siam-i-am

Never seen it here. Perhaps the problem is that the plywood here is not standard thickness. What they call 10 millimeter plywood ranges from 7+ to 10 mm depending on grade and manufacturer and all other nominal sizes vary also. You might try carefully measuring the thickness of the material you want to use and the alternatives then see if one of the aluminum window shops has a molding that would fit.

Have you tried global house?

The Phuket forum says that Big Mike's (original owner of Mike's original Burgers) is closed with for sale sign out front and one poster says that it was doing quite well.

Anyone know what Mike is up to now?

Don't know about Mike, but friends tell me trade in Pattaya is down on last year maybe Phuket is feeling the pinch? Is Chiang mai up or down on this time last year?

Perhaps he owns the property through a company?

This and other ways to "own" a property, does it matter? I sense some green eye in the op's message

I don't know if business history counts as history, but I read a great book called "big in asia" which talks about all of asia, including Thailand, the big business families, the role of the overseas Chinese in trade, as well as case studies of successful business partnerships in Thailand, like Big C, Tesco, Boots. Not exactly history, but I thought it was very interesting.

Haven't read any books but I've seen the musical. et cetera, et cetera. Does that count?

Shall we dance cha cha cha

Hey Up your OZ

I'm a little curious about the monorail, but not 150 B curious. Besides, I've already vowed twice not to return to that zoo as it's one of the worst I've ever been too. Pay extra for pandas. Aquariums always closed. Can't find most of the other animals anyway. Poor signage. Walking forever. Lame food. Don't like the tram. But mainly... where are the animals ?? Hardly ever see anything for time spent there. They need to be paying me to go back and retry the zoo.

Also - I suggest you add a subtitle so ppl know what your thread is about. More folks may have a look.

"Where are the animals??" "Lame food" You've answered your own question. If you look carefully in the panda enclosure you'll see one of them is wearing a prosthesis on his hind quarters, when I inquired what had happened to the pooor beast? The keeper said when you get a draw as good as this one you don't eat it all at once.

I just asked my Isaan friend:

He says that if someone is constipated, a coin in the ear does the trick.

Said with a straight face. No joke.

Well I've heard of the saying "couldn't tell his a.s.s. from his elbow" maybe same difference.

Strumpets aplenty, I think the music shop in Loi Kroh sells trumpets too.

Music shop in Loi Kroh - if it is the one I think you mean it proves how rarely you visit that part of town - has been closed for at least a year. There are two I can think of that would be a decent bet. Music shop on Thapae Road - half way up on the right hand side and the other is Pol Music on Charoen Prathet. The Thapae Gate one would be my first pick because they are much bigger and have a wider range of instruments. I was there a while back and noticed they had Selmer brass instruments so someone is pretty serious. Second hand wise there are a few places around but they are usually student quality and (cared for as such) the valves will be poor quality and probably gunked up with unnamed student's spittle. Other suggestion is to check at one of the schools - they commonly have a school band and would be able to point the OP in the direction of a supplier.

CB

Don't encourage him there's enough noise in CM already

I think the thread origin was partly about why the charge came in. I am not sure exactly but think that once a business passes a certain turnover, and maybe other criteria the tax has to be applied. I am not sure if the business has any discretion, possibly not. It seems that the service charge element is usually added at the same time, presumably that part is discretionary but again not sure - could be linked to tax authorities rules around taxing tips and service charges.

Agree with all said about S&P however - but the power of branding McDonald style will probably ensure their continued growth...sadly!

This is all wrong. There is no point at which a business has to add on tax and service charge and seeing as you brought up McDonalds, there is your proof. They sell more than anyone else and have added neither.

Adding tax and service charge to prices was a scam thought up by greedy hotel owners and now a lot of other businesses are copying it!

My sentiments exactly, if a coffee is priced at 50bhat on the menu then they add 10% service plus 7% tax, that's as good as 59bhat. The reason they don't put 59bhat on the menu in the first place is deceit pure and simple.

Any one have any information of a traffic accident yesterday eve I think somewhere on the Chiang Rai Highway, between the 2nd ring road and Doi Saket? I was told a bus was involved and there were a number of fatalities.

I have agonised a bit about my last post and wish to add a PS.

It sounds rather as if I saw it all happen, said to myself "Ho Hum, TIT!" and walked away.

In fact my male farang passenger and I waded in immediately, stopped the bus engine (but no exterior cut-off, as in the west), found the one body whom no-one could help, staunched the bleeding of one of the worst wounded and helped the (amazingly mildly injured) passengers out of the bus.

When the medics arrived we directed them to the most urgent cases, then helped police control traffic. Two other expat farangs, one man (Swiss?) and a young English lady also mucked in, as did many locals, and did their best.

I will now try to ensure the police don't blame the bus driver. There is still some sort of Pavlovian reaction around here to try to blame the driver of the biggest vehicle involved. Or any farang driver.

NB farangs: Do not apply to drive buses or trucks!!

Didn't read TIT in post at all good report Flatout.

Went to rimping supermarket near mae jo yesterday. As usual called in to S&P for coffee and cake bill varies from one visit to another one of the group of 4 pays the bill and leaves 20 bhat tip. On this visit one of the party picked up the bill and noticed 10% service charge plus 7% tax. This is a coffee shop! Well thats my last visit. I supose it explains why their not very busy.

When we still lived in my condo we had one 40 incandescent bulb for a night light. I found a 4 watt fluorescent bulb that fit it and it gave plenty of light. Since then we have moved to a house up country and there is not a single incandescent bulb in the house or outside.

Carre four? Got them on offer 80 bhat

Ton Payom Market - the little shop on the corner facing the klong with the motorcycle taxis outside

Been using him for 8 years +

Does a good scalp, neck & shoulder massage too

60 Baht all-in - haircut, shave, and massage

I get a good haircut and shave for 40 bhat but Majeo man swore me to secrecy, if you ask him nicely he may tell.

