UnknownPoster

wonder what all those steyr mini fire trucks are up to these days....

Does it matter how mini the trucks are when there are way too many areas that remain inaccessible in case of fire.

Someone may have heard "city cramming" instead of "planning".

The fire marshall shoud try to navigate a fire truck onto Patpong Soi some evening.

THAT area is a disaster waiting to happen.

There must be some regulations about keeping areas fire truck accessible but as usuall, the fire marshall is probably lining his pockets to look the other way.

It's obvious the AOT is colluding with the ground transport mafia.

Recall, the original plan was to have the regular Taxis posted at a location far from the airport. The arrivals would have to bus out to the taxi stand!

30,000 arrivals a day, all paying 600thb more than a local. THAT'S BIG MONEY and it's going into the pockets of some AOT official.

OK. That didn't work out so, next, they allow the Limo Touts free reign, hasseling arrivals and misleading them into believing they are the only option and the regular taxies relegated to an inconvienent area with no signs pointing the way.

They AOT wants you paying 900thb instead of making it convienent to take a regular 300thb taxi into town.

Now, it appears they are taking a cut of the regular taxis too.

WELCOME TO THAILAND. The cheating starts HERE.

I guess the official airport taxi desk outside the arrival area on the lower level is not entirely scam free. A few weeks ago, I exited the airport, went up to the desk, and gave the guy (an older guy with glasses) the name of my mid-Sukhumvit Hotel. He then said what I thought was "You pay driver 40 baht." I thought he was talking about the toll or the airport surcharge and I didn't pay much attentiuon, I just said "OK."

He directed me to a driver, who had a small SUV cab, not a corolla. Interestingly, the driver seemed a little reluctant to give me my portion of the ticket bck (with the driver's info on it), I had to ask him a couple of times for it.

We started to pull out of the airport, meter off. I asked him to put on the meter, and he said I had agreed with the desk guy to pay him 400 baht. I never meant to do that, I must have just misheard the guy. I told the guy I wasn't paying 400 baht, just to let me out. He said OK, if I would give him back the ticket with his info. I said no, I was getting out with the ticket. He then agreed to use to meter, BUT he was really angry about it, claiming that he had "big car" and that I had agreed to pay 400.

Ultimately I gave him 350 on arrival at destination, which I think was more than fair, but it's interesting that the airport metered taxi desk is apparently now steering people to non-metered cars and brokering off-meter deals.

The other moral to this story is to always get the ticket with the driver's info. He seemed legitimately worried about me exitng the cab with the ticket for his failure to use the meter and then presumably lodging a complaint.

Immediately, report this to the Authorities

Drugging tourists happens all the time.

Just ask around at the hotels or hospitals if they have seen this happen to tourists.

It only happens to the Farangs so nobody cares to do anything about it.

Not always tourists.

About 18 months ago, a policeman went with a Katoey to a hotel and was drugged. The policemen died as a result of a heart condition and the drug administered. The K. was arrested when he/she sold the policeman's phone but never heard the final outcome of the case. There was talk in the papers about seeking the death penalty.

I see it happend to a Thai.

If it was a Farang, do you think they would be looking after the perp?

Drugging tourists happens all the time.

Just ask around at the hotels or hospitals if they have seen this happen to tourists.

It only happens to the Farangs so nobody cares to do anything about it.

Shop for your Apple Products at Fortune Mall, Rama 9.

Avoid the Paragon, Thong Lor and Discovery Center Apple stores is my advice.

Ask your contractor if water runs downhill.

I can't count the showers I've see wher the water heads away from the drain....even after ripping it out and doing it 3 times.

Just doing minor home repairs can be a huge struggle. Getting overcharged for inferior work, again and again...

I will never build or do any business in Thailand.

Thailand has a worldwide reputation of being one big whorehouse.

A country full of unethical, immoral people that sell their daughters to perverted foreigners.

That's why you get the dirty looks.

Look for snooker cues at the small shop in Fortune Mall, 2nd or 3rd floor.

The MRT drops you off at the front door, Rama 9 station.

BALL IN HAND Suk soi 4, rajah hotel 2nd floor. has alot of cues and other kit for sale. and they have great tables so you can try before buying.

Snooker cues? I know they sell Pool Cues....not sure if they have Sooker Cues.

.."He told me he wont tell me any more information than that and getting a lawyer wont help. Passport doesn't belong to me, it is State Department property."

Technically, he could tell you..but then he'd have to kill you.

3,500 THB a day should be enough.

You can scrape by on allot less but, hey, your on vacation.

The BOSS is in a crummy, industrial area.

