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jitagon
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Posts posted by jitagon
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TOT here on Phuket has always been pretty bad. But I have to say that lately the internet has at least been working most of the time albeit excrutiatingly slow. Also every time I've called their Centre, I've always had very patient and polite service, unlike the poster on another thread.
But I can guarantee my computer will crash ten minutes into my booting in the morning. And thereafter, whenever it feels like it, to the point where I've given up trying to download anything, slow as it is and then crashing halfway through. Anyone else having this problem? Is it TOT? It's getting ridiculous.
Another odd thing, this evening, when on TV TOT's portal webpage flashed up, and the computer crashed. Since when, if I open up a 'new topic' box on any forum, Photoshop Cafe was the first, a list of all my headers on two gmail accounts, and ThaiVisa come up!!! This also happened just now on the topic box on this thread
Luckily clicking on them doesn't open up the content of the accounts, or this forum. Well not to me anyway. What on earth is that about? I ran Spybot this evening and only one Truehits came up. -
I have no dog in this fight and find the Thai's lack of unity somewhat amusing, until the point when people start to die for a "cause"...
The only message the world can see & hear is to STAY AWAY... Yes, tourism is "reported" to be only 6% - 7% of Thai GDP, but that is still several billion baht... This figure does not consider "soft" dollars that funnel their way into the Thai economy... Whole segments of the Thai economy are withering to nothing and all that people care about is who will get their turn at the trough next...
Amazing Thailand... NOT...
Yes, I asked spouse about this today and was told Thai people don't give a toss about tourist 'dollars' right now, they care more about getting themselves a proper corruption free democracy in place. Well, can't argue with that.
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my friend who lives in thailand had many attempted break-in in the middle of the night. he spoke to a police officer and was quoted a price to purchase a handgun, the handgun, a glock he was selling was about three or four times the retail price in the USA. he has a family in thailand and four kids and was concerned. he asked me to check on line for him to see if anyone knows the procedure, or if it is even possible. thank you for any information and i will forward it to him.
There are enough bloody guns in Thailand as it is without foreigners bringing in even more from outside
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Thailand was voted best Overseas. Not worlds best.
Ummmm ...
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A year or so ago, I read about several Thai college students who were studying to be journalists. A major segment of the university course required them to interview politicians and businesspeople in Bangkok. Each student made several appointments.
Some interviewees were very late (more than an hour and a half) - whereas most didn't show at all. After repeated no-shows, the students got discouraged. All dropped out of the course.
Anyone with experience in Thailand can relate to being stood up: Indeed, people who are no-shows, often don't give any prior notice. Some slags to call within minutes of the meeting time - to say they can't make it - even though they've known for awhile that they won't make it. Also common; the other person won't call or answer the phone. More likely to happen with dates, but can happen with any slaggard.
Lessons to be learned if arranging to meeting a Thai person:
>>>>> Don't be prompt unless you don't mind hanging by yourself for awhile - possibly over 40 minutes, if the other shows at all.
>>>>> Meet at a comfortable place, like a coffee shop. If you meet at a place like a street corner, don't be surprised if you're stuck breathing smog and beset by loud traffic noise for as long as you can stick it out.
>>>> Call the other person before you set out for the meeting place. If no answer, it's a tough decision. Perhaps leave a text message and/or take a chance. Odds are about 50-50.
>>>> Set parameters for what you'll tolerate. Even if you're applying for a job, let the other person know how much tardiness you'll tolerate, and stick to it. In other words, if you arrange to meet at noon, the person calls at 12:08 and says, "sorry, I got sidelined, but I'll be there in five minutes." You can say, "OK, I'll wait until twenty past, but then, I'm off to do other things." And stick with it.
.....Some things become evident when you hear "just 5 minutes":
1. The other person didn't plan well enough 2. they don't give much value to meeting you
3. They don't give much value to your time. 4. It's never 5 minutes - but usually more like 10 to 45 minutes.
The Thai word for prompt is 'trong trong' (literally: straight straight) .....use it and stick with it.
