notrub

Thanks very much 'Oh Grumpy One'.  A will is a put off 'til tomorrow chore.  ('Why do I need one?  I am not dead.')  In fact it seems to be more important to have a will than to be married.  Thanks for the reminder.  regards B

I bought a HP Pavillion from Amazon US and changed the 1TB hard drive for a 500GB solid state one.  Forget what they are called.  Was cheaper than here and the new HD makes it very fast etc. Backlit keys etc.. Like it a lot.  I will look up more details re model number and price if you want.  Cheers B 

This wiwu pen (magic model) comes with normal tip plus 2 others free.  Thanks ravip, I found one and it was in stock.  All the other suppliers seem to be out of stock for now for how long?  Anyway, got on and that will do for now.  Thanks for your interest.  B

Good,  Thanks very much.  It is for my niece so it is good that she can register it and the extended care in her name. I bought the Ipad and the Wiwu pen 2 days ago from different suppliers and they both will arrive this AM via Kerry.  I took the advice of one member and pay by COD now when possible.  Thanks again

Thanks,  I already ordered an Ipad 10" Gen 7 and it is on the way.  I also found a stylus/pen on lazada that came to less than 1000 delivered.  Apple pen is about 5000 baht.    '100% Authentic (Wiwu) Stylus Pen for iPad High Precision Resealable Tablet Touch Pencil for iPad 9.7 inch (2018) etc.'  It is the 'Magic pen' model .  I am interested in the insurance thanks for the info.  Do I just google apple extended care do you think?

Thanks for the comments.

That is FB name 'SD Phuket Computer' and are an authorized apple reseller.

Quick update.  Just searched on

https://www.apple.com/ipad-10.2/

And eventually ended up with a computer shop in Phuket  They have a number in stock.  Even the colour I was looking for.

They may have just listed these tablets as they were not there yesterday but I did not search for ipad-10.2 .  ???

Thanks again.

Thanks for all the comments.  For a start, I always make myself feel poor by changing Euros to Baht at 1 for 1 so 18,400 Euros (+the 'pencil and keyboard, say 20k) for an ipad is a monthly budget crushing sum.  This 1 for 1 habit keeps me honest and living within my real budget of 100 baht a week (2 takeaways = 2 days food and a diet of sand for 5).  

Next, it was me who researched the model and the gen 7 is the best value and I think most recent.  Wifi and sim connectivity is important I think and is not a big extra cost.  There is no memory slot so the device storage is what you get.  128GB is pretty modest these days so 'we' are going for that too.  I have since learned via youtube that extra memory can be added using the APPLE Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, however, but that is a bit fiddly.  

Next, I did look at other sources via ebay and amazon but the cost is more with shipping.  Unless there is a real essential reason to buy abroad I will try to source here in Thailand, preferably from a shop near the uni.  After sales service will be better that way, I hope.

Finally, for those who suggested going to apple shop directly do you have contact details please?  I have looked online but the sites I found for apple just say out of stock with no options to order.  I will look again and only ask here to tag this question onto this note.  Thanks.

My family are good, well respected members of this community and I am lucky to have landed with them.  This village was founded by escapees from Laos many decades ago so unfortunately the language is a confusing patois blend of the two languages (Thai,Laos).  Never mind, happy to be here.  I am also happy to have an usufruct on the land where I built my house for reasons some of you may have experienced.  I mention this to state that I am not being tricked into buying something that is not needed etc..

Thanks again for your time and thoughts.  The search goes on...

Thank you for your comments and please accept a grovelling apology for not posting replies and an update sooner.  The final application, (of to 3 or 4 schools) , and series of tests was to the Boromarajonani College of Nursing in Nakhon Ractchasima branch in July about the time all this original post and replies started.  She was called in for a second but came in at number 50 on a waiting list of 200 or so other applicants.

I did what some of you suggested regarding looking into other institutions and on line studies.  I am not going to clean my laundry here but my partner is not helpful when it comes to looking for solutions that are not on the straight and narrow.  (You farangs think you know everything!) (It make me happy that I have an usufruct).  So, it was difficult and not very encouraging. I did not think it would be healthy to have a 'gap year' here in rural Isaan, thank you Jane D, as I could easily imagine it being spent in front of the TV or ?. 

