noise

BTW, so where/when does the 15-20 baht Songthaew rate apply???

Anywhere shortish distance (couple of kilometers) or where other passengers are going or if you are in a group all going the same way. Sorry to be vague but so are the Songtaews Some will only go in the direction that they want (even when empty) others will take you on a cheap tour around the city covering obscure Sois and neighbourhoods for at least 30 minutes for 15 baht. Sit back and enjoy - if you are in hurry or have no patience take a Tuk Tuk never a Songtaew. BTW taxi meters all have broken meters and IMHO try and charge over the odds - up to you but my vote is once again the Tuk Tuk

emh1969,

SamSipEt's answer has the key answer to your question(s); songtaews will and can go anywhere, as long as they want to. An empty songtaew driver will estimate their chances of picking up other customers along the route to take you somewhere and base his decision on that. So for the "normal" fare of 20 baht, your first driver decided he wouldn't get any other passengers so he said no and left. I would guess the 2nd driver didn't think much of his chances getting other paying passengers either. Next time you want to go somewhere out of the way, ask the driver how much he wants and see if you can negotiate an acceptable fare. Or go with a tuk tuk (but you have to negotiate with them, also).

RE metered taxis: I have no problem getting taxis with working meters. If I get one inside Kad Suan Kaew, they tell me there is a 30 baht surcharge, but other than that my only complaint is that they are higher than songtaews.

There are so many requests from aspiring expats about what they can do for an income in Thailand, that I have had sleepless nights trying to find a solution for these poor downtrodden souls stuck in their dreary UK jobs.

Most don't seem to have the inspiration and expertise to make it in ecommerce, so here is a link that may be your path to Nirvana.

Enjoy.

http://www.startyourowncult.com

too subtle?

Try Cattleya -- you can google them and find their web site (I lost it). I asked for an anniversay bouquet to be delivered at 8:00 am on Saturday. They said that was too early, but they would do their best. It was there at 8:20 am in time for my wife to see when she came down stairs. She was impressed by the arrangement and I was impressed by the effort to meet my deliver time request. I highly recommend them.

Other contact info follows:

[email protected]

Tel. 662-260-5655

Fax 662-664-2007

Mobile 661-8505030

You are expected to be psychic.............

You can pay these bills through your ATM account.

If you mean have your ADSL (and telephone and electricity and water) bill your bank account monthly, good idea. You do not have to worry about on time payments and you get a receipt. This should be very attractive to those that live outside/far from a big city.

If you mean physically go pay at the ATM monthly, seems like too much work and too much guess work if you do not have a bill yet.

Try your spam messages

Made me chuckle out loud!

Why don't you contact someone from the Driver License place and ask them?

I intend to do that, but it is in Hang Dong and I live just 3 kms south of Mae Jo. Having no reason to go that far south for months at a time, I thought I would see what the wealth of knowledge residing on TV would produce if I asked the question. Apparently this is a new issue. When I get up enough energy to persue it further, I will document the results as they pertain to this one specific individual.

And, yes, as I wrote the comparison to farang on yearly visas I knew I was trying to draw an analogy that might be completely inappropriate (e.g., the difference between justice and the law).

We got a telephone line working with ADSL early february and we are 45kms away from the nearest TOT office.

We received our first invoive 25/04/51, issue date 12/04/51, due date 17/03/51, amount 30.72 Baht.

Since I was in Europe lately, Gf went to 7/11: can not pay, too late, see due date. She went to the local post office, same reply, thus went to Udon Thani TOT office to pay.

I doubt anyone will speak or understand English at TOT Udon, well I will try in my best Thai, off to TOT Udon in a few moments

BTW, I have sent emails to TOT, Toyota, AIS, Nok Air, DTACT, Thai Airways and others, never got a reply.

