Ping

Can't really help with recommendations, but a bloke was telling me recently about wanting a therapeutic-style massage and the person doing the work was obviously not as qualified as she said she was - he ended up in hospital as a result of it. Wouldn't you be better off getting recommendations from a health car professional?

^Yes, that's rather a good question! I suppose that there are wear and tear factors and economy issues, but they are not really a major consideration for me. I just happen to prefer the option of engaging 4WD when I think it would be needed/helpful. I used to do quite a bit of 4WD around the island, and that is why I like the option. Having said that, since I've had the PJS (two years) I've have never yet had cause to engage 4WD/low ratio. Go figure...

Re Fortuner v PJS, the seats in the Fortuner seem to be more comfortable than the PJS, but the biggest disadvantage of the Fortuner (as far as I'm concerned) is that it is constant 4WD. If they made it selectable, I may be persuaded to change brands (only may).

All Fortuners are not constant 4WD. only those speced as AWD

Yes - the only option is either AWD or 2WD. There is no option for selectable 2WD/4WD, which is the point I was trying to make. Perhaps I assumed too much in thinking my point was obvious...

I'm smithing for a beer...

(But it's okay, I know where I can find one.)

Adding to others, it may sound strange but take into account your driving habits. If you drive very little after dark, then a stronger tint can be the way to go (and vice versa). I have 3M 80% side and rear, and 50% front on my PJS. No problem with the windscreen day or night - actually reduces glare in night driving - but I find that during night driving, particularly when raining, at congestive intersections (like many of the ones in Patong - does not apply so much with large intersections) I have to lower the passenger front window slightly to have safe vision. Not a problem with electric windows, of course, but just a nuisance factor. However, the added shade of 80% around is terrific for daytime driving. All things considered, for my next car, I will keep the same formula, however you may prefer 50% all around. Avoid cheap film - make sure you specify your brand. Genuine 3M film has small embossing stamps. These are non intrusive, but can be easily removed with rubbing alcohol if you should so desire.

Re Fortuner v PJS, the seats in the Fortuner seem to be more comfortable than the PJS, but the biggest disadvantage of the Fortuner (as far as I'm concerned) is that it is constant 4WD. If they made it selectable, I may be persuaded to change brands (only may).

^Saw him yesterday for the first time in quite a few months - thought he must have gone home during high season. Had a dog with him on this occasion.

As to the OP, the missus says that it depends upon hair length and quality of product used. Apparently, you need to speak with the hairdresser and specify 'good quality' dye. It also often depends upon race, apparently - the missus says farang will usually pay (sometimes much) more. She says for good quality dye product with long hair, B1500 up (she thought B2000 was not unreasonable).

Be warned, however, that my missus was once in the chair for 11 hours (though this included extensions) - finished just after 1 in the morning. They kept getting the colouring wrong and had to redo it several times. She says it did a lot of damage to her hair. She has tried a few other hairdressers since then, and it seems to be very much luck of the draw. It seems that the best advice is to find a hairdresser who is well experienced with this type of work and knows precisely what she is doing. How? Speak with someone you see who has had her hair dyed and ask her where she got it done. Unlike your home country (probably), most Thai strangers are very approachable, although you may need to try more than once to find someone who you can communicate with.

All else failing, you can try the hairdresser opposite the (now closed) Gunner's Bar in Nanai. One lady there has apparently been on staff for many, many years. Alternatively, the hairdresser in Nanai 2 directly behind where the Offshore Bar used to be are quite good as well. (From Nanai, find Soi Nanai 2 and as you enter it, 20 metres down on the right.)

E: Ask for L'Oreal dye product

I went out for a while yesterday and had a reasonable time (wish they'd stop icing the water, though). As per usual, they've got Nanai blocked off in some areas and elsewhere are still throwing buckets of water on people passing on m/cycles. Dangerous - nothing's changed - I can hear them out there again today. So much for the areas set aside for water play...

Out of mere curiosity, are any of the bars in Bangla selling grog?

Two days ago, a large area of Patong was off (elec) for between 1 and 2 hours from around 3 pm, but whether it was related to this or some other problem I don't know...

Right - thanks to the OP for this thread. I'm off Nanai. No water yesterday (Thu morning). I thought the water pump must be on the fritz again, so got the bloke in and he told me my tank was empty. I noticed it started to fill again early last night. A problem for water cart refill because my tank is in the back yard and inaccessible (unless they've got a 40 metre hose and can run it through the middle of my house).

