Diablo Bob

Ok, read it all.......

Question? You say if you have a license from another country, I can skip steps 2-4, now when you say "Another Country" are we talking a Western Country?

I haven't had a USA license in 20 years, but have had licenses from countries that I am working, like right now Afghanistan. Would this suffice?

Great thread by the way...... been looking for this information for years, I had decided to go to Buriram and just pay off the system, but this might just save me the drive!

I used my B1st card this last August in California...... at the Washington Mutual ATM, WalMart and for dinner a few times. Never had a problem.......

I log in around 6:00am (8:30am Thai Time) then pretty much just monitor the site throughout the day.

Since my office is also my home, I log off around 9:30pm (Thai Time).

Inasmuch as there is absolutely nothing else to do here (Kabul) but work, TV keeps me in touch with home.

Fly in and ask taxi for Satanee Rot Fai. Get on train and go SOUTH. South is best. No temples or riding elephants. Go South.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

P1P I really think you should tell BKKDUDE the truth......

Yes we had a flood, As you know all the guesthouses and hotels are either on the Ping River or surrounding the city moat...... they were all destroyed!

The cause of the flooding was too much water in the lakes and resevoirs, so the Thai government has drained our lakes and resevoirs.

And if this isn't bad enough, the flooding from the mountains stripped off all the vegetation and so we know have mountains like Afghanistan.

On a bright note (Maybe), we have no elephants! They are all in Surin on Holiday getting rounded up, but they might return in a week or so!

Now since all the roads were destroyed during the flood, the only mode of transport are motorcycles, but they are in high demand and extremely costly.

I would be more than willing to rent you out my spare bedroom for the $500/day and throw in my spare motorcycle to boot!

But actually, I understand that Pattaya is nice this time of year!

Chownah,

Hint - Another way to "Slow" down the concrete is to use a chemical admixture, specifically a retarder. Now most retarders are in a family known as Lignosulphanates, or simply tree sugars...... add 1/2Kg of regular sugar to a meter of concrete, sit down and drink around 5-6 Leo's, and you can still finish the concrete. We used to have a 10# bag of sugar on every ready mix truck in Las Vegas for the eventual breakdown (Unless it was your PTO then you broke out the jack hammers) with a full load on board.

Now, in Thailand with the high humidity, you could get away with this, since our evaporation rate from the surface of the concrete is so low. Another trick, on those low humidity days, after screeding and bull floating, use a Hudson sprayer and spray a film of Diesel fuel on the surface. This acts like an evaporative retarder (Keeps the moisture in the concrete). Since it is lighter than water, it does not penetrate the surface and will wash away when the concrete gets washed, it also has no affect on the physical characteristics of the hardened concrete.

Well, I guess I will only get the Bangkok Post now on the internet! With the love affair between The Nation and Toxin, it is probably one of the first to be blocked!

ALL cement sold in Thailand is a “Portland Cement” or technically a Hydraulic Cement. The origin of the term Portland Cement goes back to 1824, when the patent for Hydraulic Cement was given to Joseph Aspdin, from Leeds England. He called it Portland Cement because the color reminded him of the quarried stone from the Isle of Portland.

Portland Cement comes in 5 Types, I through V. In a nutshell, Type I is for general usage, Type II offers some Sulfate resistance, Type III is High Early cement (Chemically the same as Type I but ground finer), Type IV is low heat of hydration (Mass concrete) and Type V is High Sulfate resistance. In Thailand, you will only find Type I in a bag.

The Mortar cement Chownah mentioned is actually a blended hydraulic cement. They blend Portland cement with lime to give the creamier feel that was mention. The lime is what actually “slows” the set time on this cement blend.

One other cement that can be found in Thailand is a White Portland Cement, which is manufactured by eliminating the iron & reducing the gypsum content from the slag, this cement is hotter than a fire cracker, has a tremendous water demand and it is expensive to boot. The last time I priced this out it was running around 450 baht/50kg bag.

