Kodan

You really have no idea how tough these old thai women are. Find a 75 yr old thai woman and piss her off......you will quit worrying about your wife.

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The brutal murder was made in front of several shoppers and vendors at the market but nobody dared to intervene.

The final five words here are key. People have to get involved if these disgusting acts

are to be extinguished. Think of the third plane at 9/11, or the efforts of passers-by at

Glasgow Airport. Nobody should stand by and watch - they should "intervene."

She was walking into a market. A gunman approached and put two bullets in her head.

Do you realize how fast something like this happens, and how long it would take the average person to realize what's happening and even begin to try to intervene? How does someone without a gun take on a shooter?

A second person pours gas on her and lights it.

Even if that happened in the US with me as a bystander carrying my Glock 23, I don't think I could react fast enough to understand what's happening, draw, aim and fire and stop the shooting. The perps were probably so focused on the woman that I could probably shoot both of them, but I couldn't save the woman.

Absolutly true. The first two shots get your attn....by then its over. Two shots to the head? The poor woman was dead before she hit the ground and nothing to be done to save her. She prob never knew about the fuel or the fire thank goodness. The total attack was prob about 10 seconds.....she was dead in the first two. Terrorist like this need the same fate ...minus the two shots to the head.

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I had the same problem except he was stopping by the house. Of course he never came by when I was there which in itself raised some questions but after repeatedly being told she wasnt interested he got bored and moved on. Now my wife is currently in USA for a while before we head back to LOS. If you trust her...trust her. Not much else to do if you love her. Chok Dee

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I would als consider Kathmandu in Nepal. A little more subdued nogjt life but lots to be had...if u know what i mean.

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I predict a trip to the hospital for some reattachment surgery in this gentelmans future.

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I give u credit for understanding your situation with reguard to your worldly knowledge and lack of experience.

I do not wish to scare u or rain on this parade but factor in some reality with your dream.

I teach self defense and personal security so please consider what Im about to say.

Dont do this trip alone. Just dont.

Yes u need to get experience but this usually comes thru mistakes. Mistakes while on ur own can be VERY costly.

In ur OP u give all the reason u shouldnt go alone.

REGISTER WITH YOUR EMBASSY WHEN U GET THERE.

You are / will be way to trusting.

Dont drink alcohol unless u open it yourself and never take ur eyes off of it.

Never go more than a day without checking in with family. And have have a code phrase for "im fine" and for "help me"

Leave money with a relative in ur home country to send u when all yours is stolen.

I cant possibly tell u everything u need to know but listen to ppl on here.

Good luck

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Cant seem to get a straight answer from anyone. Been told on .gov web site (which has unreliable info) its about 6500bt but on their forms it says 2400bt. Anyone got any idea?

It took me a year or so to discover the difference between NCA "First Class" and the 'chicken buses' I was riding. NCA has got my vote!

Thanks for all the input ... I will check around and see what I can find out. One problem is that right now Im in USA and the wife is trying to get something notarized to submit to the US Embassy.

Thanks for all the help.

Need to find out where to get a paper notarized in BKK. Bank? Lawyer? Police Station?

Never had to do this in Thailand..... any assistance appreciated.

All that asphault heats up and makes BKK like an oven. But then my wife is saying how hot it is in Buriram.

One week in Bangkok? That's a lot of oysters! (sorry, couldn't resist)

Personally I like staying out past On Nut, but you'll have a little bit of a commute from there on the BTS. I think Thon Buri may be interesting, I would like to try that sometime since the BTS runs over there.

555... someone had to say it! Nice job!

The OP however still hasnt heard about the hotels he was asking about.

Perhaps not in an 'approved' area but Nasa Vegas Hotel is decent for the money. Can get a basic room for about 800bt.

Sorry to hear that, Kodan. I've been to Kodiak Island before on a small Navy ship many years ago. It's a beautiful place. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks for your thoughts. Its hard to believe he is gone.

And thank you for your service USNret.

Yes this is horrible. I live on Kodiak and Richard Belisle was a friend. We are an island where every road is a dead end and such a small town ....we only have ONE stop light .... it is very rare for something like this to happen. Its been 10 yrs since we've had a murderso this kind of thing touches everyone in our community. This happened on Federal land so its a Federal Crime so FBI is on the case. We all think the FBI will eventually find out who did it and why but the only person left alive that knows what really happened is the shooter and he may never tell the truth.

