JamJar

On 9/27/2019 at 10:07 PM, CG1 Blue said:

I've previously avoided November. 

I don't mind rain - in fact I love a good rainstorm over there. What I'd prefer to avoid is 2 weeks of solid rain, and people paddling on lilos down Chaweng road for the duration of a well needed break. 

 

I know these concerns might irritate some of the permanent residents over there, but until I become permanent (in 5 years or so) I wanted to seek a bit of feedback before I fork out a lot of money for a holiday.     

 

That said, I'll probably go anyway ????

I find this blog a good source for up to date info on Samui; https://samui-weather.blogspot.com

2 hours ago, johng said:

Massage and ganja seem like good ideas to me + some beer and pizza (for the munchies)

That train has already left the station. 

Twenty five years ago, they were giving it away. It was all part of the genuinely laid back experience. I actually didn't smoke, but had no objection to others doing so. it just added to the genuinely friendly vibe.

But since then, the environment became increasingly hostile. Locals afraid. Tourists being marched to an ATM by the police.

So rather than a genuinely relaxed feeling, likely more of paranoia.

Add to that, smoking bans in public and on the public beaches and you have an almost completely hostil environment. You cannot reverse that with wishful thinking.

I don't have an issue with smoking bans. I dislike people smoking around me. But that isn't the point. They have already eliminated most of the things that made Thailand special.

It's just a two dimensional version of it's former self.

The ugliness of mass tourism is just another nail in that coffin. 

It can still be a pleasant place. But you are constantly having to avoid the scams and corruption, including from the police.

Contact AMLO in order to find out how you can take steps to verify this kind of account. 

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Don't remember 91

https://www.xe.com/currencytables/?from=GBP&date=1998-01-29

States 88 there. But we were getting 91 on the ground.

7 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

people have short memories, or no memories at all of that time. It went back up to 72 or so if I recall. 

91. You need to eat more oily fish. Your memory seems to be going too ????

7 hours ago, daxbr said:

Talking about Dtac: forgot to extend validity and they cancelled my card. Can I still get prepaid, per minute plan plan for voice and sms only?

http://www.dtac.co.th/en/prepaid/products/sim-go-plearn.html

If you cannot find that actual SIM, just get a normal SIM(not DTAC Tourist SIM, Pa-tong-koh SIM, mini SIM, Virus SIM or special SIMs) and tap in *103*55*9# and hit the dial button.

10 minutes ago, gaviny said:

It's *104*598#

For SIMs purchased prior to the 1st of March.

Their data packages are fine, including unlimited 10 Mbps(location permitting) for 90 days at a time. Search the board for the relevant codes and conditions.

6 hours ago, goldmagpie said:

I would appreciate a page somewhere you're allowed to link to with explanations of this plus codes (the codes work even without affiliate codes. I tested that out successfully last winter). You or people who appreciate your work could then link to it. Any discussion on this forum would be up to you to contribute to or not. I would suggest only responding with clarifications on your own page, not here, since it clearly stresses you.

It's not stress. I just choose to contribute no longer. That means, no new links. 

Old links are still up. You are welcome to search them out.

46 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

If AEON would not have limited max withdrawal to 20'000 Baht per transaction, they would be of interest.

But ATMs at certain banks allow to withdraw 30'000 Baht per transaction.

DCC option as default is indeed annoying but you can deny.

 

150/20'000 = 0.75%

220/30'000 = 0.73%

 

Withdraw 60'000 Baht:

2*220 = 440

3*150 = 450

 

Unfortunately the question about the new huge SCB ATMs (multi functional terminals) that claim to spend 200'000 Baht per transaction is open: how do they work with foreign cards?

At the miserable exchange rates I am not willing to try it

 

Your post assumes that people will always need to withdraw the maximum allowed.

It also assumes that their card will allow them to withdraw more than 20000 baht a time.

So you actually mean, "of interest to you". It will certainly be of interest to others. Most UK cards have a limit of £300 to £500 per day.

13 hours ago, goldmagpie said:

Thanks for this.

 

I'm not landing just yet. Any idea what the promotion date cutoff on these are? Would these still be valid in November? I have one old SIM, and usually use an extra for data. I should have kept the extra one active, but didn't think they'd cut off newer SIMs. Glad I kept one going, at least.

 

What's the point of the Lazada listings? There's one DTAC for 129 Baht for 4 mbps and 31 Gb pet month. Why sell the SIM like that if you can use any SIM and activate the package? Unless the SIM was activated before 1st of March?

The codes I posted are for the benefit of distributors in order to sell product. So they can package them in any way they want.

I just gave the forum members the benefit of being able to do it for themselves. It was clearly too much responsibility for some.

So unfortunately, because of a few miscreants, it has become more of an irritation than a pleasure to help the people here. So I won't be doing it any more.

Since some think they know better, they can take up the slack.

