scubascuba3

I actually saw a jet ski drift and hit a boat, of course they made a fuss, they must have been thanking their lucky stars, their first legit damage. Still unfair though, 2 boats close to the beach, wavey conditions,inexperienced rider, what do you expect. Jet ski operators should be liable unless rider is clearly negligent

Give us an update once you've bought it so we know how you get on

Do you have many ice coffees/ice teas? Packed with sugar, I was having 5 a day until I realised now 0-1

OK OK this is what happened.

Firstly as an intro Thais are racist to dark skin / black skin, you hear it a lot with dark Thai girls also, anyone disagree?

American has a look around, is loud, asks some questions, woman is rude back, American becomes louder and doesn't like the rudeness, it then spirals out of control. Knife part is unclear.

I personally have met 1 or 2 Americans recently really over the top loud which may push some people too far.

I also just slept for like 16+ hours a day. Mostly because I was bored as hell. Only Cnn for an English channel and the Thai channels were all sound effect filled soap operas and the wifi was weak as hell. But I had no desire to look at a screen or a book...

The doctor commented that he has never seen someone sleep so much. I told him it's mostly because the dreams were the only thing keeping me entertained other than friends or my wife visiting.

Having to watch Thai soap TV is hell enough. Why so loud

Sounds awful. Blood test says I'm in the clear so good for me. I'm going to have a word with the hotel reception its a breeding ground for mosquito's, plant pots with water in them and a fish pond. I'm sure they will listen...

Tell you what, singlets/vests are very under rated. I sweat mostly on the shoulders, a singlet enables the sweat to evaporate along with saving 150 baht at Aeon, wonderful :-)

I just read a thread about opening a Thai bank account,its really quick and simple takes 30 mins,I'm doing that next time

Pattaya you shouldn't take your family and children. Nor wife or girlfriend unless they are into the whole brothel seen.

The alleged rapist apologised the next day and admitted to having sex, so he feels guilty for something

Good info Dabhand.

I'm at the hospital as the rash was getting worse, just seen the doctor and he thinks its just the end of a viral infection,doesn't look like the dengue rash. I'm having a blood test while I'm here to be sure.

My hotel has lots of mosquitos which ive been bitten by so I'm paranoid

I just read another thread and bit says measles is here, surprising. I don't currently have any other symptoms apart from the rash, not too bad at the moment but may get worse

Per post 1, nothing that bad but I'll monitor

Back to the original point of the thread......

Big C 3rd Road is back in action. Hallelujah :-)

I just wondered if anyone had contracted it including in Pattaya. I've heard its about. I have a rash on my arms but nothing else yet...

180 baht is commonly the MasterCard charge, 150 visa. The cards charges are usually in the microscopic T&C's. If you need a card its best to find the best card with lowest foreign cash withdrawal charges before you travel

Checked the Big C machine off 3rd road and its run out of cash. 31st it was not in service...in anyone uses it in the next day or so maybe you can give an update

Not surprising as there's always a long line of scruffy looking farangs in line waiting to use it and save their 150 baht. Like today, must of been 20 of them when I went past to go to the men's room.

so, you do not want to save 150 baht ? 4 or 5 times a month?

Many people do not realize the costs of bank fees and ATM charges. 5 times a month is 750 baht or 9,000 baht. Why pay almost 300 USD a year to access your own money?

Humm...let's see. Maybe to support the network that allows one to travel just about anywhere in the world and to access ones local bank and pull hundreds or thousands of dollars/pounds/euros/yen equilivent in local currency from an electro-mechanical machine in the wall or free-standing box on the street! Do you think this world-wide network just popped up out of thin air and maintains itself and restocks itself for free?

In addition, you are paying for the service/benefit of not having to carry on ones person large amounts of currency during travel, with the attendant danger of loss or theft.

You are not paying money to access YOUR OWN money but paying for access to the network that allows what I described above. If you want to access your money in your bank for free, speed a few thousand dollars on airfare and go to your bank and walk up to the teller and make a withdrawal.

By all means, try to find and use banks/networks that minimize fees but please stopped posting how expensive these fees are for accessing ones "own money." [Do you have a baht currency bank account back home? If not, then you are not even accessing "your" bank account when you withdraw baht from any ATM in Thailand.]

Sorry but you are wrong. When you use the network ATM you are already paying a fee, called the ISA fee, I believe. The additional fee charged by Thai banks goes directly to their profit line. In effect, you are being charged a premium or twice to access your money. On credit card transactions here some Thai merchants try to recapture the fees that Visa or MC charge which maybe illegal by adding 2 or 3 percent to the transaction. Do you think Thai banks were providing a free ATM service prior to implementing the 150 baht charge a few years ago?

Like I said, it's a service. Thai private banks are for profit entities free (within Bank of Thailand regulations) to charge whatever they want for use of their ATM machines. If anyone doesn't like it, they can carry cash, traveler's checks, credit cards, gold coins, whatever to conduct their financial transactions. I don't understand where this entitlement mentality of free or cheap access to ones bank funds in foreign countries through bank ATM machines came from. Heck, I get charged a 15-20 baht fee from my own thai bank if I make an out of province withdrawal from that bank's ATM if it's located outside Chonburi...but you dont see me winging and posting about it online. Suck it up!

I don't think this is really the thread for you.