I have TOT telephone and ADSL in Chiangmai and received good, detailed responses when I go to the office in person or call the ADSL help desk. I speak Thai, which helps. But I have the impression their willingness to help and explain, their willingness to research for details, is only limited by their ability to communicate with the customer. If you speak little Thai, and they speak little English, they probably are never sure they understand what your problem is. So, if they don't really understand what you want from them, it is understandable if they don't give you the answer you want.

Or, maybe, I am just lucky to get to work with an office with customer oriented professionals.

RE BILL PAY: When we first started service, we had the same problem as the billing system and the mails got synchronized. But we quickly set up a separate bank account for paying all utilities and now TOT deals directly with the bank and all payments are made upon demand. No more service interruptions for any reason. We use a separate account to insure we do not draw below the utilities' bill amounts each month (electricity, water, TOT phone line, TOT ADSL line).

What about someone, age 24, with a Thai ID card, raised as Tai Yai, but with a Thai father from Chiang Mai, and a Tai Yai mother from Mae Hong Son?

Are you asking if they would be classified as Tai Yai or Thai? I would assume it all depends on how the father registered the birth.

My question was about a Tai Yai who was not born here but is now a legal resident with an ID card identifying them as a Thai hill tribe member; said card must be renewed yearly (but no 90 day reporting requirement). I would think that would qualify them for a driver's license if we foreigners on year visas can get them.

A Tai Yai legal resident carrying an ID card identifying them as (or grouping them with) a Thai hilltribe person (i.e., they are a legal resident) said they are not allowed to get a driver's license. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about this?

I intend to go ask at the DMV but thought I would ask on this forum first.

We have a long layover at the airport in the middle of a Thailand-VietNam-Philippines-Thailand trip. Although the layover is long, we don't really want to taxi into the city and taxi back. Does anyone have any review at all on the Day Rooms? We would like to just rest a bit, we get to our next destination at 3:30AM.

My experience with them at Don Muang may not apply in any manner, but I offer these comments anyway. They only apply if you arrive on an international flight that allows you to continue on internationally (e.g., flying Thai Airways coming in to "enter" Thailand in Chiangmai Internional Airport). I say this because my limited knowledge says they are only in the international terminal. I could look this up, but will let you do that.

I loved staying in them (even though the Don Muang ones were old). After a long flight it was a godsend to not have to go through immigration and customs (even if not picking up luggage) and just stay in the international terminal. I carried clean underware with me, so I showered and changed and felt like a normal person again. When not sleepy, I wandered around the duty free shops and restaurants. Flying business class, I could go into the lounge for free food/drink (as long as they were still open). And then I checked in at a special transfer counter and was buses past the domestic terminal directlly to the airplane.

The expense vs the convenience and added comfort is relative. I will use them any time I can and feel they are well worth the cost.

Make sure you have reservations. I saw many travelers stuck in the international terminal for long periods because of late arrivals and missing connecting flights being turned away one after another because of no vacancies.

My son, on the other hand, has made many trips in through Suvarnabhumi and preferred walking over to the on site hotel that is only about 100 meters from the terminal. He enjoyed the full service hotel enough to make the additional effort worth it to him. But then he usually had more time to spend than I did (my layovers were usually just around 8 hours).

People will probably have to know in what area do you live to make a recommendation.

What I ended up having to do was contact the landscaper closest to my house and arrange for her to send "gardners" on her payroll (i.e., I pay her once a month). That way she keeps her work force fully employed and loyal to her. I get the experienced and knowledgable gardners (they know so much more about plants than the previous people we used); I just have to be flexible as they might come Saturday this week and Friday next time.

I was eating breakfast in The Pub not long after the bungalows opened talking to a wealthy couple who, on a side trip while sailing around the world on their yacht, were staying there. Since the bungalows were new, I asked them how they liked staying there. They were very pleased with the accomodations. Being close to Chiangmai U, there are plenty of tuk tuks and baht buses going by in front.

Hi, I am going to Chiang Mai 27.june, for few days ...... I am after some cheap guesthouse/hotel. (lets say 400-1000thb).Kris

Kris

Go to http://www.hotelthailand.net/search_instan...;pg=2&sList= and look at the hotels and guest houses. Almost every hotel listed has a map somewhere in its web pages that will allow you to locate where it is in relation to where you want to spend you time.

