asiacurious

On 7/1/2020 at 1:34 AM, Bob A Kneale said:

Nonsense.  The difference between baking/cooking chocolate and normal chocolate is not just it's shape and wrapping!

It's shape and wrapping.  Cocoa content is what matters in chocolate bars.  Doesn't matter what shape or packaging it comes in.

That said, if you're looking for flavored chocolate (sea salt, orange, mint, caramel) then yes, there is obviously a difference between buying thin foil wrapped bars with added flavors, and bulk chocolate used for baking.  But if you're comparing a good 70% cocoa baking chocolate sold in in 1KG (or 10KG) bars/blocks/coins and 100g of thin foil wrapped bars, you'll find very little difference.

I'm not talking about Godiva chocolates or specialized candy (those are obviously very different).  I'm talking the basic Lindt style bars vs a good bulk chocolate.  Which is what, in my experience, Schmidt sells.

9 hours ago, Oxx said:

There's a cheaper local equivalent, Sava Flour.  It's launch is described at http://www.biotec.or.th/en/index.php/news-2018/1276-thai-firm-launches-gluten-free-cassava-flour-based-on-biotec’s-technology

 

It has a Facebook page, Thai only at https://www.facebook.com/savaflour

Yeah, I wondered if that was cheaper when I posted that link in my first reply ????  They used to have a site, but now only a facebook page.

Hmmm.... Bob's has two different products.  Perhaps you were looking at the Flour/Starch?  They have a post on their site that IS a bit confusing about the two, but the different product pages (and package labels) are pretty clear.

The Tapioca Flour they specifically say is AKA starch. 

The Cassava Flour they say is made from the whole root.  Also, in their FAQ on the product page someone asked what the difference between the two was, and Bob's staff answered....

Their Cassava Flour page: https://www.bobsredmill.com/cassava-flour.html

Their Tapioca Flour (AKA Starch page: 

https://www.bobsredmill.com/shop/flours-and-meals/tapioca-flour.html

Hope this helps.

Hmmm.... Yeah, most tapioca flour is tapioca starch.  What you want is (I think) commonly called cassava flour.  Bob's Red Mill (expensive!) is available via Lazada.  https://www.bobsredmill.com/cassava-flour.html

This shop also sells their own brand.  Might be cheaper....  https://www.facebook.com/savaflour/shop/

Villa Market sometimes has Bob's Red Mill products in their stores (in BKK) that aren't on their site, so it's worth going there to ask.  And if you need a steady supply, perhaps they would import a case for you?

22 minutes ago, Bob A Kneale said:

He may be disappointed.  The OP is used to paying less than B160 per kilo for his European chocolate so B400 per kilo of baking chocolate (which tastes nothing like 'normal' chocolate) is hardly a bargain for him.

Maybe, maybe not.  Some of it is better than the imported Lindt chocolate that's sold at places like Tesco.  Some of it is about the same.  Also, it's baking chocolate because of the form that it's sold in (500g to 10kg bags of coins or large blocks), not because it's inferior to the small 100g wrapped in foil retail packages.

I should have mentioned....  They have (or at least they had before the Covid situation) sample jars for each chocolate so you could sample everything before buying.  If they still do samples, you can taste before you spend. 

On 6/23/2020 at 8:21 AM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Just curious.. for these kinds of prepaid data packages, do they include the ability to make regular mobile phone calls for some extra added X baht-per-minute fee... OR.... are they strictly data only package, no calling available via the package?

 

These are data only plans, but you can add a separate calling package on top.

57 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I cannot reply to your poll since I am not on a visa of any kind.

I am on my 12th extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai. I have not had a valid visa for over 12 years.

Ahhhh, gosh.  Well, I forgot that as an option!  Sorry about that.

42 minutes ago, glegolo said:

In my eyes this is a completely useless poll, no good for anybody.... Even yourself have no real reason to do this. I am not answering this stuff.

 

glegolo

Although I disagree with it, I appreciate your point of view.  For me though, it's helpful as a way to better understand what others are going through.  And it gives some sort of small small snapshot of the visa situation as it exists and effects people's lives.  

For those people who are CURRENTLY IN Thailand, what is your current Visa situation?  It would be interesting to hear what your situation is, and if you have a visa that was automatically extended through July 31st, what kinds of concerns or plans you have regarding your visa over the next few weeks.

Quick question regarding ED Visas.  I currently have a 6 month multi-entry tourist visa.  It expired AFTER the July 31 extension was announced, so I'm now covered through July 31st.

I'm looking to take classes and switch over to an ED Visa.  I've read that you can switch in country (without leaving Thailand) providing you still have 30 days left on your tourist visa.

Does anyone know, or has anyone tried, to do the switch recently, while here legally under the July 31st extension?

Thanks!

Looking to upgrade the phone and get a pocket wifi too.

Does anyone know of a stand alone AIS, DTAC, or TRUE store that is open these days?  As all the malls are closed, all the company stores in the malls are also closed.

I'm guessing there must be at least a couple of large stand alone (outside of malls) stores for each of the big companies.  I need to change my plan and upgrade some equipment.  (I've seen several small independent shops that sell sims and basic stuff, but I'm looking for actual company owned/affiliated stores.)

Also, anyone know if TRUE still offers their 10Mbit unlimited for 200bath/month plan?  AIS has one but their coverage is a bit weak where I live.

Thanks!

Anyone know of better unlimited plans than the AIS 10Mbps?  200baht/month is a great price, but I'd like a more speed.  I use my phone as a hotspot for other devices.

I could get a pocket wifi and another SIM, then bond the two together to create a 20Mbit connection, but I'd need some expensive hardware to bond the two connections together and it would still limit the speed to 10Mbit on the phone.

