Asiantravel

It's not looking good for my lifetime membership in Pattaya. We've always been concerned about their liquidity, but this confirms it.

I'm sorry but in this day and age I don't have faith by any organisation whatsoever who promise they will provide their services for my " lifetime "

there simply too much financial instability and turbulence in the world

Suicides ‘by Economic Crisis’ Increase in Europe

Read more at http://www.inquisitr...pcDUXbLJqd5P.99

Suicides have Greeks on edge before election

(Reuters) - On Monday, a 38-year-old geology lecturer hanged himself from a lamp post in Athens and on the same day a 35-year-old priest jumped to his death off his balcony in northern Greece. On Wednesday, a 23-year-old student shot himself in the head.

In a country that has had one of the lowest suicide rates in the world, a surge in the number of suicides in the wake of an economic crisis has shocked and gripped the Mediterranean nation - and its media - before a May 6 election.

http://www.reuters.c...E83R08N20120428

I don't mean to appear uncaring but when you live in a country where hardly anyone paid taxes, many lived off the state and everyone had bloated pension packages, of course there's going to be fallout amongst the population, I'm not sure whether the blame for that rests with the state for allowing the status quo to continue, the state for changing the status quo or the individuals for not seeing the reality until it's too late, difficult to blame the bangsters though.

it is happening in other countries also

People should have to pass an IQ test before being allowed to breed.

have you noticed the outrage when you suggest something like this ?

I have said for a long time there should be a licensing system

You need a licence just to sell lemonade on the sidewalk in USA and for so many other things

and yet any irresponsible person is allowed to breed

Sorry LL I think that is very naive. I posted about this before; lets say I am single and I live in BKK. I have a high school education, if I wasn't too stupid or poor and dropped out of school. So I probably earn 9,000 bhat a month working at 7-11 and I work about 10 hours a day 6 days a week. I live in a crap 10 sqm apartment and that i pay 3,000 baht a month for and another 500 for electric and water. I have to take a hot bus to and from work everyday and it takes about an hour each way to get to/from work. I probably have to pay 15 baht each way so that is another 720 a month. Where are we now 3,000 + 500 + 750 = 4,250. Its tight already. OK now I want to eat, hmm noodles on the street are 25 baht times three meals a day times 30 days, that's 2,250. I have a cheap cell phone and I pay as you go, probably another 300 a month. Where am I 4,250 + 2,250 + 300 = 6,850. I need some water everyday and drinking the tap water is iffy so I buy a bottle of water a day and once in awhile I want some fruit or maybe a treat so lets say another 30 baht a day for other stuff like soap, toothpaste, laundry, etc. so another 900. We are up to 7,750 the government takes some taxes out so I at the end of the month I actually get 8,730. So what's left 980. Maybe this month I need some new shoes or a pair of pants or I got sick. Pretty tough life.

I think some of your numbers and calculations are off.

Based on your numbers, here is what I get:

Gross income 9000

Expenses

Rent 3000

Electricity and water 500

Transport 720

Food 2250

Telephone calls 300

Drinking water, soap, toothpaste, laundry 900

Tax 270

Total expenses 7940

Surplus 1060

Here are some things that I would change and my calculations below:

• Rent can be shared if living with another person, such as a friend, girlfriend, boyfriend or wife. So I'll halve the 3000 baht in my calculations.
  
• A "hot bus" trip costs from 0 to 8 baht. I'll use 8 baht in my calculations.
  
• Many people just eat one dish per day, and maybe a small snack in the evening. I'll include fruit here. I'll use 40 baht for daily food expenses.
  
• Telephone usage can be reduced such that it is used only when necessary. I'll use 100 baht in my calculations, but it could be much less in reality.
  
• Drinking water is often provided free with meals, but I'll add 10 baht per day for a 600mL bottle. A 1.5L bottle may cost 15 baht.
  
• I'll use 100 baht for soap and 100 baht for toothpaste per month, though actual cost would be less, as a new bottle of soap or new tube of toothpaste may not be needed every single month.
  
• I'll use 30 baht for laundry per washing machine load, twice a month.
  
• Tax is 0 if annual taxable income <= 150k baht. See http://www.rd.go.th/...ish/6045.0.html
  

Gross income 9000

Expenses

Rent 1500

Electricity and water 500

Transport (8 baht per trip) 384

Food (40 baht per meal) 1200

Telephone calls 100

Drinking water (10 baht per 600mL bottle) 300

Soap 100

Toothpaste 100

Laundry 60

Tax 0

Total expenses 4244

Surplus 4756

So more than half of the income remains for saving, leisure or more comfortable living.

your assumptions are totally unrealistic as far as living in Thai society

if someone is fortunate enough to have this kind of " surplus "you can rest assured

there will be someone in the village at home that needs financial support.

