maxelchey

Hello,

I am going to be staying at my in laws in a village 40km from Khon Kaen for 4 days and need to have at least whatsapp on for my business.

Is there any connection with AIS ? 3G or even Edge is enough to receive and send chat messages, but I'm not sure if there is enough to even connect?

Thank you,

M

Hello,

Where can I watch Mayweather vs Ortiz on 18 th september in Bangkok. I would need a spot closer to Victory Monument as my wife is pregnant and about to deliver .... can't go too far

Thank you

Hello,

Where can I watch Mayweather vs Ortiz on 18 th september in Bangkok. I would need a spot closer to Victory Monument as my wife is pregnant and about to deliver .... can't go too far

Thank you

Hello Everyone,

I am touring the Ubon's region of Thailand and I am interested in visiting and staying at some of the most traditional Forest Monasteries there. Can someone help with locating the Wat Peu Nong Nahny where Ajhan Mun, former Ajhan Chah teacher, was living and teaching the Dhamma ?

Thank you

Another couple of people who have left Thailand miles behind them in the past. Oh except for checking ThaiVisa daily that is. Other than that, they've moved completely on.

If you have left Thailand behind what are you both doing on a forum about Thailand and then bitching about it. I guess it just takes all kinds

Some of us drop in here from time-to-time to remind ourselves why we left.

I left the Middle East quite some time ago too, but I am still interested in reading about what is happening there - from a variety of sources. It is called having an enquiring mind, a commodity which is admittedly in short supply in Thailand. Simply because one no longer resides in a particular location, does not mean that all curiosity, contact and memory of the place should be totally expunged.

Thank you Rumpole!

BangTaoBoy, from which planet are you coming from? Hanging out on forums and not knowing "email alerts"... you should consider spending some of your already-so-precious time focusing on some computer and internet updating workshop. Anyway, since all kind of ThaiVisa news arrive in my inbox every day, I quite and still enjoy ,although having left thailand a year ago, opening and reading the spicy subjects, like that one in particular. This is part of my open minded cultural backgroud and constant thirst for daily news fro; different horizon... so this story about Russian Mafia robbing tourists might have happened in Santa Cruz in Cuba, in Cebu in the Philipines or in Buzios in Brazil... I would still enjoy reading that article and learn something new about this crazy world we live in: Indeed, there some crazy easter europeans chavs who now have enough money to travel and settle in far away places... it fascinates me !

Now why I take the time to reply? since I lived for 12 years in Thailand, I think I am able to share my opinion and feel like I actually should provide that information - like Rumpole reminded it, this place as a community where others come to fish for information and find out more about the place from people who actually go or went through a similar experience-

Some people lived in Thailand and prefered to leave and comparatively, now enjoy their life in a western country more than they actually did in Thailand, yes, it's possible, try... you might be surprised! But be prepared, no cheap singha nore bikinis everywhere year round

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

Agreed 100%.. it took me a while to realise i was fooling myself thinking Thailand was or could become my home (after 12 years... )

Face it people, you need a real civilized world but you are afraid to face the cost !

I know it must have been discussed several times in the past, but doesn't anyone has noticed a change in attitude of thai people towards foreigners in Bangkok and major tourist places? and I'm not talking only about around Khao san or large temples, I live and work between ekamai and thong lor and daily suffers bad communication and agressive behaviors with thais.

It makes me feel a general feeling of boredom and disgust and I'm wondering if I really want to stay here ... although after 12 years in Thailand, it is hard to cut the cord and technically very hard to go back home country!!

I know tons of forum users are going to tell me I should just go home if I don't like it here and bla bla bla... but I am also curious to hear/read if other people are like me, if they just had enough, although they spent a long time and lot of energy making a life here!

I Hope I didn't start a storm !

I’m a Buddy customer as well and have noticed a sharp deterioration in speeds over the past 2/3 months, even frequently in the early morning when normally speeds are quite decent. They were quite decent when I signed up in December 2006 in terms of speeds but the service has definitely worsened since then.

I honestly don’t know if it the company to blame or the generally poor state of internet speeds in this country.

I have to reckon exactly the same issue, My connection was ok when I signed up in December 2006, got even better when I upgraded to 2Mb in Sept 2008, but now it is just rubbish, I can barely open any webpage in the evening (I presume it is rush hour with all the kids playing online games !! ) and morning time which is supposed to be the fastest is also bad, I can not open general stuff like Gmail or some VDOs get in really slowly !!

