MTH

Well let me tell you, to finish with this, that nothing has changed in the way how orange or blue tax labels are issued. They are issued in the exact same way as they were before the article was written.

The orange label NEVER indicated that it was a blended wine, it means that it is processed in Thailand. so even genuine Thai wines will have an orange tax label.

Blue label means it is an imported product, and that was so also before the article was written, so yes the writer wrote a whole lot of crap when he said that blended wines were orange labelled previously.

The odd wine product is a “winner all around,” Campbell said. It bears the country's orange customs seal, which means the wine underwent final processing in Thailand.

Wines with a blue customs seal, Campbell said, are “vinified elsewhere and imported into the Kingdom.”

Read more: http://www.snooth.com/articles/thai-wine-industry-trying-to-find-its-feet-amid-high-taxes/?viewall=1#ixzz3mwvrXth9

There we go, since you now seem to know the difference between the tax labels, maybe now would be a good time to finally get an answer as to why you’d think your box of fruit wine with a blue tax stamp would be “proof” that the article is wrong. That’s exactly what the article is stating, you cannot rely on the color of the tax stamp, you will have to read the label on the bottle, to figure out if it’s a blended wine or not.

I'm also on TOT and had problems connecting to some websites today.

Tried switching to Google DNS, but that didn't help.

A while ago I was looking for a replacement battery for my DelTec UPS - not my APC one - that just provides backup power to my router. I originally bought this from IT City so I went back there for the battery. However, I was a bit disturbed to see that the batteries that they had on sale seemed to be old stock. I'm not sure just how good a lead-acid battery would be after sitting on a shelf for a year or more!

Anyway, you can get them at HomePro (Big C Extra building, Pattaya Klang) and theirs seem to be rather newer. Not sure if the physical size will be right though - you'd have to take a look.

DM

I also have one of the old black type that someone gave to me. The battery died after about 3.5 years of use. IT City said that the batteries are expensive for the old one, and have to be ordered. Apparently the batteries for the new one are cheaper and readily available (they had some on the shelf). This may have been just sales talk but given the low price of the new one I bought it.

Later I saw what looked like the right sort of battery in Amorn (Tukcom basement) but by then I was using the new one and so didnt look further.

The manufacturer is still in business and has a website, so an email to them may get a useful response.

It's no big deal just to change the whole unit when the battery dies. For me that works out at under 500B/year.

Thanks for your recommendations!

Ill bring it back to IT City first, if that doesnt play out well Amorn is just in the basement. If all fails, Ill crack it open myself and head on over to Home Pro to see what they have to offer.

Well crunch it again would ya, and maybe you will figure it as the rest of us did.

Not that hard, but requires some reading capabilities.

Sorry to break it for you but I learned reading at a very young age, something that may not apply to yourself.

Let me help you a litlle.

This is what the site says

It is so disappointing to learn that, instead of discouraging the other company not to confuse consumers with misleading labels showing famous wine countries such as Australia on the front, this company chose to follow suit by selling affordable wine using Australian name but in reality blend it with passion fruit wine.

Indicating that by hiding the real contents of the product, wine importers bypass the law and get a blue tax label issued.

Now start reading, something you claim to be superior at, on the picture I posted and tell me if they are trying to hide in any way that this is a blended product.

To help you a little more, it says clearly in French and German language, Alcoholic beverage with a BASE of wine.

I appreciate you're trying to help me out, however by the looks of it, it might be you that would require some help.

The article states that previously you could distinguish between wine and blended fruit wines by the blue and orange tax labels. Well that isn't the case anymore, you will now have to read the back label to figure out if the wine has been diluted with fruit wine. And additionally being able to read Thai if you want to know what fruit it has been blended with. I'm not a big wine drinker here in Thailand due to a few reasons, but I thought this was interesting, especially since I wasn't aware of this, hence I read the whole article.

I have to admit I'm a bit confused to as where I would have stated that I'm superior at reading. I just stated that the article isn't very well written and that you'd need some reading capabilities. However maybe I should have said that some level of comprehension would be needed, and that's if you'd even bothered to read the whole article before posting your proof that it was wrong, with the following comment from you: By the way I looked through their stock of blended and "real" wine, and couldn't find a single bottle or box that didn't have a blue label, and they had many fruit wines." That I unfortunately had to remove due to nesting of quotes being at a maximum.

So since you claim to understand it all so perfectly, I'm sure you can tell us all which is the basis now on which a blue or orange tax label is issued to a certain beverage.

Since before blended wines were issued an orange label and real wines a blue label, but this has changed according to the article and you, which beverages get now the orange label and under which consideration.

Sorry to disappoint, but no, I don’t “understand it all so perfectly”, I just read the article…

I now know, that if I want to make sure I don’t get wine mixed with some sort of fruit wine, I can no longer rely on the blue or orange tax labels.

I have to read the label on the back of the bottle. Interesting to me, maybe not to you.

Either way, if you’re curious as to what basis are used to issue blue or orange tax labels, I can’t help you there, but I suggest you do a Google search.

I have one of these: http://www.itcityonline.com/shop/index.php?id_product=4727&controller=product&id_lang=7

It works fine and new batteries are easily available. I paid 1600B and I see no point paying more.

