moonoi

Where does AMG allow its builders to put their signature ?

Not sure I understand your question. AMGs' "builders" are Mercedes.

AMG is a part of Mercedes (has been since the mid 90s'). If you have a AMG car, then the engine will have been built in Germany and then shipped to one of the manufacturing plants around the world (in the UK McLaren builds the AMG cars).

Interesting trivia for you.....did you know that every AMG engine is built by just one engineer who is responsible for the entire build process right upto putting the oil in the engine. Each one has a plaque on the engine with the engineers name/signature on it

The AMG logo will be on all the parts designed and manufactured by AMG and if you bought an AMG car then you also get the logo on the back with the model number

Think its funny here in Thailand the number of people who think putting an AMG badge on the back of there 12 year old E200 makes it special.....especially when they don't even bother to put any AMG wheels or Aero kits on it......just leave it standard and put a huge 6" boy racer back box on it yeah sooooo like a real AMG that

Mine is a real AMG.

The SLK and the S are normal MBs. The SL is in the USA and the other two are here in Bangkok. My wife drives the S and I drive the SLK. The SLK is very suitable for Bangkok traffic.

I didn't mean to imply that yours wasn't a genuine AMG just that the "Badge Upgrade" here in Thailand seems to be more prolific than at home

But haven't you got it backwards? Surely you should be driving the S and your missus the SLK

Reading this it seems that you don't have a license? If that is the case then you should invest in the time to go and get one. Your insurance will be invalid if you dont have one (some companies are specific in that you have to have a Thai licence) and could cause you big problems if you involved in a serious accident. Its really easy anyway so theres no excuse not too

Applogies if I have misunderstood

Oh! Good point! I have been using my overseas driver license to rent bikes. Do you know where in Pattaya area I go for the license? I think I remember hearing that you can take the test in English now. Is that correct?

Thanks for the tip!

I don't know about Pattaya I live in Bangkok. However I would guess that it is just as simple. If your foreign license gives you motorcycle entitlement then you don't need to do the test only need to exchange you license although you do need to do a colour blindness and depth of perception/field of view test.

If you have to do the full exam then yes it is available in english too

I understand that the Honda Wave 125 is an auto-clutch bike, but would I find the gear-shifting cumbersome (or difficult for this clumsy 51-year old retiree to learn) for the type of stop and go driving I'm planning?

Reading this it seems that you don't have a license? If that is the case then you should invest in the time to go and get one. Your insurance will be invalid if you dont have one (some companies are specific in that you have to have a Thai licence) and could cause you big problems if you involved in a serious accident. Its really easy anyway so theres no excuse not too

Applogies if I have misunderstood

A little but off topic I guess but

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nkPrmXQwQg...ted&search=

A Class vs E55 AMG vs McLaren F1

good stuff

Where does AMG allow its builders to put their signature ?

Not sure I understand your question. AMGs' "builders" are Mercedes.

AMG is a part of Mercedes (has been since the mid 90s'). If you have a AMG car, then the engine will have been built in Germany and then shipped to one of the manufacturing plants around the world (in the UK McLaren builds the AMG cars).

Interesting trivia for you.....did you know that every AMG engine is built by just one engineer who is responsible for the entire build process right upto putting the oil in the engine. Each one has a plaque on the engine with the engineers name/signature on it

The AMG logo will be on all the parts designed and manufactured by AMG and if you bought an AMG car then you also get the logo on the back with the model number

Think its funny here in Thailand the number of people who think putting an AMG badge on the back of there 12 year old E200 makes it special.....especially when they don't even bother to put any AMG wheels or Aero kits on it......just leave it standard and put a huge 6" boy racer back box on it yeah sooooo like a real AMG that

Cheers for all the suggestions

I think I'll give Let's Sea a try. I want somewhere special to take the family as its the last weekend they'll be here in Thailand Probably go on Friday night as I guess the hordes from BKK (which includes me ) won't be out in force. I'll give the market or the piers a try on Sat night.

When I got my Mazda 323 Astina a few months ago, the acceleration was very good, with the gear hold button off and putting the foot right down, I was thrown backwards. Now it's not so good. Any advice as to why? And what can I do? I have no money to take it to the garage

Well have you started to use 91 Octane in your car instead of the 95 your engine is designed for as you mentioned you would a month or so back? If you have then that would be the problem.

If not then look into what the other posters have mentioned

EDIT: Just thought....if your using Gasohol it could be a bad tank of gas, how long has this problem affected you?...I had this issue on numerous occasions with my previous car. always when I filled up at a PTT station. Had no problems from Shell or Jet Gasohol

According to my Isuzu dealer this car will be coming to Thailand badged as an Isuzu MU9. She said it will be released end of this year.

I have no idea, Chevrolet is the only company so far that imports cars from Australia, afaik.

