trainman34014

Whatever turns you on. I prefer a good Thai meal with a beer and I wouldn't eat burgers and drink coke even if they were free every day. Each to their own 'heavenly meal'.

With that attitude and the fact you are reading a thread on Coke and Pepsi I suspect you are a secret pop drinker.

Used to be an 'R. Whites' secret lemonade drinker back in the 80's but gave it up around the time I stopped smoking. Perhaps connected in some way?

mcdonalds has coke

Even better Burger King does and they have Coke Zero.

A sure fire winning combination Double Whopper with cheese and bacon and Coke Zero.

A heavenly meal in a Buddhist country. Can it get any better?

Whatever turns you on. I prefer a good Thai meal with a beer and I wouldn't eat burgers and drink coke even if they were free every day. Each to their own 'heavenly meal'.

Here in Sattahip the only drinks available at most tesco's etc are coke or big cola, no red fizzy,orange fizzy or sprite in any brand, some smaller shops have in stock a limited amount sometimes. Thats tesco sattahip ban chang and pattaya, even makro. i think the factory must be down.

That's bad luck then. I was in CM Tesco and Makro today and they had all the soft drinks except Pepsi. Enough green, red and orange to float an Ocean Liner.

In the South we normally eat Tartar Sauce with our fish and Mayo' or Brown Sauce with our chips.

Sorry to disagree if you're talking about the average F&C shop, I've hardly seen anyone using mayo or brown sauce with chips. Mind you it could be a 'new thing' as I haven't been to a chippy for donkey's years.

For me in the south, Salt & Vinegar on chips is the only way to go.

Too many beers before you get to the chip shop so a blinkered view? Maybe you haven't been in the last ten years or so as my Grandchildren would die without large dollops of Mayo' on their chips. A lot of shops are now using 'French Fries' instead of the big fatty chips we used to have so we are following the continentals...without entering the dreaded Eurozone !

A lot of British places serve it with tartar sauce? That's close enough to mayo for me. Better, actually.

Really, that must be a new feature in the UK. I was never ever offered tartar sauce in a UK fish n chip in my 45 year of living there, mind you I've not been back for the past 15 +++ years. I guess these places must have become more civilised these days ..

Depends what part of Blighty you were living. In the North West they rarely eat chips without gravy on them. In the South we normally eat Tartar Sauce with our fish and Mayo' or Brown Sauce with our chips. In Norfolk you will never get a bag of chips without a great dollop of Mayo' on top, just like Holland and Germany. Fish and Chips in Britain are a very regional thing, even certain fish have different names in different parts of the country, eg;Rock Salmon in London, Gurnet in North Kent, Huss in South Kent are all the same fish....I know because my Grandad was a Fisherman who spent his life on a boat catching them. That is when he wasn't stoking the boilers of one of Jellico's Ironclad's at Jutland with a size 9 coal shovel !

Makro has loads Lamb shanks,but you will have to

cook them yourself.

regards Worgeordie

I can say that when you do cook them yourself they are really good. I will do one again tomorrow now you've reminded me they are in the freezer !

I have been following this thread with interest. I am at present living and working in Bangkok and plan to retire to Chiangmai some time next year (when the UK Pensions Office have sorted out my claim). My income will then be in the region of 30K baht per month. It has been good to see that no-one has yet queried the possibility of a quiet but comfortable existence in Chiangmai on such an amount. I will probably rent a condo for a few months before finding a suitable single-storey house. I am looking forward to becoming part of the Chiang Mai community.

Some people don't seem to have discovered this thread yet. Can't be long before someone starts carping about 'cheap charlie's' coming to live here on less than 150,000 a month. Fact is there are many I know living quite happily on 30,000 and in some cases, even less. Fairly easily achieved with sensible thinking and very sensible drinking.

I'm interested to try Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut & Company, Sizzler, Svensons, Starbucks, Oishi, Dunkin Donuts et al, to see if they're any different. Sounds really exciting.

A really decent Fish and Chip shop with good, clean sit down area would be nice. Brown sauce, Gravy and good Mayo would be fine additions. One can only dream !

You haven't said which area you are in?

Great idea, many foreigners are fascinated by ladyboys, most people I know can't tell the difference between a ladyboy and a lady, until they speak of course. Why not put them on long distant flights, I think it would boost tourism here, too.

Most people you know need their eyes tested !

what? no farang in any of those cars to BLAME it on? or on the train? or maybe even a farang pedestrian?

Thai Police have put out an APB to identify and apprehend a Farang seen about a k away from the crossing !

I think it's time to stop blaming the driver's.. train or car.. and start blaming the government for not building an overpass or underpass at this intersection. After all, Asoke / Ratchadapiesek is one of the Busiest Roads in Bangkok, and that Intersection just beside the Subway is just crying out for the Government to do something about all the Safety concerns.. but not in Thailand.. where the well-being and welfare of the People come dead last!

Let them walk in the Gutters.. that is where they belong... Is the prevalent attitude of all Thai Governments.

CS

in the bigger picture, you are right the BMA or someone like that are seemingly negligent here. However one has to drive according to one's immediate environment.

Saying there was no flyover there is not an excuse.

