JonnyF

What a load of hassle just to buy a truck for a decent price.

I was all set on buying the New Vigo when it came out, but with all this talk about 6 month waiting lists and varying prices I might just hire the old (current) model for a few months, or stick to driving what I have now for another year - I know it's supply and demand, but I always thought that "it's easy to buy and difficult to sell". Not when buying a truck here it seems - can't be bothered with the hassle really...

what you on about, waiting lists for what?

Take a wild guess!

There is a clue is in the title of the thread, if you still can't work it out you could take the time to read the whole thread and work out that waiting lists for a Vigo are being discussed...

What a load of hassle just to buy a truck for a decent price.

I was all set on buying the New Vigo when it came out, but with all this talk about 6 month waiting lists and varying prices I might just hire the old (current) model for a few months, or stick to driving what I have now for another year - I know it's supply and demand, but I always thought that "it's easy to buy and difficult to sell". Not when buying a truck here it seems - can't be bothered with the hassle really...

I lived in Hanoi for about a year and found the people to be very warm and sincere when you really got to know them.

The Southerners are more like many Thais - outwardly more friendly but looking for a payoff and not much else.

Unfortunately I was only there for a month so wasn't able to get know anyone very well. I'd agree that the North seemed a bit friendlier than the South but by the time I got to Hanoi I was counting the days before I could get back to Thailand!!

Having said that, I still found Hanoi quite annoying - I was approached by various charlatans trying to extract money from me through a multitude of transparent schemes. It wasn't a major problem as it was so obvious, but it got tedious after a while - I wanted to enjoy the place and not spend my time talking to amateur conmen...

I had a similar experience re. Vietnam. I went for a month last October and people tried to rip me off at every turn. Just a couple of examples, I went to fill the motorbike at least 10 times and they tried to shortchange me on all but one occasion. A couple of times I arranged taxis from hotels to airports and paid the hotel the fare in advance, and both times the driver tried to charge me again (even though it was obvious to both of us that I had paid already as he backed down very quickly when I refused to pay). I could give at least 20 more examples and I was there only 30 days. Much less friendly that Thailand...

Anyone who gets fed up with Thailand would do well to spend a month there, it really puts things in perspective. I rarely get overcharged here or face any real hassle but it was happening a few times a day for the whole month. I've never been as happy to be in Thailand as when I landed back in BKK from Hanoi. If there's an equivalent to TV (maybe Vietnam Visa) I'd bet the posters are even more bitter than the lot on here

I would like to transfer a fairly small amount of money out of my Thai bank account into a UK bank account. I have accounts with SCB and Bangkok bank and can use either for the transfer.

Is this easily done? What do I need to request to ensure that I get the best rate available?

Sorry if this has been answered before, I had a look around and saw the question asked in other threads but couldn't see a definitive answer.

Thanks...

Jon

Would you give over one year's earnings ? Like hel_l would you.

It's a done deal, the OP has agreed to pay.

Again, it's all down to your own personal financial situation, some people have a lot of money and 300,000 Baht is nothing to those people, others are struggling by and don't have that type of money to throw around.

My way of thinking is this, if you can't afford a measley 300,000 Baht, what are you doing getting married in the first place, you expect your prospective wife to be attracted by the prospect of living in poverty ?

And if 300,000 is a years Salary to a Teacher, then what do you do if she wants children, you can't afford to have them, think about it!!!

Shall we have a whip round for the OP, 300 people, 1000 Baht each ?

If you needed more than 300,000 baht a year to afford children then you wouldn't be seeing too many Thai children around seeing as the average monthly wage is around 8000 baht and many live on a great deal less.

I agree that he has agreed to pay so he really has to cough up now. It's not a massive amount, although I also feel that the westerners culture tends to be ignored in these types of debates even though 2 cultures are supposed to be merging into one. I wonder if they were getting married in the West whether the Thai family would happily pay for the wedding and honeymoon, whilst agreeing to waive the dowry altogether? My guess is no.

Not really about Ikea is it?

It's about foreign companies taking their business elsewhere - they'll probably end up in one of Thailand's competitors in SE Asia - boosting their economy instead of the Thai economy. Kind of sad for the Thai people at grassroots level looking for decent jobs...

People who don't give a shit what the others around them think, and do what they want to do without caring who they offend -- are often found to be unwelcome in many places, not just Emporium.

So what? If everyone thought that Canadians had no place in Emporium and found them offensive, would you continue to shop there, or crouch under the nearest stone and hide?

So what? -- you expect to behave as if you don't give a shit about the people around you -- which some would consider not very respectful -- but you feel entitled to their respect? If you don't care about what offends them, is it a big surprise that they wouldn't care for you?

