sean in udon

This isn't going to be completely relevant but may help.

Been using UKForex (I believe the same company) for about 8 months.

Second transaction was for 2 million Baht. That caused some extra paperwork (re money laundering) and a slight delay.

Have kept all transactions since, below 1 million. No problems. Takes 2 or 3 days for money to leave UK and arrive here.

Questions have been answered very quickly and efficiently by email and/or telephone. They even rang me back when a call dropped.

I pay no charges UK end, as payment is made to UKForex via bank transfer.

Charges this end vary depending on what day it is, if the sun is out on that day, what soaps are on that day and other factors beyond my comprehension.

Basically, I have no clue how they arrive at the charges here. I have asked on more than one occasion and now just accept that the staff have no clue either.

Edit: Forgot to say, the dropped call was UKForex ringing my Thai mobile.

It's obvious that there are Thai plants on this forum, from reading some of the responses. I am not surprised they are trying to do damage control. I don't believe a Falang can be so obviously naive to state some of the idiotic and pathetic posts. So be aware people. They are reading this too.

I think you will find most Thais are fully aware of what is happening and they are probably more hateful of BIB than most foreigners are.

Anybody who cannot see through this whole charade has to be off their rocker. This is not a Thai/farang thing. Its a right/wrong thing.

There are more holes in this case than Gruyere cheese.

I believe that 95% of ALL people on here just want to see justice served and have the guilty parties brought to justice to pay for their crimes.

If it is these Burmese then so be it, but on the balance of evidence shown and the total cock up by the BIB, I find it very unlikely,

To add weight to your comment about Thais being aware. The subject of the murders was brought up by local Thais when they asked me what I thought. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that the folks in Issan were interested in events unfolding.

With regard to the Burmese accused, the word they used was แพะรับบาป (pair rap barp). My translation app says this means scapegoat/fall guy.

IMO 'more hateful of BIB' is a bit strong.

Things you know nothing about seems to be a large range of topics. In case you missed the story it's related to economics not politics. I work for a respected economics research department in Thailand. I think that gives me something of a legitimate platform from which to comment.

As I said earlier, benefits through reduced trade tariffs are larger than costs of membership.

If it was in the interests of the UK to leave, and it was so easy to leave, why remain?

No one is holding a gun to their heads.

"...respected economics research department in Thailand."

Respected by who? Thailand isn't exactly famous for garnering respect.

"If it was in the interests of the UK to leave, and it was so easy to leave, why remain?"

Ask the average man/woman on the street and you'll probably find the majority want to leave. Politicians? Not a chance. They have too many friends suckling on the fat beast that is the EU.

Money dictates the motives and actions of those in power. They usually only bend to the will of the people if it suits their needs or the repercussions of disobedience threatens their livelihood.

He obviously has a temporary loan of someones balls............... tnere is no way he has grown a set of his own

Sadly, only the appearance of having some balls. Look at the specific words he has chosen:

"If people think I am paying that bill on 1 December, they have another think coming," the prime minister said in Brussels. "It is not going to happen".

"It is an unacceptable way for this organisation to work - to suddenly present a bill like this for such a vast sum of money with so little time to pay it,"

Not going to be paid on December 1st and unacceptable to have a big bill with little time to pay.

He will posture and stamp his feet for a while and then give in.

The good news is, by giving in and paying, he's limited chances of being PM again are screwed. And a massive bonus for UKIP, the sort of promotion that money couldn't buy.

The sad thing about that last sentence is that money did buy it. The UK taxpayer gets shafted again.

And Germany gets a rebate? <deleted>!

To the best of my knowledge they are benefit to any household.

As previously mentioned, they eat insects (including mosquitoes) and I've noticed they particularly like termites (when they do their flying/swarming thing).

The only negatives I can think of are a bit of noise (which isn't excessive IMO) and gecko droppings in random places.

The chances of permanent removal are slim. Get rid of your current gecko tenants and you'll have new gecko tenants within days (possibly hours). Usually, where there's artificial light at night in Thailand, you'll attract insects. Where there's insects, you'll find geckos.

If you try the mosquito insecticide as a gecko repellant, please give some feedback on results. Would like to know if it works.

"Get training wheels.In other words start him off in an old reliable vehicle.Insurance also.After he's graduated then A 3-5 year old car til he passes that test.Tell the little lady no exceptions. "

A great idea, and my first thought. Unfortunately with a rich daughter and her foreigner son in law there will be no status in a second-hand car. Wife will not go for this I am sure.

The man who can't afford his own car thinks that a used car is not good enough?

If he thinks his status is so high and second class driving is beneath him, then he should stick to first class walking.

AyG, want to throw some more questions at you if that's ok?

Re the test that showed the presence of faecal coliforms. Do you know if they just look for them with a microscope or do they use cultures and 'grow' them.

I'm curious 'cos I'm thinking of getting a similar system and the info you've provided is a little disconcerting.

My understanding of the uv filter is that it kills the bacteria or damages it to the point where it cannot multiply.

So, the presence of faecal coliforms observed microscopically wouldn't worry me excessively. Growth in cultures means the uv isn't doing it's job and that is a concern.

