eppic

Guy does not look like guy in yellow shirt TIT

Yes, he does. Look at his passport photo and the police sketch. Definite resemblance, though hard to say for certain if its the same guy.

Thats some statement!! Full of self contradiction

Apparently English is your third or fourth language. Better get some lessons from Thai elementary school students. For starters, google the word "resemblance"...no charge for the first lesson

Guy does not look like guy in yellow shirt TIT

Yes, he does. Look at his passport photo and the police sketch. Definite resemblance, though hard to say for certain if its the same guy.

In law enforcement, it's called an "orgy of evidence." Coos go to arrest someone and all the evidence and more is lying out in the open.

It happens in the movies, but not in real life.

They are such poor liars.

Congratulations on watching the movie "Minority Report" which has been on repeat on TrueVisions this week. You took the "orgy of evidence" line and evidence in open reference directly from Colin Farrell's character in that movie. At least you get your impressive detective skills from a pretty decent movie (which I happened to re-watch yesterday on TV) rather than "Blue Bloods"

Anyone doubting this just google "orgy of evidence" and see what comes up [hint: Minority Report, circa 2002].

Well done, truly.

Meanwhile, as someone that grew up as the son of a prison official, I can promise you that most criminals are in the slammer because --- they are freakin' idiots.

Plus, isn't it just POSSIBLE that they would plant another bomb, and in that case would need the additional materials?

I look forward to hearing what "Minority Report" has to say about that possibility

Ah, the nice thing for you is that (most parts of) midtown is within a reasonable walk to Central Pk, which is fantastic for kids. I went to biz school on the UWS (ok, almost Harlem) and later lived on the UES while working in midtown. I also really enjoyed the ability to walk there, so rarely used my car.

Unfortunately, most of Bangkok is not very walkable at all, although I believe the embassy/ratchaprasong area is probably the best with the wide Ratchadamri sidewalks and the skywalk nearby. Sidewalks in most of the city are cracked, full of holes, clogged with vendors, or sometimes nonexistent. Cars and motorcycles also do not respect pedestrians (vehicles ALWAYS assume the right-of-way), so it can be hazardous to walk unless you keep very aware. So for certain, you will do less walking here, and a truck-like stroller would be helpful. Strollers here are seen mostly in the malls, although we see some around us and will likely use one in our immediate, walkable area.

As for a the car situation, one child would be easy to manage with Uber/GrabCar, but I agree your situation with two small children would be challenging. I have rented a car on a monthly basis and also ordered a new one at one time, but with the advent of Uber/GC, for daily use it's usually not necessary, so ultimately opted against it.

Some people have drivers here, but it is not as common as you might think -- unlike a place such as Jakarta, which just about every expat has a driver. The problem is that drivers are notoriously unreliable and good ones are difficult to find (same for a good Thai nanny, btw) -- but perhaps if the company can arrange one, that might be ideal. You can also self-drive and that is not a problem, although the parking situation here can be a real pain.

At least if you live in midtown you are used to the crowds, your first stroll through Siam Paragon won't be a shock (kinda like fifth ave during tourist season).

Anyway, probably a women's expat club or forum could give you some more helpful suggestions, but just wanted to give your our perspective coming from a similar, urban background.

Just pick the right area of Bangkok. I came to Bangkok from NYC, then Singapore, and I can't imagine living in nowheresville suburbia....Unless by NYC, you really mean "Westport, CT" or other far away suburbs. Don't underestimate the nightmare of a daily commute to/from central BKK for your husband. BTW, "downtown" is not really a thing here...better off saying central BKK or specify districts, but you will learn that in time.

