owenm

18 hours ago, Pilotman said:

me too, married 22 years now. assets in Thailand go to my wife as sole beneficiary, assets in the UK are divided between the kids, who all live there, wife gets half of my pension until she dies. everyone happy and if they are not, tough, that's the deal 

Wife would get half the pension till she dies? After your demise.. I thought the pension would stop on your death, with wife being Thai.. 

Go to a stand that makes freshly squeezed juice and insist in no sugar, simple.. Those machines as others have stated are more likely cordial with maybe questionable water quality added. Most likely from a street water machine which is much cheaper than purchased bottle water.. Clean water, again you cannot see where it was sourced.. 

So no under 20yo allowed on the premises. So if I'm visiting Pattaya with the GF and her 13yo daughter sipping on a bottle of Coke this is now not allowed? I'm talking about a normal bar serving alcohol.. 

Tainted food can occur anywhere, even in a nanny country like Oz.

I have had a cooked large black spider baked into a burger bun from a local fish n chip shop. The bun was cooked by a large bakery. On another occasion at a different burger shop I had a metal staple inside the beef patty. And on another occasion a small single strand of wire in a pasta dish from an Italian restaurant. All in Melbourne. 

Melbourne had a salmonella food scare from eggs recalled in March and June this year that affected 7 different brands from one factory source. And in May a recall of many brands of milk with manufacturing contamination. 

It's very rare that you hear of any product recalls in Thailand. Eggs purchased from markets and supermarkets are never refrigerated and yet can be at 35C sold as fresh. Pork and chicken really should be washed in a salt water solution to kill any bugs before going in the fridge or freezer. 

E-coli contamination, parasites causing guardia and amoebic dysentery are common place also in Thailand as in western countries. 

I've been full-time in Thailand for about 4 years and admit to getting a parasitic bug, along with my GF, every 2-3 months. A course of Tinizadole 500mg, same as Flagyl or Fasigyn usually do the trick over 2-3 days and available OTC. Back in Oz would require bloods and stool tests, seeing the doc twice and then a $40 script.. 

When you pickup parasites can take up to a week before the symptoms start. The couple from Perth may have picked up their bug anywhere, on the plane, their 5 star accom or eating something after arriving back in Perth. Anything is possible. And any responsible GP knowing their travel history, should have been more proactive and taken blood and stool tests as their first line of action. Seeing 4 doctors over two years is shear incompetence of the couple involved IMO.. If you are sick your want urgent attention for a diagnosis.. 

But blaming Pad Thai from a food court is just creating a media headline and unwarranted blame.. And two years post the event. Not good international press exposure detrimental to Thailand's tourism industry. 

The friends from Europe staying for 7 days at the condo are arriving as tourists on 30 days exempt or tourist visa. They fill out the address on TM6 form on arrival at airport. TM30 is not necessary unless on Non-Imm visa, not for normal tourists. If they spend anytime in hotels, hotels will notify imm of tourists staying there automatically. So no need to do anything about TM30 report. 

Definitely looks like dust or bed mites or small mot bites.. I'd be checking around your bedding and spray with a good insecticide around bed box, sheets and doona.

After a couple of hours wash everything in washing machine. Hopefully you've got spare sheets in the mean time..

Purchase a tube of Bethasone-N cream or equivalent in a gel from a pharmacy and apply 2-3x daily.. This is recommended for insect bites to reduce itch and any possibility of infection. Store in fridge or under 30C.

45 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Meat products may be a big problem.  Last week on a QANTAS flight from Oz they specifically warned passengers about pork products for obvious reasons. 

You can actually purchase frozen beef airside duty-free to export from Australia.. Australia has very strict bio-security procedures in place when importing any food products including meat, cheese, egg products, seeds etc. But for export from Australia nothing that is legal is taboo.. You need to look at the legality of importing the goods to your destination point. All countries have differing immigration and customs regulations in place in regards to what is permitted in and what is contraband.. 

It would appear that departing passengers will go through the same security procedures as they've been accustomed to, and that the new security procedures to be implemented will only affect incoming ARRIVAL passengers.. All arrival passengers will have increased security screening will all luggage, carry on and checked, going through new x-ray screening at point of departure from immigration green and red channels.. 

