McChuch

Wow, Sotu, that is great news! Thank you so very much for the information. We will definitely PM you if we need to "donate" it.

We have a KitchenAid Model 5K5SS Heavy Duty Mixer which has a damaged nylon worm gear (we think). A wooden spoon was inadvertantly dropped in the bowl when it was doing its thing. Where in Phuket can we get this thing fixed? We know that there are repair centres in Bangkok but that is not convenient.

On a similar note, since we will not be needing this equipment after April 20, we are quite willing to donate it complete with a plethora of attachments to anyone who is willing to take on the onerous job of getting it repaired.

Please PM me if anyone is interested in picking it up. And if anyone knows of a Phuket-based repair centre then that would be appreciated as well.

Many thanks.

Sorry, I "mis-spoke" in the initial post.......when the payment terms were presented, we were to receive cash here, in Phuket. It was not until we made it clear that we didn't want to deal with cash here, that the travel options were given.....knowing full well that no one would want to go to Liberia, the scammer figured that we would relent and agree to the original terms.

Wellington, thank you for your comments......you try to do some good and you get these smart alecks with their useless posts.

Dos Vedanya.

Indeed.....how many people would turn down cash for their property in a depressed market?????

Many people become "truly stupid" when it comes to money.

This guy couldn't continue whatever scam he had planned when we turned down the offer of cash and demanded a transfer of funds.

As far as "truly stupid" people go, there was an Italian in Bangkok who lost 2.6 million baht in the "black money laundering" scheme, also countless Koreans and Thais. Usually if one has been scammed, one doesn't want to admit that Greed clouded their judgement.

You all may remember the laundered black money scam a couple of years back......a couple of Liberians conned unsuspecting people of hundreds of thousands of Baht to buy chemicals to "clean" black painted money "smuggled" out of Liberia. The Liberians got the cash for the chemicals, leaving the scammee with worthless, US currency-sized paper. Well, they are back with a new scam (we suspect). Beware if you are a FSBO (for sale by owner). We had a young couple call us out of the blue, claiming that "someone" in a black, 4-door pickup truck had recommended our flat to buy. "William" claimed to be the son of a General in the Liberian army, who was shot 4 months ago and had left US$ 3 million in a metal box (he has seen it with his own eyes) and William, the son, is now buying real estate in order to invest this money (as well as go to south Korea "to buy some stocks" ). He offered cash. We could go to Liberia with him to collect it or else he could go with us to our country of choice to make the deal. Yeah, right...... so we requested that the money be sent via telegraphic transfer (no chance of receiving counterfeit money or a fake money order or a fake cashier's cheque). Well, this was most difficult.....perhaps he can contact his Swiss banker friend and then they can transfer the money to an account of our choice. Beware this ploy as well. They may ask for a "processing fee" before they can transfer the money.....you send the fee and you will never hear from them again.

This was last night. My husband and I just wanted to get rid of the guy and told him "no deal" and all of a sudden the money is here in Phuket. "Let's do this in installments".....ah, NO.....telegraphic transfer and that's it.

So, just a head's up.

chickencurry......I'll PM you.

I agree wholeheartedly with Royale. My husband and I have lived here (in Nai Harn and Kata) for 6 years and are bailing out. Being on holiday here and living here full-time are two very different things. I am not badmouthing Phuket at all.....it is beautiful and for 6 months of the year has fabulous weather and super beaches. It just isn't for us. Others have found their bit of paradise here which is great.

As a single woman who is retired.....and not working.....you might find it a bit difficult finding like-minded people with whom to socialize. We have known several single, retired women who have left after a year. Unless you have a serious hobby (other than golf) to take up your time, you may be at loose ends very quickly. But you need to find this out for yourself.

There are other parts of the world that are much more inviting for single retired women.

If you are hel_l bent on coming here, I would advise you to join the Phuket International Women's Club.....you can meet other women in the same boat as you (although a huge percentage are here with their partners), enjoy some extra-curricular activities and do some good by volunteering your services to help under-privileged children receive an education.

In any case, whatever you decide.....good luck.

Tamsin, I've been to 11 different "stylists" in 6 years here and have been charged anywhere from 250 Baht to 6000 Baht for basically the same thing. And, yes, I was crazy, insane, lost my head, when I was sucked into paying such a ridiculous amount.

