cooked

Dunno, we built and rebuilt two structures recently here, no hassle, but of course that depends on where you live. I just started an extension without any qualms, nobody cares if I finish plus or minus a meter or so, or when I finish. This is why I love Thailand. I will be helping the SIL with his new build soon, same story. Don't worry, the worst that can happen is that you pay a few thousand Baht to someone to turn a blind eye, but I doubt it.

Over 40 in seven days recently... then again there are long periods of nada. I think percentage of likes to number of posts is more important than how many you have stacked up over the years.

I love my Almera which I bought 5 months ago. Roomy, a joy to drive (it almost drives itself). With CVT version (no ABS, only one airbag) I get 18.3 Km/Litre with about 1/3 each of country roads, highways and city traffic which is something to consider. As it hasn't had its first service yet I haven't really put my foot down very often but I have found it adequate for getting away from minibus drivers and the ilk.The

฿483 000.- (now ฿495 000.-) includes three years first class insurance plus road rescue service. The after sales service seems to be very good so far.

I must admit that it isn't a car that will give you much protection in a traffic accident. Just a good family car, we do a daily school run of 80Km and have done a few longer trips.

I went to Kap Choeng immigration for proof of address and got charged ฿500.- plus 4 hours driving.

I was told that the local police station was supposed to do this for free so off we went for the full license. Two hours wait, one of which we initially thought was a friendly opportunity to sit down in comfort and then realised that it was a holding cell! The man turns up, farts around a bit trying to find a fault in our papers, then suddenly, I get fingerprinted! He takes a photo off me and sticks it on a document and asks how much money I have. I told him, nervously, ฿800.- (a lie) and so he took that, glancing into my wallet. He was a high ranking police officer and had a gun, so you do what you're told. I know that aliens are supposed to announce their presence at their police station, so I assume that this is what I was doing from his point of view.

Nice guy, he promised to come and visit me some time, which I am really looking forward to of course.

So don't go to the police station unless you know someone.

Blimey. Fan in the daytime when the doors are open most of the time anyway, air conditioning afternoons/evenings, but generally only in the living room until about 20 minutes before we go to bed. Freezer, fridge, water heating for the shower...we had ฿900.- one month when we forgot the A/C for three days absence, otherwise around ฿500.- a month, sometimes down to 300. Of course if you need 18°C then this doesn't work.

A Thai guy I know got married in similar circumstances (wife a teacher, father Civil servant...) ฿100 000.- , not one million, counted out in cash during the ceremony to impress the guests, and returned afterwards (her mother doesn't know this).

One million is way over the top, I think you should have a figure in mind when you go visit and somehow bring half of that sum into the conversation. There will be a polite pause and a day or two later a counter offer will come. I agree about the expensive whiskey, maybe some other generous presents, don't forget the mother, she is the ultimate decider. If they stick out for one million or half a million I would see what your girlfriend suggests as a solution.

That's because of Global Warming!

Record cold temperatures around the world won't stop the global warming industry with their dire predictions.

I'm sorry but this is drivel and not true. Australia: record high temperatures, US: long draughts, Switzerland: glaciers retreated a long way over my lifetime, Greenland icesheet melting, Arctic to become icefree in summers in a few years, Antarctic: ... do you actually do any reading ?

I know Thais like to wait until the last minute to do anything.

Are you already that Thai?

I am always 100% sure I am 100% ready at least one week before I go to Immigration.

Yes, I even research to be sure nothing new or different is required since my last visit.

It was only a 90 day check in, but I went to immigration yesterday.

In and out in less than 10 minutes.

Nothing but smiles from everyone in the office.

It pays to be prepared.

100% agree been on three annual 1 year visa runs could not complain at all . Just make sure you have all the required documents , do everything with a smile and a 100 baht tea money things go as smooth as silk . The first time I went I had actually washed my old passport with the 1 year retirement multiple entry visa in and presented the new passport . The officer at immigration just checked on the computer and CALLED The Brisbane Thai embassy to check what I was saying was correct which took all of 10 minutes then just went through my documents and stamped my new passport in and out in about 30 minutes .

Why do you give them tea money? No need for this at all. Just have the right documents, be polite and have a reasonable appearance and everything will be OK.

Well I have never been able to offer tea money to expedite things but there are places where you won't get anywhere if you don't.

Preparation in advance? Ha ha. I telephoned the day before we went the first time, got everything together and got there nice and early the next day. The guy that I 'phoned with wanted my 'confirmation of freedom to marry' paper, which he hadn't mentioned. (And wasn't accepting any tea money).We were told that the Amphur where we got married must have it, so off to the Amphur: 'mai mee'. On the same day we got a visit from immigration police, he talked to our neighbours, relatives and local shopkeepers. So maybe they just send you home sometimes so they can check up on you.

We did eventually find the paper and things went over ok.

Yes you should avoid using your Italian card here if you can. I transfer money by standing order to my Bangkok Bank savings account and use a Thai debit card. It can be a hassle getting a debit card, you need an address in Thailand etc. try another branch or bank if the first one refuses.

