Sirius1935

Well, I have now had the car since 21 May 2014. The first day it smelt like a new car. On Day 2 it went a loud POP when I started it up, followed by the smell of burning electric cable. Since then it never smelt like a new car, more like an electrical fire. Driving has always been unpleasant due to the smell of burning electrical cable. It has been back to the garage countless times since last May. They accused me of washing the car with the windows open, when the problem occured before the car was ever washed for the first time and the windows couldn't be opened for the first week!.

They have had the car back for a total of 11 weeks in the last 8 months. So, if you buy one, don'y sell you old car as you will need it a lot!. Last week I picked it up fro Chiang Rai where they had had it for six weeks. In that time Isuzu had added 540 KM to the total and the average fuel consumption had dropped so much that they must have really thrashed it in that time. Dropping from 12.1 KM per L to 11.7 KM per L. well?

They said that they had finally found the fault in the compressor but the next morning I still got a small explosion on start up.

I have told Isuzu to come and collect it as it is not safe to drive it back to the garage again.

They can burn it for all I care. I am looking for a new car.

I have had a Mu-X since last May. On the day after I bought it there was a loud Pop or small explosion when I started it. Followed by the smell of electrical burning. It has been back to the garage countless times since May. Once they had it for four weeks and since December until early February they had it for six weeks. When I picked it up last week they had driven 540KM in it and from the drop in the average fuel consumption from 12.1 KMperLitre to 11.7 KMperLitre they must have been thrashing it. It still goes bang and smells of burning when I start it. I have told them that I am not even driving it back to teh garage this time. Too dangerous. So do what I did. Buy a Mu-X bit don't get rid of your old Nissan pick up truck. You will need it!

I can assure you Thailand does indeed do fitted carpets but have you considered doing some nice throw rugs to help with the acoustics while being much easier to move around or pick up and clean?

Thanks for that VF. The floor is at present rather unattractive concrete which is why I was considering a total covering of the floor.

Do you know where in Chiang Rai they sell carpet on a roll that can be cut to fit the shape of the room? I have tried Home Pro and Thai Watsadu but neither of them stock it.

Yes they are on Google even mention the tiles. Just checked.

Many thanks I'll give them a try. Another way to do the floor covering would be fitted carpet. The room is hexagonal with a column in the middle.

Do they do fitted carpets in Thailand and do you know or anywhere in Chiang Rai? I don't want to tile the floor due to the acoustics.

Thanks again. S.

Does anyone know of a shop in Chiang Rai that sells or can order carpet tiles? I have tried all the usual places like Thai Watsadu and Home Pro.

I know they have them in Thailand as I saw them replacing most of the carpet tiles in the terminal at Don Mueang a month or so ago.

Macro didn't have any filing cabinets but the sell the drop files, so I bought those there. I found a filing cabinet that I was looking for in Chiang Rai Furniture.

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Yes, you are right. I am thankful for the comfort which I needed.

I am trying to advise some very distraught Thai friend who knew him for a lot longer than I did.

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Thank you. That was a serious post. I was hoping for some help and constructive advice from someone like VF who lives locally. Sometimes people need help desperately and quickly.

I will post my message on the main TV forum.

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Thanks, I'll try them tomorrow on my way into town.

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Long hair and slim lithe figures ...

I love her pretty ladies ...

The go go girls and tuk tuks...

...at Soi Cow Boy.

And have a Singha Beer...

No alcohol in Tescos,

With their faithful Thai escort-

Certainly sums up the cultural interests of the all too typical farang.

With no apologies to Dorothy Parker:

“There's a hell of a distance between wise-cracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wise-cracking is simply calisthenics with words.”

Thank you for the compliment. It was written to "sum up the cultural interests of the all too typical faring"

I am pleased that it struck a chord with you.

At the risk of "feeding a troll" here is the corrected version: Verse two line 4.

The love of fields of paddy,

Of dusty concrete lanes.

Of random trees and back yards

Is running in my veins,

Strong love of grey-blue distance

Brown skin and dreamy eyes

Long hair and slim lithe figures,

This land was made for Thais.