It's a cultural thing....they just don't feel that promptness is that important. It isn't learned in their upbringing.Just to illustrate, my Thai G/F was partially raised in a Farang family. Her mother was a maid for that family, if you need to know.
She has been taught the "virtue" of promptness by that family.
If we arrange to meet somewhere at a certain time, and she realises she's going to be late due to traffic. She will call me on the cellphone and tell me something like this: Big traffic jam on Sukhumvit road, I will be late. When I am in BKK she gives me one of her children's cellphones so she can contact me if she needs to.
My point: it's something she learned when she was young. She's 60 years now, but it was apparently locked in at that time.
Anyhow, by now she knows where I will be waiting. Either at the coffee shop, Audio/Video shop, or anything to do with computers. When she arrives, she finds me there.
P.S. She's taught her 3 children the same thing, but they are not as reliable in sticking to it.
No it's most definitely not. My Thai partner is and always has been on time. I have travelled in many Asian countries and have found those that are 'on time' and those that subscribe to their own account of 'rubber time'. By which they mean, they don't really give a toss about the inconvenience/frustration caused. A lot like some of the folks back home. It's not a 'cultural thing'. It's a 'I don't want you to have to wait about and waste your time because I'm just too lazy and inconsiderate to care', regardless of my ethnicity thing.
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Thailand named Best Tourist Country
Thailand has been voted as the World's Best Tourist Country by Danish people and Danish tourism firms, a senior Thai tourism official said.
Manit Boonchim, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Stockholm office, said some 8,000 Danish people and representatives of Danish tourism firms voted Thailand as the best tourist country in the world.
The result of the vote organized by tourism magazine, Stand By, was announced on October 9 at the Hilton Hotel in Copenhagen, Manit said.
He said Thailand won this award for two consecutive years.
-- The Nation 2008-10-25
Right, I want to get in before all the whingers and say, I AGREE. Thailand is a wonderful country. To visit
No really. People living here need frequent reminders of how it was/is back in their home countries, and stop the whining about this one.
I agree it is great here although sometimes there are some issues to moan about (I'm Scottish it is our hobby!!) but all in all it is fabulous here faults and all !!
Better by far than France !!!
And here's another thing. I recently had occasion to, again, defend the French. They have a great culture of wonderful artists, design, and food. Why does everyone dislike them so?
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Yes , just ONE COUNTRIES OPINION BY their tourism people .
Recently i read a report on world tourism , where-by Cambodia was number one and Switzerland number two for world tourism , mostly due , it would appear , due to Angor Wat . This was on a, prefered places to visit basis , not on actual visits .
Um. Is that Angkor Wat in Cambodia, or the Swiss one?
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Does the 'Stanby' magazine could photocopy and publish the receipt from the TAT check .... !
That was mean ... hit me, hit me ...!
Still Thailand is the perfect holiday country ... as most south-east asian countries are ... but winning the award 2 years in a row is a little stretching ....
Well, okay Seneque. So which country, South East Asian or no, would not be a 'little stretching'? ... Well ?
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Thailand named Best Tourist Country
Thailand has been voted as the World's Best Tourist Country by Danish people and Danish tourism firms, a senior Thai tourism official said.
Manit Boonchim, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Stockholm office, said some 8,000 Danish people and representatives of Danish tourism firms voted Thailand as the best tourist country in the world.
The result of the vote organized by tourism magazine, Stand By, was announced on October 9 at the Hilton Hotel in Copenhagen, Manit said.
He said Thailand won this award for two consecutive years.
-- The Nation 2008-10-25
Right, I want to get in before all the whingers and say, I AGREE. Thailand is a wonderful country. To visit
No really. People living here need frequent reminders of how it was/is back in their home countries, and stop the whining about this one.
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Yesterday, PAD and their NON VIOLENT protesters threw shoes and bottles at Somchai as he was leaving a ministry.
Please all you PAD supports, tell me where anywhere in the world this is allowed without some arrest or some fighting. I am just disgusted with they way they act and feel no lost of face in this land of smiles
Here we go!
Act of violence.... well I stick to "Civil disobedience" as throwing foam clappers, foam flippers and (empty) water bottles as a sign of disapprovement, is by light years not as violent as what this protest was against!
