dsfbrit

Appears you did it a bit wrong in planting the trees without a thought to watering…

Ideal you should have buried/put a ½ or ¾ pipe all around connected to a tap/ automatic water timer, and drilled a small hole in the pipe by all the trees the added a small tube so they all got watered at the same time.. very simple….

Now the question is have you shade by the trees? [re- pipe above ground = the water gets hot in the sun…….. or water before the sun comes up…… buy hose pipe/pipes and lay on top of the ground, again drill/punch holes by each tree, add the fixing and small pipe, job done.

You can buy the small black tube + the fixings from Home Pro, or any Fish/Pond/Aquarium suppliers….. if you go into a Fish suppliers with Tanks you will see what I am talking about with there AIR Supply. Same system but you need to connect to the water and not a air pump..

I have put in the same system before planting, therefore all my trees and plants are watered every day now 4 years old and much bigger and greener than others in the Village + use the same type of system for the Ponds.

As for do they need water ?? well where I live all the 'wild' trees appear to be near water/canel, all planted trees get watered by the water truck or Fire Truck.... no mater where I drive will always see a few water trucks, watering on big roads and small roads

You are right, it wasn't planned at all. My wife took over the handling of the garden and she said she wanted some trees 'to produce some fruit'. She told me the fruit would be free in a few years time and she would look after everything.

She was quite happy to water the trees - so I left her to it.

That was 4 years ago and we now seem to live in a small forest.

Most of the trees seem fairly mature and quite a few of them do produce fruit.

I like the trees we have, it just seems to me unnecessary to water them so much.

After all, as you say the 'wild' trees around here dont need watering and they seem OK. In fact, to my untrained eye, some of the fruit trees seem the same as the 'wild' trees.

Its not about cost or anything, we have a well so get free water, it just seems to take up a lot of time each week.

If we dont water the trees and they start to look a bit sick, if we start watering again will they recover or is it too late then. I

suppose it depends on the type of tree does it???

Unless its really hot and dry you can cut right back on the watering schedule. How big are they now?

Thanks for the fedback. They range from about 12 feet - 20 feet. They are different types, but they are all fairly mature now.

I have wondered whether all the watering is really necessary as when we have forgoten to water them for over a week, they dont look any different - seem Ok to me.

I was thinking of not watering just a few of them for a month as a test to see if they die off or not.

We planted quite a few trees in the garden 4 years ago, about 100 in total.

We have always watered them every 3-4 days. This takes about 2 hours and is a real chore.

Now that they are established, does this still need to be done, or can they find their own water via their roots.

I don't know much about this type of thing at all, so any advice would be appreciated.

We have an odd family I think.

My wife and I have a 'hobby' whereby we sit together on the floor with litle GipGip our half Pom/Papillon

dog andlook for ticks 'ha hep'. Ticks are called 'Hep' in Thai and GipGip recognises this phrase as much as bathtime 'Abnam' and Walkies 'Dernlen'.

He is long haired so they are quite hard to find.

This ritual takes about 30 minutes a day and involves both of us looking for them, then my wife using her long finger nails to remove them (she is an expert) and then I use a lighter to burn them.

This is great fun, since they tend to explode

Having read this thread I have decided though that this is odd behaviour and in future will follow the advice here. Much more practical I am sure.

How is the course so far, kriswillems?

Yes Kriswillems, how is it going??? Would love an update.

I think you are studying at the PRO language school near Carrefour in Central Pattaya.

I have been studying Thai at the 'other' PRO (gress) language school near the Bus Depot in North Pattaya.

I went there by 'mistake' 3 years ago as they were advertised as PRO language school in the leaflet I received at the time!

They have been OK until now, but I want to take the P.6 exam and I have had to go and buy my own books etc... as they dont have this course. In fact they dont have any set course nor exams.

I did not mind buying the books, but I had to go to that Thai school bookshop near Carrefour and even decide the books I needed - no help at all from the language school. In the end bought the books the Thai kids use.

