richard_smith237

1 minute ago, BestB said:

I do not know about BKK, but 2 things to note in Pattaya

 

1. When they pull you over, initial check is as you mentioned with a wand, if positive, you are taken to police booth which is always nearby and tested again on a proper machine.

 

2. Whatever you negotiate or do not, do not sign any paperwork, the moment you signed, case can no longer go away, no matter how much you offer to pay. The thing that can change with payment is recorded level of alcohol which then bears how much you would have to pay.

 

Little off topic is very surprising, as i mentioned, my staff daughter in law got done the other day, With small donation her case was expedited and she was in court this morning, same donation also showed her level at the very lowest possible.

 

Punishment is the surprising part, she was fined 4000 baht, which in fact is not a fine but turns out to be a good behavior bond.

 

She has to report to court every week for 4 weeks, once per week to do some cleaning for an hour and once complete she would be refunded.

 

From my knowledge and all the cases i witnessed, people get fined and case closed, but in her case more of a community service with  bail of only 4000 to be refunded by the courts

About 15 years ago a friend got caught (British) he also had a choice of community service... 

Options were to teach English somewhere for a couple of hours a week, or to give blood a certain number of times. 

Both excellent penalties although I do question the logic of getting a drunk to give blood !!!!

I've no idea if these types of 'common sense' community service penalties still exist, but they should.

Nope... 2 years into owning the CX-5 2.2 diesel model (skyActive) no issues whatsoever... 

Thats not to say I won't, but just not yet. 

16 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Incorrect and fallacious.  The limit on most ATM cards is not 20k. There is no such thing as a farang issue ATM card. Most foreigners travelling in Thailand use their foreign ATM cards.

He means that most ATM machines in Thailand issue a maximum of 20 notes... (so, 20,000 baht), some ATM machines do have a limit of 30 notes (although I'm not sure which). 

One could still use the same ATM multiple times to withdraw more money though - so the idea that the fine of 20,000 baht is limited to the ATM limit is flawed. 

28 minutes ago, BestB said:

I did not mean drink and drive risk, i meant refusing to pay to take a chance in police station ????

Well in that case... Don't risk the station. Negotiate on the scene and don't give-in to a large pay out too easily but ultimately make sure you have an agreement before the situation escalates to a police station and official charges are filed. In this example (provided by the Op) he would be paying a premium for a guarantee of avoiding any further complications particularly with regards to their visa status etc which as you mentioned, BestB, could become compromised if charges were to become documented. 

In this case it all depends on whether or not the Op was certain he was not over the limit or not. The Op quotes he had 2-3 Wine Coolers between 4pm and 10pm (6 hours).

Which was it Op? Can't you remember, 2 or 3 ???

Either way, 3 Wine coolers over 6 hours is unlikely to place him over the limit. 

At DUI checkpoints the BiB use a cheaper device to check drivers - this device, 'the Wand' (as some call it) registers the presence of alcohol on the breath but not the amount, so any amount given at this stage is false (unless the BiB are using a proper breathalyzer or a more updated device than I have witnessed in the past). I've never heard of the numbers the Op uses (he blew a 7 and the legal limit is 2).

Hypothetically: In other examples - If someone has had 1 beer and stopped at a DUI check point they'd likely register for having had a drink (if tested with 'the wand') in this case it would be more prudent to save your 20,000 baht (or 6000 baht or whatever) and tell the BiB you have had 1 beer and that you are happy to go to the Station and be checked, you'll blow below the limit. 

12 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

5 hours ago, topt said:

If you are referring to GPS on the dashcam (as the OP was but not sure about the poster you replied to) then it probably would not have helped you. Generally they are not a substitute for a route finder.

I was referring to a GPS also known as a Satnav. My first car (VIGO) here didn't have one fitted so had to rely on my phone GPS. Since then I have always had a car with a built in one. They have improved now come with Blue tooth hands free for your phone and many other bit's that I find very helpful. 

But the thread is titled 'Need a New Dashcam'....  and not 'Need a New Sat-Nav' !!!!!

You get what you pay for... 

Try BlackVue dash-cams...  

