GreenSnapper

Is the SMS alert free?

Why you must book?

Why you think you have any legal rights here?

Do note that AIS has 3G on 900 Mhz, not many phones/pda's/ebook readers support this. If that is the case you will only get Edge speeds.

Actually 900 is pretty common. Dtac's 850 Mhz is uncommon, except for many Nokias and iPhones.

HiSo= good family, rich, well-educated, best school, best university, succesful career, beautiful house(s), expensive cars, wear the right clothes, to shopping in the right shops, class.

2% have. 98% want.

Huh.... I always thought owning an iPhone makes you HiSo.

I don't think it's a big deal but I think calling the people you are seeing in Nana Africans rather than blacks would be better.

Better call them "pigmented Whites", to be even more politically correct.

If there is no mentioning of a service charge anywhere before it surfaces on the bill, I refuse to pay it. I did not order it, I was not informed about it and I won't pay. Yell, threaten with cops or whatever, I don't care, I won't pay. Simple. And I won't come back.

Normally you can find it in the smallprint of the menu.

Fuji is famous with Thais and I often eat there. Never had problems with the service, but I hate the charge too. Esp. The beer is really expensive there with the charge. The food is good and reasonable priced, though.

I live in Bangkok, but I'm thinking to move to Hua Hin for a 1-2 weeks due to the flooding here.

Not sure if this is a good idea, are hotels easily available or do they make use of the situation and demand ridiculous prices?

What do you think? Better hold on in BKK or move now as long it is still possible?

How is dtac reception about a block in from the River rd on an upper floor hotel room (both telephone and data)? One-2-call or True any better? I know I got nothing last time staying near That Dam. Thanks

I stayed in this area too and had good reception on DTAC. Depends on your phone and quality of radio. GF had reception only near the river (Samsung).

The DTAC tower is opposite in Si Chiang Mai on the hospital. Near the river everybody should have easy reception.

It is a good example how false news are spread and finally end up in ThaiVisa.

The default ringtone is here: http://brandbook.nokia.com/servlet/file/2011a_NokiaTune.mp3?uploadfile=realm_1/user_407/2011a_NokiaTune.mp3&download=true'>http://brandbook.nokia.com/servlet/file/2011a_NokiaTune.mp3?uploadfile=realm_1/user_407/2011a_NokiaTune.mp3&download=true

And it was clear that the dubstep version was just the winner of a competition. It will be included in future models as one of many choices.

http://brandbook.nokia.com/

You guys/gals do know you can change the ringtone yeah ?

Not necessary. It's not the default ring tone, it is just one of many you can choose from.

It's crappy, yes, but no reason to start another meaningless "Nokia is doomed" thread. The kiddies will certainly like it and the rest of the world can just ignore it.

Pay your pension into a Singapore account.

Then you transfer only the money earned last year to Thailand. This will be tax free.

How can the tax office know which dollar is from last year and which from this year?

They cannot and they don't care.

If Thailand would start taxing me, in a few days I'd be over to Malaysia.

You just met 3 chicks.

Meet and bed a hundred and you will have some experience here. Stay out of the bar scene but internet dating isn't as bad as some here claim. Always get much younger girls as you will regret it later otherwise ( just observe the forum postings from the bitter moralist guys). Ideal age is 25-35.

bank interest would be zero not -5%. who gets 5 % anyway? seems most renters dont understand the system or the market as demonstrated in the last few posts.

common fees are, well.....common.. .....

OK, I'll try to explain it again. It's all about profitability, or the lack of.

I was talking about a Thai investor, who buys a condo with a mortgage (common case). This investor will have to pay ~5% (not "minus 5%", it means "about 5%") interest to the bank. Plus the monthly communal fees and whatever else.

This same investor will not sell for what he believes "below value", because he doesn't want to make a loss. So he lets the condo stay empty.

When he finally sells a few years later at his original price, he may believe "I did not make a loss".

Indeed he made a huge loss because of all the costs he had in the meanwhile. It was just a dumb investment.

Even if the same investor pays the condo out of his pocket and therefore doesn't need a mortgage, will make a similar loss. Because the same money invested at a fixed account, could make around 4% per year at the moment.

The whole bubble works only on the belief that condo prices go up over the years and that you can sell for a higher price later on. And in the meanwhile you rent out. That worked in the past, as buying prices where lower. It will not work in the future, as better alternatives exist.

For the investor, who personally lives in his condo, this is a different story. He will save on rent and will often have a higher life quality as an owner.

But judging from the huge amount of empty condos, this is a minority.

Your wet dream is Thailand that's why your here.

Im assuming your hometown is USA where there are many bargains to be had but it kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

No, I'm not speaking of USA and I'm not speaking of some other overpriced areas in London or Paris or such.

Europe is big and even at European wages and prices, you can find new condos in top locations which compare favorably with Thai prices. Plus you have much more pleasant surroundings than lower Sukhumvit.

But I acknowledge, this does not play a role in the eyes of a native Thai investor. But it does play a role for a farang investor, who is usually not forced to invest here.

Two more remarks about the growing bubble:

It was mentioned that Thais don't sell under asking price, but just keep the property not to make a loss. Well, taking into account that you pay ~5% to the bank per year plus the regular condo fees - what will be your profit if you sell 5 years later "without a loss"?