My best luck has been with Noi at Cut 'n Curl at Central Festival. Everytime I bring her in a picture (the same one) of what I want..... she gets pretty near to it. I can also leave the salon without rushing home to wash it out and style it how I want...i.e. I am not embarrassed to be seen in public.

Two years ago, my husband (EU passport) and I (Canadian passport and born in Canada) entered the EU line at Heathrow. It was the most humiliating experience I have had in a long time. The "official" ranted and raved at me for being in the wrong line and wouldn't let up. Finally, after I apologized profusely for my faux pas, he reluctantly stamped my passport and let me through. Welcome to the UK.

I fly the Phuket-Bangkok-Phuket route every 3 months (for the last 3 years). For the first two years I flew AirAsia and was late every single time, once 2 1/2 hours late. That was the final straw. I refuse to fly with Air Asia and now alternate between Nok Air and Thai Air.

Shhhhh! Don't let Phuket Immigration hear about this.

Farang99 , I think that as long you are a guy on your own renewing the visa, you are OK. The problems arise when you are a couple. Just a few weeks ago a friend of mine was told to get her own bank account (she and her husband had a joint bank account) with her OWN B800,000. This was well after the 19th of September turn-around in rules. She and her husband have a 6 month spread in renewal times. So the rules are not the same as they were before, since married couples could use the same B800,000 for years. Another couple I know went in with their B800,000 in a joint account and had no problem.

The only consistent thing with Phuket Immigration is their inconsistency.

I celebrate by mixing a huge pitcher of frozen margueritas, parking myself in front of the computer, and serfing the Net looking for property in Mexico.

I forgot to mention that my friend's B400,00 bank deposit had already been approved by officer#1. It was the jerk in the back who demanded the B800,000.

I agree with you, Dupont. Last year you were greeted at the door, they were serving coffee, if it was raining someone would escort you to your car with an umbrella. Even the guy whose current mantra is "my country, my rules" didn't get pissy when I presented colour copies of my passport...he quietly went off to make black and white copies on the office photocopier. Now if I had done that he would be waving my papers around, shouting NO GOOD, NO GOOD! MAKE NEW COPIES!

I don't understand why they have to be such jerks. There has to be something that can be done. We just ask for a bit of human decency. It is just getting worse. Everyone I know who has gone in there has been treated with disdain and these are people who follow the law and are well-mannered. On the other hand, I have seen guys come in, shabbily dressed, looking like they had been on a bender the night before, who are practically high-fived by some of the officers. What gives?

My friend who is fluent in the Thai language, very quiet-spoken and mild-mannered, went today to extend his retirement visa for the 16th year. He showed a deposit of B400,000, which was the grandfathered financial requirement from 1998. He has had the funds deposited for three months and the funds have come from over-seas. Today he was told the requirement was now B800,000. Even though he had the funds in another bank account, he didn't want to cave and asked to see the next higher up. The next higher up came in the afternoon so my friend went off to get another letter from the bank (just in case) and waited. The higher up guy was very polite and co-operative, checked all of my friend's papers, double-checked in his own reference library and AGREED with my friend. He was able to just show the B400,000 requirement and went on his merry way.

This begs the question......what is going on with those guys? It was the short, skinny guy in the back who demanded the B800,000. Even when I was there with my husband, who was extending his retirement visa a few weeks back....I was being grilled was to why MY visa was extended at a different time? The officer was rude.....I was made to feel like a criminal since my visa was extended 6 months previously and not at the same time as my husband. And then we get the mantra...."my country, my rules"......well, in my friend's case, the 'rule' was wrong and I am glad that he requested to see someone further up.

So, if you feel that you are being jerked around.....it doesn't hurt to ask to see the superior officer.

It was mentioned in an earlier post re a farang couple doing the split year renewals, at least three months apart and simply transferring the 800K between one and others bank for renewal of retirement visa - is that viable for the future?

They would have to transfer the funds out of the country after the 1st permit was granted and then transfer it in the second applicants name. They would have transfer fees and exchange rates to deal with but it could be possible.

