sean in udon

The questions asked to create this league table of ignorance are interesting...

https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3817/Perceptions-are-not-reality-what-the-world-gets-wrong.aspx

Seems to be a bit of a lottery. This has been discussed elsewhere on the forum and some folks (myself included), have had no problem flying to Thailand with a one way ticket.

Others have been refused 'permission' to fly.

From memory, refusal was always by the airline, nothing to do with government bodies (immigration, etc).

With regard to the refills/big packs being more expensive, I got stung a couple of times when I first started buying here.

Floor paint at a big diy store in Udon was my wake up call. Found the small tin (5 litres) and clocked the price.

When I found the 20 litre and checked the price, I got my phone out 'cos I figured my mental arithmetic had gone out the window.

Buying 4 tins of 5 litres was nearly 400 baht cheaper than buying 1 big tin of 20 litres.

Like the op, I now check everything before I buy.

Hi Shuan,

I stand corrected...

It is still early

FD

Was curious as to how you got your figures. It's just occurred to me.

You've calculated how many ml you get for 1 baht

250/59 = 4.24 ml for 1 baht

200/49 = 4.08 ml for 1 baht

So either way you do the math, the refill is more expensive.

Sorry for being pedantic here.

protex-family-liquid-hand-soap-250ml - 59 Baht = 4.24 baht/ml

protex-family-liquid-hand-soap- Refill 200ml - 49 Baht = 4.10 baht/ml

It is not much, but the re-fill is cheaper per ml.

FD

Not quite sure how you got your figures, but my calculations per ml:

59/250 = 0.236 baht per ml

49/200 = 0.245 baht per ml

The refill is definitely more expensive.

My Dad once told me "buy cheap, you'll buy twice", never a more true word was spoken.

I would almost say we are related, that is what my dad told me too.

Only problem in Thailand is that a higher price does not always mean better quality. Its easy in some cases as a good brand-name does usually indicate better quality but among the no name stuff higher price does not always mean better quality as prices vary a lot.

When it is something that i feel is important i take my time to research it a bit and with tools i never buy the no name crap. Still a shop has some responsibility when selling crap.

In the UK when a shop sells you something, it must be fit for purpose, otherwise you can demand a full refund,

and the shop cannot refer you to the manufacturer.

I'll be sure to quote you next time I'm in Global House.

Yes OK, who is Global House? what I have said is true though, anyone from the UK want to back me up on this?

I'll back you up on that.

Most warranties are for 1 year. The retailer is responsible for the first 6 months. After that, they can refer you to the manufacturer.

Been out of the retail game for a couple of years, but would be surprised if that's changed.

I prefer living here compared to the UK, but somethings I do miss. Like proper warranties.

"Yesterday, a group of "hermits" arrived at Lom's house and informed him that a child ghost has been haunting his family and setting the fires. Lom organized a ceremony to dispel evil spirits on 26 April, in which at least five monks known for their necromancy skills were invited, yet five more blazes were reported later that day.'

Later channel 8 later exposed how non existent these skills were.

Are you kidding? They missed out on a bit of great repeat business.

The spirit entered the female's body to escape from their necromancy skills. They then get to charge another fee to exorcise the female arsonist and 'save' her from the evil spirit within.

Make the exorcism particularly unpleasant so she'll have incentive to avoid reoffending.

Seriously though, 'evil spirits' and 'chemical reactions'. What a crock of shit.

As others have already commented, very lucky that things didn't get out of hand. Could easily have caused injury or death.

Do anyone of the posters here above new why they use a nickname in Th. Can tell you it's NOT seen as a joke in Th.

I remember reading in Dennis Segllars book - "Thai Ways " that nik names are given so if a spirit wants to make mischief it will attach itself to the nik name and not to the real idenity . A decoy so as to speak. There are probably other explanations as well.

I am always amazed at the gullibility of Thai spirits. It's amazing they can find their way back to those ugly birdhouses they live in.

My favourite post of the day

Hit Kutchap, Udon Thani good and hard about 17:00. 30/40 minutes of hard rain and strong winds.

