9999

[ThaiPauly]

If you see a car driving round town with a "panda plate" with 9999 on it bear in mind that the owner has just paid over 1.8m Baht for it.

I was at the number plate auction at the Empress Hotel yesterday and that particular number was the only one to go for over 1m.

The auction of that particular number was a very exciting affair with just two bidders going for it once the price got to half a mil.

I must admit to being astounded by the prices that these numbers were selling for, even the ones with no special significance were selling for over 30,000 Baht a pop

The good news is that all the money is going to charity, they must have raised at least 10m on the first day, the second day kicks off at 10am this morning.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

There must be 'some' special significance even if it wasn't immediately clear..

All of this used to be far cheaper; we got some nice plates a couple years ago for about 2000 baht.

[Totster]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/9999-mint-t2040.html

totster

[ThaiPauly]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/9999-mint-t2040.html

totster

Very old thread Tots.

I wonder what the name of the bloke who brought the one here is?

He's certainly got money, but did not look minted.

No doubt the CM Mail will let us know.

[realthaideal]

The number 9, 'gao' if you will, is pronounced the same as it is in the word the 'gao hnaah' which means progress or advancement (progress to the face/front literally). Yeeeehaaaaw, I got me a plate to push my luck forward !

เก้า:the number 9

ก้าวหน้า:[to] progress ; advance ; forward

def's courtesy of thai2.english.com

[infernalman7]

How can one imagine the craze the people have for baby pandas. LOL.

You know what it was on the news today that the Chiang Mai Zoo has received a call from someone in Bangkok that offered 5 million baht donation to the zoo and for that the zoo must let her grand daughter hold the panda for a day.

[ThaiPauly]

While the bidding for this plate was progressing, at about 1m they announced that the winning bidder would get to hold "Ling Ping" for a few minutes

[Maejo Man]

The number 9, 'gao' if you will, is pronounced the same as it is in the word the 'gao hnaah' which means progress or advancement (progress to the face/front literally). Yeeeehaaaaw, I got me a plate to push my luck forward !

เก้า:the number 9

ก้าวหน้า:[to] progress ; advance ; forward

def's courtesy of thai2.english.com

Probably the fact that the number 9 is numerically and auspiciously considered lucky and really, has nothing to do with advancement. One never buys an eight baht gold necklace, it's always 9 or 7 or even 5. Odd numbers have always been considered lucky by Asians.

Edited December 20, 2009 by Maejo Man

[Maestro]

Very old thread Tots.

I wonder what the name of the bloke who brought the one here is?

He's certainly got money, but did not look minted.

No doubt the CM Mail will let us know.

Let him who has eyes, read. The linked topic in the post you quoted gives the name of the person who bought the car registration plate 9999 in August 2003. And I don't think that the Chiang Mai mail will now report an event that happened over over six years ago.

--

Maestro

[LaoPo]

There must be 'some' special significance even if it wasn't immediately clear..

Maybe the number plate was bought by a Thai/Chinese businessman (oh no....let's not start with certain names, shall we ?)

The number 9999 is considered to be a lucky but also promising (future) number in China and Chinese folkore. The forbidden city in Beijing had once 9999 rooms.

However, these days 8888 is considered an even more valuable number to possess as is 888 or 666 or 6666.

edit:

Someone in Oz interested in a license plate: HKG 888 ?

For just AU 50,000.00

http://74.125.77.132/search?q=cache:PyoYiq...lient=firefox-a

LaoPo

Edited December 21, 2009 by LaoPo

[Maestro]

I believe it all depends on the Chinese dialect the interested buyer speaks. In some dialects 9 is bad, in some others it is good.

3 was considered good by by the owners of Bangkok Bank. The house number of their head office in Silom Road, Bangkok is 333.

So you are another one who did not click through to the posted link. There is no secret about the buyer, he is named as the Communications minister Suriya Jungrungraungkit, ie he was that Minister in August 2009. Don't know his current position, but obviously the registration plate will still be his, unless it brought him bad luck and he decided to return it.

--

Maestro

[ThaiPauly]

So you are another one who did not click through to the posted link. There is no secret about the buyer, he is named as the Communications minister Suriya Jungrungraungkit, ie he was that Minister in August 2009. Don't know his current position, but obviously the registration plate will still be his, unless it brought him bad luck and he decided to return it.

--

Maestro

Maestro,

That link is from 2003, unless the date is incorrect on all the posts...I'm confused

[LaoPo]

Now I see it. the plate 9999 was auctioned off again yesterday. So the buyer in 2003 obviously let it go, for whatever reason. Good income for the charity, then.

--

Maestro

Edited December 21, 2009 by Maestro

[LaoPo]

Now I see it. the plate 9999 was auctioned off again yesterday. So the buyer in 2003 obviously let it go, for whatever reason. Good income for the charity, then.

--

Maestro

MAESTRO........... I didn't write the text above although it looks like I wrote it but with your signature!

Just to make things clear.

EDIT:

Sorry Maestro: I just noticed you even completely deleted all the words and sentences I wrote and since this is a normal discussion between members and this has nothing to do with moderating I kindly request you to "restore" my message!

LaoPo

Edited December 21, 2009 by LaoPo

[Maestro]

Oh god, I did it again. I edited a post instead of replying to it. My apologies. Time for me to go to be (01:54 In the morning here)

For information: Lao Po pointed out that the sale to which I referred was in 2003. This made me read the OP again and I realised that there was a new auction for the the same plate yesterday, or perhaps it is the day before yesterday now.

--

Maestro

[Maejo Man]

Depends on how "up market" you want to be, but there are another 75 provinces that can issue 9999 plates

[uptheos]

While the bidding for this plate was progressing, at about 1m they announced that the winning bidder would get to hold "Ling Ping" for a few minutes

Well, I hope they wash their hands first....whoever they are!

[neverdie]

^Maybe he'll just buy them all

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Let him who has eyes, read. The linked topic in the post you quoted gives the name of the person who bought the car registration plate 9999 in August 2003. And I don't think that the Chiang Mai mail will now report an event that happened over over six years ago.

--

Maestro

For information: Lao Po pointed out that the sale to which I referred was in 2003. This made me read the OP again and I realised that there was a new auction for the the same plate yesterday, or perhaps it is the day before yesterday now.

--

Maestro

Guys (not sure who's saying what anymore) : It's NOT the same plate. Did anyone ever look at Thai license plates? First of all they run by province, so you can have the exact same plate with a different province name on it. Secondly, there are letters on there. So you will get the number 9999 for EVERY letter series. There are LOADS of plates with 9999 available, for each letter combination that's in use.

[ThaiPauly]

You are right WTK.

In 6 months time there will be another auction and another 9999 plate !!

But according to my Wife the letters in front are also deemed to be lucky or unlucky.....now this is W A Y beyond my comprehension !!