is that the place for all the computer related crap?

I think closest what phuket has to offer is downstairs in big C and it doesn't really even compare..

yea computer crap. need a new mouse, monitor maybe, i-pod speakers, unlock my phone, that sorta junk. whats big C?

Is it possible to sign up only online, and is it possible if ur canadian? What do you guys put down as occupation? poker player?

It's a popular mall chain in thailand

You can sign up online or at a location, not sure about the Canadian part. Just check out their website. For occupation, they said they didn't need it and I left it blank. If asked, I don't see why it would matter.

I wonder if the baht may weaken in the near future. The Thai stock market has been in freefall the past week, the government is unstable at best and it looks like next week could get very messy. The baht is obviously being kept artificially strong, but for how long?

Perhaps I should actually HAVE a Schwab account before chiming in - but I went to open one a few weeks ago and remembered reading that they don't do rebates for currency exchange fees. Footnote #2 below.

http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/...&lvl2=checking

That's the site for the "Investor Checking," the lower end "regular" checking accounts site doesn't specify about exchange fees, but I would guess if they don't do it for the high end they wouldn't do it for the lower end services.

http://www.schwabbank.com/checking.do

But - you guys weren't charged so I dunno.

Those are "fees imposed by merchants for POS transactions" which is different from when you exchange currency at an ATM. When you exchange currency at an ATM, you're exhanging at the interbank rate which is really the best rate you can get. If the merchant adds on an exchange fee, there's nothing they can do.

type iphone housing into ebay and loads come up, they do 3g and 3gs. i paid $30 i think. They send you all the tools to change it yourself but i really dont want to **** up my iphone. I will let you know if i can get it changed.

Anybody know if this can be done outside of USA. Im Irish and on the online application it asks for social security number.

Ok so I have a flight, arriving on Monday and spending the night in BKK until I head south to where I'm going to live, (Nakhon si Thammarat)

a couple of questions for the secondary traveling-

-I fly in at 11pm Monday
-There is an express train leaving at 0800 from the Hua Lamphong station to Surat Thani where I'm meeting my group.
-There are also later trains, though they are slower.

So can I get a ticket for that next days train when I get in late?
Is it better to just stay at a hotel by the airport and take a taxi to the train station in the morning, or am I ok finding a way to a hotel much closer to the station that late at night?

Thanks a lot

Also, what hotels would you recommend? I'm just going to be crashing and leaving early, I plan to check out BKK sometime but I wanna get settled first, (I'll have all my **** with me).

You CAN advance buy a ticket for the next days train. In fact, I reccomedn this as the more popular trains book up 1st class A/C quick and you could end up with a long journey in 2nd class fan which is....er, not so fun.

On the far left of the ticket booths, there is a farang catering booth where the attendant's Engrish tends to be better than the rest of the booths.

There are plenty of cheap hotels near the train station.
For your own comfort of mind, I recco showing at the train station, advance buying your ticket, then just crossing the street and checking out the various hotels. They all seem like cheapish places. But to just crash sleep then wake up and catch the train they should be fine.

Also, I fyou are carrying all ur shiznit, be careful when you exit the front of the train station, there are loads of shady characters. You might just consider paying for a short tuk tuk ride to a hotel close to prvent you looking stupid touristy and targetable carrying around a boatlod of baggage.

Le Meridien, Patpong 2. Clean, trendy, and in the middle of all hell breaking loose, absloutely perfect.

cool thanks :>

Guise, im skerred about going to BKK this weekend...

Im flying into Bangkok on April 25th staying @ Dream BKK for 1 night, and then flying to Krabi next day. Then at the end of the trip (May 7-9) i return to BKK for 2 nights and then leave back to the USA. My hotel, Dream BKK looks to be about 3-4 miles away from the violence.

My flight leaves tomorrow, and i kind of need to make a go/no go decision now.

Is anyone in the Sukhumvit area in BKK now? How are things?
Do you think its worth canceling my 2 week trip just because of these 3 nights?
Any tips to avoid being maimed/killed while in there?

go


Dream is far enough that the protests won't affect you, just avoid the 2 big protest areas and you will be fine.

yeah...stop being a pussy - jk - use some common sense-just don't go to the protests/ protest area and you will be fine.

Uhh thailand is in a state of emergency and now embassies are saying advising only "essential" travel to BKK ....

Meaning all insurance is void ect.. not to mention family members worry when your over there.

The main thing that sucks is, the thai baht has gotten stronger thru this time, thats madness, thai stocks are free falling, the government is collapsing yet the baht is kept artificially strong, if they weaken it its so good for their economy so wtf.

serious question, here we go: so how about getting a gun as a foreigner in thailand? nothing big like a shotgun or rifle, a 44 would get the job done. this question is not related to the protests in any way btw, lol

I grew up in the capital "S" South in the United States. I am an unapologetic gun nut. Until moving to Thailand I have possessed a gun since getting my first one for Christmas when I turned 12. I have owned/possessed/carried a handgun since my 18th birthday when I bought my first Glock (27).

Having said all of that, why in the world would risk having one here? If you have the means to bail you out of the trouble you can get into with one, then you have the means to afford decent private security.

If you are in trouble, moving to another part of the city or country would be better. But unless you've pissed off some mafia or have some chick trying to kill you, I've never seen a situation in Thailand where having a gun would be ideal. (And yes, I've had numerous situations in the US where having a gun was ideal.)

However, I would imagine that the best approach would be offering money to either side of the law. Either pay off a corrupt cop or buy one from a criminal.

There are very restrictive legal ways to own a gun in Thailand. You almost certainly don't qualify, but I imagine the right amount of money in the right hands could get you there.

how can Thailand keep their currency artificially strong? apart from adjusting interest rates fx rates are determined by external factors/ markets.

i fly in on the 1st of july. i was there in march when the red protest was going on , i didnt feel in danger at any point during my stay in march.

you think it will be okay come july?

im flying bkk in 3 weeks got my red shirt ready

just go. i live very close by the 'action' but don't feel unsafe. just stay away from the problem spots
(i am pretty sure the most dangerous part of your trip will be the taxi rides without seatbelt, there are none in the back seats, that you will take on your trip with half drunk taxi drivers...)

havent pissed anyone of yet, lol. just figured its my best bet when i have to sleep somewhere in the laotion jungle and come across a tiger or some other bad ass animal. i researched and seems like its imposible to get one legally on my name, and i dont want the constant trouble of having to hide an illegal gun.