sakaew

Anyone else notice all the great Brazilian music being piped into the new Avenue Mall?

Sure is a change from Thai pop.

Where IS The Avenue Mall???

I'm spending less time on Thai Visa these days, for this very reason

A woefully large percentage of posts are lodged by attention seeking , intellectually challenged fools.

Get out from behind the keyboard...no one in his right mind is going to have the slightest interest in at least 50% of the so-called "topics".

With the exception of course, of like minded souls.

Ther are SO many needy folk in Pattaya.

Mobi is doing an absolutely first class job, trying to get all of us altruistically motivated.

He is to be congratulated.

Volunteer work make a whole lot more sense than self absorbed computer-centered crap.

GET A LIFE

I understand Dwayne Doberman is alive and is living in Pattaya.

So Ernie should be around here somewhere too

I'm as pi**ed off as everyone else about bad service.

A long time ago, I found that the queer old-fashioned hardware shop--big, seemingly disorganised place--opposite Foodland on Pattaya Klang......had a different approach from that mentioned in this thread.

If they don't have an item...the boss..a youngish Chinese guy utters the magic words.."I'll get in in for you"

AND HE DOES..on time.

This act of pure wizardry has happened to me more than a few times.

Just a few weeks ago, he ordered a remote control for a fan...no big profit there.

He has a wide choice..and prices are OK too.

On a different note...I've noticed that more often than not, the male owners of hardware shops, invariable Chinese Thais.. are sour faced.

I started asking them if they inherited the shop from their parents.

Thay usually look startled, and answer "Yes"

( Actually, I suspect it may be handed down from the wife's parents.)

Maybe they HATE being there....but they are just too useless to do anything else.

The Pattaya Klang guy shows every sign of being switched on..and loving his job.

To The Redoubtable Weho AO--AO (And Others) being Mike Todd's salute to the numerous unsung heroes of movieland--regarding the wisdom or otherwise of cooking salmon.

I have to reluctantly reveal my proletarian roots.

I don't like cooked salmon, nor cooked crayfish--"lobster" for those not blessed with Oz citizenship-- either.

BUT some years ago, my boozy mate who owned a Japanese restaurant, accompanied me on a Sunday morning fishing trip in my MASSIVE 17 footer.

We slung 3 craypots into the sea, into which 2 (TWO only) crays crawled to offer themselves.

I was surprised to see my mate grasp the crays , head in one hand tail in the other, and smartly twist, until the two halves parted company.

Probably with some reluctance.

He then removed the meat from the tail using a teaspoon, the only tool on the boat capable of doing the job.

He served FRESH crayfish sashimi...on paper plates.

( I always carried oshoyu and wasabi on the boat. )

That was quite a few years ago...and I have not forgotten it to this day.

This is NOTHING at all do with the swines at Fuji--which I also agree are good value for money, but would go broke in Shichimach within 2 days---but by C*rist..it says a lot about REAL Japanese cuisine

As opposed to Japanese cooking...as dished up in Pattaya.

I can recommend Kaiseki Ryori to anyone who genuinely LOVES Jap Tucker.

Anyone know where it can be found in Pattaya?

Jeez Soundman...you met your wife--she sounds GREAT--at "your club"?

You're not a Fremantle Dockers member are yer?

Some of those ladies are a bit fiery

No TV - but will a fridge do? Got one of a kid in a basket as well

I once saw two guys proceeding serenely down Pattaya Tia on their 125cc Honda...with a twin tub washing machine balanced between them.

I took my Canon Digital Camera--purchased in Oz--to the Canon Shop in Tuk Com building in Siracha...for repair.

( NOT in Tuk Com Pattaya.)

It took a few weeks, but came back eventually....all done under warranty, which had expired a year or two earlier.

I did not ask for an Under Warranty repair...so it was doubly appreciated.

Maybe I missed some announcement....but the PM box has disappeared from my TV.

Have Personal Messages been done away with?

Or do I have a problem with my TV programme?

Hi Jimmy

You will find a range of the fans you require at that big old fashioned hardware store opposite Foodland on Pattaya Klang.

I bought the smallest big buggar they had--about 16 inch-- and duly installed it in the roof cavity.

It IS a bit noisy....but I don't expect to have it running all that often.

Time will tell.

Does it work?

Dunno....I came back to Oz a day or so after it was installed.

....I have also stuck 6 inch thich insulation in the ceiling cavity, along with one double glazed window...and an extra turbo fan in the roof.

Maybe I'll get more of those turbos.

I'm taking back 70% shade cloth to put over that double glazed window.

Good though it is....I want it to be even better.

