jcgodber

DMC-

You are very intuitive. You have just hit on my current interest. I have both my pensions direct deposited into my California bank. For the last 4 years I have simply used an ATM virtually anywhere in Thailand to access my funds and have never had a problem. Never a problem? Well there is just one thing that has made me angry, my bank has gotten very greedy and now charges me 1% extra because it is an international withdrawal, PLUS the normal per use charge for getting MY money. With the now added international charge I have now said “B-ll Sh—and now refuse to use my ATM card unless it is an emergency. I used to find myself using the ATM approximately 3 to 4 time per month, each time withdrawing 20,000 baht.

My new plan was to open an account here with Siam City Bank (in my name) and have automatic wire transfers routinely sent to my new bank here. One problem was I have not been very successful in finding anyone back at my California bank that understood just how to accomplish this. Oh! They could do a one time wire transfer but the problem was getting the to set up the automatic part.

My newfound solution is-

I have deposited a personal check drawn against my U.S. bank and deposited here into my Thai bank account. The banks (Siam City Banks) charge for this was 210 baht and of course my U.S. bank has no charge for checks if I keep a balance of $1000 or whatever it is.

So far I have found that the check took 8 calendar days to clear in the U.S. and am now waiting for the funds to be placed into my Thai account. Yesterday I went into the bank here to let them know that “I knew” that the funds are now in their hands. I was informed that the main branch in Bangkok has advised that it will just be another day or two. I do understand that the banks just love to get the free use of your money called “float”

The jury is still out as to whether this will be a good plan to transfer funds. I just know that by using the ATM here in my case was starting to add up to several hundreds of dollars per year.

Hope this has helped. Any other help that I can be just ask.

Cheers, Jim

Has anyone successfully managed to grow fruit bearing avocado trees? I live in the Sa Kaeo area.

I am a lover of Mexican food and have been trying to grow the trees for 2 years now with very limited success.

I now have 2 trees each about ½ meter high.

I understand that there is a Thai government agriculture station growing avocado west from Khorat on highway 2 at or near Pak Chong. Any comments J

The short answer is NO! The only taxes that you pay would be the VAT tax or value added tax when shopping for some items.

The only other tax that I HAVE to pay is the U.S. Federal Government for income tax due on some of my pensions.

Cheers, Jim

ESRI in Bangkok Thailand. These are the people that MAKE the maps for Thailand and they also sell all the GPS units.

ESRI (Thailand) Co., Ltd CDG House, 202 Nanglinchee R Yannawa, Chongnonsri Bangkok 10120 Phone: 662 678 0707 Fax: 662 678 0321

They have a web site that you can google

I use the 2650 street pilot and NEVER get lost anywhere in the kingdom

Good post, thank you.

Can you tell us what all that equipment cost?

Just an approximate cost for my system is- under $2000.00 U.S.

Basic wireless alarm consol with

5 door sensors

5 indoor motion detectors $200.00 U.S. made in China bought in the U.S.A. and suit cased into Thailand

The 8 I.R. cameras complete with wiring &12v adapters about $800.00 U.S. bought in Australia & and suit cased into Thailand—

Now can just buy here in Thailand and probably even cheaper.

8 station Video processor with alarm $200.00

1 VCR Automatic VCR Controller $20.00 U.S.

1 21 in. TV. monitor bought at Makro 6000 baht???

8 Motion detectors ordered from CZECH REPUBLIC and shipped to Sa Kaeo and 1000 baht duty paid in Aran

DATE: 6TH NOVEMBER 2002

Item Description Qty Price Amount

JS-11* „HARMONY’ PIR detector 8 11,00 88,00

1 88,00

AIR PARCEL POST 1 23,00

TOTAL PCS 8 US$ 111,00

GRSWT: KGS NTWT: KGS NR.CARTONS:

SHIPPING DATE: IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR PAYMENT

PAYMENT : T/T TO OUR ACCOUNT IN ADVANCE

BANK : CESKOSLOVENSKA OBCHODNI BANKA

JABLONEC, CZECH REPUBLIC

Various outdoor motion sensor floodlights 4000 baht

Home Security

Several years ago I had my just built 2-story house burglarized. The burglar had climbed over my 2.5-meter wall and then managed to climb up to the second story balcony that surrounds my home. In the dark of late night he then forced open a sliding window in an upstairs room to gain entry to my house. My wife awoke first, when she sensed our downstairs bedroom door had been opened while we were sleeping. My wife saw an outline of an intruder opening her make-up table drawers and stealing her diamond wedding rings and all of her gold. We got the light turned on and were yelling at the intruder. We tried to give chase, my wife wielding a bush knife but the man was long gone as was our gold and diamonds.

