Guitar God

I don't know why you refer to it as a "con". There is an increasing number of studies showing the theraputic effect of cannabis, particularly treatments with an extract know popularly as "Simpson's Oil" that stops seizures in epileptics, cures skin cancer, prostate cancer among many other conditions. A friend of mine, actor Thomas Chong was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he treated it with Simpson's oil and his doctors confirm that he is 99% cancer free. I didn't ask him how he applied or ingested it, but it worked...

The problem with investing in these Canadian Med-MJ companies is that the cost of the drug is more than the cost of patients producing it themselves, as they are currently allowed, and the selection of strains is limited. Canada is also overproducing so demand will be low.

Patients currently producing their own cannabis under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) would lose their production license if they ordered from a commercial producer under the new Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) so most are not interested in purchasing from commercial suppliers.

There may be 1.3B CAD in demand in 10 years but those commercial producers won't be supplying it all, if they're even still around.

They had two official producers in the Netherlands and even with no license for patients with prescriptions available, neither one of them are still producing.

I'm not investing in it.

I have three addresses in Thailand, one is the address that was used on my visa application. The form TM-47 asks for "present address". If I report in Bangkok, and my primary address is in Ubon, should I list my Ubon address, or my Bangkok address, even if I'm just there for a couple days and my primary address is in Ubon?

If I report in Nonthanburi, do I list my address there, the one I listed on my application which technically would be my present address since I'd be staying there at the time I was reporting, or my Ubon address where I spend the majority of my time.

If I report at Phibun, I'm guessing they would be fine with my listing my Ubon address since it is my present address, even though it's not on any of my visa applications, right?

Are you required to report in the province of your present address?

I'm no more on the defensive here than I am anywhere. Sure you might find the occasional taxi or Tuktuk driver who doesn't want to use the meter but TIT. If you want the ride bad enough either negotiate what you think's a fair price or find another one. I've spent hours in taxi's here and I know where I'm going and I very rarely with they take a longer route unless it's to avoid a traffic jam. I had one driver say I had to take a motorcycle taxi the rest of the way because of traffic, but it was really because he couldn't find the address. I was within a couple blocks and just walked.

In stores and businesses I find most people to be truly helpful with no ulterior motives. I seem to get the same prices my wife does.

I think it depends more on where you live and who you associate with then whether they're Thai or not.

I don't rent jet skis, buy ya baa or rent hookers, and I don't spend a lot of time in touristy areas.

One thing I didn't see in the video is how to respond to a wai. Most people who wai me, I just nod back.

When meeting adult in-laws, the wife's manager, lawyers and government officials, older thais who wai me etc. I'll wai back.

I learned there are three different wai's: The high one where your thumbs touch your browline for greeting monks and the king, one where your fingertips touch your nose for when meeting older people or someone of higher social status and one at chest level where you just nod your head for when you wai friends or people of similar age or status. I see the last one used a lot by service people and greeters at stores.

They weren't interested in keeping any of my drivers licenses (from two European countries or the U.S.) I'm sure you'll get yours back. It's not an exchange program, they just need proof you're already licensed.

I must have a hole in my pocket. My rent is similar, her pocket money is 5k more, electric is the same, water is less, travel costs are similar and do have fast internet and a lot of TV channels but I go through twice that a month. I don't drink, don't buy hookers and all my massages are free. I did spent 3k at Top Market yesterday though. I'm certainly not saving anything by living here.

I'm living on 65.000 a month.

17.000 Rent (could find a cheaper house but like to live comfortably)

1.000 electricity

200 water

15.000 pocket money for wife and kids

32.000 for the other things like car, bike, travel...

00.000 left at the end of the month

Wouldn't like to restrict myself too much.

But compare how you would live on your pension in the UK/Thailand.

I'm not a doctor, though I did play one on TV, but I'm pretty sure the test is only to detect an active infection. The certificate only mentions no indication of tertiary syphilis.

If someone had had syphilis and it was effectively treated, it wouldn't progress to secondary or tertiary syphilis so they would still be issued a medical certificate.

That's correct. It was never mentioned but when my lawyer went to submit the paperwork he called to ask my blood type. I didn't know so I guessed, then I went to the hospital and had a test done for 150 THB or something and it turns out I guessed right.

Whenever the traffic police try to get money off of me they say the options are to go to the station, pay a fine and get my license back next week, or pay them cash.

I have a couple EU licenses and a U.S. one. In Bangkok I had to take the color, depth perception and reaction time test. I didn't have an international license. One DL said "motorcycle" and "car" and another had pictures of a car and a big bike. I heard Phuket was easier than that. That could explain why there are more accidents there if one-eyed, color-blind drivers with the reaction times of a sloth can just show an old license and pay a fee.

It finally worked but it was kludgy as hell. I have a 17Mbps connection, just DL'd a big file from my PC in Europe in a matter of seconds but it still took a long time and didn't want to respond when I placed the order. They were fast at responding to my email though, when I did finally get through it went to my Paypal account and then told me they didn't allow shipping to Thailand if I used my Euro Paypal account. The Maige rep said they used the shipping address you use when you create an account and they ignore the Paypal shipping address and once you're at the Paypal site you have the option of using another (Thai) credit card if you want.

