BWPattaya

Easy, just stop at the black pump and say diesel to the attendant. Same word in Thai, and they usually know it is a diesel anyway.

I was told by the staff in the driving licence office that Thais must renew it as soon as it expires. Foreigners can renew it up to one year after it expires as they know some will be abroad at the time of expiry. I believe that you can not renew before it expires.

I also believe that you cannot use an International Driving Permit in your home country, you must have a driving licence issued by your country. In the UK you can drive using a Thailicence for one year if you move there.

Different countries may have different rules though. Best thing to do is simply ask the relevant departments.

Does it take a police to catch a police?

No! It takes a thief to catch a thief!

I have had many cars and bikes over the years. The first car I bought here was a Daewoo. Absolutely the worst car I have ever had. Leave it alone. I wasted money and learned my lesson. My Isuzu is one of the best though, perfect for Thailand's roads.

I have a friend who exported his Toyota Tiger pick up to the UK. I understand that it has to be owned by you personally for a period of several years before exporting it. His Tiger didn't have a heater and needed one fitting, done by another friend who is a mecahnic, otherwise expensive to do.

Other considerations are whether the vehicel conforms to CUR - Construction & Use Regulations. You will need an MOT certificate, plus information from insurers to ensure that they don't treat it as a grey import and refuse to insure.

The earlier post about using an agent is good advice.

I know it is a little late but have you cancelled your work permit with the labour department? That is your resposibilty not your ex-employers! You must notify them within one week of resigning, which is effectively what you have done.

As regards anything else, let it drop. You are not going to get your job back, nor will you get any money.

Hopefully when you cancel your work permit they will not revoke your visa thus enforcing you to leave.

I have thought of another reason for not doing this. As a foreigner, and especially as a tourist, you are required to notify immigration of your address in Thailand. Hotels are required to inform them daily of their occupants. That includes names and passport details.

You would not be able to do this.

As regards owning the car, I have two friends who visit here regularly on tourist visa. Both have cars in their own names. Other visitors I know own motorbikes.

I agree with the poster who mentioned the difficulty of taking a Thai car to other countries. If you brought a carr into the country for your own personal use you are only permitted to bring it in for a limited time.

If you want to travel around you would do it much cheaper using hotels (cheap), the road network is good and transportation is cheap and frequent.

I used to have a motor caravan in the UK, loved it. However, I would never consider one in Thailand. It would be impossibly hot to live in unless you could leave the engine running for air-conditionung. Camping sites are a rarity so you would be wild camping - I would not consider this from a safety point of view.

If you bought one here, which you could do quite legally, you may have difficolty taking it out of the country for a lengthy period. Easier to buy one ready converted in Australia and bring it here. That would be right hand drive same as Thailand and Malaysia.

I hope that helps.

A friend of mine was sat at some traffic lights. One car in front of him. Another comes up behind him, hits his car and knocks it forwards into the car in front.

The car in front was driven by a policeman. The car that hit him from behind was driven by a Thai lawyer.

My friend couldn't believe how unlucky he was, fully expecting to be blamed for everything. Then he was surprised when the two Thais told him not to worry, not his fault and they would sort it all out.

They did too.

Her licence could be her first one, that only lasts for one year, If it is a repeat licence it lasts for five years and will expire on her birthday of that year.

The new licences are quite different to the old ones as well. In English and Thai..

The staff in the driving licence office tell me that Thais have to renew on time, foreigners can renew up to a year after expiry. The understand that we may be out of the country. I don't kknow if it applies to Thais as well if they are abroad.

Easy answer is to ask the Thai embassy in London.

Hi anyone got a rough idea how much i would pay for a 5000km service on my isuzu highlander? Also does it have to be serviced every 5000km seems a short millage gap for a service

cheers

It depends on the total mileage. From new I had a free service avery 5000 Km, up to 50,000 Km or 3 years (whichever came first) After that it depends which service is required, a major one or a minor one. Last one I had done cost less than 1,000 Bt, including oils and some parts.

Is that price using a main dealer? I know I used to pay about 1000 baht to the local back street garage to service my old Mazda pickup but to have my Triton serviced at a main Mitsubishi dealer costs 2-3000 baht for a minor service and 4-5000 baht for a major service (which of course includes having the service history book stamped which you don't get from the local garage). Gaps between services are 10000km not 5000 though.

Thanks guys!

