markg

It's also in Chalong, not Rawai.

Sheesh....nice to see the PG reporting standard is up to it's usual quality.

And it's not on Wiset road either..............

I have no idea why, but i have a slight superstition this. Yes, i would (and do) pick up a 1 baht coin, even if it wasnt mine. I kinda think it will bring me luck.

I wouldnt pick up satangs though.

However, i would never throw money away, as i think that would bring me bad luck. I have lots of those little 50 satang coins in the house!

I just received an email saying Fashion Cafe (Chai Fa East) has had to close down although Perfection Spa will remain open. I used to enjoy eggs benedict (I don't know where I can get this now in Chalong area) & apart from the unique version of hot chocolate at Les Anges the one at Fashion was simply far & away the best.

That's a real shame Valentine. The guy tried so hard too. It's such a terrible shame when a restaurant selling good food closes for whatever reason. Is it a permanent closure? Wonder what he will do with the restaurant space?

Oh dear oh dear. One old chap with ONE fishing line is arrested whilst fishing for food for his family.

The cops should have taken him to the market and bought him a fish instead of arresting him.

What a waste of time.

Poisoning the pond with chemicals is one thing but one old fella fishing for his supper............

Pathetic.

They should have advised him and moved him on.

wow either total incompetence or a planned theft (for what reason I couldn't guess) but a baby hippo is still a big bloody animal & would be noticed wandering around.

A guy just got arrested in Phuket for walking around Patong's Bangla Road area with a baby crocodile on his shoulders. Have your picture taken with it and give the guy 100 baht.

The cops locked him up and took the animal away.

Maybe he's expanded into hippos now !!

Has anyone checked the beer bars? He might have disguised himself in there.

as a worker or as a customer?

I'm assuming either. Presumably that is why 100 people are currently checking. It's a big, tough job but someone's gotta do it.

You couldnt make this up!

A baby hippo, last seen having a nice soak in the bath at the hospital, waits for the security guard to fall asleep before making good his escape.

It's the funniest thing i've read in TV for ages. This is funnier than George's April Fool's threads.

How hard exactly can it be to find a hippo in Chiang Mai?

Has anyone checked the beer bars? He might have disguised himself in there.

Indeed. This is when the problem of what constitutes 'work' first raised its head. The authorities did indeed react poorly when genuine tourists began helping in the rebuilding effort of Thailand after the tsunami.

It's taken a long time, but i am now told that there is another class of visa specifically aimed at volunteers.

I don't know the exact wording of it, but i would think that the crew of a racing boat could be regarded as 'volunteers' on that boat.

I am sorry but I do not think you know what you are talking about. I officiated in Bangkok with 430 athletes and officials in a world championships from all over the world and nobody had a work permit. I know Thailand can be different but, a lot of eastern block country's plus Cuba can be difficult but only with your visa.

Actually, we do know what we are talking about. The fact that you worked illegally in Bangkok has led you to the assumption that you didnt need a work permit. That assumption would be wrong. You did need a work permit and you should have had one.

The law is quite clear. You need a work permit to work. Really - you do ! Pro sportsmen get work permits before they come to events here. So does Madonna, Linkin Park etc etc. they have management who deal with this. The fact that you officiated without a work permit and didnt get caught is an irrelevance. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse !

Of course, the chances of getting caught are slight in a high profile event - however, imagine making the wrong decision against some well connected Thai people...................you'd soon find out that your papers were not in order and they'd kick you out of the tournament!

As a further analogy - and to paraphrase your reasoning, i substituted the word 'officiated' with 'teaching'

I taught in Bangkok with 430 students and teachers in a school with students from all over the world and nobody had a work permit.

Therefore the conclusion i have come to is that teachers don't need work permits...........................

I think you will find this a bit different when participating in a tournament that is only held over a short period. I have traveled all over the world officiating for the last twenty years and never been questioned about a work permit. Somebody who is living in a coutry permanent and employed in sport I think comes under a different category.

Your assumption would be incorrect then, but thanks for sharing your opinion

(Quoting from Tywas in the now closed Phuket thread)

The specific rule in this case for requiring a WP is the below:

5. Temporary business of entertainment, religious, social welfare, cultural or sporting without intention to make profit and paying income tax to the government.