Camry is the most boring car? Maybe back in the US or Europe. Here, in Thailand, there are only two other cars in its segment - Nissan Tiana and Accord.

Boring, more boring, and the most boring - that much is true.

I contacted Holden (Chevrolet Aus) to see if they were going to export the Monaro to Thailand, they told me on the phone that they do not export any cars to Thailand. What models are you talking about? cheers

Not sure what the Holden model is called but over here its the Chevrolet Lumina

EDIT: Did a bit of research but the only referance I could find was on the wiki (not the most accurate source so I don't entirely trust it) which claims the Thai Lumina is a rebadged Holden Commodore

Up-market suggestion: Let's Sea. Absolutely wonderful food, even better architecture and setting. An extraordinary place to find in Thailand. It's just south of the Hyatt. Ask at your hotel for directions.

Down-market suggestion: any of the places on the pier in town. This is just north off the Hilton. Walk in, pick a place that appears to you, and eat.

Incidentally, in my experience, both the up market and the down market options cost about the same thing. Welcome to Thailand.

Cheers

Been in Thailand 18 months now btw thanks for the welcome though

For Let's Sea do you have to book in advance or ok to walk in?

We're staying at Baan Talay Dao btw

Hi

I normally live in BKK, however my family are visiting in Nov so we're coming to Hua Hin for a couple of days at the beach. I've been a few times in the past but as I'm allergic to seafood I don't know where to take my family (who all love seafood!). I'd appreciate any recommendations you can give. Its not important if they don't do none seafood stuff (but it would be nice!) because I can eat later.....just want to treat the family

Thanks in advance

We know the rules and thats all well and good. But you cant expect some 20 year old student in a drunken stupor to understand that "disrespecting" a thai guy can get you killed easily.

Shit all i knew about Thailand the first time was that "its totally awesome dude, they are all Buddhist's so its all smiles and love wherever you go"

Apparently the word is that its the safest place in the world. Yeah right.

Besides who here has never gone out of line when you have had to much to drink? Even the calmest and nicest of guys can throw a fit sometimes.

granted and well said my friend as i also was a loose mother when i first came here and still manage to turn a blinder on some times.

but cricky's mate,

i have always known that i must have my manners on full beam when dealing with the thai and any new country i travel in.

i leave my bad form for the farangs.

im in no way condoning this killing but simply dealing with fact and truth.

maybe theres some one out there who might learn something about the thai mind set and my information might save one persons life.

thats my real aim as there's 33,000 people lurking around this forum.

cheers

even young dudes should know not to play silly games in a new country and most people do know this.

Your information wouldn't save anyones life. Your full of crap and do anything to promote yourself.

Your yet another self appointed Thailand expert that doesn't really know anything.

I'd put more trust in statements made by Donz than anything you've said

I have been watching this thread with interest. A good friend of mine had a 125 Wave that he gave to one of the kids. He then bought a new 125i. According to him there is a world of difference. The one with the carburetter was cold blooded, stalled a lot and took a while to warm up. He says the Fuel injected one starts and runs perfectly with no stalling of hesitating. He is quite pleased.

I can confirm that my 125i always performs. When it's cold in the morning - I am in the mountains here - and I start and then immediately stop the engine can die. Strangely there is no choker. But if you just start and go it always works, it warms up in the first few meters.

The 125i has been flawless so far.

A friend got a 125 and had lots of problems with it FWIW (statistical sample of 1, so beware).

erm thats because you only need a choke with a carb the FI takes care of richening or leaning the fuel mixture so you don't have to!

EDIT: And it normally does a better job too

Given the sh1t customs and imigration have to deal with I have no problem being polite for a few moments while they do their job.

And it doesn't hurt them to be polite either.

The worst experience I had was arriving at customs/immigration at DFW from CDG. Being grilled about my last visit to the US the year before and then because I didn't know my friends address (I was arriving for her wedding) in my head having to undergo a whole pile more useless questions that seemed to me just designed to annoy me rather than give the immigration official any information about me. I felt like getting on the plane and return home to Paris. There was no need for the official to be so agressive in her questioning, I don't care how much "sh1t" they have to deal with, they chose to do the job no one forced them.

Certainly that experience along with the implementation of the US VISIT program and the exchanging of PAX information that isn't really relevant to security by airlines when you travel to the US means that I will never return there. I don't trust the US Government to not sell or "accidently" distribute that data to a third party.

I have to disagree about Paris. I lived there for 2.5 years before moving here and had to use the airport very frequently (min once a week).

If departing from Terminal 2 and the Terminal 3 (was called T9 until 1.5 years back) you can walk quite easily from the RER station. Even if you had to use the bus its very easy to get the correct one if you read the route sign next to the bus stop

But I actually found the best route to Paris CDG to be the Air France bus, direct from Etoile/Concorde hotel to whichever terminal you want (except T3) 20 euro return simple to find, easy to use.

