babsy65

Let's hope the toll doesn't rise.

I often sail over to Koh larn. No idea what could have happened. We can only wait for more news.

Have to wait for more news, Only sounds like it could have been the hourly ferry they do get packed easily carry 100+ sometimes like sardines.

I have used these boats hundreds of times over the years now at 25Bht single-pay before boarding the ferry mostly. 45 min travel time to main key (7-11) shop.

Horrific especially for kids and elderly+ non swimmers.

Non-swimmers, elderly or young, would be just fine if 1.the crew had the most basic of training, and 2. there were as many life vests as passengers.

Wonder how many crew didn't survive.

And 3 ..The captain did'nt do a runner !

RT@RichardBarrow: Captain of the boat that sank apparently fled the scene. Police will issue an arrest warrant for him - TR @ittipat_Rw

If it was a hit and that would be my suspicion, the perp certainly had kind of a twisted sense of humor. Why even bother with the booze bottle setup?

Thai mafia usually leave a bottle of thai whiskey behind after a hit as a calling card.

A few tips, When arriving do not use the dark blue airport taxis, they have no meters and rip you of,

When leaving the terminal building walk to your left and catch a metered taxi outside the departures terminal.

The money changers do not list a price for Baht, only USD,AUD, SGD, HKD, GBP, EURO, CAD, MAR and a few other currencies.

When changing money do not except 20000 notes you will be ripped of, insist on the majority of the money is in 50000 or 100000 notes.

Once you have checked you have received the right amount do not let the money changer touch the money and if they do count it again.

One AUD is worth 8600 rupiah at the airport and 8900 rupiah in town.

We did 2 so called day tours, tell the driver you are not interested in retail outlets, you can get better prices here.

The volcano is not active on the volcano tour, It has vegetation all the way to the rim of the volcano, it has not been active in a long time

The other tour we did was to a lake high in the mountains with a temple on it and we enjoyed that tour and recommend it

You need 150000 rupiah departure tax when leaving

You can change thai baht anywhere and everywhere in Bali.

The rate is about 0.22.

so can anyone name some good hotels away from kuta for around $50 aussie a night

"The Budget Inn" ln Jl. Bidadari, off Jl Martanadi in Seminyak. 300.000Rp a night. Not such a thing as 30.000 Rp per night as suggested in this thread...

Bluebird is the most reputable taxi company in Bali. A guy called Darius is a super guy who works for Bluebird. His number is 081 353289663.

A Canadian couple I know who live in Jimbaran offer lodging. Let me know if anyone wishes to contact them.

I bought an apartment in Cleveland square, sold it 4 years later and made 260k.

Bought an apartment in Patong, sold it 4 years later at 1 mil loss - thankfully, the exchange rate was in my favour -

Pointless really to compare UK property prices with those in Phuket.

Phuket, such a fun place to live in??? Well, I'll take the money anyday and it's goodbye from me.

That was kind of the point I was making in my last post, they aren't comparable so why are some people comparing cost of labour, and mark up on build costs etc etc.

You sold at a loss because obviously you needed or wanted to sell, which isn't the case for most people here.

260k is a nice little earner, but if you re-invest it in the West, how far does that go these days? What could you buy and maintain for any length of time with that.

Edit: I honestly believe a lot of people over do the whole 'face' thing. Yes I know it is a charecteristic they can sometimes have, but it gets way over played, it's more of a stereotype thing now. The Thai people I know would not let what their neighbours were up to, have any affect on what price they sold their house for. I think you'll find there's a little more to most Thais than that!

I agree, there isn't much one can do in the property business in London with 260k. - unless you are happy to live in a 1 bed flat in Lewisham .

Considering that 260k was the profit, adding my initial down payment, plus the 9 mil from the sale of my apartment in Patong, MINUS the big screw-ups (plenty of those).... well, I believe I will still be ok to re-invest in Central London.

I sold at a loss because I just wanted out of Thailand. In the three years I lived there, I found Patong extremely boring and hollow. Mind you, I live in Bali now and the place is just as boring - on a different scale.

