maybefitz

Good for you Kannot, stick it out. Yes, in our village we have a similar person pretty much disliked by everyone. The whole village gang up to deal with his devious ways and give him no

room to maneuver at all. If the rest of your village stick together you're on a winner. Thanks for your report.

Cheeryble - an important factor is the input from the village head man and the Tambon office. I live in an area,70k N of Chiang Mai. Some land is registered, but most is not in the whole tambon of 9 villages. However, people have been trading buying and selling land regularly. Any transaction is sanctioned by the head man, and fully recorded in the Tambon office. Yes, we keep getting information that soon, the land registry department are going to sanctify people's holdings. In fact, 3 years ago, everyone had to go and show what papers they have to register their holdings. Nothing has happened yet - indeed, I think it's a regular gambit trotted out at election time, then like a lot of election promises in Thailand, nothing comes of it.

Interesting point about no building on agricultural land. My wife has an 11 rai Longan (Lumyai) orchard, not registered. The word went round that a recent court case was settled on the fact that the claimant had built on the land, underlining his ownership. It was found in his favour - so, everyone with unregistered land (a lot of people) suddenly put up little 1 room, 1 toilet buildings just to underline ownership. My wife put up a basic 20,000 bt structure and had electricity and water put in on her orchard.

Additionally, we sold a house on unregistered land, that we built for a friend who subsequently died. The thing about unregistered land from our experience, is a) No lawyer will recommend it to a farang, even a 30 year lease, despite our quoting local practice. Thais can't look at it, as unregistered land they can't get a mortgage. We got round it by agreeing a purchaser can make payments over 5 years, - so far, after 2 payments, it's working. All in all, I think you'll be OK to go ahead, especially with the family around - but do check the head-man and the tambon office.

Try Phuket to Cha-am, (nicer than Hua Hin), then ring road of Bangkok to Ayuthaya .That's worth at least a 2 day visit. Then up to Tak for an overnight, then CM.

I agree, the 'standard' letter from the consulate or embassy is a ridiculous price at 2,950. Just a thought, would a certification letter from a public notary lawyer suffice?

I had to use one to confirm my status for my UK Army pension, and couldn't find a suitable person to sign. On the form it said a public notary was OK. Cost me 1,000 baht.

That is certainly cheaper than the consulate. Possible alternative?

My best example of Thai time was when a fella was meant to come at midday to fix my television connection. I waited, and waited. Just before 2pm he showed up. I did my 'falang jai rawn' act, where the hell have you been. "I fell asleep" was his reply. No apology or anything - he seemed to think this was a good enough answer, and I should accept it. Like most long term expats; I now just accept it as the way things are. Sometimes, when we are going into CM (70 k away) the wife will say "so and so wants to come" - I just sigh, knowing to add an hour onto whatever departure time we'd planned. I sometimes feel like the local songteaw driver for the village. That's the way it is, live with it.

I remove the legs, bone them. Take off the bottom bony bits of the turkey and the wings; the crown (double breast) then only requires 4 hours cooking. The legs, I bone the thigh and cut the leg bone half way down. I then take all the cuttings of turkey and stuff the legs - tie the legs back to as near normal shape. I cook these legs the day before; (indeed, in the oven at the moment). I then pressure-cook the bones to give me a good stock for the gravy and also to keep for Boxing day soup. Stuffing, I use a sausage mix, with additional breadcrumbs and chopped up onion, garlic and basil, form into a fat sausage shape in foil and cook off (did mine ages ago, in the freezer). I have 12 attending tomorrow, farangs and wives - good party. Roast potatoes, I peel and shape them - microwave, then deep fry - it's cheating, but it works.

My recent MIL funeral, after the cremation, (3 days) the ashes were collected, a simple ceremony with the monks and the ashes were made into fireworks.

What a way to go!! Leave this planet with a big bang - I've told my wife I want the same when my numbers up.

