fiddlehead

On 2/22/2021 at 2:48 PM, osmar said:

Two schools to look at are Darasamuth and ThaiHua. Both are Phuket Town. Darasamuth has the edge on Thai Hua and is favoured by the Chinese speaking of Phuket. 

My son went to Darasamuth and then Thai Hua (where he is now).  

Both schools are quite near each other in town.  
Thai Hua much less expensive.  Only around 52,000 per year.  
Studying Chinese language is mandatory at Thai Hua. 
I didn't know they even teach it at Darasamuth.   
Some teachers are good and some:  not so good, at both schools. 
That's what it really comes down to isn't it?   

If you visit both campuses, I think you'll see that Thai Hua is a cut above. With their own music building, swimming stadium, rubberized track, etc.   
The Thai kids really seem to dislike learning Chinese though.   

Now is a great time to come if you like un-crowded, clean beaches.  
I jogged Patong beach 2 days ago.    4 or 5 farangs,   a dozen or so lifeguards, 6 or 7 Thai fishermen and about 10 Thai people around that didn't fit the above categories.  
That's in a 2.8 km beach that's usually full of about 1,000 tourists a day.    
As for nightlife, Nai Harn, Rawai, Phuket town would be the popular places at the moment. 

Kata and Karon beaches very similar to the above numbers from Patong beach.     
I'd rent a car as there are now parking spaces abound and no tuk tuk mafia to tell you you can't park anywhere.      I've heard stories (1st hand) that normally 8,000 baht per night 5 star resorts are not offering deals of 2500 baht, including breakfast buffets and more.       

On 10/13/2020 at 11:39 PM, Max69xl said:

Do you really think that every farang in Thailand has a credit card? What you should ask is why use a debit card in a pharmacy just to buy some medication? It's like buying a coke and an ice cream at 7/11 using a credit card instead of having some cash. 

Yes, I guess I do assume that all farangs here have credit cards.    

If you don't, I'd get one.   The world is changing to a cashless society. 
I spent some time in Sweden last summer and was shocked to find out that cash is no longer accepted in most places.    this includes coffee shops, bus and train stations, supermarkets etc.   (the only people who accepted cash, from me anyway,  were the reindeer herders up in Lapland)  

Last time I was back in the states, I went bowling with some friends and was surprised to see them using their credit card to buy a coke at the refreshment counter.  The young people get it.       I do believe it's the way of the future.          

Well, first of all, I wouldn't use a debit card when  a credit card will do.  (i only use my debit card to take money out of an ATM)

2nd, yes, it sounds shaky to me that they would copy the card info.  

3rd,  I would put some kind of a notification on that account whenever anything is changed on it. 
 

A good app for folks who enjoy exploring our island:   https://www.oruxmaps.com/cs/en/

You have to download it from their website.  
They are not on Google Play. 
It has the best topo maps I've found, although it can get a bit complicated. 
I use it to explore mountains on Phuket that I've yet to hike.   
It does show many trails but of course, not the smaller trails that come and go from the rubber harvesters or wild crafters out there.    

Another great idea for anyone who likes learning of the many different mountains on Phuket, join the Hash House Harriers and you will meet many adventurous people who REALLY know the back country of Phuket.   

7 hours ago, Agusts said:

 

 

Then again the beaches are "free" to use - that word does not go well with Thai psychi...????

There's your answer! ^       No money to be made opening beaches.    now malls?   No problem   -  open em up.

 

Dirt is the biggest cause of dull chain saw blades from my experience cutting trees in the states. (and hitting a rock can break blades) 
There are a few hardwoods that will dull one (but not as quickly as dirt) in the states, like hickory)
Not sure of the hardwoods here.    They do seem tougher to work with then I'm used to.  (compared to conifers anyway)

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

Is there a popular place in Thailand where I can sell gold that is not bought in Thailand? 

 

It seems difficult because my gold is purer than 96% Thai gold. I don't know why it is difficult when you can exchange money quite easily.

There was a gold buying shop at Chalong circle in Phuket a few years ago. 
All of those buildings have since been torn down to finish the tunnel and new circle. 
When they were still in business, I went in and asked for the price of Krugerrands.

She said, any gold we buy would have to be melted down so we know it is pure.  
I said, but Krugerrands are known to be 99.9% pure.    She said, nothing is pure, and repeated that they would have to melt it down.  

