briando

2 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Folks with half a brain dont take TukTuks

Exactly, why would you want to take one in 36 deg heat and swallow all the car and truck exhausts

I have some antique furniture that is not needed,it's in excellent condition and comes from australia and UK.However judging from the other comments it's probably not what you are looking for.You can reach me at

briandonovan1972 AT gmail.com.  We live near Chiang Rai

My Thai wife and I have just returned from Australia.She had 5 months left on her passport.I can assure you there is no 6 months requirement to visit Australia.However Thai immigration tried to tell us in Chiang Rai that we needed 6 months and for a short time that created unnecessary stress for us, but they didn't know what they were talking about.

Hi,You painted a perfect picture of Chiang Saen Lake and Ban Ku Tao village where we live.Is your story about here or is there another paradise nearby,thanks,cheers

I can only tell you of my experience.I returned to Thailand through Swampy in feb this year.In my check in bag I had a year's supply of 5 meds that took up half the bag.8 tabs per day equals about 3000 tabs and caps.If the bags were X-rayed they took no notice.I have never been checked in 5 years.In the past I have come to Chiang Rai where you can watch your bags going through the machine and I have had less meds but still a year's supply and never been stopped.If I were you I would take the risk.

And could I just add this.I left a lot of things at home thinking I either wouldn't need them or I could get them here.This was a big mistake.If I did it again I would have brought absolutely everything I owned including the kitchen sink.For instance you cannot even buy a proper broom here.The garden hoses are rubbish as are many other things we westeners take for granted.

18 months ago my wife and I imported a 40 ft container containing all the usual things one expects to find in a house including furniture and hundreds of my tools and other items I would need for building a house.There were about 30 boxes of tools but none were as big as some of yours.They were imported as belonging to my wife.I used a company that had an agent in Bangkok hoping it would smooth things out.I had invoices for most of the power tools showing they were more than 1 year old.When the agent in Sydney wrapped the boxes in bubble wrap they did not itemise what was inside.When the container arrived in BKK the agent asked me (by email, as we live in Chiang Saen) what was in some of the boxes.I said something like "I am a 70 yr old coming to live in thailand and these things are my lifetimes collection of tools and furniture".That satisfied her and customs and it was delivered 1000 kms the next day, and nothing to pay.That's not to say the same happens to everyone, it was just my experience.And by the way I was very aprehensive about how it would go as I have heard lots of bad reports about thai customs.

We just moved to Chiang Rai from the Blue Mountains and had a 40 ft container sent here.I used Palmers Relocations and can recommend them.I had a lot of antiques and expensive tools and they were all wrapped well.A couple of things were slightly damaged but probably as much my fault as theirs.I was in touch with Palmers and their agent in Bangkok for many months before and the communication was always good.Their agent is BOONMA MOVING AND STORAGE

Hi, I'm sorry to disappoint you but in my experience of trying to find owners of properties,the land office cannot help you.Even if you can find out the name of the owner the land office does not have any other info such as address or phone numbers.My thai wife and I have tried many times to find an owner and have always come up against a brick wall.This was not in Bangkok but near Chiang Rai.If anyone else can give more info I would love to hear it for my own use.

Forget the banks,they charge too much.While I am writing this reply above on the screen is an advert for OZFOREX.

They are the answer to sending money overseas.I use them all the time to send money from Australia to Thailand and never had a problem.A few weeks ago they listed on the stock exchange.Good luck.

Hi, I can help you with this as I have just been through the same process.It is the most frustrating and time consuming process you can imagine.

I don't have time now to tell you what we went through but I'll tell you some important things.

Most of the thai visa applicants have german partners,fiances or husbands.The embassy doesn't want to know about people like you or me who come from someone else (I am an Australian)

The usual downloadable Schengen application form on the internet is not any good for Germany.They want a special one with a barcode,but see if you can find that info easily on the net.

Secondly,without being married you can forget it.The thai girls who have german partners need a german to provide a guarantee from the german immigration office in Germany to guarantee that the thai girl will be covered for every eventuality that the germans can possibly come up with.I doubt that you will get even a stupid german to do this.

When we went back to the embassy for the third time after getting married the day before the gestapo on the door wouldn't let me go in with my wife to the area where she had to lodge the docs even though I tried to do so.He said that it was her visa and not mine so NO NO NO entry.I have no doubt this was because my wife was questioned each of the three times she went there and like most thais she can be intimidated by officials,and they didn't want me there to stand up for her.The questions they asked her were so stupid and pointless as to defy logic but you have to be careful about what you say because their decision rests on your replies.

We also had about 150 pages of documents but without being married they were useless.

I hope this saves you a lot of trouble.

Brian

I have just arrived in Thailand and my thai wife and I are staying at the Wishing Tree Resort about 16 kms from Khon Kaen and not 300m from here is a big diary.My wife told me that her cousin used to work there.She said the locals bring the milk in drums of some kind and sometimes in trucks.The "cow" in the photo is definitely a steer.

Hi,I am looking for a house or similar to rent in or near Kalasin,even as far as Roi-et would be OK,for the month of january to begin with,

thanks, Brian