If you want quiet and safe, there are areas like that in BKK. I personally prefer the Embassy district, which happens to be where I live. Easy access to BTS (100 meters to Ratchadamri in my case), wide sidewalks on Ratchadamri Rd, plenty to do and see. Very rarely see the undesireables that are rampant around most of central Bangkok. Walking distance to green space and best malls, which are great places to take the kids. No need for a car, just live by GrabCar and Uber, that's what we do -- avoids parking hassles. We also have a baby on the way, and have no intention of moving to suburbia any time soon -- plenty of small children (especially babies) in our building, and a very safe, upscale area. Commute to work almost certainly a breeze. Expensive by BKK standards, but totally worth it for the (relative) serenity combined with convenience.

Just an idea, stay at a serviced apartment for a month or two (suggest Grande Centrepoint Ratchadamri or similar) before deciding.

Yes, still have races, but not as many as they had a couple of years ago, when it seemed to be every weekend. Our condo overlooks the RBSC, so we can watch the races from our deck (well, we can see about 2/3 of the track)....

However, I just took a look out our window and it looks very quiet today, empty stands, and usually the races would be going around this time -- so no luck for today.

edit: I should have read all of the responses first, I see already well-answered by @p_brownstone

A Farang at the age of 55 with one or two ex-wives at home will hardly get a girlfriend anywhere.

The new trend to marry young Farangs may only last as long as there are no divorces. As soon as kids are there, the question where to raise them will come up.

It's all not that easy in tge long run, but good to see that someone started to investigate.

Actually, not true.

I have an older cousin that age in the US. He is a bus driver, divorced four times, just declared bankruptcy, lost his teeth due to too much smoking....and has a 29 year-old business-owner girlfriend that I met on my last visit.

Meanwhile, I am younger than he, more physically fit, better groomed and dressed, never divorced, and far better off with regard to education and finance. However, while I have had absolutely no trouble getting women in the US, I have found very few Thai women that would even give me a second glance (outside of girlie bars), let alone pursue me. I shirt you not, not one sign of interest from middle class or HiSo Thais in my two years living in Bangkok and many years of previous visits.

So, I guess it really depends, but for certain it is also possible to get a much younger gf or wife in the west. And it is far from clear that many middle class Thai women will prefer or even consider farangs.

Thailand becoming like Singapore is a journey of a thousand miles. But a journey of a thousand miles still needs to start with a single step.

This IS a very important step, and this is hopefully the beginning of that long journey. We might be seeing history in the making here.

Singapore has no ban on alcohol sales near schools.

Singapore bars can be open past 4 am, except in residential areas (then about 2 am).

Singapore cars are not allowed to run down pedestrians in zebra crossings nor drunkenly murder police officers

Singapore has legal prostitution (Thailand does not).

Regular Singapore women (not hookers) dress 100x more provocatively than Thai women (ever been to Orchard Rd? I lived there).

So....if Thailand is becoming like Singapore, I guess we can expect all of these things soon here in Thailand? I'm looking forward to it!

If enforced, the alcohol ban wouldn't affect me much personally, but it would destroy countless small businesses in my area of Bangkok (Siam/Ratchaprasong), which is not even a party district.

I have used Uber several times here in central BKK, as well as GrabTaxi. In fact, many of the Uber Black drivers also work for Grabtaxi (GrabCar) as well. On a recent ride, the driver tried to get me to switch from GrabCar to Uber using the explanation that I could pay automatically with the Uber app -- of course he failed to mention that the price would go up significantly, so I politely declined his helpful offer.

My main issue with Uber and to a lesser extent Grabtaxi is a lack of available vehicles. On most occasions I get "car not available" and on others its a very long wait for arrival. Also, despite what you might assume, many drivers have poor English ability and poor Thai skills as well (Thai friends complain that many drivers are not Thai).

Despite the minor negatives, I would use Uber or GT without hesitation if I can actually get a car - but unfortunately availability is very limited, at least in my area (next to Four Seasons / Ratchadamri BTS). The premium is 110% worth it, so I hope Uber Black is not shut down and that availability improves.

Have a look at repossessed car auctions. Usually quite a bit cheaper than tents and you can hire a car mechanic to check out the car before the auction. A good car mechanic for half a day costs you maybe 500 baht. 3-4k for a car check is way too expensive in my opinion.

