DDIM

7 hours ago, bradiston said:

And did they recover the lost gear? Or was it just another elaborate insurance job?

 

Have a look at the table in front of the cop. 2 laptops, 2 phones, camera equipment

Photo courtesy of Google maps.

I was at the airport the night it was closed down. Staff abandoned positions as did Police. Protesters were very polite and friendly. I had extended family which included an 11 month old child. We returned to our villa in Hua Hin and after about 10 days and several false starts we were summoned by Emirates to be in BKK city centre at 4 am in the morning. We were then transported in an 8/10 bus convoy to Chiang Mai. On route our bus went on fire and we all had to escape via the upstairs emergency exit. A spare bus was included in the convoy and we and our burnt luggage eventually arrived in Chiang Mai and were then flown home by Emirates. Tried to claim Emirates but they told me to try the bus owner???. Maybe I should try getting my 1 oz of flesh from the guys getting sued by the airports.

The bowling used to take place at the Seajays Resort. It looks like they have closed the bowling green down. I am not aware of any other greens in Hua Hin.

Try the night market

We were on HH beach recently. 4 adults. We sat down on beach chairs next to the beach entrance. We were going to buy drinks and would probably have bought 2/3 drinks each during our stay.

The restaurant/bar was almost empty (about 6 people in and all further back) and we picked chairs facing directly onto the sea. When the waiter turned up he asked if we were having food or drinks. We told him drinks. He then told us to move as the front row of seats were reserved for patrons who were buying food and we were told to move further in. No one was sitting in the first 7/8 rows and we had a choice of approx 80/100 empty seats. We decided to take our business elsewhere where we would be welcomed. Their loss.

This train usually ran at weekends from Hualamphong railway station in Bangkok and went to Kwai and Nam Tok before returning to Bangkok. I understand that Hualamphong station is now closed. Has this train been cancelled or does it run from another station.

It’s not the space station. It is likely to be SpaceX starlink satellites which are owned by Elon Musk. They are used to provide wifi to remote communities.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2020/04/23/is-spacex-fixing-bright-starlink-satellites-elon-musk-says-yes-as-europe-sees-string-of-pearls/ 

Try this telephone number. Found it on another site!

Surf 102.5 FM The definitive Hua Hin radio station. 100% international music & English language . Requests and dedications line on 032-522990-1.

The park is complete, fully functional and good fun.

Things to look out for;

1. the smooth concrete surface around the wave pool is slippy when wet so watch your feet.

2. the inflatable lazy river tubes (car inner tubes) are too small for Western tourists butts to sit low down on and as a result they are top heavy and unstable. That means they flip very easily.

My wife sat on one in the wave pool shallows, flipped over, knees into chest and broke her ribs. (It was an accident so no advice required on suing their ass off). Lifeguards were on the scene within seconds, followed by a first aider.

The slides are great and the wave pool is good fun also. Restaurant/bar prices are reasonable.

Overall we had a very good day and despite the accident we'll be back our next trip.

Hua Hin has some sort of licensing system for tuk tuks and the licences when they become available for sale go for loads of money. People who hold these licences often keep them for life but rent out the licence to family members etc for reasonable rent money.

Who issues the licence is not known to me but it might be the Tessaban or could even be the local tuk tuk mafia who are protecting their own interests.

If you or a Thai family member suddenly turns up touting for business then expect to be challenged.

These guys are genuine(I think) and represent a Thai Police/military charity. They have been coming round Hua Hin for years and have ID cards which look/appear to be official Police/military cards. They have a folder with photo's of injured Police/soldiers and they ask for donations for wheelchairs and other medical equipment.

They are always well dressed and polite. I have never donated to them but they accept my refusal and walk to the next address.

It is the beach south of monkey mountain as hhfarang has stated.

If you get off the baht bus at the bus station in Khao Takiab walk in the general direction of the big white temple. Continue along this road (bypassing the temple)and you will come to a number of buildings, one of which (from memory) is about 4 floors high and is painted blue. Turn left at this building and follow the narrow road down to the beach.

Turn left at this point and the previously mentioned beach beds are about 50m along the beach. There are other beach beds available prior to reaching the hotel beds.