So an update on the 'real PRO language school and this course would be appreciated.

Do the modern E-translators suffer from the same battery problem?

No worries there. I use mine on average 2 or 3 times a day - a total of about 5-10 minutes I guess.

The 2 AAA Duracell batteries have lasted about 9 months already and still OK.

Yeah the one word/phrase/tone with two completely different meanings is a killer I understand lmao...I've been into the settings a couple times, manual says nothing (I actually read the manual too , only a timer to turn whole unit off 1-15 minutes choice. The only way to keep screen lit on is to hit any keys and keep moving along, this negative alone would have killed the purchase originally as it's hard to get around all the tiny keys as it is and hit the right function-letter-phrase button you want EVERY time and if you realize you made a mistake by the time you focus again on the key you need the lights' out leaving you lost in a dark screen...maybe it's not suppose to go out after 5 seconds and it's defective? I don't know...maybe I'll check their website (and complain if necessary). You have the Vocal 301 eh? Does it have a backlit screen? Mine is Vocal 201N

I'll drop a note if I find one better at an affordable price...

You're right and I was wrong, I cannot adjust my backlight either - just modify the shut off interval. I am quite happy with it though - the keys are a good size and I can enlarge the font. A reasonable buy. I would buy an all singing dancing version for up to 20000 baht, but in my experience the adverts never match the actual experience. If you find one though let me know. There is also another thread running at the moment that may help you.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=179291

I had a private teacher in one language school and she was overworked, depressed, didn't prepare any lesson and she was not a good teacher (although she tried hard). I paid 250 B/h (for 20 hours). After that I went to another language school and the teacher was better. I paid 350B/hour (for 20 hours). To be honest I think I can learn more in a classroom than by private courses.

I need a teacher that pushes be to the next level, a teacher that is hard for me, a teachers that gives me a lot of homework, corrects all my mistakes and that let's me read difficult lessons. I think it's important that a teacher prepares the lessons. It's so much easier for a teacher to teach you something you already know. I have the feeling most private teachers are teaching me things that I already know.

To start with the Price - an hour for about 250 Baht is reasonable - thats roughly what I pay/paid 60 hours = 15000 Baht.

I identify with this post completely though.

I had/have a teacher who is very nice, knows grammar well (English and Thai), but is unstructured. She does not seem to know what to teach me next. I ask for and get lots of written homework, but it is not marked with any great accuracy. The more she gets to know me, the less she can be 'bothered' to make an effort to teach - she sees me as a friend (groan).

I have been for nearly 180 hours now and I wanted to take the P6 exam. I will have to go elsewehre I reckon though.

So good luck, I don't really know how you measure your improvement in a language unless you take exams at various levels, which this and many language schools and private teachers do not seem to offer.

I insured with QBE (Pattaya branch) and they were not interested at all.

They just insured the house - simple as that.

I have renewed 4 times.

Mind you, I have not tried to make a claim yet - so who really knows!!!

My insurance does not include contents cover.

By the way, I have no idea whether QBE are the best deal nowadays, I am sure there are people on this forum who can advise you.

I paid 15000 baht for one of these speaking dictionaries a couple of years ago and was very disappointed with it. I posted about it on Thaivisa if you are interested.

I bought it at Tesco, so was able to take it back the same day and get a full refund.

I then bought an eDict Language Translator 'Vocal 301' for about 5000 baht and it is fine.

The talking in Thai part is useless - tones all wrong (as was the more expensive model mentioned above). I was told that the speach part is really for Thais to learn how to pronounce English words (but with an American accent on my Translator).

I think what it offers is fine for 5000 baht. However, I dont know why it does not have sample sentences built in as well - like a normal dictionary, to show the semantics.

The word for 'take off' a shirt, if used at the wrong time would mean I am about to 'take off' my airplane - or dafter still - my shirt is 'taking off at 13.30'

So a sentence showing when to use which word is vital.

If you find a really useful translator let me know, although I see most of the pricier units just have more languages which I dont want.

