General Reports

[Member #4698]

A new report in Bangkok Post suggests the quarantine may be waived for vaccinated travelers. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...nated-tourists.

Of course this is pure newspaper speculation and I would be as surprised as anyone if it actually happens before a significant proportion of the Thai population is inoculated, but at least the Govt is thinking about it so maybe something will happen as the rate of new Corona infection slows down in the vaccinated countries.

[Franciscass]

From reading another website today the online system is down, it was reported also particularly at the Jomtien office 90 day reporting was a mess due to some computer breakdown?

Thanks for that. Checking further it seems they didn't renew their security certificate which expired on 21st. Got to love how it works here or doesn't. Day to day admin of immigration policy really needs be given to a private outfit. Thailand 4.0. Will be interesting. Just need to remember to top up those expired certs.

[TalkYes]

Rich people have many avenues for pleasure. The only pleasure for poor people is sex. Besides poor people have less knowledge of and access to birth control. Furthermore, a baby means an additional farm hand in 10 years.

I agree with most of what you said and I don't think it contradicts what I was saying. I wasn't trying to disparage poor people for making babies, just trying to tie it into the bigger picture of why sex work is cheaper in poorer countries. The one thing I would disagree with, or at least challenge, is the notion that birth control is for the rich. Condoms are cheap, and given out for free in many countries. And despite what we all learned in sex-ed, the pull-out method works pretty well. I'm just saying it's a more complicated problem than birth control costing money.

[TalkYes]

What does what is going on in North America have to do with what is going on in Thailand? How much should such a great service really be in a country like Thailand where the minimum wage is $10/day? 1 day's wage? 2 days' wage? 1 week's wage? A BMW 3 series costs $85,000 in Thailand. In North America it costs $42,000.

Well, to start, I would point out that "what is going on" as you put it, is more important than where it's going on. In a perfect world a person could move freely from country to country offering the same service without worrying about their income changing drastically. Which is why the point I was making was that sex tourism is directly related us not living in a perfect world, or as some would call it, income inequality. Your car argument is not really a great comparison to sex work because these car manufacturers clearly have a formula for how to optimize their sales globally. If they charged the same in Thailand that they charge in America for their cars, they wouldn't make as much money because fewer people would buy them. Women who are selling themselves typically don't have the option to relocate to whatever country they can get the best deal, or the ones that do have no interest in relocating because they're already in a good spot. Another reason why it's not a good comparison, or at least it doesn't bring clarity to the discussion, is because it only costs twice as much in America, and according to your numbers, minimum wage is less that 10% of what it is in America.

Anyway I meant to post this in the a different forum because that's where the conversation was happening but I won't name it because people in that forum already seem disgruntled about the growing popularity of it, but that's the page I've been checking. I assumed the mods deleted it until I realized it was posted here. I don't want to pretent like I'm an economist and I can explain exactly why the prices are what they are, but I just wanted to try and move the conversation past the idea that people who are willing to pay a bit more so that the service provider will be happy and thus try to make them happy too, are somehow ruining it for everyone.

[LittleBigMan]

Trying to do 90 day online. Getting this.

"Failure of Web Server bridge:

No backend server available for connection: timed out after 10 seconds or idempotent set to OFF or method not idempotent."

From reading another website today the online system is down, it was reported also particularly at the Jomtien office 90 day reporting was a mess due to some computer breakdown?

[Franciscass]

Trying to do 90 day online. Getting this.

"Failure of Web Server bridge:

No backend server available for connection: timed out after 10 seconds or idempotent set to OFF or method not idempotent."

[Turgid]

...but that hasn't changed the fact that poor people still love making babies....

Rich people have many avenues for pleasure. The only pleasure for poor people is sex. Besides poor people have less knowledge of and access to birth control. Furthermore, a baby means an additional farm hand in 10 years.

[LittleBigMan]

It all comes down to if there isn't a factory in Thailand there is going to be an import duty on it. When it comes BMW depending on the model and series if it has a factory in Thailand making a specific model then it will avoid the duty which can range 30-40% more. When it comes to the Mini Cooper there isn't the same with Volkswagon you want a Beetle it is going to cost you even in the gray market.

As for Toyota same if it isn't made here like the Supra it is considered an Import same with the Lexus. If you are looking for a small vehicle to run around in Pattaya travel as far as Bangkok, I suggest one like the Suzuki (the one that looks like a Mini Cooper) a Toyota Yaris, even the MG, the motors are like 1. 2 CC these little cars run for like 560,000 and have lots of go and loaded with all the bells and whistles.

My first vehicle here because of my wife Yaris 2006,1. 5 runs and runs still like new with 115,000 never broken down or need emergency service.

As for a Truck got a new one in late 2018, of course, Toyota although I went to the car show and saw all the models I was tempted with the Ford anything vehicle American I will never take a chance again. I checked into shipping my Jeep (Hemi) over but after long research not ever heard anyone with a success story decided against it. I got a pretty good truck Hilux E plus with 2. 4 l, 4 door Auto 7 Speed, list at 899,000 all the extra added after several dealerships finally got one down to 859,000 out the door. Great truck.

