English Noodles

Just be careful of termites when buying anything containing wood. Termites are hermaphrodites (sp) so they breed with themselves. So it only takes one too find it's way into your household.

As long as it is teak wood, or hard woods like makha or red wood one shouldn't be too worried of termites. I collect and refurbish old wooden furniture since years, and never had a problem with termites.

THAI PEOPLE DON'T GENERALLY WANT SECOND-HAND FURNITURE.

Thai people don't generally sell furniture.

Yes, many Thais don't want second hand furniture. That is why you can get very well made old furniture of excellent wood quality for less money than new wood of far lower quality would cost.

If you look around the markets you can still make incredible deals. Not for much longer though, much gets exported, and also Thais themselves have slowly realised the value of their old furniture.

Yes that is what it is for. I want a sofa for the office but just for delivery people etc to sit on while they wait but my main thing is old quality wooden furniture for export to europe.

You seem to be quite right Colpyat anything that comes on the market here in BKK seems to dissapear just as fast. It seems like good bussiness if you can get a foot in.

Noodles.

Hey i once gave a person a loan of B5000 knowing i would never get it back. The reason i did this was because to me B5000 was a fair price to have this person avoid me in the future.

Not brave enough to tell him to get lost?

What a wimp...

If it was a true frien then why would i want to tell them to get lost?

I have been helped out by friends in hard times and i have helped friends when they have hit the rocks.

This restaurant that has taken Bangkok by storm. I know one rival for sure will be entering the excitement. My wife feels it will be around 6 months before the crowds taper off.

BAKERY / IN DEMAND

Rotiboy proves a taste sensation

PITSINEE JITPLEECHEEP

Rubbing shoulders with the jet-set at elite restaurants in Bangkok isn't the only way to keep abreast of the latest dining trends. By sweating a bit and queuing in a long line you can get a bite out of the latest craze _ a coffee-flavoured baked bun at a Rotiboy outlet.

Days after entering the Thai market, Rotiboy, the Malaysia-based bakery chain has became a big hit with consumers by peddling its unique buns which have a coffee aroma.

Every day, from 8 am to 9 pm, there's the same astonishing scene on Silom Road and in Siam Square. That's a long line of people waiting in front of a Rotiboy outlet for their special buns.

It takes buyers about half an hour on average to queue before they can make a purchase, and each shopper is also limited to up to 10 buns at 25 baht apiece.

Pornpen Aungkavanich, managing director of Lottyboy Khanompangob Co, the authorised franchisee of Rotiboy in Siam Square, said she opened the business after a successful partnership with an Indonesian who opened her Noodie noodle outlet in Indonesia last year.

''I had never anticipated that a bun priced at 25 baht could become a million-baht business for me. At first bite, I instantly thought about the business opportunity and bought around 200-300 buns to distribute to my friends as a trial. After all of them said they liked it, I went back to the Malaysian founder and opened our first outlet in only a few months,'' she said.

The first Rotiboy outlet opened with an investment of more than four million baht at Siam Square Soi 4 last December.

At first, consumers weren't that excited. So Ms Pornpen tried a sampling strategy. She gave away hundreds of buns to prospective customer groups, ranging from politicians to singers, businessmen and students.

Through word of mouth, demand for the buns rapidly increased and her company soon had to limit the number of buns per purchase to 10 to avoid disappointing other customers who were still in the queue.

As demand keeps rising, the company plans to open more Rotiboy outlets, with one planned for Central Plaza Lat Phrao on the third floor by the end of this month and another at Central Rama II later on. Additional outlets may open at other department stores and BTS stations.

Rotiboy is the first company to offer this type of baked bun locally. However, it expects that two rivals will soon begin offering the same kind of food as Rotiboy, targeting the same market segment in Bangkok under their own brands in the coming month.

Chalit Limpanavech, chairman of Abac University's Marketing and Communication Department, said Rotiboy could prove a case study as it demonstrates the power of the right four Ps _ product innovation, price, place and promotion.

www.sunbeltasia.com

I would have thought credit should have been given to the original source (Bangkok post)

This is some of the best stuff i have read on Thai Visa. Great thread and very interesting stuff. Keep it up guys i am learning alot.

Noodles.

a squat toilet is the next basic step of evolution from dumping in a hole in the ground, so it is for peasants without adequate sewerage systems.

show me one advanced society that CHOOSES squat toilets over western toilets............

