fiddlehead

Came through the airport last night around 8PM.

Although I had my motorbike parked around the corner, when bugged by the so-called "limo" guys in blue shirts, I was quoted 2,000 baht to Rawai.
Over at the metered taxi stand, I asked how much and the lady told me 100 baht plus meter and for Rawai, it would probably run around 800-900 baht for the meter.

Yes, overpriced compared to many places in the world and especially anywhere else in Thailand.
But, not as bad as the video.
I assume it was a very busy time and prices go up accordingly.

Yes, it sucks that there is no standard.
But, those of us who live here know this and do our best to not get stuck without transport there.

Those who don't have a choice, will most likely go somewhere else, or rent a car I imagine.
Or pay of course.

I think they provide a fine, and secure service.
Member since 2007

Double post. Please remove one mods.
Was running slow so, I guess I hit submit twice.

It listened.

So, I had to hit the ATM this morning.
Success on my 4th one.
1st three: Out of Order.

Came home and told my wife it must be the rain.
She laughed and said: Songkran. Thai people taking money out for the trip home.

But now, Thai Visa is VERY slow.
So, I do think it's Fon Toke related.

Goat farmer problem?

Really?

If they want to lure me back, start with some smiles instead of frowns and continue with some snacks or meals.

Then go to work on the website and stop trying to trick me into paying for things I don't need.

I like Nok air much better and prices are about the same.

I was up there today, not thinking about this thread, just enjoying the area.
And WOW! All of a sudden, there's this big white thing sticking out of the trees like it got dropped there for another world.

Doesn't fit the area at all.
What an eyesore.
Yeah, it would like fine in Patong, or Pattaya or even Bangkok.
But not at Layan National Park.
I can't imagine how much money someone had to pay to get permission to build that thing.

Oh well. Another concrete truck paves over paradise.

I agree, schools here are just outrageously priced and one of the best money making businesses I see on the island except perhaps for the police force.

I looked into Darasamuth and liked it except for the location and just can't deal with that traffic or expect my kid to spend 2 hours a day on a bus.

They seemed to even have some sports and that's quite rare in the lesser priced English schools. (learn swimming if you live on an island? Not a bad idea!)

Dowrung is another possibility, but the class size there just seems tremendous.

Looks chaotic to me.

I too was a little concerned that it is a Catholic school (Dowrung) but they assured me there are no priests, nuns or Christian studies, just a statue of the virgin Mary at the entrance. Anyway, I have some pretty smart friends who got their schooling in Catholic schools so, not too afraid about that. Opening kid's minds to different religions isn't the worse thing you can do.

Such a shame that so few have yet answered the OP with first hand knowledge.
That's all he asked for.

Most posts are just hear-say.

Thanks for the great post Bearpolar. I knew the big boys were expensive but didn't know how bad it was.
Somebodies making some serious money here! (not the teachers)

There are so many restaurants in the Rawai/Nai Harn area that it's a wonder any of them can make any money.

The ones that do the best for expats seem to be Kallots, and M&M.

My favorite is still Wine Lovers. (in the area) I'm impressed with the chef, both taste and presentation.

And for seafood, we make the long trip to Laem Hin 4-5 times a year.

My wife is a better cook than the ones at most of the places we've tried, but I do get hungry for some Bakery's, Mexican and Italian food once in a while.

I'm glad to see the Japanese place although I was never a big fan of Jap food (portions just too small for me)

Anyone notice the revolving sushi place at the new Tesco on Choafa West? (haven't tried it but I saw they had an AYCE deal)

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She will HATE the food.

I agree. The food in Nepal is tough to handle. Especially after Thai food.
Lentils, rice with a little curry powder thrown in and a pinch or two of dirt for good measure.

If you're lucky, you get some tough old goat to go with it.

Done the Everest base camp trek and Kala Pattar 3 times and Gokyo lakes once.
The last day is the toughest.
And the night before, sleeping at Lobuche is the coldest.

I recommend she rent a -20deg bag in Namche Bazaar when she gets there.
As long as someone else is carrying it....................................

You mean the restaurant off of Sukimvit?
Or farangs being Keen Neow? (or Thais?)

My wife told me a few weeks ago that red shirts spread tacks all over this road to keep the southerners down south.
Don't know how true it was but I can see the OP's concern if he heard the same rumor.

I've made the drive many times in the past (although not this year), and we always take our time and it ends up taking 12 hours. (side trips to beaches, good Thai restaurants near the beach, a little sightseeing, etc.)

Thailand is a wonderful and big country and we always try to get off the main roads but, of course, sometimes on this trip, you have no choice.

MMMmmmmmmmm.
The one thing that I liked about the new Tesco/Chalong is the HUGE parking are off to the right, that mainly only motorbikes use but there's PLENTY of room for cars also.
It's about 20 steps to a huge side door that gets you into TESCO without all the kiosks and ice cream stores in the way.