Remember, this happened BECAUSE of the Act of VIOLENCE conducted by government forces against peacefully protesting supporters of "New Politics" and the PAD Movement on the 7th. October, ordered by THIS man!
Now this was VIOLENCE, Sir!
Get real!
From today's Daily Telegraph:
Thai PM Somchai pelted with shoes
Thailand's embattled prime minister Somchai Wongsawat was pelted with shoes and water bottles by state employees while visiting a government ministry.
By Thomas Bell in Bangkok
Last Updated: 2:56PM BST 22 Oct 2008
The Thai prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, was pelted with shoes and water bottles by state employees while visiting a government ministry.
Mr Somchai is escorted by security personnel during a anti-government protest Photo: AFP/Getty
Mr Somchai was confronted with a group of several angry hundred union members shouting "you are a murderer, you are a monitor lizard, shame on you" and "Somchai get out" when he arrived at the telecommunications ministry in Bangkok.
At the end of his meeting the prime minister tried to leave by way of an underground car-park. The protesters cornered him and pelted him with missiles while his aides and police shielded him and hustled him through the crowd to a waiting car.
Earlier this month Mr Somchai was forced to make a run for it when thousands of anti-government protesters surrounded parliament. The prime minister made his escape by climbing a fence.
Two protesters died in clashes with police that day – leading to the slogan that Mr Somchai is a "murderer".
For two months anti-government protesters have illegally occupied Government House, forcing the government to use temporary offices at Bangkok's old airport.
The protesters claim the government is the puppet of the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr Thaksin, who is in London, was convicted in absentia of corruption on Tuesday. Mr Somchai is his brother-in-law.
The majority of Thais support the government.
Bearing in mind that even the BBC are relying on personal emails/telephone calls (I had one) requesting information re the political situation here in Thailand, even though they have Jonathan Head here in Bangkok - where on earth do the Torygraph get their facts from?!
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you certainely do not understand how much of a whore the girls around 20-30yo which are decent looking are in the west.
Most of my friends who hang out a lot in bars all have a click of 20 girls 20 guys, and usualy those clicks all sleep together, plus every now and then they sleep with a bar tender or some random dude..
Whores are just more upfront here.
Yet again little goat you spew the most abject rubbish. What a sad life you must have experienced.
Yes, and if I remember correctly, all TWENTY TWO years of it
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DrDave,i have to disagree"that its just not that simple".............yes they have not gone on to finish school,but ive met many a b/g who have told me they went to Bangers and got a job in a factory but did not last,probably long hours and poor money,working in a bar was their choice.Why,cos its easy money,plus they have a good time with the other girls,dancing, drinking and the prospect of meeting a farang to take care of them.Many of them earn more than professional people who have gone to uni.Yes i know they have children back at the farmhouse that the grandparents take of etc.but do not kid yourself they are in the bar trade cos its the last resort(no pun intended)many of them have multiple farang sending money to their darling girls from back home thinking the girl is the "the one for them" while the girl is laughing all the way to the bank.There's an old saying"you can take the girl out of the bar but you cannot take the bar out of the girl" and its so true.How many farang when they meet the "love of their life" while on vacation,promise to send them money if they stop working in bar and go back to farmhouse only to find out later they are still working in said bar and never went home at all.
Dont get me wrong,i say good luck to them,and silly farang!I have met a few bar girls who in time have just become "mates" to me,and i can say in general i like them,but i do not believe these girls are forced into this profession because of no other choice.in general b/g's are lazy,like the easy money on offer,and enjoy the life style.There are other jobs out there for uneducated girls,how about working in a laundry?With the money the b/g's earn how quickly could they set themselves up in a noodle shop or street vendor trolley. I dont think so, cos its too much like hard work for little return.
100%... I know girls who walked out on a proper wage (30+ k a month) and proper job because it was real workload and no 'fun'.. I know BG's getting sent 50k a month to not be BG's and still they are in the clubs FL'ing.. I know a BG who just bought herself a brand new out the showroom chevy. All of them have money and are not the painted picture of hardship subsistence life.. And all of them will head back to a sweaty fat tourists hotel for a grand or two..
