scorecard

Hi Cuban, and the other members who shared some details.

Now I realize what VOIP is - the technical name for the IT stuff which Skype and similar things run on.

I was thinking that it's an alternative to Skype, but now realize that I had that wrong.

Thanks again for sharing, much appreciated.

Would appreciate if some members would please share details of VOIP.

- What exactly is VOIP? (Realize it's some form of voice communication through the internet)

- Can it be used when connection to the ISP is through a mobile?

- Do both parties to the telephone call (VOIP call) need to have any special equipment / subscribe to a special service / subscribe to a special ISP package?

- Any other revelant details

Any comments much appreciated.

Thanks

PART OF MESSAGE FROM MONTY

" b]GPRS/EDGE[/b] is the system used by GSM operators to offer internet access (where EDGE is a faster evolution of GPRS). Both AIS and Dtac offer this access on both pre-paid sim cards and post paid contracts.

Expect speeds to be between 50% and 90% of what you would get on a 256/128 kbps ADSL line, or with other words about double to 4 times faster then a good dial up connection.

Very cheap, at between 3 and 7 Baht per hour, but to get that price you will need to subscribe to a GPRS package best suited to your usage pattern. Can be done quite easily on the pre paid simcards from either AIS or Dtac.

GPRS/EDGE is perfectly suited for internet browsing and e-mail, even downloading sizable files can be done in a relative timely matter. Video streaming will not work, internet radio of avreage quality comes in quite good at my location, but this is no guarantee it'll work good where you are.

Speed and quality IS dependent on your location!"

Dear Monty,

Can I ask for your comment on the AIS and Dtac services you outlined above regarding Skype.

Realize of course no guarantees, and depends on location, but would appreciate your comment please.

Thanks and regards

Dear Monty, and all the other members who have kindly offered their advice and experiences.

Monty,

In summary, I think your ultimately suggesting:

' The equipment needed to be able to get GPRS/EDGE is relatively cheap, a dedicated USB modem will set you back a tad under 6,000 Baht, but even cheaper, you can buy a Nokia 3110 classic for around 3,500 Baht, which is fully compliant with the faster EDGE system, and is easy to use as a modem with a USB cable and Nokia's PC suite installed on your computer. '

As I mentioned earlier, i'm not IT / telecoms savvy, so I would very much appreciate is you would you please confirm my interpretation:

- Buy a NOKIA 3100 classic

- Get a cable to connect the NOKIA 3100 handset to the USB port on the notebook computer

- Install Nokia's PC suite on notebook computer (I guess this comes on a CD ROM when purchasing the handset?)

- Subscribe to the GPRS/EDGE services offered by AIS and dtac (check which package best suits personal needs)

Sorry, I do have two more questions

1. I guess taking a GPRS/EDGE package means obtaining a telephone service, but is this also an ISP service or is that somethng additional?

2. Will this support Skype (which is a key requirment of the tenant in my house)?

Thanks again and look forward to your kind advce.

Any suggestions very welcome and very much appreciated.

I recently posed mentioning that the landline to my house in View Talay Villas area has been resold by TT&T to another subscriber.

New tenant in the house is using satellite phone / IPSTAR Loxinfo service but this is proving to be very expensive, around 9,000Baht per month.

Can any member please share if there are different Loxinfo IPSTAR 'packages' available. Perhaps: 24 hours service with no limit on time spent on-line. Or, number of hours on-line per month fixed, with further hours charged per hour or minute. Or maybe other packages??? (Requirment is for normal household use: telephone, internet, and Skype)

Also, does this type of service incur additional fees if Skype is also used??

Also, I'm told that the contract is for one year (less than one year not available). Any member aware of Loxinfo allowing early cancellation of the contract?

On a different note, can any member please share details of any alternative telephone / internet services available. I read recently on this forum (but now can't find the post) about a mobile phone service/handset which can be used to connect notebook computer to internet and can also be used for Skype. Would very much appreciate any information members can share on this.

Thanks.

Hutch = CDMA

Dtac = Edge

AIS = GPRS, Edge

CAT = CDMA

TOT = IP-Star

All first 4 solution on Mobile phohne or Air-Card pp.