If you access the Hilton beach turn right and walk along until you come to the ramshackle beach bar with all the flags. They have numerous beach beds etc and the food is good.

We use the beach at Khao takiab and find it to be generally clean and tidy. If you access this beach from the main access, turn left and walk about 50m. There is a nice hotel there with a terrace and beach beds on the beach. The beds are free as long as you order your drinks from the hotel. Prices are reasonable and worth paying as the hotel toilets are spotless and available for customers use.

Very good decision indeed. Flying saucers are not completely harmless as they move with extreme high speed.

A 'U.F.O.' is exactly that...an Unidentified Flying Object. 'U.F.O.' does not instantly mean 'flying saucer', unless you watch too much television.

I think you'll find that a UFO is a flying saucer manned by aliens. What else could it be????????

Can't help with actual premises but can give general locations to try.

1. There are small bungalow type buildings set back from the roadway in the vicinity of Soi 84. The entrance is on the main Petchkasem Road. Think the cost might be in the region of 8K though.

2. There are a number of low budget guest houses at the pier. Don't know the cost but worth a look.

You'll also find lots of rooms for rent throughout the town with signs outside the premises. Just go in and ask.

What strikes me as odd is that he fell for a meeting in Thailand with a bunch of guys who have no connection with the place. FARC commanders in Thailand!? - one would have thought someone with his experiance would have queiried that in a bit more depth than he did.

What a fool he is, by trying to carry out a covert and illegal arms deal in a place no-one would think of.

Where do you suggest arms deal of this nature should take place?

Mike,

I'm a Customs officer. Just bring them in. It'll be OK. No problem like.

Alf Witt,

I commend you for the above entry which is very clear and well researched. It is rare for such detail and analysis to be presented in TV, despite a massive need for it.

Well done.

If the above is the case, then why the hel_l has everyone been doing the company and leasing route for all these years.

Legal possession of land which can be willed to children etc.

I have no knowledge of it, so can't comment any further, but would love for more info.

In the past few years, it appears that every Thai lawyer recommended setting up a Thai company to "purchase" the land that their customers new house sat on.

As a result, most farang, who do not have Thai wives/husbands, complied and bought the land through the Thai company.

Due to the fact that this route is apparently illegal, why does every house or land purchase thread on this forum, have someone who recommends that the prospective purchasers of house/land seeks "good legal advice"

Where do we get this "good legal advice" Do we go back to the lawyers who gave "good legal advice" in the past, or are there a new bunch of lawyers in town who can carry out this simple act.

Recent posters should read my reply of 29 October 2006 (page 9) for my first hand experience which confirms that they

1. DO work in uniform with civvy jacket on top

2. DO work outside the Customs hall and in the public arrivals area

3. DO have access to the Police office at the airport

4. DO have access to Customs HQ in Bangkok

5. DO charge the penalty rate (3,555 Baht) mentioned by others after my post and which confirms that the rate they charged my wife was correct.

6. DO issue official receipts

There you have it. Sorry to the doom mongers who are sure that everything and everybody in Thailand is corrupt etc. It might be a harsh penalty but it's their law. Respect it.

We were caught out through our own naive ignorance. We have no complaints.

Davidbkk

That's the book I'm looking for. Thanks very much for your assistance.

Approximately 6 months ago I was travelling through DM airport and while browsing in the duty free bookshops I discovered a large glossy coffee table book which contained photographs of small Honda or Suzuki motorbikes which had various unusual and extraordinary loads thereon.

The type of loads which always cause amusement and admiration for the skills and abilities of the driver etc.

At the same time, I found the Bangkok Then and Now book.

I chose the latter book to purchase and thought I would buy the motorcycle book on my next visit.

I've since visited twice and used DM and the new airport and on both occasions my search for the motorcycle book was unsuccessful and the staff in the bookshops had apparently no knowledge of the book.

Does anyone know the title of the book etc. etc.

This is 1st hand experience.

In May 2006 I was travelling to BKK Don Muang via Dubai. My wife purchased 2 cartons of 1,000 cigarettes for herself and her father who was also travelling.

