joe84330

as frustrating as this topic is, i do get a kick out of it sometimes. one recent example is my last drivers "test" for my 5 year license. in spite of the fact that i allowed my last license to expire by over a year prior to going in for the 5 year, i was waved right on through the process (thanks to a member of my staff calling her friend to let her know i was coming in, that i found out later) and even though i was standing in line with the other farang upstairs for the eye hand coordination test and others, i was very politely and discretely told in thai that i should step to the side and await the written test.

most of us know the written test by now so it shouldn't really be any surprise that i finished the test in 9 minutes, passing without any problems i mean when you are presented with a question such as "if you are feeling tired while driving, it is ok to...a) take ya baa yawn c) stop and rest or d) turn up the volume on the cd player , it doesn't really take a thoughtful and considerate person.

anyway, my 9 minutes were up so i pulled out my card and handed it to the woman who upon seeing me ace the test in such a quick time says that i am very "clever".

the only time you'll have a "private" beach in thailand is in the sense of inaccessibility ala four seasons here on samui and others like it. you could still swim up to it or land your boat there but shouldn't use their facilities without being a paying customer.

four seasons is happy to drive you to the beach if you check at reception free of charge.

did you bring your own picnic basket full of your own food and drinks?

the only time you'll have a "private" beach in thailand is in the sense of inaccessibility ala four seasons here on samui and others like it. you could still swim up to it or land your boat there but shouldn't use their facilities without being a paying customer.

There is a pair of eagles on Koh Som (Banana Island). You can actually see them often if you're out that way. They know how to pick a lovely spot.

right birds, wrong fruit. i do pass by orange island quite often and will keep my eyes open.

Thanks for the correction joe, I should have just stuck to calling it Koh Som. It was actually a local fisherman that told me it was "Banana" island but something may have got lost in translation.

all things considered, the fact that you at least determined a fruit was involved is a major development. the fact that som and gluay neither look nor sound alike is irrelevant, he was probably just hungry and tired of pla.

they've been threatening to build on that island for quite some time now. even marked out individual plots but it's never gone anywhere. i think the birds are safe for a few more years...

Hope so. Last year, (can't remember which month) we counted twenty three of the white breasted sea eagles soaring between

Koh Som and Plai Lam at one time.They were around for over a week mostly at dusk. Perhaps it was mating time as they were swooping around at each other. A wonderful site but I've only seen two around here so far this year. I don't hold out too much hope for the same numbers again, given the unrestrained development and habitat destruction on this part of the island.

impressive. wish i would have seen it...

thanks for the photos, and the effort. would love to see a few dozen more sunk locally, just not any of mine

our TOT connection in bangrak has been pretty reliable until the last week and it has been out or useless for each day in the last week. i also use dtac data plan (199 baht for 50hrs per month) as a backup. no problems there apart from the fact that neighboring banana republics have 3g and this banana republic doesn't.

they've been threatening to build on that island for quite some time now. even marked out individual plots but it's never gone anywhere. i think the birds are safe for a few more years...

There is a pair of eagles on Koh Som (Banana Island). You can actually see them often if you're out that way. They know how to pick a lovely spot.

right birds, wrong fruit. i do pass by orange island quite often and will keep my eyes open.

i have a pretty decent samsung home theater system and quite happy with it. one big advantage (and selling point for me) was that i already have a samsung digital camera and my gf has a samsung cellphone/camera and each of these devices can communicate with each other making for relatively simple digital photo viewing on the big screen tv, sharing back and forth etc.

i also have several of those tesco 600 baht specials that play most file types in addition to having USB. i think they are great for the kids rooms so i can easily play a cartoon or music i've downloaded for them but they aren't any good for much else.

well, it's a satellite receiver that offers quite a few additional functions like card sharing, PVR, you can stream from your computer to dreambox and dreambox to computer etc. pretty good part of a home theater system.

old sailing ships rule. this one, not so much.

What's a dreambox ?

My link

just found this thread while googling dreambox to see what i can do with it. i just had a dreambox installed in my home, as well as several of my friends around the island. are you still looking for someone?

"Beware the automated petrol machine near Bamboo / Sarahs Bar, the one in front of motorbike rental / thai convienence store. It doesnt work! Deposited 100 baht and nothing dispensed complained to old lady, but "you not wait till money fill",

sounds like the machine was working just fine.

Joe read the rest of post - its really not that long, Im well aware of how to use the machines (and how many people get caught out by you-not-wait-to-fill), this particular one was empty or pump broke.

perhaps i should have used italics for the word machine, maybe even put quotes around it as a way of alluding to another meaning entirely. considering your statement about how many people get caught by "you not wait to fill", i'd say the "machine" is working just fine.

"Beware the automated petrol machine near Bamboo / Sarahs Bar, the one in front of motorbike rental / thai convienence store. It doesnt work! Deposited 100 baht and nothing dispensed complained to old lady, but "you not wait till money fill",

sounds like the machine was working just fine.

i wish this were a true story but even more than i wish that it were a true story i wish that others would try and top it.

If you really want to know if there is any hope for Samui, just go up to the Santiburi Golf Club and take a look at the delightful view from there. Spoilt only by one thing! Look slightly left and you will see a monstrocity of a building clearly in breach of building height regulations by X2!

Your next move would be to make a few discreet enquiries as to who owns this project. When you find out, decide for yourself whether there is any hope.

The first person that has the balls to make someone actually pull down one of these buildings, rather than just "halt" construction will be the saviour of the Island on this particular issue anyway.

Yes it's disgusting, built on "agriculture only" land zoned as coconut groves. Another Coco project, it has been taken over by the Thai partner who is in charge of Coco's old " assets " I hear he's praying the swallows will nest there and make him another fortune !

Mmmmm. I may have been misinformed then, because I was told it was owned by the then head of planning!

nah i think you are right and were not misinformed. i have met the gentleman in question several times, both in his work office as well as on site.

thanks for the pm's and offers. this has been sorted. consider it closed.

building height restrictions weren't significant enough to stop a now completed and open project i worked for in bang por. the thai owners built a berm in front of the building allowing officials to measure it correctly.

in need of a DJ with own equipment oct 1 for an evening function (bday) at a 5 star on oct 1 and again on oct. 2 for the same groups laid back afternoon beach party on phangan.

feel free to pm me if you know of someone or need more info.

i've just been to the website, the prices are really reasonable and looks like some decent clubhouse facilities to.

Unfortunately the clubhouse has not been completed and there doesn't seem to be any further progress.

They have a small office and shop where you can buy beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. I think you can get snacks as well but not sure.

But the course itself is great.

Hi there,

Do you have any updates on the golf courses ?? any new courses, prices etc.

Are there any driver range ? instructors ? or anyone out there good enough to teach me now and then , please pm to me.

:jap:

i think you can read all about the local golf pro and golf shop on the front page of the most recent edition of samui express.

definitely ask at donsak for a card.

regarding second question, i always book in advance for the trip out of samui but never for my return and provided it isn't a friday or holiday, i've never had to wait more than an hour and a half or two hours tops. if you try this though, always stay with your vehicle because they will call cars ahead of schedule and if you aren't in your car when they come out you will get passed by.

During the next 6 months I'll have to take my car on the ferry to Samui about 4 or 5 times.

Would it be worth it to try and apply for a VIP card?

Also, due to my work schedule, the earliest I can arrive at the pier is just after 4 PM. Will it be difficult to get on the 5, 6, or 7 PM ferries on a mid-week day (Tuesdays or Wednesdays)?

Thanks.

cheong mon has bars?