Guy360

Have the company's legal counsel handle it.  Let him do the work and get it right from the start.  That is what he is there for.  If the company doesn't have a legal counsel, let them hire one.

Women ALWAYS marry up.  All societies.

That isn't living.  It is just existing...barely.   Why would anyone want to exist that way and appear to be proud of it?   When will all the rhetorical questions ever end?

Just pay the damn fee and stop your whining and sniveling.  Your cheap attitude is disgusting.  If you can't afford to pay the few baht extra you shouldn't be living in Thailand.

The key with plastic snakes is to move them around into different positions every few days.  That will keep the pigeons and owls confused.  I have two of them on my balcony where pigeons used to love to roost as well as on top of my air conditioner.   I put a snake on the top of the AC unit and one near the railing of the balcony.  I change their position every day or two and since doing that....no more pigeons.

Have you thought about making a formal complaint?

Seems rather petty to me but if it means that much to you then make a fuss to those who perpetrated this 'crime'.

It doesn't make sense to make a formal complaint about a small amount of money, however it still should be regarded as a scam, and I'm also not making a fuss of it.

If you read the OP again you will see that this thread was actually intended for other members to post similar experiences, which may concern more than a few Baht.

Sorry to say this but of course you are making a fuss over it. Your OP was more than enough to state your point. All the follow up posts are attempting to defend the indefensible. You are majoring in minors. How much do you go on and on with matters of real importance?

This is not intended to be a slam. I appreciate your other posts and comments. I just believe this has gone way beyond its importance in the scheme of things.

Carry on, my friend.

There's no need for a conspiracy theory. If it bothers u enough, why not go back to the store .. and ASK

It isn't the fact you lost money, it's that ur making a big deal for pennies.

Priorities?

It's what we Yanks call "making a mountain out of a molehill."

Some people just enjoy majoring in minors. If someone believes that this is a problem or concern, I can't imagine what a real problem would be to that person.

The supermarket business is a low-margin industry, with the average profit margin for supermarkets typically ranging from 1 to 2 percent. Compare that to Starbucks whose profit margin is closer to 60%. Talk about rip-offs.

Words to learn are Caveat Emptor - Buyer beware. ALWAYS!!!

Caveat Emptor. (Let the buyer beware) This is a practice that has come about not only in Thailand but nearly ever other nation. In order to keep prices within reason, they just decrease the amount of product. It is the same in the US. The same in restaurants. We are paying today the same prices for less food.

Most supermarkets have a tag on the shelf below the product that breaks down the price per OZ or Grams. Read it. If not, check the product as they all have the volume marked.

We are not being ripped off. We are victims of the economy. Companies need to stay in business in a competitive market. Profit is NOT a dirty word. It is the only reason companies are in business. If they didn't make a profit, their shareholders ( you and me in our pension programs) will be in an uproar and the product would disappear from the shelves. As workers we always attempted to get the best salary that we could. Companies are no different and they must stay competitive with other companies in a global market or they will certainly fail.

Solution to this is to just be prudent in your business matters as well as in your shopping. Get used to this trend as it will continue at least for the next few years. Less product for more money.

Who keeps cheese long enough to care about the shelf life?

Seriously. They're seemingly not even allowed to label the stuff as cheese. That alone should tell you all you need to know.

Surely, mentioning Velveeta in a conversation about cheese must breach several Forum rules?

If we let this pass, I predict that one day somebody will mention Heineken in a beer thread.

We have to act NOW!

Full moon at Xmas is a sign!.

LOL! You have to understand that in the Mid-West they put Velveeta Cheese and Cheese Whiz in the Gourmet section. Perhaps that will give you an idea.

It is far more difficult finding Velveeta Cheese and Cheese Whiz in New York or California anywhere near the Cheese section.

Yanks have a bunch of states with population bigger than Belgium -- you can't really expect us to keep all'a them little countries straight, do you?

Oh?

I thought it has always been part of the official US foreign policy to keep all other countries straight.

Whatever straight may mean.

How did we go from Cheesy Underwear to politics in two posts? On second thought, politicians certainly fall under the Cheesy Underwear category.

