croftrobin

Just wanted to tack on a supplementary question in case anybody with firsthand experience responds. Apart from speed, how noticeable is the delay arising from the bouncing of the signal to the satellite and back again?

It adds roughly about an average 900ms second delay (450ms up + 450ms down) to a ping to Europe but sometimes this rises to 1.5 secs.

A ping to BKK is about 850 ms

A lot really depends about the routing.

You can forget being 1st in first person shooting games! but other online games are fine.

Voip I find is OK. I use mostly Voipcheap (which I can redirect to any land/mobile phone for only 1 uk p per minute for incoming calls) or skype.

Opening a webpage to read, there is a slight lag as per above but once the page starts to open its fine. You can't read quick enougth.

I also use the connection to assist my Multichoice Africa satellite tv reception and its fine(but that is a different subject not to be discussed here!)

ToT now have the contract for IPStar in Thailand - and have done so now for over a year when they took it over from CSLoxinfo. (Who held it for about 5 years )

Any other company/ reseller other than TOT, who offer IPstar will be charging more and even (like CSLoxinfo now do) placing bandwidth restrictions upon your usage. They just but the bandwidth from TOT and resell it

If you are still with CS Loxinfo then I suggest you move to TOT as for certain their service is no worse than CSLoxinfo (NOTE I DO NOT SAY BETTER!) but you will be saving money and have no bandwidth restrictions.

I have used IPStar for nearly 5 years for internet cafe usage so do speak from experience.

We have the corporate connection 1024/512 and pay 4,900+ VAT per month

I use all common VOIP packages, download torrents etc with no problems.

The home use packages are very cheap starting at around 1500 for 256/128 and up to 2600 for 1024/512.

Suits me as we can not/will never get! ADSL

JJ Market - Loads of choice there.

This is more of a gardening question than farming question. But hope you guys can help me out.

Where can I buy flower seeds in Bangkok? At villa they only have vegie seeds.

Which brand is the most reliable?

Well in case someone has a quick answer :

I have not located it as yet, but does anyone know of a boarding type school for Girls only in Buriram Province area , I am told there is one ?

Hi Mac

I am south of Buriram and am not aware of one near here. I do know there is a (weekly?) boarding school in Nang Rong but I know that takes boys as a friend dropped some pupils there as a favour for his neighbour.

My wife states that there is one but does not know where it it - so it does exist !- and has been open for a long time (20 -30 years) she will ask a few people.

Your monitor can not cope with the frequency of the graphics card.

Start the PC and press F5 to start in safe mode then adjust your display size and frequency and restart.

Does anyone know why sometimes my computer won't turn on and has a box saying overfrequency in the middle of a black screen? It happens about once in 15 times turning it on. Restart doesn't work, I actually have to unplug both cords from the wall then restart to work. I gather it has something to do with the frequency of the screen because if I don't unplug the screen and restart, it's still overfrequency. How can I fix it?

Thanks.

Hi,

I have a folder with many (>1,000) files (plant photos). How can I import the file name list into an Excel sheet or Access table which would then allow me to add remarks, descriptions etc. to each file?

opalhort

If your photos are in a folder called photos on your C drive then

go to Start -> Run and type:

cmd /c dir c:\photos /b > photolist.txt

A text file with the alphabetic file list will be created (it will not open automatically) just do a search for photolist.txt once you have run the command.

You can then import the text file into any application you choose.

Your 7.5' dish will be fine for IS8 and you should experience no rain fade as the Australia Network signal is very strong. You will also receive BBC World on the same Satellite.

If your dish is a move system and you can not move the dish down low enough too see the satellite then you will have to get the local sat engineer out to adjust your motor a little. An easy job and should take them less than an hour to do.

Pas 8 - FTA - C band - so not rain affected?

Where are you guys? Good signal? I've got a 7.5' dish and live in Chonburi province but closer to Rayong than Chonburi.

My wife loves rabit and I am sure if it moves she will eat it,if it dont move give it a shove and she will have a go!

Loves kangaroo and asks me to stop for road kill (she kids me)

Where I lived for about 14 years before moving here, was in rural Perthshire, Scotland.

It was a regular occurance for me to run over rabbits, pheasants and (at great repair costs and thankfully not so often!) the odd deer.

My Thai wife was at first horrified when after striking such animals with the car and them not being dead I would always stop and put them out their misery. (for the deer I fortunately always carried my golf clubs in the back of my car)

The Law in Scotland is that you can not pick up what you just run over/killed yourself as that is seen as illegal hunting, however this is often unobserved if you phone a friend of just reverse! Or you see that car in front take one out.

