paul955

About 4 years ago I had an accident at 6am on my way home from my birthday celebrations. I was turning right and 3 young Thai guys were heading to work and overtaking me on the right side. I turned right and whack, one of them went straight into me. I had been drinking so clearly was to blame regardless of anything else. My girlfriend paid the 3 guys 200 baht each which they was very happy with as they were late for work. As such no police needed to be called and I was off to hospital with a Anterior hip dislocation and spent 10 days hospitalized in traction ( most painful thing Ive ever experienced ).

Anyway the relevance to your question is:

My girlfriend spoke with the bike hire company and claimed on the Government Insurance scheme which all hire bikes will have ( if they are legal anyway, but this is Thailand, lol ). She had to get some paperwork from the hire company owner to give to the Insurance office in North Pattaya road, that was a little bit of a pain, but the Insurance office gave her a cheque within 1 week for 15,000 baht ( the maximum cover on the government Insurance ).

I then also claimed under my Travel Insurance policy and because no police were called alcohol was not tested for on my arrival at hospital, so alcohol was never an issue ( thank god ). To cut a long story short I received full recompense ( 4 months later ) from my UK Travel Insurance for all my hospitalization and medication ( 90,000 baht ).

I can also tell you about an American friend of mine who was renting a motor bike. He was walking down Soi Baukhow in Pattaya and tripped over ( some of the pathways are death traps ) and suffered ankle damage and a cut foot. He had to attend hospital and receive treatment. In total his hospital bills for a few visits was around 8,000 baht. He claimed this off his motorbike ( Government ) insurance also, saying he had fell off his bike. He received full payment. I am not saying his actions are right or wrong, I am highlighting that there definitely is Government Insurance on motorbike hires automatically provided you are renting from a reputable company.

But then how do you know if your hire company are reputable - Good Luck this is Thailand...........

Direct him to Pooks.

Pooks is closed, hence the near by saloon;)

Disclaimer : I only know it closed because when driving past I did not hear idiotic screams and had to look to see why ? It's under renovation

Apparently Pooks is becoming a Bikers Bar, and Pooks is operating out of their other bar in Soi 6

As the saying goes, ''A fool and his money are soon parted'', not just in Thailand but anywhere in this world. However, I think it happens more often in Thailand because here we are all a ''sexy man'' and unfortunately the fools believe it.

#6 quote:

... was already in the 'Songkran mood' after consuming too much Samsung!!!

Uh, who has consumed what, Paul??????

''so I think the guy that wrote this article......................''

Very strange report, as Pattaya is quieter this Songkran than any of the last 5 years I have lived here. Saturday night the roads into Pattaya where virtually empty, so I think the guy that wrote this article was already in the 'Songkran mood' after consuming too much Samsung!!!

Welcome to High season golf in Thailand. The Thai Navy course is often like this, did you not get suspicous when you booked your tee time? ( assuming you rang and prebooked as opposed to just turning up ). At Thai Navy there is never a problem whatever time you ask for. This is contrary to most other courses in and around Pattaya. I run a golf group in Pattaya, my advice to you, pre book tee times, and expect slow play at the cheaper ( green fee ) course like Thai Navy. Also 5 balls and 6 balls ( Thai / Japanese/ Korean ) are common in Thailand, although they are made to have a cart each person. Dont ever expect to be let through, and expect them to be slow slow slow on the greens, they are usually playing for money.

Razor, farang means anyone not a Thai.

I think it means any non thai with a pale / white face as opposed to 'farang dam' which is a black farang.

Most golf courses in Thailand you can rent a set ( usually good quality ) from at around 1000 baht a round.

In Pattaya and Jomtien you can rent sets from many places for 500 baht a day.

if the tourist offered to pay the 100 or 150 baht fee to get to his destination asap,and the baht bus driver stopped in front of the mall to pick customers......i am by the tourist side

if the tourist pretended to get to his destination asap just with 10 baht....i am by the driver side

Do you pay baht bus drivers 150 baht for rush deliveries?

i never did but many russian or chinese tourists do.thats also the fee they ask at the pattaya bus station

Interesting. I wrongfully thought that if people wanted to get somewhere in a hurry they would take a cab and not attempt to get a bus full of people to break its schedule.

Thanks

In Pattaya you avoid the limited number of taxis. They will not ever use the meter, it is always a set price. This is the same with the 1000's of baht buses in and around Pattaya. You can negotiate a set price with most baht buses and they will then take you direct, with no other passengers to your destination. Most often the baht bus direct price is considerably cheaper than the taxi direct price.

Hi Mate, I sound similar to yourself. I am 54 but the same bodyweight and height. I have lived in Jomtien ( outside Pattaya ) for over 2 years now and like you I find the heat and / or the humidity so oppressive most of the year.

