Velocette

Hi is the bike still for sale?

I would like to thank you all for your advice and suggestions, I do appreciate it.

I'm 70 so easily qualify as far as age is concerned! . . . . . .I was born in Dublin, although I spent most of my life in London, where I held a British passport. But when I returned to Dublin my British passport had expired (people from the Republic of Ireland from my generation anyway, were entitled to a British one , although there is some subtle difference in the wording somewhere, so that customs or whoever could tell that perhaps I was an Irish national holding a British passport!)

So when I was back in Dublin I got an Irish passport, and have it still, but having a Londonish accent doesn't make me a very convincing Irishman, but I doubt the Thai people would be aware or even care!

Again many thanks . . . . . .  

5 years ago I lived in Thailand with my Thai wife, she visits me here in Tenerife Spain. I now wish to return to Thailand and need to know which visa would be appropriate. There is no Thai embassy here only a Consulate which I think are more restricted in the visa's that they can issue.

I have read the various threads on visa advise, but still feel unsure as to what my choices are. I thought that this time it would be easier to have a one year extension of stay based on retirement, rather than marriage as I had before. Should I ask for (and hope they can oblige) for a 90 visa (to give me time to set up a bank account and transfer money etc when I arrive in Thailand) and would I need to show a marriage certificate, and house book etc to the Consulate here . . .

If they can only give me a 60 day visa, does it make much difference to the hoops I need to jump through?

And finally I'm concerned that if I only have a one way ticket some airlines may refuse to let me fly, I've read this occasionally happens, so perhaps a refundable return ticket (if it's easy to book such a thing online) maybe the best bet to remove my anxiety. I would greatly appreciate any advise, or if I've missed the bleedin' obvious please let me know!

Such payments are no longer available in the UK. They were phased out a couple of years ago.

Thank you cardholder, so it used to be available in the UK, but it no longer is, quite possible then, given how close the Irish Welfare is to the Uk that it won't be available for me either. Not what I wanted to hear, I feel less optimistic about my application.

As an Irish pensioner I may be entitled to claim my Thai wife as a 'dependant adult' and get an extra allowance for her. This extra payment, if approved would be payed directly into her bank account.

I've asked for an application form in order to apply for this payment, I imagine it will be more difficult to qualify than if my wife was from Europe, I will be applying for payment for a 'Non EU Spouse' as a dependant adult. If granted I believe the payment would continue after my death, when she may qualify for a Widows pension or whatever they call it.

I don't recall seeing any posts about this subject, which is unusual, as there as so many guys out here on pensions. So I'm curious to know if there are any Irish or British (very similar welfare system) guys out there, who have direct knowledge and have already qualified for these payments.

I am an Irish national receiving an Irish pension. When I die, is my Thai wife entitled to a widows pension or similar (my wife has never been to Ireland and made tax or insurance contributions)

I have searched ThaiVisa but failed to find anything relating to this, I'm also unsure where the best forum to post this might be.

I'm hoping that someone might have an insight into this question, and oblige, many thanks.

Police Raid 'Rip-Off' Garage After Sky Probe

Police Raid 'Rip-Off' Garage After Sky ProbePolice have made 11 arrests during a raid on a garage previously exposed in a Sky News investigation.

Seventy-five tactical support officers from the Metropolitan Police descended on Bray Engineering Ltd. in Southall, assisted by police from the UK Border Agency.

The site, which reconditions motor engines, has been the subject of hundreds of complaints from customers who have alleged they've been defrauded and threatened with violence, or their vehicles impounded.

Officers were particularly keen to apprehend those running the business.

Among those led away in handcuffs was Paul Dockerill, understood to have once been the company director.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Rowell told Sky News: "We have been focusing on the people in charge of conducting the business.

"This year alone we have had 30 allegations of criminal activity relating to these premises.

"There have been allegations of violence, threats and intimidation towards customers. These complaints have been supported by numerous complaints to Trading Standards.

"We believe this company has been treading a very fine line between running a bad business and crossing over into criminality. The information we received demanded a day of action."

Police also arrested several mechanics on suspicion of immigration offences.

The employees were understood to be from East Europe, India and Pakistan.

The company was previously fined £55,000 in 2009 after a similar raid by Border Agency police uncovered staff at the premises who had been employed illegally.

Those detained have been taken to a police station in West London to be interviewed.

I tried the 'search function' for previous threads on Test Car, but for some reason it's not working. However, I do remember a couple of members using Test Car and feeling it was well worthwhile.

