MangoKorat

Thanks but this is going to be a built-in cupboard - built in to an alcove.

Thanks very much, very helpful.

Well yes and no........strange answer but this is Thailand, let me explain: When I took over my house I tried to change the electricity account into my name, just as a new owner or tenant would do in the UK. I was told that the account could only be in the name of the registered owner but the bills were sent to the property and they would allow monthly direct debits to be requested from my bank account. I thought it was odd but hey, who cares? However, a few years later I upgraded the supply and had to fill in a few forms in order to do that and pay the usual deposit - the 'owner' got their deposit back. The account is now in my name - I don't know if the rules have changed or if someone made a cock-up but the bills are in my name now. I have a Usufruct so I'm neither 'owner' nor tenant - technically. I do know from friends who rent, that they cannot change the account into their name.

Thanks for that. A little wary of buying board online - high chance of damage. Never been to 'Wood Street', I'll check it out. I am aware of an area, I seem to remember it being, North West of Bangkok where there's loads of woodyards. I got real wood skirting board from there when I couldn't even find a planed plank in my area - only fencing wood. I have a business card from there in my desk (in Thailand) so I'll contact them when I get back. Its possible but I just can't see wood yards selling MDF/MFC. Wood Street on the other hand, being within the metro area might well have what I'm looking for.

Does anybody know if gloss white board - MDF, MFC or similar is available in Thailand? I have a gloss white kitchen and would like to build a matching cupboard in the dining area - quite a large cupboard, wardrobe sized. I've searched the local DIY outlets - nothing doing there but that's not unusual, I still have to go to Bangkok to get a lot of DIY things or buy online. We have a Thai Watsadu and a HomePro but they only stock what sells locally. I'm near Pak Chong/Khao Yai so we're not exactly in the jungle and things are changing but still a way to go. The kitchen manufacturer said they might be able to order some from Denmark - at a price but I suspect the maximum widths will only be 600 or 700. I can work with those widths if I have to but I'd like to see what's available. 18, 19 or 20mm thick preferable but could possibly use 15mm - just rather not. I guess I could try a Thai based kitchen manufacturer as gloss white is popular at the moment - anyone know one that actually builds their own and not just buys them in? Also a little advice from a woodworker about how to cut the sheets without chipping the gloss?

What? You have to register with the PEA even if you're not exporting? Why?

I've had my house in Thailand for around 9 years but as I have never lived there full time, I've just paid a local man to keep the garden weed free and generally keep things tidy. I will be moving to Thailand permanently later this year and want to start planting. Coming from the UK, when to start planting seeds is almost entirely dictated by the weather/seasons - most go in in spring and flower in summer. However, the weather in Thailand is completely different and so are the photo periods. I have no idea when to start or as yet, what to grow. Although I intend having some annual flowering plants that I will change each year, I would like to plant the main areas with perennials. The garden area is entirely surrounded by a 5ft/1.5m wall - I would like to plant some kind of flowering bushes against that wall that will eventually hang over the top and show on the road side. There is a very common flowering bush in Thailand that produces pink flowers - I quite like those but I have no idea what its called. They often seem to grow wild along rural roads. I'll learn as I go along but can anyone give me some basic advice on when to start plants and does anyone recognise the pink flowering bush I mention above? As for the plants that I will change every year, I often grow Snapdragons in the UK, they grow very well and often continue flowering until late November but I've tried them in Thailand and they wouldn't even germinate. All the advice on them states that they don't tolerate high temperatures very well - not something I have a problem with in the UK. There are some areas of Thailand that are famous for them so I'm guessing some strains tolerate high temperatures better than others? I also intend on having a small vegetable patch - mainly salad veg. Most of the garden faces west/south west so apart from the areas immediately behind the wall, it gets sunshine all day. Just looking for general advice on what to grow and when with the aim pf providing some colour all year round if possible. I don't want to grow things that need a lot of work as I will also be working.

Oh, so thousands of people have not died and Russia didn't invade Ukriane, its all 'misinformation? Thanks for setting me straight, I'll sleep easier tonight knowing there is no war going on in Ukraine. Quite frankly, you should be ashamed of yourself!