Just because I like to bring back shelf-stable Velveeta from USA because it may be 3-4 days in transit before I reach home in Thailand, I had my cheese culinary credentials challenged even though I never said that Velveeta was ALL that I ever eat. I wasn't paying too much attention as I was listening to the NFL football on the internet radio and suggested such insult was proffered by a Brit. My mistake. A Belgian.

http://www.homesicktexan.com/2008/04/more-natural-chile-con-queso.html

Good Culinary credentials offers a broad spectrum of tastes as well as creating tasty dishes from common ingredients. As an American, I grew up on Kraft's Velveeta Cheese. It is unto itself and there is no other ingredient quite like it. Some of the tastiest melted cheese sandwiches (especially with smoked bacon and ripe beefsteak tomatoes), pan grilled in creamy butter, still adorns my table from time to time. You will ALWAYS find a large container of Velveeta cheese in my refrigerator whether in the USA or here in Thailand.

It also melts well and when mixed with some marinated jalapino peppers and assorted spices, makes a fantastic Taco Chip dip.

A quick omelette using Velveeta is also quite tasty. The convenience of Velveeta Cheese is that it has a very long shelf life, is convenient and relatively inexpensive compared to real cheeses. Please note that I never would consider it a replacement for the excellent fine cheeses that are available. Rather that it has a place and serves a useful function as well as offering a tasty addition to some foods.

Vegemite. You will have to settle for Marmite.

As an American I can never see the reasons one would enjoy Vegemite. It can knock a buzzard off a shit wagon at 30 meters.

As a Brit, I've never understood why anyone would want a weaker, watered-down version of Marmite.

As a Belgian, I can still remember something that happened about 35 years ago in NZ.

Belgians are raised on chocolate and chocolate spread, and when Kiwis invited me for a meal, I mistook the vegemite for chocolate spread.

Thick layer.

Big mistake.

LOL!! Reminds me when I first moved to Tokyo and couldn't yet read Japanese. I bought a jar of what I thought was chocolate and spooned it over ice cream for my kids. It turned out to be Bean Paste. I still laugh when I think of the faces my kids made when the first tasted the Ice-Cream Sunday I made.

Yanks have a bunch of states with population bigger than Belgium -- you can't really expect us to keep all'a them little countries straight, do you?

Oh?

I thought it has always been part of the official US foreign policy to keep all other countries straight.

Whatever straight may mean.

How did we go from Cheesy Underwear to politics in two posts? On second thought, politicians certainly fall under the Cheesy Underwear category.

It appears that the two items that are mostly brought back to Thailand are Cheese and Underwear. There really has to be a joke in there somewhere.

To those who question freezing cheese. I used to work in that industry. The big UK makers freeze Stilton from July to meet Christmas demand. Cheese does degrade slightly when frozen, but the effects are negligible.

Good article about freezing cheeses.

http://www.thekitchn.com/can-you-should-you-do-you-free-117893

Vegemite. You will have to settle for Marmite.

As an American I can never see the reasons one would enjoy Vegemite. It can knock a buzzard off a shit wagon at 30 meters.

Do they sell packages of SANITY ?

It would really make no difference regardless of the size or quantity of it. Falangs leave all semblance of Sanity at the airport as they check through immigration. Some may pick it up again upon leaving.

There is more Sanity left at Suvarnabumi Airport than any other airport in the world.

Whats with everyone bringing Levi jeans? There are other makes you know! and the same quality. Also Thailand has the best food I have tasted I would buy nothing food related from the UK. And Coffee beans? Really? The stuff is made grown here and from what I can see, for the same quality it's about the same price if not cheaper.....confused!

I buy my coffee beans at Cost Plus in California. They have a fantastic assortment of beans from many coffee producing nations. They are also half the price of beans here in LOS. However, I think that VietNamese Coffee is excellent and do purchase those beans here. I am using Levi's more in a generic sense as there are a large variety of manufacturers of jeans other than Levi's. Perhaps I should have posted US brand jeans.

