gejohesch

On 3/20/2024 at 9:36 PM, gejohesch said:

Interesting. You mean Baan&Beyond, obviously, on the main road between the Ton Tan market and Central, coming from the south, next to BigC?

I have just gone there today. I saw a few paintings indeed, but that rather looked like stuff printed in series, and not really what I'm looking for. I understand everything has got its right price, and that equally applies to paintings. Even an unknown average artist will not sell anything for a few 100 bahts, but rather a few 1000's. Fine! I'm willing to put the price.

Which brings me to Chatuchak (someone mentioned). I will keep looking around in Khon Kaen, on the occasion I pass there, but I am sure Chatuchak will have a lot more choice than anywhere else. Maybe one day passing through Bangkok, I will stop over for 1 or 2 days and check around Chatuchak. I wonder if I would buy for a sufficient amount, maybe the stuff could be sent (at a fee) to our house near Khin Kaen?

18 hours ago, fceligoj said:

Bed and Beyond has a significant number for sale.  And since they are having a "closing the store sale", the prices will be reasonable.  Told to come in the store in April for best deals.

Interesting. You mean Baan&Beyond, obviously, on the main road between the Ton Tan market and Central, coming from the south, next to BigC?

15 hours ago, sirineou said:

I get it. a bit of a long ride,

Just an idea, to consider. 

but a short 45 min flight from kkc, Perhaps make it a weekend with the missus. If I remember correctly they all would ship to your home, and for smaller paintings you might ne able to take in the plane. Oils you could just get the canvas, and have it framed in Khon kaen, 

Can be a good idea. Thanks!

7 hours ago, sirineou said:

I was wondering the same, and would like some items to decorate the house. I have not seen anything interesting in Khon Kaen. We plan to take a ride to Bangkok one of these days, I an sure there must be a lot there, 

I have not been to Chatuchak market in years so I don't know if they still do,  but when I was there last, I saw a lot of what I thought was interesting.

Just a shame it's a bit far and I'm not driving to BKK anymore...

10 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Anlin has a few.

 

Latest is a bit political. ''Peace dove needs a helping hand.''

 

 

www.mildredart.com

 

 

 

 

Is that in Khon Kaen? It's often difficult to find places with google map, spelling issues etc....

11 hours ago, sapson said:

Pop into MaiThai Guest house located in the South West of the city easy to locate. It has a food bar area by the pool great for lunch etc. The owner is an English guy who  is a budding artist ,he has a wall full of paintings many available to buy at very reasonable prices, if none to your liking he would for sure point you in the right direction for other options.

Sounds interesting, thanks!

12 hours ago, transam said:

I saw some nice paintings on sale at my local DoHome Superstore....🤗

OK, thanks! I see one DoHome big shop right outside KK, on the road direction Udon Thani. Can have a look one of these days!

As the title says, where can I buy paintings for decoration in Khon Kaen ? I mean the type of paintings one puts up on the wall to make the house look nicer and more interesting. If I google this up, I get quite a few returns, but as I live outside Khon Kaen and do not like so much driving endlessly around the city, I would prefer to go on someone's recommendations. Would anyone know? Thanks!

1 hour ago, jojothai said:

If they are silver, that normally indicates they are galvanised and therefore little or no corrosion.

I am not aware of any standard steel sections in a white finish. Unless specifically painted.

Ensure that rain does not get inside the steel section.

You could make a frame to put over the steel (perhaps cheap from bamboo?) and then cover with the tarpaulins but leave some gaps for aircirculation.

OK, thanks a lot, sounds like the bottom line advice! Indeed, they are not painted so the colour has to be declared "silver". Little or no corrosion, as you say, fits well with my observation concerning the old leftovers. So, tarpaulin on a frame of some sort + air circulation!

On 3/7/2024 at 7:10 AM, jojothai said:

By the description of sizes it sounds like you have steel tube, closed sections. 

Since all steel needs corrosion protection and coating, you would have been better buying galvanized sections.

However, to protect the steel apply a primer as recommended by others. It would be more protective if you put a top coat on, but not essential if you keep them stored well as suggested.

If they are the closed tube( thai description for square or rectangular) you cannot readily coat the inside, then also protect the ends from getting moisture inside. But you should probably not close the ends ( there may be some moisture inside already). I suggest you store them under cover where moist air cannot be blown inside.

Dont just enclose in wrapping, you need ventilation.

I'm replying to you, but this also is for all the others who have kindly commented on my initial post.

First, I will keep the steel tubes, indeed closed sections, for some 10-12 months before using them for the new roof. Not longer. That would be doing the work in January next year. The reason I'm now delaying the work is that I'm leaving Thailand in a few days, and I absolutely do not want to have any work done on the house in my absence, even by a team of guys we have used a few times before and who do good work - certainly compared with a few others who disappointed me.

