Originally Posted by RC45
Welcome and enjoy.
Just one question - why relocate from automotive heaven (Germany) to the transportation hellhole of the world (Thailand)?
On the run from Interpol?  |
Hi
Yeah, too much speeding tickets
Nah, not really...... "automotive heaven" depends on how much money one got - and i was always on the lowest end of that scale, never able to afford a "real" car. I had a bunch of mopeds (in fact i collected those, Zuendapp is the brand) and in the end, finally, also no less than three cars - first one a '83 Volkswagen Polo CL with a monstrous 55 HP carburetor 1.1 litre engine, second one a '86 VW polo Coupe "Fox" with an even smaller, 1.0 litre engine and 45 HP (speed freak yeah!) and finally, after that first one (the Coupe was driveable but had accident damage, which was why i got that one - for free in fact) broke down once too often i applied for a loan (and got it) and bought me a '93 Volkswagen (yes!) Polo G40 Coupe, this was a decent performer at least with a supercharged 1.3 litre engine and some 115 HP. Was a lot of fun that one, altough the insurance was one heck expensive.
So for a short while i had three Polos, the first one i was able to sell for cheap (500 DM, back then some 250 US $), that second one i gave away (instead of having to pay for having it scrapped!) and the G40 i drove until a week before i left the country.
My reason to go to Thailand was because i found my current boyfriend via the internet (long live IRC chat!) and sinc i planned since my early teens to move to Asia i then finally did just that - sold all my posessions (which wasn't much), and got on a plane to Bangkok with a one-way ticket and some 2,000 US $ in cash with me, my luggage only containing my computer and a few CD's and the clothes on my body.
That was 7 1/2 years ago and i have never looked back - Germany and it's "always rain" weather is nothing i miss, and the Autobahn - well, here in Thailand is a 120 km/h speed limit on overland roads but therefor nobody complains if you do the same 120 km/h in the city (provided there is enough space to do so). Heven't seen a speed trap in the 7 1/2 years and if cops stop you it's a matter of a 100 Baht (3 US $) bribe and you're off, regardless if you just ran a red light or cut a short via the wrong side of the road or the sidewalk (by motorbike obviously).
Cars are ridiculously expensive in Thailand, for the price of a Toyota Corolla you can as well build a house....... and imported cars top that by far, for example a Ferrari, you sure can get them here - a cheap one for around 35 Million Baht, which is roughly one million US $. "Import Tax" is the reason, and it also used to make my Volvo (imported "completely built-up") a luxury car - at it's time it did cost more than a (locally assembled) 5-series Beemer.
I love it here and won't go back, ever.
@silentm
What exactly do you mean? Everything is stock inside...... except for that stereo. If you refer to the coloured fabric stuff around the steering column, that is something religious (my boyfriend is, like most Thais, Buddhist).
Best regards.....
Thanh