Pleasant experiences in LOS

[Vintage_Kwai]

As a counter to the 'Pet Peeves in LOS' thread, I'm starting another one for those of you who've had some pleasant things happen. They do happen. One thing to add, however, is that I'm slightly biased on this. I speak Thai fluently and understand most of what is said, and am resident here. Therefore this thread is aimed more at people who've been here long term, not your average two-week tourist type.

 

To start off...

 

With new passport in hand (done through the embassy), I needed to get the visas from the old transferred over to the new one. I also decided to get my re-entry permit re-endorsed at the same time.

Get to the counter at Chaeng-Wattana Road, it's a little after two in the afternoon. The lady at the information counter gets me the relevant forms, and I ask about the fees. They're on the back of the form. I opt for multiple re-entry, she looks at the total amount of fees and raises her eyebrows. Wow, that'll cost a pretty penny, says she, why don't you just get a single entry, much cheaper? Unfortunately because I need it.

 

Walk to the ATMs downstairs, and am back up in ten minutes.

Since there were three different things to do some things started to get confusing. So back to the counter for some help, and the guy there sees the problems. He looks over the counter, 'Is there a table free?' 'Yes.' He comes out, sits down at the table with me and FILLS OUT all my forms FOR me. Thank you!

 

Go in,get a number. 'Which counter? Oh, they're next to each other. Here you go.' Get to the counter (actually cubicles now)for the re-entry first, the officer looks at it and says wait a minute. Then she says oh, you'll need to get the stuff transferred first, but it'll take you almost half a day. Let's get your re-entry done first, and I'll settle that for you. She calls someone from the next cubicle in, I pay my fees snd get my receipt. 'Please come back tomorrow to collect your passport. Unfortunately this needs to be entered online and it's a bit late for you to collect it today. Hope you don't mind.'

Not in the least, considering what time I'd arrived there in the first place.

 

Took me all of ten minutes to pick it up the next day.

 

Number two...

I like to drop into Foodland for a quick American breakfast at least once a week. A small glass of fruit juice, two eggs, a bit of ham/ bacon/ sausage, two slices of toast, butter jam and a coffee for 49 baht is value for money early mornings. The staff now see me as semi regular. One day I asked them to leave out the ham. 'You sure? You want sausage?' 'No.''Bacon?'. No. I explain that some days I do not eat meat, just eggs and veggies. (The Thais call this day 'Wan Phra'). Guess what. No ham, EXTRA eggs, same smiles and same price. Happened at the Petchburi branch.

 

[Flashermac]

I remember the first time I had to pay income tax in LOS. (I'd worked here for years before the uni decided I should.) I went to the Revenue Department where they were very helpful. An official filled out my forms, told me how much I had to pay, then sent me to the window to pay it.

 

Unfortunately, I got audited that year and they told me the guy at the Revenue Dept had figured it wrong and I owed a bit more. That didn't bother me as much as being hit with a sizeable penalty because the REVENUE OFFICE had done it wrong!

 

I got audited twice within 3 years. WTF? I was an underpaid temporary civil servant, not an expat on a six figure salary.

 

Actually many of the good experiences I have in Bangkok are with taxi drivers. I learn a lot from them and get to hear all sides of the political spectrum. Many taxi rides are an education. I rode with both red shirts and yellow shirts during the April-May madness.

 

 

 

[Nervous God]

Flash - it's not the pet peeve thread

 

I like the girls - I find they look after me, last year I had about 8 gigs and a few minor wives, had a cull though so back to just a few of each.

 

Beer is ok and cheap

 

It doesn't snow

 

There are pretty girls here

 

Getting a Thai passport or a bank account is VERY easy, in Australia you wait weeks for them to mail the ATM card, here it's handed over the counter, A Thai passport can be gotten in a day, few days max!

[expat]

The astounding availability of delicious food--it's everywhere. Thais love their food, as I do.

 

The way young women look at me here. I seem to become invisible to women under 40 when I enter the US.

 

The way people generally don't get upset about things. The way western laws are adopted and mostly ignored.

 

I could go on and on.

 

[Dumsoda]

VK

agree....good thread...I've had heaps of Good experiences here...

Maybe that's why I decided that Thailand is for me....and I choose to live here....

 

Last Saturday the wife & I were in Khon Kaen catching up with a dose of "religion" ...(we saw God...lol)

 

Breakfast Buffet at the "inexpensive" Hotel...

 

I get my plate...sit down...take a bite of the Fried Eggs....Arrrrgh....stone Motherless COLD...wtf??