It may have escaped your attention but 1990 was 34 years ago and the world was a different place. Russia was it seemed, under Gorbachev, ready to 'come in from the cold' and move towards fully participating in peaceful relations with the rest of the world. The Soviet Union fell officially in 1991 and for a few years it seemed like Russia would become a truly democratic country, fully participating in world affairs. However, there were fortunes to be made from the break up of the USSR and that would never be allowed to happen in a truly democratic society. 'Perestroika' and 'Glasnost' began under Grobachev and continued under Yeltsin who actually wanted it to go further. Yeltsin initially made Putin Prime Minister in 1999 and so began Russia's pathway to the authoritarian dictatorship, masquerading as a democracy, that it is today. The short lived 'good relations' with 'The West' was over. Interestingly, Yelstin is said to have confided in those closest to him that he made a big mistake in making Putin Prime Minister - possibly the understatement of the millenium! Whatever, you cannot compare the relationship between 'The West' & NATO and Russia in 1994 with what exists today.

Quite, putting political differences aside - anyone supporting Putin is supporting the deaths of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands, of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers and civillians! That's what this comes down to - the leaders, politicians and the military can say what they like, make any excuses they so wish. At the end of the day its soldiers and civillians that pay with their lives - not the leaders. In this case, pay for what? Whether you accept Putin's excuses or not, the fact is that Ukraine showed no aggression. The only ongoing conflict at the time was within Ukraine's borders and that was stirred up by Russia in the first place. Those of you who support Putin must always remember that you are supporting death. I doubt any of you would have the same feelings if that death was closer to home.

Coudn't agree more. All this talk of 'provoking' Putin fails to appreciate that Ukraine is a sovereign country and has every right to decide on its alliances. As you say. NATO is a defensive organisation - it has never threatened offensive action on anyone. Putin is an imperialist and uses the 'threat' of NATO to justify his actions and gain support from the Russian people. Where its possible, he either wants to control neighbouring countries through 'puppets' as with Belarus or invade them as he has done in Ukraine and tried in Georgia. Putin's past and sometimes present statements (when he slips up) make it clear that he sees Ukraine as part of Russia. Its clear from some of the posts here that some people have no knowledge of Ukraine's recent history. I'm not refering to what has gone on over the centuries, maps and alliances have changed all over the world for centuries and there have been 2 world wars. The more recent period, since the break up of the Soviet Union is the only relevant time in the current context. The Ukranian people made it clear where they wanted their future to lie through the Maidan Uprising in 2013-2014 and they had every right to do so. People here should perhaps read through the details of that uprising, why it came about and what the people were seeking. NATO and the EU are not and never will be a 'threat' to Russia, they are only a threat to Putin's ambitions. Putin just doesn't want a disobedient true democracy on his border - his own people might get similar ideas. All his claims that his invasion of Ukraine were a response to NATO expansion are complete claptrap. The response to his invasion by Sweden and Finland was entirely predictable and its almost certain that his advisers will have made that clear. He has actually created NATO expansion, not stopped it.

It says that when someone has deleted you or deleted their LINE.

Deletes the chat for me - jeez back at you.

Firstly, open the page that lists all your chats in order of the latest one first. Then press and hold on the chat you want to delete. You will then be given 4 options - Hide, Mute Chat, Pin Chat or Delete, tap delete. That will delete the chat but not your contact. To delete the contact, open LINE and select Home at the bottom then tap on Friends. Scroll to the friend you want to delete and press and hold on the name. You will be given 6 options - one of which is delete.

I have to admit that the one time I was given a warning and told to get the correct visa next time was by a female I.O. who spotted an old Non O visa in my passport. Likewise, a friend entering for exactly the same reason was also given a warning by a female officer. I believe they were within their rights to warn us as we both should have been on 'marriage visas'. However before that I'd been using 30 day exempts for a while and worried by denial stories I read on here I went to the immigration counter behind the booths at Suvarnabhumi when I was leaving and asked for more details. The officer in charge there flicked through my entry stamps and told me I'd be fine as I stayed out of the country for around 8 weeks between trips. He said they were looking for people who were living/working in Thailand illegally. On that occasion, the reason for my entries wasn't discussed. Whenever there are 'denial stories' on here, someone always pipes up and says they've been 'border bouncing' for years and never had a problem. I don't doubt that but I'd just call it luck. Tod has provided details of how to deal with denials but I think even he would accept that someone with a lot of very close entry/exit stamps in their passport will always be at risk and may at some point, have to take a 'holiday' from Thailand for a while.

Firstly, new racks don't need 'running in'. You would only ever notice a difference if you fitted a new steering rack if the old one had been faulty. Secondly, in a different world I'd line up a selection of trucks - some with tyre pressures of 32psi and some with 34psi. I'd then take bets on whether you could tell which truck had which psi and be confident of winning. If the truck was bouncing after you fitted the new ball joints, it was bouncing before. Ball joints are under constant load - worn ball joints will affect steering and may knock, they won't make a truck 'bounce' more or less. However, when you talk about 'ball joints' - are you refering to the upper and lower suspension joints that are commonly known as 'ball joints' or something different? I note that Americans often use different names for vehicle parts than the rest of the world does - i.e. they call brake discs 'rotors'. But then, I was only a mechanic for close on 30 years, what would I know?

