mat999

Frank James and true blue- thank you for the reassuring words. We just bought the phone and it seems fine. I didn't see Frank's reply in time and we went to Power Buy but they had sold out in the colour we wanted, so we went to "risk" TK Shop. Now that I see Frank's reply we feel like it is 100% legit- we did scrutinize the phone closely after looking at the same one in the Samsung shop; 3,600 Baht cheaper

We were doing Xmas shopping today and buying a phone. At TK Shop it costs a lot less than in the Samsung shop or other shops, which made us suspicious. I am guessing it is a grey import, which I assume to mean taxes have not been paid and there might even be a small problem with it. Or are we being paranoid? The lady said it is new and there is a 1 year Thai warranty.

Has anyone else purchased a phone or other device from this shop; the first one to the right of Tops, next to DTAC: http://www.chiangmailocator.com/chiang-mai-shops-3929:tk-shop-kad-suan-kaew and if so can you recommend or warn about them?

For the same cheap price there is a seller on Lazada, but they only have 3 and a half stars. Despite the good experiences about Lazada in the other thread, this makes me think the seller will also be offering grey imports and possibly even immaculate used phones. One bad thing about Lazada is that they keep the seller reviews hidden; we only see the star rating which is not enough.

Would you buy from a (possibly) dodgy seller on Lazada, TK Shop, or just pay 2,000 Baht extra for piece of mind from Power Buy??

Thanks.

I like the selection of shops at Central Festival best for cameras. I have found prices similar everywhere, only cheaper online sometimes with Lazada. Avoid buying the latest models for the best value e.g. one or two older versions of the Sony RX100 are very reasonably priced.

From Chiang Mai there was a reasonably priced flight to Penang via Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia. I think it was around 3,500. The stop over in KUL is less than 2 hours. Maybe there is something similar from Phuket. The flight from KUL to Penang is only about 35 minutes, so it's probably faster than the 45 miles or km taxi from KUL airport to the city.

Thanks for the reassurance ubonjoe. I had assumed the same. I will be sure to post here if there is any hassle.

You don't happen to know if they still have agents that do it for you in Penang do you? It would be nice to have the free time to do some sightseeing rather than applying then collecting the visa. I have booked a room where the agents are based, so will easily find out when there.

Also I have seen smatterings of needing 20K Baht. Do you know if that is when applying for the visa, crossing the border to come back, or rarely ever needed? We are two and coming back on the boat from Langkawi to Ko Lipe, where I would of assumed rules would be more lax.

Thanks again.

I know single entry tourist visas are supposed to be unchanged, but this webpage indicates that the new METV rules are being lumped in for the single entry option too. I am just hoping someone could put my mind at rest as I will be going to Penang soon.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/th/services/962/18989-Required-Documents.html

When I change the kualalumpur in the url to penang it just leads me to an out of date pdf.

They should be able to build a new building with one days takings. Rather mean not to improve the facilities. The airport is just a few minutes walk away and has lovely freezing aircon, so if you know you will be waiting go and enjoy the airport for a while. There is a nice tea shop who will make traditional teas for you to sample if buying a pack. Also Mcdonalds and Burger King. If your number is still not close to being called go to the mall, a similar distance the other way.

Thanks for the advice. As I won't be here 10 years and don't need a mountain bike I can't justify a Trek. Will probably just pick up a cheap but decent second hand old bike.

I saw a very nice looking bicycle in Central department store (Tiger Pedal). I looked it up online and it is advertised at 2,000 baht cheaper, so I was wondering if anyone knew a bike shop that stocks Tiger bicycles in Chiang Mai?

Also if anyone has comments about Tiger bikes quality that would be welcome. I went the LA Bike route last year and they are terrible, Tiger is the next step up in cost without going to the premium level of Trek.

Thanks.

Thanks, I shall check them both out.

Whats the deal at YMCA? I don't wanna walk in and get the "blank stare" ?

Also do either have air conditioning? That is one good thing about KSK at this time of the year. They had fixed a light today but we stayed well clear of the rotting rat our ball landed on the other day, so not sure if they have removed it yet, it was there for at least a few days or a week.