Look at the Centara Duangtawan Hotel at the Loy Kroh Road and Chang-Klan Road intersection (middle of the Night Bazaar) as an example. I would guess you will be happier near there as there are lots of resturaunts and clubs and bars and bistros and lots of transportation.

Look at some of the maps to see side street names and then find hotels on them. Should be fairly easy to find your price range within a walking distance acceptable to you.

I'm going to be visiting Thailand for a couple of months. I have several dinner dates lined up with some educated Thai ladies that are in the business world (no, not that business). I am 61 and they are 40-55 years old. I'd like to bring something unique from the US when I come over. Not too expensive because I don't want to give any impression other than that I appreciate their company for dinner.

Tony

Say it with flowers or a bath towel with the stars and stripes.

Your words sounds like these are a series of first time meetings. If that is the case, I would think no gift. No one in Thailand gives gifts upon meeting someone, just like no one does in the US.

OK, someone will say they do, but 99% of the time it is not done. It makes the giver appear "needy" and usually gives the recipient worry about the intent and/or the giver.

How you treat them during the meal and afterwards will tell whether you appreciate their company. Specially if you take them to a nice restaurant with table cloths, nice cutlery, etc.

The only time I have seen Thais give gifts is, for example, after spending a week in my home or, if they are friends, bringing me something for which their home province is famous.

Qwertz's recommendation of flowers is a good one for when you leave or after you have had several interaction. So if these are not first time dinners/meetings, you can order from a local florist on line to be delivered with a nice note.

Yes. Same-same my experience in Sansai.

This thread risks being a web of confusion. The yellow book is EASY IF you - the foreigner - have brought money into Thailand for the specific purpose of allowing your Thai spouse to buy house/land.....

Flatouthruthefog,

I agree it was easy in Sansai, but you confused me with the reference to bringing in money.

A little over a year ago, I, on a retirement visa, simply took the immigration departments letter authorizing residency to Sansai along with my wife and her Tabien Ban, filled out a form (or 2?), and left with a yellow book. We own (i.e., she owns) the house, but nothing was said about anything else. It was a very short and painless process.

Was your experience different, i.e., was there any proof of finances requirements? I ask so I will know how what to recommend to a neighbor retiree getting ready to start this process.

How would one go about posting cash to Thailand? Are there laws which limit the amount you can post? If customs got hold of it would you be taxed?

Thanks

REALLY SIMPLE METHOD: If you know someone in Thailand with a bank account in your country... deposit the amount in his/her account and they can give your recipient the baht equivalent. For example, if it were me (and this is not an offer), I would check on line to see when the money was deposited and how much and then make the transfer to the local person based on that day's exchange rate.

Amazing that you can get "Thai runaround" overseas as well.

Yes it is amazing Ill explain more, ok I have 3 condos already 2 bought direct from the developer money sent from the Uk no problems all in my name, 3rd in wifes name before we married, 4th now we are married officially and the money was brought over in CASH not transferred by bank and thisis the sticking point. I have to prove the money was brought into the country or even thought we are married Ihave to sign a letter of confirmation to say that this money is solely m wifes and I cannot claim this condo in any divorce. Ok fair enough (well not really but I accept it)

You have piqued my interest. If you care to divulge the details, it would be interesting to know (a) how you brought in that cash (e.g., cashier's check in your name), ( what did you do with it after you got it in country (e.g., deposited in the bank), and © why you have to prove you brought it in (e.g., to prove its ligitimacy, not money laundrying?) vice you or your wife simply paying cash for a condo.

Since you are married, I take it your wife changed her name on her Thai ID? If not, why can she not just buy it as a simple single Thai woman? However she get the money, she buys a cashier's check in her name payable to the seller....???

