Trips to Bangkok to locate Boat Parts in the back streets ( New update sorry for the delay)

[rkluck]

Again glad you are OK and had no issues. That had to been hard on the locals.

 

[itsdgm]

Glad to hear that you made it through the storm. Very sad to see some lost their boats though.

 

[PEARCE]

Glad you made it through ok. I hate to see some lost their fishing boats, but I'm glad no lives were lost.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Sorry it's been a while since i updated this post, The weather has been a bit hit and miss so i haven't been about much just doing work indoors for different people like fitting new showers for people and Emergency lighting systems for Condo buildings, I managed to get to Bangkok last weekend for a quick visit and it was quick also because the heavens opened and it hammered down so i beat a hasty retreat and got back home, I have taken a few shots for you to have a look at and also some local tradesmen that are well trusted and do a good job, I tend to use the locals when i can as they know i live here and i like to give them some business, So i hope you enjoy.


This is my favorite Ice cream Lady she pushes this cart miles everyday, You get a great Ice cream with nuts rice chocolate sauce and all the trimmings for less than 50 cents.


Local fishermen dressing Mussels ready to sell, I kilo is $1.


I will buy a Kilo of Mussels from them along with some fish and King prawns and this is how they end up delicious about $3 for the lot.




I had some tires put on the Jeep they used an air cannon to fit them, drive in and drive out about 20 minutes.


Had to get a new electric fan on the jeep, All sorted pressed the old motor out and replaced it while i waited $10, This is the same guy i took that Mercruiser starter motor to get that guy and his family out of trouble in an earlier post if any of you remember, He's a really useful guy to know.


Parts for any washing machines you care to name new motors for anything and many other parts also.

In England and maybe in the States also many years ago Singer were a massive company name but as women don't repair clothes anymore and due to foreign imports clothes are cheap to replace there business in Europe faded somewhat, Here they are big and very active as you can see even the old treadle machines are still used and repaired.

Now we don't have these machines in England well we didn't last time i was there although it's been a while and i don't know if you have them in America, You put cash into them and you top up your mobile phones just put the cash in and punch in your number and job done, Guess what they are made by Singer the sewing machine company so they have diversified a little from the beaten track, They are everywhere mainly outside every 7/11s etc.

This is a chrome plating shop in Bangkok, They plate anything they can you can see the man with the wheel he's putting new powder on his wheel so he can prepare the metal for chroming, It's a really dirty job you can see the finished jobs hanging up all done.



One of the locals who i know well took some large chunks out of his prop so i tig welded it for him and put the pitch back in, He's a good man and if i need a hand he always wants to help me.


They trim man who made my boat cover just finished another Boat interior and waiting for collection.


The local steel fabricator was busy after the storm making new Anchors as so many were lost.


A nice cup off Coffee to start the day in Bangkok, There are many places to buy food and drinks on the road i use this lady she does great old fashioned Thai Ice coffee, Very very strong i can have 1 but anymore and i start getting giddy, Well i hope you've enjoyed my post and i hope it gives you a look into the real Thailand not the ones you see on TV and in the holiday mags, This is how you learn about the real Thailand at street level the only way to learn, Remember these people along with the people who live in my village don't speak English so you have to learn to speak Thai which they really appreciate you making the effort, A little funny story before i go, I was in a Restaurant in Bangkok when a foreign gent came in with a colleague and sat down and when the lady asked him what he would like to eat he replied Kow Pad Yung looking amazed the waitress asked him again and again he replied with the same answer, I was listening and smiled to myself as i realized he meant to ask for Kow Pad Kung which is Prawn fried Rice instead he asked for Mosquito fried Rice as Yung is the Thai word for Mosquito, When the lady stopped laughing she asked him how many Mosquito he would like her to catch and cook for him, Take care and enjoy.

 

[Big Shasta]

Awesome as always....thanks Geoff. Keep them coming.

 

[itsdgm]

Love the stories and pics @Geoff Cooper, keep them coming!!!



Did I read that correctly? Are there 7/11's over there?

 

[Big Shasta]

This is available at the cash register of the 7-11 in Hiroshima Japan. Hungry? They though it was funny that I took a picture.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

This is available at the cash register of the 7-11 in Hiroshima Japan. Hungry? They though it was funny that I took a picture.

That looks tasty!!

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Love the stories and pics @Geoff Cooper, keep them coming!!!



Did I read that correctly? Are there 7/11's over there?

Yes there are 7/11s here many many of them you just buy the Francois and they stock the shop for you and train the staff.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Ok it's the rainey season here so as usual i do a few jobs or put some well thought out ideas into practice, I always keep spares for my boat even if i don't need them it means if i have a problem it can be sorted without having to wait for a months delivery, I have loads of new parts just in case, Ok i go on Ebay i use Ebay a lot as it works well here and if i order something from America my friend bring's it with him when he comes over for a holiday, So i order a Jet pump rebuild kit, Don't need it but always good for spares, My friend brings it over for me from America so i open the packet and find oil seals bearings etc all i need to rebuild my Jetpump i think around 40 UK Pounds ( You do the conversion ) After closer inspection what do i find all Chinese no Japanese bearings seals all Chinese, I was furious China is just down the road from me and so i thought a trip to Bangkok is needed to do a little comparison so i set out at 6 am saturday morning arriving at Bangkok at about 8 30 am and then the skytrain and the underground finally getting to my destination about 9 30 am, Armed with the Chinese jetpump parts i headed to the bearing shops to compare here's what happened.



