Living In Thailand Blog
Wednesday 12th January 2011
A few people have arrived here after searching for information about floods and rain in Thailand at the moment.
This rainy season has been the worst I have ever experienced. My house was flooded at the beginning of November and there have been many prolonged periods of heavy rain. At times it has been really depressing.
However, it's been dry the last few days and the heat has returned. The deep south still has some problems in undeveloped rural areas where there isn't much in the way of flood protection.
I was in Phattalung province a couple of weeks ago where I was forced to cut short my trip because of heavy rain. It continued to rain heavily and when I went back yesterday there were some previously dry areas that had about a foot of flood water.
Both photos here were taken in Phattalung yesterday.
I made some enquiries at a hotel in Phattalung that was currently undergoing repairs after being flooded three times in the last three months.
The hotel was open but to get to some of the rooms it was necessary to walk across wooden planks supported by plastic crates.
I've also heard about flooding in Narathiwat and Pattani recently.
I got caught out a couple of months ago by telling people not to worry about flooding just before many areas of Thailand were seriously flooded. Hopefully now (touch wood) the worst is over.
Strong La Niña conditions this past year or so have been responsible for some of the worst flooding the world has seen for a very long time. The current scenes from Australia are frightening.
With weather conditions such as they are at the moment, I wouldn't be confident about predicting anything but I am quietly confident that we are past the worst in Thailand ... hopefully.
Tuesday 11th January 2011
As a young lad growing up in London in the 1960's I (like many other young lads growing up in the 1960's) was fascinated with the inventions of the future as showcased on the BBC's Tomorrow's World.
It was fascinating but the technology at the time meant that most things were just science fiction and it remained that way for many years afterwards. There were lots of promises of what technology could deliver but no one could actually make it happen for real.
Computer technology for the masses came along later but the technology we had all been promised still wasn't there and computers were excruciatingly frustrating, as anyone who used Windows up until Windows 98 will know. If you managed to get through the day with only one Blue Screen of Death you were doing well.
In the last 10 years the leaps in technology have been incredible. In Windows XP, Microsoft finally delivered an operating system that worked properly and the rest of the industry also started to deliver the type of technology that we had all been waiting for.
I just bought a small GPS unit. I don't think GPS was around when I last owned a car but it is something I thought would be useful in Thailand, especially as I am planning to explore some quite remote areas.
This will be old news to those people who have been using GPS for years but I've been quite blown away with the technology.
GPS is a perfect example of something that would have been in the realms of science fiction as recently as 20 years ago but now the units are cheap and they work very well and very reliably.
I won't go into the features because I expect everyone knows already what a SatNav system can do but my impressions are that the software has been extremely well thought out and everything is uncannily accurate.
I enquired about a permanent in-car unit to replace the CD player but these were quite expensive and I was worried about theft. I ended up buying a Garmin Nüvi 1460.
It can be clipped to the windscreen or removed from the car so I can use it anywhere. I was told the battery gives about three hours of use and when used in the car it takes power from the cigar lighter socket.
However, there is one small problem.
Various language options can be changed on the unit but you need to decide whether to load the English or Thai map database using a computer. I am using the Thai version and consequently if you type a location in English it isn't recognised.
For example, if you type Bangkok it finds 'Bangalore' (for some reason?) and not Bangkok. If you type Phattalung, it finds 'Philadelphia' but not Phattalung. If you type in Thai it is OK.
So, for someone who can't read Thai it might be better to use the English version ... except that you then enter the minefield of Thai to English transliteration.
Transliteration is an absolute disaster and it is for this reason that anyone learning to speak Thai MUST learn to read Thai. I wouldn't say I feel strongly about transliteration but I think it should be made illegal and that authors of phrase books with misleading transliteration should be hung by the testicles for selling goods that are not fit for purpose.
Today I went to a place called:
ลำปำ
It's a nice easy word to read; there is only one spelling in Thai; and if you ask a Thai about this place they will know where you mean. Simple.
On my map (and some signs) it is written in English as Lam Pam. On other signs it is written as Lum Pum. My preference for transliterating 'Bpor Bplaa' is 'bp' and so I would probably write it Lum Bpum.
The next problem is deciding whether it should be written in English as one word or whether each syllable should be a word - Lampam, Lumpum, Lumbpum.
Now we have six (and there could be more) possible spellings so what do you type into your SatNav system? In addition, a Thai wouldn't have a clue what you were talking about if you asked a question about this place.
