1BADDAT

Yes they work. No need to reinvent the wheel.ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1456916508.552574.jpgImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1456916527.489946.jpg

Do you dip them in egg before frying or just straight into the oil ?

Yes they work. No need to reinvent the wheel.

I ALWAYS find that the ex-smokers are the biggest whingers, not the never have smoked crew. Once a smoker always a smoker I say, they whinge and whine because they still crave. I believe in quality not quantity. If have tried to give up many times and I can tell you that live is miserable craving all the time and its miserable for everyone around me....if they stick around!!

You say that because you are weak and cannot quit. There are plenty of people who have given up the disgusting habit and don't "crave".

I was wondering: is there dual price for driving license ?

only if you aren't really a resident and have to pay a little under the table. This happened to me and I was totally fine with it at the time.

Has nothing to do with that.

Officially even tourists are allowed to apply for driver's licences. It says so at the Mo Chit Land Transport Department Office. At least the 2 year (previously 1 year) ones. For 5 year ones officially you need a non-immigrant visa or more, unofficially some offices will let you get a 5-year licence anyway even if you're a tourist as long as you're currently holding the 1 or 2 year temporary one.

The only ones who need to pay under the table are the ones who didn't pass their driving test

As I am sure you know, the rules are different day to day and from office to office. All I can say is what happened to me 3 years ago.

I needed a residency certificate. I wasn't a resident so they let me use my girlfriends address instead, The guy charged me more because of this.

Passing the drivers license test was no issue and I paid the normal price.

I was wondering: is there dual price for driving license ?

only if you aren't really a resident and have to pay a little under the table. This happened to me and I was totally fine with it at the time.

You are a corrupt criminal, don't try to make light of it.

I was wondering: is there dual price for driving license ?

I can understand people noticing dual pricing. What I can't understand is why they get their knickers in such a twist about it.

If you go to just about any golf club in the world, the price for visitors is always more than for members. That's because members pay annual subscriptions.

So if you are a falang in Thailand, how much tax have you paid compared to a Thai national?

When it comes to the crunch, if you think the green fees for a visitor at a golf club are too steep or poor value, you walk away.

It baffles me why the pissers and moaners on TV can't grasp the same principle applies to dual pricing in Thailand.

It's also somewhat pathetic when it's 100 baht versus 200 baht - if that signals impending bankruptcy, you shouldn't be here.

Rant over.

Below is based on information extracted from the Thailand Revenue Department website; http://www.rd.go.th/publish/24602.0.html 2014 Report, table on p. 94:-

Average (Personal Income Tax [PIT] + VAT) per person = 10,620 + 4,194 = 14,814 Baht.

(Assuming a Thailand population of 67,000,000)

Since the only one of those I pay on a regular basis is VAT, this equates to a VAT-liable annual spend of 14,814 / 7% = 211,628 Baht, i.e. if I spend more than 211,628 Baht p.a. on VAT-liable goods & services, I meet the average (PIT + VAT) tax payment per person in Thailand.

Without checking all my bills for VAT content, I reckon I pay quite a bit more than the average annual payment of (VAT + PIT) and therefore pay my way taxwise as a retired, non-working foreigner living in Thailand.

Why is only INCOME tax considered relevant when discussing this subject? The Thai Revenue Dept. receives 2.5x as much from VAT as it does from PIT.

As for the golf club analogy, how would someone feel if they'd paid their annual subs. (tax) and were then barred from the golf course because they weren't of the local nationality?

A driving license shows residency in the kingdom and thus not really a tourist

No It doesn't. I got a license before I even lived here. And now I have a five year license. If I go home does that mean I am still a resident of Thailand for the next 5 years?

But I agree a Thai license should be enough to let you in for the same price if dual pricing is involved.

I believe the mere presence of a foreigner has most of them shying away from the foreigner for fear of not understanding what the foreigner wants or what he is saying as 98% of them do not speak English and never will.

They do not meet many foreigners that can speak Thai well or well enough to understand what the foreigner is saying in English so in their minds they can not really help you before they even try to help you.

Usually they will tell another worker to take care of the foreigner while often enough you can see a group of them backing off and or pushing one of their work mates towards the foreigner while also, often enough, you can hear them saying: Koon Chew-Woy Falung ( You help the Falung)

Sometimes when I have been walking around one of the big construction materials supply stores and can not find what I am looking for and then it always seems that there is no floor staff any where around to be found, I will eventually come across a group of them all sitting around or standing around chatting away and I will walk up to them.

