bellagrego

I said he moved to Penang. He lives there now. He was so pissed by Thai immigration rules that he decided to go and spend his money in Malaysia.

This is an attitude I don't understand. Thailand, as well as every other country on the face of the planet, has a right to determine its own policies for granting the privilege of entry into their country. It is not our personal playground. For the vast majority of us, Thailand's policies are much softer than those of the countries we come from. And this idea that any one of us makes a significant impact on the Thai economy is laughable.

At last, a man with common sense and an open mind. The lunacy sometimes expressed here about our economic contribution is laughable. Yep, we contribute. Yep, we do support and feed a lot of mouths but the bottom line is that is a minuscule part of the Thai economy. The goofy Thai visa crap is all part of living here as is the watching of a fledgling Democracy and all the rhetoric . I too, wish we could run Thailand the good old Western Way, but folks, It ain't gonna happen. So , get a grip on that tiny, cute Thai gal you live with and move up here to Esaan, where the shirts are red, the buffaloes and cows run loose in the street, and the toddlers roan at will anytime and everywhere.

bella

Comments dead -on on this mazda and Honda., No comparison,. Honda rules in every category,. Just drive one. I can't get past the 35% excise tax penalty and just buy one.

Trying to buy here is a nightnmare on endless bullshit. Lies and more lies from misinformed, incompetent sales staff. APR a joke as well. Government controlled fuel cost is a pain Trucks are just a better value and cheaper to operate. Oh, and for those who understand the significance. The mazda cams run without bearings floating in thier own juice and the crank is cast. The Honda is a race bred state of the art platform with many forged internals and will last forever.

bella

A laugh a minute here in the land of smiles. Your buy at 300K was about 75 below retail market and one hel_l of a good deal. i did the auctions but most units were dogs. still looking. 35 years in the auto business and still can't find a good deal so far. The Ford is a beast and a good all around workhorse. short on up to date styling but easier to drive due to slightly lower width. McPheason struts handle better up front but decline in performance with age. The Thais never change the oil or filters so watch out for low milage units with filthy oil and pass on them. The damage is severe to the bearings.

bella

Parnuh, it just ain't worth the hassles and is a no brainer in most cases. You can spend a bundle and still have no green book.

bella

You kinda confirmed my statement . You had a Thai so-called gaurnateur. maybe back a ways you got it done without one. I did the Honda, Toyota and Thanachart thing. Just all the same. forget about without that Thai signature. By the way, the dealers get a cut of that financing rip off dollar/baht. The actual apr in what they quote X 2, less 10%. That is the real interest rate, not the simple one they quote. I was a car dealer and worked g=for GM for 20 years as well. These guys would not last a week anywhere else in the world. Hey, whathtef---. It's just money. I could not take financed wheels to lao, Cam, or Maylay anyway.

bella

Has anyone secured financing from any institution for the purchase of a car , truck or motorcycle in his OWN NAME, without a Thai co-signor, or in a Thai company name ?

I ask as Bangkok Bank and Krug Thai both declined to even take a credit app from me, even though they had over a half million each in my account.

After five years on a retirement visa and building a house with a Thai gal, these backwater bankers, won't even entertain a thought of a loan for anyone not endorsed in some fashion by a Thai.They will loan money to bargirls with no job, cyclo drivers with no income verification but nothing for am American with an 830 credit score.

Such is life in Thailand. Pay cash, put your girl's name on your wheels , or take a hike.

bella

Yep, There is a real shortage of kittens up here is Esaan as well. I asked around and was told the reason is because the little critters are tender and taste so good, Muey mach ma.

bella

Help me out here please., Time to move into my house and live 13 km fro the city. ?Anyone with any experience with AIS, DTAC wireless modems in SN ?

They have edge modems and ais modems, any thoughts /

thanks

bella

Hi, jam man,

I live in SN. Six months now.

