Better to be a tourist in Thailand, than an expat!

Now Thailand is offering the Tourist Visa for free. Double entry. With such a Visa, one can stay in Thailand for 6 months! (2 months + 1 month extension, visa run, 2 months + 1 month extension). Renewable indefinitely until march 2010 (the tourist visa will be free until then).

Applying for a non-immigrant Business visa (non B visa) will cost you 120 euros for one year, and you will still have to go on visa run every 3 months!

Chose the best for you!

Bangkok Networking: Networking events of the week

A new week full of networking events, but they all happen on the same day!

Thursday June 25th

-    Autour du Zinc : French networking organized by the Franco-thai chamber of commerce. This event is held at Café Lenotre on Langsuan Road. Entrance is Free. Starts at 6:30pm. More info.
Café Lenotre, Langsuan Road

Chambre de Commerce Franco-Thaie(CCFT)
5th Floor, Indosuez House,
152 Wireless Road,
Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 (0) 2650 9613-4

-    GOYP: Special event with the German Young Professionals!

Visit BKK air traffic control tower! Wine & dine with Lufthansa Sky Chefs. Yes, they offer a visit of Bangkok Suvarnabumi International Airport record high traffic controle tower and a quick lunch at Lufthansa LSG Sky Chef. This will cost you THB 600.00. You need to be free all afternoon because the tour starts at noon at Lumpini (MRT Lumpini). More info.

-    Amcham (the American Chamber of Commerce) will take you to the chic and all-new: Tetto Lounge @ Anantara Baan Rajprasong (BTS Rajadamri) for a new Fund Raising Party. Starts at 7pm. Registered non-members will be asked to donate THB 100.00, and unregistered guests THB 200.00. More info. Directions to Tetto Lounge: Tetto Lounge is on the 12th floor of Baan Rajprasong Serviced Suites on Rajadamri Road (take a left down Soi Mahardlekluang 3). The Soi is opposite the Royal Bangkok Sports Club and Baan Rajprasong is about 30 meters down the Soi. Look for the tall, white building with a big “shark fin” on top. BTS Rajadamri.

Enjoy!

Bangkok Networking: Networking events of the week

Quiet week this week…

*** Tuesday June 16th, 2009 ***

- Thai-Hong Kong Trade Association

The new THTA Board of Directors would cordially invite you to join our “THTA Get Together 2009″ function. It will be held at the exciting 87 Plus at the Conrad Hotel Bangkok, All Seasons Place, Wireless Road, from 6: 30 pm onwards on Tuesday, 16th June 2009. We would like to take this opportunity to introduce our new directors and give you an overview of what to expect in the coming term. It is a casual gathering and please bring along your friends to join us. FREE of Charge!

Contact: Khun Emmie or Khun Am at +66 2 343 9008-9 or mail to thai-hongkong@thta.or.th

Conrad Hotel Bangkok (87 Club)
87 Wireless Road, Phatumwan,
Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

*** Wednesday June 17th, 2009 ***

- Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce

STCC - Your Gateway to Global Network

What better way to meet the new Board of Directors and members from STCC, THTA and MTCC than at Annual Welcome Party. Look forward to a night of networking opportunities, sumptuous treat and a panoramic view from Millennium Hilton.

Three Sixty, 31st Flr., Millennium Hilton Bangkok. 6:30pm onwards.

All details here.

Millennium Hilton Bangkok hotel
123 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan, Bangkok, Thailand 10600
Tel: 66-2-442-2000   Fax: 66-2-442-2020

- Not to be missed!

Not a networking event, but not to forget, the grand opening of the Australian Pub!

“I believe you must have heard of the new pub in town, ‘The Australian Pub & BBQ’, located in Sukhumvit Soi 11. For one month of soft opening, we have proof that we are half way to be a new hit in town. We will have the Grand Opening Party on this Wednesday, 17th June, 6-8pm. Let’s come to celebrate! I promise that there is no any boring speech. The whole party will be only eat, drink and drunk.”

The Australian Pub & BBQ
37 Sukhumvit soi 11
Bangkok

Have fun!

