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Having someone's email address is potentially more damaging than having their IP number. Email accounts can be relatively easily hacked using phishing or any number of other tools or you can remotely install spyware on their computer. You'll soon find out a wealth of information about them.

Would never use my real name on the internet. I purposly chose a screen name that is so common that searching for it is a waste of time.

I did try using Google, facebook, Etc.Etc searching for my real name, no results whatsoever.

I'm happy with that.

I've never been able to find myself with Google either. I'm pleased and yet it demonstrates how insignificant I am to the world at large - even more so than the millions of insignificant folks that can be found...

It's an existential crisis! If I am not on Google, do I really exist?

Try falling over in a forest and see if anybody hears you.

Posting under your real name is a recipe for disaster unless your posts are bland and non-controversial.

...or pertinent, non-abusive, rational and balanced.

Not that I'd use my name either - most people can't spell Herman von Schippelgrubber. (In fact, I don't think I can spell it.)

A friend commented last week that I was looking really tired - ok, had a long night and not much sleep, so what. Next day the missus comments that I look really tired, so did two of the girls at the pub we go too. Looked in the mirror the next morning and yep, I sure did look tired, bags around the eyes, real panda bear look.

Then I clicked. I'd run out of the face wash stuff from NZ and had bought a local product that had skin whitener included. I don't use it around the eyes and as I have a tan from golfing etc, the whitening product had obviously lightened my skin enough for the skin around the eyes to appear darker. My face didn't look any whiter to me as such, but the difference in colour around the eyes means that there was obviously a noticeable difference. Stopped using it and it took two days of shaves/showers to revert to my normal hansum man colour.

So.....It really does work. or for all you Aussie and Kiwis...."It really does get in Mrs. Marsh!"

I havent been in thailand long, but i was in a taxi the other week to bang kapi (about twenty minute ride through chockablock streets), and learned a couple of things about the chaos of driving in thailand from my taxi driver.

First thing, not once ever did this guy use an indicator.

Second, hed pull out somewhat regardless of what was coming.

Third, he was extremely patient of people doing the same thing. While im sat their giving it my best "woah!" every time some idiot performs an action that would probably lead to fisticuffs on the roadside back in the UK, hes not even flinching.

Fourth, he used his passenger side mirror FAR more than anyone else ive ever driven with.

Finally, the only time i saw him use his horn was whilst stuck in traffic a dude with a 4 by 4 in front of him was clearly not far enough to the right to let the bikes through. I had a wee look around, and sure enough, almost everyone leaves room in dense traffic for the bikes. Its strangely heartening. The first impression is that its a gigantic cluster***k of lawlessness and selfishness, but a wee scratch under the surface and you realise theres some kind of unwritten code that everyone apparently knows.

Its kinda like in Korea. As a brit, you give people space when theyre buying their stuff at their local convenience store. Clearly youre queueuing. But to a korean person youre in some kind of no mans land, neither buying stuff, but nonetheless hovering near enough to the cashier, getting in the way of the people trying to buy stuff. You can get mad at koreans for not following the right rules or you can accept that youre the idiot making everyone else confused by your complete failure to grasp how to buy your groceries like the rest of the country.

Excellent analysis! You'll do well in Thailand as you've grasped in one taxi ride some of the most pertinent things that any foreigner needs to know about driving a car or riding a bike!

this dope has survived by sheer luck ...nearly causes an accident a day ..i would not swerve to miss the turd if it meant hitting another vehicle ..too many game players in los

I've had to swerve on several occasions to miss him. Makes you wonder why the BIB don't do something about him. I'm not suggesting they do any actual policing as such, but there must be a baht or two in it for them you would think?

Thanks for the info, we'll turn up and see what happens.

Given the widely diverse viewpoints we see on TV on virtually every subject, including the mandatory healthcare one, it would be difficult to find a common position to put over let alone agreeing on somebody who could put these forward for us though I can think of a particular media mogul in Pattaya who would have a wet dream at the thought of becoming a representative of all expats.

