Bredbury Blue

On 6/25/2025 at 2:05 PM, Bredbury Blue said:

...there are now 2 eggs.

Went out the house Tuesday, still unhatched eggs and bird sitting on eggs. Came back, no eggs.

Over the years we've had many bulbul nests with eggs and chicks, and not once have we seen them fully fledge, something always comes along and has them (golden tree snakes maybe, see them alot).

Thanks. I'll pass on to the wife, who's on the committee. Cheers.

Bit of upset in my moobarn. Man trying to catch red-whiskered bulbuls. Committee has requested he stop. He's told them to prove he's breaking the law or call the police otherwise leave him alone. Second person in the last few years trying to catch them. I'm in the 'not happy about it' corner. See how it develops.

...there are now 2 eggs.

I don’t know if it’s the same pair of birds who’ve had multiple nests of eggs/chicks around my garden, including in my cycling helmet that was hanging from my bike’s handlebars, but they don’t seem very adept at hiding their nests from view. This nest is right next to wear we park our car. No eggs yet. Over the years I’ve yet to see any chicks fledge - something usually comes along and eats them – so maybe this time.

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Well worth knowing about the silent signatory, thanks for the advice. Something to check out.

The wife fills in our individual tax returns every year; she always seems to leave it to the very last day which does my head in.  She said when doing my tax return this year, there was a box to tick or a pop up which she clicked to claim the allowance for me being over 65. I got a very nice cheque this morning from the tax department, which far exceeded any tax rebate I've ever received here before. 

Never seen in my garden before the last 3 days, and we've lived in this house for +20 years, is a pair of, I assume pied starlings (?).

Had the grass cut short and they go around the lawn digging.

Very nervy birds so these are the best pictures I could get, hiding in the kitchen.

On 6/12/2025 at 2:58 PM, BKKKevin said:

Planning a weeklong roadtrip from our house in Chiang Mai to Isaac. the attached map shows where we plan on staying overnight along our journey.

 

I’m looking for recommendations of things to stop and see along the way?…

 

We are interested in historical places, Wats and ancient ruins as well as parks, caves and vista points.

 

Also eclectic/good restaurants ((Thai & Farrang) at our city stops… 

 

all your recommendations will be greatly appreciated!… Thanks
 

On your route in Non Bua ...

Wat Tham Erawan is a must. Steps up to massive cave. Walk through cave (easy), up steps at back of cave to amazing view.

On leaving Udon...

Red Lotus Lake Kumphawapi

ทะเลบัวแดง กุมภวาปี

Get up early to be there by 9am latest. Then continue travel on to Sakon Nakhon.

Slight detour off Udon to Sakon Nakhon road, but Wat Phu Tok in Bueng Kan province is well worth it.

Don't believe the numpties saying there's nothing in Isaan, simply not true, and as place to visit or live as a farlang, it's definitely improved. +30 years ago visiting the wife's village near Sakon Nakhon was a bit of a chore, but the past 10 years has seen big supermarkets open, coffe shops, more decent places to stay, so now I love going.

Enjoy your trip, looks a great route.

On 6/13/2025 at 12:38 PM, Liquorice said:

I extend based on Thai spouse and use the 400K funds method, but keep closer to 750K in that FTD account.

I also have a regular Savings account. The wife is a co signature to both accounts.

Not sure what an FTD account is, but if I understand correctly you have 2 accounts and your wife is co signature to both. How does that work? Always thought that the farlang had to have the B400k or B800k in one's own private account. Can you have a private account with a co signature? Would certainly help, if possible, on one's demise to permit the spouse access to the funds.

Any fruit we don't want we put out for the birds. Papaya, bananas, watermelon, etc. This bird found the source of the unpicked Papaya...the initial hole in the papaya made by one of our garden's resident squirrels.

The wife says:

อะโวคาโด ไม่เอาเละ เอาเเข็งๆ

Literal translation = avocados, not want soft, want hard

เละ - means soft, used for fruit vegetables

Google translates the wife's translation as

Avocado, no, not hard ones.

On 5/24/2025 at 2:17 PM, MeHere said:

When we lived in Bangkok, we used to like Neil's Tavern Steak & Seafood... The original is around Wireless and they opened a new one in Asoke, but I think that one might have closed. 

Problem visiting Neil's is parking is rubbish.

2 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

I think it is very much a matter of personal preference - for a bike, for certain kinds of roads -, not what's generally best for Thailand. If you go country, my number 1 tips would be unflattable tires, and certainly not the tires that come with cheap bikes.

Very definitely a matter of personal prefence. I used to have mountain bike and now considering whether a road bike might be better for a bit of touring.

What kind of bike have you got? What's the spec? I ask as I'm thinking of taking up cycling again.

My choice for when I fancy steak, on the outskirts of Bkk, is 

Chopkeeper Bangna (close to Megabangna) or

Chopkeeper Butcher & Tap Pattanakarn

Excellent food, not expensive like some of those mentioned, always get a table, just nice restaurants.

People often go on about the Koel being annoying, the noisiest bird, but personally i love their sound - the sound of Southeast Asia for me.

I get Koels in my garden, but the noisiest (not in decibels but persistence) for me is the common tailorbird, they never shut up morning till night.

1 hour ago, Dannysunshine said:

Hi here is the section with it. As you can see the Employer also has the same clause but no consequences.

I very much doubt that text about approving/signing by Employer would be seen by the Labour court as a reason not to accept your resignation so long as you gave your notice to them as stated in the contract; it's more of their administrative reason than a legal requirement.

Not a nice situation to be in when your employer is difficult or threatening.

If they continue to be difficult, and as you are leaving anyway, the best thing to do is advise them if they continue to be obstructive, you will go to the labour department and file a complaint against them.

My experience of the labour department when I filed a complaint is that they are very pro-employee. In my case I went to file my complaint at an office which was on Rama 4 near Hualampong (don't know if its still there). My wife explained in thai my complaint (I possibly showed them my contract). I had to file a statement on a form (the official dictated to my wife in thai what to write and my wife wrote for me). I got my day in court a few months later (success).

22 hours ago, Dannysunshine said:

I recently resigned from my current job. As per my agreement contract, I gave 30 days notice. But my employers insist that I can't actually leave and that I'm breaching my contract as their policy is to keep employees for 2 years. They have a clause where my notice needs to be approved by them. Is there no way to just resign and leave?  

Could you post the actual clause in YOUR contract. I'm sure it won't stand up to scrutiny.

They have a clause where my notice needs to be approved by them

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

THANKS.  Usually very skittish and never profiles for me, let alone sitting on the wall before.   Actually took the photos from inside our bedroom.  He was distracted by the dog sitting & barking in front of the glass doors.  Good Dog 

 

Bet it was hopping around and not flying.

After seeing the bird above, we drove to the Thai-Cambodian border, and just past Thailand’s narrowest point, where there's a mountain range/jungle one side of the road and the coast on the other, had a pair of toucans fly right in front of the car. Made my day! In my 4th decade here, been to many national parks, and NEVER seen toucans before.

The wife (thai) had also never seen before.