AOT could learn a lot from CDG on how to integrate the public transportation system with the airport. For me though even when the train link is complete it won't be much use....I live out by Ram Inthra Rd (Fashion Island) so don't really have much choice but to use a Taxi or long term parking

I depart/arrive terminal 1 and take TGV. The shuttle bus is an unnessary hassle and I could do without, therefore the Schiphol (Amsterdam) and Frankfurt examples are ideal: trains arriving underground at lower levels arrivals/departures. That's the perfect commuter solution. I remember Zurich to be the same. Please learn something from these airports.

Well you can't complain too much bearing in mind that part of the airport was built before anyone thought about integrating public transportation systems with that of the airports. Bet you must love the rubber escalators

A loan in Thailand translates to a 'grant' or 'gift.'

Only loan what you're willing to give away.

A westerner being with a Thai woman involves him giving money.

No money, no girl, no girlfriend, no wife.

One of the top questions a farang needs to ask himself when he wants to shack up with a Thai lady is:

How much am I willing to spend to stay with her?

If that amount is not sufficient in her view, there's either no relationship, or it's a strained one at best.

Any notions of romance, are best left for novels and videos. Regardless of what she might say about romance and love, her prime concerns are money (for her) and security for her family.

Unfortunately, farang men are so easily duped, that they keep getting on the conveyer belt of hopes and dreams for their entrancing Thai gals and dumped down the other end with dashed hopes and thin wallets.

Thats the biggest pile of <deleted> I've read in a long time. Thanks for the laugh

Maybe thats how it worked for you, but I'm sure that a great many people on this forum have experienced the exact opposite to what you state. Love and Romance is alive and well in Thailand you just have to look in the right places.

My question would be ,what is the amount you have to invest now?

3m baht is about the price of a car in the UK where most "investors"seem to come from.

Try and get into other developed countries with such limited funds?

Is there a real plan to raise the stakes?or is it just another crackdown for the sake of a crackdown?

W

I suspect that the marriage visa financial requirement will be doubled shortly as it is very low

"very low" how much is it exactly ??

What the hel_l kind of car are you buying at 45000 GBP

Your having a laugh aren't you? 3 mill is a serious some of money for a small investor. Personally I can only dream of having that kind of money free to invest.

Of course if it does bother you, you could always get a custom stainless steel manifold made up instead

The Thai word for "bread" from the French "pain"?

"Farang" from "Français"? (Another reason to pronounce the "r" sound, rather than"falang")?

Argh!

Its been proven that Farang does not come from Français the usage of Farang in Thai predates contact with the French....not sure why this myth continues to perpetuate but anyway here are some sources on tracing the root of Farang:

Serge Thion. 1993. "On Some Cambodian Words." Australian National University Thai-Yunnan Project Newsletter. Canberra: Research School of Pacific Studies. Number 20, March 1993, 18-23. In this paper Thion traces the word back to the Germanic 'Franks'. The word spread through Muslim trade routes after the Crusades into Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.

Another source is Jimmy Harris. 1986. "The Persian connection: Four loanwords in Siamese." Pasaa Vol.XVI, No.1 (June 1986). Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Language Institute, 9-12. This paper traces the probable immediate source of the word in Thai to Persian traders who were established in Siam by the 16th century. The Persian word was 'farangg'.

And here is an interesting list following the usage of the word in a general "West" to "East" progression (from lingustlist.org):

"frangos" ("Westerner") - Greek

"ifrangi" - Greek ("Latins (Catholics)", Turkish, Arabic

"frang" "a European" and "frangiya" "The Country of the Franks; Western

Europe; Latin language or church" - Syriac, the classical Aramaic

(Semitic) language used in some Middle Eastern Christian churches,

"afrangui" - In Arabic (in Egypt and in some North African countries)

"ifranji" or "franji" - Arabic dialects

"faranji" - Arabic, "farangi" - Egyptian

"ifranji" (nom masculin singulier, "ifranj" or "ifranjiyine" au pluriel -

Arabic "ifranji (pl., more precisely collective) "ifranj" 'European',

"firanja" "Land of the Franks, Europe" - Modern Standard Arabic

"afrang,faranj, ferang, ferangi" - Modern Persian

"feringhi" - Persian

"farengi, farangi, pirangi" (Tamil version) etc.- Dravidian in India

"farangi" - Malayalam (borrowed from Portuguese in 16th century)

"farang" ("Westerner") in Thai

"barang" - Cambodian

"farang" - Thai from Persian "farangg" in 16th century

"pha-rang", "pha-lang-xa" - formerly Vietnamese

"barang" - Bahasa Indonesia (reduplicated) "goods", "stuff" things such as

might be brought by traders

"paalagi/papalangi/vaalagi/papa-'aa" - Samoan

("four layers"--Rarotongan)/Maori "paakehaa" (likely a coincidence)

"Ferenghi" on Star Trek.

btw Français also comes from Frank

Edit: I might add that this information was compilied by Gwyn Williams, Linguistics Department, Thammasat University, Bangkok back in 1993

I think I'll stick to a sedan-type or the CRV for BKK driving.

