targaman

Hire a pickup (Songteow) from Isaan to come to the airport to meet you and load your stuff is the cheapest and most efficient way.\

Alternatively go to the departure level at BKK and walk out across the first few lanes where regular taxis are dropping off customers. Find a large THAIRUNG SUV style taxi and see if your stuff will fit in that.

Chok dee

Geoff

CMT,

I copied and sent your post to Captain Puttipong Bangkok Airways President.

He forwarded it immediately to Prote Setsuwan, VP Marketing, and FFP who has asked me to provide name or ID number of such member as I intend to conduct thorough investigation on his or her complaint.

If you would like to give me details off forum to process this complaint I am happy to pass on the info to Khun Prote Setsuwan.

Kind regards,

Targaman

Bangkok Airways Quality Advisor

Liiving outside the SYSTEM for the past 15 years I have developed a pretty good radar for information that is both credible and useful. It goes something like this:

1. Ditch the TV. Entertainment and News can be obtained on the web and viewed on a large flatcreen monitor with superb sound-Free and by my choice.
2. Do not register with any embassy. All governments employ the mushroom treatment. I am not a mushroom farmer.
3. When I am travelling to a new place, province/state or country I contact locals living there for an update on whatever...including local accomodation rates. Social networks are excellent for this.
4. I am responsible for me and my love ones. I don't delegate this responsibility to ANY third party.
5. I wear the following T shirt whenever I attend official gatherings (Rarely) "I don't need sex. My government fuc_ks me everyday."

Works for me.

I have bought several used motorcycles in Thailand (Phuket & Bangkok) but always with Green Book. I am looking at buying another used motorcycle in Pattaya that has a Pattaya Red Tag and has been off the road for 3 years. Does anyone know what I will need to do to get a Green Book for the Bike (Bangkok)?

In 2001 the then NZ Government passed retrospective legislation that disenfranchised tens of thousands of Kiwi tax payers who live overseas.

Who qualifies?

To be eligible for NZ Super you need to be aged 65 or over and a legal resident of New Zealand, having lived here for ten years since age 20. Five of those years have to be since you turned age 50.

More info at:

http://www.sorted.org.nz/home/sorted-sections/retirement/new-zealand-superannuation#qualifies

What do you think of this change in qualification rules?

Why would you register the bike in the name of someone else? It's easy enough to get it registered in your own name.

I have a few reasons:

1. If I am out of Thailand for any long period of time and I want to sell the bike it is easier if my Thai partner has the green book in her name. She sold my first bike for me a few years back while I was away for 4 months.

2. It seems to give me easier police mafia processing if stopped by the Highway police especially to have both my Thai gf and the bike in her name.

3. I don't own anything in my name (Philosophical choice).

I hav ebeen riding motorcycles all my life since I was 15. I have been riding in Thailand for the past 6 years.

Here is what I have learned.

1. Get a bike bigger than 250cc.

2. Get a Thai motorcycle license.

3. Register the bike in your Thai partner's name.

4. Always carry 100 baht in you wallet where it can be visible. Never pay more than 400 baht (Cost of most tickets).

5. Never ride in the left lanes unless a police roadblock...you will learn where they are soon enough.

6. Ride in the lane with the least trafffic and dont tailgate. Debris and oil on the road are a constant hazard and you need to be able to see it in plenty of time.

7. If you inadvertently come onto a toll way, U turn and go back.

8. On the highways that have no toll gate stay in the fast lane and go fast. No cops are willing to chase you and no cops will jump in front of a speeding morocycle.

9. Plan your trip with GPS either at home on google earth or with a mobile GPS. Remember there are a lot of route changes unannouced. U turns are a neceassary evil.

10. Don't ride in the rain. The road's are too slippery with diesel and oil.

11. Try to avoid night riding on unknown roads with poor or no lighting.

12. Maintain your bike well and if you breakdwn in the jungle, another motorcyclist will push you (With his bike) to the nearest town/village. There you will find simple help like puncture repair chain adjustment cable replacement etc.

13. If you have a serious breakdown get to the nearest toewn and send your bike back to your neares Post Office by PO truck (Special motorcycle delivery truck).

14. On long trips try and take the by-roads they are more fun, less traffic and safer.

15. Enjoy your motorcycling in Thailand it is fantastic.

If it happens more than once don't park your car in the same place. If it is happening outside your home? Move. Someone is trying to tell you something....Listen or it might be more than your tires that get slashed.

