streetlite

Nakhon Sawan immigration office is terrific. They are knowledgeable and efficient. Nice people to deal with.

I live in a small Village with my house built on a 1/4 Rai of land. There is a 1/2 Rai empty lot directly next to my home and is owned by a neighbor across the road. I tried to buy it from him to the point of offering 100,000 THB (he paid 11,000 about 10 years ago). He refused my offer saying he wanted to keep the land for one of his children to make their home on when they got married. There are no buffers between my house and his land.

Over the years he has used this property to make charcoal in large amounts. Huge logs covered in rice hulls, numerous tin vents, burning for weeks at a time and creating black smoke and soot blowing directly into and onto my house. I had no recourse to this since it was deemed that he had every right to produce an income from the charcoal and, since I am the only Farang in the Village, I had no say. During the non burning times of the year he would continually dump fallen trees onto the property for later burning. These turned into rotting lumber over time and the sight was disgusting to look at. My front view from my house looks directly at his home across the road and my back view is a beautiful mountain of green trees. I built my walls to block the empty lot but everything still seeped through the windows and doors. No one in the Village was concerned because it did not directly affect them.

Overt the years he stopped burning (had too much charcoal?, not enough wood resources?, too much work for profit?) and converted the pot into a tapioca field. OK, good for me until I was forced to stay inside when he sprayed the field on a weekly basis with pesticides and whatever else they use for this crop. Still better than the black soot.

Here is the connection to this topic. About a month ago, after he plowed a reaped the tapioca crop, he filled in the lot with fresh dirt, smoothed it out with his tractor, and appeared to be preparing to build on the lot. In a couple of days I noticed two tall staked outside my back porch approximately 10 meters from my house. The tops were painted orange so they looked like survey stakes. I was a little concerned with the location he chose to build his house because it interfered with my view of the forest and mountain. Oh well, better than soot and spray chemicals. I asked my wife what type of house were they planning to build.

Oh, they aren't building a house. They rented the space to True Move to build a cell tower. I went ballistic. I've always been a good neighbor in my Village, always donating to the Wat, the School, and any event where they ask for donations, I work with the kids who express a desire to improve their English ( I am a retired Teacher), etc. But this revelation made my blood boil and I marched directly over to the neighbor, voiced raised, expressing my displeasure with his intentions. I am an old man and he could have kicked my a** on the spot but sometimes you just don't give a damn. My wife reeled me in and said that is not the way to deal with the situation. There is nothing we can do because he owns the land.

Here's how True Move operates. Apparently one day they drove thought the Village with those loud speaker trucks asking if anyone with a parcel of land would be interested in renting to them for 40,000 THB a year. They wanted to construct a cell tower. I personally never heard the truck, never saw the truck and never heard a whisper around the Village that the truck came through. I'm supposing that no one was interest, even though there is tons of open land for crops around the Village. But the "neighbor" must have heard it and since he was making less than 40,000 a year on his charcoal and tapioca endeavor he got in touch with True Move to make the deal. That became the first time that I heard about this "rumor", but the wife assured me that it was years in the making. I reacted at the time but only with the wife telling her it was a bad decision. I told her we had to start trying to defeat this move. She said it was years away. Two weeks later I see the staked in the back yard. NOT years away. I told her we must speak up to every one around us about the negative effects of this cell tower. Even though I don't have proof, I told her and anyone who would listen about the energy fields causing cancer in the children living in the Village plus generation to come. It would not even give better cell service to anyone living directly in its' path. I was genuinely upset to the point where I secretly planned to undermine the whole thing and most likely wind up in prison for my efforts.

My wife, in the Thai way, approached the neighbor about the situation (that how I discovered all the details). She asked him what assurance did we have against this tower toppling over onto out house, my mother-in-laws house and my sister-in-laws house? She said she wanted some insurance in case case that happened, otherwise she was prepared to create the stink that should have been created in the first place before the stakes were in place. We also noted over the course of the next few nights, that a truck was visiting the neighbors house and it turns out that it was True Move making their plans with him under cover of darkness. I know this sounds a bit covert but it's true. My wife realized what was happening so we sat outside one night until the "truck" appeared. My wife went over with her quiet demand to know the details ( I just wanted to go hit them with baseball bats). Anyway, she asked the neighbor and True for the assurances as before. The "True" guy assured her that they were fully insured against accidents but would not show her any documents. She also pressed the neighbor about an insurance policy against any calamities. Nothing.

