doolish

Hi, Agree with hillbilly. Anyone that drinks even one small glass of beer and then drives should be locked up and the key thrown away. It impares your judgment and nine time out of ten, results with a innocent person being injured. This was pointed out to me 50 years ago. they had a car simulator and could check your reaction time when someone stepped out in front of you. They then give you a drink and tested you again. Eight out of the ten people, they done this to, would have killed or badly injured, the person steping into the road. Then hillbilly goes of track by saying Patts is full of "silly old men" doing this. In the six years i have been living in LOS and since 1970 when i stared visiting LOS, I find this not to be the case. Also i have never ever seen them drive into bars. You'd have a hard job getting a bike, never mind a car into some bars. The people i have seen D/D were mainly young people who think they are indistructable. You do get a few elderly ones who D/D. Myself i don't care what people do to themselfs. As long as it does not affect other people. Sadly drink does affect others. Also I ride a bike most days, when it is not raining, and have never been pulled up on this so called "scam" that butterfly says. If you have to pay a fine get a receipt. I did this when i was pulled up for speeding, yes i was guilty, they give me one. I was doing 104K. 14k over limit. When you have been D/D they don't usually give you a fine and send you on your way. Thank God. Its a court case.

Hi, C.T. It is not bordering on the ridiculous. As i am not not going out, health reasons, plus it was raining and i cannot sit in garden. I took about 2 hours doing a search of the internet. Anybody can do the same. Just google in "Flights from MAN. U.K. to BKK" and Bobs your uncle and Fanny's your aunt, you come up with 100's of options, and i am not listing these also. That would be bordering on the ridicious. We must learn to do things ourself. Be careful as i beleive there is a MAN. in the states. These prices came from a few hours searching which i am sure anybody is quite capiable of doing. Also the flights were for 2011 not last year, or the year before that. I now know i should of included the web site details with all the prices. Please do not shoot me at dawn for this horrendous oversight. I was not booking, just checking prices. I think it is worth a couple of hours on the internet to get the cheapest prices. The same flights going from BKK to MAN U.K., the cheapest return i could get was approx. 41,000B using same airports. Over 800GBP's a rip of in my books. Cheers Doug.

Hi, Don't know where daughter got tickets from C.T.. I just did a quick check, by Google, and found the following prices, it said all inclusive. To many sites to list. But below was the quoted cheapest prices. From MAN. To BKK return. China Air. 439 GBP's. Air France 444GBP's. Turkish Air 446 GBP's. Swiss Air 458 GBP's Qatar 490 GBP's. Etihad 480GBP's This was travelling mid week for a four week stay in Oct. 2011. Cheers Doug.

Hi, Just got a e-mail from daughter. She is coming out to see me in Oct. Fare from Man. to BKK return was 425GBP. With Ethiad. Travel agent asked her where she is going to in LOS. She said Udon Thani. T.A. said if she got ticket BKK to Udon now it would only cost her 20GBP's for a return ticket. Out of interest i checked out flights from BKK to MAN. Same airline and same dates, but oppisite way around. What a shock. To buy in LOS it would cost 41,000B Over 800GBP. Nearly double the cost. What a rip off. Cheers Doug.

Hi, Excactlly why i told them to get their rubbish out of my house and got TOT to put internet in. Better service and can run 3 comp. at same time, handy with kids around, for the price of only being able to run one at a time with 3BB, or whatever they call themselves now. After TOT kicked them out of their place, service and everything else went downhill fast. Hit or a miss most times. Before when 3BB were with TOT, service was good. Been with TOT now for nearly a year. No problem so far. Touch wood. Cheers Doug.

Hi, If you go about it properly you won't get your fingers burned. I bought a new house, up north, over five years ago. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Land was bought in wifes name, and I went to lawyer to get a 30 year lease on land, extentable for a further 30 years. This might be going overboard, but i'm the belt and braces type. You can also buy a condo. The builders are allowed to sell a certain percentage of a building to non Thais. As for the build of the property, mine is a lot better than some houses i have lived in, in other countries. And i am happy with it. Which is all that matters to me. The price was just under 1 million B.. for house and land, incuding a lot of furniture, curtains etc.. Was the first house built, on estate, and they wanted to get bums on seats. The electrics were all wired correctly. Having taught Electrical Wiring for the last 17yrs. of my working life. Also the wiring reg in 2006 in LOS, for new housing estates was altered, for the benefit of the buyer. Earths etc. must be included, but please get checked. Also if bought you can do anything you want with your own house, in LOS, if you have a look around you will see what i mean. If i rented the house, at 10,000B per month in 2005, at 71B to the pound, and from last year to under 50B to the pound. As i got money from home, I would have paid for my house in less than 7 years of rental, assuming rental did not go up in this time, if your lucky. plus i would have a house worth nearly 2 million B, Was offered that 4 months ago, but would not sell. So i would have now paid for house, if i rented it, and made another landlord happy. Oh, forgot to say a friend of mine, who runs a building firm at home checked it out for me. No major faults with it. And not built like some people say. Wonder if these people have bought a house here. Did not buy to make a profit. If anything happened to me the wife will have something to fall back on. She also has a two bed brick built home in Korat. Yes if you have the money buy. Don't know about morgages so cannot comment. Houses and land are on the rise where i am in LOS. Keep a landlord happy rent.

