HowardB

Am I missing something here or what ? A car brakes to turn right and the car behind slams into it as they were either going to fast to stop or were not taking enough attention and you think they are the guilty party ? <deleted>!!!!

Regardless of whether the songtheau was registered the guy that ran into it is responsible for the damage. PERIOD!!!!

All those here saying it is just the Thai trying to cheat the Farang tell me that in the same scenario back home it would still be the guy who stopped and was hit fault ?

I know back in the UK that if you run into the back of a vehicle after failing to stop you are judged to be at fault and responsible for the accident and costs. Why should it be different here ?

Maybe the driver of the car that failed to stop in time needs to either slow down or take a lot more attention to the road next time !

H2oDunc .... Is it possibile that any 'great thai people of the greatest nation on earth Thailand' can do anything wrong in your eyes ?

If anyone posts anything even saying that a Thai person might be in the wrong you jump on them like they have insulted your own family.

I always wonder why they keep printing the I 'heart' Thailand t shirts...... Now i know you must buy loads of them everyday

Lighten up abit and stop thinking Thai's are a superior race to us mere mortal Farangs. They are humans just like us.:jap:

I have to agree 100% with H2oDunc, it is common knowledge the car behind is always at fault. So because of the rantings of a fellow Thai, who by the way just managed to stop in time because she had better brakes that the unfortunate person doing the tailgating, this sorngteaw driver no longer has a vehicle to earn money to provide for his family.

Lets assume the sorngteaw drivers lights were faulty, seems the other persons brakes weren't the best either and above mentioned hero just managed to avoid a similar incident because also driving too close or were the farangs lights not working too?

As for defending the Thai's, good on you. I have never had a bad experience with a sorngteaw driver. Sure some won't pick you up because it's not the way they are going, but there are plenty more available.

Don't slam H2oDunc for having a positive attitude about the country he has selected to live in. Maybe you should be attacking the flock that herd together at the first opportunity of downing a Thai

Howard

since my experience with mau tours,i dont trust any of them(tour agents)i book direct now with airline,confirmed straight away no c/c charges,easy.

I have to agree totally with true blue. I have never had a bad experience with any travel agent, but in this day and age why would anyone use a travel agent. If you have a computer and I assume you do as you are asking for email addresses, it's the easiest thing to search and book flights on the internet.

Some years ago I used to use a travel agent for all my travelling needs but realised I could save myself money and actually enjoy the process. Perhaps travelling from Australia to various countries is easier than others, I cannot comment on other countries.

Howard

I own a resort in Maerim and we buy all our bedding from Lotus Bedding in Bangkok. They have different grades of sheets etc and the ptrices are not too bad.

For small quantities I suggest you look in Chiang Mai - from the Lotus/Tesco on the northern Superhighway drive out of Lotus and turn first left after Bata show store, go through 2 lights and there is a big bed shop on the left hand side

That's the Peenang mattress shop. They have some reasonable quality bedsheets. As mentioned Aro at Makro do some good cotton sheets/pillowcases, all seem to be white I think.

At the yearly Export promotion thingy on Tunghotel Rd they had a stall selling exactly the same quality as Aro but a bit cheaper and many colours.

Can I get a confirmation on the store name? Peenang??

Sounds like it may be worth exploring.

Thanks

Howard

I presume it's part of Phuket Peenang Mattress as according to their website they have a shop in Chiang Mai (and 14 other places in Thailand) They have an information form on their website;

http://phuketdir.com/pktpenmattress/

Oh, and if you find out anything might be worth posting to this topic.

Ok, so it took some time but I finally got my sheets. Probably not the quality I would have preferred but still worthy of buying. My first mistake was asking the taxi driver to take me to Peenang, which for his convenience was the shop on Chiang Moi Rd facing the basket shops. Unaware of the various areas of Chiang Mai I assumed, to my disappointment that this was the shop mentioned. I later discovered they have another larger shop, as previously mentioned by Bluweyze close to Tesco/Lotus at Kamthiang.

Although this shop is much bigger the bottom line is they sell exactly the same things, just bigger stocks, however I think they are more likely to discount more also. Im not sure of the thread count because it didnt state on the packet, but the quality was ok and the price was reasonable. I paid approximately Bt900 for a fitted sheet, 2 pillow case and flat sheet for a king sized bed.

In retrospect, if I had known the measurements of the bed I would have bought the exact set from Target in Perth. The set was 1000 thread and cost Bt1943. Although twice the price I feel sure they would have lasted much longer than the ones I bought at Peenang. On the reverse side, how many wives want to keep sheets that long and at the cheaper price seems more economical to replace at an earlier stage.