I love this Asian country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her pretty ladies,

I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror –

The Land of Smiles for me!

The fake gold Buddha statues

And all the Hoi Polloi,

The go go girls and tuk tuks,

That wait at Soi Cow Boy.

Prime minister in exile,

His sister close to gaol,

While those accused of murder

Are walking free on bail.

Core of my heart, my Thailand!

Her smoke obscured blue sky,

Another bus drives off a cliff,

And thirty people die -

But then we hit the highway,

And drive without a fear

Of hitting motor cycles,

And have a Singha Beer.

Core of my heart, my Thailand!

Land of the Thaksin clan,

Through flood and fire and famine,

They tax us all they can -

No alcohol in Tescos,

Between two and five p.m.,

But got to any local shop

And there buy all you can.

The three month trip to Mae Sai,

A town of ninety thousand-

Most of them illegals

Or selling contraband.

Plus Six ageing male farrangs

With their faithful Thai escort-

Passport and cash in hand

Make their Ninety day report.

An open-hearted country,

A wilful, lawless land -

All you who expect justice,

You will not understand -

There may be better countries but,

Wherever I may die,

I know that, while I live here,

I’ll just say ‘Mai Pen Rai’.

The love of fields of paddy,
Of dusty concrete lanes.
Of random trees and back yards
Is running in my veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown skin and dreamy eyes
Long hair and slim lithe figures,
This land was made for Thais.

I love this Asian country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding plains.
I love her pretty ladies,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The Land of Smiles for me!

The fake gold Buddha statues
And all the Hoi Polloi,
The go go girls and tuk tuks,
That wait at Soi Cow Boy.
Prime minister in exile,
His sister close to gaol,
While those accused of murder
Are walking free on bail.

Core of my heart, my Thailand!
Her smoke obscured blue sky,
Another bus drives off a cliff,
And thirty people die -
But then we hit the highway,
And drive without a fear
Of hitting motor cycles,
And have a Singha Beer.

Core of my heart, my Thailand!
Land of the Thaksin clan,
Through flood and fire and famine,
They tax us all they can -
No alcohol in Tescos,
Between two and five p.m.,
But got to any local shop
And there buy all you can.

The three month trip to Mae Sai,

A town of ninety thousand-

Most of them illegals

Or selling contraband.

Plus Six ageing male farrangs

With their faithful Thai escort-

Passport and cash in hand

Make their Ninety day report.

An open-hearted country,
A wilful, lawless land -
All you who expect justice,
You will not understand -
There may be better countries but,
Wherever I may die,
I know that, while I live here,
I’ll just say ‘Mai Pen Rai’.

Thanks for sharing.

55. Written by a homesick bloke from Aussie who'll be back in Chiang Rai next month.

Simon

Mae Chan

Does anyone know if it will be full time 4WD?

I doubt it. Its cousin the Chevy Trailblazer has push-button 4WD.

The 3L in the new D-Max is more powerful and much more fuel efficient than the last one I had.

The 2012 3.0L I have is sweet and definitely has power and a nice passing gear. Installing a racechip is like putting 'a cherry on top!'

I was in the Isuzu dealers yesterday where a girl was trying to sell me the MU-X without a brochure, forget an actual car to see and test drive. Apparently the brochure is going to be available this Saturday, the 5th. Orders placed now, delivery early November.

Looked at the Fortuner TRD Sportivo 4WD today. About 300K more costly than the top MU-X model?

Not that I can think of a good reason for driving a 4WD vehicle in Pattaya. But maybe the petrolheads can put me right on that score. What do I know.

Need a big car with comfort - space - safety - economy - power - cost .. the main considerations. In roughly that order. Not sure whether the top of the range MU-X fits the bill. Hopefully the brochure will help. Not that the Sportivo one did, it's only available in Thai.

These are the same basic criteria I used to decide on which SUV to buy last year. I bought a MU-7.

The mu-X should win in every one of those categories you listed.

Comfort - Is subjective but I upgraded to premium tires and shocks first thing after picking up my new SUV and it rides and handles nice.

