MisterBeetle

A few pics from yesterday.....nice photos MisterBeetle.

Thanks Pooklook!

Yours shots are better but! What sort of camera are you shooting with?

I might go back again during the week, was a bit hard to see everything with a baby in a stroller! Missed the motorbikes and the accessories, not to mention the night entertainment.

And now for some cars...

New Lexus LF-A- ok great sounding engine and sweet looking cockpit...but ummm how much money you got? This is a Toyota!!

Better value for money IMHO- if I had money that is!!

Lets see those doors again!

Beefed up Focus

Another Lexus, this time the CT

Pimped out on big arse rims!

Decepticons Attack!

Suzuki counter girls

Chevrolet girl had pretty face.

oops what happened to the cars?

Smiles galore!

Ok that will do I'm pooped.

As promised... here as some shots from the Bangkok Motor Show today.

PS: Don't drive if you can help it!! Although we were lucky and got a park in the shade for 60Baht, it took us 30 minutes of frustration to find a park.

Overall a good day out with the family..

All shots were taken on my little Lumix Lx-3 which looked tiny compared to all the flashy Canon and Nikon "Pros".

Notice the hoards of horny guys...I mean photographers crowding this poor lass!!

more to come...

I agree it should be split half half, but I think somehow I always end up being the one!! I really don't mind it, cause bubba loves it and is all smiles after she is all cleaned up! Has also made for some funny moments... say no more!!

Although she is still on milk so that could all change once she starts on solids!!!

As far as adapting to different cultural customs etc, I must have been living here too long, cause I really haven't had too much drama adapting.

With that gold band tradition however, both the missus and I agreed we don't want our baby to wear any jewelry or whatever you want to call it until she is older.

I think its too blingy and my partner doesn't want to attract attention..

Heading there early tomorrow by car with the missus.

I went a couple years back and was lucky enough to get a close park and that was around mid day!

I will happily take plenty of photos for all the readers here Of the cars ofcourse....

I had problems getting my wife to breastfeed our daughter. I found a Thai nurse who had been trained in Australia to talk some sense into her. She's at one of the Samitivej hospitals but I found her through BAMBI, her name is Meena Sobsamai. She knew how to talk to my wife.

BAMBI is not a bad resource, I don't know how to post a link here.

here it is, Bambi

Hi Everyone,

My name is Locky and I'm originally from Australia.

I dabbled for a few years in Fashion and Wedding Photography.

I managed a Photo lab for a few years before moving to Thailand to live with my partner. We now have a little baby girl, who has launched a new area of Photography to explore and play with.

Before the birth of our child , I was a keen travel photographer, spending a bit of time traveling through Sth East Asia.

See my photos here

I shoot using a Nikon Digital SLR, which has proved its worth while on bumpy, dusty bus trips and long 3 day hikes through rainy mountains.

Also love my little compact Lumix LX3 which never leaves my side!

Hope to share any knowledge on cameras or techniques with the members here.

Get your missus to get the rest of the employees together and go down to the labour office en masse to lodge complaints over non payment of salary.

In the west this would be the common and sensible way to go about it, just don't think the average thai would take this approach.

This is a great thread.!

Congrats to all the new mum's and dad's and soon to be ones too

I will share my experience being a proud hands-on dad of 2 month old(nearly just) baby girl.

NAPPIES:

For night and travelling we use Mamy Poko, as our disposable Nappy of choice- we tried Snugglers, and a few others (Hospital gave us huge amounts of samplers from all the different brands.)

I try and get the 48 pack at moment has a bonus 4 nappies for 349 Baht , that works out to only under 7 baht each. We bought at Carefour last night. Bought one Newborn 2-5 kilo and One small 3-8kilo as little one will be outgrowing them very soon ( fatty )

AT home we use cloth nappies(Muslin) ones , but I find you really have to be checking bubba every hour or more so as not to have any messies! Mum likes them though cause they are cheap and easy to wash.

We also use washable coolababy nappies that I brought over from Oz with me. These work well, however are still a little too loose around the thighs and we get the odd leak... &*(*!! nice one today all over mummies shorts and shirt!! haha. Our little one sleeps really well in these as they do a great job at soaking up the wet ones.

Washing days are a breeze as we just soak them in a bucket in the downstairs bathroom and throw them in the washing machine twice a week.

Breast milk versus Bottle:

Ou doctor and infact most of the nurses that looked after our baby at the Hospital we used, were all pro-breast feeding. The first time baby was brought in to mum after birth, a nurse spent quite a time teaching my partner the secrets to breast feeding.

