scorecard

Maybe depends on the location, here in Chiang Mai they are switched on, reliable, polite, punctual.

And just because it's mentioned on a Youtube video doesn't ever mean it's legally or morally correct or safe. The world is awash with false information and with various types of 'influencers' paid to convince people whatever is in the interests of the principal employing the influencer. I'm sure many folk will recall the hundreds of cases reported previously in the Thai media where celebrities are paid to appear on TV/ on shopping sites / social media / youtube etc., etc., making big statements about the 'magical' effects of various creams/lotions/pills/coffees etc. A very large % had no proof to share or valid proven evidence and had never used the products. A Chinese female colleague came from Hong Kong to help my office with a complex project. She went shopping on a Sunday, Monday brought a suitcase of creams, lipsticks etc., to theoffice, so proud of the quantity and claims influencers/stall holders had spun and the small price. At lunch time a couple of out local Female staff sat with her to investigate whether any of these products had ever been certified as safe and certified to be sold, by the Thai administration. None! Also discovered many of the creams, pills etc had ingredients which are actually banned by Thai law.

Best and complete advice already given by Dr. Sheryl at the start of this thread.

That was my point. In an earlier 'promotion for the cablecar idea it was menioned 'be free of ladyboys etc. The point in my past is that you might well encounter the same on the cablecar. But if it happens on a Baht bus you can fairly quickly get off the bus or you can quickly attract the attention of others. the police etc. On a cablecar not so easy, your trapped in the cablecar until it comes to a stop, and not easy whilst up in the air to attract some help.

Not all, folks who 'report' such things get commissions/rewards, by law.

As mentioned here many many times, transfer of visas etc., old to new passport is very easy, quick, and not expensive.

This village has about 400 houses, a feature was the advertised willinness of the developer for buyers to adjust walls, windows, doors, floors, bathroom fittings, wallpaper, etc., etc. Less than 25% through final discussions/drawings already many complaints about the LB house designer, requiring the employment of a second designer, pleasant young guy, qualified in architerecture/civil engineering/interior decorating, who followed the instructions of the developer and the house buyers. By about 50% completion of the actual house buildings LB designer was dismissed, creating a nightmare for the second guy but he worked diligently and with focus, continuously checked with owners and it all came good. Reality is that the LB house designer was the nephew of the wife of the developer who had learned years before to never trust the LB. Turns out there's reasons, an example: developer ordered a new BMW for his wife. LB heard about the order, went to the BMW showroom and convinced the staff to change the colour and the model of the car on order, but told nobody in the family. Had apparently told the BMW folks 'she doesn't know what's beautiful so I have to help'. Bottom line, the car turned up, developers wife saw the car and burst into tears 'this is not what I asked for'. Seems she refused to take it and the order was changed back to original. These things happen.

Agree.

When son had his new house built (in moo baan) he ordered ceiling fans in every room (10 rooms) when he gave the final details to the 'house designer'. The 'house designer' is a full on lady boy LB, she told my son she was not going to add the ceiling fans to the house design because she thinks they are too old fashioned and ugly. Son insisted then demanded ceiling fans and developers office agreed they would be added. At first inspection (30 days after building started) son & his wife visited, son saw the drawings and took a look, no ceiling fans. Supervisor called the house designer to come. Son asked 'why no ceiling fabs on the drawings?'. LB response - 'ceiling fans are not beautiful and I'm sure you want me to make your house beautiful, you don't have any qualifications in design (neither does she) so you don't know how to make your house beautiful'. Son noticed one of the partners of the development company with their staff on the next lot, son spoke to him and complained saying 'I want ceiling fans and i'm paying for the fans and the installation, and I want your guarantee they will be fitted in all 10 rooms. (In fact son had already bought all 10 fans, good qaulity and they were in boxes in the developers office, waiting for installation). Developer called the LB and got angry - 'you do what the customer wants and I don't want to hear more stories about you telling customer they don't know anything about design'. Developer finished his tyrade by saying 'I've noted in my diary to check the electrical wiring installation on xx/xx/xxxx to confrim the wiring is being installed'. Son got his ceiling fans. They do help to reduce the heat a bit and more valuable, to keep the air moving around. It all helps.

Agree, and same at home. In all our bedrooms it's set for 29, medium fan, and turns off: 2:00 am kids rooms, son & his wife bedroom and mine at midnight. And all air-cons are LG inverter and we use the 'savings' button on the remote for every room. When we got serious to go to above settings the bill did come down quite a bit.

Cooking oil - just changed from Sunflower oil (big rise in price) to Canola Cooking oil, about 30% cheaper than sunflower oil.

Annoying / perhaps inconvenient but there's no point in trying to fight it. Move on, as said plenty of other places.

Suggestions where to see full range and good prices much appreciated. Thanks.

But how long before passengers discover they are surrounded by lady boys and gatoey sitting up close and touching and pockets emptied and thief gone before traveller realizes.