1 minute ago, BestB said:

So the real question is, money possibly saved worth the risk or not?

Never worth the risk at all... Its not about the money (my FIL and some friends of mine could easily make a DUI offense in Thailand go away, in fact, I've made a DUI offense go away for my Wife (then GF) who at the time had had 2 Glasses of wine, drove and got stopped by a BiB who refused a bribe to let it go away (BTW: that was the last time my Wife had a drink then drove, she doesn't drink at all any more).

So, for me, its not about the money and has never been about the money, the sole reason I don't drive or ride drunk (or over the legal limit) is because I don't want any impaired ability on my part to be responsible for hurting someone else... I could never forgive myself if I hurt someone or worse. 

I'm no angel, I speed on the expressway when its empty, I enjoy getting drunk and having a great time with friends etc... but in no way is it acceptable for my behavior to have a negative impact on anyone else.

On 10/23/2019 at 12:32 AM, BestB said:

Shake down was it not. Promise of jail was just an empty threat.

But you would have been locked up for a day or two then off to court, pay a fine of 5000-8000 and then the possibility of visa troubles.

 

Some claim to be able to pay 5000 and i do not believe them, 20 000 is about the going rate.

 

By law you allowed 2 beers to be under the limit, so 3 wine coolers would be put you over the limit

A friend paid an 'on the spot fine' of 6000 baht about 6 months ago (in Bangkok).... (I condemn his drinking and driving).

I suspect the 'going rate' varies and is dependent on your communications skills, attitude, location and down to the individual policemen running the stop.

For the OP: This was a shake down, but the only reason they could shake him down is because he was already guilty of DUI, so he hadn't really a leg to stand on.

Should he have chosen to be stubborn its possible they would have breathalysed him back at the station with a 'proper device' and he may have been back under the legal limit. If he failed, its likely the case would have continued as you have described above.

3 hours ago, Almer said:

I apologise in advance because if he gets in my face he will very quickly be sat on his ass, tablets or no tablets

Go get em you 'beautiful-impressive-big-bad-ass-black-belt-keyboard-warrior' you !!!!  

8 minutes ago, JMSIII said:

11 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Another Gay band?

Yes a gay band that has had more beautiful women than most could ever fantasize about....

In his juvenile protest sunnyboy2018 may have outlined that he is infact be overcompensating for his repressed real feelings and identity !!! .... just sayin' !!! 

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

3 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Do you NEVER wai anyone? It isn't particularly Buddhist.

It is a Buddhist greeting. Google it.

It's become a popular greeting when addressing a large group of people and has now evolved beyond being solely a Buddhist greeting....    surely you can recognize this? 

2 hours ago, GalaxyMan said:

2 hours ago, Elzear said:

One aspect of married life that puzzles me is that of giving a salary to the wife ? How can that be and if applicable, if a must, how is this monthly amount decided ? 

 

 

Do you give your wife a ... monthly salary ? Please I am serious. It is what I read on some article about local culture (whether a Thai or Isaan custom, I do not know)

A salary? Is she doing some work that she should be paid for? Last I checked, paying a woman for companionship is considered prostitution.

When we met my Wife worked, when we married she continued to work. 

Now that we have a child my Wife no longer works, she has to drive him to school & collect and is too busy being a mum which is more important than work. 

Fairly recently my Wife decided that she will get a salary of 30,000 baht from me, thats fair enough. My Sisters both get a stipulated amount from their husbands in the UK to. 

It gives my Wife some independent spending money. Once my Wife's business is back up and running she will once again rely on her own income. 

I think this is more than fair and has nothing to do with prostitution. However, if the Wife / GF is just sat at home doing nothing all day the outlook maybe somewhat different. 

Have you been given an Invitation in an envelope? Use that for the 'cash gift' to place in the box at the reception (if not, any envelope will do, usually they are white or pink, but it doesn't really matter).

Regarding amount - that depends on how well you know those getting married and what the venue costs are anticipated to be per head. 

The envelope money goes towards the cost of the wedding, in many cases it actually pays for the whole wedding (mine did). 

