CharlesHH

When the protesters moved to Lumpini, I knew they had lost. This is more indication. The fix appears to be in for Thaksin to come back.

Stop me if you've heard this one before...............

Bloomberg News

By Anuchit Nguyen December 08, 2013

If Yingluck isn’t ousted tomorrow, Suthep will surrender to the police, according to an e-mailed release from the People’s Democratic Reform Committee

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-12-08/yingluck-offers-to-hold-thai-referendum-on-unelected-council

if all arrived at exactly same time, no one has the right of way due to the "guy on your left" goes first rule. However, in reality, as we all know, the largest and fastest vehicle goes first with large but slow trucks having Benz pulling in front and little cheap cars wait to last. Motorcycles trump all other vehicles.

My only accident was lightly rear-ended by Camry on Sukhumvit. I did not move my truck but jumped out and began taking pictures of the whole scene including the other driver and her insurance window stickers. I reported it to my insurance co and they fixed me no charge. I will never know about the other person.

Dunno but repurposing it as a roundabout might help

I had the so-called marriage visa for over a yr here, me American, wife 100% Thai. I did it when my employment visa ran nearly out. I had to supply tons of documentary proof of marriage and living together at the central immigration office in BKK. "Marriage visa" was stamped in English in my passport. It was good for one year, renewable, and I had to report in to immigration office near me every 90 days, fill out form, and get stamp (note that now it appears they are using a stamped piece of ordinary paper with extension note stapled in passport).

My Nakhon Pathom immigration office tried to force me to take a retirement status immediately when applying for renewal of marriage thing, but I did not that day have the documentations for that, and continued the "marriage visa" for another 8 mos. Then retired for sure, I applied and got a retirement one yr renewable visa A-O with need to report in every 90 days.

In none of all this did I have to leave the country.

Thanks a lot - from what i read its 400,000 baht in the thai bank or 40k monthly income from abroad is that still correct to get the 1 year extension?

Which embassy is the most 'friendly' to go for an O Visa these days?

Wow, I want to know how WiFi can be available in ANY location in Thailand, even in the cities....... actually, especially in the cities.

WiFi is a radio propagated mode and radio waves of the frequencies of WiFi can easily be blocked by buildings, hills, trees, and dissipate over distance, too. This is why there are Hotspots and not just to control who can get to the WiFi.

Someone please inform how that can be done.

Be sure it is not a herpes outbreak which is a rather clear blister or blisters on the lips usually. When the blisters first come up and when they go down, they are a lump under the skin which may or may not actually mature into blisters. It is remotely possible that a blow to the lip would result in an outbreak.

Bangkok Bank and only Bangkok Bank has this service per Jingthing. Reading the Bank's well described Web page on this topic, it appears you can set up this RELAY service while your body is anywhere. You must first have a Bangkok Bank account that, I think, must be started in person in Thailand. Read that site carefully to see if you have to have any bank in USA because a quick read seemed to say that an SS Internet payment to you, for example, could go directly to the correct number account in NYC with no other American bank involved. This appears to be free and easy. So far, I use ATMs withdrawals, but should go to this method. However, FATCA or whatever that new law is called could find you more easily, I guess.

I am not entirely clear on all that you are asking, but I can speak to one of the issues here.

The ACH link you are describing which is between most any U.S. bank and Bangkok Bank New York (where the money flows to your Bangkok Bank Thailand account, you never actually personally deal with Bangkok Bank New York at all and never actually have an account there) is strictly a ONE WAY street!

That means you can transfer the money from the U.S. to Thailand but NEVER back to the U.S. using that ACH link.

Just so you know.

Anyway, here is the basic method to set up the link.

From your ONLINE U.S. bank account, initiate an ACH link setup to Bangkok Bank New York using your THAILAND Bangkok Bank account number.

(Technical instructions like numbers to use, on Bangkok Bank Thailand website).

Then two TEST DEPOSITS are made from your U.S. bank to Bangkok Bank New York which flow to Thailand. You then need to CALL Bangkok Bank customer service in Thailand to find out the exact amount of the deposits in U.S. cents. You need to know this because the deposits will show up in Thailand in baht and you need to know the exact amount in U.S. cents.

You then use that cents info to validate the link on your U.S. bank website.

Then you are set to do transfers. The setup is one time thing. You need ONLINE access to both accounts (U.S. bank and your Thailand Bangkok Bank account).

If this item or something just like it is not for sale in the scores of shops in the Bon Mor district, then it likely is not in BKK. It will take lots of walking around and asking......... take a photo to hold up to the vendor clerks.

If a person wants entertainment electronics and does not know about Bon Mohr district, he does not know BKK.

Pantip Plaza is for computers and parts.

MBK is for mobile phones and more.

The world wide problem with ATM fraud is done this way........

A small plastic "box" shaped just like the slot where your card goes in, is a reader of your numbers and it can relay that info a very short way to a special computerized reader receiver. THEN, someone or a camera must ALSO see and record your pin that you input. Only with both can your account be grabbed.