Crepes & Co new restaurant in Bangkok

They now have a second Crepes & Co restaurant in Bangkok, this one on Thonglor soi 8. The decor is quite different as it is not in a quiet soi but right on the buzy avenue that is soi Thonglor (Sukhumvit soi 55). The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the new “8 on Thonglor” apartment building. It is more modern and trendy, and without the small terrace and garden that make the charm of the Crepes & Co on Sukhumvit soi 12.

But the owner are the same, and obviously the food and prices also. A new place for a brunch, then!

Crepes & Co Thonglor
Website
Open daily from 10:00am until 11pm
8Thonglor building, ground floor
88 Thonglor Soi 8
Bangkok
Tel. 02-726 9398 to 9

Al Majlis, Moroccan Restaurant and Tea Room in Bangkok

Wanna try Morrocan food? Or Moroccan tea? Try Al Majlis on Ekamai soi 12. Not only the food is good but the place is great. A large house and a comfortable garden that they have arranged with Morrocan style. Cozy and tasty.

Visit their website to see more pictures.

Al Majlis Tearoom
Praduu Spa Club
83/8 soi Charoenchai (Ekamai 12)
Sukhumvit 63 road (Ekamai road)
Bangkok 10110

T: +662 392 2345
F: +662 392 2344
E: info@almajlis-tearoom.com

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 4.30pm - 1am
Sat-Sun: 2pm - 1am

Bangkok Networking: Networking events of the week

This weeks isn’t short of Networking Events:

- Tuesday June 9th

BYP (Bangkok Young Professionals) is at Crepes&Co Thonglor, the new location for the second Crepes&Co restaurant. As usual, entrance is free for members and THB 500.00 for non-members. With a few complimentary crepes hopefully

From 7pm onwards. More info here.

Crepes & Co. Thonglor

8Thonglor building, ground floor
www.8thonglor.com
88 Thonglor Soi 8
Bangkok
Tel. 02-726 9398 to 9

- Tuesday June 9th

BCCT ‘100 Questions’ Quiz Night at the LONDONER BREW PUB - Corner SUKHUMVIT Road and Soi 33.

From 8pm onwards. Entrance: THB 200.00. More info here.

- Wednesday June 10th

InterNations welcomes you at the Barbican with a fun “open the box” event:

Lucky winner will get a free voucher as below:
2 x vouchers of free car rental for one day
1 x voucher of 2 days one night at X2 resort in Kuiburi Prachabkirikarn (next to Hua Hin)

From 7pm onwards. Entrance is free. More info here.

The Barbican
9/4-5 Thaniya Road, Silom
Bangkok
http://www.greatbritishpub.com/

Phone: 0 2234 3590

- Wednesday June 10th

AMCHAM Social Networking Night at The Campus, Lower Lobby Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel (BTS: Chidlom).

Members only.

Entrance Fee: THB 400.00. More info here.

- Thursday June 11th

NORDIC NETWORKING SPONSORED BY DTAC and organised by the Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce.

This event is held at the Grand Millenium Hotel Asoke. Free Wine and Snacks. Free Entrance. But you need to register here no later than June 8th (today!).

Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok
30 Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke) Road
Klongtoey Nua, Wattana,
Bangkok 10110, Thailand

T: 662 204 4000
F: 662 204 4199

- Thursday June 11th

SwissThai Chamber of Commerce Monthly Networking Event: Stamm June 2009 - Highlight: Smoked and marinated fish. At Amari Atrium Hotel. 6pm onwards. More info here.

Amari Atrium Hotel
1880 New Petchburi Road
Bangkok 10310
Tel. +66 (0) 2718 2000-1
Fax. +66 (0) 2718 2002

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That’s all for now, folks!

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson28 - Thinglish Words

I have “stolen” this lesson from the excellent Learn Thai Podcast.

This is about words that you already know. If you know them in English, you will know them in Thai, because Thai people use the English word, but with the Thai accent. Hence “Thinglish”.