Just as I was moving onto the next level of ideas (already went to local tech colleges etc.) a call came from the Boro. college to come for another chat and a test.  Then another call to advise that a decision would be at the end of the month, almost 2 weeks away.  Then another a couple of days later to get a medical and send the results (2 trips to Buriram x 100km ea way, 400 km total).  Sent the stuff and immediately there was another call to buy some clothes and present herself as there was a blessing by a special monk that Saturday.  If this sounds confusing to you I am not surprised.  I too am confused and I was sort of there for it all. 

Here is almost the end of it.  She has been accepted at this college where the fees are about 25K per semester and 4 girls to a room lodging is 450 baht per month, plus food. There are lots of loose ends to tidy up but for the most part it is done and dusted.  Nakhon Rat. is about 100+ km away and there is a bus that goes very near our village on its way to Surin or someplace so that is all good.  A girl in the village went to this same college so there is lots of info available from her too. The biggest immediate problem is that she needs an apple ipad (gen7) and every shop and on line source is sold out.  Not surprising if it is that every new student nurse in the country is told to arrive to class with one in their bag.  She will not be the only one without an ipad to start so we/she will just have to wait.  It is a 4 year course so a few weeks w/o an ipad will be ok i think.

Thanks very very much for your interest and comments.  Until the next time.  Regards, Notrub

. 

So, after a fruitless search for an alternative I am back with Dr. Chirasak.  He is just great in every way and I hope our discussions about not keeping me waiting for 3 or 4 hours sink in.  The cost varies on the source of the actual device.  I am going for a Korean implant this time and it is 40,000 Baht including crown plus a few hundred for xray and drugs.  So the cost for me is 40,000 x 2 plus 12,000 for the  extra middle 'tooth'.  I am getting a 3 tooth bridge with 2 Korean implants for 92,000 plus change for drugs etc..  The price for a Swiss supplied implant could be about that much for 1 (one).  As much as 90,000 Baht.  There are other ones from France etc. that fall in between those prices.   

Here is some more information.  I have had 4 implants installed by Dr. Chirasak a year or so ago. I compliment him one time and he said he had carried out this procedure 10's of thousands of times.  I believe him.  He did 2 implants side by side in one visit.  He works evenings and weekends at his clinic so 2 weekends and I had 4 implants 'implanted'.  He is super professional and his clinic is as good and modern as you will find anywhere in any country.  

I will provide more information about this procedure from a patient's point of view if you ask me to.

My niece has just been accepted to study to become a nurse.  (Hurray!)  Turns out that one of the essential items to buy is an iPad 7 10.2" (Model TH) Wifi, Cellular, 128GB.  Guess what?  Sold out everywhere I have looked.  I checked on Amazon and Ebay too.  They are not sold out but are the same price or more than buying a Thai model from a local official Apple reseller such as Banana or Studio 7.  Cannot even get an estimated delivery date.  These shops offer to put us on the waiting list for next delivery.  Any comments/ideas please?  Thanks in advance, as usual.

I am looking for a good dentist in Buriram for implants.  i already know Dr Chirasak and he has done 4 implants for me.  He does great work but I would go to a different one if I can.  Any recommendations please?  Thanks in advance.

Well, thank you very much Kickstart.   What you write is very encouraging.  I'll just make sure my insurance is up to date.  regards, Burton

We had a few fairly substantial trees that were on our property when we bought it.  We cut down what we needed to before we built our house and left the rest.  It is very nice and compared to the endless rice fields everywhere else it is a bit of a tree sanctuary.  However, there are a couple very near our house and I wonder about their stability.  Some trees have tap roots and some do not, from what I can gather.  The tap root variety are less likely to be blown down, I would have thought.  

Attached are a couple of pictures of a tree near our house.  Can anybody comment, please. about whether this variety of tree is stable in a wind or not?  Also, could it be a solution to tie back the tree with steel cables?   I would like to keep the tree if possible but not if it is likely to come crashing through our roof during a storm (obviously).  Thanks in advance for any comments.

14 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

are you aware that any UK bank account will be frozen upon your death unless you planning to have a joint account

Thanks, my UK bank account has very little in it.  I keep it active so I can have a (little used) UK visa card and for a just in case scenario.  I also looked at just leaving everything here to her with a will but becoming marries seems to be the simplest solution.  I am 72 and do not intend to look for a different partner so becoming married will not limit me or my lifestyle at all. Famous last words...