Space - The MU-7 was the biggest (most spacious) toy on the block. the mu-X lost ~5 inches, but it should still hold the interior space capacity title.

Safety - This is where the 1st generation MU-7 came up a little short (though 2 or 3 upgrades helped equalize the inequity) but the 2nd generation mu-X's Trailblazer platform levels the safety playing field with its competition. It comes with 4 wheel coil springs and 4 wheel disc brakes.

Power and Economy - the I believe the mu-X will have a newer version of the tried and true Isuzu 3.0L that was the perennial power and fuel economy leader. The newer Isuzu 3.0L purportedly has even more power but I have no info about whether its as fuel efficient as the previous version.

Cost - Price-wise, you said it, 'THB 300,000 more for the Sportivo'. For the THB 3k more you spend on the Sportivo which is less spacious, less fuel efficient and less powerful, you could upgrade a mu-X to a first class SUV by adding premium tires and wheels (as well as brake rotors and calipers) and add a racechip and still have ~ THB 200,000 left in your pocket that you would have spent on an out-the-door Sportivo!

If you do get one of these mu-X beauties, I recommend using only Shell Power-V diesel and 100% synthetic (aka Mobil One oil at B Quik) oil. Your new SUV will run 'like new' for years! Also, you have to press the dealership to order your English language owners manual.

Thanks for the above info. I ordered one (3.0 VGS 4X4) right after a test drive, over a month ago.(Late January). "I was told delivery next week".

A week later I was told "Two weeks". The following week..." One Week" Last week they said "Maybe Saturday" on Friday it was "Next Week"

Yesterday it became "Next Month" When I told them that next month (March) starts on Saturday they said "April".

Worst customer service I have ever experienced on buying a car but Isuzu in Chiang Rai were even worse. I walked out of that showroom in disgust before ordering from the one near Mae Sai.

They can't tell me if they can get an Owner's Manual in English, basically because they don't know how much to charge me for it!

I will be going back to Australia in mid March, should I get a manual there? Will it be relevant to the Thai model?

I'll return here in May and hopefully the car will have arrived by then. Meanwhile I have cancelled the cashier's cheque and the money is back in my account.

So if you are staying more than 60 days then a 60 day tourist visa does not meet the requirements?

If you have a 1 year extension of stay and a re-entry permit then one needs a ticket out before the 1 year extension of stay expires?

Btw, I hear if traveling to the Philippines they are very strict regarding a ticket out.

If you have a visa of any type or a re-entry permit you do not need a ticket out of the country.

Only for a visa exempt entry do you need a ticket out within 30 days.

This is a truism but Thai immigration don't know or bother about it. It is only the airlines that apply the rule. It seems to be in the order: 1.Qantas. 2.USA. 3 Germany. 4. U.K. and lastly Thailand who couldn't give a damn about the law!

So if you are staying more than 60 days then a 60 day tourist visa does not meet the requirements?

If you have a 1 year extension of stay and a re-entry permit then one needs a ticket out before the 1 year extension of stay expires?

Btw, I hear if traveling to the Philippines they are very strict regarding a ticket out.

To answer your second question: No you don't require any ticket out at all. Neither by the airlines not by Thai Immigration (who are the ones that care least about the rule.)

From the Royal Thai Embassy, London.

Foreigners entering Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category must provide proof of adequate finances for the duration of stay in Thailand at the port of entry (i.e., traveller’s cheque or cash equivalent to 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family).

Foreigners entering Thailand by any means under the Tourist Visa Exemption category are required at the port of entry to have proof of onward travel (confirmed air, train, bus or boat tickets) to leave Thailand within 30 days of the arrival date (otherwise a tourist visa must be obtained).

Neither of which are applied in practice on entering Thailand.

I flew from Heathrow to BKK about six weeks ago. Having read so many contradictory stories on this and similar threads, I thought I would ask the supervisor. I had already checked in for my flight with a one way ticket and no onward ticket and had not been asked to show one. The supervisor said yes, anyone travelling to Thailand without permission to stay, would need a return or onward ticket. I have a retirement extension, so can stay in Thailand indefinitely.

