bbudd

Loose leaf tea in MANY variety's is available at 6 bags for 100B in Mae Sai.

Quality blends are a little more costly.

I just grow my own coffee ,cocoa and now tea.Never have to leave the yard for a cupa.

I'll often add some Trung Nuen coffee from Vietnam for the flavor.  It can be purchased online from a Bangkok importer.   They carry quite a selection of Arabica /robusta blends.

Many small coffee roasters in the Chiang Rai and North.   A few better than the others in the roast.

Thing is they really know how to charge for it.   I can buy EXACTLY the same coffee in Canada at 1/2 the cost even after its been shipped 1/2 way round the world.    Strange that its so expensive right at the growers shop.

Wife says its het gadung

Edible and good on the BBQ

Best to verify with your IO well before

In Mae Sai they rejected my application when submitted with a foreign currency account even with certified bank letter and seasoned for years not months

I have since talked to another person who was granted visa with similar funds in Mae Sai

While there last week I saw another falang using funds from 3 separate accounts

Seems its totally at the discretion of the officer-so be prepared

Snake trap

    From seed avocados take a minimum of 6-8 years to produce fruit and there always prone to disease. Total failure near Chiang Rai.

   Black (Chocolate) sapote will fruit in as little as 2 years and crop twice a year

You just have to get used to when to harvest-there too delicate to handle when fully ripe and won't ripen if picked green.

   Cocoa also will fruit in about 3 years and generally bears well-but again is labor intensive in the processing.

  Dragon fruit is a winner,when well established it will bear well and is easy to maintain.Added advantage is -its easy to sell locally.

   Durian I've planted seem remarkably slow in growth and VERY cold sensitive.

  Custard apples in there various variety's (atemoya-cherimoya-rollina etc.) fruit within 3 years and handle well to market and once people are familiar with the new tastes seem to be well appreciated.

 I have seed and cuttings for all the above if required-just send me a message.

Just buy a decent wet heater and control unit

Any decent carpenter will build the enclosure to suit,including the floor drain

All I can say is Mae Sai immigration wouldn't accept a foreign currency fixed deposit account

Even with it being in bank for numerous years and accompanied by bank letter to that effect

Probably best to check with your local immigration before applying

Love to cook

Variety is the spice of life

Show the wife a new recipe and she immediately improves on it,so cooling here is a real treat

Even IF the signs need to be replaced  -whats the logic in replacing the poles not just the sign?

Last month was 1/2

This month was back up to regular rate

Couldn't pay at PEA office either-they said there system had been hacked

What about returning with a re-entry for married visa?

What are the requirements then?

Have some growing north of Chiang Rai

PM if interested

Much better quality than anywhere in North America

Please be aware that the self photos  (2 required) to be attached to application are to be taken in "proper attire"

Read that as suit and tie

Most photo shops can "photoshop" pictures to requirements

My experience last week

They also told me in Mae Sai that they only needed 2 pictures

One outside with house number and one inside the house    (didn't specify where)

Obviously different requirements depending on where you apply

Good time to do the extension,virtually no waiting as very few doing visa's at this time

Actually the certified letter from the bank clearly stated the balance (over 400,000B) and that it had been untouched in the account for longer than required 2 months

Not sure exactly what the hangup was except there was no accompanying bankbook

Now the funds are in a savings account complete with accompanying bankbook waiting now for 2 months "seasoning"

I realize that what they ask for is totally at the discretion of the immigration office,so please be aware of what they want in Mae Sai and save yourself any confusion

Thanks for translation.

Any chance you could post a link to "Official Published Requirements"

I've just been following along here on Thai Visa to posted requirements

Actually other than that -the girls at immigration were really helpfull

And only; 1 other other person there the whole time 

Good time to go-IF you have everything in order

Funds are in a fixed deposit-in foreign currency-interest is just added to balance,so never had nor needed a bank book

I'm guessing that since they had never done it this way there first instinct is to just reject it

Had to do a run to bank and transfer funds from fixed account to savings with a bank book

Took a hit as exchange rates are not good at the moment

Just glad of the amnesty  so I have time to season the funds

The girls at the bank couldn't believe the letter would be rejected

Logically WHAT is the difference between a fixed deposit and a savings account

Just saying so other folks don't run up against the same difficulties

Not all that bad having to sign in on entry

What bugs me is having to sign in yet again at every shop inside Tesko

Makro Mae Sai is using the app

All I can say is its WAY better than Tesko Mae Sai where they do paper sign-in AND sign-out

This leads to huge lines and delays on exit as everyone has to locate there original sign in paper

Hardly a desired situation being stuck cheek to jowl for 1/2 hour on exit

Grow and roast my own coffee near Chiang Rai

The green beans are practical to store -they last a LONG time in storage

Easy to roast even in a heavy pan (I use cast iron)

Only thing to watch for is when they get up in heat you really have to keep stirring them or they'll  burn

They loose there flavor quickly after roasting so we just roast as needed

So how does Tesko justify the 20% INCREASE in price?