KVJ

Great info. Thanks Mr.T. We'll take a look at both schools when we visit the area.

This area is definitely on our radar as a potential place to live so this thread has been very helpful. We're planning on going to visit and check out the area later this year.

Does anyone know of any decent schools in the area, say from Prachuap city down to Bang Saphan? Obviously international schools are out of the question but some Catholic schools with EP perhaps? If there isn't one with a decent reputation and at least a few other luk krungs we'll have to look at Hua Hin, which we really don't want to do

Thanks IMO. Just youtube that or is there a particular youtube channel or website?

Bought mine at: http://www.thaieasyelec.com/

For the posters son....download AutoIT..for windows. He can learn programming with that. I can make small programs that simplify my windows 7 on my laptop. (there are tons of free stuff on their forum to download). Working with it is a pleasure, and there is a fun forum group. Very easy to program with....and addictive.

Excellent. Thanks for that. Trying to gather as many resources as I can to throw at him and see what sticks. Hopefully something will. Want to get him off that damn tablet!

Great. Will grab one. Cheers. Wish me luck! Hope the boy goes for it.

Excellent replies here guys. Thanks heaps. I think we'll give it a whirl. Like one commentator said it doesn't cost a whole lot so if it doesn't work out its no big deal.

What's the best way to get a hold of one of these in Thailand via internet order? I looked on some old threads and seems there is a few shady dealers around?

Thanks will look into that.

Just want to pick the brains trust here about this. I have an 8 year old son who I would like to get interested in programming and I'm wondering if the Raspberry Pi would be the way to go. Definitely don't want to have another passive toy to play with but something he can started on the basics of progamming. I know next to nothing about programming myself but am quite happy to learn along with him. Is this the right device for him? I'm not getting much info out of all the youtube stuff. Seems to be something that adult computer hobbyists are getting into rather than kids??

Appreciate any thoughts.

Thailand should be a federation of largely autonomous states. Possiblities could be the North and North East as one region (or two seperate), Central Thailand and Southern Thailand could be grouped together as another and Muslim deep South as another.

They would be largely self governing but sharing national defense etc on the federal level wiht free movement of people and trade through the regions.

One can dream

"Its amazing how much having no sleep can beat you down quickly and affect your appetite, motivation etc"

People always say that psychological problems cause insomnia but to me the reverse is true: insomnia causes psychological problems.

You've got nothing to lose by trying it. You never know.

Yes, that's one of the problems with sleeping aids - you start playing mind games, I haven't taken enough, when's it going to kick in?, they aren't working any more, I'm devleoping tolerance etc etc etc.

Again, for me, once I gave up the struggle, things got better. Not great but better. And even though I'm not sleeping so great it's somewhat of a consolation to know that I've been able to muddle through without sleeping aids.

ps. the melatonin I tried was over the counter at Morya pharmacy. They were slow release ones and quite expensive too.

I have tried melatonin and didn't do anything for me.

I have used benzos from time to time just to break out of a bad run but have avoided using them regularly for the same reasons you outline.

My sleep "hygene" (annoying word!) is fine and I'm not particularly stressed so it is pretty frustrating to read the same old trite advice all the time when you've got it all covered. It's possible there's a physical cause but searching for it leads you down endless fruitless dead ends.

The thing that has helped me more than anything was letting go - shrugging my shoulders, aceepting that, for whatever reason, I don't sleep well, and appreciating whatever sleep I may get. It's ironic with sleep that the harder you try to sort it out the worse the problem seems to get. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is all the go with sleep disorders now, which is, from what I gather, based on similar modes of thought. Anyway, for what it's worth I sleep better now than I used too when I was "fighting it", although it's still not ideal, I just try not to let it get on top of me and at least I'm not popping pills regularly.

Sorry I can't be of more help than that. Wish there was an easy solution but seems there isn't one.

I think you're best bet is to go into one of the big Thai book chain stores and get them to search their database.

Unless your niece is a bookworm (do they exist in Thailand?) I would be wary of giving her something of that length to read though - pretty daunting.

Maybe instead you could try one of Rand's non-fiction books? They tend to be quite thin.

