trainman34014

I think that more places should be accepting cards by now, not less. How far behind do Thailand's business people want to be? What will happen after 2015 when ,we hope, more people will arrive from the likes of Seoul, Singapore, KL and so on ,where much larger numbers of folks are using cards on a daily basis. Will they be happy when they can't use their cards for purchases as they can elsewhere in the civilised world?

Not long after I got here I went into a Builders merchants to buy numerous items. When I got to the till I was told that certain items had a surcharge for using a card and certain items didn't. What kind of business thinking is this? I have since found that Global do the same thing, as well as others. IMO it's all backward or non-progressive thinking in todays world. I would have thought by now that Restaurant owners would have solved this problem by adding a little more to menu prices. After all; it wouldn't have to be a hefty rise on each menu item and would in the bigger picture be unoticed by most customers.

If you lads go the ATM route you will lose my custom...unless you can talk AEON into installing at your premises. Don't do it; I think your heads have been in Thailand for too long !

They deliver free to most area's of Chiang Mai.

i once posted something about my wife saying we could survive on ฿10 000.- a month at a tight pinch. I wasn't advocating it by any means. My daughter got feedback the same day when she went to the market, as did my wife a little later. The ladies were afraid that their Farangs would reduce their pocket money.

How someone found this out I can't imagine, but I am being watched... not that I care, I won't be telling when I go on holidays.

Well, you should know that CM is a small city and if you p*ss your pants, it will be the talk of the town the next day.

I fart a lot and nobody says a word !

I live in a Bicycle Bubble. I'm out and about every day as I would go crazy if I was stuck indoors. Heat doesn't bother me much so it's an all year thing and I get to meet dozens of locals out in the Boonies. After nearly 5 years everyone knows me no matter which route I choose and I am always happy to talk with anyone who is interested. Never been in a bar bubble, with of without bar girls, just not interested as I have my little Thai gem at home. Said Gem is not all that socially minded and is far more happy in our Love Nest (her words), so any beer drinking is done with friends coming to our home for food etc. We do venture out for dinner or lunch now and again but she is an A1 cook who enjoys her kitchen so normally we only go when she fancies a break.

Each to their own; I've got Farang who live not far from me who live inside a Refrigerator 24/7 and are rarely seen. Good luck to them, not my business.

I have a lot of answers, but most of them are against forum rules !

66 and still waiting to see one. When and if that happens I'll let you know if it wanted to hurt me. It's all in peoples minds, just like all these High So Chinese women that so many are married to....it seems !!

The Vicar mentioned he did not like the layout of Big "C" stores.Funny I thought it was only me who didn't like it.

I don't like their layouts either. I feel that generally they are poorly managed stores, although I still shop there for what I want at times.

Retard lever? Isn't that an ejector seat ?

Man up and dump the cancer sticks forever.

Some (just some) of the reasons not to drink any form of soft drink or soda's as some name them...

Phosphoric Acid: Interferes with the body's ability to use calcium, which leads to osteoporosis, softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which interferes with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients.

Sugar: It is a proven fact sugar increases insulin levels, resulting in high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and more negative side effects. One can of drink puts you over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.

Aspartame: This lethal chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet drinks. There are over 92 different health side effects including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.

Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks can cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.

Soda (carbonating) drinks is one of the main reasons, nutritionally speaking, why many people suffer health problems. Aside from the negative effects of the soda itself, drinking a lot of soda is likely to leave you with little appetite for vegetables, protein and other food that your body needs.

Seems to me any carbonated or sweet drinks laced with sugars and caffeine including sports drinks like Gatorade and Red Bull should also be scrutinised but demand and craving of these drinks will outweigh the sensibility of health. Taxing them will do nothing other than giving the Govt more revenue. Educating the public is far more intelligent and therein lies the exact reason Thailand won't.

We need a breakdown like this for Beer. That would be very interesting.

With rent's as cheap as they are around CM it would be cheaper to move somewhere quieter than install spotlights !

Change the locks !

I bought my Siemens free standing one at Siam Electrical on the Moat. They had others there at the time but I didn't see any 'Eye Level' or built in types but that was 18 months ago.

