Ebenweb

My wife and I have moved here recently and are looking to meet people.

We're 33 and 40, Canadian and South African and have been living in Australia for the last few years. She's an artist and I'm in marketing.

Is there a "meet people and get together" expat site? What's a good way to reach out? Any FB pages we should know about?

It was recommended for bedding and homewares but I can't make any sense of the map they offer on their website. Google coordinates anyone.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

We're having a hard time finding a good source if linens (bedclothes), particularly flat sheets.

Tesco has cheap and somewhat ugly sets that don't include flat sheets. We haven't tried anywhere else (including bahn and beyond).

Any recommendations?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'm looking for someone to clean a 2-story house in Chang Phuak near the Tesco on the super highway. We don't speak Thai so a bit of English would be much preferred. Once a week for half a day seems likely.

Any recommendations?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

We went to the boat in the end and each had burgers. Small but fresh and quite tasty. Also had som tahm and seafood salad. All fresh, cheap and highly recommended. One plate did get forgotten, so keep an eye on the staff.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Open today?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Looking for recommendations for a good western breakfast in the Nimen area...

Anyone? Western menu preferred.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Thanks guys

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

we live in chang phuak, just south of the super highway and a bunch of people have been recommending what I believe is thanin market, quite close to here. however, whenever i google it i end up with an address on chang phuak road (contrary to what we've been told).

we live here.

does anyone know the nearest fruit and veg market to where we're staying, and whether this is, in fact, thanin market?

All nice resorts. Just a few remarks;

Akaryn and six senses are pretty far from any civilisation. If guests don't intend to go anywhere else or have transport then fine of course.

Lawanna may not have much water in front at low tides. So depends on time of year if you have daytime swimming opportunity or a km mud in front.

All resorts face Northeast or East. Until at least March winds come from that direction so one can expect big waves. The past month was really bad, but is calming down now.

Until March my suggestion for luxury resort with nice calm beach would be Four Seasons (if within budget). But even further from everywhere.

thanks gulfsailor.

we're looking at mid-march. what do you think the tide will be doing at lawanna and co. then?

i have a friend coming in from overseas wanting to splash out on a luxury vacation for a few nights and he's trying to pick between these resorts. he (we) are looking for the best beach/service/pool combo and would love to hear some feedback:

Six Senses Koh Samui

Anantara Lawana Resort and Spa

Akaryn Koh Samui

The “Library” Koh Samui

Anyone have experience with these places, and/or the areas they're in?

Or was it the talaad tanin?

could be... thanks!

We live in Chang Phuak, near Annuban Road on the south side of the super highway (here: 18.809377,98.991535).

Someone recommended a good food market with a used bookstore upstairs that's only 1 or 2km away. Don't remember the name, other than it starts with a "t".

Anyone know of this market or another nearby that's worth visiting?

Cheers mate. Got an email or phone number for them by any chance?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Hey there, I'm looking for a convenient farang-friendly bank in Chang Phuak just south of the highway. I only need it to move money from overseas and to pay rent (local money transfer to landlord--preferably online).

Know any?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Hey there, I'm looking for a convenient farang-friendly bank in Chang Phuak just south of the highway. I only need it to move money from overseas and to pay rent (local money transfer to landlord--preferably online).

Know any?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'm trying to find a good workout venue that involves Muay Thai training and sparring. The "camps" around town all seem to charge quite a bit per month (around 8,000 thb) with the assumption that you'll be training twice a day, six times a week. There are "per day" or "per session" costs but these are also not cheap.

Does anyone know of a more traditional gym in or near Chang Phuak that offers cheaper rates for more casual trainees, but still has sparring and intense workouts? Perhaps a general fitness gym with Muay Thai classes?

I imagine I'll be going once per day, 3 to 5 days a week. I don't speak Thai.

People have no problem calling me on SKYPE from Australia but when I attempt to call them, I get ONE RING and the line drops out, I then get a message telling me I don't have any money in my SKYPE Account. I thought it was FREE....people who call me, say they never have to pay.

Any thoughts???????

If you're calling phone numbers with Skype, that requires Skype credit--though still far cheaper than standard long distance calls. Calling people in your Skype directory ("Skype to Skype") is free.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Zay Hi is all I ever use.

http://www.zayhi.com/

0.95 THB per minute to Australia (rates change weekly/daily?). I call Switzerland, USA, U.K., Czech Republic, Germany, Spain often and have been using it for years. Great connection and cheap. They used to sell cards but I don't think they have cards anymore. They just give you a receipt with PIN code. You can buy 100, 300, 500, or 1000 THB. Good for about 6 months. Available at any Post Office. You can call a number and the computer calls you right back so you don't even incur a local charge.

Highly recommended.

Where did you buy the service last?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Skype is hit and miss.

On my AIS contract phone I can dial 00500 in front of the number and get rates of about 2thb a minute which is fine. I imagine you can use the same from PAYG?

thanks, that's gold.

calling Australia is about 8thb/min, which isn't great but still better than nothing.

here's a link to an AIS page i found giving the related details, including ways to check the rates of different services before actually calling. note: the "default" service you get when dialing "+" instead of a specific prefix charges 18thb/minute for Oz, compared to the 00500 prefix mentioned above. haven't compared other countries.

http://www.ais.co.th/12call/en/service-ain.html

I have what appears to be a decent ADSL line from True, but am unable to maintain Skype calls with Australia or Canada. I suspect radical upload throttling.

Is there such a thing as overseas calling cards here, where I can dial a proxy service and pay very little for calling overseas numbers?

The only phone I have is a pre-paid AIS mobile account.

Just got this from Pro Language School in Chiang Mai:

Dear Eben,

Thank you very much for giving us this information.

This new visa application form is for people who would like to study in Bangkok.

There is no change for Chiang Mai Immigration and Ministry of Education in CM yet, please don't worry about this

If you would like to register with us, please bring the following requirements.

- You and your wife passport to be coppied

- 12 photos each (with white or blue background, same size with the passport)

- 10,000 Baht deposit for each person.

Our school open Monday - Friday at 9.00 am. - 8.00 pm.

Saturday at 9.00 am. - 6.00 pm. (Close on Sunday)

By the way, our school will close for holiday from 29th December, - 1st January 2014.

I look forward to meeting you soon.

Best Regards,

Ben

Pro Language School Chiang Mai

+66 53 400 980

Yikes. Will be interesting to see what happens when we sign up for our Thai classes and they start processing the paperwork to deliver our "guaranteed visas". We're unemployed/self employed for the year we're planning to stay, but if they make an issue of it we could certainly show them a healthy bank balance...

Thanks for the link. I'm going to forward it to pro language, where we're planning to study, and see what they say.

I want to buy a bike but am currently on a 60 day tourist visa. I'll be getting an educational (non immigrant) visa over the next few weeks.

What visa do I need exactly to own a bike in my name? What are residency papers and how do they work?