There's a big difference in price between Civic and CRV for roughly the same features. All you buy is an "SUV type" box.

Fortuner offers three rows of seats, reasonable 4wd, and more power/better acceleration for the same price.

If I was to give an advice - stick to sedans for Bangkok driving, don't waste money on things you won't need.

Well I think its quite clear why people might want a CRV rather than a Fortuner.

1. Fortuner is huge, some people are not comfortable driving something so big

2. Given the state of the roads in BKK some people prefer the increased ground clearance CRV provides over Civic. (btw saw a Civic last tuesday with the left wheel collapsed on Wireless Rd nr the junction with Rama IV, the road had been dug up and temporarily filled which over time had collapsed....but you couldn't see that clearly when approaching it....so the poor guy drove over it thinking there was no hole there. If he'd had a CRV probably have been ok )

The other thing to remember is that Honda realise with this version people don't necessarily want 4wd so it will be available as a 2wd variant also with an entry level price lower than that of todays 4wd alledgedly close to that of the top spec Civic

Yep noticed them go up end of last week along the entrances to the Ekamai-RamInthra expressway and along RamInthra Rd at the entrance to the motorway to Bang Na

I do hope taxis will be available.

Take the bus system at Paris Charles De Gaulle, it's a pain in the *

Find the correct exit whilst trailing your luggage, then find the correct bus (I sometimes got into the wrong bus, not getting me to the fast train station) it's no fun to level your luggage into the bus and have it placed in the racks etc etc. I would just get into a taxi withouth hassle.

Some airports at least have the train station right into the airport, just take an elevator or rollstairway to get into dep/arrival hall, see Amsterdam, Frankfurt.

Would they learn someting in LOS looking at other airports you would guess?

Opening an new airport without train link, withouth taxis? BRILLIANT.

I have to disagree about Paris. I lived there for 2.5 years before moving here and had to use the airport very frequently (min once a week).

If departing from Terminal 2 and the Terminal 3 (was called T9 until 1.5 years back) you can walk quite easily from the RER station. Even if you had to use the bus its very easy to get the correct one if you read the route sign next to the bus stop

But I actually found the best route to Paris CDG to be the Air France bus, direct from Etoile/Concorde hotel to whichever terminal you want (except T3) 20 euro return simple to find, easy to use.

AOT could learn a lot from CDG on how to integrate the public transportation system with the airport. For me though even when the train link is complete it won't be much use....I live out by Ram Inthra Rd (Fashion Island) so don't really have much choice but to use a Taxi or long term parking

wow. sounds great.

has anyone else found that to be the way its done?

The first 2 cars I bought here yes...paid list price but haggled for accesories (window tint, chrome highlight, insurance etc.)

I just bought the outgoing model MU7 and got 100000 discount plus almost 100000 worth of accessories, free insurance and tax paid for by the dealer too.

But it is down to the dealer and how desperate they are for the sale, I bought my MU7 from Isuzu Mahanakorn in Nonthaburi instead of Bangkok.......bit of a trek but worth it for the discounts

EDIT: I might add that I may have got a better discount than normal because my gfs' Dad is also buying one from them.....although he is going for the new facelift model

I just bought one

But not the new model....I got the outgoing one....a real bargain, got the 4x2 auto for a little over the price of a top spec triton with a 100k of accessories, free insurance and tax paid for.

Strangely I find the look of it growing on me....the engine isn't that noisy....a little bit more than the Fortuner under acceleration but not excessively so and its perfectly silent in cruise. Suspension is also softer than the 'tuners, but I prefer it finding that the 'tuners suspension too hard and tending to "crash" over some uneven surfaces.

My gfs' Dad is going to buy the new one.....quite like the update to the interior (except for the even cheaper looking fake wood than they used before) but I can't stand the exterior, as I said early in this thread it looks even more dull than the outgoing model.......and that damned advert on the tv with the kids is soooooooooo annoying!

Wikipedia is fine to use as a general reference but for hard facts it should not be relied on.

The above summary of Tai-Kadai languages corresponds in all essential parts with the source books we used at Uni when studying Thai, including what parts are commonly accepted and which ones are not.

Ahh well as I trust your judgement on knowing something about languages more than me then ok!

I personally wouldn't trust it even for a general referance......in my own field (IT and Finance) there are some incredible inaccuracies The problem I think is more that you google your query and the wiki is always at the top of the search list...and it looks so nice and professional so it must be correct right?.........