fiddlehead

How about a fitness park complete with tennis courts.

Nah!

Never happen.

I believe you get what you pay for in mattresses. I bought mine at a place that we call "orange" that is a fairly big furniture store across the road from the PTT station on Choafa East road about half way to Phuket town from Chalong. I laid down on all of them before making my choice. It's been 1 1/2 years now and it is still in excellent shape. good luck Mister Man. We missed you at the Thai Visa party.

Funny, but this brings memories back to a time when my wife's (tiny) phone wasn't working right so we took it to one of those small kiosk places downstairs from Big C. I watched the guy and he got out about the biggest soldering gun that i had ever seen and attacked that tiny little phone with it. He actually got it working but it died again a few hours later. I believe it would be hit or miss at best.

Unless you dropped it in the water to make it stop working right. Then they sometimes will recover after a week or two of a good drying out without the battery in there. Take it all apart and set it aside for a while and try it again. Rebooting works wonders in the phone world as well as the computing world.

Would that be online somehow also?

Sure some people use the forums to complain about almost anything.

Others come here for advice.

I always felt that you had to give to receive. I'd sooner give and recieve advice than complaints.

Up to you of course!

Flaming Todd, you should go there and see for yourself. I have a 2 1/2 year old who will most likely be starting there when he is 3. (that is a requirement from them as well as being potty trained)

They have open house from time to time and you can actually go in and see a classroom in action.

I think if you search Thai Visa, you should be able to find a thread that was on here about a year ago in which i believe some people were complaining because they didn't have air-con. (personally i prefer not to have air-con)

Not all of their teachers are Montesorri trained but some of them are and others are training to become certified i think. I would surely hope that my child gets one of the certified ones.

I too believe in their philosophy. (do you know that both of the two Google founders were Montesorri schooled?) (and Bill Gates was not)

However, i do think they should keep up with the times and incorporate computers into their learning process.

That being said, i don't believe they have a website.

Well, i guess i must go online as disagreeing with the general consensus here as I think the move is a good one.

My mother in law is very poor and having her electric and water bill paid will be a big help to her. (and to me as i'm the one that usually ends up paying it)

She doesn't have any thing that she can drive or put fuel into so that part is moot. And there are no trains near her to ride the 3rd class ticket.

No buses either except songteaws and i don't think they are considered public buses.

But the electric bill and water bill help. The cooking (LP) gas is also moot as she is afraid of it and always builds fires from wood as most of the poor people do that i see around her neighborhood.

I'll say her thanks for her in English.

I believe governments around the world are looking for ways to help their poor to survive the economic downturn going on. Maybe there's a perfect method out there. For now, this one looks pretty good to me. Do i think my mother in law is going to abuse the amount of electricity she's using? I don't think she's ever wasted anything in her life. (except maybe an education)

I'm sure you are happy, with seeing your mother in law get benefits in the range of 15baht per 100baht possible, while you having to pay for it in other taxes at the rate of 25baht.

Might just have been cheaper to pay her electric bill after all.

The way i read it, her electric and water bill would be free. Where did you see that it would only be 15% as you are saying? I'm referring to the OP's #1 post on this thread.

Well, i guess i must go online as disagreeing with the general consensus here as I think the move is a good one.

My mother in law is very poor and having her electric and water bill paid will be a big help to her. (and to me as i'm the one that usually ends up paying it)

She doesn't have any thing that she can drive or put fuel into so that part is moot. And there are no trains near her to ride the 3rd class ticket.

No buses either except songteaws and i don't think they are considered public buses.

But the electric bill and water bill help. The cooking (LP) gas is also moot as she is afraid of it and always builds fires from wood as most of the poor people do that i see around her neighborhood.

I'll say her thanks for her in English.

I believe governments around the world are looking for ways to help their poor to survive the economic downturn going on. Maybe there's a perfect method out there. For now, this one looks pretty good to me. Do i think my mother in law is going to abuse the amount of electricity she's using? I don't think she's ever wasted anything in her life. (except maybe an education)

Alain did you try to contact Karon municipality about Karon stadium?

Thanks, but no grass on the pitch at Karon stadium!

Such a shame that they took such valuable waterfront land, built that stadium blocking many guesthouses, hotels and houses views of the sea, and now just let it fall into disarray and no money or no one cares about upkeep.

