Beachcomber

wow this post has scared me a little. im 17, and my mom is coming out to thailand in a week and we're going to do some exploring. we'll be travelling w/o any guys so this would definitely put us at risk for muggings or worse. would it be wise to invest in some pepper spray, and if so, where can i find some? its not like we'll be out at 3 am or anything, but id rather play it safe. thanks.

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Some months ago we did some visiting to Ms Beach’s family up Issan way. We were going to hire a car but while talking prices and driving license and all that stuff the guy said why don’t you hire a minibus with driver only 1800bt per day plus gas.

Wow! A whole minibus all to ourselves, Great!

Almost new very clean and air conditioned. Might be an option for you and your mom.

Beachcomber

Thanks,

Will follow through on the links.

Beachcomber

A couple of months ago I got a Marriage “O” multiple entry from Penang no problem, Cost 500MR (5KTb) all they wanted was a copy of marriage certificate.

I had taken original of marriage cert as well as baby birth cert wife ID and bank book but they didn’t want any of those though will be worth taking just in case.

The multiple entry means I have to do a ”border jump” every 90 days and if I leave the country at the end of the year returning just a day before the visa expires I get an extra 90 days giving a total of 1 year plus 3 months before having to go to Penang again.

In Penang I always let the guys at Parvez Book Store (left side at entrance to Swiss Hotel) get the visa for me. They run a good next day service.

Good Luck

Thanks for all your responses and though the problem is fixed now I do like to try and discover reasons and answers should same thing happen again.

The error messages I was getting were all to do with drive C: not being recognized – it just didn’t seem to exist. Though when I did a check with the Partition Magic rescue floppies it recognized C: and also checked the drive informing me I needed to do a CHKDSK which I couldn’t do as C: was not being recognized from the floppy DOS

Re-booting with XP-CD Rom – after checking the BIOS – but NOTHING happened. Yes the BIOS did “see” the hard drive.

I have 2 Hard drives and 2 CD/DVD drives. The HD’s are set up as Master and Slave on one cable as are the CD/DVD’s on the secondary IDE. This has been my setup for a couple of years with no problem.

As mentioned in my original post the trouble occurred after a power failure where C: was ‘Improperly dismounted” I’m sure the problem would have been solved had I been able to do a CHKDSK.

I think “Coder” hit it on the head that NTFS does not recognize DOS. That probably was the basic problem of not being able to get any response from C: via the DOS A: prompt.

Yes I could get dir. listing on A: but don’t remember seeing “format” or “fdisk”

After getting Windows back up and running I could do all the disk checks via. Start – Run and found no problem with any of the hard drives.

If NTFS does not recognize DOS (floppy – format – Create MS-DOS start up disk) is there another way to some basic control over C:?

Cheers All

Living on a remote island in a remote part of the kingdom we get many power failures. I have of course got a UPS but TIT.

Some may days ago now, only just got back on line, the power once again flipped but this time the UPS couldn’t handle whatever the power company sent down the line and my HD crashed and re-booting only gave me a blank (not even the dreaded blue) screen.

I have a whole box full of “start up” floppies for just such an occasion but none of then worked like they should have. The only one that helped was Partition Magic that informed me “the drive has been improperly dismounted refer to our web site for a fix.

Great! Here in the low season there are not may places open but managed to find an internet shop that cranked up their computer. The Partition Magic web site informed me that I needed to do a CHKDSK on C:

OK back on my own computer I insert the MS-DOS disk and got the A:\ prompt but whatever I try to do a CHKDSK on C: I keep getting an error message. Now I am not very good with DOS and realize a dot or comma in the wrong place can mean failure but something should have at least got me out of the A:\ prompt.

So the question is, please, does anyone know why my computer would not accept DOS instructions from floppy boot? I have XP Pro SP2. Just for the record once I managed to get Windows up and running again I had no trouble giving the same instructions via. Start, Run.

Information for those still with me I resolved the initial problem by buying a new hard drive installed as “Master” with the original Master as slave and was able to CHKDSK on it that resolve the problem without any loss of data. I’m sure there must be a cheaper simpler solution.

