Diablo Bob

Settling , the longer the better , that is true . But since it is pressed down , and you build with columns which are on stable ground then 1 month is not rare . I do not know if your groundfloor is raised above groundlevel or not . If not then the sandfill does not carry any loadbearing structure . In the other case ( groundlevel is poured on filled sand ) , use enough concrete as it is not resting on settled ground . Thais in small towns are using 5cm or less concrete , while western houses use 10cm as a minimum ( 15cm is about standard ) .

You are confusing Consolidation (Settling) with Compaction. In general,consolidation (No matter how much time has passed) itself is not sufficient to provide adequate bearing capacity for typical foundations. Mechanical effort and moisture control needs to be performed to bring the soil to a density that will provide you the required bearing capacity for any given foundation. Every soil type has a different bearing capacity, where a sand/gravel mixture has a fantastic bearing capacity and a clay/silt mixture (Typical farmland soil) has a poor bearing capacity even when compacted. In this case a soils/foundation engineer can re-design your foundations to the in-situ soil conditions.

You are probably more then right . However we are talking not about a multimillion home but just a nice place . Sure , you can hire consultants , architects , and plenty of manpower etc etc , but his home would not even be close to 500k finished ( maybe even started ) . Just build some columns in stable ground and fill in the space in the middle with beams and concrete as any normal house in Thailand does . In you do not have stable land , ask around for piles which are also common in Thailand and they will provide the stable foundation .

I would say that a building is only as good as it's foundation! The cost of constructing correctly is a fraction of the cost for repairing a distressed structure. Just imagine having a house that has foundation failure...... underground piping breaks, windows and doors won't close and walls &flooring crack etc.

Columns is NOT the way to go if building on suspect ground. As you mention, a pile foundation or a mat foundation would work better. Columns generally have higher loads that the other two options consequently they would fail on bad soil before the other options.

Any way you look at it, it is the owner of a less expensive home that can afford least the costs associated with skimping during construction.

Settling , the longer the better , that is true . But since it is pressed down , and you build with columns which are on stable ground then 1 month is not rare . I do not know if your groundfloor is raised above groundlevel or not . If not then the sandfill does not carry any loadbearing structure . In the other case ( groundlevel is poured on filled sand ) , use enough concrete as it is not resting on settled ground . Thais in small towns are using 5cm or less concrete , while western houses use 10cm as a minimum ( 15cm is about standard ) .

You are confusing Consolidation (Settling) with Compaction. In general,consolidation (No matter how much time has passed) itself is not sufficient to provide adequate bearing capacity for typical foundations. Mechanical effort and moisture control needs to be performed to bring the soil to a density that will provide you the required bearing capacity for any given foundation. Every soil type has a different bearing capacity, where a sand/gravel mixture has a fantastic bearing capacity and a clay/silt mixture (Typical farmland soil) has a poor bearing capacity even when compacted. In this case a soils/foundation engineer can re-design your foundations to the in-situ soil conditions.

You are all wrong!

The restaurant is near the zoo, the entrance is in the car park to Huay Keow waterfalls

On the left after the flower seller stalls and before the fast food sellers is an unmarked driveway.

Down the driveway, to the right, down the stairs, through a very dark corridor.

There it is.

Most of the outside tables by the falls are likely to be closed as it is only fully open in December and January.

Inasmuch as the OP stated that the restaurant was out by the zoo and near CMU, how can our suggestions be incorrect, when our suggestions conform to this description?

By the way, does your suggestion have a name......

The un-named one I suggested is by the zoo and really nice, with tables set at many levels. The main building is massive and entirely teak.

Galair has a pretty setting by a lake, but if you have eaten there, you wouldn't describe it as nice. Second rate with extremely poor service is a more fitting description.

Palaat Tawanron, is nice but would be described as behind the zoo as it is in the road to the zoos rear entrance.

Nice is subjective, personally I have always had good service and good food at the Galare...... or maybe my standards are lower than yours!

You are all wrong!

The restaurant is near the zoo, the entrance is in the car park to Huay Keow waterfalls

On the left after the flower seller stalls and before the fast food sellers is an unmarked driveway.

Down the driveway, to the right, down the stairs, through a very dark corridor.

There it is.

Most of the outside tables by the falls are likely to be closed as it is only fully open in December and January.

Inasmuch as the OP stated that the restaurant was out by the zoo and near CMU, how can our suggestions be incorrect, when our suggestions conform to this description?

By the way, does your suggestion have a name......

Try my friend Mr. Yahoo Search (Galare Restaurant Chiang Mai), in second listing which is Lonely Planet Thailand

Your friend Google Earth has these photos also (They call it the Ka Lae though)

Forget what people say!

Try going to a professional like Sunbelt Asia or Siam Legal and talk directly with the attorneys.

