wilko

if you really want to protect your children , then you should get one too , in a little mazda you would unfortunately stand little chance. in a larger vehicle you would be safer.

I think it's about time that a few myths were exploded: - If you seriously care about your children do NOT under any circumstances buy a pick-up truck!

These vehicles whilst being sturdy are not up to normal safety standards of monocoque construction road cars; in most countries commercial type vehicles are not subject to the same safety regulations as family transport. The manufacturers take advantage of this as it enables them to avoid expensive built-in safety features and produce cheaper vehicles…

However, in the event of an accident these vehicles are much more likely to cause serious injury to the occupants, (especially if they are seated unbelted in back!) In the event of collision the body may well become detached from the chassis the "crumple" regions and side bar protection now normal in a car are seriously compromised by the chassis based design of pick-ups. And don't kid yourself that being in the stronger vehicle will protect you, the extra jarring you get from not having good crumple zones will be passed on directly to your body. As for the extra vision this is only a higher view point, not necessarily good all-round vision. The extra height of theses vehicles leads to a higher centre of gravity and a propensity for roll-over accidents, you don’t even need another car to crash with! The poor weight distribution leads to unpredictable handling, and the ride far from being more comfortable is very bouncy due to the stiff rudimentary leaf suspension designed to take heavy loads rather than absorb bumps.

If you drive around in one of these you are lulled into a false sense of security; you are in fact considerably more vulnerable than someone in a modern sedan.

When it comes to 4wd, and that is largely where the height comes in there are 2 distinct types: The most common in Thailand is the modified pick-up – this suffers from all of the draw backs I mention above. The second type is the purpose built 4wd i.e. Land Rover, Landcruiser, trooper and Pajero, these vehicles are designed with serious off road use in mind and have totally different road behaviour and centre of gravity characteristics. The third generation art the SUVs, they are very much a mixed bag. For example the Ford explorer and the Ford escape – the explorer is a pick-up with a station-wagon body, the Escape is an occasional off-roader designed from the ground up, this will explain why it is more expensive than the larger Explorer.

As for rpm on diesels anyone with a rev-counter will see that diesels perform on average at a lower rpm than petrol engines, they do however perform best within a small power band, pulling well from low rpm and benefiting from multi-ratio gearboxes to obtain a high cruising speed. Turbo diesels perform more like a petrol engine but loose some of the “torquey” characteristics of the naturally aspirated diesels.

So there!

Come on its not as if your attempting to go up the Amazon in a dug out canoe.

Done in a 4 x 4 the journey would be a breeze. The roads while in parts bad are all passable. The potholed section from Poipet for 100klms to Siem Reap just needs a steady hand at the wheel. 1/3 of the way before Siem Reap its all smooth tarmac. The roads onwards to either Phnom Penh or the opposite way to Kampot are smooth concrete roads.

Once inside Cambodia with your own vechicle you have the freedom to go where and when you want.

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I take it you took your own vehicle - what docs did you take and what payments were you required to make - if any...did you have insurance? Are foreign vehicles allowed in and around Ankhor Wat? Do you experience any problems coming back into Thailand?

Yes I have a basic 4x4 pick-up so I'm not too worried about the roads, but I am looking for a fellow traveller. Who wants a lift to Ankhor Wat?

I thought my advice was quite helpful considering I have done it albeit in someone elses sudan

I think this advice is very helpful as you actually address the process of crossing the border. Bad roads may prevent access by a saloon car but bad douments and bureaucracy may prove to be the end of anyone's attempt at this trip. - What's a "Sudan"? an Africar?

There are 3 reasonable hotels on Sois 7 and eight - definitely in the thick of it. These are Flipper House on Soi 7, Flipper Lodge and Sunshine on Soi 8. You can still get a quiet room at the back. I firmly believe that Flipper Lodge on Soi 8 is the best value for money in this area.

All thes hotels have swimming pools - on the roof with the Flippers - Sunshine has 2 - and don't charge extra for guests They all have a web site and rooms at this time of year cost between 800 and 1600 baht and are as rare as rocking horse shit!

the staff at the Flippers are better more professional and courteous. The poularity of these hotels is reflected in the availability of rooms.

Other hotels wouls include the Eastinies - 2 of them of Soi8 both OK, the enormous Sunbeam mostly Koreans and Taiwaness/Chinese. High 5 at the top of Soi 8. There are several smaller one too.

On Second Road (one back from beach) is the Lek and Apex. Pool at Apex is crap some pokey rooms start at about 450 in fact the hotel is pretty crappy but cheap, try the guest-houses in the Soi next to it. In thbe Soi next to the Lek 12 or 13??) is AA residence which has beautiful rooms but nearer 2000 per night and a small pool on the roof. Negotiate with this lot.

Off third road bertween Soi Buakhao and third is Paridise Hotel with a good pool and OK rooms - quite new.

