Estrada

7 hours ago, Mak25 said:

I know who stole my credit card. I told police and presented them with all details including bank slips showing his personal signature using my card (very stupid to use his personal signature - but true). I gave police a copy of his ID card. But police does not move a finger at all...how many brown envelopes do I need to have police work on this? ?

 

2 years passed now since then and I scrapped it already. Just sometimes I am wondering about the police work...?

If you wanted the Thai police to do something about this, you should have given them money to cover 'investigation expenses". As regards to the situation in the UK, I had one of my computer games console shops broken into and GBP85,000 worth of stock stolen. The police did nothing to catch the thieves. A week later, after restocking, we caught one of the thieves trying to break in again, I believe from the same gang. The police were reluctant to prosecute as they said it was a waste of time. I insisted that they prosecuted the thief and it went to court. The magistrates only fined the thief GBP11.00 payable at GBP2.00/week. Then he was given an extra GBP2.00/week on top of his dole money by the welfare system. As regards the Thai Police, I had a gold necklace stolen in a bar and no one in the bar knew who had stolen it. My wife gave a Thai policeman B500 and he went to the bar and threaten to close it down and miraculously the necklace was returned to me 30 minutes later.

2 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Why it only showd one side of WS?

Because all the buildings on the seaward side of the street are built illegally on crown property. I first came to Thailand in 1982 and they have been threatening to knock those buildings down sporadically for the last 35 years. It has never happened because politicians own some of the illegal buildings.

The fault was with Banharn Silpha Archa's party, not Yingluck, as they had overall control of the water levels in the dams. Banharn also caused problems with the flooding of China Town because he had objected to the height of the flood prevention wall along the Chaophraya in front of a house he owned because it would have blocked his riverside view. They were worried about a future drought and a backlash from farmers who supported them. One reason why the current PM wants to bring all the control for water, irrigation, drainage and flood prevention under one agency.

Floaters occur normally with age, there is no treatment so learn to ignore them. I have had floaters in my eyes for the last 35 years. You can get an eye doctor to check your eyes to ensure that there are no serious conditions present.

4 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

Another ticketing system created because someone needed a kickback.  Thailand will never have a universal mass-transit ticketing system.

4 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

Another ticketing system created because someone needed a kickback.  Thailand will never have a universal mass-transit ticketing system.

They are only talking about BEMs ticket system being reprogrammed to cover both the Purple and Blue Line which are both operated by BEM. As for the Universal Ticket system, this was only awaiting the resolution of the argument with the MRTA as to the operator of the Blue Line Extension and the Purple line, which has now been resolved. The MoU between BTS and BEM for the joint (Universal) ticketing system "Mangmoom card" will be signed on August 31.

For non-transport operators, they are currently negotiating with CP, Central and the Mall.

On October 1st, passengers will be able to use Mangmoom card with BMA buses, then by the end of 2017 - early 2018 the card can be used on the Airport Rail Link and the Purple Line. The MRT and BTS lines will gradually start implementing the card from mid 2018 onwards.
 

20 hours ago, tryasimight said:

I would hope so.....half a dozen decent blokes could knock it over on a long weekend otherwise.

I worked on the Great Man Made River Project in Libya and we were laying around 1km/day of 4 metre diameter pipe with mainly Thai labour. Total 6,500km of 4metre dia. concrete and steel pipe. These guys have only laid around 10% or 950meters. However, knowing the way things work here, the boss got the 10% upfront money and bought himself a brand new Mercedes S-Class, a new house and a mistress. He then found out that he did not have enough money to cover the work in order to receive the first progress payment.

Another mathematically challenged reporter: "The 5 meter wide, 9.4 meter long tunnel". Obviously the tunnel is much longer than 9.4metres. Probably should read 9.4Kms. 

On ‎8‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 3:14 PM, Crossy said:

@EstradaI don't want to worry you but I'm afraid your sources are misinformed. Are you still in the transit industry? Fancy a beer? PM me.