Howard

Hi Texasranger

I always book my travel using my credit card which gives me automatic travel insurance. I don't know if all credit card companies provide the same thing but it's worth checking out for future even if it's too late now.

I do pay an annual fee for my card but I travel at least twice a year which more than covers the fee with free travel insurance. I have had reason to make two claims for stolen luggage which have been honoured without hesitation.

Howard

Hi everybody

I want to do some interior painting, particularly ceilings. Can anyone suggest a brand of paint and is it available in most hardware shops? The location of a good hardware shop in Chiang Mai would also be helpful.

Thanks

Howard

Thing is im an accountant. I know a lot about cost and how much money is left after everything is paid. Most normal people don't have an idea about that. So call it experience.

You make crucial mistakes in your points. If i follow your reasoning a crane driver is making too much too (you forget the car comes with it) Now your comparing a specialist without special tools that have to be paid (many are in service of hospitals and get everything from there). With someone who needs to keep certain things (a car) to ply his trade. That is a typical error of someone who has no idea about costs.

Seems this has got out of control, which I anticipated. Somehow it has turned into an accounting debate. I think I was trying to explain how unlike Thai taxi drivers, a taxi driver in Aus has the potential to reduce his taxable income through various deductions such as vehicle expenses (fuel, servicing, gps expense, licence, detailing), laundry, to name just a few. Oh, did I mention the overpriced accountants fee too?

But you're right, us normal people have no idea about these things.

All is well until there's an accident. In Australia 'mai bpen rai' isn't an option and the driver can't just run away.

The point isn't the comparison of the taxi fares, but the relative spending powers of the drivers.

In your example, I would think the Thai taxi driver earned 3 times that of his Australian counterpart.

hmmm ... let me think ... $55 for 20minutes = $165 p/h x 8 hours = $1320 @ 29bt/$AUD = Bt38280 ... you think so? Does the Thai taxi driver have the ability to claim any expenses on his tax?

As for spending powers, how many Thai taxi drivers will go overseas for their holidays this year, or equip their house with the latest LED TV to mention but a few. Regardless of who is to blame for this overpriced situation, the fact is just that ... it's overpriced.

OK I've got it.

You want Taxi drivers in Australia to be living in the same kind of hand to mouth poverty as Taxi drivers in Thailand - Cheap one room accommodation, no money for health insurance, no money for holidays, can only afford street food .......

Nice!

So tell me how you can justify any trade (with the exception of perhaps a specialised trade that requires expert knowledge and years of training) charging potentially $165p/h. Forget the lame excuses of tax deductable expenses the taxi drivers have. They are a long way from living hand to mouth. I don't think you've got it at all

All is well until there's an accident. In Australia 'mai bpen rai' isn't an option and the driver can't just run away.

The point isn't the comparison of the taxi fares, but the relative spending powers of the drivers.

In your example, I would think the Thai taxi driver earned 3 times that of his Australian counterpart.

hmmm ... let me think ... $55 for 20minutes = $165 p/h x 8 hours = $1320 @ 29bt/$AUD = Bt38280 ... you think so? Does the Thai taxi driver have the ability to claim any expenses on his tax?

As for spending powers, how many Thai taxi drivers will go overseas for their holidays this year, or equip their house with the latest LED TV to mention but a few. Regardless of who is to blame for this overpriced situation, the fact is just that ... it's overpriced.

Im not very familiar with the road names in Chiang mai yet so this is going to sound like the blind leading the blind, but here goes.

We took a tuk tuk down Chiang Moi road which I think heads in the direction of the night markets. Take a left down Chiang Moi Kao road. I'm not sure if it's before or after (I think after) Chiang Moi Kao Soi 1 there is a hardware store that sells bathroom fittings. It's possible they might have what you want, if not they have a larger shop that has many imported products. This shop you will have to ask them about. My wife and I went and bought some things for the bathroom. Staff were great and prices reasonable with a bit of bargaining.

Hope this is helpful.

Howard

Hi everybody

This post will probably test the complacency of some expats who have lived in Thailand for a long time and may provoke some critical responses but for me it made me realise what a bunch of rip off merchants our taxi drivers are.

I recently had to travel from Phichit to Chiang Mai and due to floods our choice of travel by train was not an option. We didn't have the luxury of time to wait for the bus in the morning so opted for a taxi. It being 3am we didnt give much hope to getting a willing driver that would travel to Chiang Mai. Fortunately we were given a number to call and by mutual agreement at 6am the taxi arrived.