The media mogul comment cost me a mouthful of coffee spurted over my keyboard - Cheers!

In most of the worlds countries, if foreigners complain, the people will just tell the foreigners to go home to where they came from.

It might even be considered to be insurgency!

Hi, I'm a Kiwi and bank with the ANZ. You can open accounts from overseas with ANZ as described here http://www.anz.co.nz/personal/accounts/moving-new-zealand/international-banking-services/

You won't be able to access the funds until you present yourself at the branch you choose with your passport and probably at least one other form of photo ID. Take as much ID stuff as you can to prevent any problems. Choose the account type carefully and examine the transactional fee structures. Some accounts are tailored to high transactions via eftpos, some are not, so look at the bank's charging structure to figure out your best option. You can always change later if you have to.

NZ banks are used to dealing with immigrants and long term tourists so I'm sure you will have no problems. The bank will open the account/s, arrange debit/atm cards etc as per your instructions to pick up on arrival. They will give you a bank account number and you can do an IMT (International Money Transfer) to your account before you leave. Alternatively you could take a bank draft in any currency you choose and deposit it when you get there. There may be a $5 or $10 fee for banking the draft. Also they may make you wait 5 days for the draft to be cleared. An IMT will be cleared immediately.

Check your respective banks exchange rates to determine if you send/take USD or NZD. NZ banks don't offer the sharpest exchange rates so I'm guessing you're better to send NZD from your bank - I could be wrong so do some research. The ANZ publishes their rates on the web.

Make sure that you have some sort of Fax/email indemnity with your Korean? bank so that you are able to instruct them by email to remit funds to NZ after you arrive in NZ. That way you don't have to send all the funds at once and manage your exchange rate risk.

By the way, NZ is verging on becoming a cashless society - that's an exaggeration but we're very big on eftpos. You'll find eftpos terminals in every establishment, big or small, and will rarely have to carry or use much cash. It's a low crime rate society but invariably there are news items about some tourist got their car broken into and robbed of huge amounts of cash and their passports etc. We can never understand why they have all their holiday funds in the car when they could open a bank account easily and use eftpos like a Kiwi.

Also, don't carry your passport as you don't need it, just carry a copy and leave your passport somewhere safe - the ANZ will probably happily keep it in safe custody for you at no or nominal cost. You'll need a drivers licence to drive but your foreign one will be OK for driving as well as for ID. The driving laws are tough and rigidly enforced - be warned!

Nothing worse than seeing ignorant and disrespectful people at the immigration office.

"disrespectful"... give us a break! "ignorant" ... yes, because he doesn't know.

It's just a matter of keeping the mouth shut, following instructions and wearing the appropriate clothes. Nothing at all to do with respect. I follow protocol to achieve results.

Think of that famous "The Soup Nazi" Seinfeld episode for a good approximation of the way I see it.

The way some (many) of them treat applicants is downright rude. A more arrogant bunch of people is hard to find. They have zero respect for us. To them we are basically non-human. Nothing more than a job to do, an annoyance, and irritation... in order to receive their juicy paychecks.

​I dislike visiting the Immigration office more than anything I do in Thailand. It's a necessary but humiliating task. The faster I can get it over and done with, the better.

I had to jump hoops for Philippines Immigration for many years - now I do it over here. I can't say which is worse. Over there if you're not a wearing shirt, long pants and shoes they won't let you enter - but at least they have the dress code clearly indicated at the front door.

I do have sympathy for the OP. At least the officer could have had the decency to offer a quick fix instead of wasting his time and stealing his money. She could have asked him to get a new photo next door which would have taken all of 5 minutes. Her behaviour was sadistic in nature - surely she enjoyed it.

If he was dressed inappropriately, then he should have been told at the front entrance that he was not suitably dressed... not letting him sit there for an hour knowing that he was going to be refused. Of course our "friend" at the front door is not interested in being helpful - he gets his kicks out of barking at people and being deliberately rude. (To his credit, he did send my gf home once for wearing shorts. He doesn't like girls.... of course now dozens of Russian girls are wearing short shorts in there).

