floridaguy

I drink ice in my beer for 2 good reasons (in my mind) and not just because "when in Rome, do as Romans"

1. It keeps it cold. I also don't drink it fast enough, and I can't tolerate warm beer.

2. It waters it down. I drink enough of the stuff, I don't want to get too drunk too fast. There was a little trick back in the US that if you didn't want to get drunk, drink a glass of water for every bottle of beer you drink. The melted ice keeps me hydrated, which lessons my hangover.

I take alot of sh1t from my friends in the US, until they come here and experience the heat, then a beer with ice that stays cold isn't so bad. I guarantee they would never admit to it, and switch right back to no ice when they get home.

Cheers!

I can not listen to many of my favorite stations from the US, but I can listen to them through iHeart radio on my iPhone. On the pc, it knows I am out of the country, but it does not pick that up from the phone. I don't know about Nokia's though, I don't know if it available on them.

As a luk krueng, when I lived in the US, I would never had dreamed of trying to speak Thai to anyone there. I grew up there, and have an American accent, but I was often told to go "back to FILL IN THE BLANK WITH COUNTRY OF CHOICE" based only on the way I looked.

I wouldn't dream of living here and not learning the language, or any country for that matter. We are not here as conquerors, bending the local culture and language to our needs. If you live here, you owe it to your host country to learn the language. How would you react if you were in your country and someone became upset because you didn't understand them speaking in some other language? The only official language of Thailand is Thai. If you live here, learn it.

I may be coming off as harsh, but I never get angry at someone who doesn't understand my often off-tonal Thai. That is my problem, not theirs.

Welcome to the jungle. Please grow some thick skin or you may find yourself "stung" from time to time.

Seriously though, welcome. Hope we can help. Most of us live here in Thailand because we love it also.

Probably the auto section in China town. There are great finds there if you aren't afraid to poke around. But as said, I would just ask a Tuk Tuk driver.

This has been answered here already. Do a search for auto parts or something like that and it will come up. I believe there are a couple under the overpass on Rama 4 just past the Tawan Daeng German brewery, but don't take my word for it.

If you use Microsoft Office Outlook, then sync it with that, then import those over to the other phone. You can do the same with Gmail contacts. I use Gmail because Outlook never seemed to work reliably. Sync it through iTunes. You can choose to merge or replace the contacts on your phone to your Gmail contacts. I merged, then went into Gmail contacts and cleaned everything up, removed duplicates, fixed names, etc. Then when I synced again, I replaced everything on my iPhone. Now everytime I sync, I have a perfectly merged contact database.

Dr Bike Bangkok and DBigBike in Nakon Pathom would both have them. They specialize in cruisers.

I had that problem last year. I went to settings and turned on and off 3G. This seemed to reset it and it works. Even though I can't connect to 3G, having that setting enabled seems to allow me to connect to the Edge network.

I went there last year. I am not a Beatles fan, but I thought that they did a great imitation of the Beatles. It sounded just like the Beatles to me. Very lively and it was a good show.

The old 'Thai Limo' service at Don Muang has been replaced by AOT at Suvarnabhumi.

While you are waiting for your bags on the carousel, look for the blue AOT Limo booking desks where you tell them your destination, select a car, pay the money and get a 2-part receipt. Once you have your bags, proceed through the exit and the AOT Limo pick-up desks are right there where they will take your receipt, assign a free porter for your bags and walk you to your car. They give you back one part of the receipt and I always tip the lads for carrying the bags.

The prices are higher than you will remember but for fast, efficient and friendly service and a trip in a clean, well maintained car to your destination, they are hard to beat.

Have a safe trip!

Follow the signs for the taxi stand as you exit customs. Once you exit the airport, look for the line of people and a taxi stand. head to the stand, tell the person where you are going, and they will give you a slip of paper and tell you to wait. Once it is your turn (I have never waited more than 5 minutes) you will give your slip to a taxi driver who will load your luggage and take you wherever you want. They always use the meter, the taxi drivers name is on the slip, and there is a phone number if you want to make a complaint. You do pay an extra 50 baht for the peace of mind of not being cheated. These are licensed taxi drivers, who are approved to offer this service. If they get complaints, they are fined and cannot pick up fares at the airport for a period of time. I live in Bangkok and drive it daily. I know how to get around. I have never had one of these taxis go a long winding route to my destination, or take a wrong turn or any of that non-sense.

This is a normal taxi service, so don't expect a Camry or Mercedes, but expect fair service. The other taxi drivers trying to hail you are crooks. Avoid them.

If you want better cars, go to AOT and arrange an AOT limo.

