.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
mario299
-
Posts
437 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Forums
Downloads
Quizzes
Posts posted by mario299
-
-
Nice find and photo, Loz.. I like snakes.
You can have them Ian, I had my thrill a couple of months ago and it's even a little better than Loz' brush with the snake. I was fiddling with my computer and decided to step outdoors to the patio for a moment, barefooted. I stepped out the door right onto a snake...looked like Loz' picture of the rat snake, but can't be positive as he took off at rapid speed.
When I stepped on him he did rear up and bite me, but nothing happened to me as a result while I searched for him to identify if necessary. The wife, bless her heart, started to suck any would-be venom from my knee where he got me, but there was nothing to be concerned about. Didn't go to the hospital
That evening, however, I did fall out of bed flat on my face on the tile floor, something I have never, ever done before. Took 8 stitches to my eyebrow where I hit, and I still blame it on the snake bite. Did go to the hospital for this one. And no, I don't drink too much!
So welcome all the snakes you want for photo-ops, I'll send you mine.
mario299
-
Loz
Not even slightly acceptable to me, please no smell of cigarettes anywhere near my food or elsewhere around me, as well. I used to be a smoker, have quit for some time and simply don't like the smell of cigarettes on me, my clothes, in my truck or even on someone elses clothes. Can't imagine kissing a smoker..yuck! Fortunately my wife feels the same.
-
I disagree about the availability of baking ingredients.
I started making my own cakes last month.
Chocolate brownies, rasin muffins, choc chip muffins, banana+choc muffins, oatmeal cookies, choc chip cookies.
All the ingredients; All pupose flour, baking soda, baking powder, choc chips, oatmeal, vanilla essence, are available at the big supermarkets. This is the first time I've tried baking, and I'm surprised how simple it is, and the results are much better than the shop bought stuff.
I'm now branching out into sausage rolls (Frozen puff pastry from Makro or Foodland. Even make my own sausage meat, pork mince mixed with breadcrumbs, herbs and onion.
I made a bread and butter pudding yesterday............5hit, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
This stuff is easy to make.
Go and check for recipies on u-tube, get down to the supermarket, and treat yourself to some home baking.
Agreed!, took me awhile to find the ingredients, but enough searching finally got me my sugar cookies. Baking soda seemed the most difficult, don't know why. Next biggest problem is cake pans, cookies pans, etc, but I shall endure!
-
In a humble effort to answer the OP's question, I just flew into SFO via Taipei and returned through SFO via Taipei. The full body scan was done on me in SFO, the only place. The TSA guy's attitude was very poor to say the least, and I was made to empty all my pockets of everything, plastic, paper, money...everything. I have nothing to hide but was returning from several coin shows, carrying several valuable coins (easy guys, nothing over the legal monetary limit). Very uncomfortable to allow EVERYONE to see what I was carrying. Their security is important, of course, but so is mine, I feel.
The only other Port of Entry I have used in the last year is Seattle, no body scan but the usual attitude...very poor.
Okay guys, have at the OP all you want, he really is just looking for an answer, ya know.
mario299
-
and then those who think he it didn't happen to them it must be fictional. grrr and the ones who think if u didn't marry here you must hate the place. far be it for me to call anyone marrow minded. but, narrow... well maybe.
Loz
"marrow-minded"...the same as bone-headed??
-
-
1283161948[/url]' post='3849773']
Try using the aircard directly in the laptop usb port. Some devices do not work in these muti-port hubs
Hi, both of you, and thanks. No, I don't need the multi-port, my laptop has 2 USB ports, and yes, I plug directly into USB on computer with the same power surge results. I know my question about power pack was a little obvious, but I wanted to be sure so I can explain to my wife before we head to the "big city" (Surin) to see if we can find it. We are in the sticks here without any landlines, so our choices are satellite for very poor connection at 2000 baht/month or more, or aircard at 150 baht/50 hours. We had previous AIS aircard that worked with no problems on laptop, so just trying to get it figured out. Thanks again for all your help.
mario299
-
1283153830[/url]' post='3849483']
One solution would be a powered USB hub, it is a device to connect multiple devices to one usb port and also has a power supply and does not use the computers power.
Hi garyh, that sounds like maybe the answer but where does it get its power...is it plugged into outlet as well as into USB port? I now use a "multi-plug" USB, which makes one USB become four, but no outside power source. ??
Thanks
mario299
-
Hi Guys
I bought one of the new AIS 3G 7.2Mbps aircards and cannot use it on my laptop, an older Dell Latitude D600. When I insert it into the USB port I get an error window "power surge on the hub port...the USB composite device has exceeded the limits of its hub port". It instructs me to disconnect and reset the port. The aircard works fine on my PC (very very slow, but works), so what do I need to know about the "hub ports" on my laptop?
