TomBrown

6. Particular spots on main taxi routes have pick pockets waiting for the best opportunity on a taxi to come along. I'll use the example at the corner of 2nd Road and Soi 3 I think (opposite the Big C North Pattaya). This soi allows the taxis to drive back down to beach road without going all the way up to the dolphin roundabout. So at this corner there are bars on one side and food stall with some seats on the other. This is where some will wait until they see the best opportunity, where usually the taxis stop for a moment for more customers. Once on, the pickpockets assess the situation going down the soi towards beach road, whilst on beach road you'd probably be too distracted to realise they picking your pocket. With or without your wallet, they usually get off at Klang and possibly do the same routine again. If it works, why change it. Another one is at the corner of Pattaya Tai and Soi Buakhao where the market and some food stalls are, again the taxis usually stop for a moment for customers.

Correction; Its Soi 2 on 2nd Road / Beach Road, not Soi 3.

... I do not think the pickpocket gangs tend to work the bus queue at Pattaya Tai going to Jomtien. These always leave full so you may wonder why they don't work this one. Perhaps the baht bus organizers always working there would recognize them as gangs and increase their risk of arrest?

I believe that all these gangs don't worry so much about being caught. The ones that stole my partner's purse have been seen in the local news paper and local television news for being caught, as well as us passing them one time at Tops where they were being questioned by police with a foreigner accusing them of theft. Simply they just phone one of the gang to come down to the police station and pay a 1,000 baht fine (presumably stolen money) and they are on the streets again. They make enough money to do this, which is also why they can jump on and off taxis no problem all day long.

Some clues to spotting the pickpockets I have noticed since my other half got her purse stolen a while ago (which I posted about too);

1. As Jingthing said, watch out for women/lady boys with a big hand bag or shoulder bag. Everyone who lives in Pattaya for some time knows not to go out with a hand bag because of thefts by people passing on motorbikes, so its a big clue that the Thai who gets on the taxi 'could' be a pickpocket.

2. You are travelling on a baht bus, could even be just you on board at the time. Then it stops and picks up two or more people who sit on opposite sides of the baht taxi from each other, one next or close to you (pickpocket) and the other on the opposite side as a look out / signal person. Sure there are of course instances of people getting on the taxi at the same time that don't know each other and are definitely not pickpockets. Its something to watch for.

3. Pickpockets sitting next to you at 45º, like half facing forward. People who are not pick pockets do this as well though, I suspect this is because we tend to look/face the same way the vehicle is moving or when speaking to friends. In the example with my partner's stolen purse, the pick pocket was facing towards the back of the taxi which was also towards my partner then I, but only because her friend was sitting on the opposite side closer to the back of the taxi. Seemed plausible at the time, but thinking back now these women hit the first three items in this clue list. Shame on us.

4. Two or more women/lady boys get on the taxi, sitting on opposite sides of the taxi, of course, then a very short distance along both get off again. You can't help but think why not just walk as it was a really short distance. More likely is that they assessed the situation, realised they couldn't get anything and wanted to get on another taxi. As the taxi you are on pulls away, you'll even see them waiting for another taxi and then getting on it. These are the faces to look out for.

5. As most will know, lady boys are notorious pick pockets as well as the women. Some Thai males are in the gangs too, but its usually the lady boys and women who pick pockets.

6. Particular spots on main taxi routes have pick pockets waiting for the best opportunity on a taxi to come along. I'll use the example at the corner of 2nd Road and Soi 3 I think (opposite the Big C North Pattaya). This soi allows the taxis to drive back down to beach road without going all the way up to the dolphin roundabout. So at this corner there are bars on one side and food stall with some seats on the other. This is where some will wait until they see the best opportunity, where usually the taxis stop for a moment for more customers. Once on, the pickpockets assess the situation going down the soi towards beach road, whilst on beach road you'd probably be too distracted to realise they picking your pocket. With or without your wallet, they usually get off at Klang and possibly do the same routine again. If it works, why change it. Another one is at the corner of Pattaya Tai and Soi Buakhao where the market and some food stalls are, again the taxis usually stop for a moment for customers.

