Kenny202

My sentiments exactly, provided they are going to be responsible (aka pay) for their mistakes/carelessness/ lack of planning. Not often seen in Isaan. Always seems to be someone else's problem though...and farang money can make all of their problems go away. I have lived in / visited a few Thai peoples homes. They usually have more broken appliances / stuff than things that are working. Just don't seem to take care of or look after anything

Must have changed, admittedly 5 years or so I was last there. Soi dogs near the beach where horrid! You know when there is a pack of them and you have one in front trying to get your attention and 4 coming from behind to take a lump out of you? Packs of them everywhere near the beach. I actually googled Bang Saen and amongst the results were people with chunks taken out of their calves / legs, bleeding and lots of mention of the issue. Maybe they sorted it out. It struck me as a normal Thai small town, no attempt to be a tourist resort and that's fine, obviously how the locals like it. Not many restaurants but there was a cracker....Thai seafood place in what looked like a converted house. The food was excellent. Other issue for me on the beach....or the one I was swimming at very shallow. You would need to walk 500m to get wet

Yeah it's exceedingly frustrating for us with different values, but it is generally how they are. You only have to go on the road to see there is very little thought for outcomes or consequences. Cutting corners and turning blind into a street on the wrong side of the road is common. Doing u turns or pulling out without looking and lets not get started on financial planning! I sometimes think Thais like to live with uncertainty and calamity

I dunno, been coming here 10 years....lived here for 8. Have never encountered one public incident of violence or theft, not from Thais anyway. Very safe place to live. Never even considered possible safety issues going out. Seen plenty of bad behavior from foreigners in the tourist areas though.....a couple of psycho girlfriends at home maybe lol.

Went there once, bizarre place. Apparently a local mine or factory there were the locals are well paid and have plenty ot work so no one it seemed worried about tourists. Boring would be an understatement. I don't know about thugs but it was impossible to go to the beach. Most savage soi dogs I have ever encountered...everywhere

I put mine straight on the gas burner...sits on the top of the actual burner. Put the flame on low so it doesn't come up around the handle etc. I will also say the proper Bialetti Moka pots are well worth the extra money. The cheap generic ones work ok but the Italian one so much better, even get some crema extraction. Usually on sale Central / Robinsons online. I got a 3 cup one which I do in the morning and does me for a few cups through the day. I only have a small cup....about 1/2" in the bottom and rest milk. Heat it up in the microwave 50 seconds

You shouldn't be dishing out negative advice like that particularly when your experience is 19 years old. Kids welfare at stake here and based on your post the guy could possibly just give up. I agree re lawyer will tell you anything hence best to get a first hand recommendation. I also believe the Thai family courts a lot fairer now and rule in the nest interests of the child.

Was, still am in a nearly identical situation to you. That bar always seems to be pulling them back. I guess they are always weighing up if they are better off with you or their previous life. I think they go through moments of wanting to live the straight life but IMO once they have been in the sex trade they are to be avoided unless only renting. Definitely feel your pain. Does the mother actually want the child? You might want to test that out or it is possible she hasn't even considered it herself. Mine was playing me like a dancing monkey using our child as leverage. They can be absolutely vile heartless creatures. She left of her own accord for about the 15th time, even rented another place.... and that last time I locked the gate and refused to let her back. Her violence and psychotic episodes were just becoming too dangerous. Drove me insane for around 3 months and was always in despair for my sons welfare. She was fronting up at my place all hours of the day and night insisting I give him to her, then 30 minutes later demanding I come and pick him up. Finally I had enough and said ok, I understand legally you can take him whenever you want, but works both ways.....you can't make me come and get him. So you look after him, Ill start making arrangements to go back home. Was all a bluff but she straightened up pretty quick then. I was also not married to my child's mother and the first thing you will need to do (as I did) is apply to the courts through a lawyer to get legal paternity. About 2 months...a bit of paperwork but not the end of the world. If you can provide lots of evidence of being with your wife before and after the pregnancy (photos, documents perhaps her visiting your country...those sorts of things) It can make things a bit easier. I was lucky in that my son is nearly identical to me and very clearly foreign and already had Australian citizenship by decent which I arranged for him when he was born. My sons mother did support it and come to child services for an interview so not sure if you will be that lucky and get your girls support. You will need a lawyer, from memory cost around 25k but I remember being quoted a lot more than that. Up to 100k. Anyway the lawyer will advise best way to proceed. If all else fails the judge may ask for DNA testing which is no big deal but a bit more expense. Once you get the court order you have to lodge it at the Amphur. I believe if the child is 7yrs plus you can simply go to the Amphur...the child points at you and says you are their father and that's it. Not sure how easy it would be without the mothers consent though. Again a lawyer will guide you. If you can rather than find a lawyer cold better off getting a recommendation off someone. Maybe if you are on Facebook a local expat group? This is only the first step by the way. Applying for custody is next and that will depend on if she supports it or fights it. Anything you have messages, photos, proof of her non fitness of a parent will be required. I went down the custody route a few months back, started the process with a lawyer. Quoted me a price and a couple of weeks later tripled it which I figured wasn't a good sign and I told her to forget about it. Anyway enough for tonight. Feel free to PM me if you need more information or you just need someone to talk to.

Anyone notice Lazada search on their website not working last 2 days? Working ok on my phone app. I thought maybe I have VPN on or something but nope.

