Iain

I was also told by my thai collegues that is better to drive on IDP than exchange for a thai licence. Not actually been given a reason though......

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should stop selling mobile phones and lottery tickets to the children instead, they are worse than the cigaretts.

Rama9 > Motoway > Ban Bueng > Klaeng > Chanturi > PNR

There is a small neighborhood pub we like to visit in BKK. Last week a Thai man walks in, asks for music by "Bird" this is put on, the man then goes to the toilet, a minute later the police come in. The man comes back, showeing a card saying he works for Grammy and the pub has no license to play the music.

The CD player and the CD is take to police atation and the man from Grammy demands 30,000 Baht to "avoid prosecution" and drop the case. This fee is negotiated down to 20,000 Baht. The Grammy fellow says he has to go and hit the next bar! The police issues a receipt for 20K. The Grammy guy says the annual feel to play is about 3,000 Baht, but can be discounted.

The bar manager pays the 20K and the player is back in the bar.

Is this for real?? How on earth can licensing fees and penalties to a big company get discounted?

I get the idea there are some bar owners on this site, do you have the same experience?

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they should stop these children watching Thai TV programs at early age, that makes them stupid and makes the babysitters stupid as well.

They can fake Rolex watches, they can fake Nike footwear, they can fake drivers licenses and passports....I'm sure if you follow your nose you will find someone who can fake a few concert tickets for you.

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There is always a Casino at the border, except the Malaysian ones. Otherwise who's going to build a new road to the border?

Sure, I'll get one just as soon as you can buy bags of "elephant chow" at Big C!

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Only IDIOTS will buy something they don't want because it is being presented to them by a beautiful girl, most people have more sense.

Sex does not always work as a Sales Tool, but there will always be the unfortunate few who fall for it

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Excellent stuff richard! Could I get a new business visa in laos if the old one is about to expire and would i need the same letters etc to apply even though i already have a business visa.

Thanks in advance

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I was thinking if i could introduce her to what's going on in sukhumvit,

but i change my mind, because rare chance of finding a decent man

in sukhumvit and risk of becoming a hooker later.

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Don't worry about taxi, most of them use cooking gas anyway.

Thanks and I will! A quick question for people out there... what kind of luggage/baggage should I bring with me? I do plan on moving about Thailand a bit. Not sure how much I'll be travelling around though but want to check out Phuket/Koh Pha-ngan and maybe the North too.

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The high lander bar at Sukhumvit 23, opposite fish and chips.

60 baht a beer, all night long, happy hour every hour.

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Highlander went out of business some time back. It's called Rendezvous these days.

Don't know 'bout their happy hour deal.

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The Rendezvous bar at Sukhumvit 23, opposite the Offshore bar, 60 baht a beer, all night long, happy hour every hour.

The high lander bar at Sukhumvit 23, opposite fish and chips.

60 baht a beer, all night long, happy hour every hour.

My daughter's teacher has asked me to lend her some money, through my wife, of course.

I can't see her running away with the amount of 20,000 baht.

She said she would pay 3% a month interest, which is well below the "normal" rate. I know that some of the local money lenders charge 20% per month.

I am going to give her the cash but ask for something in writing.

I think that she may well be lending it to someone else for a higher rate of interest.

What would you do?

I don't want to piss off the school, making it hard for my daughter.

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She doesn't have to pay you back, you have no power to control the situation, basicaly it is the job of the bank anyway.

Thanks for your comments guys.

In princicple I agree the silver condom is not that a good idea. It protects from chin chok? shit in that covered area though. The portable car port seems to be a better solution. It does not solve the gf worries from thieves though. She would opt for a closed garage, but this is not practicable sins we rent the house and there is not enough space to build one (I think it could be done for 20k baht)

Seems many thais are afraid from thieves. Is this a real problem? We live on a small beach 500km from Bangkok almost 4 years and there  is no history of thieves around the place. The car we bought is a Toyota Vigo 4x4 which has some anti-theft features and a thai manual I can not read....I know about the transponder and microchip key but what other anti-theft security is build-in?

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Sometimes I would like my car to be stolen, have had it for many years, might get some money from insurance, put a bit more money buy a new one then.

dress smart, and go to the motor show in Bangkok.

Use the face card. When one of them makes an effort to abide by your policies give them praise and rewards in front of the other staff. Build allies one by one like that.

cv

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Yes, rewards, it always works.

Yes its normal to provide tea dosh to the police. They keep the mafia types away.

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I think it is normal to pay cops as well, but who send the mafia anyway?

….…it just shows how undiplomatic the diplomats are who work in the embassies here in BKK. Disgraceful.

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they always are.

Many  thanks  Aranya.

How  strictly  is  the  rule  enforced....i.e  how  often  do  you  ask  for  show  of  funds  from  travellers?

Does  the  appearence  of  the  traveller  decide  whether  you  ask  to  see  funds  or  not? 

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good question, but I bet you will never know the answer.

Strictly speaking I don't have an income. 

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then don't get married.

Thailand has become boring

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Sometimes I think Thailand is boring too, but I always come back.

I want and saw Tom Yum Goong yesterday.

I would recomend anyone to see it.

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Compare with the rest of Thai movie I have seen, that was the best.