Unlike Learn Thai Podcast, I allow myself to comment some of these words.

ball    bawn (the “l” is pronounced “n” in Thai. “Check Bill”, which is also a Thinglish word by the way, is pronounced “Check Bin”).

bank    baeng

bar    baa (”r” is difficult for Thai people, obviously)

battery    baet-ter-rii (They insist on the last syllable: “riiiii”)

beer    bia (see “bar”)

bonus    bo-nat (this is a mystery to me: Thai people have much trouble with the “s” and the “t” at the end of a word. Although this is the same pronounciation as at the beginning of the word: “Thailand” and “Sukhumvit”, for instance, are words that don’t give them any trouble)

bungalow    bang-ka-lo

cable    khe-bern

cake    khek

capsule    khaep-suun

cartoon    kaa-tuun (I like this one )

cheque    chek

christmas    krit-maat

cocaine    kho-khen (sounds like “ai” are a problem)

cocktail    khawk-theo (again)

computer    khawm-phiw-ter

concert    khawn-sert

copy    kawp-pii

coupon     khuu-pawng

fashion    fae-chan

football    fut-bawn

free    frii (No Thai word for “free”. This is a western concept )

golf     kawp

guitar    kii-taa

ice cream    ai-sa-kriim

jackpot    jaek-phawt

jam    yaem

jeans    yiin

kilo    ki-lo

lipstick    lip-sa-tik (the problem with the double consonant like “st”: Thai people need to pronounce both letters separately)

macaroni    ma-ka-ro-nii

microphone    mai-khro-fon

microwave    mai-khro-wep

motorcycle   maw-ter-sai

night club    nai khlap (many word are cut before the end: night becomes nai)

office    awp-fit

percent    per-sen

project    pro-jek

remote    rii-mot

sauce    sawt

share    chae

stamp    sa-taem (again the problem with the 2 consonants: “st”)

taxi    thaek-sii

tennis    then-nit

typhoon    tai-fun

vote    wot (the famous “v” = “w”, like in “Sukhumvit” that they pronounce “Sukhumweet”)

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More Thai lessons here.

Networking Events, this week

Just another busy week for networking addicts in Bangkok:

- Tuesday, June 2nd - Bangkok Trader

The most festive of the networking party is held in Bacchus this month. Bacchus is THE wine bar on soi RuamRudee (Ploenchit). And as usual with Bangkok Trader, girls drink for FREE!

Free Entrance

Bangkok Trader
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant Lounge
20/6-7 Ruam Rudee, Ploenchit
Bangkok, Thailand

- Wednesday June 3rd - AustCham Sundowners invites Commonwealth Chambers

At “Panorama”, 23rd Floor, Pan Pacific Bangkok (Click here to see a map of this location)
From 6pm onward.

Registration is mandatory here.
Entrance Fee: THB 400.00 (members and non members).

- Friday June 5th - BCCT (British Chamber) Networking Event

Jamesons Irish Pub (Silom Road next door to the Holiday Inn) - Map here.
6:30pm-8pm

Member: THB 300.00
Non-Member: THB 1000.00 (ouch!)

Enjoy!

In June, “C’est la Fete !”

La Fete is the French-Thai cultural festival organized by the French Embassy in Bangkok and the Alliance Francaise, with events all along the month of June, and even a few events that last until as long as October!

La Fete 2009. More info and the program here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson27 - Hours

Here is a new lesson, this one in partnership with one of our readers, Chaisana (who obviously speaks Thai better than I do )

Hours

Gee Mong = What time is it? (How many hours).

From 1am till 5am, Thai use Tee + the number of hours. I heard that Tee was about the way people used to announce time in the countryside: with a noise that sounded like Tee and that was repeated as much as the number of hours.

1am = Tee Neung.
2am= Tee Song
3am = Tee Saam
4am = Tee See
5am = Tee Haa or Haa Mong Chao

6am = Hok Mong Chao. “Chao” means “Morning”
7am = Djet Mong Chao
8am = Phet Mong Chao
9am = Kao Mong Chao
10am = Sip Mong Chao
11am = Sip èt Mong Chao

12pm = Tien Wan (for noon).

1pm = Bai Mong
2pm = Bai Song Mong
3pm = Bai saam Mong
4pm = Bai see Mong

5pm = Haa Mong Yén (Yen = evening)
6pm = Hok Mong Yén

The evening hours were announced with a drum which made a “Thum!” sound. That’s what they told me.

7pm = Neung Thum (one drum)
8pm = Song Thum (two drums)
9pm = Saam Thum (etc.)
10pm = See Thum
11pm = Haa Thum
12am = Tien Keung (For midnight. Did they stop with the drum then???)

And now, get your watch!

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More Thai lessons here.