Good news, bad news. Good news, Nice folks, no crime, great thai food. Bad news, zero falang food except crap from KFC and the worst pizza in the universe at Pissa across from Big C. Expat life minimal. Nice guys but very little action. One poor golf course, no cinema with any English movies. Only falang bar has no ac, a bad pool table and minimal

bill of fare. Can't fish in the lake as the fish contain parasites that can kill your liver.

Bottom line, looking for girls , this aint the place , Looking for excitement, forget about it. Bring your squueze to live a nice quiet life and make your own music.

My axe is drums, I played southern rock, blues, & jazz. Slow hands now due to age.

Udon is the place if you want an expat life more like that in Pattaya on a small scale with low cost.

bella

It just is not so my friend. Booked in Aug,and Sept using Chase online direct. There are issues with some cards in some areas due to the fact that there is no chip in these cards, just magnetic reader strips. In Indonesia, microchips are required, chase does not use them. The HSBC works fine as the brits are up to date.

Carry Chase, HSBC, and Bangkok Bank to cover all the bs issues.

bella

On the lighter side. I have been a breeder and a promoter of our best friends for many years. My observations are that the AMERICAN STRATFORD TERRIER, is one badass, dangerous , breed in general. You should see one hanging from an elevated rope for hours by the teeth of his mighty jaws. The common term , Pit Bull, is accurate. They fight to the death when pitted. Illegal , yes, but in the good ole USA, a form of Entertainment and wagering. Louisiana, Georgia Texas and others. Back on point. If you are going to go walking with you little friend I recommend a bodygaurd for him of the Thai variety. The wonderful, colorful, Thai Temple dog. Mr.Bangkaew. Get you one of these and never worry. He is pound for pound one tough cookie.

Bellagrego, I have a male BK mix and you're right, he's a tough little guy, loves the street life if he gets out of the yard, and doesn't want to come back until he gets hungry. He loves to fight and that's the problem, he engages too easily and triggers a fight when so unnecessary. Wheras our Portugese water dog mix could care less and somehow avoids the fight and heads for the nearest water pond or even a puddle to get wet. What a difference a breed makes.

But even though our BK takes on all comers and somehow comes out of it unhurt, I don't think he would last a minute with an aggressive pit-bull.

In my work as a tree service consultant and estimator I went into peoples backyards multiple times daily, sometimes the owners are at work and ask me to go look at their trees without anyone there, except the dog(s). So I encounter many dogs on their own turf. I've been bitten hard a couple of times and nipped countless times, and just made it over the fence or gate a few times too.

I love dogs, but always respect their instinct to protect their property, so I try to make friends and usually can win their tail wags at the gate before I dare to enter, even then I enter cautiously and let them take their time to get to know I am not a threat. Some dogs, no matter what breed are seriously defensive and I don't enter until the owner has them under control. Some breeds are predictably friendly like golden retrievers. Some are unpredictable like chows; got bit once from a sneak attack when I thought he was cooled down. But pit bulls, rotweilers, dobermans, german shepards and maybe some others can be very aggressive dogs, not my idea of a pet. But some people feel they need protection or they like the stigma that a feared dog represents.

My dogs are usually happy, wagging and ready to play, and that makes me happy too.

I was just kidding on the BK. The BK I love because he is the ultimate example of the male Thai. Compact but ready for a fight most anytime. They are beautiful as well. As you know, all dogs are pack animals and look to be a leader or lead if they can. The Pit bulls are the most independent breeds I know of. Singular or pack, bad to the bone.

I learned a trick from another breeder who told me how to establish that I am the leader. First thing, when one of your puppies get's too aggressive or doesn't mind your commands, control him, mobilize his teeth, take his ear into your teeth and bite down hard. Yelp, you bet, understand, uh huh. Message delivered and received. Works every time. Do you know of any BKs with a good blood line for sale around Isaan ?

bella

On the lighter side. I have been a breeder and a promoter of our best friends for many years. My observations are that the AMERICAN STRATFORD TERRIER, is one badass, dangerous , breed in general. You should see one hanging from an elevated rope for hours by the teeth of his mighty jaws. The common term , Pit Bull, is accurate. They fight to the death when pitted. Illegal , yes, but in the good ole USA, a form of Entertainment and wagering. Louisiana, Georgia Texas and others. Back on point. If you are going to go walking with you little friend I recommend a bodygaurd for him of the Thai variety. The wonderful, colorful, Thai Temple dog. Mr.Bangkaew. Get you one of these and never worry. He is pound for pound one tough cookie.