5 hours ago, shdmn said:

I have an old AIS Prepaid Tourist SIM and the codes posted here for this month do NOT work.  So what I can tell you for sure with first hand knowledge is that any old SIM will NOT work.  At least not on AIS.

 

To be fair to "I'm taking my ball and going home" JamJar, who is probably just posting here under a different username, he basically said that.  But now some other people have posted here incorrectly indicating any SIM will work and muddying the waters again.

It doesn't matter how many times you are told, you then act as if you weren't told it in the first place.

Posting under another username?? 

To be honest, I don't think you are playing with a full pack.

Where has anyone written that they work "with any old SIM"?

Every time I have listed those codes, I have stated that they do not work with Tourist SIM.

Tourist SIM is not a normal SIM.

Go back to post #71 and you will see it for yourself. Every time you are instructed to do one thing, you do something else and then complain that you were told to do that something else, when you clearly were not.

Your problem is that you cross post on every thread that you can find. So you forget where to look for the answers you were given. Bumping threads even if they are months old. 

For these reasons, you are now permanently on ignore.

For the reasons of ungrateful people like yourself and your unpleasant posts and accusations(redacted since I am not allowed to comment about moderation) I will not be posting any new offers to this forum.

That will be my last word on the matter. 

Have a nice day.

2 hours ago, cmrichsw said:

Where in the West are you referring to?? Had several surgeries here,  nowhere near as expensive as Florida for example.

That is exactly why USA is proposed for the list. Because of their system of charging as much as the insurance companies can bear.

If they appeal to the price gouging countries' folks, they can charge high prices but still look cheap in comparison. I imagine that is what they are thinking.

I've travelled to Thailand to use private hospitals many a time. But now just don't bother with all of the hassle involve.

It's not about the money. It's just that on the surface, it has become increasingly unattractive. 

5 hours ago, madmen said:

5 hours ago, madmen said:

master card for one but its ignored because the basher's can't face reality

master card for one but its ignored because the basher's can't face reality

What if Europeans/Americans don't use their cards in Thailand? What if they carry US$5000/5000€ etc in cash for their ten day/two week trip?

How would Mastercard know?

Even if the figures were true, why would people like Yinn imagine that mass tourism is good for the country.

Look at the examples of Chinese pyramid marketing companies, working in conjunction with local government, to bring thousands of 'employees' for a few days, in order to be herded around. Only the very few will profit from these enterprises. It's all about marketing their questionable product and kickbacks....on both sides.

Do you really imagine that these are employees and that it is pure largesse on the part of the company?

Kickbacks galore and more pressure on the local infrastructure. Who loves hundreds of smoke belching coaches on their roads?

Especially when, at a stroke, it can all disappear. Upset China and they will ban the locust tours and the numbers will drop like a stone.  

So don't get excited by large numbers, as if it is always a good thing. 

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

 Thank you, my Thai adult son called them, their response was that they need to see the machine to check if the hinges also should be replaced, but can probably help to get and fit new lid and hinges if needed, and very possible monitor can be used again in new lid. I will visit Vserve on Saturday.

 

From past experience do the Vserve staff speak much English?

 

Thanks again. 

 

 

 

Have no idea. Have never been there. 

If they supply the lid and hinges, it will be more expensive, as indicated. Perhaps more than 3000 baht via Lenovo, as compared to 1320 baht including hinges, delivered from the U.K.

Then whatever they charge for labour.

Remember that you also need an SSD; https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/solid-state-drives-ssd/crucial/mx500-250gb-2-5inch-internal-ssd-ct250mx500ssd1-p034803/ or https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/solid-state-drives-ssd/crucial/mx500-500gb-2-5inch-internal-ssd-ct500mx500ssd1-p034804/ are good.

Alternatively, you can just buy the cheapest; https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/solid-state-drives-ssd/crucial/bx500-120gb-3d-nand-sata-2-5inch-internal-ssd-ct120bx500ssd1-p040111/ or https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/solid-state-drives-ssd/crucial/bx500-240gb-3d-nand-sata-2-5inch-internal-ssd-ct240bx500ssd1-p040112/ Fine for day to day usage. 

If it were I, I would spend as little as possible on the refurb. Change the lid, get them to fix the hinges to move more smoothly, as indicated in the YouTube video and fit the SSD and clean install Windows 10 to it.

Towards this aim, source the parts yourself, so you only have to pay for their labour.

For example, obtain a inexpensive USB 2.0 8 GB or more USB Flash Drive and create your own Windows 10 installation media; https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

and pop on to eBay or similar to get yourself a product key(if you need one) 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Microsoft-Windows-10-Pro-32-64-bit-Operating-System/6031187488?iid=113862143925

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Microsoft-Windows-10-Pro-32-64-bit-Operating-System/6031187488

Order the SSD of your choice. Then you can present it all to them and request thy use those to install the operating system, as opposed to local methods.

So the whole thing can cost 2000 to 3000 baht.

