Stevemercer

Yes, it would be better to get the construction meter installed closer to the time of the house build (within several weeks). If you have a builder they will organise all this. The main cost is the upfront 4,800 Baht deposit (or whatever the cost is now). Monthly bills will be minimal. If there is no activity, the bill will be close to zero. You should proceed to get the water line/meter installed to the edge of your property. Do not pay PWEA to install water piping within your property as the price for this will be exhorbitant. The builders will need to run a temporary line/hose for use during construction. They can do this if it is no more than 50 metres to the site. If the distance is further the builders will want to put in a 'permanent' line to a tap where they will mix the concrete etc. You can always block this off if it ends up being in an inconvienient location. It is best to put in the permanent piping once the concrete wall (that it will run along) is completed alongside the house. Normally the 'in' line will be buried underground about 6 inches running along your side of the fence to your tank/pump set up. The 'out' line (from the tank/pump set up) to connection points in your house and outside taps will normally run along the concrete wall. Normally the builder will do the concrete wall, at least near the house. It is best to lock it into the contract (length, height and location of the fence). Once the fence starts going up, any neighbours with concerns about the property boundary will stick their noses in. It is probably good practice to get the local Lands Department in to verify/confirm the property boundaries to avoid future disputes. You normally have to book them 3 or 4 weeks in advance. It is worth treating them to lunch and tea money because they may favour you in any disputes. At one point (not too far from the tank and close to the main bedroom showers etc (or anticipated heaviest water use) a line will run to the house. This will then run buried along the length of the house to all the connection points. When we built our house, we had the builder leave a 1 meter space between the house wall and the perimeter concrete pathway (which is usually built right against the house. This means we can plant bushes and gardens right against the house and the water pipeline/house connections are not buried under concrete and are easy to access. At the end of the day, because Thailand runs such a low pressure system, and the pipes are PVC, everything is easy to fix, reroute or bypass as necessary. You will be able to do most of this work yourself with basic tools.

We had to pay to get a line in from the closest PEA pole to our construction site and then pay PEA for a temporary connection/meter. I think the connection/meter cost 4,800 Baht. The builders organised the line in and, during the house construction, put in a permanent 3 phase line to our house (about 250 m from the closest PEA pole). The cost will mainly depend upon the number of poles needed to get to your house from the PEA pole and may be 30,000 - 50,000 Baht per 100 metres (assuming 3 small concrete poles per 100 m). When the house is completed, don't forget to get PEA to change the meter/tariff to domestic. The contruction tariff is twice the domestic tariff and, apparently, we 'forgot' to change the tariff. We paid the construction tariff while living in the house for over 7 years. I recommend getting town water put on. Normally PEA will put the line and meter to the edge of your property. I forget the cost. They will give you a quote to run the line across your property to a specified end point, but the cost will be outrageous. It is much cheaper to get a private contractor/local to build that line or, alternatively, do it your self.

Yes, I often get into arguments and fights with monkeys too.

Maybe I'm missing something, but it looks like a rat snake skin to me, maximum width of the snake maybe 2 - 3 inches if flattened. That would equate to a rat snake 1.5 m long. If you look at the larger python skins, the scales are small in relation to the width. I've never heard of a rat snake big enough to attempt a cat, but one could cope with an unprotected kitten. If there were pythons around, I'm sure you would have seen them around before. They tend to hand around if there is food about, and have regular patterns of movement. Rat snakes are very quick and come and go.

Yes, looks like a typical Isan build, at the lower cost end. Everyone has been through the same communication problems and frustrations. You are probaby taking a good approach to see how it goes before deciding whether to go ahead with your 'dream home' in the future. You will have plenty of time to contemplate life and your relationships, in general, and whether you want to stay and Yasothon. Plus, if you end up moving on, you will leave your girlfriend and her family with a house. The big downside is that few of us want to go through the frustrations of building a house twice in Thailand. Once is enough! But maybe you are young enough to do it all again.

I wonder how much the former Police Chief is worth? He got 'Big Joke' removed from his post when 'Bik Joke' first raised allegations about iregularities in the Smart Car project. The project was pushed through by the ex-Police Chief.

Old woman often don't wear bras especially when pottering around the house or garden. In the non-tourist areas (and outside trendy Bangkok) women tend to dress conservatively, but there are always exceptions of course. What I find a bit disconcerting is that Thai women (including teenagers) will often parade around the house in just a towel, or loose night-dress, even when a male non-relative (such as myself) is present. They don't do it to be provocative, they are just acting normally and would be horrified if you took it as a 'come on'.