I had visions of an old Toyota Crown or a Nissan turning up but much to our surprise it was a brand new Toyota 10 seater. This gave us the chance to lay the seats down and get some sleep during our pleasant 8 hour trip.

Ok, the point of this is that I travelled approximately 20 minutes to the airport in Perth and was charged $55. This guy in Thailand travelled 8 hours and asked Bt5000. Maybe he got a return fare which reduced his costs, I don't know. But is our standard of living so different that taxi fares can be so exorbitant? I accept, my income far exceeds that of most Thai people, but that is my situation. What about the people that are on basic wages etc?

I just feel that sometimes people give Thai's a bad rap over certain things, usually pertaining to money. So credit where credit is due.

Howard

Have accounts at a couple of banks here.Was never a problem and zero hassle.

I find the Thai/Asian banks are way more efficient and user friendly than their western counterparts. I can transfer money overseas in less than 24 hours at a fixed rate of 400 baht irrespective of amount (Bangkok Bank).

The western counterparts, Lloyds in particular-3-5 working days 20 quid for their "express" service and three times they have misdirected transfers and on one occasion completely emptied my account and sent the money to China (Fortunately to someone I knew and was able to rectify it, after 6 weeks!)-Lloyds apologised,useless shower.

My bank in Aus charge me $20 per transfer regardless of amount and will transfer the same day.

Ice is a big no no in beer. I've drunk beer in many hot countries and Thailand is the only country to put ice in it's beer. Whats wrong with keeping it in the fridge and using a stubby holder to keep it cool. OK, so some people like to drink big bottles, but that isnt a problem as you can buy holders for bottles too.

Beer is intended to be drunk as it is brewed, if more water was needed it would be added to the brewing process. You will never convince me that ice has a place in a glass of beer.

Regards

Howard

They have been operating normally since at least a week gone last Saturday, when I caught train 109, 1430 Bangkok-Chiang Mai. All trains are operating normally today, subject only to the customary hours or two's delay!

The flood damage just north of Lopburi, a pohoto of which appeared on another another thread on this forum a fortnight or so ago, as been repaired, the track replaced, and is operating normally, subject only to a 20 mph speed restriction.

To see SRT's Train Tracking Service, go to http://www.railway.co.th/tts/ It defaults to the Northern line. The top right box, under the little picture, is for trains from Bangkok and the one below is for trains to Bangkok. Its in Thai, but is easy to understand if you know your train numbers. If you don't, go to the SRT homepage, click on the English version and to to Timelables.

Thanks for that, I don't think I could endure another 8 hours on a bus. Being a tall person doesn't make travelling an enjoyable experience.

Howard

What kind of visa are you here on? Last April, I, on a tourist visa, was required by Bangkok Bank at KSK to have a Guarantor--a friend who already had an account at Bangkok Bank--vouch for me. What he was guaranteeing I still don't know. My initial deposit was for US$10,000 on a certified check. And still to this day I am not given online privileges.

It's working out quite well most of the time, though once along the way (sorry I cannot remember what the situation was) they again wanted my Guarantor to sign for something.

In my experience I don't find them to be accommodating in the least. But maybe all banks here would do the same the same.

I'm just your common regular tourist, however I did fail to mention that my wife is Thai and already has an account with Bangkok Bank that she opened in Taphanhin. I suppose that would account for something.

All the same, it was a pleasant experience and was repeated the following day when we went to draw money and get proof of money transfer to purchase our property.

Howard

6' x 6.5'

Thanks for your reply, but I need to know how deep the bed is, the drop. the thickness.

Isnt that variable with different kind of matrasses.

Yep, depending on the quality of the mattress which can be between 6 and 10 inches thick. Also the base, solid, slats or divan.

I realise there are many variables, but I am helpless to supply more information except that the base is a wood box style and the mattress just sits on the base

Still, I appreciate the information given

Hi everyone

After reading the problems people have had regarding opening a bank account in Thailand, I thought I would share my experience that someone may benefit in some way.

I've read numerous posts about the problems people have had when trying to open a bank account, so I set aside a day to search for a branch that would give us an account, much to my wifes dismay. Seems this plan encroached on her shopping time

Anyway, we hailed a tuk tuk and asked him to take us to the nearest Bangkok Bank branch. Why Bangkok Bank? Well I have been watching the exchange rates via TT for the last few weeks and everyday the Bangkok Bank exchange rate has always been the highest. I had seen one on a yahoo map that seemed quite close to where we live on Soi Huay Kaew, so I was confused when he took us to an area which is adjacent to the night markets. Once we arrived we entered and explained to the young lady what we wanted and why. The account was for transferring money from Australia to buy some property. Much to my amazement, we were sat down and within 30 minutes left complete with account, bank book and debit card. I have to admit, I was totally shocked by the ease and efficiency of the staff. Only once did the smiles wane when i told them i wanted to deposit 2000 initially, only to quickly reappear when they realised it was $2000 not Bt2000

So the experience was a pleasuable one, with one exception. Now I had the rest of the day unplanned, my wife got her shopping trip .... darn you Bangkok Bank

Thanks

Howard

6' x 6.5'

Thanks for your reply, but I need to know how deep the bed is, the drop. the thickness.

