heiri007

4 hours ago, bankruatsteve said:

Edit: The correct water pressure is what ever makes you happy (to a point).  Our mains pressure is almost never the same as our pump but it's usually good enough.

Good point to consider, thanks much!

2 minutes ago, 2long said:

It's technically illegal to pump from the mains, although many people do it.

The most-common method is normal pressure from the mains to a tank, then pump from the tank to your taps. That's what we and most others have. When the power fails (not often or for long, if in central BKK) you still have water. We do.

Yeah we got the tank, but below ground, so without power there's no water. 

Would you know how the water pressure from the mains compares to an average houshold water pump?

Good day - we built our house a few years ago in central Bangkok. Installed a Mitsubishi water pump for the two-storey house. But seems that the water pressure from the public pipe has become stronger over the years.

Question: Can I connect the public feeder pipe directly to the house's pipe system, no longer needing an own pump? Or is the «outside» pressure still too weak?

Advantage of no own pump would also be to have water when power fails.

Is there a monthly or yearly quota for farangs, Indians, Chinese, etc. who get approved?

No one of the recent candidates had to pay to speed up the process and get the final BORA interview?

Heard your file can accumulate dust for years without a little extra help - even after MOI approval.

That's great news. Foreigners finally realize they're not welcome in Thailand - wait, that their money only is welcome. Too much double- and triple-pricing, a society developing backwards and, yes, living costs higher than in the West. Of course hotels are comparably cheap, yet that's just a matter of oversupply. Hardly any hotel makes money.

High time for these Indians to watch how mass tourism is ruining this beautiful country:

https://www.dw.com/en/thailand-holiday-paradise-in-danger/av-49045913

Great report. The team even had minders sent by the Thai tourism authority to only report beautiful things. Well, that's difficult given the state of things.

I remember the day, not to far away, when plastic rubbish on beaches didn't even exist yet. Now? It's a tragedy.

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

True. Example: 60 capsules of saw palmetto ( imported from Germany ) cost 1300 baht at my Thai pharmacy.

I get 90 capsules, same active content, sent to me by iHerb in America. The shipping cost is more than half the total cost. Even so, that costs me 620 baht, and I usually get it in a week.

There is a considerable markup of some products in Thai stores.

The Thai markups are even more astonishing now since the Thai baht is strong - most likely reason for it being that big Thai companies go on shopping sprees abroad, so of course the central bank facilitates their shopping.

Fundamentally there is absolutely no reason for the Thai baht to be strong.

Yet, olive oil, cheese, everything just gets more expensive, even though it's imported products.

In reality these products should become cheaper! Wrong hopium...

So yes, whenever I can avoid the Thai greed of course I order from abroad.

3 minutes ago, rak sa_ngop said:

I ordered some items value 1300 baht from iHerb on 17th Sept selecting the cheapest 'local post' option and they arrived today 26th. About the 10th order of mine from Iherb and each one has arrived with no duty and within time.

 

Well done iHerb

Ordering from iHerb since some time, always fast delivery and never any import hassles! Agree, well done iHerb!

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

You have this one experience and they your conclusion is:

 

 

Maybe "Thailand" is not the problem but that one person who does not understand that one personal experience does not show that a whole country is moving backwards.

It's not based on a single experience. It's a coherent experience, each time when having to use their "services".

Seems you never have issues when you get something ordered from abroad?

Don't get me started about other issues, oh yes I am pretty sure by now after the yearly work permit renewal that I have no syphilis and no elephantiasis... I'd would become a long list, not even mentioning the TM30 hassles. Ask any hotelier...

On 9/14/2019 at 11:58 AM, Tayaout said:

You can use Tor and a website like coinswitch.co to change any crypto to another one without needing any account. 

Those must be the industry's worst rates ever!

What crypto you "have" to buy? Since BX Thailand is closing down, if you want a local exchange signing up with Bitkub is straight forward and they have reasonable liquidity for okay prices. But again, depends what crypto: BTC? XRP? ETH?

Coinbase's fee are very high, if you're looking for another global fiat to crypto exchange have a look at Kraken.

6 minutes ago, faraday said:

What cream was it?

Now you got me 555

https://www.madaracosmetics.com/uk/shop/infusion-vert-intense-antioxidant-body-cream

16 hours ago, ThePioneer said:

I had one of the companies that you name try to extort me for an amount 5 times the value of the goods I wanted to import.

 

I had discussions with them by phone and email for more than 2 weeks, and they said they would have to destroy the goods if i didn't pay.

 

At the end I send them an email in which I literally told them to put the goods where the sun doesn't shine, as they were no use for me anymore.

 

I didn't hear back from them for about 1 month, until their delivery guy rang my door bell and delivered the items at no charge at all.

Well done! 

Also told them, well in this case, if charges are so excessive, I'd like to return the shipment to the sender. That's when they started becoming cooperative... 

30 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Why must I understand that if what you say is true you don't want to post just the receipt confirming it?  You can redact your name and address and show the amounts you claim, surely?

Because why would I waste time making up a story making the place look "bad"? If you're accusing me to be a liar, so be it. Hope this thread serves others as a warning - or at least to be prepared when delivery companies confront them with excessive charges made out of the blue. It's an extortion system, happened to me again and again, that's why from now on no orders whatsoever anymore that are shipped by one of these big names. EMS and postal services or Asian couriers, no problems.

17 hours ago, Just Weird said:

If by a "big, global, delivery company you mean DHL, UPS, or FedEx, that was delivering to your door, then I suggest that your story is not strictly accurate. 

 

These companies operate on behalf of the Customs Dept and are authorized to collect import duties at the correct rate, plus their own charge, they do not negotiate the duty in the manner you have suggested, they cannot.  The duty is also based on the value of the items, that is not necessarily the price that you may have paid.  The duty charged can be disputed, however, in which case you would have had to negotiate with the Customs Dept, not the courier company. 

 

They also always provide a receipt showing a breakdown of the details of the charges that are made.  Can you post your receipt showing this?

My story is very accurate. One of these biggies "swallowed" the excessive costs. You must understand I don't want to post the whole package of papers I got delivered...

These big global delivery companies create much business for themselves and by themselves, often under the radar of customs, or under the pretext of customs. Customs seems mostly not even involved, yet these big names activate all possible means to earn additional income. 

No problem ever with EMS or normal postal services. Also, shipments from China and the region don't seem to be hassled. It's the big names that extort even such small shipments.

Thing is 5G is so much faster than existing technology, but I agree with the inputs, many thanks, for common mobile usage there might not be much difference and it will take a few years until implemented.

So... any new phone without 5G compatibility could be obsolete soon indeed...

Any insights if and when 5G might be available in Thailand? 3G and 4G already took their time...

5G maybe in three to four years?

Or is infrastructure already implemented without the legal framework being ready?

Perfect police state, that's all they're good at.

Have an arrest warrant outstanding for a Thai who cheated us, he keeps on working and doing his business, police just don't care.

Tens of thousands of arrest warrants pending in Thailand... and now they go after foreigners of whom they have all details.

Love the people, but the disrespect for the scumbags in power is at its maximum now.

Imagine their crying out loud if they're treated with double pricing, racism and police-state actions somewhere abroad.

While looking at them I <deleted> at them.

Oh, and had my citizenship application pending for years. Following up they let me know it costs two Rolex watches.

That's their thanks for having family here, pay taxes, trying to be a nice citizen.