I never really understood why they would build a stadium on waterfront land as it is so expensive.

But to build it and then let it go is a real waste.

You are right, it is down again. Was up for a few days there. Oh well.

My last comment about K.L.Market was rather mild. Being polite ....

But just to be clear.... IT IS THE WORST SUPERMARKET IN THE AREA. Expensive, dusty, hot, zero service. I have no idea how this place has survived for so many years. Talk about sleepy hollow.

They have large Snickers bars for 27 baht. Not the tiny 1/4 size ones you get in 7/11 for 22 baht. I'm eating one now. Good stuff.

THey also have good prices on most everything they sell if you compare. I had a pleasant experience there although i've only been in there 4 or 5 times.

Maybe i'll get mad someday but I didn't expect Lotus when i went in and was pleasantly surprised.

The Thai stores that bother me are the ones where the girls sit and stare into their makeup mirrors are seem to always say Mai Mi! no matter what you ask for and don't even look up. I asked for a certain brand of sweet milk in KL and the man there walked me all the way to the back of the store to show me where it was. I like that kind of service.

But hey, to each his own.

That's too bad that you drove all that way, made quite an effort to find the place, but then sat by yourself.

Luckily, i know where Freindship beach is and how to get in there. There were about 5 signs saying Thai Visa party but yes, they were not until you got in the place.

I too thought that it would be nice if people mingled a little more and i could meet and talk to some posters who i've read about and answered online.

So, i got up and walked around a few times and met some interesting people. I met ThaiGerd who was very interesting. I finally got to put a face to Huggy Bear who i knew would be someone i had met before. Same with Steel Pulse. From their comments on line, i knew they'd be interesting people and they were.

I got to meet George who was very kind and perhaps paid for it all, i don't know???

Same with Buckwheat who acted as MC and did a fine job.

Saw the Channel 11 guy there too although i never did get to say hi to him. Was too busy meeting others i guess. Also, i saw and spent quality time with my old friends Chantal and Kevin who are always interesting.

I will agree that some kind of introductions would've been nice but perhaps the problem is that people are shy and steer away from things like that. (Huggy even tried but most couldn't hear him)

It takes all kinds of people to have a forum and I would've been glad to make your acquaintance too if only I had known you were there as a Thai Visa Member.

Perhaps a website with a calender where people could post an event or gig or get togethers so people could find out what's happening on any given day. (or week)

Anyone know of such a site in Phuket?

I need to change my above schedule (post # 4) as our band "Double Trouble" will NOT be playing at Sandy's corner on Saturdays for the next month.

Yes, very nice evening. Thanks everybody who put it together. (And paid for it)

Thanks Charlie too for all your work and always making sure everything runs smoothly.

Hello MisterMan, there's an "Office Depot" in the basement (covered parking lot) of Central. I think i've seen them there.

I have an Epson 210. Although it works great, does great color pics and hasn't let me down EXCEPT: Every time you turn it on, it apparantly uses a small amount of ink from all 6 of it's cartridges (500 baht each). So, even though i am using only black most of the time, the color cartridges run out too often.

They designed it to make money selling us ink I believe.

i should get a laser printer for my black only printing and use the Epson just for color but my space is limited.

Good luck finding a repair center. i think my printer was 3500 baht new.

Most banks from the western world will charge an "international fee" every time you use your atm to draw cash here in Thailand. I know for mine in the states, it's $5.

So, it is probably best for you to open an account here with a Thai bank and draw on it at any ATM machine easily. Yes there are scams to watch out for. Perhaps going to the ATM at your bank could be more safe than one in a rural or unlit area.

There is a good supermarket (although not for lean meat i don't think so) near Chalong circle on the way to Kata on the left. It sets back a bit near a new hamburger place. I don't know the name but they have a lot and they have great prices. Perhaps someone on here knows the name. It is a supermarket.

As others said: bicycles are on the roads. sidewalks are full of obstacles (and i do mean full) Have fun. enjoy your year in Thailand.

It's unfortunate that people act this way.

My 1st thought usually is that their parents didn't bring them up right.

No respect for others.

In the past, i've been jogging on the beach and every once in a while, i see a tourist with a wicked sunburn going on, yet still walking shirtless on the beach. I have mentioned it to 2 or 3 of them that they really should get out of the sun or at least put a shirt on because it's really gonna hurt.