There is also a cheaper test company who send their guys out to you on motor bikes, to give your car the once over, obviously their testing is not as sophisticated, or expensive, I believe their called Cartrust, meant to be Car Trust, by the way, not Cart Rust

Actually, if you think about it, there is no AA, or RAC (for the Brits) that you can depend on to be honest and objective on your behalf. So unless you know a mechanic you can trust, I'd go with TestCar.

Anyway, good luck with your purchase.

I have an old Honda Accord, which is even a little older than yours. I took it to a local garage in Chaeng Wattana, told them to find a replacement engine and fit. They did all within 3 days at a cost of 30K. So it can and does happen

Hi, I guess you had good reason getting a replacement engine instead of top end repair or whatever, maybe you heard the big ends knocking. Is it a manual or auto, and was the gearbox included in that price ?

Three days is a pretty quick for finding a replacement engine, taking out yours and fitting the new one. As 30K is only about 700 Euro, not a bad price. I'm looking for an old banger so I'm interested in the pro's and cons of, if the worst comes to the worst, what's it likely to cost, and who can I trust to do it.

So when you took delivery of your Accord, it must have been with some trepidation, worrying about the condition of the replacement engine, there has to be an element of Russian Roulette about the previous life of the replacement . How does the new engine sound and feel compared to the original ?

Anyway, hope that your new engine is all that you'd hoped it would be

Too bad you didn't consider an older model SEAT, either Cordoba or newer Toledo. I overlooked them previously too as we don't have them where I originate from but the performance is as good or better with a 1.8L in either model but the newer Toledo's have 20 valve engines and plenty of package offerings.

The Older Cordoba is even significantly lighter then a Golf by 350lbs. and much better aero package with many manuals available and can easily be upgraded with any 20 valve 1.8L from VW or Audi and even upgrade to a 2.0L (also readily available here) and mated with a 20V head..

SEAT's are MUCH cheaper then any VW but virtually the same in all performance aspects with some pretty impressive enhancements in aero package.

Yes Seat, and of course not forgetting Skoda, both of which have a good reputation and are very popular in northern Europe. I'm not familiar with all their bits and bobs, but believe they are both on VW platforms, with VW engines and running gear, they also have really good diesel engines.

The problem for many is finding a mechanic and spares, I know that you did a lot of work on a VW Vento ? correcting all the Thai irregularities, not everyone has the time, equipment or expertise to do their own repairs, although it must be very satisfying.

I come from an earlier time (Jurassic period) I've replaced carbs, distributors,water pumps and adjusted tappets, but todays cars are so much more sophisticated, so it's a more daunting prospect finding someone trustworthy and knowledgable to fix them, granted this applies to Jap cars also, it's just there's a larger choice of dubious mechanics and of course spares.

Anyway, glad to see that your in VW heaven with your recent purchase, you must be buzzing with all the different possible engine configurations, and all at reduced prices, which must sweeten the cake. Even if you don't go down the mix and match route, you have good responsive wheels for a relatively cheap price, and that is satisfying .

Well my experience with something very similar though an elderly Aussie I new for some years who was being basically held hostage and starved to death (again long story) was that the Aussie embassy had no desire to help him out at all. I know this because I took him there and the consular at the time was a real scum bag I'll never forget his name (Hampton silver spoon) as he wouldn't let me sit in on the interview and I knew this old man was not going to be able to tell them the complete story which also included his poor health, sadly he was also a WWII vet and his benefits had been suspended too since he was unable to return to keep them current as per regulation..

We took out the last bit of savings we had in order to pay his maximum over-stay fine and buy him a ticket back to Aus where he has been staying with a long time friend of his now.

Just so you know his wasn't a romance gone wrong but a business scam on the part of his Thai partner who had bilked him out of his life savings and beyond..

Now we've exchanged places with him but it's all good as we're younger with more prospects but it's not been easy for our family with a lot of sacrifices.. Bottom line is we weren't scammed and did this of our own good will and are better people for it..

There area a lot of nice naive people in the world that doesn't make them scammers or losers just people trying to make a life for themselves and stumbling in the process.. A loser is not one who tries and fails but one who fails to try..

Well fair play to you Warpspeed, good man yourself. I'm shocked the Aussie's wouldn't help one of their own, I always presumed there was a legal obligation on all embassies to repatriate, apart from the moral obligation. Also a WW2 vet, and the government f***ks about with their payments, it's insult upon injury, it doesn't get any worse.