It's all the Same Issue.. Thai's have no respect for the Law and the Government has no respect for the People who voted them in.. It is all a Sum-Num-Nah situation... Or as we say in more Real democracies, "you get the Government you deserve!".

If Thais can't be bothered to elect a government that actually cares for them and works to make their lives safer and more convenient, and a Government that enforces the Laws that they do pass, then why should anyone expect them to respect any laws or rules of the Road.. after all they weren't put in place for them.. they are there for the Other guy.. or to show off when someone asks.. "Do you have any laws here?? or is Everything corrupt?"

The only pity or empathy I have left for any Thai or Thailand is that, that I have for a Junkie... They created their own hell to live in... Sum-Num-Nah!!!

CS

And which party would you expect the Thai people to vote for to get a Government that 'cares for them' ? Ordinary people here are faced with a no win situation when it comes to political parties, but of course, you know that don't you ?

The only way to stop all this tragedy is to have proper 'closing gates' and not barriers. Such gates should be opened and closed by a single operator who knows when trains are coming, preferably up to five minutes before they arrive, as was standard practice in the UK for many years. Once these gates are closed to road users they cannot get onto the tracks in any way other than by demolishing the gates. There are two parties responsible for this 'accident'. The Railway company should lobby the Government for the appropriate funds to build proper crossing gates to protect the public, who's attitude is fairly often suicidal in its approach to driving in general, and the Government itself that has a fundemental responsibility to protect its citizens. You certainly cannot blame the train driver who is trying to control a train of up to 600 tons, in the dark, and is totally reliant on the correct signaling procedures for the safety of his train and its passengers. Some blame can be attached to the road users as they often act in a childlike manner in this country, but prevention is the best way to deal with such situations.

The chance of receiving anything that is not registered is close to zero. In 4+ years I've had about 10 packages sent to me from destinations around the world that weren't registered and I only received 2 of them. One was from Korea and by Airmail it took 3 months to get to C.M. If you want to avoid import duty make sure the sender declares a low value (like 500-1000 Baht) and 'gift' or expect to pay import duty; some items are taxed 36%!

I don't know what you mean by "{:content:}quot;, which could be AUD, USD, SGD, etc. but in Thailand we use the Thai Baht.

Cheers Elektrified,I pretty much guessed that lack of integrity in the postal service.I had a box sent to me from Thailand "dipped" then sealed and sent on.

My friend sent an expensive ghettoblaster type thingy to Thailand and it was opened and exchanged for a cheap radio cassette player ! Everything in the box was exchanged for something cheaper and similar.

BIZARRE !

Nothing BIZARRE about things being stolen in Thailand in one way or another but lets face it, you can lose your post in any country to live in. So far my experience in almost four years has been 100% good as far as delivery of parcels from Britain is concerned. They always arrive by ordinary parcel service within 10 days and not one has ever been opened. I always tell senders to put a value of no more than 1,000 Baht, no matter what the value of the contents is. Seems to be working so far but TIT, so anything is possible in the next half hour !

BIZARRE was in reference to all the items being replaced with cheaper ones rather than just disappearing.Like a burglar stealing your 80 inch Samsung 1080p TV then leaving a 18" black and white boob tube out of guilt !

Seems odd behavior I agree but probably Thai postal workers sorting parcels thought it was time to replace their knackered radio with a more updated model and needed to get rid of the old one ! The lesson here for the sender/receiver was don't bother sending such items in the post when they are pretty much the same price here, and in some cases cheaper.

Just by way of update on this...... not only are prices going up, due to the floods, or maybe not, too many things seem to be getting scarce

We all know now about the Singha Products, and the diet colas being non existant, but other products seem to be missing for some reason.

With regard to skyrocketing prices check this one out....

I now agree that "Butter is Better" and not only that , its cheaper.

A 5 Kg block of butter in 625 baht per the block, or 125 baht per kilo.

Best Foods 2 kg., little pail of margarine is now 265 for the 2 k pail, and it was as late as mid January of this year, 199 baht per the same size pail container. That increase of 66 baht is about a 33% increase in 11 months.

This equates to about 133 baht per kilo.

So Butter is not only better, its also cheaper.

Anybody else have input?

G

I only buy the 454g size Best Foods Marg' which is normally 65-67 Baht, but this week in Big C Extra it was on special at 63 and placed in the cabinet for Farang type foods away from its normal display area. Can't say I've noticed a dramatic price increase in this size for the last year or so but I don't watch the bigger buckets. As for butter, I normally use the butter blend spread which is cheaper and works perfectly well for baking.

The chance of receiving anything that is not registered is close to zero. In 4+ years I've had about 10 packages sent to me from destinations around the world that weren't registered and I only received 2 of them. One was from Korea and by Airmail it took 3 months to get to C.M. If you want to avoid import duty make sure the sender declares a low value (like 500-1000 Baht) and 'gift' or expect to pay import duty; some items are taxed 36%!

I don't know what you mean by "{:content:}quot;, which could be AUD, USD, SGD, etc. but in Thailand we use the Thai Baht.

Cheers Elektrified,I pretty much guessed that lack of integrity in the postal service.I had a box sent to me from Thailand "dipped" then sealed and sent on.

