Evo Terra

A free event for podcasters, podcast listeners, or just those curious about podcasting. No sales pitches. No business schemes. Just people based in Bangkok who create them or love listening to them.

Details

• Wednesday, November 29th 2017 from 7:00p - 9:00p
• 3rd floor of Smalls on Suan Phlu in Sathorn
• No fee for admission, but you have to buy your own beer. Sorry.
• RSVP on FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/794495284056432/

My wife and I are staying with friends for a few days next weekend at their place in Jomtien. We're in no rush to get there and are happy making a variety of stops along the way to see interesting sights along the way. And while we could just follow Google Maps (avoiding tolls, freeways, and other 'no motorbikes allowed!' roads, obviously), there might be some conventional wisdom from this group for some not-to-miss sights along the way, or maybe even some interesting routes to take.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

E.

I'd think a bigger risk my be another breakdown of the airport link. That seems to be happening a lot.

No advice on the relative wetness, as it'll be my first Songkran, too. But I have made a few recent trips to and from BKK via Uber to one BTS station further down (On Nut) from you. It's fast, efficient, and cheap enough. $15 US for door-to-door in 30 minutes. Or $3 an about an hour. Assuming the airport link doesn't stop mid-route.

Welcome to Bangkok from another escaped desert rat! (18 years in AZ, mostly PHX metro).

It's not unusual.

Dammit. Someone beat me to the punch. That's what I get for walking out earlier. Shit.

Not to mention, of course, that this thing called Google ain't anywhere near as great as he would like us to believe according to others who have responded on this thread!

Spot on, OJAS. Always a good idea to get confirmation from those on the ground. Google maps has a 50/50 chance of accurately dropping a pin in Thailand. Though they are eerily accurate when it comes to driving/walking directions when points are correct.

There's this great thing called Google. I just used it to search for "bangkok" AND "ministry of foreign affairs" and within one second, at the very top of the search results was the ministry's English-language website, and one click away was the address, phono number, fax number, etc.

Of course, as I had intimated, that's not the address for the particular office I was looking for. But thanks for showing us you can at least type.

I look at the .pdf you included, UJ. (Thanks for that!) I think I/we have everything, except for where it gets into business stuff, which I'm not sure is applicable. To wit:

So with the notable exceptions listed above, I think I have or will have everything for a smooth-ish sailing. Unless the kicker will be not having the actual copy of the work permit, which sounds like a deal-breaker to me.

My wife is the breadwinner now that we're in Thailand, and I'm going in for the dependent O visa. We were told by her employer's "visa runner" that we need to:

a) take our marriage license (from the US almost 30 years ago) to the American Embassy to get it certified (easy enough and appointment made for tomorrow), and

then take that document to The Ministry of Foreign Affairs "near the immigration center", and then

c) go to the Immigration center proper (Chaeng Wattana) and apply for the visa (assuming I have at least 16 days remaining on my current stay, which I have.)


But my trouble is with the "near Immigration" part of said instructions. Because the mfa.go.th site shows their offices on Sri Ayudhya Road, not far from the Phyra Thai BTS stop. Yet everything else I read is "near immigration", almost 20 km north of there. Google Maps is often utter <deleted> when it comes to things like this, and there's a good chance this is a specialty splinter office set up just for this kind of service.

Has anyone been to the MFA recently to have them stamp/verify/accept a marriage certificate as part of the process for freeloaders like me? If so, I'd love an actual address, or at least a dropped pin on a map so I know where the hell I'm going.

E.

Vic can probably help you out. Nice guy, too. He runs this: https://www.facebook.com/anoogoprinting

There's a haberdashery of sorts in the JJ Mall part of Chatuchak market. It's not far from the entrance (of the mall, not the Gate 1 of the market) on your right as you walk in. Lots of cheap stuff out front, but they do have a display case inside with some quality products. I've got a big head, and the ones in the display case fit me.

Now that would be nifty. But I'm not aware of one. There is an oft-reported combined MRT/BTS system coming, but the release date keeps getting pushed back. I doubt it'll be an all-you-can-travel pass, though.

It's not a condo, it's a Century Theater complex and hotel.

Even better!

Does anyone know what they are building between Ideo Mobi and Ideo Verve instead of the old On Nut Beer Garden?

Another new condo.

Pretty sure it's another condo, @johnth. I live down Suk 52, so I get to see the slow progress.