Yes, main dealer in Pattaya, on Sukhumvit. Never needed any parts only routine replacements. It has never let me down, onee of the best cars I've ever had and ideal for Thailands roads.

Hi anyone got a rough idea how much i would pay for a 5000km service on my isuzu highlander? Also does it have to be serviced every 5000km seems a short millage gap for a service

cheers

It depends on the total mileage. From new I had a free service avery 5000 Km, up to 50,000 Km or 3 years (whichever came first) After that it depends which service is required, a major one or a minor one. Last one I had done cost less than 1,000 Bt, including oils and some parts.

If the exchange rate goes down to 1GBP = 55 Baht I am out of here.

We are at 51 Bt to the pound today.

Hi.

I've heard that otherwise there are problems in using expressways if there's something on the bed and it's not covered.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Regards...

Thanh

I have never had a problem carrying stuff on the back whether on expressways or motorways. Look around and you will see many people driving a pickup without a cover.

Secondhand car prices are usually higher than you expect, but it also means the resale value is higher when you sell.

Garyh is right about repossessions. My wife's family have a garage business up north and buy their cars at auction. Bargains to be had, just check the car carefully before you bid.

Hi, I'm going to be buying a second hand 2004 Ford Ranger supercab shortly and would like any feed back about fuel mileage, performance etc.

Thanks Allan

Try to test drive it at night. I had a friend who owned one. He got out once to check his headlights were working as they were so dim. He tried my Isuzu D-Max and bought one straightaway.

Does anybody know if a retire person has to pay income tax of the pension in Thailand, and if yes how to do it?

In the wrong forum, but still answerable.

If it is a UK pension, irrespective of whether it is paid into a bank in the UK or direct to a bank in Thailand, you will pay tax at source. Many have tried to find a way around it but it is income from the UK and, as such, income tax is payable.

If there is any change let me kno, I could save 300 GBP per month.

My mate first moved here 14 years ago and would never buy because he didn't want to lose everything if the Thai government closed down all of the companies that owned property for foreigners. He now wishes that he had bought, using a company, years ago. It would have saved a fortune renting, prevented having to move every time a landlord put the rent up too high, and overall would have been far cheaper.

I used to rent, then worked out that the rent I would pay for four years, on the last house I rented, would be the same amount as a new house I was looking at.

So, I bought a house in a company name thinking that if I lost it after four years it would have cost me nothing. I have lived here now for five and half years so I am in profit. If I walk away I haven't lost. However, I have just had an offer to buy it from me at double the price I paid. If I sell it I am well in profit, but then I have to decide what to do next. Decisions, decisions!

One other point that I would like to make though, regarding many posts, is that meny people comment on buying propery in a wife's name. Ignoring the obvious risks about separation or divorce, what about those who do not have a wife? Perhaps they prefer to stay single and enjoy the good life, or they prefer the company of men.

Finally, those who say "buy a condo" forget that some of us don't want to be in a building cooped up like hens.

A friend of mine arrived at immigration. She was asked "Where are you going to be saying?" but she could only speak a little bit of the language and was unable to answer. She was taken away to a room and grilled. She was in tears. Her friend who was at the airport waiting for her was called to immigration and put into an adjoining room with a glas partition so they could see each other but they were not allowed to speak to each other.

My friend had vomited down her clothes from sheer terror and the immigration officials would not let her clean herself up. This went on for three hours.

Absolutely disgusting. I am ashamed that this happens to visitors with a valid passport and visa to enter the UK. This was not Bangkok, this was Heathrow. My friend is Thai and had gone to meet her partner in the UK.

As for me entering Thailand, never had a problem.

The car is not auto transmission so sounds like a different issue in the BMW.

I am quite sure it is the clutch but hard to be 100 percent sure without looking at it.

What type of car is it?

it's nissan sedan. Very nice car and i have been using it without any problem so far. it's been a while since last time i changed the engine oil though.

Today evening i'll go to garage and check out. Later i'll let you guys know about my "rip off" (hopefully not). When ever they see a falang , they usually charge lot of money.

so i needed to know what actually problem so i could talk about it. thanks guys.

Simple to diagnose. Handbrake on, start engine, clutch pedal down, put into gear, accelorator down a bit, release clutch pedal slowly. Car should not move because handbrake on, engine revs up, if it doesn't stall the engine then it is definitely the clutch.