Roofs damaged or taken off, trees blown over, snapped, etc.

And no power (back on at 20:00)

No fore play here, straight in with wam bam.

Rain just started again (20:45). Don't want those winds again, I can live with the rain.

Had a quick drive round about 6pm, locals are clearing up and starting repairs....and smiling. Was surprisingly pleasant to see those smiles.

As far as I'm aware, no one hurt locally, thankfully.

Edit: Thanks for the link Shiver. Not read Viz in years.

Fits in perfectly with this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/817166-Thailand-is-the-Most-Religious-Country-in-the-World

One day, sooner of later a little bit of respect will have to be paid to the farangs who live in Thailand and spend more money than the majority of Thais.

Will it?

I share your scepticism Happy Grumpy. Can't see any respect coming our way in my lifetime. And I reckon I've got at least a couple of decades left in me (as long as I avoid high buildings in Pattaya, Bangkok and Phuket).

I'm sorry, but I don't believe this story. Makes no sense. So the city planners are sitting around trying to figure out where the farang houses are so that the street won't be repaired at exactly those locations? And the other owners who are Thai? How about others who drive on those streets? Surely would include everyone. You guys shouldn't be so gullible.

You haven't really lived here long have you. This is very believable. When falang live in a basically rural area, EVERYONE knows who the falang are and where they live. There is no conscious thought that has to go into. You could almost say it's done instinctively and by silent consensus.

You also have no imagination how it could be that only falang live on and use this one road. Give it just a tiny, weensy bit of thought.

Have no experience of the 'farang can pay' road repair situation.

Completely agree with the 'locals know where farang live' situation.

Any time I drive with the Thai gf, she can tell me which houses are 'owned' by farangs. And I would say 50% of the time she knows the nationality of the farang (local to our village, it's 100%).

Not been here very long when she first made me aware of this knowledge (we were about 7km from home and still I was getting reports 'farang house', 'farang house').

I was gobsmacked. I've since met quite a few and she was spot on.

And yes, we are in a rural area.

They could also say tax is abolished. They will have no say in the next government / coalition.

Was thinking on similar lines. They might as well throw in free flights to the moon. Got as much chance forming a government as the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Have a read of their 2010 manifesto-quite refreshing.

http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge10/man/parties/OMRL.html

. . . few of the rich people who buy the luxury goods pay much tax, if any at all. They contribute as little as they can to society and prefer to spend their not-so-hard-earned money on Dior dresses rather than helping society move forward and increasing the quality for all involved

Pure BS from yet another clueless farang talking on matters he knows nothing about from the best vantage point he knows . . . his reclining armchair

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-16260782

In terms of percentage of population, Thailand was the most generous, with 85% of Thais making regular charitable contributions.

I wonder if all those who give are poor.

A good percentage of those who give are poor.

Having had a good look at the Charities Aid Foundation's (CAF) World Giving Index website (the source of the 85% statistic), the figure for 2014 is down to 77%.

My personal experience of Thais, in Issan, does not involve giving to any charitable organisations. They simply can't afford it.

However, the CAF criteria includes giving to temples and monks. So yes, poor people do regularly give food and money to the monks and temples and therefore, Thailand scores highly.

To quote from futureworldgiving.org (they appear to be linked with CAF):

"The 2014 World Giving Index has found that a larger proportion of Burmese people give money to charity every month than any other country on earth – by far."

Burma is number one in the world! Again based on donations (food and monetary) to monks and temples.

Bit of a reality check for those who might think 85% of Thais are giving to charities. IMO churches, religious organisations, temples, etc are not charities. And "buying" merit is not a charitable donation.

Any guesses at what the percentage might be if we take the temples and monks out of the equation?

Managed to get some fruit from the ground floor shops in Central Plaza, Udon Thani, yesterday.

Many thanks to exterminator and DumbFalang for their help.

Thanks for the pics and the info.

Spoke to one of the gf's mates today and she says Skyfall closed for 10 days.