Here is a good documentary to get you in the mood for it, also explains the disputes about blood testing and stuff: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hF76dlQt23c

I am firmly in camp Manny, despite his poorer record. Floyd comes off as an arrogant xxxx. I will just have a lie in on Sunday most likely, avoid Facebook and then just download a copy with English commentary an hour after it finishes.

Anyone know where I can play table tennis other than Kad Suan Kaew? There is a rotting dead rat there, some tables are broken or bent and some lights do not work. The place is dying.

I saw a very average table in a gym but didn't want to pay a gym membership just for that. I know Coffee Monster has one but that is too far away as I cycle and live in Santitham.

thank you

I guess you are right, the best we can do is try to encourage and educate in such a far away land.

Filipino food has some good dishes, their BBQ (Bacolod) chicken is amazing, far superior to any BBQ chicken I have eaten in Thailand. They also have Bicol express which is delicious and probably closest one to a Thai dish, plus nice soup dishes like sinigang (very unique taste), tinola, nilaga and bulalo (the last two are very simple).

The difference for me is that I find street food in Thailand is generally very good, whereas it is generally awful in the Philippines imho. You will often find a big chunk of pork fat in pork dishes for example. Filipinos have some rather strange taste buds too, they love spagetti with lots of sugar in it.

They eat more compared to Thais when it comes to portion size, they can eat three servings of rice at once. They love cheap junk food like their version of MacDonalds and hotdogs are like a staple. They also eat luncheon meat which is basically like dog food. This means many are overweight and I think liver problems are an issue there.

Too cloudy where I was.

... When speaking of the Holocaust the Jewish people say "Don't forget" and encourage all people to learn from the mistakes of our past.

'

Bingo!

There have been some excellent responses, I have not read them all though. One thing I recently learned is that the Philippines population has grown far faster then Thailand. I of course blame this on the religion which has brainwashed the country and gives people an excuse to sin, "Jesus died for our sins" and lots of talk of forgiveness. The TV channels run all day threatening people to follow their God or spend eternity in hell.

I also believe the country has less culture to be proud of. The Thais I have encountered have a very unique culture and I think they identify with their country, whereas the Philippines just acts like the female version of a dog to whichever country is in charge, currently the USA. The bohemian, artists, free thinkers and intellectual crowds in the Philippines are tiny.

Thailand is better placed for trade. Philippines is more at risk for disasters. But these aren't big enough issues. The filipino way is corruption. If you are not a mayor you try to pay for a family member to work abroad to send money home, there seem to be far less jobs in the Philippines.

The philippines has the worst international airport in the world. I was truly embarassed when my parents visited me when I was living there. Apparently there was a new airport built but corruption and/or squabbling got in the way.

The people of the Philippines seem many years behind western countries in many ways. The horrific massacre which was televised of the Hong Kong tourists on a bus is a great example, as is the influence that religion has on the law. People are very close minded because of religion which leads to a lot of nasty discrimination, for example here in Thailand transgender women can be seen in all jobs, in the Philippines they are mostly ridiculed. There seems to be a lot of unneeded red tape and a lack of common sense, for example trying to tax aid for the typhoon. They are just behind in many ways.

On the other hand the people are very easy to get along with and the country is truly beautiful. I can't wait to return, but I would never live in Manila again, it is an over populated concrete mess. Seeing security guards armed with shotguns at many stores is not very settling.

That photo in the original post is evil, plain and simple. The owner of the bike should be educated about it or locked up if he really is a nazi. Lets face it, if he is going to the trouble of customizing a motorbike he will want the images to have meaning so he will do his homework. So I would assume he is a nazi and I would be offended seeing that.

Unless he is a raving homosexual, then it is kind of OK because it is done in a camp, ironic way, but there are no clues that this is the case on the bike. I wouldn't do anything but I know at least one Jew that would attack him or at least break the bike.

It is not fashion it is a hate crime.

So, as a visitor to this man's country, you would be offended..... er... SO WHAT !

Dude posted that at 3:30am.. Not only is he not offended, he probably forgot ever posting it.

I stick by what I said, driving around with hitler on your bike next to a swastika is offensive. If you don't agree fine. I said he should be educated about it, then I said if he really is a nazi he should be locked up for spreading nazi propaganda, something which you would get locked up for in Germany. If you think it is cool for nazis to promote their cause then you are supporting them.