Sounds great! Keep us in the loop if you find out the legitimacy of the licence. The international driver's licence requirement seems to be a new police scam for "Farang." How do I know I was stopped yesterday in Bangna Bangkok by Highway police at a check point (Same one most days) and the cop this time asked me for my International Driver's Licence (First time) Normally they were happy with my NZ driver's licence. Of course I didn't have my International Driver's licence on me (Big card board thin) and as I was reaching for the customary 100 BHT my gf produced her driver's licence and even though there is no way she could drive a big bike and was on the pillion seat we were on our way with a wave and a smile!

I renew my International Driver's Licence every time I return to NZ but have never previously had to show it.

Hi bikers. I lost my original number plate (The fender rusted out and the bracket fell off with the plate. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement plate. The bike has just been checked and tax and insurance paid (December 2009).

I know I can go to the MV registration office and get a replcement plate but as I know the number can't I simply get one made locally in BKK?

Help!

Geoff

[i have just heard this from a Thai in the office that they are opening fire on the PAD protesters...

My own view is they have it coming, it is not as if they were not warned !!! .. i hope this makes them think twice about accepting 700 THB a risking their lives for a couple of Thais that cannot accept they didnt make it to power!

I hope innocent people are not hurt...

I know a personal friend (Farang) who's middle class wife (Thai) if there of her free will.Nobody gave her 700 Baht. She is driven by a sense of fairness for Thais after the raping of the country by Thaksin and his mob.

Perhaps you could back up your claims heard from a policeman? What policeman. One at Suvarnabhumi? I don' think so.

As for your comment "They had it coming."

Unless you live in the bible belt of the USA or are closely related to Ghengis Khan, nobody demonstrating against an openly corrupt system, has it coming."

Leave the Thais to sort out there own form of Democracy I say.

And I shall stick to my knitting. I suggest you stick to boating.

Anyone found a Mom & Pop Chrome plating shop in Bangkok?

I am looking to re-chrome several pitted parts for my Yamaha Virago.

I have found a couple of motorcycle shops that will get the work done but at a ridiculous price. I can unbolt the parts, deliver them to chrome shop, pick them up and bolt back on.

If I find a shop I will post it here.

Thanks,

Khun Geoff

On behalf of the moderators, admin, and members of ThaiVisa, we wish to welcome all new members to the forum... and hope that you find our forum informative and enjoyable.

This is the Welcome thread for 2551/2008, so post your introduction here.

Looking forward to hearing from our newest members.

I am not a new member but I have (I think) a new question. My Thai partner (Isaan) has lerned by herself to speak enough for her to live with me for 3 years without either killing each other lol. I have learned the same or lesser amount of Thai (Plimsleur CD). "Put Thai Nit Noy Krap!"

Su Nan is now at the stage where she would like to learn more English and to read and write English. Knowing the poor state of the English teaching standards in Bangkok (We live in Bangna) and not wanting to go to Universiity level English, where on the Forums can I fiand a discussion of other peoples experiences of their Thai parnter's learning English. Good and bad?

Love & peace in Thailand,

Targaman

For me aging is not an issue but "age bias" surely is. It is one of the least desirable conditioning facts of life. As I deconstruct much of the negative conditioning I have absorbed in my life I find this construct (age bias) well entrenched in society, both Western and Thai.

My answer is to not divulge my chronological age to anyone who I don't class as a friend; close family or for legal reasons (Passport). I prefer to remain ageless. Age after all is a human construct and in my belief system is illusory. What is more important is wisdom & happiness.

If I am asked my chronological age I simply say in a friendly tone "Why do you ask?"

Love & peace,

Geoff

I bought a Kawasaki Boss last year and did 14,000 trouble free Kms on it. It cost 75,000 Baht New. Plus 5,000 for a lock up box (Fitted), Crash Bars (Factory), Windscreen and brighter headlight bulb. Rego was about 100 Baht I think, it was so cheap I don't remember. The Boss is 175 cc Chopper style single banger that carried the two of us around central and northern Thailand at 1 Baht per Kilometre cruising at between 100-120 Kmph. I had to replace the chain twice. They are weak but cheap and quick to replace. I guess the 175 Kgs of me and my gf take it out on the chain!

The reason I bought Made in Thailand are obviuos to me.

