gomangosteen

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

 

I have the Click 160 ABS and it's great around town and gets 50 km/l. But if you intend to travel outside of town maybe the ADV160 is more suitable.

Bought a Click ABS late December for daughter when she starts uni in June, meantime I'm using it, 2300km so far mainly open road / highway. Will be fine for our purposes though I did like the ADV.

Shop had the Captain America and Ironman ADV160 models - think if there was a Wonder Woman one I may have been under pressure to buy for her!

There's a guy on YouTube 'Living with Serg' who has been touring Thailand on his 2023 ADV160 a lot of highway plus some dirt/gravel roads, including Bangkok to the top of the country down to Koh Chang back to Bangkok he hasn't mentioned any problems.

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

I don't think we've ever had a falling off train death,  had plenty of hit by train stories or drunk run over by train but never a falling off.

 

 

27 December 2022 at Kanchanaburi 

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/12/27/irish-man-dies-after-falling-from-train-in-thailand/

14 hours ago, sirineou said:

Your drivers class is acceptable as it has all the nessacery information, including your passport number 

No.

My two DLs issued December 2023 have my (pink non-Thai) ID card number, not my passport number.

Regardless of that fact, a DL shows nothing re visa status, so no 'necessary information'.

2 minutes ago, Antti said:

Do you automatically get a bike license in NZ if you have a car license? At least in my home country (nordic) that stopped in 1990, if I remember correctly. Nowadays many folks just have a car license but no bike license. If you want bike license you have to take a separate course + tests.

No

NZ - completely separate licences

Begin with a Learner motorcycle licence (theory and basic handling skills test) which allows the person to have further lessons with a full licence holder or professional instructor; after a minimum six months take a practical test, if passed person moves to a Restricted Licence which and has restrictions on hours (5am-10pm only), no pillion, and limited cc/power, then have a further practical test to gain a full licence - this is to be completed within two years of the initial Learners test. 

32 minutes ago, NicoBKK said:

Sad to see, usually the consequence of illegal oil tankers washing / discharges far from the port where can do it without being disturbed 

I didn't get the translation but one comment on Facebook mentioned tarballs and oil dispersant, if that makes any sense? I'd describe the oil as very heavy, sticky and took quite a scrub to remove off my feet when I got home

Anyhow, understand a beach cleanup was to begin at 7am today.

Here's the beach last Friday, the only disturbance is all the little sand piles created by the small crabs, very artistic

But wait there's more. With much of the coastline here either mangroves or rocks, expect they'll keep finding more as well as the 'easy' ones washing up on sandy beaches

11.00am 19/3/67

A total of 285kg of 'ice' has now been recovered at 14 separate locations along the coast of Trat, Chanthaburi and Rayong provinces.

At Chao Lao beach this afternoon, what a mess.

Streaks of oil lumps between low water and high water mark, oil blobs in the waves.

Very heavy oil, most blobs 10-30mm and up to 5mm thick; I got waist-deep thinking it was restricted to the shallows, wrong on that. Very sticky not easy to clean off swim shorts and skin. 

I'll stick to the pool next few days.

According to the Monsoon Garbage website the local authorities are arranging a cleanup. 

No idea on the origin, a ship dumping out in the Gulf maybe?

Active combat medals will be awarded to crew of both vessels

This photo from 2016; the USA-built HTMS Kirirat was commissioned in August 1974; don't expect it has high insurance value, or value as a trade-in on the proposed new submarine

One Diazepam; doesn't rate against Chiang Mai Charly in the news today, British man Charly Garcia 'invested' 800,000 baht to on-sell drugs to tourists. 

All on a student visa! He'll have plenty of time to become fluent in Thai in the years ahead.

Cocaine, ketamine, mushrooms, LSD, MDMA, and 160 tablets of diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax).

Briton arrested for selling drugs to tourists

Still in Eastern Thailand - last saw this style of boat racing in Phra Phloeng, Sa Kaeo province

On the water again in Chanthaburi; in the last three weeks we've had the Singha WaterSports Powerboat Grand Prix at Laem Sing beach; longtail speedboat races at Khamong, and next month two days of Langsuan traditional longboat racing at Makham 

16 Apr 2024 - Boat Race teams of 5 Rowers
17 Apr 2024 - Boat Race teams of 17 Rowers

16 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

How much did you pay for the extra electronic key?