The wife was now becoming as furious as I but she internalized hers. The next day she started calling the Village heads and anyone else that would listen asking why this issue wasn't discussed prior to even starting negotiations with True. They weren't even aware of it. The wife started to talk to the neighbors telling them horror stories that I couldn't prove but in my heart "believed".

Three days later I noticed the stakes had been removed, the field plowed and replanted. A few weeks of chemical spray is better than a lifetime of electrical fields, I guess.

Sorry for the long post but in the end the score remains: Farang 1 True Tower 0

True Corp Tower sucks.

Old CJ 5's subject to tipovet

I bargained for them before the final sale. Now have a red Swift with beautiful black leather seats and door trim all stitched in in red. Just added a center console box. Love this car.

Can anyone recommend a good Dentist in Nakhon Sawan. One who is able to fill out claim forms in English and also is capable of full services such as root canals crowns, proper fillings, etc. Thank you.

Nakhon Sawan Immigration office is top notch.

hy is it that not one poster concerning this subject has actually stated "yes, the US Embassy official asked me for paystubs, pension statements, social security statements, etc. in order to notarize my income verification form?"

It's all these Nervous Nellie's that seem to be posting these scare tactics with the "I heard, she heard, my friend told me, I overheard"

statements.

Yes, I was a bit nervous about going to the Embassy last week for what is my 5th income verification. The know it all's on Thai Visa had me concerned enough that I dug up my last three years of tax statements and took them with me.

In and out in 5 minutes with no questions asked about verification other than my signature.

My income, of course, is legitimate by way of pension and social security.

So please keep your mouths shut if you have no factual information about this issue.

#7 answer is on point. I did mine in Pattaya 6 years ago and went through the exact same procedures. HOWEVER, be prepared, because it's harder than it sounds. The color test and reaction test are a no brainer. The written test is another matter. Back then it was 30 questions, all computer generated and you needed 23 out of 30 to pass. The test is not specific to motorcycle rules but rather a generic test of road rules dealing with parking, speed, distances to follow, curb and road markings, and all the pictures were cars, not motorcycles. So it seems the test is the same as the car license test. Before you go into the testing room look around for a manual or ask for one. It is all written in Thai but has pictures that you can interpret if you look at them long enough. It will provide some clues for you before you take the timed test. I am a highly educated Westerner and I managed to fail the written test 4 times with scores that were close but "no cigar". They actually let me retake the test 3 times the first day but I had to go back the following day if I wanted to "try" again. At the end of every test you can pull up the questions you answered wrong in order to see the correct answer but you can't review your test. On the 4th attempt I got 22 answers correct and upon review I noticed a question that the machine marked wrong but I swore to myself that I provided the same answer as the review showed. I mentioned this to one of the moderators who took me to the exam desk and the examiner said "OK, you passed". Whew!, but, boy, did I feel humbled.

