hansnl

BTS trains to become more frequent in new route

BANGKOK: -- After commuters complained of having to wait too long, the frequency of trains in the new Saphan Taksin-Wong Wian Yai Skytrain route will be increased before the service goes commercial in August.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Traffic and Transportation Department chief Jumpol Sumpaopol said the single rail track over the Chao Phya River forced trains to wait, which means that commuters in Saphan Taksin, Thon Buri and Wong Wian Yai stations need to wait longer than the normal four minutes forty seconds.

The BMA and the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) will therefore make trains more frequent and improve the signalling system bringing the waiting time down to three and a half minutes before it is officially opened in August.

-- The Nation 2009-06-08

Seriously, only a single track across the river?

Increasing the fequency will only generate more delays.

If the driving time across the single track from start to clearing the points is, for example, 6 minutes including reaction time of the driver, in a best case scenario there will be room in one hour for 10 trains, 5 both ways.

If there is signalling available in both directions halfway, making two blocks, the frequency does not double..

With extra signalling it might become possible to send more trains in one direction in a time block, but the track occupancy will also become longer.

Maybe resulting in a total one hour capacity of 14 trains.

But that is only if the median speed goes up considerably.

Anything going wrong with trains, late departures, down goes the line.

Just moved to Khonkaen,and looking for western food for cooking at home. Where can I find Mart / Supermarket / Deli, who sell western food?

Whole wheat bread - western hotdog - spaghetti - burgers - salami and much more, not to forget quality steaks.

Good Bakery in the city?

For western breakfast or lunch out, where to go?

Acer1

I will start with the stupid remarks:

Tesco, Big C and Tops all sell few things, less as before, but still have.

Bread, there are a few bakeries around the Kosa hotel that sell bread with the normal amount of sugar in it.

Also around the Kosa are a few "pubs" where you can get English style breakfast and lunch.

Hotdogs/spaghetti/burgers/salami can all be bought in Tesco and Big C, plus assorted sauces like HP, Heinz, aand more.

You have to improvise from time to time, but up till now I succeeded very well.

Does anybody know the reason why we never see these trike bikes in Chonburi \ Rayong ? is it that you cannot ragister them in those provinces ?

Does anybody know if it would be possible to register one for private use.

There is no way you can register a skylab (that is how they are called) anywhere in Thailand.

Just like Charly's (small motorbikes) and quads (I think).

Skylabs are viewed upon as a kind of tuktuks.

The government wants to control the number of tuktuks.

So no registering.

But, they can be used, actually there are two driving around near you in Pattaya, privately owned!

And, they can be insured too!

Look in the website of Atipong Motors in Udon Thani.

There is in that website an article why the Skylabs cannot be registered.

And why they can be used notwithstanding.

I seem to remember that in towns with tuktuks there might be restriction for driving the things as taxi's.

If that also applies to using a skylab privately, have no idea.

Pattaya has meter taxis, so I gues there is no problem.

We drove two skylabs from Udon Thani to Pattaya in 2 days, were stopped by the police several times at checkpoints.

Had all the paperwork and were waved through.

Paperwork being the insurance, the bill, technical description and so on.

This so called 'article' has been posted before in another thread.

quote deleted because of flaming - mario2008

/quote]

Wow Philo!

The article, posted before or not, is clear nd informative.

Lots of points might be interesting for people in the same situation.

Commendable he wants to take care of the product of his one night stand, I know some people who don't.

Feeling superior? He just tells what he sees, feels and does.

Does he love his child? Going the lengths he goes, maybe he does.

Australia is reckoned to be a western country, there are more western countries that have no culture at all.

Those countries even think they are superior

Using dollars, US or AUS in this article does not take away the information in the article.

Money, in a lot of countries, is the engine that keeps things running.

And when you are pisspot poor, and only have face, imagines or real, the one is the means to the other, and maybe the other way around.

In this article I see a lot of things a friend of mine underwent.

Different problem, but lot of things were the same in the court.

Now, about spilling water on the floor. How could one clean the floor while being in the toilet. There is just enough room to sit down and get up. But bending over to wipe the floor, hmmmmmmm.

Being stowed in a "chair" where a normal person cannot sit in comfortably for any time longer then 10 minutes, is not exactly uplifting for your state of mind.

You get your food, a drink, and then you are expected to go to sleep. Why? so that the flight attendants can go to sleep.

When I worked I was expected to deliver the full 8 hours, or more.

OK, being on a flight of 12 hours makes your shift 13 hours, but sleeping for 8 hours gives you 5 hours work.

I will always treat people the way I would like to be treated, and generally I have no complaints.

But I tend to get a bit agitated reading about faulty customer, wherever.

If you have a job that only gives you heartburn, find another job.

If you don't like an airline, find another one.

And generally, more expensive mostly does not make the service any better or the staff any more friendlier.