Whereas it is quite impossible not to get a room in Pattaya at any time of year, you may find that beggars can't be choosers over the Christmas period.

Oh don't stay at Nova Lodge if you don't want to have to pay extra for your guests and the room I had there was mouldy.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Hello

I woul like to go from Bangkok to Cambodia to Angkor wat by my own car Honda Civic. Does anybody of you guys know if it is save or is there any risk on the Cambodian side? Have you guys already tried it? And are the roads from the border to the wat OK for my honda ?

Thanks for any comments

H.

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Like you, I would like to drive to Ankhor Wat (Siam Reap) - and like you I got little or no useful advice...all of it from people who haven't done it.

Unlike you I have a 4WD pick-up which is more suited to the inevitable patches of poor road although I understand that greater and greater stretches are now asphalted.

It is about 150 /200 m from the border to Siam Reap so whatever the conditions of the road it should be possible in a day at this time of year.

However, I don't see this as the main problem; my main concerns are bureaucracy at the border and paperwork (the car’s and your own i.e. driving licence) followed by possible theft or crime and probable lack of insurance. Under the ASEAN treaty cars are meant to be allowed free travel between member countries, so in theory it's possible but the practicalities are still a mystery.

I have heard of people who regularly drive from Pattaya to Phnom Penn, but I haven’t met them. I did read of one guy driving into Cambodia and claiming the only problem he had was the time involved getting back into Thailand again.

Another issue that remains unanswered is that of being allowed to drive one’s own vehicle into the area around the temples. I paid for a three day pass last time and got a man and motorbike for $20 a day on top. I didn’t notice any car passes but then I wasn’t looking! It has occurred to me since that they might not like private foreign cars taking business away from the locals. I think that it would be marvellous to have your own car to drive round the temples.

However despite all this I still intend to undertake the journey at some time, I think it would be an adventure. I am also looking for anyone who is interested in coming along and sharing costs (and some of the risks!)

Spoke to my lawyer tonight who is friends with the Chonburi governors. They recieved an official letter from BKK stating that the discussions were over and that they've decided NOT to go back to 2am.

Chonburi have had official meetings today and its down to them now to hand out the letters. In other words= 1AM IS HERE TO STAY  

I think if people are realistic about this Pattaya can still be a great place to come.

Oh and apparently if Phuket don't return to 1am then Taksin will deal with it personally.

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OK- to borrow from one of the UK tabloids - "Last one to leave Thailand, turn out the lights" - or has Taksin just done that for us??

Nothing like the topic of 1am closing time to get a bunch of balding middle aged blokes angry.

Please, aren't there better things to worry about?

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I'm not "balding"!

As one contributor noted, the effect of early closing may take a while to have significant effect. However as a topic of conversation it is clearly a big issue with late night revellers in Pattaya.

There are already some effects being felt; a loss of takings, as many people can't or won't go out earlier. Panic drinking at one o'clock as people realise that everything is beginning to shut down and a lot of bars "closing" but leaving the doors open with minimum lighting and no music. The situation is confused...only one thing is for sure and that is this early closing in no way addresses any of the issues that the Government claims to be concerned about.

On third road in Pattaya a whole new plethora of bars has opened up they seem to be catering mainly for Thais but no one o'clock closing seems to be observed there. This is the centre for underage drinking and drugs. There are already regular reports of shootings here.

It is a pointless law (is it actually a law?) that is achieving nothing and will inevitably cause harm to both Thais and Farrang alike.

Although the closing time is unpopular and without merit this is only a small part of the issue; forget about the actual closing time itself or the feeble efforts to change the image of Thailand as a holiday destination, this kind of chaos will result in a lack of confidence from the tourists, especially when they read about, hear of, or experience the inconsistent enforcement of this new “decree”. The illogical zoning (what’s happening with that?), random raids and arbitrary arrests will destabilise the tourist industry here and people will begin to stay away. Following from this local employment will drop off and foreign owned property prices will plummet.

As with much policies in the last few years it is ill thought out badly conceived and ineffectively enforced. It may take a couple of years for the full effect to be noticed but the chain of events has already been set in motion. If the chaos is to be prevented a return to easygoing closing times is essential, and I don’t mean just putting the time back to 2 o’clock. They’ll find that drunkenness and accompanying rowdyism will be dissipated rather than concentrated (how can you have a scrap with a fellow drunk if he doesn’t come out of the bar at the same time as you?)and the tourists will be more relaxed and happier, more money will be spent and places like Pattaya will continue to prosper.

One pleaded guilty....must be stupid eh ???

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I'm sure you are aware that if you insist you are innocent you are killed.

If you plead guilty you are spared.

And you still have to suggest that pleading guilty actually means anything?

