IgboChief

34 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet. 

Old days with cheap flights to Saigon and imm office so handy to Bui Vien st, the choice was obvious. 

You get nice Thai hands easily, who help you with everything -- booking the hotel, drive you around, get you through the immigration fast, join you with food/drinks in the evening.

Big value for small money.

40 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

But I've got to say with all the foreigners gone from Thailand, getting my extensions at local immigration is just as easy now. If the easy (and cheap) travel comes back, I might go to Saigon again, but I'd give Savanaakhet a miss ... far too dull!

Exactly my experience. I have been going to Savannakhet for years, but forced to do my Non-O Extension at the Local Immigration for 2 years.

Previous year was ok'ish and only mildly annoying (hand drawn map, same date account statement, wrong photos).

This year was almost too easy and I got in/out within 40 minutes. Not a single concern or objection.

Give it a try, their attitude has changed considerably.

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Did you expect that your information is handled private and confidential?

 

I understand that is what it should be. But I think in Thailand it is unrealistic to expect it. After all, TiT!

There is a difference between, what I have prepared for and what I reasonable should expect (especially when dealing with a public institution). My post was meant to a warning fort others, it did not do any harm to me.

Cheers

Greetings, I have received the following e-mail today.

This is very specific information disclosed only during the application itself -- and I am very careful on IT security related issues (its my profession more or less). Be aware.

Sender is:

From: Thailand Pass <[email protected]>
Subject: There are a New updates regarding your submitted information
 Thailand Pass
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2022 03:34:09 +0000 (UTC)

Hello ,  xxxx

• Th system noticed some problems in the documents you submitted to the embassy
• You should correct some information so that you are not held responsible by the government

• Please reply to this message and write the following information

1.  

    

    

    

    

   1. Your full name.
   2. Date of birth.
   3. Last 4 digits of the passport.

•     We apologize for any inconvenience caused
•      Thailand Pass

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I agree with most of what you write. But strawberries in Thailand are just not what strawberries are supposed to be.

Where in Thailand can you get strawberries like this?

 

Chiang Mai and Loei. Exactly like that.

41 minutes ago, allanos said:

Clearly the OP has never lived in Africa!

 

He would be outraged at every turn. Thailand is an absolute pleasure, by comparison.

I myself love Africa and Thailand, for exactly this reason: Everything is possible, if you just understand how to talk.

If I have to chose between jumping any queue for 400 THB in Thailand or wait in an orderly queue for free in a developed country, I don't need to think a second.

Got my Lagos Driving License faster out than the girl, who applied for me and herself -- just based on skin colour. She was so mad and I loved it.

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

This was last year?

This has been last year, when the mentioned distinguished Gentleman was in charge. (It has never been a problem all years before, he just did not want to take my application that day).

This year, I did not try -- but got Banking Letter in the morning and then went to Imm-Office in the afternoon.

1 hour ago, NJHOUSE said:

How much did you pay the neighbor?

She does not want anything, but I usually tip them 500 THB -- same as I tip the immigration lady.

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

and the chap who arbitrarily made a pest of himself to a few applicants over the past couple of years has obviously earned his promotion and gone.

Yeah, I noticed that. Although this man also gave me my extension last year, just let me jump over a few more hurdles (e. g. rejecting the banking letter from previous evening and also insisted in a hand sketched map and rejected photos).

I must say, compared with many places in the world Thai immigration looks friendly to me.

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

More interesting to see that there have eliminated the need to bring along one's wife nad/or witness to basically sit and watch while you sign all the paperwork.

No, neighbor and wife were present and asked to introduce themselves and to sign 3 different forms.

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I heard that they also stopped sending people off to the bank to get last-minute ATM stubs and bank book updates for the same reason

I went to the Bank before, deposited another 1k THB to have a recent balance and also got the Bank Letter. Last year, they insisted on "Same Day" and did not accept the statement of the previous evening (even when showing large amounts).

400k on Thai Bank account, seasoned for 3 month. (The balance is higher and I never touch it in anyway as I am aiming for Retirement Visa in 10 years or so, which seems to be easier -- no neighbors and no wife needed to show.)

Savanekhet is still more convenient to me (and more fun also) because of the "under consideration period", but as I said: can't complain at all and it was a good experience compared with the horror stories you often read.

4 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

By its very nature, sarcasm is negative and confrontational.

Suck it up and deal with it, Snowflake!

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

I don't see a lot of trees in your garden.

Trust me, there are. Few of 40m plus, no hard wood though. Mostly Mango trees, Lam Yai, Litchi and Coconut palms. Plus a few Makham and Baelfruit. Bananas and smaller trees which I do not know. The picture shows a small angle of the front side towards the roads.

I definitely have lots of cicadas. They make a hellish noise during the summer season. And they build chimneys too, just not THESE chimneys.

Am convinced now it is the crayfish. Installed two cages with bait, lets see what will happen. Ordered 25kg Lye and heavy duty rubber gloves on Lazada too (well, my daughter did.)

7 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Termites.

I do not think so. That's a wasp: https://uwm.edu/field-station/great-black-wasp/

Termites are much smaller and are not living sole in a hole.

Quote

Almost our entire property is cemented or tile.  Too many creepy crawly things here.

Uhm, that would be a very expensive "solution"though.

Beautiful video.

That's a wasp though, very useful insects. They do not come in legion and turn your garden into a mood puddle.

Final call:

Thanks all for helping, especially @wwest5829

Cheers

That's rather unfortunate:

"There are no pesticides, fumigants, or toxicants labeled safe to use on the crustaceans. Any poisons will contaminate the adjacent water. The best way to remove them is with trapping."

"Traps are humane and nontoxic. You don’t have to worry about poisoning other animals or leaving persistent residue in your soil. To trap crayfish you need metal traps, some bait, and soil anchors. The best baits are meat that is slightly off, or wet pet food. The stinkier the better according to pro baiters."

(from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/animals/getting-rid-crayfish-in-lawn.htm)

Looks like I will have to install regular Som Tam Kung "you eat what you catch" parties in my garden during the raining season.

11 minutes ago, IgboChief said:

Kudos Sir, I tip my had! This is a perfect match and it looks like I have been wrong, twice! Thanks for helping out: How to get rid of it?

Am still undecided. The pictures for match perfectly and the chimneys are quite tall (25 cm the biggest ones).

But that crawfish would have to be tiny given the diameter of the chimneys. Also I can't imagine having that much crawfish around although the is a huge reservoir close by.

For the moment, I still consider the cicadas which are abundant here. Let me try to collect more samples.

But I wonder: does nobody of you have any similar problem with the garden?

1 minute ago, NCC1701A said:

it's obviously not your garden.  

Puyai Ban says, it is. And he is the law here. Come and try him????

20 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Google “crawl dad mud towers”

Kudos Sir, I tip my hat! This is a perfect match and it looks like I have been wrong, twice! Thanks for helping out: How to get rid of it?

3 hours ago, wombat said:

closet greenie says... 
check under what conditions they become carcinogenic 

I know, and its no light hearten decision.

But these chimneys are quite big, up to 25 cm and it takes them only 3-4 days to build them.

I have a beast of a lawn mower, with 30 cm rotating blades, which blunt completely after one hour mowing. When the soil is wet, it is dense enough to stall the engine. When it is dry it will turn into dust choking the engine and me. I have to maintain almost 3 Rai and its no joke.

During the rain season, the grass here grows like 10 cm in 3-4 days. Regular mowing is key or it gets out of control. So sorry, these beast have to go.