Got to the check in at swampy to find Bangkok Airways have put both international and domestic check ins together, but there was a long queue extending out past the lead in.

There were 4 check in's open for economy and 2 for first class (the first class were empty), the annoying bit was there were 4 staff directing people to the only 4 check in's that were open

Please try to remember the following:

The airlines tell you that they will do anything to help you, give good service, customer first!

Now, be so kind to forget all this drivel.

The airline is there to make a profit out of you.

They will do anything to lower the cost, including the least possible staff or the cheapest available staff to check you in, help you, whatever.

Pushers are much cheaper as check in staff, and give the stupid customer the idea that they are there to help you.

As long as the customer accepts what the airlines do, they will go on lowering our standards.

And because we are used to being bullshitted all the time, we accept more and more.

End

So do not expect to be treated as a valued customer.

Expect to be treated like sh*t

New27Mail -

In answer to your survey, I vote for all the above. Here in Cha Am/Hua Hin it is really the only cuisine we can't find, and the wife and I (she's Thai) agree we would do just about anything for a good Chinese/American meal.

If I had the money I would import this cuisine into Thailand as I believe it would be extremely popular. "Thai" restaurants in Northern California where I'm from would often serve these dishes along side Thai dishes to cater to American's learned tastes of Asian foods.

Chinese food?

Brrrrrrr.

American Chinese food?

2xBrrrrrrr.

Chinese?

3xBrrrrrr

I get paid interest at Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial and Kasilorn but NOT at Krung Thai(even with a work permit). However, this can be fixed by phoning head office.

Or having a yellow tambien Baan.

For KTB the secret is theThai ID-number and the house number

The economy in the West has pretty much collapsed over the past few month and the recovery will be long term. I think that Thailand is now aiming for tourists from their neighbouring countries, where the economy's are not yet so badly affected and due to their geographical location and flights are cheaper.

They are not so dependant on Westerners nowadays because like it or not many more Asians can afford to travel from their developing countries.

There will be many more Chinese and Indians arriving here and I have seen evidence of this at the airport.

I talk to my mates in the UK and money is tight, so they will go to nearer destinations if they can afford a holiday at all.

Cheers, Rick.

Oh really?

And how much do those tourists now arriving from Asia in droves spend per day?

And how much you think the economy in Asia is contracting, and will?

Indeed, the Thai officials are counting on Asia more and more.

But, is it wise?

China, Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Thailand are all export driven economies.

All developing, indeed.

Are there indeed more Asian visitors arriving at the airport, or maybe it seems to be because less westerners are arriving?

How much did the arrivals contract totally? (-30%)

How much did the arrivals from Asia grow? (+2%)

Ahhhhhhh

Anything to make a stay in Thailand interesting!

driving on Sukhumvit road, the buses have the constant, silly and annoying habit of going from the middle lane to the left lane. i don't get why they do not just drive in the left lane. so they are often in a situation where part of their rear end is still in the middle lane while they wait to turn into the left lane. i stop, preparing to wait for them, and its pretty consistent that i get beeped at by those behind me, probably 9/10 times, which suggests to me that I am probably wrong. they want me to drive into the right lane to pass, but you still have right lane traffic. i suppose i can just stick my nose into the right lane and make someone in the right lane stop, but i'd rather just wait the 3 seconds and stay where i am.

Of course you are wrong!

Have to agree with Baht&sold, the partnership of Newin and Suthep will prove to be a disaster for the people of Thailand - look what the pair of them cooked up in Pattaya with Newin's silly blue-shirts, etc.

No surprise, either, is the fact that Abhisit is left floundering on the sidelines, waffling away while his masters line their pockets. Every scam pulled by the "friends of Newin" makes it abundantly clear that Little Mark is just the puppet facade.

Who knows, in a few years the "usual suspects" may even begin to see the Thaksin years as relatively corruption-free!

That is a new one, we keep it in

Hi, I'm a British citizen, I've been living in Thailand for the past 3 years but I'll shortly be returning to the UK, probably for several years.

I have a query about the entitlement to free NHS care. I've read in one place that I will not be eligible for free NHS care for 6 months after returning and somewhere else that if I can show I'm returning on a permanant basis I'll be entitled to free care from day 1. Can anybody confirm what the situation really is?

My situation is that I take daily medication for diabeties. Previously when I lived in the UK I obtained the medication via free prescriptions from my GP. Since I came to Thailand I've been paying for it from pharmacies. Will I be able to obtain it via a GP as soon as I return home or should I buy six months worth in Thailand and take it back with me?

I've tried searching this forum and the NHS website but not found answers to my specific case so if anyone has advice it would be appreciated.

I'm not sure if it's relevant but I've been paying voluntary NI contributions all the time I've been in Thailand.

Thanks in advance

If you take your medicines on a daily basis, and the prices are not to steep, why not take enough with you to tide you over when going back.

