carlosacao

is CAT CDMA (aka HUTCH, no?) internet coverage nationwide in Thailand? What about other wireless internet connections, EDGE, etc.? Anyone got a link for coverage areas?

CAT CDMA 3G it's only in Chiang Mai at the moment, they are working on the nationwide network (sometime in the near future, hopefully this century).

Speeds are lower today 400 to 500 Kb, but pages still load fast.

By the way, I've used the Thai Visa Speed test page for all the speed testing that I've mentioned.

Thai visa loads fast, same with English websites such as BBC, CNN, etc. The only Thai websites that I use are The Nation and Bangkok Post and they load fast. My secretary said that typical Thai web pages also load fast in her opinion and faster than her 2 Mb TOT connection that she has at her home. Happy camper here.

Carlos, do you know what the price would be for unlimited after the promotion ends?

Interesting to read how this is going for you. Keep us posted please!

(Oh, and, if anyone has any info regarding if it is safe or not to set up a home network in my situation, that would be appreciated!)

Hi Eek, 790 baht it's the regular price for unlimited use. The promotion is that you get the first 3 month free once you buy the equipment. The usb modem is 7200 baht.

I have to say that it works quite well, speeds of between 1.6 Mb to 2.6 Mb during evenings and nights, quite consistent, and 800 Kb to 1,6 Mb during business hours. International websites load quite fast. I'm pretty clear that this works much better and consistent than a 2 Mb connection from TOT, etc. Quite convenient to be able to take it with your laptop and connect anywhere in Chiang Mai (main city areas). For what I understand it's only in Chiang Mai at the moment, later in BKK, etc.

The way it works it reminds me of the old 56 Kb dial up modems (anybody remembers that?), the modem dials up to a remote server and once it connects, it has to authenticate the account and then it works. During that process, sometimes it connects on the first shot, sometimes I have to repeat up to 3 or 4 times (that would be the only hustle to report). I'm using it with both a Mac and Windows XP (at different times) and it works well with both. The first time you use it in a particular computer, it loads an application and that will be what you'll have to use every time you want to connect.

Overall, quite happy here, and if anybody wants to come to my business place near Baan Tawai (Hang Dong) to check out the connection, you guys are welcome, or can also organize a meeting sometime, somewhere when free so that others can see how it works for them. Don't mean to try to sound like I want to promote it, but......... feels so good to be internet independent!!!! For those on EDGE or GPRS, don't even think about comparing those with this CDMA modem, this is quite fast, whole different experience.

I'll report if there is anything new of interest.

Cheers

Today bought the CAT CDMA modem. 7200 baht but there is a 3 month free promotion right now (worth 790 baht a month, unlimited use).

I have to say that it's quite good. I used it in 2 locations in Hang Dong and the speed it's quite o.k., have to test for a few more days, but it's looking good.

Finally free from the buildings shared internet networks!

Humankind at it's worst, very sad story indeed.

Interesting. I hear Jaa in Chiang Mai too, but when talking to kiddies though. Occasionally bf has used that on me, if say i have gotten tearful about something. Said in a kind way. Reassuring. Havent heard it used adult to adult much though...hmm..no, now that i think about it, i have heard situations where it has been used. Such as an older lady at the market saying jaa to my bf or him saying it to someone younger. So, I guess here it is used when someone is talking to someone younger?

Jaa does get used quite a bit, but maybe is not that easy to hear it between adults because it gets used often by people in relationships like between husband and wife, etc, so it's more of an intimate term or for people that are very close. I have also noticed a tendency to not use it in public, but more like in more private settings. Definitely a word only used with very close people and not casual at all (between adults) based on my experience.

Forgot to say, AIS network is rated at 7.2Mb in their fliers, but when you talk to them they tell you that you can only get 3.6 Mb so that seems to be the max. for now.

If anybody knows of any other options of this kind PLEASE POST!!!!!!!!

