jeffandgop

The funds needs to be seasoned for 3 months, not two

There are many specialty stores around. When we built our home last year we talked to 3 different sources & settled on an owner/manufacturer who did all of our drapes, blinds, pool lounge cushions and dining cushions. I'll PM you his contact ##

I've sent to you Kaptain Rob a PM asking for K. Neung contact details....and if neilrob can send me K. Song's contact details I'd appreciate that.

As to the comment supplying your own paint to the painter prevents watering down the paint that was not my case I suspect. My house is new and was completed 6 months ago and we had the Home Pro paint specialist survey my structure and made the recommendations of how much paint I needed to prime one coat & paint two coats. Still I had to back to Home Pro again and again to buy more paint and there is much flaking and peeling that I am currently fixing. I suspect my painter diverted my paint for his personal use & added too much water to cover the theft.

that's nonsense....my wife & I extensively research & learned construction techniques and materials before we started to build and all along the way she communicated quite effectively with the builder and their supervisors...they demonstrated total respect and adherence to her comments and instructions..and not just the builder but key suppliers as well.

My experience with Top Design in no way comes close to your generalization that "builders recommended by farangs or builders associated with farangs, than you`ll be changed top whack, way over priced farang rip off prices."

Prior to contracting w/Top we contacted 3 other builders in CM experienced with Western expectations. We met w/their management, presented our design/build requirements, interviewed other customers...all provided a target price with cost details.

With Top that was the same...with his detailed BOQ we independently verified the reasonableness of the unit pricing and verified the adequacy of the quantities and volume.

Whenever their were issues during the build- mistakes or quality problems do occur- Top always remedied these and in most cases was the one who identified the problems and told us about them.

Our end price for the quality of build and materials installed were quite in line with what we expected for a per SM price.

In the 5 months since our home was completed all problems we have experienced (mostly plumbing) have been promptly attended to. Top honors his warranty.

You write "as most local builders rely on good reputations to keep them in business" how is that any different for builders that market to faring? Surely their are good as well as bad builders period. Your generalization does disservice.

The only comment of yours I would agree with is "ensure that you are fregently on the scene looking over their shoulders to check what`s going on"..that's commence sense.

Beware, that if you use builders recommended by farangs or builders associated with farangs, than you`ll be changed top whack, way over priced farang rip off prices. Possibly thousands if not millions of bahts more.

my advice is this; wherever you are deciding to build your home, talk to the local people in your area and ask who or what building company does most of the work in that area. Plus ask the locals roughly how much their homes cost to build to give you a rough price estimate. This is for reasons that being a farang they will always try to charge you more anyway, so being in the knowledge of costs is an advantage.

Take a look online at Thai house photos and tour your local area for ideas as to what style of home you desire, plus decide on the types of materials for building, cheap cement blocks, or middle range to high quality brick work. Doing as I mentioned above and getting some quotes.should be your first line of inquiry.

Some will tell you horror stories regarding Thai builders, especially those who may recommend builders to you in the hope of gaining commisions. Down my way our local area builder has always done a fine job, as most local builders rely on good reputations to keep them in business. Another point, always pay on a day to day basis, never pay too far in advance upfront.

In Thailand nothing comes with any rock solid gaurantees, no matter which builder you use, no matter how many promises of goodwill they make, so ensure that you are fregently on the scene looking over their shoulders to check what`s going on.

Wishing you all success with your new home and once completed, you can invite me to your house warming party.

PS: forgot that you mentioned English speaking. This will be a big problem when dealing with Thai builders. You will probably require your Thai wife or GF to help translate for you.

Top Design & Build...He designed and constructed our home in Mae Jo...

http://www.topdesignandbuild.com

The 800K funds if in a bank account must be in the name of the person applying for the extension...do not have it as a joint account.

I have my monthly pension deposited directly from my US company to my BKK Bank account via the NY branch. I have an ATM & Debit card for this account. I don't see anywhere in that article link that says you can't have an ATM/Debit card for direct deposits....

In order to have your social security payments direct deposited to a Bangkok Bank account via their New Your branch you have to set up a special direct deposit account or it will not be credited to your account.
It is true you can have it direct deposit to any bank in the US but not to here. Bangkok Bank is the only choice for here.

So you are saying that if you have direct deposit to the BKK bank from a US source, you cannot have a atm, debit card for that account? If thats true, then its the bank's rule for no card and not the US rule. Maybe.

Ok scratch all that....

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUSA/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUSA.aspx

Interesting reading. Seems its not really a US rule its actually a BKK bank rule. I do know that BKK bank has different accounts with strange rules. My girl has an account for her business and she cannot have a ATM or Debit card with that account either. Strange but hey we dont make the rules we have to follow them.