Have a similar but somewhat older unit from Cleanline, purchased at IT City Tukcom.

Battery just recently died, any recommendation on where to get a new battery or having it replaced in Pattaya?

Been thinking about heading back to where I bought it, but seeing your post I figured I'll ask.

Hello,

Thanks I will try one or the other of the directions given..

Muang Ake is what I was calling luxury, high prices and bad vet.. I appreciate the "service" (well received, nice and clean place) but I had a bad experience with a vet who was absolutely incompetent (unable to empty the dog's anal glands which is something very basic)... Maybe other ones in the same place are good.. but when you come, you have the available vet..

I then changed for another one which is 200 meters before Muang Ake going in Lotus direction and was quite happy but yesterday when I had an "emergency" the young female vet seemed not to be "adequate".. She even insisted the dog had no fever, when she actually had.. and had no clue about what was going on .. when the dog had only a cold.. (I was right because she is much better today after I insisted about getting pills or injection against a cold when she wanted to make a blood test and send it to BGK to check the dog's kidneys and lever !!!!!!)

Well, generally speaking I had also same problems 10 years back when I was living here for 5 years.. Never found a vet with a similar level to the european ones

Thanks for help.. will definitely change and try one of you recommend

Have a nice week end

I'd guess that's Najomtien Animal Hospital, we took our dog there for the first year, but were eventually put off by their pricing.

We also left her there for a few days as we were traveling, she stunk of feces and looked quite sad when we picked her up.

Hope one of the recommendations here will work out for you.

Just to prove to you that you did not bother to read the whole article before making assumptions.

"But from now on, orange or blue stamps cannot help us anymore......."

I admit I didn't see that lasy line, but have now read the whole article over and over again. and have come to the conclusion that the whole article states exactly nothing.

So it must have been someone with too much time on his hands, and looked for his 5 minutes of fame, who has written it.

Well crunch it again would ya, and maybe you will figure it as the rest of us did.

Not that hard, but requires some reading capabilities.

Sorry to break it for you but I learned reading at a very young age, something that may not apply to yourself.

Let me help you a litlle.

This is what the site says

It is so disappointing to learn that, instead of discouraging the other company not to confuse consumers with misleading labels showing famous wine countries such as Australia on the front, this company chose to follow suit by selling affordable wine using Australian name but in reality blend it with passion fruit wine.

Indicating that by hiding the real contents of the product, wine importers bypass the law and get a blue tax label issued.

Now start reading, something you claim to be superior at, on the picture I posted and tell me if they are trying to hide in any way that this is a blended product.

To help you a little more, it says clearly in French and German language, Alcoholic beverage with a BASE of wine.

I appreciate you're trying to help me out, however by the looks of it, it might be you that would require some help.

The article states that previously you could distinguish between wine and blended fruit wines by the blue and orange tax labels. Well that isn't the case anymore, you will now have to read the back label to figure out if the wine has been diluted with fruit wine. And additionally being able to read Thai if you want to know what fruit it has been blended with. I'm not a big wine drinker here in Thailand due to a few reasons, but I thought this was interesting, especially since I wasn't aware of this, hence I read the whole article.

I have to admit I'm a bit confused to as where I would have stated that I'm superior at reading. I just stated that the article isn't very well written and that you'd need some reading capabilities. However maybe I should have said that some level of comprehension would be needed, and that's if you'd even bothered to read the whole article before posting your proof that it was wrong, with the following comment from you: By the way I looked through their stock of blended and "real" wine, and couldn't find a single bottle or box that didn't have a blue label, and they had many fruit wines." That I unfortunately had to remove due to nesting of quotes being at a maximum.

This is a good opportunity to alert wine drinkers in Thailand to "blended" wines! See https://surathai.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/imported-not-wine/

Just to proof to you that the article you linked to is WRONG.

Included a picture from a blended wine at Friendshp supermarket, and look at the color of the label. By the way I looked through their stock of blended and "real" wine, and couldn't find a single bottle or box that didn't have a blue label, and they had many fruit wines.

20150829_001147.jpg

Just to prove to you that you did not bother to read the whole article before making assumptions.

"But from now on, orange or blue stamps cannot help us anymore......."

I admit I didn't see that lasy line, but have now read the whole article over and over again. and have come to the conclusion that the whole article states exactly nothing.

So it must have been someone with too much time on his hands, and looked for his 5 minutes of fame, who has written it.

Well crunch it again would ya, and maybe you will figure it as the rest of us did.

Not that hard, but requires some reading capabilities.

Can't remember the name but just past Makro on Sukhumvit rd. excellent vet and speaks good english

That's Muang Ake, they are located just before the Texaco station on Sukhumvit going north from Makro.

In the thread I linked to in my previous post, they were considered more expensive than many of the vet's in the area.

Don't have first hand experience, as I've never used them though.

Alcohol has a little label on it to say that the tax has been paid.

Can the label not be removed? Is it considered illegal to remove the label? I don't drink often....

See attached photo of the blue label that should be on all imported alcohol (from http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/691469-smuggled-alcoholic-drinks-on-the-rise-in-thailand/).

