dinga

Thanks - I had a look at the Skipton Website and couldn't see the requirements to open an account - but I assume an Oz national living in Thailand may be precluded from doing so. BRs

Appreciate details of which Fixed Term Bonds are paying 4.5% Tks

I've been following the Solar thread for quite a while, and am in awe of the skills of the TV Members who have installed their own systems. Sadly, that's well beyond me so I'm looking for advice about: 1. Whether a contractor will do the installation if I provide all the necessary hardware 2. If yes, what are the likely installation costs to do so? 3. Where am I likely to find such a contractor? (I live in Rayong). By way of background: * The actual, annual electricity consumption in our current (pun not intended...) beach bungalow is: 2021/2022 - 3,455 units; 2022/2023 - 3,162 units * We are presently having a house built on a (very) small orchard, and when the house is finished we are likely to spend 50% of the time at each location. I estimate that the annual electricity consumption at each location will be: Orchard: 2,275 units; Bungalow: 1,725 units. * While the potential savings are not hugely significant, I like the thought of reducing electricity costs with a small GTi Solar system at both locations [2 panels at the bungalow and 3 panels at the orchard were estimated at reducing the annual costs by some 70% - assuming feed-back to the grid. * That aspiration was torpedoed by a local quote for 43,000 baht for the supply and installation of only the 2 panel system (ea 420W). On top, the contractor advised A. Installation services only are NOT provided; B. Feed back to the grid is illegal and would not be available (don't know if the invertor has the ability to do so). In any event, at that price solar simply does not make economical sense for us. Hope someone can offer a possible way forward

Ran the pump for 15 minutes today - to give it a better chance to 'self prime'. No sign of water....... HELP!!!

No - these are Jet Pumps - NOT submersibles

My bore pump is supposed to be self priming but IT doesn't pump water unless I manually prime it (I've run it for a few minutes to give it a chance to self prime but there is no sign of either water or pressured air coming from the outlet. Fearing possible damage, I've then turned the pump off). Here's the Spec Sheet (the bore is some 22 metres deep with the water drawn from around 16 metres). https://hupshenghardware.com/product/pedrollo-jdwm1an-0-75kw-20l-min-42mh-1phase-1-1-4x1/ Once manually primed, it seems to work well with no sign of water leaks to suggest there may be an air leak. Any suggestions????? Should I just run the pump longer to see if the self prime does actually work but just needs a little more time???

5555555 - well said Sepo!

No - I remained in the same Age Band [67--->68] - which is why I was so put off by the huge premium increase - and the final blame being placed on Covid....

Thanks - so does that mean we can look forward to a 17-18% annual increase??????

NO I said "so I had coverage deleted for a condition that was pre-existing..."

Sadly, I fear it's just a matter of time before the premiums just become too expensive to renew [save "rescue" by the Grim Reaper]

What did they tell you?????

Dead right Sheryl. I elected to include coverage for the conditions that existed at the time I first took out the policy - for a 25% loading of the premium. Silly me, but I thought now excluding those pre-existing conditions would be a simple matter and result in the quick removal of that loading. NOT SO. A new Health Declaration was required and effectively the new premium seemingly determined on the basis of my health history now. Luckily, there had been no change over the period I have held the April policy - however, I do wonder how April would have reacted if some new health issues had arisen during the period between my 1st taking out the policy and the reduction in coverage....[I'm assuming it was treated in the same way as a brand new policy application] Age does have benefits - this ain't one...

I'm in a similar boat to you - the proposed renewal premium for my April policy represented an increase of 18% this year (after much pressing, surprise-surprise, Covid was mainly to blame - I didn't bother asking why the strength of the USD didn't act as a significant offset). The proposed premium was far to expensive, so I had coverage deleted for a condition that was pre-existing when I initially took out the policy. Reduction of the premium was the only reason to continue with April for another year. Let's see what costs are proposed for 2024/25.

