universe2000
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Posts posted by universe2000
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Does anyone watch college football on Eurosport? I have Sophon and only get Eurosport, which shows NCAA Big10 football. I saw a game on Wednesday at 10:30pm. There was also a game on Sunday in the morning around 11:00am.
Is there a schedule for Big10 football on Eurosport that is available. I tried the Eurosport website but it is unclear what time it is shown in Thailand. Recorded shows are ok, since the telecasts are not live.
Thanks for the help.
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I don't use buses, but I think the Jomtien "bus terminal" (such as it is) is on Soi Chayapruek. You could take a look down there, or ask someone.
There is a new luxury bus service going non-stop from the Foodmart parking lot by Soi Thepprasit to Swampy airport. It's only 124 Baht and leaves every 2 hours. You could then find your way from the Swampy bus station to anywhere in Bangkok.
If you're interested, the new Jomtien-Swampy bus service has a website HERE.
I stopped by the Soi Chayapruek area and the tourist office there said the bus station is just down the street from the intersection on Chayapruek. She mentioned that they don't have bus service to Bangkok, just to the airport. I'll have to use the bus station on North Pattaya.
There is a Jomtien to Bangkok bus on Sukumwit which stops along the way. I have taken that bus up to Bang Saen which takes about 1.5 hours. So a trip to Bangkok would probably take about 2.5 hours.
The bus service to the airport from Thepprasit looks interesting. I'll have to try it out when I need to get to the airport.
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Is there a bus from Jomtien directly to Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai)? I see some buses on Sukumwit but those stop often. I thought there was a bus terminal/station in Jomtien that had a directly route.
Thanks
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I was considering a trip to Phuket next Wednesday, Sept 16th. Flights are cheap and so are the hotels. Is the weather that bad now? I looked at the Twinpalms Resort cam and the weather seems to be pretty good the last few days. The weather forecast on the Thai Meteorological Department site shows about 60% coverage.
September is suppose to be the wettest month, but with a 60% forecast, that means a few hours or rain (if any). In Pattaya, there has been some nice weather and there hasn't been any significant rain yet.
So it is worth going to Phuket next week or wait another month?
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There are not enough reports about Vietnam but if I recall correctly they will want to see a ticket out of Thailand within the 60 days.
KL is not a problem, Penang is ok if you have not gotten a visa from them before and extended it.
Singapore you will have to have a return or onward ticket.
You can fly to Udon if you want to go to Vientiane. From Udon it is a short to trip to the bridge and then into Vientiane.
I read that Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) should be ok to get a visa. It's interesting that a ticket out of Thailand within the 60 days is needed since the 60 day tourist visa can be extended for 30 days at immigration. I would rather keep my options open as to when and where my next flight will be.
If you compare ticket prices don't forget about the Visa costs for the destination country (Laos: 35 USD, Cambodia: 20 USD, Malaysia: free, Singapore: ?, Vietnam: ?)I checked into the Visa fees for Vietnam and it is $20 just to get a pre-approved letter from an online website. After arriving at the airport, there is another 'stamp fee'. I haven't got a response back yet, but I think its around $25 minimum up to $100 for different type of visas.
Cambodia seems to be the cheapest in terms of flight costs, accommodations and visa fees. I don't mind paying $15 to get it done in one day. Its just Phnom Penh doesn't seem to be that interesting of a city to visit.
With the no-cost visa in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) that puts the cost around the same as Vietnam.
I would consider Penang but I thought I read that any prior 60 day visas from any country would cause a problem (not just a past one from Penang). I have one from Laos, which is why I am not considering traveling to Laos since I already visited Vientienne.
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I was searching the internet for convenient locations to get a 'single' 60 day tourist visa later this month. I want to fly to a location (from Bangkok) which would save time.
Here is some information I found:
Laos: Flight is expensive from Bangkok
Malaysia: Penang has some visa issues. Kuala Lumpur seems ok.
Singapore: Flight seems ok. Accommodations are more expensive.
Vietnam: Flight is cheaper (probably the option I will choose). Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) or Hanoi?
Any comments or other options.
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Yesterday, I went to the a apple store in California and purchased an new Iphone 16gb Gs for $399 without a contract. The new price without a contract was $299 for 3g, $399 16gb 3Gs and $599 for 32gb 3Gs.
Weird then that on the Apple website it still says: 'For those who are not eligible for an early upgrade or who wish to buy iPhone as a gift, the prices are $499 (8GB), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB).' You quite sure about this?
I tried looking on the Apple website but couldn't find anything. I was looking at the US site.
Someone else on another website also mentioned that the 8gig 3GS was $499. I know it is still locked to the AT&T network.
I went to a phone store in Pattaya and the guy said he can unlock an iPhone 3G from the US for 1,500 baht. He said that he couldn't unlock the 3GS yet.
An iPhone 3G for $299, as mentioned above, is a much lower price that what I have seen in Thailand.
