lorus59

I have booked a flight from Bangkok to Dublin, Ireland with my girlfriend in late April. We have done this trip twice before via Abu Dhabi The last 2 times we went, she had to get a UK visitors visa and a multi-entry Irish visa as she would be leaving Ireland to go north and then coming back again for the return flight. British airways told us that we need to get a transit visa for my girlfriend as we will land in London first and then connect to Dublin. So if she already has a UK visa, should she also need a transit visa to go from London to Dublin?

I have a small amount of UK premium bonds which I have had for over 20 years, I was considering buying some more so I checked the website and they said to check if it is legal to own them in your country of residency. It said for example it is not permitted in USA. So I wonder is it permitted in Thailand?

I have noticed that True Visions don't show La Liga any more. They lost the EPL a long time ago but will they show the Champions League?

I watched the coverage on Fox sports on Truevisions and the coverage in the studio is atrocious. We want to see all the action not some silly presenter trying to look cool and has-been (in other words, cheap) golfers interrupting the action.

Hot looking little bubble VW. Obviously targeted at upper demographic with good taste and fat bank account. I'm sure it will sell just not at rate of Vios. I'm not holding my beer ? on this one.

It is the entry level VW. May well be bought by people from the so called upper demographic with fat bank accounts, but even Bill Gates would be an idiot if he bought one at 1.88 million baht. Could you imagine how many would be sold in Europe if it was twice the price of a Fiesta.

Now we all know that perceived luxury car brands in Thailand are taxed really heavily and a rational person would balk at the government ripping them off. But as we also know, the Thai people who can afford to be ripped off don't seem to mind because they can show off their wealth. Now in the west, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus etc are all desirable brands, but ask a westerner about a Fiat and you will usually get the "Fiat worse than death" quote. Modern day Fiats are not bad cars in their class, but I bet most people would choose a Ford or Volkswagen ahead of them. So why is the humble Fiat 500 so expensive in Thailand? The cheapest one here is 1,690,000 baht. The price of an equivalent model in the UK is 765,000 baht. I am sure the most recent Fiesta is every bit as good if not better than a Fiat 500, so why would anyone pay double the price for one? It seems to be like selling snow to Eskimos if people pay that much.

Yes it is a great business opportunity to rip off poor people if it is true they can't afford the 40 baht minimum charge at the petrol station (Which is less than 100 metres from this vending machine). I would not congratulate anyone taking advantage of poor people to make a profit.

That's not right. I don't even see any part of this business is remotely close to ripping off the poor. It's all about choices and how much you see value in a little convenience. Nobody is being forced to buy from that vending machine. Price is clearly listed. If they don't like the deal, they can always go to that petrol station less than 100m away.

They really are that lazy/stupid, please don't put it down to the very few who don't have the 50 Baht minimum purchase at the gas station. I'll give you two examples:

There is 2 pumps for motorbikes at the Shell gas station in South Pattaya. Why do most of the Thais fill in V-Power instead of normal petrol? This stuff is 8 Baht dearer and has virtually no benefit. Do they wanna look fancy? Do they believe the marketing stuff? Or are they just too lazy to pay attention to it?

Example number 2: From what I observe, more than 90% of Thais hanging out across the road from Family Mart on Beach road will buy their water from the mobile bicycle guys for 10 Baht instead of walking 15 meters to the minimart. That's a 43% higher price compared to Family Mart. Why is that? I can only see it as extreme laziness, I have no other explanation for it. Even the girls with only 20 Baht in their pocket are still to lazy to go there.

And why is it that they work for 30 Baht an hour, yet to go home from work they'd rather take a 40 Baht motorbike taxi than walking 15 minutes?!

Are you really this stupid and cheap. What is wrong with what and where they choose to buy from? How much each individual make and how one choose to spend their earned money is none of your concern. There are many people choose to buy from small/street vendors instead of bigbox retailers for various reasons including supporting little local businesses. Are you suggesting that everybody who are riding bike taxi make only 30 baht an hour? They are using the bike taxi because, very obviously, they can afford to. Without these people you call lazy/stupid, small local businesses will be out of job.

So why are they buying it at the vending machine? It is obvious that they only have 10 or 20 baht available to buy fuel. That by definition means they are not flush with cash. The petrol station won't allow them to spend so little, so they use the vending machine. The company who own the vending machine know this. Why else would they place one so close to a petrol station? You don't think charging 45% more is not profiteering?

If you are starving and you only had 20 baht in your pocket but a loaf of 20 slices of bread in a shop is 50 baht but they will sell you one slice for 10 baht, what do you do? You buy the 2 slices for 20 baht of course. Now is the shop owner just having a good business opportunity or is he or she exploiting your situation?

