cotambear

Not sure how expats in Spain have anything to do with Phuket?

expats in spain and expats in phuket have the commonality of both being expats?

a significant proportion of both perceive themselves to be particularily targetted by criminals?

'cotambear', elucidate, please.

good word

apart from the predictable subtext of `trouble in paradise` allied with the schaudenfreude (sp) of lucky bastards in resort idyll get their comeuppance, and the bitter irony of those fleeing a perceived crime ridden britain being themselves victims of crime, the prog had some interesting ponder points;

1.With the background of the concern at rising knife crime in the uk, a number of uk young men have been stabbed in Spain, often to death, in part due to the local culture of young men almost invariably carrying knifes.

2. uk expats perceive themselves as targetted by criminal gangs of bulgars, albanians or latin americans (armed with machettes) who raid houses, often with occupants in, and strip them of cash and valuables.

3. despite police pointing out that crime levels in spain are lower than in the uk, expats feel that doesnt reflect their personal experience of being disproportionately targetted.

I think they may be some interesting parallels with farang perception of crime in los, certainly food for thought.

expats under attack (re spain) itv1 now

my two bob?

patong is still incredibly safe when compared with major cities worldwide or other tourist destinations. however violent crime and targeting farang is on the increase I think, and here is why.

1. patong attracts thais from other areas of thailand who believe there is easy money to be made. as outsiders they have less restraint in behaving criminally as they are outside there normal surroundings where they would be cultural restraints eg family. additionally a high proportion of these thais would be from the criminal lumpen elements with prior expertise in money lending, drug dealing, burglary, robbery, etc.

2. patong has an extremely high proportion of rich falang retirees who are prepared to pay crazy prices for houses and land. this in turn puts pressure on rents, which in turn puts pressure on the price of basics, which in turn puts a heavy financial pressure on the thais living here to secure money by `whatever means`. Add to that a perception that all farang are incredibly wealthy, and that the police will largely ignore attacks on farang, then farang become a target.

The solution? Send every article you find on attacks on farang to farang newspapers and the wire services. when it attracts attention and begins to effect the `face` of thailand and impacts tourism, something will be done.

Hi guys, having a holiday from work in march 08 and planning a trip to phuket with my girlfriend, however, it's kindda a 1st time trip for me and my girlfriend so would like to ask the experts here

We would like to take a tour around phuket for 4D.3N

would appreciate some recommandations and dos and whatnots

We're a couple looking for a relaxed trip, shopping, paying the beaches a visit (no diving cuz girlfriend's not water lover), visits to some Wats and nice dinning places. also some nightlife as 1 or 2 nights we might wanna check out the nightlife there.

Hotels ( preferbly 1000thb and below)

areas to visit

places to stay

places to shop

temples?

i have been looking for a iternery for 4d3n but unable to piece them together, so im hoping some kind soul here will help out?

would really want to enjoy this trip to phuket with my girlfriend

thanks guys

1,000 baht a night ???... hey you know how to treat a women well on holiday !!! Thats like, USD$30/AUD$35/£15 per night !

Just as well your g'friend doesnt like diving, a dive trip for 2 people would cost you at least 5 or 6 times the ammount your willing to pay for a room per night ! A taxi ride to the nearest temple would equate to 40% of the price of 1 night accommodation... As for nightlife, 2 drinks would cost in the region of 20% the equivalent of your accommodation....

Ask yourself, based on this price comparison would you pay this in your home country ? If not then the answer is simple, dont come here as you will be disappointed !

Throwing money around does not make you the big man. The guy asked for helpful advice, not abuse.

simply email this thread to the newsdesks of as many newspapers as you can - the nation, reuters, newspapers in uk, us , oz etc. someone will pick it up. thailand hates bad publicity and then action will happen.

i agree, lets keep the debate going but refrain from name calling and personal attacks. this thread is being watched closely and more warnings and suspensions WILL be handed out if necessary.

my apologies donna

Mr intoxicatedcajun, have you got your arse plugged in to fox news, and use your sh it for brains?

1. Shrouded muslim women exist, but that is largely down to the culture of the area. I remember drunkenly visiting an (unbeknown to me) halal food stall in patong and asking for moo (pork). The unshrouded thai muslim lady laughed, pointed to the crescent and star sign and cheekily slapped me on the bum. She didn`t declare jihad. Personally I am opposed to shrouding, I think it`s backward (like your attitudes) but it`s a matter of personal choice to be overcome by education.

