DirtyDan

Any update on the Hua Hin beaches? People still getting oil on their feet?

Wow, that's interesting to know. Can I ask you why you accepted the shirts with the extra 9 inches, shanked buttons and the sleeves too short? I have had 2 fittings and discuss with the tailor about how it feels, length and fit. I only pay 50% deposit and balance on completion once I am happy with what I have ordered. I agree the shirts should fit like a second skin, so why did you pay the balance before getting the problems sorted? I will ask about the tailor 'being on site' for you when I am back there next week. If I was you I would go back and demand your money be returned, if they have done it wrong or at least rectify the problems for you!

Comedy of errors on my part... paid the second half of the balance and then they kept the shirts for a quality control issue (a cuff which they fixed on the one shirt), and then they were picked up by my partner. But as I said, when I took the two serious problems back, they were fixed and they even offered a beer.

So far as asking for money back, there comes a point when additional trips to lower Sukhumvit are no longer worth the hassle - I can't negotiate my arm length. A lot of people like ToT and recommend their work, I'll leave it at that. Like I've said, they have wonderful customer service (and even made a TV account to PM me after my last post here to see how they can make things better). This was a trial and it's concluded, the money I spent I did so in searching BKK for a good tailor.

I'm not shaped like a bell-ringer but I definitely have a non-standard body type. My shirts back in the fatherland used to cost 15-16,000 bht each to have made, so it's worth it to continue trying to find something here.

I'm still searching for the BKK tailor that can work with me because even my current go-to uses cheap threading which causes buttons to come loose - a simple issue which they don't seem inclined to fix, 'Just bring it back and we'll re-sew it'. It's an adventure seeing as there's so many clothing merchants here in BKK ranging from a couple that have high quality materials (but mediocre craftsmanship) to outright scam artists and everything in between. (My brother laughs at my tailor search and says I should just give up and come home or try Hong Kong at least).

For example, there's another shirt maker, Duly, that can order wonderful materials (210/2 + cotton), but, like most shops, does not have a tailor in house - sizing was by a person that did not sew herself and the fittings involved sms-ing pictures to whomever it was that was doing the actual cutting. Plus they only got my fitting even close (third fitting) after giving up measuring me and simply copied the shirt I wore in... 1) If I liked the shirt I was wearing when I walked in, I wouldn't be here and 2) I might as well stay with the person that made the first mediocre shirt!

I would be interested if anyone has experience with July (Silom) or Tramp (Silom near Sirroco) as they'll be my post- Christmas experiments.

Tailor on Ten gets my vote, going for another fitting tomorrow, great service and product, not cheap but I believe you get what you pay for.

A lot of people praise ToT and they must be doing something right to attract their clientele as their mail-order business seems to be booming.

I have three shirts from ToT as that's the minimum you can order. From those three shirts, I took two back when one had the armpit seem come apart after wearing for 5 hours, and the other for correcting the collar stitching that was loose, and the stripes that didn't match on the pocket and yoke - they repaired both without hesitation and were pleasant the entire time. I believe their shirts are made off-site despite their website saying tailors in-house because I had to wait for my contact to arrive with the shirts in a bag (I assume they mean the suit tailors are on site?).

But of those three shirts, none fit me as though they were actually tailored for me. Both the cotton shirts have sleeves that are too short (one more so than the other - I've worn both but only casually with the sleeves rolled up as they cannot be worn under a jacket.) and the linen shirt looks like a maternity smock for a pregnant woman carrying her unborn baby in her spine... seriously I have 9 extra inches of material in the back. The buttons are sewn on too closely to the placket so when you button the shirt it pulls against itself making the front look frumpled (the buttons are not shanked properly). A tailored shirt should fit like a second skin and the patterns they're using did not work on me.

They do have attentive service and give you a great sales pitch with a beer (if you want). Another plus is they have decent quality materials - this is the cornerstone of their marketing I believe. But overall, I only agree with you on one point you made: you're right, they're not cheap.