So, I asked this (which is relevant to those who crew for me): What if that person was in Thailand for a week or so and then sailing From Phuket to Langkawi and had no return ticket. The supervisor said she would need to see the ticket for that trip! I said, there would be no ticket, it is just a private yacht. Then she said "Well, where would he go next" and I said that he would fly from KL to Sydney. She said "Well, I would want to see a ticket for that journey."

When I arrived in BKK I asked the immigration officer if a visitor required an onward or a return ticket. He said he had never heard of that requirement and was only interested in fining the tourist who overstayed. I had passed straight through immigration with no delay as there were no queues, so I had 15 minutes to wait until my luggage arrived on the belt and I thought I'll go and ask the boss. I put the question to him a few different ways in my best Thai and he had no idea what I was talking about. Then we tried in English and got no further. Back into Thai and he said emphatically that there was no such law, that he had ever heard of!

So, as I have said before this may be one of the 40,000 rules, laws, directives and orders in Thailand that are not upheld, nor applied or are contradicted by other laws.

The airlines are only doing their job as they have been instructed according to the IATA rules, (which may need to be updated as Thailand are clearly not following the rule anymore). I have never been asked for a return ticket in over 200 trips to Thailand on a one way ticket over the last 30 years but it is always best to check with the airline first.

I do try to use longer sentences. I usually start out with a greeting to get the mode of the conversation in to Thai. If I'm asking for something specific I often preface it with: ไม่ทราบว่ามี....

But, none of this helps if you're pronouncing everything wrong.

Consider the following words: nine, white, glass, rice, news, old

For me, the Thai pronunciation is the same. Something like "khao". I have no idea as to the correct initial consonant, the tone or the vowel length. All the same to me.

In other words, hopeless.

I think that this short video sums up your struggle:

Watch to the end, which doesn't come until after the credits.

I have been in Bangkok for the last three or four coups and by the way, I think there have been 23 coups since 1932, not 15. The 1991 coup was bad when Suchinda loosed the army on the protestors. Hundreds were gunned down in the streets and thousands rounded up and shot and buried in mass graves.

They usually follow the same pattern as this year with denial by the army that a coup is going to happen and tank movements, that we are told, have nothing to do with a planned coup.

They (the coups) usually happen a day or two after I arrive back in BKK. I am on a skiing holiday in Canada at the moment and I arrive back in BKK on 17th. I wonder if I miss this one.

Source: http://archive.worldhistoria.com/topic15715.html

I was not allowed to leave the guesthouse near Khao San road when the soldiers were shooting protestors in the neighborhood in 1991, tourists and travelers 'd have to be informed about that.

I was staying at the Dusit Thani, watching the students being mown down by the army on T.V.

We flew straight into the coup and were not told a thing by our company or by Air Traffic Control. One of my stewardesses had phoned her mother during the flight using the onboard pay phone and had told me, so I was forewarned but told to continue to BKK and land anyway!

and I arrive back in BKK on 17th. I wonder if I miss this one.

So do I ... fancy a beer in the Lounge before we go and face the Tanks ...

Yes, sure. I land at 0910. I'll be the 63 year old guy about 5'11" wearing a flack jacket and a steel helmet, hiding my grey hair. Which might make me rather difficult to distinguish from the rest of the occupants of the airport on that day.

There is some very good advice above. The only thing I would add is the "O" vowel sound in ทอด

sounds very American, not like any Thai I have heard. Unless they have been to America and are

speaking in English. Not O as you would pronounce Bob but O as in London. Softer and more rounded.

The advice above that I like is to make longer sentences. That gives the listener more time to attune his ear to your alien voice and to get the thread of what you are about to say.

Thais are not economical with words as we tend to be.

I can give a taxi driver direction from the airport to my house in Rangsit, Bangkok in seven words of Thai. If

my wife is with me she can achieve the same in about 4,000 words. So, the answer is, don't make it simple when, with a little bit of effort, you can make it really convoluted. Its the Thai way.