monsieurhappy

monsieurhappy

Have a very good friend in some what the same situation as yourself - if you receive some good info would appreciate your passing along

Regards

Barry Cross

Update.

I bought a ph/chlorine testing kit for 480 baht ( refils for the liquids are available for under 200 baht each ) and a 20klg tub of chorine powder for 1900 baht. ( the guy in shop said this should last around 3 months ) So far I've been cleaning the pool myself for 1 week ( I've used the pool vacuum 3 times - about 1/2 hour each time and only needed to add approx. 1 cupful of chlorine )

So for not much work for myself I have a clean pool and am saving money.

Saving money was NOT the reason I started cleaning my pool, good service and consistency was!

If "Tea money" becomes "Gas money" we can say "on yer bike!!"

Does anyone know how much the CAT (009) charges are to the UK from mobile and land lines. Thanks.

Thought this was 7 baht per min. but why don't you try www.jajah.com ?? This works out to less than 2p per min. and you get 5 free mins. to try.

Last week I went to the UK Embassy in Bangkok to renew my passport. My old one was due to run out on Nov. 14th. 2006. and I wanted to get my new one before I needed to do my next 90 day report. I also thought I needed to have 6 months on the passport and not wait until the old one ran out. The UK passport website explains that they will give you credit in whole months for any time not used up on your old passport.

I have just received my new PP in the post but it is dated to start from April 26th. 2006 - the day after I applied for new one until April 26th. 2016. I was expecting this date to be Nov. 14th. 2016 to take into account the time I was giving up in the old PP.

I have just phoned the UK Embassy and explained the problem, only to be told that they only issue PPs for 10 years and that they cannot credit any lost time. Is this correct or have they made a mistake? Is it worth persuing this or do I let it go? Is my PP valid or the fact they should have added on 6/7 months going to prove a problem later?

I include part of the UK Passport website, hope the attachment works!

Over a week ago I saw some rally cars driving along "Driving Street" near Maprachan lake, Pattaya. Looking on Google I found this site http://sr-motorsport.com/setframes.html?./srmdox/events.html and realised there had been a rally near Pattaya. There was a rally last Oct. near Rayong but until I found this site on the web didn't realise there was going to be one this year. It seems that altogether there are 4 rallies in Thailand this year. There is probably info in Thai car mags., but I don't read Thai so I was wondering if anyone has any info about these rallies? ie. Maps, times and spectator facilities. If anyone is interested maybe we could get together and take a look see!

I'm at Natheekarn Park View about 1/2 mile past the Terrace. Last year I went to TT&T in Carrefour to see if I could get ADSL. They said it was over subscribed at that time and I was also too far away but asked me to fill out a form for when it became available later. About 2 weeks ago TT&T phoned to ask if I was still interested in ADSL as they were doing a promotion - look on TT&T website, router, registration and first month for only 3baht. I said yes and they said they would phone again when someone would come to the house. As yet, no-one as phoned, I will go in to Carrefour soon to find out what as happened and post.

So I asked in TT&T about the offer they phoned me about - "Solly mister, you are too far away from exchange!" So why you call me then? - "Solly mister, new staff!" So when can I expect to get ADSL? - "Maybe June or July!" This year? - "Don't know mister!" T I T.

I'm at Natheekarn Park View about 1/2 mile past the Terrace. Last year I went to TT&T in Carrefour to see if I could get ADSL. They said it was over subscribed at that time and I was also too far away but asked me to fill out a form for when it became available later. About 2 weeks ago TT&T phoned to ask if I was still interested in ADSL as they were doing a promotion - look on TT&T website, router, registration and first month for only 3baht. I said yes and they said they would phone again when someone would come to the house. As yet, no-one as phoned, I will go in to Carrefour soon to find out what as happened and post.

Just a thought here, sorry if I'm off the mark. In Pattaya at IT city there is a shop in the basement that sells loads of different brand, new, remotes. Would it not be possible to find somewhere in your area that sold the remote you need.

I have just come back from the british embassy and there is no problems with applying for a new passport at this time.

We must have passed each other somewhere yesterday as I too went and renewed my passport!

Up to now my Toyota servicing seems to have been basic with nothing special to recommend me to return now my warranty is over, so wanted to know if anyone uses a service facility that they can recommend!

