colinthailand20005

I don't have the 599 package, I have the post pay 699 package purchased in June last year, and I checked again with customer service today, and they confirmed my internet is not restricted in speed or data, whatever the maximum the network can provide, currently up to 7.2mbps, but still today the same 256kbps.

They said that they are having technical difficulties but he didn't think it would affect my service??

Technology is always more expensive in Thailand due to stupidly high import taxes, buy it in Malaysia, its less likely to be a copied or re-conditioned product as well.

My wifes friend told me a few weeks ago that she bought a brand new in the box IPhone 3G!! yes 3G not 3GS from MBK, she is having problems with it, I am not surprised.

10 Minutes ago I got a HSPA connection for about 5 minutes, and I got 6mbps. Now its gone back to WCDMA/HSDPA at a snails pace again.

They must be doing some updating, I normally get 5 bars of signal all the time, but now it fluctuates between 4/5.

My package is truely unlimited for speed and data, they confimed it at True customer service today.

Many schools will not go through the work permit process until they are sure the teacher is going to stick around, technically you would be working illegally.

If the school is a goverment school, then the principal of the school is also a government employee as are immigration & the department of labour, so it would be down to who has the most clout, the most lightly outcome if the school was targeted would be the work permit application would need to submitted straight away, as long as you qualify for it and are not a wanted child molester, you would probably be ok.

The worst case scenaro is deported, but I seriously doubt this would happen.

I would not condone working in your situation, but this is generally how it is done in Thailand.

I have the old IPhone 3G pack from Truemove, which has unlimited data & up to 7.2mbps speed, until today my speed always hovered around 6 or 7mbps, but when I used it tonight it was only allowing me exactly 256kbps which is what the new unlimited packages have after the 3gb data has been used up so I called true and spoke to someone in their technical department, and they confirmed that I am still on the same package and my speed should be much higher, he suggested there might be a technical problem or a network upgrade in progress.

Also my network connection now shows the slower service HSDPA/WCDMA but yesterday it showed HSPA which is much quicker.

Has anyone else suffered the same problem today?

Kingfisher yes, Jet airways yes. Air India...I would say that if you need to make the saving that this represents you really should be thinking twice about travelling. A typical report from Airline Equality on this routing:

"LHR-DEL-BKK-DEL-LHR. LHR-DEL was ok but cabin crew need educating on customer service, IFE was a non-starter due to the system continually crashing and food was terrible. DEL-BKK was a disaster from the start, we all had to check in again for boarding passes for our connecting flight to BKK - not funny when 150+ passengers are being served by only one individual taking up to 10mins per passenger, this took 2.15 hrs to process for all waiting passengers. On the aircraft we were told there will be an hour delay due to air traffic control, 2 hrs later still left on the tarmac, eventually after 2.5 hrs we took off - while waiting there was no offer of water, air conditioning was not working. Once airborne asked for a Thai arrival card but only to be told, quite we don't have any. Experience on my return leg was a mirror image of my outbound flight. I can only advise not to use them regardless of how cheap they may appear."

Always be very wary of any transit with Air India in India, on their own turf they really couldn't give a fig about you.

Your post does not add up? 150 people * 10mins = 1500 mins = 25 hours.

I have flown with Air India, on 3 occasions, and am a happy customer, the only thing I didn't like, was having to stop over for a few hours, and then all passangers having to go through quite a vigorous security check, but thats just the way it is(Maybe India wants to catch the drug smugglers that Thailand missed???)

But the cabin crew, and the food & plane safety was 100%.

I am sure if you posted the same about another airline, no matter what one, there will be people who have had good and bad things to say.

It was cheap, and I would fly again.

Google on "interchange rates." These are what the merchant (via his servicing bank) pays to accept plastic. He pays more for the fancier cards -- to offset what the issuing banks have to pay out for things such as cash back offers.

Anyway, in the US, merchants aren't allowed to discriminate amongst different cards -- even if some cost them more than others. But, in other countries, the requirements differ.

Not sure about Thailand. But, I've always thought the merchant had every right to charge more for plastic transactions (to cover his cost for accepting plastic). And, if some cards are just plain non-profit makers, to just be able to refuse accepting them.

We just bought a new washing machine at Home Pro. Got a very nice discount for using cash, and not plastic.

Interestingly, giving a discount for cash vs plastic is ok by US law. It's only when you charge *more* for a plastic transaction that you come into noncompliance. Pretty nonsensical, IMO. Violates the theory of relativity.

When I worked for a company in Australia & UK, I re-negoiated there rates for their terminal, and the Platinum card rates only applied to onshore cards not foreign cards, foreign cards had their own rate and it didn't matter what card it was, although visa & mastercard had different rates.

I think this sales assistant in Thailand was ignorant to the fact that all foreign cards are charged the same. And only Thai card will make a difference.

My wife's sister claimed almost exactly the same last year, she had gold stolen only, but she didn't lose her purse either, apparently they were left in her room. She was in Pratunam shopping at the time and claimed a gang robbed her, but it didn't make sense why she wouldn't of had her purse with her, and she calmly ate pork bbq with us later.

I really didn't understand what happened, I knew something had happened because she was now less about 2 baht of gold, but her story didn't make sense.

Did she owe someone money from the past, and saw them, and they had to settle up on the quiet? (Maybe)

Did she get robbed under different circumstances but too shy to tell the truth? (Maybe)

Did she sell the gold? (Maybe)

Something else? (Maybe)

You will never know, and it probably won't happen again. Just be glad she is safe.