I will stare at them and eye them up and down as if I am angry while no one says anything at first but usually one of them will say hello:

Sa-wa-dee

Then I will say: Everyone here works in this store right ( Took Khon, Tam-Ngan Tee-Nee...Chai My?)

Chai Cap or Chai Kah.( Yes )

Then I will say: Very good ( Dee Muck Loy )

OK...Who here is really, really smart and knows everything about this store and all the products.

( Khon Nie Tee-Nee, Lroo Jack Took Yang....Khon Nie Cha-Lat Muck, Muck )

That usually has them perplexed as to why the Falung is asking them this or like this.

Then I will point at one of them....Usually a girl, and say: This one here is real smart, correct and uses her brain well, correct

( khon Nee...Poo-Ying Nah Lack, Chai Samong Kheng, Chai My..... Kow Chalat Muck, Chai My?)

That usually has them smirking and or smiling while they all point at one another saying:

My Chai, Khon Nee, My Mee Samong ( No way, this one or that one does not have a brain ) while everyone is joking.

Then I will say: OK, then everyone come and help me...come with me.

Kawh Took Khon, Mah Nee Noi...Mah Chew-Woy Pom Noi.

Usually all of them will come or most of them and then I have several of them trying to help me while I can see some of them have no clue while some of them or at least 1 of them is using their brain and helps me best they can.

Usually they are curious to know why I can speak Thai and think I must be married to a Thai woman... right.?

I tell them I have a lot of girl friends and learn fast.......but just joking. ( Mee Fan Yueh ..Lah Gaw, Falung Khon Nee, Lee-En Pasa Thai Lay-ow Muck Di.....

My Chai...Pood Lehn.

While I am there I always try to learn a few new Thai words ( specifically the Thai name for the product I am looking for ) and ask them what is this or what is that and what is the name in Thai language and how do you say it in Thai language while they usually ask how do you say it in English.

So...point is, you can usually have some fun at the same time and learn some new Thai words while trying not to show your frustrations.

Cheers

Isn't the obvious thing to do is just ask for 25% less? Make your own adjustment.

I find that a BigC is the worst. A lot of the hardware stores are actually quite good. At Mega Home in Amata city, I normally have at least 3 people trying to help me at once. They clearly have better training or management there. I think part of it is that they enjoy to speak English with me. There are not a lot of farang that come in that store.

The ones that emit CO2 to attract mosquitos work well. The others generally attract bugs

attracted to light (not mosquitos) and kill them.

You bought your girlfriend a "really cool" plastic cup at Big C as a Valentine's Day gift, and she was okay with that?

Does she have a sister?

(I'm inquiring on behalf of a "friend".....)

. It was just one of her presents, but no I didn't spend a lot on Valentine's Day. It's the first Valentine's Day together. I like to set the bar pretty low at first. Only room for improvement.

And yes she has a sister.

You sound a right catch ,lets hope she has the same requirements

Might consider that they dont understand what you saying (unless speaking Thai) as often people assume they speak/understand English but in reality they havnt got a clue beyond "hello", thats why they say "mai mee" and not "not hab"

I get the same in reverse, I can speak a little Thai but often they think I can speak more and they jabber on speaking quickly and completely loose me.

Yes I obviously considered this and gave an example of a Thai to Thai interaction. I generally show them a picture on my phone. That pretty much takes the language barrier out of the equation.

maybe everyone thought a pink plastic mug from big C was the perfect valentine gift for the love of their life so the store genuinely was sold out.

on the positive side, you're on to a winner being with a thai lady with such low expectations.

The store had a whole display of them left on Valentines day that were marked half price to try and get rid of them.

You bought your girlfriend a "really cool" plastic cup at Big C as a Valentine's Day gift, and she was okay with that?

Does she have a sister?

(I'm inquiring on behalf of a "friend".....)

And yes she has a sister.

I really like Thailand overall, but I am so tired of hearing "mai mee" whenever I go shopping. A majority of the time when I ask for something, whether using English or google translate or pictures, the response is immediately "mai mee". I am really not sure why most stores employ people to tell the customers that something is not available, when many times they actually do have the item in question.

I bought a really cool Kit Kat brand plastic glass that is double walled so it is insulated. They are perfect for a valentines day present (super girly) and my girlfriend loves the ones I bought before. I wanted to buy more and she called to see if they still had them at BigC Supercenter. They told her that they were sold out, the promotion is over. I knew better and I went on valentines day and they not only had a huge display of them, they were priced half off! Amazing Thailand...rant over...