Any faster unlimited out there?

Thanks!

US Citizens don't need to quarantine, but anyone who has been to the US in the last 14 days does.  This page has the best list I've seen of travel restrictions (for every country):  https://blog.newlandchase.com/covid-19-latest-travel-and-immigration-disruption-updated-16-march-2020

In part that page lists the following information for entering Thailand:

Quote

• Effective 13 March, Visa on Arrival is suspended for nationals of 18 countries including Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu. Nationals of these countries also need a Health Certificate issued within 48 hours of flight departure certifying that they are free of COVID-19.
• Effective 13 March, visa-free entry for South Korea, Italy and Hong Kong are suspended. Nationals of these countries also need a Health Certificate issued within 48 hours of flight departure certifying that they are free of COVID-19.
• Effective 12 March, foreign nationals arriving in Thailand will need to download an Airports of Thailand mobile app to provide information about themselves and where they will be staying.

So you *should* be fine, although you won't know if they'll let you fly until you check in at the airport, and you won't know if Thailand lets you enter until you get to the immigration desk at the airport.  But according to what they've said, you should be able to come, stay a few hours (or a few days) and head back.

EDIT: As timendres mentioned, entering Vietnam may be another issue.  The same site at the link above says this about entering Vietnam:

Quote

Visa on Arrival is suspended temporarily for all foreign nationals.

 

[snip]

 

Countries with more than 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, or more than 50 new cases per day, can also expect to have visa exemptions to Vietnam suspended at this time.

Good luck!

7 hours ago, yokat said:

If you want to have a laugh it's at page 290 of this pdf:

https://www.ghsindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019-Global-Health-Security-Index.pdf

 

My favorites from Thailand's score:

50/100 on travel and trade restriction

100/100 on risk communication

I'm surprised those are both as high as they are.  Would have thought they would be lower.

Check out page 55 of the pdf too, which ends with:  "The GHS Index shows that Thailand is, beyond a doubt, an international leader in health security."

Maybe they are, maybe they aren't.  Time will tell.

In 2014 The Guardian compared the SARS coronavirus, Ebola, and many other infectious diseases contagiousness and deadliness.

Contagiousness is given as a number of people one person can infect, and is given as an R₀ number (pronounced “R naught”).  an R₀ = 2 would mean one person can get 2 people sick.

The current estimate of the contagiousness of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus is an R₀ rate between 2.25 - 3.2 (based on information provided at the end of this post).  As times goes on, the rate will get more accurate.  It is far too early to have an accurate death rate for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.

Here's the chart: 

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/ng-interactive/2014/oct/15/visualised-how-ebola-compares-to-other-infectious-diseases

And here's a good article on how R₀ is calculated: https://vitals.lifehacker.com/what-is-the-coronaviruss-r0-and-why-does-it-matter-1841264885

Here are the values given in the article:

• On January 23, the World Health Organization met to discuss whether the virus constitutes a global public health emergency (not yet, they concluded). Their scientists presented data that showed an R₀ of 1.4 to 2.5.
• This preprint (preprints are not yet peer reviewed) posted on January 24 estimates the R₀ “is likely to be below 5 but above 3.”
• Another preprint from January 24 estimates R₀ at between 2.0 and 3.1.
• Another report, posted to Github from the University of Bern on January 24, found R₀ to be about 2.2
• This report from Imperial College London on January 25 estimates an R₀ of 2.6
• This preprint posted on January 26 estimates R₀ of 2.9, calculating it two different ways, with confidence intervals around 2.3-3.7.

Taking the average of those ranges, we get an average R₀ range of 2.25 - 3.2.  (Each of those bullet points above have links to their sources in the original lifehacker article)

If anyone has updates to these numbers, I hope you'll share them.

Thanks for the ideas Toosetinmyways.

4 hours ago, URMySunshine said:

Guardian has dropped it 'live' feed. 

Nah, they just start a new live feed each morning.  Here's today's....

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/jan/27/coronavirus-china-death-toll-climbs-to-80-with-more-than-2700-cases-live-updates

From The Guardian about 30 minutes ago in their live feed....

• Quote

   

  • Death toll in China rises to 80, with infections climbing above 2,700
  • 95% of deaths and more than 50% of infections are in Hubei province
  • China’s second most powerful man, Premier Li Keqiang, arrives in Wuhan
  • China extends lunar new year holiday until 2 February
  • Chongqing municipality – one of China’s biggest – bans inter-province bus travel for its nearly 30m residents. Chongqing borders Hubei province
  • World Heath Organisation chief flies to Beijing
  • Hong Kong bans Hubei residents from entering

   

   

Anyone have any tips on where I can buy an affordable home ice cream machine?  In the US $30 gets you a simple motorized (110V) 1 gallon machine (the salt & ice method).  Found the same machine (with a 220V motor) under a local Thai brand at Siam Paragon for $200.  That's kind of ridiculous.

Alternatively, anyone know of a shop that'll rewind a 110 motor to 220?

Thanks!

Are you looking for regular corn meal or masa harina (for corn tortillas)?

Regular cornmeal is available at Villa but masa harina is VERY hard to find, although I once found a bag of Bob's Red Mill brand masa harina at Villa a few months back.  (I wondered if they got a shipment of the wrong product by mistake.)  I believe it was the Villa at the Little Walk strip mall a little bit past Central Bangna.

Here's a photo of the Masa Harina along with the label from the bottom, which I think lists the importer.  (Posted more for future reference should anyone come looking to get there hands on this particular type of flour.)

For those wondering, corn meal used in making tortillas use the whole kernel, which is first dried, then soaked in a lime solution, then dried again and ground into a powder.   Regular corn meal is dried, degermed, and ground, and doesn't work at all well for recipes where masa harina is needed.