Secondary question. Now that I have an extra Hard Drive I thought it would be a good idea to set it up with Windows as a spare incase the same thing happens again. But the thing would not work without the slave HD connected. I tried several times to reload Windows with just one HD connected but nothing happened. Why won’t the Master work alone?

Thanks in advance for any advice, help or suggestions.

Beachcomber.

I'm in the "If all this in Thailand goes wrong, What the **** am I going to do after syndrome" I've lost all skills of work back home, not having qualifications does'nt help.

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You just got to find yourself one of those nice honest genuine local ladies that we keep reading about on this forum.

You know the ones they don’t want any money just love their man and would do anything to take care and look after him.

There seem to be lots of them about, a simple thing to find one to take care of you when the money runs out.

ZAZ I’m sure we can all feel for you. But look on the positive you have a job you have the luxury of an income, a home, money to spend. Just think how much more your “personal problems’ would be multiplied if you didn’t have all that. You would be to busy worrying about the next mouthful of food and where you’re going to sleep. Then you would have something to be really unhappy about.

So instead of feeling sorry for yourself why don’t you at the end of next month when you get your paycheck, without telling anyone, just park up your car lock your front door go to the airport and get a one way ticket to Thailand never to go back.

All your problems will be solved.

Just don’t forget your credit cards.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

I really want to believe this story.

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Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

Me Too

ME TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo!

Very big, if you are smart you will be on Koh P well before the New Year as accomodation is very scarce on the 31st of Dec.

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Second that. Get there and find accommodation well in advance.

Be extra careful with valuables. Almost the whole island goes to the party leaving the bungalows deserted and the local thieves know this. Take care.

Enjoy

Hi Welcome.

Actually the numbers don’t really add up. Second hand bikes are not a good idea for the reasons already mentioned. Anyway tourists like shinny new reliable bikes.

A new Honda Dream (best bet unless you want to specialize in more expensive trail bikes) will cost 40,000bt. The rental will be (depending on your location) 100 – 200bt per day so it will take most of the first year just to pay for the bike.

That is assuming the bike is rented out EVERY day which of course it won’t be. With the real tourist season only being 6 months and with competition you’ll be fortunate to rent out enough days to pay for the bike in maybe two years or maybe more.

In addition to you will need to have crash helmets available and a phone contact number for accidents and breakdowns. Don’t forget servicing and also bear in mind how rental bikes are treated.

At the end of one year your shinny new bikes will look decidedly “tired” and be no competition for the “New Farang” just down the road who has just set up his new girlfriend in business with a fleet of shinny new motorbikes.

Sorry just my humble opinion.

You can get a 60 day tourist visa from your home country. This you can extend a further 30 days in Thailand at any immigration office. After that you have to leave Thailand and start again.

If you do not get any visa before leaving your own country you will get a 30 day visa as you enter Thailand. Don’t know if you can extend this.

You have to go Krabi to get the boat to Phi Phi.

There is also a boat service from Phuket but don’t know how it is running at this time of year.

The boat from Koh Lanta to Phi Phi only runs in the high season.

Just noticed you are not arriving till late November so most of what I said will be obsolete. The weather will have improved and the tourist season swinging so that will give you more choices.

If you want to take a “round trip” you could go from Lanta to Phi Phi and onto Phuket all by boat staying some time in each place.

Hi

You can get a one year multiple entry non immigrant “O” visa from Penang. You need to have a copy of your marriage certificate.

If you get there early enough It’s a one day service and will cost 500Rm (5Ktb)

It’s a good idea to take the original marriage cert and copy of your wife’s ID just in case they want to look at them.

I got a marriage “O” just a few weeks ago no problem didn’t even have to show any finances. I always go to Parvez Book Store, on the left side at entrance to Swiss Hotel, for visa. They are good and tell you upfront what you need.

Good luck.

Hi

You can’t get a boat from Samui to Krabi (only via Singapore)

Your best bet is get boat/bus to Surat Thani (inclusive ticket) then get bus to Krabi. Depending which bus it’s only a few hours. There’s a local A/C bus on street corner very cheap leaves every half hour or so.