My Toyota pick-up is now out of waranty. I have always used Toyota servicing for the waranty period but am wondering if I can get better service elsewhere. Does anybody use other servicing facilities in Pattaya that you can recommend? Thanks.

What do you think? I'd hate to lose my hard disc as I haven't backed up for ages. (I know, what an idiot). If the shop wants to replace the hard disc, should I take it elsewhere?

Thanks Kerry, any advice is appreciated.

Doesn't sound good. Sounds like it's not even making it to POST (Power On Self Test).

Hmmmm, can you remove the modem without taking the machine apart ? Is it an add-on card or built in ?

If it is an add-on card, try removing it then booting the computer. Otherwise, unfortunately, it could be at least 3 different things (motherboard, RAM, hard drive). Only way to really know would be to test each component separately. I'm not set up here to do that.

I think I would try taking the machine to one of the hardware shops in TukCom, and ask them to specifically check the hard drive. Don't tell them what happened. First thing they'll do is try to boot the machine. After that they would hopefully pull the hd and test it in another machine.

If the hard drive checks out ok, have them test the RAM, and then the motherboard. If you're lucky, you may only have to replace one component.

There are ways to recover crashed hard drives, but it's not easy, and probably not readily available here. You may end up having to FedEx it to a company in the States, and it won't be cheap.

I was going to set up my own little shop here to do stuff like this (more as a way of keeping myself occupied, than an attempt to make money). Problem is, if I go back to work overseas, I'd end up having to shut it down rather quickly. Be more problems than it would be worth.

Thanks kerry, you've pretty much confirmd what the guy in the shop said, which is reassuring in itself. The modem is built in.

I guess I'll just have to let them take it apart and see what they come up with.

You should think seriously about your PC repair shop. Not sure about the work permit angle, but I amconvinced there is a huge demand amonst farangs for a farang managed repair service. Every time I go into Wattana, there is a crowd of farangs hanging around the repair desks trying to get their lap tops fixed, and there's allways loads of people with problems on the cumputer forum - me included. Let me know if you change your mind and I'll start sending you customers

Anyway, thanks once again for the advice and info.

It's easy to see what the problem is ......................

It's all that rain coming down at Maprachan got into it!!

I've been using the same co. to clean my pool for over 3 years now and most of the time it's satisfactory. It's approx. 10 x 5 metres and they're supposed to come 6 days a week for 2000B per month. Just lately they have got inconsistent and sometimes don't come for 3/4 days at a time and always at different times so you have to leave the gate and pool house unlocked if you want to go out or lock up and don't get cleaned. Anyway, I'm a bit p!ssed off with the service and am thinking of doing the job myself. In fact I've done it a few times when they've not been around.

What I want to know is how much I am going to have to pay to get the kit to test the water and the first batch of chemicals ( ie. chlorine etc. ) needed for cleaning? I'm near Pattaya so can you recommend the best shop to use? I already have the vacume, hose and brushes etc. so do not need these.

I hope this is the place you mean:-

Euro Park Hotel

27 Sukhumvit. Soi 1.

Bangkok.

Tel: 02-254-1074/5 02-255-4224/5

FAX: 02-254-1076

Does anyone know if I can apply for an old type passport before May 15th.?

1. You can not import duty free without a work permit.

2. Your wife can only import if she have been living overseas for the required time.

3. Embassy can issue a multi entry non immigrant O-A for retirement. When you enter country you receive a 1 year permitted to stay stamp.

I don't know if the rules have been changed since I came here 3 1/2 years ago but before leaving the UK I shipped a box ( approx 1 1/2 cubic metres ) containing personal items, in my Thai wifes name. We used her sisters address in Bangkok as her forwarding address because at that time we did not have a permanent home. In fact we were living in hotels for 6 weeks after arriving. We left the UK at about the same time as the box. This arrived about a month after despatch and notification of arrival was delivered to my sister-in-laws house. We phoned the customs in Bangkok and asked if they could store the box until we were able to pick it up ( about 4 weeks ) After we had moved into our new home in Jan. we went to Customs in Bangkok with the paperwork. It took 6 long hours of being sent from one office to the next to stamp this and sign that but eventually got to take the box with us. We paid NO fees to customs. At the time of shipping and arrival I had only a 6 month tourist visa, my wife had lived in UK for about 3 years.

Alexx,

Astral,... aargh how can that be...Mabprachan, the place where the elite of Pattaya resides

I like that Monty, makes me feel special!