Back to the topic - Estate agents in Phuket are crap. They are just a bunch of losers in their own countries who come over to Phuket and re-invent themselves as property consultants and set up estate agencies.

I once made 5 appointments with 5 different agents. I stressed the fact that I was flying into Phuket from Bali and they all confirmed their appointments. Needless to say that nobody showed up. Only 2 out of the 5 called me with all sort of stupid excuses.

Bad luck and trouble to all of them, I say. Especially one in particular, Simple Simon.

I know very little about the real estate here or anywhere else in the world. But looking at it from a basic view point, I think property here is roughly a third to a quarter of the price it would be in the UK. Considering what kind of place this is and how much fun it is to live here, then that's great value for me.

So when people say property is overpriced, I'm sure they're right, but I still see most of it as a bargain.

As for quality and spec, I have seen a lot of new builds in the UK that have problems from the get go as well, so you're not always guarenteed a high quality finish there either.

I bought an apartment in Cleveland square, sold it 4 years later and made 260k.

Bought an apartment in Patong, sold it 4 years later at 1 mil loss - thankfully, the exchange rate was in my favour -

Pointless really to compare UK property prices with those in Phuket.

Phuket, such a fun place to live in??? Well, I'll take the money anyday and it's goodbye from me.

From the early 50's we (USA) learn not to trust the Russians, now it's Thailand turn to learn.

No wonder she is not doing anything about it, she is shivering in her boots, because if she does, she want be around for much longer,

Russian Mafia is a lot more BRUTAL than the Italian, it want be long before they take over the whole of Thailand. I have already spotted quite a few in Chiang Mai also,

That will be the end of a peaceful Chiang Mai, they are like Cokratches. Lets just hope they stay at the seaside resorts in the South.

Cokratches? whats that? Is that the button right next to Speal Chack?

And you should watch your mouth, or we will come to Chaing Mai to take over and make sure to BRUTALLY neuter all sex-pats named Robert.

I am not a man, so please forgive me for asking, but.... do you get a hard-on when you write <deleted> like that???

"Both sides wrong, both sides have done things they shouldn't."? I don't think so Ask Mark or CRES, or DSI, or Suthep. The answer is "Red sides wrong, Red sides have done things they shouldn't. Govt is always right, and can do no wrong. . . . . . On the subject of the little mafia woman; if Mark were to double his offer, I am sure she will shut up and smile all the way to the bank. She already knew that her brother should not have worn black, which cause his accidental death; plus, his camera look like a gun.

Dear P.

just a courtesy post to inform you that I shall send your three posts- together with your picture- on this subject to a few Italian newspapers, the Thai minister of foreign affairs in Rome and to a few news blogs.

What you wrote is despicable and defamotory. I shall seek legal advise also to start legal proceedings against your claims implying that this woman is associated with an organized crime: The Mafia.

Am I doing this for money???? No way.

It is personal, and when issues become personal, they are priceless

From where is Wikileaks site now accessible?

www.wikileaks.ch

It was up and running this morning when I looked at it. I am in Indonesia... not sure if site is available in Thailand

That one seems to be out now.

but here are others:

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4066265

LaoPo

www.wikileaks.ch is still operating here in Indonesia..

From where is Wikileaks site now accessible?

www.wikileaks.ch

It was up and running this morning when I looked at it. I am in Indonesia... not sure if site is available in Thailand

Well done Julian Assange.Stay safe and watch your back!!!!!!

... and anytime you wish to swap your hiding hole, I would be more than happy to accommodate you in my guest's room..

Wikileaks should not be allowed in Thailand. Try google "wikileaks thailand" and you will know why. I hope ICT shut it down forever.

What a sad, repressed, frustrated and obtuse young woman you must be.

Sorry for you, as it seems by your posts that you are missing out a great deal in your life.

It's all gone a 'bit off topic' hasn't it ( i'm also guilty), but the original article is about compensation, and is that being used to try and pacify the Polenghi family who are demanding to see the results of the autopsy on Fabio Polenghi. The autopsy results have the entry and exit points made by the bullet, thus determining the angle from shooter to target, and, importantly if the round was fired from street level or fired from a building. If the round was fired from a building it may imply that the victim was targeted by a sniper which would, in turn ,imply the Thai Military, who used snipers on rooftops. As far as i know, the autopsy results still have not been released.