( The electrician initially put the fan in the wrong way around...so be careful.)

My email is [email protected]

I get back to Pattaya on 2 march....Come and take a look

I'll be back in Pattaya next Monday.

I'm happy to make Serious Representations to The Bouncy Castle king, via my inamorata, about the possibility of his willingness to get Obscenely Rich by hiring it for a day to a falang.

We do our shopping every day at that market anyway.

No trouble at all.

There's a guy who turns up every afternoon at the afternoon market, corner of Sukhumvit and Soi Khotalo...with his very own Bouncy Castle.

It might be worth rocking along and speaking to him.

If YOU will give him more than he can get at the market...you may have yourself a deal.

Good Luck.

( He may also have Blow Up Women.

Sure to be a hit at a falang party.)

Wasps in Thailand?

Last year, I became alarmed when I noticed a HUGE wasp's nest in a mango tree outside my house, in Nernplubwan....bigger than the one in Guardian's photo.

In the Wonderful Land of Oz...it's simple to just call someone who will fix the buggar.

Not so simple in Thai.

Finally I tracked down someone who knew some guy in the Pattaya Fire Brigade who offered to come and attend to the problem

Two guys came a day or two later, and assessed the situation.

They quoted 200 baht each..which suited me nicely.

They came back after dark that night...with another couple of hangers on.

They did not wear any protection at all...which surprised me.

I expected to see full cover-up gear, plus face masks etc.

After all...the wasps were VERY big....about one ond a quarter inch long...and there were swarms of the buggars coming and going all day long.

No activity at night though..

Thay soaked a rag in some kind of oil, set alight to it..and shoved it up the tree on the end of a bit of bamboo, until it was under the nest.

A dreadful deep, buzzing, rumbling sound like a Boeing 747 came from the wasps.

There was nobody stung at all..I can only assume the wasps are like Superman in the presence of Kryptonite after dark...or maybe the fumes from the burning oil stuffed them.

The guys simply bashed the nest with the burning/smouldering rag, until it was all on the ground.

Next day the wasps had disappeared never to return.

The ground was littered with literally hundreds of wasps either dead or REAL groggy.

They died later in the day.

( Evidently Thais eat them !!)

ONLY in Thailand...but it sure worked.

Cork??

I'm in a position to let you have some.

To my surprise, there's a cork tree--about 6 meters tall--growing in my garden in Soi Khotalo.

No joke.

None of the Thais I've asked have had any idea it was where cork comes from.

It's just a "Common tree with nice white flowers."

I can only assume it's far from rare in Thailand.

my my...we live and learn.

That large old-fashioned hardware shop opposite Foodland on Pattaya Klang has just about everthing else...might be worth an ask.

But usually we've just got to keep asking..and finally we can get most things in Pattaya.

Thanks for the info Mobi

Was the deed done by Sunbelt Bangkok?

Or by their Pattaya office ?

A few months ago, my nephew and his motorcy were hit by a truck, which ran a red light.

( If yer going to get hit...don't waste time with the small stuff.)

I went to Kabin Buri cops to collect the mangled remains of the bike...with no hope at all of getting the 2000 baht he had in an envelope under the seat.

The Head Honcho cop not only did not ask for any money...but he handed over the envelope without being asked.

Good guy

Are the wallopers in Pattaya similarly altruistically motivated?????

hahahahaha

Wilko....my understanding is that Hutch use the Sierra 555 Aircard...which MAY have been superceded by another Aircard...poking out ADSL

AIS use Solomon, sold through Wattana Computers in Pattaya Klang

It's worth asking if what they want to sell you for 4400 baht IS Aircard 555...or Solomon...or indeed, the ADSL Aircard

My mate assures me that his Solomon goes appreciably faster with a driver uipdate.

Good question Wilco..I was just about to post a similar point. I've had Hutch Sierra Aircard 555 for about 18 months now, and it works just as well in the village, as in Pattaya.

1500 a month, unlimited downloads.

I saw some info somewhere to the effect that Hutch now have Wireless ADSL...via a different card.

I went to Hutch's office in Pattaya a few days ago. They gave me a brochure, and told me they were out of stock of the ADSL modem.

Yesterday. I was in Pacific Fair in Siracha, and asked Hutch's Chonburi office about it.

A woman told me that the ADSL modem is "slower than than Aircard."

What gives??

What to do now?

It all sounds a bit suspect, so I'll get Diana-the Godess-of-Love to call Hutch's BKK office.

A friend has a Solomon powered AIS deal.

I'll take my laptop to his house today or tomorrow, and ask him to do a connection speed test....against Aircard.

