klikster

just another parasite my friend..its the asian hub of them you know..get your aussie friend to look for you..good luck..

Which is parasite, building owner or Aussie friend?

I'm not so sure about all the "naysaying" based on "hearsaying".

I rented (month to month) a condo in Chiang Mai for about a year. When I gave advance notice that I was moving, the agent agreed to refund my deposit the evening before an early in the day departure. I had hired a van to move my items.

When requesting my deposit the final evening, I got all sorts of excuses and "some time tomorrow".

I didn't argue much, I just call the Tourist Police. They sorted things out. It was actually a bit comical. One excuse was the agent's employee claimed they didn't have any cash on hand.

Police smiling: "Go ATM."

Employee frowning: "No ATM card, lady have."

Police smiling: "No problem, go get, we wait."

And they did wait -- until a scowling agent went away then came back with the cash.

As a permanent resident you are not even required to have a valid passport. You fall under different rules. You have a residence book. You can now even apply for a special pink ID card for those with PR.

First, there is no such thing as "permanent" residency. I believe that's a colloquialism. There are residency permits issued, but they do not grant Thai citizenship so I can't imaging how one could call the residency "permanent".

I have known 2 different Americans who had residency permits then lost their residency status. One traveled back to the US and was unable to return within a 1-year time frame. Another traveled and had forgotten to get a re-entry permit . When he returned to Thailand all he got was a 30 day visa.

It's permanent if you never leave and don't break serious laws, about as permanent as any PR anywhere in the world.

The leaving for more than a year bit seems to be a relic of how things worked in days past and doesn't take into account the modern nature of temporary people movements for work etc.

One day this will change with a bit of luck.

"if" -- "about" -- "seems" -- "one day" -- "luck"

I see 5 reasons to call it what it is = "RP" instead of what farangs dream of = "PR".

As a permanent resident you are not even required to have a valid passport. You fall under different rules. You have a residence book. You can now even apply for a special pink ID card for those with PR.

First, there is no such thing as "permanent" residency. I believe that's a colloquialism. There are residency permits issued, but they do not grant Thai citizenship so I can't imaging how one could call the residency "permanent".

I have known 2 different Americans who had residency permits then lost their residency status. One traveled back to the US and was unable to return within a 1-year time frame. Another traveled and had forgotten to get a re-entry permit . When he returned to Thailand all he got was a 30 day visa.

What exactly is wrong with the old laptop? Does it have identifying details, such as a brand name and model number?

It's a 13" ASUS w/4GB RAM. The problem is not apparent to me. It will not boot and the incident happened after I used the SD Card slot the first time. I removed the HD for security reasons. I will get it repaired and a new HD, but it will only be a backup.

Perhaps the boot device order got rearranged in the BIOS. You could check that and if necessary try Startup Repair.

I played with the BIOS a bit, but never could get and satisfaction. It's not a priority in my current situation. I'm pretty busy adding software to wife's new machine and admiring my new Viewsonic 29" monitor.

Dear Mr .......

Thank you for your email of 3 April 2014 about the process for renewing a United Kingdom

passport if you are resident in Thailand.

We note that you are unhappy at having to attend the Visa Application Centre in Bangkok

to submit your application in person and then return to collect the new passport.

We are sure you are aware that there is a legal requirement for all UK citizens in Thailand

to retain their passport on their person at all times. In order to consider an application to

renew a UK passport Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HM Passport Office) require sight of

the original passport and any other supporting documents that may be required.

In light of the challenges presented by local Thai law to achieve this applicants for a UK

Passport in Thailand are required to travel in person to the office of a HM Passport Office

representative, in the case of Thailand our representative is the UK Visa Application

Centre in Bangkok, for them to view the original document(s) and verify photocopies as

being true replicas as the originals. This allows the customer to continue to meet the legal

requirement of keeping their passport with them at all times whilst their application is being

processed.

The US Embassy would "seem" to disagree with the above. I recently renewed my passport at an embassy outreach in KK -- and arranged for the new book to be mailed. The embassy staffers gave me a form letter, duly signed, to show any official inquiring about my status.

" .. there is a legal requirement for all UK citizens in Thailand to retain their passport on their person at all times."

Is that UK law rather than Thai law?

I'm not sure what would have happened if the police had demanded to see my passport.