When someone is murdered it sure feels different than if they die in an accident. Condolences to his wife and daughter.....

RIP Rich....we will miss you

I quite agree about the buses. I would imagine that by time you have checked in at the airport, boarded the plane, etc an then got to Buriram and traveled to the town,there probably isn't much difference in travelling time. There is, however, quite a difference in price.

Yep thats exactly right. By the time you taxi to DM, Check in 1-2 hrs ahead, fly, travel from airport to Buriram you have easily spent 3000bt and 4-5 hrs. Take the bus...you get snacks, food, Air con, TV and a decent toilet for about 350bt Best deal in town in my opinion

"Non Profit Bar In Thailand"

Those five words dont even belong in the same scentence. If you make your prices low enough to NOT make a profit you will be pissing off the people you dont want to piss off. Lots of good advice here. Maybe you should buy a taxi and have someone run it for you if you dont want to make money.

Google NOK Air or Thai Regional Airlines. TRA has a 6 seater Navajo they fly to Buriram... NOK only flies 2 times per week. Make sure you arrange for Transport from airport to Buriram City before you fly....other wise its a 30km walk. Honestly I usually take the 1st class or VIP bus Buriram -BKK BKK-Buriram. Takes about 5 hrs.

They keep saying "Check in early" but say nothing about getting to Immigration early. Its NOT the check in that is the problem.

Hey thanks for your time and patience. We would love to visit Alaska actually. We have actually talked about it a few times. Too bad China Airlines stopped flying - we would definately be there.

Anyway, the ring won't be much for so many reasons, just a simple band. She is tiny and some big stupid ring with lots of DeBeers stones, no we are not doing that.

Your advice is great about the 14k band, comfort fit. They are online and cheap. I just worry that 14k is just not enough if you know what I mean. Having said that - any ring is more than most Thai women get - which often gets put in a box anyway.

I understand regarding sizing the platinum vs white gold. BTW I have no problem in paying someone to size her finger here, what could that cost B100 tip? I might be frugal, but I am not cheap.

Thanks loads for your help.

If you take a ring in to a shop and have it sized it will cost about B700 -B1000...at least thats what Ive seen as some of the tourist shops and Im sure that was Farang pricing.... will prob be cheaper as a 'local' shop. Some shops may size for free if you buy from them. Have never done that in thailand. I only do the 'gold shops'.

Yeh I know what you mean about 14kt "not being enough" but that will be between you and her. You already are going very 'non traditional' with the 'white' instead of yellow gold so the 14kt vs 18kt might not be an issue. And yeh Im the same way ..frugile but not cheap.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Chok Dee!!

OK OK thanks kindly. But do help me understand this if you would.

I was going to go for the Platinum becasue I thought it was not plated and did not need to be plated. Hell, I could buy her a 14-18K white gold band and due to the Rhodium, will look identical.

So I guess if Platinum I will need to factor on getting it replated every year as we do a lot of things outdoors / camping, etc...

Finally, without her with me or ordering online, is there any way to ensure a good fitting? Did you state that Platinum may fit differently than gold (?) ???

If you are both active with camping and outdoor activites I would opt for the 14kt white gold with the plating. Why? A)Its more durable in some ways than plat. because its alloyed with nickle. Its cheaper. Not an advocate of going cheaper everytime but in this case I would. People with outdoor lifestyles are hard on jewelery and tend to lose things occasionally. Also get her as simple a ring as possible. Less to go wrong more durable etc. Prongs are bad things for outdoor people. C) Buy the ring that fits the lifestyle and will stand up to what you are asking it to do for many years. D) You wife/gf is tough on jewelry and I bet she is stronger than most women. Plat and 18kt will/could become oval instead of round. Not a big deal but why invite this if you dont have to.

No plat wont 'fit' differently. The wider a band is the tighter it will feel on the finger regardless of what its made of. As much as I hate it when people ask ME to size their finger so they can shop online, I would go to a jewelry shop in a mall and ask them to size her finger. Without knowing the size you are guessing. "just a little bit bigger/smaller' wont work. This is where ordering from a Mom&Pop store comes in handy. They will/should tell you to give her the ring and have her come in to have it sized.....FREE. Thats MY policy at least. Shopping online you will have to take it do another jeweler and have them size it and pay for the service. There IS a reason online is cheaper....but cheaper aint always cheaper. Also buy her a 'comfort fit' band. Its rounder on the inside not flat ....much more comfy and stronger.