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I noticed several buses on Sukhumvit that go from Sattahip to Bangkok, or Rayong to Bangkok. Are these faster to take than the Pattaya to Bangkok buses on Pattaya Nua?
I would think the cost would be the same, but not sure if the Pattaya to Bangkok bus is non-stop. I know the Sattahip and Rayong buses will stop periodically to pick up new passengers on Sukhumvit so it may take over 2 hours to get to Bangkok.
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Thanks for the link.
Too bad someone had a problem recently. I could just apply for the double visa since it doesn't cost any more. If that doesn't work, than I could just try to enter and see if they give me an exempt stamp. If not, I can travel to Malaysia since AirAsia is so cheap now.
Thanks
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Is it better to buy an iPhone 3G in the US and bring it to Thailand, or just buy it in Thailand? A Thai friend of mine wants me to buy an iPhone from the US. He says it is cheaper.
I saw some news about AT&T offering the phone without the service plan, but I could not find anything on their website or on Apple's website where I can order one. I don't want to buy one on eBay and would rather buy it from a store like Apple, Best Buy, etc.
True has a price of 24,500 baht for the 8 gig iPhone 3G in Thailand. AT&T was talking about $599 for the 8 gig model in the US but I haven't seen the price listed anywhere. And there is the added cost of trying to unlock it once I bring it back to Thailand. Also, customs coming back into Thailand may be an issue (I probably have to unwrap it before arriving).
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I will fly to the US. I will apply for the free 60 day tourist visa in LA which needs to be used within 90 days. Upon return to Bangkok, I can ask the immigration officer to stamp me in with the 30 day 'Visa Exemption' stamp instead of using my 60 day tourist visa.
This provide me the opportunity to leave Thailand within 30 days and return using my 60 day tourist visa. Since Air Asia prices have dropped considerably, I want to do a short vacation in another country a few weeks after I return to Bangkok.
To save my 60 day tourist visa, can I just cover it up or tell the immigration officer not to stamp it. I will not put the visa number on the arrival card. I don't want to confuse him/her so I wonder if I can just cover it temporarily with a post it note so he/she doesn't stamp it.
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A friend of mine just obtained 60 days visa to Indonesia. Apply in the Indonesia embassy right beside Pantip Plaza. Cost approx 40USD ( has to be in US Dollar ) One week proccess.
Ticket return will need to be shown with the application.
What other paperwork did your friend have to show?
Just your ticket return and passport pics along with the appication. It was a month ago and we saw many ppl got kicked out cuz they brought THB instead USD but I dont know now. I guess its all depends on the mood of the cashier then...
Is this information still valid? Can a 60 day visa for Indonesia still be obtained in Bangkok?
Also, it says that a return ticket needs to be shown. I think this means that a plane ticket that is already paid for, leaving Indonesia, needs to be shown. The problem is how can someone book a ticket without knowing if they will get a 60 day visa? The embassy may only issue 30 days.
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8.9" versions are discontinued in usa market but dont know if the same applies for asia.
I stopped by a computer store and the 8.9" was about 10k baht. That means it is probably being discontinued here also since the new model is much more.
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I was originally going to put 500,000,000 but I thought it might affect the decision too much. I think 100,000,000 is about what it might take someone to think differently.
I would estimate it would take 20,000,000 to buy a comfortable home in another country (nothing fancy). That leaves 80,000,000. If it earns 3% interest, that would provide 200k per month. At 5% it is 333k. If you are working, it is just icing on the cake or should I say money to burn.
Not that I have 20,000,000 to burn, the places mentioned are interesting locations to consider.
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I am doing a quick backpack trip from Phuket to Phi Phi to Krabi. I found some cheap prices for Phuket and Krabi (hotels under 1,000 baht). For Phi Phi, I heard it is better just to arrive on the island and walk around and find a place. I am just going to spend on night on Phi Phi so will probably just spend under 1,000 baht.
Can I just show up on the island and there will be an abundance of places to choose from, within walking distance of the pier?
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Thanks for the information. I found a website that lists some times. I will contact the number listed
http://www.sawadee.com/transfer/bus-krabi.htm
It seems there are more departures from Krabi to Hat Yai departing from Sanham Nam (front of Muang district office). I can't find anything on Sanham Nam so maybe it is spelled wrong on the website.
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If you were given 100,000,000 baht (tax free) would you still live in Thailand? I ask the question to see if people live in Thailand because of income reasons, or if they had enough money would they live somewhere else.
The beauty of the culture and the people might outweigh the perceived benefits of living in a more developed country for some people. Others may feel that modern amenities would be nicer. How would you decide?
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Great documentary.
Mee is straightforward about why she is in the relationship. She doesn’t truly love him but the security is what she is attracted to. So she is not deceiving the old man so I have no problem with her intentions. She knows there is a high likelihood the marriage will not last and she will do whatever she can to improve her family’s life (her kids, parents, etc). You can call her a gold digger, but at least she is telling him the truth of why she is in the relationship.