Sounds like a good option, but unfortunately I am at a pretty big disadvantage given that I speak minimal Thai and don't have a long-haired dictionary. I don't mind paying THB 3k if it includes a scan of the body for accident damages, seems like a reasonable investment for a 600K investment - can't say I have a mechanic I know, trust, and can communicate with.

I would even pay 1500/bt day for someone to help me do the car shopping and translating, if I could find someone I could trust (and that speaks English).

Having given up on getting delivery of the HR-V I ordered long ago, I have decided to look into the nearly-new market. Specifically, I am looking at perhaps a 2013 Focus Titanium+, which can be had with low mileage at about 50-55% of the new price (has the 6 airbags that are mandatory for me for Thailand driving).

Of course, I have the usual skepticism with used car dealers, but given that expats seem to want an enormous premium (about 150K over tent prices) for their vehicles, I am open to the idea of buying from a tent. However, before doing so, I would definitely want a complete inspection done (especially for frame/flood damage).

That being the case, I came across a Bangkok business called TestCar that does complete inspections and full reports. So, my question is, has anyone done business with Testcar or any similar business, and if so what was your experience? I will include a link (if allowed), but I am not promoting this company,just asking for any info about it or any similar services:

http://www.testcar.co.th/english.report.php

I think 3-4K for an inspection is certainly worth it, assuming the results can be trusted. Any comments/experiences appreciated.

@IMHO, to be fair to Golden Farang, I did mention the Focus (nearly new, low mileage 2013 can be had for about 600k) and my logic in an earlier post...I think you must have missed it. Yes, I also understand the negatives of a Ford, but at a 45% discount it may be worth considering:

.....So, I have been looking at alternatives with my must-have features (6 airbags, leather seats, reasonable city size) and am thinking about nearly-new vehicles like the MY2013 Ford Focus Titanium+, which can be had for about 60% of the price of the HRV-EL thanks to very rapid depreciation of Fords. Doesn't have everything I want, but would suit my needs for running around the city a few times a month when BTS is not convenient. Currently have an Accord rental, which is nice to drive but a pain to maneuver and park here in central BKK.

@Robert24, the CRV was initially on my short list, but I rented on for a trial and found it to be too boat-like in handling and generally too bulky for regular driving/parking in Bangkok. It was nice on the highway though. If I lived outside the city, I might have considered it along with the CX-5. The HR-V is really an ideal size for the city IMO...But frankly, after getting lied to and royally screwed around by my Honda dealer, my preference is definitely to look for a different brand in the likely event I am forced to cancel the HR-V delivery. Who knows, the CX-3 may be launched it Thailand soon. Thanks for the suggestion though.

was aking for a test drive at the Pattaya Honda dealer/Jomtien branch - just the usual "no have test car", I asked when you will get one? "dont know", I just turned around and left, in any "normal" country they wouldnt be able to sell any car,,,,,,,

a white EL model was just picked up by an older farang guy, while I was there

Is it really the norm for there to be no test car available at dealers' showrooms in Thailand? Maybe they were just being pig-headed or plain lazy & not willing to deal with the foreigner, as has been suggested elsewhere in this thread. As you say, in more customer-orientated societies, it's be "no test drive, no sale".

Outside "our" dealer - quite a small showroon really - are HR-V EL, Civic, City, Jazz & Mobilio, all marked as Test Drive vehicles. The dealer insisted we tested the HR-V before we ordered, although that'd obviously have been a "must" for me anyway if they hadn't suggested it first.

When I asked to test drive the HR-V at my nearest dealer, Honda Pathumwan (Siam Square), I was told I could put my name on a waiting list and come back in a few weeks. Nice. So I went to the motor show and managed to get a rather pathetic circle around the carpark, but at least better than nothing. And it didn't stop thousands of HR-V bookings during the motor show, I am certain the vast majority never test drove the vehicles they ordered...Thais buy for reasons other than performance anyway (which generic white Honda or Toyota, stripped of most safety features, would you like to buy, sir?)