There may be some newer way to grab ur info, but it is not widely reported or I would have seen it. This technology is not something a dolt can create, but a dolt can be assigned to run the device. Did your card bank tell you how your info could possibly have been stolen? Small amounts sound like a "friend" using it.

Use only ATMs fastened to the front of banks or inside banks. Cash is infinitely easier to steal.

By "black taxi" do you mean a car service provided by an unlicensed person or unlicensed taxi vehicle? Like "black op"?

I lived traveled this Smiling Land a whole lot and never saw a real licensed taxi painted black.

If I felt threatened, which I never do, in a taxi, I would call a wife or friend and give them the taxi number; photo of it all helps too, but the photo needs to be emailed somewhere to get it out of just your phone.

The one scary taxi ride I have in BKK is when the driver takes off down little alleys and goes thru hotel driveways, but always it is just a driver who knows the back way and faster way to your destination. BTW, I will pay the meter, even if it is slightly larger than it should be because the driver save me and him time.

I re read is message and do not see he specified a LOCATION to search. L. Man, are you always this helpful and grumpy?

I don't suppose Charles HH that you noticed that the OP is in Pattaya, a pretty expensive taxi ride to Panthip or Chatchacuk Weekend Market in Bangkok !

Since it is so hot out, I would explore the air conditioned shops in TukCom on Pattaya Tai

The Trident Group provides SEA protection, muscle, and package escorting. They may have two openings now because two of their employees were killed while guarding something, likely the package that ended up on 370 in Diego Garcia.

Blackwater has a new name.

I honestly do not understand why foreigners do not just get a REAL visa and skip all this visa running.

If a person already will be out of the country, why not apply for a real visa while out?

Would solve some problems for abandoned Thai girls if Thailand had a strong AND ENFORCED Dead Beat Dads law.

Think of Thai society where a father would have to pay for the children he fathered... wow !

I decided on Toyota due to many service chances, abundant parts, and relatively cheap. The other end of this decision method would be a Peugeot .

Probably not very well received, but fits all points on the bill: Kia Sorrento

x 7 seats

x diesel engine

x 4x4

Can't remember well the price and Kia Thailand website sucks....around 1.6-1.7m I think.

Resale would be pretty poor i guess, otherwise a nice SUV which of course in Thailand is underrated.

Thanks for that... actually I was also considering the Hyundai but decided against it as there's no service centre near me (which is also the case for the "luxury" SUVs on my list). Kia is the same, but I didn't even know about Kia in Thailand (for some reason I thought they were Malaysian - they're Korean). Unless I was going for something really OTT in terms of "Wow" factor, I'd be hesitant to propose a regular SUV that meant they had to travel any more than 30 minutes to the nearest service centre.

The place to start is BICYCLE TRAINING. Thai learn to ride bicycle, then apply those principles and habits to their motorbikes, and then behind the wheel of car or huge truck. There is a straight line from bad bicycle riding to bad driving, but adults are too late to train.

I have never met a Thai-citizen lawyer, or really any professional here, who is not mostly working for himself and not his client. This goes for property agents pushing specific items which benefit them, doctors prescribing meds from their own hospital which they know costs twice as much as at a good pharmacy, and then there are govt workers. A known scam is for a private investigator to contact the person he is paid to report about and saying if the target person will pay more than his client, he will report nothing, then takes that hush money and a fee from his client, too.

Sad to say this, but I have seen it with my own eyes. I trust no one now days.

Has anyone noticed that with all the cameras and "witnesses" no one can be caught for this type of crime. Oh, wait, if the shooter volunteers and confesses, then police work will be done.

Dreadful - even if it was an accident that she was shot - the shooter must be caught and charged with murder - should be put to death too.

Hobby fish stores are the first place to go. Chatchacuk Weekend Market has dozens of acquirum shops.

38volts is a very unusual output. Go to Pantip Plaza, taxis know it by this name, and hike around looking for a shop with a big box of assorted wall warts, adapters, power supplies, little black box, whatever you want to call it. There may be a dozen such shops as well as others which may sell the item you need the power supply for... which should also be visited.

Take your item or what it powers or a photo of it and get the seller to dig through his assorted box. Get him to measure the voltage output prior to buying. Should be 500 -1000THB.

If you can not get that exact plug, you may have to cut off your good plug and solder/splice it onto the power supply you did get. Some shop in Pantip Plaza will do it for you.

Alternative search site is the Ban Moh district of BKK. 4 sq block of little and big shops. If one of these two places do not have what you want, you will have to order from original mfg.

On Thepprasit road about 50 metres below the two petrol stations (right hand side if travelling towards Jomtien) is a small shop with green and white coloured sunshade over the front,

I have found that this place has a massive selection of electrical components. Can't promise they have what you need, but definitely worth a try.

Hardly any English spoken - take the old component with you.

Thank you and will have and go look there tomorrow morning for sure

anyone else know of any other locations as I would love to have a few addresses to increase my chances.

38volts is a very unusual output. Go to Pantip Plaza, taxis know it by this name, and hike around looking for a shop with a big box of assorted wall warts, adapters, power supplies, little black box, whatever you want to call it. There may be a dozen such shops as well as others which may sell the item you need the power supply for... which should also be visited.

