Stevemercer

I agree with the above posts. You can buy the bike advertised as a way of dipping your toe in the market. The cheap battery will only be good for 5 - 10 km range and will die within 6 months. After that, you can decide if you want to spend the money to get a decent scooter of that style that will last. A decent battery powered bike of that type will start at 20,000 Baht, but a good one will be 30,000 Baht. This will have a range of 40 - 50 km and the battery should last for years. The battery will weigh up to 10 kg and be removable. The supplied charger and electronics will have cut-offs etc. to avid overcharging. The risk of fire is minimal. I have had a King Song electric wheel for 8 years and the battery is still going strong (range of 75 km and speed up to 40 km/hr) after some 8000 km.

Clay tiles are much quieter in the rain. Should be easier to install and maintain (in the event of leaks). If you are out in the provinces, most builders/construction crews will have enough experience to put up a decent roof.

As people have noted, the legality seems to be a grey area. However, your neighbour will not respond to any attempts at mediation. There is not really anything you can do, especially if your construction will eventually block his view. If he repositions his cameras to intrude on your privacy, once you are living there, that will be a different matter. We have a neighbour with a similar attitude. He filled his land nearly a metre above ours, and then pushed the fill against the concrete wall we had built (effectively turning it into a retaining wall). It was obvious it would cause problems once the rainy season came. It ws certainly not legal and my wife pursued a complaint with council against him. They tried to mediate, but he never responded to any requests. In the meantime, the rainy season came and our concrete wall acted like a dam once the heavy rains came. Fortunately a 2 metre wall he had constructed along his perpendicular boundary (to us) collapsed before ours did and relieved the pressure. After that, I went onto his property for an hour or so, every day, and dug out the fill on his property, along our wall, and put a drainage pipe at the end to direct the run-off onto the street. He didn't object, but didn't help either. That fixed that problem and he hasn't tried to move the fill again.

My wife ran over our own dog on our driveway in a similar fashion. It didn't yelp, but had limited use of its front legs. 2,000 Baht (X-rays etc.) and a week later it was running around as normal. But now it doesn't lie on the road and runs away from cars and motorbikes.

It's a hard videoto watch if you ride a motorbike. I hope the offender is charged with vehicular homicide for his deliberate and reckless action in killing the officer. RIP for the police officer just doing his job and best wishes and condolences to family and friends.

Most Thais think puppies are adorable and will get one on the spur of the moment. When it is grown, they will get another. Someone else in the family can look after it when it is grown. It's just 'living in the moment' with little thought of the consequences or responsibility of dog 'ownership'.

In my opinion, Phuket has the cleanest and best beaches in Thailand. Some beaches have waves and currents to spice things up a bit. Swimming on Gulf beaches is like taking a warm bath. I've always enjoyed my time in Phuket. There are worse places to retire.

I think Thai people value life, the same as we do in the West. It's just that Thai's (and most Asian cultures) are more used to death then we are. Death is a part of life and Thais are constantly exposed to it through funerals and other reminders of our mortality. So Thais can more readily accept death as a normal part of life. Funerals can be social occasions to meet old friends and celebrate life with family, whilst ensuring the departed has a good send-off in accordance with traditions. In western countries, we tend to be more isolated from death. It is not a routine and regular part of our lives, and it therefore comes as a shock. We are not prepared for it and may be at a loss as to how to properly mourn and honour the departed. I think the Thai approach to death is probably the better way to go. But sometimes I think if we lavished the same attention and money on the elderly (before they passed away) maybe it would be better. Why not give the same sort of 'funeral party' for the elderly, before they pass away, and while they can still enjoy it.

The original article is correct in saying that the reason why 'Big Joke' was removed from Immigration has never been officially explained. It may have something to do with the IB's then purchase of a biometric system, signed off by the then police chief. 'Big Joke' is on the public record as saying the IB spent over 300 million baht per unit although the same brand and model of machine can be purchased for 36 million baht. Whatever, that police chief has retired and it seems 'Big Joke' has the support of the current chief. Or maybe the powers-in-charge reckon it's better to have 'Big Joke' on their side where they might be able to better control him.

I think maybe 10 - 15 years. Of course, human women will be able to get their own male 'well made' android that will never tire of her and can pleasure her endlessly. Maybe us blokes will have no choice, but to fall back on an android woman.

Most larger plant nurseries have a water plant section, or can direct you to the nearest place. Water lilies are an obvious choice.

Best wishes to you and your family. Great to hear from you again.

I'd pay the 15,000Baht and let the shop worry about ordering etc. They should provide 6 - 12 months warranty and you can go back if there is a problem. As suggested by another poster, check the tyre pressure. I remember buying a Suzuki GS450 once. The owner hadn't ridden it in a while and apologised for the poor handling. My test ride confirmed the poor handling, but I stopped at a garage to check/inflate the tyres. They were less than 50% the recommended pressure. This dramatically restored the handling. I got the bike cheap because no one had wanted it after a test ride, and no one had thought to check the tire pressure.

