wump

Please read the rest of my now updated post. Will work 100% (if you get a genuine key) and is not illegal.

25 minutes ago, gandalf12 said:

The software license is only valid for the computer it was installed on. It checks the license against the motherboard. If the same no problem, if different then it says it is illegal

Illegal terms under EU law, hence the availability on Ebay. Purchased an Office licence for 75 euros. Couldn't validate licence via internet (as obviously it had been previously activated), but activating by phone (automated service) always works.

These copies are legit and anyone knowing about them and still paying 3,000 Baht for an exact same "legitimate" copy is stupid IMO.

To answer OP's question: The process is very simple. You download Office from the MS website, install it, call the activation hotline, provide the serial that you received via email from the Ebay seller, enter the activation code received from the hotline in the program, finished. Works 100% like any other Office and of course does receive all updates.

What? The limit is .05 if you are not a learner and have a local licence.

27 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

That's a good question, along with a lot more posited here.  It's a new business model, and early adopters are expected to dominate the market through sheer volume.  So a lot of money's being put at risk on bulking up in spite of the uncertainty.  It's fascinating if you're interested in that kind of thing, and not simply bashing the Chinese or the Thai's (not aimed at wump, BTW).

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-10-04/the-china-bike-rental-money-cycle

 

Dozens more good articles are out there.  It may be a flash in the pan, or valid only in the unique ecology that is China.  Or it may be a game changer, with cars to follow...  Or, maybe just looking to cash in on seed money then bail out.

 

Excellent article, especially this bit:

Quote

With only 7 million bikes but 100 million users, Mobike holds 4,200 yuan cash per bike. Ofo's numbers aren't anywhere near as favorable.

That's the equivalent of 21,200 THB per bike. This is like printing money, really. 

Then why not have the Chinese company manage it 100% and only share the revenue with the BMA?

28 minutes ago, Airbagwill said:

Is suspect the real issue here is that which is so common in many schemes in Thailand  - a dire lack of research and planning. What seems to have happened is some nabob was convinced it was a "good idea" and then the scheme was implemented with no real forethought at all.

They have two options - learn from their mistakes or lose thew bikes.

 

And why couldn't they just use a company like well-known ad firm JCDecaux who do bike hire all over the world and have great success in cites like Brisbane? Probably minimal start-up and operating costs (due to later revenue from renters and advertising on the bikes) and an experienced partner who knows who to have users register etc.

15 hours ago, gamini said:

Better than most counties. Where you have to put a deposit on a shopping trolley people because steal them

Well, at least in these countries you don't have to pay 6 dollars for a bloody pre-packed supermarket salad because they have to hire a "trolley collector" for 23 bucks a hour because people are too lazy to return them.

24 minutes ago, jgarbo said:

Never go to jail. Admit to anything, sign anything to stay out. Deny later. Anyway, why not take the breath test, pay a fine "on the spot, no receipt thank you" and go on home? Are you new?

Are you "old"? Your mentioned on the spot fines are long gone and now it's usually a visit or talk with a grumpy senior police officer and some serious shakedown. For Thais it's gone up to 20-30k and Farangs get asked up to 50k. Nobody would care about the usual 200 Baht 'no receipt' fine for offences like no helmet, no licence, no registration etc.

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Is this for real? along with the 'I just used mouthwash' excuse?.... 

 

I think false positives while extremely rare, could exist. More realistically people will lie through their backside that they haven't had a drink (or just the one) if caught... 

It will give SOME reading so the drink-no-drink thingie will be positive. If there is no proper test afterwards you are in a pretty bad position.

1 minute ago, TKDfella said:

Well, I have to admit I hadn't read your post #12 but for some reason unable to read post #17 (glitch of some sort).There's a moral there somewhere and I am not going to say you were unlucky. Obviously what happened to you was criminal and something anyone of us could suffer at any time. I sympathize.

Perhaps expats when driving or riding their bikes here (or specifically BKK) should invest in a personal breathalyzer. Something I'll think about as I am TT.