Endure....Not quite as simple as you make it seem. The court has to hear all the evidence the Police have gathered to prove the confessor actually 'did it'. There have been many cases where people have owned up to murders and other crimes they never actually committed. Notwithstanding all this; if the British Police put the suspect on TV the case would never reach a courtroom.

What about 'Golden Syrup' in the green Tate&Lyle tins....anyone seen it here. I would love to make treacle tarts.

It seriously irritates me to see the Thais always laughing at the scene of a crime or during a re-enactment. It makes me want to punch them in the face really hard, especially in situations where people have died. They have no respect for anyone or anything other than money.

Well said!!!

Come on, it's a cultural difference. Living here you should know that; it doesn't mean what you think it does. It also doesn't distract from the seriousness of the situation, and the excellent job the police have done in this case. Worthy of respect. Also I appreciate the opportunity these reenactments give the family as an outlet of their sadness, anger and frustration. MUCH better than what victim's relatives have to endure in my own country.

If the Police in our countries did what is done here no case would ever get to court, as even the perpetrator of the crime has rights. In Britain the whole case would be thrown out on the basis that the perpetrators rights had been abused before he came to court. We have a system that says everyone is 'innocent until proven guilty'...even if someone owns up to the crime it still has to be proven in a court of law. Not sure about the US system of justice in such circumstances but would assume something similar. Also; I know for sure that British families who had lost loved ones in such circumstances would not want what they would describe as 'a circus performance' being enacted in front of them. I always get the feeling with the Thai 'performances' that they are nothing to do with justice for the suffering family and friends, or indeed justice for the accused, but more to do with showing what a fine upstanding Police force Thailand has. To me, they are just doing the job they are paid to do and it does not warrant a TV glamour show broadcast on a daily basis. I see nothing whatsoever to 'respect' about such goings on. Yes; I live in Thailand and I have to accept it, but I despise it nevertheless.

I don't know about the U.K. as I have never lived there but cable TV and Internet is indeed cheaper in other European countries than it is here.

WeTV is about 400bht a month ...... what cable TV can you get in Europe cheaper than that?

Hang on I'm behind the times BT Internet and TV .... 18UKP/month plus 11UKP line rental +20% VAT = 1,800bht/month Vs 1,000bht/month for the Thai internet + WeTV.

We TV firstly is ONLY available in central Chiang Mai (the old town and adjacent areas) which makes me wonder Tomo if you are really living in that bucolic state of nature you claim. Secondly, the only English language channel of any note that it has (if you can get the service) is the BBC. I believe that True TV's gold package (their only worthwhile one for farangs) is more than B 1,500 a month (plus installation and extra wire charges). I paid far less in JAPAN for maybe 3 times as many channels (more than 300). I do not know that one can even get the high speed internet you are talking about in countryside/rural areas and if you can, it and the price of TRUE will be significantly higher than B 2,000. So there goes your comparison with prices in the UK. And as other posters have pointed out, cable tv and internet is higher here than in their European countries. Ditto for the USA.

Simply not true as far as WETV is concerned. I've got it out in the Boonies 10 miles South of the City. Several English language channels including BBC, Fox News, Aljazeera, Australian Network, Universal etc and two movie channels dedicated to English language. Just 350 Baht per month for 60 channels. Bargain.

Oh dear; another broken hearted Farang who wants to write a book detailing his experiences at the hands of the evil Thai witch. Reckon he must be No 30,000 and something so far this decade. Don't think I'll be lining up for a signed copy !

I'm a Steam nut from the UK. Going away for a few days; will pm you when I get back.

Have you done the Death Railway yet? Kanchanaburi to Nom Tak is well worth the effort. Time to take in the WW2 Graveyards as well. Brings you to tears.

Branston baked beans are the best. I load up with as many as I can carry from the UK. However; when I'm out Ayam has to do as beggars can't be choosers.

Nobody has mentioned the best chocolate on the planet yet...Cadburys. Never see it in LOS so have to bring back bag fulls from Hong Kong. China has it by the truck load; why not LOS?