One fly in the ointment, they are granting in some cases now, just one month " under consideration" and then the one year permit.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

My husband and I have done our renewals 6 months apart for 5 years now in Phuket. We have a joint bank account. Yesterday when my husband went in to do his renewal, the officer requested that I give him copies of MY previous visa extensions (all of them). Then the head honcho, very aggressively demanded to know WHY we had different extension dates. We felt as if we had committed a capital offence. I explained that I was older by 6 months and that we applied for our visas when we separately turned 50 years of age. I was then informed that when I renew my visa next March, that it would be good until September, to coincide with my husband's. The irony is that the money here in Phuket is MINE......I should have told the ?+#@ that since I was older and the money was mine, that my husband is actually my toyboy and that I am the one with the Big Bucks......the question would have been in that case, would my husband's visa be piggybacking on mine????

No mention was made of remedying the situation by having 2 bank accounts and continuing the 6 month split. I feel that they were closing this loophole by basically ordering me to "piggyback" on my husband's visa in order to have the same renewal dates which would preclude the necessity of having 1.6 million Baht in at one time rather than transferring 800,000 Baht between accounts at different times of the year.

What to do, what to do.

Thanks for the replies......upon further investigation it was revealed that there is a reservoir in Karon area, so the water is being brought in from there. The utility lines and ugly transformers remain but at least there will be fewer water trucks. Apparently it is in the plans for the lines to be underground but I am not holding my breath.

Has anyone seen the black PVC pipes that have sprouted along the road in Kata Noi? Does anyone know what their purpose is? I am hoping that they are for underground utility cables, for electricity and phone lines. It would be a treat to get rid of those ugly noisy transformers. Or am I dreaming the impossible dream?

The Phuket International Women's Club has evolved over the years offering more than just coffee or tea meetings. It now has various activities for all ages and nationalities of women on the island. It also provides the perfect opportunity to make new friends for newcomers and old-timers alike. The club has organized activities such as mahjong, tennis, golf, aquasize, bridge, sundowners as well as the aforementioned (and scoffed at) coffee mornings which provide great opportunities for networking. Through monthly luncheons at various venues, the club raises money (in conjunction with other fund-raising activities) to help provide for the education of 250 students.

We are not old bags that drink coffee all day and speak with a British accent.

On every second Thursday of the month, we meet in Starbuck's at Central from 10:00am to noon. Someone from the Executive Committee is present to welcome newcomers. I can guarantee that you will find like-minded members....not at every function that you attend, but with time you will find your "pack".

Welcome to the island and enjoy your time here!

We bought our dehumidifier at Home Pro for under 20,000 Baht. It was on sale, marked down from 30-something thousand Baht.

A dehumidifier is worth every Baht. Otherwise get a closet warmer (tubular heater) from Zee Zee Interiors in Chern Talay. A small one is about 2300 Baht, keeps the closet warm while not allowing mold to grow. You will need an electrical outlet in or near your closet.

For your drawers, get dehumidifying crystals at Tops in Central. They come in a small plastic container with crystals in the top half. You take the foil off the top, stick the container in the drawer and somehow the extra moisture ends up as water in the bottom half of the container....it's called " Farcent" and lasts about a month. Get the one with rain drops on it otherwise you'll just end up with air freshener.

We live right by the beach and have ended up mold-free after investing in a dehumidifier and a closet warmer as well as using the crystals.

Good luck Sunshine.

They came back the next day and covered the insulators with a silicon compound to prevent the sea salt from doing any further damage.

So, if EGAT tells you that nothing can be done.....something can be done. You just have to be persistent.

The owner was there when it happened.

Agree on all points......BUT be careful in low season when the monsoon winds pick up. We were there when a gust of wind had glass, plates and cutlery flying around all over....we had to take cover under the tables and behind the bar. Then the electricity went out, so no lights to go down the stairs....and no help from the staff. Otherwise, yes, the band is super and the food great.

There is a happy ending to this tale of woe. The developer has connections at EGAT. Yesterday the orange truck came and changed a few cables et voila! No buzzing, no static, no sparks like the 4th of July! The trick is to take photos, especially night ones so you can show which insulators are throwing off sparks. They used my photos to help them decide what to fix. So we are a buzz-free zone (for now).