The circumstances in which you got to test the filtration system were certainly unusual and I'm grateful for you sharing here.

AyG, I'm curious . Did the water filter system you tested have uv?

Not used one of the filter systems but seen them around.

If it's one of the 3/5/7 tube systems with a uv tube as well, I'd drink from it.

My only concern would be, how often do they change the filters?

No uv and I'd be drinking from bottles.

Afterthought.

When the car was being purchased I asked if my details would be needed for insurance purposes (UK style).

Was told 'not needed' as the car is insured, not individually named drivers. So I guess the insurance covers any driver (with a valid license).

From a thread a few months ago

www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/720087-can-a-thai-without-dl-be-car-owner/page-2

One of the daughters of my host family in Thailand 'bought' a car on finance as she is the most credit worthy.

She has no driving licence.

I was driving the car when a dog decided to play chicken and lost. Did a stupid amount of damage under the wheel arch and attached panels.

No questions whatsoever about her drivers licence at any time - finance company, main dealer and insurance company.

Insurance company took pictures of my licence before assessing the claim.

Insurance company then paid the bill no problem.

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To make this more specific to your query, the insurance company took pictures of my UK license and my International Driving Permit. The insurance was 'free' for one year with the car purchase.

I have read of insurance refusing to pay because a foreigner driving a vehicle in Thailand had no IDP, even though they had a valid driving license from their home country.

I would have to agree with your post and the replies that say no license = no valid insurance.

(Edited this a couple of times)

Is a link available to the website with the microphones?

And is it just the microphone? Does the desk mount and monitor come as part of the deal or as an optional extra?

How much were the tables and chairs?

Quite innocently used 'beetle' in the title, not expecting any 'Beatles' comments.

Should have seen it coming.

Thanks Soutpeel for breaking the ice with your reply

Doesn't really matter where they are from they are all thick and as soon as they've saved up 20-30k they leave thinking they have won the lottery.

LMAO

Re the insane conspiracy theory. That is most probably what it is but I would not doubt that both Israel and The US could and would cook up a plan like this so it is not completely out of the realm of reality.

ISIS consists of extremely poor people. Give them 100 $ / day and they will fight against whom their master says. And when their master says I want some beheadings then they chop off some heads. Show some beheadings on the news and the sheeple are ready for an all out war. That's how it works.

The Military Industrial Complex has to be fed everyday and if there are no opponents some are created.

Actually I doubt very much that the ISIS militia consist of very poor people. They are fanatics, some even from western countries, who have been brainwashed by fanatical preachers.

They are certainly receiving money and arms from somewhere and IMO they most likely sources are Saudi and Qatar, not necessarily from the rulers.

Very well paid mercenaries (my interpretation of the $100/day comment) will fight well and happily perform beheadings. Some will love their 'work'.

But the fanatics (and I agree with khunken, ISIS will be predominantly made up of brainwashed fanatics) will live, breath and die for their faith. They will happily abuse and kill infidels because they are taught, and probably believe, that infidels are inferior to them - in fact worthless.

Get a bunch of fanatics together (or in this case, an army of fanatics) and you have a very powerful and dangerous force.

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I asked a similar question a little while ago.

The consensus was ( and this included a Thai friend phoning immigration in Udon Thani and asking about my specific circumstance) if you are working on YOUR house, YOUR garden, YOUR car, YOUR whatever, then 'no probpem'.

'Your' can also include your wife's/partner's/gf's land, house, etc.

From Phuket Gazette interview:

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.

Not applying the law beyond its intended scope is also what makes it legal for foreigners to assist in public cleanup campaigns and other community projects – as long as the volunteer work is not regular, she added.

“Being a volunteer for an organization requires a work permit. This is because although you might not get money from the volunteer work, you might get food or a place to stay as a reward. So if you do not have a work permit, you are illegal,” Ms Yaowapa said.

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

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I live only a block or so in a residence from one of the areas mentioned in the article where I often catch a taxi.

I've had the problem of taxi drivers refusing me often on long trips in Bangkok.

I'm just passing on this info for Farangs who have been refused service.

Sometimes they may be refusing you, but often you are there at the wrong time.

Many taxi drivers do not own the taxi they drive, they RENT the taxi from the owner or owner's company. An 8 hour shift is often how they rent it. Quite often that 8 hour shift they have the taxi for is from 6 a.m. to 2.p.m. .... the peak time for people going to work.

Someone else has the shift after their shift finishes.

Often the OWNERS will fine the divers if they do not return the taxi on time when their shift ends because the next shift driver is waiting for the taxi to be returned for him to start his shift.

That is why between 1 p.m. and 3 p,m. is the WORST time to try to catch a taxi at those choke points the article mentions.

The 50 or 100 Baht fine the owner charges the driver for not returning the taxi on time may be a small matter to you, but to the driver it means a big cut in what he makes in his 8 or 12 hour shift.

Sukhumvit road and the traffic there is one of the places the drivers hate to go ESPECIALLY lower Sukhmvit (the " Farang Ghetto" area).