There are a couple of options for beers on the "even" side of Sukhumvit. One is Corner 79, just uptown from The Verve. 5-6 food semi-perm food vendors in there. Not horribly priced. And then there's the "pop up" bar called My Sisters' Bar between the stairs to the BTS and the stairs that cross Sukhumvit. It's called My Sisters' Bar because it's ran by a woman named Nut, her sister Nutu and their brother Sarn. Ask any of them who's bar it is, and the appropriate answer is "my sister's". So it fits. MSB is only open in the evening. I've been known to stop on my way back home for a nightcap or two. Big Chang for 90B. Not the cheapest. Not the most expensive. Nice people, tho.

E.

Alabama, huh? I'd have bet on Florida. Again.

I'm a big fan of Jackie's right under Nana. My wife and I had a crazy amount of new items made from them in the last few weeks. I'm wearing one of my new shirts right now. Not the cheapest place, but nowhere near the price I was paying in The States. Plus, my tailor in the USA never once gave me a beer while I waited on a fitting. (

Oh, and the items were done in a few days. Top notch work. Free tailoring in the event I lose (not gain, dammit!) weight. Or get taller.

Tell 'em "Sheila and Evo" sent you. I think I get a free shirt out of a referral, which would be awesome!

And to add to this by asking: Where's the "hot spot"? We lucked out at the Phuket Vegetarian Festival Parade and had a prime spot for the bizarre (to us, expecting only a parade) spectacle. This time we'll bring ear plugs, respiratory masks, and long pants to protect from shrapnel, as I'm not taking any chances. But where's the prime spot for my partner to nab the best photos?

Drop me a line and we'll meet up. [email protected]

Thai and English? No. But I'm a podcaster who speaks English and lives in Bangkok. I know of a few other podcasters also in Thailand. But none are Thai.

Have you tried house sitters, Hanna? Lots of people willing to watch the kitty for the whole time you are gone in your place. Its how we stayed our first 2 weeks in BK (Silom area) back in October. And five other countries last year.

It's kinda like online dating crossed with couch surfing: You list your need -- the dates you need a sitter, your basic location (not your address), the pets and any other particulars -- and people "apply" if they're interested. You'll get a dozens of options in 24 hours, I'd wager.

There are literally thousands of people signed up, with references and videos and more. We have a page with the house sitting sites we use: http://shevo.<deleted>/stayforfree, and the site we've had the most luck with was Trusted Housesitters.

I know a few folks close buy who would *love* to find a month-long stay in Bangkok. You'll fill up with requests very quickly.

E.

Much appreciated, TheSpade. I owe you a beer!

My plans to sit around drinking beer all day have been foiled by a new venture. [sigh] New clothes are coming from a tailor in a few days. Now for the pesky requirement of up keep.

My condo is at the end of Soi 52, and there's not a cleaner to be found down here. Just when I thought Tesco had everything.

Suggestions? I'm looking for a proper dry cleaner ideally, as I'll have some items that shouldn't be laundered. Google maps isn't much help (ever), but hopefully someone here has a personal favorite here or close to a nearby BTS stop.

Cheers from the bottom of 52!

E.

Last night we made it to "Mini Bar 3". At least that's what the guitar player called it. It's the little bar -- and I mean little -- that's on Sukhumvit, packed into the street vendors on the sidewalk. It's on the "even" side of Sukhumvit, just downstairs from the On Nut BTS station.

Nice little place. The standard Thai beer selection. 100 Baht for a big Leo, which isn't the cheapest or the most expensive you can find in the area. The two girls working the bar were quite friendly. As was the guitar player. We're now "Mister and Madame", perhaps forever.

I did a Scope from there if you want to see the place as we experienced it live. https://katch.me/OppTravelers/v/3e3435bc-f2d4-384f-9678-37e1e7d1fce9

Fun times. We'll be back, since it's the closest bar (that we know of) to us down at the end of Soi 52.

I found the bridge. Right there, about ~500m from Sukhumvit. It wasn't open when we walked by at 1:00, but then again... it was 1:00 in the afternoon on a Sunday. Will try another time.

Tycoon Classic between 50 & 52 is nonexisting. Just walked it. Nothing on that isn't a new condo office.

It's there. Way down in Soi 54, after you hang a right to connect to Soi 50. From Soi 50, turn left into the soi right before the bridge where the expressway bridge crosses over. I've driven past it for years on the way to work and often thought it looks worth a visit. Never been in though.

Oh, I think that's called Sawatdi 4 Alley. That looks like the connector between 54 & 50. 52 doesn't connect down there. The OP mentioned "dark, bad road, nothing to see here" along with 50 & 52, which sounded like the little connector (and only connection between the two) just a few meters from my place at Next.

If I'm feeling adventurous tomorrow, I think I found it on Google Map's street view (though that's horridly inaccurate in my experience.) Looks like it's only about a click from my place, so I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the info!