richard10365

My wife says ล้ม (Lom) does mean to fall down.

So we looked it up in the dictionary and it said:

ล้ม - to fall, to topple, to crumble, to stumble, to fell; to die; to kill; to slaughter; to cease, to give up, to cancel; to eliminate; to overthrow, to cut down.

So I guess they were talking about the accident.

Hey Muldoon, If you don't like Wang Somboon,  I am sure no one will miss your annual charity visit.

It's also the fact that many farangs like youself don't come here that keeps me here. Not that there is anything wrong with you, it just seems like the type of entertainment you might be looking for might cause problems in a small community.

Richard, just for clarity sake, I believe you are confusing "Muldoon" posts with "Think Not Enough."

btw, been through SaKaew myself several times and your descriptions as well as my own observations lend me to believe further that, indeed, it's a very nice place to be... Enjoy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ummmm.....Thanks sriracha john. I do apoligize to Mr Muldoon.... Thanks for pointing that out. If you guys ever visit, the beers are on me. Cheers!

I have an idea to get more people in there. Perhaps posting a time when a subject matter expert can be there chatting about a particular topic. Like Monday night at 7pm would be Visa night, Tuesday night at 7pm would be Thai Business night, and Wednesday night at 7pm would be Thai teaching night etc....

Perhaps people would make time to log on and contribute to the discussion.

Hey Muldoon, If you don't like Wang Somboon, I am sure no one will miss your annual charity visit.

I have lived in Wang Somboon for over a year now. I like it so much I am going to build a house in this district next year.

It's not the bustling night life that keeps me here, it's the people.

It's also the fact that many farangs like youself don't come here that keeps me here. Not that there is anything wrong with you, it just seems like the type of entertainment you might be looking for might cause problems in a small community.

Wang Somboon is the type of community that my parents use to talk about when I was a kid but don't seem to exist anymore in the USA. The place where everyone knows everyone and its still safe to walk down the street along at night. A place where neighbors help neighbors. I have never been anywhere like this before and I can't really see myself living anywhere else.

This is the most peaceful place I have ever lived. I love being able to go running in the evening and people say hello as you pass by. The views and bueaty of the sprawling lush green farm fields and the distant mountians to the east of Wang Somboon are awesome. There are hills to the south are full of farms trails that are great for mountian biking.

Food in the market is very cheap and very fresh. I can get just about everything I like to eat there. The only thing I can't get is cheese, potatoes, and bacon. I go to Bangkok for that.

I don't miss any TV either. I have UBC here as well as DSL. In fact, my DSL dosen't suffer the problems associated with other areas in Thailand because not many people are using highspeed DSL. 99% of the time, I get the posted speeds.

Much of the greed associated with areas frequented by farangs is not here at all. People are very nice here. Of course Wang Somboon, like anyplace else, has its share or problems, but it's something I can live with.

It must have looked like an alful accident for them to say that. I am glad I was ok too.

A white T-shirt with a Thai flag that says, "Use the Search". That should pretty much do it.

I'm in Sa Kaeo about 18km from Cambodia. It rained a little this afternoon but not much.

It's now 10pm Sunday night and no rain.

Once while riding my mountian bike between villages, one of them small personal tractors pulled out onto the side of the road in front of me just as I had put my head down for a second.

I picked my head up just as my left peddle was slamming into the the cart on the back of the tractor. My knee hit next.

All I remember was rolling over the handle bars and hearing the Thai farmers yelling something like, "Farang Mee Loam!"

After the rice farmers picked me up off the road, I sat down, caught my breath, and peddled my way home.

"Loam" is the word I think they were using for accident.

Since you have access to the internet, why not try to teach yourself.

http://www.learningthai.com/index.html

Try writing the alphabet first starting with the consonants. Then the vowels.

I would take one letter of the Thai alphabet and fill one side of a sheet of paper with it. Each time I write it I would say the name. By the time you reach the end of the Thai alphabet, you should be able to recognize the names and sound of the letter.

