paddydubai

Anywhere do a good bubble n squeak?

The Victoria does a great bubble and squeak, served with cold pork loin and ham. It's by no means the nearest pub to me but I've even made a special trip there for it.

My vote is for Mulligan's on Soi 11. All the elements present and correct and all cooked just right - nothing overdone, underdone or greasy. Hanrahan's food is good generally but I agree with an earlier poster that the breakfast isn;t much good.

To be fair, apart from the odd one who won't use the meter (in that case, just get straight out) I've never had any trouble in several years of living in BKK and I live just off Soi 11. Only time was when I got in a taxi that was so battered, the inside door handle/arm rest came off in my hand as I tried to close it! Then the guy wouldn't switch the meter on, so I got out but as I left he tried to charge me for breaking his door handle. I just told him pood len.

I've been doing the ED visa for two years now and they've never checked how often I go to the school, or whether I go at all - although I do go regularly, twice a week. But last time I went to do the 90 day thing in Jomtien soi 5, I thought we were done and dusted but they sent me over to another police sergeant who asked me two or three questions to test my knowledge of Thai. I think it might happen quite a lot because the girls at the school (Walen) usually give me a little bit of coaching on the FAQs - eg what is your home address, what days do you go to school, what times are your classes - just before I head over to the immigration.

Morrobay, I used to import ginseng in the UK. I'm interested to know what quality yours is. Did the lady give you an age of it? It's usually offered as 3 or 7 years old. What colour is it? Off-white or red? The red is greatly superior. How bendable is it? The less bendable, the better! Looking forward to hearing from you on this. If it ticks the boxes, I'll head over there myself.

<br />PS A used factory unlocked 3GS should go for 11k baht or so, by the way. Maybe 12? The price you were quoted would be ok for 32GB, perfect condition, and factory unlocked, I think. Shop around.<br /><br />New from the shop they're 17,900, see here <a href='http://www.truemove.com/iphone/en/price.html' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.truemove....e/en/price.html</a><br /><br />But these new 3GSs have only 8GB of memory. Which is probably enough unless you have a large music collection or like to carry lots of videos and photos with you.<br />

Thanks a lot, everyone. That's really useful.

That's about the right price for a 32GB iPhone 3 or 3GS.

If it was suppose to be a new iPhone 4, it was probably fake.

Thanks for that. I'm fairly IT illiterate, so when I checked the price in the Apple store in Siam Paragon and saw it was 27k, I would

have been looking at an iPhone 4, right?

May I ask one more question - would there be any particular disadvantage in getting an iPhone 3 or 3GS? For that money, and assuming it is real, it seems like good value.

A stall at MBK in Bangkok is selling the iPhone 32GB for 13,500 baht. In the official Apple stores it's 27k. The girl said it has a 12 month world guarantee. She said she'd also throw in a cover. I picked it up and played with it. It looked, felt and behaved like any other iPhone, although I admit I'm not overly familiar. The boxed packaging looked perfectly real.

I was going to buy one. We'd got as far as deciding which colour to take. She put two boxes on the counter, one black one white. Then I noticed that the boxes were a slightly different size, which set the alarm bells off and I declined. At that point she even offered to drop the price more.

My question is, do you think there is any possibility that they might be real? If so, how do they get them that cheap?

However, in fairness to Air Asia, I just called their BKK office and got through to a very pleasant and helpful English speaker in 0 seconds flat. She told me I can either pay cash and book at their counter at Suvarnabhumi (which is quite easy for me as I live right next to the Phaya Thai rail link) or get the BTS to On Nut and buy it at their office in the Lotus supermarket, which she says is next door.

<br />Went looking for the Air Asia office at Central Festival yesterday and the "Concierge" desk told me there is not and has never been an Air Asia office there.<br />

Just to add to that - I wandered round the Central Festival Mall last weekend and found what seemed to be the only travel agent in the place, tucked away in the basement. I wanted to book an Air Asia flight to Stansted, paying cash. The woman said she could do that. But then she got it up on the computer and said they don't fly there. I said I know they do, I've looked it up online, I know what day and time I want to fly and how much it is, I just want you to book it so I can pay you cash for it. She said OK, come back tomorrow with all the details.

I duly turned up and the woman wasn't there, but after some faffing about, her colleague said they can only make bookings out of KL, not Bangkok.

A TIT classic!

That's a fine post, very useful - I'm sure for many people. Just out of interest, why Laos and not Cambodia for a single-entry 3-month visa? Do Cambodia not offer it? I'm just asking, I've never done it before. It sounds like your workplace will keep you on extension of stay.

Hi.