Go into club lime or where the real estate secretary hotties hang out.. They are even worse, they dont want a grand or two (well some do) they want a salary and a company car and then they put out..
Its the Thai way.. Mia nois.. Being a richer mans mistress etc etc.. A couple of years ago the Nation published a study where Thai teens declared they were quite happy to do sex work.. Look at the well off BKK students that put out for a new mobile phone.. Theres quite a few serious research papers that have discussed the socio economic situation, Thailand doesnt have the same moral stance as the west.
Thailand doesn't have the same moral stance as the rest of Asia. Every Asian country I've been to has given 'that look' when I say I live in Thailand.
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BBC NEWS, Page last updated at 08:45 GMT, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 09:45 UK
Thai ex-PM guilty of corruption
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been found guilty of corruption and sentenced to two years in prison by the Thai Supreme Court.
In the landmark ruling, he was found to have used political influence to help his wife purchase land from a state agency at a knock-down price.
The couple fled to the UK in August, saying they would not get a fair trial.
The decision comes amid growing tension between the former leader's supporters and his opponents.
The Supreme Court's decision is the first in a series of cases lodged against Mr Thaksin.
For weeks protesters have demanded the resignation of the government, saying it is too close to Mr Thaksin.
The administration of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat - who is Mr Thaksin's brother-in-law - has been virtually paralysed by the protests.
And correspondents say the verdict is unlikely to pacify the thousands of protesters who have been camped outside the prime minister's office for the past two months.
Unquote
The fact that he has been convicted is a very important milestone in Thai history.
I,d like to think he would serve the sentence handed down, but even if he doesn,t, the important precedent has been set and many of the ex TRT and the present substitute government will be well and truly wondering what will happen next. for the rest of them.
IMHO as always.
Happy times indeed by the mere fact that he was found guilty.
marshbags
P.S.
My only other observation is that he only got 2 years and not a sentence at least equal to those being served by petty criminals who are incarcerated for decades for what in comparison to this offence in terms of accountability and it,s offence against the justice system and the laws of Thailand fade into insignificance.
Unfortunately Thai Law does not rely on the concept of 'precedent', rather like the farang who won the case he took to the Thai Supreme Court insisting he was indeed the rightful, freehold, owner of some land he had bought. And so although I share most people's view that this sentencing of Taksin sends a message, hopefully to those in the UK also, that he isn't quite the innocent he purports himself to be, it's still a very long haul to get all of those that follow to toe the line. Particularly with Thailand's history of laissez faire corruption.
It's a start.
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Not sure whether to post this here or in the farming section, but I think it is more appropriate here as it will alert more people to the latest Thai scam regarding "Safe Food" Billed as G.A.P
Recently, the local TV has been showing adverts for SAFE food, I am not sure if it is promoted as organic, or just pesticide free. you may have seen them, they show the family buying food stamped with the green "Q" logo and promote it as healthy? (i.e. the Thai woman complains about the price but her friend explains some crap about it having the "Q" label..hence safe and value for money..
Well, it is as safe a guarantee as buying a ticket for the Titanic.
I will explain.
We have been growing Lam Yai for the past 9 years or so, and I (as everyone near me knows- they see the Farang with the spray, they see the weeds turn yellow and die) I use Roundup, 15:15:15 fertilizer and some quite NASTY insecticide, and have done over the past 6 years due to another insect problem we had on some other trees.
Well, two days ago, the local propaganda tannoy system was calling the faithful to prayer, and when the missus went, she was issued a CERTIFICATE from the local Amphur, with the green Q, valid for two years stating the fruit was grown in accordance with GAP policy!
In the 6 years we have grown Lam Yai, not one person has checked what is put on the fruit, what is put on the soil...in fact, I could go out tonight and spray every tree with Anthrax and Botulism but hold a CERTIFICATE that shows the Thai Quality "Q" emblem...disgrace!
So, buyer beware, as usual it's the same same but different shit packaged up again.
Trust NOTHING.. (by the way, even my wife thinks this is a disgrace, not just me!)
As usual, lip service and lies!