By the way, I expect you can adjust the amount of time the light stays on in the 'settings' menu???

Good Luck

Edit: I have found a combination of the following really useful:

- Carry Translator everywhere to look up Thai words you see and want to learn etc...

- Have a large comprehensive dictionary at home (River Books - English Thai Dictionary)

- Have a smaller dictionary in the car

- Thai Lessons

- Marry a Thai ( that helps a lot for the language learning anyway)

- Play Language CD's in the car

I assume this is a small language school.

Have they given you any books at all?

Any advice ?

The first thing you can do is 'wing it' by assessing what their level is.

Say 'Hello', shake their hand, say 'My Name is ...' ask their name, etc...

That should take at least half the lesson then do as the other posters advised and get some books/training.

There are some grammar books you could work from - go to SE-ED and have a look around.

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

We had this done outside Pattaya (banglamung) 3 years ago.

We lived at the top of a small hill, so we got the government water only if everyone else was not using it much that day

We had a drillier rig come and drill for about 5 days I recall, had to go quite deep.

Its been fantastic. I would never drink the water anyway, but its 'free' apart for the electricity to drive the pump.

We had the government meter removed last year, we kept the government water connected until then as I thought if the Well failed we would still have water.

It has never failed.

The cost of the Government water was about 800 baht a month. Very expensive, especially when we had to ration it as well - I guess if we could have used all the water we now use it would be double that.

Mind you we used a lot of water at the time as we have a lot of trees and grass etc...

I believe the cost for the Well and all the 'bits' was about 70000 baht.

Not cheap - but they did a good professional job and I am very happy with it.

So Pros - Use as much water as you like, when you like, for minimal cost.

Cons - there aren't any really - it even pays for itself over a number of years.

I read that this only applies to new house transfers atm but that it will also apply to used homes in the near future.

seasider - are you sure about this

Shouldnt this post have been in jokes section?

Well it is April 1st after all... saw a story about a dead rat sitting on a counter in Carrefour in another thread as well - nice one.

1am no shirt

...better should have traded in his 45 g for a couple of t-shirts....

agreed - wear a T-shirt.

I think it was 1pm, but my Thai wife won't wear her gold out at either of these times. I asked when she will wear it out then and she hasn't worked that one out yet. Mind you I have a great excuse not to buy her any more - too dangerous etc...

Yes - and the main litigant of them all - the USA - could well do with a dose of common sense like this. Can you picture (or even vaugely imagine) all those people in the queue steping up onto the scale at the airport? Never happen of course.

Yes I could, would be good exercise for some of them. Mind you, I suppose they would find it too much effort and request it be lowered to ground level. Other than that, the idea of charging for total weight as part of a plane ticket price formula is a great idea. On a bus, as in so many things in life though, size is more important.

Thanks for the maps.

By the looks of it, the only map that shows the new Expressway is the map posted by Kan Win.

I went to buy a new map today, but none of the maps I looked at show this new bridge marked either.

Not really surprising that as the bridge is very new.

Kan Win's big map shows it to be where the Expressway 9 'ends'. So I know where it is and its called Expressway 37.

Anyway, I have decided to go there tomorrow.

I will let you know how I got on.

Good Luck "dsfbrit'"

The “Map No.1” shows the start of the "New" section Route No.9 top right hand side is where the “New Airport” which it does not show on this map.

Once passing the “New Airport” take the “Kanchanphisek Road” turn off to your left (approx 5-8 kms after the Airport), that is when the Map No.1 starts (top right hand corner) Route No.9, Bang-Na ect., but keep on going (for 40 odd kms, may be more, passing Rama II sigh which goes down south) until you see Nakom Pathom sigh, (DO NOT take this turing, but the next one Nakon Chaisi (must take the frontage road before to turn left) then you will not have a traffic light from the Motorway in Chonburi until Nakon Chaisi (Over 180 kms or more.)

From there to Nakom Pathom, (should you have time pop into the Phra Pathom Chedi) and then follow the sighs to Kan.

