stevenl

well its all about perspective

to me people who drink chang and singha are no better than those looking through garbage

You really deserve your nick.

Anyone with common sense knows that you do not get on a Thai dive or speed boat without first verifying safety measures and whether or not the operator is reputable.

Highly unlikely any tourist has ever done that...ever. Do you mean they should count the life jackets? Check to see all permits and training are/is current? Give the crew a breathalyzer? GK, I'm confused by that statement.

Maybe Vladimir gets analyzed himself and won't be allowed on board

He was at fault, his insurance company is paying.

What you should have done is call your insurance company and let them sort it out. Don't get involved yourself, don't talk to the cops. Let the insurance guys do that.

But the end result is ok, why a ticket? That would not help anybody. Or do you really think a 300 Baht ticket. maybe even paid by the company, would deter any driver from fast/reckless driving?

Good to see another option.

I would not classify Phuket Town as North Phuket though.

How do any of the complaints listed (except for the airport taxis) justify the outrageous prices asked by the tuk-tuks and taxis compared to the rest of Thailand?

It is these very same cooperatives that force tuk-tuks and taxis to make the return journey empty as they are not allowed to pick up passengers outside "their area".

Yes, I was thinking exactly the same.

Not exactly what she said. She said 'the bottom looked rusty to me', 'some of the life jackets were broken' and 'there was no life raft'. She concluded 'this boat was not fit for purpose'. She could be right, I very much doubt she is and I seriously doubt she is able to judge this.

She said there was only 12 life-jackets onboard which was just enough, though the dive instructor had to wear one of the 12 that didn't buckle up. The boat is meant for 25 persons.

Sounds cut and dried to me. She's right.

That is what she said later.

She is for sure not right in some of the things she mentions:

A rusty bottom, which is very strange for a wooden boat.

Other boats did not go out because of inclement weather, even the most safety conscious boats went out yesterday.

The sea was already very rough at the start, no it was not, very normal for this time of year.

My information regarding what happened exactly is different from what she mentions. I was not on the boat though, but on the other hand she is not an experienced boat person so would not know exactly what was happening.

Regarding life vests etc: can't comment on that, if it were really the case there were not enough life vests on board that would be bad.

Dear Stevenl

Jolly Roger didn't lost any dive platform, and have no damage. All 58 passengers and staff were safe always. Yes it was rough weather and we have some things fall down, but our boat is of good strong design. Please feel free to contact our office should you want true information. Our thought's go out to all those at Kamala dive centre.

Aoy - Jolly Roger

Good, glad to hear it, thanks for the correction.

Interesting comment on PW from survivor she said the boat was in bad shape to start with and that a lot of the life belts were broken.

I thought there was a "clampdown" on the safety of dive boats after the one that sank a couple of years ago killing people.

Oh sorry just another Thai style clampdown.

I sailed for many years and I would not set foot on most of the heaps of scrap here.

Not exactly what she said. She said 'the bottom looked rusty to me', 'some of the life jackets were broken' and 'there was no life raft'. She concluded 'this boat was not fit for purpose'. She could be right, I very much doubt she is and I seriously doubt she is able to judge this.

Agree with the previous post.

He probably could not sell your car for a big enough margin to one of the second hand shops. So go there yourself.

Ok, get it now. Fairly extreme thing to do at sea.

Yes, very. I'm sure the people on board were not too happy with being exposed to the elements, but the alternative would have been even worse.

I also heard of a speedboat that cut of its roof to prevent it from being launched.

I just don't understand this sentence.

Is it a second language thing or is it me?

The speedboat apparently cut of its roof because the roof was catching too much wind, threatening to launch the boat into the air.

In the other thread, a well known poster here who has gone by a number of nics claims as "fact", you are always going to be cheated by these companies. I can tell you after 3 years of paying 40K a year for my plan, I ended up having some surgery that cost close to 200K (THB). Not sure if said poster can do math but that debunks his "fact".

Uhuh, that is not what was said there. According to that person in that thread you have just beaten the fruitmachine. But he is right of course, it is about the numbers, and the insurance companies always win because of the big numbers. But that is no argument to an individual.

Ok, never heard of this so did google.

From Wikipedia:

"Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a celebration held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Pueblo where the holiday is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla). The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin Contrary to widespread popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico—which is actually celebrated on September 16."

It seems that every year there is the same problem: no life guards at the start of the monsoon season becasue they started the process too late. Maybe time to start this up a bit earlier?

There was a mechanical problem with the Kamala boat, so they had to run it aground. While doing that they hit the rocks, but it did not sink.

Yes, South Siam took on water and evacuated but did mot sink, Jolly Roger lost a diveplatform. I also heard of a speedboat that cut of its roof to prevent it from being launched.

The big winds coming up around 15.30 surprised everybody, but no personal accidents.

im thinking Insurance here. what if this underage driver has an accident, and God forbid a fatal accident

what happens then ?

3rd party insurance will still be valid, just like in other countries with a compulsory 3rd party insurance.

But he has only confessed to an accidental death.

Then shoving her into a bin and keeping her body in the house for two years while he enjoyed his life playing on his motorbike, moderating on Thai Visa forum etc etc.