7. Usually a Thai male on a motor bike (not a motor bike taxi) drops off a couple of women right behind the baht taxi you are on, which is held by a red light. They get on, the usual one sits each side of the taxi rule applies, and it goes on from there. An example I've both experienced (but realised) and witnessed other times is; as taxis head down Klang towards the beach, held at the traffic lights at Tops Supermarket.

Our awareness of pick pockets has increased since being caught once before, and hopefully never again.

Good that you posted about it Jingthing, making people aware seems the best we can do.

We went on the first day but missed the buffet as we went too early. Buffet appears to start around 4pm for an hour, people start to fill the limited seats at 3:00 / 3:30pm. Photo attached of buffet just after 3pm when people started to sit.

I thought the adult ice cream was an interesting idea and the flavours were really good. They haven't got a shop in Pattaya yet, so now would be a good time to try something new.

I've noticed a few ATMs near me now have a dark green plastic 'mouthpiece' thing over the slot where you insert your card, with a picture of a padlock on them.. does anyone know if these have been installed by the bank or by skimmers?

thanks

Like these?

What part of 'use ATM's that are either inside or part of banks' do you have a problem with? I don't live in Bangkok but I can probably point out 3 large bank locations with ATM's either inside or in the lobby.

@NanLaew, I am not sure how I offended you by posting my question, but thanks for your answer.

It appears he is like that with many people. I thought he was a bit stupid till I actually read some of his posts.

I don't believe you can cross over there in Nakhon Phanom, but just one province south is Mukdahan and you can cross over there to Savannakhet, Laos. It's a lot closer than the Pattaya --> Cambodia route.

YES, you can cross at NKP over to Thakek, chop in there, spend the night if you want to, travel around a bit, or just return to NKP. Up to you, NOT a problem.

Crossing at MUK is OK, too, but need to wait for the bus.

Mac

So I can cross the river, immigration office just at the other side, pay the visa-on-arrival cost + over stay fee, then come back again same day? Sounds too easy.

Anything else i should know, directions to immigration office if not at river side.

I am currently in Nakhon Phanom and just noticed that I am on over stay on my visa (non-imm O). Thought it was the 18th March, but actually it was earlier in March.

I know nothing of the visa run over to Laos and don't want more hassle, already having to pay 500 baht for each day over.

So, can someone advise on going over to Laos, as it's the closest to my current location, or would I be better going back to Pattaya and doing a Cambodia run that I am familiar with?

Thanks everyone for the advice.

That's some video you found Samuian.

I will look into getting some Chaindrite powder to rid the area of these pests.

Cheers,

Tom.

Two main questions really; We've found these giant centipedes under a small hatch outside at the back of the kitchen, which come out when we use water there. As they are apparently poisonous, is there something I can do to make them go else where or kill them and any of their eggs? I've used the spray cans for killing other insects (cockroaches mainly) in that area, but these centipedes keep on reappearing.

The second question is, if bitten, how to deal with the bite. Obviously going to hospital is advisable if indeed they are poisonous, but for immediate attention, what to do?

Here a picture of one -

Thanks,

Tom.

Just as the others have said for positives; food places, super market, cinema, Central Department Store and some other shops in the mall which have quality items otherwise not found in Pattaya.

It does have a some down points too; I liked the idea of the themed activities for youngsters on the ground floor and also the bouncy castle thing they had on the fifth floor. However it all appears to be gone now.

The Department Store doesn't have a wide selection of perfumes like in Bangkok, but still an okay selection.

All in all I think it will continue to attract people. Some of the other shops with high prices or unusual fashion might struggle for business though.

I can only guess that the complaint about the cinema is because there are more floors to go up unlike say Royal Garden or Big C North, both having just three, but as people have said, so easy to get to.

We got Mitsubishi Electric - Mr Slim air con units, they are great but not the quietest I've personally experienced, not the slimmest either, but quite happy with the choice.

When it came to purchasing them, we had the option of getting them from the local authorised air con supplier/shop which included installation or from someone selling them about 2,000 baht cheaper in the market with no installation. Obviously we went with the local supplier, who not only installed the units, but also offered free cleaning four time in the first year. The difference between the best internet price I found and the local supplier price wasn't much either.