2. You describe muslims as intolerant but declare you would beat your child for bringing home a friend who happened to be a muslim! Apart from showing you unsuitability to parent, it shows the transference that is at the root of your rant. You impose on muslims all the things about yourself that you are uncomfortable with.

3. `eating them for food is one thing but to bleed them and wait for them to die is inhuman`

Probably I think you meant inhumane. Anyway the animals are killed to eat, halal is the religiously prescribed way. Animals in a uk slaughterhouse are killed the same way, except they get an electric stun first. How is the thai chicken you eat killed? What about the cajun fish you eat - how does that die? Is it gently introduced to a tank where the oxygen level is reduced so that it slowly falls into a stupor before it calmly passes away? Or is it yanked from it`s life giving water and left to flip flop gasping for oxygen while you and your cajun friends gibber and holler and jab it with sticks?

Sadly I was looking forward to sampling the cajun food at your eatery but now I won`t bother. I fear my mouth is too `purty` and I don`t want to be ridden like a hog.

Have to report that the latest pork/egg pies are just excellent. Really huge and I cut in half for lunch, bit of salad, some mayo... thus making an incredibly cheap meal. Lovely bubbly...

Mrs Chiang Mai is working on a low cal pie for you because if you keep eating them the at the rate you are doing you may soon need it Nevertheless, were overjoyed that you like them so much. You'll also be pleased to hear that one of the best chefs on the island has now shown us how to make the inside of the Pork Pie pink, Gerd is a gentleman as you quite accurately said.

You may also be interested to read, since you mentioned the issue of pricing a while ago, that the average price of a steak and kidney pie in the UK as sold in pubs has now reached £10, see attached article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7046664.stm

That would be for a sit down steak and kidney pie meal.

Sold individually (which is rare) would be much cheaper.

Why isn't the whole island given over to private finance? Private capital would make this place as good as it's billed, at zero cost to the public purse. Let's hope it happens.

lol - the whole island is controlled by `private finance` - ie the tuk tuks - that`s the biggest ball ache

stupidest post I`ve read in an age - sigh

The people of Phuket are light years away from what a lot would consider "normal" Thais. Particularly in areas of tourism, where greed prevails.

You want the old Siam back? Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lopburi, even the southern provinces south of Surat Thani. Otherwise, the rest has been westernized to death and you will never enjoy it.

You knew full well that your family would be accosted by touts, etc etc. So why complain now?

After living in Chiang Mai for a few years and now in Phuket for the past few months I say the difference between the people of the two places is like night and day. I find people in Phuket to have far better English, much better manners, more willing to smile and yes, they are better drivers too. For me the hill tribe influence in somewhere like Chiang Mai means that the area is less sophisticated and not to be snobbish, intellectually lacking.

<deleted> to CM then.

The thing that really - and I mean REALLY - irritates me about tuk tuk/taxi drivers is their complete inability to distinguish between those that may, possibly, be looking for a ride, and those that OBVIOUSLY do not want a ride. When I see them I look away, look at the sun, navel gaze, tie my shoe laces, glance at my watch, get my phone out, do a waltz, in fact, do ANYTHING but give them any indication that I want their services. Do they think I can't see a great big line of red things straight in front of me? Do they think I'll cave in after the 60th "tuk tuk tuk tuk" and actually go shooting or to the zoo?

They are pests. If Phuket wants to market itself as a world-class holiday destination it should start acting so. The authorities need to; sort the rubbish/sanitation/drains, manage the traffic and get rid of the pesterers. I notice from the Gazette the governor has lobbied the government (sic) to allocate more money to Phuket to tackle traffic problems, including investment from the private sector if necessary. Why isn't the whole island given over to private finance? Private capital would make this place as good as it's billed, at zero cost to the public purse. Let's hope it happens.

I was in this fix until recently. At this time of year rooms won`t come to you, you have to search this forum and phuketinfo for the budget places and email them asking for long term rates. Phuket, compared to other thai resorts, has a more extreme high/low season, and charges increase exponentially accordingly. For example I was quoted 100k a month - yes a month - for the yorkshire inn! Some places prefer higher mark up short stay, than filling the rooms with long stay. Get searching and emailing!

Renting a shop is a difficult option imho. To get a decent farang footfall would require a near beachfront place at obscene rents. Conversely a cheap rent place would have no footfall. Why not try?;

1. getting your product in farang expat bars (eg on nanai road), with a sign to go in the bar that says `we stock xxx`s pies` - that will get your name known and as your rep grows will bring added trade in to the bars - a virtous circle.

