dddave

While I'm sure there may be a few Clint Eastwood wannabee's, in my experience with the foreign volunteers, they have always been friendly and helpful. I have witnessed them skillfully defuse some potentially nasty situations involving often very drunk, nasty and violent foreigners.

Get into a dispute with some of the notorious WS bar staff/thugs and you'll be very happy to have the volunteers show up.

At that time of day, especially if a weekday I would allow 2hr30min. If you put bags in the lower storage compartment, you can only get off at Ekkamai but if you have only small bags and carry them on the bus, you can get off at Udom Suk BTS station just after the bus turns on to Sukhumvit in Bang Na.

Getting onto the BTS there will get you to your destination quicker than waiting to get to Ekkamai.

If you are near Phra Khanong, Sukhumvit 71, there is a shop specializing in window film, mostly for autos but I have seen them applying film to plate glass so it can be done. I have considered the same as I have a 10' south facing window in my apartment.

The shop is immediately to the left of the Max Value shopping plaza as you face it on Suk. 71 between Soi 10 & 12

Umi Touch

Current promotion on Gearbest: Umi "Super", 5.5", Helio P10, 4gb/32gb, Android 6, about $200

There is a blue "Beta" download box on top of the main menu page. I did open it but when I tried to migrate my existing account, it basically said I had to let the existing subscription (UK Premium) run out before migrating my account or I would loose the balance of the subscription...pretty strange.

What price range are you thinking? What is the location?

Saw a pretty decent TV deal at PowerMall, Siam Paragon, Bangkok yesterday. An LG 43" LED TV with a very decent sounding soundbar included for B23,000.

There is no way around the fact that using an Android box requires a fair amount of study and has high frustration quotient. Google and YouTube will honestly help you a lot more than a Thai technician who has no idea of the content you want. There are a lot of Kodi forums on the internet. Just Google your box name and you will probably find some forums dedicated to it.

It has become apparent on this forum that internet TV, Kodi or otherwise never just runs simply & smoothly like cable TV does. It requires a lot of ongoing attention and maintenance. Just because something works today is no guarantee it will fork tomorrow.

There are some informative Kodi forums out there, "Cablecutters" for instance, that have a lot of useful tips. Just Googly your specific question or problem and there'll be a discussion about it somewhere.

My experience was that when I first got my Android box and set it up, it worked pretty good....for about 2 days. Way downhill after that.

You can get a free trial download from ILikeHD website.

Small optical shops (i.e. privately owned not part if a chain) as suggested in #4 are the best option. The exam is free and price of the glasses depends on what you choose, especially the frame. Just tell them you want as cheap as possible.

HOWEVER...you say your eye sight is "getting bad", deteriorations in eye site in middle age are seldom a matter of distance vision. More often it is loss of accomodation reflex, requiring the use of reading glasses - not relevant for driving. Or it may be cataracts, which glasses will not help.

Thanks for the advice. I think I will wait until I get to the USA so I can get an expert opinion from an English speaking specialist. I am not in the mood to haggle for my eyesight. I am sure the Thai places would be fine but I am headed to the states in a few days anyway.

I can actually read just fine but think I will fail the vision test at the DMV. I wouldn't use glasses ordinarily only when I need to drive in the USA. I notice I can read the Thai characters on TV okay but at any distance those little squiggly lines go completely blurry.

Given what you said about it could be other issues makes me favor holding off and doing it back home.

Thanks for the replies everybody.

I am getting close to a point where my glasses and prescription should be updated. I was in the USA a few months ago and visited a chain (Foreyes) where I had gotten glasses in the past. They used to have decent buy one, get one free promotions and their glasses had always proved durable.. By state law, they are not allowed to have in-house exams but referred me to an Optometrist conveniently in an office upstairs. The quote for just a basic eye exam was $129 and the least expensive multifocal lens/frame combo I could get would have been $240..."Sorry, no buy one, get one free any more." but they offered to discount the 2nd pair 25%.

I passed.

