Alboy301

I'm not particularly money conscious but when it comes to Phuket I am. When going to Patong, I always take the Phuket town bus from the airport and then get another bus to Patong. Sometimes, I can't believe the trouble I'm going to to save a few quid but I just despise the taxi mafia in Phuket with a passion.

I always stay in the Amari Coral Beach Resort up the hill in the south of Patong but I have never yet bowed to demands for 200 baht for a short run into town. I'll walk it every time, even in the rain. However, one time I was walking home in the rain with hotel umbrella and a tuk tuk offered to take me home for 100 baht. In my drunken, wobbly-legged state I accepted.

When going back to the airport, a nice lady bar owner gives me a lift for 200 baht. Should be free really considering the money I drop in her bar God, I'm getting tight!

In seriousness, something does need to be done so that Phuket can lose the image of a rip-off town or it's going to suffer badly long-term.

I've sat and watched handicapped beggars a number of times (waiting for my gf at markets) and noticed that they receive the bulk of their gratuities from Thais and are ignored by most Farang. Farang seem to specialize, especially on this forum, at finding reasons why they shouldn't give to disadvantaged people.

Thailand is a cheap holiday destination, so it makes sense that the majority of tourists here are tight fisted.

The sad part is that a lot of Farang who trip over handicapped beggars in the street are probably overtipping bar girls with hard luck stories, massage girls, restaurant staff etc.

Think it's a bit unfair to say that the majority of tourists are tight fisted. If anything, I would say that most are a bit naive and over-generous. I think it is those of us who have spent a lot of time in Bangkok that have become a little cynical and suspicious and in many cases we are right to be so.

Another nail in the coffin for Thailand not many more to go.....

Can someone please ban this annoying cliche?

Civile disobedience - PAD didn't "close the airport or shutdown it's operations"!

It was the AOT Management of Suvannabhum!

Are u for real? Good God!

The security guard fell asleep. How typical

Like that never happens in Falangland !?

Well, it certainly doesn't happen as often. Let's be fair.

OMG.

Just realized that if he comes back to power he might rename the country to Takkiland

I just fell from my chair laughing

Then u sir, r easily amused. Lol

Good on ya Thaksin. Don't let the b......s grind u down.

I'm beginning to think the handwriting is on the wall. We've been in a rural village near Sao Kaeo for about two months and I'm not sure I can adapt.

The most difficult is the early morning noise starting at 6am or earlier (like blasting one hour public announcements, music, ceremonial flute music/chanting, food vendors, you name it) which prevents me from getting a decent sleep and puts me right off in a lousy mood each day. This morning some nearby farmer is burning something and I can't sit outside because of the smoke. Man oh Man.

The wife won't be happy to hear this, especially since her family also lives here in the village (an additional difficulty), but I am thinking life in a quiet, clean high-rise in Jomtien or Pattaya may be a necessity for me. I also really miss the western food and English speaking businesses but that is a different matter.

Has anybody successfully adapted to village life like this? I need to hear a success story.

Personally, I would rather bait a crocodile with my manhood than to try and live like this. Of course it is rather pleasant for a week or two but after that, well..........

Was watching the horrendous programme which is Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand. As a previous resident in Thailand I was looking forward to the program but I've found it to be pretty low-rate stuff.

I don't want to dwell on the pros and cons of the tourist police as that has been done already, but from watching the program I can see why the tourist police could get up someone's nose. They do seem to give off the aura of arrogance and when I hear Howard miller refer to people as "the foreigner" it causes me some irritation. Does he forget he is not actually Thai?

My main concern is in regard to some episodes of incompetence from people trying to masqerade as real policemen. I will recall one such episode:

Some drunk and deaf tourists had been involved in an altercation, read fight, with a Thai male. So the tourists are seated at the table at walking street and a deaf tourist volunteer tries to sort out the situation through sign language. Meanwhile the bold Howard Miller goes in search of the Thai male - fair enough, as we don't want him to escape do we?

Here's where I take issue. Now, a proper policeman would interview the Thai person individually, away from the scene, as to bring him in contact with the other party from the fight (who were drunk and very agitated) could cause a re-occurence. On the other hand a poorly trained, or perhaps a mischievous individual, who could possibly have a double agenda, would bring the person back to face his fellow brawlers, knowing that it would cause a scene. Well, Howard chose to bring the Thai back to Walking street and of course it did kick off again, with the Thai getting knocked down and a tourist getting a bloodied nose.

So Howard, are you just poorly trained or were you being mischievous?

Ps. Howard thanks for the classic moment, where u tried and failed to put the guy in an armlock, while shouting "do not resist us!" A classic moment . If you would like private lessons in Krav Maga I would charge you a very reasonable rate.