There is nothing better than fresh killed rabbit - (glancing blow!) and a rabbit stew.

Deer and pheasant must be hung for a few weeks - in this climate not practical!! But fine in the cool outhouse in Scotland!!

There are no wild animals left in 95% of Thailand (How many times have you seen a rabbit here outwith a cage?)

I spend a few months in the Negev area of Israel next to the Gaza Border in the mid 90's and the Thais working there would spend the Sabbath hunting rabbits (no wonder as their pay was so poor) - now the rabbit there is extinct.

So, yes Thais eat Rabbits here (but as there are very few left apart from the fat fluffy ones) they prefer deer and pheasant!

If you want Duty Free that is actually a bargain then if you ever cross over from Thailand into Laos via the Friendship Bridge call into the duty free shops on the Laos side.

1 Litre JD - US$17

1 Litre Johnny Black - US$18 (if I remember rightly)

750ml Johnny Green - can't remember the precise amount but I am pretty sure recalling it being US$18 same as 1L JB.

Basically any of the alcohol is cheaper than you'll find in any shops in Vientiane. One tip though check between the shops as there is quite often a dollar or two in difference between prices.

My scope on this is the following:

Often all the stuff you buy at land border crossings - especially... Cambodia & Laos are Fake. Fags and booze are prime examples.

Try the taste test Buy a bottle of JW both here in TH & at the border of the 2 above mentioned countries - take a good measure from each - even add a little water or ice if your inclined that way!, 1 from a real bottle of JW here in Thailand and one from the Cam/ Laos border and I think anybody can taste the difference.

This is true unless you buy from the duty free shops in Cambodia - eg at the Casinos - as the booze there comes from Singapore as you can normally see when you check the non brand labels that are on the bottle.

This is from my own experience at the 4 geographical land border crossings in Thailand nearest me that I have used in the last 5 years.

YCAW !!

Also....

I how does the hydrostatic valve work and is it essential...as I have seen several pools around without any drains/piping in the flooring.

And is there any reason why inlet pipes cannot be put in an upper section of the pool, for example the steps, or say 1 to 1.2 m above the floor in the walls at one end ?

The Hydrostatic Valve is ESSENTIAL if your water table is very close to the bottom of your pool.

To explain it simply:

If your water table is just below your pool bottom and you have a lot of rainfall raising the water table level - it will push your entire pool upwards - think of a bowl in a sink - turn on the tap and the bowl will float in the water. The same will happen to your pool - causing cracks and pipework breaks - if you do not have a Hydrostatic Valve.

If you have a Hydrostatic Valve in your main drain and if the water table rises higher than your pool floor, the valve allows the ground water into the pool - ok you get some dirty pool water - but - your pool does not float and break- thus saving you a few hundred thousand baht for repairs!

If the position of your pool is a lot higher than the water table at its highest in the wet season - eg In my own case - then its not so important. If you don't know then install one.

In the last pool that I helped oversee installation of in locally in Issan, we fitted one as it is not expensive (under 3K Baht) in relation to the total build cost of the pool, and is incorporated into the main drain which links to the skimmer(s) box.

Water returning to the pool from the filter enters the pool normally via the walls (commonly known as eyeball sockets - as they can be adjusted to direct flow) these can be installed where-ever you wish. Ideal positioning is halfway down the wall from the surface to the bottom.

Depending upon the size of you pool you will typically have 3,4 or 5 (more on large pools) eyeball sockets.

If you have steps, yes it is a good idea to have en eyeball at the top step as it will wash all the dirt/sand etc from the step to the bottom of the pool.

If you have steps (as opposed to just a ladder) I would certainly recommend that you utilise the main drain in your circulation as well as the skimmer(s) as more dirt tends to be carried into a pool with steps as opposed to one with just a ladder.

Thanks very much, Im amazed that something that is to do with swimming pools is such a reasonable price !

As its only a piece of plastic together with 2 very small bottles of indicator and a plastic case, at that price its way over priced!

You can buy the bottles of indicator also from the pool shops when the first runs out - and they should not be more than a 100 baht each.

Most shops will post these out to you by EMS as they are light.

If you need a shop that supplies these pm me

Hmm thats actually old news...

Actually It was Liverpool last time - he was going to buy it for the Thai People

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,15410-1263627,00.html

Just announced on Sky News - Taksin is preparing to put in a bid for Man City!!