We ordered an HR-V EL model in metallic silver - one of the colours for which they don't charge extra - 2 weeks ago. At the time we said we wanted delivery after a planned trip to UK in May. The salesgirl told us it might be a good idea to accept delivery before our trip. She said " ... we'll have used our quota and maybe cannot get more for a long time ... ". Perhaps she was alluding to this supply problem that's been mentioned.

Maybe colour ordered affects the delays.

If we don't get delivery on their suggested date, we could just walk away - deposit was 3000 baht - but, to be honest, a delay of a month or more would suit us & fit into our original plans. Change of make is possible - Mazda? - but the nearest Mazda dealer is 80km away as opposed to 25km for the Honda dealer - that's a big influence, IMO.

See what happens in late March.

A bit earlier than we really wanted but our dealer called yesterday to say that our new HR-V EL is ready for collection and we just need to sort-out the paperwork, which we'll do next week.

Maybe this particular car was already in stock with the dealer so only needed preparation once ordered by a customer and then moved to the local shop.

Don't know where you are, eppic, but we're using a dealer near home in a smallish town in Khon Kaen province. Maybe sales here have been slower and the dealer - with many branches in the area - hadn't sold them as quickly as anticipated. Must admit, I haven't seen many on the roads here and of those I've seen, most have been BKK registration.

If I remember, when we sign the papers I'll ask the dealer if there are problems with new orders now.

Thanks for the update. I am in Bangkok, and as you have speculated, perhaps that is the issue since I now know a number of people who ordered well after me but received vehicles before me, and they seem to be outside BKK (I don't think it's a color issue).

After seeing your post, I had my translator check with the salesman, and of course there is still no new update -- one month after the original promised delivery date, there is absolutely no estimate of arrival time.

At this stage I have essentially decided to cancel the order. I'll also be taking a long holiday in a month or so, and I don't want the car arriving while I am gone (or just before, for that matter). I don't fancy parking my brand new vehicle in the condo garage for nearly two months immediately after delivery. So, I have been looking at alternatives with my must-have features (6 airbags, leather seats, reasonable city size) and am thinking about nearly-new vehicles like the MY2013 Ford Focus Titanium+, which can be had for about 60% of the price of the HRV-EL thanks to very rapid depreciation of Fords. Doesn't have everything I want, but would suit my needs for running around the city a few times a month when BTS is not convenient. Currently have an Accord rental, which is nice to drive but a pain to maneuver and park here in central BKK.

EDIT:

P.S. As an aside, as I recently have spoken to a couple of dealers about getting a nearly-new car, I have actually found the used car dealers to be far more competent than the new car dealers. They spoke much better English, were more able to answer questions about the vehicles, and seemed a more helpful overall. Not sure what that says about the new car salesman in Bangkok, but they clearly have minimal motivation to sell -- they seem to be just order takers (shockingly ignorant of their product), so I would assume they are very poorly paid, or at least they should be.

This happened to me with Fidelity (aka "Fido") a couple of years ago. At that time, I had actually had been living and using a mailing address in Singapore for years, but out of nowhere received a notice that my (private client) account would need to be closed. I simply switched the mailing address to the U.S., told them that I had moved back there, and all was good. No issues since then, and I am sure they don't surreptitiously track IP addresses to stop trading from outside the U.S. In fact, they told me they were ok with mailing addresses in certain countries, but Singapore was not one of them.

I also have personal accounts with Schwab (US for me, UK for my wife) and professional accounts with Interactive Brokers. IB is set up specifically to deal with international traders and markets, so they may be good for your needs, but you will get very little hand holding and customer service, if you need that. I have actually been considering dumping Fidelity and moving those funds to either Schwab or IB, but so far have kept accounts at Fido more for asset diversification purposes and multiple ATM access choices.