Wah! Thanks carlos! I didnt read your comment till now. Bummer really, as you will notice when you read below, as i already paid for a router..maybe that your idea will be better for me. Will check it out in any case.

------ Ok in the mean time..have another question for you guys please...

Bought a Linksys router, so i could have direct pc connection as well as wifi. Have set up a security password. Would like to create a home network..so my question is...

..Is it safe to set up a home network in this situation? (shared net, but password protected wifi connection).

Thank you.

Edit: Carlos, if you or anyone else has more info about that service, please post info/ a link. Im hunting around the net at the mo about it, but not sure what im supposed to be looking for!

Hi Eek,

Just off the top of my head since I don't have the fliers with me:

Ais has 2 options: 1) a portable usb modem (looks just like a flash usb memory), cost around 3500 baht, includes a sim card number, usage cost depends on usage but it goes up to 1500 baht for the maximum of 30 gigabytes.

2) An actual modem / router that would work like a typical wireless home modem/router but it takes the signal from the 3G AIS wireless network. Cost is around 790 baht for 30Gbt of use, so this is the most cost effective option. The equipment is around 7000 baht. It also has a sim card number.

Another company with this system is CAT and actually looks like I'm going to go with them since AIS doesn't have 3G signal in my location (near Baan Tawai). Their system is called CDMA which is also a form of 3G communication. They offer a portable usb modem (if you need to use it with more than one computer you have to just unplug and replug as far as I know), this one is more pricy at 7200 baht but they do offer unlimited service for 890 baht (which IAS doesn't offer by the way). The CAT people came to my office in Baan Tawai to test if there is signal and I do have it, then they did an speed test that showed 1.1 megabytes. Since their flier says 3.1 mb speed I asked what happened to the 3.1 and they said; oh, that's just maximum possible speed that the network is capable of (but you will never get). So... looks like that's the best that I can get. One nice thing about this is that you can take that little usb modem with you anywhere and you have internet service as long as they have that cdma signal there and they seem to have quite an extensive network already set up. I'm planing to get the service in the next few days and I'll be able to report more details.

The background of my situation is that I just rented a factory building 3 km from Baan Tawai and even that the building has a lot of phone lines that had been working not long ago, when I called TOT to set up phone and fax service they told me: "sorry sir, those lines are a little old and need to be replaced, it will just be 29,000 baht for the installation". Bloody hel_l I'll pay those crooks for that scam so I began to look for alternatives. More later.

Well after living in the US (california) for 12 years I can attest to the fact that multiculturalism appears to be a failure here. The U.S. was originally designed to be a melting pot where everyone would become "American" first and speak a common language. There are many Latinos here who simply don't want to make the effort to learn english and reside in Spanish speaking communities. They also pledge allegiance to Mexico first and the U.S. second. In fact when the Mexican national soccer team played the U.S. at the Colisseum most Latinos were cheering for the Mexican team and urine bags, bottles, etc. were thrown at the U.S. team. Rather ironic how people leave their country because it is not desirable to stay then support it instead of the country that has brought them opportunity and rights. This is true for many other minorities. Not taking a swipe at anyone just the facts.

Right on, that's the reality on the ground, not the idealistic myth of MC which doesn't hold ground in practical terms and it's only practiced by westerners. I lived in Los Angeles for 25 years and I've seen what you described, I've also seen it in Spain with the recent wave of immigration and I pretty much see the same thing all over western europe.

The melting pot concept in the US worked when the immigrants were of similar cultural identity such as the european waves of immigrants that went to the US, they integrated quickly without much problems, then US immigration policy switched the priority to third world countries and that was the end of the melting pot; in europe the problem it's mainly the muslims, for the most part they just don't want to integrate, islam is their way of life and it's either their way or no way; the open, progressive, liberal western europeans opened the doors to these people with the best of intentions and in the end it will be our doom.