Terribly bad luck. I think with most of us that such things happen so suddenly that there is an instinctive reaction to swerve. In many cases, there just isn't time to think things through. Could be a toddler.

I'm beginning to think that those who say it is still up are talking about a different forum. The one we are talking about here is (the late) Nicke's forum - phuket-info. I've checked it on websitedown and it is definitely not online. Those who say it is online are probably looking at a different forum/website.

Some Feedback...

Went to B-Quik yesterday. Bloke came over, took off one of the cell covers (where the acid is poured in) and promptly said the battery is good. I told him it was no good, and he then tested it with a piece of equipment and neither agreed nor disagreed. I then told him I wanted a Boliden battery - they only have Yuasa batteries. Okay, I want a 95 amp jobby. No, I only need an 85 amp battery he tells me. I show him the current battery (95 amp). He says that the original battery that came with the car tells porky pies and is really only 85 amp. No, I insist on a 95 amp battery. He tells me he would have to rewire the car to install it. I still want a 95 amp battery. Of course, then he decides to tell me that they don't have that size in stock. He then takes me over to a rack of batteries sitting outside the shop, all covered in grime and looking like they had been getting wheeled in and out of the shop since the shop opened. He then points to a 75 amp battery (having cleared the muck off the top label) and I point out that it is 75 amp, not 85 amp (let alone 95 amp). It also has helpfully printed on the front 'For Conventional Cars'. I then ask if he knows where else I can buy a battery. 'Phuket Town' he says. 'Bye', I say...

B-Quik are probably good for servicing and the like - but I would caution anyone needing a new battery. The fact that they don't even bother to keep them clean and at least looking new says quite a bit.

The place near Esso is still there and operating but was closed yesterday (being Sunday).

Thanks for that folks - will try B-quik. (Tried to send you a PM re this LiK, but my PM doesn't work in either IE10 or Chrome.)

I read in the motoring forum that Boliden are supposed to be a good car battery. My current one has all but died after 22 months (got run down frequently - not a lot of use). Does anyone have a suggestion where I could buy one in or near Patong at a fair price? Alternatively, suggestions for a quality car battery and where to buy/cost? For a Pajero Sport.

Thanks - Ping

One of the posters above said he had to have his bank letter dated the same day as his application for extension. I've always got mine the day before. I understood it only had to be issued within 7 days prior to the application. Has something changed (I'm due for another extension next month)?

I think that gold is roughly the same everywhere in LoS, so I suspect that diamonds would be much the same (ie the savings might not be worth the travel unless you are talking about a seriously significant size of diamond). No expert on the subject, just applying logic - I could be wrong. I don't know about the prices in neighbouring countries though - might be worth exploring.

The way it happens here is that where one is suspected, one is charged and it is then up to that person to extricate himself/herself from culpability. Turns our western presumption of innocence on its head, doesn't it...

I like NKM's idea of a scamometer. Perhaps they could introduce zones. 'You are now entering the Patong scam-free zone.' 555

^Thanks - greatly appreciated. I'll get the missus to give them a call.

Hi folks. I'm traveling up from my home in Phuket to Kampaeng Phet in a few months (to visit the outlaws). I don't want to drive up, so my plan is to fly to Phitsanulok and rent a car at or near the airport and then drive the 30k or so to the house in K'phet. I don't have a credit card (only a debit card) and these larger companies say in their TOS that a credit card has to be provided. So, I was wndering if anyone could recommend a rental company near the airport that does not have this requirement, like a small independent company (I have googled without success).

If this is in the wrong sub-forum, would someone please report it to a mod and ask it to be moved to the correct one. I would like it to stay in a community (local) sub-forum.

Thanks - Ping

Thanks GOM

Agree with the others who reckon that these ISPs are all the same. Three or four weeks ago, I had a problem with my 3BB service (frequent drop-outs) and got them out to take a look. They said my modem was the problem and to use the 3BB-supplied one. Then they couldn't get that one to work (with the router) at all. Finally, they got it sort of working, but then a couple of days later, nothing. They came out again and fiddled with my router settings for ten minutes, looked confused, and then told me that the router was gone and had to be replaced. Just before I headed out the door to buy a new one, I decided to change a setting myself, reckoning there could be a conflict (with the modem) in the router URL settings that they tried. I input an address that I knew wouldn't conflict with the modem and presto, back online immediately and haven't missed a beat since. Yes, they narrowed the problem down for me but then they didn't have a clue how to fix it themselves. 10/10 for their knowledge and professionalism - not!

E: Clarif