She was just plain nasty and everyone on here is defending her and making fun of the OP.

Please... let's be reasonable.

The Thai immigration officer is not a baby sitter. These farangs are not elementary age children

-- they are adults who should know how to tie their shoes -- and what clothing is proper.

Have a little pity for the immigration officer.

He/she waits on these poor, dumb unwashed clods every day. Tell me how much patience you

would have in this job after encountering a thousand of these clueless hill-billies.

I think she showed a lot of restraint by giving the OP a few days extension -- gives him some time

to go attend civility classes...

I agree entirely, but reasonableness and TV are not necessarily synonymous

I've never had a problem at Jomtien Immigration. Always in and out in under 30 minutes. I wear shorts, sports shoes, polo shirt. Make sure you always have the correct documentation (easy to confirm what doc's are required on TV or WWW), and spare copies of everything just in case they want them. Always greet them with a warm sawat-dee-kahb, sit erect and acknowledge any eye contact with a smile.

Obviously make sure that the photo is recent and dressed appropriately for the pic. I once used a pic that was 6 months old and my hair was longer and a different colour (old age vanity, I make no excuses!), the Officer had a little chuckle and said OK this time but maybe get new photo next time. Acknowledge anything they say with a khab or kaapom. If you have to pay then make sure you have the cash and make it visible to avoid them having to ask you for it. Give them a warm thanks when you get your stuff back.

Believe it or not they WILL remember you if you make a particularly bad or particularly good impression. One of them was kind enough to tell me how to make my first 12 month visa retain validity for two years, which I was not previously aware of so gave him a very big thanks for the advice. When I went for the next 90 day renewal he said don't forget what I told you last time because I would have to re-enter Thailand before my next 90 day renewal to get the additional year.

Officialdom is easy to manage, irrespective of the country, just play by their rules and make their job easy for them - they don't wake up in the morning thinking they're going to make everybody's life a misery today, they just want to do their job.

I was intending taking three friends for a round at Plutaluang Navy Course, south of Pattaya. Never played there before and info on the web is scarce. Does anybody know if I need to make a booking or if we turn up at 10am on a Sunday will we be able to play without being turned away or waiting too long? Thanks.

Motorbikes need to stay in the far left and never deviate out of that little lane for them.

Speaking of crazy drivers though, I had to hit the brakes 3 times with one idiot this afternoon to get him off my tail, the first time I heard the screech of his tyres, that always makes me smile. Third time he pulled out and around as he got an eye full of my middle finger.

Earlier today another regular idiot that does the same xxxx every day behind me, he was in front this time and I saw him do it to 3 other cars, then over take 2 on a sharp bend with oncoming traffic, then a couple hundred metres later on a straight stretch pass another 2 cars with oncoming traffic. This is not a wide road.

You deliberately hit the brakes (I assume aggressively) to cause grief to the person behind you? I would consider this sort of action a classic case of road rage and at least as bad as the idiot in the OP that swerved to prevent him passing. In fact, your example of hitting the brakes to scare a motorist behind you would be classed as manslaughter or murder if you were unfortunate enough to cause a death as a result of your imbecilic actions.

Ironically you seem to think you had every right to take this action and then give the "offender" your middle finger. The mind boggles!

You must be one of those tail gaters that needs to be shown NOT to tail gate.

But congratulations, you are the first thai driver apologist I have ever seen.

If a Thai driver drives to close and I brake, for fun, or for real and he cannot stop in time to cause an accident, it is his problem not mine.

To apologise for an idiot that drives so close to you that he can cause an accident for no other reason than his own ignorant stupidity, is simply amazing.

I love hitting the brakes and watching the imbeciles squirm.

Thanks for the response that confirms the tenor of you first posting and leaves no doubt that your described actions were aggressive.

