richard_smith237

It was on Rama 9..... ( so not in a tourist area...).... I find that about 50% of the time when I get a flag-fall taxi there is usually some sort of irritation... i.e. the driver says no, there’s no seatbelt, drives like a d!ck etc... That said - the other half seem perfectly reasonable and fine... Taxi’s in Bangkok are a relative pleasure compared to trying to get around other cities. The Flag-fall taxi’s with the green lights are the best options.

There is no UBER in Thailand anymore... So, its GRAB which works well. Or FlagFall, then of course have 4-5 taxi’s in a row say no depending on your location. I lost my keys last week and needed a taxi urgently to get home (5 mins away) and return with the spare keys... Grab were too far away, 3 taxi’s in a row just said no.....

I really like the way you presented your argument to the debate… I don’t agree with all, but the contribution carries a matter of fact reality usually circumnavigated by political correctness yet remained bang on point…. a tough topic if we’re honest..

They are forum members, their comments regarding what they have contributed add a degree of tangibility to the donations and story for many of us..... But go ahead... accuse them of virtue signalling !!!

Prawit will remain as caretaker PM until the Constitutional Court issues its ruling to change the law and permit 3 terms..... ..... there, fixed it.

Comments such as the above are a far better ‘indicator of intelligence’, or the lack thereof !! You have the luxury of remaining quiet and not making any comment which may lend to a minor element of doubt !!!

There are some outrageously narrow minded and judgementally naive and foolish comments on this thread. I don’t have Tattoo’s.. neither does my Wife... they’re not for me, I guess they’re not for her either. Not many of my close friends have tattoo’s either..... That said, I think no differently of those who do have tattoos because they have tattoos than I do of those who don't..... I have seen tattoos that look awful, I have seen tattoos that look incredible - there is a whole spectrum, so to judge the ‘whole’ when the issue is so very multifaceted is somewhat flawed in the first place. While its impossible not to form judgements when first meeting someone the fact that someone has a tattoo should play a role in impacting that initial judgment no more or less than the clothes a person wears, the hairstyle they carry etc... Anyone forming or carrying a lasting or firm opinion of another person (either positive or negative) based solely on them having a tattoo is an utter moron, it is far more likely the character flaws make that judgment fool a far less likeable, respectable, admirable character....

Given the subject and the positions from which you are both presenting your debate that would actually be some from or ‘reverse irony’ !!! ???? I wonder how many people are ‘very nearly’ involved in incidents such as this ? We all know we ‘should’ stop and wait until we are 100% sure the dog is out of the road. But realistically, we all know that dogs are streetsmart.... Thus when driving down a quiet soi or a back-country road and there is a dog sleeping in the middle we pap our horn and slow, expecting the dog to move.... the dog always moves so we always ‘assume’ the dog has moved... only this time in the example of this thread, the dog didn’t move. What about other animals? rabbits? cats? pigeons ??.... where do we draw the line for stopping, getting out of the car and looking to ensure with 100% certainty that the animal has moved away ??? Is it only dogs that we ’should’ stop for ?

The driver didn’t ‘deliberately run ver the dog’.... The driver slowed and thought the dog had moved, the dog didn’t move with the inevitable result. The issue is multifaceted: - The driver should have been more careful. - Big C should not allow animals on its premises. - Dogs should never be free to roam the streets (dogs should be owned and restrained or removed).

Agreed..... I suspect it was one of those... ‘we haven't set it up, but use this excuse to fob off the customer’....

I pay with my Bangkok Bank APP (via QR code) at Makro... and yes, as the following poster pointed out, they only accept certain credit cards (SCB credit card I think). I went to pay with a QR code at a restaurant the other day - I was told they don’t accept that form of payment. When I asked why I was told the Bank takes 5% of the transaction.... That seems a huge amount - I wonder if the restaurant had it right. I paid by credit card instead as these days I rarely carry much cash and prefer to hold on to cash incase I need it ( for a taxi etc )....

never really considered myself a racist but I think i tick most of the boxes, I wonder if any other members have failed "The racism test" Lists like this are never realistic.... I’m also an alcoholic if I go by the AA list, I’m most definitely not by any stretch of the imagination. .....And ‘woke’ most definitely can be derogatory term.... It kneecaps the logic and intelligent basis of any discussion with a political correctness which may itself be damaging... and in many cases PC most definitely has gone mad !!!!...

I much prefer bing called ‘fulang’... then we can get into the debate about the spelling of a non-English word and whether the r is pronounced trilled or not !!! ????

I often use my Bangkok Bank ATM / Bank card (which is also Mastercard Debit) to pay at 7-11... In a lot of other places I use mobile banking to pay, i.e. scan the QR code and pay with my mobile Banking App.

It's just an unintellectual and juvenile attempt to trigger me and anyone else who see’s Thailand for all its balance... the wonderful and the horrible things... To do this he is starting ‘anti-British’ topics to trigger the British, which for some reason he dislikes and throws out this ’superiority complex’ rhetoric and accusation of racism when he couldn't be more wrong. The fundamental flaws in this belief that ‘if you like and respect Thailand you will see nothing wrong with it’ is myopically flawed.... I wonder how such cerebrally challenged minds would accuse Thai’s of being anti-Thai if they had close Thai friends with whom they could discuss such matters, would they have the intelligence to recognise that Thai’s too have opinions which very closely match those voiced on this forum - we are after all far more similar than we are different !!!... hammer doesn’t yet get this, he’s still in some ‘honeymoon phase’ and simply doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. I for one have far more in common with many of my well balanced Thai friends than I do with a myopic brainwashed feckless character who thinks everything around him is perfect !!!! Now, If someone is the type of person to walk around thinking everything is amazingly perfect, they will very quickly be thought a fool by the very Thai’s they think they need to protect by speaking out against anyone who expresses the slightest negative observation, someone in this feckless honeymoon phase doesn’t yet understand this. Any yes... England is going through a major drought, so the anoxic depths of reservoirs are being exposed to the air and they smell. And yes, catastrophic car accidents also occur in the UK.