Let me say I have always been a cooler weather person anyway, from the UK I used to holiday in Spain for many years and from June to October used to find that too hot!!! So I think the type of person you are, in terms of whether you like HOT or not is a starting point.

I will stress that you do definitely acclimatise, this year I have found it a little easier to handle than the previous year, but i like you dont want to have the air con on 24 - 7. As some guys say, take showers regularly, but this is only a very temporary relief, in some cases 5 minutes. Certain times of the year, April and May especially expect to sweat constantly.

I run a golf group in Pattaya so I am out in the fresh air all year round. April and May can be unbearable in terms of heat. Most of the golfers I know who also live here, have to stop walking and use a buggy during May as its just too dam hot. This is relatively fit guys who live here and are supposedly ''acclimatised''

My Thai GF is always astounded at how ''hot'' my body is ( she means this in a purely medical sense unfortunately ).

I unfortunately have accepted that I am always going to be ''too hot'' here, although without doubt I am acclimatising but just so slowly. But as I said at the start, I really believe its down to your body type and how you react to heat in general.

Remember though that Thailand does have exceedlingly high humidity many times of the year, and this alone can make a nice 30 degrees feel like 45 degrees. I always remember being in Las Vegas many years ago and it was 100 degrees, clear blue sky, sun shining, and not a bead of sweat on me. It was beautiful. Contrast that to 30 degrees in Thailand in the rainy season, cloudy sky, 95 percent humidity and sweating like a pig.

Good luck I hope you resolve your 'problem' I have accepted for me its just something I have got to learn to live with.

An Oxford graduate and still swindled by a girl presumably with little or no education. Why do so many guys seem to forget or lose all common sense because of a 'bit of skirt' with nice legs. Plenty more fish in the sea.

Irresponsible idiot ! This has been going on for 10 months, and now you decide you dont want to play anymore ?

By leaving it this long you have in effect encouraged this person.

If you had any balls, you would have dealt with this ages ago, but perhaps your ego enjoyed the attention, you should encourage this person to meet, be friendly, then at the meeting (take someone with you) make it quite clear you want nothing to do with her and if she persists further action via the Police or whatever will follow.

Stop being a whimp and a push-over, sort it out man, that's what parents do ! when their child is involved.

If only life and specifically dealing with ''crazies'' was that simple.......

I have been having a similar thing for the last 2 years since finishing with my old GF in Bangkok. I am constantly getting text messages from her about how she can kill me without going to the monkey house, etc, etc. Ive changed phone number but she knows where I work and always manages to get the new number. Fortunately I am not intimidated or scared, but I am sure where children are invovled it would be very worrying.

I never reply too any of her messages but still now after 2 years i get them. God knows how but she found my knew ( 1 year ) GF's number and sends her threatening messages as well. My current GF's advice......................'this is some thai woman, this is love' my reply, what a load of shit!!!

It's usually one of your 'friends' feeding her information in exchange for .....

Time to clear out all your old friends from the time you were with her.

Yes i agree with you and do have my suspicions.

I have been having a similar thing for the last 2 years since finishing with my old GF in Bangkok. I am constantly getting text messages from her about how she can kill me without going to the monkey house, etc, etc. Ive changed phone number but she knows where I work and always manages to get the new number. Fortunately I am not intimidated or scared, but I am sure where children are invovled it would be very worrying.

I never reply too any of her messages but still now after 2 years i get them. God knows how but she found my knew ( 1 year ) GF's number and sends her threatening messages as well. My current GF's advice......................'this is some thai woman, this is love' my reply, what a load of shit!!!

Why don't you block her number?

Well I tried that before, but AIS told me it couldnt be done on my old phone.

I will try again, perhaps its now possible. But then all she will do is send messages from another number.

Cranes, cement trucks, huge coaches etc, do the drivers of these vehicles undergo specific training and licensing?

If the brakes 'failed' or not, criminal action should be taken.

I doubt they get the proper training on how to operate these vehicles,now here in the uk all bus and truck drivers have a CPC card,which training has been given.

For information purposes only:

CPC Certificate of professional competance is held by the Transport manager or person running the fleet of vehicles, not the driver. Its the transport managers job to ensure an adequate maintenance routine is in place.

In the UK the driver will hold either a PSV ( Public service vehicle ) or LGV ( Large goods vehicle ) licence. This licence then shows the driver has undergone the correct training, and passed the test for driving the vehicles in whichever class of licence he holds.

I have been having a similar thing for the last 2 years since finishing with my old GF in Bangkok. I am constantly getting text messages from her about how she can kill me without going to the monkey house, etc, etc. Ive changed phone number but she knows where I work and always manages to get the new number. Fortunately I am not intimidated or scared, but I am sure where children are invovled it would be very worrying.

