pow01

Surprised nobody has mentioned black ant king pills yet in this thread.

On 3/3/2015 at 10:55 AM, Edsman said:

Maybe I'll be the sole dissenter, but I suggest avoiding the Red Cross if you're looking for more than an HIV and/or syphilis test. My girlfriend and I were in the same position as you and yours so we went to the Red Cross last December based on the what I read on this forum and others. I was extremely disappointed and here's why:

1. I was told that unless I had "symptoms" I could not have a standard STI screening, only an HIV and syphilis screening.

2. Because I stated I had no obvious symptoms, I was told with absolute certainty that I didn't have an STI!!! I asked if it's possible to have an STI without symptoms and I was told NO!!!

3. I quickly pulled up WebMD and the Mayo Clinic webpages for STIs and showed it to the counselor or physician. She became agitated with me and said it's possible but statistically unlikely. I asked 80%, 90% or what? I wasn't given a response.

4. I asked the person (located on the second floor offices who does the initial Q&A) for her credentials as I wanted to know if she was a doctor or counselor. She refused to tell me. She then told my girlfriend that I was asking too many questions so my girlfriend started to retort her responses. Grudgingly, she conceded to offer a "urine or blood" test but we would have to wait 3 WEEKS for the results. She couldn't tell us which specific test (urine or blood) would be administered.

5. I asked to see a different doctor if, in fact, she was one. I was told, just like with STIs, I couldn't see a doctor at the Men's Clinic unless I had symptoms. I asked "if I lie and say Yes, can I see the doctor?" She responded YES!!!

6. They use a large gauge needle which left a small bruise on me and an extremely large and ugly bruise on the girlfriend that went to upper forearm. It took mine a week to dissipate while over 2 weeks for her. I typically don't bruise from blood draws so I won't say that the bruising was due to personal issues. She said she's never bruised like that before.

Because of this, I will now tell others to go elsewhere if this unlikely conversation "pops up." However, for an HIV and syphilis test you can't go wrong with a turn around time of an hour or less and small fee. I had a fee for 20B for the medical card and, if I remember correctly, 300B for the HIV and syphilis tests. The HIV test is FREE for Thais (with ID, of course, despite being an "anonymous clinic") while the syphilis test, regardless of nationality, is only a mere 100B.

I suggest going to a local hospital to cater to your needs unless you and your girlfriend want to lie about having STI symptoms and willing to risk an unsightly bruise from the large needle. These are just my opinions based on a 1 time visit, so take them as you wish.

Please report the facility and pricing if you choose to go elsewhere as many of us would like to know.

2018 udate:

This poster is correct. They will not test you for the full range of STD's unless you have symptoms and even if you do results take over 2 weeks. The tests they will test you for are Syphilis and HIV. If you are looking for an express service do not waste your time coming here unfortuantely you will have to pay at private lab.

2 hours ago, ICECOOL said:

It took me several attempts for me to find a taxi to go to the Australian embassy which had recently relocated. I found one who claimed to know where the newly located embassy was. He quoted 300 which I knew was high but when you need to get somewhere you pay. Turns out he didn't know.  Eventually I got him to ask a local motorcycle taxi who sent him to the new location via a 25 minute loop because of oneways. Fool wasn't happy.

Called grab to take me back. half the price. 

Surely you knew the address yourself? If you told the driver the address and the general area I don't see how he can have any issue finding it if not he can at least drop you off in the general area. Which area did you hail the cab? If the Taxi does not use the meter get out and find another one. The fact you didn't question the meter let the driver know you had absolutely no clue what you were doing. There are several significant landmarks or points of reference in this area that the only cab driver who would not know is one that is trying to con you somehow.

The only other scenario where a fixed price might be quoted is if your driving into heavy traffic. Which being around Lumpini park could well be the case. Regardless, anywhere in a 10 mile radius of here has such a rich supply of cabs there is absolutely no need to pay a quoted price to anywhere. Just walk on and hail another cab until you find one who puts the meter on. 

Your best course of action given the location and probable time of day would have been to get on the MRT to Lumpini and walk from there.

43 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

That's utter nonsense.

I was stopped and dismounted from a Grab bike on soi 11 as we passed the win Moto stand. Surrounded by several drivers who picked the phone up off the driver's bike and threatened to smash it on the ground. I had to continue the rest of my short journey on foot. Whilst they didn't threaten me personally they certainly intimidated the young (female) driver.