Rent from a big company. I have rented a dozen or so cars in Thailand over the last couple of years for both personal and company reasons. Never a problem. I have rented from Avis, Budget, and many local companies. For the peace of mind, rent from Budget or Avis. Budget will even pick you up and pick up the car for free when you are done as long as you are close to a Budget office. This was great, as they would drop the car off to my office, and pick it up at the office as well. Deposit is normally 20,000 baht, they put a hold on your credit card and remove it after you return the car. Just a few tips:

1. When picking up the car, point out every nick, dent, scratch, or mark on the car during your inspection with them. I don't care how small or where. I have had them try to charge me for damage that was there when I picked up the car. If you are really concerned, take photos, although I would not go that far.

2. Get insurance, it only costs I think 100 baht a day, but you will only regret it if you don't get it and need it.

3. Gas it up before returning it, they do charge alot for any gas they have to put it to fill it up. They could tell if it had been driven any more than say 20-30 kilometers since the last fill up.

4. If you have to drop off or pick up very early/late, take it to Suvarnabhumi, they rent/accept cars 24 hours a day. I have dropped off any time from midnight to 4AM there, and was able to avoid paying for a partial additional day.

5. You can reserve online, I like Budget and Avis equally for that, but only Budget drops off an picks up. Print the price when you reserve, I have had EVERY company try to switch the car/price when I picked up the car.

Other than that, who cars if the car is stolen if you have insurance. If you get in an accident, take a photo of the other guys license plate and then call the insurance company 24 hours a day. Don't pay the other driver a single baht. Let the insurance work it out.

I thought that a Thai drivers license WAS the ASEAN license, in the sense that a Thai drivers license was an acceptable license to drive in ASEAN countries. It goes both ways. A Vietnam license is acceptable here, etc etc. I may be wrong...

You can have dual.

I'm still open to be told I'm wrong, but I thought that "officially", you should choose one or the other at age 20? ie up to 20, they'd allow a person to have dual, but after 20, you make your choice.

(Clearly, I do know that's it's not actively enforced.)

It is not enforced. I keep both American and Thai passports, show both at immigration. They hassle me, but only because my Thai passport doesn't have a departure stamp from the US when arriving in BKK.

They are out, and it is first come first serve. Good luck. I have been trying various shops since the release, no luck. I even got on the waiting list before the release, no luck.

The Meeting Point is still in the same place as always (inside door 3), meet there it's well signposted from the exit from customs.

Just get mom to turn right as she comes out and walk straight (inside the terminal) she can't miss it.

IIRC you can wait about halfway down the terminal and watch all the arrivals heading for the exit, you may be able to catch her before she gets to the meeting point.

If you stand at the Meeting point, there are 2 sets of monitors where you can watch passengers as they walk out of the passenger area.

this is all things you learn the first 5 minutes of driving either front or rear wheel drive vehicles in a Michigan winter. both have advantages and disadvantages. for the most part, front wheel drive is better in slippery conditions, because the engine gives more weight for the wheels to dig in. but, then rear wheel drive can some times be easier to control in a skid situation, because you can use the spin of the rear wheels to assist in steering. basically, front drive is better until your are sliding, then rear wheel drive is better. sounds weird, but once you get the hang of it it is easy. the best option is 4 wheel drive. i never drove a winter without have a 4 wheel available to me. i usually owned my summer sports car and an suv. i would drive it on the really bad snow and ice days.

You have packed more common sense and good advice in here than the author (quoted by the OP) does in thousands of words.

Anyone who explores this topic as an alleged expert WITHOUT mentioning the life-saving advantages of de-clutching in a skidding emergency (or knocking an auto trans into N), nor the use of the handbrake to steer a front drive car, cannot be taken seriously.

The latter depends on the handbrake acting on the rear wheels, of course, unlike some Saabs and other cars. Not for nothing do rally drivers call it the "pull to turn" lever.

Anyone wishing to be safe in Thailand's rainy season (or simply rounding a bend in the dry behind a truck that's spilling diesel!) needs to know what to do.

In the absence of the 'snow and ice car park' of Michigan or Manchester, to practice, find a smooth field of short grass (no hidden holes or ditches), try a few slaloms and begin to develop a feel for it.

Or under 1,000b spent on Paul Frere's excellent, seminal book on sports car driving (Amazon) could also save your life and those of your loved ones.

That is true about the wet grass, you can almost recreate the same effect as icy/slippery roads. The problem I see is the type of grass. I mostly see the scrub grass, very coarse and also sparse, with dirt patches showing. If you could find a good solid patch of dense short grass and wet it down quite a bit, it would work. And be great fun too!

SCITECH

X-RAY VANS: Security Measure, or Invasion of Privacy?

By Diane Macedo

Published October 22, 2010

| FoxNews.com

I just read this on Fox News today, which I don't normally read, as they tend to over sensationalize everything. But I found this interesting. An van equipped with x-ray equipment that can scan through other vehicles. I wonder what the Royal Thai Police is doing with this van?