Source: Legal Thailand

Fact remains that to do 'work' (irrespective of being in receipt of any remuneration) REQUIRES a Work Permit in Thailand.

No, really, it does! It really really really does.

Do you think when say Man United or Liverpool come for a visit they just turn up at Suvanapoom on the hope that they will get a 30 day stamp meant for tourists, of do you think the club might actually apply for the correct visa and documentation beforehand?

As we all know, in Thailand and other countries, laws are subject to some speculative interpretation. Clearly, Phuket Immigration know the ramifications of actually enforcing this law upon participants of such a high-profile event as the King's cup and have chosen to overlook it on this occasion.

That is the sensible option.

However, they will still enforce the law when it comes to teachers working illegally in language schools without a work permit.

The two situations are the same on paper but are wholly dissimilar in reality.

Since when does anybody need a work permit to participate in sport. Let's hope the never hold the Olympics in Thailand.

Well, erm, every single professional footballer in the UK (who isnt from the EU) for starters.........................

I'm sure that the organizers are well aware of this and have arranged the necessary paperwork.

I think you'd be wrong. Having competed in many of these regattas, there has never been any mention of a work permit. You sign on as crew and pay your entry fee. That's it.

I have a work permit, but it isnt for sailing. I'd need another one for that. I've never been asked not been made aware by the organisers that i would need one.

If this is true, then imigration will shoot themselves in the foot.

SOURCE from the story please anyone? Or is it just gossip?

Brilliant post. Please keep them coming. Thank you webfact.

I agree. I very heartwarming story.

You can neither say all thai people are honest or thieves. There are bad 'uns in every society.

The fact remains that a poorly paid petrol pump attendant found what amounts to over a months salary and handed it in.

Furthermore, the station made proactive moves to track down the owner.

And that is fantastic.

Good behaviour should be rewarded. People will then repeat that good behaviour.

The attendant got 1000 baht and will likely act in the same way should she find another wallet.

Also good on the gazette for offering to match the reward.

If true it has the potential to give some very negative publicity to Thailand's premier sailing event. As it should be considered a sporting event it could set a precedent whereby every sporting team coming to play in Thailand will need to be vetted for WPs.

I've often wondered how this works. I suspect that professional sportsmen actually do have to have some sort of work permit to come here. Or is there a clause allowing it? For example, if Liverpool come and play in Thailand then they are clearly professionals playing (working) football for a salary, some of which is garnered by the audience paying an entrance fee.

Same with singers. If a pop group comes, surely they are 'working' and need a permit.

It will be interesting to see how immigration check who is sailing because the only way to do this is actually on the water.

Is sailing a boat in a regatta 'work' or not. I know you don't have to get paid for work for it to be classed as work - but in a regatta it's the other way round. You pay to enter. So in that case, are you PAYING to do some work?

Where did this news source come from please?

If it's true, and surely it can't be, then it's an insult. The King's cup has Royal Patronage. His Majesty himself was a very keen sailor, and i believe one of the Princesses too. The spirit of the event, being held over His Majesty's birthdate is to honour the King. Over 100 boats - with thousands of sailors take part. This is the BIGGEST sailing regatta in Asia. If they lock up the likes of Frank Pong or Neil Pryde for not having work permits (and i suspect both are professional sailors) then there will be significant fallout.

Top flight sailors are often rich and very well connected. Moving in those sorts of circles comes with the territory of top class racing. They bring prestige to events, and people join events to race against the top guys.

Go one Immigration - throw them in jail and see what happens to the event next year. 110 boats this year. How many next year?

Some serious heat from foreign embassies will follow. Immigration staff will be moved to none active posts for having such a stupid idea but the damage will be done.

There is a phrase somewhere....................If you keep shooting at your feet, eventually you will blow your toes off.

Keep aiming lads. Keep aiming. You're nearly there.

A THB 500 "donation" to Somchai Officialman normally does the trick, although in this case would you take a back hander? You have no idea where it's been!

I am guessing there will be a $hit storm down there for a while, and some $hit will hit the fan as the press all make runs for a pooper-scoop about the officials being too bogged down with bureaucracy, which has allowed the toilet to become such a dump.

