chalks

I do have to question the 'ten' fire engines though, as all newspaper pre-posts I have seen, and news coverage shows only one single ladder fender, and 2 squirters getting ready for Song Khran...

What I didn't see was an engine capable of drenching the 12th/11th floors to contain the fire to floors.

Did the firefighters have the proper equipment as well as fire resistant asbestos coveralls, boots, jackets, gloves, helmets?

From the photos, it is apparent that a lot of glass windows were blown out from the heat on other floors.

I didn't count but there could have easily been 10 firetrucks backed up along Asoke in both directions, as well as various rescue services trucks and pickups. I passed some firetrucks that were filling up with water so I assume they were helping keep the two trucks with the tall ladders supplied.

I saw lots of firefighters wearing what looked to me to be the correct equipment. Also some not wearing helmets while on the street and a lot in normal uniforms, but they were obviously not the ones going inside. I also saw quite a few sitting on the road obviously recovering from being inside, wearing or taking off what looked like the correct equipment.

Whatever windows were not taken out by the fire, the high pressure hoses from the two trucks that could reach that high punched out all the rest from the 9th floor up. That said, they couldn't reach too far to the back of the building from the street so they couldn't get all angles.

If your 12th floor school had north-facing windows... sorry, it's gone.

Is Bquick usually more expensive than small shops ?

I had to change the battery in my just over 3 years old Mazda 3 2.0L a couple of weeks ago. My usual Mazda service center said they charge 3200 for a new battery and I'd be better off finding a local shop that would be much cheaper, and offer a 500b refund for the old battery too.

I went to B-Quik, and since I was down to needing a jumpstart to get going (usually only drive to go on holiday or visit future parents in law so I often go weeks without using it), I didn't have much choice when they said they would charge 3290 for a new battery (65 on whatever rating scale they use), and that's after the 500b discount for exchanging the old battery.

So either they ripped me off on the battery price, or they ripped me off on the battery rating. Either way, yes, B-Quik is probably more expensive, better if you can find a local shop.

I see ambulances stuck all the time on the highway exit near my home, flashing their lights with the police controlling the highway exit oblivious or uncaring. I dread the time I ever need an ambulance and find myself stuck in the same situation...

The last time I followed an ambulance on the highway, it came up behind me in traffic so I let it pass; followed it for a while then decided it was going too slow and passed it and never saw it again. For the time I was following it, it didn't seem like anyone else had any respect for it, but what do you expect when most drivers don't have any formal driving education? At least it was going faster than most of the traffic.

A while ago there was a news story about a car following ("drafting") a police convoy - there was a huge manhunt to find out who the potential terrorist/whatever was only to find it was some ordinary woman who thought following the convoy would be a quicker way to get home

In any case, I have resolved to go see this place again ASAP. Maybe this weekend. So this thread had a positive impact after all :-) Maybe I'll get the Thai price, or maybe I'll have to show them my driving license, work permit, or a report of how much bloody tax I've paid this year and how it's more money than they've ever seen in their life. I'll let you know how it goes.

A few months ago I was going to the cinema more than often and flashing up in a variety of different films was the number 32 I think. It was written in quite a scary font (kinda like scratched in)

I thought this was just a marking code so they can find which area it was pirated from, should someone be taping in the cinema. Usually I see "E 16" or similar...

Hurray!!

Villa Market Sukhumvit Soi 11 is now stocking Liddells Lactose Free Milk, both full fat and low fat varieties, although I just put a large dent in their stock of the low fat variety

A few weeks ago they were out of stock, but I found the price tag on the shelf and talked to the manager who told me that soi 49 also stocks it but was also out. It seems that Ploenchit does not stock it yet which is a shame as it's the only one within walking distance for me.

Sorry to revive an old thread, but thought some people might be interested to know that I found real lactose-free milk in Villa Market Hua-Hin on the weekend!

It's Liddels Low Fat Lactose Free Milk, just like I used to drink in Melbourne. At 120 baht per litre, it's quite a bit more expensive than the ~70baht equivalent it costs in Australia, but I'll happily pay the price to be able to drink milk again.

http://www.liddells....-milks/low-fat/

I only bought a couple of boxes, but was thinking today that I should have found who their distributor is and whether they deliver to anywhere in Bangkok. I might check out a few other Villa markets in Bangkok, as the Phloenchit one doesn't have it. Failing that I'll have to drive back to Hua Hin and buy out all their stock - it's long life milk so it'll keep.

I noticed today that they had an Australian brand of Lactose free milk in Carrefour on Rama 4, sorry I can't remember the brand name.

It's in the 'farang food' isle with the organic items. I think it was about 80 baht a litre.

The one I used to buy was "Liddels". If you're right then you just made my decade! I've not been able to drink milk for nearly 4 years!