Hi everyone

I have a king size bed in my apartment in Chiang Mai, unfortunately I'm in Australia at the moment and I need a bed size.

The mattress is just a standard size king, which can be found in most furniture shops around most cities. It doesn't have a pillow top or anything fancy. My problem is, I need to know how deep the mattress is. To my knowledge, it's just a standard 6' Kind size bed. Can anyone help?

Thanks

Howard

I see, this may be an interesting situation as we will start the vacaiton in Chiang Mai, so we will end up carrying all those gift for the rest of the trip.

You could always buy up big and post them to your final destination. I've found that mail prices are very cheap in comparison to Australia and possibly an easier way for you to do.

Howard

Hi everyone

I made a similar post in the "Travel" section of TV but obviously no one travels north of Bangkok except you guys, despite receiving over 150 visitors no one could answer. I wanted to travel from Chiang Mai to Phichit last week but due to the floods all trains to Bangkok were cancelled. and I had to take the bus I will be back in Thailand again next week and want to take the same trip. Does anyone know if the trains are running as normal yet? Ok, I know that "running as normal" doesn't guarantee me a train too

Thanks Howard

That sounds good. To be more sure, go to another good lawyer and have him do the Thai equivalent of a title search to insure that your title is good. Sometimes it is best to do this before buying. There does not seem to be title insurance in Thailand so you have to check it yourself or have a knowledgeable lawyer do it.

We were given copies of the title deed from the land office. The owner/seller is also required to supply proof of sale to the condo building.

In my limited experience, buyers of property usually get the original of the title deed, not copies. Perhaps you did get the original, it would be clear if you did. Probably you are just fine with what you have done but there have been cases when land offices have issued title deeds which were later found to be invalid.

Sorry to mislead you, yes we got the original from the Land Titles Office

Hi everyone

I recently wanted to travel from Chiang Mai to Phichit but due to flooding the trains were cancelled. I will be in Thailand again next week and wondered if anyone knew if the trains were running "to schedule"

Thanks

Howard

That sounds good. To be more sure, go to another good lawyer and have him do the Thai equivalent of a title search to insure that your title is good. Sometimes it is best to do this before buying. There does not seem to be title insurance in Thailand so you have to check it yourself or have a knowledgeable lawyer do it.

We were given copies of the title deed from the land office. The owner/seller is also required to supply proof of sale to the condo building.

Hi everybody

I recently bought a condo in Chiang Mai and needed the services of a lawyer. The person selling the condo provided me with a name and number. My circumstances put me in a position where time was short and I needed to settle before I left Thailand. In my opinion this guy went beyond what was expected, mind you, I am comparing him to the usual service that is provided in Australia.

We had a brief conversation on the telephone and overnight he prepared the offer and acceptance. My wife and I took a taxi to his office where we met the sellers, and signed documents. The following day his two assistants collected us and took us to the bank because we needed a letter from the bank to prove the money transferred was for the purchase of the condo. From there they took us to the land office where we met with the previous owner and transferred ownership to us.

It seemed nothing was too difficult for them to do for us and I feel this type of business deserves a mention somewhere.

I'm not sure of the protocol on TV for mentioning businesses but should anyone require a lawyer I will be only too happy to supply his details.

Howard

I own a resort in Maerim and we buy all our bedding from Lotus Bedding in Bangkok. They have different grades of sheets etc and the ptrices are not too bad.

For small quantities I suggest you look in Chiang Mai - from the Lotus/Tesco on the northern Superhighway drive out of Lotus and turn first left after Bata show store, go through 2 lights and there is a big bed shop on the left hand side

That's the Peenang mattress shop. They have some reasonable quality bedsheets. As mentioned Aro at Makro do some good cotton sheets/pillowcases, all seem to be white I think.

At the yearly Export promotion thingy on Tunghotel Rd they had a stall selling exactly the same quality as Aro but a bit cheaper and many colours.

Can I get a confirmation on the store name? Peenang??

Sounds like it may be worth exploring.

Thanks

Howard