Thailand Trip Report

Anyone know how Ruan Swanepoel passed?

He was a heavily tatted SA guy teaching English in Vietnam. Decided to visit Thailand but shortly ran out of money and visited the SA embassy in Bangkok asking for help. Didn't get any and left and was forced to sell his phone. Then internet communities and family were looking for him like crazy but with him having no phone no one could find him. Scam artists got involved to crowdfund huge amounts to get him back despite him being missing and his family got the Thai police to look for him. Then news he passed away with no details how.

This is all what was posted on internet so who know what is the truth or not.
 
skimread said:
Anyone know how Ruan Swanepoel passed?

He was a heavily tatted SA guy teaching English in Vietnam. Decided to visit Thailand but shortly ran out of money and visited the SA embassy in Bangkok asking for help. Didn't get any and left and was forced to sell his phone. Then internet communities and family were looking for him like crazy but with him having no phone no one could find him. Scam artists got involved to crowdfund huge amounts to get him back despite him being missing and the Thai police looking for him. Then news he passed away with no details how.

This is all what was posted on internet so who know what is the truth or not.
Click to expand...
Saw it posted on several Thai groups I'm in. I reckon scam, but loads of Saffas do go missing in SEA and some end up getting involved in crime.
 
Snyper564 said:
Its a pretty standard time unless you fly direct.

Last year Serbia was 24 hour 12 there 12 back.

Portugal looking at 18 there and back. Urgh wish there was direct flights...

HK a few years back was atleast 12 one way zero stops.
Click to expand...

I was standing in a queue at ORT and there was a couple in boarding the same plane I was boarding. They were headed to Brazil. IIRC I was headed to Qatar, or it could've been Zurich.... So they would've flown ORT -> Qatar/EU -> Brazil.
I don't want to imagine their total flight time.
 
GhostSixFour said:
I was standing in a queue at ORT and there was a couple in boarding the same plane I was boarding. They were headed to Brazil. IIRC I was headed to Qatar, or it could've been Zurich.... So they would've flown ORT -> Qatar/EU -> Brazil.
I don't want to imagine their total flight time.
Click to expand...
Yeah **** that. Not sure if SAA is still flying direct to Brazil but this is my flight time:

1683633758417.png
 
skimread said:
This reminds me. Someone told me if you take your wife or girlfriend to Thailand it's like taking sand to the beach.
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One ladyboy approached us at some club & offered to take both me & my boyfriend for the night. We were both speechless.
 
ice_cubes said:
One ladyboy approached us at some club & offered to take both me & my boyfriend for the night. We were both speechless.
Click to expand...
They mostly don't hide the fact that they're ladyboys, so you're not being misled. :ROFL:

You will find that kind of thing if you venture into certain places. You will then probably find all the other sorts of unpleasantness that goes along with that business, as in other countries. (drugs, scams, etc)

Sadly, according to many lecherous old yobbos and pommies, that's the image of Thailand when it's really not.
 
Anyone have a Thai bank account and noticed the absolutely shitty rate on the Rand? I just transferred R10k to my Kasikorn account to keep it active and got a whopping 11700 Baht :oops: What's the rate at the local ATMs at the moment if you don't choose the Dynamic Exchange rate option or even with it?
 
Bliksis said:
They mostly don't hide the fact that they're ladyboys, so you're not being misled. :ROFL:

You will find that kind of thing if you venture into certain places. You will then probably find all the other sorts of unpleasantness that goes along with that business, as in other countries. (drugs, scams, etc)

Sadly, according to many lecherous old yobbos and pommies, that's the image of Thailand when it's really not.
Click to expand...
Honestly you find ladyboys all over, even in quiet out of the way little towns. But as you said they don't normally try to hide it. They usually only try to hide it if they really like you, but know you don't swing that way.
 
Wut said:
Anyone have a Thai bank account and noticed the absolutely shitty rate on the Rand? I just transferred R10k to my Kasikorn account to keep it active and got a whopping 11700 Baht :oops: What's the rate at the local ATMs at the moment if you don't choose the Dynamic Exchange rate option or even with it?
Click to expand...
That makes no sense. You should get just under double the ZAR amount. That's still what I got in December at the ATMs, minus the 220thb fee which is negligible.
 
skimread said:
I stay away from bars and clubs.
You will get beaten by bouncers and have a huge bill to pay
thethaiger.com

South African cracks head open in fight over 9,000 baht go-go bar bill in Pattaya

A South African tourist cracked his head open during a fight about a 9,000 baht drinks bill outside a go-go bar in Pattaya, Thailand...
thethaiger.com thethaiger.com
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I stay away from go-go bars too, but regular bars are OK. Plus a 9000 Baht bill is a regular night out for two people if you drink anything other than cheap Thai beers or that terrible Thai whiskey/rum.
 
Bliksis said:
That makes no sense. You should get just under double the ZAR amount. That's still what I got in December at the ATMs, minus the 220thb fee which is negligible.
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I phoned Kasikorn today. Apparently, you get the buying rate if the sending bank does the transaction in Rands or if you withdraw at an ATM and let the Thai bank handle the conversion (The buying rate was 1.17 Baht/Rand yesterday). You get a better rate if you get your home bank to handle the conversion and do the transfer in Baht.

Buying rate is 1.27 Baht/Rand today, so it has stabilized a bit:

www.kasikornbank.com

Foreign Exchange Rate - ธนาคารกสิกรไทย

Foreign Exchange Rate
www.kasikornbank.com
 
I buy some vodka and put it in a water bottle, order some fruit shakes for the wife and I have beers.
 
skimread said:
I stay away from bars and clubs.
You will get beaten by bouncers and have a huge bill to pay
thethaiger.com

South African cracks head open in fight over 9,000 baht go-go bar bill in Pattaya

A South African tourist cracked his head open during a fight about a 9,000 baht drinks bill outside a go-go bar in Pattaya, Thailand...
thethaiger.com thethaiger.com
Click to expand...
He ventured into those areas, and that's what comes along with it. He probably got lured into a venue by a girl or looking for some entertainment.

No need to stay away from bars and clubs. That's an ignorant statement. Just don't be stupid.
 
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Bliksis said:
He ventured into those areas, and that's what comes along with it. He probably got lured into a venue by a girl or looking for some entertainment.

No need to stay away from bars and clubs. That's an ignorant statement. Just don't be stupid.
Click to expand...
Yeah there are plenty of bars here without bouncers. The ones I talk about are the ones near the Walking streets with no windows, small exit guarded by bouncer inside and customers being sought after outside.
 
skimread said:
Anyone know how Ruan Swanepoel passed?

He was a heavily tatted SA guy teaching English in Vietnam. Decided to visit Thailand but shortly ran out of money and visited the SA embassy in Bangkok asking for help. Didn't get any and left and was forced to sell his phone. Then internet communities and family were looking for him like crazy but with him having no phone no one could find him. Scam artists got involved to crowdfund huge amounts to get him back despite him being missing and his family got the Thai police to look for him. Then news he passed away with no details how.

This is all what was posted on internet so who know what is the truth or not.
Click to expand...
Apparently, he was found dead, but not much info.

www.sapeople.com

Missing South African in Thailand, Ruan Swanepoel, has tragically passed away

The missing 26-year-old South African in Bangkok, Thailand - Ruan Swanepoel - has sadly been found deceased. His family thanked everyone who tried to help
www.sapeople.com www.sapeople.com
 
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