dddave

Back in 2004, I bought a 33% share of a Nana Plaza bar from an American friend. When He and I and a silent partner sat down to go over the financials, I was surprised to see no entry along the likes of "Public Relations" or any other euphemism for under the table payments. "Who takes care of the police?", I asked. "Nobody." was the surprising response. Neither he nor any of the other Nana Plaza bar owners he knew had ever been asked for a regular bribe from either the police or local politicians. "Narit", the local cop who's beat was Nana Plaza would stop by from time to time, accept a drink or two, play some pool, flirt with the girls he knew but the only brown envelope he ever got was at Christmas time when everybody from the sweepers to the ice guy got the same. Hard to believe but true.

A friend of a friend recently sold his small beer bar, noting one of the causes being frequent extortion attempts by local Brits and Northern Euro gangs. He said a month didn't go by without 2 or 3 "tough guy's" coming into the bar, demanding "insurance" payments. He decided to call it quits when one of the thugs showed him pictures of his house. He had opened the bar just after covid when rents were very low, just for fun, as a place to socialize with friends. Raising rent was part of his decision but the threats sealed the deal. He also noted that almost every night there would be some sort of incident, pushing, sometimes punches thrown. He blames it all on the rapidly increasing use of drugs by expats which didn't seem to be an issue 10+ years ago. He figures with the relaxed pot laws, more younger Brits come here and try to support themselves selling pot, meth and ice which always leads to forming gangs. "Running a bar isn't much fun anymore." he said.

One thing not yet taken into account, the exponential increase in car rental agencies all over Pattaya. You really can't drive 1/2Km on any major Pattaya area soi and not pass a rental agency, many of which seem to be controlled by Russians. The price of rentals has also dropped dramatically. B1000/day used to be the norm, now B500 and sometimes less for older cars is common. On a busy weekend, I wouldn't be surprised if several thousand rentals were part of the traffic.

One man having multiple wives has forever been legal and accepted in many cultures so why not the opposite? There are some ethnic tribes in China where the women share multiple husbands and paternity isn't an issue. The women raise the kids, the men playing no role whatsoever.

I had the same experience with an earlier series D-5000 Nikon. Nikon Service wouldn't touch it. The shops at Mega Plaza checked it out and gave me a quote but it was more than half the value of the camera so not worth it. It's sad that most of todays hi-tech cameras, costing thousands for even entry level models are basically disposable. That the interior components are all modules of some sort that themselves cost thousands. I dearly regret giving away my Olympus OM-1/OM-2 cameras and lenses which had served me without issue for 25 years.

A forum targeted to Swedish Expats in Thailand would probably give you the info you request. Perhaps this Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/swebkk/

Chit Lom is in the heart of the business/retail area and among the priciest areas in Bangkok. If you are looking for anything other than a Thai style 30 s/m room with a toilet, B20,000 isn't going to cut it. In that area. even tiny 29s/m studios go for close to 30K, not to mention a 2 month security deposit. You will probably have to go 5 BTS stops in either direction to get what you are looking for.

Long gone.

Mega Plaza in Chinatown, 4th floor has many camera shops with vintage Nikon and other brands and repair facilities. Sam Yot MRT station.

Yes. For whatever reason, the online rep. at Medisafe can get a bit testy when pressed. Perhaps somewhat overwhelmed. I suggest you just make an order. Eventually he will send you an invoice with the prices and you can then choose to reject it if you feel too high.

A very easy, large and reasonably priced pharmacy very close to the Phra Khanong BTS: SIAM PHARMACY. Exit the BTS by Exit-1, at street level, walk against the direction of traffic about 100 meters. It will be on your right. I regularly order & receive atorvastatin (Clovas, Lipvas) from Medisafe Pharmacy online via Facebook Messenger. I pay by bank transfer. My meds always in stock and best price I've found. The total monthly costs of my meds from a hospital pharmacy was about B12,000/mo. Same meds ordered from Medisafe are about B4000/mo. Most are generics while hospital are from original distributors, though a few were generics. https://medisafepharma.com/

So what? I'm into my 5th year in the South building and have never had a negative interaction with any Russian. Most are families and couples who just want to go about their business.

The ageing JOMTIEN BEACH CONDOMINIUM complex (aka: RIMHAD) on Jomtien Beach Rd has a large selection of restaurants and services on the ground floor of the South building. The "A" buildings fronting on Jomtien 2nd Rd. also have some outlets. Both complexes have a large pool but no poolside service. Basic units are 29 s/m studios, many doubled-up into 1 & 2 BR units.

There is a small hospital complex on the access road to Wat Wan Sang Wararam, I believe called "Wat Sang Wararam Hospital" very close to Ban Amphur, near the big Chinese museum Viharn Sern. A friend used their services earlier this past year for a severe infection and was impressed with his treatment there.

Thai is a language of classifiers, whether eggs, paper or people, Thais classify everything. "Farang" is really no more than a classifier in Thai eyes. The word: "farang's" etymology has long been disputed, whether it evolved from "Frank" or the word for papaya or several other possibilities, it is not seen by Thais as rude or judgmental. We've long seen such words as "Gringo", "Gwello", "Yankee" as disparaging and that is pretty accurate but "farang" is not in that same league.