Let me be clear, I don't do drugs and I don't sanction the use BUT on the other hand I don't really see why anyone should limit anyone else's freedom to do to themselves what they want.

If drugs were legalized there would be no profit in dealing and hence no incentive to make anyone else addicted. Furthermore, those who were addicted could go to the pharmacy or wherever and get their drugs without having to resort to a life of crime to support the habit.

Logically it would seem that someone with the power to make decisions has an interest in keeping this a profitable market.

Legalize drugs!!! Oh yeah... great idea... NOT.

I am one of those people who are easily 'addicted' something to do with a lack of receptors in the brain that trigger dopamine into the system. There are millions of people like me... I am hooked on nicotine. I cannot stop. I have tried every way known to man, including hypnosis and therapy. I am not a stupid person, my IQ is 142 and still I cannot stop smoking. I am now 60 had a quadruple bypass at 48 and still smoking 30 cigarettes per day. It is killing me and nothing I can do about it. Along with heart disease, I have emphasima (spelling?) and lung damage from TB.

Now here's the problem with legalization. Kids will have access to dangerous drugs as I had as a kid. They will do what I did... and get older kids to buy them for them. They will, or many of them will have no chance in life... they will become addicts as kids and die early, or suffer brain dammages... It happens NOW even when drugs are expensive. Kids still get hold of them.

I think Thailand has the right approach.

It would seem that an IQ of 140+ does not protect one from stupidity then...

"I can say that the government resorted to gentle measures and did not use force in suppressing the protesters@

Anyone viewing the TV footage can see that this is not the case; did Mr Taksin not see it?

As for blaming the Ramadan fast; is this not idiocy following lunacy following incompetancy?

The story so far...

Deck cover ordered 3 – 8 – 47 (2004) – Delivered and fitted within 2 days…

Problems: -

1. Lock cover comes detached & is lost due to faulty hinge.

2. Replacement not found for many weeks

3. Replacement fitted at Chonburi – against my wishes – turns out to be old or used part.

4. Replacement lock cover does not seal.

5. Lock no longer works

6. Mechanism is sloppy and loose

7. Mechanism not watertight – Pattaya dealer attempts to fix with “Mastic” at Pattaya, spends ½ day attempting to rectify faults of work done in Chonburi.

8. Lid does not fasten firmly.

9. Right hand side of lid does not seal against the vehicle side.

1/9/47: 3 engineers sent to my house to look at lid; it is decided to fit a new lock as the lid cannot otherwise be locked at all, but it is agreed that lid supplied does not fit properly and must be replaced altogether.

New lock fitted but it is noted that the lock cover casting is poor and does not allow the cover to click into place so it can flip up easily, exposing the lock itself to the elements.

I am told by supervisor Insee Bamrungpong that if I come to the factory near Rayong on the following Tuesday (5th October) an entire new lid will be fitted for me – the operation to take about 2 hours.

The 3 men worked for about 4 hours on the lid outside my house to make it work as well as possible, as they were clearly trying extremely hard to do the right thing, I offered them a tip which they courteously but insistently refused. The supervisor then went to his truck and handed me a bottle of wine (gift-wrapped) by way of an apology for all the hassle...so possibly on Tuesday I will get a lid that fits too.

I agree that Consumer protection in Thailand is an oxymoron but in this case not just giving in seems to have done the trick. I won't be counting my chickens before they hatch though.

The cost? Is that relevant? If I pay for anything regardless of cost I expect it to perform as one would reasonably expect, or else there's no reason to buy it. (E.g. a camera must take photos, a lump of meat must be edible, a cigarette must burn at one end and be suckable at the other, and a cover must cover and protect) .In fact it cost 7500 baht.

I must also point out that I appear to be getting a 10% to 15% improvement in fuel economy with the cover on!

Two questions: -

1. - The product - Has anyone had experience good or bad of the Aero tonneau cover?

2. - The solution - Is there a fair trading authority in Thailand?

I recently bought a black plastic tonneau cover from Aero for my pick-up and the thing has turned out to be a disaster. It is sub-standard (this has been admitted by one of the sales team) and the subsequent attempts to rectify the problems have made matters worse.

I'm still wrestling with the company to get an equitable solution but as yet have been met with great grey swathes of indifference.

I’m determined to have a cover on the back of my vehicle that both fits and functions and feel the Aero have lead me up the garden path.

I’d be glad to hear if anyone else has had a similar experience or can give any advice on consumer protection or fair trading in Thailand.

I want to take my pick-up truck to Cambodia, to Ankhor Wat to be precise, and stay at Siem Reap.

I understand that this is possible under the ASEAN agreement, but I believe the Thai authorities in particular can be awkward...

Has anyone got experience of this and what documentation is required.

The truck is registered in Thailand and is in my name.

I'm a British national with a non-immigrant "B" visa for Thailand.

Thanks in advance...