So any smuggled in salami, legs of lamb and ham, sausages and other smallgoods will be more easily discovered in the x-ray screening process.. In the past, it was always luck of the draw whether you had an x-ray screen leaving the arrival hall.. 

In more than 5 years I was always lucky and never had my luggage checked, except for my most recent arrival where I was randomly selected to have my luggage screened.. Shxt!! Three staff behind the screen looking intently at the monitor as my suitcases pass through.. To my amazement, all ok!! Maybe my foil lined cooler bags managed to camouflage the contents, I don't know.. 

And those long stay expats returning after a trip back from their home country with their 12 mths supply of meds, because they're either cheaper from home or not available in Thailand, it will become more difficult to hide, as legally one is only permitted to bring in max of a 30 day supply.. 

Interesting times ahead with Immigration further tightening the thumb screws.. 

Many people are a magnet to mozzies, but I've been taking a daily Vitamin B Complex for 25+ years and find it works well. I believe the B1 and B12 leave a scent on your skin that the mozzies don't like.. 

Always used Blackmores Exec. B.. 

There have been many international scientific studies done, and many state Vit B doesn't do anything to detract mozzies whilst some others have found that it can work with some people.. 

As a general rule of thumb, if one takes a strong Vit B Complex tablet daily, continuously over a period of several months and longer, trace elements remain in your system which do repel mozzies.. My Thai GF gets bitten alive and I'm left alone.. 

But once you break the cycle and then start again, it takes 3 months to be fully in your body's system again.. You can't just take one like it's a paracetamol and expect it to work instantly, because it won't.. 

Vit B is also supposedly good for reducing stress and in my case at 61yrs not a single grey strand of hair or baldness.. My 2 brother siblings, one younger and one older are both nearing baldness with all grey hair if any.. I think a great anti-ageing tonic as well, in my case.. 5556..

Travelling on MRT is half price if 60+ and show DL when purchasing token at window. From Bang Yai, purple line to Sukhumvit, blue line, about 60 min travel time I pay 35bht and GF pays 70bht.

If there was a multi transit card to use on BTS, MRT, Airport link, that could be used as daily, weekly or monthly card, with a stored value balance on the card would be a great initiative. The Pay As You Go system offers no incentive for frequent travellers to use multi forms of transport. 

A year ago arriving at Danang Airport in Viet was approached by a young guy, German I think, who was having problems accessing money from an ATM. It was a Cirrus card, not Visa or MC, and not listed as being usable on the ATMs. When he said he used the card ok in Thailand, and he hadn't paid his USD 30 visa on arrival in Vietnam but Immigration allowed him out to access money first, alarm bells sounded. He said he only ever travelled with one card over the past 3 months and the card looked like it had had a lot of use, very worn looking.. I saw it as a scam and suggested he get some money sent Western Union from family or friends. Who travels from Europe or anywhere with only one debit card and no credit card?? I was almost going help him with a $50 handout until I saw warning signs of it being a scam. 

15 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Correct. That is the only one that allows possessor.

So if you are renting a moo baan house in a gated community with a lease you can't submit a TM30, either by mail or in person, as a POSSESSOR?? Only if you are renting a condo? Why should it make a difference? 

8 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Well yes and no.  I have UK Netflix and using the VPN, I get much better content than the Thai version.  It's okay, but too much missing for me. 

Yes, I also watch Netflix Australia and sometimes UK. Has some more content than Thai but Thai is still more than OK. I do find when using a VPN I can watch and record to my phone or tablet, but CANNOT stream to TV or mirroring as the device detects that I'm trying to stream from another geo location. 

Is there any way around using a VPN and say watching Oz TV and then stream to your TV easy?? 

Or can it only be done from PC and HDMI link up to you TV? 

I'd appreciate some advice from someone in the know.. 

It's great that Prayut prioritises matters of national importance, as in not.. Toy machines, gambling, mafia, how comical.. 

How about tackling MC helmets, making it 100% on all roads, streets and sois.

How about meaningful ways of reducing Thailand's horrific road fatality toll.

How about legislation against forest burning from months of Jan till end of April to reduce dangerous PM2.5.. 