Although with no confrontation, my wife was the victim of a pickpocket who we later seen on television news and twice in news papers being caught and brought to police attention. Turns out that they phone a friend (presumably gang member) to pay the 1,000 Baht, using previously stolen money most likely, and then they are on the streets again.

Sorry to hear about your wife's situation, but unless you pay money to the police, they will most likely never be brought to justice.

Safest thing is never believe anything insulation sales people tell you. Few understand the basics...

Swelters

I was looking at insulation in the shop yesterday and noticed that the rolls of 75mm thick fiberglass covered with aluminium were really squashed down / packed tightly to fit into the packaging bags. I've read that squashing down the installation reduces the effectiveness, wouldn't the claimed R value be less then?

Many companies seem to be favouring the 10mm thick foil-foam-foil solutions, can they really be effective at maintaining the cool inside the living space and the hot outside, or is this another marketing / sales pitch with little substance?

As most of the insulation options available are now covered with shiney foil at 95% - 100% aluminium as a radiant barrier, the question is what to have as an insulation material and how thick, this particularly is what I'm interested in.

Can't wait to read more on the subject from you Swelters, but as our house is already build with no aluminium foil or insulation, I'll have to wait eagerly for the attic floor solutions.

I had the engineer here today to measure the place and he will do his own design based on what we discussed this morning. Already since my first post there are some minor adjustments which I will post about soon.

What is your opinion regarding the extractor hood for the cooker. My own thoughts were that has the kitchen isn't that big, so a compact extractor without the chimney might be more suited, but at the risk of being under-powered for the job. If I get a bigger extractor with chimney, it might be over powering to the eye.

Should I include some venting for the hob and oven if they are to sit vertically to each other?

When I was last in the UK, I got a MobileWorld sim card from the Car Phone Warehouse. The sim doesn't cost anything, but you have to buy £10 of top-up credit to put on the sim at the beginning, but you do get to use the whole £10 credit, so the sim is effectively free to get. I thought the rates were okay against other pay-as-you-go sims, but I see there might be other options that are better priced. Regarding call quality, no problem that I can remember.

Actually its not MobileWorld now, now it's called Talk Mobile, but still from the Car Phone Warehouse.

www.talkmobile.co.uk

Details from their web site;

Making calls from UK to...

Call to Thailand landline ~ 4p per minute

Call to Thailand mobile ~ 6p per minute

Text to Thailand mobile ~ 15p

Which sounds about right.

Hi,

Well I've put it off for too long now, no change in exchange rate and the absence of a proper kitchen is becoming a pain. I need to get a new kitchen installed soon.

Would really appreciate your thoughts on my kitchen design. Underneath where the hob is are cupboards, but actually I want an oven there now.

Some details;

Concrete for the base units with wooden doors, tiled inside.

To include; hob, hood, oven, 2 basin sink.

Regarding the hood, I've been told that I should go for the larger ones and not the compact ones as the larger ones have better fans / bigger engine?

The hob will be gas, the gas bottle will be outside where the window is. I'd want a valve tap or the like to switch off the gas to stop my toddler causing harm. Any recommendation about this?

Appliances; lots of known names from the Home Works / Pro / and others, any to avoid? I was possibly thinking of Teka, not too expensive, really just needs to be practical. Home Work was pushing the Smeg stuff, but not sure.

Any particular regulations to follow, what about height of electrical sockets / switches above the work top?

Work top to be granite, India Black I think it was called. Presumably the shop can cut the wholes and shapes as requested?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks very much,

Tom.

Thanks Crossy, Dotcom and Longball for your advice.

I believe that the two prong mains cable is not double insulated.

It looks like I'll cut off the current two prong plug and put on a three pin plug and include the existing earth cable as necessary.

Presumably there is no difference between the current two prongs on the plug, unlike in the UK with live and neutral wires to be connected correctly?

Thanks, Tom.

When I was last in the UK, I got a MobileWorld sim card from the Car Phone Warehouse. The sim doesn't cost anything, but you have to buy £10 of top-up credit to put on the sim at the beginning, but you do get to use the whole £10 credit, so the sim is effectively free to get. I thought the rates were okay against other pay-as-you-go sims, but I see there might be other options that are better priced. Regarding call quality, no problem that I can remember.

www.carphonemobileworld.co.uk

Sorry to read you are thinking of leaving the forum Khun Jean. Well as you said, do log in once in a while if you feel like it. Take care mate.