If you've been asked to bring something to share around it seems like quite an informal social deal - in that case bring some 'envelope money' for the couple and a your 6 large beers... if you want more beer you can always send someone off to the local 7-11 or Mom and Pop shop to get some more. 

Don't worry too much, even the events at the large Bangkok hotels are relatively informal, just turn up enjoy yourself and contribute what you can or want to. 

9 minutes ago, banagan said:

Told them I refused to pay, small argument, they said when they said replace, they meant the rotten avocado! Of course! Think it's new owners, hope they get their act together.

I such situations in the past, I've paid, then called the Owners / Manager over... 

I've pointed out that I've paid, I'm not interested in discount or extra freebees and that I want them to know exactly why I was disappointed and if the experience was poor enough or with owners / management who showed no genuine concern or apparent intention to improve, why I will not be returning.

I find myself returning more and more to places I like. 

You can make up a username on TripAdvisor for reviews etc... so Anonymous reviews are easy. 

That said Thailand's draconian deformation laws ignore truth and fact - they consider the 'intention' to defame a person or institution and guild is decadent upon perceived intent rather than whether or not a comment is factually correct or not. 

Sites like TripAdvisor 'could' be a landmine in Thailand regarding defamation laws, but somehow have remained in the 'grey area' as its so difficult to prove the owner of the posting profile. 

Be very careful about posting defaming comments on Facebook or any social media where your ID can be readily proven. 

If a choice solely between the X1 and Q2 I would be inclined to go for the X1 because BMW has a better dealer network, I suspect the resale value of BMW would be better. I believe BMW also offer 7 years Servicing etc whereas I suspect Audi just offer the standard (for Thailand) 3 years (or is it 2?). 

Also consider the Volvo XC-40 which is coming with some fairly impressive deals. 

Regarding any opinion on value for money compared with Japanese cars, the point is fairly moot - if you want more prestigious European car go for it, they are better and more refined, not by a lot these days but the difference is there. 

26 minutes ago, J Town said:

30 minutes ago, stevenl said:

See my earlier post for what happened.

I saw your post. What you wrote is not what an instructor would write, so armchair quarterbacking unless you were there.

stevenl never wrote that he was an instructor, nor has be implied or pretended that he is. 

He has, however, relayed some 'inside' information which is significantly better than 'armchair quaterbacking'.

I'm not sure why you want to ignore information from a forum member who has repeatedly proved himself balanced and unbiased in this and previous threads. 

OP - With a reasonable deposit, proof of regular income and a Thai Guarantor you can get finance on a car in Thailand. 

It is likely your expected deposit will need to be 50%

You will need to show proof of regular funds (i.e. Salary, within Thailand or from overseas) 

Your guarantor may (will?) also need to show proof of regular funds

4 hours ago, Scot123 said:

4 hours ago, 30la said:

Well done, this kind of people ruin the reputation of ALL the farangs in Thailand and cause the continuous modification of the visa laws!
I personally am willing to report anyone who is here illegally!

What a self righteous ball of fun person you are! "this kind of people" what an abhorrent thing to say. I hope people who know you read this and watch you like a hawk and the moment you step out of line, drop litter, drive after a few beers, speed, use an agent to do your visa report you to the police. Nasty.... 

Ok, so your distaste of the schadenfreude expressed by 30la is understandable, but your example presents an extreme lack of balance. 

Dropping litter is nothing like overstaying, especially for 5 years. 

Driving while drunk, IMO is significantly worse. 

Using an agent is not illegal. 

Anyone who wants to report someone who is harmlessly overstaying is clearly a fairly scummy person.

That said, the numbers of overstayers ultimately has an impact on us all with the crackdowns, TM30, TM28 and Visa-hoops. It could be argued that we are treated as guilty illegals until proven otherwise because of the behavior of these overstayers - so, is overstaying 'harmless' ???

I have no sympathy for an overstayer who's caught - they took their chance. 

Equally so I have no reason whatsoever to feel negatively towards an overstayer, but understand how and why some might. 