This is typical of the problems you start to encounter when you attempt to write Thai words in English. The two languages have different phonemes and each language has letters to represent the sounds in that language.
When transliterating, the letters simply don't match the sounds. Standard transliteration gets both vowel and consonant sounds completely wrong; it doesn't take into account vowel length; it ignores the fact that Thai consonants change sound depending where they are used; and there are vowel sounds in Thai that are impossible to write in English.
It takes a little effort at first but there is only one solution to this problem.
I've been lazy writing more of these tutorials but only because there hasn't been a huge amount of interest. I really can't understand why because there are lots of foreigners living in Thailand and one of the most important skills you can have if living in Thailand is the ability to read some basic Thai.
My wife went with me today and we set up the GPS so that everything was in Thai. The voice instructions in Thai were very easy (go straight on, turn left, turn right). I think I will leave everything as it is and not bother with the English. If nothing else, it will be good reading and listening practice for me.
Monday 10th January 2011
I start feeling a lot more comfortable these days when I am away from the hustle and bustle of city life. My little trip to Phattalung province last week had to be cut short because of heavy rain but it was still enjoyable.
I saw quite a few new houses that had been built in the traditional Thai style. This makes so much sense in a country that is prone to regular - and sometimes severe - flooding that I can't understand why so many new houses are built that are guaranteed to flood.
I've been looking at new houses recently. I am renting a place at the moment but plan to buy somewhere in two or three years. Houses here are incredibly cheap compared to the UK.
My house in the UK is small. However, it is detached and it is in an expensive area close to the M25 with a good rail link into London. I don't know its current value but it is probably worth about ten times the price of the house I rent in Thailand which is a lot larger.
Compared to areas of the UK in which housing is expensive, you can probably get about ten times as much house for the same money in provincial Thailand. I've seen some fabulous four-bedroomed houses for the same price as a parking space in London.
Designing your own house in Thailand is also a very affordable option. The architect's fees aren't exorbitant and construction work is cheap.
If you need some design ideas there are some fabulous books in the local book shops full of different designs.
If you really want to design your own house it is a viable option in Thailand but it is harder work than buying somewhere that has already been designed and built by someone else.
My main reason for continuing to live in Thailand (apart from now having the responsibility of a wife and very soon a child) is because I can live very well on an income that would be extremely modest in the West. On my income I would struggle to live in the UK but here I can live very well without needing to work.
Sure, I've had to make some sacrifices by coming to live here but weighing up the advantages against the disadvantages Thailand still gives me a much better life. This depends very much on the individual and living in Thailand certainly wouldn't suit everyone so make sure it suits you before you burn too many bridges.
Some new shops have just opened by the school and as I passed the other day I saw a blessing ceremony going on.
These are extremely common in Thailand and even if you don't see them, you see the tell-tale signs afterwards. The monks leave daubs of paint on the thing they have blessed, be it a building or a car. You often see these daubs of paint on car dashboards.
Monks spend a lot of their time performing these ceremonies. You see them being shipped out in the back of pickup trucks and when they have finished they get shipped back to the temple.
In his book, "Phra Farang - An English Monk in Thailand" Phra Peter Pannapadipo talks about these ceremonies being a regular part of life in the temple. He even mentions that one time the monks in his temple were called out to perform a blessing ceremony on someone's new washing machine.
Buddhist monks perform the ceremonies and they chant in Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism. So, this is an important part of Buddhism, right?
Well, if you read about The Four Noble Truths or The Noble Eightfold Path you won't find much about getting your new household appliances blessed by Buddhist monks.
What it's really about is keeping the local spirits happy so that they won't get up to mischief, in other words, Animism. However, so many Animistic practices in Thailand are wrapped in a Buddhist exterior that it is very easy to confuse the two.
One school of thought is that this part of the Thai belief system is responsible for the way Thais drive. First they get their cars blessed, then they fill it up with magical amulets, and then they finish off by buying a garland of jasmine flowers to hang on the rear-view mirror.
These garlands are sold by vendors who wait at busy road intersections and sell them to drivers who are waiting at red lights.
With all this suk-sit magical power on board the driver is then completely protected and can do what he wants without any fear of being involved in an accident.
It's an interesting theory.
Sunday 9th January 2011
I've been paying about Bt34 for a litre of petrol recently. At current exchange rates that's about 72 UK pence. After the recent VAT increase I guess petrol is almost 130p per litre in the UK now.