.... and they never will. The Thai authorities will never allow that. Ditto for his photographic equipment.

This is an analogous case to the "Balibo 5".

35 years on and still no answers from the Indonesian government. No investigations, no evidence, no responsibility ..only denials....

Apologist looking for reasons to justify murder.

He was wearing a black T-shirt, didn't understand the 'dress code' ...

How absurd some people can get. disgusting

Absurd and insensitive... and completely ignorant of the facts as they really happened.

A Dutch photographer/reporter was standing only a couple of metres away from the Italian when the army started firing in their direction.

As they started to run, the Italian reporter as well as the Dutch were hit from behind by a single bullet. Luckily for the Dutch guy, the bullet did not kill him. The Dutch guy was wearing a WHITE T-SHIRT. Is this perhaps the reason why is still alive?

Get the facts right before posting .... read the sad article on Prachathai where the last moments of the Italian photographer are described in details.. and if you have another 5 mins to spare, read the extract of the press conference held by his sister soon after his death.

Then, and only THEN start posting your insulting comments.

[it's only in the last two sentences I start to disagree. The most likely fact that Fabio P. was shot by troops is discomforting and regrettable. Doesn't upset me though. I only got upset when some poster wrote 'trigger happy' and 'Fabio was shot again and again' which is totally incorrect. The rest of the posts here regurgitate point of views, correct and incorrect ones. May be love of democracy, but not necessarily truth

The fact that a killing of a fellow human being does't upset you, that's fine, you are entitled to your own opinion, even though nobody asked for it.

But please, out of respect for other fellow human beings, including his widowed wife, his family, his 4 yrs kid who do not share the same feelings about his killing as you do, it would be best if certain personal comments were kept to yourself.

What a boring bunch of spoil sport old farts you are! Jet Skis are fun and should not be banned just restricted to their own bit of sea where harm is least. Crashing a Ski through a wave at full throttle is great stuff. Folks will always die on the edge always have always will. Skis are tame stuff really but still fun. I can tell you that a 750cc bike on a Thai road in the middle of the night when no one is around will do 134 mph! Sorry for the folks that died.

Quote: ' Crashing a Ski through a wave at full throttle is great stuff'

It's even a much greater fun when you crash a ski through some unlucky swimmer's head. Now, that's what I call real FUN!!!'

How many innocent swimmers have died as a result of someone's having fun?

YOU OUGHT TO HAVE YOUR HEAD EXAMINED IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN.

It's not GREED. It's wanting to get out of poverty. Two completely different things I think.

Are you saying that her drug smuggling is justified and condoned as being the result of her poor financial situations?

Three Australian nationals have been executed by hanging in Malaysia after being convicted of drug trafficking... were they more guilty of the crime than the thai woman because they didn't, apparently, do it to escape poverty?

How sad. What a waste.

Yet another victim of the "war on drugs".

Yes kuffki, you are of course right in your assessment, both in the futility of prohibition, and also in the fact that there are far too many vested interests in the legions of drug enforcement agencies and their equipment / services suppliers.

Things aren't about to change anytime soon, even though it's blindingly obvious that prohibition doesn't work. Never has, never will.

Someone has been caught carrying capsules of drugs in her stomach and you call that " victim of the war on drugs"???

Victim of what, to be precise? The only thing that comes to mind is VICTIM OF GREED ..

I wonder whether I'd be reading the same comments on how sorry you all feel for the drug smuggler, how naif and desperate she must have been, how sad it is that a thai young woman is in jail in Malaysia with the death sentence hanging over her - again for being a drug smuggler - IF the perpretator had been a big, african woman from Nigeria...

Somehow, I doubt the sympathy that you all seem to share for the thai woman would also be felt for her.

On another note,

I asked at scb last week about the $ account and was told anyone can open one. Min deposit $10,000. no maximun.