On to the driving course. Rented a bike across the street (150 Baht), drove it over to the outdoor testing area and went to the registration desk. 30 Thai teenagers and myself plus the woman who would be overseeing the test. She gathered us all in a group as she explained the course outline and what was required. Unfortunately it was all spoken in Thai and after her speech she came to me and asked if I understood what she was saying. Nope, not a word, nada, nothing, zilch, nyet, mai dai. It really didn't matter because the course looked innocent enough and easily maneuvered. She told me that she would let 10 people go before she called me so that I can see how they drove the course and manipulated the obstacles. Looked easy enough to me. So at #10 spot "Mr. Farang" was called to the starting line amongst the 30, giggling Thai teenagers, the first 9 who seemed to breeze through the course. Now, a nervous wreck, frenzied but still smiling through my false sense of confidence off I go. Easy stuff, I'm thinking as I go around the first turn, stop completely at the stop sign, proceed to the second turn (behind a hedgerow) and come upon the traffic cones that you must weave in and out of. The nerves are kicking in but I make good on the last cone where 5 feet in front of me I notice this concrete slab, maybe 24 inches wide (that sounds a lot larger than it looks) and 20 meters long (which appears as a mile when looking straight at it). Uh Oh, what am I supposed to do here?, wishing I had understood the instructions, and even though I observed the previous drivers it didn't seem such a big deal until you are up close and personal with the obstacle. Instinct and the obvious tells me I must drive onto the plank (about 2 inches thick) and drive across to the other side. Remember, these decision must all be made I flash seconds because your still on the moving bike, coming out of the last cone and faced with "what the hell is this". Decision made, drive up the lip of the plank, and attempt to drive in a straight line for 20 meters. Sound easy, Yes. Is it easy, No. Trying to concentrate on keeping the bike in a straight line was not the solution because half way down, off the plank I go onto the macadam. SH%$, as I hear the lady yelling from the sidelines as she's waving the umbrella that has been protecting her from the sun, " Mr. Farang, you failed.....Mr. Farang you failed", as the giggles from the 30 teenagers amplified in my ears. What I learned the most was what the Thai call "face".. I looked over and all I could see was Mary Poppins with the umbrella and 30 kids, chuckling away. I stood there and laughed with them from afar. The laughter was infectious and we all had a case of the giggles. I went on to complete the course since I had to go back to the finish line anyway. She took me over to the desk and we were all still giggling. I couldn't get angry because they made it fun and everyone was sympathetic. Took the red checked paper back to the main building and told to come back in a week for a scheduled test. Went back a week later. Mary Poppins remembered me with a big smile and told me I didn't have to ride the whole course but just go straight to the plank and drive across. Drove up to the plank, onto the plank and tried to relax but at the very end came off the plank. Thought I had another failure but when I got to the desk she said, "you pass".

Before you go, try to drive your bike in a straight line while concentrating. Bet you can't do it. Don't concentrate on the plank.

Zalora Thailand.....google it and go to men's wear.

I think Jeep Wranglers would sell well here.

Your link is a promotion for Rosetta Stone........

Suzuki Swift...very cool

To expand on this topic, what about a cold box dispenser with Co2 wherein you put in a keg of beer and draw through a tap from the outside. They're called Beermeisters in the US. Is such a thing available in Thailand? Thanks.

Loved the "do you live in a Thai Village" thread....thank you

Medicare does not cover you outside the USA.

R-Con Soi Buakhao at the bend.

Sorry for piggybacking on this topic but how do I get dtac to stop sending me daily messages and other nonsense on my phone?

Why, Thai Visa, do you allow such ignorant comments, specifically Ace of Pop, to be published on this site? It's inflammatory, pure and simple. Is it because he has 3000+ posts? Apparently reference to Polish nationality in a derogatory sense is allowed but calling somebody an a....hole is cause for suspension. Who is monitoring this guy. He added nothing to the post except his obvious garbled English.

Yes, Ace of Pop, your English is not very good at all. Maybe go back to school?

Hello Benj005. When I read your reference about Rowan University I couldn't help but reply. Not that I can give you any advice about your situation but I'm also a native of Philadelphia and a retired educator from Burlington County, NJ. Received a BA in Psychology from LaSalle University (College in those days). Couldn't do much with that degree so went on to Millersville University (then State College) in Pennsylvania, which was one of the very few that had degree programs for special education. Received my M.Ed. from Millersville and went on to teaching in several schools in Penna. and NJ before finally landing my job in Burlington County and continued in that school for 25 years. Did my Educational Administration certifications at Rowan (then Glassboro State). Retired as an Assistant Principle 6 years ago and moved to Thailand. I do volunteer teaching at the local Village school specifically the lower elementary grades.

My point being is that I am here on a very nice Pension and supplemented by SS. I have a very nice life here. My point is perhaps (don't know your age) you should consider going back to NJ and securing a position in Special ed. There has always been a demand for male spec. ed. teachers, at least when we were hiring, and the salaries range in the $40-$50,000 range for "starting" teachers. Visit Thailand on your summer breaks and eventually retire here when the time comes.

Just some thoughts for you.

Have a dumb phone, no printer. The fact that I'm reading about this should be sufficient "proof". don't you think? If I had a printer I would then have to remember to carry the page to the bar. If I asked for the discount and stated I belonged to TV, wouldn't that be enough "proof". Why make this so difficult.

Your arrogance shows in your display of topic:

"Sinsot refund...Its time all farang say no to this outdated peasant dowry system"

I feel sorry for the Dr. who will live with you. You, sir, are the peasant.

A good teacher is born, not made.

Education is the tool for their craft.