I suspect that the figures in the first example you posted are suggested for load carrying vehicles. I have a Peugeot Boxer light van in the UK, not a pick up but primarily designed for load carrying of just over a ton + the vehicle weight. The recommended tyre pressures are 65psi front/73psi rear. If the van was designed to be used for primarily domestic use, I think the pressures would be much lower. The point here is that my van is a similar weight to a pick up truck but its is wholly designed for carrying loads - the tyre pressures are provided on that basis. The other 2 examples clearly make reference to carrying loads/towing etc. I suspect that the manufacturer's recommendations you mention, 34psi are those for 'common usage' - most pick up owners use them for domestic use with a little load carrying. I would be surpised if such recommendations don't include a statement somewhere, probably in brackets, to the effect that the figures should be adjusted according to the load. In addition, when carrying heavy loads, attention must also be paid to the maximum pressure and weight loading given by the tyre manufacturers (written on the tyre). Note that weights refer to one corner. Pick up trucks are designed for work, primarily light work. They have stiffer springs than a similarly sized car and usually no rear anti roll bar. That causes them to feel and handle differently. Some pick ups can feel 'skittish' on rough surfaces when they have no load in the back. If you compare the handling/feel of truck that has a car/SUV equivalent (Ford Ranger/Everest for example) you will notice the difference. Not being rude in any way but I think you may be imagining it if you think you can feel a difference between 32 and 34psi.

Unlikely - when looking at your history, the I.O. can clearly see that you leave Thailand and stay out for significant lengths of time. They are not seeking to deny entry to genuine tourists. The OP is bouncing out and in - in effect living in Thailand.

I understand that it might seem a PITA but once you are registered, if the system is working correctly, surely it should only take seconds?

And that is exactly why I advocate using a lawyer. You can either play the game or use a lawyer - they will both cost you money but the likelihood is that you will only need to pay a lawyer once. Pay an 'official' once and you will pay every time. I don't advocate arguing with an I.O. - even if they're not looking for any 'help', face will prevent them from admitting they are wrong. Just sit there with pen and paper, write down their reasons for refusing to go along with whatever your request is, take their name and bid your goodbye's. Then let a lawyer deal with it. You could of course, be armed with the rules and state 'it seems to say here that I am the housemaster' and see if that changes things but if the I.O. is looking for 'assistance' that probably won't help. There's no harm in trying but you need to judge when you are doing more harm than good. In suggesting using a lawyer, I would also state that much depends on the lawyer you choose. There are some, hopefully just a few, that may not handle things with the diplomacy required. Some may also have 'friends' in the department you are dealing with - that may seem helpful but in fact it could perpetuate the situation. What you are seeking is an end to the matter, not just a change to who hands over the envelope. What you must remain acutely aware of is that the issue of 'face' is just about impossible to overcome in Thai society. The deeper things go, the more arguing that goes on, the more 'face' will be lost when an 'official' eventually loses. Not in this situation but I've seen Thai's tell the most fantastic and ridiculous tales in order to appear to save face. I have no idea why that should be, I guess as foreigners we could never even begin to understand why 'saving face' is such a facet of Thai society. Its not something we are taught from birth. Couple that with the issue of 'hiearchy' - in that you, as a lowly foreigner, should not even dare to question the knowledge of a far higher being and it becomes clear why you need to engage professional help in such situations. A good lawyer will not argue with the I.O. in your situation, they will simply re-apply on your behalf citing each requirement in the rules and the evidence provided to fulfill that requirement. There are many that would simply say pay or use an agent (who will also pay). That will of course, also 'solve' the probem but only until next time.

Reading that, I'm not sure if she's looking for some assistance or if its a downright lack of training coupled with that wonderful thing - face. Having dealt with all sorts of things that a lot of foreigners never experience in Thailand, I never fail to be amazed at just how many officials don't actually know the rules pertaining to their line of work. Now, if I was a bit rusty or simply didn't know something connected to my job, I'd have no problem in asking. With a Thai though, that would mean massive loss of face. Then there's the matter of hierarchy. In the eyes of the 'stuck up' type of Thai, foreigners are on a level just below that of a soi dog. I would guess though that a lawyer, is either above on on par with an I.O. I recall an encounter I had when trying to register my Usufruct with the local Land Office manager who point blank refused. The same lawyer that I've been refering to in this thread, prepared my agreement and I had all the correct documentation to enable registration. I called the lawyer and she agreed to meet me at the Land Office the next morning (for a fee of course). At the appointed time, I handed her my file, containing the exact same documents as I'd had the day before. I didn't understand a word of what was said but it sounded firm but polite. There was a slight finger wagging (from my lawyer) and then smiles all round. Less than 15 minutes later I left with an updated channote with my Usufruct registered and stamped on the back.