Hmmmm.....

https://www.echinacities.com/news/Tuhao-Bosses-Bring-6000-Employees-to-Korea-for-Fried-Chicken-and-Beer-Party

Not my comment; 

Quote

RandomGuy

(7)(0)

Folks, those massive "staff tour groups" are just another way to smuggle money out of the country. Most likely the bosses went through a travel agency and bought totally overpriced plane tickets then got a generous kickback (50%?) in Korean Won or USD. This sir, is how you China. They don't give a <deleted> about pleasing or rewarding their employees.

These 'tours' are far more prevalent that you might imagine.

http://koreabizwire.com/8000-chinese-tourists-to-visit-s-korea-to-taste-samgyetang/53541

http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=13039

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2019/05/693_201460.html

http://www.koogle.tv/media/news/6000-chinese-sales-reps-from-aolan-international-beauty-hold-chicken-beer-party-in-incheon/

6 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Might at least cost more than a comparable new notebook.

I have found a description on the net that says:

14" Full HD (1080p), touch screen, anti glare

i3 CPU, 1.9 GHz

4(??) GB of RAM

500 GB HDD

NVIDIA GeForce 920M

fingerprint sensor

 

Best you create a prioritized checklist and start with an online search before you walk into a shop.

 

For that one can surely get more performance nowadays or a much lower price for a 14" model.

 

With the requirements the OP describes he has no need for that?

 

 

The problem is not specification, but quality. I guarantee that his four year old laptop has not been stellar in it's performance. But the specification on paper is more than enough for even now.

On paper, simply fitting a solid state drive and clean installing the operating system, will bring that device right up to speed. But obviously there are other niggling problems with the design and build. Not really acceptable for a 16k to 17k baht device.

I'm still using a ten year old laptop. Posting with it now. He has given up on a four year old laptop. Four years is just not good enough.

But don't belittle them. You can collate all of the evidence, including the link to YouTube video for the stiff hinge issue and present it gently. Like father to son. no shouting and no exasperation. Then they may want to help. 

Check with Lenovo beforehand, to find out who and where is their official service centre in Chiang Mai;

INFORMATION FOR AFTER SALES SERVICE

Lenovo Call Center

1800 012 220(โทรฟรี) | 0-2104-0792(คิดค่าบริการตามระบบเครือข่าย)

Phone support time :M-F 9am-6pm

(Consumer product เปิดเพิ่มเติม Sat 9am-3pm.)

อีเมล์ : [email protected]

VServePlus location

053 409 482

If it is they. But check beforehand.

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

Thanks, appreciated.

 

Please see the photo attached showing the crack across the cover. I have been to several places in CM and in Bkk, they all tell me that it's not possible to repair the cover, and they say a new cover/monitor would cost more than buying a new notebook. How true that is of course I don't really know.

Donkeys.... ????

Lenovo themselves sell the top lid and all fittings including the hinges, for 3202 baht. 

They even, helpfully, supply pictures on their official website;

or just buy one removed from another device; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lenovo-Yoga-500-14ISK-White-Laptop-Lid-Hinges-Brackets-46003R080002-5CB0H91137/362760023686

If the original hinge assembly is undamaged/intact, then you need only a new top lid, costing perhaps 800 to 1000 baht; 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-For-Lenovo-Flex-3-14-Yoga-500-14-LCD-Back-Cover-White-5CB0H91137/282487658446

https://www.aliexpress.com/af/5CB0H91137.html

The lid probably broke because of a stiff hinge;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWr6UncPFRs

There is no need to replace the screen. Just nonsense from incompetents. As I stated, I think Vserve Plus in Chiang Mai may be a Lenovo service centre. So you can source the part yourself and get them to fit it.

Service Centres should have the schematic diagrams.

At the same time that can fit a solid state drive in order to speed things up considerably. Driver problems we can work on remotely.

3 hours ago, shady86 said:

If you are interested with a used business grade Dell notebook with warranty until 2021, you may contact via PM. 

Post the Service Tag and price, if you please, so we can appraise it for scorecard.

Looks like the original cost was around 16k.

It's actually only four years old.  It actually shows the manufacturing date of 17/06/2015.

You can probably fix most of it's issues. Broken part at Verve Plus. But it's really not a good device. 

I had a look at laptops at a similar price range. They fall into a similar category. Nice specs, but but 'consumer quality'.

Some examples; 

https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/notebooks-laptops/asus/vivobook-14-x412fj-ek216t-slate-grey-p043663/

https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/notebooks-laptops/asus/vivobook-15-x512da-ej140t-slate-grey-p043694/

Would I buy 'em? No. I'd rather buy a second user high quality business device. 

If I see something special, I'll let you know.

5 hours ago, phungo said:

ahh thanks for the explanation.

is it really 32GB per month? (with other packages even higher to 140GB per month?) These huge GB per month numbers makes little sense to me.

How can people even use this much unless you stream YouTube every waking minute?

It is capped at a maximum speed of 4 Mbps(0.5 MB/s)