The old man is in the relationship to distance himself from the pressures of his past family. He probably feels a lot of pressure about why he can’t be a good father to his son. And is running away to the hills of Thailand to get away from it all. It’s unclear if he fully understands Mee’s intention, but he would be somewhat gullible if he does not. He is old enough to know better. He seems to be getting married to try to resolve the issue of being a bad father. Maybe he just has to sit around and Mee will raise her own kids and it will make him feel better that he contributed to someone’s life.
His son is dealing with a few issues. His father is marrying another woman so there is probably some resentment related to his mother. There is also the issue of losing his father even more. And there is the financial issue. It’s not clear if this is an issue, but in most cases, a son does not want to lose an inheritance to some stranger and doesn’t want to see his father disgraced and broke. He is trying to protect his father both emotionally and financially.
But the son must understand one thing. His father has to play out his life the way he needs to. The father must release the demons inside of him. It is expected the marriage will eventually end in divorce. Mee will get what she wanted. And the old man will eventually find out that his son is really the family he was looking for. The son will finally understand how his father thinks when he himself become a father and has a family. The pressures of a family can be intense, and some people just need to get away. Unfortunately some stay away a long time.
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I saw several more people wearing masks in town today. Some people were on bikes. Others were walking the street.
Has there been enough concern over the H1N1 (swine) flu to start considering wearing a mask? I think the recommendation is to stay at least 2 meters (6 feet) from people. Of course it can be airborne so not sure how to avoid it in that case. I bought some hand sanitizer and use it after going to public places like the food centers.
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What is the cheapest way to get from the Phuket Airport to Kata Beach (other than walking).
I heard there is a bus to Phuket town. From there I can take a tuk-tuk? I heard the taxi's are expensive.
I will fly from Bangkok to Phuket since flight and hotel prices seem to be dropping. It seems like a good time for a cheap vacation.
Thanks
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There are I think four types of lies in Thailand. Yes, Thai people lie more than western people. It's true. Furthermore I can prove it on a home computer.
Thais lie normally for the following four reasons.
1) In order not to offend someone by telling them an unpleasent truth (white lie)
2) To not lose face. The old asking directions chestnut. Or any question where one does not know the answer.
3) To cover a past shameful event.
4) Money
Once you catch a close partner, spouse or a business associate lying beware. Lies are like cockroaches. You may see one or two but you know for certain there are many more lurking in the dark. -
#1 and #3 seem commonly used in most cultures. #2 would be frustrating to someone visiting Thailand on vacation and not aware of this aspect of the culture.
But #4 would probably cause the most unpleasant feeling toward Thai people.
Here is an example:
I check into an apartment and the manager says the rent is 10,000 baht. He mentions that the apartment will clean the room twice per week and it is included in the price. At the end of the month, the manager provides a bill and charges 150 baht for each time the room is cleaned. He must think that I forgot what he said. He tries to test my memory. Quite often, Thai people do not like to record information so they can make a claim that they did not say sometime or that it was misunderstood what was said. I now ask many questions and try to get everything in writing. Else you are at the whim of the vendor and doubt you will have much legal recourse.
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So it sounds like they may not care what is on there. I just want to make sure there isn't a specific reason that raises a flag.
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Someone explained to me once that telling someone the truth is a manner that hurts their feelings can be considered "wrong speech" in a way that violates Buddhist priciples. Telling a white lie to make them feel better is supposedly more honorable.
I do not know if I buy it.
The Thai Lie is the opposite.
They are not trying to prevent hurting the other person when they tell a lie. They are only satifying their own need to save face.
In the case of providing the wrong direction, this does not help the person asking for directions. It only makes things worse. It would be better to say 'I don't know'.
On a personal level ive always found thais very truthful, i learned along time ago NOT to lie to THEM, even a white lie is a bad one.This seems like a double standard. Why can a Thai person say a Thai Lie, but a foreigner cannot do the same? A Chinese foreigner may be trying to save face, so thus has to lie to the Thai person.
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I transferred money from the US to Thailand about a year ago. I transferred part of it back about 6 months ago. The banker asked why I am transferring the money back. I said for investment purposes (which is what it was used for).
I will transfer another part of it back soon. I thought I read a post sometime back that recommended I should say I am transferring it for 'personal purposes' rather than for 'investment purposes'.
Maybe 'personal purposes' is more general. 'Investment purposes' may sound like I don't think Thailand is a good place to invest.
Sony Psp 3000
in IT and Computers
Posted
I read in an older post that the Sony PSP 3000 in Thailand is sold refurbished (not new). Supposedly it comes from a factory in Japan refurbished and the sellers in Thailand sell them as new. The post mentioned that buying in Malaysia is cheaper and the unit is brand new.
1) Is there any validity to this claim?
2) Does it matter if I buy the Sony PSP at MBK or at an electronics store in Pattaya?
3) The online price in the US is about $176 which is about 6,000 baht. Any feedback on what the prices are in Thailand?
4) Is there a need to get any special software installed or just use the downloads from the Sony site?
Thanks