And one more: until recently, interest rates at Thai banks were abysmal. That has changed drastically. Without risk, you can get almost 4% on fixed accounts. And you are still flexible with your money.

People will rethink if buying condos is really such a good investment. And that will have a big impact on the bubble. Thais will realistically buy for their own use, but no longer for investment and speculation. Until the situation changes again.

Being a western woman in Thailand

http://www.bangkokdi...an-in-thailand/

And

I wonder...why do western

men andwomen throw mud to each other...

The guy is basically right.

The dating market is just a market as everywhere. You have to offer something - you will be successful.

Women in the West are supposed to be tough, narcissistic, self-centered and unfeminine - the results of decades of feminist reeducation.

The total opposite here. Women here know that they have to make efforts to get a good boyfriend or husband.

That's why your Western education leads to nowhere here in Asia.

But you can learn something from it. If you want to compete with the local women, you have to move up and show similar standards. Not only about looks, but even more important about attitude.

So instead of becoming bitter and lonely, Asia can lead you to a process of self-improvement.

Up to you. But remember: men do have a choice. And they will not lower their requirements.

You don't have to understand a woman. Be it Thai or Western.

You have to understand how to handle them.

Lots of mistakes here:

1. Show her how to cook Western food, then she can make it herself next time.

2. Never be upset about her behaviour. Big loss of face. Show some authority, then she will lose face and you'll get great sex later on.

3. Two hours for preparing spaghetti? Learn some basics in cooking!

Peoples perception of the Thai property market cant be changed, there are those that are directly involved and are aware exactly what the market is like....then there are the doomsdayers that havent got two happenies to rub together and can only afford to rent,.....

You are conveniently forgetting those with plenty of money but who prefer not to get involved, and there are lots of them around.

There are also those with plenty of money for one major reason: they didn't buy everything they could afford in the past.

I have been to my home country recently and visited new condos at top locations. Priced only slightly higher than those at lower Sukhumvit.

The difference: those condos are of much better build quality, no Burmese workers for 30Bt/hour. Proper kitchen, proper insulation, double glazed windows, no smelly toilets. Those condos also were mostly occupied by owners. Not like in BKK where many are bought only for speculation of higher prices or rent income - which often is a wet dream.

Who said anything about blocking roads in Thailand? I was talking about a peaceful gathering of nationals to show support for a cause in the news.

Asking this because I heard on the news today that the snowballing "Occupy Wallstreet/We are the 99 percent" movement in the US is about to spread all over the US and there is an expectation there also will be demonstrations of support in foreign countries.

You use the violent demonstrations in the US as an example for support actions.

Thailand don't need such self-proclaimed "99%" who believe they can block roads and bridges and fight the police.

What Thailand really needs are foreign self-proclaimed "activists" blocking the roads.

If it happens, hopefully the police will not fool around and go for a quick deportation.

You are guest here, leave your self-centered "activism" to your home country.

Check out the below phone, it has the best 3G MHz coverage I have found...

Samsung i9100 Galaxy S II Smart Phone Quadband 3G UMTS (850/900/1900/2100 MHz)

This is a top end smartphone and rather pricy and bulky.

If you want to spend less, go for Nokia 500, 701, C7, N8, E7.... basically all upper class Nokias have quad band or penta band 3G.

Or get an iPhone.

I always advice to check the quality of the radio when buying a phone. Most Androids have a cheap and limited radio only for 900/2100 or 850/2100 which is not today's technology. The Galaxy S2 is one of the good exceptions, and probably more will follow in the near future.

I recommend not going to Vang Vieng unless you want your soul wounded.

focus

Very nice scenery, just get out of town.

And you will meet all your friends from Khao San road there. I still remember the fully drunken British chicks, crawling in bikinis on the street. Great scenes for photos....

Stay a few days in Vientiane, it is very pleasant.

Then travel north via Vang Vieng to luang phabang. River trip 2 days to Chiang Khong.

And don't waste time in Udon, it's a dump.

Since when is it called "racism" when girls don't look at you?

Go to a Western bar, see all the white beta men, and notice that girls will not look at them at all.

Thai girls have their preferences too - and just because you are not on their list only shows that they don't care about PC crap.

I looked on the ncyclopedia for top educational establishments and this is what I came up with:

The Pattaya School of Adult Entertainment.

The Ladies of E S A N Academy for the studies of Financial Wealth, its origins and and how to re distribute it.Advancesd scholars could see the results in hours!

Bangkok 7-11 University.

Chon Buri College of advanced Massage Techniques.

The Phuket University of Life and social skills. Meet friends you did not know you had and spend a small fortune.

The Sukumvit Escort School for people new to the Kingdom.

You forgot the world famous "Khao San University" which also delivers driving licenses!

And the Chula PH. D. about "How do I restart my iPhone" which is now on the next Nobel Prize recommendation list!

If we can take a momentary break for the laughter, I'd like to point out a few small things:

1. Thailand (from last year's stats; not sure yet about this year) was FIFTH in the world in the International Math Olympiad (against about 100 or so other countries including native English-speaking countries, Europe, richer places in Asia, etc.).

2. Thailand (from this year's stats) has SECOND place in the International Physics Olympiad.

That fact, that a country of 60 Million people has a few individuals which can achieve extraordinary things doesn't proof anything.

The sad education level here is not about a few people, but the general population.