robsamui

It's impossible to even try to find out how many tourists arrive on Samui each week! And how much simpler could that be!

Simple fact - there's no way with the way the current administration works to even make a guess which might be accurate. There is no available information at all. None.

This is an emerging nation after all. It would be far toooo much to expect for someone in immigration to add all the numbers of all the different visa-holders (even with a calculator) and then try to factor-in the ones who take breaks here for 6 months a year on a tourist visa and keep houses and cars full-time. Plus all the ones that are living and working without WPs for the majority of each year. Nightmare.

And ask them again 3 months later and the chances are you'd get a totally different number, depending on what nong got lumbered with the calculator this time round.

Somewhere between a 1,000 and 8,000? And that's as accurate as you're going to get - in my lifetime anyway. It's anybody's guess!

Move on dude, move on.

R

Big thanks to all the help here -

BUT -

found this today for 4,000B. I was about to spend 2000 on some kind of jug - but this popped up for 4,000B.

If I can't make coffee with this then I'm giving up!

R

forbidding something just gives me more urges to do it ...

I absolutely forbid you to not write any more comments on Thai Visa . . . . .

R

kevin RIP

i do believe from his previous posts that i looked , kevin was in fact screamingeagle ... RIP , as you made alot of good posts to the samui forum and we will miss you greatly

but , mods please delete this if you feel its not correct to you below

According to staff, he drowned.

Body was found in Chaweng Lake close to Lakeview.

PLEASE PLEASE do not let the body being put to rest untill it is proven his cause of death !!!! , from his posts ect he just ' wouldnt ' drown in the lake, he has suffered every flood here in 4 years !!!!

PLEASE look into the girls , as he was a ladies man, i dont just take he drown in the lake, this isnt possiible, even if he was drunk !

PLEASE PLEASE do not let this death be put under the carpet unlesss a full police report with indepenant advise is given from his home country

Boater :jap:

Rest slowly Kevin.

Go with Boaty and hope there is the forensics to look into this. Not so many people get found dead for no reason.

Sigh.

R

I've been niggling folks about buying a motorbike here - for a while and thank for all the advice.

Got bike. But slightly worn. So I go to Yamaha Chaweng opposite PTT gas station.

I order brake shoes and belt on Monday. Wednesday I get a call - here now. So I go to pick up my bits thinking that the shed down my soi can fix this tomorrow.

But my bike gets pushed in and a NONG starts banging at it.

I AM 100% leery of nongs with big hammers so I HOVER.

The nong strips the casing, examining every screw and bolt as he goes. He throws the bent screws away. He replaces the worn or cross-threaded bolts with NEW ones. He looks at every bit he pulls off and it it's good he puts it to one side.

If it's old or worn-threaded he replaces it.

He cleans every nut, bolt and screw with alcohol, blows it with an air hose and either puts it back in line or gets a new one to replace it with. - free.

All he's doing is replacing my V-belt.

Everything's cleaned, checked, examined in detail. Clutch. Filters. Oil. Transmission oil (100 cc) drained and changed for free.

Two hours to fit a belt, An hour to mess with stuck bolts. And all FREE because I ordered a new V-belt .

I tipped him 300B.

I have been wary of kids with big hammers for more than 10 years now. But Yamaha Chaweng is threTOPS!

Thanks for all the folks that gave me pointers for fixing-up my bike. But this nong is the best.

YAMAHA - go Chaweng!

Speak my name - LOBERT!

I'll be there every time. How GREAT to get a good one!

R

Hi. For more than a week now I've been ringing his listed number - sometimes 7 or 8 times a day. Every time I'm getting the "this number is not available at the moment" message.

Anyone know if he's away, given up the job or on a different number?

I've got 086 941 0649.

Anyone?

Cheers

Rob

is everyone n the same level of tunes

hey boaty - your little-old-man-avatar dances amazingly in tune to this!

Really flappy!

(arms)

R

Ta duck.

R

Just a quickie - are there any more Yamaha shops on the island apart from Nathon? I'm sure I've seen another one but cant think where.

Ta

Rob

No problem! That's two beers please!

Just cannot place a computer shop near the Pier, it's funny what one finds by chance sometimes... I saw driving through Nanton yesterday that there is a Department Store... did not have time to stop & see, but never noticed that before.... perhaps 2/3 rds down from Tesco ..... anyone ever been there?