"I have used Dr. Paradon at St. Louis Hospital."

Useful information, thank you. St. Louis's website seems to be all in Thai now. Do you have contact information for Dr. Paradon? I would like to have an independent eye exam outside of a shop environment.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I believe with Windows, to re-set the administrative or primary password, you have to enter the current password to initiate the process. Is this also true with Apple? I believe even Google requires the initial password or some form of user verification to change passwords.

If you want quick and inexpensive, there are a number of optical shops on Petchabury Rd Between Ratchathewee and Rachadameroen...same area as Pantip Plaza but on the opposite side. I used to use Paiboon optical, about 2 blocks up from Rathaathewee. They have an eye test facility and a person who administers the exam but I do not know what his actual qualifications are. The glasses I got there were accurately prescribed.

Like all optical shops, they have low price options but will try to trade you up at every turn, from frame to lenses. They will negotiate prices somewhat. Depending on the prescription and lens type, they usually take from one to three days.

Avoid the big chains like Top Charoen. Over the years, many people have recommended "Siam Optical", a small shop on Sukhumvit 23 (near Asok)

There are probably restaurant equipment auctions listed in the Thai press and Thai trade publications just as they are in the west. You just need to enlist the aid of someone who reads Thai.

I bought the Xiaomi Redmi note 2 as a inexpensive ($125) entry into the Xiaomi environment. 2gb/16 gb memory and will take up to 64gb sd outboard memory, 5.5" FHD display.

So far, after 4 months use it has been flawless. It took me a while to adapt to the Miui 7 interface and there are some features of it that I do not like. For instance, I can not make my favored Google Music Player the default over the built in player.

I promised myself I'd use it for at least a year, then I suspect I'll go for one of their premium models. I love the specs of the recently announced MI-5 but it is a 5" display and I much prefer 5.5".

The Max is just too big. I tried a 6" Lenovo for 6 months and it was just too large and cumbersome. One wouldn't think .5" would make that much difference, but it does for me.

I've always been a Windows user, I've never had an Apple computer.

My sister just gave me her late husbands Macbook Pro 14" laptop, purchased in 2012. She asked me to go through it and put all the photo files on a thumb drive and to go through his Email files and other files looking for anything important that needed tending to. She found it too painful to do herself.

She has no idea of what his password or user ID was. There is no worry of finding illicit activity or secret relationships...he was a very straight forward and principled individual.

I don't know Apple or Safari at all. Today, I couldn't even figure out how to copy and paste.

My biggest fear is the machine currently opens directly into his user account, no password requested. I worry I'll accidentally sign out of his account and because I do not know what his user ID or password is, be locked out and never be able to access it again. If the FBI had such trouble with an I-Phone, what chance have I?

I also want to start using this computer for my own use and set up my own user account but as before, fear that once I am out of his account, not being able to get back in and continue the work my sister needs to have done.

Is there a way to set up my own user account without closing his?

Are there any specific actions that could cause me to accidentally sign out of his account?

Can anybody recommend a good tutorial for basic apple commands and navigation?

"I eagerly switched on when I heard that season 4 of Kevin Spacey's "House of Cards" had just been released.

What did I find when I switched on? Only seasons 1 - 3.

Season 4 not licensed in Asia because some TV channel (Entertainment, I think) bought the rights to show the series in Thailand over 13 weeks."

I just finished watching House of Cards, Season-4 on IlikeHD. I have a poor, 15MBs True ADSL line, lately I've been getting 5 to 8 MPs. There was a little buffering but not bad. Did have to use 360P but watchable.

IKEA at Mega Bang Na has a extensive range of bed pads, starting with a 6' foam model down to 1", most are available in standard bed sizes. Delivery available but not free.

Free bus to Mega from below the Udom Suk BTS platform in front of 7-11. Use BTS exit #1. The return bus picks up in front of the Ikea main drive, usually every 30 minutes but rush hours can be significantly longer. A taxi to or from Udom Suk runs about B80-100. Saturday/Sunday very crowded.