We honestly never gave the customs limits a thought when the purchase was made and the purpose was to take them to Thailand for our holiday and the remainder were to be taken home with them at the end of the holiday.

As we walked through BKK airport a "civilian" advised my mother in law, who was pushing the luggage trolley with a Dubai duty free bag in full view, that she should split the cigs up because the customs would confiscate them. I was not present at this time - lagging behind.

The "civilian" was in fact a plain clothes Customs spotter and he watched as the cigarette cartons were split up between the 4 of us.

We foolishly passed through nothing to declare and were waiting in the arrival hall for our taxi driver when 6 Customs officers pounced. They were in civvies with the uniform hidden below the jackets.

They recovered the cigarettes, minus 1 carton of 200 cigs, so that totalled 90 packets of 20.

They wanted to arrest my mother in law (72 years old and a non smoker) for being in possession of the cigarettes despite the fact they were now all split up. My wife volunteered to be arrested and the Customs agreed. They took her to an airport Police office, where she signed about 20 sheets of paper written in Thai and after 50 minutes they emerged and said that she was to be taken to Customs HQ in Bangkok to be fined.

Negotiation ensued and the Customs officer agreed to travel with us in our taxi to the HQ.

I offered to pay the fine to him personally, but he was not interested in any way.

On arrival, my wife was taken into the building by the officer. He allowed me to accompany her without any problems.

She was taken to an office and a man in civilian clothing was informed of the quantity of cigarettes seized. He then told us we were to be fined 31,995 Baht. I made a quick calculation and worked out that this was in the region of £500 pounds.

I immediately thought I was being scammed big time and protested accordingly. I refused to pay it and the man told us that we would need to see his boss.

We were taken downstairs and presented to a uniformed Customs officer, whose name badge identified him as a senior officer.

He confirmed the amount and I again refused to pay. I told him politely that he was trying to obtain money from me illegally and the cost of the fine was outrageous and excessive.

He was very polite and patient and wrote some figures down for me. I have the paper and copy the figures from it.

He said that there were 2 tariff multipliers for fines.

I don't know what the figures mean but he wrote 45 x 0.79 = 35.55 tax per box.

35.55 x 10 times = 355.50 tax per box.

He told us that the calculations given were for the lower tariff.

So, the low rate was 355.50 Baht per packet of 20 and the high rate given was 533.25 per packet of 20.

He accepted that we had been negligent in bringing the cigarettes in as opposed to bringing them in for resale etc and as such we were being fined the lower tariff.

That equated to a fine of 31,995 Baht. (Higher rate was 47,992 Baht)

We tried to negotiate this down using every tactic known to me, without success. I told him that we didn't have the money (we didn't). He told us that they would escort us to an ATM which was close to their office and we could withdraw the funds from there.

My wife refused and asked what would happen if she failed to pay the fine. She was told that she would be kept in custody, presented to a court next day and then fined. The original fine would still stand and it would still need to be paid. He also said that her passport would be stamped.

As we were in the process of buying a house, that was not an option we wanted to consider. He helpfully advised that if we paid the fine, my wifes passport would NOT be stamped.

The Customs officer showed us what looked like an official handwritten ledger and identified nationalities and fines imposed. At this point an Englishman emerged from an adjoining office and confirmed that he was being fined a similar amount for a similar quantity of cigarettes.

That confirmed to us that we had no option but to comply.

We were escorted to the ATM amd met the Englishman in the process of withdrawing his money. We done the same, in 2 transactions and returned to the HQ.

We paid up and were given an official looking pink coloured receipt. It has a winged Thai style lion crest in the top centre and spaces for handwritten details.

It is written in Thai but my wifes details are in English, as is the amount of the fine. My wife was asked to sign the receipt after it had been completed and the receipt was then stamped.

My wife had her passport returned to her and we were allowed to leave the building minus the cigarettes which were all confiscated. A sign in the cashiers office advised that this would be the case.

The above info is purely for the information of this thread and to provide a blow for blow account. This has obviously been going on for some time and is not unique to the new airport.

We were inadvertantly in the wrong and the Customs guys were in the right.

They were polite and respectful at all times, so apart from the amount of the fine, which we thought was excessive, we have nothing to complain about.