When designing a concrete mixture, these days we avoid the use of the ratios to describe the mixture! Why, there is no ratio given to water component of the mixture. A critical component. We work with Water/Cement ratios (As Chownah states, the less water the stronger the mix and you should experience less cracking as long as you saw cut at the proper time) and Sand/Aggregate ratios. These combinations will dictate the physical properties of the concrete mixture in its’ plastic and hardened state. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that Water/Cement ratio is advisory only because the coarse aggregate and sand sieve analysis have a significant affect on the amount of water required for a given slump (Finer the sand/rock the more water it takes to produce a workable mixture). I used to go out in the field and talk to concrete finishers in the USA about the finishing characteristics of a mixture, whenever the consensus was that the mixture was to rocky and it needed more sand, my adjustment was to remove sand and add more rock!

If you intend to do any flatwork, I would recommend that you consider ready-mix. The price in Buriram last August was 1200 Baht/cubic meter. YOU can specify the slump (Measurement of workability(Water content)) and make sure the contractor doesn’t just mix up some soup and flood the forms.

In saying all of this, I must admit, that over the years I have seen every which way concrete can be f**ked up, and have still seen work that doesn’t look half bad. I have produced concrete for pre-cast elements using barrel mixers and made it work. Personally, If I am going to be placing structural components (Columns, elevated decking etc.) I would opt for the ready mix. The same holds true for wearing surfaces such as driveways. If I am placing non-structural, go for the volumetric……….

As for cement type….. Well, your choice is probably going to be Type I, 80-120 baht bag!

While Thai Air is raising the domestic fares they are lowering the International fares.

I just picked up my Dubai to Chiangmai tickets yesterday and the fare R/T was only $675. This is the lowest fare I have seen on Thai Air in years......

Just thinking of these cuddly little bears yesterday, while reading another forum about the "Falang Tax".

This is another place that charges more for a falang to visit than a Thai. The wufe and daughters loved them, I sat outside and drank a coke........

Zaz,

First off the responses on your thread have been excellent, no wise ass statements, I applaud all.

To the thread, around 20-25 years ago, I read a book called "Normal Neurotics", which had a section about getting into a rutt in your life and simple things to change this practice. Little things like taking a different route to work everyday, never the same route consecutively. Eating different types of food etc.

At the time, I found myself in a rutt (About the same age as you), and wasn't very happy about it...... I was working for a great employer, great permanent job in management etc. Well the suggestions in the book worked great, for a while...... then this routine became a rutt.

I then started traveling again during my vacation, I had been raised outside the USA, and traveling just seemed natural. Well, to make a long story short, I found that after returning home to work, I started feeling like an outsider, I was not comfortable anymore.

I left my position and took my act on the road, by only accepting employment (Civil engineer) on projects (Limited duration), afterwhich while waiting for the next project I would just be on vacation.

This was my modis operendi for the next 15+ years until I went to Thailand where I settled down and started a family. Today, I am still working the project to project scene (Elsewhere in Asia), but have settled in CM.

And now it seems, that after almost 25 years of searching for my roots, I will finally be accepting a permanent position in Thailand. The circle closes, in a different location.

My advise to you is that what you are experiencing is natural, exasberated by the fact that you are already a traveler. Put your feelers out..... there might be a position in your field in Dubai for example, or wherever. Before you decide on a location, you should really explore what the whole world has to offer! A total makeover on your career choices is ill-advised

Maybe you just need to look at the city next to you to get your motivation back........

Good luck.

Nevada is a Mormon State also, complete with its' own Temple. 90 % of the politicians are Mormon.

As to the prositution, well they are legal, unless you are in Clark County or Washo County. Prositution is not addressed in the State Constitution, so it is there by the Old Grandfather Clause I guess, alot like no open container law on State Roads!

Im beginning to wonder about what makes the average human happy...

but am i alone in saying that i love that Bangkok smell?..u know that smell of pollution in the air...i know i shudn't but i do love it....when i step foot outside don muang...the smell hits u and i take a deep breath and think....calm and happy thoughts...

am i weird? or is there anyone else enjoy the smell?? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Funny you should mention this topic....... back in 1990, I stepped out of Dom Muang after a hiatus of almost 25 years.

I had lived in Bangkok from 1959 through 1965 with my family.

The first thing I remembered was the smell! Not a bad smell, just an acquired smell, but it brought back memories.