Yes, Tesco and Carafour are nearby if that's what you like.

Look for snooker cues at the small shop in Fortune Mall, 2nd or 3rd floor.

The MRT drops you off at the front door, Rama 9 station.

woraburi

suk soi 4

over the internet you can get a room @ 900B.

walkin 1200

Uh, ...he said 4 star...not Soi 4..The Woraburi is 2 star at best, no?

Many people have been posting various scams that happened and almost happened lately to them lately ... which brought back to memory a strange encounter I had in Chiang Mai. It was most surely some scan or other, but what, exactly? Do you know?

(if you're bored like I am right now, there's no better time to play:)

Name That Thailand Scam!

I was just walking down by myself one of the big Chiang Mai streets, no doubt looking a bit touristy, in the middle of the afternoon. I stopped outside a bookstore to light a cigarette, and this Thai man approached me and asked me for something random like a light or the time.

I'm wary of strangers, so I gave him the info, but wasn't too friendly.

He then launched into this introduction about himself: he had gone to school in the States, was a Muay Thai champion, bla bla blah, asked me how I liked Thailand. His English was very, very good, which puts me off a bit, and he opened up his wallet to show me some Muay Thai teacher credential he had. All of this was a bit weird, and sounded like a practiced speech, he was talking a bit fast, not letting me put a word in edgewise. He was well-dressed, looked good, etc. I've been chatted up by Thai blokes before, but this was nothing like it. He didn't ask me to buy anything, or visit any shops, or visit anything either. But something was just off in his approach.

He asked me if he could come walking with me, and I said no. He insisted a bit and, and I said "nice talking to you", and walked away. That was the end of it.

Can anyone tell me <deleted>? What this just a random weirdo, or a recognizable weirdo?

Just another scammer trying to ruin sombodys holiday.

Challange:

Go to any street corner, carry a camera and look at your map.

The scammers will be all over you like flies on shiit, within seconds.

Seems like a bad moment to launch such a campaign.

Top Ten reasons to go somewhere else on holiday.

(10)Tsunamis,

(9) Bird flue,

(8) Piss tests,

(7)Rude behavior by customs officials,

(6)Druggings,spiking drinks

(5) Limo touts,

(4)Special farang priced menus,

(3)Stray dogs,

(2)Double pricing Triple pricing....

(1)and... Why come here anyway..the Tuk Tuk drivers said the Temples are always CLOSED.

They need to get some outside help in managing this place. A foreigner with experience from a successfully managed airport.

The locals can't handle it.

I thought they were going to crack down on these tour boat operators after the last disaster?

The first thing that has to happen is to fire Krabi Marine Transport Office Chief Suriya Kitti-monthon.

Surely there is some video of the mishap.

When will it turn up on Youtube?

I'll bet it looked like a Chinese fire drill after they heard that crunch.

The best units in top of the line projects will always attract buyers.

Some folks have so much money that everything is inexpensive.

Here are 3 places I like.

(1)About 100 meters down Wireless Rd on the left side is Thai restaurant (Sanguin Sri?)..... before the Athanee property. No english sign out front .The place has been there a looong time.. packed with locals at lunchtime.

(2)My favorite is on ThongLor at Sub-Soi 13. (Also look across the Street for the cheap Singapor Noodle Place.)

(3)How about the Carlton on Silom, under the Sala Dang Station. Been there since 1950.

HSBC or Standard Charter would be my choice. The service at Thai banks suck.

Should be able to get a good deal if you go make some low offers.

Places were selling at 50k/meter 6 years ago.

Some sellers would be happy to break even I think.

Clean up the national parks and make them world class.

You can't polish a turd.

Unfortunatly, the Parks and Beaches have been trashed over the last 20 years and are going down...fast. Noisy, dirty and crawling with scammers.

As for enticing quality tourists.... How will they enjoy riding the ripoff Baht Buses and TukTuks in the resorts I wonder? People with money don't want to be jerked around by these disrespctfull transport punks.

Another case of the transport mafia ruining the reputation of the country.

Unkownposter - Why are you recommending CHESA? 1) The food is poor and 2) it's swiss cuisine (or meant to be

As for the best French restaurants in town, I'd go with Palm on this one - Le Normandie at the Oriental

The food at the Indigo is very poor, I took a group of foodie friends there and no one was impressed.

La Maison was a let down as well, my Pigeon was overcooked... not acceptable when paying top money.

If you want to recommend where everything is perfect (cuisine, wine list, service, ambiance) then Le Normandie is the one!

I recommend Chesa because other chefs hang out there on their day off.