You need to check which service is available in your area.

Cheers.

Dear Reimar,

Thanks for your reply and the details you enclosed.

To be honest all of this is quite new to me, i'm not very IT / telecom savvy, and I'm quite lost. So do you mind if I ask a few more questions. Here goes:

1. Can I subscribe to a satellite phone service in Thailand without services such as internet? If so, do you know please if there are any other satellite phone options available in Thailand (with or without internet service). I mean other than Loxinfo.

2. I guess your meaning that internet connection is available through a specific type of mobile mobile phone services offered by:

Hutch = CDMA

Dtac = Edge

AIS = GPRS, Edge

CAT = CDMA

Any comments on the reliability of these services?

3. Not sure what your meaning by 'Air-Card pp.'. Would you please share some more details on this.

Thanks again, much appreciated.

Any suggestions very welcome and very much appreciated.

I recently posed mentioning that the landline to my house in View Talay Villas area has been resold by TT&T to another subscriber.

New tenant in the house is using satellite phone / IPSTAR Loxinfo service but this is proving to be very expensive, around 9,000Baht per month.

Can any member please share if there are different Loxinfo IPSTAR 'packages' available. Perhaps: 24 hours service with no limit on time spent on-line. Or, number of hours on-line per month fixed, with further hours charged per hour or minute. Or maybe other packages??? (Requirment is for normal household use: telephone, internet, and Skype)

Also, does this type of service incur additional fees if Skype is also used??

Also, I'm told that the contract is for one year (less than one year not available). Any member aware of Loxinfo allowing early cancellation of the contract?

On a different note, can any member please share details of any alternative telephone / internet services available. I read recently on this forum (but now can't find the post) about a mobile phone service/handset which can be used to connect notebook computer to internet and can also be used for Skype. Would very much appreciate any information members can share on this.

Thanks.

Thanks for sharing your situation.

The difference is that TT&T have already (and very quickly) sold the number to another subscriber.

In fact I called my old number and sure enough it's now hooked up to a house in Central Pattaya.

Not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes.

Would appreciate any advice members can offer on the following situation:

1. Employer says the Thai Labour law states that retirment age is 60.

2. Employer seems to be suggesting the provisons for severeance pay are not applicable where a person (in this case a foreigner working with long-term work permit, and working on a full time properly constructed contract of employment) is now past the age of 60. (Employer seems to be saying this is true because Thai Labour law says retirement age is 60.)

I downloaded a copy of the 'Labour Protection Act B.E. 2541 (1998)' from the website of the Thai Ministry of Labour, howver I cant find any mention whatever of retirement age.

Can anybody confirm that the 'Labour Protection Act...', is in fact what is commonly called the 'Thai Labour Law', or is in fact a different act?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Would appreicate some advice re following situation.

Employer says work permit not required if the foreigner is working less than 15 days per month.

My understanding is that work permit is absolutely required, regardless of number of minutes, days, weeks or whatever, and regadless of type of work, and regardless of whether the employer says the work is: full time, part time, on an ad hoc basis.

(I realize that there are a number of ocupations where the work is reserved for Thai nationals only.)

Appreciate any advice members can offer.

Thanks.

House had TT&T landline, tenant didn't pay bill for months, TT&T ldisconnected line and resold to new subscriber. TT&T, TOT, etc., all say no lines available in that area.

Any suggestions on who to contact or whatever to try to get a landline would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Can any member please explain this type of Internet service. A small USB port plug-in to your notebok computer which gives you internet access anywhere in Thailand (and I think anywhere in the world).

I understand CAT Telecom now sell this and maybe one or two other providers in Thailand. I'm not very tech savvy and i'd like to try to understand more about the type of service. One question is whether this has to be associated with a telephone number or is it linked to an e-mail address rather than a telephone number

Would appreciate if any forum member can give a comment , or explain the features / the limitations of this (e.g. can it carry Skype?).

Thanks

I've got a little different situation. I'm farang and I have an adopted Thai son (100% Thai, and very much a Thai face). He's now in his mid twenties.

