fiddlehead

One thing I find a bit amusing about the whiners here on the subject of Patong and especially the time share touts.
I just took my family to Vegas and was approached no less than 12 times in 2 days by time share touts.
They were in the entrance to most of the casinos, on the streets downtown, and at all the bus stops.
I could'nt help thinking about how few of them there are comparably in Phuket yet, how strange that these people would try to talk a family into spending so much of our quality day time of our vacation to sit through some 3 hour demonstration to buy a share of a place that's known for it's smut.

I also kept thinking that they have balls to be doing this so openly as the cops really should be chasing them away. (but they wear suits so I guess it's ok)
Patong is calm in comparison when it comes to time share touts.

An opposite scenario, I am presently in the states and bought my wife (Thai) a skirt the other day that she didn't like.
I said, "no problem" we'll just take it back and get our money back.
She didn't believe we'd be able to do this and was a bit shocked when it happened and she saw how easy it was and how many people were doing similar returns.

This is one of the cultural differences in shopping and I suggest you learn it quickly and make sure you get what you need. Because it's very hard to return an item bought in Thailand.

I used to get mad about it too.
Now, I'm only mad at myself. (OK, still a little bit mad, especially when it is something that doesn't work)

Best to search bahtsold or craigslist as the 2nd hand shops seem to sell stuff for the same price as new unless it's something in really sad shape.
You can find deals on the want ads.
I think even thai visa has a section for classifieds.

I prefer American style pizza to Italian style.
Much heartier (maybe one of the reasons why Americans anymore tend to be fat), and they don't skimp on the toppings.
I've tried most of them in and around Chalong/Rawai/Nai Harn and for me, it's Pizza 2000 is the closest to New York style or Chicago style pizza.
I guess it depends on what kind of pizza you are after.

Along with red flags, why not post signs that say BEACH CLOSED in about 20 languages

Took this picture this morning:

The way I read it, it says "No Swimming" in 10 different languages.

There was at least 8 people swimming just in front of the red flag.

2 of them were children.

It's not the lifeguard's fault folks.

Doesn't appear to be the same ship (looks bigger), but we took my son when he was 2 or 3 (now 7) and he loved being on a big ship and we bought some books.
Last year, they said they were coming again. We drove over there and, no ship.
They never showed.

Hopefully they will be here this time.

When I ship UPS, it has always arrived (in PA) within a week.
That's from Phuket.

Good luck.

I live in Rawai and would play perhaps next week on Monday or Tuesday morning if that works for you.
We could meet at the Hilton's courts. Say around 8:45.

I just came back from my first ever visit there and my thoughts are:

1st/ Traffic is bad, but folks drive sensibly. More red lights than traffic circles but people patiently wait in their lanes and not much straddling like Phuket drivers.

2/ The beach was no comparison. First of all the water was a very unpleasant brownish color. I wouldn't swim in it (unless maybe I stayed there a long time and forgot how nice west coast beaches can be in Thailand)

And the umbrella vendors attempt to totally block out the sun from renters. A lot like Cha-am where they don't realize some people go to the beach to get a tan. I walked the beach in the morning and saw 1 person renting from the hundreds of chairs and 4 people laying in the sand of low-tide between the umbrellas and the water. I can only hope Phuket beach vendors never take this approach.

3/ Quality of hotels and food and bars seemed about the same to me.
We had a very nice hotel, near the action for 1500 baht/night ("Golden Beach Hotel") Only problem there was there was a lot of Indian people (which is fine) BUT, when a good looking girl came to the pool, they ALL stopped what they were doing and stared at her for a good 15 minutes until she finally left. It was eery! Will someone tell these people that is very rude? I think maybe they don't know.

4/ The "Walking STreet" part felt like a huge tourist trap. More like Bangla road and I didn't feel the people working there were genuine Thai people like I felt 8-10 blocks away.

All in all it was a good experience and I like seeing new places. But, I'll stay here in Phuket with it's clean water and beaches with sand to lay on if you so choose.
I must say once I got back, it took me a few days to get the aggressiveness back into my driving which is a requirement here it seems.

Yeah, It was a pretty amazing day.

Good to see you guys there.
Great pictures Oilinki, I don't care what Steel Pulse says, until he posts some better pics with his new camera, yours wins the prize!

I'm going back up later today to catch some of the air stuff I missed yesterday.
And yes, Coco the Magic Clown was awesome!

I have to say, 6 years ago, I could get to the airport in 45 minutes. (from Rawai)
Now, with all the road construction and many more Thais owning cars and trucks, it takes at least double that and sometimes 2 hours (one way)

That has to be one of the reasons.

I paid my neighbor to drive my truck the other day because my family wanted to meet me at the airport.
I felt bad that I did that to all of them on the way back as we got stuck at the Central mess for a good 30 minutes extra right there.
Nobody enjoys sitting in stalled traffic.

We now have on this forum three or 4 threads all ending up in the same "oh Phuket isn't what it used to be", "oh Phuket sucks with all the traffic and taxi mafia" "this is what annoys me here" 'I'm leaving after years IN PATONG",,,,I mean really, you guys, and I'm the GOM?

Fellow TV member and I on the way to playing some tennis today had this discussion and he imparted a small tale which I will now relate.