Unfortunately I failed to ask if that was 10 days from today or from the incident.

And for those that don't have the time:

However, Yaowapa Pibulpol, chief of the Phuket Provincial Employment Office, the government office established to specifically regulate and administer employment law, maintained that the wording does not allow officers to apply the law beyond its intended scope.

“Foreigners cannot perform any work – in the true sense of the word – without a work permit. And they may only perform the work listed in the work permit and only at the place of work listed in the permit.

“But that doesn’t mean they can’t cook their own meals, clean their own houses or tend to their own gardens. Of course they can, but as soon as they are hired or profit by doing any of these things, they are ‘working’,” she said.

“And any foreigners who want to build their own boats on their own time, using their own skills and experience, for their own personal use are not breaking the law. They can do this, but they cannot build a boat so they can sell it later on. That would be profiting from the work,” Ms Yaowapa added.

I wonder how long before someone says "but that's Phuket. Maybe it's not the same in (insert region of Thailand here)".

Feel free to come to BKK at the special 'Deporting of Aliens Growing Their Own Food' terminal and say "I told you so" as we all get deported.

I hear the terminal is very busy this year

Bit of light reading for all those that keep saying 'you need a work permit to do anything'

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Special-Report-Permission-to-function-in-Phuket/22548

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/752693-Work-Permit-needed-for-a-hobby%3F

Sent from my iPhone

To add to blitzfix's outside report, I can add something of an inside report. The gf has a sister and 3 friends who work at Skyfall.

Problems started when the Pole tried to bring his own vodka bottle into the bar.

I'm sure many of us have experienced gogo bars and know that when you sit with a girl/girls and buy a few drinks, things can get quite 'friendly'. Well, the already drunk Polish headliner apparently skipped the buying drinks and just started getting 'friendly' with the girls, which wasn't welcome and he was asked to leave.

It would appear he was being a first class a-hole and sounds like he got what he deserved. Up to the point he was assaulted with a weapon.

Thai Travel Bug's post carries some common sense (survival) information, but it would be lost on most of the idiots (worldwide) that drink and become bigger idiots.

12 years of 'bouncing' taught me that for every unit of alcohol consumed a comparable unit of logic/common sense is lost. When some of the morons enter a club with little grey matter functioning, it's only a matter of time...

At least nobody died on this occasion.

exterminator, thanks for the info.

Your initial growing success followed by disappointment doesn't bode well for me.

When is the chayote in season? If I'm unable to find anything closer, the 2 hour drive to Loei is on the cards.

Don't want to ruffle any feathers, so please don't take offence.

Read the thread and had a good chuckle about the 'female fighting cocks' debate.

And I got to learn about diatomaceous earth.

Thanks to everybody who contributed.

sayongte ซายองเต้ or fak maeo ฟักแม้ว

Have been reading about this and would like to get hold of some.

It would appear to be a good food source for animals (currently have ducks and chickens, hopefully pigs later this year) and humans. It's fast growing and I would like to create a 'wall' that is natural, rather than looking at man made materials.

Tried the local supermarkets (hoping to get the fruit) and plant suppliers (for a plant). Then asked around the big supermarkets and a few of the plant suppliers in Udon Thani. It doesn't seem to be very popular around here, as I've come up empty (except for Big C - they had some leaves in a mixed veg pack). I'm not even sure when the fruit is in season.

Can anybody suggest a supplier for the plant or fruit? It does get a bit frustrating hearing 'mai mee' everywhere you go. And confirm that my research regarding food for animals is correct?

Thanks in advance.

Hi RichCor.

Thanks for your interest.

Been away for a couple of days, so a little delay in responding.

Definitely the MikroTik and I'm inclined to agree with your user/admin access - me being stuck on the lower level.

Have put a few hours in trawling forums and the net. Reached a sticking point and not sure how to proceed. Although your initial suggestion of using an outside service may now be worth pursuing. Any suggestions of where to look for an education in 'outside services'?

Try 1.4.181.57

My current IP address.