As the opportunity has now presented itself;

I also feel the same way with regard to several points made under this topic.

Something that really annoys me is when I 'eventually' find content / topic that relates to the same issue or problem I have, at the end is a promise from a forum member to follow up once done / experience / etc, but then I notice the date was a couple of years ago and there is no follow up, that sucks.

Searching takes so much time to find what I want to know. Sometimes I have just plodded on with life without getting the answer, even though I know it must be in the forums somewhere, which has ended up negatively impacting on my situation in Thailand, but as some might say; you get what you pay for and ThaiVisa is free.

Personally I find many 'animated' graphics annoying and distracts the eye from reading the forum content, though pressing the [Esc] key stops them animating, so that's not that much of a problem :-)

Here's a suggestion; can't someone with know-how create a dynamic Flash or even static graphic chart relating to the usual visa questions based on all the 'useful' content already hidden in the forum pages? There are some things I still want to know, but fed up trolling the pages. I do see the same questions being asked time and time again, contributing to the watering down of the effectiveness of the search results, when really they could be directed to a dynamic flash page that could guide users through what they need based on what they already have, especially with visa related stuff. [Please select your visa type, is a 1 / 2 / 3 / 6 / 12 month visa, do you have a Thai bank account, etc etc., based on your answers you need the following... can also read the following topics...] If that were in place, lots of dud posts could certainly be removed.

Maybe the mods can get together and come up with some layouts that meet the web site's needs and get the users to vote on which they would feel most happy with. After all it's user generated content, so why shouldn't the users have a say.

Anyway, I'll leave it at that.

I have bought with Stephano Cho before, excellent quality, not exactly cheap but not outrageous either.

Often found with a big display in Carrefour on the first floor, they also have a showroom on Sukhumvit, opposite Bangkok Pattaya Hostpital, but slightly closer to the North Pattaya traffic lights.

I would also agree, Stephan Ocho for sofa furniture.

The show room on Sukhumvit is rather small, so there is limited stock to see there, most of their stock is on the upper floor of Carrefour in the open area just opposite Home Pro.

Stephan Ocho's Sofa

Yeah & don't assume that power strip is grounded. Confirm it for yourself.

Ensure your wall receptacle is grounded.

Good points dotty, that power strip looks to have metal in the ground holes, hopefully it has a 3 pin plug

The power strip is definitely grounded.

The wall points are also grounded.

If you get a 3 pin plug you can connect your green lead to the ground pin, best solution would be to replace the cord with a 3 wire one.

Crossy, so you're suggesting that I either;

1. Cut the existing power plug off the end of the fridge cable, replace it with a three pin plug which would facilitate the earth cable, then connect earth cable to the plug and to the earth point on the fridge?

-or-

2. Completely replace the existing fridge power cable and plug with a three core cable / three pin plug, connecting live and neutral as before to the fridge and connecting the earth to the earth point on the back of the fridge?

Or something else?

I suspect that option 1 would be the easier of the two above, albeit the least attractive to look at, unless I cover the whole cable with a cable sheath.

Option 2 seems to be harder as the cable is (I believe) hard wired into the fridge and would require that I at least purchase a soldering iron to remove the existing power cable and install the new three core cable. Certainly option two would look much better though.

I had hoped that their would be some kind of adapter already on the market for this purpose, as I have seen many products that come with two pin plugs and a separate earthing cable, but no way to connect to the earth of a socket. Presumably you'd know of something if it existed?

Could someone tell me how to earth my fridge?

The fridge power cable has two prongs only (grey cable seen on right in photo), there is a separate earth point on the back of the fridge and an earth cable supplied. However I can't find any adapters in the hardware stores that I can attached the earth cable to. Please help?

That was a spot of bad news today on the tele; that one of the shops on the 3rd floor was actually selling copied clothes and not originals. They showed video of the Police investigating and speaking to presumably the owner of the shop.

Okay, could anyone recommend a good Thai handyman?