Due to happenings related to work being done on house -- we got a machine yesterday. JIB Computer in TUTCOM. 4 GB RAM, i5 intel 4 core, 240GB SSD, had a spare 500MB standard HD and will use for files. Pretty good graphics card and strong aftermarket P/S.

JIB threw me a couple of curve balls. Trying to set things straight now.

After seeing Viewsonic 29" monitor, couldn't resist. Bought one for myself another for wife (we are both old with less than 20/20 vision). A bit over THB 10k each.

I appreciate all the advice -- well, most of it.

I would go with the newest 8.1 and touchscreen

Not interested in touch screen. I type a lot.

What exactly is wrong with the old laptop? Does it have identifying details, such as a brand name and model number?

It's a 13" ASUS w/4GB RAM. The problem is not apparent to me. It will not boot and the incident happened after I used the SD Card slot the first time. I removed the HD for security reasons. I will get it repaired and a new HD, but it will only be a backup.

Have Bank's book here, reread it just a few months back. Do like it when his small OSS team jumped into Wattay Airport in Vientiane, spent some time there, then down to Thakhek, NKP, etc, got tied into the conflict between the Lao and the French. Bank's made that trip back to Hanoi, then bummed a Jeep ride with HCM back to the Thakhek area.

Here's a scholarly paper on Bank: https://sites.google.com/site/aaronbankspecforces/

Mac

Remember Sgt. Ballinger? He was one of my "Branch Training" instructors at Bragg. He also set up some pretty bizarre training incidents during the final week field exercise.

http://taskforceomegainc.org/b162.html

SF Medical stuff

Activities? Sure! Activities lead to experiences.

I wouldn't trade my "boots on the ground" around Pleime for anything. The experience changed me for the better, IMHO.

We patrolled the hills around Pleime on 7-10 day "excursions" -- 2 team members and a company of CIDG.

I ran my own medical patrols/visits to outlying Montenyard villages.

I can brag about having walked the Iadrang and to the Cambodian border.

I'll be shopping for a new computer for wife next week - here in Khon Kaen. Her old laptop with Vista OS (yuk!) recently died.

She is not really computer literate and mainly uses a computer for simple games and surfing the internet, organizing photos, etc -- but she is gradually expanding her abilities.

Computer:

- Small form factor (but not an all-in-one or tablet)

- Modest, but sprightly, CPU

- Decent video board

- 2G RAM (assuming OS cannot utilize more)

- Seagate hybrid HDD, assuming I can find one at TUTCOM

- Good quality power supply

OS

I was ready to assume a legal version of W8.1 until I read about the "update" merry-go-round

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2339927/microsoft-promptly-ends-support-for-windows-81

What I'm concerned about is getting a version that is past its "update" date. The whole Microsoft thing is a bit off-putting -- but the wife (nor am I) quite ready for Linux.

Will also be upgrading my own monitor -- so thinking of a pair of 23" or larger hi-def. Phillips seems to have pretty good reviews?

Comments and recommendations greatly appreciated.

If you can lay your hands on a copy of Col. Aaron Bank's book, From OSS to Green Berets: the Birth of Special Forces, you could read his take on Uncle Ho. I'll just leave it there ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Bank

I had the pleasure of meeting the old warrior while living in San Clemente, Ca.

Also, AIR, Col. Bank was never officially allowed to wear a Green Beret during his military service.

My last neighborhood in the US was Anaheim, Ca. Lot's of Lao and Hmong lived nearby. We had 2 Thai-Lao markets, 3 restaurants, 2 barber shops, couple of night spots, and a genuine Lao Law office. As an old 'Nam vet I got along famously with them.

The Lao, and especially the Hmong, seemed to integrate into the farang community much better than the Thais did. The Hmong (as did the Vietnamese) assumed they would never return to their ancestral lands.

One Thai explained to me that there is a symbiotic relationship between some species of snakes and 'tookays'. The explanation went as follows:

The tookay eats insects, some of which it cannot pass through it's system. When the tookay has too many of the insects in it's stomach, it's 'call' is affected. The snakes recognize the call and proceed to eat the insects. Apparently, the snake coiling around the tookay's body facilitates that process.

If you have access to outside, consider a gas water heater. MEX brands for Rinnai, also small units in the builder's stores.

