Problems with rental apartments in Hua Hin

[Name Taken]

Sorry guys, I need to vent/rant.

I recently had to move out of an apartment because the room was right next to a car wash and it was very noisy, basically I would hear a high-pressure water gun firing off all day from 8:00am until 8:00pm. This is why zoning laws(residential, commercial, industrial, agriculture etc.) are important in my opinion.

I am now staying in a new apartment and I am paying 3,000-4,000 baht more per month than the previous apartment I was staying in, but it is quiet and not next to a car wash.
The only problem I have had is this,
When I first moved into the new apartment that I am currently staying in I was able to watch The Travel Channel (which I enjoyed watching) recently The Travel Channel has been replaced by Voice TV (a Thai language television channel). I have asked the apartment manager several times if they could reinstate The Travel Channel because I enjoy being able to watch at least one English language television channel and after asking several times I have come to find out that the descrambler/programming box is actually off sight and not even in the apartment building, so the apartment manager has no control over what television channels can be shown or not shown. I think this is a very strange and weird predicament, has anyone ever encountered a situation/predicament like this? and how did you deal with it?

Thanks

[PeteC]

He may be correct NT. Apartments, condos, hotels etc., have satellite or cable feed and those companies control the channels from off site. Those of us in single family homes with the same systems can't control what these vendors give us either. Pete

EDIT: The only exception would be if the place had it's own satellite system (big black dish). Then, they can tune into different channels themselves. Sounds like your place doesn't have that and has the standard TRUE cable or satellite, or the local Hua Hin cable.

[PeteC]

I'll leave it to others to explain this option more fully, but you can use your computer hooked up to your TV with a subscription to some internet TV site to perhaps get many more English language channels. Pete

[Dannie Boy]

I'll leave it to others to explain this option more fully, but you can use your computer hooked up to your TV with a subscription to some internet TV site to perhaps get many more English language channels. Pete

Such as the Thai Expat TV as advertised on here - all the main UK terrestrial channels plus a few more for 6,000 baht a year.

[Name Taken]

The two apartment buildings I am talking about are in Bangkok, I'm sorry I did not mention that in my original post.

[Big Boy]

Solutions such as Expat TV are available throughout Thailand. All that you need is a reliable Internet connection of at least 3Mb.

[Name Taken]

He may be correct NT. Apartments, condos, hotels etc., have satellite or cable feed and those companies control the channels from off site. Those of us in single family homes with the same systems can't control what these vendors give us either. Pete

EDIT: The only exception would be if the place had it's own satellite system (big black dish). Then, they can tune into different channels themselves. Sounds like your place doesn't have that and has the standard TRUE cable or satellite, or the local Hua Hin cable.

Yeah, I went to the TRUE website and it looks like only the gold and platinum packages offer the most English language channels.
It kind of feels like once I clear one hurdle another hurdle instantly pops up, it's frustrating and tiring.

[TicTac]

Unfortunately we have to expect the unexpected here. There's no rhyme or reason for most things but when living in condos we don't have much control over things. Sorry probably a silly reply

[margaretcarnes]

I only ever had cable TV in Thailand - whether it was in the Pattaya guest house, the HuaHin bars, or the HuaHin apartment. It was always the same situation, and particularly bad in HH for constant chopping and changing of English news channels. Although at least we did get at least one of them at any one time, be it BBC, CNN or Fox, plus other English language stuff. I was told that the reason for the frequent changes in channels available was because the cable company would default on fees to a certain channel, be cut off, and start over with a different one.
Back then the only other option would have been to install satellite, which when renting some people are understandably reluctant to do. Now a WiFi internet connection for streaming would seem the best option.

[SaintLouie1981]

To the OP...

I also live in BKK at the moment and my channels are CONSTANTLY changing...Well the English channels at least.

Had the discovery channel for a few months then no more, had HBO for a few months then no more, had a Vietnamese movie channel (English), no more, etc you get the point.

As far as I know there's nothing the apartment can do about it, which is what I guess everyone else is trying to say.

Sucks but what can ya do? Either computer or spend money. My internet speed is absolutely horrible here but hopefully when I move to HH that situation gets better, at that point I'll just do all of my viewing online.

[hhfarang]

TrueVisions Platinum HD package with PVR is your best friend. If you watch enough TV, it's worth the price... if TV is not important, then its not.