#12 isn't me. I was just pointing out that more than 1 person confirmed the tests sometimes being rigged.

4 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

interesting, ive been stopped numerous times and then sent on my way after blowing zero.

Now that you're so sure you won't be charged: What about gum containing Sorbitol (a type of sugar 'alcohol'), an artificial sweetener used in most gums? Even though it won't make you drunk at all the machine will show a positive rating (due to 'alcohol breath') and what will you do then? Request a blood test? 

1 minute ago, Techno Viking said:

interesting, ive been stopped numerous times and then sent on my way after blowing zero.

Even if the scam only happens in 1% of cases this is still too much. You shouldn't knowingly be charged with a crime when you are clearly innocent. Period.

1 minute ago, Techno Viking said:

what is 50,000 ?

Baht pay-your-way-out-of-jail for Thais pissing positive. I didn't quote you because I answered directly but another poster was quicker than me. But this is getting a bit off-topic anyway.

Just now, TKDfella said:

Nope! There is only one sure way don't drink alcoholic beverages if you intend to drive!

That's my point. Nothing is sure if you read post #12 and #17.

3 minutes ago, chuang said:

The OP refused a test....and you claim police framing innocent people....you are a joke...

So you are saying the op, post #12 and post #17 are all lying? I don't know who is the bigger joke. It wouldn't be the first time police framed people.

Edit: And the op ONLY refused because he had been framed before. Why don't you believe him?

For Thais it's also 50,000 up but this is for actually guilty cases, not for innocent people.

6 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

Nobody is forcing you to stay.

What kind of reasoning is this? I have to accept all the bad and can't voice my opinion? You think it's cool people get charged with crimes they didn't commit? Your smart comments will stop once you innocently piss-test positive and have the choice between 1 month in jail or 200,000 in cash.

What does it matter? Might have had 20 beers, who knows. This topic is about police framing innocent people and thereby actually encouraging drink driving. Why should I limit myself to zero or 2 small ones when I have to cough up 10-50k anyway? Might as well get pissed properly. 

Bloody corrupt third world police force... drives me mad.

Yes, going to court is usually less than 10,000. But not many people want to spent the night or whole weekend in jail. Especially if they are innocent.

By the way, isn't a proper conviction for alleged drink driving technically a reason for deportation?

Is it? If he suspected the cops of being bent as on the last occasion it might have been a clever move to request a blood test. Personally, I probably would have backed down though.

The going rate for farang (in Pattaya) is 50,000 if paid directly to the cops so the op kind of has my sympathy for not just letting him get framed.

"Drink driving"... give the guy a break. He says he had two small Leos and this would put him nowhere near the limit.

Exactly. A fine of the equivalent of a bottle of Black Label is a joke. 

6 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Just out of curiosity, what's the taxi fare for a 99 km ride? (Let's assume the wait-o-meter is turned off for this hypothetical.

Should still be 5.5 Baht per km for a Bangkok taxi, so about 550 Baht. But they probably won't use the meter as they can't get a return fare outside of Bangkok.

1 hour ago, lust said:

 

 

฿1,340 - ฿500 = ฿840. That’s before we talk about licensing, the initial costs of the buses, fuel costs, maintenance, (tires/brakes/hydraulics/etc).

 

I wish them good luck!

I said the driver gets 500 Baht a day, not per ride. I guess the driver can do about 4-5 of these 99 km rides a day, so gets about 100 Baht per trip. Fuel would be less than 200 Baht on NGV per trip. Maintenance will be negligible in the first few years so with 4000-5000 Baht profit per day the bus should pay itself off rather quickly.

2 hours ago, lust said:

67baht for a 99km fare? Might want to check your numbers again.

67 Baht x 20 = 1,340 THB. Doesn't sound too bad for a drive of 60-80 minutes. If the bus is running on NGV (which costs next to nothing) and the driver is paid the usual 500 Baht a day there'd be still a nice profit to be made.