They will investigate and find that they finally have something to go on, albeit until our Herr Jeck clicks his heels three times and returns home.

After that everything will go down the pan, the police investigation will find that the local officials are all round the u-bend, there will be no where for them to u-turn, the paper work will overflow as the they are dumped on from a great height.

All will be adamant at first and tell the government that this is isn't their fault and and finally they will look to their Number 1's who will simply say "This is Thailand, blame the cistern"

Sorry, it's been a quiet morning here..

I agree. They should definitely flush out who is responsible.

I have rented several times with Nine Car Rent close to the airport. If you make a reservation in advance they will pick you up at the airport. Price for a Yaris this time a year would be 1000-1200 bath pr. day. They have pretty new cars, good service, and I have never had problems with them.

Yaris is a good car and if you can get it for 1k a day then thats a good price too.

The boots on these cars swallow quite a lot of luggage. You did say that there are only 2 of you? Do you really need a huge car? It can be very hard to find parking in Phuket. The smaller the car, the more chance you have. Quite how people in things like Isuzu Mu7's park on the street in phuket town is beyond me !

Oh that's frustrating. You come all this way and then miss the last ferry!

My advice would be to NOT get a longtail. The journey would be in excess of 2 hours in longtail and some of that is in the open ocean. There can be quite a swell, which in my view, longtail boats are not good at handling.

She can get a speedboat from Chalong or Rawai but it would be expensive. You didnt say what a 'decent price' was. I'd think that hiring a speedboat wouldnt be a 'decent price'.

What time does she arrive? I wouldnt make the journey in darkness to be honest with you. Too dangerous.

Her best bet might be to book one night in a hotel on Phuket and then just book the ferry to Phi Phi. She will get free pick up at the hotel with a mini-bus which will take her to the port and then to Phi Phi

Those are the only options i can think of. I've been told there will shortly be a helicopter service to Phi Phi but dont think it's been launched yet.

She could also charter a yacht from Chalong and make a lovely day of sailing there but that would be in the region of 15k baht.

I believe that you can actually get a visa based upon being a volunteer these days.

Unlikely that he had such a visa, but he wouldnt need a work permit to volunteer to clean the bogs.

If he's free, he can volunteer to do mine if he is in the area......................

Anyway, good on the German fella for getting all this squared away and bringing it to the attention of the people who are actually paid to do the damned job!

Information within the media alludes to the Thai wife of Mr Yamada confessing to the murder, and has apparantly been paraded in front of the media.

Further media reports claim that the Police are still seeking two accomplices to the murder, one of which may be the wife's boyfriend.

What an absolutely shocking way to go, and what vile, nasty person could even contemplate doing this to another human?

Scum.

Sad ending. Hope the passenger will recover.

Me too. Always sad to hear of another biking death. RIP brother.

Also hope the Thai girl 'Pla' makes a full recovery. Anyone know anything about her? Is she a Phuket girl? Are her family and friends with her in the hospital? etc.

Forget about trolling larb burgers & back to pizzas. Brand me as a heretic if you must but a couple of days ago I tried a mediterranean seafood cheesy max pizza at the Pizza Company & found it to be OK. I have not tried Salvatores for many years so M & Ms remains my number one choice. Although I thought the chessy max was OK it is still a big step down from M & Ms.

That's the thing with different people comparing pizza, Valentine, it's a qualitative results process. It's not an empirical science.

My own view is that the chain franchises like Piss-a Co make food that is edible only when drunk, or when suffering from a hangover. It's not somewhere i'd make a sober choice about eating at.

If you're in Phuket town, there are plenty of better choices. In fact, if you're just about anywhere on the island there are better choices................

Chicken Green Curry pizza at 'The Cook' in Phuket Town.

Bootiful.

I remember from many moons ago, 'The Pizzeria Hut' just about where the new shopping center in Patong is now, was very nice. I believe they are still around but I don't get to Patong much now so don't know their location.

Anyone who eats at 'The Pizza Company' or 'Pizza Hut' needs a good slap.

The Cook in Phuket Town has also been visited by Phuket Pizza Tuesday, in July.

In all fairness, it's a Thai restaurant that also happens to sell pizza.