4 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

WhyTF would you marry a western woman ? Loud, smelly as all get out, obnoxious, greedy, grasping, neurotic, fat (or soon to be), and compared to Thai women ugly as hell ... the list goes on. 

There's someone for everyone...  incredibly attractive women exist in every country. 

Equally so, every country has its equivalent of 'obnoxious, neurotic horrors' and also the 'splay-toed-poor-farm-girl'.... It seems that a number of Western men find the latter attractive when their only option in their home country is the former, they tend to judge Thai women's attractiveness on their 'undernourished' skinny appearance and desperation not to get 'run-off' and thus the facade of being 'pleasing' (a means to an end). 

Let's face it, we see plenty of guys walking around proudly with female 'exhibits' of questionable Genus, also a handful of lucky gents enjoying the company of an elegant and universally attractive Thai lady - as I wrote, there's someone for everyone.

But to write so bitterly of Western Women only succeeds in highlighting a couple of standout points: Tropposurfer was so far down the 'food chain', his options so clearly limited, his viewpoint so distorted his only remaining options were to escape and to turn to females who have no option - No harm in that, but to tar all Western Women with that 'obscenely damning myopic, bigoted and misogynistic brush' tells not of the subject, but of the observer. 

9 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Is this a genuine question or a rhetorical one?

Genuine... (I'm British) and know nothing of Canadian Politics but find it strange that Trudeau remains in power with 1/3rd of the Vote. 

Also, wasn't he just found guilty by an ethics committee of trying to 'exert his influence' and in doing so, did he break federal laws?.

Didn't he just bail out the Canadian Media with M$600?

Knowing so little about Trudeau and Canadian politics, as an outsider I see that most of the news is 'glowing' and plays into the hands of the Liberal admirers / followers, however some of the negative news that does filter through seems rather damning (if true).

Its difficult to know which to believe of course (as with any media) - but that he can win maintain power with just 1/3rd of the vote seems rather surprising. 

How is this even possible....   Trudeau wins 157 seats with 33% of the Votes while the Democrats win fewer seats (121 seats) with a greater % of the vote.

Is a vote in different areas of Canada worth something different? i.e. Is the vote of one person in Quebec worth more than the Vote of someone in Calgary ?

13 minutes ago, BestB said:

How do you know what style of of guy go to Pattaya? Have you met that many to make such a statement?

 

Did he force your sister to date him?

 

Was it not her choice to stay and share bed and her body with this style of guy?or you under the impression that this style goes to Pattaya to be ignored by your sisters? not because your sisters provide him with what he wants?

You may be defending the indefensible there...  For the majority there is one reason and one reason alone to go to Pattaya (Walking Street, Soi 6, Soi Bukaow etc)... and it could be generalized that its  a certain 'type' who frequent such places - of course, for every generalization there are scores of people who don't fit, but the generalization exists for a reason and this NZ chap appears to 'tick that generalization box'

Regarding your other comment - I very much doubt its a 'choice' in the true sense of the meaning for a woman to work in these areas, rather its the only or one of the very few choices they have, hardly a choice at all then. 

If a Thai lady has a reasonable education and / or is financially independent with certainty she will not choose to work in these areas. 

How do I know? you may ask, truly, I don't - but logic and common sense permit a certain outlook and Yinn voiced such a 'common sense' opinion, you may not like it, but Yinn's viewpoint is not exactly far off the mark if we are to accept generalizations.

"A lot of brain-problem people" (to quote Yinn)... that includes both men and women, men drunk, bored, bitter, issues from home etc, women hardened and mentally scarred working in a repetitive and sometimes brutal industry..... yes, another stereotype but not one far from reality. 

On 10/19/2019 at 5:05 AM, damascase said:

As this is Thailand, it could well be different in practice, depending on the security staff that controle entry to the lane.

Upon Arrivals there is no 'security staff' at the entrance to the Premium Lane... You just enter and take your chances with the Immigration Officer. 

(There is 'security staff' checking your Passport, Ticket Class etc upon entrance to the Premium Lane on Departures - they seem quite strict).

There was also recently a thread running about the 'scam' run by Immigration Airport Staff and the selling of Premium Lane Passes.