Tornado

It is getting dark overhead in Phuket and it is/was pissing down in Nakhon Si Thammarat about 5 hours ago. Last year in Nakhon many were left homeless for quite a few days.

With so much encouragement for foreigners to retire on Phuket with all their zillions of dollar currency investments... why has no-one jumped on the bandwagon to open appropriate chain delis, supermarkets, fresh food restaurants?

Considering that most "retirees" have a preferred western diet, there is certainly a lack of decent direct-to-consumer food outlets on Phuket. Not to mention so many other services.....

Am I missing something here or is it a lack of fore-sight by so-called "entrepreneurs"?

Don't know if it is a lack of foresight, perhaps shellshock. Sars, Bird Flu, Tsunami, bombs and coups.

I give you an example. A resort here, less than 24 hours after the coup, sends %50 of their staff home, stops all payments to vendors! Not bothering to wait a few days to see wazzup! Staff morale, pay are affected and of course the other %50 are overworked, tired and now very underpaid.

I know many expats who would open businesses here, but relying only on expats to keep them afloat is a dangerous proposition.

Personally, I wish Subway would get off their hinny and open a branch in Phuket Town and not simply rely on tourists in Patong.

Another issue are xxx size clothes for men. We have fat French, UK, Americans and other Euros and now I see a trend over the past 5 years of heavy Thais. If I had the finances, I would open both!

Good point, however and I agree with you.

I had thought about a opening a larger sizes clothing shop a few times. I have trouble finding clothes that fit and Im not fat or tall, just an average 6ft bloke, even some Thais are bigger all round (yes theres a joke there ) than myself.

I went and sourced a few suppliers in Bangkok, and basically I lost interest because of other work.

I think it would be a great business and with over 30,000 foreign companies registered in Phuket, you would be ok in all seasons.

I have to fly to Bangkok and go to the Emporium to find clothes that fit and are quality.

If someone does go ahead and open one, dont go cheap quality, there is plenty of that crap on the beach road.

Remember - a xl in Thailand is usually a M or L in "farang land"

BTW - Armani and a few others in Central have got a few that fit.

If anyone opens one, lets us all know.

cmon torny you aint that big

gbt71fa: if you going to put resolutions up and use that as an excuse, have a look at The US and especially Isreal. 17 is miniscule in comparison.

A terrorist will use anything to cause death or a point. They are labelled terrorists from "the west" as they cannot fathom a person would kill or mame with a road side bomb or a suicide bomber etc.

One of the reason they do it that way, is they dont have money to buy weapons or are not big enough in numbers to run in stealth. Other than the guys hiding behind the guise of "freedom givers"

There is a very small minority that do it for religious beliefs, so if you "people" look past Fox and do some research on the subject, you might find out that your thoughts are just that - your own.

Just because a guy wears a flak jacket and has a company (sorry I meant country) logo on his shoulder doesnt make him right.

I wonder how many the USA killed whilst I was posting this.

I wonder how many the "terrorists" killed whilst I was posting this.

I bet I know who won the 5 minutes.

Bomb Away!

With so much encouragement for foreigners to retire on Phuket with all their zillions of dollar currency investments... why has no-one jumped on the bandwagon to open appropriate chain delis, supermarkets, fresh food restaurants?

Considering that most "retirees" have a preferred western diet, there is certainly a lack of decent direct-to-consumer food outlets on Phuket. Not to mention so many other services.....

Am I missing something here or is it a lack of fore-sight by so-called "entrepreneurs"?

Don't know if it is a lack of foresight, perhaps shellshock. Sars, Bird Flu, Tsunami, bombs and coups.

I give you an example. A resort here, less than 24 hours after the coup, sends %50 of their staff home, stops all payments to vendors! Not bothering to wait a few days to see wazzup! Staff morale, pay are affected and of course the other %50 are overworked, tired and now very underpaid.

I know many expats who would open businesses here, but relying only on expats to keep them afloat is a dangerous proposition.

Personally, I wish Subway would get off their hinny and open a branch in Phuket Town and not simply rely on tourists in Patong.

Another issue are xxx size clothes for men. We have fat French, UK, Americans and other Euros and now I see a trend over the past 5 years of heavy Thais. If I had the finances, I would open both!

Good point, however and I agree with you.

I had thought about a opening a larger sizes clothing shop a few times. I have trouble finding clothes that fit and Im not fat or tall, just an average 6ft bloke, even some Thais are bigger all round (yes theres a joke there ) than myself.