Seriously though, do you really think legalizing the sex industry would benefit the whole country? Isnt Thailand already struggling to change an image of itself as a sex tourist/sex-pat destination? Maybe if it were concentrated in one area, such as Pattaya, where it could be a sort of like a lower end Las Vegas? Im not trying to be funny, or standing on a soap box saying what i think is right or wrong..im trying to be realistic. Would it honestly serve Thailand well to have a legalised industry? What kind of people in general would you think it would attract? I honestly think the influx of the kind of visitors (drunken, bad mannered, seedy guy - generally speaking!)that that change would attract, would not serve Thailand well on the whole. Thoughts? Im open to discussion. I could be wrong.

Eek, Prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas, Nv. The state constitution prohibits prostitution in Clark (Las Vegas)& Washo (Reno)counties. That aside, the legalized brothels throughout the state are regulated as to working hours, minimum wage and they contribute to unemployment and are inspected (Facilities and prostitues)by local health officials. Some say that it has cleaned up the business by removing organized crime from the equation.

Unfortunately, in Las Vegas and Reno it is still business as usual with the pimps etc......

As to who would it atract? The same people who are coming to Thailand today, no difference.

In Chiang Mai, the Canon Service Centre is listed at 146 Rat Chiang Sean Rd. That's just east of Chiang Mai Gate, outside the moat beside the Bangkok Gas Station.

See map.

It's only been 3 years since this topic was current , hopefully he has found it by now or bought a Nikon......

but high costs in Thailand and my work has not allowed me the luxury.

It's not just the cost; I just couldn't take the pain of a system 50 years behind the rest of the world, and turned ultralight.

I have come to the same conclusion, so I am looking at getting an Excalbur which under Thai regulations is an ultralight.....

http://chiangmaioffroad.multiply.com/

Not sure how successful they were? What about taking a aluminum cargo topper with standing headroom, and converting it's interior to a nice livable space? Refrigeration, airflow, washing faculties, storage plus a comfy bed (forget inside cooking) all well keeping the outside looking like it blends right in. Heck, throw some large health drink decal all over the exterior...

And DB, if you keep looking in the right places, for RV, you'll be surprised just how good/better of deals are out there with the current economy. The California market right now for luxury vehicles blows me away.

- continued hijack of the thread as we havent' seen pictures yet. Or better ideas of the OP's preferences for RVing requirements. Heck, can't think of any back road (Thai back roads which are mostly hardtop) between Samoeng and the Mae Hong Song route where you wouldn't find a nice private pullout along side a river.

Yes, I am exploring the CA, AZ and NV markets due to their depressed economies......

Now when I think of an RV and roughing it I think this would suit me just fine.....

Nice to live in, Bob, but can you imagine trying to get it somewhere on the back roads in Thailand?

You don't drive it on those backroads, if the Thai's can drive tour buses the same size or larger then you can drive one of those to most destinations and tow along a car or truck, park the RV overlooking some nice rive spot, unhook the car/truck and go do your backroad or in town excursions..

I saw the market for this years ago unfortunately I couldn't find anyone else who had the sense and vision to see the opportunity so I shelved it unable to do it exclusively on my own.. One poster said he didn't think it would fly because no camps? That's really putting the cart before the horse as no one will put up a camp and sit there for eternity without RV's to camp in them. There is a huge market for both though, why not be a pioneer and do both RV's and parks it'd be far cheaper to make an RV/camping park then a resort..

I think there might be a market for smaller RVs, but those big ones cost in excess of $200,000 (6 million baht). You can rent a reasonable room just about anywhere in Thailand for 400 to 500 baht a night without any investment or risk at all. In a country where the average wage is 200 baht a day, I don't see the advantage of a big motorhome. I live in Canada where many people can afford such an investment, but most people still stay in resorts. The advantage of an RV is being able to travel off the beaten path where there are no resorts or hotels. I know, I have one here in Canada and use mine all the time. It gets me to places where there's no accommodation within 100 km and sometimes much more. I could never get one of those big busses to the places I travel. My camper has a comfortable bed, a fridge, a stove, water and a toilet. It has enough propane to last 2 weeks in the bush, and a separate battery for lighting.

Actually the prices on a used RV has dropped like a rock. I am currently sourcing 3 in the USA for accomodation units for a project in the oilfields of Oman. I have been quoted as low as $35,000 for a 10 year old 36 foot unit to $90,000 to a 40 foot 2007 model.

The pictures are from the 2007 quote......

Now when I think of an RV and roughing it I think this would suit me just fine.....

You need a civil engineer. If your property is essentially flat you will need to establish a grade away from your intended building location. This would necessitate the addition of fill material for a building pad.

If you are contemplating putting in a few ponds, these cound be used to develop the required fill for your building pad and serve the purpose of retaining the rainwater......