Virtually never required... So not ALWAYS never required then... So, showing proof of funds ‘is sometimes’ (rarely) required... I’m virtually never in a car accident, yet I still wear a seatbelt just in case it happens. There are stories of immigration taking a dislike to someone and asking for proof (usually this is repeat visitors on tourist visas or visa exempt entries who immigration suspect of working or don’t like for some reason - its usually people from Vietnam, Myanmar, South Korean, India, Africa etc) Its never happened to me or anyone I know and it is extremely unlikely, yet it has happened and there are stories of such on this forum and others of Westerners encountering this issue. It's a lot safer to know the requirements and meet them just incase, its that simple. Agreed - The carrier is responsible for return / onward travel IF the passengers is rejected entry to Thailand. Thus this is an Airline requirement based on Immigration regulations which is why the *Airline check-in staff check for Visa or an onward flight upon boarding at the departing country. (*most airlines will check most of the time, although some check-in staff will be lazy, untrained, or may easily see the visa in the passport and the passenger thinks they didn’t check). Agreed - IF the airline is prepared to take responsibility for onward / return travel if the passenger is rejected by Immigration upon arrival in Thailand they MAY not check, or if the staff forget, are untrained etc... It is reportedly by some forum members that the Visa or onward flight is not checked at all, but for others (myself included) this requirement [Visa or onward flight] is checked ‘most’ of the time.... I specifically note when this requirement is ‘checked’ because I often have to point out my Visa in my busy passport of numerous Thailand Visa and Visas from other nations. What would you do ?.... Tell someone to ’take a chance’ or ensure they are covered to avoid disappointment ????

Is your 1st Class Policy for ‘named driver’ only ? Most 1st Class policies in Thailand are for any driver unless the policy states otherwise (usually upon request by the policy holder for a discount on the premium). Thus: IF the car is insured 1st Class for any driver, then its covered for any legal driver. All the Op needs to do is check the Policy of the vehicle itself - then he has all the answers.

I am nearly always travelling into Thailand on the return portion of a return ticket - my Visa is nearly always asked for by the Check-in Staff.... Without that, they’d want to see onward travel.

Congratulations.... Your anecdote is differs from the requirements.... OP: Do not pay attention to any fool who uses the ‘seat-belt logic’.... as in, I never wore a seat-belt and I’ve always been fine !!!.... I think you get my point. The entry requirements are fixed: IF entering without a Visa you need to be able to present proof of onward travel, you also need to be able to present proof of funds (10,000 baht currency equivalent for a single traveler if I’m not mistaken). That the requirements are not always checked by no means indicates there is no requirement. The ONLY intelligent advice you will receive on this subject is to meet the requirement, you are otherwise simply taking a chance.

The ‘have it in record’ is the Policy your friend holds.... On that insurance policy is everything that matters, the policy document is the only thing that matters. It is always advisable to have a Dash-Cam (forward and rear facing) - then you are protected against any potential extortion or false claims should you be involved in an accident. (Cam recommendation: Xiaomi-70mai Pro - which can be purchased from Lazada).

A good place to start is with advice on location etc. Explain what you are looking for etc... Your age, work requirements, transport requirements etc.. i.e. someone in their 20’s early 30’s with regular online income, looking for nightlife, without a car may want a Condo somewhere near Thonglor, Phrompong or On Nut etc... But if they have a regular job they may want to live in an area closer to work etc..

Agreed... maintenance fees are paid by the lessor (landlord). That said, in the past I have agreed that any repair for damage caused by myself is paid for by myself. Any repairs for equipment which failed on its own the landlord covers (i.e. of the cooker / water heater / AC fails etc). Anything less than an expected cost of 1000 Baht the lessee pays (its just easier). Ensure that AC servicing is agreed upon in a lease - i.e. AC is serviced every 6 months, either by the Landlord or paid for by the lessee - no big deal, just ensure you know where you stand so you are not arguing when your AC needs a clean etc.

Yeah show them who’s boss and see how far you get ???? Sticky's a comedian... he sees it as his position to bring levity to the masses.... sometimes gets upset when people don’t like his jokes and ends up calling them Jerks.. which is somewhat aggressive for someone who claims to bring levity to the masses !!!... Anyway.... I’m pretty sure he meant the opposite of what he wrote.... funny, eh ?

Why ?? A 2 year licence is still a valid Thai Driving Licence... Is there any stipulation in insurance terms and conditions (of any insurance) that the insured vehicle can only be driven on a 5 year licence ???? I’ve never read or heard of such a point. Are you making this bumf up on the spot Kawasaki ??? IF the car is insured 1st Class for any driver, then its covered for any legal driver. I’ve swapped cars with friends plenty of times in the past... A Thai Licence (any 2 or 5 year) and 1st Class (any driver) insurance is all thats needed.

Different experiences, different opinions... I went to TRSC about 10 years ago - both eyes done at the same time. I wish I’d never waited the 4-5 years of deliberation.... (Final Destination 5 didn’t help and delayed the decision a further year !!!!). Long Vision sorted - I only ever used spectacles when driving or watching TV etc, the sight wasn’t too bad, but just enough to be irritating and causing me to squint. Near Vision, no change whatsoever, as I reached early 40’s I started to need reading glasses, more so in my mid-40’s now... This was not created by or impacted by LASIK, its just age. Technology may well have changed a lot in the last 10 years - its worth doing a lot of research and going to one of the best places. 10 years ago TRSC in Bangkok was one of the best places to have LASIK treatment.