I'm sure some things are just designed to pee people off,

KPG is never gonna be a family destination, I took my parents there and they felt well over aged for the place, its a young persons place so just leave it as a such

This is simply BS said because some people high from their bribes have nothing better to do than to make empty promises.

Apart from anything else, when will Thailand come into line with so many other developed countries in realising that drugs are not equivilant to satan and are simply better understood (and even enjoyed) rather than suppressed

I assume u are a sixty year old with long hair, ripped jeans and an Anarchy tattoo!!!!! One of the most ridiculous posts I've read on this forum.

Lots of us have smoked some weed mate, but could u imagine the consequences if the Thai government supported your view!!

Now I understand why everytime I walk out, I get at least 3 assh*les following me saying, Taxi Pattaya sir, taxi Pattaya!

Its because of all you d*cks who keep comparing how much you are paying to go to that vile place! There are other places to go in this country. So many people complaining about Thais treating you like crap. Its your own fault. If you go to Pattaya you are low class filth. It that simple. Even taxi touts know this.

Its especially insulting when I am with my wife and they ask this. I just want to pick them up and throw them down to the base level from Departures.

Just one time I turned arounf and shout: Mai Ao! Pattaya pen kee! The guy was so surpised he did not what to do.

I'm not a great fan of Pattaya, but in my opinion you are a real low class guy and if your wife is impressed by your ranting (which I doubt) then she is just as bad. These touts may be a pain in the ass, but I for one never feel the need to insult them. Sorry mate but you are probably beneath the people you are slagging off for going to Pattaya. Now run along and crawl under your 5 star rock.

Btw I'd love to see you talk like that to the taxi drivers in Phuket. Don't think you'd last long matey

i agree with groucho marx:

i would never join a club that would have someone like me

for a member

I agree these are the rich and greedy, to bad they did not get more to take their money.

Feel Sorry for them HE-LL NO

It always makes so much sense to condemn the wealthy for being wealthy. Why not go work for a poor person - oh, wait a minute - poor people don't hire people to work for them. Some poor just complain about the success of the wealthy. Really stupid!

I couldn't agree more with your comment venturalaw. There's nothing worse than a bitter little person who laughs at others misfortune because they have failed miserably in their own life. Personally, I feel that people were slightly foolish to invest in such a scheme. IMO how could anyone put such trust in Thai authorities with goalposts constantly moving?

However, I fail to see how investing money u can afford to gain extra convenience is greedy. What u spend is relative to what u earn. Does that mean that when I fly Business class for extra comfort I am being greedy? If I stay in a five star hotel rather than a Khaosarn Road doss-house, does that make me greedy too?

What a nasty little mind some people have.

great, wil see my grandaughter more, while in holidays in bangkok.

she is doing great at school, doesn't need it that much - but it's not the case for the majority of kids

Maybe we should open another thread to discuss how great your grandaughter is.

Hello

I'm about to undergo a bodyguard training course in the UK. Once I've completed this I need to apply for a licence which requires a criminal record check. However it states that if you've been out of the UK for 6 consecutive months you neeed to get a criminal record check from the country you resided in ie. Thailand.

Does anyone know what channels I would need to go through to do this? Something tells me it's going to be a hassle.

Any info would be appreciated-

Alan

it seems as if the lunatics are now running the asylum.

a few minutes before the statement a red shirt leader spoke to the press from the lobby of the royal cliff hotel that they had stormed , saying that the government had one hour to arrest the men (blue shirts)who shot and wounded a taxi driver or they would storm the meeting itself.

i find it unbelievable that

1. the govt. chose to hold this meeting in a location like pattaya , so easy for the protesters to get there and assemble.

2. that the police and army could not secure the area where the meeting was to be held and prevent this disruption.

3. that the hotel security was breached so easily.

it is as if they wanted to let the red shirts win the day.

its very embarrassing for the country.

Ordinary Thais wont like this red shirt action

What a stupid thing to say. Ordinary Thais didn't like the yellow shirts actions either. Most people just want ot get on with their lives and don't want to play puppet on a string for some tin-pot politician

Seems to me many people are making judgements based on class. Just because the red-shirts are of lower class does not mean that they are any worse than the yellow shirts who caused mayhem. If anything perhaps the yellows are worse, because as supposedely better educated people they should know better. Thuggery is thuggery, it doesn't matter how you dress it up or try to justify it. However, while I generally support strong action from police, I think it would be wrong if they take a more heavy handed attitude against the reds, unless innocent lives are at risk or security forces are killed. The red-shirts already feel aggrieved, rightly or wrongly, but beating the crap out of them is only going to inflame the situation and maybe encourage more people to get involved. Remember, at the moment many of these people have nothing to lose!

