klikster

To be honest I can't even remember now but I can certainly remember being bloody annoyed about it both times... I take it from your response that you haven't had to deal with 'that woman' then?... consider yourself lucky there are plenty of us who have had to...

"To be honest I can't even remember now but I can certainly remember being bloody annoyed about it both times"

Pretty convenient, especially after TWO times, and TWO 400 km round trips.

"consider yourself lucky there are plenty of us who have had to... "

Can you actually identify cases or have those slipped your memory as well -- or is this just more "TV Talk".

Previous renewal that she did for me was either 3 or 4 years ago. Today was my second -- never asked for a "tip".

"She normally has very sticky fingers...... "

Pretty strong accusation. Can you back that up or is it just "TV Talk"?

part of being in Thailand is also understanding if you pay sh*tty wages or squeeze prices too much you can expect sh*tty companies and even these make you wait. that applies especially to expats married to Thai ladies who are proud to post in Thaivisa how their wives achieved the best deal.

After reading this 3 times, I'm still trying to figure out if that last part is a bad thing and you're scolding us -- or if its a good thing and you're jealous.

Kind of a boring report, but --

Went to the KK Imm office at about 14:00 today, all papers in order save 1, which got copied on-site. Entire process seemed about 15-20 minutes (didn't time it).

Woman Officer at the far right desk (SGM) that I read complaints about from time to time was very pleasant and businesslike.

Only complaint might be -- um -- er -- gimme a minute to think --

Just ran across this weirdness -- http://dailycaller.com/2014/06/14/sicko-twin-sisters-say-bowe-bergdahls-dad-was-obsessive-peeping-tom-stalker/

Very, very sad to see this online. Bounmy was my buddy in SoCal I spoke of earlier.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2658227/Man-killed-hes-run-daughter.html

Before you leave BKK, spend a day at "The Ancient City" -- not so far from Suvarnaphumi. You will be able to see full/near-life-size representations of many important historical sights. http://www.ancientcitygroup.net/ancientsiam/en

I do not understand why they cannot just take a successful model from another country and implement it here, its not like they arnt used to copying things.. yields here are ridiculously low compared to many other rice growing nations.

They want the easy way.. they don't want to change. There have been many Royal projects helping farmers getting better income. However many are to stubborn to try those that have tried have better income.

Its ok to give farmers some assistance but in the end if they can't produce the product at competitive prices why should the taxpayer foot the bill. First help them change.. but just throwing money at it and letting them do it the old way is crazy. Its a sure way to keep them dependent to whatever political party pays the most.

I am totally against the middle class paying for the refusal of farmers changing their ways or even finding other jobs. If you can (after you have been helped and told how to change) be competitive.. others should not pay for it.

"They want the easy way."

".. refusal of farmers changing their ways or even finding other jobs."

We are near the end of building a house in U. Muang, Khon Kaen.

Electrician, first class work! 50 plus downlights, multiple outlets on every wall. Every room wired with LAN and TV cables. System grounded at 3 different points.

Mason, walls straight as a Mohawk arrow. Tile work it truly first class. All counters in baths and kitchen built with toe-kick.

Trim carpender, crown molding -- sanded and stained then re-sanded and re-stained every piece of wood. Miters are virtually perfect. Really difficult to find the joins.Wood is smooth as silk.

All three have a couple of things in common.

1 - They are skilled professionals.

2 - They are all rice farmers who had to take a couple of weeks off after the first rains to plant their rice.

I guess they are taking the easy way.

He 'was' a soldier, sworn to duty, on station in Afghanistan. You don't just decide that you don't want to participate, abandon your post and then collaborate with the Taliban for 5 years .....

There has so far been no evidence presented that he collaborated with the Taliban in any manner. It sounds more like he was incredibly naive, walked off his base to help Afghans, and was then captured and treated like a true POW by the Taliban.

This is one of those increasingly rare stories where an American can be proud of the government. The government acted quickly and decisively to bring back one of our own. Of course there was a cost. There is always a cost to obtain a prisoner's release. The hypocrite John McCain should be able to appreciate this better than anyone, but doesn't apart from a few of his most extremist colleagues. And special kudos to the extraction team that kept it cool and professional.

Feel free to speak for yourself -- but don't speak for THIS American.

I was clearly speaking for myself and not for all Americans. Don't let your emotions get in the way of properly parsing written English. And I do understand that many would be happy if this young man had just been left to die in some hut in Waziristan. I am no so callous.

Again, with all sides understanding the need to bring the Taliban into Afghani politics, this was a great move to further that objective. And given the indolent nature of the US Congress, screw then if they are a bit upset about doing the right thing.

You wrote, ".. where an American can be proud of the government." I'm an American and I sure as hell can't proud of how my government conducted this exchange.

My emotions are quite controlled, thank you.

