Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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Does anyone have pics of their house/apartment?

I hear numbers thrown around a lot, but it would be cool to see exactly how 2+2ers are living, and have a more concrete idea of what's possible for X amount of money.

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First I stayed at this hotel. I have stayed there every year I visited in the past too.

Grand President Topaz Suite, Bangkok: Oct 2004 it was $750/monthly rate (prices may vary depending on season)

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6...0337imgwi7.jpg

It's not as ballin as Degen's pad I'm sure, but it works for me and my budget. It is very centrally located and has gym, sauna, pool etc.

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Ah, but does Degen's pad have Milano cookies like yours does?

I think you're ahead of the game, here.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

I just read the entire thread.

Thanks for the contributions, everyone. Both educational and entertaining.

A couple of questions I haven't seen answered:

In the U.S., almost all Thai food has peanuts or some kind of peanut-related item in it. The exception to that seems to be food with coconut. How similar is this to food in Thailand itself? Would someone with a serious peanut allergy be able to easily eat in Thailand, or would they always have to check everything they ate?

Why has no one posted photos of the Thai Pizza Hut girls?

How is the postal system there? Specifically, how easy would it be to go to Thailand, pick up some of those nice custom shirts and stuff, and just mail it back to your country of origin, instead of taking it on the plane?

The geckos eating all of the other bugs sounds pretty awesome, but people are still talking about cockroaches. Do the geckos not eat them too?

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

I was pretty curious about the "do the geckos eat the cockroaches?" thing, so I did some research, and found the following:

A bunch of photos of 100 baht Ranong rooms. This includes a cockroach that died and some ants show up and carry it out of the room. Also, a gecko. The gecko looks more squat than I thought it would. Guess he is eating well. The guy running that site is travelling around the world, he is currently in West Africa. I just bookmarked it, looks like a solid read. The updates go back 3 years, with photos. He's been doing it for 10. A ton of Thailand entries.

Another good story I found: Then, as I’m still processing everything, I see another, then another, then another, and suddenly, I realize that THOUSANDS of cockroaches are pouring out from any crack in the pavement….

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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I dont think im mature enough to live there alone.

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This is the first thing you've said that makes sense.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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jv,

if you really want to carry a gun, you can in <font color="red"> IRAQ </font> .


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FYP

Thank you,

Jim Kuhn
Catfish4u
[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Chopstick, the Postal service is ok, and you could prolly trust it to take care of what you want.

You shouldn't have too much of a problem getting food that is not made with peanuts, but you have to realize that thai people may not take your request seriously. You could just do what I do and hire a personal chef.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

its like impossible to write thai language in roman letters, but peanut sounds like too-ay. So if you were going to order something like pad thai, or sumtum thai from a street vendor you could say "mai ow too-ay krap" which would mean no want peanut please.

you will just have to know which dishs are going to contain peanuts and then tell them ahead of time. if it is really busy, than avoid those dishs becauses they might not hear what you say and jut nod. better yet, get someone at your hotel to write it down on a piece of paper.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

It sounds more like too-UH everytime I hear it said.

'Mai Sigh too-uh' is a better way to say it.

It means 'without peanuts' instead of 'dont want peanuts'

Learning to write Thai is a bitch. I started to learn but have been lazy for about 2 months so I need to start over again.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Im heading for Samui in two months, and I know this has probebly been asked before but its not easy to find answers in this thread now that it has become this big.

I'm planning on staying there for two months and i would like to have reliable internet so i can at least have 4 tables running (cant really afford not playing for 2 months). Is this possible for Koh Samui, it doesnt have to be in room im renting and i can leave with couple of disconnects in a month ( maybe up to 5).

Last time i was there but i didnt played or used internet but i remember this IT Complex just outside Lamai, is that an option for reliable internet?

Thanks and im sorry if these questions have already been answered.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Whats your budget?

You might be able to find a room in Chaweng and also be able to pick up a wireless signal. Some nicer hotels have free wifi provided. Your only other option would be to play at internet cafes but I cant imagine that would be too fun.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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If you're planning to move to Thailand though, I think you have to be the right sort of person. I couldn't do it personally, since I hate being waited on hand on foot for everything, I can't handle people who avoid confrontation at all costs, and also because I think the life that you can live there is almost too easy. Even if you just teach english there, it's easy enough to get enough money to buy some ok clothes, get happily drunk and hook up with some random chick every other night. I just don't feel like you progress any as a human being in this kind of environment, personally I had troubles having any kind of real conversation with anyone about anything. But the people are great and friendly. Hard to explain.


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great paragraph and I agree.

I might try to come back with a couple of friends next summer, but I don't think I could live here for more than a year for the same reasons.

I'd like to live here while I'm 25, but if I'm 30 and still living here I gotta examine my life, know what I mean?

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I totally agree with you both. This is exactly why this summer I decided to head back to the states after living in Bangkok for the last two years. I'll miss a lot of things but it's all good, I had a real good run here. I'm flying out this weekend. Peace out!

