expatman

Just looking for an update about smoking at Soi 8 - is it safe to presume this is no longer a venue filled with cigarette smoke?

The food is good, prices are reasonable, but the smoking ruins it for me.

Several times I've walked in and walked right out again due to the smoke clouds.

OK for lunch, but happy hour or after forget it, too many smokers. They even allow cigar smoking.

Anyone have contact details (email, phone) for the Bangkok Soccer League.

Their web page still shows 2010-2011 season. The new season should start in September and I want to register my son.

Contact email for Stephen Wise (chairman last year) does not work, and I can't find any other contact details on the website.

Check out the Srivikorn School English Programme

http://www.srivikorn.ac.th /svk_web /index_eng.asp

Instruction is in English and Thai, fees are resonable (58,000 Baht/semester)

Located on Sukhumvit Road near Ekkamai BTS station

severance pay is taxed at the same rate as other income.

(from personal experience, twice)

(Anyone remember the song "Afternoon Delight" from the 70's ?)

Bangkok is a big city, but it has always surprised me how few "entertainment" places are open in the afternoon. Seems like most of the bar girls don't get up until late afternoon

I'm tired of / bored with the few I know, so looking for other air-conditioned farang-friendly pubs with friendly girls. No massage parlors or open-air "bar-beers" please. Pool table, snack foods, short-time accommodation would be pluses.

what border crossings are near Buriram ?

Do I need a visa for Cambodia ? (Canadian passport)

Do I need a visa for Laos ?

I want to take a quick walk across the border using my multi-entry Thai visa.

One big difference is that banks pay NO interest on non-resident accounts.

But the interest rate on (resident) savings accounts is not very much.

I agree with another poster who suggests opening an account with a Thai bank. More ATM's, and you can use Internet banking to pay your rent, utility bills, transfer money to your wife's account, etc. I use Bangkok Bank - Kasikorn Bank and Siam Commercial Bank are also OK.

I wonder what happened to the OP. I was hoping he was going to share more details or let us know there were no more to share in order to conclusively put this to bed as rumor and urban legend or if indeed there is "some" new criminal type we should be concerned with.

OP here. I've occasionally checked for new posts, but I'm not interested in replying to people making unwarranted assumptions based only on their personal opinions and biases or even their lack of knowledge ("I've never heard of this before")

The facts are as I stated, and there are no reasons for me to doubt what my wife (and son) said.

Several posts suggested that similiar events have happened, or that such drugs do exist.

Anyone who says this type of drugging is IMPOSSIBLE has a closed mind.

Don't know what happened and don't claim to. But while I've heard similar stories, I've always wondered...

If such a thing is possible (and maybe it is) it seems like it would be used widely in crimes all over the world - but I don't see any reports of it. And I can't find anything that tells me Dimethl Sulfoxide would knock someone unconscious. Anyone got a source for documented previous incidents or effects like those described?

If you carefully read the article cited by another poster you will realize that it is probably not just DMSO, but DMSO (a solvent) mixed with another drug to form a "drug delivery system" :

FROM THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE :

"Use of DMSO in medicine dates from around 1963, when a Oregon Health & Science University Medical School team, headed by Stanley Jacob, discovered it could penetrate the skin and other membranes without damaging them and could carry other compounds into a biological system. In medicine, DMSO is predominantly used as a topical analgesic, a vehicle for topical application of pharmaceuticals, as an anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant.[citation needed]. Because DMSO increases the rate of absorption of some compounds through organic tissues including skin, it can be used as a drug delivery system."

Some examples of using DMSO in combination with other drugs to treat horses are also given.

Sure i live just to make other people feel bad. I just have never heard of this drug plus my explanation is more plausible. But if you come up with a name of the drug ill 100% believe you. Im not over admitting when i am wrong. But until i see some real proof (name of drug and i will research it) i still find it a funny story.

I'm sure there are lots of things you have never heard of. Do you automatically disbelieve the existence of all those things ?

Don't just blame the toilet's attendent, her duty is to collect an entry-fee if it is a requirement..and to clean the toilets but not to look after those who patronise it..." perhaps she was in on it ".what a sweeping statment...

Isn't it her job to be suspicious of people who hang out in the toilet for a long time ?

She also didn't seem to be too concerned or want to do anything about the robbery (like calling the police).

I know of this scam/robbery. The drug used is only licensed to zoos for sedating elephants. Tiny amounts on the skin of humans rapidly leads unconsciousness or even death if the dose is too big. I am talking about tiny tiny amounts that are needed, I am not aware of any other drug that has such powerful effects for such a small dose. This scam has occurred many times in Thailand in busy places.

Well, finally someone who believes the story, rather than the idiots who hang out on Thai Visa always looking to suggest the poster is lying (but I expected this).

BTW, my wife had previously told me this type of thing had happened before to a friend of hers in MBK shopping mall - woke up in a quiet corner with all her gold missing. I also was initially suspicious, thinking it had to be some kind of injected or inhaled drug, but I later talked with her friend and she confirmed the story.

I'm curious to find out what kind of drug this is and how criminals can obtain it.

A WARNING !

Last week my wife was drugged and robbed in the ladies toilet at Hualumphong train station.

In the toilet she was approached by two women who applied some kind of fast-acting drug to her arm which made her very woozy.

