kap

I renewed my motorbike tax and insurance about three weeks ago.

On Saturday morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. (until 1:00 p.m. ? I think) the motor vehicle department sets up a table at the Big C (South Pattaya Rd & Sukhumvitt Rd). You go upstairs and as you are entering Big C go along the aisle between the cashiers and the small retail shops and you will see the table.

They couldn't sell me insurance and they sent me over across the street to AA Insurance (also opens at 9:00 on Saturdays) to get the insurance. AA charged me the actual price plus a 20 baht service charge. I then went back to Big C and purchased the tax sticker. Save time and go to AA Insurance first.

Very easy.

Exactly what I was looking for...thanks!

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Do you mean the annual road tax? This can be renewed at Big C South on Saturday mornings there is also a sub office near to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. The former prints your new disc there and then , the latter take the paperwork to the main office and you go back to them after 1630 to collect. (Mon to Friday)

I assume "annual road tax" is the same as what I refer to as annual registration/insurance renewal (when I have to buy insurance[?] from the little shop across from the motor vehicle office).

For the Saturday morning only option, where exactly is "Big C South" and what is the exact times that it is open? Do I buy the insurance there too?

With respect to the M-F option, where exactly (near BPH) is the sub office located and what is the timing for the morning paperwork drop off? Do I buy the insurance there too?

Thanks in advance for your reply!

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My registration for my four year old bike is up in early July. Rather than ride out to the Motor Vehicle Department, isn't there a place in Pattaya that I can go to? Please advise. Thanks in advance. Cheers.

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2h ago they said some kind of satellite issue...

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow

About CNN & BBC - RT @klustout: There have been issues with a satellite transmitting to the region. Issued an apology at the top of the hour...

...thanks; it's now back on.

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I tuned into BBC World earlier today and all I had was a blank screen. My cable provider here in Jomtien is BTV. I don't know if the issue is building, provider or country specific. Is anyone else having trouble getting BBC? Thanks in advance for your input. Cheers.

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It was the Israelis that started this fight.

Barely 36 hours after the Police recommends shutting down the club....hmmmm... how quick...isn't Lucifer foreign owned? By that German guy Christian?

I'd be thrilled to see them keep it shut and truly punish the bouncers/doormen, if for no other reason than to send a strong message to the other bars and doormen, that they do not have license to commit assault!

Bars and their staff of course have every right to eject people from their establishment, but that does not give them the right to commit assault (or worse!). Within the past year I've seen multiple cases of gratuitous violence inflicted on the part of the bar staff, often within tens of meters from the WS police checkpoints. I'm talking about several guys kicking people in the head that are on the floor and are of no threat whatsoever, at times barely sober enough to stand. This (violence) is of course an open secret down here in Pattaya (and beyond). IMHO the Thais are allowed to act with impunity by the authorities and this is what really infuriates me.

I admit that there is abundance of morons down here (foreign and domestic!) that could use a good smack. However, there's a difference between that and a sustained serious aggravated assault.

It's pretty disappointing to hear on this site seemingly support people committing assault. If someone gets totally out of line they should be turned over to the police and then let them spend some time in the monkey house. Bar staff have no right to meet out "Thai justice" on oftentimes helpless/hapless foreigners. For those that think it's OK, I hope it one day happens to you or someone you know/care about.

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Fair enough but your anger is misdirected if you think it's only Thais who are allowed to act with impunity.

The Brit owner of a bar and his buddies stomped on some poor guys head in soi 8 as recently as last month, as far as I can tell he's still behind the counter like nothing happened.

Your last sentence where you hope it happens is also a bit out of order... because the reverse situation is also true. I've seen complete out of order bikers, steroid freaks, etc go awol on fellow patrons only for the bar staff to restrain them and save the innocent party. Following your logic maybe i should wish you or someone you know/care is attacked by a crazed farang while bar staff just look on.

This is Thailand and its the Thai authorities and the Thai system (or lack thereof) which allows people to act with impunity. Whether they are local or foreign thugs makes no difference to me! This incident and several others which I've personally witnessed involved Thais assaulting foreigners and that's why my post was directed towards them.

As to the last part of my post, I stand by it. I was criticizing people that were justifying the bar staff committing assault. Thai or foreigner is irrelevant to me.

The job of the bar's security staff is to eject people and if warranted hand them over to the authorities, not take our their anger and frustrations on the ejectees. By the way, I worked the door in a club back home back in the late eighties. Back home if staff went overboard they would be subject to arrest and the bar to a civil suit.