As for used, you got a better chance in Bangkok nearly all Pattaya dealerships don't sell used but they do in Bangkok and some provide warranties with them. As for prices, it seems in Pattaya there are a number of lots I venture to look at regularly out of interest they basically work for the banks and repo cars due to nonpayment, they run through the vehicles shine them up, etc provide a 30-day warranty even finance but the prices seem to be based on how much is left payment prior to repo? Many times I've seen two same models vehicle one had more miles and went for more this is the same with used motorbikes.

[Detwing1]

No idea for China since I never looked at importing cars from there but I know that Malaysia and Hong Kong are pretty reasonable countries to buy a used car. That's where I concentrated in my search. There was a 1 year old BMW 5 series for under 30 k USD when I was looking to import 2 years ago. Hong Kong was similar in pricing. I didn't pull the trigger since duty in to Thailand was almost the price of the car.

In Japan I would just buy domestic Japanese cars. Think I would buy a Supra there. Only saw 1 in Thailand.

Yeah I'm not sure what used car pricing goes for.

However, brand new foreign brand cars are expensive in mainland China. I've priced out a few different brand of SUV's both in mainland China, and Japan. Was much higher than in the states.

Although as another poster noted, pickup trucks in Thailand could be different. You see a lot them here, but I haven't priced any out.

Ford assembles the Ranger over in it's Rayong plant though.

[IHeartIpa]

It looks like they just published it today and looks like the change is effective today, 22 February. (Source in Thai: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DA...041/T_0071.PDF).

I still don't understand the control zone silliness (I. E. From "Orange" to "Yellow" and having that extra one hour of being open). But ok; whatever.

So a place like Pattaya "officially" gets one more hour, and BKK gets to "officially" allow some bar-type entertainment and boozing to happen again until 11 pm; "officially.

If you're expecting things to make sense, you're in the wrong country LOL.

I'm just happy bars can open again.

[Houston Player]

No idea for China since I never looked at importing cars from there but I know that Malaysia and Hong Kong are pretty reasonable countries to buy a used car. That's where I concentrated in my search. There was a 1 year old BMW 5 series for under 30 k USD when I was looking to import 2 years ago. Hong Kong was similar in pricing. I didn't pull the trigger since duty in to Thailand was almost the price of the car.

In Japan I would just buy domestic Japanese cars. Think I would buy a Supra there. Only saw 1 in Thailand.

The only value for consumer autos in Thailand are pickup trucks. They are not subjected to the heavy import duties and taxes. You can buy a pickup for the same price as the US and some non-American brands even cheaper. I've never owned a pickup but if I was going to purchase an automobile in Thailand it would be one of the 4 or 5 passenger pickups.

[Banana Boi]

That seems to be normal pricing in Asia. Try buying the same car in China or Japan and I'm sure it will be similar in price, if not more.

No idea for China since I never looked at importing cars from there but I know that Malaysia and Hong Kong are pretty reasonable countries to buy a used car. That's where I concentrated in my search. There was a 1 year old BMW 5 series for under 30 k USD when I was looking to import 2 years ago. Hong Kong was similar in pricing. I didn't pull the trigger since duty in to Thailand was almost the price of the car.

In Japan I would just buy domestic Japanese cars. Think I would buy a Supra there. Only saw 1 in Thailand.

[Detwing1]

Ridiculous pricing on buying cars in Thailand, not to mention a very small selection of cars to pick from. I remember when Iconsiam opened 2 years ago. I saw a Mini John Cooper Works there. I thought ok I will look at buying a small cheap car to putt around Pattaya. I almost fell to the ground when the girl told me it was over 4 million baht. That's over $130,000 US!

That seems to be normal pricing in Asia. Try buying the same car in China or Japan and I'm sure it will be similar in price, if not more.

There are a lot of heavy duties for imported vehicles and parts in Asian countries, which help drive up the cost (not the only reason). Additionally, Mini Cooper is a BMW brand, which people here are willing to pay a premium for (status symbol).

[Banana Boi]

A BMW 3 series costs $85,000 in Thailand. In North America it costs $42,000.

Ridiculous pricing on buying cars in Thailand, not to mention a very small selection of cars to pick from. I remember when Iconsiam opened 2 years ago. I saw a Mini John Cooper Works there. I thought ok I will look at buying a small cheap car to putt around Pattaya. I almost fell to the ground when the girl told me it was over 4 million baht. That's over $130,000 US!

[Mr Enternational]

Granted it's not dirt cheap to bring a beautiful girl back to your hotel and fuck all night and again in the morning, but how cheap should such a great service really be? It's still usually significantly less than a half hour with an escort and a CBJ in North America who you don't even get to see before booking, you're going off some touched up photos with blurred out faces.

What does what is going on in North America have to do with what is going on in Thailand? How much should such a great service really be in a country like Thailand where the minimum wage is $10/day? 1 day's wage? 2 days' wage? 1 week's wage? A BMW 3 series costs $85,000 in Thailand. In North America it costs $42,000.