I don't consider myself very smart, but this worked technique worked for me.

Other than hard work and studying, I don't think there is any out of body Matrix expierence that will download the information to your brain very quick.

I never had a problem. Some places seem to go out of their way to make me and my wife feel at home. But I never stay in places over 800 baht either. I never really got along very well with people who do.

What about Chuck? ชัค

There is a restaurant in Wang Nam Yen whose owner lived in the Northwest United States in the USA for 20 years. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas he has a dinner for all the farangs in the area. This is the only time I have seen more than 3 farangs in the same village.

Here is the website if your interested.

http://www.palmgardenrestaurant.com/index.html

His t-bone steak is pretty good if your interested in that. If you ever go, it's best to call ahead if you want steak so he can pick the best slice of beef for you.

Perhaps you can make one of the gatherings this year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, If I'm in country at the holidays I'll come.

Who would have thought Fettucini Alfredo could be found on rte 317??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Until I ran out last week, grits was found at my place along route 317.

I don't think its as great as everyone else seems to think. But thats just me.

Thats just way too much to read. I think I'm falling asleep.

Thai whisky is dangerously cheap. Some around 100B a bottle. i wonder if this mean the price of motor cycle taxi's will go up?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Lao Khao is around 35 to 40 baht a bottle.

There is a restaurant in Wang Nam Yen whose owner lived in the Northwest United States in the USA for 20 years. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas he has a dinner for all the farangs in the area. This is the only time I have seen more than 3 farangs in the same village.

Here is the website if your interested.

http://www.palmgardenrestaurant.com/index.html

His t-bone steak is pretty good if your interested in that. If you ever go, it's best to call ahead if you want steak so he can pick the best slice of beef for you.

Perhaps you can make one of the gatherings this year.

I live in Sa Kaeo and was wondering if anyone else lives here too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm in Prachinburi, next province over. My impression is that there aren't many farang hereabouts....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There are not many. I discovered one more in my village last week. He is from Holland. That makes 2. But he is leaving in October and there will only be 1 farang in my village again.

I think in Sa Kaeo, there are about 30 to 40 farangs but I'm not sure. The only farangs who live here are those who want peace and quiet, fresh air, cheap food, and very nice people.

When I was a soldier, one of my assignments was as an instructor for the Patriot Missile system. The US Army sent me to the instructor training course to teach me the basics of teaching.

After that, I was given the status of Assistant Instructor and a mentor was assigned to prepare me for my initial teaching evaluation commonly referred to as “The Murder Board”. The name refers to what seems to happen if you fail this evaluation.

All aspects of teaching were evaluated to include lesson plan preparation, testing, teaching, and how you taught and controlled the class. The senior instructor would sit in the back of the class with a checklist, a copy of your lesson plan, and would write comments on what you did well and where you need improvement.

At the end of the evaluation the senior instructor would take you aside and review the evaluation with you. The more evaluations you took and passed, the higher your instructor status would become. The soldier progressed from Assistant Instructor to Instructor to Senior Instructor, and finally to Master Instructor.

The evaluations became a part of your Non-Commissioned Officer Evaluation Report or NCOER in the area of competency. Negative NCOERs were reasons to stop promotions and at times, discharge a soldier from the Army. Positive evaluations brought awards, promotions, and greater responsibility for the Army instructor.

Perhaps Thailand could benefit from a similar type of evaluation system that fosters an environment of growth and accountability in their teaching establishments. I think this would benefit their English dept quite a bit.

Thanks for the info Lopburi. That would explain the missing $3. Now, if I can only get the transfer to happen a little faster, it would make it worth to send my paycheck over here. Right now, it looks like it takes 9 days from the time I start the transfer to when it auctually happens.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As said - if you have any chance for ADSL grab it and never look back to dialup.

I imagine that the ISPs would love to phase out their cheaper dial-up packages and push subscribers into more lucrative products like ADSL.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is really long. The SWIFT transfer is done in a matter of hours.