My son visited last year and after 3 days he told me that if I don't stop speaking pidgin English to him then he'd give me a thick ear. He told me that he even noticed that when I was talking to my friends that we were all using pidgin to varying degrees and it was driving him nuts.

I think we tend to tone down our use of complex words for the sake of our Thai wives or girlfriends when in mixed company and I've got into a bad habit of applying Thai syntax when using English. i.e I'll say "he go seven already, come back 15 minutes" rather than "he's just gone to the 7/11 but will be back in 15 minutes". And I'll say this to a native English speaker as well as a Thai. It's a bad habit I'll have to work on.

However we also play a game where we'll have a conversation using the most complex and convoluted words and varying levels of slang we can think of and it drives even good English speaking Thais crazy. They know we're speaking English but even if we're talking about normal everyday matters (as in the weather, or food, or whatever), they don't have a clue. And occasionally somebody will use a word that nobody else knows or disputes the correct meaning, and then it turns into a TV kind of discussion about the correct usage.....if you get my drift.

I am assuming from your handle that you come from NZ. It has amused me for a while now that my wifes kiwi english has expanded to include common Moari words in normal conversation like; puku, kai, whanau, On spending a couple of years in Thailand on returning to NZ I found I had dropped a lot of the more obscure / definitive words that wouls normally be used in conversation and found myself using Tinglish to friends here.

Yep I'm a Kiwi. Pleased that you've had similar experiences with the language and of course, we Kiwis are known the world over for speaking the most accurate form of English that there is.

We have a 3 year old that speaks great Thai and is improving her English every day. Downside is that she speaks Thai and English with a Kiwi accent. Apparently it's my fault because as she was learning to speak I would use too much Thai to help her and I've confused her. I can understand her Thai perfectly and to my ear it sounds no different to my wife's Thai. To a Thai however, she has an accent.

When I go home I have the same problem as you with speaking too much Tinglish, or even worse when daydreaming I'll ask for a pack of cigarettes in Thai at the dairy, or accidentally bang in to somebody at a shopping centre and blurt out an apology in Thai. Asked where the toilet was at a Thai restaurant (Christchurch) and got a blank look from the Thai waitress - 2nd generation Kiwi apparently and not a word of Thai.

My wife can say 'G'day mayt, aowzit gaan?" like a native.

If it wasn't for the fact OP is still participating in this thread, I would have thought it was a nice bait (Troll), to lure out all us complainers who are branded as Grumpy Old men.

Yeah, still keeping an eye on the thread, and it certainly wasn't a troll. There's a few other threads at the moment that are on the Grumpy old man theme as well. Somebody suggested that Grumpy Git was a better terminology because it takes out both the reference to age as well as gender. The gender thing doesn't worry me too much, but as Grumpy Git can refer to any age, it's probably a more accurate use of the vernacular as opposed to Grumpy Old Man.

As one of my favourite T-Shirts used to say, "Growing old is compulsory, growing up is entirely optional".

That looks like the bog-standard water pump that are available here although it's missing the plastic cover. Get them from any homeware outlet and fitting is a breeze by your local repair dude that somebody in your acquaintance is bound to recommend.

I'm surprised your landlady won't pay for it. Let her know that you'll be taking it with you when you move and she might reconsider. Also, see if you are able to mount it above the flood level on a plinth or shelf or something to avoid damage in the upcoming rainy season.

 

Motorbikes need to stay in the far left and never deviate out of that little lane for them.

Speaking of crazy drivers though, I had to hit the brakes 3 times with one idiot this afternoon to get him off my tail, the first time I heard the screech of his tyres, that always makes me smile. Third time he pulled out and around as he got an eye full of my middle finger.

Earlier today another regular idiot that does the same xxxx every day behind me, he was in front this time and I saw him do it to 3 other cars, then over take 2 on a sharp bend with oncoming traffic, then a couple hundred metres later on a straight stretch pass another 2 cars with oncoming traffic. This is not a wide road.