Of course, if you tried at first as a married couple the seller already knows ........ but still, I would think that could be an option depending upon how interested the developer is in selling to you. I say that because the couple across the street just bought their house in her Thai surname only with no such problems and the seller knew it was a Thai/Farang married couple.

Just curious, sorry can't offer any suggestions you haven't already thought of.

Thanks kha.... A2396

I will keep this info to use one day..if I have chance to travelling in America....(I mean I may do shopping a lot..hehe..)

By the way, I guess this topic will stay long, right?

So, any poster who got info/ experience may post yours here....

This will be very much useful for other, they can search for and got them all in very short time..

I used a Thai shipping company in LA to ship from Denver to BKK and, in discussion with the owner, learned he ships both ways and specializes in the US-Thailand shipping only. He has the agents and connections in BKK for the Thai side. As an example of what he does on the large end, he had an 8 ft X 8 ft X 40 foot container delivered to my door in Denver, Colorado, and, after I loaded it, shipped it to BKK for US $2400. Now this was Nov 06 when fuel prices were significantly different, but that will give you an idea of his prices. I am confident he can handle any size shipment.

PM me if you would like info on his company, web site, email, etc.

I did find a work around though.....Ive tried many proxies and though most didnt work with youtube, I did find a couple that DID.

how do you do that? i've got TOT asdl too... and can't stream youtube videos.

I have TOT ADSL and get maybe 1 in 10 tries, if I have the patience to try that many times, random selections, no set topic or genre. I got a great boogie/dance one a few weeks ago by clicking on the URL from outside UTube. Have not been able to get it since from inside. I have tried everything like you all probably have, so it seems obvious the blocking is not subject related.

By the way if you want to get your toes a-tapping in time with the music, that boogie/dance video can also be accessed at http://boogiegroove.ch/silvan/site_uk/ and then click on the video tab and select "dancing the boogie". It loads poorly, and I have found it is better to let it load silently and then go back and replay.

Much obliged to both of you. The wife an I are really looking forward to getting some nice stuff, I just hope the lack of a Thai speaker doesn't hinder us too much.

To get the best prices without speaking Thai, I recommend several things:

1. Like Sam SipEt said, visit many places, take lots of careful notes (after 5-10 shops, notes that made sense in shop #1 no longer mean anything), and, most importantly, also ask to go see their factories. Some of them have gigantic warehouses near by full of stuff already made, most of it different than what is in the show room (1000sq ft showroom vs a 50,000 sq ft warehouse). We and our friends have gotten some of our best pieces from the warehouses.
   
2. Be prepared to spend several days, letting the sellers know you live in Thailand and, therefore, have the time to look slowly, want to see what all is out there, and that you want to buy several pieces. If you find some stuff you like and have the time, come back a couple of days in a row. Many tourist show up one day, buy, and are gone. Locals get better prices by repeat shopping; you can try it by repeat visits, specially for that item you really like but is really too expensive. Who knows how far you can get them to come down?
   
3. When negotiating price use coming back for more furniture in the future to try for a lower price. Maybe tentatively select something you like but don't want to buy just yet and then talk to the seller about ordering it via email/fax, etc. Get their web site, brochure, etc.
   
4. Discuss shipping after selecting pieces and agreeing to a price.
   
5. There are a lot of shippers in Ban Tawai; visit them and see what their prices are so as to compare with what the furniture sellers tell you are shipping costs.
   

You definately will not be able to through-check your bag to CNX, Air Asia do not interline baggage with other airlines. Don't worry about your timescale though (unless you have a MAJOR delay) you have plenty of time, and if your flight from Qatar arrives on time you will most likely have a couple of hours to kill at BKK. I make this trip regularly and my usual connection time to CNX is 90 minutes - I haven't missed one yet.

Khun Dave,

How would you compare the cost-benefit of this route for the once a year traveler (i.e., how much effort involved in going from international to domestic, how much for over weight, etc.)? I want to make some recommendations to Thai friends coming to CNX and they will be bringing the two 35 kg bags (or whatever the international wt limit is for their airline and seat class) plus carry on (gifts for their families). Being lazy I never wanted to move bags over to domestic at Don Muang and was willing to pay to fly Thai to CNX. Have not been thru the new terminal (fly directly into CNX now). Thanks

In that case its out through Immigration....get VOA (assuming nil in advance) p/u any luggage and exit to arrivals hall.