 

As of today a total of no, none, nada, zero cards have been issued for test, anywhere. OTP have about 150,000 (have to verify the number) "Limited Edition" cards sitting in boxes on the 4th floor, but there's no equipment out there that can process them and no company set up to operate the clearing system (supposed to be sorted by MRTA).

 

BTS have received no instruction to implement the card, even with a Notice to Proceed today it's unlikely that it could be working in less than 18 months. Same with BEM and SRTET.

 

The only railway I know that will be using the card is the Red Line, opening in 2020 ish. It took a lot of persuading to get SRT to agree, and they still want their own card as backup.

 

EDIT As of now there are  :-

• 180k Adult cards in stock at OTP, with another 100k on order.
• 1.5 million of the special dual-interface Low Income variant card on order, no idea of expected delivery date. These are the cards which will go live on the buses later in the year, maybe.

 

Following yesterdays meeting with MRTA, BTS, and BEM and all interested parties it was announced that the MoU between BTS and BEM for the joint ticketing system, Mangmoon card will be signed on August 31.

For non-transport operators, there are currently negotiations with CP, Central and the Mall.

On October 1st, passengers will be able to use Mangmoon card with BMA buses, then by the end of 2017 - early 2018 the card used with the Airport Rail Link and the Purple Line. The MRT and BTS lines will gradually start implementing the card from mid 2018 onwards.
 

Quite a few of my ex-pat friends have died shortly after completing their wife's wanted list. Mobile phone, Car, house/condo for her, house up country for her & mother. My friend Toby Charnaud was murdered and barbequed by his wife. Another friend who worked on a rotation in the O&G industry, died of natural causes ( I was told, but do not believe) a few weeks after he bought his wife a second house in Petchabun. Another Thai woman that has had 3 ex-pat husbands who bought her bars and houses in Pattaya, who she admits to have bumped off, but I cannot prove it. The last time I saw her on Soi 8 Pattaya, she was trying to get his pension. Be very careful. You need a good Thai Lawyer and expect to pay a reasonable fee.

3 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Just exactly where is this ephemeral sewage treatment plant ? I used to design them, large ones in towns and cities, and scanning over Pattaya and surrounding areas on Google Earth I have never seen anything vaguely resembling a proper sewage treatment plant !

I also have been designing and manufacturing Sewage Treatment Plants all over the world, for the last 40 years, including some of the first in Pattaya 30 years ago. I cannot imagine how you missed the main Central Treatment plant in Pattaya which I located in Google Earth in a few seconds. For your benefit I have attached the photo, it Is located off of Soi Phon Praphanimit 5. I believe that it is currently under repair as some tanks are leaking. The second plant is on Soi Wat Boonkanjanarom Jomtien. The two plants combined are designed for 85,000Cu.metres/day.

6 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Plus some of the liters didn't arrive as cubes but insisted on taking other shapes.

Be careful, I pointed out to TV a few weeks ago regarding another article where the reporter was mathematically challenged

and they gave me a black mark. Of course this article should read 65,000 cu.metres/day and 80,000cu.metres/day....

Now awaiting second black mark.

I gave up filing for Patents many years ago as it took so long to get the Patent that I had already invented a much improved version. In the meantime you have to pay a lot of legal fees to defend your patent and it is just not worth it as the Patent drawings and specification are of sufficient detail to allow someone to produce a similar product cheaper and just by changing a few features circumvent your patent. My success was to outsell the companies trying to copy my products. As for Thailand, 30 years ago I launched a design for a low cost packaged sewage plant in plastic for houses. This was copied by one  company who even copied our UK brochure which he translated into Thai. My agent sued successfully only to find that another dozen Thai Companies had copied the design. To date there must be a million of these plastic sewage plants installed all based on my design. I also saw an Oil Skimmer which won Thai Inventor of the year award which was an exact copy of a Vikoma skimmer. As for the Rotating fish slice aerators....................

I have no problem. Address should end in .org these days.

Saphan Thaksin Station was not capable of accommodating the 800,000 passengers per day stated in this press release. The reporter is confused with the whole BTS system which currently peaks at 800,000 passengers/day. Saphan Thaksin was originally the end of the line with much lower passenger numbers but now that the line has been extended and will be extended further, the station must be rebuilt to accommodate dual tracks and more passengers and alleviate the overcrowding from Siam Station on the Silom line.