Some of the time, there's a 'reason' why they are awkward and invent their own rules - if you know what I mean. I know people will say I'm moving to the wrong country if I want to avoid that - and I do, I hate it and won't take part in it. Reading between the lines, I think that was the case with my mate - one phone call from his lawyer and the matter was sorted. I won't even pay them when I've, supposedly been driving too fast - so far calling their bluff has resulted in me being sent on my way. The one exception being if I have actually been doing something wrong. I have all this to go through again when I move over later this year and if I have any problems, I won't muck about. No shouting, no getting angry, just point out the rules and if there's no movement, leave it to my lawyer. Not that I'm expecting any problems - they will have been through all of this many times by now so any awkwardness and I'll presume they are looking for a 'little help', say my goodbye's and let the lawyer deal with it. Yes, it will cost me but once they know I can't be 'milked', I doubt they'll try again. Conversely, its only my opinion but if you make a contribution, you'll be marked as a donor and be expected to 'help' every time you have to renew your extensions etc. Anyway, try doing it the way Liqourice has suggested online and hopefully you'll get sorted. If you do it that way and still can't register - to me that would suggest that your office has somehow 'blocked' that channel and are on the take.

I did it in person at Korat Immigration - they did at first, want the registered owner of the property to do it present but eventually backed down. The registered owner of my property lives 200km away and I wasn't going to ask her to come all that way just to present her ownership details. I didn't say I was in a rental, I have a usufruct agreement That though, is probably irrelevant now because its quite a few years ago and the website was only in Thai. It also seemed to be aimed at hotels and guest houses at that time. Its clearly not now - as illustrated by Liquorice, there were no drop down boxes when I tried to register. You don't have to take what I'm saying, you've been given the rules and told how to do it - although I accept that as with other immigration matters, some offices will try to make up their own rules - as I say, print the rules off and show them. If it was me and I had all the documents to prove I was the housemaster but they still refused, I'd hand it to my lawyer to deal with but that's me, most wouldn't be prepared to go that far. I am not living in Thailand at the moment and just after Covid when I tried to open the website, it wouldn't. I've since found out that the reason is that there is a new website. As I only stay a couple of weeks at a time now, I simply don't bother but I will have to go through the process again when I move to Thailand later this year. Not joking at all. If you cow tow to someone who is clearly going against the rules, you make a rod for your own back. I do though, have a friend who was facing an immigration matter much more serious than this and the officer was making up a rule that was impossible to comply with - they were completely wrong. He really had no choice but to use a lawyer to sort it out and faced with the law, the I.O. had to back down. Incidentally I use the same lawyer as him which is one reason I would be confident of success. As Liqourice has shown you, you should be able to do it online but if you can't, before contacting a lawyer, you could try asking to see the boss/manager/captain or whoever is in charge at your office. Of course, taking legal action against an immigration office is to be avoided if at all possible but if you're stuck, what are you going to do? Move house and register in a different area just to avoid an I.O. who is making rules up as they go along? I wouldn't be prepared to do that. I've taken legal action in Thailand twice, not on immigration matters but on things that are commonly held by foreigners as 'impossible' - the farang always loses type stuff. I won my case on both occasions and in fact found the Thai legal system to be very fair and not at all biased. FYI - Korat Immigration have been taken to court and lost at least twice by a company belonging to an advertiser on here. There seems to be a common thread with these Immigration Officers who make up problems. I note you say 'her' when talking about the officer you dealt with. My mate's problem was with a female officer - as was my initial TM 30 issue. I was also warned that I would be denied entry without the correct visa once, again by a female officer.

Anyway, it will never happen. We see at least one announcement on the same theme, every year.

Yes you can, I've done it. Some offices may be being awkward but I seem to remember that things were made easier a while back. There was some sensible comment from some Thai official or other that said something like 'the main thing is that you are registered, not who registers you.' If you have a lease or a Usufruct, you are the 'Housemaster' and its the Housemaster that is required to complete the registration. Take a look at the regulations posted by Liqourice above: and If your office won't accept you telling them that - ask them to read those sections in their Thai language version.