Let's see if I've got this right. You are spraying a 'NASTY' insecticide on your fruit, knowing that it will be sold for human consumption, and are here on this forum complaining that the Thai Government have issued your poisonous produce with a 'safety' certificate? Am I up to speed?
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Yes I seem to have confused the thread by putting the bit in about the slow internet connection.
So, specifically Yahoo Mail and features then. Everything else loads fine.
I did manage to get on to Yahoo Help, to find someone who'd had the exact same problem, all Yahoo features slow loading, if at all, but every other website loading fine - and the 'best answer' chosen was 'No mine's loading fine' !!!
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Mazimus,before i came to live here in Thailand early this year,i used to call my g/f every day,using a service called DISCOUNT DIAL.No cards to buy,& no contracts with any telephone company. It's 4p for connection,then 1p a minute,dial this No from the U.K. 08448616060 then follow the instructions, Good Luck.
I just went on to their website, and it looks a very good deal - and it does say mobile and landline to Thailand, but did you use a landline? If it was a mobile, which provider? Thanks
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I have a couple of Yahoo mail accounts and for the past four days or so, the downloads are ridiculously slow, and then it says, cannot access try reverting to Yahoo Classic, and when I do there's just a white page with a list of mails on it, still loading at a snail's pace. I have to copy down the senders' addresses and then reply from a Gmail account
My Browser is Firefox 2, but can't be the browser as everything else loads okay in Firefox, also tried IE for Yahoo - and loading the same as Firefox.My TOT line has been crashing two to six times a day
So the service seems to be improving Anyone else have problems?
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I am sorry for the snake
Not me, can't feel sorry for the cobra. Of course it would have been better if somebody could have whisked away the cobra back into the weeds but it was in the man's house for God's sake!
Can't pity the poisonous snakes of Thailand when they make their way into our homes, especially the King Cobra which has an absolutely terrifying presence. I'd be lucky not to croak on the spot just seeing one that close!
Kinda like a land mine: if you accidently step on one, you are likely dead. (I don't feel sorry for the land mines either)
Ah No! Wot? Here in Thailand? In Asia? Where there are a lot of, snakes! Jeezuz
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Sad that the O/P came to an anonymous internet forum to get advice, (which BTW: is the WORST vice in the world), only to get offended when what he was offered didn't fit his preconceived idea of the answer he wanted.
If he knew the answer already why come here? Then he throws out an oblique religious quote, before bidding us a fond adieu, quite puzzling really.
Thais are BIG money borrowers, and it is NOT inconceivable that his wife could have facilitated some friend in this practice. I know too many thais who simply pay the interest on the loan and carry it over, never making a dent into the principal.
What does make the mind wobble has been reiterated by previous posters; why was there a YEAR time lapse before his wife mentioned it to him, and as "jfchandler" pointed out how could he speak to a lawyer about something that is done thru loan sharks or money lenders without contracts?
I am also sure the second he reported it to the British Embassy they put an entire team of inspectors on this appalling incident forthwith. I am sure investigating the actions of a thai national's personal conduct IN of all places thailand is right up there on their list of important things to do.
Again another "mafia" post. I am truly shocked at the evidently HUGE number of mafias at work in the glorious "Land 'O Thais". How can you tell them, by their secret handshake?
The OP stated he didn't come to an internet forum for advice. He came to an internet forum to warn against the rampant corruption of the police in Thailand
I think the OP already had serious doubts about his wife's story and wanted to test the water with some anonymous farang forum. Didn't like what he found - the obvious - his wife's a con merchant, but hey, she luv him too much nah? - and got all shirty with the respondees. P'raps he'll think better next time the Bleeding Obvious is looking him right in the face. -
The only thing wrong with Chalong Circle was the Locals' inability to navigate it. No driving lesson/test here includes this particular very necessary piece of traffic navigation. But in their own Thai Way, instead of putting signs up saying, em, let me see, 'give way from the left' 'hai tang sai bpai' easy nah? The Thai Way is simply to demolish the problem ... and erect another one.
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its not about the money, it is the principle. The girlfriend says I probably got overcharged but I wanted a second opinion.