I agree with the above posts. You can buy the bike advertised as a way of dipping your toe in the market. The cheap battery will only be good for 5 - 10 km range and will die within 6 months. After that, you can decide if you want to spend the money to get a decent scooter of that style that will last. A decent battery powered bike of that type will start at 20,000 Baht, but a good one will be 30,000 Baht. This will have a range of 40 - 50 km and the battery should last for years. The battery will weigh up to 10 kg and be removable. The supplied charger and electronics will have cut-offs etc. to avid overcharging. The risk of fire is minimal. I have had a King Song electric wheel for 8 years and the battery is still going strong (range of 75 km and speed up to 40 km/hr) after some 8000 km.

Clay tiles are much quieter in the rain. Should be easier to install and maintain (in the event of leaks). If you are out in the provinces, most builders/construction crews will have enough experience to put up a decent roof.

As people have noted, the legality seems to be a grey area. However, your neighbour will not respond to any attempts at mediation. There is not really anything you can do, especially if your construction will eventually block his view. If he repositions his cameras to intrude on your privacy, once you are living there, that will be a different matter. We have a neighbour with a similar attitude. He filled his land nearly a metre above ours, and then pushed the fill against the concrete wall we had built (effectively turning it into a retaining wall). It was obvious it would cause problems once the rainy season came. It ws certainly not legal and my wife pursued a complaint with council against him. They tried to mediate, but he never responded to any requests. In the meantime, the rainy season came and our concrete wall acted like a dam once the heavy rains came. Fortunately a 2 metre wall he had constructed along his perpendicular boundary (to us) collapsed before ours did and relieved the pressure. After that, I went onto his property for an hour or so, every day, and dug out the fill on his property, along our wall, and put a drainage pipe at the end to direct the run-off onto the street. He didn't object, but didn't help either. That fixed that problem and he hasn't tried to move the fill again.

My wife ran over our own dog on our driveway in a similar fashion. It didn't yelp, but had limited use of its front legs. 2,000 Baht (X-rays etc.) and a week later it was running around as normal. But now it doesn't lie on the road and runs away from cars and motorbikes.

It's a hard videoto watch if you ride a motorbike. I hope the offender is charged with vehicular homicide for his deliberate and reckless action in killing the officer. RIP for the police officer just doing his job and best wishes and condolences to family and friends.

Most Thais think puppies are adorable and will get one on the spur of the moment. When it is grown, they will get another. Someone else in the family can look after it when it is grown. It's just 'living in the moment' with little thought of the consequences or responsibility of dog 'ownership'.

In my opinion, Phuket has the cleanest and best beaches in Thailand. Some beaches have waves and currents to spice things up a bit. Swimming on Gulf beaches is like taking a warm bath. I've always enjoyed my time in Phuket. There are worse places to retire.

I think Thai people value life, the same as we do in the West. It's just that Thai's (and most Asian cultures) are more used to death then we are. Death is a part of life and Thais are constantly exposed to it through funerals and other reminders of our mortality. So Thais can more readily accept death as a normal part of life. Funerals can be social occasions to meet old friends and celebrate life with family, whilst ensuring the departed has a good send-off in accordance with traditions. In western countries, we tend to be more isolated from death. It is not a routine and regular part of our lives, and it therefore comes as a shock. We are not prepared for it and may be at a loss as to how to properly mourn and honour the departed. I think the Thai approach to death is probably the better way to go. But sometimes I think if we lavished the same attention and money on the elderly (before they passed away) maybe it would be better. Why not give the same sort of 'funeral party' for the elderly, before they pass away, and while they can still enjoy it.

The original article is correct in saying that the reason why 'Big Joke' was removed from Immigration has never been officially explained. It may have something to do with the IB's then purchase of a biometric system, signed off by the then police chief. 'Big Joke' is on the public record as saying the IB spent over 300 million baht per unit although the same brand and model of machine can be purchased for 36 million baht. Whatever, that police chief has retired and it seems 'Big Joke' has the support of the current chief. Or maybe the powers-in-charge reckon it's better to have 'Big Joke' on their side where they might be able to better control him.

I think maybe 10 - 15 years. Of course, human women will be able to get their own male 'well made' android that will never tire of her and can pleasure her endlessly. Maybe us blokes will have no choice, but to fall back on an android woman.

