danw

Sri Lanka is hair raising, to say the least :-D vehicles large and small use oncoming lanes automatically, moving out of the way of each other at the last minute to avoid collisions. You get similar in Thailand, but Sri Lanka is a whole other level of mental.

Argentina is another fun one, you'll struggle to find a taxi without collision damage there. I once found myself in one with a bullet ridden windscreen, apparently someone had turned a semi-automatic on him earlier in the evening.

Installed and activated W7 RC last night, and running like a swiss watch.

Nice one, I must have done something wrong then! Which key did you use?

It shouldn't be anywhere close to that size, have a check to see if it has created a windows.old folder (it uses these to back up your previous installation so you can revert if necessary).

If so

To delete the Windows.old folder from an earlier installation of Windows, follow these steps:

Click Start, type disk cleanup in the Start Search text box, and then click Disk Cleanup.

In the Disk Cleanup Options dialog box, click Files from all users on this computer.

In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

Click to select the Previous Windows installation(s) check box, and then click OK.

(from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930527/en-us)

You can't convert a 32bit to a 64bit, you'll have to do a full install of win7 64bit. Make sure you don't choose 'upgrade' from the setup menu, this should do a full install of win7.

You should be aware before you do this that you can no longer activate the RC version, the chance to do so expired in September, so not sure how much functionality you'd lose running an inactivated version. Just a heads up!

I installed and activated W7 last week.

I installed the RC from cd on Friday and couldn't activate, it's definitely RC, I've had it running previously on this machine, and it's currently running on my girlfriends, but after installing it on Friday, it accepted the beta key, but when I went to activate it failed with an 'Activation period expired'.

A quick search turned up this - http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums...67-b3d66c70fa96 which states that keys will be disabled soon after October 21st, let me know how you get on though as I may give it another try if you can activate successfully!

In terms of your partitions, it makes a lot of sense to keep OS and data separate, as it allows for you to easily switch OS whilst maintaining your data. In your case as your D drive is empty, i'd convert that into 2 partitions, use the first for installing Windows 7, and use the second for your data for both xp and win7.

You should be aware before you do this that you can no longer activate the RC version, the chance to do so expired in September, so not sure how much functionality you'd lose running an inactivated version. Just a heads up!

I bought a new laptop for 30k here is samui, and couldn't believe it when it turned out it didn't have a real copy, for that kinda $ you expect it to come with the original!

Every major brand (HP, Acer, Asus) has a contract with MS and it has to put a oem copy of windows on every notebook, disk and manuals are extra, usually there is a hidden partition for a recovery.

Only white box no name can sell a notebook without windows, but i will not buy it. The primary brands are crappy enough.....

For 30k in Italy you could buy 2 asus netbook or one with big screen....and we have 20% VAT, Thailand seems not good for computers....

Where did you get your information? Steve over at Apple by any chance.

Microsoft and the manufacturers would be breaking EU and Thai laws under the scheme you suggest. I am correct in thinking that ALL means 100% and not just part of the product range.

The laws are in place for consumers how already own or wish to use a different operating system. Please check before engaging the keyboard.

Agree, this information is either incorrect, or the Thai market is disregarding the contracts. I've purchased two laptops in Thailand within the last 3 years, once from Tesco a Compaq (HP brand) and once from a major 'high street' electronics retailer an Acer. Neither of these came with OEM MS, no OEM stickers on the machines. Tesco's informed me I must get MS installed elsewhere, they didn't offer the service and didn't sell the OS either. The other retailer installed a shifty copy with loads of superfluous crap, that I took back the next day and made him remove.

Been in Ubuntu world for the last 2 days. I have to admit I have 2 expensive software needs for which I used hooky installs, I've spent the last two days reinstalling my systems to Ubuntu, and whilst my first impression at a bland default install was 'this is shit', after spending many hours configuring it to my visual and practical requirements, I have to say I'm pretty blown away.

It's not as polished as Windows 7 (which I found fantastic, but had to go as I'd upgraded RC to RTM and could neither downgrade nor reinstall and activate RC - activation period has expired), and it's certainly less polished than OSX. But really, if you have technical know how (to get it looking good and customised to your specific needs, you need to be at least experienced with the terminal and know how to source and work with advanced tutorials) it isn't that far off. In many ways because you can configure so much more than within a proprietary OS, it's the better choice.