2. the idea of a man going round the bangla bars with pies on a tray is not a bad one you know - low tech, low cost, and plenty of drunk farangs with eyes bigger than their stomachs.

Anyone know any apartments going in Patong for the cost conscious? Needed til April and preferably somewhere reasonably central, or at least safe to walk to without being run over by motorbikes.

rough sleeping in soi sansabai?

so if you park outside Faultys and go in for a pint, do you still get charged?

also, are they charging thais? if not tell em to get fked.

Since the Brilliance of the One-Way system, I find it easier to park on Soi SanSabai and short-cut the dirtroad back to the apartment. Daytime and Nightime, it's just an easier way than taking the scenic loop (one-way) back to the apartment.

So I was surprised to see ticket collectors approaching motorcycles when they park now. 20 bath. They're out in the afternoon, and through the late evening.

Until this year, this was a dead end Soi, known for its' late night afterhours crowds and food and cheap rooms They opened it up, and I assumed it was a public road.

A few nights ago, when asked to pay 20 baht, I asked why. I park here everyday. Who's parking lot is it anyway? They replied quickly with Khun XXX's name. I guess it still is a private street.

I'm assuming it's the same owner as the New Mercure hotel, the long extablished boss that we all hear mumblings about.

OK, here's my 20 baht I said.

Today, I parked on a different street.

"all the food you can eat, and all the beer you can drink"

fantastic deal! how much baht?

seriously, all the best, Im sure it will be a success

The alarm is not raised everytime there is an earthquake - if this happened people would be panicking many times a year. The alarm is raised when a big wave is on the way. So the test was passed.

Khao Lak fails the test

James Montague

Published 20 September 2007

Observations on Thailand

The phone call came at 7pm, just after I'd clambered into a bath. "Sir, there's been an earthquake in Sumatra: 8.2," crackled through the handset. At first I wasn't clear why I'd been called about tectonic plate movements a thousand miles away. Then the penny dropped. I was on my honeymoon on the west coast Thai beach resort of Khao Lak, with its glass-clear seas and white sand beaches.

snip

The Thai government, and in particular the National Disaster Warning Centre, was nowhere to be seen or heard. The 30-metre beacons stayed silent; no warnings were issued. Survivors from the previous tsunami turned to international news networks.

snip

newstatesman.com

my shed doesnt have wifi, but for a price i can install for you.....

actually, you could contact kiwi/thai from Thai Visa. they have accommodation at their place which is probably what you need. i know you want patong/kamala/karon/kata, but their place is in chalong. has pool, nice owners etc.

worth a shot.

many thanks donna I have PM ed kiwithai. Any intro rates at that hotel youre helping to open?

Transport options in Patong are limited. There is no bus service that goes around patong, or links patong with kata/kamala, or links patong with the airport.

Transport is dominated by the ubiquitous `tuk tuk`. However there is an alternative, and I`ll show you how.

There are two reasons why you should avoid tuk tuks.

1. Your Health.

A significant number of tuk tuk drivers drink on the job. Combined with the fact that there is little or no protection in the vehicle for the passenger, accidents are more common and more injurious.

A significant number also try and charge more than the price you had agreed. This can lead to arguments, threats and violence.

2. Your Wealth

The tuk tuk cartel has taken advantage of their near monopoly to charge extortionate prices. A trip in a tuk tuk in patong would cost you FIVE times the amount for the same distance in pattaya.

However, there is an alternative, the private meter taxi.

Perhaps paying regard for their own health there are no private meter taxi stands in patong. So how do you use them?

The Cunning Plan.

1. When you exit the doors of phuket airport, take a deep breath and walk straight ahead through the throngs of touts trying to get you in the expensive limos. Walk for about 120 yards and you will come to a line of meter taxis.

Walk up and down the taxis and get the contact cards from the drivers. 4 or 5 should suffice. Get a taxi to your guesthouse.

2. You can use these contact phone numbers to get a taxi when you go to and fro to nightspots. You can ring the taxi from your guesthouse lobby, but it poses the problem of how to get back - are you forced to use a tuk tuk?

3. You could make an arrangement with the driver to pick you up somewhere at a certain time, but thats cramping. Heres a more elegant solution.

Bring your mobile phone and buy a local sim card (cost about £5). Top it up with a local pay as you go scratchcard, enter the taxi drivers numbers, and you`re in business, and can ring anytime you need wheels. The phone also doubles as a good way to keep in contact with any ladies you might meet.