If you get minibus it will take you into Krabi. The local bus station is a little way outside town but the bus station has pick-up “taxis’ and tourist offices so you can decide what way to go.

Krabi is just a town not much going on especially now in the low season. You can go to Koh Lanta or Ao Nang by minibus. Lanta in the low season is dead, really nothing doing, even finding a place open is not easy. Ao Nang has a bit more possibility.

Can’t say much about Phi Phi since the Tsunami. I hear they are getting it back together, hope so as it was one of my favorite islands and would recommend anyone to visit it.

Phi Phi is only accessible by boat and this time of the year the seas can be a rough so they don’t always run. Something to keep in mind if you have to return for a departure date.

The weather round Krabi at this time is a bit depressing, lots of rain every day not beach walking or suntan weather. Phuket may be a better option, like a bigger Samui with lots of things to do whatever the weather.

Can’t help you with the suitcase. Most travel shops, hotels or guest houses will keep it for you, sometimes for free. It will be pretty safe.

Hope some of this helps.

.

oh for some more of the genius of

doddy

hancock

round the horne

the navy lark

dads army

are you being served

perrin

allo allo

bernard manning

morecombe and wise

i'm sorry i havent a clue

victor meldrew

fawlty towers

etc etc.

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Yes the oldies are the best.

Some of these gems are being aired on BBC Prime (UBC) and BBC Radio 7 which is available on - http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/listenagain .

I enjoy them

I used to think it was a trick the repair guys had to increase their business. Yes I’m cynical like that.

Everybody seems to have the same problems. I think It’s the poor quality tubes and tires. I got fed up one time and did get new tubes and tires, though it wasn’t really necessary, at a different shop from the usual, the time before the first punctures seemed to be longer than before but don’t think there was much in it.

As for debris on the road, that’s always a possibility, but I’m convinced it’s the poor quality product; I have checked several flat tires for nails or cuts but never yet found one. Also most people don’t bother to check the pressure very often and that doesn’t help.

Hi

Long time ago in a former life we had pigeon problems. We used strips of spikes as mention by “Darknight” The trick is to cover ALL the possible and sometimes impossible perching areas. If you only cover the place they are perching now they will just move along a bit.

Another trick we tried was the “Scary Eyes”. This we made ourselves, just a big “Smiley” face with large fierce eyes on A4 paper stuck on the inside patio windows. We did it on computer but easily made up from sticky paper.

Can’t say if the “Eyes” actually worked as we had the spikes at the same time and they certainly did.

You can make your own spiky things by hammering long thin nails through pieces of plywood and lay them on your AC while away. Don’t have the nails too far apart as the pidgins will just roost in between.

Goo Luck

Hi

I have been a “Tourist” in LOS for some time now and have always been under the impression that visa extensions are granted on a basis half the days of your current visa or extension.

This means that on 60 day visa you get 30 day extension, on your 30 extension you get 15 day extension and on that you can get a 7 day extension.

For myself I have always gone for the 60 day visa then the 30 day extension as being the most practical and cost effective for me.

I did at one time go for a 15 day extension on my 30 extension and had no problems at all. This was on Samui a couple of years ago.

I have found that immigration office attitudes do vary, so I guess that can make a difference. Samui was one of the easiest and friendliest I’ve used especially considering some of the yobs and deadbeats they get turning up there. Maybe It’s changed over the last couple of years – Hope Not.

OK! I’m not normally sentimental but having had a few beers and reading the previous posts I feel I need to comment.

One time in a previous life I was in “LOVE”. This was a gut wrenching physical thing that had never happened before or since. Needless to say it didn’t last and took me nearly 10 years to get over.

I know this sounds pathetic but no worries I lived with several girls, all great, and on a couple of occasions lived with two girls at a time. Great girls wonderful time but not the same as my “LOVE”

So to answer the original question NO you cannot be in "LOVE" with two women at the same time.