No, apparently if you need to stay out for one night, it has to be Laos, Cambodia's no good. I could be wrong about that.

Thanks for your kind words. Glad to help.

I have a non-immigrant ED visa. I started it in July and should have been able to renew after three months without having to leave Thailand. But I made a mistake with the paperwork so, effectively, had to start all over again - get a fresh set of paperwork from the school and stay outside the country for at least one night.

Last time, I went on a trip organised by Quick Thai Visa. It cost 6,900 baht and was fine, except I really didn't enjoy sitting in a packed mini-bus for 10 hours each way. So I decided to risk doing it myself, although I was daunted by what looked like an awful lot of forms to fill in and assorted admin when I did it with them (for instance, they told me I would need 6 photos.)

But it was much, much easier than I expected, more comfortable and cheaper too. I'll go into detail as it may be useful to some people:

I bought a return train ticket from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station to Nong Khai, near the Laos border. I took a 1st class sleeper cabin - cost 1317 baht each way. I got it at the station (their online booking service is broken!) and wanted to go on Saturday night but it was full, so I took Sunday night.

If you're travelling alone, which I was, you could end up sharing the cabin with a stranger, which would have been a bit weird and very cramped indeed. So it was somewhat nerve wracking, waiting to leave at 20.00 and hoping the cabin door didn't open! But it didn't and off we went.

After about half an hour, a guy comes to split the seat into a bunk bed and make it up. You get pillows and a freshly laundered blanket and towel. They also take orders for dinner and breakfast, but the food isn't a highlight - I'd stock up on snacks and drinks. They bring coffee in the morning if you want it. I didn't know until too late, but there is a restaurant/bar car. The bloke who used it told me it's very pleasant, sitting over a few beers with all the windows wide open. It closes at 10 pm.

I slept quite well. Even if you can't get off to sleep, at least you're fully stretched out and comfortable. The train is old and fairly manky, with nasty toilets, but it's OK. It'll do.

We got to Nong Khai at 10 am, 90 minutes late, which could have been a big problem, as I'll explain later. You can get an onward train to a place called Lamankheng which is in Laos, near Vientiane. But the connecting times don't really work. It's quicker and simpler to take a tuk-tuk from the station to the border - Friendship Bridge. There's a big sign up at the station telling you how much you have to pay the tuk-tuk. It's 20 baht to Friendship Bridge although the guy will inevitably ask you for more - just give him the 20 and walk away. The guy also tried to stop at a travel agents to buy a Laos visa, but I'd read from other accounts that this is a rip-off, as had his two other passengers. We all squawked in protest and he reluctantly carried on to the border.

At the Thai side of the border, you hand over your departure card and get stamped out. I had a few days overstay so I had to go to a separate office there to pay it, but it only took a few extra minutes. Then you hop on a shuttle bus - 15 baht - across the bridge. It's too far to walk with luggage.

At the Laos side there are two little windows. One of them (marked window 2) issues you with a visa application form, but it isn't open and you have to go right up and stare through it meaningfully until the woman finally opens it and gives you the form. You fill in the form - don't forget to take your own pen! - hand it over at window 1, with your passport and the visa fee, which varies according to where you're from. For the UK it's US$ 35. Then you have to wait quite a while until window no. 2 opens again and the woman hands out the completed passports in batches of three or four.

At this point you need to get into Vientiane and you get set upon by a swarm of drivers and touts. I had a driver arranged with the hotel, which is probably advisable. But we were both really concerned about the time. It was now 11.20, the Thai consulate stops taking visa applications on the dot of mid day (and if you miss it, you've got to forget it until tomorrow) and it's a fair few minutes drive into Vientiane.

We got there a couple of minutes before noon and I got surrounded by another swarm of touts, who offer to do the whole process for you. The guy who latched on to me wanted 3,000 baht. DON"T PAY IT! It's completely unnecessary. Don't use the outside photocopy service either - there's one inside.

Even though we were there just in time, they had shut the gates! But a woman tout was selling tickets from the take-a-ticket machine inside the consulate, for 200 baht each. Right under the nose of the gate guard, she offered me the ticket for 200 baht, which I paid, and the guy let me in. It's a bit of a scam, but hey ho.

Once inside, there's an outdoor area where you take a ticket (if you haven't been sold one already), fill in your form, paste two photos onto it (where did the Quick Thai Visa guys get the idea you need six??) then wait for your number to be called. These numbers are called in batches so you then have to queue to hand your papers in. A clerk takes a quick look through to see that all is in order, asks a couple of questions and you're done. You then go to a room inside the compound and pay the fee - 2000 baht - get a receipt and you're finished. That whole bit took just over half an hour so, as I say, it definitely wasn't worth paying a tout.