WOW (who would have thought...)

Hope you're right! I'll try again when I next travel. Did you need to register in order to use the BKK Auto Gates? Remember which Immigration Desk to arrange?

Female Usher directing passengers to Inwards Immigration Processing at BKK - "PRs no longer can use the Thai queues". At Outwards processing, I was directed to the Fast Track as the auto readers were apparently for Thai Passports only (this was fortunate as the Farang queues were very, very long)

Has anyone got an update on the current arrangements regarding: 1. Access to Auto Gates by PR holders (both at BKK and DMK). Has this now been re-instated? 2. Previously PR holders could join the Thai National queues at both Outwards and Inwards Immigration. I was told at BKK yesterday that PR holders must now join only the very, very long Farang queues. Is that correct?

No response, so best I start a new thread

Has anyone got an update on the current arrangements regarding: 1. Access to Auto Gates by PR holders (both at BKK and DMK). Has this now been re-instated? 2. Previously PR holders could join the Thai National queues at both Outwards and Inwards Immigration. I was told at BKK yesterday that PR holders must now join only the very, very long Farang queues. Is that correct?

Thanks Elkski - interesting observations (yeah, I do wonder if all the implications just make it just too darn difficult). As for the comment "don't understand how using a tank will extend your water capacity of the pond". I will be raising the pond capacity by around 10% by increasing the height of the lowest bank (the geography prevents much else) but the thinking behind the gravity feed is to use less water than the typical butterfly sprinklers would on the smaller plot (while continuing to use them on the larger plot). ie. less water use for 33% of the trees should mean the pond supply will last for the whole Dry Season. Tks

We are trying to resuscitate a small (about 3 rai) neglected orchard comprising a total of some 125 trees - growing in basically two discrete areas of 42 trees and 83 trees respectively. The water will be supplied from a pond estimated to contain a useable quantity of about 1,000.000 litres. It seems very unlikely that 1,000 cu metres of water will be sufficient for these trees if we used the usual watering method & equipment used in the orchards around us here in Rayong - hence I'm wondering about using alternate options for the 42 trees. I'm wondering about the viability of putting a tank at the top of the plot, pumping water from the pond into the tank (using a 2HP pump with a 2" outflow and a capacity of 36,000 litres per hour to an elevation of some 11 metres) and distributing the water to the 42 trees by gravity feed to drippers and mini sprinklers. Appreciate thoughts & experience of this idea which is aimed at being able to extend the available water supply for use over the whole dry season - in particular: 1. It seems an 11 metre elevation will result in a gravity water pressure of over 15psi (1 Bar) - would that be sufficient for a sole main-line feeding all 42 trees or are two main lines (each for some 20 odd trees) likely required? 2. Understand drippers and mini sprinklers are prone to clogging up - with water borne <deleted> and/or the like of ants/bugs etc. Is this a real problem? Does the frequency and/or extent of blocking make these a non viable option? 3. Assume filtering the pond water at the pump is a must -- and likely at least filtered again on outflow from the tank. Any suggestions about what filters should be used (is 120 mesh OK - I have one 3/4" one), how many and where should they be positioned? Greatly appreciate responses and suggestions to these and any other relevant matters.

Sure???? Is the same counting methodology used in both Thailand and in the US of A???? (only those that died at the accident scene). Doubt it....

Excellent - thanks (have just trimmed the grass as outlined elsewhere in another thread). Wish I knew at planting time (some 6 months ago) that the vertiver should be initially fertilized with chicken poop. Should I fertilize now or is it better to wait until just before the Wet Season (say May)???? Any tips/traps as chook poo is pretty strong???

Excellent - thanks (have just trimmed the grass as outlined). I read elsewhere that the vertiver should be initially fertilized with chicken poop (wish I knew that at the time). Should I fertilize now or is it better to wait until just before the Wet Season (say May)???? Any tips/traps as chook poo is pretty strong???