Upon returning to the USA, I was telling my sister of the trip and lo and behold, the conversation turned to the smell! When my sister moved to Thailand to teach, her first email back was about....... you guessed it, the smell!

Now I am living in Thailand, and whenever I return, I know I am home when I smell the smell........ gotta love it!

~

The Keelbacks are around a lot right now as they feed primarily on frogs and toads. I have a red-necked one hanging out in my yard and your's could be the stripped variety. Poisonous but not terribly so and not all that bad a temperment.  They just want frogs but I wouldn't go running around your yard barefoot in the dark a lot.

Their fangs (not all have them) are in the back of their mouth so they are not so much a striking as a chewing snake.  The stripped Keelback is actually more of an olive or brown color and has two distinct yellow stripes along the length of its sides.

If you don't want to kill it and don't mind the smell, make some strong garlic oil and sprinkle it around the perimeter of your yard for a while.  I put some of this stuff in my large snake cage as a test and my big snake crammed himself into the opposite corner and would not venture out until I removed the oil...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hydos Lime works better........ snakes WELL NOT CROSS a hydros lime perimeter!

For some reason it "Burns the snake"! They touch the lime and head in the opposite direction. We used this in the USA to keep Cottonmouths out of our yards when I was in Maryland.

i went just Tia Maria ,Sinor Pico ...and  other one i forget the  name

tia marai gave  me  huge plate ...emmmmmmm

sinor pico is classy

the  other one  on silom Rd,  forget the  name,  maybe  the  corner of pat Pong ..love their  potato skin baked .. yummi ..(even  it cooked my hard palate already    )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ola! Donde esta la restaurantes' en tu contestación? <Where are the restaurants in your response?>

Having lived in Mexico for a few years, when I get down to Bangkok next month for a few days I would like to check them out...... not having any "Real" Mexican food in years, just a reasonable facsimile would be OK.

~

Is there a good place to buy some good quality ones?

I want to send a few to my brother in Nebraska to see if he can kick up a few UFO calls.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In lieu of purchasing them...... how do you make them?

Before I leave Kabul, I need to make a statement, you know something they can remember me by, and also something will get me blacklisted for another visa!

It's interesting, I wonder how many farangs who paid sin sod got it back? Traditionally it is returned to the young couple so they have money to start their new lives together. I have never heard of a family here keeping the sin sod for themselves but maybe the south is different than the north.

And just as btw 2satang, here generalizations do apply because the population is largely Buddhist:

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

SBK, you know, I never realized that the Muslims constitute just 4.6% of the population here in Thailand......

(OFF TOPIC) Makes me rethink some of the issues in the South. Thanks for the data.

As far as I am concerned, this is one of the most corupt aspect of Thai society, or any others that are practicing this ancient rite in the 21st century. It shows a person is for sale and to me is degrading to the man who pays it and the family/woman who is receiving it. I would think wealty Thais marry other wealthy Thais and have determined the financial worthiness of any prospective groom. I hardly think some financial contribution is a necessity to the stability of the relationship. Poor Thais are left to scrape and scratch for some "tribute/face-saving" money that may benefit the couple's married life or it may not. Better if the couple kept the money in a joint bank account to provide for thier future. If you want to see women bought and sold, you know where to find it. Depends what is long-term or short-term.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know where your'e coming from a2396, but to be happy, you've got to accept other people's cultures. We look at it from A Western view. This is what they do, if we don't like it, we shouldn't get involved with them. Slightly off topic but is it in India (or Pakistan) not sure, where it is the other way around. The parents of the Daughter pay to the Parents of the Male.

India for sure......

I am not sure of Pakistan.

Afghanistan is like India, this I know.

There was a book a few years ago called "The Burning Bed" about India, where brides were killed because the grooms were unhappy with their compensation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When asking the Thais, did you use the word "sinsod"? Maybe Thais don't understand what you're talking about if you use the word "dowry" and/or described it as a "paying for wife" transaction, because "sinsod" or "sinsod thong mahn" is the term used, not "dowry", and from a Thai person's perspective it's not considered "paying".