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/10/19/x-ray-vans-security-measure-invasion-privacy/

I was wondering as well. Great thread, for once a good hearted thread, with people jumping in to help with no negative comments. I loved the detective side of the story, but am also interested in knowing if the OP was able to help his friend.

this is all things you learn the first 5 minutes of driving either front or rear wheel drive vehicles in a Michigan winter. both have advantages and disadvantages. for the most part, front wheel drive is better in slippery conditions, because the engine gives more weight for the wheels to dig in. but, then rear wheel drive can some times be easier to control in a skid situation, because you can use the spin of the rear wheels to assist in steering. basically, front drive is better until your are sliding, then rear wheel drive is better. sounds weird, but once you get the hang of it it is easy. the best option is 4 wheel drive. i never drove a winter without have a 4 wheel available to me. i usually owned my summer sports car and an suv. i would drive it on the really bad snow and ice days.

Also look at the typical traditional Thai house design. It is constructed on supports that raise the house up approximately 2.5 meters off the ground. One of the main reasons for this flooding. This idea has carried over to new western designed house building as most new homes are of the two story design. the thought is you always can go to the 2nd floor because of flooding. If you look at the devastation of the communities around Korat due to flooding at the moment you would understand better why we do not have basements in Thailand.

There are many regions of Thailand that differ from the others. The mountainous regions around northern Thailand, such as Chiang Mai, and some regions even in Nakon Ratchasima. Those areas are elevated and well above the water table. Those houses that are flooded out in Korat are due to most houses and communities are farming communities which build around water, such as the river. They rely on farming for their survival and livelihood. I believe there are no basements because of several factors, the raining and low ground around farming communities, and also that basements are more a western construct and have not been brought over here.

I like the idea of a basement or split level walkout for the same reason most people like multi-level houses, and that is to maximize your living space in the confines of your house footprint. Basements serve another purpose that would be very useful for Thailand's heat and that is to provide a place of coolness during hot days. The temperature in basements can be 10 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. This amounts to free air-conditional, saving energy and costs.

The history of basement/cellar building in the US is more than just storage of veggies and pool tables. Without doing any research and just talking from my own "local" knowledge from living most of my life in and around the northern climates of the US.

Basements came in to popularity I think yes from the need for root cellars but also because in the more northern climates and the introduction of modern building codes the need for a footing/foundation that was impervious to the heavy ground freeze/thaw cycles and preventing a foundation from "heaving". You will not normally see basements in dwellings in the southern and western parts of the US mainly due to building codes not requiring the footings to be as deep as in the north.

The builders took advantage of this now required hole in the ground and for a few extra bucks back in the old days added a couple more feet in height and created another usable space for furnaces and other needs. The added expense to the house construction was not that big in the days when costs were not too high. Dating myself I can clearly remember back in the late forties and early fifties the houses we lived in had basements but were very low by today's standards. But this area became the playground, laundry, canned goods storage and furnace area and winter time work space for the DIY'r.

I would say you don't see basements here for a couple of reasons. One already said is the high water table and the other is most obvious the cost to build such an area. Generally Thai houses were built on stilts above the ground to protect the furnishings from water damage and the occupants from all the creepy crawlies and other things. Much cheaper & easier to build up.

Just a few observations and as said this is IMHO.

I was simplifying the purpose of the basement. I too grew up in the northern part of the US. I lived in Michigan for 35 years, and most houses had basements, with the majority of those finished.

I am debating whether to buy or build next year, and have a question about basements. In most of the United States, most homes have basements. Goes back to storing canned and cured foods during the winters. Now we like to call it a mancave and put our pool tables, home theater systems, dart boards, stocked bars, and such down there and the men like to hang out and we usually put the laundry room there to get that eyesore out of the way of the public areas of the house.

I have yet to see one here. I understand that the raining is a big factor, along with where the house is. But do any of you have a basement? How did you have it built, or did it come that way? Was it hard to find a contractor or supplier to do it? Do you have moisture/flooding/mold/mildew/vermin problems?

In post 1 the term 'Mercan accent' was mentioned. What is that?

"Live to ride, ride to live" doesn't mention any particular brand!

I think the OP's hate of all things Harley includes the country where they originate, America, hence the "Mercan" or American accent.

only place it will affect is the thai barscene. ive already noticed fairer eyes among those available for in room chatting.

one would think these luk kruengs are from dysfunctional relationships between you know and dodgy farangs!

This is one of the worst comments I have seen, even on TV. It sounds like you hang out at the kind of places that the dodgy farangs do, so what does that make you? Stay in your world of endless bargirls and Leo beers for breakfast.

I am a luk krueng. My parents had a "normally" dysfunctional American relationship, typical for the middle class family that we were. I have never seen a luk krueng working in any bar, unless they were the owner.