Problem is however, the residents are all connected to the same network

Hi Eek, one thing to think about if the apartment network gets too slow because of so many people connected to the same internet connection (I also have the same situation and the internet access often slows down to just about useless service), is that now some companies are beginning to roll out high speed wireless internet services; I've heard that AIS offers 3.6 Mb speed on their 3G network in Chiang Mai, you just buy a wireless modem from them that provides wired as well as wireless connection. Just a thought

thanks for the info! and, those of you thinking of getting macs.... just do it!!! you won't regret it!!!!!!

Very true, once you try a Mac, you see Windows for what it is (a s....#@^?**load of crap that also doubles as a cash cow for the guys in Redmond) and you don't go back to it unless you have to deal with software not available for the Mac or work in particular applications where you are stock on Windows. More and more software steadily comes to the Mac, but if you still need to use Windows, you can always run it native on a Intel based Mac also. Cheers.

Other options are to use simulated windows software that operates in the Apple desktop so that you can switch between both operating systems but that didn't work as well for me. Using the first option you have 2 computers in the same package, you just have to turn one off in order to start the other one, that's all.

Thanks for the info. I thought that was the way it worked when i looked at it all last week. But my other question remains: do apple provide any software of their own that does pretty much what microsoft word does? Then i'd not need any windows stuff at all.

femi fan - take a look at openoffice.org, I have not used it on a Mac but there is a version for Macs. I ditched MS Office some time back and have been quite happy with OpenOffice, for your MS Word needs you would just need to remember to save as a .doc when sharing with MS users. OpenOffice is open source software and therefore free, although donations/participation are encouraged but not required.

JxP

I have openoffice on my Mac and works great, it does open MS Office files with no problems at all, can definitely recommend it.

It's so refreshing to see a thread running here that is discussing the positive sides of Thailand and Thais...

I happen to believe that the vast majority of Thais are very kind hearted people, and I find this, and see this, almost every day I live here. I just passed my 3 year mark of living here non-stop on the fifteenth of July, and still no regrets, especially compared to my home town of Los Angeles, California, now mired in 11.6% unemployment, worst since the Second World War.

Anyway, the event that came to mind on this topic here was... in my very early days of being here, when I was still mired in the rush rush rush mental lifestyle of America/California... I was in the Pantip Plaza area... and I had just missed catching the bus home... and thus I was stupidly RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF PETCHABURI ROAD, trying to catch up with the bus (figuring I'd knock on the door if I caught up with it!)... while simultaneously bouncing my big heavy bag with books and computer on my shoulder... (I know, I was an idiot, terribly out of sync with the Thai lifestyle, at that point in time!!!)

The bus seemed to slow down, then speed up, then slow down again, caught in the rush hour traffic, seemingly playing cat and mouse with me, always with the possibility of catching it... then advancing again, out of reach. While this bizarre display was being played out... I heard this motorcycle beeping his horn behind me. I figured he was just helping reinforce what a complete idiot I was being, telling me to get out of the way... but finally I turned around to look at him, to my complete surprise, he handed me my electric razor which had bounced out of my bag, onto the street way back when. This kind gentleman had stopped his bike, picked up my razor, than made all the efforts necessary to return it to me. (Hard to picture this happening in Los Angeles, to be sure.)

I thanked him the very best I could, (and gave up the chase, hailing a taxi so I could get home in time to teach the evening English class).

I've never forgotten this man's selfless act of kindness; symbolic of the start of my learning about the kind spirit in the accepting, fun loving, kind and gentle people that are the Thais.

BTW, I've since learned how to slow down... quite considerably... Kun Kiikiiat (I'm lazy) nowadays... and much less stressed.

Great story Pawpcorn, I understand what you mean about Los Angeles, I lived there for 25 years until a couple of years ago when I moved to Thailand and never had any situation that can get close to these stories; of course, there are great people anywhere and you can find an angel anywhere, but it will be more likely in some places rather than others; in Los Angeles people get told never to talk to strangers, I do remember a couple of occasions where I approached someone to ask for directions and they just run away from me like if they were running for their lives, oh well, life in the big city.