You then have 24 hours to enjoy Vientiane, which really is a nice place. I'd quite like to go back for a few days' holiday. It's how I imagine Thailand must have been 50 or 60 years ago. There isn't a great deal of globalisation, thankfully - I didn't see any Starbucks, McDonalds or KFC, although Walls Ice Cream is big business! The people have clear, untroubled faces, there's no hassle, the pace is very leisurely, the French/Asian colonial architecture is shabby and very appealing, the big government buildings and Buddhist temples are fabulous and the food and coffee is fantastic.

There's a great strip of restaurants and bars along the riverfront. I'm a bit of a foodie and I had a meal in a French place called La Cote d'Azur which was absolutely stunning. At 600 baht it was pricy, you can pay much, much less along that strip, but it included a carafe of decent wine and a cognac, plus truly world class cooking. I had couscous, which is one of my favourite dishes. I've had it in lots of places including Morocco and I make a pretty good one myself. But this was the best I've ever eaten, hands down.

I booked the Aroon Residence online. It was fine. Immaculately clean and pleasant, with free wi-fi. And the hotel driver couldn't be faulted; he'd been calling me from 8 in the morning to check when I'd arrive and where to meet. 1000 baht for the hotel and 150 for him although I gave him a much bigger tip.

The consulate hands out completed passports between 1 and 3 pm the next day. I got there a few minutes early and went in with the throng. The take-a-ticket machine was bust so we just got into a queue. I was out in 15 minutes with passport and visa.

Just one error - I only got given a single entry visa for the next three months. A German husband and wife were going crazy cos she'd been given multiple entry but he'd only been given single. If you want more, apparently, you need to indicate it in the application form. I didn't know that and I do need to leave before the visa expires, so we'll have to figure out what happens then.

Train back to Bangkok left Nong Khai at 6.20, was nearly empty in 1st class so no anxiety about having to share, but once again was 90 minutes late arriving.

Total cost was 6,100 baht - quite a bit less than Quick Thai Visa, (although their price did include a couple of meals, to be fair, but not 800 baht's worth!) And as I say, it was immeasurably more comfortable this way.

Hello. I must admit I haven't been there yet (moved to Bangkok in May) but I keep meaning to go. One thing that I'm told is absolutely essential - and which certainly looks good - is "Nancy Chandler's Map Of Bangkok"

It's very informative and has a whole map dedicated to Chatuchak, which shows you how it's divided up into different product areas. Chatuchak is absolutely massive - funnily enough, although I haven't been, I drive right through it two or three times a week - and the map could save you a lot of fruitless wandering. Without it, you could trail around for hours and not even be in the section you really need!

I bought mine in a Kinokunia bookshop - there's one in most of the big malls. can't remember exactly how much but the map wasn't at all expensive.

Good luck. Would be good to hear how you get on, as I'm always looking for interesting things to have around the house.

Hi.

I've had a look through the forum but couldn't find anything that quite answers my question.

A 25 year endowment policy has just matured. The amount payable is 25k+ (about 10 more than I was expecting so, yes, I will be buying the beers tonight!)

The company, Scottish Provident (now Phoenix) will only pay a cheque, in sterling, direct to me - no third party.

I'm worried about them sending me the cheque in thre post, which has proved erratic. And once it gets here, I don't know how bank it.

I don't have a UK bank account and haven't done for years. I have one in Thailand with Kasakorn.

The company - who I must say have been very helpful - are investigating ways to pay me in Thailand. I'll also go into Kasakiorn and ask them.

But if anyone has any experience and advice, that would be great. Hard information only, though, please. No offense, but opinions aren't really required.

That was good of you. Well done and thank you.

Kasikorn have always had a more relaxed and realistic attitude to this, did the same myself when I was holidaying here some 6 years ago.

The account itself is not much use though to be honest, pay money in, draw money out, debit card that is useful (but only in Thailand), but not much else.

I know your are obviously pleased with yourself, and I don't want to rain on your parade, but it really is not a big deal and certainly was no mistake.

Original poster here. No, I'm not particularly 'pleased with myself'.

It's OK, you haven't 'rained on my parade'.

And thanks for conceding that there 'certainly was no mistake.' That's a huge relief. Phew.

I also realise that in the fullness of things, 'it really is not a big deal'. But I did post it in the banking section of the forum so, although it wasn't a big deal, it was entirely relevant.

And as there are hundreds of posts on this forum about opening a bank account, including one the other day that I saw when I was researching, which said you cannot open an account without a work permit, I thought it would be useful to tell people how easy my experience was.