When it comes to vacation destinations or even for a year, I think it is hard to beat Thailand. I have vacationed here since 2000 and every year it was fuggin awesome!

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

My budget is 1k for a month rent i dont want to spend more on a room, but i just might? Is 1k enough or do i have to stetch my budget?

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

$1,000 = 40,000 baht and is plenty for a month of rent here.

What are you looking for? A decent hotel, or a private little villa?

Here is something I just found in a Local Samui magazine:
2 Bedroom little villa.
1 bathroom
full kitchen
TV with sattellite
ADSL Internet
Shared swimming Pool
Daily house cleaning

30,000 baht per month.

You could also get a monthly rate from a hotel for around the same price.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Lets say you wanted to live a lifestyle like an american college student over there. How much are we talking per month?
The only real expenses are eating, housing, and boozing.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

$200 rent.
Food costs vary. If your eating thai food then its like $2 a day. If your buying and making your own food you might spend a few hundred a month on food. If your getting Mcdonalds delivered for lunch everyday it will be more.

Booze is pretty cheap.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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And we have a winner!

4 chicks
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9509/uni2lv1.gif

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THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THERE NOT THAT HOT, BUT THEY ARE ON A MOTTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

btw for anyone into darker skin just hop over Cambodia

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Is anyone on this forum NOT planning a trip there at present?

Also, more pics please [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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$1,000 = 40,000 baht and is plenty for a month of rent here.

What are you looking for? A decent hotel, or a private little villa?

Here is something I just found in a Local Samui magazine:
2 Bedroom little villa.
1 bathroom
full kitchen
TV with sattellite
ADSL Internet
Shared swimming Pool
Daily house cleaning

30,000 baht per month.

You could also get a monthly rate from a hotel for around the same price.

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So basically I can live like a baller for a month for what I make in a day playing poker

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Degen / KKF / Beats / Plug / Anyone I Missed:

This thread is totally awesome. Thanks guys - Thailand Tourism Board should seriously consider linking to this thread [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

-Al

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

That is correct

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Ok that seems like good offer, one more thing should I make a reservation in advance since Im going in peak season (december) or are there planty of offers similair to this one (doesnt matter if its an appartment or a hotel room).

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

I thought of another question. You guys have talked a lot about going to pool halls and such. Is there a big pool scene there? Are there tournaments and gambling and such? If so, what sort of stakes are involved? Please tell me everything you know or have observed.

Post deleted by Mat Sklansky
 

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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Food costs vary. If your eating thai food then its like $2 a day. If your buying and making your own food you might spend a few hundred a month on food.

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A. so eating @ resteraunts and foodcarts is cheaper than homecooking?

B. If im eating 4 meals of thai food a day; 2 vendors 2 resteraunts would 6$/day be sufficiant?

C. How healthy is the food in comparrison to USA? Is it deepfryed like chinese? Are things prepared oily and buttery?

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Luckily, my wife is HORRIBLE at pool.

To the guy that axed the question about pool .. I went to a smaller city named Lampang, and I saw that the played snooker and a sign on the front of the building said "No Gambling."

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Gambling is illegal in Thailand.

John: Getting take out from small Thai shops/food carts is the cheapest way to eat. I just spend $2.50 for my girlfriend and I to eat lunch. We went to a small thai restaurant and shared 2 dishes with rice and also 2 sides.

For dinner im going to a 'korean bbq' and its $1.75 each for all you can eat. They have raw meat and seafood and you cook it all at the table yourself.

You can eat healthy if you want too but their are a lot of fried items.

When I lived in bangkok I spend about $100 a week at the grocery store and made my own western meals at home. I also used to have good sushi meals delivered for $5 each.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

When you go to eat at a family run place in Chiang mai, the average dish costs about 20-25 baht. A pepsi is another ten baht. This makes the average meal about $1. But, you'll get tired of these and want to go somewhere nice occasionally. A meal at a nicer restaurant will usually cost somewhere from 5-6 dollars.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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And we have a winner!

4 chicks
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9509/uni2lv1.gif

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THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THERE NOT THAT HOT, BUT THEY ARE ON A MOTTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

btw for anyone into darker skin just hop over Cambodia

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Thats NOT what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is when the girl on the back is riding side saddle and its the hottest thing in the world

PS

Surat Thani sucks. My travel agency f'd me over and I got stuck here tonight and I walked around for like an hour and didn't see a single thing that looked even remotely fun


Anyways, en route to this beach at Phuket (Hat Kata or something) where this guy told me there are surfable waves. If it sucks I'm just gonna say screw it and go to Bali or Indonesia or whatever (anyone been here/surfed here?)

The internet says waves should be 5 feet or so on Friday but it might be windy and dangerous. Hopefully its not to bad
Also best windsurfing at Phuket?

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

yeah there isnt much to do in surat. How did you get stranded there? There are mini buses to phuket like every 30 mins most of the day.