You deliberately hit the brakes (I assume aggressively) to cause grief to the person behind you? I would consider this sort of action a classic case of road rage and at least as bad as the idiot in the OP that swerved to prevent him passing. In fact, your example of hitting the brakes to scare a motorist behind you would be classed as manslaughter or murder if you were unfortunate enough to cause a death as a result of your imbecilic actions.

Ironically you seem to think you had every right to take this action and then give the "offender" your middle finger. The mind boggles!

 

Why did you assume aggressively? You attribute adverse characteristics to the gentleman, and then go off on a rant against the person whom you expect him to be.

From time to time, I apply the brakes when I think others are following me too closely, in order either to ensure that they can stop safely in the distance available, or that I have sufficient clear road ahead that I won't need to brake sharply. Generally, this is also sufficient to encourage them to overtake, so that I have an idiot ahead of me rather than behind; generally I feel that is the safer situation.

SC

I put it to you that from the words and grammar used in the post you are referring to, that any normal thinking person reading said post could quite logically draw the conclusion that the actions of the poster were probably aggressive. However, in responding to his post I used the phrase "I assume aggressively" to give him the opportunity to clarify or refute this assumption. As of yet he has chosen not to do so. I believe I attributed adverse comments to the driving actions he described, not to the gentlemen that I'm sure he is.

As I see it nobody follows any kind of sensible driving habit here.

Motorcycles

Undertaking in fast traffic

Waiting at red lights past the stop line and in the pedestrian crossing making it almost impossible for a walker to cross.

Turning left without looking right first.

Excuse me. What the he_ll is undertaking?

Is it related to what embalmers do to dead bodies?

Haven't you seen the mobile undertaking (as in dead bodies) sidecar around Pattaya?

On the road, undertaking means passing a vehicle on the inside (left in Thailand), but I suspect you knew that anyway.

Sorry, it must be a Brit term, like "traveling round" instead of "traveling around." Poor blokes...

No, undertaking on the road is a term used all over the English speaking world. I've seen it used on American and Canadian forums, usually in relation to motorbikes as it is predominantly motorbikes that are more able to undertake.

Another phrase is "lane splitting". That's a common motorcycling term and refers to moving between cars that are in their respective lanes. And of course here in Thailand you will see lane splitting in a car - I've often seen 3 lanes made into 4 (or 5) by lane splitting - it's expedient and helps the flow of traffic. of course anybody who is a territorial driver will abhor the practice of undertaking and lane splitting. C'est la vie!

And "travelling round" used in place of "travelling around" is just bad grammar.

I feel sorry for the officers in Jomtien. A few years ago I was there at 7:45 and saw a guy who was smashed, beer can in hand, and when finished had his Thai gal go get him another one. And the doors hadn't even opened yet! I'm sure they deal with these kinds of people all the time.

I was there a few weeks ago and was waiting for my documents to be reviewed. I crossed my legs and was told quite sternly not to do that, this was a government office. Wow...that was a first for me.

I always dress nicely, though do wear nice shorts when I visit there. Singlets should only be worn in your own home, not out in public. IMHO.

Great to hear that Jomtien have got their priorities in the right order. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up at our office completely sloshed, indeed we actively encourage this! But don't you EVER dare cross your legs in here or it's the firing squad for you, matey

It's not the crossing of the legs that is considered rude, but in the act of crossing your legs you end up pointing your toes at somebody. Pointing your toes is considered rude.

Motorbikes need to stay in the far left and never deviate out of that little lane for them.

Speaking of crazy drivers though, I had to hit the brakes 3 times with one idiot this afternoon to get him off my tail, the first time I heard the screech of his tyres, that always makes me smile. Third time he pulled out and around as he got an eye full of my middle finger.

Earlier today another regular idiot that does the same xxxx every day behind me, he was in front this time and I saw him do it to 3 other cars, then over take 2 on a sharp bend with oncoming traffic, then a couple hundred metres later on a straight stretch pass another 2 cars with oncoming traffic. This is not a wide road.

