tatom

Can someone tell me if there is a secure carpark, like in Nong Khai, for someone going to Savanakhet?

Also, Is it possible to go north or south by boat from Savanakhet?

I have a 12 year old german shephard that Ive always kept clean and healthy. In the past couple of months he has developed a skin problem. On his back, from neck to tail, it looks like a bad case of dandruff. The flakes are large and light brown.

He also smells very bad. I shampoo him with human shampoo and the smell returns in a day. It doesnt seem to bother him.

Also, the skin is a bit red and raw in a few spots.

Anyone familiar with this condition or have any remedys?

I live in a remote village were there are no phone lines. I have UBC sattalite dish and a mobile phone and Ive heard a computer can be operated with either but that its poor quality. Also, these can be expensive for the service they provide.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get hooked up to the internet? Also, I believe most of these gadgets get better and cheaper with time. Maybe I would be better off waiting till the tecnology improves.

Tom Salarak Khon Kaen

Thanks J

The plants are on the ground. Usually, I plant cucumbers and pumpkins (squash) around the brush pile and let them climb over the pile. It works great and saves building a trellis. And, the cukes there are straight! Tom

Anyone got an idea why my cucumbers are curling up?

These plants are in a new spot I just prepard and the cucumbers are curled almost in a circle.

The ones in the old garden are fine (same seeds too).

My german shepherd has killed a dozen or so cobras in the past 10-12 years and never been bit. Maybe hes getting slow in his old age but anyway he got bit the other day. I saw it and it was a quick bite and I wasnt sure if it bit him or not, then I saw some blood and knew he got bit.

I watched him for several hours and he seemed ok. The next day is face was swollen at the bite and he wouldnt eat for 2 days. Now hes back to normal.

I would like to know what I should do if he ever gets a serious cobra bite? This snake was only about 4 feet long and it looked like the bite was just a nip.

Ive been through the whole deal when he gets venom spit in his eyes. A little kha juice in the eyes does the trick.

I bought some sliced ham for sandwiches. There are many brands avalailable. Is this ham ready to eat (cooked)? They give directions for cooking so Im not sure.

Also, the price varies. The JPM brand of processed meats is very cheap by comparison. Anyone know if the quality is good?

I want to buy a full face helmet. Not sure how it should fit.

Im sure tight is not good, how about snug or maybe a bit loose?

I too am tired of changing starters and floesent tubes. In one room with a 32W circular tube, I disconected the ficture and wired in a pigtail (ficture for a screw-in bulb), and installed a compact forescent bulb. It seems like a good solution to me, but what do the experts think?

I want to lay floor tiles on a concrete patio slab. The existing slab is not level. It has dips and humps. I will establish a finished grade from the highest spot. Im wondering, what is the minimum thickness for a mortar bed for ceramic tiles?

I only have a problem with the 1 light and my electric bill is only 300 bt a month, so, is there any reason I shouldnt just leave it?

After 10 years with a common Issan "fuse box" (a knifeswitch and 1 buse fuse), I got an electritian to install a ground rod and a real fusebox with breakers. The first night, I noticed all the lights had a glow. I called the electritian and he came over and switched the hot and neutral wires in all the switches, problem solved.

It seemed strange to me, but I dont know anything, just that it worked. The reason I started this thread is because now one of the lights is glowing again. I dont think switching the wires is the answer, but then again, what do I know?

In the kitchen, I have a 2 foot florescent tube. One night I noticed when the light was turned off, that on one end, there was a faint glow. Maybe there is some power leaking to the tube? Any ideas?

I think pvc should never be encased in concrete. When the concrete cracks and moves it will crack the pipe as well. When burried in soil, the pipe can move without breaking.

linnar,

Thanks. Ive noticed the bark is already pulling away from the wood. The roof will not be too heavy for the posts.

As for notifying the law, Ive heard it had to be done. Also, I heard you must notify them when you plant them .

Looks like it will be nice looking posts, very straight.

Thanks for all the replys.

My trees are about 8 inches in diamiter. I didnt know if I should remove the bark or not or treat with an insecticide.

The roof is not heavy. After reading all the replys, Im a bit concerned if the posts will shrink or twist. I just wanted to use the teak because its free and Im poor.

Thanks, Tom the OP

Well, Ive grown my teak trees and now I want to build with them. Im going to use them as posts for a patio roof. They will sit in the concrete slab.

How do I prepare them? Should I dry them first, should they be treated with something to protect them from rot and insects? Should I remove the bark?

I posted this question on the do-it-yourself section, but got no replys.

Im from Khon Kaen and just got my report back from bangkok.

Sent it by EMS and got it back 3 weeks to the day.

Can tell its getting hot when all the heat beating topics start popping up.

Im surprized the obvious hasnt come up, or maybe I just havent seen it. Ive tried to stop the heat instead of getting rid of it once its in the house. First, Ive planted alot of tall shade trees around the house, especially on the south and west side. Makes a big difference if the roof is in the shade! Only drawback Ive had is the rain gutters need cleaning often, but its worth it.

Another thing I did was put up a trellis (concrete posts and treated wood), on the west side of the house. I planted "peung saat", to grow on the trellis. This plant grows fast and thick and the west, concrete wall is in the shade all the time. Before, the wall would heat up and retain the heat all night.

These steps have reduced the temperature quite a bit. Of course, this is Thailand and its still hotter than hel!

I have teak trees and would like to use them as support posts for a roof over my patio. They are free and would look better than steel or concrete.

I dont really know much about teak. They will sit on the conctete slab and be bolted to the steel beams. They will get some rain blown in on them and Id like to know if they should be treated with anything. Im assuming they will last quite a while?

I think I am having a reaction to the shaving foam Im using. (Big C and Gillette brand). After shaving, I get a rash on my face that lasts a day or so.

Is there anything else I could use to soften my beard? Once, and ONLY once, I got a shave here in Issan. They just put on a little powder then shave. Yeeow!!

I dont know about other parts of Thailand, but here in Issan, vitamins are very expensive. I like to take a multi-vitamin daily.

The usual brands here are Centrum and Blackmores. The price is about 4 times that in the US.

Does anyone know where good vitamins can be purchased at a better price?

This was a new one to me. A couple months ago, I started getting small cuts in the corners of my mouth. They would scab over, bleed, open back up when I ate, it was painful and Very unsightly!

After a month, I went to the Doctor and he immediatley said, no problem, its just a vitamin B2 deficiency. He said it rarely happens in the West as we get enough B2 in our diets.

Sounded weird to me, but I looked it up on the web and it was confirmed. The internet said B2 should be taken with equal amounts of B6. Anahoo, problem solved.

Doc said it would be a good idea to supplement my diet with B2 to prevent recurrance.

I hope this will help someone else if they find themselves with the same problem.

Tom

Thanks everyone. As usual, the replys exceed my expectations.

This forum always amazes me at the vast knowledge of its members. The forum has really evolved from the days of all the petty bickering. I think new members dont realize how good they have it. When many of us came to Thailand, there was no internet and we had to figure it all out on our own. Now its really simple. Thanks, forum members, Tom

My wife is nearly fluent in English, but there are some things she just cant explain.

I think Patipada, refers to the method of practice used by monks. Im not sure what is meant by Patipadtaam.

Can anyone clarify these two words for me, please?