Tokker

When I was about 20 I decided I wanted to have a tattoo. Because I wanted to make shure that i REALLY liked it, even in the long term, I forced myself to hang on to the design that I liked for more than 6 months. If I would still love it after that, I would get it. Now i am 32 and I still don't have a tattoo. Probably will never get one either. If I want to look good, it's better to work out a bit, instead of getting a tattoo. I've also passed the age that I need to "express" myself in such a nowadays common way.

I've been reading the first suggestions of building bigger dykes and walls around the city, and making shure that the drainage canals are cleared regularly.These solutions often are as shortsighted as they seem obvious.

Maybe the floods were exceptional, but does somebody have any figures on the rainfall? I wouldn't be surprised if the rainfall in the last days was not really that exceptional. I reckon, admitting that I don't know all the facts, that this is not a problem of too much water. It's a problem of a lot of water coming in at the same time. This problem will not be solved with big dykes and quick drainage.

On of the principles of the idea of intergrated watermanagement is to keep the water as much and as long on the place where it falls. Forest and jungle keep most water and if any water leaves the area, it does so very gradually. The so called run-off factor is multiplied if you turn it into farmland, and again more than doubled if you build on it. (And then I am not even mentioning all the problem of soil and land erosion...)

So in my humble opinion we don't need an end-of-pipe solution but a long term commitment of sustainable management of the watersystem AND it's surroundings on all kinds of levels. It's a crazy thing to believe that we can control nature.

You're probably right but I'll make one more effort: my wife tells me that prices have risen a lot in the last year. (Indeed, she also thinks most Thai people also have their laundry done). A rise in prices normally means that demand is high enough to raise prices (as there don't seem to be any other price-influencing factors). This would mean that it seems to be a so called "seller's market" (from the little bit of understanding economy that I have). Therefore opportunities arise.

Anyway I agree that it's a long shot. Thanks for the replies anyway.

Maybe I should start a new thread about it but Tompa, it strikes me as odd, that you state that 30.000 B is sufficient to begin but not in the long run. Maybe it's not enough to live the life of the rich and famous, but it should definitely be enough to to live a modest life. From what I hear it's still 2 to 3 times as much as the average Thai salary.

There seems to be so much outrage from expats over the idea that they don't always pay the same prices as Thai (i.e. the thread about the higher Thai Airways prices for farang), but on the other hand they seem to think it's normal that their salary is 3 to 10 times more than the average Thai salary. What's up with that?

Given that the basic living expenses (food, housing, clothing) are at least 3 times cheaper than in Europe, 30.000 B would equal about 2.000 euro. After tax that's exactly what I make in Europe now. (I am not the average 50+ farang with a lifetime of professional experience and according salary...)

All you expats living in chiang rai, do you do your own laundry or do you bring it to a shop? My wife is thinking of starting a laundry shop. As there are so many laundry shops already, I was thinking this is not such a good idea. However, if i take a look at most of the shops (and I don't want to be condescending about them) I think we can do a better job: make the shop look appealing, a little bit more professionalism. What do you think about this? Is price the most important factor for you?

Thanks for the replies already.

Indeed, I met my wife 2,5 years ago and we've lived in Belgium for a year. In october we're moving to Thailand because she simply can't handle living in B. Especially the food turned out to be a big problem. For me moving to Thailand is no problem as I've always liked the idea of living abroad, especially in a warm and amazing country like Thailand, but if you are not willing to consider moving there, then think again before you take the next step.

Daddy Yankee - Barrio Fino.

For those who want to say: Yeah I already knew about reggaeton before it became famous, remember this post

At Oasis, I also recommend trying one of the many juices that you can have with some kind of jelly balls in it. And if you don't like them you can let the child in you have a go by blowing them away with the perfectly matched straw.

Uncle Paul, I couldn't agree more but maybe you should consider changing your user name. A guy living in Thailand calling himself "Uncle" has an edgy feeling to it. :-) LOL

upsetting was Old Boy, the South Korean movie that won some prizes last year.

upsetting on a crying level was "Heavy", a movie that's is about 10 years old with Liv Tyler and Evan Dando (from the Lemonheads) and the fat guy (hence the title Heavy) whose name I don't remember...

First of all, there appears to be a rap scene in Thailand. Some time ago Dajim4 scored a hit. rap in Thai, and it was quite good.

For the people bashing rap, after somebody just started this thread because he would like to see some pictures of Ice T: rap and hiphop is one of the most diverse and creative music-styles today. You can't judge that by the glimpses that you get from it on MTV. It would be like saying that every guy in Thailand over 40 is probably a pervert who is doing girls that are barely old enough to be his daughter, after you spent a night in Patpong.

I wouldn't consider myself to be an expert but at least I have been working in the field of watermanagement for the last 8 years and to me it seems to be a rather crazy idea to build a desalination-treatment in a country with vast amounts of rainfall. Especially knowing that there is still a lot of perfectly usable rainwater to be saved by just rationalizing the use of water. In countries around the Persian Gulf this might be the way to go but in Thailand???

FYI, I am from Belgium and I am a (bio)chemistry/environmental engineer with 9 years of experience in small-scale wastewater treatment and local water management. I also have some experience in general project and people management as I am currently leading a team of 6 people.

I am moving to Chiang Rai in october with my thai wife. I am a 32 year old engineer. As I imagine it's easier to get a volunteering job than a real paid job, I'd like to check if anybody has experience with interesting volunteering work in the area. Just to stay busy while getting settled in Thailand. Thanks.

Yes it has hot water and UBC. I'm not shure about the fridge.

Kitty Court, just off Sunkokchang road. It's about 2800 B a month. It 's mainly focused on thais so they don't speak a lot of english. It clean and new but the beds are hard.

I understand that there are so many wannabe english teachers that they are paving the road with them in Thailand. I also have a master degree in engineering. Does this give me a headstart to teach something else like science or math? Or better stick with my plan to do a TEFL course and concentrate on teaching english?

Thanks for the answers you guys. Indeed I meant a muli-entry non O visa. So if I summarize there are 2 ways to go with a non O visa, given that I want to stay for a year.

1) A multi-entry non O visa: I can stay almost 1 year and 3 months but I need to leave the country every 3 months. I can come and go as I wish.

2) A single-entry non O visa: valid for 3 months but together with an extension it allows me to stay up to 1 year. I don't need to leave the country but if I wish to do so, then I will need a re-entry permit.

Given that I have the 400.000 B and that I am not planning on coming and going, option 2 would be the easiest and smartest thing to do.

Am I understanding this the right way? Thanks again.

(For your information, I am married to a Thai national)

Most job openings state "native speaker only". Is it really necessary? I understand that they don't want a French guy talking like the "good meeuuwwwning" guy from "Alloo Alloo" (for those of you who know these classic series) but if you can get a Thai national to talk fluent English with a slight scandinavian or Dutch accent, I believe you did a great job.

What is your experience with this?

About the CD's: I too am moving to Thailand in october. I have about 650 CDs. I am planning on buying a 60GB Ipod and will put all my music on a device not much bigger than a cigarette box. Of course there is the trouble of converting everything into mp3.

Big Ups.

You've probably had this question a few times already, sorry about that, but I am sure you are all eager to have another "satisfied customer".

I believe to have read that a multi-entry permit for an NON O visa is a waste of money if you plan on getting an extension of stay permit after 3 months? (If you don't plan on leaving the first 3 months, that is.) Is that right? What would I need suppose I want to leave the country after 6 months and come back?

Cheers.