Ombra

This is of tremendous help. Thank you very much.

Mosquitoes have disappeared from my house. There was a time when the first thing I did each morning was to zap a few dozen in the kitchen, and mosquito repellant was often on the shopping list, but I haven't bought any in at least six months. Insects are endangered. I saw a solitary butterfly (or moth) a few days ago.

Thanks very much indeed.

Is Royal Ploughing Day a holiday for government employees? I looked on Google, but I couldn't find a clear answer. Thanks.

6 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Poorly worded I know, but refrigerators do have to work harder to maintain the desired temperature when the ambient temperature is high.

 

I'm sure you know that, you're just being pedantic aren't you.

My apologies!

On 5/5/2023 at 6:02 PM, marin said:

Bigger factor than eating <deleted> food is the total lack of exercise. Especially the younger ones and adolescents. Little to no exercise at all. Walk outside and get a motorbike to where you are going or a main road. Then taxi for the more affluent and a bus for those not. Another motorcycle to school or work. Texting and playing games on your phone are not forms of exercise.

I think that Covid and the rise of the motorcycle delivery people has made things worse in a short period of time. I live near Rangsit University, and in the evenings I used to see many people walking to the market. Now, the motorcycles are around all day long and there are fewer people to be seen.

Thais consume 25 tablespoonfuls of sugar a day? That cannot be right - can it?

I wonder how much the hundreds of u-turn bridges cost. Could some engineer tell us whether that is the best way of crossing the line?

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Coffee shop is just OK, we prefer 'Srisanor Cafe' & Boutique Resort (close @ 1700 hrs)

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Srisanor+Cafe'+%26+Boutique+Resort/@11.7974553,99.8008948,3a,75y,51.3h,95.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6DNPsyqF1GmHF9Fbnz1WDQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m19!1m9!3m8!1s0x30fe851811d261eb:0xfb40336de353a587!2sThe+Jam+Bar!8m2!3d11.7974692!4d99.8008738!14m1!1BCgIgARICCAI!16s%2Fg%2F11qnsv5jcn!3m8!1s0x30fe8410730a5e77:0xbb6e1c1ecada64b4!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d11.7975345!4d99.8009476!16s%2Fg%2F11f3pk7_h6

 

Or Yai Coffee & Bread:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/YAI+Coffee+%26+Bread/@11.7972192,99.7828044,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipOcMaB7_22z7a6SZ8bd8-BA5t2QImSlpfhC2v4o!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOcMaB7_22z7a6SZ8bd8-BA5t2QImSlpfhC2v4o%3Dw203-h114-k-no!7i4032!8i2268!4m6!3m5!1s0x30fe855824366a97:0x96c3c5ceb04db3e0!8m2!3d11.7972192!4d99.7828044!16s%2Fg%2F11nmfykt19

 

Coffee shops seem to be our 'tourist attractions' ????????????

Being Wat'd, park & waterfall'd out.  Same same, not different or special ????

 

Besides, some coffee shops have better waterfalls ????

 

Thanks for telling me about these two coffee shops. They both look very attractive. I am surprised that I don't know the Srisanor because I am often along that soi. However, because of the parked cars and motorcycles, it is a little risky to look around. I am not often in the street where Yai Coffee is, but I will take the back entrance to Lotus some time and take a look at it. Thanks again.

19 hours ago, KhunLA said:

@Ombra realized I didn't quote you, so incase you didn't see reply above.

Thanks a lot. I know exactly where you mean. We found this place a few weeks ago, and the shop has the best selection of plants that I have seen. I'll being going back this coming week. Thanks also for recommending the coffee shop, which I will certainly try.

On 3/11/2023 at 1:51 PM, 33 RPM said:

its a bit of a ghost town during the week, but it was way better friday or weekend. i was there friday last week

all the plant places open all week i think

another thought

on the way back from PKK , im not sure how far it is, 25 ?? km or a bit more ?? but there is a HUGE plant nursery on the left, travelling north

well worth the trip, LOTS of plant, LOTS....

I think you are right about the the plants at the Dan Singkorn market being open all week. It would be too much trouble to move them. As for the nursery to the north of PKK, I will look out for it the next time I drive to Bangkok. Thanks for the tip.