He should be able to take his embassy to court, for failure to repatriate and assist passage home, guess only an Aussie lawyer could answer that question, ditto all those other embassies who refuse help.

Personally I have a feeling it's often down to the discretion of the individual consular, as in your friends case, a pox on him the heartless c***. It would be so satisfying if he had to answer to a tribunal back in Oz for dereliction of duty.

You really are the good Samaritans, both you and your wife.

Can only tell you that the band are a Thai band, not sure of the spelling but something like 'Karabow' . The band were in the Phillipines as students and it's supposed to mean water buffalo in the the Phillipine language. Not a bad band at all, they seem to be heavily influenced by Santana, and that whole Latin thing.

As a fan of brown rice , can you tell me the actual brand name of this rice, and do you know which stores stock it ? . .many thanks . . .

My girlfriend, who has the habit to ride around with Japanese license plates on her legally Thai registered motorcycle, informed met today that she needed to pay 50 THB more for riding around without a official required Thai license plate.

Not get me wrong, here motorcycle is officially registered, she has Thai license plates, but apparently it's more cool to ride around with a Japanese plate on your bike.... (normally the fine is 400 THB, but she needed to pay 450 THB, so surely some fines changed)

But 5,000 THB for riding on the foot path, how will they describe that, in the Thai traffic Act the footpath is just part of the road. Same if you get a ticket for moving into another lane, which is what 200 THB...

Oooh, young trendy girlfriend sir, riding her cool scooter, just out of school is she , suits you sir

Is the jewelry style of the Hell's Angels of the 70's making a comeback?

Howzabout a nice Victorian cruet set, hung with gay abandon around the neck, and practical too .

She and her husband are obviously way out of their depth... Sounds like a farang real estate shark got the first bite. I have a 4 storey dwelling near the river with a/c rent per month 7,500 b or 250 US dollars.

Wow, your a lucky tenant, 4 story near the river and a/c ! . . . .surely you can't be anywhere near Bkk ?

I pay 8,500 for a bungalow in unfashionable Samuprakarn, admittedly it has a/c, and the little garden is pleasant to look at, but there are so many things wrong with it, that we have to move, but houses at a reasonable rent are few and far between, or very grim. And the closer one gets to trendy Bkk the higher the rent, natch.

It seems like people are either completely OK with a car with no bags, or completely against any car with less than two.

Since I am considering some cars that don't have an option for two airbags (Like the Toyota Avanza)

It seems like one is better than none....no?

Sure, one must be better none, just get your passenger to wear a full face helmut, although I say this in jest, it is probably a very sensible (if not uncomfortable and hot ) thing to do, of course no one would ever do it, unless there actually racing.

I don't know if it is more dangerous for the driver in a frontal accident, as the steering wheel is closer to them, than the dash is to the passenger. Either way, one must be better than none.

Thank's Kata,

" Single vehicle accidents are usually caused by the driver only

There is no secret well equipped and advanced cars are more involved in single accidents than less expensive cars. just read the sad facts of Audi Quattro (4wd) compared to its frontwheeldrive Audi sisters. The Quattros blow off the road despite MUCH better traction and handling

ABS increases safety margin. Some use an increased safety margin to go faster and drive more recklessly. as seen in stats. In a 10 year old pickup I keep 90 on the highways. In a good car I keep 160 "

I still find these stats bizarre , so despite all the money spent on Rn'D and all the advances in safety technology, many people just drive more recklessly, and feel invincible, the more well equipped and advanced their cars are.

If these people are pushing the limit all the time, how come they aren't involved just as much with multi vehicle accidents ? . .or do they just put their foot down when the road is empty ?

Either way, the only conclusion I can come to is that there chasing the high speed buzz , road speed junkies. I'm so lucky I'm poor, it keeps me outa harms way

There have been many thoughtful and insightful posts, however reading back through the the stats (admittedly many years ago now) the conclusion that cars with ABS are more likely to be involved in single-vehicle accidents, is really very spooky.

" They (ABS drivers ) are more likely to be involved in accidents fatal to the occupants of the ABS car, especially single-vehicle accidents. "

I just wonder why ? . . . .I always thought that single vehicle accidents, bikes or cars, were simply people driving beyond their abilities, often late at night, or early morning, probably pissed or stoned, or both. Why else would any group of drivers be involved in single vehicle accidents ? . . .off their heads, is an obvious answer, or is that too simplistic.