You deliberately hit the brakes (I assume aggressively) to cause grief to the person behind you? I would consider this sort of action a classic case of road rage and at least as bad as the idiot in the OP that swerved to prevent him passing. In fact, your example of hitting the brakes to scare a motorist behind you would be classed as manslaughter or murder if you were unfortunate enough to cause a death as a result of your imbecilic actions.

Ironically you seem to think you had every right to take this action and then give the "offender" your middle finger. The mind boggles!

I guess this topic will be the maiden voyage topic for the new forum.

A la le Titanic.

As I see it nobody follows any kind of sensible driving habit here.

Motorcycles

Undertaking in fast traffic

Waiting at red lights past the stop line and in the pedestrian crossing making it almost impossible for a walker to cross.

Turning left without looking right first.

Excuse me. What the he_ll is undertaking?

Is it related to what embalmers do to dead bodies?

Haven't you seen the mobile undertaking (as in dead bodies) sidecar around Pattaya?

On the road, undertaking means passing a vehicle on the inside (left in Thailand), but I suspect you knew that anyway.

Shrunk NOT shrank

His English vocabulary shrank over the years.

His English vocabulary has shrunk over the years.

Shrunk, shrank, shrink, shrinked, shrunken. My wife says "wash machine make t shirt grow small". I tried to explain shrink to her but it all got too hard because to her, all those 5 words mean the same, "grow small".

I witnessed a car crash last night everyone lucky to be alive, the driver was drunk as a skunk.

But then these two beautiful little butterflies flew passed bringing a smile to everyones faces.

So are you implying that we should have a Zoology section as well?

In reply to the OP, here's my 2 bahts worth:

1. They are grumpy old men and ignorant drivers regardless of their country of origin.

2. They own a car and assume that any farang riding a scooter is a tourist. They therefore have the "bloody tourist" attitude on top of the grumpy old man attitude.

3. They get frustrated because all day they feel harassed by Thai motorcyclists (and Thai motorists) dominating the road and causing them grief (as pereceived by them).

4. They know that despite their feelings of being harassed by Thais on the road, there is sweet FA they can do about it because it will end in tears for them and probably cost money.

5. They see a farang motorcyclist coming up in their mirror with no Thais around and think "arrogant bloody farang tourist, thinks he owns the <deleted> road does he, well I'll show him that I have more right to be here than him because I own a car and am a long termer here, he's just here to shag a few bargirls, so I'm gonna indicate as late as I can at the next left turn and if he hits me, tough cookies.....what?? Little sod is trying to undertake me and he's not even Thai!! I'll show him the little upstart!!!" etc etc.

And that's how it happens because I've been in similar situations - Thai drivers are actually quite courteous and drive according to the local customs. Invariably it is the GOM contingent that cause problems for me. After having a completely uncalled for "near miss" caused by a GOM that I recognised but didn't know, I sought him out a few days later at a bar and struck up a conversation with him - the 5 points above are the result of the conversation. He thought I was a nice bloke, even bought me a drink. I then enjoyed telling him I was the "bloody tourist" that he nearly killed a few days previous and that next time he might be driving home minus a couple of wing mirrors and his gonads.

I guess that is pretty close to the truth!

Sounds like you guys just don't like old people. Maybe it depends on what city you are driving in.

IMO the menace on the road for motorbikes and cars are the taxis drivers. Most don't drive their own car and don't seem to care what problems they create or the damage to their car.

And the general statement that Thai drivers are courteous is true to a point but there are many that fit the profile of your GOM. Old or not. I drive a motorbike and a car where I have had many instances of someone trying to run me off the road.

For me it's not about the actual age of the GOM. It's their attitude irrespective of age. I'm 53 and play golf with a couple of blokes in their 70's, and they certainly aren't GOM in their attitudes, opinions or behaviour. The GOM disease can be evident in men that are in their 20's, and It hurts me to say this but one of my sons who is only 26 is a GOM - the poor sod.