grumpyoldman

Seriously,

the Baht/USD at the top of the page seems to drop every time I refresh !

Just went from 30.14 to 30.12............from 30.20 something last week.

Is this due to the price of oil? Libya?

Instead of being worried about high speed, let's worry aboutfixing the traffic for getting some speed in the streets. It seem it gets worseand worse, and the lack of discipline on the road also makes it worse anddangerous

I agree with you. As for sure they will spend millions on the planing of this project. Announce the starting and finishing date's then put it on hold. In the mean time, there will have been some nice little earners?

jb1

Sorry but you are both stuck in a last century mentality. The best way to improve traffic flow in a city like Bangkok and a country like Thailand is to provide cost effective, quick mass transit. We can't keep expanding roads forever, esp. as there is no space.

Traffic in BKK would be significantly improved once there is a critical mass of mass transit lines covering the city. Similarly, for highways around the country, once there are high speed rail lines it will take some of the freight and passenger traffic off the roads. The Thai Chamber of Commerce has been crying out for years for improvements to rail (as recently as 2 days ago). The railways have been negelected for decades whilst new roads have been built. Now it is time for rail transport in Thailand to catch up.

And this line will go ahead as the Chinese are funding it and will make sure it is done in 5 years. As with any project in Thailand (or any SE Asian country) - be it schools, highways or an airport - there will unfortuneately be a % of funds corruptly siphoned off for a select few.

However, in relation to driving standards no one will disagree that they are woeful. Which is why you don't want most drivers driving at a higher speed!

The rpoblems are a lack of training & public education, poor driver tests, and a lax rule of law (enforcement). As with many safety and standard issues in this country that requires a greater institutional & cultural challenge.

Here, here, good post !

I'd like you to stop sending me empty subject and empty body emails please.

How did they get your mail in the first place, did you give it to them?

Yes, I'm wondering how they got hold of my personal email address I was receiving far too many news alerts every day that I had to go to the effort to unsubcribe to a service I never subcribed to in the first place.

Yes, I even got a text message. How the fxxx did they get my mobile number. I hate spamming businesses.... :annoyed:

I third that, will not buy their paper for the reason that they have been spamming me by SMS. Totally unnecessary and slightly rude.

The idea that people once used banana leaves and it is hard for them to adjust does not win me over. Folks quickly left pay phones

for mobile phones with very little prompting.

Hi backstairs,

maybe you can clarify this analogy for me because to me it seems you are proving the point, phones became more convenient-it's more convenient to just toss litter than find a proper receptacle.

It's not about winning anyone over, it's just that when all packaging used to be biodegradable, when the current kids parents were kids, they could just toss about. Current kids see parents continue this, they follow suit, without realizing the effect of their actions.

Metropole, Phuket town

Uh-oh, I'm 46, does this mean I need to run out and marry a Cambodian woman?

I'm not clear on what is so fantastic about them that they cut us off at 50? My analogy would be the barkeep who cuts me off after 10 beers. "Wait a minute, I'm just getting warmed up"!

When you're talking about Mexican American burritos, "authentic" has little to do with it for such a recent food trend historically

Pre-Colombian Aztecs wrapped foods in tortillas, so maybe you are just talking about the word "Burrito"? Mexi-American 1923.

I find that a very silly question. I am clearly talking about modern burritos, not all Mexican or Mexican-American foods.

I was only commenting on your post as to the recency of the burrito, which I guess is subjective. Your concept of recent might be different than mine. I would say a food that is close to 100 years old (or more) for me is not so recent. Something like a deep fried Snickers bar (late 1980's invention) I can understand as being recent.

Now where is that deep fried Snickers cart................maybe I should wrap a tortilla around it !

OK, got it.

Thick crust also available in Italy.

Doubt Pizza Co is though.

Went there last month and I chose the thin crust - thin crust being my preference.

Absolutely disgusting.

My beautiful dining companion chose the thick crust.

Well tasty.

So, maybe in a nutshell we have: Pizza Co good for 'non-italian style' pizza (which means thick crust I have learnt this evening), bad for Italian style pizza (which I assume means thin crust).

Fair summary?

CH we're boring Klongmuang, God forbid such!

But yes I think, your assessment is logical as The Pizza Company, which I think used to be called the same as the American chain Pizza Hut, until Mr. Meineke was asked to pay them for copyright changed it to Pizza Co. keeping all the same except the name, is based on "American style" pizza.