I've talked a lot recently about lack of traffic law enforcement in Thailand. It's not always good but I think I prefer it this way than the overzealous way that traffic laws are enforced in the UK.
Years ago I parked where I shouldn't in the UK because I was picking up a heavy item. I was only there three minutes. A miserable cop who was obviously having a bad day nicked me and spoke to me as if I had just committed the most heinous crime possible. I was fined and had three points put on my otherwise clean licence.
I owned a couple of fun cars in England but there are so many speed cameras now that you are guaranteed speeding fines and points if you dare exceed the speed limit. I can't imagine that driving in the UK is much fun these days.
I often find that the differences between Thailand and the UK are extreme. Neither is ideal but somewhere in the middle would be about right.
Double parking is common here. This happens when one lane of a three lane road is full of parked cars and someone who wants to buy food from a street vendor simply parks in the middle lane and turns on his or her hazard warning lights because it's a convenient place to stop. The three lane road is then turned into a single lane road and it isn't unusual for this to happen during the evening rush hour.
This behaviour creates huge traffic jams and it's really infuriating when you get caught up in a jam and then discover the reason why.
On the other hand, when it is convenient to do something that is just outside the law you know that a sexually frustrated copper with a bad attitude isn't going to jump on you and overreact, as happened to me in England. There's always two ways of looking at things in Thailand.
I don't find driving in town very enjoyable but once you get away from the traffic it is still fun and you can still have cars with fairly large engines because fuel is still relatively cheap.
I spoke about LPG recently and this is becoming very popular because running on LPG lowers fuel costs if you do a lot of mileage. A tank is installed in the car and a switch on the dashboard lets you choose whether to run on LPG or regular fuel. More and more LPG stations are opening up in Thailand.
The cost of installation varies but I've heard reports of tanks exploding as a result of getting a cheap installation. I believe the cost of a reasonable installation should be around Bt30,000.
Another option is a CNG/NGV (Compressed Natural Gas/Natural Gas Vehicle) installation. I was chatting to a guy yesterday who'd had an installation done on his car.
It's more expensive (his was Bt52,000) but he told me the tank only costs Bt200 to fill and is good for 200kms. He also said it is safer because CNG tanks don't explode.
I haven't seen as many CNG/NGV filling stations as I've seen LPG stations so filling up while travelling could be problematic. His tank was also very large, taking up a lot of space in the back of his Honda CR-V.
At the moment I'm not planning to go down the LPG or CNG/NGV route but if I start to do a lot of mileage it is something I may consider. Engine power drops while running on LPG and it can be a problem if driving up lots of inclines but if you are doing lots of motorway driving at a constant speed it's more economical than petrol.
I like to keep things here balanced and recently I spoke about poor Thai workmanship but this happens everywhere.
It's very difficult to judge the distance behind my car when parking and yesterday I went shopping for an external mirror so I could see the back of the car from inside. The shop recommended an electronic parking sensor instead and it wasn't expensive (Bt1,800). The installation was free.
Based on a few previous experiences of Thai workmanship I was a bit concerned about someone drilling holes in my car and tapping into the wiring loom. However, I was most impressed with the technician who did the work.
I started my career as a mechanical engineering technician apprentice and then I was a computer hardware engineer for many years. When I watch someone working I know straight away if they know what they are doing or not.
The guy yesterday was very, very good. He carefully measured out everything first and only ever used as much force as was necessary.
He didn't force anything, he never looked confused, he did everything confidently, he checked everything, and when he noticed that he had a slight problem he rectified it with the same care and attention to detail. It was a pleasure watching him work.
I was highly impressed and got his name in case I want anything else done. I gave him a Bt200 tip which he wasn't expecting but which he was very grateful for. I was also very grateful to him for doing such a good job.
The whole installation was done very neatly and it looks like it was installed at the factory. The sensor has already proved very useful when parking the car.
Thais are just as capable of doing good work as anyone else but sometimes you get people who are lazy and want to take short cuts, and sometimes you get people who simply don't know what they're doing.
A lot of business in Thailand is done by word-of-mouth and this is probably the reason why. If you use someone's services without a recommendation there is a risk. However, if that person has done a good job for someone else and then gets recommended the risk is low.
If you are a foreigner living in Thailand, always ask for advice from the locals. They have tremendous local knowledge and they are always keen to help.
The place where I had the work done yesterday was recommended by my brother-in-law who has worked in the auto trade for many years and has lots of contacts.
