dddave

Good post. One correction. Don't say "ba" if you mean go. It could easily be misconstrued as you calling them crazy. I think you meant "pa". I'm guessing you could also just say "pai"?

Anyway, I've done this transit many times also. Been scammed with the 100B fee, but that's it. I've heard it has gotten worse recently. Best to go with an evisa already in place????

I don't think the E-visa can be used at the Poipet crossing but I could be wrong.

DA BED (formerly "Nap Inn") off Soi 4 (side soi with "The Tavern" on the corner opposite 7-11) has dependable wi-fi according to a friend staying there.

Small but newly decorated rooms: B800

In the dozen's of times I did visa runs through Aranyapratet, I never encountered any of the scams mentioned. The only questionable charges I ever encountered was the "No vaccination certificate" charge of $2 which could be avoided by just saying "No" and the attempts to charge $5 to $10 extra if you were not staying a night in Cambodia; also easily avoided by a polite but firm "No".

The Jasmine Hotel on soi BJ off Walking St. has decent rooms for B800. Surprisingly quiet considering the location.

I didn't understand a bit of it...thank God!!!

B100/hr traditional massage can also be found in Phra Khanong Soi-2 off Suk. 71; several shops just past the 7-11 on the right.

I know this is OT but would someone explain what "NOSCRIPT" is and why it is often recommended as a security precaution?

Firefox used to be my default but since Chrome settled in, I find Chrome to be much faster and more dependable.

Check with home banks. TD Bank North absorbes all my international ATM fee's as long as I maintain a $2500.00 balance. Charles Schwab also has a checking account detailed many times on this forum that does not pass on international ATM fees nor any fees of their own.

Chinatown (Yaowarat) any Sunday.

Jeez...ask a simple question......

Does anybody know of a nation that has been able to switch the side of the road on which they drive? It would seem to be a nearly impossible undertaking.

Just curious; where did Aung San Suu Kyi stay during her Bangkok visit?

If there is a red sign in the front windscreen then they are not going all the way to the destination. If the sign is yellow then they are going over the expressway, if the sign is blue or white then they are going to the final destination.

(Information taken from buses in my local area).

I prefer to use blue buses (134 BMTA Bus) or the Metrobus, although I also use the private buses.

Is METROBUS still operating? The #17 which used to pass through Phra Khanong, then onto Rama-4 seems to have disappeared in the last 3 or 4 months. It was always nearly empty; cost more than the BTS for many destinations.

Correction to my original post regarding the specs. of the AIGO 802

I originally stated that the 802 had 512m ram and 4g internal memory. That is incorrect; the 802 has 1g ram and 8g internal memory.

I believe the same is also true for the 7" MID, which I had incorrectly referred to as the "MOD"

Koh tort, karp

MBK always makes me nervous. Exits and down escalators are so hidden by stalls crowded into every square foot of floor space that finding your way out is difficult even under normal conditions. I always try to stay aware as to where I am in relation to the garage exits as that is where I will head if an emergency does ever occur when I am there.

If the garage is not available, I'll just kiss my ass goodbye.

Thanks, Sheryl; not only for this one but for all your always informative reply's.

Do you still put Samitivej at the top for overall competence? How about their Sukhumvit branch? (Very convenient to where I live.)

I checked the St. Louis Hosp. website. The package deals there appear comparable to most others, both in terms of checklist and price. http://www.saintlouis.or.th/program/show_detail.php?Package_ID=157

I'm about to turn 69 and haven't had a comprehensive physical in many years. Though my health seems pretty good, my legs do get "heavy" when walking any significant distance. That and a few other symptoms make it clear that the time has come.

I have read numerous posts on this forum over the years about the merits and deficiencies of many of the "package plan" physicals offered by Bangkok hospitals. Last November, Sheryl wrote the following...

Unfortuately no hospital , including not Samitivej, provides adequate guidance in terms of waht tests to have done. rather it is handled like a restaurant where the customer orders what they like. Either that or they try to push you for a higher end package than you may need. In addition, the "packages" aren't that well constructed and often both omit important things and include unnecessary ones.

So it is necessary to do some research on your own first to decide what tests to have. you are not required to stick to the packages on offer, you can add additional tests "a la carte" so to speak and that is often less expensive than going for a higher end package just to get, for example, a stress test.

So, money being an issue, when ordering "a la carte" which test for an individual such as myself should be given high priority and which can usually be postponed until the results come in and are evaluated.

Lomotopo & ThaiLife, thanks for the additional Archos info. I was wondering about the bandwith and which provider I would use if indeed I do sometime buy the 3G adapter.

Regarding the Android ICS 4.05 distribution; there have been numerous difficulties with the Archos firmware upgrade from 3.8 Honeycomb to ICS 4.2 that was rolled out in March. Most of the difficulties seemed tied to weak wifi connectivity and GPS malfunctioning. Google has been working with Archos and owners the fix their problems, issuing several upgraded distributions, thus 4.05 and 4.06 The main Archos forum: http://forum.archosfans.com/index.php is full of threads detailing the difficulties G9 owners were having with the upgrade. I finally gave it a shot in late April but not being a skilled troubleshooter, I quickly became frustrated with it and returned the machine to 3.8

I like the size and functionality of the Archos 80G9 with an 8" screen. Mine was a unique version made for sale in STAPLES outlets at a steep discount. It was advertised as having only 4G of memory but actually has almost 7G...go figure.

It sells in the US for $215 and up, both street and online.

Don't know if they have your specific sizes but IKEA has a fairly extensive selection of pre-finished shelves.

ThaiLife; thanks for that. Coincidentally, I just got an email yesterday from Archos-Thailand confirming the B2000 price for the 3G adapter.

Not sure if I'll go for it or not.

FOTOFILE has opened a new branch at the new mall opposite Fortune Tower. Fotofile is on the lower level that has a direct entrance from the Rama-9 MRT.

@dddave

How is the quality of the touch screen (sensitivity, not picture quality). I had a netbook-style Android based Chinese device once in my hands and the touch screen was horrible.

welo

Tha AIGO touch screen is pretty decent though not faultless. It does occasionally lag but that may be more due to the processor. With an ASUS TRANSFORMER being a 10, I'd give the touchscreen on the AIGO a 7. Actually more responsive than a friends Acer A200. My GF uses it for a lot of games and has no problem with seizing or serious lag.

FORTUNE TOWER, just above the Rama 9 MRT station has just opened a newly renovated area with 4 or 5 pro-level camera stores. From the entrance nearest the MRT, take the escalator behind the coffee shop to the 2nd level (possibly 3rd.) and walk down the hallway. They will be very close and obvious,

I once dropped a wallet containing $6000 in a Bangkok taxi and actually got it back, money untouched so don't entirely loose hope.