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samtam

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Everything posted by samtam

  1. The spidermen are still in situ, (well not as I write), but they will have a go tomorrow. They've already had several.
  2. Thank you. I have passed the information on. They have certainly tried turps, washed with soap and water, window cleaner etc. This cleaned the window of it's paint, but after rain, streaking marks were left, which never happened previously.
  3. In either situation I need a company in Bangkok that does one of these. I actually like the mirrored effect of the shiny side on the inside, as it's how the other frosted glass pieces are in the kitchen. And as it is sandblasted, the vinyl alternative doesn't arise. Again, if anyone can recommend a window fitter in Bangkok, (even if to remove the pieces and to replace the glass), please let me know.
  4. My kitchen window which was newly installed in 2020 had some paint dripping on it during the repainting of the condo. The outside is sandblasted, and the company cleaned with turpentine, so that now when it rains it leaves streaks. Need to replace glass (and frame). Any replacements company in Bangkok that anyone can recommend? And attempting to clean:
  5. I'm sure there's something in that. I flew on them in October 2022 ahead of the World Cup, and there had been a hiatus between that trip and my previous one, due to covid. Even in October 2022, despite trying to impress, they were woefully short of their previous levels of service in Business, which I have enjoyed and previously lauded, over the preceding 10 years. Anyway, they slipped off their perch as the Best Airline to Best in Business, but I guess Skytrax is bought and paid for, so it's all a bit meaningless.
  6. All done. I had an SG VPN on and the JAL website was much for navigable, (than even the Japanese site). Go figure.
  7. @gearbox I am indebted to you for your advice to use the Live Chat facility. Was going along swimmingly yesterday until they had an IT glitch. Then couldn't get back on Live Chat until today, and spent 4 hours booking 2 flights, (using 2 laptops for the two of us), and we successfully managed to book JAL with Avios points (plus the fees) from Qatar. The Live Chat went down in the middle of the process, but everything confirmed, except now I need to check the JAL site for booking, (which is not yet showing), and to select seats. When/if that happens, I will proceed with the unrefundable accommodation bookings. A major palaver, and frankly not one I will undertake again. Only use Avios on Qatar or BA, not any of their partner airlines, as the system is simply not geared to it.
  8. Yes, it is a protracted process to make it as unattractive as possible. To put it bluntly, it is a complete con. If the airlines don't want to give reward miles, just drop it, and stop pretending it's a benefit.
  9. @gearbox Thank you. I managed to get through and thought I was about to book, but they've asked me to come back and try again in 2 hours, as they have an IT glitch🤨 Initially they asked me to do what I have already done....go and make the booking request on their website. Not sure we wont go back to that rigmarole again, which is a complete waste of time and effort. The Avios points (77,500 each) come with a service fee of THB14700 each.
  10. I did chat online yesterday, but cannot find the chat facility today, (just now). I used the search option, but nothing comes up. Maybe it's closed for the weekend. Certainly the booking request doesn't get handled over the weekend, despite Qatar being an international airline, and it's headquarters operating in a country that has it's day off on Friday.
  11. I travelled with my partner, and we had the two centre seats together. On one leg we decided to have dinner, with a pre dinner drink. Everything was served at different times, so would have been better sitting on the same side, and separately. Again the "meal on demand" means that service is haphazard, and even between seats divided by an aisle. Some customers received food and beverages long before others, in that configuration. They really are uncoordinated. After that experience we decided to pass up on the F&B service, as it was just too irritating. The answer is to eat in the lounge before you depart, and at the lounge in Doha, if it's not too crowded. On the first leg there was a queue of 10 or more for each of the shower facilities.
  12. Yes. transferring reward points from Qatar to JAL, (one of their partner airlines), is indeed clunky. Apparently they have to do it "manually". Avios transfers between Qatar and BA can be done by the customer online. Not so with any of their other partners. And weirdly, BA requires 90,000 points plus THB12,500 to transfer to a JAL flight, whereas Qatar requires 77,500 for the exact same flight. I tried doing it from BA too, but their IT systems are worse, and obviously with the variation in point requirements, I was not prepared to fork out for more Avios points. Ergo, best only to use Avios on BA or Qatar, and not with any other of their so-called airline partners. It's a guaranteed exercise in futility and time wasting. I wish they would just be honest about it. But I know now, and so will anyone reading this.
  13. I agree. The meals are dire, whatever class. My last trip on Qatar I closed the door (Q Suite) after take off and telling the female waiter that I didn't want to be disturbed for the rest of the flight. Qatar's "meal on demand" is a complete load of <deleted>, resulting in waiters and waitresses walking up and down the aisles all the time. At least with the Q Suite you can mitigate that irritation but just closing the door.
  14. I cannot find a travel forum, so please move as required. I was a true fan of Qatar Airways pre-pandemic, but since then they have gradually deteriorated in every respect. My latest attempt was to use my Avios points on their website with their partner airline, Japan Airlines. You request a booking through their website and it gets acknowledged. They claim they will respond within 48 hours. They didn't the first time around, so I rang their Doha office and was informed the dates (in May) were not available, so I asked them to advise me which dates were available. They gave me them. I had to then go back online to rebook, and was asked to call Doha back with the acknowledgement reference ID, which I did within a few minutes. The answer came back "dates not available". So I thought this silly game could go on forever, I'll just trip off to their office in Exchange Square, Rachadapisek. Arrived there and was informed that walk-ins for customers no longer available. OK, my fault for reading an out-of-date website with the office details and opening times. Was given a Thai number to ring, which I did. The rep informed me of "wide open" dates to book my reward flights with their partner airline and they would respond within 72 hours. That deadline passed today, so I rang them again. They now say response with 96 hours, but as it's Friday, by Tuesday at the earliest. This is a joke service. Or more likely, reward points on Qatar are literally pointless. So I will book the Business Class tickets on JAL and pay the USD3,500 (for 2)...BKK to HND. Thinking how I might instead use my Avios points on Qatar, I checked their website for flights on their airline. The use of points is bonkers. A round trip flight on Business to Madrid is 300,000 points plus THB14,000 or some such BS. I've lost track. Booking without points is only about THB120,000, but flights are nearly all sold out for May. So, I shall continue to live the life of a hermit, and stay put. In all my years of travelling I have rarely had success with mileage points, which must surely be the biggest load of nonsense. But Qatar are taking their disdain of usage of reward points to a new level. OK, rant over. I'm having a much cheaper excursion, daily from my flat to my pool, as per usual.
  15. Managed to renew my 5yr Thai DL at Chatuchak (Bangkok) Department of Transport this morning with relative ease. They accepted my DLT eLearning QR code, which I completed last week on 13 March 2024, despite the fact that the acknowledgement of completion stated the date as 19 September 2023; (my laptop has all correct dates and times). They simply noted that today was the last applicable date, to fall within the 6 month validity. Anyway, that obviously saved time, and I only had to complete the eye and co-ordination tests; the brake machine almost had me fuxed, but they let me have second go. Subsequently I applied for and received an International Driving Permit (IDP), which I will require when I travel to Japan in a couple of months. All very efficient, and the staff helpful and polite. Thai DL less than 1 hour, IDP about 30 minutes.
  16. Could they use AI technology to control traffic in Bangkok? Oh wait, I think they had some sophisticated technology, but they decided it was more fun to do it themselves and enjoy the benefits of natural selection, (of victims for handouts).
  17. 1 eye at Rutnin THB140,000 (ish) and 1 eye at Samitivej THB75,000
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