joekicker

17:46 in Bangkok - got it on both True and TOT. That would definitely be a DNS eff-up somewhere.

Just to add to the excitement, TOT censors a lot more than the other major ISPs, so you never can be sure, ya know? Like, for now, they are blocking most of Blogspot.com blogs because they are incompetent at blocking one particular blog out of Chiang Mai. FWIW True is a lot more ahem liberal about that, but then True doesn't have the wi-fi. I have both (don't ask) and at the moment both are working okay, although True has some obvious DNS problems (still no Bangkok Post) and TOT still can't sort out the difference between blocking one blog and blocking thousands of them. Aint it fun?

15:53 Pattaya time, I'm currently logged into that board, reading a message on Beer Singha WTF ???? By: MIGHTYONE What ISP are you using, Alan? (Edit) Jeez. 16:15 and I can't get to the BangkokPost.com and I know for an absolute fact that site is not censored. It is definitely effed up today. Not the first time, either.

This is (almost 100% certainty) a DNS problem, i.e. a temporary condition on a major server that translates what you type into numbered Internet addresses. It happens - too often. I'm in Bangkok, I use two different ISPs, and there is no problem with this site from here at all this morning. Stuff happens on the Internet. If it happens over and over, and happens EXACTLY consistently for more than... oh, say, 8 hours, it COULD be government induced. If it lasts for 24 hours it probably is. But for an hour? Wait, try again, stifle that paranoia for a bit.

I don't know Pattaya dentists well, but I think you are about to be flooded out by recommendations. I think one of the things everyone agrees about Thailand is the very high quality of Thai dentists, and the low prices of all their services. So when the recommendations start coming in, just pick any of them, probably a clinic close and convenient to you. It's VERY unlikely you'll go wrong.

In this discussion, I already stipulated four-wheel car or pickup. Add "sedan" or some such adjective if you wish. NOT motorcycles, not real trucks. I'm sure you've noticed some on the streets, highways and byways? This is more up to date: 3 May 2007 Bangkok- About 14 million Thais, or 31 per cent of the population over the age of 20, now own a car, media reports said Thursday. According to a recently released regional survey by Nielsen Media Research, Thailand ranks fifth worldwide in terms of the number of total cars owned, estimated at 14 million, and has one of the highest car owner

Absolutely. As I said above, it is end-of-school in Canada and the US, end-of-school for international students in Thailand. When school is out is when companies and embassies and so on move their people. There is a VERY high demand for North America-Thailand flights at this time of year, even though it is the tourist off-season. If I'm not mistaken, the Oz end-of-school is also Christmas-New Year and of course mid-summer??? That must be a wonderful experience, trying to book cheaply at that time.

What do you give it now?

Is that "free" as in STD? Unbelievable. Sky really "gives" you this disease? Good grief! If my ISP tried to install McAfee I would ditch that company so fast. If your computer is accidentally infected with that horrible viral "program" the only solution is to format the drive and start all over.

What I figured. Always great to get it directly from the most recent experience. Merci very much.

Oh, my. Talk about the ultimate straw man. The point, sir, is not why Singaporeans don't have cars, although I suggest you bring your figures up to date on that in case someone wants to discuss that with you. Suffice it to say that the Certificate of Entitlement is an auction, not a fee. As of this month, a new Honda Civic will cost (very roughly) about 1.3 million baht. That's a lot more than Thailand, but it's about $37,700 US, nothing like your $30,000 add-on, and it's a one-time payment, not a yearly fee - which is high but nothing like what you say. Now. The point is - why

I appreciate your toning it down. No sarcasm in that. I'm sincere. But yes, I was being sarcastic originally. You seemed to be trying or claiming to extrapolate two factories into the national norm. To be clear: I do not FOR ONE INSTANT doubt your statements or your expertise which you state. But I doubt that the two factories you present are automatically what happens in Thailand just because you were there. As I said, there are extremes among Thai factories - slave labour and all the way up to state of the art Volvo assembly and IC-making. In no way do I, or will I accept that any tw

??? WTF? I absolutely agree. It's what I said in my first post. I even brought up the WORST cases of the factories with slaves. I think you directed this at the wrong person. I'm the one who INSISTED you have to consider them all. It was some other guy who said that two factories made a case. And since I'm at it, don't get personal with me. I've lived here longer than most Thais have lived here. (Yes.) I've been in every province many times and pretty well every district of the country.

Well, I guess that is a majority, for sure.

I have no idea what you mean by this. How do you think people in Singapore are to move from their home to their employment, and then to their entertainment and home? Singapore is the size of Guam. Singapore has roads and stuff. It's really neat if you want to go where the subway goes, but the subway goes to about 0.03% of Singapore. It's really nice if you live on a street with a bus line, but 99.85% of Singaporeans can't afford to live on such a street. If you manage to hike out to the main drags and get a taxi when you want one, you pay more in one month than a normal car payment.

191 baht But I have to challenge that statement. Most factories don't pay the minimum wage. Plus, most Thais don't work in factories. Some factories, particularly garment-type factories in the more remote provinces, employ what are basically indentured, illegal-immigrant workers and they pay the minimum wage or less. But "most factories" includes Ford and Seagate and Toyota and Nike and Arrow and BMW. They include Charoen Phokphand and UFC and Unif and Bumblebee tuna. And they don't pay anything close to 191 baht. Most workers work for factories like that. And offices don't pay an

You're a pretty hard marker. All Internet sites go down from time to time. Kind of like the Soi 6 girls. Try it again in a few hours, then kvetch. Right now it's up and speedy.

Wow by the time I got finished looking at all those pictures the girls were starting to look really good. Just kidding. thanks for the report and for proof that a good time was had by all.

Actually Phahonyothin Road would probably be the longest. It starts in Bangkok and goes North through Chiang Mai and on. Out of town, like Sukhumvit, it's called the Phahonyothin Highway. Lots of varied spellings on this one of course. The closest for English pronunciation is probably Pahone Yohtin

Okay, but near as I can tell, they really have nothing to say except "it be fik soon" anyhow. I've seen TOT wireless go out for, oh, maybe three or four hours, but usually it's less than half an hour. It's sure aggravating but if you got through I'm sure the result would not pacify you.

Do let us know. This is getting to what I've always seen as the outer limit, although still workable.

Generally it would be the other way around. A single cop would live away from the station house. A married one (a) probably couldn't afford it and ( his wife would often rather be with the other wives. They often get a co-op of sort going. After all, they already have free protection!. No kidding. Actually, in most places it's not the sex that's expensive, it's the going out to get it. Transport, drinks, LDs, bar fines, snacks before going home, etc etc ... not hard to get a LOT more than just the pussy.

This is crazy. I don't even believe one of these wages is in the ball park. Well, maybe the paramilitary one. Right down to the baht? Give me a break. Show me the hunter hired by the month. "Hotels and restaurant" is a silly description, with a HUGE wage fluctuation and the figure given is nowhere near the average I've seen. Real estate, renting and business activities 9,571 baht In 1988, maybe. Up-country. Ask the guy who provides these figures how business workers are paying for their Toyotas. All civil servants get a low monthly wage, offset by annual bonus

First, bear in mind the wonderful advice above that what actually happens will vary from one office to another. If you get the clerk with PMS, all bets are off. That said, you shouldn't have any problem. After a while, they'll make you start all over, but you should be well within the limit. Make up some general excuse like "the traffic was bad and my buffalo was sick but I rushed here as fast as I could" and you probably will get your renewal fine.

... airport, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, New Delhi (be sure you have the correct visas), London (one train fare not included).... ... and according to Google Maps, New York.