Causes no end of surprise and head scratching when he introduces me as his father, and has no hesitation to make this introduction. He's often been asked to explain. He tried when he was younger to explain in detail which mostly caused more confusion and sometimes questions / comments which upset him.

Today his answer is mostly "it would take too long to explain, i'll tell you another time" and he quickly changes the subject. I'm happy with whatever explanation makes him happy.

He's very proud of his very typical farang family name. At university he was told several times by lecturers that farang names are not nice and he should change his name. He would never talk back to a teacher, but he did come home and vent his anger. Only made him more proud of his name.

He's a very humble, very caring young man. He knows he has more opportunity than many of his friends, but he made his own 'policy' when he was very young to never never 'stand out'.

I'm very proud of him.

My 28 year old son has been to the PAD rally several times. He's a thinker and like to explore and analyse situations.

He's mentioned that every time he's been to the PAD rally hes (deliberately) asked who to talk to to to get the PAD payment for joining the protest.

He says that the answer every time is 'there is no pay', but there is free food, water, simple medicines, etc.

Can I offer my thoughts about the big picture, and a view to what the PAD are ultimately trying to achieve. You don't have to accept it.

I don't agree with everything the PAD has done, but I do strongly agree with their ultimate aims.

This country has a long and bad history of very currupt governments and very ruthless thug godfather corrupt politicians who are not interetsed at all in the development of Thailand, or making policy to faciliate sharing the wealth of Thailand. And they would have no hesitation to remove anybody who gets in their way.

They are interested in one thing only, stealing the common wealth of Thailand , blatantly, and with zero conscience. Two examples, some folks now in UK, and the man now living in Cambodia.

Rightly or wrongly Sondhi and Chamlong, and there are other strong people in the PAD leadership group who are well respected by the balanced thinkers in Thailand, have attracted many Thais who have had enough of the curruption etc., and are trying to make a stand, warts and all, to try to get Thailand into a better picture. Also to bring to justice some thieves; 1) Because they have broken the law and should be punished, and 2). to set precedence to show others that the Thai courts have regained some ethics and credibility, and fair process.

The PAD followers are strongly principled people, why else would they brave the rain etc., etc., day after day. Are there some who don't really understand what they are involved in? Of course there will be, but I suggest this is a minority, and this sector are unlikely to stay long in the rain and whatever without strong & realistic principles driving them.

Again and again I read 'Samak leads a democratically elected government'. This goverment is not democratically elected. Their victory was totally bought. One of their leaders has recently been convicted of electoral fraud, and the Electoral Commission has recommended that the whole PPP party be disbanded. This will be the second time this party has been disbanded, surely that says something about the ethics and values of a very large number of the party members. The Electoral Commission wouldn't recommend disbandment if the evidence showed that the convicted one acted alone and in isolation of the party.

What's even worse, in fact despicable, is that the TRT, now PPP, totally manipulates the Essan masses. They take advantage of the Essan peoples lack of education and their naivity and their poverty. Many Essan people are in fact quite frightened of the manipulators. They wouldnt dare buck the directives given by the Kumnan (the appointed Village Headman - appointed by pressure from godfathers).

It's also sadly true that many of the nasty godfather manipulators are great strategists. They calculate the right time to arrive with a bag of rice, some phone cards, a large scale chinese banquet, etc. Don't underestimate the cleverness of these godfathers.

And please don't tell me that T gave a voice to Essan. He (and his wife) are the greatest strategists of all. Their strategy is in fact very simple, identify very large groups of people who you can easily and totally control.

The godfathers are not going to let go of their gravytrain without a big long battle, and the reality is that until the middle classes demand and fight for change, then nothing will change.

The same think has happend in almost every country in the world in it's path to real and balanced democracy. It's only 200 years ago, mabe less, that the same picture existed in England. How did it change - strong long term pressure from the middle classes who eventually rose up, gained courage and a voice.