They will take ur thai baht and change for you but if over $10,000 will charge 2%.

To all u that have problems

i would myslef the question why?????

Thai banks don't only charge 2% to open a foreign currency account, but also for any transaction made to/from that account.

1mil baht I received as a deposit gave me 32,000 USD.

2% goes to the bank - 640.00 USD

now, I would like the money to be transfered to another account held in another country.

2 % goes to the bank, - 640.00USD

1,280 USD in bank charges goes to the bank to cover 2 transactions.

I am expecting another 8mil baht in a few months' time

Money in - 160.000 baht bank fees

Money out - 160.000 baht bank fees

With the risk that the money would never be allowed out of the country.

..... and you ask yourself why?

I don't know about you, but I certainly don't have money to waste on thai bank charges.

With such an inflated baht, the banks want to retain our currencies in their safes. They steal at least 30% of the value of our money, do you think they will want to give it back to you once it is in their vaults????? I think NOT!!

The baht is rising.. Why would they want to sit on a currency thats falling ??

30% ?? In what way ??

LivinLOS,

You are right, I should have said 18-20%, (that is the realistic margin of overvalue of the thai baht) after taken into consideration the fact that the value of western currencies has fallen.

Frankly, I don't want to discuss it on an open forum, but I would be happy to report it to you on a personal post.

Some really really pissed of people here. Scary!

Phuketrichard these people don't deserve your good info.

They will still probably go in with a bad attitude and a scowl on their face waiting to deal with the 'LIARS!!!!!!!!!"

I have seen them in there before!

I stopped dealing with the LIARS, thank you very much. I am not a hypocrite.

"You have seen them in there before!" ?????????????????????????

Are you referring to a bank?

If so, do you spend your days sitting on a plastic chair inside of a back checking the attitude and facial expressions of every single foreigner that enters it?

What a proactive way to spend one's life!!!!

The Thai Baht is not a freely convertable currency.

If you knew that already, it might have made a difference to your posts.

I agree with that, nevertheless on occasions there are unique and singular cases we must deal with. .. and those cases break the 'in-the-box' rule.

I was offered 1mil baht as a 10 per cent deposit on a sale. My lawyer was also present at the meeting. I asked the buyers to have the deposit transferred to my bank account.

My suggestion was declined... take the mill baht in cash or no deal.

Now then, If you were in the same situation what would you have done? Sit down and wait for the next buyer to pay the deposit SWIFT only?

Why can't some people simply get the fact that, even if we are faced with the same situation, there are several different aspects that need to be taken into consideration?

Why can't some people simply step out of the box?

Are they so much up their own self to even think that there is a universal rule that applies to each one of us????

That's right. You ask the teller to xchange the Baht for any western currencies and they dismiss you point blank by saying that they don't have any foreign currency available.

You tell them that you want to order Pounds, Dollars or Euro and that you will back in 3 days time to exchange the money (this process is practiced all over the world) and they simple say "NO, CANNOT"

This is a blatant example that the value of their currency is unrealistic... and another example of double-standard or if you prefer, a legalised scam to our expenses by the thais.

Banks in thailand only trade in one way... buy our currency at the rate we say, but you cannot buy your money back..

.

It makes a lot of sense to know more about valuta markets and rules and regulations about Thai currencies before making these kind of nonsensical posts.

Plus your attitude is wrong. You don't 'tell them', you ask them. You might be surprised, suddenly they (people in general) are much more helpful when you explain you would like them to help you out than when you tell them to do something.

Dreamboy,

People make business all over the world. Cash isexchange for various reasons. You live in a cottonwool world with your little limited life... and YOU tell ME that my attitude is wrong????

I always go out to the airport exchange booths when I want to buy foreign currency. The banks in Phuket town are just not interested in helping or demand a few days notice to supply.

You go to the airport when you want to buy foreign currency???????

Mystifying!!!!!

Try change 1 mil bhat at the airport into any western currencies,.. They will make enough money on your money to last them the whole year!!!!

UMBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! Exhange rates at the airport are notoriously a rip off in any country...

I'd rather give money to charity.