 

I walk back to the Buffet....Supervisor spots me...looks puzzled

 

....Mai aloi.....Kai yen mak...says me...

 

Big smile....OK OK... mai pben rai.... (virtually no English....but she knew.... Brilliant !! IMHO)

 

Off she trots to the Kitchen...

 

Comes back 5 mins later with "new" eggs...but guess what ...the farkkkn thing were stone cold...Again...lol

 

Back I go....Kai mai ron.....yen mak mak....

 

Kor tod....Kor tod.... and back she goes to the Kitchen....I her her "telling" someone....the facts of life...

 

I sit and have an OJ & Coffee while I wait...

 

Next thing I know....the Supervisor puts a plate with salad..AND a big stack of Bacon in front of me (there was no Bacon on the Buffet...just Ham & sausages...)

 

Then my eggs arrive.....WITH freshly cooked toast.... Brilliant

 

All this in a place not specifically catering for Farang....I would say 90% Thai customers from what I saw

 

I really believe that if the attitude of the Supervisor is good...it will flow through to the staff.... JMHO (of course)

 

This really made me smile..... a great experience in LOS

 

Cheers DS

[ozpharlap]

The way young women look at me here. I seem to become invisible to women under 40 when I enter the US.

You must still look quite young

 

When you hit 50, they tend to snarl back at you in the west when you look at them, even if they are only wearing lingerie on the outside (and not much else). Oh yeah, I forgot, in the West they find attitude

[Coss]

In Los and Laos, the ability to carry on relationships, of various kinds, with women half my age, and be treated as a normal human being. As mentioned above, in the west, every one with whom I converse has to be age appropriate, or the thought police wheel out the denigration cannon.

[MooNoi]

Many pleasant experiences in LOS, and a good thread to counter-balance DS's one that's doing the rounds.

 

Meeting people who really don't have a lot of material possessions in their lives but will probably be happier than I will ever be.

 

The days I spent on a long-tail boat darting around the Southern Thai islands and getting paid for it, as part of my previous job.

 

Being invited to stay after the closing time of 22:00 in the dining car of the overnight trains and drink whisky with the train staff and sing Thai songs into the wee small hours while the countryside and towns I will never visit passed us by.

 

The guest house owner where I used to spend my weekends in Pattaya when I lived in LOS who loaned me 10,000 baht the second time I had stayed in the place as I left my wallet in my apartment in Bangkok. He told me "just pay me back next time you come and pay me for the room then as well". Amazing.

 

The taxi driver who brought my day-pack back that I had left in the taxi in Bangkok after he dposited me at my hotel and it contained 50,000 baht! He wouldn't even take 1000 baht as a reward no matter how hard I pushed him to accept it.

 

Little things such as a taxi driver on a long trip stopping at the 7-11 and buying me a M150.

 

Some bar girls who have paid for movies / taxis / food etc. Yes, I know they're probably going to "get it back" when I give them a tip, but the gesture of them actually doing it is a nice thing. Sure, it's probably "part of the game" for a seasoned bar girl, but when it is an act, they pull it off well.

 

The friendships I've made off this board - met some wonderful people who have made me laugh and helped me through some tough times.

 

The Thai university uniform - truly one of life's great pleasures. :smirk:

 

Being entertained by watching fat, socially unacceptable, old, delusional men think that really slim sexy girls less than half their age actually like them for their personality, because they are "jai dee" and not because of their money. No esteemed members of this board, or course! :smirk: :thumbup:

 

There's probably a lot more, but this will do for a start.

[Flashermac]

That I was still able to pull non-working girls in their 20s when I was pushing 50. (Pissed off that I can't any more!)

 

That even in my Peace Corps days I was able to wear only tailor made clothes, eat out every night and visit neighbouring countries - and still have money in the bank.

 

That my friends here are from so many diferent countries and backgrounds. At home people are almost clones.

 

The fact that I am looking out of the window as I write this and ogling 18 to 21 year old students in miniskirts in November!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mekong]

For me the best thing about Thailand is the wife, OK I met her in Washington State but she is Thai. (Even more ironic considering I am a Brit)

 

She taught me "Moderation", hell yes I love to party but it has to be controlled. Before I met her I was out of control and on a fast track to an early grave, now she has kicked my ass into shape I am moderately successful carreer wise.

 

To top it all she does not cost me a penny, she is educated and has a good high paying job, why the hell she is with me I don't know, but she is the best thing about Thailand for me,