For the record, I was on WS that night and saw the police with the two guys as they were heading with them to the main WS command post. The bald guy was pretty beat up and could barely walk, whether due to drunkenness or head injury I do not know.

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It was the Israelis that started this fight.

Barely 36 hours after the Police recommends shutting down the club....hmmmm... how quick...isn't Lucifer foreign owned? By that German guy Christian?

I'd be thrilled to see them keep it shut and truly punish the bouncers/doormen, if for no other reason than to send a strong message to the other bars and doormen, that they do not have license to commit assault!

Bars and their staff of course have every right to eject people from their establishment, but that does not give them the right to commit assault (or worse!). Within the past year I've seen multiple cases of gratuitous violence inflicted on the part of the bar staff, often within tens of meters from the WS police checkpoints. I'm talking about several guys kicking people in the head that are on the floor and are of no threat whatsoever, at times barely sober enough to stand. This (violence) is of course an open secret down here in Pattaya (and beyond). IMHO the Thais are allowed to act with impunity by the authorities and this is what really infuriates me.

I admit that there is abundance of morons down here (foreign and domestic!) that could use a good smack. However, there's a difference between that and a sustained serious aggravated assault.

It's pretty disappointing to hear <deleted> on this site seemingly support people committing assault. If someone gets totally out of line they should be turned over to the police and then let them spend some time in the monkey house. Bar staff have no right to meet out "Thai justice" on oftentimes helpless/hapless foreigners. For those that think it's OK, I hope it one day happens to you or someone you know/care about.

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what I dont understand about the motorbike fines is why it is legal for the rental companies to rent a bike to someone that doesnt have a legal license? do they not insure the bikes?

IMHO it's nothing more than a pretty transparent excuse for the BIB to line their pockets. If they really wanted to discourage unlicensed motorbike usage, then when they found an unlicensed rider (of a rental bike), they would go back to the rental shop and hit them with a fine too. In fact if the shop owners were held liable, then there would be far fewer unlicensed riders (tourists at least!).

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I was walking past Lucifers that night and saw a comotion outside with a bunch of police standing around. I stopped for a minute or so to see what was happening, but then moved on. About 15 minutes later when I was further down WS (not far from the main police setup), I saw them come by with these guys. The bald guy was pretty beaten up and could barely walk. I wasn't sure if it was because he was drunk or the result of the beating/head injury. Since I wasn't there to see the altercation, I can't say what happened or who was in the wrong.

However, over the past six months I've seen several incidents of pretty extreme violence in which Thais (plural!) were attacking helpless/hapless foreigners, often only meters from the WS security stations. Most of these incidents involved bar security. In general, my feeling is that the Thais are allowed to act with impunity (and thus do so! ). Also there is almost no rule of law here.

This, along with several other factors, has left me with rather negative feelings towards Thailand and Thais. Although I still live here (3 years, 20 in Asia), I find myself bashing this place more and more. It's rather sad considering how highly I used to think about the LOS.

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I never did get my luggage fixed and just made due with the broken piece...a major hassle!

I'd still like to find a repair place though...

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Australians are very impressed with General Prayuth's work.

So much so they would like him to go to Australia and save them from Prime Minister Tony dumb dumb.

Google

Tony dumb dumb

The Australians are so impressed that they have imposed travel bans

dailytelegraph.com.au - On Saturday, Australia banned Thailand’s coup leaders from visiting and downgraded military ties with the South-East Asian country.

Yes, The Australian Government whose Prime Minister is Tony dumb dumb

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1y1ez7_tony-abbott-last-week-tonight_news

Tony dumb dumb's approval rating is currently at 30% and his disapproval rating is 60%

I'd take Tony Abbott over my country's Leftist in Chief Barack Hussein Obumbler any day of the week...any Aussie takers out there? I'll even throw in a few trillion of the debt that he's worked up...???

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Enforcement has been quite soft. At midnight last night most WS bars were only in the process of closing and there were many people milling about. I got back to Jomtien about 1am. I suspect that the authorities will not start enforcing the curfew until 1:30-2:00am. Enforcement in Bangkok is a bit more strict according to people I've spoken to.

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LOS is like a big pus-filled boil in dire need of a good lancing...and I don't think that this marshal law will do the trick....just sayin'

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I often wonder why people put ......just saying at the end of their post, we know your saying or writing

"Flippant" ...now you know.

