Stock Trader In Thailand For 3 Months Need *reliable* 3mb Internet (international)- Possible?

[idiot farang]

Hi. Been a member for 4 years but only lurk- time to finally 'speak'.

First, i'm open to 'more expensive' options as long as they're not too expensive (the idea of 3 months in LOS is partly cost of living). i *want* to spend 3 months or so in LOS this coming fall, but i HAVE to have solid internet connection or i can't; as i am a trader and need to trade (work, to me) whilst there. as you might imagine, i'm not trading Thai stocks, so the connection is international- which, i understand, is slow from most Thai connections. i know another trader who left BKK because he couldn't trade due to the poor connection and reliability. i've wanted to sample life (vs 2 week vacation) outside the US all my life- i'm at an age where it's now or never, as i have the opportunity. Hoping for 2-3 months in 3 different countries. been to LOS and loved it, so it's high on my list. if it won't work, my SE Asia leg would have to be Singapore or Korea simply for the better internet- but... at a high cost in terms of expenses and enjoyment (from my experiences, anyway).

I would be staying in a serviced apartment- or that's the plan- nothing firm there, so that's open as well. though i'd like to spend time in other areas, i've been told that i have NO CHANCE of a usable connection outside of BKK (feel free to dispute this if your experience differs). i've read the forum and it seems that a regular home connection is unlikely to meet my needs. There HAS to be plenty of businesses that require more robust solutions than i; so the 'impossible' opinion of my acquittance seems a bit overblown.

Creative suggestions are welcome. Sounds like the universities have the best internet- wondering if there's a way to enroll in a class or pay to get access. thinking about a 'higher end' internet cafe where i could work something out. obviously, i'm kinda grasping! (that's why i'm posting). i'm not wealthy, the trading thing is my source of income and i need to be able to trade to finance my living expenses.

i think i've rambled on long enough (probably too long). thanks...

[chiangmaibruce]

Hi. Been a member for 4 years but only lurk- time to finally 'speak'.

<snip>

Creative suggestions are welcome. Sounds like the universities have the best internet- wondering if there's a way to enroll in a class or pay to get access. thinking about a 'higher end' internet cafe where i could work something out. obviously, i'm kinda grasping! (that's why i'm posting). i'm not wealthy, the trading thing is my source of income and i need to be able to trade to finance my living expenses.

My experience here in LOS is that internet tends to be slow, is frequently unreliable, and is always very inconsistent. People with the same plan and the same provider - but in a different part of the same city - seem to report widely differing experiences. In some areas (like where I live) you have extremely limited options (unless you can pay a lot of money for some Mission Impossible-type gear).

Using my example (with TOT) the provider seems to think nothing of stopping the service for hours - and without any warning - to do maintenance (or so they say). Other times no service for half a day ("there is a problem but we are working on it"). Once all the kids get home from school then I can cook a meal while a page loads. Don't even think about video downloads. Often the speed is OK within Thailand - but even then, not always. Overall? Diabolical ... good luck in your quest

Edited May 20, 2009 by chiangmaibruce

[TheLaughingMan]

You get what you pay for, I have pretty fast internet but no idea what it would be like for trading. I download torrents at up to 400kb per second if the torrent has lots of seeders, I pay 2400 baht a month for that connection. My other apartment doesnt have that highspeed option, it only has 256 but its not bad, I can still download youtube videos in a minute or 2 and web pages only take a couple of seconds, of course not good enough for trading. Just showing the 2 examples I use.

[Johnxxx]

Hi. Been a member for 4 years but only lurk- time to finally 'speak'.

First, i'm open to 'more expensive' options as long as they're not too expensive (the idea of 3 months in LOS is partly cost of living). i *want* to spend 3 months or so in LOS this coming fall, but i HAVE to have solid internet connection or i can't; as i am a trader and need to trade (work, to me) whilst there. as you might imagine, i'm not trading Thai stocks,

I am in Pattaya and had a lot of problems with TOT. Now with Maxnet none at all. But it is like chiangmaibruce writes - you do not know what you get until you have it.