Thanks in advance for any and all help.
mario299
-
A recent visit for me to the government hospital in Prasat was as good or better than any previous visits I have made to hospitals in the US, and very, very much less cost. I had to be taken there by ambulance (12 kilometer trip), no charge. I had to stay a day and a night, was given an EKG, many blood tests (I had Dengue fever), IV fluids and three meals a day (very bland hospital food, no pet!), and a follow-up blood test a week later...all for less than 2000 baht. The staff was excellent, fast and efficient and the Doctor was very knowledgeable and English-speaking. I highly praise them for everything.
mario299
-
1281675163[/url]' post='3813247']
Since you have received a Schengen visa and have property in your name, I doubt you will have much problem getting a visa. But the question on your civil union is a good one. If you are just visiting your "boyfriend's" family, then this would be a simple tourist visa, which it seems you would get.
But as a civil union "partner," they may want to know in more detail your plans, if you intend on staying, etc.
Depending on your bank accounts and such, I might be inclined not to mention the civil union, not for anti-gay reasons, but for the permanency aspect of it which may complicate the application process. "Boyfriend" probably trumps "friend," but "partner" carries more ramifications.
I had a Thai female friend come with me to the US for a military retirement ceremony, and at the interview, they asked her if we were going to get married. When she said no, the rest of the interview was rather perfunctory and her visa approved quickly.
I am not an expert, though.
I think the biggest issue with the US Embassy is proving to them that the Thai has sufficient reasons to return to Thailand, such as a job to return to. I honestly don't think the issue of civil union or the fact that you are gay matters as much as their concerns about illegally staying in the US. If you can provide sufficient reasons to them that you will definitely return to Thailand at or before the expiration of the Visitor Visa, then you should receive the Visa, but certainly no guarantees when it comes to dealing with the US Embassy. Good Luck!
mario299
-
1281075781[/url]' post='3798549']
I've been feeling off colour for the last few days, nothing serious I thought. This morning, I finally decided to pop into the hospital and see if anything was the matter. After a blood test the saw my white blood cells at 1900/cc with normal up between 5,000-10,000 - the doc said it was dengue!
It's a vague ill feeling, like having a cold that comes and goes, with a bit of diarrhea, headache etc. I started to get a small rash on my arms, hands and chest last night, that is what made me see the doc. The biggest symptom was that I 'just don't feel myself'.
I am now sitting home in isolation and have sent the wife and newborn son up to the village - i want them no where near me until this clears...the less people around them the better.
So, if you feel just a bit knackered, it might not simply be a change in the weather!!!
I hope you're not feeling that your wife and son can catch Dengue from you, as my understanding is that only an already infected mosquito can infect someone by biting them. If I am wrong, someone please correct me, and if I have misunderstood you, I apologize, but I certainly don't think you should isolate yourself from any help that might be needed. I did pass out and am grateful that my wife was close at hand. Best of luck and Chok Dee! Get better soon
mario299
-
Dengue is nothing to take lightly. Some might consider it's symptoms to be more painful than malarial counterparts. A reasonable healthy individual can muddle through for the duration - need to watch the most vulnerable, the aged and toddlers. What they do know about the Dengue bug is that it lacks the mutation properties that malarial viruses have acquired to generate resistance to the prophylaxis that we've thrown at these nasties. There is interesting literature available regarding the treatment and prevention of Dengue. It seems to me that modern allopathic Western approaches to mosquito-born viruses are more troubling to any sort of combat than what has been proven in the natural world - the bug tends to be one or two steps ahead of us. Today, I understand that mutant forms of Malaria and Dengue are in existence where they've never been known to be. Studies have observed highly malarial-prone regions to gained natural resistance to particular strains - which there are a number. People might fall ill two dozen times in there lifetime without great setbacks. Dengue is approached different, as it's properties are not reoccurring from the same strain, but affected from separate instances. Naturally, prevention is key.
I posted a thread about Dengue fever a few years ago , it starts with cold and flue type symptoms, it leaves you with no strength for months, it makes you lethargic, People just stop eating which makes the situation worse, I would advise any one who thinks they have it to get checked out ,
My GF had Dengue fever some months back; not to be trifled with. Flu like symptoms (as per above) + some severe body aches; she had legs that ached all the time. Depressed appetite and tiredness. If you suspect you have it get checked; symptoms present in varying degrees and you might actually feel better one day and rotten the next. Take care.
I am just now "getting over" Dengue fever and the symptoms listed above are very correct. I could not stay awake for three straight days, had no appetite at all, severe back ache and the worst headache right behind my eyes I have ever had. I am normally a very healthy individual and it literally kicked my butt. I went into the hospital after passing out trying to eat some breakfast, where they took blood tests every four hours and fed me Tylenol. After a day in the hospital I went home and blood tested again a week later, now okay but still lethargic.