I too am slowly building up a list of good tradesmen and technicians and if anyone were to ask me for a recommendation I would be very happy to recommend certain people who have done good work for me.
Saturday 8th January 2011
Sven-Goran Eriksson airs his views:
Shinawatra did not understand football - Eriksson
Now, there's a surprise.
Tuesday 4th January 2011
Since moving to Thailand my feelings about living here have swung wildly many times. These changes happen remarkably quickly. One day it might seem that living anywhere else would be unbearable, but as quickly as the next day I would happily leave the country and never go back again.
Why is this?
I've heard it said that Thailand runs on the edge of chaos. After over seven years of living here, my personal view is that Thailand is two steps away from anarchy.
There were anarchic scenes in Bangkok last year during the red-shirt protests and at the time many commentators were talking about civil war. It will only take a couple of key events to bring about an even worse situation than the protests last year.
When your health is really good, life is going well, you don't have any problems and you feel really on top of your game, the chaotic Thai way of life can seem exciting and a lot of fun.
However, when you're not quite feeling on top of the world, or if you have problems and you feel close to breaking point, the chaotic Thai way of life may be all that is required to push you over the edge.
I think this is why living in Thailand causes me to have such extreme feelings about the country. I have never experienced these extreme ups and down while living anywhere else.
I'm going through a little rough patch right now. There was torrential rain at the start of my Christmas break and it ruined my travel plans. As soon as the rain stopped, my nose started to stream and I felt really bad.
It kept me awake at night and I felt groggy because of lack of sleep. I took medicine to stop my nose streaming but this caused drowsiness and I felt just as bad.
We went out on Sunday and I ate something that upset my stomach. I was woken up at 3am on Monday morning by my stomach making an urgent toilet call.
While sitting on the toilet feeling awful, I felt a strange sensation in a sensitive male area. Closer inspection revealed what looked like a mosquito bite, but how could a mosquito have bitten me there?
I returned to bed and was woken up by the whine of a mosquito in my ear. This continued and I was forced to turn on all the lights and go on a mosquito hunt. There were five flying around our bedroom.
Our small female cat has discovered how to climb up the mosquito screens and while doing so, sometimes she slides the screen open. This is what had happened. The screen was open and it was an invitation for the local mosquito population to come in for a free meal.
After feeling unwell and having yet another night's sleep ruined I felt terrible yesterday and stayed indoors all day.
This morning before going to work I went to take a shower and once again there was no water. When we first moved in we had a low water pressure problem and sometimes there was no water upstairs. I had a tank and pump fitted to fix this problem.
During the flood we lost our water supply for several days and after the flood there wasn't enough water pressure to fill the tank because everyone was using water to clean up the mess.
Last week a pipe came off and we lost the water supply again. I thought everything was OK now and couldn't believe there was another problem today.
I had to get redressed to investigate the problem. I found that the tank was completely empty and that the pump was running dry, thus causing it to get very hot.
Some more investigation revealed that someone had closed the stopcock at the front of the house and therefore turned off our water supply. I was livid.
I turned it back on but had to re-prime the pump to get it working again. It works but after running dry it has probably had its working life shortened.
A neighbour asked what had happened and when I told him he laughed, saying it was probably kids playing. Ha ha ha. If I find the kids responsible I won't laugh.
I know this may sound trivial because these are all little things but when everything happens at once, combined with the constant chaotic way of life in Thailand and constant annoyances such as mail never arriving, little things can quickly take you to the precipice.
Living in Thailand can be a strange experience. Sometimes it's very good and sometimes it drives me absolutely nuts. Very little is constant, feelings change very quickly, and when they do the changes are extreme.
Anyway, today I was reminded that I have some more time off next week because of mid-term exams. Unfortunately, my M6 students will be studying so I will still have to go in to teach them instead of having the entire week off.
The rain seems to have stopped and I am looking forward to doing a little more exploring in some remote areas of southern Thailand. Despite the rain last week, it was so relaxing just getting into the countryside away from all the hustle and bustle of city life.
Age is also a factor in being able to deal with chaotic Thailand. There was a time when I could have lived in Bangkok but not now. These days, even provincial Thai cities are too busy for me.
My first apartment was in the middle of town and with every move I moved a little further out. My next move could end up being a lot further out. A house in the countryside surrounded by paddy fields with no neighbours and mountains in the distance is what I could do with right now.