You actually make another sweeping statement that I doubt you can back up, e.g., ".. with all sides understanding the need to bring the Taliban into Afghani politics, .."

I fear this young man is going to have very rough sledding when he returns to America. His case is already being used as a political football both in the US and in Afghanistan. The Repubs will whip up another hysteria over this as they have done repeatedly with Syrian policy and Benghazi-Benghazi-BENGHAZI!

Your first sentence perhaps a bit of an understatement?

This is one of those increasingly rare stories where an American can be proud of the government. The government acted quickly and decisively to bring back one of our own. Of course there was a cost. There is always a cost to obtain a prisoner's release. The hypocrite John McCain should be able to appreciate this better than anyone, but doesn't apart from a few of his most extremist colleagues. And special kudos to the extraction team that kept it cool and professional.

Feel free to speak for yourself -- but don't speak for THIS American.

FYI --

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/06/02/3907012/anger-explodes-over-treatment.html?sp=/99/102/

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3602137681001/insider-opens-up-on-previous-efforts-to-find-sgt-bergdahl/?intcmp=obnetwork#sp=show-clips

+1 for Mitsubishi -- especially the inverter model.

Very strong winds and rain for a short time today. Horizontal rain -- sort of typhoon-like. Scary!

How are they against rats & tookays?

I assume that getting a mongoose for the yard is a no-no if neighbors have chickens?

How territorial are they -- stray or stay "home"?

Two (or 3?) strong rains yesterday in KK.

Ah, the "grease gun, the M-3 but .45 cal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M3_submachine_gun

The AR-15 morphed to the M-16 by Colt: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-15

I also trained with the M-1 Garand, liked it, good and accurate shooter. Got to Camp Friendship (RIP) found that we had M-14s so went out to the Police range at Johor for familiarization shooting.

Mac

Yep, brain *art. You are correct.

Speaking of .50 cal. The day at Ft. Polk, La. when we were to "fire for familiarization", some cows from a nearby pasture had strayed onto the range -- had to cancel.

Also, we couldn't get a Browning .50 cal for our camp in 'Nam. Couldn't get 4 "deuce" mortars either. "Charlie". had us out-ranged on both weapons -- which probably cost some lives during the siege in '65.

Fortunately for me, our team had rotated out a couple of months prior. Thank heavens for TDY!

America was supplying Indonesia and the uk . Making a fortune. A leaopard never changes its spots ????

I can't speak for the other contributors on this thread ..

BUT!!! I vote to keep this type of politics out of the discussion.

Rained like **** today in KK. Couple of steady downpours.

That was a period of great transition in weaponry, I served from late '62 to late '65. First MOS was 111.x (infantry light weapons). In basic training we qualified with the M-1. Then in AIT (advanced individual training) we had to qualify with the M-14, BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), and M-60 machine gun.

When our team deployed from Okinawa to in 'Nam Oct '64 we were issued AR-15's, which I believed were 'Armalite' (sp). I thought Colt made the M-16?

Most people think I'm telling tall tales about our ammo having aluminum shell casings.

In our camp we had the AR's, Browning .30 caliber machine guns, M-1 carbines, grenade launchers, & .45 pistols. Our strikers carried carbines and .50 caliber 'grease guns', the cheap and seldom accurate alternative to a Thompson.

My younger brother was a Marine and in 'Nam later. e carried an M-14.

FYI, even what is commonly referred to a "chanote" may not always be a land title. Our previous spread had a Nor Sor 3 (small red Garuda stamp). One day I referred to it as a "Chanote". Wife corrected me saying that NS3 is a document that states the land "ownership" is recorded at the land department. Apparently, a land title is a Nor Sor 4 Jor -- has the large red stamp.

Our land had to be measured when we applied for a NS4. It takes a long to get that one. An announcement regarding the measurement and application had to be published for something like 90 days before the last steps to issue the land title. Still hadn't been issued months later when we sold the place. And this is land + house previously built and just 500m off the divided road from Korat to Wang Nam Keio (~8 km south of the Korat Zoo turnoff).

His wife has applied for a proper chanote. Apparently that takes a couple years. I'll post again tomorrow after the trip to the PAO.

More than a "couple of years", I would guess. If my MIL had a chanode on her spread she would be a multi-millionaire

don't go there

That may or may not be good advice. It depends on what expectations the OP has.

"Paisal said Sor Por Kor land cannot be sold, and the holding rights can only be transferred to heirs, agricultural organisations or the ALRO." .. source

Maybe the land cannot be sold, but it can be built on and lived on

^^ Dang! Hope my wife doesn't read this!

Should have said ".. spending time with my 54 year old wife."

The ironic think is, he would do better it he was out of Issan.

No doubt the farang mansion in the middle of nowhere was built with the best of intentions, now its no more than a white elephant, a monkey on his back.

How much better is living in a farang hovel in Bangkok than a farang mansion in Issan?