Yes, they did have a bottle ready , but that was purley there only if mum could not produce enough milk.

My partner has had nothing but encouragement from everyone she has talked to re: breast feeding. I realize not every mum has the luxury of being bale to breast feed- but if you can then do it for the sake of your baby!!

My Auntie has 2 kids and keeps saying she wished she had breast fed her oldest boy longer as his immunity to colds, flues etc is dismal.

They say the longer you feed your baby the better! Well my girl has already indicated she will be feeding baby for as long as physically possible.

The money that can be saved can be put to other things too, such as education, toys, travel, etc etc

As soon as baby is ready she will be started on fruit and vegetable puree- freshly made if possible.

Baby Stuff we use

Night time our baby sleeps now in 3-4 hour bursts, on good nights she can sleep from 11 right through to 5am! That was a record night! I was so impressed I stayed up and took bubba for a walk while I had my morning coffee.

We use a collapsable baby cot, as we tend to travel a lot.

We also use a First years baby sleep positioner to stop her from rolling around. Seems to help make her feel safe and secure when she is wrapped too.

For traveling we use a Camera baby seat- Modo series- which can actually be fitted into a Pram . We like this one as Its easy to fit to any car, not too heavy and doubles as a rocker- Handy for trips to restaurants and visits to relatives.

Baby stroller is a necessity for trips to the shopping Mall, etc. We bought a Capella collapsable one that fits neatly in the back of just about any car- including taxi-s with those giant gas tanks.

AT home when baby is awake she loves to play on one of those soft play mats- has hooks to hang off any number of squeaky- rattling toys. At 6 weeks she was just starting to like it for the toy factor!!

Where to source baby stuff:

This is just me- but we have found pretty much everything we have needed from the big department stores such as The Mall/Central/Lotus being the better ones.

Ok some things are more expensive, but I'm not planning a trip overseas anytime soon(yet )

There are some good local(asian) brands that are high quality in my books and some ok for certain bits and pieces. Plenty of choices in clothes etc etc.

Mikeyidea- I agree sometimes it is hard dealing with the inlaws and their older values on how to raise your precious little bubba.

I just try to zone out and have to remember where I am, we are in Thailand after all!! 20 km's out of Bangkok and your up-country! lol I'm lucky I guess that my partner is a modern thai girl who sees the benefits of the modern western ways for many things!!

We rarely have different opinions about how our baby should be raised, and the in-laws luckily live too far away to interrupt.

Anyway, each to their own!!

Happy Parenting to all! And may you get some much deserved sleep tonight!!

Hey there,

I don't actually have experience in Chipping a Diesel Audi but just wanted to add a comment.

You probably know more about this than me by the sounds of it, but just in case.

I know of one company in Australia you could try http://www.abt-australia.com/

or specifically for the A6 3.0 Diesel. http://www.abt-sportsline.de/en/tuning/sho...ne-tuning-1936/

I'm sure you could find a decent Audi mechanic in Bkk to install, but you wont have the tech support of say ABT .

Good luck and let us know how your project goes!

I can recommend one resort in Pranburi, about 30 minutes south of Hua Hin by taxi or car.

AWAY PRANBURI is located on Pranburi beach with really pretty views down the beach to Sam Roi Yot mountains.

The place is quite small, only 4 bungalows and a nice pool, so most of the time you would have the place to yourself.

Huge airconditioned Bungalow in Thai Lanna style, but modern, wireless internet, True Satellite TV, Massage available, bikes for the kids to ride.

I went there with my wife and baby and we had a ball. Air is so fresh and the beach cleaner than Hua HIn, less crowded, in fact I think we saw maybe only 4 people on the beach the day we were there!!

You can book online or walk is is cheaper, includes breakfast(good one too).

www.awaypranburi.com

I have stayed in Hua Hin many times, in fact I lived there for a year, and I much prefer the peace and quite of pranburi.

Thanks for the comments, I haven't smiled this much for a long while...

oz

Big congrats Oz!

Cute little baby there, hope you are getting some sleep?

Our little Ella was born 4th Feb.

Haven't posted any pics yet so here we go

and one more

Mazda 3 saloon is a bit dated now but in the same price range.Mazda 3 hatchback is nice but just a little bit pricey starting at 799,000 baht.

???? The Mazda 3 is brand new + the price start at 755,000 baht with Free Insurance + 3-year/100,000 km warrantee + 3-year/100,000 km free maintenance

Hmmm its 600,000 baht in Aus, drive away. Nice looking car, the show Top Gear rated the quality as better than BMW.