I'm sure the incident was captured on CCTV.

First time this is happened but I certainly would not take a Grab bike to anywhere around upper Sukhumvit again.

I don't have anything against Moto drivers, I use them frequently and they are generally excellent and honest. Unfortunately you get rogue operators around tourist hotspots all over the world and soi 11 is an example of organised fixed pricing. The Thai win moto drivers are usually far better drivers than the Grab riders who are usually (in my experience) students who are out of there ordinary area of knowledge. I feel much safer on a win moto than I do on a Grab bike. These guys are pros and have been riding the streets for years. That experience should not be discredited. In the vast majority of cases if I overpay or try to tip a win moto driver he will promptly return the excess money. The few sharks operating around the tourist hubs (small minority) give the rest of the drivers (majority) an unfair reputation. If a taxi refuses to put the meter on...walk away and find another. They are usually only asking a few hundred extra bhat on top of the regular fare anyway whilst it is dishonest perspective does have to be used some times.

3 hours ago, pow01 said:

Don't go anywhere near a tourist area on a grab bike, local Win Moto drivers will stop you and make you dismount. 

To add to this comment by myself...I was also physically threatened by an older songtaew driver in Chiang mai while waiting with my luggage for an (at the time) Uber car to pick me up. He asked to take me to the airport I said no thank you I have booked but he glanced at my phone and saw the Uber app in play. At this point he started circling me with clenched fist saying "use uber, no come to Thailand...not welcome Thailand". Not being one to back down I politely held his gaze in a defensive manner. 

Fortunately the Uber arrived and the driver was built like a tank who promptly told the songtaew driver where to go.

Anyway the point to my story is that feelings about Uber and Grab (not only in Thailand) run very strong amongst the professional driving community as they feel there profession is being undercut and this in certain situations has the potential to boil over.

Don't go anywhere near a tourist area on a grab bike, local Win Moto drivers will stop you and make you dismount. 

Took pity on an empty bar owner in a well known tourist area and sat down and had a few beers. Was overcharged by the young cashier 1 beer which I pointed out but she stood her ground. Now I know why it's empty and I will never return here again. Left this bar to go to 7/11 and bought a coconut water for 25. Gave 40 and received 5 change. Pointed it out straight away and was reimbursed. Seems prevalent in tourist towns. Same scam or coincidence? I'm not sure.

Plenty of Thais go shirtless or wear wifebeaters. In England if I saw a fat man without a shirt we would poke some fun at him. Nothing to do with being a farang or Thai, just human nature. Honestly, I don't think this offends anyone, especially in a beach/tourist area. Infact, it seems to provide a source of entertainment! You are being a snob.

Lots of good English speakers, as others have said make an effort to talk to people if they think you are worth the effort then maybe they will try a little harder, also you can help them by encouraging the conversation and offering assistance at times. I have met good English speakers from across the spectrum of society, you are really spoilt for choice in a city like Chiang Mai.

Hope it all works out for 'your friend'.

She will have a discharge book and military ID tags if she was in the navy.

....in a country were almost everybody has a gun....

Complete nonsense.

Deal with it like a man, by fronting him up face to face, if that's not your style then call the Thai police to make him back off. Thai police are not as bad as morons on here make out.

In my experience, people who drag things out are desperate, if this clown was going to do anything he would have struck by now.

My advice, ignore the idiot, eventually he will get bored and find something else to occupy his time.

Just because its suspicious circumstances doesn't necessarily mean its a lie, and if it was it's a pretty elaborate one.

Working as a nurse is not an easy job, so I could quite understand why someone would want to hit easy street for a while and have some fun.

I knew a senior nurse who took home 28k from a public hospital job along with some quite nice other benefits.

Pattaya bar girl!? Massive red flag

Network.

A bar with a band or public/street performance is a good place to start. Tell the drummer you like his style and you play a little yourself ..

Sorry to be patronising but I have to say it as it is, improve your people skills and you will meet more people. I'm a musician myself and had/met some of my best times and friends just by walking in somewhere and striking up a conversation.

Thais won't fight without a group of other Thais behind him, or unless he has a weapon of some kind.

This happens all over the world, its called thug/pack mentality. I know plenty of Thai men who would smash you one on one. You do know that Muay Thai is their national sport and its a form of one on one combat?

It's nothing personal, they just don't like you. Your in Asia.