If you have any or all of these symptoms, get to a doctor. I hope NO ONE else gets it, it ain't fun.
mario299
-
Interesting. My ex-girlfriend (who is Thai) had no trouble researching this on her own, applying for and receiving her PIN on-line, then making her appointment and receiving her visa. This was in 2008, so under the same system.
Furbie, your ex-girlfriend is one lucky person to have so easily walked through the most frustrating, aggravating, disappointing experience I have ever had the dis-pleasure to experience...TWICE. What SomTumTiger has related is the norm for the US Embassy in trying to get anything from them. My wife and I tried twice to get a visitor Visa for her daughter to go to the US to be a part of our intended wedding there with all my family and friends. We were turned down the first time for not giving sufficient reasons for my step-daughter to return to Thailand after visiting the US.
I then purchased round-trip tickets for her, provided a letter from her school indicating her schedule of classes, and provided a letter from our District Office in Surin that we (my wife) owns land and has built a home to live in there. The "cocky-boy" at the US Embassy turned us down again, suggesting it would be best if our daughter had a job to return to. She was 12 years old at the time, for crying out loud. This was in 2007, and we subsequently had our wedding in America without our daughter. She was heart-broken. I had to eat the airline tickets I bought for her, but that wasn't what hurt me the most, it was the attitude of ALL the employees at the US Embassy in Bangkok. No one cares a bit about the American citizens they are supposed to be representing.
Best of luck to you, SomTumTiger, I hope your experience turns out to be a good one. I still remain embarrassed that my country would allow this to happen.
mario299
-
Hi
I gotta agree, the shipper should know everything..... about when..where...what flight number...everything you should need and should have already received from the shipper.
If Customs has directed you to Thai Air Cargo you will need the flight info to identify where it is being stored. Can you contact the shipper by email/phone/etc for this information?
Frustrating, I know, but the shipper has the responsibility to notify you how it was sent. Good luck!
mario299
-
A recent post about maternity gifts raised the fact of the many superstitions prevalent in Thailand, a thing that has been of interest to me for some time. I think it started when we built our home and had to set the first post on a particular day "for luck", had to have wise and elderly people there to apologize to the ancestors (ghosts) on our land for disturbing their land, leaves and coins put into the dug post holes for luck, etc.
Since then, many other traditions have become known to me, such as placing the head board of the bed facing east (better to face rising sun than setting sun), first hair cut for new-born (shaved bald after one month by someone with a good and pure heart), obviously the lucky lottery numbers and a host of others.
Can any of the members add to some of these? I would guess many have Chinese origins, but the wife says they are strictly Thai traditions and not restricted to Issan area only, they are held as beliefs throughout Thailand.
Personally I love them, and would like to hear of more. Any help out there?
mario299:blink:
-
I am surprised that the whole "baby shower" thing hasn't caught on here yet? Perhaps as mentioned earlier, you shouldn't count your lil chicken before he is hatched.
Exactly, according to my wife it is the belief in ghosts trying to steal the baby, as previously posted. The flowers and seashells have an odor that repels the ghosts, for example, and many other related preventions are important to the family. We are in Issan as well and the "superstitions" on many, many things are quite prevalent. So baby showers are probably not going to be a big thing around here. Best of luck with your Ugly, Big Nosed, Big-eared, Girl baby. (although big ears are a sign of intelligence in my village, apparently).
mario299:rolleyes:
-
Good for you, garyh, that's the attitude! We had ours complete with the freeloaders and all, but it was very nice to meet and be welcomed into my wife's small village. I'm not sure how much it all cost, but I am sure my wife knows to the satang, and I don't really care if we lost or gained...it felt good and now we have three anniversaries to celebrate...official registry, village ceremony and home country wedding. (Now that one cost)
:lol:mario299
-
To the OP, as others have noted, anything coming via one of the couriers will likely attract the attention of customs.
Depending upon what your goods is expect duty of between 10 and 50% of declared value. Sadly Thai customs has a reputation of being one of the most corrupt organisations and if a customs officer takes a fancy to your item expect a big fee, additionally FedEx (not sure about UPS) charge all sorts of additional fees for 'storage' and other assorted fees.
Crossy
How about things going out of the country, for example something sold from here through eBay and shipped UPS or FedEx or even Thai Postal...is this also subject to possible examination by Customs as well? (Not to mention outright theft?) This question pertains to collectible silver coins, am I just asking for trouble? Is there any insurance to cover items like these? I know this is a little off-subject, but any information helpful.
mario299
-
Don't know mud wasps, but i had a wasp/bee nest in my garden that everyone else was worried about except me.
