Beacher

Pay as you go is the best way,,,,,,,,,find a shop that does your stuff the way you like and sick with them.

I'd say to never pay for anything before the service is completed or the goods delivered is the only way to go in Thailand.

I once had a similar lump sum monthly payment scheme with a laundry service and noticed my clothes were looking worse and worse each time I picked them up. Finally, one day I took a couple of shirts (that still seemed to be dirty) off the hangers as soon as I got them home. I put them in a tub of water with a bit of laundry soap and was amazed at how much dirt came out of them. It was apparent that this service had stopped washing my clothes some time ago and was only ironing them.

Since then, I bought a decent washing machine and now I always have truly clean clothes whenever I want for a fraction of the price of a laundry service.

I think what bothered me most about the situation mentioned above is that the person running the laundry service must have thought she was pulling a fast one on me and I was too stupid to notice that she wasn't bothering use soap or water anymore when "doing" my laundry.

I wouldn't worry too much about this as I think the only accurate way to get daily exchange rates is to go to the currency exchange rate page for some of the Thai banks' web sites. For example, Siam Commercial posts exchange rates up to 5 times a day. I have the page bookmarked in my browser, but I get the impression that we're not allowed to include URL links with our posts, so I won't take the chance of including it here for people's convenience.

If the people at Pattaya One and Pattaya Daily News stopped kowtowing to the police, stopped reporting often about very petty crime, and improved the quality of writing they wouldn't leave themselves so open to criticism.

It's also (as others have pointed out) that these particular online publication are of the poorest taste. It's amazingly tacky and distasteful to include 6 photos that attempt to capture the scene. Besides the fact that the photos are usually of laughable quality, it just isn't nice to publicly embarrass victims and their families.

The Thai police are scum, they're no better than the mafia. Find me a good Thai cop and I'll find you a pig with wings. I feel sorry for the poor Thais who are the ones who suffer the worst treatment from those so called police.

No, they are the mafia. I am tired of people referring to them as police. They are simply just criminals who wear uniforms. Nothing more, nothing less.

You 2 are nothing less than 2 morons!

I know several good Police officers in this country.

They live in small 1-room apartments, being too proud to take any bribes, etc.

They really hate what the majority of their colleagues do.

Naturally they will never testify what their colleagues do.

But nevertheless these guys are honest.

Not all are corrupt!!

You two are the same type of people that fuel the idiotic posts that All brits are loud drunkards, or the Americans step on all people in other countries, or that all Thai ladies are hookers, etc, etc.

Finally, I have never ever had any trouble with the Police here, even long time before I met my (Police) friends.

I have never met any foreigners that personally had to bribe themself out of trouble. Even though I know that happens.

I agree that painting every police officer in Thailand with the same "corruption brush" is ridiculous. Certainly, there are a few that really do take pride in their jobs and don't take many bribes, but be careful about assuming that some are your "friends". I would strongly supect that if it came down to the choice of protecting your butt or making some money from a situation, 99% of Thai cops will opt for the money. These police officers you speak of may be friendly towards you, but that's a lot different than being your friends.

NEVER in 20 tears have i met a traffic cop that wasnt on the take, and thats only the bottom rung of the ladder,.

Interesting! I've been stopped by the police three times while driving. Once was on a motorcycle, and I was guilty of not wearing my helmet. The officer would not take any money but insisted that I go to the station to pay the fine. Another was also while riding a motorbike. This time the officer accused me of driving in the outside lane. I held my ground and explained that I was not in that lane. After he threatened me twice by saying that I'd have to go to the police station, I said, "Fine -- no problem. Give me the ticket and I'll go pay it." He finally gave up and sent me on my way without a ticket or paying him. The last time was while driving a car, and this time I was guilty of letting my tax sticker expire. Once again, the officer refused to take any money on the spot but made me drive to the nearest police station to pay the fine.

I guess it's just luck of the draw, but it's intersting that you've NEVER met an honest Thai traffic cop in 20 years, yet 2 out of 3 I've had encouters with appeared to do the proper thing.

The Thai police are scum, they're no better than the mafia. Find me a good Thai cop and I'll find you a pig with wings. I feel sorry for the poor Thais who are the ones who suffer the worst treatment from those so called police.

No, they are the mafia. I am tired of people referring to them as police. They are simply just criminals who wear uniforms. Nothing more, nothing less.

You 2 are nothing less than 2 morons!

I know several good Police officers in this country.

They live in small 1-room apartments, being too proud to take any bribes, etc.

They really hate what the majority of their colleagues do.

Naturally they will never testify what their colleagues do.

But nevertheless these guys are honest.

Not all are corrupt!!