For sure, you can get your needs met through Schwab and/or IB. IB accounts can be opened up very quickly by scanning a few documents, submitting them, and doing an ACH transfer from Fido. IB can also do free international wire transfers once monthly, so that's a big advantage, but it doesn't have the (fee-free) ATM withdrawals that Fido and Schwab have.

I was in a Honda dealership today and asked them about ordering a new EL model,

the sales person told me straight away that it's not available for at least 6 or 7 months

due to a shortage of sunroofs, only the other models can be ordered right away.

The impression i got was it's not even worth placing an order for that model at the

moment.

This is consistent with information I have received from multiple sources. I understand the delay for new orders, but mine was originally scheduled for a delivery a couple of weeks ago, so was looking for ways to at least get a reasonable delivery time, not July or August.

Based on what I've learned here and elsewhere, it's either try to pay to get back on priority list, or get another vehicle. I'll start shopping for an alternative while I am waiting, then cancel the HR-V if/when I take delivery....6-7 months gets too close to the next model year to even consider staying with the current year HR-V, will be other options by then.

Thanks to those that provided constructive suggestions, we can probably retire the thread before it deteriorates further (as most tend to at TV)

Apparently social media can get some response, because my Thai friend posted a nasty comment about the delays on Honda Facebook page, and reply (translated badly) indicate that Honda will try to resolve the issue before the next motor show in March, otherwise it could be a disaster for future sales. Public shaming is clearly more effective than private complaints to the dealer/salesman.

So MartinL's post on the March timeframe makes sense, orders will probably backlog even further when the next motor show starts.

I also called the salesman (on a different number, so he wouldn't know it's me), and he mistakenly answered. Hard to communicate, but sounds like he also indicated that delivery should be before end of March, better than "a few months", although that would still be a two-month delay...could be just blowing smoke though, really no reason to believe them at this stage.

We ordered an HR-V EL model in metallic silver - one of the colours for which they don't charge extra - 2 weeks ago. At the time we said we wanted delivery after a planned trip to UK in May. The salesgirl told us it might be a good idea to accept delivery before our trip. She said " ... we'll have used our quota and maybe cannot get more for a long time ... ". Perhaps she was alluding to this supply problem that's been mentioned.

Maybe colour ordered affects the delays.

If we don't get delivery on their suggested date, we could just walk away - deposit was 3000 baht - but, to be honest, a delay of a month or more would suit us & fit into our original plans. Change of make is possible - Mazda? - but the nearest Mazda dealer is 80km away as opposed to 25km for the Honda dealer - that's a big influence, IMO.

See what happens in late March.

You might want to check with the dealer to see current status. The letter from Honda HQ to dealers was dated 20 January, so you ordered just shortly before all future EL orders were suspended. If you are interested in June delivery that might actually work out for you, but wouldn't be surprised if it's even longer if the "few months" delay is accurate for orders already past promised delivery date. I would be very surprised if you get a March delivery, regardless of what the salesperson told you, but maybe you will be luckier (or more savvy with the queue system) than I was.

I will talk to some other dealers as suggested by some here, but nearby BKK dealers were already giving May delivery estimates as of two weeks ago.

No idea I have no desire for a roller skate, a much better value would be a Mitsubishi Pajero

Unfortunately, a Pajero is about as far from the HR-V as you can get. A 7-seater tank with minimal safety features (two airbags??) used for driving and parking in central Bangkok traffic? Good for farm country, I suppose, but "value" for me is not based on price per kg.

More realistic options would be the CX-5, wait for the CX-3, or simply buy a good used Honda/Toyota sedan for occasional city use -- at least it's immediate delivery.

^{I would cancel the order and walk to other dealer or change brand. How much you paid deposit for them? usually it's about 5k.}

Deposit was 10k and no doubt I could get that refunded, but going to another dealer would mean restarting the process with even longer delivery time -- no new orders being taken. I could switch to the lower-end version with quicker delivery, but am not interested (lack of safety and other features).

