Jump to content

Shit-Spattered Dog

Members
  • Posts

    432
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About Shit-Spattered Dog

  • Birthday 07/04/1977

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Not Telling

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

Shit-Spattered Dog's Achievements

Newbie

Newbie (1/14)

  • First Post Rare
  • Collaborator Rare
  • Week One Done Rare
  • One Month Later Rare
  • One Year In Rare

Recent Badges

1

Reputation

  1. Tahitian Queen in Pattaya also voiced " Members Only" dialog when I approached the door. Shrugged my shoulders and moved on. Same trip last December.
  2. Tahitian Queen in Pattaya also voiced " Members Only" dialog when I approached the door. Shrugged my shoulders and moved on. Same trip last December.
  3. Nice to see familiar names. And yes I still, after 20 years, can not get into Long Gun. My most recent visit last December 2022 was met with the familiar arm bar and the words "Member's only." LOL
  4. Time flies.....almost 20 years since I joined. I suggest to lock it, much less effort required on KS part and editing stupid comments. 20 years is a long time and nothing stays the same. What a shame... Shit. ( Now that I been permanently terminated , I have more time to visit LOS. Returning in November. China Airline. Glad I passed on Hong Kong Airlines despite how much I love Hong Kong. Nothing stays the same what a shame.)
  5. It dates me but yes, I believe travelers cheques are still available. I always felt safe using them. When I went from country to country, moving around every few days. Carrying traveler cheques was more durable and safer than carrying around a wad of my own script. Someone would have to drag you into a bank to cash your stolen cheques. Of course, they could always force you to sign them than dump you into a trash can if they have inside connections. Cash was the king of thief's booty. Now days I tend to stay in one place more often. I venture out only in short, planned expeditions. For instances going to the gym. When I do a day trip, I only carry enough cash to cover what I think I need. This also helps maintaining the budget but it sucks paying with bills soaked in sweat. I hated digging hands into my sweating pockets and pulling everything out because the sweat had caused everything to stick into a single mass then peeling the layers to find the bills. Card cards are easier but I hate the inflated bank exchange rates. When I read that the banks make ( after taxes, costs, etc ) a billion dollars per quarter in profits my mood sinks. I think Stickman hit it on the head : carry cash . Keep it locked up in the hotel safe. Exchange it at the 2 places he gave and keep the credit cards as backup. Can a foreigner open a bank account, deposit 3 weeks vacation money than apply for a thai credit card and use the credit card. This way you are only exchanging you money once. And even better way. why not apply for a thai credit card. load it up with your vacation money ? No problem if you lose it because it is pin protected ( tap disabled.) Shit.
  6. What is the best method these days for paying in Thailand? I will list the problems as I see them. 1) Credit cards. Easy to swipe ( tap?) but the cc companies tack on charges ,when converting, with exchange rates that benefit them. You get screwed when you find that 100 baht charge is actually 5 - 10 % above the actual fair exchange rate at the time. Multiply that by what you spend over a 3 week trip. 2) TravelerCheques. Remember that jingle " Never leave home without it ?" That was for the American Express cc commercial but I always traveled with their Travelers Cheques. The last time I took them with me was for my trip to Cambodia in 2005. This time I am staying in Phuket. If I pay with CC than I get wacked with inflated exchange rates but with Travelers Cheques you only pay the actual rack exchange rate. Because of my relationship with my bank, I don't pay a tt service charge. Is it safer to pay with local script but keep the payroll back in the hotel safe? 3) ATMs. I remember at the old Bangkok Airport when I tried a ATM : it printed out a receipt but no cash was dropped into the cash drawer. I found someone at the info desk. She actually opened the ATM and told me the machine ran out of money. The receipt showed a withdrawal but when I checked at home ( I actually remembered ) I could not find a debt showing on my monthly bank statement I wonder if ATMs are the way to go. No line ups to cash Traverler's Cheques, available any time. Some banks at home refund the surcharge if you keep a minimum balance or pay a monthly " convenience charge. 3) Pay for everything up front, before you leave, in your local currency than stay in your room, never leave the hotel and spend no money. Keep the curtains closed, tv on and watch net flics on your laptop using a VPN service. Your internet is included in your pre trip costs so you never have to fork over your cc. Buy a VPN service before you leave and watch/surf from the country of your choice. 4) All of the above? What do others find is the most cost efficient way to do business these day? Shit.
  7. Just an another example of a ugly american. That passenger was looking for trouble. Shit
  8. only means tourist and others are in the cross-hairs for a tax grab. Shit
  9. I used to play this same game than I added it up and realized that laser eye surgery pays for itself. In year 2000 I found myself needing a new pair. The search led me to believe it would cost me around $500.00 to avoid looking like I found a used pair at a Sally Anna thrift store. Reading about laser eye surgery and adding up the costs of a few more years of new glasses, I came to the conclusion that if I paid for the surgery ( $3,000 ) up front it avoids anymore need to buy new glasses. Also avoids the scam of new changing fashions, designer frames, expensive optic finishes, etc. Not everyone is a candidate, however. Luckily my childhood eye ulcers left a scar that was deeper than the depth which the laser needed to penatrate. After a few seconds in a chair and 2 days of eye drops on a weekend, my vision changed forever! Best 3k I ever spent. Shit.
  10. Everywhere? I remember a place near Trat, near the border, where it had no humidy. Shit
  11. Ruined another good hotel. Well someone is enjoy it's atmosphere look at the guysitting in the bottom right. Shit.
  12. "The Witching Hour" by Anne Rice. In the end,the good doctor comes around to my way of thinking. Shit.
  13. Do you need to buy someting or just shop and/ or both? Shit
×
×
  • Create New...