I am on the opposite side on the dollar. SELL, SELL, SELL. no one in his right mind would buy dollar futures here. Maybe a minor blip against some currencies but the trend is south on most. Deficits are mounting, sales are weak, employment past 10% now. There are no safe havens. Downside risk everywhere. If and when China floats then buy thier paper. They have all the cash.

watch yourself on the money

steer clear of all markets right now

cash is King

Dow correction due down another 10% in next 120 days.

Does anyone know what is going on down at the Phukett Motor Vehilce joint. I t seems you can't get these puppies renewed now. All kinds of reports, but no facts. Many bikes for sale as the result. I want to buy,m liver in Issan but can't chance it. What's up /

bella

I request to form an exchange of sorts in sakon nakhon for transportation, buy and sell, sports and recreation.

Time for my trip to the USA Embassy for that annual no copy notarized statement of income.

Anyone going down to BKK for any reason in the next two weeks ? Happy to share your fuel bill and driving.

Looking for card players. hearts, spades, rummy and poker.

Golfers with high handicaps to amuse each other.

thankms

russ

Bangkok driving a challenge ? Nah, not really. I do like one suggestion I read here. Buy a piece of crap, get some good insurance. I might add, buy a truck, it's heavier, safer, and more intimidating to biker boys. A very large Buffaloe bumper is an asset as well. The little devils bounce right off and don't scar your paint. If you drove in LA on the 105 or the grapevine, you know traffic, but Joe Law is not here to keep these squirrels in line. To put it all in perspective you should try HoChiMinn for a warm up, followed by Bali, Indonesia. Bangkok is a cakewalk.

bella

So sorry, your recourse is ZERO, nada, zilch. The suggestion to contact the police for assistance if a laugher of monumental proportions.

First of all, The burden of proof rest on you, not the seller, as to the allegations and documentation.

Second, It's caveat emptor country.

All you have is a verbal suggestion by a mechanic as to real kms anyway.

This ain't the USA where every transfer requires milage verification.

30 years in the auto business from sales, finance, insurance, and legal is my resume.

roll it to someone else if you feel uncomfortable, take the loss and enjoy life in Thailand or blow it off and drive on.

bella

The culprit is GREED, plain and simple. Mix in inferior grades to produce a few more baht to the mill. The farmer isn't doing it. He still is screwed daily by the mills and middle men. Thailand is non-competitive with Vietnam, Phillipines, The only thing keeping the poor farmers going is the price supports and buy by government programs.

I am from Louisiana, Jassman is not Jasmine but better and cheaper to produce. Instead of adopting western agricultural protocals, the Thai, EXPERTS, just cry foul as they follow the Quai and plant one crop.

My house nearing completion and I cannot find any information on the net. We have no land lines in the village so ADSL is out. That leaves sat only or cellphone.

Tried True website, little or no help, tried lox too, same result. We are ina village 13km south toward Kallasin.

thank in advance

russ

I have started a thread in the Travel section, but time is tight and I need some advice quickly. A nice young Irish couple that I know are heading to LOS for three weeks. I initially thought that the best place for them to start would be Khaosan Road, but maybe my information is totally out of date.

Where should they base themselves for a few days to get some tips and travel ideas from other young people of a similar background?

You are on the mark with your suggested plan. There isn't any other option to start a trip for young couples. Bangkok is vast and overwhelming sometimes.

a primer on tuk tuk thieves, scammers, hustlers, and jewelry schemers is essential. A dangerous place for newbies for sure.

