dddave

It may be of interest to know that mattress brands such as "Sealy" & "Slumberland" are operated as franchises, just like McDonalds. The parent companies license the name to local mattress manufacturers to use on product sold within that country and usually protects them from imports using the same name. Although they have to adhere to certain material and quality guidelines, they are allowed a lot of leeway to conform to different local needs.

Basically, customers here pay a huge premium for the name but don't expect a particular model of one of these brands sold in Thailand to match the same model/brand as one sold in the US or Europe.

Lost and stolen passports happen; it happened to me. This is a good example to remind everybody to make copies of your passport and visas and in this age of smartphones, to take clear pictures of your passport front page and visas and keep them on your device, and even better, in the "cloud" so should the unexpected happen, you have immediate access to all your document details; even if you loose everything.

Thanks DM, that's probably it and "auto" mode does seem to work well.

Unfortunately, Samsung gives unique model numbers to air conditioners sold in Thailand so finding a corresponding English version is difficult.

I'd suggest first you go to FORTUNE, above the Rama-9 MRT, 2nd floor, there are a fair number of audio dealers there, both mid and hi-end.

At Siam-Paragon, Power Mall on 5 has a variety of audio gear but a very poor auditioning environment. Paragon also has free standing Marantz, MacIntosh and B&O stores, should you receive an inheritance between now and your visit.

The Times Sq. Building off the Asok BTS walkway opposite Robinson's has a high end audio store on the 2nd floor. Very stylish gear but I have no idea if it sounds as good as it looks.

I have a one year old Samsung 18,000btu air conditioner. it works great and I am happy with it however I am puzzled by one aspect of my remote control and hope another Samsung user can explain. (The manual I have is in Thai)

When I changed fan speeds in the past, the remote display would show ascending lcd bars indicating fan speed and they would be steady. Now, when I change fan speed, they just blink and always show the same speed. I have tried different modes: "Cool" & "Dry" but no effect.

Can somebody explain what the blinking display means?

Theres a timber shop next to BigC on Rama 4 its the same side as BigC looking left if your facing the main entrance sells large sheets of ply sure if you gave them a few baht they'd cut them to size for you.

That is pretty convenient to where I live, I'll check it out.

Thanks

Just read an article a few days ago about Asus issuing a new Zenphone-2 update that loads even more bloatware onto the already intensely bloated device. It seems they have chosen to ignore customer complaints and tech-writers concerns about the number of really useless and substandard apps they insist on installing.

If the OP checks the Zenphone forums, you will see that many users have had difficulties rooting the various models. If you do decide to root, make really certain you have the correct rom.

If you could wait a week or two for mail-order, the new Xiaomi Note-3 is getting rave reviews though you may not like the MIUI interface they layer on.

There is a track running from Tao Poon to the Mrt, maybe a service line ,but not sure why they aren't using it.

Thai logic baffles again

Nothing baffling at all, it's not finished and won't be until early next year. Yes it is late.

Sure looks like it's finished to me.

Even the map states it's an existing connection

If you say so.

Of course you can't SEE the communications, signalling, power supply, PSD and SCADA interfaces etc. etc. Not to mention the testing, trial running and safety certification.

Trust me, it's a good year away.

The map shows it as part of the Purple Line project, which it is, Contract 5 in fact.

I remember when the BTS built the On Nut-Bearing extension, it sat unused for close to two years while they sorted control and switching devices. As I recall, it was discovered that some key components hadn't even been ordered.

Consider whether you need to book in advance.

Excellent point. Unless it's close to a popular holiday, you can usually purchase seats on a Bangkok-Udon Thani flight same day as you are flying.

Where in Bangkok can I buy cut pieces of plywood or have a full sheet cut to my specifications? On Nut or Bang Na area preferable.

Are most standard plywood sheets sold here 122X244 cm?

When I moved into the Phra Khanong district 10 years ago, there were at least 5 wood/lumber shops nearby, now all gone, condos filling their footprints. Same true with garden centers also.

Suggest this topic be moved to Apple sub-forum.

I got a Doogee as well best bit of kit ive ever had. 3100 baht looks gorgeous feels gorgeous plenty of storage for apps and best camera ive ever seen on smartphone

I agree with everything but the camera part...decent but not in a league with Xiaomi and Asus

The new Doogee X-5 and the Homtom Ht-7 (Made by Doogee) are less than $60 including shipping on Gearbest.com (and a few others)

Similar specs...1gb/8gb, Android 5.1, 5.5" 720p display, 3000mAh battery...

http://www.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_268418.html

I have bought several Doogee's as gifts over the last 2 years and never a problem One of the best basic phones available.

