LawrenceN

On 4/19/2021 at 2:26 PM, EricTh said:

How will the government check whether we are really home quarantined for 14 days? I doubt they will send someone to check everyday.

Friend of mine got done, but his landlady ratted him out. She didn't like his cavalier attitude about quarantine. 

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

Taking the energy content of Ethanol vs Petrol into consideration, the math to compare E20 with E85 looks like this.

25.14THB*((85/1.5+15)/(20/1.5+80)) = 19.3THB

I take the fuel prices posted on the previous page, E20: 25.14, E85: 21.09

If E85 would cost less than 19.3THB it would be cheaper, but considering that it costs 21.09THB, it's about 9% more expensive than E20.

 

So, Professor, what does my addition of 95 do to the calculation?

12 minutes ago, jackdd said:

If this is your result, then your math is probably wrong.

My math is fine, but I neglected to say that E85 won on economy, X_baht/100km, not on km/l or liters/100km. I forget which measure of mileage I used. That's only possible because of the much cheaper price per liter of E85. 

On 4/18/2021 at 3:27 PM, jackdd said:

No point, you are just wasting money. But some people claim they can "feel" the difference ????

You didn't say which type of luxury car you bought, but if it's some sport car it might require Gasohol 95, instead of 91, your owners manual or your tank cap will tell you.

I drive an MG ZS. It can take E85. I calculated mileage and economy when I first got it. E85 was the winner. E20 was awful. I settled on E85, and use a bit of 91 if the tank is low and E85 isn't available. 

Recently, I was planning to drive to Chiang Rai from CM. I figured I might want a bit more power going over the mountains. So, filling up the day before, I put in 600 baht of E85, and 100 baht of 95. This was 7 out of 8 bars on the fuel guage, not full. 

I keep the readout of "km left" up. When I left the pumps, it showed 388 km in the tank. As I drove, as the computer "tasted" the 95, the readout rose to 425, a jump of 37, or nearly 10%. That took about five minutes. I figure it knows immediately how much fuel is there, using a float or some conventional method, then the computer calculates again based on the current fuel mix. 

I don't know whether raising the octane or lowering the alcohol/petrol ratio is responsible for the improved mileage (and performance), but it seems to work. 

55 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

 

"Certified" used cars by Toyota et al will all have their prices inflated compared to a used car from a private party

And that is the question: are the warranty, extra inspection, and reputation worth this added expense? Those cars have been screened. The dealers are reselling the cream of the crop. They don't want to fool with angry customers bringing back lemons, and do want to maintain their reputation. 

But I would like to know the answer to OP's question: Where to find an honest, independent mechanic who will inspect a vehicle you're considering. I vaguely recall that Expat Auto provides that service. Confirm? 

4 hours ago, SiamRead said:

Would be glad if you can spare me 2.1 Rai after Acquisition. Thanks. ????

Oh, great! Another subdivision. Ready the bulldozers!

At least he didn't drive through at speed, and no apparent "brake failure."

15 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Requirement for medical insurance. Catastrophic illness in old age. Being a burden on my wife & using up all our savings.

 

Still love it here...

Maybe I have misunderstood what you mean, but wouldn't medical insurance mitigate the risk of "being a burden on my wife & using up all our savings"?

Speaking of cost effectiveness, also forget about bringing anything electrical with you, unless you know it's 220 volt compatible. Most small electronics' DC chargers are OK. I have a TV here in Chiang Mai that I bought in the States a year or two before we moved, but I made sure it was 220-volt compatible when I bought it. It's not worth the trouble to re-wire part of your home for 110-volt. Plus there's the risk of plugging into the wrong outlet. 

3 hours ago, ProbPossConf said:

Immigration offices will be closed on the official Songkran days April 12 - 14.  If you decide to use the Promenada office, then you will need to provide your house GPS coordinates.

You are correct, no dispute. But isn't it bizarre that different offices in the same city have different requirements? What does the law say, and why isn't the law applied consistently nationwide? Apparently, someone at the level of office manager has the authority to impose his whims on people. I first came to Thailand in 1977 (not continuous), and have always been puzzled by this lack of consistency. End of rant. 

On 3/23/2021 at 12:48 PM, ianguygil said:

A quick update on this. My understanding is that the requirement for a "reference letter" for a new account is a regulation and not something at our discretion to ignore. I will double check on that to ensure that is still current, but that is where this came from. Here is the link to our website

 

Savings Account (bangkokbank.com)

I renewed my Bangkok Bank debit card recently (Union Pay). On first inquiry, I was told to come back with my passport, which I was not carrying that day. A week or so later, for convenience, I went to another branch with my passport. The girl there said, no, I have to come back again with my old passport, because the old card was issued with my old passport. Then she added, I have to go to the branch in Chiang Mai where my account was opened. Did I do those things? Hell, no. I went back to the branch that told me to just bring my passport. Done in five minutes. Nobody ever mentioned a "reference letter."