You have made no allowance whatsoever for sending money home to the family

Much safer to use the plug option, especially if move is required at some point. I would not ask this reader to take off outlet cover and make wire attachments and expect he will use electrician for plug replacement.

I certainly will be using an electrician

If you want to keep it simple, you could just run the ground wire from the washer into the receptacle ground (as it sounds like you have that, yah?). Just take off the cover plate, take out the receptacle, and connect the washer ground to the receptacle ground. But, use the plug option if appearance is important.

this doesn't sound half as simple as changing the plug

Notwithstanding the hit to GDP from last year's floods, Thailnd's BBB+ credit rating has been pretty solid - up to now. While the populist policies do not make much economic sense, rating agencies rarely move on the basis of announcements - they wait for deeds and resulting numbrs. This is even more so the case with Thailand where (no matter who is in government) there is often a pretty wide gap between what is said/proposed/promised and what actually happns on the ground.

However central bank indpendence is something that they take pretty seriously. If the BoT does begin to be treated as a convenient piggy bank, expect ratings to fall - and borrowing costs to rise - unless these too are kept down artificially - something else that the government has been urging.

We would all like a weaker THB - but not if the reason is a sharp spike in inflation -which is what high spending, low interest rates policies will produce in a year or two

there is already noticeable inflation regarding groceries and foodstuffs

you should insert an extra clause in the contract or if it's already been signed as an appendix

whereby you are fully indemnified from this sort of thing. The market in Bangkok is not that strong

that the landlord would ultimately refuse this arrangement because as you say you don't want any nasty surprises

This comes as no surprise

IMO Thai people have for a long time lived beyond their means.

For so many Thais as soon as they get their monthly salary at

the beginning of the month they rush of to go shopping or they

go out for meals. Then when the last 7 - 10 days of they either

have no money left for food / water and they spend the last few

days of the month eating mama noodles.

They have no concept of saving and budgets, yet so many have

IPhones and Bloackberry's. Priorities are so out of whack, they

eat and be happy today and they do not think or worry about

tomorrow

" yet so many have IPhones and Bloackberry's "

what about pickup trucks and SUV's? I wonder what percentage of the population

are up to their necks in debt because they paid 500,000 to 1 million for a car?

what they mean is that when you are travelling on your own you can't simply arrive and immediately

turn back without paying the compensation they demanded. It's their country and they can make any rules

they like so it's not a matter of whether it's legal or illegal

It can be exposed as is only an alternate path to ground and normally will not carry any current and even if it does is still insulated by that coating green/yellow (which is full insulation).

thanks again

You have the connection on washer - all an electrician has to do is run that wire along outside of current cord/remove plug and install three pin plug with the current hot/neutral wires and the new ground wire. If you want it to look better he can replace the entire cord with a three wire and plug.

They are sold with the manual ground connection because many Thai homes do not have three pin grounded outlets so must ground to a stake. If you have electric ground you should use it.

Thanks a lot lopburi ! now it makes sense

I don't care about the appearance so he could do with you suggest just run

the wire on the outside. if it necessary to then wrap it with insulation or is it safe to

leave the green and yellow wire " exposed " ?

A metal rail for balcony or some other metal attached to the iron bars inside the concrete is often the only option in apartments if your electric is not grounded. If your home has three pin outlets and they are grounded that is the best option and an electrician could run a ground wire and install a three pin plug for very little cost.

unfortunately I don't have a metal rail balcony either because it is brick or concrete block .

here is a picture of my plug. Presumably this cannot be changed to a three pin plug

otherwise why would the manufacturers not have done it?

.;I do not think much of that idea. the veranda could become live.

Actually, in the absence of anything better, the railing is a pretty good ground. I checked ours and it's nearly as good as the proper condo earth.

I will add to L3's comments that an RCD (Safe-T-Cut) is essential equipment in a 2-pin environment. If our OP does not have one he should get one installed as soon as possible.

thanks for your advice Crossy

I just found this website with a few different products http://www.safe-t-cut.com/eng/index.php?name=product

does this mean that the only thing that needs to be done by an electrician is to replace the socket

on the wall?and do all the sockets have to be replaced?

I assume there would be no rewiring necessary?

I would prefer to get a Visa for Laos at the embassy in Bangkok and I just have a couple of questions I wondered if anyone would know the answer to

1. after lodging the Visa application how many days approximately does it take before you can pick up your passport?
   
2. after you have received the Visa how long does it remain valid before you actually enter Laos?
   