When I saw "Bangkok Air" and "Lumpini" I thought it was a thread about another pilot landing at the wrong airport!!

"Hold your arm up a bit! Your dirty fingers are nearly touching my pussy and my t!ts are sagging!!"

Hi Monty,

My UPS is probably middle of the road as far as price and until the other day gave me no problems. I have not tried the 60 watt bulb experiment but have pulled the plug a few times since the initial incident without losing power to the comp. As a matter of fact, last night ( 17th. ) we had a short power cut and no problem. I could understand the comp. cutting out if the battery was dead but it's not. and I don't loose phone connection when I get a power cut even though the phone is routed through the UPS. That's why I asked if it could have been a power surge as I have no experience of these. I accept that everthing has a sell-by date and my UPS is 6 months past the guarantee but the battery seems to be OK. I have just pulled the plug for 5 mins. while writing this letter. I don't know much about electricity so can't comment about transfer time or switching to inverter. I don't know how a stabiliser works either, does it still work even if the battery is dead? Obviously, I'll be keeping an eye on things as I don't want a dead comp. but at the moment I'm treating it as a one off.

francois,

as I've said above, my phone line is routed through the UPS, normally, if there's a power cut, the battery keeps the comp. working and I am still on-line. When I had the power cut the other day, the comp. went down and the phone with it as if I had switched off the comp. whilst on-line.

I don't usually give opinions about this sort of thing but in the last few days I have been thinking about what advice I would like to give my grandson so prompted my reply.

You don't say if you are working at the moment or if your gf or baby are with you. I would presume they are in Thailand and you are feeling pretty low as you are not with them. Don't let this make you decide to do something which could have a big effect on the rest of your life. Coming to Thailand at your age without a job or a good education is NOT the thing to do IMO. Thailand might be cheaper to live than UK but that doesn't mean you can exist on nothing and I can't see you acquiring decent qualifications if you don't have money to pay for them.

If I was in your shoes I would get my education in the UK. 24 is not too old, my daughter was much older than that when as a single mother she got a degree. Bring your gf to the UK, OK I know it's not easy and may take a while but it is doable. Once you are together I'm sure you'll work things out and she would be able to work and help. A few years of hard work in the UK will one day pay for many happy years in LOS.- and the advice I would give my grandson- set your goals and work towards them, don't let life make the decisions for you as it has a way of playing nasty tricks!

Just my 2 bahts worth.

This is also a Leonics-Green 111 type. It's just 2 1/2 years old but as the guarantee was for 2 years I had better start looking for a replacement or a new battery. Thanks for the info.

My failed UPS was a Leonics-Green also. I don't know where you are or even if you are in Thailand, but my local Leonics agent in Pattaya is Wattana Computers opposite Foodland in Central Pattaya Road.

I am also in Pattaya, bought my UPS from Wattanas. So what's the best way, new battery or new UPS?

francois What you're saying is if UPS works ( beeep ) then battery is OK, so what is your opinion of the original problem? ie. This time everthing went down then the power returned after a couple of seconds but I had to reboot to get back online. I tested the UPS after I was up and running again and it worked fine, both using the test button and removing the plug from the socket.

According to your theory the battery is OK. I have tested it a few more times since the power cut and it works every time. When I had the power cut the phone line was also cut which doesn't normally happen even though it runs through the UPS.

Just one last thing, does anyone know, if the battery is on the way out will the stabiliser still work?

How old is your UPS? I had a Leonics II, bought in April 2002, and in December 2005 I experienced a similar problem as yours. The UPS worked fine afterwards but, last month, the same thing happened again. Now, the unit controller has failed completely and the local Leonics service agent told me that the initial temporary glitsch was a sign of this impending failure.

This is also a Leonics-Green 111 type. It's just 2 1/2 years old but as the guarantee was for 2 years I had better start looking for a replacement or a new battery. Thanks for the info.

I have just had a power cut at my house whilst using the computer. I have a UPS with stabiliser that normally takes care of everything until the power returns ( short break ) or gives me time to close everthing if the power cut lasts longer than a few minutes. This time everthing went down then the power returned after a couple of seconds but I had to reboot to get back online. I tested the UPS after I was up and running again and it worked fine, both using the test button and removing the plug from the socket. Anyone can tell me what this may be? Was it a power surge?