Never again –

There and then I vowed to make every attempt to not be an easy mark for the next thief. The first thing that I did was have steal bars installed on the “inside” of the house on every single window no matter what size, even the small bathroom and vent windows. I then installed imported deadbolt locks double keyed on every door (5) that exits to the outside of the house. All of my doors are teak and set into heavy teak doorframes. Each door is hung on 5 heavy hinges and can be pinned both top and bottom.

Lights-

I have installed lights with motion sensors all around my home outside both upstairs and down. I also have exterior yard lights that are all on when dark. Just about any movement on my 2 rai of land will start lights going on with any movement around my home.

Electronics-

Each door that exits to the outside now has a wireless transmitter that will signal my alarm if opened while the alarm is armed. If an alarmed door is opened, all the lights in my house and the exterior lights will come on, as well as an extremely loud siren. All alarms have a battery back up.

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT

I have installed 8 video cameras each with infrared lens for video even in pitch black. Each camera is also wired to motion sensors (pirs) that when triggered cause my constant on video monitor to go full screen to the offending camera. At the same time once triggered the VIDEO PROCESSOR will start my Video tape recorder to start recording any event and stop recording once the camera is no longer triggered.

We have also installed motion detectors all thru the inside of the house. When armed any motion in any room either upstairs or down will trigger the lights and sirens.

Some people might think that I have gone “overboard” with the concern about security but I can tell you that I sleep a whole lot better.

I have had people tell me that I should have a loud barking dog but I know that a piece of tossed poison meat won’t silence my security system

Hi All,

I was reading a post by Ned from 2004 about backup generators, I'm looking to get one in the future but haven't been able to source shops that sell them in or around Bangkok.

Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated! Kop Khun Mak Krap

Cheers

Peter

I also live out in the sticks. I have a home near Sa Kaeo. I got tied of having my electricity go off every time it rains. I at the very least, want to have a couple of fans and some lights on around the house at night.

I had 2 choices Cheap Chinese gas generator 5000 baht

OR

A really good and dependable Honda gas generator 24,000 baht

Both were about 800 watts, sadly I opted for the cheapo.

Oh! it works just fine ONCE I GET the darned thing started.

Honda_gererator.bmp

We are buying a house and want to put in a lawn that requires little maintenance. The locals recommend the same Japanese grass we already have that just doesn't do it for me.

If any of you belong to a golf club, can you perhaps get a name/number for a head greenskeeper for me? My grandfather was the head greenskeeper of a golf course in the States and knew more about grass than anyone I have ever known.

I have also seen what they call Malaysia Grass that looks very good indeed in the higher end residential areas but have heard that it requires almost daily maintenance and we plan to travel a lot.

Anyway, if you have had major success with a particular grass/fertilizer combination, I would be most happy to hear about it.

Thanks in advance..

I bought squares of grass sod along the side of the highway just outside of Rangsit Future Park shopping center driving east towards Tanyaburi. I can’t now remember just what kind of grass it was, but here is a picture of it. I made the mistake of deciding to install pop-up sprinkles AFTER installing the lawn. I too had heard of the Malaysian grass and the Japan grass but I just bought what I could find and it worked out just fine, during the rainy season I have it mowed every 10 days.

We are buying a house and want to put in a lawn that requires little maintenance. The locals recommend the same Japanese grass we already have that just doesn't do it for me.

If any of you belong to a golf club, can you perhaps get a name/number for a head greenskeeper for me? My grandfather was the head greenskeeper of a golf course in the States and knew more about grass than anyone I have ever known.

I have also seen what they call Malaysia Grass that looks very good indeed in the higher end residential areas but have heard that it requires almost daily maintenance and we plan to travel a lot.

Anyway, if you have had major success with a particular grass/fertilizer combination, I would be most happy to hear about it.

Thanks in advance..

I bought squares of grass sod along the side of the highway just outside of Rangsit Future Park shopping center driving east towards Tanyaburi. I can’t now remember just what kind of grass it was, but here is a picture of it. I made the mistake of deciding to install pop-up sprinkles AFTER installing the lawn. I too had heard of the Malaysian grass and the Japan grass but I just bought what I could find and it worked out just fine, during the rainy season I have it mowed every 10 days.

I am thinking of sending parcels of the things i am gonna buy thorugh Thai Post back to my country. Unfortunately i dun read thai so i am unable to find the nearest post office thru their website. Can anyone help?

Also are u able to find out for me what's the operating hours like and do they sell carton boxes for postage? Thanks a bunch in advance guys...

There is a small branch of the post office on Sou 19 1/2 way between Petchburi road and the First house hotel -- 200meters from the main road

Do not live in Sakaew , but do live very close in Aranyaprathet or actually about 10k out of town. There are several farang's out this way around 15 or so but I beleive I am the only one with a little blond wife from Seattle. Have a great Thai day.

I live in Sa Kaeo and was wondering if anyone else lives here too.