The problem I have, though, is that I live less than a hundred yards from the beach, and the salty air seems to affect the plants I bring from Bangkok or which I buy online. Three-quarters don't survive. It may be that I am a poor gardener, but I am talking about three or four years' experience of buying plants. My wife bought a beautiful 'mussaenda philippica' online a couple of months ago, and we are watching it wither away. That is why I am looking for nurseries in places close to the sea.

3 hours ago, 33 RPM said:

Not far inland from you is Dan Singkhon Market

go there

we regularly do and live in Pranburi

Thank you very much. That's a good idea. There are one or two small nurseries on the way to the Immigration Office, but I hadn't thought about going beyond there, mainly because the frontier was closed for a long time during Covid. I had forgotten that the market existed.

Thank you, George. I was wondering about this.

On 2/26/2023 at 10:14 AM, JackGats said:

Search for "pigeon deterrent" on Lazada and you will find some contraptions, usually reflectors or reflector tape. I don't know how well that works.

 

What about fish harpoons? I've never used one.

 

Diclofenac is toxic to bir

We have bird-shaped kites hanging in various places, old CDs spinning around and flashing light at the birds, mothballs on various surfaces, bird repelling tablets from Daiso, and so on, but the pigeons get used to these things after a while. Keeping the cat's food indoors all the time has made a big difference, as have the plastic spikes from HomePro, but these birds are amazingly persistent. What surprises me, though, is that we live in a lightly populated rural area, but there are so many pigeons. I though pigeons were urban creatures.

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

Condos yes. When I checked Google, amazingly I found this:-

 

"It is a commonly unknown fact that although a foreigner cannot own land in Thailand, he can own the house or structure built thereon. One only has to apply for a construction permit to build the house in his own name"

Isn't that what we mean by leasehold? It is familiar to many people.

Could anyone recommend a nursery with a good selection of flowering plants in Prachuap town? I've seen a few small places in the soi between Lotus and HomePro, but I was looking for something more. Nothing unusual; just some colorful or sweet-smelling plants. The ones I brought from Bangkok didn't do well in the sea air. Thanks.

A more honest report would note that Thailand shows almost no change on the corruption index. Its score has only risen by one point from 2021 and it shares 101st position with eight other countries.

Before Covid, I used to see my neighbours walking to the market in the evening, but now many rely on motorcyclists to bring them food and the motorbikes are around all day long, not just at mealtimes. 

There are uniformed police officers working in gold shops in their off-duty hours, and I am sure they have other part-time jobs. Working for extra cash is much better than taking 200 baht off a poor motorcyclist. I don't understand why providing a motorcycle escort service is that much different. They ought to be congratulated for their creativity in providing a much sought-after service. 

3 hours ago, Thailand said:

Haze?

 

Smog you can taste!

Yes, they could start by being honest. 

50 minutes ago, jvs said:

Sundays going north is very quiet usually but only in the morning.

In the afternoon many weekend people head back and traffic is crazy.

We usually go in the morning and return from Bangkok around 3pm.

Cha-am Bangkok and back.

 

Yes, thank you, I've seen that, but I was wondering about working days.

A few years ago, a Thai neighbour told me that there is one day a week when the traffic on Phetkasem Road heading northwards is quieter because of restrictions placed on trucks. I don't remember the day and the neighbour has now gone, but if the claim is true and if there is an easier day on which to drive, I would be grateful for the information. 

4 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

In Asia an English "Teacher" can come from anywhere.  A few years ago I had a conversation with a Russian woman who was teaching English at private school in Seoul, South Korea.  She had an accent that was very noticeable but her grammar was excellent. Also, she was blonde, mid 30's and very attractive. I also saw a guy from somewhere in Eastern Europe who wos teaching English to kids at a Hagwon(a prep academy).  This guy had no business teaching anything.  His only qualification that I noticed was that he was married to a Korean woman. 

 

So an English "Teacher" from Uganda in LOS does not seem far fetched to me.  

I knew a South African who came from a rural district in the Eastern Cape and it was a struggle to understand him. It amused me to think what the little kids he taught would sound like.

3 hours ago, Stocky said:

I can't see it listed on AirBnB, it's on Beach Road, in a complex of individual villas called Dolphin Beach, with a condo block at the back.

Avoid the long holiday weekends, though, because then it gets very noisy.