Oh thats great, I did get a little adapter but would recognize the adapter at all. Will check it out tomorrow. Thanks so much

Someone has replied that it probably a black bear....but nowhere does it state this in the headline or story (as usual) and specifics or facts. never any follow up either. News / reporting here is worthless mostly.

Second this. I buy the Trung Nguen pre ground Vietnamese coffee off Lazada. I had $1000's of dollars worth of Italian coffee machine, grinder etc back home and the Moka pot runs a close second. Will be far superior to drip. The little frothers are great too if you like capuccino. https://s.lazada.co.th/s.Svmar

Good to hear you are well bro :-)

If you lived where I am Isaan its just ludicrous. Many people have babies in motorbike sidecars. Only transport they have so their is no choice. Even police put people in the back of open pick ups. Yet to get in a taxi or van here where the seatbelts were even there let alone functional. Ludicrous and unworkable

I have a Thai born son, 6yo who holds Australian citizenship (by descent). I was never married to his mother but I have legitimacy court papers stating I am the legal father. I have been estranged from my sons mother for the last 5 years and he has been in my care the whole time. During this time only brief 1 hour or so visits from her every 6 months to a year as she comes to our city once a year or so for medical treatment. She hasn't seen him in the last two years which I am thrilled about but I have now completely lost contact with her. She's always dodging someone and regularly changes phone numbers. I am guessing she has lost all her passwords / contacts. I don't have any immediate plans to take him out of the country though I feel I should have a passport for him should I need to leave Thailand on short notice. I started down the route of sole custody but the lawyer was playing games, upping the price several times and I called it off. I realize if I actually wanted to take him out of the country it would be tricky without a letter or permission from his birth mother. But first things first and I would like to get a passport for him in place. Anyone been in this situation applying for an Australian passport for a child where the mother is AWOL? Prefer first hand info / experience rather than free advice thanks

Ive noticed all the really successful restaurants where I live all about selfies and showing off on Facebook. Food quality and price usually very distant 2nd and 3rd. It would be a very real consideration if you were starting a hotel or restaurant here in Thailand

Yeah some of the mods they do quite cluey. Others not so much. Thais are notorious for a lack of maintenance in everything....their home, vehicles. Better pay as you go in my book avoid even more costly issues in the future. I see 3 or 4 yo vehicles getting around here already blowing smoke and everything else probably already shot. They rack up the km pretty fast too driving many kilometers to save 100 baht delivery fee. I wonder about these Grab Taxi drivers how much they take into account for their 90 baht fare. We got a cab yesterday and I am pretty sure the guy drove at least 5ks to pick us up, then around 10km to the destination....then probably more ks to get to next destination. Small Toyota looked like under 5 years old. Sagging in the back....suspension struggling....looked like the brakes weren't too flash.

I have been pretty happy with ours. Have three big Isuzu dealers where I live and initially tried them all. These guys charge generally between 2000-3000 baht for every service. Haven't had any major services yet. The other two Isuzu dealers were thieves...50% more for everything and always trying to upsell. And we did shop around for local guys and they were quoting more for general services than our dealer. If you got a really good honest local bloke I am sure on things like the EGR he might suggest a cheaper fix (soak and clean) or such but if it is only a short term fix would rather replace part and do it properly rather than end up on the side of the road out in the boonies somewhere.

Well for the 98% of us who don't carry a computer analyzer in our pocket, know where to plug it in and use it, nor enough mechanical experience or even the tools to repair ..... we'd have to run to the dealer anyway. What is the point of your smarmy self ingratiating posts....apart from "look at me, look at me"

Yeah I did read they could be cleaned but not sure if a short term thing or not. We usually travel distances when we do drive so need it to be reliable. If I were more mechanical and knew what the thing actually did I would probably be more inclined to save a bit of money

Yeah I did see that. I seen them for about 3000 - 3500. I think its possible to clean them too. Given them the go ahead. Always pay a premium at the dealers but you would hope they would have more experience that the private blokes

Got the little orange engine malfunction light coming on. No problems with vehicle at all. Engine running perfectly. Took it to Isuzu this morning and they said its Engine exhaust gas system regulator, which to me sounds like a filter or something to trap larger exhaust particles? Could be wrong. Anyway Isuzu wanting 6000 baht to replace it. The mechanic said it's not an immediate problem but if not repaired will effect acceleration etc in the future. Anyone have any in sight into this? 2014 Dmax / Vcross 2.4 Deisel

I just bought one from Lazada... https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i1364826155-s3451702537.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1&spm=spm%3Da2o4m.order_details.item_title.1 Look like still available. I have received mine already and used it, excellent. Picture and sound very good and plug and play effortlessly, By the way, if you are ever looking for something on Lazada don't actually search on Lazada. Better just do a google search and first results usually shopping suggestions. I don't know what's up with Lazada search engine but often I search exactly what would be in the description on Lazada and get a few results. Do a google search and get tons of stuff come up on Google (Lazada) that didn't come up on their own search engine, Even non Thai stuff like searching Logitech C615

Not sure about fertility I think more to attract women. Apparently men carry them. Wasn't so much that as the other stuff packed away with it in a little bag.....woven hair, old teeth....weird Tarot type cards. Bits of string. Was irky just looking at it. What ever it was any of my wife's relatives who saw it reeled in horror.

I did try a keyboard tester. They only show you if the key is doing anything. Pretty much the same as typing something into a document