Here is another story: one night, a few months ago I was in Bo Sang waiting for a songtawn (bus) to go to Chiang Mai and I had already been waiting for half hour; a couple of ladies from a food stall next to me had also been looking out for a songtawn for me, they wanted to make sure that I would not miss it and I could see that they were talking about me and getting a little worry; then one of the ladies brought a man with a motorcycle and told me: I called my husband, he'll take you to chiang mai! He did and after I arrived I wanted to give him money, but no way, he totally refused. Another random act of kindness in the land of smiles!

Nice things like this do happen here occasionally. but during our long stay in New Zealand they happened all the time

New Zealand? Hummm........ What did you say New Zealand's immigration requirements are?

I really believe it's not the country but the person.She knows your A foreigner.

So she went out of her way to help you in her country.I would have rewarded

her for doing it.She may have lost some business.

I did think about giving her money, but I felt clearly that she would not accept it, most likely she would feel insulted, so I got her some sweets and fruits instead. She did have someone helping her at the shop, so she didn't lose any business, but still, she went out of her way big time. Happy to be in Thailand

First of all: This topic is not to bash at the Western man, at all.

Ok, what I wonder:

In the last month I was in Asia I spent a couple of days with Philipinos and an Indonesian guy.

They were both considerate and treated me like their sister. They never asked me something sexual or even flirt with me.

I also met men from mostly Europe, from 23-70, and they were the opposite. They asked me quite personal stuff, trying to find out if I was lonely and needed a man. Making sexually oriented comments/jokes which made me feel nervous and tired. They liked to talk about -sex-.

Of course I shouldn't generalize, men are men, no matter where they are from. But I noticed the difference and I'd like to hear some sounds from different perspectives (especially from women)

My relationships were with great Western men, and my best male friends are from the West, so no frustrations on that part at all.

I think both western and asian men have a very similar interest in sex but they express it in different ways and with significant cultural differences, asian men are not so open about it and there is always the shyness and language factor when dealing with western women, but I would also add that culturally, asian men (and also from some other non asian cultures) are more open to friendship with women in ways that don't involve sexual interest than anglo saxon countries in my opinion. I've clearly noticed that difference myself from my home country, Spain and later living in USA where many interactions between men and women were considered dating, while in Spain many people often do the same things just as friendship without thinking anything else.

I just felt that I had to share an experience that I had today.

I needed to go to a resort to pick up a package that a friend from Bangkok sent me through somebody else that stayed there a few days ago. Never been there, I had some directions and I was on the road to Mae jo on my way there when I felt that maybe I missed an street where I needed to turn and not knowing if the street name sign would be in English, I decided that it was better to stop and ask for that street just in case. I parked my car and go into a video rentals shop and I asked a lady there if she knows that street. Luckily she happens to speak o.k. English, but she doesn't know the street so she asked me for the resort phone number and she calls for directions. She spends at least 5 minutes talking to the resort and she draws a map; I begin to feel that this place might not be so easy to find after all. She then tells me that she can go with me to show me where it is as long as I bring her back. At first I wonder if my hearing is going bad, but it's for real. She goes with me, we find the place after about a 15 minute drive and about 8 to 10 km distance. I pick up my package and I take her back. After dropping her off I go to a nearby market to get some sweets and fruits to give to her as a token of my appreciation. Anyway, I was fiberglasted, this woman (happens to be the owner of the shop) left her shop for half hour to help me and jumped into a car with a complete stranger). I had seen some other acts of kindness from Thai people to me, but this one really impressed me. I know it would be very unusual to expect something like this from the countries where we come from, but it seems to be more typical here. As it turned out, it would have been not easy at all for me to find that resort on my own, that place was really hiding out there in the middle of nowhere and the street signs were only in Thai. Obviously when the lady was talking to the resort she realized that it would not be easy for me to find and she decided to go the extra mile for me. By the way, before anybody think that the lady maybe was trying to use this situation as an opportunity to start something else, let me say, absolutely not, she is a middle age woman that had no agenda whatsoever, just an act of kindness.