But for my tastes, (even though I am American!) I'll take an Italian style pizza made by an actual Italian.

Mancub, I'm not sure what "tree you are barking up" (American expression when your hound has a coon in a tree), but you can rest easily as Simon has been doing business here in Thailand for awhile, I'm sure has work permit matters under control and is probably aware of any necessary local matters covered.

Your small restaurant friend (?), sure, some dummy gets off a plane everyday and is convinced by his teerat to open a restaurant, then is fleeced. Amazing thailand!

Not too sure why you assume that everyone is a 'dummy straight off the plane who has/will be fleeced by a teerat - or teerak maybe? " Perhaps speaking from personal experience ?

Not even close, but I do run an insurance business for these guys. Instead of giving 100% to teerat, teelak, or teerak, however you want to romanize that, for the "family restaurant" they give her 50%, they give me 50% for the insurance, when they get back on the plane to go home with their tail between their legs, I give them 40% back.

Putting trash in proper bins has yet to get ingrained here, example I regularly see the kids in their school bus trolleys just toss their trash right out of the vehicle.

Subject has been covered ad nauseum here, but the bottom line is it was not too long ago that the Thais only had biodegradable packaging (banana leaves etc.), the semi recent introduction of plastics added with the inability to connect the dots about the garbage, leads to the "it's out of my hand now, not my matter" mentality.

whole chicken? your got a bigger partition than I got yesterday then...

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

That still looks pretty generous for 120thb.

I'm not big on the white goo though, can order without?

The street food is good...it's just those filthy plates and utensils I avoid.

Yes i agree, some of the street's food can compete

with the food served in the best hotels (for taste).....but how do you manage to

achieve the second part? do you get hand feeded by the vendor directly or by

just telling her to throw it on the floor?

I think he means you ask the vendor to put it in a plastic bag and take it home to eat.

I hope we're not back to the stool sample matter.........

What is a non-italian style pizza?

The Pizza Co. thick crust

Wine here is crazy expensive compared to the US. I generally avoid the European wines and go for Chilean. I think it was Santa Maria or so that was about 300 baht a bottle for the reserve. I don't buy Cali wine here cuz it's way too expensive compared to when I was living in Cali. I generally don't like South African or Australian wine. I'll buy a the boxed wine every now and then cuz it's cheaper than buying a bottle for the volume. I second the earlier vote for Wine Connection when it comes to finding a variety of wine for a cheaper price.

Agree and / disagree here.

For sure a 10$US Kendall Jackson California bottle in California going for 20$+ here in Thailand is a joke, I also don't go there.

But South African Chenin? Especially a crisp and cold glass with a girlfriend, try it, you might like the results with her, ha, ha. Also there are some good Aussie wines, but many tend to taste the same, not too much complexity but typical OZ style big fruit and easy swilling, good value for money.

Watch out for the box wines, in Thai heat the cardboard and plastic don't provide much protection from heat spoilage.

When you're talking about Mexican American burritos, "authentic" has little to do with it for such a recent food trend historically

Pre-Colombian Aztecs wrapped foods in tortillas, so maybe you are just talking about the word "Burrito"? Mexi-American 1923.

Maybe not wood fired but Blue Mango makes a pretty good pizza.

Definitely tasty homemade pizza sauce, fresh ingredients.

Ah ,now I see..

The cleaner never needs a day off and you don't get to spend any time in the evening / night with you wife, unless you bed down in reception !

Hope you have a work permit .....it has been known for Farang businessmen here to be "shopped" by their competition if they are perceived to be doing well !! ( seriously..it has happened to personal friends of mine with a small restaurant venture in Ao Nang ).

Confused by your earlier post asking for help finding staff ( more than one I believe ) ......

Pleased that you have made the effort to introduce yourselves , but surely it's an unnecessary "waste of resources" given that you are fully booked for the "foresee-able" and therefore don't require the goodwill / recommendations of our local contingent !

Mancub, I'm not sure what "tree you are barking up" (American expression when your hound has a coon in a tree), but you can rest easily as Simon has been doing business here in Thailand for awhile, I'm sure has work permit matters under control and is probably aware of any necessary local matters covered.

Your small restaurant friend (?), sure, some dummy gets off a plane everyday and is convinced by his teerat to open a restaurant, then is fleeced. Amazing thailand!

