MangoKorat

Given the recent addition of new and proposed long term visas for 'digital nomads' etc, this is a problem that the Thai authorities should have dealt with already but will they? I very much doubt they will ever allow a 'self employed' work permit - the floodgates would open. For the moment, if you are tax resident, as long as you pay tax on any income remitted to Thailand, I don't think you will have a problem. When you sit at your computer dealing with your online income source, technically you are working but the Thai authorities seem happy to leave it as a grey area. I really can't see you having a problem as long as you keep your tax affairs in order. If the matter worries you, then your only option currently would be to set up a Thai company, obtain a work permit on the back of that and do whatever your online work is, through that company. The problem then though, would be the requirement to have a set number of Thai employees in order to qualify for a work permit. You could use 'ghost employees' but you would need to pay social security for them. Much easier to leave it as a 'grey area' and just pay your taxes.

I might just see if I can by a white gloss sliding wardrobe door kit, they are available in the UK but I haven't looked in Thailand yet. That would be a far easier solution.

So legally, the PEA have no right to demand an approved installer? No chance of any 'ghost' exporting using that type of switch?

Thinking about this, suppose I removed any chance of feeding back into the grid by completely separating the 2 systems using some form of double pole switch so both live and neutral were switched. What business would it be of the PEA's? How could they demand that my system/installation was approved? I seem to remember having such a switch once on something else but a much lower amperage. I know such switches (automatic) are available for generators etc. but not sure if they are double pole. Edit: Something like this - Listed as a 2 pole 40amp changeover switch.

Cheers. I have a 'tame' PEA electrician - I'll have a word with him. Hopefully he'll sort it. A bottle of Black Label can work wonders.

So are we saying the above is now incorrect? You can't just buy approved equipment?

I'll talk to my 'pet' PEA guy.

Yes, I guess if I build a good carcass it doesn't need to be 18-20mm. Plus batten the doors as you suggest.

Right, that shouldn't be a problem. As far as I know, if you are exporting, the system has to be installed by an 'approved' installer. I thought the poster was refering to something like that.

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?