Every time, they have given me a dirty look as if to say "mind your own business" So, i don't say anything anymore.

People don't like others to do their thinking for them i guess.

But in your case, you had every right to point out his hogging the parking lot.

HI

What happend to Groove Doctors??

use to see them every Thursday night in Joe kool

Groove Doctors are still around. No steady gigs right now but we are playing a private party tomorrow and I believe we'll be at the Watermark next month.

We expect to have another weekly steady gig come high season.

Thanks lots for all the support over the years.

I hope someone can figure out a way to perhaps post any gigs and festivals, grand openings, events, etc. all over the island.

It's not easy finding out what's going on.

Of course it's going to be up to the people running the events to post isn't it, and that's where the problems begin i guess.

Sunday's are usually at the "Trip Advisor" fund raiser benefit at the Pacific Club in Karon from 6-10.

They raise money for kids whose parents have AIDS at their weekly get together and dinner.

Not sure how you make reservations but I'll try to find out.

Thanks Huggybear. I am still trying to figure out who you are. Unfortunately, I will not be able to wear my rasta clothes and go to the get together on Sat. night as we are playing every sat. also at Sandy's corner on Choafa East Road.

Yes, we play the Sala Phuket every Wednesday, Friendship Beach every Friday, Sandy's Corner on Saturdays and will be at the Wine Connection for Bastille Day on July 14th.

Since I won't make the party on Sat. to put faces to names, I would appreciate learning as many of you as i can when i do play. Please introduce yourself by your thaivisa handle if you would when you see us play. Thanks. fiddlehead

ps. yes, we call ourselves "Double Trouble"

I would very much like to see a website or perhaps Thai Visa put together an up to date schedule of what is going on around the island.

I like going to festivals at Sapan Hin in Phuket town but never really know when they take place as well as live music, Green Man theater events, Job to Do over at Yoonique, Festivals of any sort, etc.

I see phuket gazette has about 5 events on their webpage but it isn't a very broad or inclusive list. Any ideas?

My sister ships stuff to me 3 or 4 times a year. NEver had to go to Bangkok to pick it up. THey just deliver it to my door. (They being the Thai postal service)

So what percentage do you all think it is? Approximately what percentage of expat men in Thailand who have wives/girlfriends have THAI wives or girlfriends? 20%? 50%? 80%?

If I put together my top 10 farang friends who are men, 7 have Thai wives/girlfriends, two are single, and one has a farang wife.

His wife is very interesting and an artist. She seems to have her farang women friends that she does things with. She has a career and stays busy i believe.

Once someone told me a story about a man traveling and thinking about settling down. He stopped in a town and asked what appeared to be a wise man: "How is it here? Are the people friendly? Honest? Sincere? "

The wise man answered: "How where the people where you come from?"

Traveler replied: Not very friendly or honest"

Wise man: "Well that's about how they are here too" ............and the traveler moved on.

Then another man came to the same town a few months later and was thinking of staying also and asked the wise man: "How is it here?"

The wise man asked how it was where he came from

and he replied: "Pretty good, honest people who are friendly and sincere"

Then the wise man said: "That's about how it is here too"

(I hope that makes sense, that's from memory and the original author did a much better job than me on the story.)

I do believe your wife should come here and see for herself. Personally i think Patong is not the best place to start a loving relationship with Phuket (especially for a farang woman)

My youtube has not been showing videos for a few months now on TOT.

My friend who is on CAT could see them but i couldn't in my home.

Now, today i noticed they are playing again.

First of all, i don't see why posting the same question in different forums should make any difference or be a reason for someone to come down on you.

Post what you want, where you want. I don't see that it is breaking anyone's rules.

I do think it can be a problem. I have known a few western women who come here and get frustrated by the cultural differences and leave.

Thailand can be a lot different experience for a man than it is for a woman. There are cultural differences that can discrimminate between the sexes.

I think you pose an interesting and legitimate question and it perhaps wise to seek this out beforehand.

I wouldn't buy any property until you are sure your wife is going to be happy here.

Come on down and try it and rent for a while and you will find out.

There are places where western woman go but I am not familiar with your wife's age and interests to recommend anything.