crazygreg44

Hi

i used to live in one of their condo rooms, mine was facing south and was something like 32 SQM . Most of their rooms are just well this size, double bed, fridge, TV, aircon and a secluded bathroom with tub/shower, washbasin and WC

My deepest condolences to the bride and the family of the deceased, may he rest in peace.

It is sad , and what can we do, these accidents happen anywhere in the world. I think the driver did what he was supposed to do in this situation . . downhill and brakes giving up on them . .hitting the vehicle up front . . and sadly, the maneuver failed.

There should be no specific "Thai-bashing" in this topic . . . inexperienced drivers are world-abound and mistakes or wrong maneuvers happen to all of us in a critical situation.

To the few here who wail about the reckless driving of most Thais in daily traffic. . yes it looks like it is true, but as far as I have experienced, there is a self-efficient driving style which helps anyone pass you without scratching any dent into your vehicle, on the assumption that you drive like them - in a constant flow uninterrupted unlike one of them - and that you are as "reckless" as they are, hitherto your actions can be accounted for. It sems that Thais must actually believe in their amulets and so behave like trapez-artists on the roads. It really works and many are great drivers !

I must now tell my thing. On a minibus from Bangkok to Cha Am, I experienced something really hair raising. My driver was going Evil Knievel way, trusting through the traffic like a sword. Never ever slowing down, just maneuvering past slower vehicles. Something caught my attention, as this was a very unique driving style. My driver NEVER took the foot from the gas lever !!! When he had to slow the vehicle a bit in quite many situations, he Never ever let go ! Just stepped onto the brake while the other foot was still accelerating !! It actually slowed the minbus down , but I started wondering on how many brake pads this bus would use up during it's lifespan, and where and if our f&%$§ driver ever got taught on how to drive properly . . . I could almost not believe it !!!

This is just a guess, but you'll have to be patient and carefully read my suggestions below as to why this 'control' over Falangs being employed, running businesses and owning property in Thailand, is such an important issue to the Government.

In the countries falangs come from, there is a lot of ill-feeling about migrant workers because they are willing to do jobs for less than nationals do. (mainly willing to do this work because what 'we' pay is more than they would get in their own country.)

In Thailand, I would not mind betting that there is similar (concealed) dissent, but because falangs get paid considerably more than a Thai would, doing the same job. (The reason for this difference, may be because falangs aren't willing to apply for jobs in Thailand unless they are paid pretty much the same money as they would be paid in their own country.)

So you potentially end up with a situation where Thais start kicking up a stink about this inequality in pay. Regarding the ownership of land and businesses, you could end up with a similar situation whereby Thais can no longer afford to buy land or set up businesses (because falangs have more money & capital to play around with than Thais)

The consequences on the Thai economy, could be quite serious, causing rampant pay increases and yet making the farm workers and owners (who are already making hardly any money) even poorer by comparison. This leads to farmers leaving the land for jobs in the cities, and then you haven't enough food being produced, unless some form of (very expensive) farming subsidies are paid to these people so that they also have a commersuately increased standard of living too.

How true ! I was on the farm of my girlfriend a few times last year and over New Year. She spoke of the land price around her farm going up soaringly high. The reason , as she pointed out, was that some farang who have girlfriends or spouses in this region had given them enough money to buy up all farming land from those willing to sell. They have almost TRIPLED the price per Rai in the recent 3 years by doing so !

This makes it even harder for farm helps or existing farmers to add up to their property or lease it. Also makes it far more impossible for anyone to save up enough money to buy his family a garden big enough to feed them. Subsequently, the Farang support of their GF's is increasing the hatred and helplessness they feel for us !

At least fast food at KFC, McD, Subway etc is clean.... so is the shop.

How many RATS have you seen in the gutter next to noodle stands? Rats all

over bangkok and chiang mai, especially in the gutters next to many food stalls

and street vendors.

What about the street vendors not using gloves, and touching the friend chicken

or pork with their hands as they cut it on the wooden board, then using their hands

to put it on top of the rice and "squeeze it into place"?

Do they use good quality olive oil in the woks for frying? I think not, probably the

cheapest oil they can get in bulk. And many times it tastes many days old.

Had a rotee the other day, the butter/margarine looked nothing like butter, it was

bright orange! the honey was "imitation honey". I vomited at night later, I am sure it

was the orange "butter".

Saw a kaew teow (noodle) street vendor in CM stomp dead 2 cockroaches while we

were eating.

Saw another girl (maybe 25), very dirty clothes, hands, and period red stain on her shorts

cooking and serving, close to tapae gate in CM, using her hands to put those "doritoes"

style chips in the noodle bowl. (we didnt eat but left, disgusting).

My gf had a small cockroach in her fried rice at another food court. I had hairs in food on several

occasions, one in passeyu (fried noodles), one in fried chicken rice. Both were very long!

Not many vendors wear hair nets.

In all my years of McD, BK, etc, I cannot say I have seen any rats in the shops, or cockroaches

around the table or food, and the people have clean uniforms. Only had one hair 1 time!

Happy eating....

I am not a mad burger eater tho' I do love a good subway sarnie. I have only been here in BKK a month or so and already I have seen way too many roadside ramsay's coughing, sneezing, smoking and just generally doing things with their hands prior to preparing food that could be considered as downright disgusting!! having said that of course I still eat at some of them, but after reading this thread maybe I will cut down and start consuming more big macs and those delicious embryo tenders from KFC ughhh! guess it's those 25 baht feeds that keeps us going back huh?