Most civil engineers could develop such a plan. In conjuction with a landscape architect they could make these modifications look natural.

I am a little confused as to what type of finish you are looking for on your floor.

Is it a Terazzo finish which uses a process of grinding down the surface to expose the aggregate and paste, then polished.

Or are you looking for a finished surface on your concrete that is has almost a polished appearance?

The Terazzo can be performed on exiting concrete surfaces while the steel trowel finish needs to be perfomed at the time of the concrete placement.

Which is it that is most used in trendy shopping mall stores?

They always have a very smooth and glossy surface.

Terazzo. Prior to placing the concrete they have a brass "grid" that is installed. They then grind down to

the grid. The grid can be ornamental or in any dimensions that you desire.

I am a little confused as to what type of finish you are looking for on your floor.

Is it a Terazzo finish which uses a process of grinding down the surface to expose the aggregate and paste, then polished.

Or are you looking for a finished surface on your concrete that is has almost a polished appearance?

The Terazzo can be performed on exiting concrete surfaces while the steel trowel finish needs to be perfomed at the time of the concrete placement.

Color can be applied to the exiting concrete's surface, but this is in a liquid form and the results will vary based upon the consistency of the concrete. The best results for color concete is with an integral color which is added to the concrete at the time of placement.

As to where? Your guess is as good as mine.......

Just for the record:

Bangkok Airways do not have a monopoly to Koh Samui. Thai Airways have two daily flights either way. I have no idea about their prices, but they're probably not cheap. The reason is that Bangkok Airways own the Samui airport and want a (good) return on their investment.

/ Priceless

And TG has to pay BKK Air landing fees in order to use that airport. Say it's not a monopoly if you must, but there's good reason why most developed countries put limits on airline ownership of airports.

.

The landing fee is listed as $300/aircraft. No much for a 737.....around $3/passenger.

SAMUI AIRPORT.pdf

From http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

London to Thailand overland

If you have the time (we're talking a minimum of 3 weeks one-way), you can travel from London to Bangkok overland. The links below cover travel in either direction, from London or to London:

Step 1: London to Moscow by train. Daily departures, 2 nights, from about £160 one-way with sleeper. Spend at least 1 night in Moscow.

Step 2: Moscow to Beijing by Trans-Siberian Railway Two trains a week, 6 nights, from about $450 one-way in 4-bed sleeper. Spend at least 1 night in Beijing.

Step 3: Beijing to Hanoi by train Two trains a week, 2 nights, about $150 or £75 one-way in soft sleeper. Spend at least 1 night in Hanoi.

Step 4: Hanoi to Saigon by train Several trains daily, 2 nights. Why not stop off to see Hue or Hoi An? About $80 or £40 one-way in soft sleeper.

Step 5: Saigon-Phnom Penh by bus Daily, 1 day. Spend at least 1 night in PP.

Step 6: Phnom Penh-Battambang by train or bus, bus to the frontier, train to Bangkok.

There aren't any travel agencies who can arrange the whole trip, so you will need to plan it out and arrange each stage of the journey yourself. It's an exercise in project management! Unless time is absolutely no object, you should book the key sections in advance through various travel agencies, for example, book London-Moscow through a UK European train ticketing agency such as DB's UK office or europeanrail.com, then book Moscow-Beijing & Beijing-Hanoi through a local Russian agency such as Svezhy Veter or www.realrussia.co.uk. Tickets for other parts of the trip, for example, Hanoi-Saigon-Phnom Penh-Bangkok can all be bought locally, as you go along. You'll need to pre-arrange visas for Belarus, Russia, possibly Mongolia, China & Vietnam, and in many ways complying with the various visa requirements (and in some cases, requirements for confirmed onward tickets to be held) is actually the biggest hassle, not buying the tickets for the trains, so check this out carefully using the relevant embassy websites.

Where do you start? First, read through the seat61 pages linked above. Then sketch out your itinerary using a simple spreadsheet like this, deciding where and for how long you want to stop off. Next, check out the visa situation for each country. Finally, follow the advice on each seat61 page to buy tickets for each train journey that you want to pre-book.

Enjoy your 3 weeks+

Very dated trains with a bad reputation for breaking down and one of the highest accident rates in the world for trains.

First class is more like 4th class when compaired to American or EU trains.

Police stormed into my room asking questions of who I was and who was with me checking ID and everything.

I can never think of a reason to use them again untill they upgrade

I would be interested in your sources....

Bad reputation for breaking down? In over 10 years I personally never had this problem nor anybody that I know. Maybe its true, where is your source?

Highest accident rates in the word? I checked on the most dangerous and they don't even show up in the top 10 (USA does 3 times).

As for your statement about 4th class, What can you get in the USA for $50? A 3rd class seat from Los Angeles to San Diego! Here in Thailand, you get great value for your money and unlike the USA the trains here are normally on-time.