Yes, i like for normal Milk that is lactose free. I cant stand soy milk and all the other "fake" milks.

Ill try gourmet market - hopefully i find it there.

Bear brand sold in cans are lactose free. Can be found in any major supermarket.

Is "Bear Brand": milk, milk powder, or a milk alternative such as soy milk?

Like the above poster, I cannot stand soy milk, rice milk, or oat milk. I am lactose intolerant, but I would rather go without than drink cardboard (soy) or expensive water (rice/oat). I miss having cereal! I eat cheese every now and then purely for the calcium - I don't like the fat, but there is not much lactose in hard cheeses so it's ok in moderation.

I'm thinking to get my parents to send over some lactase enzyme - I'm not desperate but I definitely miss milk.

As mentioned above, lactase is a simple and cheap enzyme added to milk to convert the lactose to simpler, digestable sugars. Why it is not possible to find in thailand I have no idea, given than lactose free milk (milk + lactase) was cheap and very popular in Melbourne (based on how quickly it went from fully stocked to sold out in my local supermarket) and the rumour/fact that many asians are lactose intolerant.... anyone want to start an import business?? I'd be your best customer :-)

Silly question, but... where do I find the nearest petrol station (gas station?) that sells non-gasohol fuel?

I notice from this link that ULG 95 is twice the price of E85, but really I don't care... I drive 1-2 times week so enjoyment is more important for me than baht! Back in Oz I always filled my old car with 98 octane fuel for the (slim but evident) performance benefits but didn't find anything similar here yet.

I live lower sukhumvit, so anywhere within reasonable driving range is fine, as long as it doesn't involve Asoke - used to live there - will never forget the insanely stupid traffic jams.

Surely there must be somewhere that sells decent fuel?

Does anyone know where to get a good offer?

I'll probably wander down and see how special the special promotions are here:

http://www.windows7thailand.com/campaign/opening/main.html

It's in Thai but it says next weekend, ground floor, Siam Paragon, special price. Noticed lots of advertising around the BTS lately...

I did not really understand your description, but anyway. A crash is always "fun" to see (but not to be in), but to quote another forum "pics or it didn't happen."

Today I saw a thai guy being beat up by 2 other guys on a motorcy. Apparently a bit of gang warfare that ended in blood but nothing serious, luckily. No pics sorry, was too busy laughing - I thought they were play fighting at first until I realized the kicks to the head were seriously intended, though delivered with flip flops so a bit lacking in conviction.

TIT

I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to, but perhaps it is this...

Thailand has a law that all internet users must be registered with ID and all traffic logged and tracked to that ID. For tourists this means passport. Whether there is a charge beyond that is up to the internet provider (coffee shop or whatever). There is a hefty fine attached for non-compliance, as it is designed to allow the police to track down terrorists and other nefarious perpetrators. If I remember correctly it is of the order of 500,000 baht plus jail time!

As of a year ago most internet cafe owners in Khao San were completely unaware of the law and giving access without registration. If this has changed since then then I'm surprised... it requires a substantial investment beyond the usual adsl+wifi setup to have that kind of traffic logging and tracking.

But as the above poster mentioned, perhaps you're just expecting someone else to pay for your internet without even registering, and nobody (except Coffee World) is willing to break the law to do that for you? Even with registration, a business internet package is pretty expensive here and with a lot of businesses going under or expecting to go under in the next few months it would be a tough decision for a business owner to offer free internet. (rents in Khao San are ridiculously high, so most businesses still make a loss in a "normal" low season, never mind a low low season like this. OTOH, good time to buy in a few months if you're optimistic)

(PS: that law is exactly why my company has no internet access points in Thailand, and why connecting through VPN is so painful for me to use every day)

A bit like number portability, which I've been waiting for for 3 years now. Maybe sometime next decade.

Lactose free milk, or even lactase enzyme to make my own. After 3 years of not drinking milk I'm starting to worry about my bones!

My last visit to the Banyan Tree Rooftop was in the spring of 07

Is that northern hemisphere spring or southern hemisphere spring? Because Thailand does not have a spring...

The Thai tax year follows the calendar year. You would have been working about 5 months in 2008, which means even though your salary is high, for all of 2008 your total income is relatively low and taxed similarly. Unlike places like Australia which withhold tax on a monthly basis regardless of whether or not you had the same salary for the rest of the year, Thai companies can withhold tax based on what they calculate you will actually need to pay. I myself started in August (a few years ago) and my withholding tax was very low for the months in that year. Come January it shot up rather disappointingly as now they calculate tax on the full year's salary :-(

The tax return is due end of March or something. First time I think I was due a refund but since it was measured in satang I never collected!