It gets stranger, did you know that you can sell the skins of frogs to the leather industry ?

Dont know if its the same variety of frog yet.

http://www.theleatherconnection.com/id46.htm

At 8 US Dollars a skin (After tanning) it looks a profitable sideline!!

I've seen this equipment for sale down here in Phuket at Home Pro. Maybe it's available in a home pro near you?

Thanks I will look in BKK. Guess I just need to buy the card from True ? Do you know if you can watch the FTA channels without a card inserted ?

You can not watch the Thai channels broadcast on the KU band for free - you will need a sub. card.

However they same channels TITV,3,5,7,9,11 + about 20 more Thai are free to air on the C Band + Belgian TV, Russia Today (In English) and a multitude of Indian Channels.

If you want this just get a cheap C band install with a small dish - about 5,900 + install fee

I am 13 km from my nearest town so ADSL is not an option. In practise in rural Thailand if you are more than 3 km's from the exchange just forget adsl - no need to ask - just look at the wires dipping into the rice fields!

I have lived here in Buriram province for over 4 years, throughout that time I have used IPStar.

Firstly this was provided by CSLoxinfo and I used them for 3 years ( at a cost of about 120,000 Baht per year)

I now use TOT and pay them 5243 B per month for a 1024 connection.

However both AIS and DTAC have upgraded their masts and GPRS with EDGE Speeds are available here now

On Saturday morning 21/04 I conducted the following speed tests (within a period of 5 minutes) on speedtest.adslthailand.com - please note that these are just a snapshot in time and not do not reflect a continual test over a period of time.

Speed Tests 10.30 am 21/04/07

TOT IPStar - ( I have a 1024/512 corporate connection) (WP reqd for Farang or in wifes name)

Download Speed: 1034 kbps (129.3 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 42 kbps (5.3 KB/sec transfer rate)

DTAC GPRS (tested using my DTAC contract account) (WP reqd for Farang or in wifes name)

Download Speed: 75 kbps (9.4 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 30 kbps (3.8 KB/sec transfer rate)

AIS GPRS (Tested using a pay as you go - 1 2 call account) (Available for anyone and their dog including tourists)

Download Speed: 113 kbps (14.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 43 kbps (5.4 KB/sec transfer rate)

It seem that GPRS Edge speeds are now available outside BKK however please check locally.

GPRS with EDGE is sufficient for surfing - I know of a neighbour who happily uses is to watch the previous nights television news and listens to liveradio.

GPRS on its own is fine for email and surfing (but turn off images)

If you here for a while get TOT IPStar - if not use GPRS, There is no other choice

Are these frog called "kohb" in Thai?...if so there are lots of people around the north who are raising them....my motherinlaw did once and my neighbor did a bit and the people three houses down has a regular business going long term raising them. You can buy the feed around here at the same places where you buy pig food or fish food. I don't know about the economics....if its like most other similar adventures you can bet that the profit margin is slim since so many people do it....if the profit marge increases then more people just build a tank (made from cement blocks...usually between 5 and 8 blocks high...minimal rebar) and start raising them to cash in....until the price comes down and people lose interest and stop (like my mother-in-law).

Frogs are great food...roasted or cooked in geng kob.

Chownah

They are bull frogs - Gohp - you can buy the meat in Macros's in 500g packs frozen - either legs only or whole frogs.

Like anything in Thailand - its the scale that brings in money. Everybody copies everyone else when they think they can make a few baht, however only the people who persevere are smiling. Many people try it and give up.

When you keep that female frog for a year or 18 months she is now worth up to 300 baht (more if you concentrate on certain breeds)

A single female frog can lay up to 10,000 eggs in a single night - you must collect the eggs before they are eaten by the adults and hatch them. In reality you will lose (and weed out) @ 65%

After about 7 weeks each young frog is now worth about 1 baht each.

If you do not have buyers (or like 99.5% of small frog farmers who do not feed them or encourage growth) then obviously you will not reap the profit.

This is not a huge operation and does not require a large area of land - however for not a lot of work it does provide a profitable return.

Works fine for the wife and her cousin or they would not waste their time!

Go on - you've got my attention well and truely!!!

Going price per frog or per lb/kg??

Just what on earth is done with them, how do you feed them, how long to grow, at what age are they slaugtered -and where's the market - I mean how the hel_l do you promote the business and sell the things??

