Bruce Mangosteen
-
Posts
3,784 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
83
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by Bruce Mangosteen
-
-
I've seen some commentary around the board about folks having problems accessing the board. One commenter who is currently in Thailand has said that he can access the board from one ISP but not another.
In my case, I've tried two ISPs, two devices, and two browsers on each device, but I have to go through a VPN on either to access the board. I'm currently in the US.
This strikes me like the database of blacklisted IP addresses may need to be looked at.
Anyone else having issues? It might be helpful to know how many are having issues and where they are.
-
On 5/22/2026 at 2:50 AM, monkeyman said:
Next to the weed shop in front of the LK Empress?
Congrats on 20 years, been a fan if a quiet one.
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, Bazle said:
Not confined to Bolt -
Perhaps not unexpectedly, the article does seem to indicate that it applies to app-based ride-hailing services, but not regular taxi services or motorbike taxis.
"The measures will apply to all ride-hailing platforms, not only Bolt. Other operators currently renewing licences (sic) can continue normal services during the adjustment period."
-
8 hours ago, mike_asia said:
InDrive is a great app however it works differently than bolt and grab. Drivers bid on the ride and you can accept the bid you want based on price and pickup time
Dayum son! 8 years between posts! 😀
-
1
-
-
Interesting article on InDrive Thai here: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/business/2024/10/27/indrive-poised-growth-thailand-ride-hailing-market-for-2025/
The article mentions that InDrive was founded in 2012 in Siberia, and entered the Thai market in 2019 as noted above.
Here's the list of countries they operate in: https://indrive.com/help/about-indrive/where-is-indrive-available
Clearly the company has the resources to comply with the Thai rules, at least unless/until the Thais change them every 15 minutes.
-
1
-
1
-
-
4 hours ago, jacko said:
Maybe some back pedaling going on here. I hope so.
IMHO the entire point of this exercise is that the taxi operators persuaded the government to kill ride-sharing services. But the government needed political cover, so they put in place a set of hurdles they calculated the ride-sharing services would never be able to clear, and that appears to have panned out.
Don't get me wrong, I was a frequent user of Grab when it first appeared, and I'm a strong proponent of the so-called "gig economy". This just appears too much like a government put-up job designed to solve a political problem to me.
-
1
-
-
4 hours ago, Rawhide2 said:
Appears that Bolt may well have licence revoked this May as so many of the drivers didnt comply with the requested changes previously
https://thethaiger.com/news/national/bolt-licence-2193-legal-cases-dlt
Thailand’s Department of Land Transport (DLT) announced yesterday, April 29, that it may refuse to renew Bolt’s licence after finding 2,193 legal cases linked to the ride-hailing platform since the start of the year.
Department director-general Sorapong Paitoonpong issued the warning during a press conference on measures to regulate ride-hailing platforms.
[...]
Sorapong said offences had continued despite the government allowing drivers to enter the system under rules issued by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) over the past three to four months.
The Ministry of Transport is now preparing stricter enforcement, especially against platforms that fail to supervise drivers properly or comply with legal conditions.
Bolt’s licence to operate app-based taxi services is due to expire on May 11. The DLT said that Bolt’s licence renewal in Thailand may not be approved if the company cannot show credible improvements in safety standards, transparency, and driver supervision.
More at link.
-
1
-
-
9 hours ago, Bushcraft said:
Nice one, had me laughing. Amazing how many Indian tourists think it's ok to wander around with 40k baht gold necklaces
On the bright (?) side, 40K gold necklaces are a lot harder to spot than they once were.
-
When I lived there it was in View Talay I. They have bars, restaurants and shops on the ground floor that open out onto the sidewalk, and water throwing is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. That worked out very well, because I could escape the water without becoming a hermit or a nomad, but go out in it if/when I wanted.
-
1 hour ago, jacko said:
That was my impression when in town, and a few working lasses seemed to be of that opinion
I think that, if there were one third of the bars in Pattaya that there are now, which I reckon would match the number of bars there were ~20 years ago, the place would look like a Japanese subway at rush hour.