And shooting someone who owes you money gets you your money back by??

Wouldn't it make more sense to take the bike back?

Two people try to murder someone and shoot two bystanders and they're fined? Not put in jail, not deported but fined? W-T-F

Not impressed with Maige's shopping cart on their website. I'm 30 minutes into the process of ordering (25 minutes were waiting for it to load) and now the "Place order" button doesn't work.

Maybe this is the time of day in China when people download all their porn and clog up the internet. I'll try again later.

I wanted the Discovery, NatGeo and a few others and they were only available in the Platinum package. I get around 150 channels and watch 10.

I have TrueVision in Bkk but I'm on the verge of ordering a cablestreamer box for my place in Ubon as they don't have cable there and I'd need a dish. Anyone have any experience with them?

One of the new Thai channels is 50% less annoying than usual, it's all cartoon sound effects with none of the screaming and arguing.

I am a platinum subscriber and signed up for the 20 free extra channels yesterday. They will send me an sms confirmation within 2 working days. Don't know what the extra channels are yet but no doubt they will tell me.

Seems to be a no brainer if the concession expires in September 2014.

I think they are all the new Thai Channels. Very useful...Not.

Is auto-pay an option here? I'm getting a little bored with having to take my True and Dtac phone bill to 7-11 every month to pay.

I have accounts with 3 or 4 banks, I haven't asked but you'd think at least one of them would allow it if the vendors were set up for it.

As for True and their sattelite permit, it seems strange their new company could get a new permit but their old company couldn't.

I'm sure it looks better than it sounds, but then again, maybe not. What are "spangles", or shouldn't I ask?

I notice a big size difference in the clothes.........@ but equally only like to wear shorts and a vest top. I take the elastic out of the shorts and use a lace and cut bigger slits in the vests so that they are not tight. Open back rubber spangles from Tesco and away

I go. The good thing is no one actually thinks you look strange ? I won't win any fashion prizes, but who cares, it's far to hot to be concerned with such trivial matters ! Shower fully clothed and I'm dressed for the morning!

I can't find my last receipt from Raja's in Bkk but I'm sure long-sleeved dress shirts cost me no more than ฿1000-1200 each. A quarter of what I pay in the states for off-the-rack stuff. Short sleeve with more casual style fabric would probably be around ฿700-800 I'd guess, and they fit perfectly.

Nobody has said yet: about how much does it cost to get a custom-made shirt?

I buy XL shirts even though I don't think I'm XL. They fit me around the torso well enough but the collar is way too tight if I button it. I use collar extenders. If I buy a 2XL, the collar fits but I'm swimming in the shirt.

I second the mushroom picking in Pai idea.

I'd like to know where you can buy shoes larger than size 45 here. When I go into a shoe store here the first thing I ask is if they have size 48. They usually just laugh and shake their head.

In my experience here with clothes, most run two sizes smaller that U.S. sizes. I have American "L" shirts that are bigger than Thai XXL's, same with underwear.

I see quite a few plus size Thai men and guys with big feet. I wonder where they buy their clothes and I'm surprised that since there's obviously a market, why there aren't larger sizes available in stores.

Custom shirts are cheap here and the selection of fabrics is good, faster and easier than buying online from Eddie Bauer or Gander Mountain or other stores that ship internationally.

Any recommendations for an experienced and well-connected customs broker in Bangkok?

And again, I really appreciate all the helpful information. I hope this info serves other people who are importing their personal effects here as well. It's nice when there is an exemption in your favor and I think it's very fair of the Thai government allowing you to import your own property (except for motor vehicles) that you've already paid tax on once.

It's quite the contrast to some of the other bureaucracy and complications a lot of immigrants experience. Setting up a business here seemed overly complicated, depositing 100k to get a Thai credit card that doesn't even give me credit is different from my experience in other countries. having to fly to KL to extend a business visa because of delays and other inconveniences are mitigated by helpful exemptions like this.

Now if I'm lucky enough to get a customs agent who's in a good mood and knows the rules...

Someone asked if I played all my guitars. No. Most of them, yes, but not all of them. Some are too similar to others that I prefer playing more but I'm hanging on to them just because I don't have any reason to get rid of them and a few have appreciated in value. The problem with having a lot of one kind of thing is you forget what you have or where they are. Once I saw a Gibson ES-355 BB King Lucille signature model for sale and was tempted to buy it. The next day I was going through some cases in a closet and guess what I found? Yup, the same ES-355.

CharlesHH- you have a good argument. They were part of my household needs there, why not here? I'm still planning on only putting a couple in the container though, don't want ot push my luck. I've already paid duty on most of them at least once anyway.

What's it cost to ship a 20 footer from Europort or Antwerp to Bangkok, anyone know?

I imported a couple containers a month from BC to Rotterdam for $8-10k USD depending if it was a reefer or not.

Now I'm paying $2500 USD for 20' containers from Hong Kong to Rotterdam. I'm guessing there are a lot more exports from Hong Kong to Europe than the other way around so I would expect an even lower price going the other direction, and Bangkok is even closer.

I don't suppose anyone has recent experience shipping from Europe to Thailand?