I was eventually convinced that these bees/wasps were killers in the wrong situation, and seeing as I've got dogs, I couldn't risk their lives.
The gardeners destroyed the nest for me. Leave it to people who know what they're doing.
Thanks F1fanatic, and you are correct to leave those kinds of things to those that do them. This, however, is for a different situation...home protection for my wife and daughter for whenever I am away. Consider that a stream of insect repellant in the eyes of an intruder from a distance is far superior to the baseball bat (or club, or stick) that you must use very closely to the intruder, it can give you time to evade the intruder and get away. I'm not a fan of guns, and particularly don't want my wife and daughter around them, so the next logical step for me was this method, (used commonly where I come from). Just can't find any of this type of spray locally, so far. We are, however, getting a dog in two weeks, so that should solve the problem as well.
Thanks for your help, though, and happy your bee problem went away.
mario299
-
Hi:D
Hope this is a good forum for this, but I've been looking for a particular type of insect spray that will shoot a stream about 20 feet. We used Raid Wasp & Hornet spray to drop the mud wasps out of the eaves of homes so we could work up there, but I cannot find in Issan area anywhere. Have found many different Raid products, but none (any other brand as well) that will shoot a stream the distance I want.
Any help out there? I have already purchased several likely contenders only to find them to be a "fog-type" spray, not a stream:rolleyes:.
I also go back and forth to Samut Prakan area fairly regularly, so anything in that area appreciated also.
Thanks in advance
mario299
-
I have myself personally brought in a container in 2004 in wife's name (after haveing been a resident of another country for at least a year) and did not pay anything to Customs. I know several others that have as well.
I do wonder why someone would wander around the the dock and the Custom's offcie to "walk" everything through? No wonder the forklift driver demanded a payoff.
TH
I was simply trying to assist OP garyh with my experience with Customs. Why do you feel you must belittle me? I felt the charge for delivery to our home in Surin was exorbitant so I chose to clear Customs myself, load it into my truck and drive it home. We did not "wander around the dock" as you so pompously imply, we were directed by the Customs office and the Port Authority to go to specific locations for specific requirements.
I sure wish I was as smart as you and your "several others", I bet you've never paid tea money to anyone, right?
Garyh, I hope everything works out well for you and your household goods. Good luck.
mario299
Thanks Mario, the keyboard warriors are unforgiving.
garyh
I'm glad you understand, thaihome just ticked me off a bit. The forklift driver didn't "demand" anything, we tipped him 40 baht for being very careful loading the pallet into the truck. Some people!
mario299
-
I have myself personally brought in a container in 2004 in wife's name (after haveing been a resident of another country for at least a year) and did not pay anything to Customs. I know several others that have as well.
I do wonder why someone would wander around the the dock and the Custom's offcie to "walk" everything through? No wonder the forklift driver demanded a payoff.
TH
I was simply trying to assist OP garyh with my experience with Customs. Why do you feel you must belittle me? I felt the charge for delivery to our home in Surin was exorbitant so I chose to clear Customs myself, load it into my truck and drive it home. We did not "wander around the dock" as you so pompously imply, we were directed by the Customs office and the Port Authority to go to specific locations for specific requirements.
I sure wish I was as smart as you and your "several others", I bet you've never paid tea money to anyone, right?
Garyh, I hope everything works out well for you and your household goods. Good luck.
mario299
-
My wife is Thai and as we will be shipping in her name will exempt from duty, thanks for the Schenker tip I will give them a call.
Hi
Don't want to be too negative but I would be VERY surprised if your shipment was exempt from duty. I shipped from America last February in my wife's name (Thai wife) under the impression our personal used household goods were not subject to duty. We personally walked everything through Customs and Port Authority.
At Customs, there is "no free lunch", you will pay duty on something, I am sure. Obviously your situation is different, being shipped direct to CM, so you won't have to pay the Big Boss at the dock, the little boss that finds your container or the fork lift driver that brings your goods, but my golf clubs and some tools (all well-used personal items) were charged duty by Customs. Go figure...there is no free lunch in Thailand.
Best of luck
mario299
Guess they worked out the tools where not your wifes, I have a old welder, air compressor and quite a few tools also, how much did they charge you for those items you had?
For those items they charged right at 3000 THB (Customs charge), but make sure you have nothing gasoline powered...generator, etc as they will really nail you then. The dock warehouse Big Boss, little boss, and forklift driver totalled under 1000 THB, then there was the expert expeditor guy that you MUST have...he was 600 THB, but you won't be dealing with them. My guess is you will be paying someone, though.
Best of luck
mario299
:lol:
Trouser Snake
in General Topics
Posted
Yup, that's what I've been telling everyone!
mario299