Hope the coffee maker works out!

Yes indeed that's Samui's very own department store AND for a long time it was the only building in the island with a lift! (But it's almost at the end of the main street by the Thai Farmers Bank)

Chaokoh (opp ferry) runs right through to the middle road, as do several of these big old buildings. The seaward side is a run-down cafe, but the back end is a computer sales and repair shop.

2 beards it is!

R

What is the fad with "moreover" here in Thailand.

I know off topic.

Can't wait till they discover "thus far".

R

Most people don't seem to give a dam_n, what the kids get up to.

Isn't that the most pertinent point of this. When I was a kid, if my parents told me to be home before dark, I was home before dark, my Mum and Dad didn't expect the police to do basic parental duties for them.

That's probably because you didn't grow up in an emerging nation where girls get pregnant at 14, and marry the Thai father, then get pregnant again and he clears off and she then dumps the kids on their grandparents while she moves away to look for a whitey to fall in love with her and foot the bills for the lot of them whilst the kids run wild in the meantime.

"Parenting"? - "Allai na?"

"Responsible?" - "Allai na?"

I reckon my cat has more dedication and responsibility than very many of the Thai women I have met - with exceptions, I hasten to add . . .

R

The photo you posted the Italian stove top type one i have seen them in the kitchen shop in nathon on the left about 50ish meters before you get to the big kassikorn bank.

The better quality ones are made by bialetti and cost around 2-3 000 in thailand (remember seeing them in central shopping mall in bkk) however the one (of several they had in stock) i spotted in nathon about 6 months ago was a non brand one and was a 6 cup not a two. cost was 900b i think.

good luck.

Ooof - that's expensive! I think I'm going to buy from EBay. The one below is 600B including postage.

Thanks for all the input everybody!

Cheers

R

OH good news and bad news...

I think the shop that williamrobson mentioned is Chaokoh, just up from the 7-11 as you come out of Nanthon towards Maenam...(the newer road from the ferry) ....but turn right, back toward Nanthon, then 50 meters on the left.... on the ring road. (is that clear???)

They have the one you pictured in two sizes, the larger one I am pretty certain was 550 baht... I just happen by there today and thought would check them out... (also there is a huge hardware store next door which you would never know was there, I think part of the same store...

The Kitchen shop actually has some nice stuff in there... as to compared with some places... Also had the hand press coffee thingies too, but they were in the 1500 baht range...

The bad news is for Mr Joe! he won't be able to make an outrageous markup!

Nice one Jimbo! (Hold the PayPal purchase!)

I know the man who runs this shop: did some translation work for his son. It is indeed "Chakoh" - he is of the same family that owns the huge restaurant/computer shop (same name) directly opposite the old ferry pier.

(It's the hardware shop, heading towards Nathon, immediately after the 7-11 past the seafront road where the songthiews go to get to Nathon (that heads past the fish factory with the St. Bernards) and hooks round past the customs house and by the new ferry pier.....?)

I will explore further.

Much obliged!

R

The photo you posted the Italian stove top type one i have seen them in the kitchen shop in nathon on the left about 50ish meters before you get to the big kassikorn bank.

The better quality ones are made by bialetti and cost around 2-3 000 in thailand (remember seeing them in central shopping mall in bkk) however the one (of several they had in stock) i spotted in nathon about 6 months ago was a non brand one and was a 6 cup not a two. cost was 900b i think.

good luck.

Ooof - that's expensive! I think I'm going to buy from EBay. The one below is 600B including postage.

Thanks for all the input everybody!

Cheers

R

Impiana - Chaweng Noi.

Their Tamarind Bar & Lounge.

They have an all day happy hour (buy one get one free for local beers - but this is at their prices so don't bother).

They run lots of promos but one feature was the running wine buffet -

QUOTE:

we have a running wine buffet each evening, too – you can keep going, with a glass at a time from any of a dozen labels, for as long as you want.

This was a while back but it might be worth phoning and asking - ? The cost of the food is not so bad . . .

R

I have 2 cup 2nd hand pavoni for sale if anyone interested.

Ah - a man of few words.

What is it? What's it like? Does it percolate? - go on ... GIVE US A CLUE?

R

Glad I'm not holding my breath . . .