One day ... maybe.
Monday 3rd January 2011
Neither of the important letters I had sent to me from different sources in the UK about six weeks ago arrived. I will now have to request that they are sent again - this time to my parents' address in the UK - and my parents will bring them out later this year. This isn't exactly quick or convenient.
Another important letter with my car insurance details was sent locally from within Thailand over two weeks ago and that hasn't arrived either.
The letters from the UK confirming my income are crucial for getting the visa I need once I stop teaching. I have no doubts that they left the UK and arrived in Thailand - probably Bangkok - but where they are now is a mystery. The information about my car insurance is also crucial. This is becoming a little tiring, to say the least.
I just found a another blog entry - Thai Postal Service - with some interesting comments.
The author had lots of problems in Bangkok but these disappeared when he moved upcountry. While he was living in Bangkok mail went missing regularly, and the mail that did arrive showed signs of being tampered with.
His conclusion was that, "... the Rat Burana Post Office on Pracha Utit Road is rotten to the core and the employees are raffling through the mail."
I haven't a clue what the problem with my mail is. I have no evidence that it is being tampered with because it just doesn't arrive so I never see it. It could be a problem with rogue employees but I honestly don't know.
If I thought it would do any good I would complain, but I know that to do so would be futile. No one will try to help, no one will accept any responsibility, and all that will happen is I will be sent on a wild goose chase. It would be a complete waste of time.
On previous trips around Thailand, Thais have asked me to send postcards. I've done this and the postage is a measly Bt3 to send postcards within Thailand but not one postcard has ever arrived. I even wrote the addresses very clearly in Thai.
The phase I'm going through in Thailand at the moment is not a very good one. However, I really made my bed in 2010 and now I have to lie in it. Up until last year I could have left Amazing Thailand and gone to live elsewhere at any time but now it won't be so easy.
Sunday 2nd January 2011
Road accidents in Thailand kill 234 in New Year's highway carnage
When will the madness end? This is Thailand, so I don't suppose it ever will.
Watching news reports of the flooding in Queensland, I really feel for the people living there. The sheer scale of the flooding is horrendous.
I lived in a part of the UK where flooding was impossible. It was never a concern. In November I experienced a flood for the first time in Thailand and it was an extremely unpleasant experience.
A person's home is more than just the building they live in. It's a little sanctuary where the people living there can lock out the rest of the world and feel safe. Not only are the occupants safe, but all their possessions as well. It provides enormous physical and emotional security.
Flood water enters a house and destroys things in the same way that a bad person would. The only difference is that you can take precautions to keep bad people out, whereas you can't keep flood water out. Once it arrives you can do nothing.
Not only that, but flood water doesn't miss a thing. A bad person breaking into your house might be selective about what he steals or destroys, but flood water gets everywhere and permeates everything. It's really nasty.
The flood experience affected me quite badly. I no longer feel good about the house we are in, knowing that a flood can occur again at any time. I want to move as soon as is practically possible and the only priority with finding a new house will be to find somewhere that doesn't flood.
Originally I had lots of plans for downstairs but now I have abandoned those ideas. What's the point of doing things and investing money if a flood can wipe everything out in a few hours?
After the flood I rebuilt everything with another flood in mind. However, it's a compromise and living a life that is compromised is not how I want to live.
The global weather throughout 2010 - and now going into 2011 - has been more extreme than I can ever remember in my lifetime. We are currently experiencing powerful La Niña conditions - the strongest La Niña for many years. For this reason, I hope that we won't see this type of extreme weather again for a very long.
Aussies, like the early European settlers in North America, are a tough bunch and they will survive but it can't be easy at the moment. As a recent flood victim for the first time, I hope the water in Queensland starts to recede soon so the people there can return to normal living again.
Saturday 1st January 2011
I have never made New Year resolutions and I have never made a point of celebrating in accordance with fixed dates on the calendar. If I need to change something I change it regardless of the time of year, and I celebrate when I have something to celebrate.
We stayed at home last night and ate with some of our neighbours. They are good people and I think they appreciate having us live here now after the previous tenants.
Before we moved in, the house was occupied by about eight young Thais who all worked in nightclubs. They came home drunk in the early hours of the morning and made lots of noise.
I mentioned the fact that there were no mosquito screens when we first moved in and that the house was swarming with mosquitos. The response was that after biting the previous occupants the mosquitos would have been drunk too so it wasn't a problem.