It could be part of an agreement between the US and Bangkok Bank to do the direct deposits. But I think it is mostly Bangkok Bangkok Bank covering themselves to prevent anybody other than the account holder from accessing the account. They do that by no online banking, no ATM card and only the account holder can withdraw the funds. This is to prevent withdrawals if the account holder was to die.

For those who have not endured a flight in a Dreamliner it has hard seats.

I recently had the most uncomfortable journey in one from Ghuangzhou China to Bangkok. It was as bad as a similar trip,I endured from Mumbai to BKK on a 737. I am a regular sized bloke but the seat configuration and hardness made the three hour trip excruciating.

Give me an Airbus any day. I am not a. Thai Airways fan but I love their comfy roomy Airbus's on internal flights.

It's the airline/customer that selects the seat type- NOT the manufacturer.

Thank you all for your suggestions. Johpa- While I did not find my map specifically on your link I did search for it and found on another website the same map for sale by a specialty old maps seller.

It seems my map, IF genuine, is not worth a lot of money. Here's a picture for you to see..and thanks again, all!!

I acquired a map that I'd like to have appraised to know if it has any value. Can anyone recommend an appraiser of maps in Chiang Mai?

I agree as well. Tjey moved us from Bangkok to CM last year and we will be using them again at the end of this month for our local move Doi Saket to Mae Jo....

I found his tele #. It's 0-5324-9279, and the name of the company is My M tech

I'm building a house in Mae Jo and used my builder's recommendation. It's a small low overhead operation and his em is <removed>. I don't have his tele with me right now

Question about the fuel I need to use...

As I wrote last year "I brought from the US an Excell Model XR2625 pressure washer"...the engine is a Honda GC190 and the manual states that I need to use unleaded fuel with an octane rating of 86 or higher...

Can I use either Gasohol 91 or 95 (I know it has ethanol) or do I need to use Benzine 91 or 95?

Thanks for any advice!

Doi Saket is quite a bit larger than a single traffic light....…

In order to catch drivers running red lights the police has to be at the intersections! Here in Doi Saket the quantity of red light runners is downright dangerous!! Some run up to 20 seconds after their traffic light has turned red...

Without a doubt, it's illegal.

Water entering your property from his building is not accepted. Approach the local council and they will instruct him to add guttering. From viewing the photo, I believe the building to too close to the boundry fence.

I assume the owner is Thai! Good luck for future relationships, and of course, property re-sale opportunities and sales value.

Good luck.

johninbkk is correct...the residential structure is required by law to be minimum 2M from the property boundary line if it has windows. Either the owner did not receive permits to build or received the permit(s) based on inaccurate/false drawings. I'd go to the land office to have a discussion on what the neighbor has done.

My carport that I'm building has a roofline that would also spill water on the neighboring house- which is why I am installing gutters to prevent damage to another's property.

I ordered Giotta's Pork Lover pizza today (first time visit).

Tasteless and overpriced. Hardly any meat & the smallest pizza I've ever had in Chiangmai.

Mama Mia's & Toon's is far superior. For that matter even Pizza Company serves better pizza & value than Giotta's.

Will not go back there again.

My house!

LOL......

you dont want the lights shining towards the house as they are very bright

basically you dont want the lights shining towards the seating area

Thanks for taking the time to reply!!

My house builder has selected The Poolmaker to construct our 4x8M saltwater pool. The wall inlets/LED's are located on the side closest to the house; the skimmer & waterfall feature is opposite and near the back side of our property. It is clear to me that the operation of the waterfall will interfere with the skimmer and the skimmer needs to be re-located. Questions are for comment/feedback:
1. Does anyone have any experiences (good or bad) with The Poolmaker?
2. I think that the skimmer should be re-located to the side where the LED's are and the wall inlets moved to the opposite side where the waterfall is located- comments or advice?
3. The filter tank planned for installation is "KRIPSOL ARTIK MDL AKT 760.c- anyone have any knowledge/experience with this manufacturer/model?
4. The water planned for installation is "KRIPSOL KORAL KS150- does anyone have any knowledge/experience with this manufacturer/model?
5. The salt chlorinator planned for installation is manufactured by "HURLCON"- does anyone have any knowledge/experience with this manufacturer?
6. The LEDs (8W/12V) planned for installation are manufactured by"DOLPHIN"- does anyone have any knowledge/experience with this manufacturer/model? Note the diagram plans for 3 LEDs; I am thinking an additional one should be also installed at the stairs entering the pool. Does anyone think that the LEDs should be installed on the opposite (waterfall) side so light shines towards the house?

Thank you for any comments/advice/warnings. etc. Feel free to send a private message if necessary.

You should tip the same amount as the fee that the course collects. I've never seen Thais NOT tip the same as well........