What exactly makes one better than the other? They are just different.

why is the friend approached not aware of the problems and able to advise well in advance of the crisis point?

Perhaps they were not such good friends after all...

What a load of piss.

Does anyone know where to buy used furniture in BKK?

Have been looking all over the websites but cant find anything.

And who exactly gave out that advice may i ask?

I think you will find that the correct term for you and your wife is 'peasant proprietors' not simply peasants.

Thaksin Shinawatra

What is the difference between the average income of a person or household in Bangkok compared with rural areas? I have been looking on the internet but dont seem to be able to find any up-to-date information on this subject.

Any ideas?

Noodles.

Thanks i will try it.

Noodles.

I seem to remember before you could look up a member and view "this members posts" and members "topics" can you still do this? how?

Should fit in your handbag.

Also Thailand has seen renewed economic vigour and has gained more respect from abroad with a stable and strong government and a PM who knows how to talk business.

When did this happen? Have i missed something? Please explain this to me.

I think it's a personal thing, you should certainly be careful about who you loan money to if you decide to. It all depends on your relationship with the person and circumstances at the time.

I agree with wolf, if you cant afford to lose it then dont loan it to anyone.

Hey i once gave a person a loan of B5000 knowing i would never get it back. The reason i did this was because to me B5000 was a fair price to have this person avoid me in the future.

Yes very nice post. Now can we have it translated in to Thai and mailed to every member of the public that has the right to vote please?

This is one of the things i dislike about the Thai mentality. Have kids, leave them with the Grand parents (or other familly members) and live elsewhere.

My heart goes out to this little boy, good luck Billy.

Noodles.

Right place at the wrong time...or vise versa.....

Was in the "Korfee chop" at the Honey in @ 1994 when the exchange rate was about 35 bt to the £-Pound......35bt ..jings.. but same place a couple of years later and guess wot......95bt to the £pound..

Imagine nowadays a swing of 60Bt or to take the lower figure ...200% increase on a single £..

Fortunes are made and were LOST depending on your ability to guess the outcome and to suggest that it could happen again.......well...could it........what would Warren Buffet say?

My old friend Ph** (anon)is believe it or not still sunning himself on Patti Beach almost 9 years later from the dosh he made that day ....£5k@99bt /£.....but must be getting low by now.

Recon he is relying on the extra dosh that G.B is bunging him for his winter fuel allowance now that he has/ must have hit the magic.... BIG 80...MPrai...still a boy at heart.

It worked the opposite way for us. At the time of the crisis we had a company loan in US Dollars at the time through a Thai Bank which was a preffered method in those days. The crash happened so our weath almost halfed over night and we owed in reality twice as much as we did the day before. All sorted now but it was not easy and it caused a fair amount of stress, heart ache and general missery for some time.

Never take anything for granted now.

A 30 trip sky train pass works for me.

Why couldn't i have been born rich instead of so ###### good looking.

Is it illegal to download an xxx movie from a web site and then view it on your pc while in Thailand?

This is a genuine question by the way, just not sure about the laws.

Look forward to the sterling/dollar rise.

This is what i have been thinking. The exchange rate for Stirling to Baht is pretty poor at the moment comparing to the past few years. I have funds held in Sterling, some of which i am waiting to transfer to a Thai bank and hold in Baht.

Will there be a signifficant shift in the exchange rates over the next few weeks or even months?

What do you guys think? and why.

I certainly would like to see a major weakening (of the baht) for a short period, strictly for personal gain of course

I agree, only for a short period of time and only for personal gain No malice intended (will get flamed im sure)

Thanks for that Thaising and GuestHouse, Just phoned the airline but cant get through, will give them a buzz in the morning. Just hope he can cope without being pampered by the TD's.

Cheers.

Look forward to the sterling/dollar rise.

This is what i have been thinking. The exchange rate for Stirling to Baht is pretty poor at the moment comparing to the past few years. I have funds held in Sterling, some of which i am waiting to transfer to a Thai bank and hold in Baht.

Will there be a signifficant shift in the exchange rates over the next few weeks or even months?

What do you guys think? and why.

Hi all, I am going down to Hat Yai at the end of the week and will be flying on a Thai airways flight.

My question is, can i take my dog on the flight with me? He is a Shitzu very well behaved and does not make any noise. i.e. barking, yapping etc.

Has anyone done this? Do you have to let airline know in advance and do you have to pay?

Thanks.

Noodles.