kimbathewhitelion

Don't think this forum will ever fade away into the dust. But can you locals provide just two days of clean air so I can come up to buy my favorite Burmese clothing & some nice wooden statues. )

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Classic...OP!. I was thin, tall & muscular before coming to Thailand.

Shredding weight, a very good luck to you. The concept to Thais is completely a Western influence. Though reading most recent posts, stay away from beans (i.e. Soy), any nuts (not good for gas tract) & spicy food, not to leave out, Thai made beer or whiskey. No sanitation laws in Thailand...uhhh...no laws regarding food, period. The spicy food & whatever they put in it, which is the same for their beer & whiskey, will slow the metabolism & thin the stomach lining. Up to u to figure out what does what.

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Excuse me, steers. I tend to clump all the dumb animals together.

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Bike currently stored at Soi 71 off Sukhumvit

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Udom

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Udon Suk @ Sukhumvit

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Got tired of waiting for those guys with the great seats to come back. I would just sit there...waiting. Want to know where I can get a custom seat for my PCX. I'm over 6 feet, with a 6 feet arm span & these stock seats with the 'hump' are tiny for a westerner.

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Asia, Philippines, eat everything. I eat bugs after many drinks, but hate chicken feet. Cow brains are also good when sautéed in garlic butter. Cow balls with the same treatment are also good. I'm a 'say no to dogs', but will eat cats.

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Living in Thailand, had to go to Malaysia for shirts & shorts, but pants inseam 36 & shoes size 14, ahhhhhh. Anyone know of a close enough country for proper clothing sizes. And America is off the table considering everything there is Chinese, but small, not normal. Though if a known generalized outlet in China, will prefer.

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Can report there is a service charge plus vat, thus 17% added to the bill though the chain isn't anywhere near a hotel. Also can report, after talking to a many of Thai staff, the service charge doesn't go to the service people. Same but worse in Malaysia, the extra tax goes to the owner. Thou in Malaysia, so do 80+% of the tips.

If truly, like your service, DO NOT leave your tip on the table. Indiscreetly fold it in your hand & give it (lower than table height) to your service attendant.

On another note, there isn't anything even close to real Mexican food in Thailand, better yet Bangkok.

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Don't understand your post, the topic is about the closing of the Sunrise Tacos at Jomtien and the reopening of Subs N Steaks. It has nothing to do with other businesses under the same name. Your implication is there is a 17% for VAT which includes a 10% gratuity. That is not correct. Any gratuity is up to the customer. The VAT is not hidden but added to the bill for full transparency. The restaurant quickly modified their menu to show the charge. See photo.

Stand corrected.

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Can report there is a service charge plus vat, thus 17% added to the bill though the chain isn't anywhere near a hotel. Also can report, after talking to a many of Thai staff, the service charge doesn't go to the service people. Same but worse in Malaysia, the extra tax goes to the owner. Thou in Malaysia, so do 80+% of the tips.

If truly, like your service, DO NOT leave your tip on the table. Indiscreetly fold it in your hand & give it (lower than table height) to your service attendant.

On another note, there isn't anything even close to real Mexican food in Thailand, better yet Bangkok.

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I am about to order a new Imac from the Thai Apple Online Store (Singapore) but am confused about their warranty service in Thailand. I'm debating whether the 3 year coverage is worthwhile. I live in Phrae province. The Apple terms are a bit vague as to what I could expect if warranty service is needed. They say at their option, they might offer onsite service, bring in service, or ship to service. Of course, I would prefer onsite service, but wonder if that is really possible where I live. As far as bring in service, the closest authorized service is in Lampang, about 1.5 hours away. There is a Maczone store in our local mall, but I don't know what they're capable of.

So I'd like to hear from other's experience. If onsite service is likely, I'd be willing to buy the extended warranty, If Maczone can service it, that would be OK, but if I have to schlep it to Lampang, or ship it to God knows where, I don't think I'm getting much for the extra cost. Oddly, Maczone is not listed as authorized service on the Apple website.

Thanks in advance for your input.

In Thailand there is NO service! Thailand is an unsupported Country. Better to buy it in a neighboring country & take the repairs there. Apple, just to note is completely Region locked.

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That's absolute rubbish.... there are official service centres in BKK.... that cover and do warranty work .... Just phone Apple and they will tell you were to go.... they will give you a service order number and you can choose from one of three service centres.

Do a search here, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/150-apple-forum/

because locations have been posted before.

Yes, absolute rubbish! You're absolutely wrong.

Posting doesn't it make it true. I called Apple USA directly about all authorized dealers or service centers in Asia. They're also no Apple Stores in Malaysia, Vietnam. Not sure Singapore, but verified (obviously) in China.