Allow me a question - the internet might be down for a short period of time. But how do people like you handle this if the computer breaks down and you have orders running? Do you have a backup computer for this case? You will be without computer/internet for many days then. So I guess you need an internet shop as backup in your area anyway. But then this is a public computer with all the security problems and not all your software.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Johnxxx

[webfact]

IMHO don't even consider a "home package" - go for a "SME package". It cost more but your chances to get in return a reliable connection are much better!

Expect to pay between 4000-7000 Baht per month depending on the bandwidth. Sorry forgot to mention this applies for Bangkok, ain't got no idea how internet works upcountry... but even in Bangkok expect everything including worst case scenario regarding bandwidth.

To find a consistent connection is not easy but in Bangkok you get some opportunities.

I recommend CSLoxinfo

Edited May 20, 2009 by webfact

[kudroz]

I scalp forex just fine with TT&T Maxnet (Business line). Reliable enough, but I wouldn't trade without stops anyways. You'll be fine, just make sure you get a business line, not the cheap line.

[Tywais]

I would be staying in a serviced apartment- or that's the plan- nothing firm there, so that's open as well.

This is a key problem the OP will have. He will have to rely on what the apartment has because he will not have his own line and then the 1 year contract issues since he is only talking about 2-3 months.

[SoiGirlHunter]

I trade for a living here in Pattaya and with the systems i developed i get by nicely with Hutch CDMA EVDO

Hutch is not fast but with my systems I dont need a super fast connection. But Hutch is very reliable, never down which

is very important to my trades.

I have a dialup backup in place just in case.

[idiot farang]

I am in Pattaya and had a lot of problems with TOT. Now with Maxnet none at all. But it is like chiangmaibruce writes - you do not know what you get until you have it.

Allow me a question - the internet might be down for a short period of time. But how do people like you handle this if the computer breaks down and you have orders running? Do you have a backup computer for this case? You will be without computer/internet for many days then. So I guess you need an internet shop as backup in your area anyway. But then this is a public computer with all the security problems and not all your software.

First, thanks everyone for the replies.

yeah, i live in teh US and i actually have 4, yes FOUR, total connections (cable, dsl, 3g wireless and dialup). have 3 computers too, UPS backup, etc. yeah, redundancy is critical. i already know i'll have to adjust my trading , as i'll never be able to have the comfort level my multiple backups provide me at home. i'll hope to have an internet cafe close by as backup to go with phoning in a trade and, if practical, mobile wireless (though i get the feeling that there really isn't much available wireless bandwidth in LOS).

[spacefruit]

There have been several requests like this from potential traders, and its good to hear that some of you can do it.

Which makes me think, you cant possibly NEED 3mb or none of you would be trading?

I have tried all providers and they are not what I would think of as "mission critical", though to be fair, the last two years have been quite reliable, if slllllooooooooowwwwww.

Just remembered, last week, internet kept disconecting and required router reboots every 20 minutes. It was just like the old days. All ok now.

[idiot farang]

IMHO don't even consider a "home package" - go for a "SME package". It cost more but your chances to get in return a reliable connection are much better!

Expect to pay between 4000-7000 Baht per month depending on the bandwidth. Sorry forgot to mention this applies for Bangkok, ain't got no idea how internet works upcountry... but even in Bangkok expect everything including worst case scenario regarding bandwidth.

To find a consistent connection is not easy but in Bangkok you get some opportunities.

I recommend CSLoxinfo

do you have personal experience with the business 'sme' package? if so, do you find the reliability (system is up) and bandwidth are pretty stable during the course of teh day and day to day? the business class is what i've been looking at, just have no idea whether the better business class service is REALLY better and business class or whether it's just marketing garbage- so any input is appreciated. fyi: i mainly trade the Asian and German markets, so my trading hours are mostly the business day in Thailand. i've read that the internet is worse at night; if true, then i have at least one thing in my favour.