Its nice but not “LOVE”

Hi

I guess there are many mixed marriages on this site also many mixed kids.

My question is regarding when baby starts to talk. Baby Beach is just over one year old. I talk to her in English and everyone else talks to her in Thai. Mum, for my benefit talks a lot of English to her.

Baby Beach can string sounds together and she will look at you and say something really important but in “what language”

Anybody have experience with baby language. When do babies start to talk? Is it more difficult for them being expose to two languages?

Help!!!

Erm! Just my two cents worth. Thai people are not a “throw away society” (though one my be excused from thinking so when you see all the rubbish everywhere)

Some time ago on a notorious island the fighting buffalo of the owner of the bungalows where I had taken up residence was poisoned by a rival buffalo owner.

The owner of the poisoned buffalo, wishing to make the best of the situation wanted to sell the meat and also serve it up in the restaurant.

Luckily his wife who was a bit more savvy blocked the idea. So I believe.

Bon Apetite!

back to the  topic

yes.. methinks when  people  get used to it.. so  the sound  wont be annoyed anymore (and  one day u will get use to it)

BTW, in TH ,  Roosters 's voice  here in LOS ,it's so-called ALARM /clock  and it mean "early morning..wake up!!"

TH Roosters  = Eakkk ehhh eakkk eak  so if u  want to warn em,  dont speak as "Cock-a-doodle-doo " they wont understand  you

Bambi (hot chick!!)

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Erm! Miss Hot Chick (as long as you not rooster in disguise) If they are “Alarm Clock “how come they all seem to be living in different time zones?

I am a nice kind of guy perhaps if I learnt rooster Thai I could reason with them!

Would their owners object?

Where I am now they start up at about 4am well before any dawn in the LOS – have they got genes from somewhere else? Perhaps a roving rooster ancestor??

As for the other comments I agree LOS is a dam noisy place. Some time ago I took a longtail boat trip round a wetlands bird sanctuary near Songkhla and the boat had no silencer (muffler). We didn’t see many birds.

TIT

Thanks

Will follow the links and try my hand at creativity. Watch this space but please don’t hold your breath.

Spog – I’m sure with creative stimulation of the young ladies I could get very animated – will play with your imageready, but don’t tell Ms Beach.

Hi

This will not be of much interest to those living in condos or up-market estates in Bangkok, but for the rest of us who either by choice or circumstances live in rural area it may be.

Perhaps I should for the benefit of the more gentle members and some ex-colonials with translation challenges refer to roosters instead.

Now Thailand is a nation of chicken keepers, they are everywhere either for eating or “Chicken Boxing” or some “just for looking” but they are everywhere and they all have something to say.

I personally have nothing against chickens in fact I am quite fond of them, not only from KFC but as individual personalities. Yes, they are quite clever and I used to, in a former life, have one as a pet.

No, my concern is the roosters that do not see the bigger picture and crow at all hours of the day and night instead of at dawn like any self respecting rooster should.

Yet Thais don’t seem to hear them. I have been to friend’s house where a rooster would be crowing right under the deck where we were sitting and I could hardly hear any conversation for the noise. When I mentioned this my Thai host said “what chicken” This has happened many many times.

Roosters wake me up in the middle of the night, once one starts they all have to join in and it usually goes on for about an hour before they settle down again. In the morning Ms Beach says “what chickens”

I have had conversations with other Farangs about this and the general opinion is that the Thai people have a slightly different frequency range they hear and the crowing roosters don’t bother them so much.

Is it just me or are there other Farangs out there that get P***** off with all this rooster crowing that is noise polluting the environment?

Comments welcome.

On the side:- on Koh Phangan on the left side of road to Had Rin just outside of Thongsala is a BBQ chicken stall. If it is still there you can get a whole BBQ chicken for 150bt – it is the best – really – try it.

Cheers

Hi

Just out of curiosity is it a simple thing to animate an avatar?

I’m not an expert but know my way around basic computer stuff. I see several posters have created their own animated avatars so maybe it ain’t that difficult.

Any help and advice or even step by step instructions will be appreciated.

Thanks