I budget 100k Baht a month but then I'm not paying rent and have no other "rent" regarding women.

Its sufficient for me but really if you want to have a riot double that.

100k / month but you eat at fancy restaurants a lot... A Lot. I know, because every time I read your burger thread I get hungry and think I should be joining you on these excursions.

If you like Thai food, you can eat very cheaply (but not healthily). Big cost will be room and BTS travel. Bangkok is one of the great multi-cultural cities of the world, I put it up there with New York and London, and it has one thing in common with those others: it's not cheap to live in. You can do it, and even have an OK lifestyle, but if you want to live in a cheap city than look elsewhere in SE Asia. Heck, even Chiang Mai is cheaper.

With the universe sending you warm vibes like that, you need to go buy a lottery ticket while it lasts..

My banking has always been a mess and with this recent downturn in our patch, my tax situation may be changing as I may return to consulting but really don't want to leave the LoS. So I appreciate any insight.

FrankH, does your fancy Swiss system work if it's a direct pay-cheque being deposited or is it into an account owned by a registered business? If so, how do you get around the corporate tax?

If Thai tax is only paid on income coming into the Kingdom, what's the best way to bring in cash? Buy Baht at the foreign bank or possibly even gold coins? Has anyone ever been issued a tax bill for aggregate ATM withdrawals?

I wouldn't live anywhere that involves needing the BTS. That's one disastrous bit of transit on so many levels.

I like my area a lot. So much so, I'm not sharing. No hi.so flats so no worries.

While I agree the BTS was not planned very well to accommodate future growth (and its current state), it's the only efficient way to move around downtown during rush hour. I personally would not live in a place where I couldn't walk to a BTS station! (Within 1.6 kM anyways)

It amazing how the major Thai banks are raising the foreign card fee at the same time...shows how little banking competition there is in Thailand and how the banks must get together to discuss fees.

You do realise who owns the banks here, right?

200baht and then my home bank hits me up for additional 150baht.. Sucks when I want to take out more than the 20,000 transaction limit.

Several banks have ATMs that offer 25K, the yellow ones in/around BKK offer up to 30K, BKK Bank 25K.

What about all those business card printing places in MBK, do they do stamps as well. http://www.instantprint2000.com/portfolio.html

I've recently stumbled into K.U. Garden. While it's all pet food on the ground floor, the upstairs was all gardening and irrigation supplies - way better selection than the HomePros nearer to inner-city BKK (LadPro/BangNa). Also, be sure you can communicate decently in Thai.

Send them to Vietnam... two problems solved.

Fair enough. I'm from a cold climate and had assumed that's why my smuggled fruit / veggies were dying... (much lake grapes planted in very hot climates need to be harvested sooner or rot on the vine). Any chance your nighttime temps in NM were sufficiently low enough to stave off the effects on next day's warmer temps?

• it's the rebar that's used to keep a concrete kerb/curb in place. (the kind your tires sit against while parking). The concrete has been removed leaving the rebar poking up... there's a possibility it's just sitting in a hole in the asphalt and could be pulled out. Easy to hammer though.

It's too hot for our pumpkins here. The fruit starts and then they just rot in the heat.

Fluorescent orange spray paint... but the danger there being that someone might see it and think the problem has been solved.

Looking back upon the history of this great Kingdom, one thing is clearly evident: Those in power, will use whatever means necessary to stay in power. Status Quo. End of story.

This seems fishy...

1) A fisherman sees someone directly polluting their catch area and doesn't radio it in? (says they "communicated with other boats in the area - assume they had a radio?)

2) Hasn't it already been confirmed to be coming from an estuary?

3) Who would spend $324,000 USD dumping +/- 7000 bbls (1 MT) of oil overboard? Here's my conspiracy theory of the day: A gift from an adjacent tourist area currently afflicted by the low tourist numbers in the LoS? (or record tourist numbers if you read the TAT reports... )

I don't know of anyplace that rents (maybe the fancy dress shop on nana X petchburi - but I think that's all costumes). But for the price of a rental in the US ($200) you can have something made. Spend a little more and get something you'll wear forever.