R

One thing that nobody ever seems to warn people about is the effect of the climate here on plastics (fabrics ... particularly leather etc).

I came here with several Nikon camera bodies/lenses etc etc in pro cases and boxes and 4 years later the polycarbonate parts had started to disintegrate and crumble.

(Just take a look at the hundreds of oldish motorbikes here to see certain types of plastic molding simply disintegrating after 4 or 5 years. The originally black plastic turns grey and you can scrape it apart with a fingernail - it feels just like expanded polystyrene foam.)

If you have anything like this then (seeing that you are renting half a ship to bring your stuff) it might be prudent to buy a climate controlled cabinet to hold these things also!

R

A BIG thank you to all who helped me here.

(I almost bought a bike unseen from Chiang Mai - only 2,000B to send it to Samui by rail/ferry!)

But I have now found what looks like a goodie.

Nouvo, 5 years old, 28K on clock, just a bit scuffed but not dropped or scraped, for 19,000B. It's in Khun Nong's bike shed tomorrow for oil changes and checks.

Thanks for all your input.

Rob

ps - in the process I found a way to get floating green books tied to Surat.

I have 2 cup 2nd hand pavoni for sale if anyone interested.

Ah - a man of few words.

What is it? What's it like? Does it percolate? - go on ... GIVE US A CLUE?

R

Just found a photo of what I'm after - stovetop type.

Anyone seen one around??

R

Appreciate an update if you find any around. Been searching for months - looked in all the places mentioned in this thread but no luck. Should have brought my old one with me!

TGFEBay!

Stainless steel so can use with induction ring - Ikea - pricy app 1,400 inc post

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250765261969&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

and YAAAA! cheapo and 650 baht inc post

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270742530328&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Right. On to PayPal . . . .

R

Just found a photo of what I'm after - stovetop type.

Anyone seen one around??

R

Check Home Mart Chawang, next to Tesco... They had the electric drip makers there on Friday / Saturday... I think 1500 baht range... pretty high priced! ( I just happened to notice, while walking through that isle.) 10 cuppas around 3000 baht!

As for the push down types, I think!!!! the Kitchen shop, just up from Tesco, in Nanthon has or had! ... been a while since I was in there.

You might also try the other Kitchen ware shop going into Nanthon from Maenam way, just almost across from were the road comes out from the ferry... near the 7.11 (that is the first turning, not the one closer to the Mini Tesco.)

Makro sells pretty decent coffee, if you do find a maker!

See jdee posted same time, yes Bon Cafe might be a good place to try too!

Thanks Jimbo - I'll keep my eye out but I really wanted to find a percolator rather than a dripper. (That's what I'm doing at the moment and It's never good.)

R

Bon Coffee on the ring road past the traffic lights at Bophut going towards Nathon on the left hand side, they have many styles

i'm sure you will find something there

Only drip filters jugs and then prices start at 8,000B. I know. I've been there.

R

Aha!

To gallop into the Musselman fray on the back of a (very small) buffalo, sharpened bamboo poles at the ready! To offer succour to all the fair bargirls in distress (no doubt bound to a sacrificial dance pole) and save them from the perils of the beer-breathing farangs! To put the needs of all others before themselves! To rally against corruption and the oppressed! To sleep on bare earth without a bed! To take the the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience and renounce all worldly goods. To . . . oh what am I saying. Start again . . .

To get a big diploma to hang on the wall. To call themselves Sir Somchai or Sir Nong. To collect more 4-baht gold than their friends and buy at least one Iphone, Ipad and Mercedes on credit without question. To now be seen as so important that more bribes are offered to them for more things. To sh*g freely all the adoring young virgins that now want to throw themselves at their feet. To slay dragons, rivals, anything really, without question or contestation or the need to put ribbons on old trees or sleep 16 to a house to keep ghosts away. To become a real someone that has risen above the others.

I can see the appeal. The rainforest-dwellers in the Congo do the same sort of thing with old rainbow-CDs, squeaky toys, mirror tiles and fridge magnets.

Small world, innit.

R

I know it's been asked before and the last info was that Makro was offering them - the aluminium CONA style.

Went there the other day and hunted to no avail.

Anyone know where I can buy anything like this now? Even the plunger-type cafetiere would be fine . . .

Or anyone got an ally CONA they don't use . . . I'll buy it!??

Thanks in advance,

Rob.