I'm not condoning these peoples' behaviour but it's pretty piss poor that the police bust people doing things behind closed doors. Why don't they try clearing the streets of the ugly, doped up monstrosities (read hookers) that blight the landscape between sois 3 and 5 on sukhumwit? Why is there no police presence near the tourist areas at night when people are being robbed, pickpocked and harassed, particularly near Asok BTS station? I guess by that time they're all getting pleasantly pissed on their ill-gotten gains!

time to move to laos

I bet u don't!!

Does anybody know if and where the current red-shirts gathering can be viewed online? Incl. the phone-in speach of the fugitive mafiosi?

We (our family) like to see live what he is up to trying to destroy the country.

NBT won't broadcast it.

opalhort

No doubt that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit! Nice display from you. However, I get more put out by comments like mafiosi. I'm quite sure that they're not but it's more likely that some of your wife's family are more closely linked to the mafia than Thaksin. Thaksin is a very intelligent, successful businessman who no doubt, like many others, combined his business skills with a little bribery and corruption.

Personally, I don't feel that he's any better or any worse than the other "elite" in Thailand - just that his actions were more high profile and the figures, pretty staggering. Likewise he's no worse than any other politicians - the only difference was he got caught and in a big way. Personally, I think he's just a guy blinded by power and influence, who didn't know when to stop.

Do you support the anti-corruption PAD (tongue in cheek), who paid people to come out in support, and in some cases kill and maim? Moreover they were paying people, who ordinarily they would not pee on if they were on fire, to do their dirty work. I would suggest this is hardly a party streets ahead of PPP in terms of integrity and decency.

However, think on this. Thaksin, still has more power than any PAD leader, even when he's not in the country. That's a pretty influential figure, whether you support him or not. I'd also say that while Thaksin might be corrupt, he's a ballsy character and I would say he woiuld put his neck on the line for Thailand quicker than the spineless PAD leaders.

I really don't go in for this Thai trait of kicking a man while he's down, both literally and in a figurative sense. Sure the man <deleted> up (and I think he should serve his time), but I don't think it's fair to portray him as the man who led Thailand into the mire. Mind you Somsak would've done that given the chance!

Do you need to have proof of when you changed address when you report to the police? I forgot to do it at the time but I'm wondering if I can just go to the police station and tell them I moved yesterday. Advice would be appreciated.

Does anyone know a good Kindergarten with English Speaking Programme between Ekamai and On Nut - or even anywhere not far form these areas?

My son is almost 4 years old, half Thai and he is currently attending Baan Thai Wattana Kindergarten in Ekamai, where the teaching is in Thai. He will be starting school in the UK in September 2009 and I think this would be a good time to send him to a more English speaking environment where there are some western kids (English is his first language).

I simply cannot pay registration fees for an international school when he would be staying for less than a year. Does anyone know of a reasonably priced school that has an English speaking programme. 60k a semester would be around my budget

Many thanks.

I have recently moved to Thailand with my family and am seeking full time employment. I'm 32 years old and from Northern ireland in the UK. I previously owned two successful fast food businesses in Belfast, Northern Ireland which I sold in 2006. After I sold the businesses I spent two years studying. First of all I completed an MBA course at the University of Ulster in 2007 and then I went on to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, from which I will graduate in June 2008. The latter course included a five week teaching placement in Hungary. I also have a degree in Hospitality management.

I very much enjoyed my time teaching and would be happy to teach in Thailand. Equally, I enjoy the cut and thrust of the business world and would seriously consider any offer of employment in sales, marketing or real estate.

I am an extemely motivated and enthusiastic individual, and feel that my experience from both the academic and business world could be a benefit to any organisation. Also, I intend to spend at least two years in Thailand and I'm not the sort of person who moves from job to job. If I like the job and the environment you can be sure that I'll not leave you in the lurch.

If you would be interested in employing me please PM with your contact details or to request further information

Many thanks for taking the time to read this and I look forward to hearing from you.

Alan

I would say that you will have serious difficulty shifting a 25 year old property and would suggest it is a very unwise idea.

I bought a condo at Waterford Diamond on Sukhumwit 30/1 for 4.5 million nearly two years ago. Now it's price would work out at about 81/82k a sq.m. It's a very reasonable building and only 8 years old. It also generates a pretty good rent of 32k a month.

I would suggest to you that you could buy much younger property for much the same money so I think you would be mad to buy something so old. I know it's easy to get fond of a place you live in but don't let this cloud your judgement. Be realistic about the future. There's currently a big over supply of new condos which makes the task of selling older ones generally more difficult. What will it be like in 10 years?

That appears to be a very bad investment indeed unless I'm missing something. This business is valued higher than it's annual turnover and will take ten years to recoup the investment at current profits. If one said that the assets (which are now second hand) are worth about 2 million I would say 4 million or slightly under would be a fair price.

Thanks to all for your advice and feedback. I will take it on board.

Cheers!