But I would question why send paycheck here in the first place. I find it much better to maintain a US bank account and have it deposited there and then, when the need arises, transfer $9,000 or so. That way you maintain a US account/card and can pay such bills as may come up (gifts for family - internet purchase etc.).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would like to avoid the ATM and conversion fees charged by BOA. Right now I am using most of my money every month setting myself up here in Thailand. I am slowly aquiring everything I need to live here comfortably. The 1000 or so baht in fees buys food for a week.

Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is not doing International Direct Deposit (IDD) for military retiries here in Thailand so thats not an option for me yet. I am not sure if I would use if they did. I am still invedtigating that. I am not planning on closing my BOA account just yet.

The Thai embassy in Vientiane processes visa applications in the morning on ...

Richard - I already have my 1 year visa, so I just need to go out of Thailand and then come straight back every 90 days! So I don't need to get a new visa in Laos, just a stamp in my passport!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you just looking for that 90 day stamp or are you interested in seeing Laos?

There are other options in getting the stamp depending on if money is a factor or not.

If Laos is your main interest, there are 2 border check points that I know of. From what I heard, crossing from Mukdahan, to Savanakhet is the most interesting. (Unless you like big boring cities like Vientiane). It is a ferry ride to the other side into a bueatiful part of Laos.

I have never been to that part of Laos so I really dont know. Maybe some of the other TV members can comment on this.

But with the info from your original post and your second one addressed to me,.....as far as I know, you can do it in one day.

The Thai embassy in Vientiane processes visa applications in the morning on Monday thru Friday. You can't pick up your new visa until the afternoon of the following day.

Keep in mind, if you drop off your application on Friday, you can't pick up your visa until the following Monday.

Make sure there are not Laos or Thai holidays on the days you plan your visa run, the embassy may be closed.

I would like to see Fox News on UBC.

Thanks for the info Lopburi. That would explain the missing $3. Now, if I can only get the transfer to happen a little faster, it would make it worth to send my paycheck over here. Right now, it looks like it takes 9 days from the time I start the transfer to when it auctually happens.

Hi Richard,   Got your money?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, sorry I havent updated lately. There was a problem with the transfer. This is what happened.

1. 1 Sep sent $25

2. 6 Sep BOA withdrew $28 ($25 I sent and $3 cost of transfer)

3. 9 Sep Transfer to Bangkok Bank (BB) complete

a. Bangkok Bank (BB) received $22 (missing $3)

b. 9 Sep BB converts $22 ----> 901.12 baht ($1 = 40.96 baht)

c. BB charges me 200 baht for the transfer (the max they charge is 500 baht)

d. Total received is 701.12

4. Total cost of transfer is 322.88 baht (445.76 baht if you include the missing $3)

5. Contacted BOA and they are currently tracing the transfer to find out where the missing $3 is.

I got most of my money. I am guessing the BB office in NY charged an additional $3 to send it over.

When BOA emails me about the transfer, I will update this post with their reply.

So far we have 46 names

Alisa,Amy (Thai Name: Wanvessa),Anisa Anisa,Ariya,Boowa, which means lotus flower,Dan (แดน) or Dhani(ธานี) with nickname Danny, Dara (ดารา), Duan, Emily เอมมิลี Ilada, Irin, Jasmine (Thai Name: Wareewan) - Jasmine is Mali, Jintana(จินตนา)Jitrada จิตรดา, Kanika, Kathleeya, Laila, Lat, Marisa, Natalie (นัทลี), Naven (เนวิน), Orada อรดา,Pantipa, Peechit, Peerada พีรดา, Piknick, Rawita, Saffron, Samran, Sara,

Saranagon, Saranya, Skye, Somkid, Songkram (สงคราม) means 'war', Suriya (สุริยา),

Tadow, Tara (ธารา), Teepangkorn, Usa (oo-sa), waipum, Wannalak, Wasinee, Wilert

Thanks to everyone for the names. It's never too early to plan.