January 31, 2006
Well since last I wrote I moved across town to the Khao San district which is where the backpackers hang out and close to all tourist sites. You would be amazed out how cheap everything is here compared to North America. I almost bought a two handed sword but knew it would be a pain packing it around with me. I got my suit back and am realizing it is too hot to wear it outside (It made so much sense at the time in that air conditioned tailor shop lol! They normally ship it to your home country for you but I also got 3 high quality silk shirts with it which is great in this heat. I actually bought 3 more from another tailor and am picking them up this evening. Things are so cheap here it is hard not to spend money even for a cheapskate like me. Most of the street food is $10 baht which is around 30 cents an item. Half a cantaloupe, deep fried chicken, corn of the cob, etc... are $10 baht. Leather couches run from $100-$500 cdn. I tried squid for $20 baht (very chewy).
Bangkok was established in 1782 and was called the "venice of the east" since it has canals that run throughout the city. English speaking Thais always come up to you and say hello and hope to start a conversation with you. Then a few will lead you to different jewelry stores where they get a little commission from the store owner. One jewelry store clerk showed me some fake Rolex watches that were so identical you couldn't tell the difference from a real one and even the seconds hands didn't "tick" but glided smoothly around which real Rolexs do. So I negotiated the price down from $2200 to $1600 baht. I started at $1000 and the shop girl simply said "no way" and countered at $2000 and then I said $1500 max and she hesitated and called over her mom (we'll call her the dragon lady) and the dragon lady said $1800 and then I said $1600 max and was prepared to leave and she said OK. I handed over my interact card and they wanted cash so I checked my wallet and I had $1440 baht and then I remembers I had $5 cdn in my walled too so that brought it to $1605. Wanting a bit of cash for the taxi ride home I told them I would keep $35 baht ($1 cdn) and give them $1565. Well the dragon lady had a spaz attack freaking out that we had a deal at $1600 and that her son was preparing the watch to fit my wrist. I said OK fine! No need to blow a harry over $35 baht. I was totally shocked at how mad this woman got. Afterwards she tried to be polite and make friendly conversation as my watch was being fitted for my wrist (I felt like saying "I am afraid I can't recommend your shop to my friends who were looking to buy some expensive rings based on that little spaz performance you put on").
Most Thias are very happy people always smiling and laughing. They are the happiest people I have ever come across. Later when I left the store I found the sunglasses I was looking for and offered $200 baht from the $250 baht sticker and the vendor said he would give me 2 for $450 baht which I didn't want so I agreed to paying the $250 baht sticker price for one pair. And then he says "ok, you only want one pair so I agree to your originall offer of $200 baht. I laughed and said "Yes" thinking that this guy must have watched Monty Pythons "life of Brian" where the vendor haggles in the opposite direction just for the fun of haggling.
Many Thias have talked about getting jewelry as an investment since Thailand is one of the biggest miners of rubies and saphires. Of course there are many jewelry scams here but there are authentic shops you can buy from and get authenication papers describing how many Karats, the type of cut, type of stone, etc... I ran into a guy from London at one of the temples and he showed me the stones he bought for $3100US (You are only allowed to buy 3 jewelry items per year from Thailand as a individual person and many Thais buy the maxim if they can). Anyhow this Londoner said he doubles his money buy selling it back in London but first asking for triple his money from the dealer and then settling at double his original investment and he has done this 4 times in the last 4 years which basically pays for his trip. I am not interested in buying any jewelry at this stage but am thinking of possibly buying some sometime down the road and the investment wheels are turning in my head.
Tuk Tuk drivers will drive you around to see the sites for free but you will have to go to a jewelry shop who pays the Tuk Tuk driver his 1 liter gas certificate (gas is 90 cents a liter here). After seeing some temples (and I am totally templed out now) the tuk tuk driver drove me to the jewelry shop for his gas certificate and I walked in with 5 attendants ready to serve me.
A cute one from behind the counter said "You are from Sweden?" and I said "no but close I am from Canada" and she showed me all the rings they had as I did my part for my loyal tuk tuk driver. She asked if I wanted to buy one for my wife and I told her I was single and looking for a thai girlfriend and then she says with a shy smile "I not have boyfriend" and then another co worker takes a step closer to us and she says "She not have boyfriend either. I have many girlfriends I can introduce you too and help you find an apartment here". I tell you, I am really starting to like Thailand! Her name is "Eat" and I told her I would call her once I get back from Cambodia. I am off to Cambodia on Friday (Or Thursday for you guys) where I will go to Angkor Wat and then to the capital city before returning to Bangkok and working my way south. I am going to buy a one way ticket to Beijing for April and apply for a Chinese visa in Bangkok. I am also going to look at getting a residency permit so I don't have to leave and come back to Thailand every 30 days since you get a 30 day visa exemption upon arrival but have to leave the country after 30 days before returning.