You two are the same type of people that fuel the idiotic posts that All brits are loud drunkards, or the Americans step on all people in other countries, or that all Thai ladies are hookers, etc, etc.

Finally, I have never ever had any trouble with the Police here, even long time before I met my (Police) friends.

I have never met any foreigners that personally had to bribe themself out of trouble. Even though I know that happens.

I agree that painting every police officer in Thailand with the same "corruption brush" is ridiculous. Certainly, there are a few that really do take pride in their jobs and don't take many bribes, but be careful about assuming that some are your "friends". I would strongly supect that if it came down to the choice of protecting your butt or making some money from a situation, 99% of Thai cops will opt for the money. These police officers you speak of may be friendly towards you, but that's a lot different than being your friends.

I did ask a legit question. The replies were kinda disrespectful. I am in BKK, I dont mind getting to know other people who are not American.Just so happens that Americans tend to bond with Americans rather than,lets say the English.Due to the replies, I am kinda understanding a so called Papirico, why he gets so mad.Am i wrong to think that?.....Let start over, where can you meet nice people in bkk, Americans to South Africans,that are here for good healthy fun, and no BS with bars or bar girls.

Yeah, welcome to TV. You'll quickly learn that there's a core of members here who seem to just sit around all day waiting to jump on people's posts with nasty insulting comments. That's why I don't really take the chance very often of posting anything. It can downright painful. (I read posts here for years before bothering to sign up.)

However, there are also other members who are quite reasonable and share their knowledge of Thailand in a friendly and helpful way. Try to ignore the nasty ones, although I know it's hard not to take snide comments personally.

But, to answer your original question. Check with the expat clubs. They can probably help you out with some good info. There are two expat clubs in Pattaya with their own websites and regular weekly meetings.

I don'y know 9 Karat, but Nirun is a hellhole. Cellblock H is what the locals call it.

Best way to buy any condo IMHO is to go inside and look on their notice board. You will find a few desparate sellers, and will get a feel for the popularity of the area by the number of people selling at discounted prices.

I don't know why anyone would chose to buy a condo in this price range in the current climate. They are mostly studios for which you will pay 700k to 1m. As an example, you could rent a small serviced room for 7k p/m, and after 10 years you will still be in the black, by which time Pattaya will have gone to the dogs.

10 years!!?? Cripes, that already happened years ago.

You said, "I've even said to my wife if he doesn't go then I will...unfair on my wife and younger son for they have done nothing wrong."

I certainly agree that the younger son has done nothing wrong, I but totally disagree that your wife is innocent here. By her coddling the boy and refusing to take any part in disciplining him, she is the main obstacle in getting this kid turned around. I assume many people have indicated that you're nearly powerless in this situation. The kid isn't going to listen to you, and using corporal punishment will only set you up for worse problems.

Unless your wife gets on board and agrees to take strong measures to solve this problem, the situation will only get worse, and you'll likely grow to resent and dislike your home life more and more.

I used to clean my cat.

The cat loved it, but I hated getting that fur all over my tongue. hehehe

It may be a bit of a problem as The Siam Commercial Bank doesn't list it at the "Currency Exchange" page of their website.

If they do accept it, I would guess that the exchange rate will be severely discounted. For example, you can buy Indonesian Rupiah from SCB for 0.0044 baht but they will only give you 0.002 baht if you want to sell it back to them.

You could be better off looking for someone who is going to Vietnam and make a deal with them.

Yeah, right!

I wonder if it will be fueled by that surplus of hot air that comes out of Samak everytime he opens his mouth.

RIP to the little girl and condolences to her parents.

I don't really understand why people think you must have powerful dogs as guard dogs. What you need is noisy dogs. But whatever you have a drug laced piece of meat usually deals with it. In fact the best guard dogs are geese.

This opinion seems reasonable to me. Hopefully people will see the sound logic of your suggestion and think twice before getting notoriously aggressive dogs to help guard their homes.

It's tempting to go into a bit of a tirade about irresponsible dog owners, but I'll forgo that aspect of the story and only express my deepest sympathy for the poor mother who must be absolutely frantic at the loss of her precious and innocent child.

- apparent rise in violent crimes against tourists

- crazy price hikes in some situations like air travel and accomodation

- people drinking in Pattaya (and likely Bangkok) bars being lined up in the street and p*ss tested for drugs

- government push to bring only upscale tourism to a country that cut its tourism teeth with the backpacker type

and on and on and ....

Wonder why?

I wonder if the OP means CONDUIT water, referring to water that would flow from a roof or similar stucture and come down through some PVC piping or something like that.

CONDUIT: a natural or artificial channel through which something (as a fluid) is conveyed.