Replacement time is cheap, cost of parts? No idea!

I think the British Government have played this very craftily, very carefully. They no longer have to deal with a complicated extradition issue. They would know that a man like Thaksin would get too cocky, think himself invincible. He would never have considere that the UK would revoke his visa and it was publicised that he was going to China and the Philipinnes so all they had to do was bide their time. All solved in one easy stroke. They do not have to give a reason for denying entry or revoking visas.

I wonder if they are going to confiscate, or freeze, his cash in England. Has he paid tax on the profits from selling Man City? What will happen to his properties?

How chickens come home to roost. Best news of the weekend.

Oh, and as for the Bahamas offering him citizenship - I doubt that they will now. They are still members of the British Commonwealth with Queen Elizabeth as head of state. I doubt that they will want to make waves. Invite a fugitive who wants to abuse your hospitality by being illegally politically active?

I'm very reliably informed that the webmaster made a mistake and used an ancient menu on the web site, the correct modern day price (and still an absolute result) for that should be B100. I'm equally reliably informed that the menu on the site is being updated this week.

JxP

The webmaster didn't make a mistake, only acting on the information given by the manager.

The website is closed as you will see if you look at http://www.queenvicchiangmai.com. The web site will not be updated. The statement on the index page is correct.

In view of the legal complications involved regarding allegedly illegally changing directors' names and selling their shares I cannot say anything else.

Nice update. Thanx.

Couple questions:

You mention that the Embassy uses an exchange rate... So, is the Affidavit of Income reported in both dollars and baht (using, in this case, the 38-to-1 ratio you mentioned)? And, presumably, the US Embassy still doesn't require supporting documentation(?).

Your experience apparently is that you need a new Affidavit of Income every year? Did you also have a copy of the Affidavit -- but they insisted on the original?

Did Immigration want to see any supporting documentation in reference to the Affidavit?

Cheers.

1) Actually, the Embassy gave me a blank form, which I completed (I entered my pension in $USD) then returned to them for notarization.

2) Yes, new form every year. Yes, I had a copy Ugh!

3) No, immigration accepts the Affidavit with out supporting docs.

Lance

When I renewed my retirement visa last year I was told, by the immigration officer here in Pattaya, not to waste money by going to the British Embassy every year for an affidavit about my pension, "Just give me a photocopy". So I did last year and again this year.

With regards to the requirement for a medical certificate I was told this week, in Immigration, that the rules do not require one nowadays.

It's pretty obvious why the most extensive imported beer selection offered at retail in Thailand in fewer than 10 brands in the most diverse outlet, probably Villa market or Foodland. It is due to the massive duties imposed on the products. The causes ultra high prices per can or bottle. This is the only country that I know of where each bottle or can of beer is decked out with a special tax sticker as if it were a thousand dollar bottle of wine or bottle of booze (Malaysia does this too but never seen anywhere else on beer). So then as I have stated many times, the high price means very few buyers and thus the product sits on shelves for months and months and months, sometimes years. This is easy to check as most beers have a made by date or expiry date (which is an insane year long code). The products are not even pulled after a year as I have seen expired products constantly.

If someone wants a non German imported lager (German beers are nasty IMO), the selection at retail is reduced to around a half dozen brands tops. Kind of reduces selection you might say. should you want a fresh imported lager (within 3 months of production date), one's selection is reduced to zero. This is the current state of imported beers in Thailand. I dont think we will see a change in this anytime soon. No one wants to walk into a store to buy bottles of beers as if they were expensive bottles of wine

Can anyone tell me why Carrefours have stopped importing John Smiths and N. Brown Ale? I have been told they can't get it now. Why? Have they stopped making it?

Anywhere else you know that stocks it?

I was in the Queen Victoria Inn on Soi 6 here in Pattaya, drinking draught John Smiths and browsing on my laptop. Found this thread and thought I'd add some info. I know the guy who imports John Smiths and Newcastle Brown so I rang him up to as why Carrefour don't stock his beers.

It may be controversial to write here why they don't but here goes. They wanted.........no, perhaps I'd better not write what they wanted. If you want to know the reason why they don't stock it ask Rob, of Fluid Asia Pacific, the importers, yourself on 092266385, or emai him at [email protected].

I've already had his permission to post his number and email address so he won't mind if you call him Especially if you have a bar and want to steal a march on other bar or restaurant owners.