I agree. But you guys are a bunch of bad investigators--no one has asked the key question yet: Was it a private hospital or government hospital?
If it was private, then I'd say the charge was about right.
If it was public/government, then treatment to a Thai citizen should have been for free.
<deleted>
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As a whinging foreigner I'd initially be unhappy about a 2,000 baht bill too.
If I then took a step back and considered the costs, I'd be happy. Thai hospitals seem to offer good service at a good rate. I've been to a couple of upcountry hospitals on occassion and they were far superior to North Middx Hospital that I used to attend in London, never mind my times at the luxury hospitals in Bangkok where the costs are still proportionatey very low. Sirirat, Bumrumgrad... pound for pound the best hospitals (treatment / cost) in the World.
In London, I'd have waited several hours (spent with surly nurses and admin) awaiting a doctor, been treated badly and sent home - all at a large cost...
[This the first and last time I will praise this country! - The hospitals are very very good and cheap.
]But you'd be okay with losing your eyesight then?
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i did not read his story but want to say why not "blue eyed farang" or "60 kilo farang"....why do you decide to say hospital ripped off farang and not ripped off human being?
So why you call yourself "youngfarang13" if you don't like the word "farang" so much? shouldn't you call your "younglady13" or "younghumanbeing" or something ?
Um. I think the Thais refer to both foreign males and females as er, farang. Idiot.
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During songkran I was having a midday nap and my dog makes some barking noises. I have a look out the window and see that he is barking towards the front door. Stupid dog I think to myself, he is probably barking at a small lizard or something. I check anyhow and as I step down out of the room I see a Cobra flaring up and hissing about 30cm from the bedroom door. It was a big one, about 1.5 meters long or longer and easily as fat as a large tube of toothpaste. I have a peek around the corner again and see he is slithering away from me but goes right past the front door to the other side of the room and sits in a corner. I tell the girlfriend I got no experience with snake catching or removal, so she goes and gets the neighbour, who I assume has some experience at these types of things. While she is gone, the cobra basically curled itself up between the wall and the bedroom door in a very safe spot. The neighbours come with various tools and proceed to crowbar and poke the snake out of its hole. The thing is hissing like mad at this stage. Suddenly it sticks its head out flares and spits at one of the neighbours in the eye. The tap was right next to him so he washed it while the other neighbour bludgeoned the snake to death. I race off to the local hospital with this guy and the doc says he has to stay overnight.
The guys eye was fine in the end, just some stinging for a few hours. And they kept the cobra, chopped it up, gave it to some of the other neighbours and made some soup out of it (despite having sprayed the hel_l out of it with a can of flyspray). Apparently it is a rare delicacy.
I was relieved the guy was fine, that was exactly the outcome I wanted, but when the bill came it seemed excessive - a little over 2000 baht for a bed, 3 meals, 3 check-ups by the doctor, and an eyewash. The hospital was nothing fancy at all. Anyhow, perhaps I am paranoid about the double pricing system over here but 2000+ baht did seem like an overcharge. My feeling is if I were just a regular Thai it would have been significantly less. curious to know if others think this amount sounds like a rip-off. ?
So, this cobra wasn't about to attack you/eat your children, you call your girlfriend because she's thai and knows what to do (?), like evaporate the bloody snake, and she calls her equally dimwitted neighbours who you end up having to take to hospital and you're complaining about a lousy 2000 baht hospital bill. Am I up to speed? Fool. Christ. I see so many posts on here whining about the Thais wanting to send all the farang back to farangland. Let's face it. Who can blame them.
Luckily clicking on them doesn't open up the content of the accounts, or this forum. Well not to me anyway. What on earth is that about? I ran Spybot this evening and only one Truehits came up.
:D
Pad Rallies At British Embassy In Bangkok
in Thailand News
Posted · Edited by jitagon
I do rather think that my spouse is more competent to comment on matters concerning Thailand, being Thai and all, speaking the language, sharing the culture, conversing with like minded compatriots, than some boorish expat who doesn't speak a word of Thai except for ordering a beer and negotiating the night's entertainment. Don't you?