The Gate Keeper:

Back in the 1700's there was a city gate keeper, a traveler happened upon him and asked how are things in this city. Gate Keeper replies, well, how are things where you come from?

Traveler-people aren't very nice, everybody greedy so everything now very expensive, sometimes the law there works most of the time corruption.

Gate Keeper- well, thats the same here, best you keep on moving.

Traveler #2 shows up asks the Gate keeper the same gate keeper replies the same , how are things where you are coming from.

Traveler 2 - actually I have lovely parents there and many a good friend, fabulous times, weather is usually o.k. and our harvests always good, as a bird out of the nest it was just time for me to spread my wings.

Gate keeper opens the gate and says welcome, what you descibe is how it is here too.

Perspective. Mind-set. Attitude.

Great story GOM.

Nothing to do with "perspective, mind-set, attitude" - obviously, Traveler 1 and Traveler 2 are from different cities.

I'd guess Traveler 1 is from a place where he pays a minimum 200 baht journey in a tuk-tuk and Traveler 2 is from a place where he can go a far as he wants on a baht bus for 10 baht.

NKM: You missed the whole point of the story.

It doesn't matter where traveler 1 or traveler 2 come from or go.

They are going to find the same kind of people, similar situations, broken dreams (or fantastic ones) wherever they go.

Do you really think that the people who have lived here and left for greener pastures because of corruption, traffic, prices, etc are happy where they landed?

Yeah, the ones I'm talking about are "song-tows" or 2 bench seats in the back of a blue pickup truck.
You know the ones that drive real slow for some reason.

They are there.
I walk from my mechanic's place whenever he works on my vehicles and often see them, but I don't hop on as I like the exercise.

He's near Wat Chalong.
One time I did hop on and he charged me 20 or 30 baht to the pier road.

Shanti Lodge in Chalong always has a great Sunday roast dinner.
Yorkshire pudding, gravy, etc.

I've had it a few times.
Definitely worth going. ( I think it's somewhere around 300 baht)

I haven't seen them although I have a full size set here (looks like a briefcase) and I don't play anymore.
I should save it for my son as it's quite old.
Where do you live?
I'm in Rawai.
Possibly you could borrow it.

First I heard that the tourists are leaving because of restaurants on the beaches.

I would think the insurance companies here in Thailand should get involved in manufacturing some rules here.
After all, they are the ones who pay, right?

For example, they could get together and insist that brakes are inspected monthly or no insurance. (a general inspection that could include lights, wipers, mufflers, even exhaust) (yeah right)

Shouldn't be so hard to do.
Incentive is the problem.
We (westerners) seem to be worried about this a lot more than Thais.

If she's ever been here (and driven in our traffic), then it must have been in May or July.
Certainly not near Central festival.
I say she's never been here.

I wouldn't want to have to try to live on $1,000 a month.
Prices have grown too much lately.

I was looking for a pair of shorts the other day. (tennis shorts)
(OK, in Central, not at the Ocean Plaza) and the cheapest I saw was 2,000 baht!

Also, she talks about golf. 2,000-3,000 baht plus caddie! (Playing twice a month with a new pair shorts would be 1/4 of your total budget!)

She makes a living writing this crap. I hope people don't come here expecting to follow her advice.

Will the woman continue to live there?
I certainly wouldn't.
(and come back and warn any new tenants)

Its perfectly legal for a Thai national to own a gun. I want one for my mia noi and im happy to pay. Bubblegum unless you can tell me where I can aquire a pump action shotgun in Phuket town can you please keep your opinion to yourself

NO !

In case you did not know this forum is not yours althought you like to believe it is.

WHAT ROAD IS GUN SHOP AT IN PHUKET TOW ???? Its fairly simple

Doesn't any one use google anymore?

Pretty easy search.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/391980-gun-shops-in-phuket/

I'm surprised any of you are surprised.
What did you expect?

Not to change the subject but has anyone been over there?
Can you see the carrier from the port?
I'd like to take my kid over to see it.

I know we'll have to walk in.
The road is blockaded.
Business as usual in the LOS.

I just have to chime in here to say that I was hit quite a few times in school growing up in the states in the 50's and 60's.
I know I deserved it every time.
I was the guy who used to put spitballs on the typewriters, or tacks on the teachers seat and feel no animosity towards the teachers who hit me. (just mad at myself for getting caught sometimes)

I think I turned out OK. (I'm sure others would differ on that)

There are a few auto parts stores around.
A small one is on Choafa east road about halfway between Chalong circle and Phuket town, on the right hand side in one of those strip mall groupings.
Sorry, can't be more specific on that.

But a much bigger one is in Phuket town on the way between clock tower (CAT office) and heading north towards the airport. This one is on the left.
But I think you'd have to know where it is.

At both, they usually give you a choice between after market parts (what I consider junk) and original manufacture parts (for me that means Toyota genuine parts)

Not on everything though. I remember a door handle that they could only get after market (of course it broke in about a year)

But now, I have found a good mechanic and trust him not to rip me off too much.
He goes and gets the parts for me and tries to always get original Toyota parts.

He is near Wat Chalong and speaks good English. (near the "Bake" bakery)

I'm sure there are other part stores around but these are the ones I've used to much satisfaction in the past.