Job Discussion Forums

[vancanman]

A strange topic? I am wondering if most apartments come with washing machines. Or are there laundromats around BKK? Or do most people hire someone to do this? One of my main concerns living in any country, and I've been to several. In some places, like China, it is awkward and expensive to get done if you don't have a machine at home. My dream is to have a beautiful new American style Maytag!

Another ESLer told me to be aware of CELTA courses, that they fail a lot of people to make more money. I have done extensive reading of several pages in this Thailand forum and never saw this point raised. I have 2 teaching certificates however additional training or upgrading is useful.

IN BKK can you simply change to a local SIM card?

In advance, I thank you BKK experts!

[isanity]

You're unlikely to get a flat with a washing machine installed. You could buy one, but it's simplest just to take it all to a laundry lady- they're everywhere. It's far from free though, so it would be worth finding somewhere which will give you a discount or monthly rate.

The failure rate for CELTA is about 5%- you have to be seriously slack not to pass. If anything it's in the school's interests to pass as many studnets as possible, so that they tell all their friends to go there too.

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Just a couple of additional comments to what isanity wrote above:


Most apartments have 'resident' laundry ladies who wash & iron for their tenants.

They often live within the apartment itself, or just across the street from it.

Prices can vary *wildly* depending on the calibre of the place you live in,

but as a general rule of thumb, you'll pay 20 to 35 Baht to have a

long-sleeved dress shirt or trousers washed and ironed.


Per week, I spend about 400 Baht - $11 or so.


A small, generic-brand washing machine costs roughly 5

to 7,000 Baht - not really expensive, so that's an option.


To save a few Baht, I wash my own socks & undies in the bathroom sink

and give only shirts, trousers and larger towels to the laundry lady.


This is probably more info than you wanted.


One tip: Try to avoid bringing dry-clean-only stuff;

not so easy to find dry-cleaners, and a bit expensive.


I'll defer to somebody else on the SIM card question,

but my hunch is that it should be simple & easy.










Thailand teaching and travel resources available here :::: The Master Index Thailand ::::

[sidjameson]

Kent, you really spen 400bht PER WEEK on laundry? 1600 a month? Wow, I begrudge putting my 200yen (70bht) a week into the laundromat here in Japan............

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

^ Yes, I swear it's true.


Imagine what I'd pay if I weren't washing my own undies.


Thing is, with Bangkok's high heat, humidity and pollution,

you can't really wear a dress-shirt more than one day,

especially a freshly pressed white one, which I prefer.


Wearing a shirt only once adds a lot to the bill.


I should mention that I'm obsessive-compulsive

when it comes to personal hygiene & grooming.


Partly inherited, and partly because I teach in

5 Star Hotels, where looking good is required.


When humidity takes the crease out of my shirt,

or ring-around-the-collar rears its ugly head,


it's time for ... Laundry Lady !





In Bangkok, that can happen within

3 or 4 hours of leaving the apartment.










Thailand teaching and travel resources available here :::: The Master Index Thailand ::::

[bluffer]

wow, is the laundry lady topless for that price?

I used to take my stuff to a place round the corner, 40B / k, 24 hour turnaround. It wasnt ironed mind you but thats why god invented non iron shirts All it takes is 5/10 min wearing them and they are uncrinkled.



For the sim card, the answer should be yes but it depends on the make of your phone, whether it is locked to your network wherever you are and if its a dual band / tri band phone to pick up the network here.

Most new ( ie under 1 year ) should be ok over in thailand. If not, all you need to do is take it to MBK shopping centre and they should be able to unlock it or you can buy a new phone for 1000B up.

[cameron.mayo]

[dorian_gray]

Is there any affordable laundromat near Silom Soi 6?

[Dex]

Most laundromats near Silom are pretty pricey. I used to pay what Kenkannif pays for laundry, but no more.
Since I bought a machine, its the simplest thing to wash stuff and hang it up to dry. Costs next to nothing, and its done when you want it. Dries over night.
I really don't miss the days of lugging my smelly clothes off to a laundromat, only having to lug them all back to my apartment the next day. Sure some places have pick up and drop off services, but you'll pay for it.

Nothing beats doing it yourself.