The truth is that the roundabout has to be removed to make way for the new circular tramway.

Actually the roundabout was promoted by the Rotary Club and a Thai friend who was Senator and owned the Tiffany and Woodland Resort. Originally it had a clock as a centre piece, but it kept breaking down so they replaced it with dolphins. He passed away last year so they now see their opportunity to bulldoze history. However, doing away with the roundabout is sure to give rise to a sharp increase in accidents. There are already traffic lights on the junctions and these are completely ignored.

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Wait for it - failed asylum seeker

12 hours ago... Not a failed asylum seeker. The hit and run driver was an Algerian and has already been arrested after being shot by soldiers who pursued him. Algeria was a former French colony and he had a  permit to reside there.

1 hour ago, wump said:

Diazepam is available at a premium (300% over retail) at "selected" pharmacies and Tramadol seems to be freely available at 80 Baht for 10 generic pills.

 

Edit: I should add that you are not supposed to mix these two. Major interactions.

As of December last year, Tramadol is no longer freely available and notices are placed in many pharmacies to that effect after the Government concern of young people popping the pills in conjunction with coca cola.

My hair went grey when I was 26 years old, never bothered to dye it. People say it makes me look "extinguished".

I learnt to read and write Thai using a book titled "Easy Thai", in 5 days I could read and write letters. I learnt most of my Thai from learning and singing Thai songs  which helped greatly and used to type orders and letters in Thai using a Thai Typewriter. I took Thai lessons at the Thai temple in Wimbledon for a while. It is not hard to learn Thai if you learn Thai songs and practice with a karaoke.

Expats here without work permit have gone to the labour department and received severance pay. a major construction company I worked for here had to pay everyone severance pay even expats on fixed 1, 2 , 3 & 4 year contracts as only Thai law applies. In my case they settled out of court after I wrote them a letter pointing out the law and threatening that I would notify the labour department. I would expect that the hotel has a lot to lose if she just threatened to go to the labour department and will pay the severance pay rather than  have a full scale investigation of their books and hiring practices.

2 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

I'm not sure that you should believe everything that you cut and paste there Estrada.

 

Yes, for the 1 Oct launch on some BMTA buses - though I highly doubt that 200K people are "already using it" - where did you get that info????.

 

However, a big no for the MRT, BTS and ARL for at least 12 months (or longer) according to the latest update from Crossy from 11 July 2017;

I am sure that he will reply to this thread soon and can add more.

I originally served as an advisor to the MRTA in 1994 and have been following the progress of the Mass Transit system for the last 35 years. I have published articles on the Grey Line Monorail and BTS extensions here in Bnagkok. I get updates from the Minister of Transport, my fellow engineers working for CK, ITD, STEC, BTS, BEM, Siemens, Bombardier etc as well as the BMA. I got this update from  a Thai engineer  friend, who translated it from Thai. 200,000 cards were issued for testing during the current testing period. They need another 1 million cards. As I published above, the card cannot be used effectively until March next year.

Actually it is already being used by 200,000 people as part of the testing period. The Ministry of Transport announced that, from 1st October 2017, Bangkok commuters will get to use the new Mangmoom (spider in Thai) Card — a stored value card that can be used with the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority’s NGV buses and at the interchange stations of the MRT system, the BTS Skytrain system and the Airport Rail Link system. The primary goal of the Ministry of Transport is that the joint ticket will be available for 5 routes: MRT Blue Line, MRT Purple Line, BTS Silom line, BTS Sukhumvit line and NGV buses.  At first the Mangmoom card will be installed at interchange stations, such as Chatuchak Station, Asoke Station, Phayathai Station etc. All other stations will be upgraded to be able to use mangmoom cards by March 2018.
 

I applied for my original Non-Immigrant Visa Category O with 800K in a time deposit account in Bangkok bank and they never asked for the money to have come from abroad. They were fully aware that my money was from investments here in Thailand.