Frustrating , but I don't know how is True these days ! the only problem is where I live only Buddy is available

Dear All,

I am looking for a Thai website in English quoting daily rates and prices of commodities such as sugar, rice, cement, rubber etc...

I have looked around google but with no specific results,

Thank you !

There is an outlet shop for Jim Thompson, located on Suriwong, not too far from the Roadhouse pub/restaurant.

Thanks Backflip but I'm actually looking for the original spun or unspun stuff in hanks for someone who wants to make stuff herself. Not sure if there is anywhere in BKK that sells the product in this form??

If it's available it will be in the factory outlets in the Old Siam centre....it's near to Chinatown.

Thanks for that- will check it out along with Pahurat market too.

Any news/recommendations about Old Siam centre? I need to buy silk for someone who makes pillows ... looking for good quality / best price !

thank you

It is a french insurance company with a local brokerage company, it was insured through Hong Kong but see they have just changed insurer.

PM me if you want the guys number and name to contact.

I am referring to your message regarding Health Insurance provided by a french company based in HK.

I live in BKK and I would like to apply for a good international health insurance, I am French and it would be a better option to mix the service both inter and back home,

I would appreciate of you could you send me the contact details of that company and a name if you know anyone there,

Thank you

Hello,

My neighbor are supporting their 6 months old grandson, they are an old couple and are living very poorly, she is willing unfortunately to offer her grand son for adoption in hope of a better life for him,

Her daughter is a working girl and has disappeared since she went to Phuket, without sending money nore giving or asking any news, the father was an Italian tourist and never recognised the child, probably doesn't even know he has one now,

I know it is a critical situation and lot of children are in need and are waiting for adoption, but is there an organism where we can ask for offical advices on that matter, be it in Thailand or international, I would like to see the kid find a better life without having to go through the sad path of being an orphan. So far other neighbors and I are helping them with food and care but it's not enough to offer him a decent life and the love he needs and deserves.

Thank you

Max

Hello

I have been practicing Yoga and and been an avid user of Ayurveda in India and at home for 4 years now, and it is really the medicine and science that suits me best in term of health and well being,

I have been searching around Bangkok for a place where to receive proper advices and treatmens like massage, shiro dara and detox practices, but never found an authentic place for ayurvedic medicine and treatments.

5 star hotels all have, as it is becoming a real fashion now, ayurvedic massages, but it is useless unless you acutally meet a doctor first and get the proper treatment according to your physical or mental problems,

I would like to know if anyone knows if such place exists in Bangkok (or in Thailand)

Thank you

Max

Does anybody have experience of treatments like colonic irrigation and ion foot spa? Or ayurvedic massages?

Yes ayurvedic treatments are really good all kind of ailments, I followed an ayurvedic pancha karma (concept of detox with oenema, massages and relaxation) and felt amazing after , but it was in India !

I am still looking for a place where to have proper ayurvedic treatments in BK, I know Oriental and other hotels spas have ayurvedic massages but it not really efficient if you're not diagnosed by an ayurvedic doctor first,

Hope it helped !

Hi,

I am going to Vientiane as I must exit before 3rd may... and re-enter Thailand on a simple 30 days Tourist visa.

I just called and all trains are full to go up north on every train starting tonight till friday !!

I need to know, can I just show up at MorChit and get a Night Bus to Nong Khai , knowing that I'm kind of a spoiled brat and I need VIP coach with the big seats ?

How long does the Bus take BKK-NK ? Is it easy to go to the Thai Border and then to VN from Laos border ?

Thanks

I'm trying to make some sense of your post.

What is a "simple 30 days Tourist visa"?

If it's a 30 day visa exempt entry you're after, then going to Cambodia is a much better option.

Hi

Yes I meant the basic 30 days visa anyone coming from a developed country automatically gets on arrival... and yes i actually went to Cambodia and I was stunned to see how little interest they give to foreigners using parallel/grey methods to remain in Thailand... and they were actually nice, unlike the posh immigration at Suvarnhabumi

Cheers

Hi again,

What is the best (private) company that travels VIP coach to Nong Khai ?

I don't like the monopole attitude of the public buses, and have found many times that services can be better in some private ones.

What are the companies with whom you had a good experience? and the bad ones?

Thank you

And the plane would be to Udon or Vientiane.

and they're all full... it's a long week end !! seems like lot of Thai travel to Laos on Buddhist holidays, there are some famous temples there.