I never reply too any of her messages but still now after 2 years i get them. God knows how but she found my knew ( 1 year ) GF's number and sends her threatening messages as well. My current GF's advice......................'this is some thai woman, this is love' my reply, what a load of shit!!!

I am from the UK and 2 months ago did my 12 month 'extension of stay' ( which some people always call a Retirement Visa, but it isnt ) from my O - A ( Long stay Visa ) that I used for last year. It was simple and easy.

First I applied by post to the British Embassy in Bangkok for an income verification letter. All I supplied was copy bank statements from my UK bank that I printed off on the computer. I am 54 and as of yet havent drawn my pension ( can do this when 55 ). I have a personal account in the UK in my name and a business account ( a limited company ) in the company name. The company owns a number of properties in the UK and the monthly rentals get paid in to the account by Direct Debit. I highlighted these monthly incoming amounts and stated they were my monthly pension. The total exceeded the 65,000 baht per month required for Pension.

The thing to note ( in my opinion ), 1) they accepted funds in a UK account as proof of income 2) they accepted a limited company account that doesnt even mention my name? 3) they accepted money going into my account that technically is not a pension. I personally believe they just want to see evidence that you have the equivalent of 800,000 baht either in Thailand or in your home country at the time you make your application for visa extension.

From sending the application letter to the Embassy ( by EMS mail ) to receiving the Income verification letter back to me was 5 working days. Cost from memory was 2640 baht ( 2500 embassy fee and 140 charge for bank draft and mail fee ).

I then took this letter to Immigration at Jomtien along with the completed TM8 form and various photocopies required and the 1900 baht fee. Done and done in 35 minutes, no questions asked, and told to come back the next day for my passport.

Went back the next day, picked up the passport with Extension of Stay stamp in, immediately then applied for a multi entry permit ( TM7 form i think plus fee 3500 ish, cant remenber exactly ) and 15 minutes later I got passport back and everything done.

Hope my experience helps someone else who wants to do their own visa extension rather than pay some shop 20,000 baht to do it for you. At first I thought it was very difficult and spent a good few hours on this site trawling through the various posts and compiling what to do. In the end it was very very easy, and my great fear of never having enough funds in a Thai bank account or not having a pension yet where found to be unfounded.

This is a joke post for sure.....................

Did you gain the experience to determine this within your previous 7 posts?

Sorry didnt realise the number of posts you make on this forum determines whether you have basic common sense or not. I bow down to your superior knowledge as you have many many more posts than me. But really if you are so concerned about 200 baht bills for this or for that, why the heck did you ever buy a condo in Thailand?

This is a joke post for sure.....................

All the symptoms you describe I had around 10 years ago when i was 44 / 45. I was always the sort of guy who thought I was very strong minded and could handle any situation alone. I was that type of guy who would tell another person with these same symptoms to 'get a grip, pull themselves together, and dont wallow in self pity'. But then after a few fairly major changes in my life ( I wont bore you with the details - but i had no control over the changes ), around 6 months after these changes I found I was exactly as you describe. I couldnt see the point in getting up in the morning, It seemed like I had no goal in life, I just couldnt see a purpose to living. I didnt feel suicidal or anything like that, but just was 100 percent unmotivated about everything. Is this you?

I now looking back realise i was depressed ( never ever suffered with it before and since ). I actually sought medical help and the doctors answer was to prescribe some bloody pills. When asked if the pills would solve my problem he retorted NO BUT THEY SHOULD MAKE TO FEEL BETTER!!! I declined the tablets and realised I had to solve my problem myself, just as I had always done with past problems. This is when I relocated out to Thailand permanently, found a nice young lady, found a hobby to occupy myself ( when the lady was out ) and bingo I have never felt depressed since. That was 10 years ago.

I would ask have you experienced any big changes in your life in the last year, something that could explain your depression. You are depressed 100 per cent ( in my lowly opinion ). Please ditch the tablets and tackle this head on alone or with your partner. If you dont have a goal or reason to get up in the morning, then do something to give you that reason to get up. You can do it, I assure you.

I wish you good luck, remenber in life, never give up and strive constantly for personal fulfillment.

Great advice clearly by many people who have never rented out property.

Costas: Very few people appreciate a good joke.

Humor is connected with intelligence, which is on short supply on this planet.

And many many times in short supply on these forums.........................is that what you mean Mr Costas?

Strange Electricity rate. I pay 4 something Baht per unit and I thought that was the government rate that every Thai paid?

Strange because when I got the non immigrant O - A it was fine being in the UK account.

So if I transfer money into my Thai account now, and try to get the retirement visa /extension of stay in early September will that do or does it have to be in the bank for 60 days?

I hear many stories of the money being in a Thai account for only a couple of days and successfully getting the visa?