Hi, Never had a problem with Imm. in LOS. Came in last time 6 months ago, waiting in Imm. Q. Lady came along and showed me to another desk and was through within 30 secs. Had to wait for luggage though. Not once in the last 10 years have customs, which is not imm., asked me to open my case. Find them very good and helpful. Once when I arrived Imm. put a 30 day stamp in my P.P. when it should have been 90days. My fault, i should of checked, usully do. Went to Imm. and they apoligised and put a 90 day stamp in P.P. No prom. and very polite. Laughed and joked about it. And always a smile.

Hi, From my experance banks open on Sundays as well, This is not U.K. where after 1400Hrs on a Fri. most shut till Monday. The max. you can transfer from a U.K. bank, to LOS, without notice, and without giving reasons, is 200,000B in 24 hours. Just over 4,000GBPs at todays rate. This is by U.K. Debit Card. Anything higher your U.K. bank requires notice, plus reasons why you need the money. this way will take about 4 working days to get the cash. Found this out when i bought a house. Tried 4 different banks. At the same. Did this over 5 days as i think it is a cheek for the bank to ask me what i needed my own money for. Also get it changed to B in LOS. Better rate. When i finished work i got a check from the Goverment for nearly 20,000GBPs. when i wanted to put it into my account, been using the bank for 20 years, they ask me why i got this. I told them none of their bussness, it was from the Gov. and if they would not take it i would start using another bank. By the way I did this when i did not have a LOS bank account. I have one now with the bank i changed my money with.

Hi, You are to young, for the easy way out, lucky you, for a retirement visa. I don't know what country you are from, if U.K. you can get a multi-O visa and extent it for a year in LOS. giving you, if you work it right about two and a half years here. Crossing border every 90 days. I got fed up with this and got a marriage visa. Don't have to leave country now. Cheers Doug.

Hi, chris2004, A retirement visa, whither married to a Thai or not requires you to have a income of 800,000B a year. Not as Nam-Tip says. It is only when you come to a marrage visa that this changes. 40,000B per month required. Last month my income p.a. was 750,000B, married to a Thai. lady, so i was refused a retirement visa even though I was married to a Thai. lady. Got a marrage visa 40,000B a month was the requirement along with other requirements. Please if you are unsure about this ask at imm. they are very helpful and you will know what THEY want.

Hi, idefix. I come from a place where you could have left your keys in you car and done a lot of other things. Plus left your house door open, this was in the 1950's. U WOULD NOT DO IT NOW. But to not take precautions, I do not mean turning your home into a prison. is silly. I have lived in LOS for six years now, in my home, and have never been broken into. Maybe it is the big fence. security bars on windows, or the big rot. that i have. But it works, as with most contries now. The funny thing is, in all my life, the only place i have lived in, and had a break in, was in a small village in the north of France.

Hi. sexpat, do not know your full circumstances but my opinion is that a elderly guy, which i am, marries, or lives with a young, 20 year old, girl there is going to be trouble 98% of the time. nearly fell into the same trap, but read the warning signs, thank god, seven years ago. Ended up living with a Thai lady for the last 6 years and marrying her last year. Still i hope you do all right. Good luck to you. Cheers Doug.

Hi,. No break ins so why set up security etc.. Idefix, You have answered your own question, even if you did not know it. This is why they have bars on windows etc. and it works. So if you lived in a area and your neighbours said they have had no break ins because of this, you would not put some security on your property. The mind boggles. Still each to his own.

Hi, Without having a Thai bank account, when I paid for my house. I went to a Thai bank and was told. You can draw 200,000B on your debit card every 24 hours, if you have the funds. This was by 3 different Thai. banks. This I did over five days. House cost 980,000B. In Udon in 2005. If I wanted to I could have got the whole amount in 3 to 4 working days but I would have to tell my bank what the money was for. Nosey buggers, my money. The only question the Thai bank asked me was if I wanted the money transferred to LOS in stirling. I took their advice and transferred in sterling. Also if you are just a visitor T.C. is the way to go. Nearly 1B extra on exchange rate, if you get sterling checks. plus safety. Most U.K. major banks do not charge a commission for T.C. if your account is in credit. And no charge to return unused cheques. And added safety

Hi, No such thing as a retirement visa, so imm. say. You can get a "O" visa, outside of LOS, and get a extension of 12 months in LOS, due to retirement and meeting the requirements. With this you must have a income, pensions etc., of over 800,000B p.a. wither married to a Thai national or not. Or money in a Thai bank at their low interest rates. Or a marriage visa which require you to have, in my case, pensions of 40,000B a month. myself I got a marriage visa, this entailed. Letter from Embassy showing my pensions, total p.a.. Passport with a "O" visa. House book Marriage cert., has to be in Thai. or English. Otherwise a translation is required. Photos of self and wife. Outside front of house, in living room and bedroom. Location of house. I used google earth for this and it was accepted. Wives ID card. Witness who has known you for at least 12 months. The fee 1,900B. You have to present the originals plus two copies. They then give me a 30day stamp on my passport and told me to go to see them then. Did this and asked them why wait 30days. They said it has to be approved in BKK. Total time taken to achieve this approx two and a half hours. I decided to go this way, as with the weak pound, my pensions only came to about 750,000B. A bit more work for this visa, but painless if you have the right things.