There is public bus service to both Udon and Nong Khai and even direct to Vientiane (if you obtain visa for Laos prior to travel). There is train service to both cities. You do not need a visa company service. Just go the Morchit II (North Bus Station) and get aboard.

You are right of course, but it does not really help.

As I would prefer not to hope for the next available seat.... The 2 next weekends are long ones, which means both trains and buses are full.

Thank you anyway.

Hi,

I am going to Vientiane as I must exit before 3rd may... and re-enter Thailand on a simple 30 days Tourist visa.

I just called and all trains are full to go up north on every train starting tonight till friday !!

I need to know, can I just show up at MorChit and get a Night Bus to Nong Khai , knowing that I'm kind of a spoiled brat and I need VIP coach with the big seats ?

How long does the Bus take BKK-NK ? Is it easy to go to the Thai Border and then to VN from Laos border ?

Thanks

If you have not used 90 days on a visa exempt entries during the last 6 months then you should be ok. You do not need to go all the way to Vientiane though. Just go through Laos immigration, and turn right back around and come back to Thailand. You would need a page for the Laos visa, and places for 4 stamps (2 Thailand, 2 Laos).

Of course this depends on whether you hold a passport from a country that is allowed visa exempt entries.

Hi

Thank you Jstumbo, I haven't stayed in thailand without a visa for few years now, my last stay (right now) is under a Tourist Visa (60 days + 30 days extension)... Is it what you mean? Is it ok?

But I have had lot of Business visa done in the last 4 years... don't know if they notice that or not!?

Cheers

Hello

my 3 months TV (2mths gotten in EU + extension at SuanPlu) is ending on 3rd May.

I will travel back to EU end of may, so i don't need any more visa for the next 3 months,

Can I travel to Nong Khai, cross the border, go to Vientiane and cross back later on the same day?

My Passport is quite full of stamps, from Non-B to TV gotten during the last 5 years, but nothing outragous

Thanks

Hi all,

i don't have UBC... do you know if there is any pub that will open early and show the fight?

would a perfect breakfast/TV time in a pub

gonna be a great fight, go for it Joe... be the first white man to beat Hopkins's ass !

Would those who see nothing wrong in the Songkran madness and take the view that the country belongs to the Thai peoples and they can do whatever they want, please take their sick philosophies to the UK and other countries swamped under the flood of emigrants and spout them there. They'll get short shrift from the recent arrivals I'll wager.

No, because we live here for years, we pay taxes, we operate businesses, we employ Thais, we have a family, we take care of our relatives family here, we buy cars, we drive, we have a life, and we want it to be safe and joyful, nobody said we want Thailand become the UK, Sweden or Australia, we just want to see some sense, we know it can be done, we know most Thais want that too... we are just sad (and very pissed off during songrkan) to see that some Thais, because of lack of education and extreme sense of selfishness, just act like retarded fools with no consideration of others or risks they can create with their retarded acts !!

If "recent arrivals" means more morons, more fat belly drunk, more whore mongers, we don't like that neither ... and Thais really hate it as well !

It IS all very, very sad.

Unfortunately each holiday we read comments from the authorities that their target and hope is to have less deaths than the previous year.

If they manage that they consider it somewhat of a success but at what cost. It is merely a statistical success because an enormous number have still died.

We are told 86% who have died so far are motorbike riders and a huge number of deaths are drink related.

I would like to see how many of these died of head injuries and were NOT wearing helmets who may have survived otherwise (very many I bet).

The Thais mostly do not want to wear helmets and are willing to accept being occasionally caught. The Thai law however says they must wear helmets (like them or not)

How to enforce??

It is not good using the UK system of points on the driving licence, or license confiscation because 46% do not have license (or insurance). BUt they all have ID Cards and their record can be recorded in Police computer databanks.

The answer is VERY simple increasing and stiff financial penalties. The drivers understand that one AND the traffic police need as policy to try and stop ALL they see (and not only during "road block purges).

I KNOW it would take up a huge amount of police time INITIALLY (and at first many would escape penalty due to volume of numbers) BUT, as in other countries, once the riders realized they were not getting away with it and increasingly they were being pulled up (anywhere and not only at road blocks) and were having to pay huge amounts in fines they would soon obey the helmet laws (even if for the wrong reasons). This would cause a drop in necessary policing on this issue quickly and the remaining "die hards" would be easy to identify and deal with.