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF I CAN GO BACK TO THIS IMMIGRATION OFFICER AND GET MY MONEY BACK BY BRINGIN IN THE PROOF THAT I ACTUALLY HAD CHECKED IN?

It sounds like you're in the best position to answer your own question. Why don't you just take the short trip there (as you stated that you're almost within walking distance) and let us know what happened. Go with your lost document and the receipt for the fine then post the results here for us.

I think its pretty rare for anybody to ever refund money here in LOS but what have you got to lose?

I enjoy many sports, but as far as the Olympics go, maybe one or two events are interesting but generally zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......boring

No, you can deal directly with them. From memory there is a subscription form and a contribution form in their web site which you need to complete and post to them (with - I think - a copy of your passport and bank account). Don't bother emailing them about anything - you'll be pushing up daisies before you get a reply. Suggest you complete the form, post and then make a follow-up phone call to ensure they received it.

I don't think I'd want to deal with an international investment firm that never replies to email or puts me in a postition where I have to contact them to confirm they received my money.

Are you serious about ING having such awful customer service?

Given that commodity futures pricing for oil has dropped by about 25% in the last two weeks, from all time highs of about $148 to under $119 today, are prices for gas and diesel dropping by any significant amounts in Thailand? Where I'm at in the US, prices are down from about $4.05 to under $3.70 per gallon, not quite the same 25% drop although that's not entirely unexpected. Has there been similar relief at the pumps or airfares to and from?

I was wondering what people are paying for gasoline in America. If your current price is under $3.70 for regular 91 octane (not gasahol) you can be happy knowing that you pay substantially less than we do in impovershed Thailand -- go figure.

According to my calculations, we pay 37.49 baht per liter (apprx. 35 ounces), so that's around 1.07 baht per ounce. A US gallon is 128 ounces, so in Thai baht it works out to 137 baht per US gallon . Converted at Siam Commercial's rate of 33.44 baht to the US dollar it come to $4.09 per US gallon. (I believe these figures are correct, but I'm not a math wizard by any means.)

i guess it's true that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Now I can see why.

I've always heard the following expression in regard to proper eating habits:

"Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper."

Of course it means that your biggest meal of the day should be breakfast, lunch the second largest, and dinner the smallest.

This makes perfect sense as eating our largest meal of the day in the morning gives us the rest of the day to work it off. Unfortunately, many of us do it opposite to this and consume our largest meal in the evening when we are least active -- sitting around watching TV or something equally non-active.

Lots of sources out there that put this in the urban legend category. Here's one:

Study

The notion that you can "work off" your food intake is greatly exaggerated.

Thanks for the link. I'm always interested in other opinions. Unfortunately, I don't know how much faith I can put in this study because it states:

"Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University in the United States carried out tests on 47 female monkeys..."

We aren't monkeys and we're not all female. Are there no studies around that use a decent cross section of HUMANS -- varying ages, lifestyles, etc.? I'm a bit confused as to why you would offer this as evidence (with no humans involved) when according to you "There are lots of sources out there that put this in the urban legend category". Why choose one that uses monkeys instead of people?

The largest meal in the morning with smaller meals to follow thoughout the day works for me and makes sense. But I'm quite open alternative views -- just give me some studies to consider that involve HUMANS.

jaansinatra, I can only think that you enjoy finding something to get p*ssed off about.

Perhaps it would be better for everybody and especially you if you didn't give that petrol station any business. Don't play silly games with the attendants there. Instead, tell any people that will listen to you about what goes on at the pumps. Hopefully those people will not use this station, and you can take satisfaction in knowing that you are potentially costing them business. Continue to write letters to the parent company and perhaps the problem will be taken care of internally.

I'm not saying this to be critical, but if I were in your situation, I think I'd feel a bit embarassed knowing that I'm likely nothing more than a source of entertainment for those petrol jockeys. They are probably at the point now where they get thrill when they see you drive in, confident that they can easily rattle your cage.

Mods, sorry if this is in the wrong place, but it is the most frequently read!

My daughter is almost 12 months old. If i were in the UK she wold now get her MMR jab. I live in Trang where it seems it is unheard of. Can i get this jab for her in Thailand (BKK maybe) and is it as safe as the UK/States etc. Thanks in anticipation.

MMR vaccine most certainly is available all over Thailand--you will find a local paediatric clinic in Trang with it--if, as I was, you are wary like the other posters--my advice, and the recommendation of other countries [Japan, for instance] would be to delay the first jab until your little one's immune system has got a bit stronger--he/she will already have had quite a few vaccines from birth, already--I held off until my daughter was 3 years old--obviously keep him/her away from anyone with Measles, Mumps or Rubella.