Thanks very much

A metal rail for balcony or some other metal attached to the iron bars inside the concrete is often the only option in apartments if your electric is not grounded. If your home has three pin outlets and they are grounded that is the best option and an electrician could run a ground wire and install a three pin plug for very little cost.

ok thanks very much

Does the machine have a two or three prong plug (if three pin and your electric outlet provides ground that will be all you need)? If two pin and your electric is grounded I would change plug and run ground wire to plug for grounding. Otherwise you need to find a ground point which may be a problem - likely the best you will find is something attached to rebar of building

thanks for your reply lopburi

no unfortunately I only have a two prong plug and I am unable to run round wire to the plug for grounding.

Can you suggest what would make a suitable ground point and what do you mean by " attached to rebar of building "?

Thanks a lot

I just purchased a new washing machine and at the bottom right-hand corner on the outside

there is a green and yellow wire with a small circular metal fitting which I assume is the earthing wire?

my washing machine is being kept outside on an enclosed balcony.

Can anyone advise me where and to what this wire should be safely attached?

I just thought someone may be more familiar with this topic than me.

I honestly wouldn't recommend flying United right now...since their merger with Continental things have gone pretty badly in all facets of service.

Here's the skinny, though:

All United Boeing 747-400s feature the "new config" business class. Those are lie-flat seats with 15" monitors. Very nice, I've flown them regularly, you'll get plenty of sleep.

The 777-200ERs are a different story. Most of them have the new config, some (as described in posts here) are "old config" with reclining seats that are not fully lie-flat. I personally don't care, as I usually upgrade and am happy to have any business class seat. Contrary to what's stated here, the old config planes are not Continental planes. You can see which planes have been converted to the new config here: http://www.flyerguid...onversions_(UA)

The amount of miles awarded depends on the booking class you paid for as well as your frequent flyer status with the airline. If you pay for business class you get 150% award miles. If you upgrade, you get miles based on your status level, anywhere from 25 to 100%.

Can't say much about the credit cards, tend to steer well clear of them.

" I honestly wouldn't recommend flying United right now...since their merger with Continental things have gone pretty badly in all facets of service. "

quite frankly I can't see how they can ever recover from this slow spiral downwards?

reminds me a bit of how NASA died

Ed Visa is for students, not teachers.

yep, I know. illegal. but that is what they are doing

it sounds like a very desperate move. think about the other students that could be

affected if the immigration Department found out and take action against your school?

Compared to the first tranche of A380s delivered to Singapore Airlines, Thai’s A380s will offer an additional 36 seats in economy class.

Sounds like an offer that's not much of an offer. Don't see how cramming in extra people can be considered an offer (other than a lower price?).

(other than a lower price?). Hell would freeze over before that have happened with Thai

I obtained a one year driving licence last year.

does anyone think they will renew it for me on an education visa?

very silly man....monkey house for you.

Future English teachers to Thailand should keep in mind.....teaching does not pay well and selling drugs, while profitable will put your ass in the free accommodations of the Kingdom...and they are neither spacious nor luxurious.

no matter how " profitable " it may appear the moment you engage in this activity you start

competing with Thai operatives who can do any manner of private deals with the

BIB and you wouldn't have a clue about it. stupid to even think about it from the beginning

Actually don't mind the Russians that much, they seem to shower regularly and the women are mostly hotter than the locals and wear next to nothing. They don't travel around in flocks of hundreds like tourists from other countries and the only things I don't like is how they take over the 7-11's and practically live in them. Anyways Pattaya is a toxic craphole and "you can't polish a turd"; so they can have it for all I care.

This craphole is where a lot us live, dude.

I do agree many of the Russians are quite hot looking.

i live here too but that doesn't make thaidiver wrong in fact it's getting more toxic by the day.

just take the traffic chaos for starters

but I think the Russians are ok and I agree some are very attractive looking

Sprayed with water behind The Avenue heading to Soi Buakhao at 12:30 am. They were pretty busy along Pratumnak Road and 2nd Road at 10pm.

My assessment after being out on the motorcycle everyday since April 11 is that it seems more tame this year than in years past.

I agree tropo.

How quiet is Pattaya now especially Thappraya road and Pratumnak? Unreal compared to previous years.

OK, it will no doubt get worse but certainly significantly quieter.

Roll on 2mora

what happens then ?

You can venture out without getting soaked

Well according to post #71 Jingthing it says “ On April 20, Pattaya beach road will be closed to pave the way for the Buddha procession. Afterwards, young people go gunning for fun armed with double-barrel water cannons and buckets, ensuring the beach town gets totally soaked. Among the more courageous "roadside warriors" are the transvestites who turn up in super-tight T-shirts clamouring for more water.”