Those service centers aren't Apple. "iStudio", "Power Buy"...all these places are 3rd party outlets. Just call Apple, they will tell you or just ask the most English speaking Thai rep in one of these places. "Thailand is unsupported by Apple, Inc". The guarantees you get from these so called Authorized Dealers offer 1 year guarantee of covered repairs (excluding screen or water damage). They also offer a reduced cost replacement at a percentage of the cost for 650-700 baht. Got an iPhone 5s from iStudio in BK less than 2 months ago. Repair would only be authorized by iStudio. The one year warranty is not Apple & there is no extended version like in a real Apple Store.

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Much garbage here. A waitress won't reply. This is Thailand. 10% service charge to the owners for whatever & 7% to Gov Tax to allow the Foreign owner's to charge tax. Service Charge in Thailand is PURELY A FOREIGNER Tax. Pay to eat.

I suppose that means that you have never actually been to somewhere like the Hilton (or all the other international hotels in town) where 10% service and 7% VAT is part of the bill? Everyone is charged it, regardless of nationality.

Really, comparing a small fast food chain, no different but much smaller than America's Taco Bell and way smaller than McDonalds. Even McDonalds is no Hilton, nor do they have hidden bedrooms in the back. Nor do they charge 17% tax. They charge from my experience zero tax here. Now if you were talking about the Sunrise Taco's Hilton, made for people who speak without ever traveling or experiencing anything other than the Internet, then I would say I've seen your home.

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Been without resolve with True, 6 months now. AIS has been a smaller issue as well but haven't been thru the complaining process yet. And admins, this isn't about bad mouthing Thai companies, it's just reaching out to the foreign community for realistic solutions.

I heard there was a Thai community forum that crossed paths with the big businesses, that if customer service was ignoring a client, speaking openly to the community would bring up the "Face" issue which could force them to fold.

Also awhile back some TV Newsletter told the story about a foreigner was complaining about "form padding" (inside the walls) used in the construction of his extremely prestigious condo. Until he got around to engaging this Thai Forum, the Condo Company did absolutely nothing.

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OP, can people express their opinion without being judgmental?

Speak freely.

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Think the next small "hotdog" shaped dog I get in Thailand will be named Kerry. Sorry, will save that name for the pigeon across the Soi.

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Did you ever stop to think that one reason such a disproportionate number of people of color are in jail is because they have, very simply, been committing the crimes?

please notice I am not calling you 'dumb' or 'ignorant'.

What crimes are they committing ? Overwhelming number are for drug offenses, and I am not talking about multi kilo deals. Personal use.

The insane 'War on Drugs' is to blame for most of this. But it will never stop, because it is a proven money maker for the exact same people who draft the laws, build the prisons, fight the war, and prey on the needy.

As said above, the single parent households have their contribution, but a more in-depth assessment will show there are more than one underlying causes. Like - why are they using drugs ?

Find a solution to those problems, and the rest will go away.

It is against federal law for people to possess narcotics for either personal use or for distribution.

Those are the laws they have violated and what they are incarcerated for after being charged with the crime and convicted in a court of law.

While you may feel the law is unjustified and mean spirited, unless the law is changed by an act of Congress and signed into law by a President, the law will remain the law, regardless how Holder, Obama or you feel about it.

Firstly the law is unjustified

secondly it is not equally applied

Obama, like any other president has the right to pardon certain convictions.

Obama has so far pardoned 61 people far less than any other president

G.W Bush 200

B Clinton 458

GHW Bush 77

R Reagan 406

J Carter 566

G Ford 409

R Nixon 926

and the list goes on.........

So what is the controversy?

Initially considering until some, obvious way old timer started talking presidents as if they make a difference. Back to the cupboard with you...or here's some glue, go play.

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Much garbage here. A waitress won't reply. This is Thailand. 10% service charge to the owners for whatever & 7% to Gov Tax to allow the Foreign owner's to charge tax. Service Charge in Thailand is PURELY A FOREIGNER Tax. Pay to eat.

I suppose that means that you have never actually been to somewhere like the Hilton (or all the other international hotels in town) where 10% service and 7% VAT is part of the bill? Everyone is charged it, regardless of nationality.

Try again at "dis-crediting". Already researched the country & culture. The "Accommodations" exclusively, but each to own in that area. Will report TRUTH.

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Oh yes, the TRUTH, fair and balanced, just like Foxnews.

No need to be bias. This is food. Might I say, food be not politics but those which preach such are idiots in the making.

Anyone selling you Sunrise is a hired joke, ignore them. Check them out, but order in. Take away is "take out the dead".

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Much garbage here. A waitress won't reply. This is Thailand. 10% service charge to the owners for whatever & 7% to Gov Tax to allow the Foreign owner's to charge tax. Service Charge in Thailand is PURELY A FOREIGNER Tax. Pay to eat.