Have a look in the Phrao area, north of Chiang Mai. I live on the way to Phrao, just 30 k short of the small but bustling town. The Tambon of Long Khod has some outstanding scenery, and the nicest people on the planet. I've lived here 12 years, totally accepted in the community. It's just an hours run to the city, I go usually once a week for shopping, banking etc. Otherwise, Phrao small=town meets our needs with an excellent fresh market. There are some nice properties for rent, but I suggest you are accompanied with a Thai speaker as English not spoken much; and a Thai will be able to go village to village and ask around. There's a couple of small guest houses in Phrao, stay for a week if you can and really research the area. Indeed, anywhere on the road 1001 north of MaeJo is worth looking at. Best of Look, 5555

The controlled drinking experiment has been tried now for a period of time in UK. It may work for non-alcoholics, but it's a total failure for alcoholics, like me.

The OP mentioned his nightmare of getting violent when drunk - a good reason to stop, methinks? My rock-bottom experience was the blackouts, complete loss of memory when drunk. Related to that was my behaviour during a blackout. I could sometimes function apparently normally, of just get silly, or aggressive - I never knew what could happen - the unpredictability was frightening. My real rockbottom was a complete lost weekend whilst in a position of authority, on duty. To this day I don't know what transpired; except on the Monday morning I was filled with self-disgust. I had let myself down, my standing within the workplace, my colleagues, I was damn-near suicidal. I had enough sense to go see a doctor and burbled my misery at him. I don't know exactly what I said, but in essence "I am powerless over alcohol,my life is unmanageable".

After being hospitalized, 10 days later I was referred to an AA meeting in the hospital. I found out I had already taken step 1, the all important one in the 12 step programme. That was over 45 years ago; and I haven't had to go back drinking to test the hypothesis as to whether I'm an alcoholic or not. But I'm just like any other AA member, I'm one drink away from a disaster and I do it by missing out on that 1st drink, one day at a time.

I had a Sony Handycam tape video machine that I hadn't used for a while. Picked it up one day, and could see ants through the viewfinder. Strange,thought I; can't recall videoing ants. On exploration,the whole machine was infested with them. I took it to Sony and the cost of repair was more than it was worth. So I ditched it and bought a basic digital one, much smaller, handier and works well. In that respect the little devils did me good. Is it just me, or has this year seen an increase in Ant activity?; they seem to be everywhere, in the house, garden and out buildings.

One thing I'm doing and I'm proud of it - growing my own coffee. I have 40 or so bushes round the garden walls. I get enough coffee now to keep me going for a year. It's been a pleasure finding out how to grow and process the coffee. Visitors reckon it's the tops. Incidentally, it's suggested that coffee grows best in the mountains, but I'm in a valley between hills, 70 k north of Chiang Mai city and it works down here too.

My first encounter with this was BIL who just walked into my workshop whilst I was there, not a word spoken, opened my fishing box and took out a packet of hooks. On his way out of the door, I stopped him and relieved him of my possessions. "Mai Kemoy" I said and he was truly offended. My wife had to explain to him that if he wanted anything he had to ask first. He was completely bemused. It took 3 or 4 times before it sunk in. He now asks and the word has got round amongst the extended family.

Another one - not been here long and a lady comes past the patio, wais and smiles; proceeds down the garden, returns with a fistful of vegetables. I said to my wife, "Hey, who's that lady just walked in and helped herself to our veg?" "Oh,it's OK" she said, "that's my brother who died's wife's aunt from the next village". "So?", said I. "Ah," said my wife "She's family" - which apparently answered my question. It was one of my first experiences with different culture; different practices. I now take it in its stride, especially when I help myself to papaya from my sister-in-law's patch.

I have always been a fan of the psychological analysis contained in Maslow's Hierarchy. Self awareness, (Buddhist 'Dharma') is something I'm working on, and is consistent with the self-esteem level of the pyramid.