The (absolutely critical) fact that I can run windows with no problems under virtualbox for those 2 programs that I cannot replace with open source alternatives, and that I can seamlessly copy / paste between Linux and Windows, makes me feel that this is in fact by far the most suitable OS for my needs. Anyone unknown knocks on my door it's 'sudo apt-get remove -purge virtualbox' and my machine is 100% clean.

Oh and the workspaces function.... my god that is fantastic!!

<- converted cheers crackdown guys.

The telephone number (Tel: +447024074967) looks dodgy. 070 numbers are portable and can be pointed at any phone. The website for the real AMEC has real phone numbers i.e 020 for London etc.

I have an 020 Skypein number pointed to my computer here in Thailand, so even this wouldn't be a reliable indicator. This ad is pretty obviously a scam though, the email address is enough to give it away - major companies are very unlikely to use @live.com accounts

Been running it since April on 3 machines, first as RC now as RTM (which I ran as a 64 bit upgrade from RC with a little hacking) - not one blue screen on any of these machines in that time! Really good OS.

It's extremely expensive everywhere in Thailand - the most common powder found in many pharmacies is price marked at 1199 baht for 700g, that being flavoured concentrate. For unflavoured concentrate it's price marked at 1399. and if you want unflavoured isolate it's 1599 for 700g. Crazy prices!! I get a 200 baht discount on the 1399 one as it's my regular pharmacist and she's nice.

I believe the thaisupplements website is the cheapest place in Thailand, but you have to order large amounts (20kg) and still this is way over prices in the UK/EU/US/AUS - As far as I'm aware whey is a by-product of the cheese manufacturing process, which explains it somewhat, not many cheesemakers here. If you want to order well known western brands be prepared to spend as much on protein powder every month as you do on rent!

Any news on the number?

Take the Ghost Road (soi Bond Kai) from the 7/11 in Ban Rak, there's an electrical repair guy down there, big sign saying 'no job too small' about 250 - 350 metres down on the right hand side. Get a price first though of course!

I'm in the process of setting up a non-profit website with the aim of publicising motorcycle safety and general samui road awareness for both tourists and residents. Alan, I'd be really appreciative if you could upload your videos once it's live - I'll get in touch once the bare bones site is in place, got a few ideas for getting information out and about (and am of course open to input from anyone on the island) unlike Youtube I have no problem with heavy footage being included.

I'll post further information once the domain is set up and basic content is in place, I'd like to get as many people involved in this as possible, the subject affects everyone on the island, usually in a tragic manner.

:-/ not good at all, I hope Gary makes a speedy recovery and this turns out to be an awful accident rather than anything more sinister.

Hi everyone, i heard there are huge discounts on Samui for rental houses. Now it seems u can get a nice 1 bedroom house fully furnished for sweet 10.000 bath OR EVEN LESS, is that so? We, young family arrivin in LOS in 2 weeks and seriously consider to move on Samui instead of Pattaya or Phuket.

Is it really that cheap now? And where we could browse for such offers?

Thank u

Yes it's true, I'm sure it's the same in Phuket and Pattaya to be honest, 10,000 isn't THAT cheap for Thailand. Just get in your car and drive around, loads of houses have signs up, just speak to the owner and haggle!

We all feel so sorry that ...[you]... have to put up with similar noise like everybody else on the island. Every few weeks we have a fair in our area, with extremely loud music until 2 AM, for ten days in a row. You should know by now that you can't buy silence on Samui.

Agreed, apart from the millionaire comment, in the last 3 months and within 100m of my residence I've had 3 late night karaoke sessions, 2 big Song Taew driver depot parties, and 2 new restaurants opening parties. Most of these have been up until 1am, a couple have gone on till 4. It's part and parcel of living here. Sorry you still feel outraged by it, but most people on the island have to deal with unwanted noise on occasion - you may have to get used to it too.

nuff said

had* a business line that far far far slower :/

You're testing to Bangkok - can you post a test to London and New York as Jose and I did above? (For comparison I get 19ms ping to Bangkok, it's of course far lower than international response time)

I overlooked the

up/down speed is ok

Been happy with CAT since I got it - only issue is the price - 2,500 for 2mb/512k ADSL or 2,800 for 2mb/2mb SDSL - I recommend you go for ADSL unless you want fast uploading. If you order SDSL make sure you either get a cost for modem rental or be prepared to source an SDSL router, which is not an easy task on Samui. It's a 2mb solid connection and I personally haven't experienced any international site issues, and both browse and use ftp, scp, sftp to servers around the world on a daily basis.

