Boksida

It beats the hel_l out of me why anyone would want to take a photo in a supermarket,

"this is one of me in the vegetables aisle and this is the wife at the deli counter".

Still it takes all sorts, but I suppose it does deter the plankers.

Here is the answer. There might be a peopleofbigC.com site starting soon.

Thai Pipe Industry (a Siam Cement company) make slotted and spiral slotted well screens if PVC is strong enough for your purpose. They have a depot at Lamphun but any of the major pipe retailers in Chiangmai should be able to order them for you. Have a look at the specifications here. If you need to drive the well points, I often see ones about one metre long in hardware store made out of perforated iron pipe with something similar to insect screen wrapped around them and a metal drive point.

What length and diameter do you need?

Thank you all,

As I said, the instructions say use a larger size pipe. If the inlet is 1 inch, how much larger should the pipe be?

Size counts, so the bigger the better. Find the biggest foot valve that will fit comfortably in your bore casing and use the same size pipe as the connection on that. If your reducer to the pump is in the horizontal plane, use an eccentric reducer with the flat part at the top to avoid air pockets. I would have a tee at the surface of the well with the side connection going to your pump and the vertical part higher than your pump with a plug. You can unscrew the plug and pour water in to your column pipe if you your foot valve leaks and you lose prime.

Australia Network has AFL and V8 car racing. It is available FTA on a couple of satellites and in a couple of other satellite packages. Check with your local satellite guy - if in Bangkok that will Jsat. Their website jsat.tv has all the details.

The only change that bothers me a little is the massive increase in the number of cars on the road and the associated traffic jams. In town every journey has doubled in time.

I don't know which town you live in, but in Bangkok I think the traffic situation has actually improved since 1980. We were pretty much at gridlock before the first expressway, ring roads, more bridges, urban railways etc were built. The traffic situation in all provincial capitals just seems to be getting worse though.

I looked at an Italian made pump with a 1 inch inlet and 1 inck outlet. The booklet that came with it said if pumping more than 4 meters deep, a larger pipe must be used. Whats that all about?

Less friction loss

Some sound medical advice

Onsmooth Thai in Chiangmai are a major manufacturer of wetsuits. They are associated with Rip Curl in some way but I don't know the details. If they have BOI privileges, they may only be able to do export orders.

I hope there is a health club or good gym in town. I have only found a Muay Thai training gym so far.

Cheers

There is a gym in the pool complex at Kanok Wimarn housing estate and another one at one of the golf driving ranges.

I don't know how many foreigners live in Lampang, but I know 30-40 of them and there are a lot more. A mixed bag of jobs and nationalities and everyone (who wants to) seems to have a busy social life. It's a cosy place to live as all the negative types of development are sucked away by Chiangmai. It has everything you will need and, if there is anything special, Chiangmai is only an hour's drive away.

I think you will be pleased with your decision.

This looks like good news for the RWC. Maybe True Visions will be showing it after all.

The way I normally go is Petchburi-Nakhon Pathom-Kampaeng Saen-Uthong- Suphanburi-Chainat-Nakhon Sawan-Lampang-Chiangmai.

Probably take about 9 hours driving.

We have been using marine ply for years and paint it with polyurethane paint - have never built a skateboard ramp but is probably what I would try. In Thai: ไม้อัดกันน้ำ. If the local hardware store does not have it, they order it from Bangkok.

Setanta has the Tri-Nations but not, as yet, the RWC. Setanta is currently free to view on the Measat 3a satellite.

We have one bought in Chiangmai. So far, it has been the clear winner in all encounters with snakes and rats. It is also obsessed with catching jinjooks, but that takes a bit more patience.

Yes, UBC/True carries Eurosport.

I contacted True Visions and they are unaware of this. If you can let us know what channel it is on, I will pass the news on to them.

....I also tried to get some of that flexible PVC suction hose to fit the pipes and maybe connect using pipe clamps ..but could not find any with the internal diameter to match the blue PVC pipe...bugger.....

David, you will need to get hose nipples for the suction hose connections. The hardware store will most likely call them "hahn pla" (fish tail). They are made to be compatible with the hose.

I bought good quality industrial sodium bentonite yesterday from Thai Nippon Chemical Industry - around 7.75 baht per kg. I have no idea if you can eat it and am not about to try.

Another method that will work is to replace your foot valve with one of the plastic submergible sump pumps sold everywhere. If you connect it to your pump suction with PVC suction hose (the one with the blue worm in it) you can lower it on a rope to below water level and remove it easily if the screen needs cleaning. Put it on the same circuit breaker as your pump and they will start simultaneously. No more priming problems but it will cost you a couple of thousand baht.

A deep well jet pump might work for you. Have a look at the attached link and check the jet pump with the double drop pipe. They can be run without a foot valve and are available locally.

I assume the company started as a husband and wife team, he being French-though I'm guessing here! - the implication being that the quality control is French - which most of us would approve of!

It's certainly the best meat in my opinion that doesn't come very expensively imported from Australia or NZ.

I first remember hearing about Thai French beef in the 70s. Some English guy had a farm in the Kanchanaburi area and was crossing local cattle with imported Charolais. I don't know if that worked out but I think the concept was taken on at the Kasetsart University (KU) campus in Kampaeng Saen. It is still Charolais crossed with a local Thai/Brahmin hybrid. but the semen, rather than the livestock, is imported to overcome the problems of keeping purebred stock in the wrong climatic conditions.

I had exactly the same problem once, except that I had spilled the glue on a counter top. Nothing I could find would get it off but I eventually got my deposit back. This is the procedure I think you should follow (if you do not need to leave a forwarding address):

1. When arranging to meet your landlord, ask him if he could please bring your deposit with him as you would like to leave immediately after the inspection.
2. When he knocks on the door, squeeze some more super glue on the damaged area.
3. When he sees it, he will say "Ah-ha" and poke it with his finger. Proffer a large soft toy or similar object, also liberally smeared with super glue, to his remaining free hand.
4. You have now gained control of the situation. Politely remove your deposit from his pocket after explaining that his continued cooperation could spare him from a nasty kick in the nuts.
5. Exit the premises. Depending on his attitude, it would be nice to let one of his family or staff know his whereabouts.

Does anybody know if the K+ smartcards sold by Satthai for 3,500 baht still work?

The EGAT mine at Mae Moh, Lampang is probably the biggest one. Ban Pu has a large operation at Sop Prab in Lampang. The are several mines around Li in Lamphun province. Lanna Lignite has a major presence and there are many other small operators scattered about the north.

Mechanics usually call tie rod ends "luke maak" (as in areca or betel nut) if that is any help.