It is also worth remembering that taxis provide excellent rates for all day hire.

Transport options in Patong are limited. There is no bus service that goes around patong, or links patong with kata/kamala, or links patong with the airport.

Transport is dominated by the ubiquitous `tuk tuk`. However there is an alternative, and I`ll show you how.

There are two reasons why you should avoid tuk tuks.

1. Your Health.

A significant number of tuk tuk drivers drink on the job. Combined with the fact that there is little or no protection in the vehicle for the passenger, accidents are more common and more injurious.

A significant number also try and charge more than the price you had agreed. This can lead to arguments, threats and violence.

2. Your Wealth

The tuk tuk cartel has taken advantage of their near monopoly to charge extortionate prices. A trip in a tuk tuk in patong would cost you FIVE times the amount for the same distance in pattaya.

However, there is an alternative, the private meter taxi.

Perhaps paying regard for their own health there are no private meter taxi stands in patong. So how do you use them?

The Cunning Plan.

1. When you exit the doors of phuket airport, take a deep breath and walk straight ahead through the throngs of touts trying to get you in the expensive limos. Walk for about 120 yards and you will come to a line of meter taxis.

Walk up and down the taxis and get the contact cards from the drivers. 4 or 5 should suffice. Get a taxi to your guesthouse.

2. You can use these contact phone numbers to get a taxi when you go to and fro to nightspots. You can ring the taxi from your guesthouse lobby, but it poses the problem of how to get back - are you forced to use a tuk tuk?

3. You could make an arrangement with the driver to pick you up somewhere at a certain time, but thats cramping. Heres a more elegant solution.

Bring your mobile phone and buy a local sim card (cost about £5). Top it up with a local pay as you go scratchcard, enter the taxi drivers numbers, and you`re in business, and can ring anytime you need wheels. The phone also doubles as a good way to keep in contact with any ladies you might meet.

It is also worth remembering that taxis provide excellent rates for all day hire.

From time to time we see many ideas for businesses on thai forums. Usually they boil down to `hey I`ve got a great idea, I want to open a bar/internet shop/guesthouse, etc`

My view has always been not to try a business in thailand unless you have;

1. Expertise in the field

2. An idea that is not easily copied

3. A gap in the market

I think you have all 3 in spades. Go for it!

Many thanks. Yes, a 15k monthly rate would be ideal. I`ve put an ad in the gazette and the cheapest reply so far has been;

"look at www.biga-sailing.com we got small Bungalows with what you need and more Euro 550 per month breakfast incl. "

They seem v nice but they are near chalong circle.

Does your shed have wifi, Donna?

Don't delay if you want to book through xmas. Really. Last xmas/new years there was zero rooms (unless you were willing to check out certain nights/switch rooms, etc). Even with the thousands of new rooms that will be ready by xmas, you're still better to book soon.

Expect to pay by the night during high season at most places.

Multiply that by 9 weeks and you can afford to pay a high monthly rate and still come out ahead.

example - cheapest highseason rate @ 700 x 63 days = 44100

Find a place for 15000 a month and you're still saving money and you have a nicer place.

OR for 10,000 a month starting in October, even though you're not there. Thinking outside of the box is important to avoid high season rates. Even with the 'walk-away from' security deposit added in, a monthly rate is often cheaper.

I emailed houseinphuket and they said they didnt do short term rental. In this case Welta wasnt a helper (groan). Looks like I`ll be sleeping on Donna`s sofa at this rate.

I will be staying in phuket for 9 weeks from the end of november to the end of january and wondered if any bm`s could advise on finding a small house or apartment that suits my needs. I am looking for;

Essential

1. In house wifi or other internet connection - if it has a phone line I guess I could make my own connection?

2. reasonable price

Desirable

1. Patong, but kamala or kata/karon also acceptable

many thanks in advance

Hi, I have a question I hope you can help with.

At the moment I work in the UK for nine months, visiting LOS for three. I am interested in starting a tourism company, offering specialist holidays in LOS.

The company would be owned and run in LOS.

My question is; would I be liable for any tax in the UK?

Many thanks in advance if you can help.

He had left the passport as a deposit on a vehicle.

I`m sorry but I`m not going to give any more details for fear of jeopardising my friend, except to say that the police knew all the circumstances and deported him for his own good.

We have some conflicting advice here, some say that he can return after 6 months or a year, some that he would be on a blacklist (indefinite exclusion?).

Does anyone have a definite answer, or isn`t there one? Many thanks in advance.