I'm back for a good length of time between August and October. The job could be done them but I thought I would rather wait until January because of the risk of heavy rains.

Right now, the tubes are neatly lined up, on cement blocks to keep them off the ground. I could space them up a bit more from each other to facilitate air ventilation. The idea of a tarpaulin cover but, again, with some ventilation space around, is easy to implement.

I do not have enough space in the car port for the tubes. But, btw, I have had left over tubes from a previous roofing job (our second house just next door). It's exactly the same sort of steel as our new stock - they are white (or silver?), definitely not black - maybe that's the galvanised type (not sure...). The point is that the car port is not totally closed, it lets a lot of rain come in, and those old steel left overs (2 or 3 years) have not shown any sign of corrosion whatsoever. So I thought that leaving our new stock with no special treatment for 1 year would not be such an issue.

I bought a number of steel beams (6m long, 1.5mm thickness, various specs : 4" by 4", 4" by 2", 3" by 1.5") to make a new roof for my wife's house in Isan. They are now parked in our courtyard. However, I just decided not to go ahead and have the work done now, for personal reasons, but January next year. I'm concerned the steel will corrode, what with so many months left outside with the rain etc... I thought maybe I can buy strong and watertight tarpaulin-like material and wrap around the steel. Would that work?

1 hour ago, fceligoj said:

I would imagine that you are going to be flying internationally to these locations.  Why are you not seriously considering the travel insurance option provided by the major airline you are flying?  Seem like you may need it also.

That's a good point. I did not think of that. Similarly, I remember that I get a travel insurance thrown in when booking with one of my CC's. I will check further.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Is the insurance thats provided by the airlines accepted when applying for a Schengen Visa ?

That's a good question. In view of a few less than perfect experiences with the Schengen visa services in Bangkok (see above, myself and richard-smith-237), I would hesitate banking on that.

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

(My mistake) it probably was that place (TLS)...  I didn't get involved as the Wife deals with all her own visa applications etc.

I selected the right travel insurance for our trip...   my wife was questioned about the insurance as it was not one on their list.

 

My Wife did tell me that one of the staff there (at TLS) was being a little bit too authoritarian and suggesting my Wife will not get her Visa without the insurance on the list, they also told her she needs to get a better photo...  She's done this too many times and just told them to process it... the Visa as issued quite quickly (less about a week I think).

 

 

Anyway....  my point is: TLS have a list of insurance which is accepted for the Schengen Visa Process - thus to avoid hassle, its best to go with an company on that list. 

 

The link about travel insurance is at the bottom of the TSL webpage (but true to form - it doesn't work ! - but there is a list of accepted insurers that should be available online somewhere)

 

As others have mentioned Chubb / AXA etc are very likely to be on that list. 

https://pt.tlscontact.com/th/BKK/index.php

 

 

That link indeed does not open!

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There is a list of insurance companies that are recommended on by the VFS... 

That doesn't mean you have to use those they recommend, but, its recommended you do for ease of application. 

 

 

Wife's recent Schengen visa application used a different insurance (World Nomads) because we needed specific cover (ski), which the others did not offer and I wasn't going to get two separate policies just to please the VFS staff...   

Wife was questioned about this and told the visa may be rejected because she is not using the insurance recommended by VFS, she just told them the insurance she has is better and go ahead - The Visa was issued without issue.

 

 

I'm not familiar with VFS, I guess that's the service to use for certain EU countries. Myself + partner, we have used TLS to apply for Schengen a number of times in the past, either for Spain, Portugal, France etc. TLS have their office in Sathorn.

I used to be allowed in which was rather helpful as I could answer a number of questions directly. Last time we went there, however, I was nit let in. The guy who dealt with my partner caused a hell of a lot of an issue about the "missing itinerary". He could not understand that I invited my partner to stay with me at my permanent address in the EU, and therefore there was no "further itinerary" than that. Past that dumbwit, the visa was delivered in due course without any further questioning.

This is just to say that some of the staff they have in those visa service offices seem to be rather incompetent ... or intellectually lazy (which is another type of incompetence).

4 hours ago, Puccini said:

If your friend is not a hiphopper, she does not need the ALLIANZ Hiphop insurance. Let her sign up for the AXA Worldwide.

 

I don't trust insurance companies that give their products childish names.

Hahaha! Interesting comment! Maybe you have a point!

Hi! I'm planning a trip next year, myself + my Thai partner (been with her for 15 years already, so not just a GF!). Trip duration about 4 months, of which 3 in Schengen area and 1 month outside Schengen (Mexico to be exact). I hesitate between 2 insurance options, 1) with ALLIANZ = "Worldwide Hiphop"; and 2) with AXA =" Worlwide". Allianz would cost 3640 THB; AXA would charge 3061 THB. Both would provide sufficient coverage to qualify for a Schengen visa.