Thanks ubonjoe.  Do you have the email or other contact details for this department please?  I have searched their various information pages without any luck.  I have downloaded the forms etc. and would like to go asap but did not know about their services during the pandemic.

We are about to marry, primarily so my partner of 5 years can access my bank account when I die.  I know most of what I need to do but is the following comment true?

'Once you have the affirmation, you will need to have it translated into Thai and then you need to take it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have it stamped and signed.'

I thought the next stop following the swearing the freedom to marry declaration at the embassy was to go to the amphur with the declaration and ID and simply do the deed.  Have I missed something?

Is the BKK UK Embassy open these days please?  We are in the wilds of Isaan and the local government offices here are small and personal.  We have a home built on land with an usufruct in my favour and no debt.  I have enough money etc. to satisfy the normal visa requirements.  Other than having my head examined is there any other advice please?  Thanks very much.

Here is a method to clean your filters that really works.

The chemicals:  TSP trisodium phosphate and Muriatic acid  (Hydrochloric acid)

The acid is pretty cheap (250 baht / 5 Gal?) and the TSP was about 1000 baht for 25KGs.  The TSP is a useful cleaning agent and handy to have around.

The equipment is just 2 barrels high enough to totally immerse your filters and a garden hose (no HP washer please)

Dissolve about 1/2 liter of acid in one barrel and a cup or so of TSP in the other.  Mix them up thoroughly.  Too strong and the filter glue dissolves.

Put the filter into the TSP for a few days lifting it up and down every day or so.  For really dirty filters gently hose it off and put it back.  No brushing.

After that hose it down and put in the acid solution for a few days.

Take it out, hose it down and leave in the sun to dry (this seems to make a difference)

I started off using a HP washer to clean but all that does is drive the particles into the filter and damages it too (see photo)

I bought 2 new filters from Lazada (I think) for about 1/2 or 2/3 the price from my local shop.  Buy 2 and get free delivery.  They are identical to the filter originally supplied with my Emaux unit including the absence of any brand name markings.

Having 2 filters make the cleaning cycle easy and I was even able to 'rehabilitate' my old abused filter too.  I still use it but it doesn't last too long b4 cleaning again.

Zoom in on the really dirty filter to see what you can achieve with this technique.  It came out just like the one on the left after a week or so.

I use muriatic acid in my pool too (salt) and almost (obviously 'almost' is a key word here) never have an algae problem.

You can see how we are managing self isolation too.

3 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

The 20% rise in cases in the last week or so could be because more stringent testing has been finely been implemented. Many of the new cases are people who were linked to that Bangkok boxing stadium.

So far, there are very few official cases outside of Bangkok.  

One in Buriram yesterday.

I am not just stirring up trouble as a number of new requirements have appeared recently without much prior notice.  My visa is an 'O' type obtained a number of years ago.  I have been told that 'OA' visa holders will require health insurance as will all new visa applicants.

What was a surprise to many was the resurrection of the TM.30 requirements as were the home visits by police that have taken place in some districts. 

I am fortunate to have the required sum of money on deposit and don't need it to live on.  Insurance is not available to me except at a figure equal to my annual cost of living.

I am free to marry and would do so except the paperwork for me is so complicated that I will only do it as a last resort.  (Canadian/UK national, married in Canada divorced in France here on my UK passport)

This forum has provided much information that has been very useful to me for many reasons.  When events such as Covid-19 spring into being I turn to Thai visa to learn what other members may have discovered. 

Sorry if this upsets some of you....

Bozo Johnson will stand firm and not sell out to the EU.  He has already reserved the dominant trader's position and it will be going to the US.  He will sell out to them in a heartbeat.  He will be long gone by the time a lynching mob comes looking for him.

Don't know if this is allowed but good therapeutic massage is hard to find esp. around here in the boondocks.  I use this shop.  I have had a knee replacement and extensive surgery to both shoulders (sports injuries) and this shop helps a lot.  The 3 practitioners ( 2 men 1 woman) all have diplomas and are serious about their work.  No hanky panky stuff.   Thai massage is 200 baht/hr.  Off the main road in Prathai but easy to find.  I you want contact details I will post them if you ask.  Google map ref. 15°31'57.6"N 102°43'16.0"E.