores, a few good restaurants and a movie theater. Hard Rock Hotel +66 38 428755-9 / +66 38 421673 was a nice hotel. Nov03 - Spent two nights at the Hard Rock. The gym rocks, the pool rocks, and the service...rocks. Ample internet access in the lobby, nice restaurant, and the rooms are clean and decent with a huge shower and comfy beds. The gym is complete with views of the pool for motivation. Located right next to the Montien, but in my opinion, a notch better. Bring your golf clubs! Laem Chebang is a Jack Nicklaus designed course that can be played for $15 on Tuesdays, 'sport days'. It is incredibly beautiful, and the Caddies are great with 300baht being a good tip. Look out for 'sport days' at the other courses too, as you can play Monday through Thursday for $15 a pop. Taxi service can be arranged at the hotel or just outside the hard rock for 1000baht, or $25.