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just saying Urban Dictionary.

a phrase used to indicate that we refuse to defend a claim we've made---in other words, that we refuse to offer reasons that what we've said is true.

The very first item in the urban dictionary is:

"a term coined to be used at the end of something insulting or offensive to take the heat off you when you say it."

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=just+sayin%27&page=2

I guess you missed that one...duh!

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LOS is like a big pus-filled boil in dire need of a good lancing...and I don't think that this marshal law will do the trick....just sayin'

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I often wonder why people put ......just saying at the end of their post, we know your saying or writing

"Flippant" ...now you know.

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LOS is like a big pus-filled boil in dire need of a good lancing...and I don't think that this marshal law will do the trick....just sayin'

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Assuming the driver's story is true, the motorcyclist's family should have to pay compensation to the driver for any damages sustained to his vehicle.

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Thanks to all for your input/replies. I guess what I was going for was a one year extension of stay (I'm not totally clear as to the proper terminology), which most people simply refer to as a retirement visa renewal.

In order to play it safe, after obtaining my income verification statement from the US Embassy, I came back down to Jomtien and went straight to the immigration office. Due to traffic/construction (and a BKK lunch break), I didn't arrive there until 4pm! Fortunately, I was able to get my application in and there appears to be no problem. I have to go back tomorrow after 3pm in order to collect my passport.

Thanks again for your input. Cheers!

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My current "retirement" visa allows for stay until 18 Feb 2014 (Tuesday). Must I get to the immigration by the 18th or can I go in on the 19th?

Unfortunately, the earliest I can get to the Jomtien immigration office is mid-afternoon on the 18th. I need to get an income verification statement from the US Embassy and my appt. (In BKK) is on the morning of the 18th (the 17th is a US holiday).

Ideally I'd like to go to immigration on the morning of the 19th, but will that be too late???

In case you were wondering, I didn't handle this earlier since I was traveling for four months and only returned two weeks ago and then went on a last minute trip to Indonesia (and am currently stuck due to yesterday's volanic event).

Thanks in advance for your input. Cheers!

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Bottom line: LOS/Patts attracts lots scum and no shortage of fools, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

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Thanks for all of the replys. Unfortunately, the bag repair place by Tukcom couldn't help me and the place on Sukhumvit (near BPH) is no longer there. Since my bag wasn't damaged by the airlines, there's no chance for redress there.

I think that if anybody could repair my luggage it would be someone who could do some sort of fabrication or something, maybe even someone in one of these scooter repair shops. I'll take a closer look at my luggage and see if I can figure out on my own what needs to be done. I'll then decide if I think there is anybody around who I think may be able to complete that task.

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I have a piece of luggage ("Spinner"...4 wheels) which needs repair; one of the wheels broke off. Can anyone provide me with a recommendation as to where I may be able to get it repaired. It may be beyond repair, but given that it is a new piece (I just used it for the first time, since bringing it over here) I'd like to at least give it a try. Thanks in advance. Cheers!

Thanks for the replys. I ended taking the noon airport bus and then was able to easily catch the 2pm shuttle to DMK (the shuttle does run every half an hour as others stated). I think it took about 40 minutes, for the ride from BKK to DMK. All in all, quite easy.

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I have a flight tomorrow (9/11) out of DMK at 4:30pm. I live in Jomtien and plan on taking the (BKK) airport bus on Theppraya Road (off of Threpprassit). How long have the shuttle buses been taking to go from the new airport to the old airport and how often are they running. I'm looking for actual real life experiences/times as opposed to the theoretical ones. I'm trying to determine which airport bus I need to take (12:00pm?). Thanks in advance. Cheers.

I think that the "freedom fighters" are being slandered...next you'll be saying that they're capable of targeting for assassination a 14 year old simply for advocating education for girls or health workers trying to inoculate little children from life threatening diseases...what bias!

I'm quite surprised to hear that Paradise Park does not yet have TOT internet availability (I also live next door at PL). Have you gone to the TOT office (Pattaya Klang & 3rd Road) to enquire?

As to using a USB dongle (mobile signal) for internet access, I'd just like to mention that I use True (not True H) for my mobile service and usually have a weak or no signal inside my flat. I should note though, that I have an interior unit and perhaps my reception would be much better if I had an outside unit. If you do take this route, I'd advise you to first ensure that you get a strong signal inside of your flat. Cheers.