I have only learnt of this since coming to Thailand, so to answer the Op's question - yes, I have improved living here in Thailand. To actually enjoy moments of serenity, no hassle, no significant problems, to love and be loved - these are happening to me now on a regular basis, So, self-actualisation is where I am at the moment. I've always said, that this is what those fellas walking round in yellow sheets are looking for - I maintain it's possible, nay, more likely by living a good life outside of some wat.

I find that just saying a little something in Thai will change their attitude.

You don't need to know much thai, just a few phrases that will apply to almost any situation.

Just enough that they will think you understand them.

My favorite ( I used it just this morning):

When you hear the word Farang used smile and in Thai tell them " I am not Farang, I am Saparot!"

They always pause for a second and then burst out in laughter.

Sometimes they even repeat it to their friends who might not have heard you.

You are telling them that you are not a Guava, you are a Pineapple!

Some will ask "why are you a pineapple?"

I tell them that I am brown and rough outside and soft and sweet inside. Again, they laugh.

If you can tell a little joke about yourself in their language you are ahead of the game and gain a little respect.

They are very careful about what they say about you in the future.

Now to some locals I am known as Mister Saparot!

This is exactly my approach. However, living in CM - I don't use 'Saparot'; I use Bey Kwakah (phonetics?) which is the Lanna Thai for the same thing, Guava. I believe the Isaan for Guava is Sri Thay - so that would work there.

In general, if I hear them starting to talk about me, I say, "Bor ben Yang (Lanna for Mai pen rai) falang chawp sanook" - smile, and they are then somewhat guarded in what they say. The only sticky one I had was a tuk-tuk driver who started slating me, but a quick response, Khun khit pom gnu, mai? (you think I'm stupid?) and he soon backed off.

Thai Buddhism (really animism) is as far from the teachings of Buddha; as Roman Catholicism is from the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. I find the basic Buddhist teachings of spiritual growth and personal awareness (Dharma) very enlightening.As a secular humanist I can experience spiritual awareness, appreciation of beauty, love, kindness, simple lifestyle - without the mythological and supernatural belief structures built into all organised religions.

The Thais appear to be religious purely because they are not taught to think outside of 'the box', they are brainwashed from an early age to believe the hogwash that is served up to them, same as most poor muslim believers. Education and self- understanding is the key, to my mind.

It's thought that between 3% and 5% of the population are biologically incapable of handling ethyl alcohol in any shape or form. Even at the lower end, that's a lot of folk living miserable lives because their head is telling 'em to drink, and their body can't deal with it. I happen to be one of those people - I didn't work it out until AA found me in a psychiatric hospital. As has been said, it's the 1st drink that causes the trouble; because 'more' kicks in once the first goes down the neck. So, the aim, miss out on the first drink. Sounds simple, eh? But, thousands of people die with this illness because they haven't the self-honesty to admit it. Yes, it's a killer, and a major killer in the world today. In the West, up to 20% of long-term hospital inpatients have a booze problem - that's a big chunk of society.

You are in the lucky group that have the self-honesty and self-courage to admit it's got out of hand and are prepared to do something about it. As has been said, joining in with other folk who have faced up to this reality could be a life-saver. Find your nearest AA group and be prepared to listen to others experiences. That's how I did it, years ago, and still sober today. Hope you make it.

I retired early at 55 from a high-pressure job in local govt, very much under public scrutiny and criticism. The pension was good, and sufficient then to do what I really wanted to do, become a professional actor. There's no money in the acting world, except for a lucky few. I was adequately covered with my pension, so I was able to take on so called 'profit share' small scale theatre (which meant no money at all). I had a ball for 8 years or so, loved an active retirement, and the buzz of a few choice TV slots. Then 13 years ago, came to Thailand on holiday, fell in love with the place, and basically, been here ever since on a 2nd retirement.