You are either with them or against them.

Quote from wisegeek, "the post-war German law codes prohibit the display of a swastika in any form or fashion, even if used satirically or as part of an anti-Nazi political statement. "

I am pretty sure I watched something on bbc iplayer just by using the Hola Chrome extension. Just download extension, visit website, then click on the icon and select UK. Might have to try refreshing if it is slow.

"Which members are you accusing of being "nazi sympathizers" ?

Have the courage of your convictions and name them." Quote from Homeboy78 (done this way to save space)

I am not accusing anyone specifically. Nor am I going through 7 pages to inspect everyone. If anyone likes the first image of hiter and a swastika, then decides to defend it, they will know for themselves.

There is no active neo-Nazi movement in Thailand.

Hitler's face and Nazi symbols are used as macho decorations, they don't represent a political party, overt or covert here.

That is the reality in Thailand.

If you were here in the late '70s you will remember the ubiquitous face of Che Guevara in Alberto Korda's famous 'Guerrillero Heroico'. The stickers were everywhere, even on the mudflaps of ten-wheelers. At that time, Communist insurgents controlled large parts of the North and Northeast. Most of the Lao and Cambodian border regions were no-go areas; they were just outside of Nan and as close to Chiang Mai as Samoeng.

The face and ideology represented a clear and present danger to the established order in those days.

No such thing exists now... it's just radical chic.

Thank you. The swastika, or a symbol that is inverted, but similar, was used for thousands of years by the Hindus, prior to Tiny Adolf co-opting it, as a symbol of his murderous regime. So, many do not consider it offensive. The Thais who use it are not neo nazis, nor are they haters. They are just doing it as something that is hip or cool. Nothing is meant by it. Frankly, I find it more offensive, when thin skinned westerners get huffy over this, than the use of the symbol itself. Get over yourself. Who cares? It is just a symbol. I think the intent is often more important than the symbol. I am Jewish, and find a lot of Jews to be very, very thin skinned. About symbols, criticism of Israeli policy, etc. No room for discussion. No room for criticism, or I am labeled a Jew hater. That is very weak behavior. They are very easily offended. I am sorry, but really men are not easily offended by silly stuff like this. Water off a ducks back. Live and let live. The holocaust was a terrible thing. It was heinous. It was foul. But, it happens a long time ago. A few young Thais using the swastika is not going to encourage another holocaust.

Would you paint your bike or car with hitler next to a swastika? What would your Jewish family and friends think if you did that? Be honest.

The nazi sympathizers have even got you, a Jew, on their side by making this topic about something else; a symbol used in other places for other reasons. We know the swastika wasn't invented by Hitler, but next to his face it means one thing; nazi evil.

Agreed, it is ruining the website.

Hopefully Google will notice what is going on and give the site a well deserved penalty soon.

I bought one of those things.I couldn't get it to cooperate.I'm giving it to my son for Christmas tomorrow.I think i'll try Apple TV.

IMHO Cromecast and Apple TV are shyt for Thailand.

Tried them both, have you?

Yes and Roku.. And the apple FireTVs (currently run 3 of them in the house network, hacked as XBMC boxes tho)..

And Plex SW.. And XBMC with PseudoTV etc etc etc..

The problem with most of the out of the box systems (chromecast, apple, FireTV) is they are geo locked for western content.. Rendering them barely useable without extra steps like VPNs etc.

Please can you tell me if any of those devices has a repeat button so that a video can be played over and over. I know the Apple TV doesn't. I used to use my Apple Tv just for torrented videos, it played every file type after an hour hacking it to work with Plex. I also know the Chromecast can repeat videos as you just need to right click and then you get the option.

mat99 if your referring to me I have been misunderstood as I said there is good reason that people should be able to do whatever they want (my first sentence). As a Jew who lost many family members at the hands of the Nazi's and other's who survived the concentration camps and live to tell me personally of the horrors I am definitely not a Nazi sympathizer.

Also wishing everyone a Happy Holiday!!

My sincere apologies. I am sorry, I got the wrong end of the stick. I am not able to delete or edit the post now but have requested it be removed. Happy holidays