There is one Isabel, if you are coming out of fisherman's village lights, turn left towards Lamai, a couple of hundred meters

on your right, past the entrance to the old soi monkey road.

It's good that one as well, even has a jacuzzi and sauna!

Not sure on other options around Fishermans Village, but am sure that many hotels will allow daily / monthly usage, certainly many do around Choeng Mon - will just be a case of checking the options out once you arrive.

Worst Junction - i'd say ring rd/bandon, scares me every time

Worst road - for condition compared to usage I would say Lake Road, it's in terrible condition for the use it gets. However the bophut - ban rak - plai laem - choeng mon stretch is also bad, mainly because the road is deceptively straight and people drive down it far too fast as if it didn't have multiple junctions / pedestrians / dogs / sand all the way along it

www.buddhabeach.com/stories_1.htm is how I understood Ghost Road got it's name

so where do I get a REAL taxi at the airport?

Assuming you're arriving in international arrivals (which you will be unless you're flying into Bangkok from elsewhere in Thailand) you're already on the correct floor for taxis - come out of the gate, turn right and keep walking past all the people shouting at you. Reply with 'mai ow krap' to anything they say. Meter taxis are signposted, nearly the last exit on the left, if you walk into glass then you haven't seen the sign and you've gone too far. If you follow the sign you'll come to a queue of people leading up to a couple of Thai nationals in uniform sat at a table, tell them where you want to go and get a stub and continue past them to awaiting taxis, you pay a 50b surcharge for the privilege of not getting ripped off by touts.

Also I was told if I want to stay there it might be better to enrol at a school learning thai language coz I will get a visa for one year (maybe at Walen language school)..

Unless you want to actually attend school to learn Thai, you'd be better off applying to Hull for a Non Immigrant O Multiple Entry visa. On the form state 'visiting friends' for you reason of visit. You'll get one within a week. This lasts you for 15 months if you make your final entry on the last day of the Non Imm O visa validity. I say 'final' entry because this visa allows you to stay in the country for 3 months at a time, you'll be doing 'visa runs' overy three months (a company called Jack's Golf run a daily bus to the Cambodian border and back for about £35 including all border charges)

do I need to apply for a work permit BEFORE i leave the UK if I also want to teach while I am learning thai language?

Less certain on this as I'm not an english teacher, but as far as I am aware you won't legally be able to teach on either an Education Visa or a Non Immigrant O. Once you have found an employer they should help to organise your business visa and work permit for you (or not, as the case may be) When you have a job offer you then take company docs to obtain a 3 month Non Immigrant B in a neighbouring country, then once you are in country on the first Non Imm B you obtain a Work Permit, which you use to qualify for future Non Immigrant B visa. The 'reliable' embassies and consulates change regularly.

In short, you probably can't get a non immigrant B visa in the UK, you'd deal with than when you find work. Unless you actually want to learn Thai in school and can commit to the hours then Non Imm O from Hull is your best solution at this stage.

Its called DK Soul foods...

There was a Austrian or German guy running (I think owning) that place in Bang Rak until about a year ago - was really good food but I think he sold it, the food went from really nice to dismal across the board when he left the lady in there was nice, but it seems that when the place changed hands someone either modified the food sources or just didn't get the knowledge on how to prepare stuff to the same standard. I gave it 3 chances under the new owners and it went rapidly downhill. Gutted. Place is always empty now.

Best burgers are still at Garland Choeng Mon imo.

I tell you, sod living in those wooden chalets between Boh Phut and Bang Rak with that huge wall of mud behind you. I shudder everytime I drive past those.

I know exactly what you mean!

Mine stays up and yes get one anyway for the power surge protection. Wiped out 2 laptop psu's and a/c and tv and dvd player all in one swipe a couple of years back ouuuuuuuch!

How is Maxnet working out?