Welcome to Kan

Yours truly,

Kan Win

Thanks Kan Win

I set off from Pattaya at 6AM Friday and arrived in Kanchanaburi 4 Hours later - really no troubles at all at that time in the morning. I only stoped once for about 5 minutes to stretch my legs.

From Pattaya I took the Route No 3, then Route No 34 to join up with the Route No 9.

Headed clockwise on the Route No 9 towards Rama II.

I then headed down Route No 4 towards Nakhom Pathom and then then Route No 323 to Kanchanaburi.

The total distance was 270 Kms.

I would suggest anyone that heads out of Pattaya later than 6AM take Route No 7 between Pattaya and the connection to Route No 9 to avoid Sri Racha and Chonburi, as Sri Racha and Chonburi will be very busy later in the day.

Thanks for the maps.

By the looks of it, the only map that shows the new Expressway is the map posted by Kan Win.

I went to buy a new map today, but none of the maps I looked at show this new bridge marked either.

Not really surprising that as the bridge is very new.

Kan Win's big map shows it to be where the Expressway 9 'ends'. So I know where it is and its called Expressway 37.

Anyway, I have decided to go there tomorrow.

I will let you know how I got on.

Hi dyertribe,

I am also planning to make this trip sometime over the coming weeks.

My first thoughts on this are to take the bus, however I will give it a go in the car.

I am planning to go from Pattaya to Bangkok via the A3 then the A34. I would use the A7, but there are roadworks just outside Pattaya and too many pot-holes for my liking. There were anyway a couple of months ago when I last drove to the Airport.

I will then 'hit' the Bangkok Express and look for the New Bridge, posted in the other thread.

Not quite sure where that is yet? I have downloaded the map (thanks for posting that Kan Win), but have not quite worked out what is finished and just where it is.

My maps are all from 2005, so I will go and buy a new map today that may help.

I was hoping this bridge would link to the A4, then the A323 to Kanchanaburi.

If anyone could please add their expertise to this thread, I am sure both dyertribe and I would be grateful.

I will post my experience here and the route I eventually took before November, so dyertribe, you at least will be able to learn from my mistakes.

Last time I went on the Bangkok Expressway, I seemed to miss my turn and kept ending up back in the traffic under the Pylons - never mind

Its a little better than that actually, assume you transfer this to your wife for THB5.5M you'll be looking at THB ~6,000, instead of THB 291,000

However your company will then have a withholding tax of THB 55K to pay. For most cases this will be treated as a final tax but your company can use this as credit in the annual income tax return.

However, direct property taxes is about the limit of my understanding of the tax implications on a property sale. You may want to seek further advice with respect to the impact of managing corporate income tax, if applicable.

Perhaps another TV member can advise further?

Final note don't do it next week, wait until this proposal comes into effect, which is most likely going to be April 1st but that's not know for sure yet.

Thanks Quiksilva. You have inspired me to look into this further. I am usually quite a 'proactive' sort of person, but I got to the stage that whenever I heard the words 'Usufruct', 'Lease' (in all its forms 30, 30+, 30+30+30+...) and FBA - I started to gibber and froth at the mouth

If this is as good as it sounds, I may actually be able to unravel the dodgy company structure without is costing a small fortune in taxes!!

Thanks again

Thanks for the response Quiksilva.

I used to be a bit of an expert in all this about a year ago, but almost lost the will to live discussing all the subtleties of Leasing versus Usufruct etc... and the cost seemed quite high. In my case the Business tax etc... on my house / land would come to about 300,000 Baht assuming the valuation of 5M-6M Baht.

So please forgive me if it seems I am too lazy to start getting excited about this all this again. I am just worn out with the whole issue and would appreciate you helping me!!

So simply put, if I go along to Sunbelt next week and ask them to set up the Usufruct for me, I will have to pay how much on this property valued at this amount.