Bangkok Bank offices, including mall branches Many bank affiliated currency exchange booths have WU.

They definitely had it in Foodland on Suk Soi 16 when I was in there a fortnight ago.

In the fresh meat section or the frozen meat case? I shop there frequently but have never seen it.

I hope you consult with a cardiologist first. Walking on a treadmill is not the same as walking on the street and it is easy to overstress yourself without realizing it.

Just scroll down through this forum and you'll find more than a few discussions on the very same topic with a lot of information and a very broad range of opinions.

Just go to the departures floor, walk to the waiting taxi's, ask them for the metre and off you go.

The official taxistand might have long qeueu's and there you can't choose your taxi.

What bothers me about this suggestion is that the taxis in the official taxi queue are playing by the rules. Taxis taking fares from departures are cheating the system and their fellow drivers. Members of this forum are never reluctant to voice their displeasures with Bangkok's taxis and constantly complain about lack of effective regulation and enforcement yet some think it's a great idea to flaunt the rules themselves if it buys them a little convenience.

AirAsia has a combo ticket Air-Bus-Boat via Surrathani or Nakhon Si Thammarat.

I've done the air-van-bus-ferry combo via Surat Thani and IMHO, it's far more trouble than it's worth and can take damn near as long as the bus to complete.

If you factor in the need to get to DMK at least 2 hours before departure, then, at the Surat Thani end, waiting for everybody to get their bags and get organized, then stand around waiting for the van, then the unpleasant van ride to the ferry terminal, then the (sometimes very)long wait for the ferry to arrive, offload, onload then finally depart...well, by this time you've already been herded around for at least six hours...if you are lucky you might be in your Koh Samui hotel room in perhaps another three hours.

If you are unlucky, and your flight from DMK is late, as it not infrequently is, and you miss the ferry...well, ...........

I agree that 4gb of phone memory is paltry by today's standards but when you think about it, those who have clung to their 2G "feature" phones and Nokia 1100's until now probably won't even use the 4gb of memory available in these phones they are now forced to deal with. They will more than likely continue to use them exactly as they have their old tried and true antiques...for phone calls and maybe an occasional SMS, I suspect they will not dive headlong into the Facebook/Instagram/WorldofWarcraft universe any time soon.

The people to be most pitied are the close relatives and neighbors of these unwilling smartphone users who will be constantly barraged with "Help me with this *&%+& thing...I touched something and now it won't work!"

If they are smart, they will not explain the app store.

It's a pretty poor bus. There is a bus out of the ground floor of Mor Chit that leaves daily at about 7pm, nice bus (but not deluxe with TV's, ect) B900++ last year. Gets in about 8am, including ferry.

This bus sometimes sells out, especially around holidays so best to get there fairly early. Sorry, I don't know the company name.

Above all, in this price range avoid Hotels/Guesthouses with only "in Room safety boxes". = Every room-maid knows the combination.

Safety boxes at the reception, requiring the master key plus the customers key are the only way to go.

Cheers.

Every room safety box I've seen requires the user to set their own combination the first time they use the box so I don't quite see how every room maid would then know the combination. The management does usually have a master key as guests are prone to forgetting their own combinations at moments of great need but in literally hundreds of Pattaya hotel stays, I have never "lost" anything from a safety box.

You can't assume it's the fault of the store, could just as easily be unsanitary conditions at it's point of origin or maybe a poorly refrigerated truck somewhere along the way.

I've learned the hard way to avoid prepared food in markets as there really is no reliable enforcement of food safety regulations.and prepared foods are among the most vulnerable.

An alternative to Thai Post might be KERRY LOGISTICS with offices all over Thailand. They have recently expanded their delivery services. Google them for the office nearest where you will be shipping from. I believe their size limitations are far more liberal than Thai Post

They can pick-up as well as deliver.

AIS, True & D-TAC are all selling NEW basic smartphones for less than B1500, some even less than B1000. If somebody offers you B500; take the money and run.

I'm usually a proponent of public transportation and try to use all Bangkok has to offer; the BTS, MRT and Airport Rail-Link whenever I can but frankly, coming into the airport, tired with a bunch of baggage at whatever hour is one of those times I advocate you give yourself a break and for the price of a decent lunch in the Western world, take a taxi.

You would probably spend in the neighborhood of B200 anyway for the ARL + the taxi from where ever you get off to Soi-6. Since the taxi directly from the airport will likely be 500-700 Baht, including tolls and airport fee, are your savings really worth the hassle? Just the thought of hauling your bags down the 100+ steps of the BTS should give you pause.