Bruce Mangosteen
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Posts posted by Bruce Mangosteen
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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Been to that show a couple of times. Very cool.
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1 hour ago, edwhy said:
Thanks Jacko. Who was the owner and where did he go?
Hmmm...
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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.
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11 hours ago, blue_flag said:
Moose on the loose!
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Dunno, an inflatable kite seems kinda like a cheat to me.
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^Oopsie! 😬
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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.
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You'll need a reentry permit I'd imagine.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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!
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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.
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Thanks for the great pics. Hopefully this upcoming Christmas season will be the last one I spend anywhere but Thailand.
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10 hours ago, sailingbill said:
Bruce you may be aware but sign up for My Social Security on the site. No need to go to an office, your benefits will be initiated online, Yearly Cola ,monthly statements and Letter certifying your benefits are available.
I had to (past tense, did it yesterday) do this because somehow my birth hospital didn't notify the SSA of my birth. That's usually done automatically, accounting for why most people aren't aware that it happens.
Interestingly, I found out about this when I tried to make a login for the "my SS" online service a few years ago. I could get to a certain point in the process but no farther. Called the office and the guy said, "Oh, that's because you don't exist!", and fixed it. He told me at the time that all my benefits were secure and there was no problem, but that I'd have to present a BC before I could apply for anything, in office or otherwise. I confirmed that by calling again some months later and talking to someone else.
They also take the application by phone, and I made an appointment. What I figure is that I'll attempt to make the application online and, if the software blows chow for any reason, I'll already have the appointment to talk to them about it.
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3 hours ago, blue_flag said:
The Sawang Boriboon Foundation is a well-known non-profit organization in Pattaya that provides emergency rescue services, including marine incidents.
My wife likes the attached wat, and we went/will go there occasionally when we live(d) there.
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1 hour ago, sailingbill said:
When I first moved here I had skills much needed, but with my O-A visa even volunteer work would be a violation .
Yep. I remember people getting hassled for visa violations while doing volunteer relief work after the tsunami! They don't futz around there concerning work permits.
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18 hours ago, dave5739 said:
...how can we, as expats, justify our lives of luxury in an environment where this happens.
It happens everywhere for reasons we can't control. Whatever you may have, and whatever you may have achieved, was probably not taken away from someone else. You worked for it and earned it fairly, so it needs no other justification.
If you were some sort of thief or conman, the foregoing does not apply to you.
18 hours ago, dave5739 said:I am considering starting a no questions asked food bank in pattaya similar to what we see in western countries. Do yall think this is feasible and would most expats contribute?
There are already established, bona fide charities in Thailand. Giving to those will avoid any problems you may have with the authorities, e.g. working without a permit, and will ensure that the aid goes to people who really need it vs. scammers and low lifes, both farang and Thai. Also, giving things like foodstuffs and clothes avoids people skimming or misdirecting money.
I have given to the Father Ray Foundation several times. In each case, a Thai person organized it and did the purchasing based on donations they collected, usually to make merit on a birthday. They are very grateful for any and all gifts, and it is very gratifying to spend time with the children you have helped.
So, consider arranging a gift, possibly with the help of a Thai person you trust. Contact the charity or organization, and ask what specific sorts of donations they're looking for (e.g. school supplies, warm clothes for children because of the coming cold season). Then, you could work your contacts to solicit donations. Again, my advice would be to stay away from monetary donations, and only accept food, clothing, electronics (e.g. tablets), and other tangible goods.
Good luck.
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The End of Bolt?
in Transport in Thailand
Posted
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.