If I cancel for certain I will switch both dealer and vehicle type, I want something immediately not in months time. The salesman would no doubt be thrilled if I canceled, I suspect that's what he wanted all along...frees up a delivery for his preferred customers (perhaps one that will pay to jump queue, as suggested here). Since the salesman will no longer answer messages/calls, I may have to make a visit to the dealership (with a hammer?) to help them with some attitude adjustment, but would be a 45+ minute taxi ride each way so not my preferred option

No idea what you mean by "drop in rate" but a 1-year membership to Fitness First in Thailand in fixed pricing. There is no negotiation possible, unlike many other gyms and what has been stated here. It's take it or leave it.

You pay an admin fee, another one-time fee (don't remember what it's called), but one of those fees is credited to your account after you visit something like 12 times in four weeks (again, I forgot exactly).

For a year, it costs maybe 30K bt including tax (billed 1/12 monthly) -- I think about 22k+ or US$80) for a platinum membership (all clubs). My wife and I have belonged for about 18 months, joined and primarily use the Siam Paragon branch since that's our neighborhood. I asked for a discount for two members, but refused and no discounts of any kind given to anyone I know of. If there is a cash-upfront discount, that wouldn't surprise me, but I was not aware of that.

Shorter contracts are something like 10-20% more, but the admin fees remain, so can get expensive for a short term membership.

We were also members of FF in Singapore, and use it there now during our travels. It costs slightly less here, but not as much as you would think. Singapore had a family plan giving a discount for additional members, but no such thing in Thailand.

I would also disagree that this is one of the usual slimy fitness companies (of which Cal Fitness was horrible). It's a good organization, although the Paragon branch can be very packed at peak hours.

Facilities are generally nice and new, but Landmark is an exception, we found it old and crappy there so never use that branch (sometimes go to Chong Nonsi).

I think there is little if any price difference for a Platinum membership, but maybe a Landmark-only membership would be a bit less than the numbers I mentioned.

Just drop by the club...you will have to sit through the usual spiel from a sales rep to get the info, but they won't aggressively harass you afterward like Cali Fitness would (if you are worried, just don't give them your phone number).

Bottom line, it's a reputable company in Thailand, unlike in some other locations. Resigning in Singapore was straightforward, and billing has been no problem here either.

P.S., if you are hoping to see hot-body women in sexy outfits in the Bangkok gyms, forget it. They dress mostly in the FF-provided clothes, baggy and not flattering...very rare to see a hottie at the gym, huge difference from the beauties in Singapore -- and quite a hit to the motivation level

Good luck

I haven't heard of "several month" delays yet, but it's possible.

The other thing that's possible is that the dealer is simply over-quota - in TH, in order for every dealer to have stock to sell for short-on-supply models, each dealer has a set max. quota of cars available to them (varies dealer by dealer).

It could be just a case that the dealer you're buying through has sold out their quota... I'd suggest getting on the phone and ringing other dealers.

Unfortunately, not the case. My Thai friend was able to see a letter from Honda HQ (all in Thai, so I can't read) that indicates sales of the EL version are completely suspended -- reason is apparently lack of sunroofs, which I didn't really want anyway. She also confirmed the story at a few other dealers: No more EL version sales. It has been and by far the most popular, so perhaps they are saving the sunroofs for launches in Malaysia and Australia, etc.

In any case, I am most irritated by the fact that those who ordered after me (same trim) received vehicles, and mine was promised for imminent delivery (Jan 20, then late Jan) until the sudden delay of several months. There are other complaints online about this issue, but again all in Thai, so I can't read or even google them.

Lucky you didn't order the now old new ranger a few years ago...

To answer your question, you could ask the dealer is there another way to speed up your delivery ....cash seems to work apparently.

Nice idea, but the dealer has stopped taking calls and responding to messages. My Thai friend got him when he accidentally picked up the phone at the dealer not knowing it was her. I also don't really feel like rewarding bad behavior with more money, but thanks for the suggestion.