jackspratt

......edited.....

What about the 1500% duty on imports to protect this so-called industry?

.......edited...

if one looks at it as it represents some sort of fine, not tax, for the local produced stuff, well, one gets to the actual point of it!

What it does seem to represent (in the absence of some real evidence) is a good round number plucked out of thin air.

Just do the numbers - under a 1500% tax, a bottle of imported wine, with a CIF value of A$5, would be subject to TBH1650 duty (based on an exchange rate of A$1 = 22 TBH).

In fact, a typical Oz wine you see here, which would sell for A$10-15 in Oz, would be priced at about TBH600 - 800 in Tesco. The current rate of import duty on Oz wine is actually about 30%, under the Oz - Thai Free Trade Agreement. The duty rate on wine from other countries is (generally) 50 - 60%.

Internal taxes (VAT, luxury tax etc) will obviously add to this, but it seems a long stretch to get to 1500%.

Or am I being too simplistic?

God forbid

I have previously been a supporter of Tiger, having travelled with them a number of times between Oz and Thailand.

However, whenever I look at potential bookings these days, it seems they are often no cheaper than the full service airlines - particularly when you factor in charges for a decent seat, a reasonable baggage allowance, convenience fees etc.

One particularly annoying feature of their "service" is the (in)ability to make complaints:

Why do you not provide email or phone feedback?

Tiger Airways wants to provide quality service to our customers through meaningful correspondence instead of casual e-mail responses. We believe all our customers deserve professional and well thought out letters in response to their concerns and that is why we put so much effort into researching and investigating every letter we write. We answer every letter we receive in the order that it arrives, with our best efforts to the matter concerned and whoever the person involved. This helps to keep our service level to customers high while keeping our costs low

What codswallop!

Moon's connection explains the suddent reverse in Economist views on Thaksin.

Maybe he didn't cause it, maybe he did. If there's a better explanation, I'd like to hear it.

It doesn't prove anything, it just looks very suspect.

Plus, a neutral observer could make the same observation about your paranoid pursuit of this point.

I am a subscriber to the Economist, and read it from cover to cover every week. Whilst I am not totally in agreement with their editorial line on the situation in Thailand (and other issues from time to time), it has never occurred to me for a moment that a respected publication which is read worldwide would compromise its independence, and reputation gained over more than 160 years, by supporting someone as inconsequential as Thaksin.

Their support is about democracy. Despite what you or I might think about the situation, the Economist doesn't like what has happened in Thailand - no more, no less.

Are maps able to be installed on more than 1 GPS device?

I am looking to buy a Garmin 250 when I am in Oz early next year.

I have a friend locally who has a (genuine) CD with the ESRI Speednavi maps of Thailand, which he has installed onto his own MIO GPS.

Will I be able to load the maps from his CD to an SD card, and install on my Garmin?

ESRI has taken pains to lock their map to the unit the map was purchased for. Even if you buy a newer GPS they probably will not transfer the map you bought to the new unit. It is also irritating to me that the map cannot be used on your home PC.

ESRI GPS map competitors are gaining ground quickly. Nokia and Google maps are available and supposedly pretty good. I have seen the Nokia phone (N95) GPS and quite frankly I wasn't impressed.

As it is right now, I would recommend a Garmin unit. Some people report that the Mio also works well. I have not seen that unit. I wasted a lot of time trying different maps and they either were not very detailed or they had a lot of glitches. ESRI updates their map every year. The map costs 7.000 baht but the first update is free and updats after that are about 1,200 baht. I received my free ESRI update which is version 8.1.

The prices have come down considerably and the service from Gadget Trend is very good. Here is the link;

http://www.gadgetrend.com/

Thanks Gary - that is what I was afraid of.

Cheers

Are maps able to be installed on more than 1 GPS device?

I am looking to buy a Garmin 250 when I am in Oz early next year.

I have a friend locally who has a (genuine) CD with the ESRI Speednavi maps of Thailand, which he has installed onto his own MIO GPS.

Will I be able to load the maps from his CD to an SD card, and install on my Garmin?

Thanks for al he positive replies.

I'm not at journey's end yet, but appreciating the fun/frustrations of playing detective (beats playing Sudoku, leastways).

Sooner or later, I'm hoping that I'll either find the details for myself or a fellow board-member will be able to point me straight at it.

Meanwhile, I look forward to being taught lots of interesting things, here, having already learned the meaning of "Boinnng".

Cheers lads and lasses.

In return for the kind hearts and good advice offered by TV members, perhaps you could reciprocate.

What, for example, do the following mean?

- fanx

- duz

- ya

- fing

Or do TV members also need a "Translate this page" button at the top of their webpages

I am happy to see Swiss men are beginning to learn from Thai men.

Let's hope other western men will follow.

Seems like you are happy to look down on Thai men (up to you).

But in the next breath you are happy to adopt the same standards.

I applaud your consistency

The Ozzie one's have shrimp and vegimite in them I understand.

Wrong on two counts - there is no such thing as "shrimp" in Oz (they are prawns), and ditto "vegimite" (sic)

Better tell Paul Hogan then mate, he still calls them shrimp, or was that Bubba from Forest Gump?