I am thinking about changing to Siam Commercial myself as they seem much friendlier.

I agree about spiking the lawn, you will have to water it first. What I have done in the past when people didn't want to redo their lawns completely, has been to scatter and rake in quartz sand at the rate of 1 M3 per 100M2. Lawns, that is grass, prefers lighter, well drained, slightly acidic soils. A lot of the sand around will not be quartz sand, which is generally dredged from rivers. Apply a few drops of the bathroom cleaner Vixol, if the sand bubbles, it is not acidic. Clay is very reluctant to release its nutrients and leads to a yellowy poorly growing lawn.

Your cow manure should give results, water it in immediately, go easy on the dosage.

Well you do find books occasionally, I found this in Tescos in Lamplaimatt Buriram where there are very few Farangs. Just a fun book based around English, about 4 lessons in there I think.

Bear in mind that not so long ago people spent their days underneath their houses on stilts (many still do ariund here). No point on knocking on a door that isn't there. The two grandchildren of my wife used to walk by without a greeting until I started standing in their way, they had to go the long way. As it turns out they were very shy. My actions backfired on me as they now take pleasure in creeping up behind me and sawasdeeing the hell out of me.

Shyness gone anyway and I now have most of the neighbours shouting a greeting across a garden or two.

But it's generally not done to greet people here, bit of a shock for me after Switzerland.

Sent from my GT-S7500 using Tapatalk 2

If you google ' Home Schooling Thailand' you will fin some interesting results, including the fact that there is a legal basis for home schooling in Thailand. There have been a few threads here on Thai Visa also.

http://a2zhomeschooling.com/regional/asia_homeschooling/thailand_homeschooling/

This is important as you will be told that it is illegal by everybody. I went into all this stuff a year ago when we sort of adopted a 7 year old that is very bright.We ultimately decided to send it to one of the 'better' schools here and I give her English lessons on weekends. I had already noticed that although she has learnt the English alphabet, she cannot read a word like 'DOG' so I have to agree about the quality of Thai schools. You should be able to teach English yourself, you need a decent textbook and you need to keep it fun

Tutors: I will be very surprised if you can find a good one, maybe a student that has studied abroad?

Most Home Schoolers agree that it is very helpful to have a group of parents in your area to exchange resources and experience.

You can buy quite nice onions here but I have so far been unable to find any seeds. I smuggled in some seeds and sowed them towards the end of the rainy season. They are doing nicely although they seem a bit small, as per foto attached (thinning out). We have a nice light soil now after much work so ideal for onions and company.

So, apart from the fact that I need to feed them more (I was a bit leery of over feeding at the beginning), I am wondering why nobody seems to cultivate from seeds, are they going to be struck down by some dread disease? My wife just buys onion sets.

I also tried with smuggled in European garlic, growing great guns in comparison to the Thai stuff that we tried before and seemed to be smaller after three months than when I planted them.

Chives? Same thing, going great from seed.

The bunching onions that we also started recently hardly seem worth while.

So why no cultivation from seeds?

I'm with Kblaze ... Hey OP , you got more story to tell ??? .....

... trying to stay polite here. When you go down that kind of path you cannot know how things are going to turn out, you have to deal with: the guy (maybe dead, maybe not), his family and his little friends, the police. You think you can deal with all of that? Out here in Isaan with the help of the family we could drag him out into the fields and bury the sod but Bangkok? I doubt it. Shoot him in the foot if you have time to get your gun, load it (you don't leave a loaded gun around, do you?) and calmly aim and do it. Forget it hard men. Buy a burglar alarm system for the money, maybe a dog.

hmm. I have 'best valued member' on mine, Invadeit won't accept it, but when I am in Europe I can use it for everything as far as I know,

Both my old iphone and my Samsung have apps called something like 'Battery Doctor'. They tell you what apps are running in the background like Bluetooth, messengers and so on. Using 3G is a big drain as is navigation.

555... the Swiss embassy merely warns of

Thanks for the report, we won't be able to go unfortunately.

Kap Choeng Immigration is 60 km south of Surin on the 214 by bus from Surin its 40 baht. Its 1900 baht for your 30 day extention at KCI. Go to the main (old bus station) and on the NE side you well see 12 passenger white vans, some say in English ,Chong Chom/Surin , this is the van to catch, they ruin about every 30 minutes. It cost 40 bath to KCI and the buss will let you off in front. Very big sign you can not miss it. For another 20 baht the van goes to the Chong Chom border crossing.

Very big sign (on the right), yes, but you can miss it if you don't know where it is. More or less in the centre of 'town'.

My 5 years as a Ranger has prepared me for any eventuality.

Bush Ranger?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_%28Girl_Guide%29

You asked for it...

It is never wise to advise people that a certain situation is 100% safe when the media, both official and private, have been giving out warnings. If something does happen then you are morally responsible.

I myself only go to Bangkok when I have to, and if I had to go on the 13th I would be more worried about the traffic than anything else. I lost 2 hours leaving the place last time I was there because of a demo.