Smithson

Thanks, however I won't be going. Will the Thai ID of the person who goes be OK if they are not marked as sender?

I'm getting someone to send documents air mail, will they need a copy of my passport if I am marked sender?

Being in my house is like being under a tree, I couldn't see how it could get cooler (without air con). Heat rises, if the roof is high enough then the heat will not reach the lower sections - provided there is adequate (a lot) of ventilation. I've noticed this from large warehouses, many of which have no insulation. There is no attic, upstairs will be large open area, as well as a bedroom, with large doors and louvered vents. I would probably add something to shade. Most of downstairs will also be open.

^ The house could be adjusted, but it would no longer line up with the block. As it is it's pretty close to the east-west axis. For the past ten years I've lived in place with no air con, worst part is afternoons in the hot season. Sleeping is OK because I'm upstairs with a breeze. The roof is colorbond/metal sheet with thin insulation, it's high and there are few walls. I'll do similar again, except with air con for a office/bedroom downstairs. Rather than adding walls and insulation, I'll try and keep it as open as possible and use roll down blinds to keep the sun out. There's a view and breeze that comes from the east, hence the higher roof facing that direction.

The first image below shows my land and the area the house may occupy. The second image shows the elevation of the house. How does the positioning look heat wise? There's a view and breeze I'd like to take advantage of.

With skylights I think it depend on their height and the amount of ventilation. Our place was dark, we added some 1m polycarbonate sheets improved light and without a noticeable increase in heat.

It sounds like the OP is describing my relationship with my ex. The subject of working girls always comes up when relationships are discussed. Anyone who has spent time on the dating apps will see the questions are the same as those in a bar, with the most important being how long we've been here and whether we can speak Thai. Similarly the good girls are also looking for a guy who can't speak Thai and hasn't been here long. I think this says a lot about the type of relationship they are looking for. Sure there are exceptions, but if the girl speaks English she generally doesn't want a farang who can speak Thai. Also as farang we don't have extended family, but the girls do, which in this culture doesn't help make the relationship equal. Thais view all types of relationships different to farang. They don't seem big on cooperation or the idea that things can be win-win.

^ When I see a place that interests me, if possible I'll stand or sit inside for a while. Some warehouses are surprisingly cool, despite no insulation. It's all down to ceiling height and the ventilation provided by the louvers/vents placed near the roof.

There's some very useful info in this thread. My opinion is it's all about shade and ventilation - as much of both as possible. Keep the sun off the walls or even better, don't have walls, just a covered area. Besides shading, trees are naturally evaporative coolers, pumping water from the ground and releasing it into the air. Insulation is useful, but if used incorrectly can trap heat, particularly in upstairs areas if the ventilation is inadequate. The tradition style was uninsulated, which cools quickly, but is unbearable during the day, so ppl stay under the house and then move upstairs at night to avoid the critters and possible get a cool breeze upstairs. Concrete driveways trap heat. It's common to see houses where the whole block is concreted for ease of maintenance. Besides storing heat, I believe they contribute to flooding in Pattaya and probably elsewhere. Roof and ceiling height are also important, I think 3m should be enough for shaded areas, but am interested in others opinions as I am also designing a house. Blinds are also useful for keeping sun off windows or out of shaded area at certain times of the day, to be rolled up later for more air flow. I like the matchstick blinds. We soaked ours for an hour in borax and they've lasted a decade. Made from natural materials they allow for ventilation.

It's very relevant. Prohibition makes drug dealing profitable and risky, which is what leads to the violence and turf wars between clubs and others involved.

Also because they didn't fully legalize due to pressure from others in Europe, at least that's what I read. It gave crooks a great opportunity, when the govt could have been collecting tax.

Thanks, was hoping to there'd be mini buses or something similar. A private car is probably the best option.

No idea, but I do know there are small mills in ppls houses that may have some.

They used to be 1 baht kg from the mill. But now they are used as fuel, so much more expensive. Ask around in your area, there should be small mills

I have a friend visiting for the Moto GP. He wasn't able to get accommodation in Buriram, so has booked a hotel in Surin, however he's unsure how he will get to the races. Can anyone provide info? I've read in previous years there were minibuses from some hotels. How would one go about finding transport from Surin? I imagine there would enterprising locals organizing transport, just a matter of finding them. Any info is much appreciated, thanks in advance.