And not being asleep at the wheel, and showing leadership to improve Thai's lives.. Not novel ideas.. 

I don't know why these honest taxi drivers finding left behind packages full of money and valuables all tend to contact radio stations first and not a police station to make the report. Not the first time, and won't be the last. Just appears odd.. 

I had a similar problem with a Mitsubishi water pump.. Constantly pumping on-off every 30 seconds or so even when not using anything any water. No leaks, no over running loos.. Turned up to be an adjustment screw under the main cover. Backed the screw off half turn anticlockwise and problem was solved.. 

It's not too many years ago that the AUD was worth more than USD, at around the time AUD would buy 35bht. Now the AUD is hovering around 67.4c to a USD. If the OZ dollar was still on parity with the USD it would be about 31bht, instead of a current poor 21bht.. 

The strength of the Thai baht doesn't help, but other outside western currency influences don't always help either. It wasn't too long ago that the Russian ruble dived due to western sanctions, and now sterling declining heavily with the Brexit shambles.. 

I bought an Electrolux with inverter technology. Has 10 Yr compressor warranty and have found it good over past 2 years. I was looking originally for an 11 cubic but my GF suggested going bigger. I'm glad I listened and settled for a 13.8 cubic. Bigger is better if you've got the space. Original price was 18k but on sale at Powerbuy at around 14k.

Most of these tour buses have 2x2 wheels on both sides of the rear, so in affect 6 wheels in total.. 

I was on a bus from Yangon to Bagan and had steel belt seperation on one of the rear tyres which damaged the brake line and hydrolics on that wheel. Fortunately the bus had 4 independent brake systems, and we were able to continue the trip, albeit slower, with 5 wheels and 3 brake systems still operational.. 

3 hours ago, phka said:

If I got fined would it be at my 90 day report

Or when I next apply for renewing my extension

 

Usually the IO will not process your TM47 for your 90 day report unless your TM30 is up to date. Fine is usually 800bht for late reporting of your TM30, however not all Imm offices are on the same page yet, and interpretation of TM30 rules can change from office to office. But over the past 2 months the thumb screws are tightening.. 

2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I landed this morning on TG as per usual and was bused to the gate at BKK.

 

Is there any other airline in the top ten that buses their passengers to the gates at their own national airport?

 

Thai fly various aircraft, including older 747 on some routes, as well as 777-300ER and the 787 Dreamliner. More recently introduced the new and wider wingspan A350-900 which I believe is too wide for the standard air-bridges at Suvarnabhumi and having to bus it to the aircraft on the tarmac. The A350-900 took forever to gain Australian government approval to fly to Melbourne because of the wingspan issue I'm sure. 

It's usually more common for the budget airlines to use bus to aircraft on the tarmac at BKK and DM as I'm sure the charges are lower for the airlines. 

This reminds me of an incident that happened to me in My Tho in southern Vietnam about 10 yrs ago. The only time ever where I've been charged by the police for indecent exposure and a few other charges. Was doing a group tour along the Mekong Delta from HCM, had quite a greasy omelet before we left. Our boat pulled into the village and I was bursting for a no. 2. Couldn't find a WC anywhere but a spotted a high mound of dirt in front of a derelict looking building, so I went for it. Hidden from public view, at least I thought, I took aim while a local dog was defecating nearby. 

Then I heard a female voice yelling at me, in khaki police uniform. I was apparently less than 10m in front of the local police station, the derelict building, but I failed to see the Vietnamese ???????? flag flying nearby. 

Embarrassment plus, stuck in the police station for about 90 minutes, then my tour guide got wind of the situation and acted as interpreter.

The elderly police chief looked at me with disgust, and I bowed to apologise and jestered I had a stomach illness. Anyway was fined 1 Mill. Dong, about 2000bht, and got an official receipt too. Apparently I was very lucky, because the police could have locked me up for 2 days to set an example.. If I had have used the gutter, no problem, but outside a government building was a definite no no.. ???? They called my hotel and by the time I returned later that day, the manager was laughing at what happened. No shit, but a true story. 

It can happen to anyone, anywhere unfortunately, but being discrete doesn't always pay off. The most expensive and embarrassing crap I've ever had.. 5556..???? ????