When I go back to NL for some time, I don't gamble, take for 3 month's medicines with me (1920 baht).

Same med's in Holland cost me about € 340 (B 16320)

Can you put any numbers forward?

70% of the buses will be locally assembled according to Suthep.

The total cost has been trimmed in several steps, the project has been in the works for over a year already.

Now is not the time to go back to square one and consider inviting Mercedes Benz to invest in a bus building plant here.

Hard to disagree with Suthep - if you know something, tell the public, don't just wallow in platitudes about corruption and demand endless "reviews".

Why invite Mercedes Benz if you want to build buses.

Really, Mercedes is not the only manufacturer of chassis/engine configurations.

There are more and maybe even better builders in Europe, US, Australia or Asia

If you want to build buses you ask for knowledge of a bus builder, to supply knowhow, tools etc.

Mercedes, or Scania, or DAF, or Volvo, Isuzu, Nissan or whomever could supply the basic chassis/engine.

Or agree to assemble locally.

Very many coachbuilders in Thailand that could do the job of building a bus on the chassis/engine.

When i moved here 3 months ago, my wife and her sister sat me down and told me i can have girls on the side. I was in shock.

In the US my wife was VERY jealous and possessive.

The only stipulation which they harped on endlessly was "no take girl our condo". I asked why and the sister explained in

great detail of how my wife would lose face if the neighbors saw me with a girl.

Since then she caught me once with a girl inside our place (her job takes her away for days at a time) but didnt freak out, she

just told the girl you can see my husband but dont come my baan. The girl was shi tting her pants as my wife walked in with

2 of her friends. My wife offered her a drink after and we all went for a swim in the pool. It was surreal. I expected WW3. The

poor thai girl couldnt believe it, she was stunned. She was nervous going in the pool lol.

We are planning on moving soon and my wife seems not to care if i have girls over. I am guessing she thinks she will never see

these people/neighbors again so who cares. But talking with her about our new place she is already on me about no girls.

I really thought I was the only one going through the shock of your wife telling you it is allowed to have a mia noi.

Same thing, hotel, her house, but no way in our own house.

Unbelievable.

Can you register/insure it?

If so the insurance will state what kind of vehicle it is.

I know that in Thailand many veicles fall between classifications and simply can't be registered or insured. Quad bikes for example. In that case it would be a moot point having a license anyway!

However, it is possible to get insurance for a lot of vehicles that are not eligable for a license plate

Skylabs have no license plate, but can still be insured, no problem.

Quads can be insured, but no license plate.

Charly's (small motorbikes) can be insured, but no license plate.

Shop around for insurance if refused by local insurance agents/firms.

If you have to go outside your home town to get insurance, do it.

Buy her a second hand piece of crap, if she doesn't smash it up within 6 months buy her a new Honda Jazz

Co-Sign.

My wife wanted (still wants) the same. I took her to the auction in Bangkok (the one near the Laos Embassy) with the intention of buying a Jazz, but those are pretty hot items. They were going for near-new prices. Nearing the end of the auction, I grabbed a solid SUV Fortuner 3.0 (well, I like it - heh!) for little more than half the going price for a Jazz. Several months later, I am still happy and she still wants a Jazz.

I'm forking over all my money from work this year to her so we can finally get her "dream house". I'm happy with what we have and told her she could have one or the other, but not both.

Man-up and TELL her how it is going to be!

(ok, ok, ok...I know I will end up getting her the car too. *sigh* Who cares, she's worth it!)

Oh yes, all the symptoms are there:

- working your butt of

- forking all your money into her wishes

- bought a house

- wants you to buy her a car.

Now, ask yourself, what did she DO for you?

Or, better said, what did you get in return?

You are had!

I do wish that people would stop saying it is easy. Just because it is easy for you does not mean that it will be for everybody else.

I had my last cigarette 3 weeks ago and am still suffering. It is not a problem with the cravings, indeed that has been the least of my problems. A single cigarette contains over 4,000 different chemicals which play havoc with the system, when the source is stopped then again all hel_l can break lose within the body systems. For examples dopamine and blood sugar levels can become very unbalanced causing depression, mood swings and intense irritability. It is not just a psychological thing but also physical. I have also been quite Ill in other ways such as throwing up almost on a daily basis and on a few occasions I have even vomited blood, this is quite normal for many quitters.

If you did not suffer these symptoms then good for you as you really are very fortunate. But to simply say that it is easy whilst disregarding the many medically recognised withdrawal symptoms is quite belittling to those of us who do suffer, and it certainly is not constructive.

Moonraker, in fact you are giving me 101 excuses why you do not want to stop.

Really, in fact it is simple, a mindset.

I want to stop, I have to stop.

Don't try to find excuses like the ones above.

Did I smoke?

Oh yes, 40+ handrolled per day, strong black tobacco.