I don't think it is important that Thais learn to speak English. Most of them will not have any use for it in their working lives, and so a basic exposure to English at school is sufficient for them. I don't see the Japanese economy suffering because of a lack of English fluency.

Those working in tourism, trade, or other international professions will obviously need to develop good language skills but that's not a majority.

Pressure at the shower head seems fine. The water pressure in the shower in general seems fine - it's not great but it wasn't anything flash at the old place either and it worked fine there.

The water pressure elseswhere in the house upstairs is OK too. The pressure downstairs is very strong.

Will look at getting the pressure adjusted at the pump.

OK. Just had another look and it turns out the jack for the RCD wasn't in quite right. So, now we're back to the hot water dropping in and out.

The unit has been checked over in the repair shop and it worked fine there. Seems to be the water pressure. I'll speak to the landlord about turning up the pressure. Failing that I guess I'm looking at a gravity fed tank or somthing? Don't really want to be spending much money on this. Personally, I love cold showers but the rest of the family don't unfortunately!

Thanks for the useful info guys.

It's definitely hooked up right and I've reset the RCD trip.

It's strange that before it would intermittedly work but now there's nothing which seems to indicate another problem has surfaced.

Time to take it back to the repair shop

Thanks for that.

We have a well and pump so if the power is off there's no water.

Don't have a multimeter I'm afraid.

Yes it does seem that something has tripped out seeing as there is no light at all now. The fuse box is fine. Have swtiched it on and off a few times.

Everything looks fine inside the unit too.

We moved to a new house and installed our basic Fujika hot water unit from our old house. It was working fine in the old place but had troubles with it from the get go in the new place. The hot water would work intermittedly and often it would cut out after a short period or if the knob got turned past a certain point. I took it to a repair shop and they said the switch was buggered and replaced it. Took it home, installed it again, and still not working. Took it back to the shop, they tested it in front of me and it was fine.

I'm guessing this is some kind of water pressure problem? Our old house was single story whereas we are on the second floor of the new place. The pressure doesn't seem that bad though - it wasn't great at the old place either but had no problems there. The other thing now is that it's just stopped working period now. No light comes on at all whereas before it would come on and off if it was reset. I don't even get the green test light come when I press the test button.

Any ideas before I try taking back to the store again?

Cheers for any advice.

I had the same problem. My normal weight is 70kgs plus. Got down to below 60kg at one point. Did a number of tests - nothing came up. Took worming tablets too. I felt fine though. My diet is pretty much Thai, I just stepped it up dramatically and ate more. Like you I get hungry every 3 hrs or so, so now I satisfy that urge and eat heaps. Now I'm up to 68kgs and that looks to be were its staying. Happy enough with that.

In the end, it could be just the way people like us are made. The Thai diet is less conducive to putting on weight than a Western one hence why the weight loss. Just have to make sure you're filling up on good food though - plenty of fruit and veg.

I bought a lego set for my son's birthday on Lazada. It never came, no explanation. Just as well I had bought something else in the meantime.

Invade IT, on the other hand, is excellent.

I get the impression that kids here in Thailand in the lower and possibly upper grades of primrary school are actually ahead of their peers in developed Western countires due to the old school emphasis on disicipline and rote learning. Somewhere along the way though this must become counterproductive as global school rankings bear out.

My guess is a dysfunctional secondary school system and a lack of mental stimulation in the home and society in general causes Thai kids to fall behind their peers in other countries.

Certainly not ahead in anything else but standing neatly in line singing the national anthem and kings song.

Schools in developed countries fritter their time away on a whole bunch of assorted fluff. Only difference is they don't seem to be spending the rest of the time on rote learning like Thai schools.

I get the impression that kids here in Thailand in the lower and possibly upper grades of primrary school are actually ahead of their peers in developed Western countires due to the old school emphasis on disicipline and rote learning. Somewhere along the way though this must become counterproductive as global school rankings bear out.

My guess is a dysfunctional secondary school system and a lack of mental stimulation in the home and society in general causes Thai kids to fall behind their peers in other countries.

Australian inventions? Just off the top of my head.

The drip-less tea-bag.

The cure for stomach ulcers.

The orbital engine.

The black-box flight recorder.

The heart pacemaker.

Plastic bank-notes.

The electric drill.

And there are many, many more.

The dual flush toilet!