Most larger plant nurseries have a water plant section, or can direct you to the nearest place. Water lilies are an obvious choice.

Best wishes to you and your family. Great to hear from you again.

I'd pay the 15,000Baht and let the shop worry about ordering etc. They should provide 6 - 12 months warranty and you can go back if there is a problem. As suggested by another poster, check the tyre pressure. I remember buying a Suzuki GS450 once. The owner hadn't ridden it in a while and apologised for the poor handling. My test ride confirmed the poor handling, but I stopped at a garage to check/inflate the tyres. They were less than 50% the recommended pressure. This dramatically restored the handling. I got the bike cheap because no one had wanted it after a test ride, and no one had thought to check the tire pressure.

It is usual for these things to take time (12 months). The police probably know the guilty parties (assuming they are local). They are waiting to see what develops. Maybe the situation will turn to their advantage, particularly if their are other complaints against the party. The police may need a 'bribe' to finalise an investigation. However, even with good Thai, it is not a good idea for you (as a farang) to discuss with the police. The police may think you have plenty of money and misunderstandings may arise. Almost certainly the guilty party has conned other people. The police may want to wait for other people to come forward. The police may have already approached the guilty party and he has paid them off. Can you find a Thai person of good repute to ask questions on your behalf? They might be told more, particularly if police want money before taking action. Alternatively, the police may not want to proceed with your complaint for whatever reason. At the very least, the Thai person can find out from the police whether or not it is worthwhile pursuing your complaint. As others have said, it is unlikely you will recover your money. The most likely outcome would be a negotiated outcome where the guilty party will repay a certain percentage. The police would act as mediators for a pre-agreed fee.

There are plenty of HiSo Thai ladies married to farang, but the farang are normally wealthy, famous or accomplished in some way. As other posters have said, the best way would be through introductions. You just have to be in Thailand and try and make social connections (e.g. attend costly events and hang around fashionable shops.

We normally leave 20 - 40 Baht per day for housekeeping staff. In my opinion, 100 Baht is excessive and a bit ostentatious (equivalent to tipping one third salary, or about $50 per day if you were in Australia).

Why you understand me?

For most foreigners, the land would be owned by their Thai wife/relative (e.g. someone with whom you have a close and continuing relationship). Because the foreigner doesn't own the land, they may want greater certainty they can continue to live on the land for the rest of their lives if the marriage breaks down, or something similar. A foreigner can take a 30 year lease/usufruct/lien on the land, meaning that the land can't be sold without the foreigners permission. The usufruct maust be stamped onto the original chanoot (land ownership) to be enforceable. The land offices in some provinces will not do this. You can pay for the land (but it is owned by the Thai national) and you can build a house on the land with a 30 year lease (if allowed by the Province local land office). The land, if sold, would be sold with the house on it. You would only do this as a lifestyle choice, because there are too many uncertainties to consider this an investment route. You must be 100% certain the land has clear freehold title, the Thai national is trustworthy, and the land office will allow the lien to be placed on the land. In the longer term, you should be prepared to walk away from whatever costs incurred if the relationship falls through or there is some reason why you don't want to live in Thailand anymore. In Thailand, if married, you are entitled to 50i% of assets obtained after the marriage. So make sure you marry first before buying the land and building a house. If you are persistent, you may be able to recover 50%, but it won't be anything like the original 6 million baht spent. The land, purchased for 2 million, may increase in value if in a township area or with direct road frontage. The house will not increase in value and a 4 million baht house might be worth only one or two million, particularly if the location is somewhat remote. A Thai family, with 6 million baht to spend, would typically have their heart set on building their own new home and not buying somebody elses house. This is doubly true in rural Thailand where fewer people would have that sort of money freely available. So, a best case scenario would be to be married to a Thai national, with the land in her name, and a 30 year usufruct on the land. You both live happily ever after for the rest of your lives. After you die, the family might sell or live on the land. If you got divorced, and the ex-wife is agreeable, you could continue to live in the house as long as you want. Just bear in mind that no decent Thai lady (e.g. if you want to marry again) will want to live in a house/land owned by your ex-wife. Alternatively, and if the ex-wife is agreeable, she could sell the property/house and give you 50%. Assuming the land is still worth 2 million, and the house is in excellent shape (maybe 2 million in the best possible outcome), you could get back 50% of 4 million baht, or 2 million baht. If the ex-wife is not agreeable, and uncooperative, you might want to walk away and save yourself all the aggro.