She came to sometime later in the toilet stall when some concerned bystanders noticed the door was not locked and shook her awake.

Her watch, wedding ring, and gold necklace were missing.They didn't get her phone or wallet because she left those with my son who was waiting outside with the toilet attendent.

The toilet attendent was asked why she hadn't done anything for a long time until my son started asking why mommy wasn't coming out. Her excuse was that she thought my wife might have been sick or constipated. As for the two women who were hanging around the washroom, she knew nothing about that. But isn't it her job to look after the washroom, not just collect the money (perhaps she was in on it ?).

Jomtien Grand Palace has bungalows as well as standard hotel type rooms, nicely set out too around the pool.

Thanks, I'll check that out.

Any idea of the cost ?

I'm looking for a hotel that has small bungalows or rooms in a low rise building with balconies overlooking a pool/garden area. Suitable for a family of 2 adults and one 9 year old boy. Preferably in a quiet location.

Previously I stayed many times at the Dynasty Resort on top of the hill between Pattaya and Jomtien, but this is now closed for renovation.

Looking for suggestions for things to do in Bangkok with my 9 yr old boy during the school holidays.......

Already been to Dusit Zoo, Siam Park, Dream World, Ocean World

Plant some trees that will later become nice shade trees. Make sure they have no value whatsoever for the locals to mess with them. If your reltatives were too lazy to water what you planted for them before than why worry about doing anything for them. Many trees can grow fast in 4 years time so when it comes time to build it isn't so barren.

What kind of trees do you suggest ? The species must be hardy !!!

As I previously mentioned, I planted some fruit trees, but they died due to lack of watering.

Try planting Cassavas the non eatable type. Thais call them potatoes for food for cows and pigs. Main use is for Bio. It will cost you around 1500 baht to planet, cultivate, stocks ,labour, fertilizer. They may see 4,000 to 8,000 baht return.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/188328-growing-cassava-in-thailand/

Thanks for your suggestion, but it doesn't seem worth the effort for the small return.

I was thinking more of hardy trees that could provide shade or even fruit. What about papaya ? I see these growing on empty lots in Bangkok where some somtam vendor has probably thrown out the seeds.

For now I have financed the brother-in-law to raise ducks on part of the land, provided starting capital for ducklings, feed, construction materials. He's the only one in the family that gets off his ass to do anything.

Open a small Mobile Phone shop then the lazy family will have another place to fall asleep but like all other mobile shops in Thailand they will at least LOOK like they are working at something. (Don't forget to suppy them with a Television).

Anyone have any serious suggestions ?

(Yes, I know "serious" is a bad word here in Thailand, even for some farang)

Buriram is a problem area, it's either too wet or too dry.

Water costs too much money in the dry season.

I think the pond would dry up during the dry season and the fish would die.

1 rai is too small to do anything with. Don't concern yourself about it, build a house on it, sell it, or give it to the relatives next door which is what will happen when you are out of the picture. You bought it to support the relatives and probably paid too much for it.

Piped water is readily available. How expensive is it ?

I am planning to build on it, but not for a few years.

I'm just wondering if I can put it to some productive use before then.

I have (in my son's name) a 1 rai pardel that used to be paddy field. I live in Bangkok and only go to Buriram occasionally.

Planted a few fruit trees on it, but wife's relatives (who live next door) were too lazy to even water them.

What kind of trees (or other crop) can I plant that will take care of themselves ?

In rainy season part of the land is very wet - make a small fishpond there ?

Where is it located ?

Can you give street address and location ?

Has anyone reading this used the visa run company which leaves from Ekkamai lately (advertises in Bangkok Post)?

Let me know your experience, please.

What about the Cambodian town they go to (Ban Ram ?)

while this thread is open I have a question, my one year licence is due to be renewed in August for the 5 year one, when do i go to do it? before expiry or on the day of expiry?

Thanks

If you renew before the expiry you can only renew for 1 year. If you renew day after expiry you can get 5 years. Do not ask why-i know it makes no sense but thats how it is

NOT TRUE, at least for Bangkok Sukhumvit office.

2 weeks ago got a 5-year license issued a few days before the 1-year license expired.

Only took about 15 minutes and 605 baht !

If you're working in Thailand the best way to save money is by contributing to a Retirement Mutual Fund (RMF) or Long-Term Equity Fund (LTF). Check out major bank websites.

You can contribute up to 15% of your taxable income to RMF and up to 15% to LTF, making a total of 30%.

The main advantage is that anything you contribute is deductible from your taxable income.

If you are making more that 1 million baht a year 30% of anything over that amount is what you pay in tax, so you get a big refund on your next income tax return - doubtful the stock market will go down by more than 30% over several years, so it's hard to lose.

For RMF you must contribute every year (minimum 5,000 Baht), and cannot withdraw money until you are 55.

For LTF only initial contribution required, but must be held for 5 calendar years (even 1 day counts as a calendar year, so if you contibute in Dec 2010 you can withdraw in Jan 2015.

For RMF and LTF capital gains are not taxable.

You can also purchase a savings account / life insurance plan, and up to 100,000 baht is deductible from taxable income. The return on these plans is not great - about the same as an ordinary Thai bank account - but again the main advantage is the tax savings.