As the redoubtable Jim Godber has observed on another thread, Solomon is good...as is Aircard.

I've had no problems at all.

If there really IS no fast wireless internet...maybe a switch to Solomon will give a few extra miles per hour .

And even though there may be nothing better available right now, mayber some fast modem WILL come sometime

As The Pattaya Mail's Thwarted Lover's column pointed out some time ago...many falang are not entirely sure whether they are loved and respected by their Tws...or used.

Some 3 or 4 years into my relationship...my wife remarked that since her brother did not conform to the accepted Thai behaviour pattern--i.e. he failed to get regular work--his nickname would hence forth be "Sh*thead"..

When her sister decided to forego responsibility to the family ..she was allocated a similarly disparaging nickname.

Does my being privy to the family's inner sanctum of approbation vis-a-vis other family members mean..I've been accepted??

( I wonder what MY nickname is???

hahahah )

Village Thais may be a bit blunt...but usually they're accurate in summing up people

how about you?

when did YOU feel..you had "made it"?

I checked a few weeks ago..and Carrefour sell a range of quality coffee grinders

Why not grind it fresh yourself every morning ?

The aroma in the kitchen is great way to start the day

A year or two ago, I tried to buy a catch-bag..as used by scuba divers to put stuff in.

( I wanted to put frogs in it !! )

Alas...I could find none in the 3 or 4 dive shops I went into in Pattaya.

One guy told me the reason they stocked everything else but NOT catch bags..is there's nothing left to catch.

The whole area has been raped..and all the fish have been taken.

That having been said..it seems likely that school fish would hang around somewhere.

Or have they all been taken too?

I hope you get good info..I'd like to catch a few fish too.

At those prices and the cost of the Bar B Que you would be better off buying in Thailand. Believe it or not Thailand does sell imported western style Bar B Ques.

Barry

Checkthe website for the guy who sells Oz BBQs in Thai...as displayed at Homemart (?)...near the corner of Taphraya and Tepprasit

www etc bbqthai.com

And check prices of 6 burner stainless BBQs

HORRIFYINGLY expensive

ALL UP...mine was 15,000..... less than a third of "Thai" prices

I am not suggesting those sold locally are overpriced...just that I had an opportunity to get one at a much lower price by directly importing it.

Six months ago, my friend's son in Melbourne sent him a 70kg item...using Thai Inter.

Air freight expensive? Well yes..about 12,000 baht

The lady at TI Freight at Don Muang, strongly suggested to his wife that they NOT use one of the "helpful persons" who get a "fee " for expediting stuff --read "tout"--since they are known to collect the item from one part of the Freight Terminal...and simply steal it, while the consignee is waiting close by.

All went well on pick-up day...no problem with Thai Inter..and no Customs duty to pay. About one hour to do everything. Very pleasant

Being a smart arse, I thought I'd do the same, but use sea freight...which was half the cost. The item was identical. Sea Freight...6000 baht

The golden day dawned, and I ambled down to the wharves at Laemchebang, to get my BBQ..expecting similar treatment.

TWO DAYS later, I finally had my stuff...together with a BIG dose of stress.

It was Thai bureacracy/mafia at it's worst.

The customs, the Shipping Agent...would NOT deal directly with me.

I had no alternative but to engage a tout...Cost? 3000 baht

Next time? Gotta be air freight

I've taken at least 10 phones to Pattaya from The Wonderful Land of Oz...and had varying degrees of success with unlocking.

Usually no problem with Nokia.

Some Motorolas were OK too...as were SOME Sony Ericssons.

But it turns out that if there is little demand for unlocking/adding Thai language on a particular phone... the shop may not have a connection cable--computer to phone--plus whatever software they need....stiff luck

Good luck with Panasonic

BTW...the shops on the upper floor at Big C Pattaya Klang, are usually MUCH more expensive than other outlets, for adding Thai language, or unlocking.

I usually use one of the guys at the stalls next to the front door of Big C Pattaya Tai--there are 2 of them, both good, and cheap

( A few hundred baht is small bikkies to us...but to the Comptroller of the Treasury...it's sinful to waste even small money.

Ahhh Thais..love 'em )

Over the years, I've been to quite a few circuses.

And I've seen enough to know that seen-one-seen-'em-all...is not too far from the truth.

But my Diana-Goddess-of-Love from Sakaew...now that was a very different matter.

From the first minute till the last..she was grinning from ear to ear.

She had seen it all on TV...but the First Time Exerience was beyond her wildest expectations.

If you are taking someone--adult or child--who has never seen a circus in the flesh...get ready for a barrage of unrestrained delights.

(Thais are SO lovely sometimes)