It's also true that the middle class who get brave and strongly demand change will not be a perfect picture, there will be warts, and it will take a long time. We're seeing this starting to happen before our eyes, warts and all. PAD does in fact have a large group of followers who are educated, well infomed, and balanced people -PAD is not a group of brainless thugs.

S has admitted publically that he is a nominee, a puppet, of T. There are rumours that the man collects one billion Baht if the other man goes free and gets his funds back.

Surely nobody could honestly suggest that S is a good PM! On a scale of 10 he scores zero. His speeches, all of them, contain zero insight, strategy for the development of Thailand, zero strategy to take Thailand back to a peacefull happy productive and developing society. If he doesn't have a productive insightful answer he abuses the journalist. His main policy is 'massive & very expensive infrastructure projects'. Surely anybody can see why - create lots of bags of big money to get your fingers into.

The PAD has it's warts, however they do have the right, under the Thai law and well accepted international principles of democracy, to free speech, and to protest about what they see as wrong and to be a voice for change, and for justice.

Hope I can convince you.

The Thai Post Office will move furniture / household of furniture.

A friend did this last year, full condo lot of furniture from condo in Pattaya to Chayaphum.

Post office staff came quickly to professionally 'meaure' the shipment and they did it well They gave a quotation on the spot, 2,100Baht. Quotation was accepted on the spot, PO staff disappaerd for one hour, came back and quickly professionally wrapped everything, and did it well.

Shipment was delived in Chayapum three days later, everything intact, wrapping still fully intact, handled carefully, unwrapped and place where requested. Gone within one hour.

Friend was highly impressed.

Also have friend who shipped a new fridge from Bkk to Roi Et by Post Office. Shipping was quite cheap, well wrapped, arrived quickly and undamaged. Saved a lot of money when compared to local price in Roi Et.

Two points:

1. Goods there are extremely expenisve, on my one or two visits there I have been shocked at the prices, sometimes more expensive than Central Chidlom. It's supposed to be a bazaar!

2. Much more important point. I can assure you the local neighboring citizens will be very happy to return to some peace and quiet. They protested very strongly about the loud noise when the place started to change from a quiet Army cadet school in to a very loud night spot. But quess who was Bangkok Governor at that time, and totally ignored their pleas?

A different point, the then Bangkok Governor was put under great pressure to very easily turn the existing cadet school into a normal high school with good buildings etc, sorely needed. But he chose to push for it to become a shoppping mall. wonder why? You can guess the answer.

I own a house in Jomtiem area (near taxation/revenue office) which is rented. Recent previous tenant said all telephone bills were paid on time. Now discovered bills not paid for at least 6 months.

End result, TT&T have cancelled my account and resold the tel. number to another subscribed.

Bottom line is that TT&T, TOT, and TRUE say they have no more lines available in that area and could be long time before additional lines are made available.

New tenant obviously wants a telephone. Satellite telephone has been installed with IPSTAR service from loxinfo, however this is proving to be extremely expensive, 5,000 - 6,000Baht a month, just for the internet service.

Would very much appreciate any suggestions from members:

- Other ways to approach getting a landline

- Other telephone services available, other than landline and satellite telephone

- Other internet services available using satellite telephone

- Any other suggestions

Thanks a lot.

Kind regards,

I'm really tired of UBC repeats and generally poor quality programs, and so expensive.

Just picked up a brochure for Samart satellite TV, 4,500Baht once only charge for 100 channels.

Any other members using this service? If you are, please share your comments.

- Can different channels be viewed in different rooms in the house/condo (in Bangkok), does require further set up equipment, and extra costs?

- Do they offer: Network Australia, BCC World, CNN, etc?

- Is there any bilingual service?

- Is picture quality OK?

etc

Also, wondering whether this can be combined in any way with Samart internet services?

Also, wondering whether the TV service can be received through telephone line, along with normal telephone service and fast internet service.

Appreciate anything you can share, thanks.

Scott123

You mentioned 'tired of corporate'. You also mentioned about keeping yourself inellectually stimulated.

Have you considered part time teaching? Could be:

- Part time English language teaching, but you need to note two points: there are good English language schools and rubbish schools in Bangkok. You would need to explore this and make your choice. You would need at least a bachelor degree which can be verified.