It is usual for these things to take time (12 months). The police probably know the guilty parties (assuming they are local). They are waiting to see what develops. Maybe the situation will turn to their advantage, particularly if their are other complaints against the party. The police may need a 'bribe' to finalise an investigation. However, even with good Thai, it is not a good idea for you (as a farang) to discuss with the police. The police may think you have plenty of money and misunderstandings may arise. Almost certainly the guilty party has conned other people. The police may want to wait for other people to come forward. The police may have already approached the guilty party and he has paid them off. Can you find a Thai person of good repute to ask questions on your behalf? They might be told more, particularly if police want money before taking action. Alternatively, the police may not want to proceed with your complaint for whatever reason. At the very least, the Thai person can find out from the police whether or not it is worthwhile pursuing your complaint. As others have said, it is unlikely you will recover your money. The most likely outcome would be a negotiated outcome where the guilty party will repay a certain percentage. The police would act as mediators for a pre-agreed fee.

There are plenty of HiSo Thai ladies married to farang, but the farang are normally wealthy, famous or accomplished in some way. As other posters have said, the best way would be through introductions. You just have to be in Thailand and try and make social connections (e.g. attend costly events and hang around fashionable shops.

We normally leave 20 - 40 Baht per day for housekeeping staff. In my opinion, 100 Baht is excessive and a bit ostentatious (equivalent to tipping one third salary, or about $50 per day if you were in Australia).

Why you understand me?

For most foreigners, the land would be owned by their Thai wife/relative (e.g. someone with whom you have a close and continuing relationship). Because the foreigner doesn't own the land, they may want greater certainty they can continue to live on the land for the rest of their lives if the marriage breaks down, or something similar. A foreigner can take a 30 year lease/usufruct/lien on the land, meaning that the land can't be sold without the foreigners permission. The usufruct maust be stamped onto the original chanoot (land ownership) to be enforceable. The land offices in some provinces will not do this. You can pay for the land (but it is owned by the Thai national) and you can build a house on the land with a 30 year lease (if allowed by the Province local land office). The land, if sold, would be sold with the house on it. You would only do this as a lifestyle choice, because there are too many uncertainties to consider this an investment route. You must be 100% certain the land has clear freehold title, the Thai national is trustworthy, and the land office will allow the lien to be placed on the land. In the longer term, you should be prepared to walk away from whatever costs incurred if the relationship falls through or there is some reason why you don't want to live in Thailand anymore. In Thailand, if married, you are entitled to 50i% of assets obtained after the marriage. So make sure you marry first before buying the land and building a house. If you are persistent, you may be able to recover 50%, but it won't be anything like the original 6 million baht spent. The land, purchased for 2 million, may increase in value if in a township area or with direct road frontage. The house will not increase in value and a 4 million baht house might be worth only one or two million, particularly if the location is somewhat remote. A Thai family, with 6 million baht to spend, would typically have their heart set on building their own new home and not buying somebody elses house. This is doubly true in rural Thailand where fewer people would have that sort of money freely available. So, a best case scenario would be to be married to a Thai national, with the land in her name, and a 30 year usufruct on the land. You both live happily ever after for the rest of your lives. After you die, the family might sell or live on the land. If you got divorced, and the ex-wife is agreeable, you could continue to live in the house as long as you want. Just bear in mind that no decent Thai lady (e.g. if you want to marry again) will want to live in a house/land owned by your ex-wife. Alternatively, and if the ex-wife is agreeable, she could sell the property/house and give you 50%. Assuming the land is still worth 2 million, and the house is in excellent shape (maybe 2 million in the best possible outcome), you could get back 50% of 4 million baht, or 2 million baht. If the ex-wife is not agreeable, and uncooperative, you might want to walk away and save yourself all the aggro.

As the original post implies, these are just foot soldiers obeying orders from higher up. There is no way street cops, like these, would get the keep the 27,000 Baht exhorted. They may get 500 Baht each, but most will go up the food chain right to the top of the metropolitan police. The subordinates get all the blame (and the book will be thrown at them effectively ruining their lives and reputations), but the higher-ups shrug off any responsibility and do everything to keep out of the spotlight.

The Prime Minister and police chiefs are intent on punishing the rank and file coppers hoping the real culprits escape notice. The real culprits are the top cops who claim to have no responsibility for what the rank and file do.

The only country I have visited as a tourist where I felt systematically fleeced was France (tourist spots in Paris). Short changing, over charging, not getting what was advertised: all seemed almost routine. It was a relief to fly to my next destination (Glascow) where the merchants were honest, and you didn't have to count your change, even if I couldn't understand what they were saying.

It's a pretty black and white issue and the solution is obvious (if the government is serious about stopping corruption). The Thai press continues to demand action to curb endemic police corruption. The solution is obvious. Endemic and systematic corruption always starts at the top. The top cops are the ones who set the tone and example for the entire police force. They are either on the take or incapable of addressing corruption. Either way, they are responsible, they are to blame and the finger should be pointed at them. Dismiss them and replace with honest cops (if such a thing exists in Thailand). If the government won't do this then they must be part of the problem.

I just read in the media that the National Police Chief had ordered the Bangkok Chief to transfer the responsible police station chief to an 'inactive post', and that the police are now saying the allegations made by the Taiwanese tourist may have truth.

I must admit my biggest gripe with Thai traffic is the frequency with which drivers go through red lights. I always look carefully before proceeding on green, but sometimes I'm tempted to move out a little to try and scare a driver who is obviously not going to stop before the lights change.

Why would the Taiwanese lady bother making up such an allegation? The answer is that her allegation is most likely true. Do the police target drunken foreigners for a shakedown? The answer is most likely yes, they will target anyone they think has money, is vulnerable (e.g. no connections/influence in Thailand, drunk, technically breaking some law etc.) and/or in the wrong place at the wrong time.