[idiot farang]

I scalp forex just fine with TT&T Maxnet (Business line). Reliable enough, but I wouldn't trade without stops anyways. You'll be fine, just make sure you get a business line, not the cheap line.

thanks. that's encouraging, as i would put scalping currencies above what i do in terms ofreaction time (if you trade EUR.YEN perhaps you've got some of my money! i got obliterated trying to trade it last october). i actually trade futures (i usually tell people stocks like i did here because that's more familiar to people than futures). your data needs are probably lower if you're a typical forex trader (ie: lot fewer charts and tick data on a ton of symbols). what kind of up/down speeds do you get? with the business line, is that rate pretty consistent?

[idiot farang]

I would be staying in a serviced apartment- or that's the plan- nothing firm there, so that's open as well.

This is a key problem the OP will have. He will have to rely on what the apartment has because he will not have his own line and then the 1 year contract issues since he is only talking about 2-3 months.

thanks for your reply- this was a question i forgot to ask in my OP. namely:

what is the best choice, in terms of where i'm going to live, to have the most options/flexibility with internet choices? question isn't so much neighbourhood or town related (i can research that), but more where i will have the most options to get my own service vs having to take what the apartment (or whatever) has to offer. also, whether there is a problem getting business class service at a residential address (that's actually an issue here in the US)?

[kudroz]

I scalp forex just fine with TT&T Maxnet (Business line). Reliable enough, but I wouldn't trade without stops anyways. You'll be fine, just make sure you get a business line, not the cheap line.

thanks. that's encouraging, as i would put scalping currencies above what i do in terms ofreaction time (if you trade EUR.YEN perhaps you've got some of my money! i got obliterated trying to trade it last october). i actually trade futures (i usually tell people stocks like i did here because that's more familiar to people than futures). your data needs are probably lower if you're a typical forex trader (ie: lot fewer charts and tick data on a ton of symbols). what kind of up/down speeds do you get? with the business line, is that rate pretty consistent?

At home I have a 6mbps Maxnet Premier line, at the office we have 3 x 6mbps Maxnet business lines. When I trade, I always have a few charts opened and I rarely download above 60 kB/s (less than 1mbps). The server I connect to is in Switzerland and the latency is about 400ms. I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage when I'm trading here. You could get a 2mbps business line and I think you'd be fine.

Maxnet 2mbps business line is THB 5,900 per month

http://www.maxnet.co.th/product_corp_Biz.php

This will give you an idea of the speed, it's a video I made last September (Qucktime video)

http://www.tinyurl.com/thai-internet

[idiot farang]

I trade for a living here in Pattaya and with the systems i developed i get by nicely with Hutch CDMA EVDO

Hutch is not fast but with my systems I dont need a super fast connection. But Hutch is very reliable, never down which

is very important to my trades.

I have a dialup backup in place just in case.

thanks for the reply and mentioning the EVDO. i googled and RTF and seems everyone is pretty happy with it in LOS. on a TV thread, someone posted 1.2 down, 200 up international speeds- that would possibly work for me. i didn't expect a wireless option that robust- would certainly, if nothing else, give me a quality backup, which would make things less stressful. plus, if it's fast enough, it would allow me to get out of BKK some and travel to Chiang Mai, Hua Hin etc if they both also have good speeds/reliability.

i take it you do more position trading? my average hold is usually under 3 minutes, and i have quite a few charts (i think i'll be dragging 2 x 22" monitors around the world with me, plus having the laptop monitor). do you mind telling me your broker? i only ask as some sites will have issues in some countries. i use interactive brokers as my primary trading account.

[idiot farang]

At home I have a 6mbps Maxnet Premier line, at the office we have 3 x 6mbps Maxnet business lines. When I trade, I always have a few charts opened and I rarely download above 60 kB/s (less than 1mbps). The server I connect to is in Switzerland and the latency is about 400ms. I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage when I'm trading here. You could get a 2mbps business line and I think you'd be fine.