No taxi drivers to hound you, no traffic to run you over, just a big (uncovered) parking lot with no one in it.

But, of course, if you came for ice cream....................................

I've never had a car battery last longer than 3 years here.
2 and a few months is more like the norm.

I understand this short life of car batteries to be related to the heat.
I top off the water regularly (I drop in at the place I bought it every few months and they check it and add accordingly)

The jumper cables for sale here are not the best.
They aren't as heavy as they need to be if the battery has been really drained.

I've jump started many of my neighbors cars and trucks here and my (Thai) neighbors have done the same for me over the years.

I've taken my battery out and put it in their car already if they were in a position where we couldn't get the jumper cables to the vehicle.

I have had batteries blow near my face a long time ago, so I always hook up the negative cable to the vehicle that's running LAST.

Choafa West road about halfway between Chalong circle and Central, across the road from the big Honda car dealer (just after the big Shell station) is the place I always go to.
They will do it in about 2 hours providing no one is ahead of you.

Sign says "Film"

Positive here also.
Was in yesterday to renew.
First of all, I wasn't watching closely enough (when I went in for the bank letter) and my bank issued me a new bank book (and scribbled void or something in my old one), so it looked like my money had just been deposited yesterday.
I told the lady at the bank that immigration was not going to like this. And she said, don't worry, they see this everyday and will totally understand. (her exact words: "They're not stupid")

So, I go to immigration and check everything with the farangs in the front. They saw the bank problem and said: Oh oh. They're not going to like this.

So, I got my number and waited about 30 minutes and believe it or not, it all went pretty smoothly.

I did notice 2 farangs, who were dressed in torn, tattered tank tops and hadn't shaved or .....................well, you get the drift, right?
They were quite rude to the officer in the back as it was taking a long time (it was crowded)
The guy was polite to him and I can easily understand why these guys could get a bad rap.
I would NOT have been as nice to rude people as he was.

I always try to dress nice, wei them once, speak clearly and precisely and have as much as I can ready. (of course I'm often asked to get another copy of this or that)

I wish American immigration people could be half as nice to my wife when she goes in there. (of course, I'm not allowed to go with her, or even be on the same side of the street)

Maybe they should concern themselves with just knowing where the moorings are in Chalong bay first.
Then, once they have that figured out, could expand their location services.

What I find odd is....since PKT is an island...hence fairly "circular"

and surrounded by water on all sides....and not that large...how does

one actually get lost...even at night? Oh well...I was a Boy Scout

once and know how to at least find North even at night...but when

I was a Scout we didn't know what magic mushrooms were....

I take it you have never had to make your way through tropical rainforest on hilly terrain in the dark in utterly unsuitable clothing. Provided you can maintain a straight course you might be able to progress between 1 and 2 km per hour if you are lucky. The diameter of Phuket is about 11 km from East to West.

I agree. Although the jungle is not the thickest up there between Ton Sai waterfall and Bang Pae waterfall on the east side, there is a maze of trails in the area and easy to wander onto the wrong one.

Like someone said earlier, even the Thai guides get lost up there.

Most likely the ones saying that it's next to impossible to get lost in Phuket's jungles, haven't been up there.

These kind of kayaks, or "sit-a-tops" as we call them in the whitewater world, are supposed to be unsinkable.
But, I do have a friend who bought one 2nd hand and told me it had a leak and he almost sunk it off the west coast of Phuket.
Scary indeed if that was the case.

The article fails to mention why they couldn't get back on the thing.

Anyway, they look pretty happy.

If you go to Khanom, you can swim with the pink dolphins there. (north of Nakon Si Tammerat)
Turtles on Phuket? They've built 5 star resorts where they used to lay their eggs, so, I doubt anyone will see them here again.

Reaction time!

How many remember doing that test at the driver's licence center and watching Thai people try to switch from one pedal to the other before the lights change?
From my experience, I watched 6-8 Thai people and NONE of them did it on the first try.
Out of 3 or 4 farangs, taking the same test, they all did it successfully the first time.

Is it heredity? Or just not caring, as they know they'll get enough chances until they succeed?

Sure the lack of police enforcement of rules (and Thais just not understanding the rules) has something to do with it.
But, I do believe that we (farangs) are generally quicker in our thinking and acting process.

We blame the Thais for the bad driving habits.
But, often it's the farangs at fault.
I've seen so many times when people from other countries get here, and think: "hey this is cool! No rules driving" and they do stupid stuff.

There are unwritten rules that Thai's follow that most of us who live here long enough understand.
Don't play chicken with a bus or cement truck. They won't slow down. (sometimes the green license plate dudes think they are a cement truck)
The guy coming at you on the wrong side of the road WILL bear to his right when he gets close.

Yeah, you can run a red light. As long as no one is coming.

etc. etc. etc.

We all learn to drive defensively.
All too often tourists are not yet aware of this.