-
10 hours ago, teelack said:
I guess that while the management had a long history in Pattaya they took no notice of what people were saying.
IMO Champaign was never going to stand up to comparisons with the original bar before they fucked with it. It had a fun, funny vibe, and the girls were raunchier and more fun. The second version was worse than the first, and the latest version was worse yet, sterile and boring.
Pattaya is a case study for the saying, "Not all change is improvement."
-
1
-
-
Been to that show a couple of times. Very cool.
-
1 hour ago, edwhy said:
Thanks Jacko. Who was the owner and where did he go?
Hmmm...
-
1
-
-
On 1/26/2026 at 2:38 PM, Bamzzz said:
Hello everybody , I’m a new member and I need advice please , When I booked my Eva flight via Skywings I filled the form in online and due to the fact I have 2 middle names the form wouldn’t allow me to add them without spaces , therefore on my E-ticket my first 3 names are condensed into one word , I am wondering if this could cause me any problems at check in or passport control .any advice is appreciated Tia .
The name on your ticket won't match the name on your passport. Whether this causes a problem is at the discretion of the ground staff. Immigration and customs are generally not interested in your ticket except to check for whether you have an onward flight booked.
I know this because the last time we went to Thailand the travel agent I used misspelled my wife's name on her ticket, replacing an "m" with an "n". That error is pretty subtle and I doubt all of them caught it, but the American ground staff for Asiana did before our trans-Pacific leg.
-
11 hours ago, blue_flag said:
Moose on the loose!
-
Dunno, an inflatable kite seems kinda like a cheat to me.
-
^Oopsie! 😬
-
What the OP is looking for is either called a "pocket wifi" device, or a "mobile hotspot". "Pocket wifi" seems to be a Thai or Asian reference.
For example, here's Netgear's page on these gadgets: https://www.netgear.com/home/mobile-wifi/hotspots/ ...or: https://www.netgear.com/on-the-go/hotspots/
Look for a device that's either certified for the Thai network you want to use, or more generally an "international" unit, certainly one that's unlocked. Some but not all support esim.
If buying in Thailand you should be able to find these either in Tuc Com or a phone shop. I'd look in your preferred carrier's shop.
Prices range widely.
-
2
-
-
You'll need a reentry permit I'd imagine.
-
1 hour ago, jacko said:
Probably a matter of course for peak season!
Yes, agree. I was also thinking that the parent company might want to recoup their investment in the drivers' licenses etc. All in all a very good business move on their part it looks like.
-
1 hour ago, sailingbill said:
No, I probably have the longest ride from Northern Naklua to 13/3 near Walking Street, 100baht. 50 70 baht for shorter rides. Rarely wait for more than 2-3 minutes. I was going to ship one of the bikes from Khon Kaen but as long as Bolt survives and doesn't get greedy I'll leave them.
Nice. Glad they managed to maintain the service level despite the challenges. Good company methinks.
-
13 hours ago, sailingbill said:
Confirm, I live off the BB routes and take Bolt several times a week.
Very glad the company was able to weather this.
Did you notice any increase in fares?
-
On 12/6/2025 at 3:16 AM, sailingbill said:
Bruce you may be aware but sign up for My Social Security on the site.
Submitted the application for retirement benefits online today. Interestingly, they allowed me to select December 2025 as the start date of benefits, which would mean I'll get a check next month. Fingers crossed!
-
1
-
-
6 minutes ago, blue_flag said:
Thank you. The next significant event is Bangkok Expo motor show. I am scheduled to visit on Tuesday.
Been there, great show. Hope to catch another one soon, maybe next year.
-
1
-
Problems accessing the board, June 2026
in Technical problems or questions.
Posted
So far I'm increasingly convinced it's related to IP addresses. Things like this:
...and this:
...can be caused by the reassignment of dynamic IP addresses by the ISP.