Mine works very well and it was cheap.

Excuse my miss understanding or lack of reading after the 2nd page but just a few quick questions. What time of day was it? What Airline? And lastly where did you fly in from? As I fly in and out for work quite often I find the airports to be quite different at some times of the day.

Midnight , Emirates, Hong Kong

Ahh got ya. I am not sure on Emirates flights. But as I fly around the SEA region for work I can say it seems time of day you arrive seems to affect the service you get. Come in at late night always seems to get a grumpy eye as well as early morning. I find afternoon and evening seems to get the people in a hurry quite often a smile a point at the camera and wave you on. Fast track is by far not what it used to be and unless there is a huge que at the normal I will often skip the walk to the fast track and go in the regular customs line. Only good think about flying business on Thai air is the fast track out of the airport.

Do you need a business class ticket or just Gold on thai airways to use fast track? I fly star alliance and am gold status, just not on thai airways.

There's no restriction, it would hurt government earnings too much. As of tax rises every shop is normally forced to raise prices immediately, especially 7/11 and all the big stores selling with sales slips, they have to pay the higher taxes without delay. But most of the small shops take also advantage, always enjoying some extra profit (telling you that they have to obey the law and they fear controlls, but that's another story..).

Im pretty sure they (the stores) pay the tax when they purchase the cigarettes from the supplier. Paying tax when they are sold makes no sense. How would they possibly keep track of that?

The whole reason they were limiting the amount at the one store was because they could sell them at the new rate later even though they paid the old tax rate.

Why should it be difficult to keep track? Everything is registered, easy to controll. As I wanted to be sure of my answer it took some time as i went to discuss this with two owners of 7/11 franchises. Yes, normally they pay taxes when they purchase the cigarettes from the suppliers, but contrary to (most) western countries in case of tax increases they have to calculate the new prices immediately, including the ones they bought before the tax increase. They can't hide anything, that's also the reason you can't get alcoholics between 2 and 5pm (except they would sell and wait with the registration/receipt until 5pm). Surely not every item bought in all the shops nationwide will be controlled, but for them it's just too much of a risk.

You think the governments of western and Thailand control the selling price of cigarettes?

This has got to be a record..3 logical and well written posts about a subject in a row! Whoops..I just ruined the streak....

There's no restriction, it would hurt government earnings too much. As of tax rises every shop is normally forced to raise prices immediately, especially 7/11 and all the big stores selling with sales slips, they have to pay the higher taxes without delay. But most of the small shops take also advantage, always enjoying some extra profit (telling you that they have to obey the law and they fear controlls, but that's another story..).

The whole reason they were limiting the amount at the one store was because they could sell them at the new rate later even though they paid the old tax rate.

My cigarettes from 7-11 went from 132 baht to 165 baht. That's an increase of 33 baht or 25%. Pretty significant increase.

Not sure but for me a non smoke I think it is a great idea can save lots of life's .

Good on the thai government if it is true should do it in the west as well .

You probably also think that stopping people from buying beer in the 7/11 between 2pm and 5pm is going to save loads of lives as well ?

It will do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to stop smokers from buying what they want they will just go elsewhere. Something that nevers seems to occur to people like yourself or the people who make these ridiculous laws

We are not talk about drinking we are talking about smoking.

You need to look at what smoking cost the governments in the long run with what happens to long time smoking it is a dirty habit and if I had my way I would have here like back home smokers smoke in the car park not were people eat .

And back home the new laws come in next year no more smoking in mall and were people eat out side the best thing that can happen.

Because people like you that smoke don't care about non smokers like me .

Agreed and I'm a smoker. If cigarettes were introduced today and with the health effects and addiction known, they wouldn't be legal.

I hate them. But I also love them.

I`m the same. People that don`t smoke have no idea what`s it`s like being a nicotine addict.

Went out to my local 7/11 tonight and bought 4 packets of cancer sticks at the old price, no problem.

(Que all the anti-everything to chime in)

Drinking a glass of wine or cold beer in moderation is relaxing and rejuvenating, even better when with friends. But smoking even just one cigarette is harmful, unsocial and a nasty habit.

I am not advocating smoking, but there have been several occasions in a business environment within AsIa where smoking has actually been a very good way for me and colleagues, suppliers, customers...etc to have a good may to relax and build relationships.