I know the costs of shutting down the 'dodgy' company etc..., but is it really simply that I now pay about 30,000 Baht in taxes instead of 300,000 Baht

Thanks very very very much for your help

I have a similar question to Tangoil.

Would this reduction in tax be of benefit to those of us with land/house in company name who may wish to move the house/land into the wife's name in the form of a Usufruct.

When I last looked into this I found I would have to pay about 6 percent overall for the Business taxes etc...

Simply put, would the total taxes now be less than 6 percent, or would I need to be a developer to get this reduction in taxes.

Thanks for you advice.

Going to Pattaya over the years,I sometimes see tourists,mostly tattooed type guys,heckle or make comments to others.

Being bisexual,i have a couple of times been in the ten pin bowling alley with a Ladyboy type only to have people comment and stare,i know it seems im pparanoid but i heard the comments.

The guy/lady boy wasnt a full on Ladyboy with the make up etc but a feminine type guy and about 3 guys all in their 20 s went with me to ten pin bowling.

The strangest thing is the thai guys didnt notice the farangs staring and laughing at us.

Another time i was walking down beach road,and this older farang lady had her arm around a thai guy about 19yo on the beach and i saw two tattooed farang guys calling her names and lauhjing at her.

And i was walking with a thai guy who is 24yo but looks about 18,and this middle aged farang couple who i think were in their 30 s with their teenage kids,i think they were Aussies on holidays,she approached me and told me i was disgusting as i was at the ATM .And the man says "you people are everywhere",so i apologised and told the guy that the thai guy i am with is 24yo and has his ID,and then the farang walks off.

I once sawthis german guy get called a paedophile by young farangs once but he told them it was his son and i caould see the resembelance ,so i dont know why you dont mind your own business.

it has got nothing to dop with you people and tourists if i walk with anyone of legal age or go ten pin bowling.you should get a life.

i shouldnt have to keep apologising to others.

The best thing to do is 'wind up' <deleted> like that. Next time tell them you are HIV positive and if they dont 'f*** off' in 10 seconds - you will head butt them and bleed all over them - then start counting 1... 2... 3...

I have used this and similar 'scams' over the years in awkward situations to avoid a fight. I am 'lucky' though as I am a 'big bloke', not gay so have not suffered that sort of discrimination and would have head butted them had they not removed themselves from my vicinity - they just have to believe you mean it.

You could also try getting a very large aggressive boyfriend...

Good luck...

We got the girl to scan in all the information relating to this deal and send it via email.

Several documents arrived. They were all in Thai, but I sifted through it all and after tranlating it, found I had the following:

- 5 documents related to the the car in her name

- 3 documents were credit cards in other peoples name

- 1 document was credit card in her name

- 1 document was a mortgage on her house (quite normal and nothing to do with this company debt)

Even after adding up all the debt on the 4 credit cards, they did not come anywhere near to the initlal amount she claimed she owed.

The car documents only proved she had equity in the car sufficient to pay off most of this 'debt' anyway

She now claims to have left the bar she was working in after my chum sent her the 10000 baht bar fine.

I am off to Koh Samui again this weekend and have told my friend I will NOT be going to that bar to see if she is still there. As far as I am concerned this whole episode is nothing to do with me for 2008 - my New Years Resolution!!

He reckons that if she does not send a credit card statement with the debt in the company name or her name, he will not contact her again. He has sent 3 text messages to her in the last 3 days which she has not replied to. He still sounds way to keen to me.

I don't know about you, but I don't believe he can go 'cold turkey' on this particular girl and he will be 'sniffing' around her for the foreseeable future.

Nothing to do with me though!!

Happy New Year to you all

I have just been involved in stopping a friend falling into a similar trap in the other thread mentioned above. We got her to send all the documents relating to the deal. She scanned in loads of stuff - and sent by email.

It was all in Thai and looked very impressive, but once I had translated it, the information was mainly credit in other peoples names and nothing to do with the original deal.

So get all the info you can, get it translated and analyse it carefully.

If you get no information at all - or what you get is not relevant - run...