English Engineer

A number of the Chinese inverter do not like a load suddenly applied. The trick is to switch off the main breaker, allow the inverter to be establish then switch the main supply breaker.

18 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Agree the farmers in the rural areas are less susceptible and have managed to survive for years on little to nothing.

 

 

Yes this is a good plan. We are now using land to pretty much be self sufficient in fruit and vegtables. We have a big freezer to store meat.

HMRC assumed my state pension had risen as though I lived in the UK. I phoned HMRC on the Monday, and told them I lived in Thailand and my pension was frozen. My company pension payment on Friday was adjisted to taken account of my over payment. Two weeks later a cheque for previous year overpayments  was sent to my registered UK addrrss. I could not fault their service.

On 4/19/2020 at 10:31 PM, northsouthdevide said:

I'm also considering going solar on a planned new build. 

Apart from a few solar street lights in my drive, I'm also pretty much a novice. 

I've been mulling over a hybrid system, eather with, or without batteries, tied to the grid via a phase one hook up. 

At the moment, I'm on phase 3, and my energy bills are very expensive, so won't be going down that road. 

Anyway, while reading a story the other day in the bkk post, a pop up add appeared for a solar company in hua Hin. 

They said they will serve anywhere in Thailand for the same price. 

They seem very professional, so I saved it to my home screen, and will be giving them a call in the future.    They are called hua Hin solar solutions and their contact link gives you their Facebook page. 

There's also a tel number 0640528172. 

 

After plenty of ups and downs with workmen in this country, I've decided that when choosing my solar system, I'm not going to do what I've done in the past, and that's compromise. 

Not with electric. 

 

Before installing solar you should look at the house design and minimise where possible energy usage. On average over the year 1kw installed produce 4 units kwh/day. Many companies quote peak but output is reduced in the rainy season. The PEA in general do not allow you to export. Hence if not used when produced at the time, additional energy will go to the grid, with no credit. Lithium ion batteries are the best option but are quite expensive but much longer life. Conversion from a battery store is around 80%. Hence a 10kwh store will only give around 8kwh as ac.  A hybrid system with batteries as the additional advanteage on power outage in removing the voltage surge when power is returned.

It is important that you inform HMRC that your pension is frozen. I found that despite my pension being frozen. HMRC assumed my SP would rise as though I in the UK. I was therefore over taxed. 

15 hours ago, darrendsd said:

Is this first hand info?

Yes

Requirements by Hua Hin Immigration:

Copy of the landlords id card

Document to prove rented house belongs to landlord

Rental contract

Letter from embassy can be email

Show UK passport at airline check in.

Use thai passport at thai immigration

Enter UK with UK passport

Use UK passport at UK departure

Enter Thailand with thai passport

Speaking to an immigration officer, I was told you need to show the 800k in the account at all times. I think this is a new requirement.

We are building a new house and will install a hybrid solar system with battery backup. It is not only the power cuts but also the voltage transients when power is restored. We use a phase failure relay to isolate the incoming supply if the incoming voltage is out of range.The situation is likely to become worse in the future as more and more users are added to the network. 

I am currently building houses here in Hua Hin which are fully designed to be wheel chair friendly and with very low running cost. We have an area for a nurse to live. Cost for care is much cheaper here we would expect to pay around 30k per month for live in nurse. The climate in Thailand is also better for long term health.

I stop off at the Bangkok Bank where I have an account. The bank produce all the documents for the extension, even including a passport copy. Normally takes about 10 minutes or so. Then drive on to immigration. The whole process takes around a hour.

I was not suggesting you can beat the currency market. A buffer does allow you to at least make the exchange when you judge the exchange is at the best rate. I hold a mix of currency but unfortunately the the thai baht is strong agaiinst most currencies.at the moment.

The moral of the story if possible keep a buffer in thai baht, to avoid having to change money when the exchange rate is bad. 

My girl friend has obtained 2 six month tourist visa and now a 5 year uk visa. She does not work and we live togther and provide financial support. You have to satisfy the following critetia.

She will return to Thailand after the holday and has a reason to return.

She will be supported financially in the UK. You need to provide 6 months of bank statements.

She will not work paid or unpaid whilst in the UK.

Some sort of holiday can be helpful. This demonstrate it is an actual holiday.

I have always applied directly. In my opinion the agencies offer no advantage.

My wife likes Body Shop perfume and very value in UK. 

If you are spending 6k a month for electricity you should consider installing solar. Payback is now around 5 years.

You can also hold funds in a multicurrency account providing it is held here in thai bank. Useful if the current rate of exchange is bad.

Convincing the ECO that she will not over stay is the problem. The fact that her family is in UK would suggest to the ECO that on the balance of probabilty she would remain in the UK.

The only counter arguement is that she has a compelling reason to return to Thailand. I suspect very difficult.

I do have sympathy for you not any easy situation to live through.

I do not agree with the comments regarding the use of visit visas. Your ultimate aim is for your wife is to have a settlement visa. It is far better to play a straight bat and demonstrate clearly your objectives. 

It is true that previous rejection should not have any impact on the settlement application. The ECO does have flexibility and its better not to give them any impression that you have tried to get round the rules.

Estlablish yourself in the UK, meet the settlement visa requirements. It should then be straight forward.

Adding to my comment the tourist visa route is best avoided. Your circumstances would lead them to believe she will overstay. She would need anyway to return to Thailand to apply for a settlement visa. In the long term you avoid a rejection it only make any future application more difficult.

The only route is for you to move to the UK in advance of your wife and become estabished with the required income. If you are employed only 6 months employment is required. Self employed normally requires you to submit at least 1 year tax returns. In addition you would also need to demonstrate you have family accomadation. The income requirement is strictly applied. No way round it.

Sorry forgot to give the link

www.freemovement.org.uk/immigration