Sometimes the travel agencies play games and [censored]. I dont put up with it I just walk on down the road to the next one.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

My first Thailand scam, thats how. I went to three travel places. Basically I got in town at like 5 to catch my bus at 6. So I get in this minibus which takes me to another travel agent, where I switch buses AND GO BACK TO THE FIRST AGENT (alarm bells already going off in my head btw). Anyways, I get in this other bus and go to another place where a minibus is there to go to Bangkok and none for Phuket so I'm like wtf and they take me back to the second travel agency and I'm like seriously, what the [censored] is going on? Then they say opps the real bus is coming it'll be here soon and then "so sorry, bus in wreck" (lol sure dude) and I'm like [censored] you give me my money back and leave and go to another place but it was too late then I went to a third place and it was "too late" so I said [censored] the world and got a room and will get on the bus first thing tomorrow.


And now I'm stuck in the most boring place in all of Thailand. I tried to find any bar no matter how lame and couldn't.

edit


in short don't ever deal with HOLIDAY TRAVEL

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

rib,

just find a karaoke.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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My first Thailand scam, thats how. I went to three travel places. Basically I got in town at like 5 to catch my bus at 6. So I get in this minibus which takes me to another travel agent, where I switch buses AND GO BACK TO THE FIRST AGENT (alarm bells already going off in my head btw). Anyways, I get in this other bus and go to another place where a minibus is there to go to Bangkok and none for Phuket so I'm like wtf and they take me back to the second travel agency and I'm like seriously, what the [censored] is going on? Then they say opps the real bus is coming it'll be here soon and then "so sorry, bus in wreck" (lol sure dude) and I'm like [censored] you give me my money back and leave and go to another place but it was too late then I went to a third place and it was "too late" so I said [censored] the world and got a room and will get on the bus first thing tomorrow.


And now I'm stuck in the most boring place in all of Thailand. I tried to find any bar no matter how lame and couldn't.

edit


in short don't ever deal with HOLIDAY TRAVEL

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FAROWNED

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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Luckily, my wife is HORRIBLE at pool.

To the guy that axed the question about pool .. I went to a smaller city named Lampang, and I saw that the played snooker and a sign on the front of the building said "No Gambling."

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They have those signs in the US too - they don't mean anything usually, they just keep the owner from being hassled by the local cops. Someone else posted about being hustled for 100THB by some kid so I'm sure wagering on pool isn't unheard of.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

I think its even more FAROWNED than it sounds since after the 2nd bus brought me back to the first travel agency I was like 99.9% sure I was heading to frown town yet did not prevent it

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

we've all been there

hey magicninja did you ever write up all that stuff that happened crossing into Cambodia like you said you would? hmmmm?

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

Anyone know off the top of their head where I can find government bus schedules for each terminal in Thailand? I've been looking for like 15 minutes here

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

I hope you didnt have the travel agency find you a hotel room. Seems like they purposely delayed you so they could book you into one of their hotel rooms. Is this the case or did you find a room to stay for yourself?

You need to goto phuket? Just goto the main bus station in town, should be real cheap to get there. There will be minibuses all day. Dont goto a travel agency, just go book the ticket yourself.

Dont beleive everything they tell you. There are a lot of people who are looking to make an extra 50 baht off you every step of the way. Also, if you know they are jerking you around dont be afraid to say something. Dont be passive. Speak up and tell them you wont be [censored] around with. You dont need to be agressive but raise your voice and let them know you wont be taken for a ride.

These are the situations where its good to know some thai. When they play games with me I let them know I know how it is in their own language and they shut right up.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

ive never heard of anyone booking a bus ticket at a travel agency.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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ive never heard of anyone booking a bus ticket at a travel agency.

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I did so when i was in suratani and was going to Phuket last year, they had bunch of them and then comes those small minivans that take you to Phuket. That was my first time in Thailand so i went with the rest of the people who were all going to these small travel agencies.

Re: Ask Degen Anything About Living In Thailand
 

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I thought of another question. You guys have talked a lot about going to pool halls and such. Is there a big pool scene there? Are there tournaments and gambling and such? If so, what sort of stakes are involved? Please tell me everything you know or have observed.

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Pool is quite popular here, almost every bar will have a table in it. There are a number of pool halls in bangkok with professional tables and simonis cloth, pro balls, cue tec house cues, imported cues for sale etc. Hustlers included. There are money games to be found. Some Thai players are very good. There are lots of expat players too.

I recommend "Ball in Hand" near Asok BTS station or off of soi nana. Those are the best pool halls in Bangkok for 9-ball or 8-ball. There is also a nice one in Pattaya called MegaBreak. They have weekly tournaments. I think you could win like 5-8k baht for first prize. Entry is like 500 or 700 baht.

There are alot of snooker halls too. Thai guys prefer snooker. It's fun to switch it up and play snooker on a 15 foot table with tiny pockets and then go to a 9 footer at the regular pool hall and play like a God for a while.. hehe.. My Canadian friends always kicked my ass at snooker. Tough game man. I prefer 9-ball.

There are some smaller spots too. This pic below is from a place called Wave bar on Sukumvit Soi 7 They have about 7 tables.


http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/9...olsharkfc1.jpg