I was in my previous apartment for about five years and several neighbours came and went. At one time a girl who made a living as a coyote dancer lived next door and she made my life hell for about a year.
She would arrive home at about 3am or 4am, shower, make loads of noise and often there would be another woman who she'd fight and argue with. One such fight led to her falling off the balcony of her second floor apartment and breaking her leg.
Thais are not the most considerate of neighbours, especially young Thais, and they seem to have no idea that the noise they make might actually affect other people.
Merit-making rituals mark start of New Year
Merit-making is a vitally important activity for all Thais. I've written about this before and there are certain forms of merit-making that I disagree with. It's wrong to create problems in the first place just so that someone can then 'fix' the problem and make merit.
I also dislike the very conspicuous type of merit-making that often takes place. I have no interest in seeing money displayed and paraded around that is destined for the temple. Neither do I want to sit at a temple and wait for an hour while the names are read out of everyone who donated money.
I think it should be done inconspicuously and done for the right reasons; not simply to show off.
We went to the Songkhla orphanage yesterday to donate shoes and food. I've been several times before but this was the first time I'd been with my wife.
We sat and talked to some of the older kids for a while. One of the girls was no longer a child; she'd finished doing her Bachelor's degree and was still living at the home.
I've always found my visits there to be very rewarding but I think now that my own personal merit-making activities need to change course.
The government assists the orphanage and because merit-making is so important to Thais (and also to visiting Malaysians and Singaporeans) lots of people make donations.
Whenever I visit there is always a huge pile of donated food and other items at the front office. The kids get all the food they can eat and their education is paid for. They don't have their families, but they actually get a lot more than many kids outside. Many Thais can't afford to send their kids to university for four years.
I think it's wonderful that orphaned kids are looked after so well by the local government and community but I'd rather try to help those who don't get quite so much help.
I met some girls several years ago who run a small spa where they provide massage and beauty treatments. It's a much better experience than the cheap massage shops in town and not too expensive. I helped them advertise their business on-line and this has brought in quite a lot of business. To return the favour, they give me a good discount and I even get free massages occasionally.
I've just heard about a problem where customers ask a tuk-tuk driver to go to the spa but he takes them somewhere else because he gets a commission for doing so. The girls lose out on business and the customer loses out because the price at the other place is increased to cover the driver's commission.
This is common practice in Thailand. The fare you pay the driver should be sufficient but he will often want a commission from the place he takes you too. If he knows he can get a commission from a certain place, he won't take you to the place you want to go to. He will tell you the other place is better. When money is involved many Thais will lie through their teeth.
When you go anywhere, the taxi driver should simply drop you off and depart. If he doesn't and goes into the place with you, this is because he wants his commission for providing the establishment with a customer. In order to pay him, the price you are given will be increased.
You won't see the driver get his commission because he will go back later to collect it when you aren't there. He will also not expect you to be able to understand anything that is being said.
If this happens to you, say you aren't interested and leave. When the driver has also left, go back alone without him.
To prevent this happening in the first place, try to find out about another place near to where you want to go. If you tell him you want to go to a hospital or somewhere he will just drop you off, but if you want to go to a spa or gem shop or somewhere, he will try to get a commission.
Unfortunately, this kind of deception goes on all the time with Thai taxi drivers and foreign tourists. Lying is also a big problem.
I hate shopping in Thailand because no one will ever give me accurate, impartial advice. I bought a tripod in Singapore last year and it was a great experience. At first the salesman made no attempt to sell me anything but first wanted to understand my needs.
He had just what I wanted but there wouldn't have been a problem if I didn't want to buy anything. I respected his honesty very much and now I will happily go back to buy more because I trust him.
When Bpom wanted to buy some maternity dresses a few months ago we found a shop that had some dresses but they were expensive. I asked if there were any other shops nearby and the assistant told us no. As we walked out, we found several other shops nearby selling the same things but cheaper.
A friend wanted to buy his daughter an electronic Thai/English dictionary and because she is studying in Malaysia he also wanted Malaysian. The sales assistant told him that no electronic dictionary had all three languages.
He saw another stall nearby selling electronic dictionaries and, sure enough, they had one with Thai, English and Malaysian.
I have been told so many outright lies in Thailand simply because the shop wants you to buy something from them. They will swear that what they are telling you is the truth.
You can trust Thais you know but with people you don't know, especially in shopping situations, trust no one.
The carnage continues:
79 killed in first two of 'seven dangerous days'