Thaiboxer

As long as there are foreign teachers willing to take teaching jobs here (most of which pay peanuts), I doubt the TEFL industry will go away anytime soon. The Thai teachers get pathetic salaries, but they also get government officer status (public schools), retirement benefits and other goodies. This is why Thai teachers on 30K a month can afford to drive BMW's while foreigners making 40K/month are scraping by. Most teaching jobs here are a dead end financially; we're on our own as far as putting money aside for retirement.

I heard the Malaysian Proton isn't so hot, despite the cheap sticker price compared to other brands. I guess we'll have to wait and see if these new trucks can prove themselves against the competition. A 4X2 Mitsu Triton double cab goes for just over 600,000 Baht brand new. That's a truck I'm interested in; the brand has been around a long time and four doors would be best for us now that we have a son.

The British pound has dropped, but it's still twice as much as the US dollar! When my wife and I first moved here over five years ago, we were getting around 40 Baht to a dollar. Lifestyle plays a HUGE role. If you can pull in 60K/month without having to work, that's great. I know many folks making just 40-50K/month with families and they're managing. I'm sure Bangsaen would be cheaper than Pattaya and it's also closer to BKK if you need to come here for visas, etc. If you're planning on getting a car, at least the fuel prices won't surprise you....gas and diesel are extremely expensive in the UK from what I've heard. I had the luxury of cheap gas for a long time in the States, but those days are gone. Good luck!

You wouldn't need crumple zones and airbags with that thing! Looks like the Terex Titan....the world's biggest trucks used in quarries for hauling heavy stones/earth. I think a 6 or 10 wheel truck would be just fine. Some steel piping on the front/rear bumpers would keep other drivers from scratching the paint when you gently "nudge" them out of the way.

I think you're right about the big commercial trucks. A secondhand one can be cheaper than a Fortuner. However, parking wouldn't be easy and I'm not sure if farangs can legally own a big truck like that. One thing is for sure, the big trucks run many more km's than regular pickups and they'll protect you in an accident if you don't flip it over.

The pic of that car squashed by the commercial truck looks pretty nasty, yet it's not hard to imagine given the size of the truck. Simple physics...the much bigger mass wins. You can still have a solid vehicle without venturing into the commercial vehicle arena, but you'd have to either choose a European model like Volvo or go for something made in the 80's or before. Those things were built to last.

Cars had to have their emissions tested every year in my hometown until 1999. My mother had a secondhand 1984 turbo diesel Mercedes. Those old diesels can puff out quite a bit of smoke. She used to drive up and down the street really quick a couple times just before having the emissions test done. That cleared out the exhaust just enough so she could pass.

Many of today's lighter cars have several airbags in different areas. In addition to regular airbags in front of the driver/front passenger, they have side impact bags in the doors. I would guess that the engineers have figured that airbags coupled with crumple zones would minimize the effects of a crash on the occupants. Older cars can run through the better part of a house without much damage, yet they offer no airbags.

How about the best of both worlds: Say an early 1970's Dodge Charger with a three point seatbelt and airbags. Reminds me of Kurt Russle's car in "Death Proof"

Some of the safest modern cars are the European models; Volvo, BMW and Benz for instance. At a recent family gathering, an inlaw told me that he was rear ended by a taxi while sitting in a Volvo 940. The Volvo's rear bumper had some minor dents and scratches while the taxi's front end was obliterated. My mother once had a secondhand Benz sedan. This car was made in 1984 and the wheel housed an airbag which was unheard of in American cars at the time. Parts were expensive but that car was built like a tank and weighed 4,500lbs!

Some of the 1970's/80's American cars have a solid body. Somebody in Pattaya is said to have a Ford Maverick for sale. Looked it up on the net and I'll bet that thing would flatten a Honda City or something similar.

91 gasoline should be fine...I wouldn't go for gasohol as that will mess up parts of the fuel system. The vehicle in question shouldn't require high octane fuel as it's not a high performance engine. Engine noises can be caused by things other than combustion knock or "pinging". Most engine problems reside not with the engine itself but with one or more of the engine support systems (cooling, lubrication, etc). Faulty valves can also cause noises as can worn engine bearings and faulty pistons.

It may also be in the clutch housing or other parts of the drivetrain. If the engine's crankshaft and transmission input shaft are not perfectly aligned, it will cause noisy, poor operation. This could have happened the last time the clutch was replaced if the mechanics didn't align everything properly.

I didn't know wheel bearings cost that much, but if others who have these types of vehicles says the price is ok, I'd be worried more about them telling you to have the engine pulled apart. Try to find a Thai who can speak English and is knowledgable about cars. Labor is cheap here, but as anywhere you can be taken for a long ride. Good luck!

If you're legally employed (visa and work permit), you have some recourse in certain situations. However, I believe that if the school doesn't renew your contract then that's it. Most contracts here aren't worth the paper they're written which doesn't help either. Some foreign teachers have been screwed by schools and have managed to get after them and even get compensation, but those cases are in the minority. Most schools here do as they please with teachers and could care less what you think as they always have a ready supply of people to take the job. Use this to your advantage and shop around for another place. Many schools are desperate these days and you might be able to squeeze more out of them than is currently of offer. Good luck!

Crash test ratings can always shed some light on what vehicles do well in accidents, but with the way vehicles are made today, it's hard to agree with all the tests. Fuel economy is important but making cars too "tinny" isn't the way to go. Many pickups here look as if they're pretty flimsy although cars are generally much worse. Makes me want to buy a 10 wheel truck....too bad they're not easy to park around BKK.