Honestly, you'd be surprised how often you find events to wear a tuxedo at if you got it hanging in your closet.

In the past, I have had no hesitations removing someone's clothes and neatly setting them aside to utilise the machine myself. I've been told it's rude, but I personally feels it's more discourteous by wasting a shared resource and don't lose sleep over what I've done.

@alt was the result good? Is it Worth it?

Yes, and yes.

First time was in Vietnam. I then wanted to get it done again in BKK. BKK was obviously more expensive but still very cheap compared to western prices.

The place I went to on Suk Rd. is inside this plaza (1st or 2nd floor): https://www.google.ie/maps/@13.73859,100.558136,3a,75y,205.32h,89.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZJoFmOmmWhXGWW0JrC8JRA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Found them professional, perfect English (the dentist... the receptionist had almost none). They also had my records from 4 years ago when I first went there. Also they mentioned I had a few cavities but didn't even try to sell me anything, just advised I get them sorted out at some stage 'when you go home'

Ps. While having the laser job done, get your teeth cleaned... oh my god it was the best feeling in the world after

You had your teeth whitened but didn't get fillings to repair the decay in the structure of your teeth? Seriously?

You should see his car! Engine oil is almost tar from lack of changing, headlights are burned out, tires have no tread, and the brakes are worn to the shoe... but Boy, does it ever shine in the sunlight after having a nice new coat of wax!

What's the point of whitening teeth that will fall out if you let the cavities grow unchecked?

On point: I see cosmetic teeth whitening clinics in every dental shop here in BKK.

Ari. Close to BTS. People love it.

When we arrived in LoS, we were first told that veggie is ahaan jai... after never being able to find it, we have since learned that for simply requesting the veggie menu at a restaurant, mongsawrat is the proper way to ask.

It has reopened. If you go down Soi 13 until the end (Suk 49), then turn right at the junction continue straight on until you reach the crossroads at the side of Racquet Club. Turn left there and there is a Fuji Supermarket on the left hand side. They are located in a house on the right hand side of that road nearly directly opposite Fuji.

It is on Soi 49/11 Alley or Phrom Si 1 if you search google maps.

Y'all are thinking of Thon Krueng - the place on Soi Phrom Sri 1 is just their parking area, the restaurant is on 49.

Nice places around Thong Lo:

1) http://www.patarathailand.com/ Thai food - owned by S&P but their food is amazing (great wine list as well)

2) Bo Lan (on 51? or 53?) - super good Thai food and wine pairings

3) Soul Food (on 55) - High end Thai - people either love it for its quality or hate it for its price. (I love it)

4) Paste (on 49) - Thai fusion - small intimate place that I would rank as one of BKK's best

5) Smith's (on 49) - Used to frequent their Sunday brunch, and I've heard their dinner is really good too.

6) On Thonglor 13 (the side street from Thong Lor to Samitivej hospital) there a sushi place in on the ground level the Nihonmura Mall (just across from Tribeca - which also makes decent breakfasts) - that serves massive slabs of cheap salmon. Awesome value sushi place!

7) In the same Nihonmura complex is Umenohana - some of the best Japanese Kaiseki I've had outside of Kyoto (including other parts of Japan)

8) Game over Café (the one SoiSauce was referencing a couple posts ago) - good burgers.

9) is you're up for a walk the other way, just past Ekkamai is Mikellar which has amazing beer selection and good food as well (not just standard pub grub but scallops and coldcut plates and salads)

there's so many.... and I'm getting hungry now thinking about them.

They are real.. Its illegal to sell fake goods in Thailand.

Sent from my c64

Wasn't there a recent quote from one of the ruling government officials that there is no prostitution in Bangkok because they have a law against it?

Didn't the Military announce last week that there would be no more police stops! I guess like everything else it didn't last that long.

Military can make all the announcements it wants, but until the BIB start making a living wage (one that provides them with enough funds left over after gun purchase), they're going to have to make their money some other way...