If you love old style, still working fishing villages, travel to Prachuap Khiri Khan and along the coast to Chumphon...Many small fishing villages, usually situated up tidal rivers. Not at all over run with tourists...yet.

Anything fun to do around Bangkok airport if I arrive early in the morning and will have 6-8 hours to spare?

Lots of "Duty Free" shopping and a few overpriced massage venues. You could take a 30 minute Airport Rail link into Bangkok..an hour each way actually if you allow for waiting times and changes to the Subway or Skytrain.

You could also take a 15 minute taxi ride (B100+-) to Mega Bang Na, one of the largest malls in Bangkok, many restaurants to chose from. If you own a home, they have an Ikea, fun to browse.

Easy to get back to airport when you want to.

AirBnB might be worth checking....lots of listings in that price range in many areas of town.

Is the Hua Mark ARL station convenient to Srinakarin Rd? What about Ban Thap Chang?

"Thanks for your reviews, but you first use Op Aroy for the name then Ob Aroy. I googled them both and came up empty handed. Would happen to have a map or link to a website that shows the location by chance, or even a phone? Not trying to be a pain and just thought I would ask. Thanks again."

Try Google search terms "Bangkok seafood town in town"

Here are a couple of links. BTW, It is also off Soi Lat Phrow 94. The name can be transliterated as Op or Ob, each as accurate as the other since there is no exact equivalent. The restaurant uses Ob.

http://www.bangkok.net/directories/property_details.php?cate=restaurant&type=thailand∝=ob_aroi_seafood_restaurant

https://foursquare.com/v/%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A2-ob-aroi/4b547a36f964a520bcbc27e3

Weekends are usually packed. If you go by taxi, the problem is getting a taxi back. A taxi "Mafia" operates there and they all want a flat B600 to go back into Bangkok. This was 2 years ago.

Op Aroy, Tanon Siwara, Town in Town, Bangkok Moderate pricing, open but covered, AC area available.

I'm not a huge seafood fan and normally avoid seafood restaurants in Bangkok, so many are overpriced and have haphazard quality. Not this place.

I'll start with the jumbo shrimp. I do like fresh shrimp but almost all the "Jumbo" shrimp I've had in Thailand tastes kind of muddy and the texture soft.

A friend brought me to Ob Aroy and insisted we get a small platter of Jumbo's; I reluctantly agreed. What arrived was 6 huge shrimp lightly BBQ'd over charcoal. They were amazing...super fresh and clean tasting with firm, almost crispy flesh...I felt like I was eating seafood from the cold waters of New England. Easily, the best jumbo shrimp I've ever had. We had a deep fried fish...sorry, don't recall the breed but it was also perfect; crisp outside, moist and tender inside. The sweet & sour sauce was balanced just right...no cloying sweetness. I was so convinced I wouldn't like the fish that I had ordered chicken satay as a back-up. What arrived was a plateful of beautifully cooked skewers, once again; moist and tender. Everything we had was cooked to a high standard even though this is actually a very informal and very busy place. Service is offhand but efficient, the menu extensive and the prices very reasonable. The two of us ate well for about B1500, including 2 large beers.

Ob Aroy originally started as a streetfood cart in the 1980's but their formula of super fresh seafood at decent prices has led to this busy place. Weekends are very busy and almost always a line from 7pm on.

Town in Town is an arty, semi-upscale townhouse village with many media production studios and small cafe's. It is situated between Rhamkamheng and Lat Phrow. Rhamkhamheng 39 is convenient for access if you are in that area. Siwara is the right turn at the stoplight by the Siam Coml. Bank.

Also accessible off the Ram Intra Expressway but you should use a map, not sure which exit but the SC Park Hotel and Town in Town Hotel are good landmarks

There are a number of similar restaurants on Siwara...Ob Aroy is the closest to the Starbucks (same side) with a large parking lot on the right side as you face it. Parking is free

Most taxi drivers know it. Probably about an 80-100 baht taxi fare from central Sukhumvit...well worth it.