A cautionary tale...

[x in pattaya]

I heard about TOTтАЩs new offer of ADSL download speeds of
2Mbps 490 Baht per month,
3Mbps 590 Baht, and
4Mbps 790 Baht
...and since I have been (supposedly) getting 1Mbps while paying B 1000 a month, I thought it worth checking out.

We were in a song taeow going north on Soi Buakow, heading for the TOT office on Thursday morning. As we neared Pattaya Klang there was something of a traffic jam. I thought about getting out and walking the last bit to Pattaya Klang, but laziness prevailed. Someone on a motorbike turned around, heading south on Soi Buakow, on the wrong side of the road (nothing unusual there) and as he very slowly approached our vehicle he appeared to lose his balance and reached out to steady himself тАж or so I thought.

It happened so quickly that neither of us realized what had happened until he picked up speed. He had reached in and snatched my friendтАЩs one-baht gold necklace. My friend and a few others gave chase, but he was well away by then. He turned a corner and completely disappeared by the time his chasers reached that corner.

Of course, such things are not uncommon in Pattaya, but itтАЩs easy to think they canтАЩt happen to you тАж especially in broad daylight on a crowded street. It also seems that the victim is more often a farang, especially someone who is a little tipsy and wandering the streets at 2:00 a.m.

Anyway I bought a replacement necklace almost immediately and told my friend to forget about it (but think twice about where he wears it in future) since I refuse to allow such things to bother me. Obviously we could have used the money for other things, but thereтАЩs nothing to be gained by dwelling on it. I hope the thief used the proceeds to feed his family and not supply a drug habit.

In any event, my purpose in writing this was just as a reminder to be careful. These things donтАЩt necessarily happen when you think they might and while youтАЩre being cautious. ItтАЩs when youтАЩre least expecting itтАж and unfortunately in these times of economic stress there may very well be an increase in crimes that involve the "redistribution of wealth." IтАЩm not implying a need to be overly worried nor do I mean to start a rant about some crime wave engulfing us all. Things in Pattaya, at least from my experience, are no worse than in most parts of the world.

Incidentally, I was able to double my (supposed) download speeds and cut my monthly bill in half. So IтАЩll save B6000 over the next year, which would have been more satisfying if I hadnтАЩt ended up spending Baht 16,250 to replace the one-baht necklace. Easy come, easy go!

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Thats the spirit. Fear of crime can be worse than the actual crime itself. I have a friend in London who wont go away at weekends because his flat was burgled last time he did.

Shit happens. Take precautions and get on with enjoying your life. Dont live in fear.

Just wish your friend and the others had caught up with that guy.

[Khor tose]

Anyway I bought a replacement necklace almost immediately and told my friend to forget about it (but think twice about where he wears it in future) since I refuse to allow such things to bother me. Obviously we could have used the money for other things, but thereтАЩs nothing to be gained by dwelling on it. I hope the thief used the proceeds to feed his family and not supply a drug habit.

This is one of the nicest most compassionate things I've read on this or any other message board. You have a really healthy outlook on life. I salute you. :thumbright:

[neddy3]

Yes, well done X.
I know that an incident such as yours would make my mood very dark for some time.

Recently my young man was mentioning, daily it seemed, a need for us to visit the gold shop.
But he did not want a necklace, even a half-baht size, for exactly this reason. He says that snatchings are very common.

I agree you have to be a little more careful than usual in these bad economic times, especially as farangs are viewed as the ones most likely to have money. Recently my friend was pickpocketed on a baht bus and lost his wallet. Fortunately there was only 1200 baht cash and a credit card which he cancelled immediately.
X, since I am on the TOT 1000 baht per month plan I would also look to change like you did. Was the transfer seamless and pain free?

[x in pattaya]

X, since I am on the TOT 1000 baht per month plan I would also look to change like you did. Was the transfer seamless and pain free?

Take along a copy of your passport and the latest "permission-to-stay" stamp in your passport (or whatever authorizes you to be in Thailand) and a copy of a recent TOT bill.

They asked me about a work permit, but seemed OK when I said I was retired. It is a "promotional offer," so you are agreeing to keep the service for (at least) one year, which is why they kept asking "how long you stay in Thailand."

I was only able to get the 2048/512 download/upload speeds. It depends on where you live and what the lines in your area will support, but my monthly charge dropped from B1000 to B490.

Once you've signed the contract they'll give you a "new" user name and password . Depending on what service you get, the bit on the end will be @goldcyber or @platinumcyber, etc. In my case it remained @goldcyber.

Later that night you'll lose your Internet connection. At that point you need to put the TOT cd in your computer and reinstall the modem with the username and password you were given and you'll be reconnected at the new speed.

I used one of those speed checks (which aren't all that reliable and only measure local speeds). Before I was getting an average of 800/410, download/upload. After the new connection I was getting an average of 1250/480. So it improved and it's cheaper, but depending on where you live and the quality of equipment in your area, it may or may not be a major improvement.

if you leave your tot account at 1000 baht a month
tot will upgrade you to the
5 mbps speed so there is no need to go to tot office
unless you want to pay less 210baht for 4 mbps

[x in pattaya]

if you leave your tot account at 1000 baht a month
tot will upgrade you to the
5 mbps speed so there is no need to go to tot office
unless you want to pay less 210baht for 4 mbps

Speeds of 5 mbps are not available in most areas, so that seems highly unlikely... and I was told that unless you applied for a change of service, there would be no change to either the level of service or the monthly charge.

As I said, for people living in my area, the 2 mbps service is the maximum available and the reduction in charges is ONLY available if you sign a contract asking for the promotional rate.

Options in Bangkok or elsewhere, or for business customers, may be different.

TOT Hi-speed Internet

About the product/service

A high-speed internet service by ADSL technology (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) via an existing phone line por . Maximum 4 Mbps download speed and 512 Kbps maximum uploading speed in always-on connection, unlimited internet access , with the transmission speed varying upon the distance and the quality of the lines

From ThaiVisa: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Tot-s-4mb ... 52246.html

Just back from TOT.

New prices but only if you go in and 'change' your contract:

2Mbps 490 Baht
3Mbps 590 Baht
4Mbps 790 Baht

Add 100 Baht and you get free local calls.

You still pay 100 Baht line rental

All plus VAT

If you do nothing you remain on your old (slower and or more expensive) contract.