To hear you, you're all budding Rosa Parks, Gandhis and Martin Luther King -- making bold strides for social equality in prejudiced Thailand. But you forget that even in "everyone is equal" farangland -- you wouldn't be well received if you brought an obvious prostitute to a "normal" social occasion.

I'll just repost what I wrote before, because I think it's apropos:

By the fact that I rarely see posters defend the dignity and rights of bargirls in other threads, I can't help but think that the offence some feel has less to do with altruistic concern for the social equality of bargirls and more about feeling judged in their own choice of mate and actions. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see many of you (obviously I don't mean everyone on this thread) speaking up about the multitude of other social inequalities in Thailand -- should I feel impressed at your thirst for social justice when it seems largely reserved for those you'd like to f-?

You've completely missed the point - again.

Just because someone finds something distasteful does not mean that the "offending" party is in the wrong and should change, even if they are in the minority. The Nazis didn't like the Jews very much but that does not mean that the Jews were in the wrong, just the that they did not fit the Nazi's idea of what was correct. This is clearly an extreme example, but it seems that you do not quite "get" the subtle ones.

If someone does not like what I do/think/how I behave, but I feel that I am within my rights to do it, then I ignore them.

You seem to imply that because I think that bargirls/prostitutes should be treated as human beings and not be pre-judged and discriminated against, that I am a customer. In fact I have never used their services and my Thai girlfriend (who is the same age as me, before you ask) is a English teacher, not an ex-bargirl.

Therefore I argue with you not to justify my lifestyle, but to try and make you reconsider your views on someone who insults the "toilets" that should dare to shop in the same place as the people who were born into wealth.

People who don't give a shit what the others around them think, and do what they want to do without caring who they offend -- are often found to be unwelcome in many places, not just Emporium.

So what? If everyone thought that Canadians had no place in Emporium and found them offensive, would you continue to shop there, or crouch under the nearest stone and hide?

But really -- what if some hi-so families had prostitutes in their family tree 10 generations ago? What does that really change? Does that take away the right to find certain things about people distasteful now? If you go back far enough, we all have monkeys in our family tree.

You are missing the point, Thais do not find prostitution distasteful.

How can you say this, when the post we've been discussing for 17 pages or so is by a Thai who finds prostitution distasteful?

She seems quite happy for low class Thai girls to be used as toliets as long as it doesn't interfere with her shopping.

It's really not up to rich people to decide which shops poorer people "belong" in.

But it's entirely withing their rights to demand "exclusivity". How is it different from VIP lounges or night clubs enforcing dress codes?

You are fulling yourself if you think that people with the means will ever be happily rubbing shoulders with "low class". Normally the price serves as a separating barrier, but they can also resort to "members only" policies.

I don't think Thais are anymore snobbish than Brits or rich Americans. In many ways they are more respectful towards people on the lower rungs - it comes with the territory. One of the first obligations of any "pee" is to look after "nongs", provide for them, care for them, and support them in times of need. They would never disown them and would usually take full responsibility for their transgressions. Not in internal disputes, of course.

VIP clubs and clubs with dress codes have rules which have to be met. As far as I can tell the only rule of a shop is that you have to pay for the goods. The goods were paid for. There was no dress code in the shop nor rule about skin colour or race.

I'm not saying that these people will be happy to rub shoulders with "low class" people. I'm just saying that the fact that they are not reveals a great deal about their character.

I find it quite funny how many (not all) non-Thais apologise/excuse the attitudes of the Thais towards people of other nationalities/races and lower classes (darker skinned).

For example, when a friend come over to visit, he was commenting on how nice it was that the Thai people all stuck together and voted for parties with names such as "Thai rak Thai". When I asked him whether he would be voting BNP (British Nationalist Party) when he got home, and he said "of course not, that's different". Kind of a double standard in my opinion.

It's really not up to rich people to decide which shops poorer people "belong" in.

If the people on this forum heard this girls views being expressed over the dinner table by one of their friends (Thai or not) I think they would be much more inclined to object.

Having said that - she is perfectly entitled to hold these views and I admire her honesty.

DavidThai, you can do the 90 day reporting at the local immigration office, I did mine today in Nakorn Ratchasima. As someone else mentioned, leaving the country starts the clock again, had this confirmed today as well.

Was your visa issued in Bangkok? Mine was, but I can still 90 day report in Phuket?

Could you confirm this, don't want to fly up there if I don't have to...

Hmmm, exchanging liberty for convenience - no thanks.

One of a few reasons I left the UK.

I take it you won't be travelling anywhere anymore then, with biometic passports being the standard from now on....

I think there's a difference between having a biometric passport forced upon you against your will by an increasingly interfering government, and volunteering for such measures to save a few minutes at the airport.