Agree on that...many service stations in the USA don't carry diesel and you may have to cruise past a few more exits on the highway to find it. The exit signs will have "disel" written under the service station logo if they carry it. Years ago when diesel was cheaper than most gasoline grades, it seemed that a diesel vehicle was the way to go fuel wise. Trouble is, diesel vehicles in the States are all large trucks or vans unless they're imported. In Thailand, you can have a Ford Ranger or some other small pickup with an inline 4 diesel. In the USA, you'd be looking at a V8 in the 6.0 to 7.3 liter range. The Ford F-250 can be had with a diesel but the common F-150 models are gas.

Broken windows, keyed cars and "lawn jobs" are pretty well-known forms of vandalism in the States. Often, these acts are done as some sort of revenge, but they're also done by teens who want a laugh. I wonder if the vandalism over here (except graffiti) is done for revenge only.

Take the fillings out of your teeth while you're yawning? Oh...I don't think it's that bad

I've seen some graffiti here, but nowhere near as bad as back in the States. I once saw a car that somebody had "ghetto-ized" with spray paint. I think this was in Miami. A nice sports car in my hometown which was parked on a grassy road shoulder with a "For Sale" sign got vandalized. The rear window was smashed to pieces...probably by some dumb kids tossing a rock from a moving vehicle. As for cars being keyed and other things being smashed, I haven't really seen that here in Thailand. If somebody keyed our car it would probably look better

Cars are a rip-off here. What you'd pay for a mid model Toyota Camry in Thailand would get you into the BMW or Mercedes range in the States. It's hard to believe dealerships are charging 500,000 Baht and up for what is essentially a tin can on wheels. I haven't seen more than a handful of cars under one million Baht that are built to the same specs as a decent pickup. Pickups have stronger suspension and the little diesel engines run forever. With the bad roads over here, that's something you need to consider. I don't believe a pickup offers many advantages over a car, but for the price, it's the best buy.

It's also illegal not to drive on the footpath or not to be under the influence of "ya baa" (amphetamines). If you turn your lights on, they must be so bright that drivers 10 km's away are blinded.

Seriously, that cop was just another badged dirtbag after money. There are signs in the US that say "Lights On For Safety", so having daytime running lights is a good deal. I turn mine on well before it's pitch dark, but many do not. Once in a while, you'll see a rear reflector swinging from side to side and realize it's an elephant's tail. The things you see on roads here are interesting.

Garro, I'm glad that your little boy is recuperating. I hope he makes a full recovery. As others have said, I don't believe you were being pushy, and even if you were, this is your family we're talking about and if the clinic out in the sticks doesn't like it, than tough!

Where you live sounds peaceful, but your situation with your son's fever and the clinics inability to find out what's wrong makes me think of another good reason we're in BKK. It's noisy and stressful sometimes, but hospitals are good.

I'm used to wearing my seatbelt and feel awkward without it. I'm not surprised if airbags have been designed to only inflate when the seatbelt is fastened. They even have vehicles that won't start without the clutch pedal pushed in, but these same vehicles can sometimes have a clutch override switch. Mobi's case sounds a bit like counterproductive safety features.

Glad you're ok Mobi...the picture looks pretty nasty. The way they build cars these days is often questionable at best.

You do need a license if you want to have an airgun legally...there are classed as firearms here (not in the US where I'm from). I believe it will have to be in the name of your Thai wife or somebody else who's Thai or at least has permanent residence. If you're on a yearly visa, as most of us are, you can't legally have a gun here. Thai law classifies a firearm as any type of projectile weapon using compressed gas, be it air or combustion gases from gunpowder. I'm sure you could find on one the street somewhere, but if you got caught it could be nasty. I'd like to do some target shooting at a local range myself as I used to do this all the time in the USA. Unfortunately, it's just too expensive and too much of a hassle to get a gun/ammo. Perhaps you could try a bow, crossbow or wristrocket (slingshot). They use no gas like a firearm or airgun and can be purchased at the mall or sporting goods stores. They're quiet too so it won't disturb anybody.

Pattaya definitely has more in the way of Western luxuries than Hua Hin, however we prefer Hua Hin for the cleaner, quieter environment. We have some Japanese friends from the USA who have a condo in Pattaya and visit each year for dental work which is cheaper than in the States. Despite Pattaya's shady image, there are lots of families and family attractions which keeps the place hopping.

It's sad to see some dirtbag punching his wife out, or whoever she is. However, I must agree with what some others have said: This is not the USA and you're in the minority in a country where there is a wolf pack mentality. I'm from the USA and over there that guy would have been thrown in jail for a while, but here things can be quite different. A fellow American buddy of mine who is part Japanese (but looks Thai) and speaks fluent Thai told me one day: "Thais will never fight you one on one." Referring back to my comment about the wolf pack mentality, this is how it often is. Get in a brawl with a local and he'll have others join him before you can say your middle name. I do know Thai guys who would go one on one in a fight, but they are probably in the minority. As for attempting to track down the others and dish out a beating, you're lucky you didn't wind up in worse trouble than you were in originally. Most Thai men would look like midgets to a guy who's 190cm, but you just don't know who you could be dealing with, so best to just bite your lip and move on. If it helps, get on this forum and take our your frustrations rather than put yourself in danger.

Some mechanics will use compressed air to blow out the air filter rather than replace it. Not a good idea....compressed air can easily tear holes in the filter elements which will allow even more dirt to enter the engine.

It's funny how it works....you have either no lights at all, or their lights are far too bright.