Maxnet 2mbps business line is THB 5,900 per month

http://www.maxnet.co.th/product_corp_Biz.php

This will give you an idea of the speed, it's a video I made last September (Qucktime video)

http://www.tinyurl.com/thai-internet

your video is awesome- very helpful. i'm starting to gather that the ISP's offer regular DSL to the masses pretty cheap with a 'you get what you pay for- tough luck' attitude regarding speed/reliability for them, whilst offering a reliable service at very dear pricing to those who can't/won't put up with the poor 'regular' service. i take it you had no trouble getting them to install the Premier line at home? i'll need to figure out what housing options will allow me to get separate service on my own.

thanks again.

[SoiGirlHunter]

I use TDameritrade and it works fine here. I trade price action. I am long / short (FAS/FAZ) all day. Only 1 chart open. I cleaned

up today.

The Hutch only works in certain areas and CAT covers the rest. And Hutch speeds are not that great (60-700kbs) and vary

like crazy but i get by with it. My mobile dialup (AIS) is good enough for a backup. 3rd backup is calling.

ok good luck

SGH

[proximity]

My primary internet connection is TT&T Maxnet Premier. I think I pay around 2000 THB for 3 meg connection. My secondary connection is Hutch EVDO. The third backup for me is the internet cafe five minutes away. Trade desk is on speed dial, in a dire emergency I can call and close positions. I've never had a speed issues, then many problem in latency, 250ms is normal and works ok for me but on occasion I've had almost 750ms and some lost packets which affects my level II. Next project is to get a router that will mix the TT&T and Hutch connection without having me to switch over.

One thing I've noticed is your much more likely to have power problem then internet. I have everything on a UPS but if you do not have access to your router/modem to add a UPS the slightest power blip will knock you off for a minute or two.

You get what you pay for. Many people complaining have cheap connections, or TOT, both of which are completely useless.

Edited May 20, 2009 by proximity

[kudroz]

At home I have a 6mbps Maxnet Premier line, at the office we have 3 x 6mbps Maxnet business lines. When I trade, I always have a few charts opened and I rarely download above 60 kB/s (less than 1mbps). The server I connect to is in Switzerland and the latency is about 400ms. I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage when I'm trading here. You could get a 2mbps business line and I think you'd be fine.

Maxnet 2mbps business line is THB 5,900 per month

http://www.maxnet.co.th/product_corp_Biz.php

This will give you an idea of the speed, it's a video I made last September (Qucktime video)

http://www.tinyurl.com/thai-internet

your video is awesome- very helpful. i'm starting to gather that the ISP's offer regular DSL to the masses pretty cheap with a 'you get what you pay for- tough luck' attitude regarding speed/reliability for them, whilst offering a reliable service at very dear pricing to those who can't/won't put up with the poor 'regular' service. i take it you had no trouble getting them to install the Premier line at home? i'll need to figure out what housing options will allow me to get separate service on my own.

thanks again.

At home I have a 6mbps Maxnet Premier line, at the office we have 3 x 6mbps Maxnet business lines. When I trade, I always have a few charts opened and I rarely download above 60 kB/s (less than 1mbps). The server I connect to is in Switzerland and the latency is about 400ms. I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage when I'm trading here. You could get a 2mbps business line and I think you'd be fine.

Maxnet 2mbps business line is THB 5,900 per month

http://www.maxnet.co.th/product_corp_Biz.php

This will give you an idea of the speed, it's a video I made last September (Qucktime video)

http://www.tinyurl.com/thai-internet

your video is awesome- very helpful. i'm starting to gather that the ISP's offer regular DSL to the masses pretty cheap with a 'you get what you pay for- tough luck' attitude regarding speed/reliability for them, whilst offering a reliable service at very dear pricing to those who can't/won't put up with the poor 'regular' service. i take it you had no trouble getting them to install the Premier line at home? i'll need to figure out what housing options will allow me to get separate service on my own.

thanks again.