Then head upstairs and check in with Air Asia and wander back through again into Domestic Departures and off...

My expereience says that it doesn't matter if you change airlines in BKK, you can check you luggage from England to CNX and do not have to pick it up and go through customs in BKK. You just have to be specific in London and tell them to check thru.

Once in CNX you then go down to the international terminal to get your bags, going through customs there.

One thing I've got used to is a lot of Thais not saying "goodbye". Even if we've been out for the day and I've driven them home.. they just climb out of the pick-up and walk away.

Maybe it's my deodorant.

Interesting! Admittedly off subject, but I had to comment......

I can't think of a time when this has happened to me. And it doesn't matter what income level, everyone says goodbye when we part after an outing or going out to dinner (even if in different cars), etc. And when we have a party at the house, everyone makes it a point to say goodbye to us as hosts before leaving.

Thinking about making a small patio maybe with a small water feature/fish pond

Not being a good DIYer I would like to get someone to design and build it

Appreciate any recommendations who or where to look

Cheers

I had an existing tiled pond with a water fall that would not support any fish other than "mosquito" type that will live anywhere. So I had a filter system put in that required (1) putting in a sectioned filter with drains in each section for easy cleaning, (2) running buried pipes around the pond and in through the tiled walls to return the water, ozygenate it, and direct flow toward the drain, (3) put in a drain in the middle leading to the filter, and (4) as an after thought, provide water to a fountain in the middle. He provide a drawing with his estimate, which included a break out of parts, material, labor, and profit. I think he speaks English, but have no idea how much.

Khun Warinton 089-635-8431. If you call him, tell him Peter from Ban Natawan recommended him.

I completely re-landscaped my yard and have done some follow up rearrangements and replantings. My job was large enough that she, too, gave me a detailed estimate of material, labor, profit. I have recommended her to others and they have all been happy with her work (all smaller jobs, verbal agreement on prices). She/her company also do ponds and water features (she has pictures from large developments, hotels), but I have no experience with her for that. She is located on the west side of the Chiangmai/Mae Jo road, about 3 km south of Mae Jo. I can give you better directions if you so desire. I do not know how much English she speaks, either. Tell her Loong Peter from Ban Natawan recommended her.

Bhumi Lanna Landscape, Khun Nok, 087-189-8696.

RE IQ COMMENTS IN SEVERAL COMMENTS: IQ test results are extremely sensitive to/dependent upon reading ability and vocabulary. Example, I once gave a sample test to a teenager who didn't understand a question about frankfurters but could answer the question once i explained it was a hotdog.

The rural background of many Thais was an appropriate comment on a way of thinking. Give the same IQ test to a college graduate and the cashier at 7-11 and quess what kind of results you would see ragardless of capabilities. So the country IQ ranking quoted in one reply may be more of a reflection on the educational system (e.g., availability of affordable schools) rather than the actual intellectual capabilities of a people as a nation.

I have done a fair few IQ tests and none of them had anything like those form of questions..

They were pattern recognition, logical deductions of pattern progression, etc etc. the closest example to your comment would be if the test included anagrams (something I score poorly at).

IQ testing is purposely designed to be language independent.

Your other comments make no sense as to why even Thais seems inable to get clarity between 2 Thais.

I guess I could have probably just said that neither my wife nor I have any more problems communicating with people in Thailand than we did in the U.S. and that, without knowing the full context in which others have problems, it is just hard for me to understand why others seem to continuously (?) run into this apparent inability to communicate. I may be leaping to a faulty conclusion, but these comments were beginning to make it sound like communicating with a Thai is a universal problem, even for Thais, and my opinion is that is not. I recognize that to others it may be a universal truth.