I was seriously looking purchasing at the current Mazda 3, but after hearing about the new(current to everywhere else in the world ) will be seriously thinking of holding off till the newer model is released finally.

I know in some ways I prefer the older shape, I'm just concerned the launch of a newer modern design will harm resale value.

Still need a car until then...hmmmmm. Maybe a low km 2007-2008 M3 2.0Lt Sport Baht 600,000-700,000

Looks too much like a cheap chinese car to me.. just my thoughts. Mazda 2 a lot better looking.

I agree but it's not really fair to make that comparison as the Mazda 2 is priced in a different segment of the market.

The March is priced to compete with the Chery and the Savy. I think it will win easily, ugly or not.

I would agree with you there! I would buy this over any of the other cheap cars(Chery or the Savy), but then again, there are so many other cars I would look at second hand.

Yeah, the front looks ok to me but think they messed up the rear end. Noddy would love it though!

Nissan is always having great royal, modern and classic designs...

March.. is tooooo classic reminding me old VW.... not modern

Maybe they are trying to attract the wanna be Mini crowd?

The front has some cuteness to it but the back end reminds me of one of those pointless London cabs you might catch from the airport.

Looks too much like a cheap chinese car to me.. just my thoughts. Mazda 2 a lot better looking.

I briefly considered buying a 156 also. I like "different" cars, and while the Alfa certainly fit the bill, the main concern seemed to be the maintenance issue (the main garage is at Rachada/Pahonyothin - said to be very very slow).

Board member richardsmith had one. Maybe if he is still around he can chime in with his experience.

The 156 drives nice and tight, though. Nice steering, though the transmission leaves something to be desired.

I never had a Alfo 156. But i had several Fiat Puntos and using the Fiat Alfa Dealer at Pahonyotin Rd. The service is european standart. Never had any troubles with them. Speedy service as well, no problem.

Thanks all,

After coming up blank with a reliable service plan and the fact we will be living 2 1/2 hrs from Bangkok, that 156 is looking not so sporty!!

Mazda 3 or even a Toyota Altis looking better and better! (never thought I would be buying a Jap car!). But servicing and parts have to be easily obtained.

Off to a Mazda dealer to test drive and pull them to bits tomorrow.

Benefits seem obvious ...100,000 kms- 3 year warranty, 1st year free Insurance, New car feel etc etc.

Hi All, I have come full swing around from Hatchbacks to look at the Alfa Romeo 156 Selespeed.

The prices seem very good value when compared to Honda/Toyota/Mazda, with many top features such as 10-12 Airbags/ABS/Multitronic Gear change etc and a nice raspy 2 Litre 4 cylinder engine.

I once owned a Alfa Sud back in Australia, and while it did rust into literally pieces on my driveway, it did perform well and had a great sporty feel to it.

Wondering if anyone here has owned one or know of anyone who has??

The 156 was made by GM in Rayong as far as I can tell , so I would assume parts should be easily obtained?

I know the resale value is very low (good for second hand purchase), I have seen 2009-2010 models advertised for under 1 million.

Hi all.

Just picked up my brand spanking new Mazda 3 sports 2 litre hatchback. It was assembled in the Phillapeens ( sorry for spelling) The Mazda 2 is assembled in Thailand.

The Mazda 3 2 Litre goes like a rocket and has 6 airbags. Hold the road well and has great seats for the long drive. I am very happy with it.

Hi Warriors, (NZ supporter? )

Yes I was tempted (still am )by the Mazda 3 sports they are a great little car, and look so nice on the road compared to the Toyboats and Hondas.

Such a classy car. I definitely would not get the 1.6 litre, way underpowered, everyone says the engine has to be worked hard to keep up the momentum and hard to return good mileage.

Got any plans for wheels /lowering or window tinting soon?

Let us know how it all goes! Would love to here more feedback on the 2 liter 3 (Fuel economy etc)

Expect the first examples of the Thai built Fiesta in dealerships this month, with broader availability expected in June. Prices have not been announced yet, but Ford have hinted more than a few times that 550k-700K is where it'll end up.

Information on the models and grades available is scarce, but Ford Thailand have confirmed that there will be models with the 1.6L petrol engine, the "Powershift" twin-clutch transmission (the first Fiesta's in the world with this), and for once, all of the cool electronics of their Western counterparts (Bluetooth, iPod compat, voice control etc).