I hate the term "pay" used for sinsod, because to me it's a gift you offer to the bride's parents as a show of respect and gratitude for taking care of her all these years. Traditionally, it was also a way to show the parents of the girl that you have the financial security to support her, and that they are not marrying her off to some baht-less loser.

However, as with many customs around the world in this modern day and age, the custom of "sinsod" is not always followed, and in most cases it is now simply "for show", often agreed upon and arranged together by both parties. This is the case for most middle-class relationships I know of.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Said well, and I have a new perspective on the practice....

When I married my wife, the "Sinsod" was not used to purchase a new karake system and a few bikes, but was used to pay for the after ceremony bash, band, catered food etc.......

Coming from the West, where traditionally the brides family pays for the wedding and reception, I just thought this a great way to shift the burden towards the groom.

Now, after your response, I appreciate my in-laws even more than before...... it added another dimension to the practice and softened the practice in my eyes.

Thanks for the information.

Look anything like this?

It's just terrible to see and I hope GW gets off his duff and sends some serious aid to this region. These people surely need help.

I notice SBK that you pointedly pick the USA to be responsible for getting Aid to the country, and if it doesn't happen it will be their fault, right?

Why didn't you say Australia? They are closer.....

Why not the EU, they are closer?

Why not the UN? Because you know they couldn't do it if they tried? hel_l, I probably have 5-10,000 worthless UN people sitting here in Kabul, scratching their asses all day long....... lets just dispatch the UN. We are only a 30 minute flight away from Islamabad.

You know, I am getting sick and tired of people saying the USA needs to get involved (They were the 1st unaffected country on the scene after the Tsunami) then in the next breath saying, we don't like your response, we don't like your methods......

Sure the USA should HELP out, along with the rest of the world...... and people like you should recognize that it has to be a group effort, when if things go wrong a shared blame!

Crawl out from under your rock and look around........ there are a lot of countries out there, spit your venom equally!

Isn't is interesting how the story changes depending on who from the environmental side is speaking.......

The complaint about GMO's in Europe is the POTENTIAL health issues.

The complaint about GMO's in Africa isn't health, but the fact that you must purchase new seed every year!

Now the complaint in Thailand is they want to be treated like Europeans not like the Americans, who have had GMO food for a couple of decades......

When is Greenpeace going to say something about the raw sewage being dumped into the Chao Paya? How about the ocean of plastic bags and trash in the Gulf of Siam?

Where is the French Navy when you need them? Oh, that's right I need a glass bottom boat to find them!

Greenpeace, another organization that started out with the best of intentions, that has now become a worthless bureaucracy mired down in their own propaganda.

Just look at Taksims headlines in the past few weeks on this forum.

1) End the slums in 3 years!

2) End the flooding in 3-4 years....

3) Eradicate Drugs in the last trimester of this year......

And the list goes on and on and on....... The guy never stops!

How else will the Kingdom pay for all of these programs? Best to get in on the ground floor and capture a market share than wait.

It's strange for a Doctor to call it heart failure. Heart failure is a progressive chronic disease and not of itself a cause of death.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ahhhhhh Excuse me? "Heart failure is a progressive chronic disease and not of itself a cause of death." What school of medicine does this come from????

Heart Failure is a description, without cause........ Degenerative Heart failure is now a description with a cause. Another example "Congestive Heart failure".

Pending an autopsy, this will be probably be called a Hard-on heart failure.

Well, if the UN doesn't like it....... it mustn't be to bad of a place at all! All the UN is concerned is how they can line their personal pockets, not what is good for the people.

And the fact that they were banned in the State of Nevada isn't saying very much.... Mormon State with Mormon law makers...... maybe this group didn't particularly want to espouse the Mormon Doctrine......

And the locals don't like the yogga chanting, maybe. Probably sounds too much like the local temple!

When they start teaching about alien invasion, mixing "Special" drinks and hourding weapons, then I would raise the flag.

And so what that some of the children are not technically orphans, there are many Christian boarding schools in the North, who bring in chidren and educate them to try and stop the chain of poverty, so what's the problem?

Give it a rest........ there are other issues to spend your time worrying about, not this one!

Where is CM?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Chiang Mai.

&lt;deleted&gt; are you?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Patience, Patience Jai Dee....

We must have a Newbie to LOS.