- If you have some type of strong corporate knowledge/skills and experience then you could possible get a job lecturing in a Thai university. Again you would need to do some good research, and a must would be to gain insights into how Thai universities work / the universities culture/hierachy, student expectations, etc. (Which is all quite different to the US or other farang countries). You would need some advanced education.

I have two farang friends, both work upcountry, who have now stayed (separately) several times at OMYIM. Both give excellent reports about every aspect of the place.

Also had two farang friends (one from Aus., one from US) stay at OMYIM, both for about 2 weeks, again excellent reports about every aspect of the place.

Two cockroaches; almost every house / apartment / condo / hotel room / office has cockroaches. And not only in Thailand. My office in Bangkok is in a new building - 6 months old. We have many cockroaches already.

Regards,

Hi Togena,

Yes I'm interested to form a group.

My age now is 62.

Look forward to hearing from you when convenient.

Thanks and regards,

Alan Williams

Bangkok

Hi, ProThaiExpat,

thanks for your efforts in sending me information. TVI (ThaiVisaInsurance) offer two options one is for younger people which can join the insurance till the age of 60 and this one comes from Thai Healt (I think I am right).

The option for the elderly people is the MAXI plan and one can get insured till the end of life. As far as I know this particular plan comes from LMG and one can get a huge discount through exclusions.

Here their exclusion plan: 20% Outpatient Exclusion, 25% if one pays the first 40,000 Baht for hospital treatment, 20% treatment exclusion for North America, Japan, Hang Kong, EU Country including Switzerland, 20% if one is able to build a group of at least of 21 people and they would join LMG together.

Was asking them for a quote and in my case I made exclusions for Outpatient 20%, treatment exclusion for the first 40,000 Baht 25%, treatment area exclusion for NA, JP, HK and EU 20%. The premium on a yearly basis is 42,480.-- Baht, the monthly payment would be 3,540.--.

This a very huge difference what they have told you from TVI. How can one do business on this huge price differences?

It is very highly encouraging to from a group of at least 21 elderly and younger EXPATS for joining LMG direcly.

Hallo EXPATS shall we try to form a group? If yes, please send me a message and we will try in organising everything.

We Expats should be able to get a good health insurance for people which are over 60 and we can get insured till the end of life for a very reasonable price!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I pay for medical insurance for my adopted Thai son 26 years old and his daughter, now 2.5 years old, son has had BUPA insurance for about 5 to 6 years, daughter with BUPA from just after her birth. Have family cover (but mother not included).

Renewal is coming up within about one week.

Can I gain a discount on the premiums by renewing thru Thaivisa Health Insurance rather than direct with BUPA?

Look forward to your advice.

Alan 08 1808 8155

I recently called the tel number quoted in the start of this thread, to egt some information about Thai pasport for small child, parents divorced.

I was quickly transferred to a Thai lady whp spoke perfect English, good listener, fruitful discusion - clear answers, she said 'please write down my name, don't hesitate to call me again if needed.

My 26 yo adopted son had to renew his paasport recently because we have finally got his family name changed. He went to the Central Bangna Passport office. Out the door within 15 minutes, passport arrived by mail 3 working days later.

He called in advance to check what documents he needed - he was impressed with the listening, and clear answers (he's used to the efficiency of government offices in Singapore), lady even said "do you need to know any bus numbers etc to get here?"

And why would there be some special treatment for Americans?

Dream on...

You will never see detailed accounting of cash etc., paid to join rallies / to vote for a particular mob.

Why? Because they all do it. Therefore none of the parties will accuse the other of paying for votes etc.

Unlike Thaksin, the junta don't censor the papers ...

huahahahahahaha!

yeah, right - NO censorship of media in Thailand now!

do you sincerely believe that? then better you get some FACT

somehow Thai media keeps quite about another appeal to ban Youtube, hey?

or may be you've seen some reports about it? and have you wondered why ICT boss Sitthichai has actually resigned - do you honestly believe because of 16% share hold in some company? didn't they know that all along?