Very easy to install. Took 4 working days from the day I called (Chiang Mai). I live close to the ADSL exchange, so I was able to get the 6mbps package. We also have a CAT Telecom HiNet 6mbps package at the office, also very good but it depends where you live and with how many people you share the line. When I lived in Phuket CAT HiNet was amazingly fast, was always doing my 6mbps on international transfers without using a download manager.

Surprisingly enough, Internet seems faster and more reliable in Chiang Mai (ISP: TT&T, CAT) and Phuket (ISP: CAT) compared to Bangkok (ISP: True). Always make sure to subscribe to the "Premier" or "Business" lines. CAT always install a dedicated data landline for all of their ADSL packages. If you live in apartments/condos, you can always deal with the owner to order a new line (about 4,000 THB) that connects directly to your router, so you won't have issues with bad/old wiring in the condo/apartment.

I also use CAT EVDO (USB dongle) when I roam around town with my laptop. I get speeds of 1 to 2mbps on international lines. Latency is about twice more than you'd get on ADSL.

You'll be fine, lots of options!

[SoiGirlHunter]

Ya i lose power alot too here but only for a few minutes, the battery in my laptop is good for 2 hours, Hutch stays on uninterupted

when the power cuts.

The biggest problem i am having trading is i have to trade the US exchanges at night here. I am in Pattaya and there is so many

go-gos, beer bars, girls, pu yings, tarts, mint chicks, soi magnets (errr you get the idea lol) that I feel like going out as soon as the sun drops in

the ocean.

To get around this I am training my wife how to trade. My system is pretty easy and she really enjoys the excitement. Kinda like

a video game. I am also looking at a 15 minute chart/system or even a 30 minute where i could take a small laptop out with me

to the hunting fields and check the chart every 15 or 30 mins for a signal.

Also if you come to Pattaya, Soi 6 opens at noon time, another option I use for balancing work and play. I will trade til 3am then

go to sleep right away then wake up and head over to Soi 6 and spend the whole day. Then go trade, what a life.,........

take care

SGH

Edited May 21, 2009 by SoiGirlHunter

[namoo]

I second CSLOXINFO SME package. With Maxnet premier being the second recommend on my list.

I am on 4mb SME with CSLOXINFO - works well as can be expected considering the international infrastructure of the net for Thailand.

[idiot farang]

My primary internet connection is TT&T Maxnet Premier. I think I pay around 2000 THB for 3 meg connection. My secondary connection is Hutch EVDO. The third backup for me is the internet cafe five minutes away. Trade desk is on speed dial, in a dire emergency I can call and close positions. I've never had a speed issues, then many problem in latency, 250ms is normal and works ok for me but on occasion I've had almost 750ms and some lost packets which affects my level II. Next project is to get a router that will mix the TT&T and Hutch connection without having me to switch over.

One thing I've noticed is your much more likely to have power problem then internet. I have everything on a UPS but if you do not have access to your router/modem to add a UPS the slightest power blip will knock you off for a minute or two.

You get what you pay for. Many people complaining have cheap connections, or TOT, both of which are completely useless.

Thanks for the heads up on the power issues- frankly, something i never even considered in BKK. You've got me thinking of a vacation in Costa Rica 9 years ago- no power at some point every day (wonderful place, btw- but has gotten almost as expensive as the US these days). i dread dragging my UPS around along with my monitors and everything else- but it's now on the list. my extra baggage charges are going to be more than my plane tickets! so, when the power goes out your dsl remains live due to your UPS? here in the US, it's iffy. if the neighbourhood goes down, the cable internet ALWAYS goes and sometimes the dsl does too (i guess the nearby routing equipment doesn't have power backup). that's where the EVDO and dial up come in, they're faster than getting thru to a trader at my broker.

I've had a combination switch on my 'to buy' list for the seamless switch from the cable to dsl if one goes out- never thought of it working with the EVDO also. that's a good idea, and worth checking out before i start my trip.