Hi, Have to say it is worse for me. Married a Thai girl, not from Patts., and live in Udon, she will not let me go to Patts. without her. Spoilsport. Joking, I love her of course.

Ah Bushmills. The oldest running distillery of whisky, and the only one outside of Scotland that spells whisky without the e in it. A bottle of black label will go down a treat. As a sideline I had a stroke ten years ago. Asked the doc. is it all right to partake in a drop of scotch and he said it will do you the world of good, but not in excess.

Hi, Hillbilly, we all know we are only as good as the last Baht spent there. If you go there and get treated bad, they will lose customers and will soon have none, as Mike has said he will not be spending his Bucks there. You may think this is good for business, i don't. I don't expect VIP treatment just a bit of respect, or is this asking to much from someone who is fleecing you.

Hi, Bus goes from Nong Khai to Pattaya without going through BKK. Goes over the mountain. Bypassing Korat and BKK. on the 304 road to HW 7 to PATS. Trip from Udon Thani, First bus leaves there about 0730Hrs and gets into Pattaya at about 1700Hrs. No changing buses and cost 800B single. My friend took this bus last month. He said it was very good and comfy. It leaves NK. nearly a hour before Udon time. I have been once by train on B.M.s recommendations. NEVER again. I might have been unlucky. The cost was also a lot dearer. Plus eatra fares to BKK. If you can travel in the daytime, no need to sleep just enjoy the sights, it might be better. At night constant rocking, stops and starts, and whistle blowing, made sleep for me impossible and was not very comfy. Cheers Doug.

Hi, Just returned with Etihad from Man. last week after a four week holiday. Very good service and flight, would use them again. Plane nearly full both ways. Bought tickets at Mox travel in BKK 29,500B about 100GBP cheaper if you book from Man to BKK return. Can not use tickets the other way, so Los screws you for approx. 100GBPs. The joys of living here.

Hi, Been staying there since 2001 and they have always had a security guard on the back entrance Soi 6/1, at night, since then, where you go up the steps to your room after the bar was closed. The counter girls are not there after the bar has closed, the guard always asked me for my key so he could check my room number. No check on the girl. Vic was also a very nice guy and would do all he could to help you. Food was very good.

Hi, Gonzo. Heard different stories from different people, so put car in wife's name. Paperwork took less than 20 mins to complete and no trips to imm. or doctor etc. Driving home in less than a hour as they already had the car in the showroom. All in all hassle free. The way I like it. Had to check to see if I was still in Thailand, could not believe it could be this quick.

Hi, Bought a Toyota Soluna Vios, automatic, three years ago, 5 year or 100,000K warranty. Disc brakes all round, don't know why they still put drum brakes on back wheels. You can adjust the drivers seat ie. recline, lumber knee height etc. tinted windows, and side windows mirror finish, for coolness, and very comfortable to drive. The longest I have driven, non stop, except for a petrol stop, is from Udon Thani to Pattaya, in under 8 hours, and I'm 70 now. Clocked over 60,000K since I've had it and not had any trouble with it. Still the orig. tyres, brakes etc. All in all a very good car and would recommend it to anyone. I had to have a automatic because of problems with left arm, I was never keen on autos but this model has changed my way of thinking. Toyota was offering interest free H.P. so I took that, they do there own finance, at my home bank I was getting a good interest rate so kept that money there. Put the car in wife's name so that saved a lot of hassle. Cheers Doug. If you have decided on a model, hire a similar model for a few day and give it a good test. Not just around the block.

Hi Kev, Thanks for your reply. I've tried that site, it is the first one I tried, but other sites come up with different dates and venues. It says it is the official F1 site and the fixture list looks correct to me but wish to check if it's correct, hoping to go to one meeting and will have to book well in advance. Was hoping to go to the Korean one but program states this is subject to the track being completed. So second choice is China. On two of the lists it says 18 April!!! Thank you Doug.

Hi, Looking up the F1 web site to check on the race program for 2010. Downloaded it and made a copy for a friend, he has not got a printer. He checked it and said this is the third one he has seen and each were different. The one I copied was en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Formula_One_season. He showed me two others. One had the first race in Australia, I know the first race is in Bahrain. and some of the other races had different dates. The other had 4 or five different dates and the races in a different order. The point is where can I get a accurate fixture list. Cheers Doug.