I think this forum has an awful lot of people who post, not because they want to add to the sum total of useful knowledge and information, but because they want to show other people that they know more than anyone else. This guy, for instance. A classic.

Some forums operate a 'be nice or don't post' policy. I think thaivisa should do the same.

In the meantime, please, if you haven't got anything useful to add, go and have a walk, or tell your wife what a bigshot you are, or something.

I'm in LOS on a 60 day tourist visa. Next month I'll have an educational visa but until then I had to go to the big government building at Chaeng Wattana to ask for an extension of the tourist one.

A Thai friend suggested I should try to open a bank account while I was there (something I obviously need to do), as I'd have all the papers with me and lots of the major banks have branches there, literally side by side.

I chose one at random, MTB - no chance without a work permit.

Then I went into Bangkok Bank - maybe, they said, but I'd need a letter from my embassy (so, forget that).

Then Kasikorn. 20 minutes and 5000 baht later I walked out with a bank book and an ATM card! Today they sent me a PIN so I can start banking online, which works fine.

I could have probably opened it with even less. I offered the 5000 baht and a few hundred US dollars but she said, no, the baht would be enough.

Ridiculously easy! I stopped for a coffee afterwards and had to walk back past the bank. I almost felt like going past on tiptoe in case there'd been a mistake and they came out and pulled me up.

By the way, when I got the visa extension, the form asks you why you want to stay longer. I wrote that I want to buy a condo (which is vaguely true, but not for several years yet). On reading that, the immigration official said oh, my brother-in-law's an estate agent, could he drop you an email?!! TIT.

Hi.

Anyone know where I can buy under-bed storage units, for keeping things like spare bedding and towels?

I had some back in the UK. They're basically like big drawers on castors that roll in and out easily under the bed.

If I can't find any, I'll look for large, shallow straw or wicker baskets. Again, anyone got any idea where I might find them?

Thanks.

Hi.

Anyone know where I can buy under-bed storage units, for keeping things like spare bedding and towels?

I had some back in the UK. They're basically like big drawers on castors that roll in and out easily under the bed.

If I can't find any, I'll look for large, shallow straw or wicker baskets. Again, anyone got any idea where I might find them?

Thanks.

But let's not get too serious. Lively up yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKtURqCt-JQ

Swiftly followed by....

What else could it be but this.....

Slightly off topic and out of town, but I always chuckle at the Big C mall in Pattaya which seems to have recently re-named itself "Central Center". You can't get any more central than that!

Oh, and in Dubai they've got this new attraction in the man made lake outside the world's tallest building. It features an amazing series of giant, synchronised fountains (actually worth seeing if you're ever passing through). They had a competition with a prize for naming the attraction. Guess what won?

Yep. The Dubai Fountain.

I just bought a number and Freedom SIM card from AIS 12Call yesterday. It works fine in terms of connections, but it occurred to me that I might have been a bit hasty as I just bought the first thing I was offered at one of dozens of mobile stalls in a shopping mall in north BKK and didn't bother to shop around.

I paid 299 baht for the subscription, which was dumb of me as I discovered from the website that it should have only been 50! Calls to all networks outside of AIS are 1 baht per minute.

Is this too high? Should I cut my losses and switch before I give out the new phone number to all and sundry?

I only want to make calls and SMS, no internet or anything fancy.

Any thoughts?

Here's another possibility:

I just bought a 12Call.AIS line and Sim card yesterday. I've been able to send overseas SMS and calls no problem, BUT I have to insert a 5 between the 00 and the country code.

So instead of dialling 0044 then the number to go to the UK, I have to dial 00544. And instead of 00971 for the UAE, I dial 005971. That works!

The TRUE network will be a different number, not 5. If you go to the TRUE website and look for information on international calling, it will probably tell you instantly. If it's any help, here's a copy paste from the info on the 12Call site:

International call service is the service that enables you to use your AIS One-2-call! mobile phone to make international outgoing call to the foreign destination numbers.

You can make international call by yourself.

• Make call via AIN network : 005 Globaline , 00500

• Make call via CAT network: 001, 009

• Make call via TOT network: 007, 008

Yes, sounds like rice or rice wine vinegar. I'm not sure there's any difference - it might just be that it's called different things by different manufacturers, But it's colourless and has a much gentler taste than most vinegars, not nearly so sharp or aggressive. And it seems to marry with chillies better.

I make that stuff myself (sorry my Thai is still nit noi) - just chop a couple of little green chillies into a half cup of the vinegar and leave it half a day. Works for me, and I think that is the stuff you're talking about. The sour component in the Thai quartet of sweet, sour, fiery and salty.