I, too, was very anti this particular vaccine and was influenced, to a large extent, by a lobby group in UK which was peddling scare stories about the MMR jab and links to autism etc...these, and the G.P. involved, have since been disproved and discredited.

My advice, as I say, give the vacc. but delay for a year or 2.

It would be interesting to see by whom the G.P. was "disproved and discredited". I wouldn't be at all surprised if the pharmaceutical industry had a heavy hand in that.

I have already stated that I, too, like yourself WAS against this but have since changed my opinion. Whilst I believe that everyone has a right to their own opinion I would be very wary of giving people advice that could, possibly, impact on their child's health negatively--by all means practise your own beliefs on your child; I refer you to the post from Chiangmaibruce--I suppose he works for the 'Big Pharm'??

Certainly nobody should base a health-related decision soley on the opinions of people who post in a forum -- any forum, especially when that person is making a serious choice for a child. We have heard from people who feel vaccines are safe and benificial and from those who feel they are not. That's the great thing about forums -- people can offer their opinions so others can have more information to use when making a decision.

I think only the most naive would completely trust the pharmaceutical industry, and I have strong feelings about that. I also think it's very naive to believe "official" looking reports, as mainstream media is controlled by business intersts.

Hopefully, this type of discussion will make the OP aware that the decision he or she must make is a serious one -- one that should be researched.

actually, the above comment Ive posted is something Id like all farang guys to consider. Ive seen so many threads on TV over the years...how much should I give, should I or should I not.

I think in every case the above sentiment applies. the amount of it will vary depending on how much you earn, how much you want to give

but the principle should be the same I think....

Right, ok, those of you with the same sentiment: NEVER forget you bought your wife. And as long as you keep making your payments on time her family would never let her leave you, after all you are a GOOD CUSTOMER.

<deleted>. We send 5k per month usually. Thai GF and me both work so both contribute to our family income. Mother in law has no income, husband has died and 5k is nearly what I spend on ciggies a month so I don't think it's unreasonable for my MOTHER IN LAWS total monthly income. If you resent it it will never work though. My gf gets pissed off when mother in law plays the lotto.... I tell mother in law to enjoy herself - it's her money she can do what she wants with it!

Who knows - fingers crossed our kid will pay attention for when we're old.

By the way - I would never pay any sort of dowry.

Wow 5k a month on cigarettes works out to 80 packs if you're buying the more expensive ones (like Marlboro). That means you're smoking close to 3 packs a day, and I'm sorry to say it but at that rate you won't likely be around for long. If you love your wife and her family you'd better start giving them around 50k amonth because...need I say it.

Mods, sorry if this is in the wrong place, but it is the most frequently read!

My daughter is almost 12 months old. If i were in the UK she wold now get her MMR jab. I live in Trang where it seems it is unheard of. Can i get this jab for her in Thailand (BKK maybe) and is it as safe as the UK/States etc. Thanks in anticipation.

MMR vaccine most certainly is available all over Thailand--you will find a local paediatric clinic in Trang with it--if, as I was, you are wary like the other posters--my advice, and the recommendation of other countries [Japan, for instance] would be to delay the first jab until your little one's immune system has got a bit stronger--he/she will already have had quite a few vaccines from birth, already--I held off until my daughter was 3 years old--obviously keep him/her away from anyone with Measles, Mumps or Rubella.

I, too, was very anti this particular vaccine and was influenced, to a large extent, by a lobby group in UK which was peddling scare stories about the MMR jab and links to autism etc...these, and the G.P. involved, have since been disproved and discredited.

My advice, as I say, give the vacc. but delay for a year or 2.

It would be interesting to see by whom the G.P. was "disproved and discredited". I wouldn't be at all surprised if the pharmaceutical industry had a heavy hand in that.

I've always heard the following expression in regard to proper eating habits:

"Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper."

Of course it means that your biggest meal of the day should be breakfast, lunch the second largest, and dinner the smallest.

This makes perfect sense as eating our largest meal of the day in the morning gives us the rest of the day to work it off. Unfortunately, many of us do it opposite to this and consume our largest meal in the evening when we are least active -- sitting around watching TV or something equally non-active.

The only safe vaccine is no vaccine. A billion dollar fraud that injects mercry and aspartame, neurotoxic preservatives, into newly developng neuronal systems. Also a great way to spread the Aids virus. (populaton control) aka Brazil, Congo etc where pre-sexual activity age, pre drug use age youngsters, who received the small pox vaccines, became Aids infected. Save your childs future health and stay away from money grabbing, inhumane mainstrem medicine/Big Pharma profiteering. No needle goes anywhere near my son. If I need a vaccine to visit a certain, country, I dont visit.

I agree!