As has been suggested, retirement doesn't mean becoming brain-dead. I still have an active life, indeed, keeping fit at 75 needs some dedication. Also, moments lying in the garden, just watching clouds, or butterflies or birds - a form of meditation; is spiritually uplifting. Serenity and peace of mind become increasingly important in old age and I certainly enjoy it. I read a lot, enjoy living with an extended Thai family and sharing their lives. And surfing the Internet is a pleasure that I didn't have 20 years ago, but now helps to keep the mind active.

I'm enjoying my old age.

One of the good things within AA is the basics. I'm 45 years sober, yet Frank and I share much common ground. I stay sober one day at a time. I have the knowledge that one drink would be a disaster - we share that understanding. The accumulated wisdom and experience of people in AA is certainly a greater power than just my own; that's why we stick together.I'm up in Chiang Mai, never been to Phuket - yet have this affinity with the AA folk there.

More success stories like this, please.

I didn't even need my marriage certificate.I think each chunwat make's their own set of rules,within certain guidelines if that makes sense.I have been told a farang can have a blue book if their house is in a company,mine is on a 30 year lease.

You can have a blue book but your farang name cannot be in it. Only Thai's can have their name in the Blue Book. I also have a Blue Book for my condo in my name, and I still cannot have my name in the Blue Book. And yes, I also have a house in a company name but once again my name cannot be in the book, only the house address

Blue Book for Thais, Yellow Book for farangs. Any farang who claims that they have their name in a Blue Book, just means someone made a mistake..... like those who claim that being in a Yellow Book entitles them to medical care at a Thai public hospital.... another mistake made by a local amphur who doesn't know the law

Do I detect a note of jealousy in that last statement? TV is full of moans about how Thai bureaucracy changes rules to suit themselves. So, here is a situation, (personal experience buddy, not conjecture) - that helps a few farangs. Not getting 'your fair share?. How very Thai.....

Unless you are seeking permanent residency what is thepoint of the yellow book?

I have had one for some time now. I have used it on a number of occasions, to confirm identity. I recently had a 'flu jab at the local clinic. The number in the yellow book was used to authenticate a flu' jab that was offered to all elderly people in the Tambon. I understand that the number is also registered at the local hospital and so far, I have had free medical care. A stay in hospital 2 years ago for bronchitis, I paid extra for the private room, but that was all.

So, in my view, a yellow book is useful; but as others have said - depends on the friendliness of the Amphur. I have a friendly Amphur in Phrao, north of Chiang Mai. My teaching as a volunteer at the local school for 5 years is well known and is one of the best things I did to underline my acceptance in the community. I understand that the civil service head of the Amphur has stated that he'd like more Farangs living in the Amphur, so some of the problems met in other areas are smoothed out here.

Seriously though; I live near Mae Ngat reservoir, which is one of the main storage areas off the River Ping in Chiang Mai. I note this year that it's nowhere near full, and has a lot of capacity left. It's now fairly late on in the Monsoon season and there has been little or no flooding in the area. So, despite the warnings, I doubt if we will see any problems this year.It would seem that any excess water has been let flow in an organised way and thus a sensible management scheme has been implemented.

2 things I always ask UK visitors to bring out for me is 'Yorkshire Tea' and Sweetex tablets , both unobtainable in Thailand.

Just so happens I was there yesterday for my annual extension of visa for retirement. Went the day before at 8.30 pm (allegedly when the office opens) only to be told that the day was full, come back tomorrow. My wife asked for a ticket for the following day, (Friday) - 'we don't do that'. So, arrived at 6.50am Friday to join a queue already long. Eventually got ticket 46 from the lady in mention, who was totally harassed, gave me a ticket as well as my wife. I tried to hand it back but she just ignored me. Found out we would not be seen until after 1pm. (Everything, but everything stops at lunchtime, however busy it is). Got to the desk at 1.40 - charming lady, just 20 minutes to complete the paperwork. Then had to wait an hour for the head honcho to sign the passport and get it back.

Agree, CM Immigration is chaos - hope it gets better in the new office in Mae Rim. Yes, it's not helped by the biddy doing the initial 'triage' work = about time for one of those 'inactive' posts to be created