At the same time the police should always check for valid driving licenses and confiscate motorbikes of rider not able to show a valid driving license and ONLY release the bike when one can be shown BY THAT rider. It does not matter (unless stolen) who owns the bike, because bike owners would soon make sure only licensed driver used or borrowed their bikes if they faced confiscation.

Some may feel that harsh but harsh penalties are already in place under Thai law which permit fines AND a maximum prison term of 1 month. Its just that nobody thinks the police and authorities will impose the maximum penalty and they do not - so there is no real deterrent to driving without a license. The truth is, too many Thais do and are allowed to do what they want and not what their own laws demand for theirs and others protection.

Regarding the lack of driving licenses It should not be forgotten that most without a license have never learned the highway code, correct riding techniques, knowledge of road signs or safe handing and road positioning of their motorbikes (hence why nearly every bike rider heavily cuts the corner when turning right AND they have no insurance to pay for damage to others property or medical bills (or their own).

My wife was told by a friend (who asked why she bothered to learn to drive and take her test last week - my wife passed ) and I quote

"Oh I did my test 3 times and failed each time.It was so stupid I did not waste my money any more - I know I can drive well and I don't need the license most do not have them anyway".

I think that sums up the attitude.

Lets face it. The driving tests in all countries do not even mean you are a good safe driver but that you have satisfied the MINIMUM levels of competency to be allowed to drive on the roads with a full driving license. Clearly my wife' friend is a danger to herself and everybody else (and uninsured) her driving test failures PROVE that . Her complacent attitude is almost as dangerous.

May you and all families and friends have a safe and happy remainder of Songkran.

Regards

Dave

This could so easily have been written by me. Accidents will always happen, but it is necessary to ensure that they are minor ones and not major ones.

After every Songkran and New Year for the past 20 years, this being the time I have been in Thailand, successive governments set up committees to find out what went wrong and how to avoid the tragedy the following year. NOTHING EVER HAPPENS!. We are told that everyone must have valid licences and insurance, (which means no kid on motorbikes), helmets must be worn by drivers and passengers, checkpoints will always be set up to stop drunk drivers and speeding, but very little ever happens.

Kids still ride motorbikes year round (some as young as 10) and are allowed to drive them into schools often with 2/3 of their classmates aboard , helmets are rarely worn in rural areas, and most village people do not have driving licences. When caught by police (mainly at the end of the month!) fines are usually 100/200bt, and a blind eye is always turned to the kids driving. Add to all these problems the stupidity and toleration of water throwing and its a wonder the numbers of accidents and fatalities are not even higher.

My village has a checkpoint just before the road enters a major highway. The main town has a checkpoint set up at a traffic light controlled intersection. On the several occasions I have passed these during the past 3 days, the personnel are just sitting around talking, drinking soft drinks, and no doubt waiting for Songkran to finish when they can claim their pay. For what? They seem to do NOTHING!

You will never totally eliminate accidents, but they can be drastically reduced with full law enforcement, and harsh penalties - why not 5000bt for starters, to be doubled upon each additional infringement.

And totally ban water throwing except in public parks etc between consenting adults and children.

I am getting sick and tired of reading post after post, written by expats or tourists or whatever, complaining and criticising the Thai police, the Thai traditions and the resident Thai citizens for behaving in a manner 'they' deem unaceptable. Sure, should that Thai erson/cop/politician person behave like that in the the foreigner's home country then they would be given a good flogging and sent to jail forever, BUT YOU ARE NOT IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY!!!! For gods sake, you are an expat living in a foreign country, get with the program and accept that things happen differently over here. That means differnt rules, different standards and different, well everything. If you can't come to terms with kids driving motorbikes and cops taking backhanders and all the rest of the stuff that goes on in Asia generally, then please bugger off back home and stop anoying the rest of us, who actually quite enjoy it over here.

Please, PLEASE, stop using this site and simlar to vent your phobias, missunderstandings and other culture shock related fears - we know it can be anoying sometimes, and yes, it is confusing and often frustrating, but it's still better than crappy weather, 34% income tax (my backet anyway) and 17.5% VAT.

Incidentally, I went out yesterday in Koh Phangan, on a motorbike, with my 1 year old son. The thais did not throw water in our faces, nobody crashed into us and I didn't get stabbed or shot of done by the police. However,some Thai people did respectfully splash water over us with my blessing (shock horror!!!).