Did a visa run to Burma last week and this came to mind, it's by George Orwell he wrote it at least 90 years ago. Some things never change.

WHEN I was young and had no sensIn far-off Mandalay

I lost my heart to a Burmese girl

As lovely as the day.

Her skin was gold, her hair was jet,

Her teeth were ivory;

I said, “for twenty silver pieces,

Maiden, sleep with me”.

She looked at me, so pure, so sad,

The loveliest thing alive,

And in her lisping, virgin voice,

Stood out for twenty-five.

Edit....also means that we have the chance of visiting Seol without having to fly to BKK as well

Aah Seoul. Sounds wonderful.

I've heard the Seoul flights are charter only.

A 2 minute google reveals it's Korean Airlines on the way home at 1.40am.

Roar!

I'm on the same flight path, it started months ago and I'll wager its just the start.

Why feel pity for the guy? He's scum.

It's pretty easy to stay out of Thai prisons you know.

Even easier if your rich

I have been to Thailand many times over the years as a tourist and always found Thai Police etc friendly.

I ordered a book over the internet called "Welcome to hel_l" over from Ebay about a guy called Colin Martin who was released from a Bangkok Jail after serving 8 years,he was released in 2005.

Anyway since getting the book i couldnt put it down,but what disturbed me was the amount of corruption there is in Thai legal system according to him and i felt very angry when he said the prison guards bashed elderly farangs .

But some of the things he wrote i was shocked at to ,like when his Lawyers sat silently in court and not asked defense questions because they might upset the judge etc.

Has anyone read this book or believed his story of innocence?

Also can anyone tell me whatever happened to that old Irish guy who i think about 2 years ago stabbed the owner of a bar in Pattaya ,if going by this book,then that old guy wont survive in that hel_l hole they call a Thai jail.

In some ways im scared to go back to Thailand after reading this book,would this guy be allowed back in Thailand ,say for a holiday?

He's just had a eight year vacation why would he want another one here

I got a good copy of the chinese guy with the stall that is the last one on the left at beach road before walking street

if they aren't good copies there - he'll tell you if you ask

i've bought some bobbins ones off those that go round the bars in the past

Your right I called there yesterday he was under the counter delving into boxes, I called out hey you are these copies good quality, he replied yes, but how you know my name?

I think its called a "ging ga".

My staff eat them by the basket full.

Cheers,

Soundman.

Yeah when I was a boy scout we used to sing a song about them, "Ging ga goolie goolie goolie goolie watch, ging ga goo, ging ga goo.

We flew back from Chiang Mai to Phuket today, lovely flight and no change of planes in Bangkok - very convenient and a good flight. But the plane was late by about one hour, as indeed it had been on the outbound leg, but on that occasion it was more than three hours late. The reason for the delays, well, according to the spokesperson it was all to do with Airbus Industries.

The "captain" apologized for the delay and stated, and I para phrase here but keep as near to the message as I can recall: we're sorry for the delay but the reason is because during this high season all our planes are flying to so many different destinations that we don't have enough planes. We've ordered some more planes but the manufacturer has said they won't be ready for another two years. My fellow passengers, mostly as far as I could tell were Nordic and Western Europeans and many groaned or laughed at the "captain's" remarks.

All very humorous and very sad at the same time that Thai Airways thinks passengers will buy that nonsense and that professional pilots will follow adhere to the party line.

Go to any Thai library and you will see Brothers Grimm under Non-fiction. Fact?

Not really but it could be.

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread. Last night I went to St. Germain des Pres and there was a party of 15 Thais right in front of me. I kept waiting and waiting for food, but they had to be served first. I finished the 4 very tiny - somewhat stale - chunks of bread that they brought me with NO butter (I would say that all together they were smaller than one NORMAL slice of bread) and they asked if I wanted more bread. I was bored of sitting there and starving, so I said yes. At the end of the 500 baht meal I was presented with a charge for the extra scraps of stale bread.

Yes, it was only 20 baht, but no one bothered to inform me that there was an extra charge.

Anyway, I was so miffed that I did something that I never do; I took 20 baht off of the tip for not letting me know.

You had to wait while Thais were served first? I thought that only happened at pasta cafe, I'm shocked and stunned.

Hi,

This is my first time in Chiang Mai during Loi Krathong... Can u guys tell me what's the place to be tonight?

I have no indea where all those celebrations are being held..

Thanks

Bearing in mind the whole event is sponsored by Acme respirators and Ace throat lozenges Stay in your hotel. Last night was just a dress rehearsal of the SNAFU that will occurr tonight, although if you have a gas mask anywhere along the ping will sufice, good luck.

A sex-tourist drugged by prostitutes in the World's sex-tourism capital!

Shock-horror!

If he was a golf captain I guess it was PAR for the Pattaya COURSE, he was too old to be GREEN but had a HANDICAP the two BIRDIES saw a newbie and struck while the IRON was hot, WOOD he have been safer had he put his money in a tea CADDY, will he sever all LINKS in Thailand or continue to play a ROUND?

This subject is so confusing. Does anyone currently have this 6-7 ft dish and using it?

Do you receive all/more channels than UBC?

Do you get internet access? What speed?

It's difficult to get all the required information from these dealers that are selling this system.

Thanks for any info provided.

I've had dynasat for about 4 years there are 2-3 sites with new update codes. These are illegal? Yet the shops that sell the dishes and receivers are not, how strange Needless to say I still get most of the programes shown on true including the top soccer matches, but do have to suffer Japanese commentary now and again. No internet though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiTN6lM42Kw Farang cows........ u know it makes sense !!

Brilliant.