I don't want to pay the 150 baht,as I'm also paying 200 baht equivalent in my home country. Next time I'll bring more cash that lady boys can try and thieve and also try and get a better card

That's a very good idea...like I said, try to use banks or credit cards with low or no fees. You may still have to pay at the Thai bank end but at least you will save on the farang-bank end. In the US, I know of a couple major banks that have debit and credit card products that waive the foreign ATM withdrawal fee and also the foreign transaction charge for purchases. If one travels allot overseas, these might be worth checking out. I'm sure similar bank card products exist in most western countries.

I don't know where your non-sequitur about ladyboys fits into this discussion but for the record, I hope the ladyboys you barfine don't rob you as well.

I've not tried ladyboys, would you recommend?

The best cards in the UK have no control over what the foreign bank ATMs charge so the best I can do is minimise the costs in the UK

Checked the Big C machine off 3rd road and its run out of cash. 31st it was not in service...in anyone uses it in the next day or so maybe you can give an update

Not surprising as there's always a long line of scruffy looking farangs in line waiting to use it and save their 150 baht. Like today, must of been 20 of them when I went past to go to the men's room.

so, you do not want to save 150 baht ? 4 or 5 times a month?

Many people do not realize the costs of bank fees and ATM charges. 5 times a month is 750 baht or 9,000 baht. Why pay almost 300 USD a year to access your own money?

Humm...let's see. Maybe to support the network that allows one to travel just about anywhere in the world and to access ones local bank and pull hundreds or thousands of dollars/pounds/euros/yen equilivent in local currency from an electro-mechanical machine in the wall or free-standing box on the street! Do you think this world-wide network just popped up out of thin air and maintains itself and restocks itself for free?

In addition, you are paying for the service/benefit of not having to carry on ones person large amounts of currency during travel, with the attendant danger of loss or theft.

You are not paying money to access YOUR OWN money but paying for access to the network that allows what I described above. If you want to access your money in your bank for free, speed a few thousand dollars on airfare and go to your bank and walk up to the teller and make a withdrawal.

By all means, try to find and use banks/networks that minimize fees but please stopped posting how expensive these fees are for accessing ones "own money." [Do you have a baht currency bank account back home? If not, then you are not even accessing "your" bank account when you withdraw baht from any ATM in Thailand.]

Sorry but you are wrong. When you use the network ATM you are already paying a fee, called the ISA fee, I believe. The additional fee charged by Thai banks goes directly to their profit line. In effect, you are being charged a premium or twice to access your money. On credit card transactions here some Thai merchants try to recapture the fees that Visa or MC charge which maybe illegal by adding 2 or 3 percent to the transaction. Do you think Thai banks were providing a free ATM service prior to implementing the 150 baht charge a few years ago?

Like I said, it's a service. Thai private banks are for profit entities free (within Bank of Thailand regulations) to charge whatever they want for use of their ATM machines. If anyone doesn't like it, they can carry cash, traveler's checks, credit cards, gold coins, whatever to conduct their financial transactions. I don't understand where this entitlement mentality of free or cheap access to ones bank funds in foreign countries through bank ATM machines came from. Heck, I get charged a 15-20 baht fee from my own thai bank if I make an out of province withdrawal from that bank's ATM if it's located outside Chonburi...but you dont see me winging and posting about it online. Suck it up!

I don't think this is really the thread for you.

I don't want to pay the 150 baht,as I'm also paying 200 baht equivalent in my home country. Next time I'll bring more cash that lady boys can try and thieve and also try and get a better card

Big C 3rd road, out of service...

My guess is that the uncle wasn't such a nice guy either. Probably a lot of uncle's victims thinking he finally got what he deserved.

Interesting point, where is your evidence?

William, very interesting. Why don't you tell us a little about yourself including age and nationality, it will help us better understand

I visited them during a 3 day trek in Mao Hong Song, back in 98 I think. No fee as far as I remember, we stayed in their huts overnight. Think I spent the grand total of 30 baht on a coca cola. The stalls gave them an opportunity to make money for themselves. I enjoyed the experience. I thought the women looked very elegant, must be a long neck thing.

And another thing...

I don't think you should be tipping too much, it means it will only go up and I think we already pay too much for a caddy plus tip when most would be happy without a caddy anyway. If prices keep going up, it will be cheaper to play in other countries like Spain or Turkey

Chaps, a caddy nicked 100 baht out of my golf bag earlier this week, yes its not much but it shows some are looking for the opportunity to take something. I now only have the minimum in my bag, tip plus money for drinks/food so I know if a hundred goes missing

Checked the Big C machine off 3rd road and its run out of cash. 31st it was not in service...in anyone uses it in the next day or so maybe you can give an update

Not surprising as there's always a long line of scruffy looking farangs in line waiting to use it and save their 150 baht. Like today, must of been 20 of them when I went past to go to the men's room.

There are scruffy looking farang everywhere, I particularly like the ones almost bald but with pony tail and the ones with mullets

Checked the Big C machine off 3rd road and its run out of cash. 31st it was not in service...in anyone uses it in the next day or so maybe you can give an update

I think you guys are being a bit harsh. His post is really a comment. I understand most of it, you can work it out if you try. Quite spot on about expats looking for slaves. If you read some of the threads on Thai wives that's what it sounds like