gomangosteen

The 'Chanthaburi 10' fun run Sunday 12 May 2024, 5.50am start for the 10km event; course follows the Bhakti Rambhai canal, background is the hills of Namtok Phliu National Park

Here again today for my latest 90-day; I was first one here for 8.30am opening, on the motorbike heading away at 8.34am. Small delay as I was asked to pose for a photo by the IO - today's happy foreigner!

New process since last time - TM47, IO put my passport into a reader, checked address the same, and 'print' received a receipt showing name, dates etc.

Built 1911, now a protected heritage building

The recreation and gardens area at Central Chanthaburi, waited here yesterday while daughter was at the book fair in the exhibition hall - 'one hour' she said . . .became over 90 minutes.

10km road running event this morning on the east side of Chanthaburi city, didn't need assistance from the mobile medics.

There are 13 days protected by law for all employees.

Government employees get minimum 19, plus recently these 'special holidays' that come out of a magician's hat 

Depends what country you are from in terms of comparison. 

New Zealand: 11 public holidays, work on one and you get overtime rates plus an additional day's annual leave. Minimum 20 days paid annual leave per year, most companies increase this to 25 after five or seven years service, or in the case of my last employer there, 25 is the starting allowance for new employees. 36 paid total, add on minimum 10 sick (many companies higher or unlimited) - think that's more than Thai employment contracts.

1 hour ago, Korat Kiwi said:

That's one thing I like about here.  Inexpensive repairs.  In NZ they no longer do the plug repairs. They have to take the tyre off and repair from the inside. 

 

Naturally it costs a small fortune. I found a gun on Aliexpress that puts an arrow shaped silicon/rubber plug into the puncture. 

 

It's a step up from the previous plug type as the arrow head is inside the tyre and forms a better seal. 

 

But at only 400 baht over here for a repair... Don't need it! 

They didn't plug - that's what I expected as I've seen them used on tubeless bike (the pedal type) tyres. 

The tyre was removed and a patch repair put on the inside. 300b, turns out the pickup service was free as I'd bought the bike off them only six months ago.

Didn't get to see what they removed, usually get it presented to me at bill-payment time as 'proof' (like the dentist offering me my extracted tooth last month)

Life's full of surprises.

Puncture, tubeless rear tire

Local places 'dont' do tubeless' so called Honda in Chanthaburi city where I bought the bike in December, pickup arrived and I took a ride approx 20km with bike on the back, went for a wander at Lotus the around the lake then collected the bike

300b total - wasn't sure what to expect have only had tube repairs previously.

And I checked - inflated to 32 according to my gauge - not 62!

whatever the brand, don't care, when its around 40 at the beach I'm happy to see a motorbike-sidecar selling icecreams

Air pressure!

Checked after MrsM had air put in the Fino tyres on Saturday ... this is a new record of over-inflation, I always check - rear was 72psi, front just 58psi.

I don't think so!!

Successful (*see below) ride on the Click160 up to Rayong province yesterday, arrived at destination just ahead of planned 5am for a running event beginning 6am. 

Mostly on highway 3399, quiet in early morning wouldn't have been more than ten other vehicles until we neared Prasae. Have cycled this route often but first time without pedals. 

Return journey a temple stop at Phang Rad, then took the long way home, nearer the coast, a cafe stop at Khung Wiman.

Washed off the road dust last night - bought in December and still waiting for rain this is the only time it gets wet.

*Checked pressures and found a piece of steel in the rear tire and down to 18, slow leak.

Today's task get that repaired.

Sunday temple, Wat Tha Makok, Phang Rad, Rayong 

3 minutes ago, smedly said:

 Phuket is not a place I would want to visit right now considering the seemingly active effort to by law enforcement to pick on farangs right now, I'd be giving it a very wide birth right now

I don't know that this qualifies as 'picking on farangs' - the IO doesn't have an option in this instance

She'll have this story forever

"Did I ever tell you about the time an Englishman gave me his cocaine?"

A: "Yes only about a thousand times"

[a wide berth]

Another Thai scooter manufacturer, SOLAR, launched April 2022 at the Thailand International Motor Expo.

All SOLAR models are powered by a 125cc 1-cylinder, SOHC, 2-valve, air-cooled 4-stroke engine

The SOLAR Groove Urban model

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

The most catching and interesting stories can't be told because the drivers died already in a fatal accident. 😇

Really?

Our two now have a combined 101,000km on their odometers. 54,000km on one before that.

Off to Rayong province at 4am tomorrow to compete in a running event starting 6am, return in the evening. I'm reasonably familiar with the route as I cycle it most months (but that's another story)

9 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Was a part time bouncer in Amsterdam red light for 9 months, done 11 years of martial arts and 6 years of front row rugby union.

Had about 100 physical arguments, lost 3, ended up in hospital once with a couple of metal plates in my forehead as somebody hit me with a brick unexpectedly. Was very lucky not to die then.

Did they remove the brick, or leave it in situ and wire the pieces together with rebar?

5 minutes ago, bananafish said:

Whatever happened to the Kiwi's who wrestled the police officer to the ground? That story seemed didn't linger like the Swiss kicker story. 

They remain in custody awaiting trial. 

Bail was denied.

Is it that he set off the fireworks on Patong Beach rather than on a private property? 

It's one of the designated/protected no-smoking beaches with advertised heavy penalties up to 100k fine (which has probably never been imposed).

Earlier in the week read of a tourist being 'fined' the maximum 25,000 baht for smoking cannabis on the beach.

A beach crackdown?

1 hour ago, BKKKevin said:

Agreed!... If they were to this analysis base on prostitutes per capita Thailand would most likely be at the top!... 😋

Get your calculator out then

I doubt those totals, so easy to 'round up or down' to find nice figures of 250,000, one million - reminds me of media crowd estimates where they tend to over-estimate imo

Going to thousandths - three decimal places

Thailand and USA - three per thousand 0.003

Philippines - six per thousand 0.006

7 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Don't ever pay with a 1000 note in regular venues. Always break it in the 7-11 where there are cameras overhead.

A new 7-11 opened in October near us, staff there say the note amount whenever a customer hands over a 500 or 1000.

Often a pause as they figure out how to tell me my change amount, for their language practice in English.

Admit I have at times made errors in mixing a 1000 in with 100s.

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

April and May alone have the same amount of holidays many countries have in one year.

What is the productivity level of Thai workers?  Just waiting for the next holiday to put on their credit cards.

Stupid.

Private companies get 13, (as per the Labour Protection Act) more only at the discretion of individual employers.

Government - nineteen. But lately they've also had 'special' days added eg Friday before Songkran.

My former country NZ now gets 12 - one added and two have been 'Mondayised' since I left. Six of them between Dec 25 and Feb 6 makes for a lot of short weeks.

May.

From above, there are three business day closures for government offices

Monday 6

Friday 10

Wednesday 22

Many private companies - May 22, some the 1st also. Retail and service, hospitality - none of the above 

The benefits of a public service job.

Used to be a teacher in town with one of these Honda scooters - they also came out in Liverpool colours

No football schemes in 2024, latest 2024 Honda Giorno features Donald Duck, suggested retail 67,900