Be sure to tell them to stop in Nong Kai for those 60 meter tall statues in the Temple before going over to Laos. I was there yesterday, they are spectacular.

russ

building bungalow 75 metres squre,1 bedroom,1 toilet and shower room (western style, and 1 living room, its a simple rectangle shaped bungalow 15 mtrs ft long ,5 mtre wide,,3 metre high..i want plasterered walls ext and interior,ceramic tile roof, lowered ceilings (not false ceiling with tiles) ceramic tile flooring...i plan to go to homemart and buy everything from there,,can anyone give me advise on what is going to be the more expensive for me ,,cement ? tiles ? roof tiles ? concrete for foundations ? ive spoke to two builders ,the first one was greedy and wanted 150,000 to build only and 560,000 to build and buy materials but he wouldnt even give me plastic guttering in the price,,the second builder says he will build eveything for 70,000 start to finish,he is taking me to homemart where i can show him what tiles ,toilet,shower etc i want...if anyone can give me any advice on the pitfalls and some basic good general advice then i would appreciate it..this is my first house and its also major headache !!

thankyou

The numbers are not bad for a contract at 7OK but you can do it for 50 if you try. If you have no experience just pay the 70 and watch it go up. It's a fair price for here. My place is nearing completion on 150 sm , 2 stories high, tile roof, concrete and steel with wood on 2nd floor.and my labor cost are still below 100 to date, may finish at about 125 max. So, you are in line with the area you are building. Good luck, it aint easy and dont expect high grade craftsmanship, please.

russ

We are moving from the UK to Pattaya around June 2010. I am particularly keen to ensure our 5 yr old daughter attends a good school with an english curriculum. She speaks Thai and English fluently.

We will be coming to Thailand in a few months time and taking a look around some schools, however, it would be great to hear from anyone who have had kids go through or are still in an international school.

We will probably be living near Nakula.

There is only one worth it's use of the title, International Schools. That is "The Regents School", located about 12 km from Pattaya on the highway to Bangkok. K-!3. The rest are just a poor excuse for a real education with European standards. Even they will fall short, but still are the best available. I did the research on staff, curriculum, and environment . The only down side is the cost. Very steep, indeed. I will leave it to you to get that sticker shock when you inquire. To be honest, way beyond my means. I am an educator and I will do the work in house for mine. When you try to get in depth information on the staffing or to look into curriculum , there is a lot of subterfuge. I visited many others offering quality education. A sad joke. Thais with no degrees teaching English from text on note pads written twenty years ago by Thai professors that never left Thailand. Butchering every sentence. I offered to edit and correct for them for free, they declined. Good luck, you will need it.

bella

Thanks.

A friend of mine is looking for a photographer for a few hours for a fashion show at the Rembrandt Hotel Soi 18 this Friday (October 30th).

She tried to contact a wedding studios but got an outrageous quote, so if anybody is up for it or know a good freelance photographer, let me know.

I don't know all the details for this event, but PM me and I will pass on her number.

Be careful out there if you shoot for cash. Thais don't take kindly to farang competition. Police report on working guys with no work permit. I understand , you can be arrested doing it for free as well. I do weddings for free for my friends, but on the QT.

bella

Can someone provide me with the information that supports the statement that Chiang Mai is Thailand's 2nd largest city? I see figures for population of 146k to 214k (google) and ranking as high as the 5th most largest city but not number 2. Remember the city officially stops at the supper highway and does not include the metropolitan area.

Just run provinces on google for true population using provinces. that is the trading area. city pop is irrelevant for all practical purposes. Cm near 1.5m

None of the figures from Thai ministry reflect movement of Thais, temp workers, illegal immigrants, nor tourist. Only Lord B might know the real totals.

I am looking for someone to finish building a house. We live in Ubon and the house is around 10 kilometers outside of the city. The walls, roof, and such are done. I need someone that can finish the electrical, the tile, plumbing, finish installing windows and such.

Any help is appreciated.

Tim

Tim, I can put a crew in there to do it all with supervison, but can't do till rice cutting over in a month to five weeks. My guys two guys have experience building my house, near comlpetion, and others prior. I can give you a total bid for it all, if you send some plans, specs, and go from there. They would stay on site, come home om week ends to Sakon. If interested, i will send you some pics of my place.

bella