I usually go to the Khao San district where the backpackers hang out and check out the markets there. Some big 280lb east Indian with a turbin and huge beard trying to pass himself off as a psychic was hounding me to go with him for a reading. I knew he was a fake but thought "OK lets see where this goes" and he led me down a narrow pathway (3 feet wide) between the buildings to where other swami looking east indians were doing readings for some white female tourist where they just sat down on the ground doing these palm readings. Well my guy was so bad he was saying the exact opposite of what was in my future like I would be going home to find a great job and making guesses and generalizations by my appearance. I told him he was WAAAAAAAAAY off and he said "Please sir!!, you must let me finish!". Then he wanted me to place a bunch of money in a folded hankerchief and I told him he was only worth $50 baht ($1.50 cdn) for sheer entertainment value so at that he refused to go on and told me good luck.
LIke any big city there are lots of "touts" trying to make a buck and bringing you to jewelry stores for a commission etc... I have been sleeping 12 hours a night and think it must be the heat or the lack of caffeine. It is easy to lay down for a nap to awaken 8 hours later when it is 11pm and then easy to go back to sleep and sleep another 7 hours (Trust me, I've done it a few times already).
Nice to see Gold going up and hitting a new high of $572oz. I have made $17,000US with my gold investment since Jan 3, 2006 (Skippity do daa!!). I can't wait until it hits $600oz and then I will buy more and will be able to live in Thailand forever and never have to work again!!
Anyhow, I will be going to Cambodia on Friday once I get my passport back from the tourist office so the next time I write I will be in Cambodia. I have also learned to count to 10 in Thai. It sounds like this 1= Nuung 2= sing 3= sam 4= see 5= HA 6= hawk 7= jet 8= Bat 9= cow 10= sip. There all of you can count to 10 in Thai now! Thank you = Cop con. This is all I know so I am far from fluent in Thai haha.
Talk to you all soon
Kevster
Well since last I wrote I moved across town to the Khao San district which is where the backpackers hang out and close to all tourist sites. You would be amazed out how cheap everything is here compared to North America. I almost bought a two handed sword but knew it would be a pain packing it around with me. I got my suit back and am realizing it is too hot to wear it outside (It made so much sense at the time in that air conditioned tailor shop lol! They normally ship it to your home country for you but I also got 3 high quality silk shirts with it which is great in this heat. I actually bought 3 more from another tailor and am picking them up this evening. Things are so cheap here it is hard not to spend money even for a cheapskate like me. Most of the street food is $10 baht which is around 30 cents an item. Half a cantaloupe, deep fried chicken, corn of the cob, etc... are $10 baht. Leather couches run from $100-$500 cdn. I tried squid for $20 baht (very chewy).
Bangkok was established in 1782 and was called the "venice of the east" since it has canals that run throughout the city. English speaking Thais always come up to you and say hello and hope to start a conversation with you. Then a few will lead you to different jewelry stores where they get a little commission from the store owner. One jewelry store clerk showed me some fake Rolex watches that were so identical you couldn't tell the difference from a real one and even the seconds hands didn't "tick" but glided smoothly around which real Rolexs do. So I negotiated the price down from $2200 to $1600 baht. I started at $1000 and the shop girl simply said "no way" and countered at $2000 and then I said $1500 max and she hesitated and called over her mom (we'll call her the dragon lady) and the dragon lady said $1800 and then I said $1600 max and was prepared to leave and she said OK. I handed over my interact card and they wanted cash so I checked my wallet and I had $1440 baht and then I remembers I had $5 cdn in my walled too so that brought it to $1605. Wanting a bit of cash for the taxi ride home I told them I would keep $35 baht ($1 cdn) and give them $1565. Well the dragon lady had a spaz attack freaking out that we had a deal at $1600 and that her son was preparing the watch to fit my wrist. I said OK fine! No need to blow a harry over $35 baht. I was totally shocked at how mad this woman got. Afterwards she tried to be polite and make friendly conversation as my watch was being fitted for my wrist (I felt like saying "I am afraid I can't recommend your shop to my friends who were looking to buy some expensive rings based on that little spaz performance you put on").