I only have one key and if that one fails, oh well.

1000 baht. Took about 15 minutes they had to program it, test it.

Ideally never be needed, but a small outlay if it is 

Beach access. 

Is the coastline supposed to be freely accessible?

Not Phuket - we're in Chanthaburi, an area at the south end of the best beach area has recently been developed, I thought it was to be a public park as appeared to be part of a conservation area.

Wrong - it's to be a resort. Construction hasn't begun, but they've now fenced off the area, removed the coastal pathway and blocking access to a popular snorkeling and spearfishing area as well as to the adjacent conservation area.

"Private".

We built in 2018, aircon in main bedroom only, none of our previous house had aircon, I do my exercise cycling running during the day, I'll take heat anytime over a cold climate.

Use aircon on warmer nights 30-40 min at 26C before 'lights out'.

Yes I was wearing a polar fleece jacket at Dune 2 on Sunday. Cinemas are the worst.

8 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

I'm still hoping for a new Ice Age, oh well 😒

We're still waiting for last year's rain season. It was forecast as up to three months late, well that didn't happen. 

Nearest reservoir never reached 40% capacity.

Small lake near home is bare earth. Our pond about 20x10 has gone from max about 3m deep to a muddy green less than 1m.

I like the heat, but in an area that's primarily orchards it's tough times for those without an accessible water supply. 

35 minutes ago, sungod said:

i was around there Friday, its normally OK but storms/rough seas can scoop a lot of crap up and deposit it on the beach.

This occurs all down the eastern coast - similar here in Chanthaburi all it takes is a strong wind to mess up otherwise clean beach - I'm going swimming today at Chao Lao and expect there'll be a line along the high tide mark of squid boat lights, buoys, bits of net, plastic bottles, and always a shoe - usually encrusted with little shellfish they've been at sea for some time.

Up to the resorts and restaurants along Chao Lao beach to clean up, but the other main beach at Laem Sing has council workers who 'sweep' the beach every morning, not even a windblown leave escapes their attention.

41 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

You pay $2,500 for airfare alone, but $488 for a 90-day visa is a deal-breaker? And so much so that you would not visit your family?  I hate price increases as much as the next guy, but that does not make a lot of sense to me. 

 

It's like waiting in the car at the national park while you family goes in, because it costs you a dollar and it only costs them a quarter. 

 

 

Agree with you on that one!

For around six years until Aug 2022 I was working in NZ on 3mth and 6mth contracts, return flights varied from under NZ$1000 (best was $899 - so good I bought two) to NZ$2200 depending on how much in advance I could book, and seasonal fare increases, never gave a thought to not flying here to try and save a few $. 

I like the national park example. Read a review of the National Maritime Museum where the farang said he did remain in his car 'on principle' because family paid 40 baht and it was 100 for him. Must have been a fun ride home with a sulky old git at the wheel.

Back to the NZ Embassy fee and service change - disappointing they will no longer accept in-person applications as I always found them exceptionally helpful (convenient as I was working in Wellington), business was quiet enough that the last time I was there the person at the counter went through my documents, put ticks and initials on each page while i waited and confirmed all OK and it would be approved, pick up in two working days, and received an email the day after, confirming I could collect the following morning.

Even Batman showed up for yesterday's screening of Dune 2 in English with Thai subtitles at Major Cineplex, Central Chanthaburi

The Chinese New Year dragon was still there last Wednesday, but removed when we were there yesterday 3 March 2024

Local fun at a temple fair yesterday,

Wat Khamong, Sunday 3 March 2024

Our wild area we've chosen not to develop too much, I cleared some of the medium height scrub/trees, thinned the larger trees and removed all the vines and their ongoing regrowth. 

Provided more sunlight and clean air flight paths around a pond about 15x10m.

Over time the wildlife has increased, various water birds, two white egrets, racquet tail drongos, coucals, various other little ground birds who seem to prefer walking to flying. And your mynahs (prefer the h ones) birds.

Add squirrels who help themselves to bananas and papaya.

One water monitor about 1.2m set up residence mid last year I'm less fond of, though I won't mind if it takes out the wandering cats, or the pigeons.

Are we just lucky?

Six years old next month our Samsung 10kg gets used every night - four adults. In that time just one repair, a solenoid last year, cost 400b to repair.

Before that a Samsung 6.5kg which was very overworked, died after seven years. Good enough to stay with same brand.