I suppose that means that you have never actually been to somewhere like the Hilton (or all the other international hotels in town) where 10% service and 7% VAT is part of the bill? Everyone is charged it, regardless of nationality.

Thinking this question is old or maybe the 'poster' is way older. Either way...lol

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Avoid Villa & other exclusive markets, note those unattached from shopping centers. TOPS also sucks. These are English/Euro Corps looking only $ with no refund. There are many international markets in every mall or shopping center.

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Serious! BK people, "Villa" is made for tourists exclusively. Go to the markets in any of the shopping centers for Intl food, to the Thai markets for daily (greens, goon, Gai or accessories like Garlic, Basil, Onions...etc.).

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Regarding the food...garbage fast food, mean very bad. Can do better at home. Mexican food is easy & very tasty, but idiot companies aways find a way to make it bad....and Thailand will add...not Thai, but the foreigners will include a tax just for them.

If you visit a restaurant in Thailand, meet the owner(s), then get a bill with a "Service Charge", you most definitely gone to the wrong place. Back to Sunrise, it is at least 10 beers below Taco Bell!!!! Closer to 20 beers below.

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Haven't read the posts, but all travelers should know, the "Service Charge" on your bill" is just a "Greed" tax from the establishment or owners. Foreign owners at least Thailand, well at least America, are insanely greedy!!!!

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Much garbage here. A waitress won't reply. This is Thailand. 10% service charge to the owners for whatever & 7% to Gov Tax to allow the Foreign owner's to charge tax. Service Charge in Thailand is PURELY A FOREIGNER Tax. Pay to eat.

I suppose that means that you have never actually been to somewhere like the Hilton (or all the other international hotels in town) where 10% service and 7% VAT is part of the bill? Everyone is charged it, regardless of nationality.

Try again at "dis-crediting". Already researched the country & culture. The "Accommodations" exclusively, but each to own in that area. Will report TRUTH.

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Why not include the 7% vat in the menu price?

Because not including it makes the menu prices appear to be lower than they really are, thus possibly deceiving the uninformed into eating there. Is that dishonest? Of course it is.

The same applies to any obligatory charge/tax/addition.

Absolutely and completely rediculous! Provided that it is clearly and conspicuously stated that a charge of 7% for VAT will be added to the check there is nothing dishonest (or unethical) about showing prices in the menu that do not include VAT. Anyone except the mentally infirm can calculate and add the approximate VAT charge mentally before deciding to eat in a restaurant that does not include VAT in the menu prices and when deciding what to order. All that is required is that diners be told clearly in advance that VAT is not included in the prices shown -- full stop. And, in the worst case, we're talking about an additional 7%, which is hardly the basis for deciding to eat in a particular restaurant or not. On a B1000 bill, the bill would be increased by B70 due to VAT -- if you are that easily deceived or that concerned about paying an additional 7% if you fail to notice the warning about VAT being added, you should not be eating in restaurants. If I was a restauranteur, I would want my customers to know how much I was charging for a meal and not have that inflated by VAT -- let them see clearly and separately the government's take. In the US, sales tax is always added to the price at the time of sale, it is never included in the price, as it should be -- it is too easy to forget/ignore the effect of tax on purchases when it is buried in the price. It should always be separate so we see and remember that the government's hand is always in our pocket.

I do object to a restaurant taking what should be a discretionary charge (a tip or service charge) and making it obligatory -- that, IMHO, is wrong and defeats the purpose of the "tip" -- to motivate good service. I try to avoid restaurants that do that, but in every case the amount added to the bill is netted out of what I would have left as a tip. The problem comes, of course, when service is poor and I would not have left a tip or I would have left a tip of less than 10% (assuming that is what they add to the bill). And there have been a few occasions where i did not notice that a service charge was included in the bill and left a generous tip -- my mistake, I can live with it. It is in my view, a bad business management technique, but dishonest? As long as I am told up front that a service charge of x% will be added to the bill, absolutely not. You really do need to grow up.....

I added the emphasis- hope that does not violate rules.

We have a problem then. THERE IS NO MENTION OF 7 PERCENT ADDED VALUE TAX anywhere in the menu. But I sure got it added to my bill today. To be sure, I double checked with the waitress who understood and seemed embarrassed and when asked said "the boss said to do it".

This is unethical and possibly illegal - even in Thailand.

I will not review the meal I had because of this. This bugs Jack Baron!

Much garbage here. A waitress won't reply. This is Thailand. 10% service charge to the owners for whatever & 7% to Gov Tax to allow the Foreign owner's to charge tax. Service Charge in Thailand is PURELY A FOREIGNER Tax. Pay to eat.

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