Most Thias are very happy people always smiling and laughing. They are the happiest people I have ever come across. Later when I left the store I found the sunglasses I was looking for and offered $200 baht from the $250 baht sticker and the vendor said he would give me 2 for $450 baht which I didn't want so I agreed to paying the $250 baht sticker price for one pair. And then he says "ok, you only want one pair so I agree to your originall offer of $200 baht. I laughed and said "Yes" thinking that this guy must have watched Monty Pythons "life of Brian" where the vendor haggles in the opposite direction just for the fun of haggling.
Many Thias have talked about getting jewelry as an investment since Thailand is one of the biggest miners of rubies and saphires. Of course there are many jewelry scams here but there are authentic shops you can buy from and get authenication papers describing how many Karats, the type of cut, type of stone, etc... I ran into a guy from London at one of the temples and he showed me the stones he bought for $3100US (You are only allowed to buy 3 jewelry items per year from Thailand as a individual person and many Thais buy the maxim if they can). Anyhow this Londoner said he doubles his money buy selling it back in London but first asking for triple his money from the dealer and then settling at double his original investment and he has done this 4 times in the last 4 years which basically pays for his trip. I am not interested in buying any jewelry at this stage but am thinking of possibly buying some sometime down the road and the investment wheels are turning in my head.
Tuk Tuk drivers will drive you around to see the sites for free but you will have to go to a jewelry shop who pays the Tuk Tuk driver his 1 liter gas certificate (gas is 90 cents a liter here). After seeing some temples (and I am totally templed out now) the tuk tuk driver drove me to the jewelry shop for his gas certificate and I walked in with 5 attendants ready to serve me.
A cute one from behind the counter said "You are from Sweden?" and I said "no but close I am from Canada" and she showed me all the rings they had as I did my part for my loyal tuk tuk driver. She asked if I wanted to buy one for my wife and I told her I was single and looking for a thai girlfriend and then she says with a shy smile "I not have boyfriend" and then another co worker takes a step closer to us and she says "She not have boyfriend either. I have many girlfriends I can introduce you too and help you find an apartment here". I tell you, I am really starting to like Thailand! Her name is "Eat" and I told her I would call her once I get back from Cambodia. I am off to Cambodia on Friday (Or Thursday for you guys) where I will go to Angkor Wat and then to the capital city before returning to Bangkok and working my way south. I am going to buy a one way ticket to Beijing for April and apply for a Chinese visa in Bangkok. I am also going to look at getting a residency permit so I don't have to leave and come back to Thailand every 30 days since you get a 30 day visa exemption upon arrival but have to leave the country after 30 days before returning.
I usually go to the Khao San district where the backpackers hang out and check out the markets there. Some big 280lb east Indian with a turbin and huge beard trying to pass himself off as a psychic was hounding me to go with him for a reading. I knew he was a fake but thought "OK lets see where this goes" and he led me down a narrow pathway (3 feet wide) between the buildings to where other swami looking east indians were doing readings for some white female tourist where they just sat down on the ground doing these palm readings. Well my guy was so bad he was saying the exact opposite of what was in my future like I would be going home to find a great job and making guesses and generalizations by my appearance. I told him he was WAAAAAAAAAY off and he said "Please sir!!, you must let me finish!". Then he wanted me to place a bunch of money in a folded hankerchief and I told him he was only worth $50 baht ($1.50 cdn) for sheer entertainment value so at that he refused to go on and told me good luck.
LIke any big city there are lots of "touts" trying to make a buck and bringing you to jewelry stores for a commission etc... I have been sleeping 12 hours a night and think it must be the heat or the lack of caffeine. It is easy to lay down for a nap to awaken 8 hours later when it is 11pm and then easy to go back to sleep and sleep another 7 hours (Trust me, I've done it a few times already).
Nice to see Gold going up and hitting a new high of $572oz. I have made $17,000US with my gold investment since Jan 3, 2006 (Skippity do daa!!). I can't wait until it hits $600oz and then I will buy more and will be able to live in Thailand forever and never have to work again!!
Anyhow, I will be going to Cambodia on Friday once I get my passport back from the tourist office so the next time I write I will be in Cambodia. I have also learned to count to 10 in Thai. It sounds like this 1= Nuung 2= sing 3= sam 4= see 5= HA 6= hawk 7= jet 8= Bat 9= cow 10= sip. There all of you can count to 10 in Thai now! Thank you = Cop con. This is all I know so I am far from fluent in Thai haha.
Talk to you all soon
Kevster
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