Take your item or what it powers or a photo of it and get the seller to dig through his assorted box. Get him to measure the voltage output prior to buying. Should be 500 -1000THB.

If you can not get that exact plug, you may have to cut off your good plug and solder/splice it onto the power supply you did get. Some shop in Pantip Plaza will do it for you.

Alternative search site is the Ban Moh district of BKK. 4 sq block of little and big shops. If one of these two places do not have what you want, you will have to order from original mfg.

On Thepprasit road about 50 metres below the two petrol stations (right hand side if travelling towards Jomtien) is a small shop with green and white coloured sunshade over the front,

I have found that this place has a massive selection of electrical components. Can't promise they have what you need, but definitely worth a try.

Hardly any English spoken - take the old component with you.

Thank you and will have and go look there tomorrow morning for sure

anyone else know of any other locations as I would love to have a few addresses to increase my chances.

I never needed it, so did not concentrate on it. But, thinking now about a Thailand Elite or Easy card reminds me how Thailand is made for wealthy elites, Thai or foreigner.

$260 a month is a HUGE figure and is added to the up-front charge. I read the detail of what you get and was shocked it was so little of anything I need. I guess it is for the real business man going and coming often, living in a penthouse of a BKK serviced apt., and having a rich company pay these bills.

Now it dawns on me how completely Thailand is for sale, but the bid must be high. I like the brag on the Elite Card site that says it is the world's first such card, meaning that it is the only nation to sell residence permits for so much.

Question....... Must a holder of what I guess Immigration awards, a five year extendable visa, still report presence every 90 days (allowing a different person to actually do the paper in person, not the visa holder) ???

Question...... If one purchases the Elite Card, is that an automatic visa approval or is that an extra process?? I.E., no other hoops nor documents to present, yes???

Question.... When does Thailand accumulate so many enhanced or expedited ways of avoiding the sweating masses (at immigration or elsewhere) that the sweating masses can never be served, just left waiting???

The definition of nothing includes the fact that there is a "strain" on nothing to become something.

Before the Big Bang was a total universe of all things that had expanded to the point where it began to return to the POINT where it began, point or condition. There is all things in condition of a single point which explodes, expands, expands so far it returns to the point and the process is repeated FOREVER, no beginning and no end.

The question is, what do you really have knowledge of? It would be good if you could answer Rocky's post rather than me stealing the limelight.

I should add that this comment from the Buddha, and also Confucius and Lao Tze, that essentially, to paraphrase in my own way, one shouldn't organise one's life on the basis of speculative and unknown factors, is very practical and sensible.

There's a huge area of ignorance, even in the scientific community, about the extent of the universe, the amount of matter and energy that exists, and what existed before the Big Bang.

Even the concept of 'nothingness' is very problematic. What is 'nothing'? Perhaps there's always 'something', whether it be an invisible particle/ray whizzing through space, or a (currently) completely undetectable particle/wave of Dark Matter or Dark Energy.

Aren't there enough, obvious, certain and clearly apparent problems to deal with in this life, without trying to deal with imaginary problems?

One can do what appears to be a ritual, but the key is to avoid ATTACHMENT to the ritual. Then the apparent ritual is that, instead. It is possible to engage in a ritual in order to seek practice in removing attachments.

Fabianfred,

Thanks for your response. The reason this 3rd Hindrance caught my attention is because all religions seem to consist of lots of rites, rituals and ceremonies, but perhaps only Buddhism warns its adherents against getting attached to such rituals.

I would say that anything that is done habitually is a ritual, including going to work each day to carry out one's regular job, cleaning the house, or taking a shower.

The fact that there might be a practical reason to perform such activity does not make it less of a ritual, and of course, there's nothing necessarily wrong with any ritual in itself. The Hindrance is the emotional attachment to the ritual, and I guess in order to determine if one has an emotional attachment to any particular ritual, one could stop performing the ritual to see how one feels.

For example, I've come across people who have returned early from their long-service-leave to go back to work, because they miss their workplace. And, it's quite common for people to miss their jobs after retirement. I would describe such people as having an emotional attachment to their job.

Likewise, if a monk has gone out every morning with his alms bowl for 10 years, then one day the Abbot instructs the monk to cease doing it (for whatever reason), and if the monk were to miss that routine and feel unhappy, and at a loss, then we could say that the monk had had an attachment to that particular ritual. Right?

If Robert Amsterdam violated lese mageste laws in his speech to Red Shirts camp recently and

If his speech was understood, language, etc., by those in the crowd,

Then, I would have expected loyal Thai citizens to have objected strenuously to Amsterdam's negative comments about Thailand, etc.

I saw no reports of Red Shirts shouting at Amsterdam nor in any way trying to correct his negative comments about Thailand and those dearly honored by (all?) Thai citizens. Is it true that Reds sat silently while this speech was given ??

Do Reds then endorse Thaksin's representative's words? Are the Reds really Khmer Rouge?