From the USA I bring

a large tub or two of red licorice vines,

large containers of various spices (red pepper flakes, Smoked Salt, Cajun Seasoning, Italian Seasoning);

Two pairs of good Berkenstock sandals;

See's Candy and their assorted lollipops;

Cans of Smoked Almonds and Pistachio Nuts;

several bags of good coffee beans and espresso beans;

assorted good clothes for my Thai girlfriend (jeans, tops, skirts, Victoria Secret underwear)

Several large all beef Hard Salamis

one or two cases of good California wines (Chardonnays, Cabernets and Zinfindels)...I pay the extra duty and it is well worth it.

Also previously mentioned items like Jockey shorts, Levi Jeans, Cheeses, etc.

QUOTE:

wines (Chardonnays, Cabernets and Zinfindels)...I pay the extra duty and it is well worth it.

That is new to me.

Several posters mentioned that it is not possible to pay duty on wine imports, only 1 liter allowed.

How much duty do you pay?

And is it really duty, with receipt, or .....?

I have paid 225 baht per bottle (liter) and have received a receipt. The average alcohol content is under 14% with only the old vine Zinfindels that are 14.5%. All are under the 15% guideline. I have called the Excise dept in Thailand letting them know I am bringing in wine FOR PERSONAL USE and expect to pay extra duty. They are very helpful. The number is +66 02 241 5600.

From the USA I bring

a large tub or two of red licorice vines,

large containers of various spices (red pepper flakes, Smoked Salt, Cajun Seasoning, Italian Seasoning);

Two pairs of good Berkenstock sandals;

See's Candy and their assorted lollipops;

Cans of Smoked Almonds and Pistachio Nuts;

several bags of good coffee beans and espresso beans;

assorted good clothes for my Thai girlfriend (jeans, tops, skirts, Victoria Secret underwear)

Several large all beef Hard Salamis

one or two cases of good California wines (Chardonnays, Cabernets and Zinfindels)...I pay the extra duty and it is well worth it.

Also previously mentioned items like Jockey shorts, Levi Jeans, Cheeses, etc.

Well I,ve made what's become more of an informed choice thanks to the many posts on here ,I have decided to rent a Villa in a place called Ban Saray about 18k from Pattaya towards Rayong ,I will rent this for one year, it is (for me ) a good location to explore the offshore islands down there ,but also within easy reach of Bkk for the airports . I plan to take a trip to Sapa in Vietnam and have a good look round Asia but it will be nice to have a sort of permanent base to return to ,I won't put all my eggs in one basket and will keep my Uk house for visits to home as and when ,so many thanks everyone ,some great thoughts and ideas which have helped me at least take the next step I needed to do in my life ,I plan to move over there in Febuary of next year .

Merry xmas and a Happy New Year to all

Excellent choice and just a few minutes from where I reside. I wish you much luck and happiness. Ban Saray is one of the beautiful places and has excellent access to the islands as well as the airports and Bangkok.

better not buy anything and live like a cheap Charlie. .

I have never heard from rich people saying they were happy. instead they all complain that they have tax to pay, their house is too big, divorce,...

a monk is 1000x more happy than a rich farang.

Sour grapes perhaps? Do I detect an air of mendacity?

I believe that it is far better to be able to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.

I don't consider myself rich as "Rich" is anyone who has more money than you do. I consider myself quite comfortable. I don't cry when paying taxes nor complain. My beef concerning taxes is all the wasted money that the government spends on uselessness.

My homes are not too big. They are just perfect for their purposes. As per divorce, I am still married to the same woman for the last 30 years. However, the reason divorce is so expensive is that it is WORTH it.

You don't become wealthy by being a fool or an idiot (unless you inherited it or won the lottery). Ergo you don't make the mistakes that some people make.

Many posters here said that the OP should rent and not buy. Yes, there is a possible downside on perhaps losing money on a resale of the property. But there are also tax advantages to that and one loss won't overtake other gains. Many people would rather not rent because of the uncertainty of remaining on that property. I enjoy fixing the property up to suit my taste and needs. I enjoy decorating it and furnishing it to my needs. I also like the idea of permanency, something lacking from a leased property where the owner may decide to sell the property leaving you seeking another place to live.

Leasing is good if you are not seeking permanent residency.

^^ A lesson in not pontificating with the specific [12 direct references to 'self'] when the general is called for.