Unless you signed a contract with an exact end date, and probably even then (see disclaimer), they will since January be deducting tax as if you will get the same salary all year. Should you stop earning before the end of the year you should be able to claim some tax back, but you will have to wait until March 2010 to do so, so sort out an accountant before you leave!

Since you are earning a big salary you are probably in a big company which means they will probably help you with your tax. For us they set up the accountants in a common room and everyone files through over a week - takes me less than 5 minutes, but then my tax situation is quite simple (just salary, nothing unusual worth deducting).

hitthegroundrunning: google "income tax thailand" and the first page is from the government. It's 150,000 per year, not per month. Sorry champ!

Disclaimer: I am not an accountant, lawyer, or even very good with money. Just reporting on my experience.

PS: Sorry for re-re-opening this twice-dead thread :-)

whyy koh samet - because if u look - u can still find a good beach with nice sand and very few people and contrary to what some will say - very reasonably priced compared to the other beaches AND it is only 3 to 3.5 hours by bus from bangers or if u take a taxi 2 to 2,5 hours then speedboat - 10 minutes to ur personal beach of choice.

Last time I drove back from Koh Samet it took me less than 1.5 hrs! Some taxis will drive that fast but you probably wouldn't want to risk it... hehe.

I believe there are some cheap guesthouses on the island that would be close to the price range for a whole month stay. Not one bedroom or internet, but that's what internet cafes are for!

Koh Samet has my favourite beaches this side of Koh Tao, and the nightlife is fun too. Also great fun racing my gf on rented quadbikes (ATVs) around the island, just gotta be careful on the way home at 3am

Also I don't understand the combination of 2hrs travel and an apartment? If you want to stay on a beach, why would you go to Bangkok? If you can relax the time constraint, Koh Tao is by night bus, leave BKK 9pm and arrive ~7am. Possible day trips from Koh Tao include Koh Phangan (full moon party), Koh Samui and the Ang Tong marine park. Speaking of Phangan, they had 50,000 tourists on NYE which means there are a lot of rooms available for bargaining the rest of the year!

I concur; Bamrungrad is a professionally-staffed hospital if not a profit-driven one.

Concur x2. Bumrungrad is profit driven, but they're not stupid. All their doctors' credentials are on their website, and they were the first Asian hospital to achieve JCI accreditation. I have been there with everyday problems like fever etc. and been prescribed expensive medicines I can get at the pharmacy next door much cheaper - hint: you can have meds taken off your bill. However they have earned such a good international reputation for medical tourism by being good at the more complex stuff, which includes good doctors!

As a price point, I had a checkup (blood, urine, chest X-Ray, vision) for 4,000 there at their new check-up center. In and out in a couple of hours, everything on the same floor with friendly staff leading me to the different checkpoints. X-Rays are digital, lab results straight into the computer system, the doc gets the results from everything instantly on his PC - I asked about that. Their computer system is also integrated with their Pharmacy and their accounting, so you pay your bill and get your drugs on the way out the door! I've heard in the US it can take days or weeks to get your bill, and I have a really hard time understanding how a system could be so bad!

All that said, I've heard Bumrungrad is comparable in cost to other "good" hospitals in Bangkok like Phaya Thai and Bangkok Hospital (it is the closest for me so no reason to venture). I did go to the cheaper Police Hospital(?) once and I definitely needed my "translator"! but it was cheap. And nasty. Back to Bumrungrad ever since. I've also been to small hospitals in Pai and Krabi and their English was sketchy and their service terrible - both times I had to wait many hours, and although they spoke English it wasn't very good. But at least they were extremely cheap. We're talking 2-300฿ including meds, although it did take most of the day both times.

Final points - Bumrungrad has accomodation (read: hotel) on-site which may be handy, and many other hotels nearby. They are on Sukhumvit Soi 3 with a side entrance on Soi 1 - a favourite rat-run for taxi drivers. Also means you can get in from either direction from Sukhumvit (Soi 3 is one way).

The unanswered question remains: have you been here before? It's not clear from your post, but I suspect not.

I just turned 29 and have been here for 2 years. I have a professional job paying more than back home in a multi-national company, such that if I ever leave (no plans to) it would not affect my career. The first time I ever came to Thailand was for the interview, after glowing reviews from a friend who moved here to work in the same company. You don't mention what your career is, but be careful coming here is not a one-way ticket.

There are plenty of young people here (no numbers, sorry), but a lot of them are here for a short time (months to years) just to experience a different culture as young people do, so friends come and go. I have met a lot of great people however and keep in touch with most of them...