There is a second hand market in Phuket town.  
I've heard it called the "Thieves Market"
Sat and Sun only I believe. 
Here is the location    7°53'06.7"N 98°23'54.6"E

6 pages of feeding a troll? 
C'mon guys, easy to spot. 
No 7/11's without getting on motorbike? And he's complaining? 

The original post also mentions Kathu. 
I couldn't live in Kathu. 
Simply because they have the longest red lights. 
One of them is actually 300 seconds.  
That's 5 minutes. 

They are all longer than they need to be over there.  
Of course, here in Rawai, we have the Chalong circle to deal with and that has really sucked the past 4 years. 
Traffic is terrible on Phuket. And getting worse it seems.  
Kathu: They love their speed bumps and long red lights over there. 

Took my son 4 hours to get home on his mini-bus from Thai Hua school to Rawai. 
Traffic was backed up everywhere coming into the circle for a few kilometers. 
Anyone know why today was worse than the usual traffic jam. 
Sure will be glad when the tunnel gets finished. 
It's been a long time. 

I started international traveling back in '88. 
On one of my first trips, i met a French man who'd been traveling for 15 years. 
I asked him if he had any advice. 
He said:  "If anyone ever asked you to carry something of theirs through an international border, DON'T DO IT"

Sorry, I was in the states and saw this, but that ancient conversation came to mind right away. 
That's a lot to ask of someone. 

Gotta tell a story that happened to me back in '98 in the US. 

I was on a long hike of the continental divide and going through Wyoming at the time. 
Specifically, in a section called the ''Great Basin" or Red desert.   
IT is very dry and windy.  
We were resupplying in a small town just to the north (Johnson City), and there was a bar there. 
Inside was a sign saying: "Best steaks in the USA!"

I said to the bartender: "I'm from Pennsylvania where the grass is green and lush and the steers eat that all day. Our steaks are pretty good."   "Why would yours be better"

He said: "Try one and see" 
So I did. 
It was the best steak I'd even eaten. 
I said, "Wait a minute, I've been hiking in your dry and windy state and see what your cows are eating. 
Basically brown, dried up sticker bushes, when they can find anything to eat besides tumbleweeds."

He then said that a cow or steer must walk to water to make the fat content marble through it. 
In other words, it' needs to work and get some muscle. "
I couldn't argue his point as the frickin steak was awesome.  

Best ever for me.  

Was over at Nai Harn beach about an hour ago. 
Police, army, rescue teams, all there looking and not allowing anyone to go in the water. 
Apparently the croc was sighted at Nai Harn this morning. 

If Evason plans to reopen, they have a LOT of work to do. 
Almost all the roofs and stairways are ruined from no maintenance all these years. 

Down by the beach anyway. 
They've spent a lot of money on security round the clock but none on maintenance, and , what's it been 6 or 7 years now since they closed? 

I'm thinking more along the lines of whoever owns that peninsula (the one with the new gate), is who closed it off.  
 

Yeah,  a real bummer as I used to walk there a lot in the mornings. 

I get a feeling that whoever owns the land is finally deciding to build something there although it's just a feeling. 
It's beautiful land and a shame that beautiful little beach is now inaccessible except by boat. 

And the Evason property won't let you go through to access it from that side. 

OK. Thanks everyone. My neighbors are complaining too. 
Leads me to believe that maybe they read the meter at a different time than they said they did. 

Only other explanation I can think of is the heat and more fans running, but that should be minimal.

We have one aircon and only use an hour or two a day. 
Maybe I should get it cleaned. 

Normally, I pay around 1,000 baht to 1200 baht.
Today, I got my bill and it was over 2,000 baht. 
Anyone else notice a huge increase? 
 

PM sent. 
 

Anyone know where? And what time they start?  They're website just gives the date.  Help please! 

Does anyone know where they are holding the outreach thing next Wednesday in Phuket? 

On 1/7/2018 at 4:37 AM, seancbk said:

 

How many different cryptos can you trade at coins.co.th?   

 

^Only BTC (Bitcoin)^

Then you have to sign up with binance.com or similar (Kracken?)

And transfer your BTC and buy the alts on there. 
I am in the same boat. 
bx wouldn't allow me in since I'm American. 
No problems with coins.co.th