1. Low rego.

2. No body wants to steal it! No need for insurance.

3. You can get service if you need it anywhere, including Burma where I got the chain adjusted for free!

4. I got 50,000 Baht for it from the dealer I bought it from when I left Thailand for 6 months.

5. The bike came with a free first service, 1yr warranty, prompt minor servicing, like chain and oil changes.

I will buy another new bike in Thailand in the new year. This time I will buy a Honda Phantom for the extra 25cc. Price? If you buy a Blue one, nobody wants one I think, 80,000 Bhat, 85,000 Baht for Black, Red and Grey/Silver paint. I will put a windscreen, crash bar, and lockable panier so all up should be about 85,000 Baht.

Where? Any reputable dealer in Bangkok. My dealer was near the Bobae clothing markets next to the Election Commission Building.

I hope they raise the cc limit and perhaps a twin 250cc would be great. Import bike? Forget it. Big engined bike? Forget.

Oh and one thing more. Get your gf, house keeper what ever you call her to buy it. The whole deal is over in 20 mins.

Motorcycle Licence? I have a International licence, but have never had to show it. 200 Baht normally works for the police charity fund.

My two bahts worth.

If you have an offshore ISP you can access it through their browser.

- Bring UK income of 500k+ baht/month into Thailand for past 5 years

Is this a typo? Do you mean 50,000 Baht/Month?

I hold dual nationality. I am a bona fide tourist who wants to continue visiting Thailand for as long as I a interested in this country. Been here on and off for the past 3 years as a tourist.

After the law change in Spetempber last year with regard to tourist visas I am curious as to how Immigration would treat me at the border if I entered after my current 3 month stay on a different passport.

Anyone know?

1. no Thai satellite service, at any cost, provides reasonable western/english programing

2. internet TV is hit & miss

3. no Thai provider has a TIVO device.

I guess I am finding out what retiring in the 3rd world means... or, why it's called the 3rd world.

could the violence in Pattaya be because of lack of decent TV programing?

I came to Thailand to live in Thailand. Not to recreate the Western world I left.

As for English TV programs here are my solutions:

1. If its a big game "Live" I go my local pub/bar cafe and watch it there on wide screen in the company of fellow sports enthusiasts.

2. If its a Movie I watch it on HBO or Start Movies (Free in my apt or I watch a pirate DVD.

3. If its a soap or other popular Western TV program like "Idol", I don't watch it anyway.

4. If its News I get it live on the internet 24/7 from multiple sources.

5. If its a special interest channel like Golf, Sailing, Skiing, Tennis or whatever, I play it rather than watch it. If I can't play I am seldom content to be an arm chair enthusiast/expert.

6. If its shopping channel I buy/sell everything i want on ebay

7. If its music channel I buy the collected works of whatever artist I like (Pirate MP3 of course) and listen at my leisure on my MP3/Mp4 player

.

8. If its educational channel, I do a course or self study from the internet or DVD (Like learning to speak Thai).

9. If its any of the 999 other cable/SAT channels available in the West I don't! watch them.

10. If I am invalided or sick in hospital I want to learn something new or read/have read to me a book

so I can get the hel_l out of this place of un-wellness and heal. of course if I am terminally ill I won't be watching TV in the great beyond. Well I hope not lol.

As you can probably guess I am not a big TV fan, English or any other language. I find I hardly have enough time for life of the real kind let alone reality TV.

So why am i subscribed to this forum?

I am a shit stirrer, that why

No English TV programs in Thailand? Wonderful for this Joker!

I will be there and bringing a new member who suffers from the same problem. No not alcohol addiction but and inablity to access this forum in anything but AOL's browser.

Techies start running!

Chok Dee

Has anyone else had this ptoblem. I can't access forum pages on thaivisa.com

The server wont let me log in in Fire fox, IE, Netscape or from a different computer and/or ISP.

Very frustrating as I have to login to AOL, and use aol's browser to do what I am doing now. Entering the forum.

I don't mind particularly except that I have a surchare when I use aol outside the US.

Suggestions? It is not activeX firewall or privavcy settings.

Chok Dee,

Targaman

Tried all these actions No Joy.

Tried reducing security settings. No good. Tried disabling firewall. No good.

Found I can login using AOL browser.

Anyone else having this problem?

Yes I can recommend a good barber. My shop Soi 24 Sukumvit beside emporium side entrance. Terminal cabin Shop Bldg, 1FL Capatain Beauty Salon.

I don't cut hair but one of my three girls will.

We also do shaves, manicure, pedicure, colour, etc. checkout www.captainbeauty.homestead.com for all the details.

Oh and yes I speak English.

I meant Thai staff affected by Tsunami. I thought maybe Farang Owners may have Thai staff who lost their jobs and are looking for work

Cheers,

Geoff