This is something that we customers run into frequently. One bank teller is too lazy, poorly trained, ignorant (pick one) to do his/her job, so they make up "rules" to get rid of us. This is particularly frustrating when we have already been told what we need by a different employee or branch. "Jump through this hoop," she said. "Can do? Oh, then let's add a hoop and hold them higher."

Please pass this complaint along as well. I can name the branches involved, but not the employees. Customer service training sucks in Thailand. Your staff need to understand that they're not fooling anyone; customers know BS when they see it, whether we speak Thai or not.  BTW, all of the above business was conducted in Thai. I have been speaking, reading, writing the language for 44 years. 

I did CNX <-> Suwanapoom this week. 

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Where is the family of 5 on the top bike?

Joined the circus. 

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

You're not safe to go past your garden gate

You seem to be ignoring all the reports of "cobras" in readers' gardens.

On 3/17/2021 at 11:58 AM, ubonjoe said:

Immigration don't care how it is transferred into the country.

The most important thing needed is proof it was transferred from abroad. 

Except in Chiang Mai, apparently. Last year, because of a change Bangkok Bank made in their requirements for funds transfer protocol, one of my sources was unable to use the correct transfer format. It resulted in my monthly transfers from that source showing something other than FTT. CM Immigration would accept nothing other than FTT as the code for those transactions in my passbook. No amount of supporting documentation was acceptable, though I had it with me that day. One of my sources of income was enough to meet the 40,000 baht requirement for marriage visa, so I just switched to that. Immigration seem to prefer retirement visas because less paperwork and bureaucracy is involved, but their refusal to look at my sources of income makes both sides jump through more hoops. 

20 hours ago, jayboy said:

Thailand is a great place for solvent foreigners (actually much more than mere solvency is needed) but life is getting worse and worse for those that are not.

Name a place that's getting better for the insolvent. 

23 hours ago, timendres said:

The exchange rate.

Same here, THB vs. USD, to be specific. And inflation. 

I have a pension based on 20 years in state government and university. It's not indexed for inflation, but we get raises based on the $100 billion fund's performance, smoothed over five years. So far (ten years in) so good. I'm guaranteed never to go lower than my initial pension payment, but if the stock market tanks in a major depression, that initial monthly payment isn't going to be worth what it was to begin with, due to inflation. 

There's the usual ridicule, but as a practical matter, sea-going vessels put in to port to re-supply and off-load refuse. If you're down to your last gallon of fresh water, you can't sit out in the harbor for two weeks. What plans do the authorities have for allowing re-supply? Will Grab dinghies be delivering food orders? 

I have "The Great Dictator" on DVD. It's brilliant! One moment you're in stitches at Chaplin's antics, and the next moment your heart aches at the Nazis' cruelty. The scene with Chaplin (as the dictator) playing with the globe as a huge balloon is classic cinematic symbolism. The speech at the end is moving, and should be required viewing for anyone wanting to lead a government. 

There is a ton of horrible advice above. I have been using powdered boric acid for years (see photo) . Cheap, sold everywhere, easy to use, totally effective. A generous puff directly into the nest and they're dropping like flies. Harmless to humans and pets. 

Why Pattaya? Is that Thailand to you? Further down the coast, you have Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat. You can live without the hectic city environment and still be very comfortable. Above assumes you like beaches.

I live in Chiang Mai. We chose to live here for the friendly people, and many other factors. I'm a cyclist. I ride quiet rural roads several times a week. I play golf two or three times a week, having about ten very nice courses to choose from within an hour's drive. 

I'm not trying to sell you on CM, but asking you to broaden your horizons. Someone above suggested six months here/there. Try that for a while in different parts of the country. There's more to life than a bar stool in Pattaya. 

21 hours ago, shdmn said:

Maybe try spray them with water mixed with vinegar or rubbing alcohol.  If that doesn't work then pepper spray should do the trick.

I do this, but I don't mix with water. Straight vinegar as it comes from the store, which is already diluted acetic acid. Mine usually has red or black pepper in it as well. I keep an inch or two in a second water bottle on my bike. Aim for the eyes. I have never been bothered by the same dog twice. It does no real harm, and gives them something to think about for half an hour or so.