Try this site, everything you can ever want to know about train travel in Thailand.

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

The link doesn't work.

Just tried it and it works on my computer.....

Try this site, everything you can ever want to know about train travel in Thailand.

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

Forget the rumors you've heard about Pattaya. People love to exaggerate. It's generally pretty safe unless you go looking for trouble. Pattaya is the ideal base for your budget. Cheap accommodations, cheap food, central with 2 airports and a bus station nearby. 100 baht massage, 70 baht gym, 30 baht ferry to Koh Larn with nice beaches and clean water, 10 baht buses. So, plenty of cheap activities during the day. Tons of nightlife with no cover clubs and plenty of cheap bars if you look around.

100k is rough, you'd have to be extremely disciplined to stay within this budget, 150k is more realistic.

Chiang Mai/ Chiang Rai area is nice and should be a definite visit, but not a good base. It's far from everything, so your travel costs/time will offset any savings (which would be insignificant anyway).

Good luck and enjoy your travels

Thanks for the input. As i said earlier the budget is not written in stone, i can go with 150k if that works better. It seems really hard to get an answer around here...

A friend of mine stayed in Koh Samui for a couple of months, even though he spent a shitload on girls and in the bar he said you really dont need more than 500GBP a month. He stayed in a pretty nice 200GBP a month appartment which included electricity and water costs. And this is Koh Samui after all.....

As for the food some say you can get a huge meal with rice and chicken for 50 baht, another says a bowl of soup for 200. <deleted>? Is it truffle soup?

You never really said that you wanted to stay on/near the ocea. You did mention Samui, Phuket and Pattaya in the OP, but is the ocean a requirement?

Given your budget and the fact that you haven't been to Thailand before, I would recomend that you bring more money and cut the length of the trip from 3 months to 6 weeks. Spend those weeks traveling around by bus/train to different parts of Thailand. Stay in good but not great hotels. The next time in Thailand you will then know areas to explore further and areas to avoid.

One of my hidden spots is Chaeng Saen, on the Mekong River at the Golden Triangle. At night the food vendors set up their tables and chairs and you can spend the evening relaxing while watching the river barges & long tail boat taxi's ply their trade. Very mellow......

Finally ............. they could extend to business class also .. I love babies but when you pay 3,000euro for a ticket ,you deserve some quiet time without some babies crying.... not their fault of course , we all have been babies but it can be really disturbing , specially when you have early meetings and need some sleep in the plane.

You OBVIOUSLY do NOT have children...you should be ashamed of yourself for your comment!

I have 3 kids and agree with the ban. The worst 17 hours I have ever spent was between Seoul amd Los Angeles, with a baby screaming the whole way. Not the babies fault, it was the parents.

Interesting, used in conjunction with a roof rotary vent (cyclone) you might see good results. The main problem here in Thailand is a lack of insulation above the ceiling. The sun heats the air in this attic space and it just sits there all night long. Evacuate this heated air with the cyclone and replace it with cooler air with your little system might be the trick.

using the whole-house fan the "american way" by blowing the air in the attic requires a certain diameter of ridge vents to ensure unrestricted airflow. ridge vents are neither available in Thailand nor does anybody know how to install them. even a few "turbine vents" won't do the trick. you have to find a way to exhaust the air through an outside wall. not an easy task if you don't have gables but only hip roofs! it took me a few days to find a solution but it was much easier because the home wasn't built yet.

Good point about the ridge vents, but how about Soffit ventilation? Inasmuch as you are introducing about 5000cfm of air into this attic space, wouldn't a soffit ventilation system give you that unrestriced airflow? Just asking by the way, not trying to be argumentative.....

My intent is to install a rotary cyclone vent on the roof, to vent the roof during the day, and to allow the whole house fan a way for the air to escape. My other idea is to add 4 inch fiberglass, foil covered insulation to the top of the ceilings. Yes the whole house is a massive heat sink, and if I can lower the temperature a little each day, the A/C will not have to be used as much.

Plant trees for shade, very effective. How high is the ceiling in the house that you are purchasing? The higher the ceiling the better!

Another little trick that does work efficiently around 6 months a year is evaporative cooling, but as the humidity rises, the cooling effect drops off.

Nancy has a great idea, consider a misting system. If you are moving that volume of air through the house, a mistng system would be a very effective method of transforming your house into a giant evaporative cooler....

I had ceiling fans along with the rotary vents in my home in Los Angeles. But I can't see how they would work in brick and concrete homes in Thailand.

I don't see where being a brick or concrete home makes a difference in how a rotary vent works...... the vent works on the convection currents developed by hot air rising. Now if you are alluding to the fact that a concrete/brick home is a heat sink, that is another question, but nothing to do with a rotary vent.