My friend sent an expensive ghettoblaster type thingy to Thailand and it was opened and exchanged for a cheap radio cassette player ! Everything in the box was exchanged for something cheaper and similar.

BIZARRE !

Nothing BIZARRE about things being stolen in Thailand in one way or another but lets face it, you can lose your post in any country to live in. So far my experience in almost four years has been 100% good as far as delivery of parcels from Britain is concerned. They always arrive by ordinary parcel service within 10 days and not one has ever been opened. I always tell senders to put a value of no more than 1,000 Baht, no matter what the value of the contents is. Seems to be working so far but TIT, so anything is possible in the next half hour !

Tops in Airport Plaza have them as well, bought my Christmas supply this morning.

Hi and sorry I can't join you.

But people I know are Very interested in hotel/guest house recommendations for the place. They seem to be few and far between.

Any advice gratefully received!

No shortage of hotels at all. I use Piyaporn Hotel which is about half a k from the border on the left hand side of the main road up to the border. Cheap, clean, good shower, aircon and good food in restaurant at very decent prices. Takes all cards etc. Phone 053-734511. There are several more decent hotels that have been reported, some closer to the border so shouldn't be a problem.

Can I use TrueMove sim in a public phone box as no-one of us have mobiles? Why bother with a public phone? Just give it to someone when you don't need it any more!

Why not get one in Tesco's or somewhere similar, can get them for a 500 baht or so....doing offer here 2 for 1050baht!

http://www.tescolotu...54&photoid=4255

Would anyone really use a mobile to call a foreign country? They hardly work within the country, I couldn't imagine trying to call another country!

I call the UK 3/4 times a week and the calls usually last for 15 - 30 minutes, never had a problem with my mobile using True International Sim card.

Same here; I call other countries three to five times a month and never, ever had a problem using mobile with true sim.

By way of an update...... just back from Makro 108 and no sign of any Singha of any sort.

....and for those that have interest.... re the diet or sugar free colas, the BS story of the day is that the plant that makes the cans for the Coke Light and Zero was flooded and not working...... but magically the elves come out during the night and make millions of cans for Coke Classic......

Must , no doubt, be the same story of the week for the Pepsi Plant.

:angry:

Blimey; there were 20 cases or more of Singha there early yesterday morning, so the Singha locusts must have been in and raped it.

Read on someone's post yesterday that Makro had restocked on Singha Beer . Went out to Makro this morning [superhwy]and nada, nothing in the way of Singha in sight.....looking for Sing Light especially.

If that poster reads this, which Makro were you referring to?

For the record..... lots of Coca Cola by the pallet load, but no Coke Light or Zero. Same goes for Rimping SS, Meechok. 10AM Thurs the 8th

Just come out of Makro on 108 Gonzo and they have plenty of Singha but didn't notice if light or not as I drink other beers. Makro on 108 now very well re-stocked on many items so things getting much better all round.

SiamTV has a decent selection for kitchen appliances.

Just got back from Siam TV buying kitchen appliances and I need to vent........ :angry:

Considering they have a great selection, good prices, smart premises and loads of staff, why is the shopping experience so bad? What should have been a simple task to buy some kitchen stuff took over an hour, including TWENTY FIVE MINUTES waiting for the bill once we'd finally got someone to acknowledge everything we wanted and collect the money. Had I not already handed over cash would have walked out.

O.K., TIT and I've lived here long enough to know what it's like (at least I managed to keep jai yen yen ), but sometimes the level of incompetence when it comes to customer service still amazes me. I really wonder how some of these businesses get where they are.

Back on topic; thanks for the info on YOK and Bakers Mart. Sounds like they have some things I need too so will check them out.

Share your frustrations in this country with customer service. They seem to make very simple things very complicated. Seems to me it's all about employing large amounts of people who are poorly trained and subsequently don't know anything about what they are supposed to be doing most of the time. Takes three people to do one persons work and we are subjected to long waits as a result of this high employment policy.

How far is it to Lampang from Chiang Mai? And the driver nodded off already? Surely less than an hour into the journey. Can we assume that there is no supervision of drivers? This calls for a class action suit.

Bus drivers here are often expected to do two return trips in quick succession with just two or three hours sleeping in the back of the bus in between and maybe another hour or two on turnaround. From what I've been told only Nakhon Chai insist their drivers get at least 8 hours rest between drives.

RIP the poor souls that were the victims of yet another bus 'accident' that should never have happened. Best wishes to those who survived and hopes for a speedy recovery.

Thank the Lord for Nakhon Chai Air and their higher standards.

When I told Thai wifey about this she just shrugged and said 'I told you before you have to look after yourself in Thailand because nobody care you' . Sums up the way the ordinary folk see life here because they know nobody gives a shit about them.

I'm looking for a good quality hand mixer for baking. Any suggestions on where I should look in CM?

Thanks.

I bought one upstairs in Makro about 6 weeks ago 990 Baht. Name I hadn't heard of before but comes with adjustable stand, bowl and mixing tools. Detaches and can be used as hand mixer which is my main use. Very pleased so far, works very well.