Last thing....remember my old saying..."What do you get when you buy Cheap jewelry?.......Expensive problems" But going with a 14kt white gold ring that is a "comfort fit" band you cant go wrong.

P.S. If you guys ever get to Kodiak, Alaska look me up I want to see this ring! 5555 Also could do some camping here on Kodiak.

Ohh Waaiiittt a minute........ Is this a sick buffalo someone stole all the money from a farangs thai wife story??? Not say it is or isnt but sounds like it could be.

Just sayin

+87 on the Samet / Chang suggestions. Not far to go for heaven.

Thanks Mike but Nana Plaza? Wow, could surely not bring the gf there but if what you say is true, it does sound good. I am just SOOOO leary about jewellery in BKK. Scams here are legendary and after the money trades hands - its DONE.

Thanks for the stone info. It came from a small ladies ring my father won when he was in the navy and set it into a ring for new long broken.

I don't really see need to plate the Platinum and that was the reason we want to go for Platinum as it does not need or use plating. I have read the plating comes off fairly easy with sporty types. Thanks for advie about sizing and yeah the Costco deal (you can have a look on their site) looks like a real deal - might even get cheaper if I put off the puirchase well into summer.

Do you know of any way I can utilize scrap gold? Trouble is differing carat wts. Best idea I seem to have is to use a calculation to have it all brought up to 18k and then have it stamped and or made into something OR...get ripped off and dell the scrap - which I am loathe to do.

I've read online and there is also really no way to turn Y gold into W gold as well.

Anything "custom" in the US is crazy priced despite its generally not custom and just wax mold process.

OK thansk for that

If you find small Mom & Pop shop and tell them what you want they will be happy to accept your scrap gold as partial payment for your purchase. I do that all the time at my shop. And you may get a better deal at a M&P shop than other places seeing as how you can make an offer.

Platinum will also need to be Rhodium Plated to keep that shine you are looking for. Platinum is very soft like gold and will scratch faster than gold actually. Platinum has less allow to make it harder so it is inherantely softer.

Honestly dude... you are beating yourself up thinking too much. I know you want to do the right thing and not get screwed so just find a quality place that you feel comfortable shopping at and pull the trigger. My wife does this all the time...after she buys something she has to look at the same product EVERY time she sees it to make sure she got the best deal. If she finds it cheaper ...she aint happy. I give her chit about it all the time. 555

Thanks again for all that.

Costco has a Platinum ring 3mm for US450-480 for her size (+50 membership). Still US fifty cheaper than Amazon. Seems simple and straight forward. It is stamped 950 and the reviews on Amazon are good to quality and fit. Costco ain't gonna rip me off sure.

White gold would be less expensive, but I have no idea what I am buying here or where to go. Of course would never buy anything from a mall. My niee has her first job in a jewellry store and I shudder to think even pushing the purchase her way. I bet the store would still think nothing of ripping me off even on something as simple as a band.

My gf likes simplicity and not really keen on big rings or flash.

I have a stray diamond which is nice blue/white (about .20) I can't find anyone willing to match it with some synthetic diamonds (2) and put in in a three stone setting. Anything to do with jewellery is just hugely overpriced add to it "wedding" and I am supposed to pay even more.

For myself - hell, I might even get a titanium ring. Wish I could have my scrap gold (yellow) brought up to 18K (10/14/18k) and made into a ring. Possible, but a hassle and no idea where I might have this done or the cost.

The 950 Plat ring sounds like a deal. Most any jeweler can Rhodium plate for you for about 30-50 bucks. I say buy it! Keep in mind not every jewelery shop can size plat. So make sure its the right size or you may spend some time running around BKK looking for a jeweler that can size it.

That other thing you mentioned about putting your .20 diamond with fake diamonds.......Yeh.... dont do that. You will regret it when the fake diamonds look like shit next to the real diamond in about 2 yrs.

A titanium band for you would be fine. You may want to look at Tungsten rings. Also keep in mind that Titanium, tungsten..etc... cannot be sized...ever. Also look into Ceramic with a Tungsten lining ... feels great!!

PS.... if you just gotta put that .20 with some fake diamonds into a ring ...... I would do that for you but advise against it.