I checked a few other options, e.g. Europe Assistance and Mondial Care. They would be significantly more expensive. As we hardly ever, maybe even never, had to put a claim to any travel insurance we've taken, I would not really see the point in paying over the odds for what could be a "more robust" insurance package. Therefore, I'm now looking hard at either ALLIANZ or AXA.

Would anyone have any experience with those insurances that could be shared in this discussion?

Thanks a lot in advance for your contributions!

4 hours ago, nausea said:

Not getting involved seems part of the culture here; also, the laughing may have been a cultural reaction to a bad situation. Haven't looked at the video so can't really judge. I do know many Farangs were shocked by smiling Thais when fleeing the Tsunami.

That's a good comment. IN plain english, "Not getting involved seems part of the culture here" translates as "people don't give a <deleted> about (nearly) anything".

6 hours ago, Dljohnt said:

The coffee used in Thailand is for the iced and coffee shakes. Tons of sugar, ice and sweet milk added will take the sharp taste of the dark roasted (sometimes almost burned) beans. Not at all suitable for a nice hot espresso.

That's another issue indeed! I've been going regularly to the OTOP shop in town, while my wife does the market for fresh food. Always specified "not much sugar", in Thai (I speak it quite OK). The woman there always gave me one of those sweet iced coffees which I can hardly swallow down 😖. I think the woman must be a bit dumb....

10 hours ago, RayOday said:

I have travelled extensively through Arabica country in the North and find there are many roasters who offer a milder lighter roast. I prefer the stronger roasts yet try as many as possible. A fraction make it to the big retail sales channels yet will promptly and reliably ship to you. One that is milder is Pala Coffee which is roasted by hand by Uncle Pala.

https://www.palacoffeehouse.com/

Another which I order from monthly roasts beans from Brazil (Brazil Santos, Columbia, Kenya, Myanmar, Thailand, Africa) is Magic Roaster is located in Pranburi, Prachuap. I order through their Line official account. Here is their Facebook link

https://m.facebook.com/magicroaster

 

On the move expensive end, if you are in Bangkok, is Artis roasters. They will ship via Lineman. The beans are from Thailand, the roasting follows the process of their main shop in Berkeley, California. Be sure to request a light roast. 

 

There are so many options in Thailand that some exploration and research will surely yield a bean and roast that you will enjoy. I have  yet to find the need to bring coffee to Thailand.

I even find expert roasts in Surin at "Coffee at Home" and Craft, who offer Brazilian beans as well. I don't always finds what I like but more often I find very good roasts. The exploration is fun. 

 

Best of luck

 

Thanks, that's useful

33 minutes ago, bobbin said:

As a poster above noted, buy on Lazada. You are choosing the wrong roasts. Anything from Full City to Full City+ and onto Dark are going to be dark and shiny with oil.

 

There are plenty of Northern Thailand roasters selling Medium roast which are lighter brown (First Crack).

 

The selection at Makro is too limited for me. I often order and receive beans that were roasted just a day or two before I ordered them..

Thanks, I will try via Lazada then (although I don't like their site much, too "busy" and confusing)

39 minutes ago, scorecard said:

True and Mako does have quite some variety of good hill tribe area / royal project coffee beans and already ground and at very reasonable prices. 

Not a single hill tribe area coffee I have tried suited me, that's why I posted here. I found all that "black and shiny" dark roast type that I don't like very much.

Like so many people, I love my coffee. I could say I'm addicted to coffee 😉. I grind the beans fresh to make coffee with a Minimex espresso machine at least twice a day, first thing when I wake up, and second when I emerge from my midday nap.

My issue here is that I notice quite a difference when I use beans bought in Thailand or beans bought in Europe. I do not buy the most commercial beans (e.g. what can be found in Big C), I rather go for what I would call "specialty" beans from northern Thailand origin (I go to Makro for that purpose). The Thai beans are always very dark and shiny, which obviously indicates they are "high roast", and I find the result rather "earthy" and not very aromatic. That's why I bring coffee from Europe - obviously not "coffee grown in Europe" but coffee imported from the Americas or Africa etc - and I buy from coffee shops. A full kg bag would cost around 35-50 EUR. Those beans are always light brown and not shiny, so very different from the Thailand beans. The result is far better : less acidity, "sweeter", aromatic etc. That's the type of coffee I like and I don't mind paying extra for it!

But I cannot bring several kgs of coffee in my luggage when I come to Thailand. So, sooner or later, I have to fall back on those dark and shiny thai beans. Help!

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

Looks good, great job!

 

 

Thanks!