I went and sourced a few suppliers in Bangkok, and basically I lost interest because of other work.

I think it would be a great business and with over 30,000 foreign companies registered in Phuket, you would be ok in all seasons.

I have to fly to Bangkok and go to the Emporium to find clothes that fit and are quality.

If someone does go ahead and open one, dont go cheap quality, there is plenty of that crap on the beach road.

Remember - a xl in Thailand is usually a M or L in "farang land"

BTW - Armani and a few others in Central have got a few that fit.

If anyone opens one, lets us all know.

someone died you idiots. what a bunch of ..............

None can swim that is a cert. I watched a Japanese man drowning last year, a surfer had to go to his aid as the beach guard was asleep. He was woken up and he said "not my job". My wife asked what his actual job was and he said, he had to make sure people were swimming between the flags.

I suppose "beach guard" means the same as "security guard" a great sleeper with no formal training and a waste of time and money.

This weeks news is getting better, after I thought it never could!

Agreed, all we need now is that thickie Bush to cark it.

Yes, that evil Bush holding up and enforcing international law (17 u.n. resolutions against Iraq) and freeing 50 million people, two countries, giving the people a chance to decide and fight for their future, no more $25,000 payouts to families of suicide bombers, no more save haven for inernational terrorists groups....yes, what an evil s.o.b.....don't worry, we will keep fighting the good fight and you keep ignoring it...you should hang out with the french...

nice one.

Unfortunately Thailand has changed for the worse over the last 6 years or so, and is starting to move away from the free for all it was in the nineties and towards a controlled county that it is now fast becoming e.g. the nightlife scene over the last 6 years is very different.

How was it different before?

It was more of an anything goes scene e.g. dancers could be naked whereas now they have to be partially clothed (i'm talking about the go-go bars of course) , before you could have more dancers that actually looked like they may still be remotely youthful , unlike now where increasingly they are looking more like grandmother . Another example which i know my Thai friends regard as absolutely stupid, is that at the front of soi 2 silom and soi 4 silom, they now have police checks where they check the ID of Thais (not foreigners note) before allowing entry . Even if you look like you are about to draw your old age pension Thais can't get in without the ID, and , if you go out even for a minute and come back in again you have to show it again despite the fact that they recognise you and know they have already seen it . We are not talking about entry to any bars here ,. we are talking about entry to the street itself

Reading what you wrote and then looking at the thread title, made me chuckle.

perfume. chocolates. case of VB.

A young adult (late teen/early 20's) female neighbour from middle-class family is going to help us by feeding our pet for a few days while we are away.

I'd like to get her a small gift ... any suggestions ? Can you get gift vouchers for books or music here ?

We're in Chiang Mai.

how about a return trip to Vegas staying at the Mandalay ?

http://www.houseinphuket.com/

Nice lady too.

"Is it possible to walk everywhere in Phuket or would I need a bike??? "

come on man, what do you reckon.

If you cannot find anything about Phuket on the millions of search engines, you will be lucky to get yourself to the airport.

Well, I mean, som nom na... he was driving a bit fast wasnt`he?

You have to when trying to beat the Briish land speed record!

what a stupid comment.

It seems he is in stable condition with head injuries.

I hope he recovers. Possibly the best show on tv. (BBC prime and BBC in Thailand)

AP - The host of a BBC television show about automobiles was critically injured when the jet-powered car he was test driving at about 450 kph crashed, the network said.

The accident occurred when Richard Hammond, 36, the host of Top Gear, was racing the car down a runway at an unused Royal Air Force air field near York city in northern England and it overturned, police and the BBC said.

Hammond, who often drives high-performance cars for the show, was rushed in an air ambulance to a hospital in Leeds.

I think the OP is right in many ways. It is getting a lot harder.

I also think it is geographical. If you travel throughout Thailand, you feel a lot better in some areas than others.

Many times on this forum, you get people telling you how wonderfull it all is, but many hardly venture beyond the bar scene or from there farang friends or they live in Bangkok, which is just another big city.. Business in Thailand (Phuket for that matter) is corrupt and it is very hard to be successful, you are constantly scammed, stolen from and you cannot do much about it. It comes with education, when your trying to do business with an un educated person, how can they possibly know what, why and how to achieve - thats where the problems lie.