The number of this kind of petrol vending machine are growing. That means there are demands for it and manufacturers are making money from it. If you see people are buying from those vending machines, there are demands and vending machine owners are profiting from it. "another piece of illogical Thailand?", that shows your character, doesn't it. You failed to see this as a business opportunity, and you actually think you are smarter than them? Obviously some thais are smart enough to have different logic, saw an opportunity, and turned it into a profitable business.

Yes it is a great business opportunity to rip off poor people if it is true they can't afford the 40 baht minimum charge at the petrol station (Which is less than 100 metres from this vending machine). I would not congratulate anyone taking advantage of poor people to make a profit.

A petrol vending machine dispensing gasohol 95 has just appeared on my street and it seems to get regular customers from local motorcyclists. I find this bizarre as the cost is 42 baht per litre but only 29 baht at the petrol station. Why don't they go to the petrol station? Is this another piece of illogical Thailand?

I believe murder is illegal and it is often discussed on this forum.

I registered on Betfred website and tried to deposit some funds in order to bet on the website but after I had entered all the details, the funds deposit failed. After many telephone conversations with the Betfred helpline, they finally told me that the card issuer (Bangkok Bank) is stopping me from using the card on the website. Has anyone else ever come across this problem?

It's about time someone decided to put a small diesel available in Thailand. It looks good. What are the economy figures?

I wonder if anyone knows which pros are committed to the Thailand Classic in Hua Hin in February?

Actually, a 2,000 note would be a useful addition. They need something bigger than 1,000.

"They explained that checks will be made whenever a foreigner requests an extension of stay in Thailand. If the place where they are staying is not found in the notification system, the owner or manager will be fined B1,600."

I don't know why any foreigners here are getting upset. It is not aimed at the foreigner but the owner of where they stay. I am curious how some owners would even know what to do. If a foreigner is renting a place how does the owner know that he/she has to report it? It is not like they will frequently go to Immigration offices, check government links or forums like this. There are no public information commercials on TV or in the media as far as I know.

Saying "it's just how it is" is the lamest excuse ever. No one be they Thai, Farang or Martian should be driving under the influence. If Thais decided to jump off a hight cliff would you?

There are so many stories here of people with absolutely no self control. If you want to drink, then drink all you want but NEVER operate any vehicle on a public road afterwards. Just imagine how you would feel if a drunk driver (or rider) killed one of your children.

Save the preaching for another audience .

There are by thousands more thai driving drunk than foreigners and those thai could not care less what you or law says or thinks.

How many accidents caused by foreigners in comparison to thai while dui? The ratio would be 1:10000???

Now how many thai drive without any license or "purchased" license?

Many foreigners do it because Thai do it . It does not mean it's right , it's just how it is.

Few years back I was hit by a speeding drunk taxi driver, it was around 22pm. The cop who arrived on the scene stunk of whisky and he also drove to the scene.
Now I only wished I was also drunk at the time as my wounds would have hurt less.

There are so many stories here of people with absolutely no self control. If you want to drink, then drink all you want but NEVER operate any vehicle on a public road afterwards. Just imagine how you would feel if a drunk driver (or rider) killed one of your children.

I don't buy into the idea that if someone opened a course where caddies were optional that it would not benefit the local community. Who would be maintaining the course? Most likely it would be locals, so therefore employment opportunities. Another point that is easily forgotten ,is that because of the reduced costs of playing, more locals who could not afford to pay green fees and caddie tips could also play. So that would also benefit the local community unless you have a snobbish clientele who believe they are of higher status then a normal Thai worker.

Looking at the Scottish flag I assume you hail from there. If you had any friends or relatives coming to visit Thailand in the near future, then maybe you could ask them to bring in a set which will look like they are coming to Thailand to play golf so you won't have to pay the extortionate prices here or the import tax if getting them sent. 

I had a Titleist Bullseye putter which I bought 15 years ago. I was playing golf last Sunday and I was just off the green on the last hole. I took my pitching wedge and my putter out of the bag and walked over to the ball. I laid the putter on the ground and happened to chip the ball into the hole. I took the ball out of the hole and forgot the putter. I only noticed it was missing on the first green last Thursday. I asked around and it seems no one handed it in. So there is a dishonest person around there. I borrowed a couple of putters but I miss the old one. I was wondering if any of you has seen a bullseye putter for sale in any of the pro shops or elsewhere in Thailand.

If you can only use cart paths then you might have to walk 50 yards across the fairway to play the ball and then 50 yards back to the cart. I doubt that would speed up play. I think these wives should want their husbands to get a bit of exercise. It is half the reason I play golf.

How can an "athlete" be promoting something for lazy ass people? He should be telling them to walk the golf course. Golf carts should only be available for disabled people.

I can never understand why Thais will pay double the price for a Merc or BMW over a Camry for example when in other countries there is not such a great price difference. I think I would resent having to pay huge tax payments to the government.