Only "shrimp" for an advertising blitz featuring Hogan, and centred on the US. Back "home", I doubt that Hogan, or any other Ozstralian would refer to Dendrobranchiata as anything other than prawn

The Ozzie one's have shrimp and vegimite in them I understand.

Wrong on two counts - there is no such thing as "shrimp" in Oz (they are prawns), and ditto "vegimite" (sic)

Oh, absolutely it is; since the end of their friendship it's a fight by a frustrated, bitter and hatred Sondhi to destroy everything related to Thaksin, right or wrong.

It has absolutely NOTHING to do with his true feelings for the country and the Thai population because he doesn't give <deleted>.

But...he is a master in 'playing' the crowds for his own cause.

LaoPo

So he and Thaksin have a lot in common then?

I think the people posting here saying "what's the big deal" prolly originate from countries where they've been conditioned to just "surrender their papers" to whomever asks for them......

Ahh! yes................. those sensible, non-paranoid types

I have seen many a thread on this forum where paranoia is running rampant.

But right from the OP, I reckon this one takes the cake.

While the manager mentioned by the OP may have been less than tactful, there are times when a limited ability to express themselves in English (and a non-existent ability of the farang to speak Thai) can easily lead to misunderstandings and frustration. Unfortunately the arrogant response of too many farang just escalates the frustration level.

Some of the responses referring to "grubby mitts" and the possibility he might go berserk and shred the passport or demand cash to return it are just provocative nonsense. Rather than assuming all these ridiculous scenarios, why not just comply. If you didn't want to part company with the passport, which is reasonable, show him the passport and bring in a photocopy of the needed pages or go to the office and ask them to photocopy it.

Every little thing doesn't need to be blown up out of proportion. It isn't the Thais who seem to be always worried about saving face. It's the farang with an exaggerated vision of their own importance that's the problem.

:D

As far as I am aware, Australia has no history of (knowingly) harbouring villains from other countries.

Apart from those from England of course.

Regrettably, I must admit you are correct

Of course, I was speaking in more contemporary terms.

He could always go to Australia. He was there not so long back.

No he couldn't.

The last time he was there was under a different government, and before he was a convicted criminal.

He has business and property interests there. Rudd may take him thousands wouldn't.

So is that a comment on Rudd, or your "understanding" of current visa policy in Australia? Please show your cards.

He owns property in Australia, which does not entitle him to a visa. As a "businessman" he may be more successful, but I am sure that would be overidden by the fact that he is a convicted criminal in a country with which Australia has close diplomatic and economic ties.

As far as I am aware, Australia has no history of (knowingly) harbouring villains from other countries.

He could always go to Australia. He was there not so long back.

No he couldn't.

The last time he was there was under a different government, and before he was a convicted criminal.

Britain revokes Thaksin and wife's visas: official

Posted 13 minutes ago

British authorities have revoked the visas of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman, an airline official said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the British embassy had informed all airlines in an email on Friday not to allow the couple to board flights to Britain.............................

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11...?section=justin

Some immigration offices that I know of will NOT serve you if you show up in a vest (tank-top).

As a public service, can you please nominate these offices jd - in case any of us are inclined to "go sloppy".

But to me the idea of redrawing consituencies to occupation/social group base rather than geography sounds sexy. It challenges our most basic understanding of what the country is, brings it close to the modern, flat world reality.

Hopefully you will remain lonely in your flat world.

There is nothing sexy about disenfranchising people - which however you want to describe it, the PAD proposal would achieve. A country run by unaccountable technocrats - give me a break.

As piss poor as Thailand's current form of democracy is, it is better solved by evolution, and the gradual acceptance of the rule of law.

Here's a question for you Spee <deleted> does it matter if his middle name is Hussein ? are you just another person that think all muslim's are evil ? do you know how common the name Hussein is for muslims or are you just a retard ?

Spee has form on this issue.

You need to look at http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bali-Bombers....html&st=75 , where Spee takes an obsessive interest in Obama's bloodlines.

However, when shown to be completely wrong, and queried about his motives, the elusive Spee (as is typical with right wing conservatives) chose to go absent, and ignore the question.

This is 100% correct. Thai Chinese girls, sexually, are most attracted to Indian and African men. These guys are not too plentiful and I think that is what creates the huge demand. If you are a black male, you can more or less expect to come to Bangkok and be in a relationship with a beautiful medical Thai Chinese student in a few days or less.

For the female Thai Chinese students, this is a simple a self control precautionary. They do not want to study in a school with many Indian or black males because they know that they will likely end up pregnant and will be unable to physically function in a classroom. As you know, Thai Chinese are very serious about their education and I really applaud them for not taking the American "spring break anything goes let me get rammed by three guys at once" college approach. No, they will get their education and then find a dark male to mate with later on.

<deleted>

I suspect that not only "life is random", but also particular responses to this thread are equally random - and nonsensical!

...SO now, does any have first hand experience and contact info for an agent in thailand that will do this?

...

Sevenseas, quoted above, will provide all the packaging, pick up from your house when packed, ship to Thailand, clear Customs, and deliver to your door in Thailand - for an all-inclusive price.

You may want to use the online calculator (quote generator) on their website, and see how their price stacks up against the price you already have.