That is often what you as a "Stupid Farang" just don't understand, and you are the one who often the one who causes the problems.

Instead of waiting at a taxi queue, and getting rejected, walk down the street a block or so and try to flag down a taxi there.

You might be surprised how much easier it goes to do that.

Yes, "Stupid Farang" waiting for a taxi in the taxi queue. Duh, who waits in a taxi queue for a taxi.

"Stupid Farang" expecting to get a service from a driver and his car, whose sole purpose for being on the road is to provide a....what's the word I'm looking for - oh, yeah...service.

"Stupid Farang" looking to get a taxi at the peak time people are going to work, between 6am and 2pm. Should be looking to get a taxi between 2pm and 10pm when, logically, there would be no people finishing work and wanting to go home - by taxi.

Between 1pm and 3pm is the WORST time because the taxi drivers are finishing there 6am to 2pm shift and want to avoid a fine. We "Stupid Farang" just don't understand that finishing a shift at 2pm has some kind of temporal affect on time, that stops the driver who's starting the new shift from functioning normally until after 3pm.

We're so stupid I'm amazed we manage to function and survive in this oasis of mass intelligence.

I'm all for constructive criticism, (though it seems to be lacking in the quoted post) and the observation about rented cars and shift changes probably has some relevance. IMA_FARANG, you're not a taxi driver are you?

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How do you botch a teeth cleaning?

At a Phuket hospital (an International one) dentist five years ago:

The new female dentist was very shy and didn't speak more than ten words of English, the cleaning took fifteen minutes and she left without comment. As I went to pay the bill the nurse said, "you have to take care", pointing to the right side of her mouth, "you have something". Confused I left, further questioning was useless.

Two years on in Chiang Mai my dentist tells me I need a root canal and crown, why hadn't I had my teeth cleaned and checked asked Dr Varaporn at CM RAM, a lady who had given me a clean bill of health just before I moved to Phuket.

That's how.

Sorry for going back to the teeth cleaning, but I wanted to clarify something.

You had your teeth cleaned and 2 years later a dentist says you need root canal work and a crown.

You didn't go to a dentist for 2 years, presumably had no discomfort and the tooth problem was entirely the responsibility of the new, shy female dentist?

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I'm in complete agreement with those that question the 'tradition' of using amplifiers and speakers to 'call to prayer'.

But the elders said they still intend to seek planning permission to install the loudspeaker.
If granted, they would broadcast a two-minute long call three times a day from the Central Mosque, where up to 700 people gather to worship every Friday.

Only three times a day? What happened to 5 times a day?

Having spent a year in Turkey, living fairly close to a mosque, the part about Friday is particularly relevant. Except Friday, the 5 times a day made no difference whatsoever for the majority of locals. They carried on doing whatever they were doing. But Friday, the mosque was always busy as hell.

From what I saw, 6 days of every week, nobody gives a crap.


Upto 700 sounds like a good number, but give us a number for Monday or Saturday.





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Funny that because I find getting all sorts of things (small services on my car, repairs to clothes etc) done here in Thailand amazingly easy and pleasant compared with, say, Europe. Do you mean to say that no Thai or indeed carpenter of any nationality working here is not interested in doing a job for a couple of hours for which I would be prepared to pay around 500 Baht, well over the standard minimum daily working wage? Thanks for the reply btw

Are you for real? Do you think a qualified carpenter makes 500 Baht per day in Thailand? LOL I can tell you that we tried for 8 or 9 months to get a qualified carpenter to come and do a 1/2 day job and no one was interested in a small job like that. And a bed repair is something you need to load into a truck and take for repair. It's a small job. Good luck.

I'm sure the problem you had was finding somebody qualified. Carpenters, yeah, no problem. Along with electricians, plumbers, builders. But qualified? Lol - in fact LMAO.

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Wow. What pub did he work at?

If it needs that kinda security, is it high end or dangerous - or both?

I want to go for a drink there

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As far as I can see from reading the article all that's happening is that the federal government is saying that if you want federal contracts you have to treat all your employees equally regardless of their sexual orientation.

If that's a problem for you then don't apply for federal contracts.

In the midst of the (unfortunately predictable) debate about gay/lesbian relationships and religion, a post that gives an accurate and simple précis of the information in the op.

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"It took only 21 days to notify me of the charges and within 140 days, it resolved that I'm guilty as charged - something that has never happened in other cases," she said.

Her claim for the timeframe is questionable.

If it is accurate and it '...has never happened in other cases', perhaps she needs to start pooping her pants.

The evidence may be so overwhelming they didn't need much time to put together a case that demonstrates how inept, corrupt and guilty she is.

See you in court sweetheart - wear something nice.

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A foreign wannabe policeman in Thailand is just below a cockroach in my book.

Maybe in his home country he was a policeman. Maybe he is so fed up with the lack of enforcement here, he decided to try and make a difference.

Whether Thai or farang, it would appear he's doing the job properly.

Thailand needs more cops on the street doing what this guy is doing.

Some people don't like cops, period.

They seem to forget that without law enforcement, there would be no civilised society. Their small world outlook is IMO, a reflection of their limited mental capacity.

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