I just hope you had a good sight onto the staff at MD's preparing your sneeze-free, uncoughed and head-scratched burger ! I think that in fast-food restaurants it might be that the person cooking is acting at the exactly same behaviour as the street stall cook. You just don t see them. It might be an illusion to think the have not snorted onto your burger while preparing it

"taxis go on strike to protest against the cancelling of a 50 surcharge passengers are required to pay" . . . I am scratching my head right now ! I always thought the taxi drivers had to pay this surcharge to the Airport Authority of Thailand ! Hitherto, the surcharge never was a part of their earnings. Now I feel as if a horse stomped my stomach ! Taxi drivers are hard working chaps, by no way it is easy money. Some pay a fortune for renting the cab, lucky those who are running their own. And still, they can t stand queue at lucrative spots - Taxi Mafia Area - so most of these chaps are forced to criss cross around. In some countires, taxis outside airport require no meter at all and are a complete ripoff ! So let's talk straight and give them the respect the earned - a fair income on a fair base. Why not do they invite their customers with a smile and help them with the suitcases, open them the doors and - smiling - " I would be glad if you honour my service with a tip , Sir ! " and then just maneuvering gently into the Bangkok traffic. I always tip them off because I know how hard they work for a living !

TT&T in Cha Am, a 599 Baht Internet , my speed test today

I believe this is just the consequential enforcement of the age old plan , that Thailand, once it got rid of all the Farang Scum with only the wealthy and bald riches staying, will be the top holiday destination of middle and upper class chinese nouveau riches from the People's Republic. And they will start to invest soon, as Thailand is becoming their most southernward holiday destination in front of overcrowded Hainan Island. The numbers of Chinese tourists are constantly rising, and they will start flocking into the property market real soon with their buyers power. comes the day when Thailand does not need the "western" Farang any more, to keep it's tourism bustling. I guess this also is part of the scheme , it started with the visa rules change and will end up with beach properties in the hands of top end chinese tourists. At least that is what these developers are hoping for. So don t chuckle or start wondering at it . . just watch and believe !

but well ,maybe your driving style is THAI ??!! It would affect a clutch !!

Last week I was aboard a minibus from Bangkok to Cha-Am. The driver was a female ( i am not sexist and this can happen to a male driver, too ) she had a way curious style of driving !! She was going at good speed 125 k's, and whenever there was a situation ahead of hers upon which she had to slow down, her reaction was SHE WOULD STEP ONTO THE BRAKES WHILST HER OTHER FOOT WAS STIL ON THE ACC PEDAL . . so much for 20 minutes Thai Driving School she had learned. On our 2 hour ride, I first tought the motor was automatically regulated down at certain speed, but when I realized it was her, I begun to have goosebumps.

I guessed this method was really fuc_king up the clutch plates . . so I hope it is not you who has a driver who learned the same way of speed reducing . . . . . .otherwise, I can t dream your clutch plates wearing out faster than on any other car . .but by your drive-style .. . sorry if I stepped onto your foot - eh, clutch . . .

hel_l man . i got this Isuzu truck , 3.0 liters and got myself a tune-up chip from a german supply house. It runs like a dream and it s supposed to last. My man in bangkok recommended the Isuzu on top of a Toyota, for it's quality of manufacture. some bad-assers here, however, call it a cheap wheelburrow, so expect different criticisms and appraisals on the run . .

ah ok !!!

the link got removed. My apologies to the admin !!!! no linking !!

Hi

I don t know if this is allowed in the ThaiVisa Forum , to give someone a hint of another blog or forum that caters to one's specific needs or inquiries. Just in case you get no response to your inquiry on the rubber tapping, here's the link.

I think you can get some good advice on your question in the "farming & gardening" section on <URL Automatically Removed>

I am from Germany and I entered by Subvarnabhumi on October 7 th on a multiple Non-O issued by the Thai consulate in Essen, Germany for 120 Euros ( 50 Euros only for a Non-O single entry! ). I received a 90-day Visa Non -O , and it was neither stamped "used" nor changed from "multiple" to "one".

However when I went to Singkhon Immigration in Hua Hin, and had it extended to a semi-retiree One Year Visa, I noticed that I was asked if I wished a single entry or multiple entry One Year Visa ! A single re-entry will cost around 1700 Baht and a multiple will cost you 4700 Baht. I realized I should not have had a Non-O Multiple issued by the consulate first hand as a single-entry Non-O would have served the same purpose ! You pay for the mulitple entry at the Thai Immigration, not in your homeland.

After reading your post I checked my passport and the visa stamps, discovered the stamp of the Singkhon immigration says number of persons in one section and in the next it says number of entries, and the stamp for the person number is a clearly big , fat "ONE" and is reaching almost across over a smaller stamped , tiny "MULTIPLE" , so i suffered a little aftershock !! A second reading revealed everything is just fine !

It might be a little off-topic and not describing the same procedure for citizens of the U.K. , anyways I thought it worthwhile posting.

I agree with most of the readers and I rate a visit at the Bangkok Immigration as the best in trying to resolve this error.