I know that you have to have the "verified by visa" or "secure by mastercard" code to book, but I don't see why you can't book with a US CC if you have done this. What happens to the poor Ozzies and Brits when they try to book from their home country.

I'll try what GOM said next time as I have kasikorn.

Fiddlehead, you have to go on in there and set it up as it's a "virtual card". They make you jump through a couple hoops, you have to set up a security password for the verification, but once done all you have is a Visa number, CCW # and expiration. Then you can check all online, once done, super convenient.

As for U.S. cards being rejected, can you blame them? U.S. gov runs completely in debt, many U.S. people are getting foreclosed on or going into bankruptcy, probably worried in the end they won't get their money.

I do not think the owner of La Monita will add large pieces of carrots, broccoli and Thai corn to the burrito! Hint, hint, hint

When I was in college in Southern California we had a Mexican place in our college town called Serenitos.

They used to make this incredible chicken/cheese/broccoli flauta. It was a burrito type thing, but inside they would put chicken/cheese/semi steamed broccoli, roll it up, put cheese on the top and then fire it in the oven. You could get it with ranchero sauce on the top or no. The oven would make the outside cheese and tortilla somewhat crispy, stuff on the inside keeping most of the tortilla soft.

Place was always packed due to these and cheap pitchers of beer.

But I'm with you, typically corn, carrot chunks and broccoli are not really burrito items.

Interesting approach to salsa serving...

Jorge does a big take-out service, hence, the salsa in tiny zip bags Nothing odd about it. I want to emphasize that everything I have eaten at T&S, with the exception of beef fajitas (YUUUUUUCCKKKKKKK), was good. I do not understand what Jorge is thinking with regard to the beef fajitas. They should never be made with Thai beef (especially for 400 bhat). The beef should be grilled, very tender and juicy (not dry as the desert and tough as a boot). The vegetables should not include carrots, broccoli, and Thai corn (YUUUUUUUCCKK). And French fries should not be included. Beef fajitas are typically served with grilled bell pepper and onions, the beef is not dry and is normally tender and juicy, the flour tortillas are fairly large and at least four (not two tiny ones) are given to the customer, and there should be enough cheese served with it that you can find it without using a microscope. On the positive side, the guacamole, frijoles, and salsas that came with it were fine. For 400 bhat some chips should be included. IMHO.

Never understood the attraction to Fajitas. Is it the presentation? The big sizzling platter that everyone turns and looks at?

Overall it's always looked to me like some sort of Mexican stir fry (sort of like Paella to me looks like Spanish Chao Pad), but the vegetables are all way over cooked, and of course OP they are not going to use the best cuts of beef in this dish.

Then slop it into a miniature tortilla for a wannabe burrito, no thanks.

Nahhhhh, give me a quality combo plate over sloppy Fajitas any day of the week. Only my humble opinion. Cheers, GOM

I find their site not to be credit card friendly.

I've never had any luck with it.

Found out later that the company doesn't accept American credit cards.

I just use the website to get prices and then go to my travel agent who charges me 150 baht or something.

I'll try their call center next time.

By the way, keep an eye on their deals.

I got a flight to BKK in Sept for 300 baht each way. (had to book it in Feb though)

I got a Kasikorn bank web card specifically for this use. I think they call it a K-Card or something like that.

Also, I feel a sense of security using this card online as I never keep too much money there. Hackers these days can get these card numbers clear your account out.

K-Card works like a charm on Air Asia's site, also AA has the terminal check ins now, no more waiting in line for a counter person.

I've also started to go big and pay the extra 50 baht to choose my seat up near the front, no more waiting on goofballs with the massive carry-ons to pull their crap out of the overheads.

how mutch did they charged you?

They didn't charge me anything. But I gave them of course a little something for the job.

You think you might have a rodent problem that lead the guy in looking for some dinner?

Ao Nammao is mainly where many of the resorts load their food goods, laundry etc. As the other poster mentioned, best to handle that from Ao Nang, more passenger friendly.

2 inflammatory posts removed

A mall question brings on flaming?.....................Amazing TV Phuket !

Yeap, that's right, cheap street vendors' Thai food is good for you... because it soaked in the one week old used cooking oil and full of carcinogens that even the bacterias can't survive!

I don't know here, one of the worst cases I got in Bangkok was from one of the fried bread (doughnut sort of thing) vendors.

I believe many times it comes from peoples own hands; shake hands with that Nepalese tailor, touch the door handle at 7/11, put food in your mouth with that same hand, bingo.