After showing the man at the first shop the kit he said these Chinese, Yes i said i know that, You want same same, How much i said, wait i go check,
at that he disappears into his shop.







After a few minutes he comes back with exactly the same bearings, These Chinese he says, Ok i say how much Big bearing $2 small bearing $1 how many you want can discount for quantity, Wait wait i say, Why you not buy Japan bearings much better quality he says bearings you have no good, Ok show me Japan bearings, These are what i came for but wasn't going to tell him or he will put the price up just let him sell them to me, He goes away again only to return a few minutes later with real japanese bearings, I just pretended not to be interested and looked at them and he said i do you good price they are much better quality, How much i said Big bearing $5 Small bearing $3 so after about 5 minutes of negotiations ( Monty Python Life of Brian You have to barter ) we settled for $7 for the pair, Ok he's happy I'm happy now for the oilseals, I showed him the oilseals, Go see my brother he says i take you so we walked about 50 meters and here's what happened.



Sorry about the picture quality i was tripping over boxes of oilseals, Ok having been introduced by his brother i showed him the seals,
These are Chinese he says, Oh really i say looking shocked, Why you not buy Japan seals he says you are Ferang ( Thai name for westerner)
You have money can buy better quality, Maybe to expensive i say, Wait he says i go check by now it's about 10.30 am, he returns and informs me he doesn't have Japanese oilseal only Chinese the same, He tells me i have to return in 1 hour they will be here waiting for me ( Probably comes from another brother ) At that i say ok and go and get a KFC and a coke and have a look around, I return and low and behold there are my Japanese oilseals waiting for me, Your japanese oilseals are here he says ok thank you i say, Again not looking to interested i say are they good? Number 1 he says you check ( Number 1 in Thailand is first class no better ) Ok i say how much, I thought the bearings were cheap he should give me these,
I give you good price $3 for the 2 Rather than do another Life of Brian i agreed and money was exchanged Job done.



Now i could have shopped about as these were the first shops i had come to and maybe i could have got them cheaper but $10 for Japanese seals and bearings, I brought enough to do both pumps cone seals also just over $20 i couldn't complain and besides that i had other things and ideas i wanted to put into practice which we can look at another time, I had a good look about and made my way home with loads of goodies.



Oh i forgot to say i got the cone seals also $1 for the 4 to do both pumps, All in all a good day out and your never to old to learn, I think money comes before quality in a lot of cases bloody annoying at times we all know what damage can be caused if jetpump bearings shatter at high RPM, It's not worth thinking about Well these will go in stock just incase i need them, Hope you enjoyed another trip to Bangkok, Take care.

 

[bronze_10]

That's amazing.... here they would tell u they are not in stock but they can order them from the warehouse and they will be here tomorrow..... when tomorrow gets here the parts that came are the wrong parts... and they have to reorder! It's a pain.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

That's amazing.... here they would tell u they are not in stock but they can order them from the warehouse and they will be here tomorrow..... when tomorrow gets here the parts that came are the wrong parts... and they have to reorder! It's a pain.

Bangkok is a hive of activity, There are hundreds of Motorcycle taxis running around delivering parts to shops all over Bangkok, You see them with car tires strapped to the back of them delivering to tire depots for customers, They hate to loose customers.

 

[biglar155]

The Life of Brian - "You know - haggle: '$3 for THESE bearings? Are you MAD?'"

I really enjoy your stories of the Bangkok markets.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

The Life of Brian - "You know - haggle: '$3 for THESE bearings? Are you MAD?'"

I really enjoy your stories of the Bangkok markets.

Thanks for that

 

[Gym]

Great story @Geoff Cooper. I think we should send you our part orders. You could have your girls deliver them.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Great story @Geoff Cooper. I think we should send you our part orders. You could have your girls deliver them.

You mean personal delivery Gym when the wifes out, LOL

 

[Gym]

You mean personal delivery Gym when the wifes out, LOL

But of course Geoff. I like that personal touch.

 

[Wisefam22]

You need to start a side business. I got friend who can build webpage. Bundle them up and ship to US.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Very nice! How long until America makes it a tourist spot? Lol.

Many Americans come to Thailand but they don't know about this place they tend to reach as far as 20 miles from here, Many Thai people come here for weekends from Bangkok so it's not commercialised, Thanks for the reply.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

But of course Geoff. I like that personal touch.

Well Gym you had better go onto Some of the beautiful sights of Thailand and choose which One or two you want me to send, If when you wake up in a morning early and there busy doing the ironing just tell them to turn the iron off and get back into bed, They don't realise there are more important thing's to do early morning sometimes, They don't like to disturb you, There are a couple in the next post Some of the wonderful sights of Thailand you may like Gym, I can recommend, Some of the positions they get into you need an architechs drawing to get out of, lol.