What a sick, sick individual. Wonder what skeletons in the closet others have on here.

So, do ''YOU'' know who actually put her in the bin ?

FORGET what you have read AND KBB's collateral damage valuation regarding the best course of action.

Right, we have to ignore all evidence including confession and just listen to you .

But he has only confessed to an accidental death.

Then shoving her into a bin and keeping her body in the house for two years while he enjoyed his life playing on his motorbike, moderating on Thai Visa forum etc etc.

What a sick, sick individual. Wonder what skeletons in the closet others have on here.

It may look like he enjoyed his life, but we'll never know how he really felt.

Main advise: don't trade in at the dealer but sell to one of the second hand shops. The dealer would do the same, so you might as well collect his profit margin on this, quite often around 40,000 Baht.

GOD it's difficult for the hang em high brigade.

No, very easy, he has confessed. Just accept he has done it and get over it.

I think it is pretty standard in Thailand that if you confess & plead guilty a death sentence is commuted to life.

Also if plead guilty to a crime then the normal prison time is reduced by 50%.

Yes, so I think he'll plead guilty to man slaughter, murder can't be proven so the prosecutor will settle for that as well.10 years sentence will do it for him probably.

If I recall correctly from another thread the prediction was 2013.

Runs about 50k a year for a 60 year old. I think you need to have it if your country doesn't have a medical program you can return to if you have to (like the US). Bupa won't let you sign up if your over 59. There are alternatives.

That sounds like the platinum plan = 2 million baht cover. There are cheaper plans with less cover value. I think you can sign up after 59 but but cover stops at 65 if you where 60 when signing up age, if 59 when start they insure for life. There are no claims discounts on offer in following years.

Yes, there are way too many variables to answer the OP's question here. He needs a good insurance agent to sort this out for him.

Say you are at fault one day, in a motor vehicle accident, whether here, or back in the UK, and you cause serious injury to several people. With no insurance, you are up for the bill - you could lose your whole life savings.

It amazes me how many insure their cars against theft and accident damage, but not themselves for illness, injury and liability.

Yes, that would amaze me as well, because nearly everywhere, including UK and Thailand, there is a compulsory liability insurance.

Insurance is IMO very easy: one needs it for major catastrophes that one can't afford/doesn't want to pay for. And of course there should be a reasonable premium/risk relation ship, which IMO is lacking in e.g. disability insurances.

So to translate: I have no disability insurance, do have health insurance covering me for major expenses but not for out patient treatments.

You were on the right track, and then your scaring tactics start again. Even insurance companies have stopped using that tactic because there are more effective sales methods.

This this post "coherent" for you?

LOL

"Yes, that would amaze me as well, because nearly everywhere, including UK and Thailand, there is a compulsory liability insurance." - So, if someone doesn't pay their yearly registration/insure, their car will not start, is that right? There are unregistered and uninsured cars on the road, sure, they run the risk of being fined by police, but if they haven't paid the bill, they are uninsured.

Yes, I made a typo. The word "This" should have been "Is." But I am curious as to what a "relation ship" is. Is it a ship that your relations sail on? Ahh, that saying about glass houses and stones comes to mind.

I have a question for you. If, God forbid, you were to become permanantly disabled or killed, what would become of you and your family, after death or injury/illness?

There were no scare tactics in my post. There is no "risk" of getting older and dying, that is a FACT that can not be disputed. You will age, and die. The only question is when, and how it will happen.

Injury/illness does have the risk versus premium consideration. It's up to the individual.

Ok, I won't go into a discussion with you, as mentioned earlier, there really is no point.

But a few points to clarify:

Of course there are uninsured cars, but that won't be 'many' as claimed in your earlier post, and probably none or nearly none who do have accident/theft insurance.

Trying to divert attention? Yes, you made an error in a correction to somebody else. If correcting others, at least make sure there are no errors in the correction, makes you like a bit silly.

No scare tactics? You're really losing touch with even yourself.

Of course, it all is up to the individual, and all insurances have the risk versus premium consideration. That were real pointless remarks you made there.

Your question I can only answer partially. But if I die for whatever reason my family will be well taken care of, my son is the benificiary of some life insurances and my wife of some other things.If disabled the course of action would depend on the kind of disability.

Say you are at fault one day, in a motor vehicle accident, whether here, or back in the UK, and you cause serious injury to several people. With no insurance, you are up for the bill - you could lose your whole life savings.

It amazes me how many insure their cars against theft and accident damage, but not themselves for illness, injury and liability.

Yes, that would amaze me as well, because nearly everywhere, including UK and Thailand, there is a compulsory liability insurance.

Insurance is IMO very easy: one needs it for major catastrophes that one can't afford/doesn't want to pay for. And of course there should be a reasonable premium/risk relation ship, which IMO is lacking in e.g. disability insurances.

So to translate: I have no disability insurance, do have health insurance covering me for major expenses but not for out patient treatments.

You were on the right track, and then your scaring tactics start again. Even insurance companies have stopped using that tactic because there are more effective sales methods.

This this post "coherent" for you?