AhFarangJa

I may be missing something here, but the intersection does not appear closed in the video., The barrier only goes halfway with warning signs about going straight. yet, there are cars travelling on both sides of the barriers, there is a pass on both sides arrow at the beginning, and to cap it all there is a moron on a bike ignoring everything, coming from the left across traffic, then cutting in front of the barrier and doing a u turn !!!!!!.

Going back many years to about 1995 or so, I remember staying in Bangkok for Songkran. It was sooooo quiet Sukhumvit should have had tumbleweeds drifting down it. One fact I do remember was that wherever we went, and there was a cop directing traffic, he had a huge pile of presents at the side of the road. My wife told me it was the one day a year the Bangkokians made sure to say thank you for the traffic police enduring the filthy conditions the rest of the year. 

We also met a lot of off duty police in the evening who definitely knew how to party. 

Good times.......

On 3/8/2019 at 11:13 AM, Rimmer said:

City officials previously said they had no other option but to use the contractor, as no other company wanted the job at the price Pattaya pays.

Translation..............No other Company wanted the job at the price Pattaya was paying with the pittance left after all other wheels had been greased, and pockets filled.

6 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

I Pattaya they had one in Jomthien second road. Mayhem, they took it away and replaced with traffic lights. Multiple brain failures. The dolphin circle has been blocked on one side for ages as well, the standard Thai "I don't give a rat's arse I'll do what I want" way is to drive on the inside of the dolphin circle and then take an exit trajectory whenever they want, regardless if or not somebody is on the outer side of the ring of mayhem.

 

Thais just don't have the brainpower to process a sophisticated concept such as a circle.

Exactly the same happens here. The Authorities placed short red and white poles in the approaches to the circle on the North and west side in order for people to go around the roundabout. All that happens is both cars and bikes come up to the roundabout, then, if they want to turn right, they do.....on the wrong side of the road, and ignoring the poles. So as you approach the roundabout you are faced with cars and bikes heading straight for you on your side...............You have one guess who is wrong in the event of an accident.............

13 minutes ago, Artisi said:

1900 wouldn't account for half of the under the carpet transactions....

It is not the junction wholly at fault, it is the ignorance, stupidity, call it what you will, of the drivers, and motorcycle riders. While the police closed the junction as a black spot, that is a quick and easy fix so they can go back to doing what they do best....nothing.

Why not try things like traffic calming measures, separating lanes with concrete barriers to prevent lane changes from the far left. Most of all, how about policing the junction more, and issuing, ( and collecting ) more fines, confiscate licenses......Sorry, I am getting a bit carried away I know, but I am sure you get my drift.....

22 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

IMHO - A properly designed roundabout would prevent most 'accidents' there.

 

Oh, and a campaign to educate motorists on how to negotiate one.

I have to admire your optimism, but the main flaw in your proposal is the second sentence. 

They installed a Roundabout,  sorry, free for all, at the crossroads on Soi 88 in Hua Hin......I guarantee you that you will never have witnessed such a cluster <deleted> as goes on there on a daily basis, and I am sad to say the Farangs are as bad as the locals. 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 1,900 smuggling cases blocked, says Customs Department

When I read this I thought that they had successfully swept 1900 cases under the carpet......

You do not have to carry your passport with you at all times......A copy is sufficient for a spot check......

Taken from Thai Visa March 2016......

BANGKOK:-- 
On Friday evening, officers from Lumpini and Thonglor police raided entertainment venues and set up two police checkpoints in order to ensure that foreigners were carrying either their original passport or a photocopy with them.

The operation led by Pol. Lt. Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, Metropolitan Police Commander, saw raids on 15 entertainment venues.

We had it in Saudi for years, Same as Holsten, Budweiser, and a couple of others that escape my memory at the moment. They all tasted crap, but we used them to brew beer with alcohol content in them. Best results were with Holsten.

Banning alcohol only leads to it going underground. Take a look at the Middle East, especially Saudi. Never a problem there as most people brew there own, especially the Saudis !!!

Sure, the price of the real stuff is expensive, but there are loads of alternatives.

6 hours ago, Benroon said:

really ? Currency dealers will go wherever there is a profit - its not personal. Do they operate from their bedrooms ?

They are not dealers as in working for companies, more like hobbyists, but they do fair quite well. I admit it is all above my head, and I am certainly not experienced or knowledgeable enough to risk my savings..

20 hours ago, wgdanson said:

British Airways allow 2 bags each UP TO 23KG. Can you imagine trying to lift those into the overhead lockers.

Yes, I remember when this came out a few years ago. I think at the time the airline stated that the crew were not to assist passengers to lift heavy bags into the overheads. If you cannot put it in the bin it gets checked into the hold. What I would be more worried about is the injuries these heavy bags would make should they fall out.

I have got into a routine now where I always ask for diesel 1,000 Baht. I watch the pump as they zero it, then set it to automatic. I also know how many kilometres to add to what the reading on the odometer was before filling. this way I know what has gone in the tank. Mind you, I don't know how I could prove if I had been cheated if the pump switched off at 1,000 Baht and it did not match my total....

13 hours ago, DavisH said:

I renew my licence this year, but got a new passport last year with a new number. I never bothered to change it on my driver's licence and never had a problem. I will change it on the next renewal in July. 

 

 

On another point, if I renew a day after it expires, will I get almost another year on the new 5-year licence (to make it 6 years less one day)?

 

I do not know the consequences of allowing a licence to expire here, there maybe a grace period, or may not, but one interesting point ( for myself anyway ) that I would like to share if I may, was that I went to renew my 2 year license for a five year one in early January this year. My Birthday is near the end of August. When I looked at the expiry date it was my birth date, so my 5 year licence is actually 5 years and 8 months.....my Wife renewed hers at the same time, and same thing. Her Birthday is mid June, and that is when her license expires, 5 years and 6 months .