As for girls... 1. There are lots of prostitutes, and girls who otherwise will "love" you for your money (as with anywhere in the world, but easier to find here). 2. There are a lot of guys going for them. 3. Most of them are tourists. 4. There is lots of innuendo about 1-3 on thaivisa and other sites. Ignore it. 5. There are many guys here who would never touch a prostitute, but they are underrepresented as they don't go around blogging about it. 6. Plenty of "normal" girls are interested in westerners (many girls are disinterested in or actively "hate" westerners, but there is a plentiful middle ground). 7. Yes you will need to try almost as hard for the "normal" girls as you would back home, and that includes finding ways to meet them with all the barriers you mentioned. I know a lot of guys who met their gfs/wives through friend of a friend type deals, just like back home. Except the girls here are more beautiful :-)

For your cultural questions, that all depends on you. Learning the Thai language is a great help if you want to live here, although many expats get by speaking very little. If you do it rights it's also a great way to meet people. The Thais are generally great people, have a rich culture, and great food.

A bloke is murdered in broad daylight at Ekamai and it's of no interest to the 2 English dailies.

Amazing Thailand

Amazing Thailand indeed. They don't want to scare off the tourists (the few still coming into Bangkok. Apparently Phuket is busy).

Once I was having dinner with a Thai friend, and her phone rang. This was back when I didn't understand much Thai. Conversation ended, and she summarized it as "oh, my friend just killed his girlfriend and her lover because he caught them in bed. But it's okay, he will pay the police." Took a while for that to sink in, but I'm still here... wasn't there a thread about "you've been in thailand too long when..." ???

A friend (uni educated) who was at the rally today took home the remnants of a "tear gas" grenade. She says it was modified to contain explosives and glass shards. That would explain the unusual casualties, considering that "tear gas" does not usually maim! As to why the police would do that I have no idea.

I had to fight with my girlfriend (engineering degree, runs her own business) today to not go, but she is set on going tomorrow to join her friend who is a nurse and came here from Chon Buri at her own expense, another who is a uni teacher in BKK, etc... Will continue to fight that battle tomorrow...

Several of my Thai colleagues at work (international corporation, many with overseas degrees and all perfect English) have friends there and are considering going.

Apparently some people are paid to go from the provinces - no doubt this is true. However there are a lot of people who hate the current (and past) government and their corruption who go at their own expense. Sure they may be fighting alongside the lesser of two evils - a non-elected government is "democracy"? i.e. Sondhi and his agenda - but they are certain what they are fighting against which I can only applaud them for.

(Just providing some more perspective... I have opinions I could add but that would be spitting in the fire so I tried to edit them all out)

Must be more to the story. a foreigner to receive a beating at 10am in the morning for no reason at all on sukhumvit road at that time...is quite frankly unheard of. You must have upset someone very very badly for them to risk such an attack. I have never heard of such a mugging attempt for a bit of cash and visa card at the busiest time of the day on sukhumvit.

Someone once attempted to mug my girlfriend at Nana BTS at around 10am. Luckily she held onto her laptop bag long enough for assailant to give up and flee. One of the many reasons I moved away from that area - don't want to go down for beating him into a pulp should she ever point him out!

Surprising they left your phone - normally that's the first to go! One friend had 3 phones stolen in a year - he even took to adding velcro to all his pant pockets!

Getting back on topic, apparently many tourists are going to the demonstrations to take photos and buy the T-shirts, so no worries from the PAD side. Even when their colleagues blocked the airports I didn't read about any violence (not counting property damage). I'd stay well away from any pro-government groups though - they always seem to be violent. I drive past PAD's demonstration site frequently and never any problems except sometimes police cars blocking one lane.

I voted Yes to support PAD.

As previous posters have mentioned the current government is not legitimate. They bought their votes, as proven by court. The majority of Thais still voted against them by a narrow margin, but they won because of how the votes are aggregated into seats. They got the most seats in the north-east, widely regarded as the most poor and uneducated area of Thailand. Why the least educated area has the most seats, which means voting power, I do not know. Samak seems too busy trying to save himself and Thaksin to fight the country's real problems. And how many leaders of countries facing as many problems as him have time for a weekly cooking show?

As for the people assuming that PAD protesters are being paid, while in general that would be a valid assumption about Thai people, I have Thai friends currently protesting in PAD who say it is not true! They take their own food, sometimes get free drinks or underwear for the women (that made me laugh), but that is not the same as being paid just to be there. On the other hand, I assume that the pro-Thaksin supporters in Udon who attacked the PAD rally there (with conflicting reports of one death) were being paid, along with the taxi drivers and motorcycle gangs committing violent acts in the name of Thaksin 2 years ago.

The blocking of Phuket is unfortunate, but that doesn't affect my support for PAD. I am personally financially affected and have friends who's holidays are badly affected, including some good friends who were going to Phuket for their honeymoon. However that just makes us unlucky - it does not make people wrong for fighting against corruption!