It rated slightly below average. Plus points are price - 12- to 180 baht.

Downside was that the pizzas are cooked in a round, electronic pizza pan, so the bases are sweet (Thai style) and completely circular.

Ok for a quick snack.

Not so good if a pizza sensation is what you're after. Good value for sure, though i wouldnt go out of my way to eat a pizza there. It would be more a case of, "oh, they serve pizza here, i think i may have one"

I like Sound, I don't think its for posers at all, Bed Supper Club might be like that but Phuket is a much more casual place.

There's also club lime and sublime(?) sundays on Laem Singh Beach, so yeah Phuket is getting itself a scene at long last.

Club Lime has been trying for a while now but every time i go there, the place is dead. Nice venue, good marketing, pretty decent music. But it's just slightly off the beaten track in Patong and i dunno why, no one goes. I suspect Patong just aint the right crowd. Why should Lime be empty but FBI be packed? Do people want nothing more than fanny? Seems so !

Stereo Lab is, in my opinion, breaking new ground.

For far tooooo long we've had a diet that is nearly always the same. A DJ playing a mixed bag of the latest Thai/Euro trash mainstream music, then a bit of (say) R and B, then some other genre, then back to the Thai or Euro covers etc etc, all washed down with an audience content to listen to what they are told to and jiggle about on the spot as there is no dance floor.

Stereo Lab is changing this monotony by bringing in big name DJ's. For the people who've been brought up in Phuket, they don't know any better. But they soon will, and with this new knowledge will come a demand for change.

Change in music starts small but can then grow quickly.

Let's hope that there is real desire for change from the audience.

The only aggro with Stereo Lab is it's a bit tucked out of the way and not very convenient unless you live in Surin or Kamala or summat.

All the other clubs serve the same old same old.

Rockin Angels isnt a club. It's a bar with live music, and whilst he tries, it only holds a dozen people.

Timber Hut has been playing the same tried and tested formula of "pack 'em in, no dance floor, play popular songs and play em loud" and they've been financially successful for 20 years - which is why everyone mimics them. And if that's all you're used to then you don't know what you are missing.

Phuket House Mafia also play at a number of venues around the island - and BKK too. Check em out on Facebook for details of their next gigs. They play great house and know how to mix it too.

Seduction i reckon is feeling the heat from stereo lab and have hosted David Morales and also Judge Jules BUT Patong is arguably not the right crowd. You need a club with a hard core regular clientele and Patong is going to be mainly tourists who maybe actually want to get some 'Thai club culture' at Banana, FBI etc.

Hard on the heals of Stereo Lab was the recent freebie on the beach by Royfest. Without trying to be derogatory to the local DJ's - when the europeans came on, the difference was huge. Like listening to a tinny transistor radio one minute and swapping to a Bose system the next.

DJing isnt just playing CDs.

Royfest was a success which they are threatening to repeat for the King's cup at the start of December.

The time is right and the music scene is changing. Stereo Lab are leading the way. Phuket House Mafia are doing their bit. Seduction i think is looking over its shoulder and trying to catch up.

We need a couple more decent music clubs in Phuket Town, and maybe Patong and Kata/Karon and there will be a critical mass. No longer will the public accept Hotel California. No longer will they accept bad mixing. No longer will they accept Euro-pop in 5 different languages.

We want music. Decent music. And it's coming.

The only way is up. Bay-be................

P.s Forgot to mention that Sound in JungCeylon, likes it's brother the so called 'Bed supper club' in BKK is for poseurs only. They couldnt care less if the DJ's play the Teletubbies all night just as long as someone takes their photos with their latest Jimmy Choo copy shoes on and their genuinly scuffed up Louis Vuiton handbag. Sorry about that mini rant. I went to the Bed Supper club recently and it is the worst club i've ever been to. I can't even remember the music - that's how bad it was. Why else do you go to a club if it aint for the music? Oh............yeah, to be seen!

Well not this cat !

Your local, friendly 7/eleven.

Whilst the 7/eleven franchise in Thailand is owned by Charoen Pokphand group, most of the stores are owned by individual franchisees. That's local people more often than not.

And they charge the same price whether you are black, white, Eastern, Western or alien.

And i like that.