I suspect you have partly answered your own questions. Here's why: Is the villa manager expected to make policies / design changes e.g. to buildings and interiors and implement these policies/changes without reference or approvals of any other person/entity, or Does a committee (e.g. owners commmittee), or does a property development company make all policies and the villa manager must operate/make all operating decisions/take all actions strictly within these laid down policies? What can the villa manager approve in terms of spending money (funds which are the property of all owners or the development company): --- Can spend up to 200Baht but must keep receipts. --- Can approve a request for funds up to 2,000Baht but request for funds must be fully documented and must be co-signed by an equivalent position from another department or co-signed (approved) by at least 2 other owners or 2 equivalent ranking positions within the development company. Must also be co-signed by the company accountant. Must keep receipts/must be audited within 5 days. Note: In regard to the 2 scenarios just above funds cannot be spent/used for lunch for villa manager of staff, or gasoline for private vehicles of the villa manager/staff etc... Some answers to the above will provide a much better and clearer understand of the responsibilities and the authorities of the position. Without these why would anybody take the job?

But unfortunately the driver/rider has used his/her time, gasoline, vehicle wear and tear, perhaps it's even a rented vehicle, etc., and no compensation/income.

In the 70s one Australian state capital city banned ALL inner city parking. Total ban except for emergency vehicles. Public transport was easily reorganized (not amajor re-org., not needed) to get all travellers the last km or so and it worked. Result was dozens of floors of high rise buildings previously 'parking levels were initially unused but in time were put to productive use.

Or the intown train station on the fast train service?

Oh yes it did, all uni students have to apply to the ministry for a uni student reg. no, including exchange students. Unis are well aware if they don't inform the ministry of serious situations they will be asked 'why?' And students (very small numbers) do get banned. In some situations the ministry has indicated 'banned and any previous grades cancelled and banned student cannot ask for his/her grades to be transferred to another uni'.

Yes, and some members will no doubt remember the occasional late afernoons/early evenings when there would be police on the streets with megaphones telling all car and bus drivers and pedestrians that traffic was totally jammed across numerous intersections etc. And there was no chance of traffic moving at all for many hours and suggesting that everybody vacate buses and just start walking home, and all pedestrians same. Also in those days it was normal to see people hanging off the sides of buses (outside of the buses) with their arms wrapped around the pillars which contained the windows that could be manually raided/lowered. In this era the total number of air-con buses was very small. In peak hours if you could get on an air-con bus it would be full, jammed tighter than sardines in a can. Getting off at the desired destination bus stop was quite some exercise.

I'm aware of these activities, often called 'Leadership Walk Rally'. Thai banks and other organizations/companies are convinced they build leadership quality and they motivate all staff. But there's no leadership presentations etc. For many years I was a co regioanl director for a large high profile management consultancy, I was based in Bkk because my Thai family was there. The other co-director was a respected, high achieveing Thai man. Many times we were appraoched by the HR managers of banks etc., asking us to lead the Leadership Walk Rally activities but the bank etc., would provide all the details. (Had to be the same as other banks/companies or there would be loss of face. Each time we were appraoched my Thai director and myself discussed the content (laid down by the client) asking them what was the purpose / what was the gain expected from each activity? They couldn't answer our questions. Final discussion points: - 'How does this activity actually build leadership quality, and how would you expect leadership behaviors to permanently change?' - Same question re motivation. They had no answers. Our response: sorry but we are already overlaoded for the next 12 months at least with work already contracted with other clients, but good luck with your 'Leadership Walk Rally'.

First semester (new intake) at my uni, farang professor colleague started the class, quickly there's 2 girls punching <deleted> out of each other in the back row. Teacher told all the other students to leave the room quickly but wait outside. Teacher is quite a big guy, fairly quickly he separted the 2 girls realizing they were in serious dispute. Bottom line, it's 2 tomboys who had agreed before class started that each owned half the room (invisible line down the centre of the room), and if either tomboy stepped across the line there would be war. It happened. Further checking by the director discovered that both tomboys had a large girl gang at their previous high schools and there had been violence many times. Police were called and didn't know what to do. Parents called, didn't know what to do. Both parents left the campus with their errant daughters in toe. Farang goes back in the class room with an admin. staff to take notes, talks to the rest of the students with a series of questions: - Stand up if you want to graduate with a degree. About 30 in the class stand up, 2 didn't.. Farang told these 2 to leave the room and never come back to his class. Names taken. - Stand up if you want at least a B+ overall grade for the whole program (4 years). 5 didn't stand up. Farang told them to stand in a line across the front of the room, then asked each student 'what grade would be OK for you? First one says loudly 'you can't try to tell me what grade I should aim for, and C+ is fine with me'. She's told to leave the room and never come back to teahers courses. Name taken. - Four more just walk out. Names taken. - Admin snr lady now speaks and says, all the students just removed are banned from all classes forever at this uni and their names and students numbers will be reported to the Ed. Ministry later today and I can tell you the Ed. Ministry will cancel their student status forever. - Admin lady talks privately to the farang professor for a clouple of minutes then says 'Class will finish now for today. Tomorow morning I will have a letter for each of you to sign to promise that you will behave like a sensible adult in the classroom and on the campus and be serious about your studies. If you don't want to sign the promise letter don't come tomorrow or ever again but your name will be added to the list to be sent to the Ed. Ministry. Two didn't turn up. The rest signed the letter and no further problems.

"I can't undersrand people's attitudes here. How can the guys family say the owner is a good man? How can people in the village not be angry and want justice? They are Co tent to just live in fear! " "... he's a good man..." This comment or similar could be heard in any country.

It can be registered/noted etc., at the amphur office but to be valid/enforceable it must be added/noted/written on the original land title deed at the Land Titles office. The fee (at the LAnd Titles office is very small, from memory 100 or 200Baht.

Wow, the negative nellies out in force today.