Maybe others may want to share these type of experiences here? Lets do a positive thread about Thai people for a change!

I think Thai society is generally speaking more open than western society in many ways, the lady boys would be just one case, can't think of any other country that can match Thai's tolerance to them, but I would also say that there is plenty of judgement in Thai society, but is under the surface, which in itself it's already an improvement I would say.

I also agree that Chiang Mai has quite an international community with plenty of diversity where everybody seems to fit in and it feels good to be here.

Agreed about the judgment here, but as a farang i'm not expected to conform in the same ways as are thais. So long as i do certain things, like smile, don't get easily angry and so on, and that's in fact all good for my health anyway, then i am free to speak and behave pretty much as i wish without social censure that i would get back in my own society. I think one the reasons many people like living here is its openness you refer to, allied with this freedom from the influences of one's own society.

It suits me fine.

I know what you mean; one of the things that I enjoy here is that when with Thai people, even if complete strangers, if you smile, speak a little bit of Thai, make some jokes or try to be funny, that's it, all barriers are down, they open up to you, they are very friendly, they will help you, etc, etc. If I were to do that in USA or UK, they would look down on me with horror, like, what's wrong with this guy, he smiles, he jokes, he's friendly with no reason, he makes eye contact! Oh my goodness, it must be something wrong with him, he's a psycho or something!

OK, this may be a silly question - but do the Desktop PC's in Tescos come with XP/Vista already installed?

Anyone bought one recently? The HP packages looks to be great value...

The best deals in computers at the low end will only have Linux or FreeDos as the os (Windows os does cost some money), but nothing prevent you from installing your desire os later, and sometimes they'll do it for you. Just bought a 6400 baht computer for my office at IT Plaza and as part of the promotion they installed for free Windows XP, Office, Photoshop, etc, etc, so in the end I ended up with a more expensive package with no extra cost.

My 2 satang worth of input would be that none of us is really in a clear position to judge other people or lifestyles (there are clear black and white rights and wrongs of course) since it would be not possible for us to know the inner workings, perspectives, etc of those situations and people; everything and everybody includes the black, the white and everything in between; one person can't really put themselves in the shoes of another one.

Everybody including bar women, high morals women, western women, Thai women, old fat farang men, young good looking farang men and you name it have their own agenda, their own life lessons that are trying to learn which we don't know, have their own unique perspective of life and experiences and growth that they need to do............ so I would say that at the same time that we should encourage the basic elements of life that work towards improving society and people's lives................................ think twice about judging, the issues and people are always more complex than what it seems. Like one guy in the middle east said a couple of millennia ago: "those free of sin throw the first stone". Don't lynch me now, just trying to help.

One of the reasons i so like living in thailand is that all of this is so much more possible than back in england. Compared to living there, here seems like a place with almost zero judgments going on. I see my life in chiang mai as being part of an international community where people come from so many backgrounds that differences are almost taken as normal and therefore cause no or very little division between people.

It really is easy to just get on with people here without finding out what their job is and then making a full-scale character judgment.

I think Thai society is generally speaking more open than western society in many ways, the lady boys would be just one case, can't think of any other country that can match Thai's tolerance to them, but I would also say that there is plenty of judgement in Thai society, but is under the surface, which in itself it's already an improvement I would say.

I also agree that Chiang Mai has quite an international community with plenty of diversity where everybody seems to fit in and it feels good to be here.

My 2 satang worth of input would be that none of us is really in a clear position to judge other people or lifestyles (there are clear black and white rights and wrongs of course) since it would be not possible for us to know the inner workings, perspectives, etc of those situations and people; everything and everybody includes the black, the white and everything in between; one person can't really put themselves in the shoes of another one.