I miss The Meeting Place in Nongp Khai. It was run by a shady Aussie named Allan (since diseased) and had good farang food back when it was not easy to come by in Thailand. Back then, very few foreigners could get long term visas, so we all passed through Nong Khai every few months on the way to Laos for a new tourist visa and he would show us the seedy side of the town. Those were the days.

Alan was a character, indeed. H is partner (Connie?), was an outstanding cook. Alan made a lot of money there. I got my Laos visa from him to get my "O" vias .. that was in 1996.

Did he give you one of those packs of stapled up documents with the cash for the Lao contact inside?

I actually like Nong Khai. Couple of really nice little towns on the road along the river to NKP as well. I heard there are lots of rubber plantations southeast of Nong Khai.

"The U.S. ambassador to Thailand recently affirmed that this protest is both a right and is peaceful. She also quoted John Kerry .. "

Well, um -- John Kerry is the ambassador's boss. You think that might have some bearing?

Actually, I prefer to hear ambassadors from the U.S. quoting Washington and Jefferson. On second thought, there is probably more honesty regarding politics coming from the writings of Mark Twain or the words of Will Rodgers than from any modern day U.S. politician such as Kerry.

Here you can order Benjamin and Crosman online. Send them a message or let your wife call them. No license needed

http://bbairgun.wordpress.com/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%84%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%88/

Daisy Red Ryder! WOW! Brings back memories from -- um -- toodamnmany years ago. I would LOVE to have one of those!

Part depends on location. We had a place on Hwy 305 between Pak Thongchai and Korat Town. No one around had managed a well. Solid rock, they claimed. You definitely need to talk to the local drillers. They will know.

^ Partly depends on the land documents. 'Chanode' is what you should be after.

"Nor Sor Sam" (not really a title deed, but safer than Sor Por Kor or Tor Bor Ha"

"Nor Sor See Jor" (red Garuda seal) is the best

That price for building up sounds a little cheap for 2.5 ngan. Also consider that the land should be allowed to "settle" for a year or so before building.

But local knowledge will trump anything I have written.

"Permit to build" if very reasonable. Facilitates services like water an electricity needed during the build.

Isaans are especially money hungry and shameless team, you can't pay enough for them, you can't help enough for their families, you can't build enough big house for them, ALWAYS need MORE and MORE. Your wealth will be melt they take care of it.

Well, so much for "fair and balanced" -- accusing everyone in the Northeast with the same predatory motives. Bitter, are we?

You chose to marry a Thai female and live in Thailand so therefore you must follow and accept the Thai culture. She only has one set of parents and it's her duty in Thai culture to take care of them and if you choose not to follow her to Issan, it puts both of you in an awkward situation in culture and in respect. Once you married your wife, her parents become your parents. The village will not see the respect which you must have to care for family forever. This is something which you should of thought of when marring her. Yes you will survive, you survived moving and living in Chiang Mai. You must not allow your wife to ''loose face'' in Roi Et and you must not allow yourself to become the ''bad farang'' and be labeled jai dum. Your wife loved and accepted you and you must love and accept her fully. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results. You married the village and her culture when you married your wife. Have an open mind and it will be filled with great rewards. Issan is wonderful. No other place on earth I would rather be other than Bangkok. Good luck my friend.

IMHO, so much wrong in this post it boggles my mind!

Maybe I can get some advice here -- since some of the links in post #29 seem a bit low.

The room in question is a (2 person) master bedroom 6.5m x 6 m with bay window (~1 m x 3m) .. on the SSW end of the house.

- House is in Khon Kaen, U. Sila

- Elevated 1 m with soil then additional 1 m with construction

- Soil fill under floor

- Roof is light gray CPAC 35 degree gable style with foil

- Insulation is plastic-wrapped 3" blanket on ceiling.

- Ceilings 3.5 m high (3 m under the bay window area)

- Construction is single layer Q-Con

- Roof gables have oversize vents

- Installed exhaust fan 18", 3/4 hp on north end vent

- Windows are oversize with 6mm glass.

Will eventually have shade on that room, but it will take a few seasons to grow.

Last house we used air con nights only for 3 - 4 months of the year.

We seldom lower room temps under 26 degrees.

So what btu rating is recommended for this room -- standard air con -- not inverter.

Thanks