[idiot farang]

Very easy to install. Took 4 working days from the day I called (Chiang Mai). I live close to the ADSL exchange, so I was able to get the 6mbps package. We also have a CAT Telecom HiNet 6mbps package at the office, also very good but it depends where you live and with how many people you share the line. When I lived in Phuket CAT HiNet was amazingly fast, was always doing my 6mbps on international transfers without using a download manager.

Surprisingly enough, Internet seems faster and more reliable in Chiang Mai (ISP: TT&T, CAT) and Phuket (ISP: CAT) compared to Bangkok (ISP: True). Always make sure to subscribe to the "Premier" or "Business" lines. CAT always install a dedicated data landline for all of their ADSL packages. If you live in apartments/condos, you can always deal with the owner to order a new line (about 4,000 THB) that connects directly to your router, so you won't have issues with bad/old wiring in the condo/apartment.

I also use CAT EVDO (USB dongle) when I roam around town with my laptop. I get speeds of 1 to 2mbps on international lines. Latency is about twice more than you'd get on ADSL.

You'll be fine, lots of options!

thanks again. hmmm.... seems all the info i got about BKK being the only real option for good internet wasn't very accurate. of course, in reality, it would be pretty difficult and pricy to hop around Thailand starting new service for a month in CM, a month in BKK, Phuket, etc.... still, if the EVDO works well, i could go for a week, straddling the weekend and still do some light trading for a day or 2. i assume the internet cafe's have pretty good connections. last time i was there, i worked a deal with one by the marriott in BKK where i used my laptop and one of his monitors 2 hours every day i was there. his connection was quite good. would have been too distracting if i were trading though.

[idiot farang]

Ya i lose power alot too here but only for a few minutes, the battery in my laptop is good for 2 hours, Hutch stays on uninterupted

when the power cuts.

The biggest problem i am having trading is i have to trade the US exchanges at night here. I am in Pattaya and there is so many

go-gos, beer bars, girls, pu yings, tarts, mint chicks, soi magnets (errr you get the idea lol) that I feel like going out as soon as the sun drops in

the ocean.

To get around this I am training my wife how to trade. My system is pretty easy and she really enjoys the excitement. Kinda like

a video game. I am also looking at a 15 minute chart/system or even a 30 minute where i could take a small laptop out with me

to the hunting fields and check the chart every 15 or 30 mins for a signal.

Also if you come to Pattaya, Soi 6 opens at noon time, another option I use for balancing work and play. I will trade til 3am then

go to sleep right away then wake up and head over to Soi 6 and spend the whole day. Then go trade, what a life.,........

take care

SGH

lol. funny, we're both backwards. i live in the US, trade Asia and the DAX mainly and, thus, i'm typing this in the middle of the night after trading. last night was a nightmare- got back the loss tonight. i am soooooooooo looking forward to being in SE Asia and on a schedule with others around me. for me, the timezone is PERFECT. trade asia during the day, the DAX in the afternoon if i want. if there is a fed meeting or employment report, it's easy to trade 8.30 (or even 11.15) EST news from LOS. like i said, perfect. the other thing is that, since it's like a working vacation of sorts (or so says the plan on paper), i'll be much more inclined to stop trading when i've had a good first couple of hours vs what i do at home- keep pushing and sometimes turn a good day to bad. i just have a different mindset when i am away- esp. in a place like Thailand. hel_l, i even had a good time the night i was robbed during Songkran!

btw, yeah, lots of guys turning to the 2x and 3x ETF's exclusively. i'm actually long FAZ in my non-trading account now (took 1/2 off at 6.28 last week).

[idiot farang]

I second CSLOXINFO SME package. With Maxnet premier being the second recommend on my list.

I am on 4mb SME with CSLOXINFO - works well as can be expected considering the international infrastructure of the net for Thailand.

Thanks. And thanks to everyone for all the help.

Based upon the feedback, it definitely seems like i should be able to make it work. i am still a bit worried about latency. the gateway i'll be connecting to is in Hong Kong, so hopefully that will be better than connecting to the US or Europe.