Why would these drivers, who must be in a high income bracket, and who could afford the luxury of safety features like ABS , be more likely to have an accident just driving along ? . . .I'm buggered if I know. But sometimes the obvious isn't really that obvious, if you know what I mean. . . . .it's a bleedin conundrum, an no mistake.

.

No! Please explain.

Sarcasm? If not > How ABS works.

My car has ABS, EBD (Electronic brake distribution) and TSC (Traction Stability Control) plus dual front and side airbags. Belts and suspenders (braces for the Brits) for me.

Well whose a lucky boy then ?

Followed your link Tywais, thank you for that, and was surprised to see some of the stats for ABS . . . .stats can make disturbing reading . . . .notably that there is " No evidence to show that it improves overall safety "

Do anti-lock brakes really work?

Anti-lock brakes really do help you stop better. They prevent wheels from locking up and provide the shortest stopping distance on slippery surfaces. But do they really prevent accidents? This is the true measure of the effectiveness of ABS systems.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has conducted several studies trying to determine if cars equipped with ABS are ­involved in more or fewer fatal accidents. It turns out that in a 1996 study, vehicles equipped with ABS were overall no less likely to be involved in fatal accidents than vehicles without. The study actually stated that although cars with ABS were less likely to be involved in accidents fatal to the occupants of other cars, they are more likely to be involved in accidents fatal to the occupants of the ABS car, especially single-vehicle accidents.

There is much speculation about the reason for this. Some people think that drivers of ABS-equipped cars use the ABS incorrectly, either by pumping the brakes or by releasing the brakes when they feel the system pulsing. Some people think that since ABS allows you to steer during a panic stop, more people run off the road and crash.

Some more recent information may indicate that the accident rate for ABS cars is improving, but there is still no evidence to show that ABS improves overall safety.

Having read the post about airbags I couldn't help thinking the same about ABS.

Even the more impoverished amongst us (self included) would like at least two airbags, if not more, and of course ABS, certainly in the rainy season.

I feel that ABS is 'must have' for bikes, having locked up a few front wheels with my fear and ham fistedness, in the wet. But I have no such recollections of ever really needing it in a car, no memory of locking the wheels while braking, and skidding madly, wishing I had ABS to help me out. Although like most, I've had many very close shaves, in the wet and the dry.

I've driven commercial vehicles which either through diesel being spilt on the road, or me driving too quickly in the wet, have lost grip, and started to slide through long fast sweeping bends, but I'm aware that ABS itself would not have helped in these situations.

I guess also it's a generational thing, haven driven for so many years without air bags or ABS, and before those, even without seat belts, not that I'm suggesting that we should dispense with seat belts !

Perhaps some form of cockpit ejector is the final solution

Oops . .the headlamp brackets look out of place. And whats with the lamps themselves, they just look wrong, the top one looks as though it's adjusted for surface to air missiles.

The forks and discs look the biz, so does the power plant.

The seat doesn't look prostate friendly either

And the colour scheme is arseways, with a complete make over though, it could be a funky looking tool.

They all look a bit like a 30 year old Honda Civc hatchback

If they looked like the 30 year Civic 3 door hatch, it would be a vast improvement on these current shapes, I always thought the early Civic 3 door was one of the better designed motors of that period. At least on par with the early Golf which I thought was also a good design. They both looked original and individual with no hint of the dreadful 'jelly mould' look that was to change not only cars but bikes design too.

Can't imagine any of these bland looking jam jars would ever achieve 'classic car' status, certainly not in the way that both the Civic and Golf have.

I guess they look marginally better than the current Civic and Vios, (each new model seemingly uglier than the previous) but only because they are hatchbacks, and there is less opportunity to make those ugly boots, one can only wonder what drugs some of these car and bike designers are on, <deleted>' ugly pills, it's beyond me.

" I always carry a buff cloth for just that. "

Just a little too gay . . . . .dear boy.

Your the only one having the gay thoughts. Keep your insinuations to yourself..!

Velocette may be mistaking buff cloth, for "jack rag", something he may be familiar with?

How very explicit, doubtless your one of those who likes to talk dirty ,

However if your unfortunate enough to undergo prostate surgery, and your age suggests that you may be, you'll find that after surgery you'll probably be experiencing 'retrograde ejaculation', in which case your seaman will have gone into your bladder, saving you the trouble of catching it in your tea towel

Great vid . . . .seriously gymnastic dancing, guess that's where the Jive an Rockn'roll came from. Hellzapoppin indeed