In Bangkok, you have many well educated Thais, competing in world business and are a pleasure to deal with, compared to the rural areas, where they think 1 million baht is the be all and end all and will scam/steal and cheat to get it.

Like the rest of the world now, we are ALL driven by money and the Thais are just like the rest of us - greedy.

Dont get downhearted OP, life is shit, then you die.

A lot of good links about him on google.

Bank of Thailand Governor reportedly accepted to become the Prime Minister

Bank of Thailand Governor MR Pridayadhorn Devakula cut short his trip to attend the International Monetary Fund/World Bank meeting in Singapore and he will arrive Bangkok at noontime. He said he agreed to accept to become Prime Minister. Nonetheless, it was expected that there would be a press conference at the Arm Force auditorium Wednesday.

Source: The Nation - 20 September 2006

Bring him on and lets get back to the job at hand. Anyone know anything about him?

######!

Dont mess with the military.

Unfortunately Thaskin has many supporters and military isnt the way to take a political opponent out, elections are. This is very bad. Hopefully this won't end up like Pakistan/Burma and Thaskin sorts this out when he arrives back.

When you have as much money as Thaksin does, elections are a good. Last election was a buy out.

I am not usre if Im correct due to language, but I think the King has just taken back control of the government.. It was just on channel 3. I could be mistaken as it was a little hard to understand. Any news from our Thai members?

Not sure if this one's been posted before...

Helen Clarke, Prime Minister of New Zulland, is rudely awoken at 4am by the telephone.

"Hillen, its the Hilth Munister here. Sorry to bother you at this hour but there is an imergency! I've just received word thet the Durex fectory en Auckland has burned to the ground. It is istimated thet the entire New Zulland supply of condoms will be gone by the ind of the week."

PM: "Shut - the economy wull niver be able to cope with all those unwanted babies - wi'll be ruined!"

Hilth Munister: "We're going to hef to shup some in from abroad...Brutain?..."

PM: "No chence!! The Poms will have a field day on thus one!"

Hilth Munister: "What about Australia?"

PM: "Maybe - but we don't want them to know thet we are stuck."

Hilth Munister: "You call John Howard - tell hum we need one moollion condoms; ten enches long and eight enches thuck! That way they'll know how bug the Kiwis really are!!"

Helen calls John, who agrees to help the Kiwis out in their hour of need.

Three days later a van arrives in Auckland - full of boxes.

A delighted Hillen rushes out to open the boxes.

She finds condoms:

10 unches long; 8 unches thuck, all coloured green and gold.

She then notices in small writing on each and ivery one.........

MADE IN AUSTRALIA - SIZE : MEDIUM

I have seen many threads which discuss cost of living in Thailand, and would like to get opinions on how well or poorly i could live on the required 800k a year. I know this depends on many factors, so let me narrow it down a little. Bangkok, 2 bedroom condo, internet, cell, cable TV, car, food for two with some farang food included. Go out at least twice a month for entertainment i.e. movie, dinner, a few drinks. Plus miscelaneous??, whatever that means to you..

The money will come from a military retirement. I currently live in Japan, and have seen information that says that Bangkok is approximately 40% overall less expensive then Japan.

Also, has anyone done a cost study to actually see what true costs are.

Regards, BD

this will give you further infos on various guys' cost of living in los...

http://www.ajarn.com/Banter/costofliving.htm

I do not think that link actually wil help anyone but a teacher who is living hand to mouth. I only browsed the page that opened, but it seems the majority earn around 50k per month.

I think it would be quite easy living on 80k per month after condo/home has been bought.

I only eat out once a week, as I prefer mine or my wifes cooking.

I go out once a week with the boys to non tourist areas about 16000 per month.

I pay about 2000 baht per week in petrol.

My utilities are elec: 7000 per month.

Food for home: 3000 per month.

eating out 3000 per month.

mobile bill about 5000 per month.

ubc: 2000 per month

water house: 200 baht per month

water drink: 120 baht per month.

house phone: 400per month

Probably forgot a few others, but it isnt hard to live on 70-80 per month.

Although a little way out of your way, you might want to try "Perfect" on Chaofa road between Chalong and Phuket Town (Nabon area). An Amercian guy owns it with his wife and although I know nothing about the "procedure" you want, it is a lovely place, with spa treatments and all of the finery a woman might want. Nice coffee shop in the front as well.

Best I can do as I go to the barber.