Maybe you think they're the same thing?

What the short sighted plebs are volunteering for now will become compulsary very soon - sooner than you may think.

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect their country from its government" - Thomas Paine

100% agreed.

I can't believe how easily people accept this stuff - people criticize the Thai's for blind acceptance of authority, and then volunteer for retina scans and biometric passports

Cheapest and easiest option is the meter taxi from the airport to Patong. About 400 baht depending on traffic.

Once in Patong, avoid Tuk Tuks like the plague. Use motorcycle taxis, and once you find a good one, get his number and use him for the remainder of your stay.

Hmmm, exchanging liberty for convenience - no thanks.

One of a few reasons I left the UK.

I take it you won't be travelling anywhere anymore then, with biometic passports being the standard from now on....

I think there's a difference between having a biometric passport forced upon you against your will by an increasingly interfering government, and volunteering for such measures to save a few minutes at the airport.

Maybe you think they're the same thing?

well, apart from your iris to uniquely identify you, the information will be the same on both.

But we all make our choices. I've worked for goverment long enough to know that most governments are incapbable of co-ordinating a shag in brothel, so I'm probably less concerned about them than you are...

Hmmmm, you talk about choices, but if I had a choice (I don't since I need a passport) then I wouldn't be objecting. Personally it's the principle behind these information databases that I object to, and the incompetence of governments that you talk of only increases the likelihood that the information gets into the wrong hands

Hmmm, exchanging liberty for convenience - no thanks.

One of a few reasons I left the UK.

I take it you won't be travelling anywhere anymore then, with biometic passports being the standard from now on....

I think there's a difference between having a biometric passport forced upon you against your will by an increasingly interfering government, and volunteering for such measures to save a few minutes at the airport.

Maybe you think they're the same thing?

Hmmm, exchanging liberty for convenience - no thanks.

One of a few reasons I left the UK.

I had the same thing at Chaleena Princess (Ladprao 122), but wasn't in the best of moods and decided to argue the point. After about 5 minutes of asking them for an explanation of why a "farang" (who is also working in Thailand) should have to pay more they started to look embarrassed and agreed to 479 but I am sure they put me in the worst room in the hotel. I decide to check out the next day and go elsewhere and they tried to rip me off again by over-charging for the things I'd had from the mini-bar in the room. Another 5 minutes of discussions and I got the correct amount of deposit back.

Horrible place - best avoided.

for the sake of the Thai economy I really hope that the extent of safety issues in Thailand does not become a major talking point within the international media. To be honest, I don't think that it will.

In hopes that another 89 or more people don't have to die, I certainly hope it will become a major talking point.

I am certainly not implying that safety should not be addressed as a number one priority, in fact as I fly this route at least every 4 weeks it is clearly in my interests for safety standards to be as high as possible.

I was simply saying that I hope that the international media do not latch onto this tragedy and start some sort of sensationalist campaign that implies that anyone foolhardy enough to enter the kingdom is taking their life in their hands. That would serve no-ones interests.

A lot of people are blaming the pilot and crappy One-Two-Go. But after reading the most recent reports, I think Phuket Airport has a fair share of the responsibility. I can think of three major strikes:

1. 3 out of 6 weather detection systems were not operating at the time of the crash. Pretty serious f***up.

2. The runway is not grooved.

3. The emergency response time was apparently terrible, with firecrews arriving well after the international standard of three minutes. And the victims waiting 45 minutes to be bussed to the terminal is absurd. There is absolutely NO conceivable excuse for that.

What I find really disturbing is that in all likelihood these issues will not be fully addressed, as the Thai government will do everything it can to protect Phuket's reputation as a safe tourist destination. A shoddy airport will not attract the wealthy tourists they so desire.

I agree, it is all to easy to blame the pilot now (for obvious reasons), we will have to wait for the official report but it already seems to be likely that there were other factors involved.

It will be really interesting to see how this is dealt with in the media but given the current climate I think that the tourist dollar is particularly valuable in Thailand at the moment so every effort will be made to ensure that the image of safety for tourists in Thailand does not become a major issue. The media in Thailand will be easily controlled, but for the sake of the Thai economy I really hope that the extent of safety issues in Thailand does not become a major talking point within the international media. To be honest, I don't think that it will.

The two guys in the film (white t-shirt and black t-shirt) are both British (this is obvious by listening to their accents and the phrases they use) and the one in the black t-shirt in particular matches the description of the guy who by all accounts kicked the door out before rescuing a number of fellow passengers. As he is clearly one of the first to get out, this lends weight to the theory.

Firstly, anyone who criticizes these people who have just been through such a traumatic experience and has the audacity to suggest that they would have been more heroic (from the safety of their keyboard) is in my opinion, an idiot.