Everybody including bar women, high morals women, western women, Thai women, old fat farang men, young good looking farang men and you name it have their own agenda, their own life lessons that are trying to learn which we don't know, have their own unique perspective of life and experiences and growth that they need to do............ so I would say that at the same time that we should encourage the basic elements of life that work towards improving society and people's lives................................ think twice about judging, the issues and people are always more complex than what it seems. Like one guy in the middle east said a couple of millennia ago: "those free of sin throw the first stone". Don't lynch me now, just trying to help.

yep your correct on your instructions to find both apple stores, and to add my ten%, i changed to apple about 18mths ago, and would never go back to pc's, macs are so much simplier, and i'm not a computer geek, far from it, more a dinosaur, but i personally think they are fab.

This is a common refrain! Tell me, for work i use microsoft word a lot. I would need the apple to have an equivalent program to microsoft's word. How does apple do on this?

And, do you use their safari web browser?

There is an Apple version of M. Word (and the whole Office package) so there is no problem at all.

Safari works much better than Explorer in my view and for my type of use, but it does have a tendency to quit for unexplained reasons, many people prefer to use Firefox which is really good.

That sounds like good news to me! Does this office software come with the price of the computer do you know?

I already use firefox, just wondering about safari. Interesting.

Oh come on, we are in Thailand, it's not supposed to come with it.............but off course they'll install a copy of it and others as part of the deal of buying the computer and Pantip also has it for 100 or 200 baht (not a legal copy).

Safari is really fast and has a great bookmarking system, just don't know why it quits often. It is the main one that I use.

The Apple shop on the third floor of the airport plaza has done great work for me and should be able to handle all your issues or direct you where you need to go. Nice people, they know the stuff and not expensive. My issues were software related and they took care of them during the same day including a new system install and doing a new HD partition with windows XP.

Is this the bit where you can open your mac in a sort of parallel world and use the suite of microsoft's software? And if so, then how do they stop viruses aimed at windows' users? I keep hearing how almost impossible it is to get a virus on a mac, but if they have windows' software on, how can this be?

The computer can be set up into 2 actually separated computers by using Bootcamp software from Apple. 2 partitions in the hard disk, one for Apple and another one for Windows, you choose how much space for each one. When you turn on the computer, it will start up as an Apple computer unless you press the option key, at which point you get the choice of starting as Apple or Windows. This would be a native version of Windows by the way, full speed and power. Since they are 2 separated computers using different sections of the hard disk, what happens in one doesn't affect the other. You can get viruses in the windows sections and all that other crap that often floats around the windows environment, but stays there, in the windows section, so no problem at all. I've used Apple for many years and I still have to see any virus, etc and I don't have to use anti virus software, etc.

Other options are to use simulated windows software that operates in the Apple desktop so that you can switch between both operating systems but that didn't work as well for me. Using the first option you have 2 computers in the same package, you just have to turn one off in order to start the other one, that's all.

yep your correct on your instructions to find both apple stores, and to add my ten%, i changed to apple about 18mths ago, and would never go back to pc's, macs are so much simplier, and i'm not a computer geek, far from it, more a dinosaur, but i personally think they are fab.

This is a common refrain! Tell me, for work i use microsoft word a lot. I would need the apple to have an equivalent program to microsoft's word. How does apple do on this?

And, do you use their safari web browser?

There is an Apple version of M. Word (and the whole Office package) so there is no problem at all.

Safari works much better than Explorer in my view and for my type of use, but it does have a tendency to quit for unexplained reasons, many people prefer to use Firefox which is really good.

I wanted to have one for some time as many friends told me how good it was. I did and it was fine. A bit of discomfort at times but got through it. I only did it once so not sure if that is enough. But the half day of massage, sauna and relaxation was very nice. I went to one in Bangkok. It was very clean and well done. I know some people do it regularly every 6 months and they seem to think it does them good. So can't be bad if it makes them happy and they believe it is helping their health. As for me, I may go again but it is not something I race to do. But I would certainly not put anyone off having it done. Each to their own and try and see. A good thread as it is becoming very popular. I researched on net alot and there were two schools of thought. Some thought it was nonsense others raved about it. So make your own choices.

Unusual words of wisdom for this thread.