From about 1962 till 1982.

Stopped for a year, started again for maybe half a year.

Stopped again with the idea that I was weak, and I really don't want to be a weakling.

Never smoked again.

Simple, really!

It really is a mindset.

Did I have symptoms, oh yes for nearly 2 days.

Felt very bad indeed, but I just told myself, if you want to stop this is the price.

Medically recognised symptoms, yes, set those aside, and don't try to accept them for quitting.

You have to do it all by yourself, really.

Now you will say....easy for him to tell and so on.

There you go again......excuses!

Just stop!

I don't smoke in places where it bothers others, but don't scold me for having a smoke in the beach though

Go right ahead, but please do it downwind?

The price of beer and, ahem, gentlemen's entertainment in Thailand has almost reached western levels now.

I really don't see the point in going to a SE Asian country, putting up with crap service and paying what I do back home. One of the reasons I put up with the incompetence is because it's cheap, and that was a reason to justify it. But if they want to charge big bucks and offer inept service, as they do, what's the point.

But typical Thai thinking. "because of our stupity, there aren't as many tourists coming now and we're not making any money. So let's increase taxes and put prices up, that'll bring them back".

Mind boggling.

But very logical

I think the neighboring countries will continue to benefit from Thailands greed and stupidity over the coming years.

Doubt if it is fuel surcharge,as the price of oil has dropped from $120 to $60 per barrel.

And, as far as I can find out, EVA did not lower the price of tickets "in line" with oil prices.

Raising ticket prices in line with rising oil prices will be done within a day.

Used EVA very many times BKK_AMS vv, but not any more.....too expensive.

I would appreciate it if people don't bud into my private life and let me smoke if I want to do so

I am giving you that right, smoke as much as you want!

But, please, do and keep it private?

Thai economy shows signs of recovery: BoT

BANGKOK: -- The Thai economy began signalling recovery in April despite political unrest and long public holidays, according to the Bank of Thailand (BoT).

BoT Local Economy Division senior director Amara Sripayak said Friday that economic data released in April was better than expected.

The industrial production index rose 7.6 per cent and private consumption index edged up 0.7 per cent from the previous month because there was an increase in purchase orders in the electronics and electrical appliance sectors.

However, private investment index shrank 16.4 per cent due to the economic slowdown as Thailand’s production capacity utilization stayed low at 59.7 per cent.

Additionally, the business confidence index edged down to 39.2 from 40 points in March because of concerns over the political and economic uncertainties.

She said the shrinkage in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) of 7.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year announced by the National Economic and Social Development Board is a further contraction from the fourth quarter last year.

Still, economic indicators had picked up on a monthly basis. Even so, the central bank remained uncertain whether the economic recovery could gain momentum. It needed to monitor internal and external factors for a while.

April also saw private-sector loans increase by Bt29.4 billion after contracting for three consecutive months. Most are consumer loans and credit facilities extended by state-owned banks after the government had accelerated lending.

Exports totalled US$10.28 billion, down 25.2 per cent, while imports amounted to $9.66 billion, down 36.4 per cent, resulting in a trade surplus of $619 million.

Regarding a call by exporters for making the baht weaken further to help, Mrs. Amara said BoT had currently supervised the baht value to ensure it moves in line with the economic trend.

The general inflation rate in April edged down by 0.9 per cent while the core inflation stayed at 1 per cent.

She said the Bank of Thailand was unwooried about a surge in oil prices to $60 dollar per barrel because in July 2008 the oil prices skyrocketed to $140 per barrel.

-- TNA 2009-05-30

WHERE????????

I was in a bar a few nights ago and this farang out of the blue starts screaming at the top of his lungs "I am from Australia and f u

fn people!" and on and on for 5 mins. There was a cop across the soi that just watched him. Eventually his tee rak pulls him out of

the bar. In the US the guy would have been taken to the ground by the cops and beaten, spent the weekend in jail, court, huge

fines, probation.

Makes you wonder which is the real 3rd world country.

Starting this Monday, Hong Kong Express will suspend all flights to and from Bangkok until further notice. Click here for their press release. There are also contact details on it in case you should be booked on one of their flights.

Hong Kong Express was really a cool option to Hong Kong. Thai Airways and Cathay Pacific are usually super expensive. And who wants to fly with Kenya Airways or Ethiopian? I used to fly Hong Kong Express a few times and was pretty happy with their service.

I guess this is because Air Asia has launched flights to Hong Kong a few weeks ago. So Hong Kong Express cannot fill their planes anymore. I don't know about you guys but Air Asia is pretty much eating up everything wherever they fly and the flying public ends up with less choice. Not really my idea of "competition".

Well, this is competition, whatever you may think.

Just shows that free market & competition is not always good for the consumer.

Or staff, or shareholders...............

Most of the time "more choice, better quality" is in real terms quite the opposite.