Secondly, even if these guys had not kicked the door out, who can blame them for staying a safe distance away from a plane that could explode at any minute?

Thanks for the replies, it sounds pretty hopeful but I'll give them a call to make sure...

Just a quick one (hopefully).

I'm based in Phuket and use the CAT CDMA internet connection.

I'm coming to Samui for a week in November and need to access the internet for work etc. I've searched the forum and it seems to work in KPG - but will it work in Samui?

Thanks in advance...

Jon

Hi folks,

Thanks for the replies. Your giving me some real food for thought here. Just as a little background (and why LHD and U.S. cars) it's due to the regulations that I am talking about. For Thai nationals abroad, the regs go that if a car is over 10 years old and you've owned it for 5 years, then you "should" be able to bring it in without taxes. If the car is newer, and you have owned it for less than 5 years, you do get a reduced rate (for one car only). The reason "should" is in quotations marks is...well, when did Thai government officials ever give a ###### what the law says? (Hence "grease".)

The car MUST be registered in the country you reside prior to import, you must demonstrate proof that you owned it, and you must have a license to drive in that country. Hence, I am stuck with U.S. cars. A RHD from Japan or England, would be nice here, BUT I would have to get a license from that country, register it in that country, and then store it for a few years before I can ship w/reduced tax rate. So I'm stuck with U.S. cars. My uncle (BTW the air conditioner that you are using right now, there is a good chance he manufactured ;-) ) was toying with the idea of giving us (actually my mother, his sister) the money for a hummer, and having us drive it around for 3 years for the tax rate to go down before shipping over. Of course I would be more than happy to "keep it warm for him", but then again I doubt I would drive it much 'cuz I would be the one to have to pay for the gas.

I was toying with the idea of bringing in my old Alfa Romeo spider that got me through college, and law school. It's over 10 years old and I've owned it for over 5 years. Then I remembered the reason I am not driving it around is that I got sick of it breaking down in the states. I had a difficult enough time finding a repair shop over there, I don't even want to think about trying to find a mechanic here.

As for the Hummer, uncle states his "purported" reason for wanting the hummer is to tow heavy equipment (he has a couple of orchards in the South). I say "purported" reason is that I know he just likes the car and wants to scream "I am a rich bastard" to his also rich friends. (We all know how Thai society works....)

You Trolling ?

Owns a major air con company , orchids down south , ????

Reckon he could afford the 5/10 mill in the showrroms.

First off, do you know what 'trolling' is? That's when you make a post or comment just to incite people. Which is not what I did in my OP, but what you are doing now. This particular forum is not exactly such a 'hotbed' of activity that anyone who would really want to troll, would want to come here. Secondly, it never crossed your mind that there was quite a bit of background information here, including information on the Thai regulations in question which were confirmed as existing by other posters. Finally, your comments are just plain stupid. Yes, he could easily afford the '5/10 million' in showrooms. But, this post must be fake because no one in their right mind would want to save $200,000 when they don't need to. Yes, who would be stupid enough to try and save money, when they don't have to and can easily afford it. Like when I bought my Rolex, I decided against going to the dealer who offered to give me a 10% discount, 'because I could afford it'.

N47HAN, you are quite obnoxious. It is exactly the type of arrogant Farang like you which really irritates me and why alot of Thai people wouldn't mind seeing guys like you go back to wherever you came from. Obviously this post must be fake because there is no Thai that could possibly afford such an expensive vehicle, unlike the wealthy farang that you are. All Thai people are poor and stupid. It is not possible that any Thai could be wealthier than yourself. Air conditioning manufacturing. No. That would mean a stupid Thai has more money than you. Orchards in the South (Pattani)? Nope. Once again, that would mean some Thai has more assets than you. Yes, yes, I have read your posts about how you have such a fabulous company making 50 million baht a year just by yourself. A guy like you just has to tell the world how fabulously wealthy you are. I have seen you come and go so many times. A guy washed up in his own country. Couldn't make it in business, couldn't find a woman to spit on him. Come to Thailand, and you think you are the King. You probably rent a room and are scraping enough money to buy a used Honda wave so you can impress the whore you picked up at Nana Plaza. And everywhere you go you have to tell people what a big success you are.

Submaniac, when I read your opening post I thought it was a thinly vailed boast about a) your wealth and your social standing within the Thai community.

I had a little chuckle to myself and let it pass.

However, your vicous (and somewhat racist) tirade against someone who politely questioned your motives shows you for what you are. The "Rolex" comment was so transparent as to be laughable. If you wish to impress "farang" with your wealth, I'm sure you are intelligent enough to find somewhere more appropriate to do it. Try using fewer assumptions and generalisations in future, Good luck with your mucky import.