If you are happy, don't change. I don't think you are under any obligation to do so if its a request from this company, contact your condo management to confirm.

But doing so you might get a letter from your condo management company requesting removal of the dish, and by that time the free upgrade might be off the table.

Why don't you just do the extension in Pattaya this time, then transfer your money into a savings account after.

With the six month statement, they might accept it or they might not, it will depend on the immigration officer.

One of the top department stores might have it, try emporium.

Your wife is correct, it is higher paid because of the risk of accident etc, and it is tiring, I don't exactly know how much, but a monthly salary would be around 10,000+ baht.

My wife and I would like a kitten, I have been looking around the Soi's where I live and can't find one as of yet, I live on Sukhumvit 71, if anybody has a kitten they would like to donate to a new loving home please PM me.

I am not fussy about male/female or the breed, would prefer a moggy, but beggers can't be choosers.

Thanks

The busses to Pattaya are as regular as Ekkamai, and get to Pattaya a little bit quicker, because they use the express way straight away, not like from Ekkamai where they go along Sukhumvit then to the Bang Na bus terminal then eventually the Expressway.

With getting to the Northern Bus terminal, you can take a motorbike taxi, its 50 baht, and takes less than 10minutes walking is out of the question! I tried once and it took ages! You can take a bus, get of a Chutuchuck market and go the the main road near the exit, and you can take a public bus for about 7 baht, takes 5 minutes.

The northern bus terminal is the biggest bus terminal I have ever been to in the world! Its Massive! When you arrive the Pattaya ticket desk is on the ground floor facing inwards if you are looking from the inside, and roughly in the middle of the main terminal, not far from the information desk, make sure you take the express bus, it clearly says tollway or express way, I think its a little bit more expensive than Ekkamai, I think 123 baht if memory serves me right.

The checkin crew can let it slide if they want to without come back to them, it has happened to me many times, a few kilos here and there, I have never had to pay, but it looks like they are really hot on it a Singapore!

Was the checkin crew subcontracted out? I mean were they in the Airlines uniform or just randoms, if randoms then I think the company of the check in crew get a good cut from the amount charged.

Sorry you cannot get any visa in Thailand.

How long are you staying in Perth? if more than a week, send a tourist visa application to another consulate in Australia by next day guaranteed post, and pay extra for it coming back the same it aswell you will get it back by post within a week or less.

I have been looking at the this website and I am interested in opening the 5 Star Chicken Stall.

http://www.thaifranchisecenter.com/home.php

I am considering having my trusted brother in law run the stall, has anybody had any dealings with this company?

I want to know how profitable these stalls can really be, I know it depends on location but would like at least some idea?

The setup costs are quite low either 15,000 or 18,000 baht, can't quite figure it out, but whichever its very affordable.

Thanks

If they had some brains they would have figured this out from the start . Phaya Thai is the most poular destination because of the BTS.

I second that one, Makkasan is not central at all its in the middle of know where, and its a long walk to Petchburi station.

But they are not going to change because they have built the checkin terminals etc etc, there was prob a bribe made to put it there or cheaper access to space, it wouldn't surprise me. Generally the Thai people need a degree to just be the same standard as high school in the west. Banana Republic!

Any suggestion for where else they would put it?

Start the express at Phaya Thai, simple as that & move the check in terminals if they have to, there is not going to be much use for them anyway.

If they had some brains they would have figured this out from the start . Phaya Thai is the most poular destination because of the BTS.

I second that one, Makkasan is not central at all its in the middle of know where, and its a long walk to Petchburi station.

But they are not going to change because they have built the checkin terminals etc etc, there was prob a bribe made to put it there or cheaper access to space, it wouldn't surprise me. Generally the Thai people need a degree to just be the same standard as high school in the west. Banana Republic!

Yes it is a savings return, and it looks pretty good for that type of product, have a look here its much better priced http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Bank/Personal%20Banking/Bancassurance/Pages/PA1st.aspx

I am sure you have misread, unless its for the saving return life insurance. Go to BKK bank website, and go to assurance menu, it clearly says how much it is.

The stores you mention, are open 365 days a year, without question!

All the stalls on nearly every soi, have to pay inspectors a donation or whatever you may call it, I befriended a Thai man who had a desert stall on Ramkhamhaeng Rd, and he explained briefly how it works, you can sell food or goods on the pavement only if you pay them a monthly fee and this applies to any street, if not the inspectors he said there will be a policeman that takes care of that area that would want to be paid, he said its a nightmare sometimes, because sometimes two people claim that area and he has to pay twice!

You are considering setting up a food stand "outside the house" as you said, its not your property and someone will eventually claim ownership and you will have to pay, it might not be much, depends on your haggling skills.

If its completly on your land, then thats different, you cannot be seen to work there, or have any involvement in the business and you may get away without paying anything. But a neighbour could complain if there is any extra noise, smell or rubbish etc etc, and then you could have to pay aswell.

Interesting post.

I personally would not be running the stall so no problems in that respect.

There is a strip of land outside the house that actually belongs to the house itself and the stall could be operated from there, so no real worries about having to pay people. Luckily there is also a garage fronting onto the street that could be used for some purpose too.

With a big school nearby, shops and also other stalls it is a thriving community and could be a viable prospect. I'll look into the idea some more.

Make sure whoever runs this food stall has evidence that this land belongs to the house, and they have to be a smart talker, to whoever if anyone comes by and checks.