Tell us about it - this has to be a first for the Farming forum.

MF

They are sold at various stages - from tadpoles - to small frogs each at 1, 2 & 5 baht ; by breeding pair, (the male is given for free!) or just per Kg.

Breeding pairs are 2-300 baht,

Per Kg prices range from 45 - 85 depending upon time of year.

Once people hear you are breeding them, buyers turn up regularly and offer to buy them at various ages and also they are sold live at local markets.

They are fed on fish feeds and also love earthworms and insects.

Anyone have any experiences or tips to share?

My wife has a small farm of these - now into the second year.

On the main road ( Highway 219 )from Buriram to Prakhonchai (6 km south of Buriram, near the Khao Kadong enterance) there is a guy selling PV panels and pumps, lights etc.

He has a demo model running water pumps outside the shophouse there.

Well worth a look

I've had the Loxinfo / Shin? version of IPStar for nearly 2 years now. The service just seems to be getting worse. Many PMs I cannot even connect to the network.

I've been reading what little I can find about the TOT version and am tempted to switch .. also I can get 1024 with TOT for the price I'm being charged for 256 at LOX.

What I'm wondering, are there any folks out there who have had both services, and how they compare.

Especially, have you changed from Lox to TOT and wished that you hadn't?

I changed last year from CSLoxinfo when TOT began offering the service and CSLoxinfo's international bandwidth was reduced.

Haven't looked back. Service with TOT is fine.

I have the corporate package 1024/512 (4900 + VAT)

Within about 5 km's of me there are at leat 4 other users (who have the home 256/128 package and they are all happy with the service)

My wife had a problem this week using her Bank of Scotland (same as Halifax) ATM (Visa Electron) card which has worked fine for > 3 years. Tried Tues, Wed & Thurs - no joy.

Kasikorn said timout error but krung thai bank was a bit more informative & said - contact issuing bank.

Thursday afternoon phoned Bank of Scotland and was told that because of the amount of fraud they had stopped allowing ATM withdrawls but purchases etc were fine.

To allow the ATM withdrawls again my wife had to set up effectively telephone banking on the savings account.

No problems just had to choose 2 passwords and confirm regular security questions - she was asked how long she would be in Thailand so she said 6 months - so may have to do again in 6 months if problem reoccurs.

Went Friday am to ATM and it worked fine - 20k withdrawl

So if you are having problems do call your bank in the UK.

Thanks for that croftrobin, the best advice so far!

I'll try that tomorrow

Could she use the same card??

Nikkijah

Yes it was the same card.

My wife had a problem this week using her Bank of Scotland (same as Halifax) ATM (Visa Electron) card which has worked fine for > 3 years. Tried Tues, Wed & Thurs - no joy.

Kasikorn said timout error but krung thai bank was a bit more informative & said - contact issuing bank.

Thursday afternoon phoned Bank of Scotland and was told that because of the amount of fraud they had stopped allowing ATM withdrawls but purchases etc were fine.

To allow the ATM withdrawls again my wife had to set up effectively telephone banking on the savings account.

No problems just had to choose 2 passwords and confirm regular security questions - she was asked how long she would be in Thailand so she said 6 months - so may have to do again in 6 months if problem reoccurs.

Went Friday am to ATM and it worked fine - 20k withdrawl

So if you are having problems do call your bank in the UK.

have satellite TV in Pattaya and will be moving the Dish, pole it is on and receiver.

I wonder if I can set up wireless satellite through my 7.5 ft dish.

Barry

No you will not be able to use the same dish. A separate 1.5m Offset Ku dish will be installed

IPstar is a 2 way system,

The outdoor radio modules on the front of the dish receive the outlink (or downlink) using a conventional satellite television LNB (low noise block downconverter) and transmit the return link (or uplink) data to the satellite using a transmit block up-converter (BUC). The wireless service is always-on direct access. (Or nearly always on!!)

Up here in lower Issan we pay our maid 6,000 baht per month

She lives in the same village as us - and has her own house & land + kids.

She works 7 days a week

8 am till @ 6pm - this includes watering plants in the evening - which takes longer when its dry or not at all at over times/

She can suit herself with lunch & times as we are not that strict! Sometimes she takes an hour - sometimes less sometimes more.

Obviously as she has her own children (her own mother lives with her) then she has her own emergencies/requirements and she will take time off for that - but without ever being asked she will allways make up her work/ time or come in early.

It works very well for us but it can take time to find an ideal situation/employee