Relax Guy. The thread has been well received and few gone to into excesses. Until now....

Well said, thank you. It was one of those very dull days yesterday and I couldn't help stepping on the soapbox and pontificating. My bad.

better not buy anything and live like a cheap Charlie. .

I have never heard from rich people saying they were happy. instead they all complain that they have tax to pay, their house is too big, divorce,...

a monk is 1000x more happy than a rich farang.

Sour grapes perhaps? Do I detect an air of mendacity?

I believe that it is far better to be able to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.

I don't consider myself rich as "Rich" is anyone who has more money than you do. I consider myself quite comfortable. I don't cry when paying taxes nor complain. My beef concerning taxes is all the wasted money that the government spends on uselessness.

My homes are not too big. They are just perfect for their purposes. As per divorce, I am still married to the same woman for the last 30 years. However, the reason divorce is so expensive is that it is WORTH it.

You don't become wealthy by being a fool or an idiot (unless you inherited it or won the lottery). Ergo you don't make the mistakes that some people make.

Many posters here said that the OP should rent and not buy. Yes, there is a possible downside on perhaps losing money on a resale of the property. But there are also tax advantages to that and one loss won't overtake other gains. Many people would rather not rent because of the uncertainty of remaining on that property. I enjoy fixing the property up to suit my taste and needs. I enjoy decorating it and furnishing it to my needs. I also like the idea of permanency, something lacking from a leased property where the owner may decide to sell the property leaving you seeking another place to live.

Leasing is good if you are not seeking permanent residency.

better not buy anything and live like a cheap Charlie. .

I have never heard from rich people saying they were happy. instead they all complain that they have tax to pay, their house is too big, divorce,...

a monk is 1000x more happy than a rich farang.

Sour grapes perhaps? Do I detect an air of mendacity?

I believe that it is far better to be able to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.

I don't consider myself rich as "Rich" is anyone who has more money than you do. I consider myself quite comfortable. I don't cry when paying taxes nor complain. My beef concerning taxes is all the wasted money that the government spends on uselessness.

My homes are not too big. They are just perfect for their purposes. As per divorce, I am still married to the same woman for the last 30 years. However, the reason divorce is so expensive is that it is WORTH it.

You don't become wealthy by being a fool or an idiot (unless you inherited it or won the lottery). Ergo you don't make the mistakes that some people make.

Many posters here said that the OP should rent and not buy. Yes, there is a possible downside on perhaps losing money on a resale of the property. But there are also tax advantages to that and one loss won't overtake other gains. Many people would rather not rent because of the uncertainty of remaining on that property. I enjoy fixing the property up to suit my taste and needs. I enjoy decorating it and furnishing it to my needs. I also like the idea of permanency, something lacking from a leased property where the owner may decide to sell the property leaving you seeking another place to live.

Leasing is good if you are not seeking permanent residency.

better not buy anything and live like a cheap Charlie. .

I have never heard from rich people saying they were happy. instead they all complain that they have tax to pay, their house is too big, divorce,...

a monk is 1000x more happy than a rich farang.

Sour grapes perhaps? Do I detect an air of mendacity?

I believe that it is far better to be able to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.

I don't consider myself rich as "Rich" is anyone who has more money than you do. I consider myself quite comfortable. I don't cry when paying taxes nor complain. My beef concerning taxes is all the wasted money that the government spends on uselessness.

My homes are not too big. They are just perfect for their purposes. As per divorce, I am still married to the same woman for the last 30 years. However, the reason divorce is so expensive is that it is WORTH it.

You don't become wealthy by being a fool or an idiot (unless you inherited it or won the lottery). Ergo you don't make the mistakes that some people make.

Many posters here said that the OP should rent and not buy. Yes, there is a possible downside on perhaps losing money on a resale of the property. But there are also tax advantages to that and one loss won't overtake other gains. Many people would rather not rent because of the uncertainty of remaining on that property. I enjoy fixing the property up to suit my taste and needs. I enjoy decorating it and furnishing it to my needs. I also like the idea of permanency, something lacking from a leased property where the owner may decide to sell the property leaving you seeking another place to live.

Leasing is good if you are not seeking permanent residency.