[Crushdepth]

but i HAVE to have solid internet connection or i can't

I'm not sure what your particular idea of solid is, but here are a few hazards you can expect:

* Frequent power blackouts (usually a few minutes, sometimes a few hours). Shared infrastructure in apartment buildings may stay down until you can find someone to turn important equipment back on.

* Random cut offs from your ISP. My last ISP deliberately tipped everyone off the internet at least three times a day every day without warning or explanation (to kill torrents, perhaps?).

* Lousy speeds and poor latency. There's a fair bit of luck in finding a place that has good infrastructure/connectivity. Don't assume you can just 'order' a fast connection.

* Everything is much worse when it rains (and now its the wet season).

If you really, really need a solid internet connection you should think about going somewhere else. Otherwise you are going to have to take your chances.

[seesip]

If you need two monitors, you can get good ones here cheap, it might save you some hassles en route.

As far as internet reliability is concerned, I'm in Chiang Mai and looking into getting 3 separate connections from 3 providers and using a load balancing router. Not too savvy about the technical side of things, but I talked to someone at iNet here in Chiang Mai and they can take care of the setup and install, including setting up the DSL connections with the various providers. Check the website. I only spoke to them at this point, so I can't give you any reviews, but they seemed to understand the "big picture" which is sometimes rare over here.

Also I heard once that sometimes the faster dsl connections are less stable, not sure if any one can clarify this but I was told that for example, a 3mb line would be less stable than the 6mb line.

[SoiGirlHunter]

You know you have gone off the deep end like me when u start calculating your gains in soi 6,7,8 timeframes

Edited May 21, 2009 by SoiGirlHunter

[proximity]

Thanks for the heads up on the power issues- frankly, something i never even considered in BKK. You've got me thinking of a vacation in Costa Rica 9 years ago- no power at some point every day (wonderful place, btw- but has gotten almost as expensive as the US these days).

I've never lived in BKK so I cannot comment on power issues there but in Pattaya and upcountry you sometimes get these 1-2 second blips that knock you off the internet. With the UPS I always seem to stay connected to DSL. I'd also have a UPS that protects you from surges as lighting is frequent here.

i dread dragging my UPS around along with my monitors and everything else- but it's now on the list. my extra baggage charges are going to be more than my plane tickets!

I just bought two Acer X233h monitors for $157 USD per, 1920x1200 and I think they are 23". UPS was I think another $100. Might be cheaper to buy what you need here.

I've had a combination switch on my 'to buy' list for the seamless switch from the cable to dsl if one goes out- never thought of it working with the EVDO also. that's a good idea, and worth checking out before i start my trip.

I need to figure out the right combination of equipment that will make this work. I think with both Maxnet Premeir and EVDO I can pretty much approach the reliability of my dual connection in the US. I don't experience the problems others have with their DSL, hardly get knocked off for example. I don't know if that's luck or because I pay more.

[idiot farang]

but i HAVE to have solid internet connection or i can't

I'm not sure what your particular idea of solid is, but here are a few hazards you can expect:

* Frequent power blackouts (usually a few minutes, sometimes a few hours). Shared infrastructure in apartment buildings may stay down until you can find someone to turn important equipment back on.

* Random cut offs from your ISP. My last ISP deliberately tipped everyone off the internet at least three times a day every day without warning or explanation (to kill torrents, perhaps?).

* Lousy speeds and poor latency. There's a fair bit of luck in finding a place that has good infrastructure/connectivity. Don't assume you can just 'order' a fast connection.

* Everything is much worse when it rains (and now its the wet season).

If you really, really need a solid internet connection you should think about going somewhere else. Otherwise you are going to have to take your chances.

Thanks for the input. One question: have you had 'business' dsl service or the regular consumer? seems from the posters to the thread (albeit a small sample size, it's very consistent), that the quality of the service is far greater with the business class services.

thanks.