This is a good opportunity to alert wine drinkers in Thailand to "blended" wines! See https://surathai.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/imported-not-wine/

Just to proof to you that the article you linked to is WRONG.

Included a picture from a blended wine at Friendshp supermarket, and look at the color of the label. By the way I looked through their stock of blended and "real" wine, and couldn't find a single bottle or box that didn't have a blue label, and they had many fruit wines.

20150829_001147.jpg

I think you'd have to read the article again, it's not wrong just poorly written.

Continue reading the last part of the article from the quote: "But from now on, orange or blue stamps cannot help us anymore."

Edit: ^ Looks like Shawn beat me to it.

Why anyone should want to buy property here is a mystery to me.

Maybe the bubble is slowly popping.

I will tell you why

MY Purchase of 8 years ago has obviously saved me 8 years rent, hence the property owes me nothing now, so pure profit.Why do you not grasp this?????

Exactly!

We’ve owned our hose now for almost 9 years, and are now at about break even with what it would have cost to rent a similar place.

Bonus, we still own the house, and it’s gotta be worth something, yes?

It's not as simple as that. If you buy using a mortgage, then you must consider the interest. And if you are using cash, you need to consider the money you have lost by not investing it on something else. Those who talk about pure profit are remembering a bygone era when we were taught housing was a safe investment because prices were always going up.

Set up an on line payment through your bank. Enter ref1 number and ref 2 numbers off your last bill. Submit a payment that will cover your average monthly bill, you don't need to set up auto pay or auto debit for future date. Just send them 5k print your on line payment receipt. About a week later you should receive a receipt in the mail from the electric company. When you get the receipt you know your account has been credited. Don't worry I have been paying my electric , cable, internet and two phone lines like this for years. I always have a credit balance of at least a month plus. Never had a provlem. I travel regularly and then sometimes I have to fly out at the last minute so I'm always covered. You can even make estimated payments while abroad but be sure to put your Thai SIM chip back in your phone in case they test you a one time passcode to confirm it's really you paying the bill. Don't try to over pay at 7/11 or bank counter, it confuses them. Just do it online.

Beefeater on Soi Diana Inn would be my first choice.

Why anyone should want to buy property here is a mystery to me.

Maybe the bubble is slowly popping.

I will tell you why

MY Purchase of 8 years ago has obviously saved me 8 years rent, hence the property owes me nothing now, so pure profit.Why do you not grasp this?????

Bonus, we still own the house, and it’s gotta be worth something, yes?

Agreed, I was just using it as a reference, if anyone had had the Hor Mok at Surf Kitchen.

It used to be better back when they served it in a coconut. But I still think it's OK.

Surf kitchen used to have a great one, served in a coconut. The one they serve now in a foil is decent, but not quite as good.

Cabbage and Condoms do server a decent one as well, have to ask for it spicy though.

Good thread, will be interesting to hopefully find some new places that have a great Hor Mok.

Surf Kitchen on Jomtien Beach road right ??? Ok I'll try there....but Somsaks was seriously spicy tha last time I eat it....in a coconut if I remember rightly !!!!

Yes, jomtien Beach Rd, between soi 5 and 6.

Never had it at Somsak's, used to go there quite a bit before he moved across the street.

Almost always went for the fish gratin with mussels or liver pate as a starter.

Guess I'll have to get back there again for the Hor Mok.

Surf kitchen used to have a great one, served in a coconut. The one they serve now in a foil is decent, but not quite as good.

Cabbage and Condoms do server a decent one as well, have to ask for it spicy though.

Good thread, will be interesting to hopefully find some new places that have a great Hor Mok.

Question:

My driving license expierd in June, is i possible for me to renew mine or do i have to take all the tests again?

No problems, you have up to one year to renew without having to retake any of the tests.

Thanks

I think you will find that you have to do the colour, reaction and alignment tests again - or at least I always had to when I renewed in the past.

Question:

My driving license expierd in June, is i possible for me to renew mine or do i have to take all the tests again?

No problems, you have up to one year to renew without having to retake any of the tests.

where can i go to do the photos in south pattaya?

In most centres they take the photos digitally.

Yes, they do at Pattaya LTO as well. So no need to bring any pictures with you.

Sounds great for anyone staying that long. I wonder how much it is daily.

Sign says 750 per day, 4,000 baht per week and 9,990 for a Month.

Soi Lengkee has several guesthouses along there ranging from 400 to 700 baht a night. Take a drive or just walk up the soi.

Thanks. Is Soi Lenkee a continuation of Soi Diana?

Correct Soi Diana (Inn) changes name to Soi Lengkee after the Soi Buakhow intersection.

I got charged 90 baht at the entrance to Soi 33, Sukhumvit, Bangkok last week.

The woman was adamant that this was the price.

She said 'take it or leave it'.

You only "got charged 90 baht" because you agreed to pay that amount.

If you don't agree with the price, don't pay !

Exactly!

Last time I was in BKK, an old lady selling lottery tickets displaying a sign with the correct pirce, asked me politely "Can I get 90 Baht?"

Due to her demeanor I agreed, however had she been forceful, I wouldn't have agreed ;-)