As a footnote, the Thai Fiesta is made in the same plant as the Mazda 2 (Auto Alliance), so it stands to reason that they'll both share similar economics..

June you say? A little bit longer into the year than I was hoping.

But the prospect of DSG is promising, and for around 700,000 Baht is not bad considering the top of the line Mazda 2 sells for just under 700,000.

Anyway, given the countries current political climate, I might just stay home and watch the news for a while.

I'm interested why here in Thailand though they only have 2 airbags though??

1) Safety doesn't sell cars here, and 2) Because of #1, adding the standard Western quota of airbags and other safety features such as traction/stability control would simply price them out of the market. Sad that they're not even available as a cost-option I do admit - that alone goes to show you how much the average Thai motorist cares about it.

I agree with you there! Must be why we see so many SUV's getting around bangkok. You can fit upwards of 10 people in one and cheap as chips.

Any one else have any thoughts?

If you can hold off your decision for a month or three, the new Ford Fiesta should also probably be on your short-list. It would have to be the most awarded B-segment car in memory, so must be doing something (or most things) right..

I would love to get the Fiesta, such a great little car.

But WHEN!! and IF it comes to Thailand? What will be the engine specs on the Thai release? What will be the pricing? No doubt higher than the Mazda 2. I just cant get any solid info. Argh the pain and frustration!

We are moving out of Bangkok next month for work and will be needing some wheels pretty soon.

Maybe I can hold off and hire a car for a while ...hmmmmm options.

My wife and I are looking at the Mazda 2 as well.

I am drawn both by the styling and the fuel efficiency aspects.

I know the Honda Jazz is probably slightly more generous in space, but I have to admit, I like the design of the 2 alot more!!

My girlfriend likes the fact that they are not as common as the Jazz and Yaris etc, which seem to be every where!

We have a 1 month old baby and safety is definitely a factor driving on the roads here in Bangkok and beyond.

Internationally the car scored 5 stars in the EURO NCAP safety tests.

I'm interested why here in Thailand though they only have 2 airbags though??

I test drove the Mazda 3 a couple of years back and was impressed by its handling and on road grip.

I have read in reputable reviews that the Mazda 2 has if not better on road feel.

Any one else have any thoughts?

THis is from my own experience teaching in Thailand.

I worked as a Teacher in Thailand for around 2 years (some in Bangkok) The best I was ever paid was around 40,000 a month).

I now have a wife and 1 month old baby girl and could'nt possibly get by for anything less than 50,000 baht.

My wife is not working.

We have a house we are paying off around 20,000 baht per month.

Car repayments- 12,000

Food- 5,000-6,000

baby supplies- ??? seems to always be too much!!!

+ everything else?

30,000 was JUST do-able when I was single and not really thinking of the future.

I could work 5 days and then travel on the weekend a bit.

Maybe afford to buy a ticket home at the end of my contract.

Most schools will only pay 30-35,000 baht for a native speaker.

The only way you could possibly make enough to support a family would be to supplement it with tutoring/private teaching.

I would ask how he knows it will be a sun

My wife was told after her 5 month scan that we were expecting a daughter. So was my mate however and after buying everything for his daughter after the same style scan out popped his sun. TIT

lol

better than ..... out popped Uranus lol

sorry couldnt help it!

on that note but of not though, I guess you cant really trust the ultrasound then?

Has anyone tried a 4D Ultrasound here?

Who gets an ultrasound at 2 months???

my thai wife did just that,ultrasound at 2 months, not sure if this is a thai thing,as her sister done the same when she was pregnant as well,

my wife found a nice but busy private clinic in rayong,not far from the hospital,ultrasound with photo 350bt cheap at half the price,

normally ultrasound +photo 250bt but as i was falang i was charged the extra 100bt for some unknown reason .

Wow that is cheaper than what we are paying!!

Mind you Private hospitals in Bangkok can pretty much charge whatever they want!!

But seeing the ultrasound yesterday

..a Iesson for me to re-read, before i type! Sry

No worries..

Ultra sound at the early stages of pregnancy in my belief cause no harm. I didn't actually request it, but it was offered at the time by our Doctor and we thought why not!!

Not a lot to see of course that early, but it was nether the less a great thing to see our baby for the first time.

We purchased a ultrasound pack i guess you could call it, why 5 ultrasounds for the price of 4 or something like that.

To eggomaniac, a paternity test won't be necessary. My girlfriend is neither a bar girl or a money grabber.

Thanks again all.