The only people who did throw water in my face as I was driving (slowly and sobely) along were the pissed tourists hanging out of the girly bars in Baan Tai.

If you're getting sick... one solution my friend, stop reading the related posts

not everyone is an irresponsible fool who enjoys corruption and unlimited fun vs high taxes and cold weather... some of us happened to be here for a good reason and we enjoyed it and decided to stay here, make a life, inspired by asian and buddhist culture, thai people warmth and friendliness !

But please, stop thinking that only foreigners are complaining here, i am sure that parents of deceased kids during this holiday will surely know how to behave in the future, most of my thai friends, educated or not, know that Thai are bloody selfish and this creates a big gap in understanding and respecting each others, most Thai want to see things change, are sick of traffic, pollution, psychomaniac bus drivers, stupid high-so kids killing innocent people and get away with it... and yes, they want to celebrate songkran but are sick of drunk morons who just want to get a good one, get pissed till death and become total lunatics on the road !

This is THAI VISA, so yes only expats, foreigners of all sorts write their thought here, but go and survey in the streets of any province of Thailand, and you will have the same vision, Thai people are sick of Thai people today's behavior and egoistic attitude . Although you live in Koh Phan Gan, where the majority of locals just think of making as many bucks as possible out of sick farang who just happen to love living on an island with just sand and coconut trees ! There you might not find that type of responsible and tired Thai people

I wish your one y.o will grow up learning how to be a responsible driver

.... I read today also that the Interior Minsiter is considering banning alcohol at Songkran next year, that would make it like a 7 day election and kiss goodbye to even more tourists. Let's face it, whatever we say or think, nothing will change because the Thais seem to LIKE risking their own lives and that of others with lunatic behaviour.......

uhh like NOT. The tourists and foreign residents that specifically avoid Thailand during the week most likely are the type of person Thailand needs most: i.e with money and an actual interest in the country. If a yob avoids Thailand during songkran because he/she can't get pis$ed drunk while trying to annoy as many people as possible, it's hardly a loss to the local economy. I'm sure they'll come stay in their cheap digs and haggle over a 20bh discount another week. Like a bad fungus, those people are hard to be rid of.

Only natural therapy treatment can help us get rid of bad funghus: drug-raid all the guest houses in khao san non-stop during the 3 previous days of songkran, move the festivities to nearby parks and green areas only, ban any water fool play from the streets and the road, ban pick ups with people standind in the back and throwing water, police blocks at every junction with speed radars beforehand, confiscation of the bikes with illegal engines, police blocks checking on helmets, helmets have to be certified by a safety organization (not merely plastic bowls with foam inside) ... etc etc ...and so on

Yetserday there was a roadblock on Sukh. at ekamai, most bikes who were ordered to be stopped pulled the accelerator and escaped with no chasing but a sad disapointed look on the cops faces... Police has no power over the people, no authority is being shown but the talks of the barrels in some circumstances... They stopped me and I did stop, my only mistake was to drive an antic vespa and the mirror are not on the bar but lower on the front body... 100B and off I went, I was happy about it on a personal level, I won't have to leave my scooter there and go to the nearby police station, wait two hours and pay 400 bahts fine, but in the end, I knew this is showing that this is not the solution to the country main problem, never this could have happened in France or any other Eu country, you do wrong, whatever it is, there is a law and you must apply it, you don't, well you pay the fine and you rectify your shot ! You're not happy, you go to court ! THAT's it ... does it sound like utopia in Thailand?

This country needs BASIC discipline, as it is applied in other countries who feel like the civilization is evolving and has the be controlled and tamed... I don't understand why because the thai culture favors sanuk and mai pen rai attitude in their daily life, that during special holidays it is completely relaxed and people are let to their craziness and face their own destiny... sometimes paying the price for others !!

Thailand is a great country, and thai people are some of the nicest when we get to know them, but modernism and ignorance (and the spread of it) are killing Thai civilization, soon there will be left out of this only a selfish / greedy / egoistic population with no bound to traditions but to have fun and satisfy themselves

Dear Thai Visa friends,

I am looking for companies based in Thailand in the industry of precision tooling, machine tool components and peripheral equipments... I have been first looking for fairs on the DEP website, but they don't advertise anythig regarding that activity.

I have yet to contact official bodies in Thailand, but knowing the level of english and speed of service, I rather tried my luck here first

Thank you in advance for any info regarding that specific area of activity

BR

Max