Nirvana

We drove into Krabi and found a small tackle shop on 411. I bought 2 nice "ugly stick" rods with "shindawa" spinning reels. They filled with 20lb test line, and a tackle box completewith weights, tools, hooks, etc. Their sticker prices would have been well over 15,000 baht, but my sister-in-law negoiated to 6000 baht! . Everyone else had the nice reels and rods also. Oh which reminds me. Everyone, go to her resturant "Steak Ta Tor" on Vatchara/ 4200 Great food!

meandwi

Any idea the real formal name for those jelly fish and centipede things ? interested to check on the web.

Sounds like you had a real great day and a nice experience. Good memory for the future

There is a rather larger (for Samui that is) 'Winner' in/before/after Nam Muang, they have many coffee tables and sofas.

ok thanks but can you tell me where is nam muang?

i would not bother its reall crappy and expensive plastic / melamine furniture.

i would not recommend it

http://www.siam-info.de/english/poisonous_animals.html is the link on that site for more than just the 'common snakes'..

The one being discussed is http://www.siam-info.de/english/snakes_natricinae.html 2nd down here..

I also have this site in my bookmarks http://ecologyasia.com/verts/snakes.htm

I recently had a small but beautiful golden tree snake in the roof of out porch / wash room is.. Caused screams and panic from my GF totally beyond any rational thought. Where I am now we sometimes see various ones sunning on the concrete road. Last house had a Cobra nest, that I wasnt happy about.

Thanks for info, very interesting. I would not be too happy about the nest either considering how many young are produced..

Always like to know what is it i've seen when i've come across them too, have referred to here before:

http://www.siam-info.de/english/snakes_common.html

Great site. But does it include all snakes i wonder as could not see one the Op mentioned

personally i would like to hear what people have to say before they are shot down. It is up to the individual to make the choice on whether he is just advertsing his services or scaremongering but eitherways , i would like to hear people out. Personally by reading I learn something from these posts, spare a thought for others...

Marcus,

You are correct, they can NOT practice Thai law, but they can employ Thai lawyers . I think the channels of communication would be a lot clearer using

English speaking

go between so to speak.

A lot of problems with using local lawyers & I stress not all , is the miscommunication,mistranslation of directives or opinions.

Must say I agree, the foreign conencted law firms seem fine in the communciation part but they have to use a thai lawyer and one would hope then there is less communciation problems, but you pay through the nose for these services. They understand you fine maybe but have then the job to get it across to the thai lawyer.From my experience the local ones in samui talk in general a load of rubbish and charge also stupid fees for lousy work. I have had a case where after agreed fees , the lawyer held the documents until he got a brown envelope for what he said was extra charges. Pretty disgusting but there you go, as no one was involved to be paid additional...

Recently I contacted Lix Luxen and found their service good, but not possible to draw up contracts in English and ask them to translate which is disappointing. I would also be keen on any recommendations for lawyers

Anyone remember the Brit who managed the go-go bar in Nana (lower level on the right) about eight years ago - everyone knew and liked him and he was everyone's best friend. Seems he sold shares in the joint to some eight different regulars, all on the QT and then duly skipped town and hasn't been seen since.

Was his name Rick?

Yes I believe it was, do you know him ?

SWR Consruction, they completed many of the luxury Villas, ask for Russel.

Know a number of folks who have had troubles with SWR and "Russel's" work quality AND with his selling property by company and he is apparently very good at "disappearing" afterwards...careful there mate.

Thanks , actually thats quite interesting, did send an email asking for the contact details as interested in starting something and this guy (foreighn name, think uk) came back and said give me all the details but no contact data ,nothing. So I emailed again saying I prefer to meet face to face again. It was answered again but refused to give contact data, so to be honest i did feel it did not seem quite right. Now I read your post... Thanks. Its certainly going to be a journey to get this done.

p.s. you "fail to see" quite a bit Spock...you should refrain from advising others on matters that involve their assests here, if you, as seem to claim actually care about others.

1. you did not reply to my post with a well defined legal opinion with citations to public authority (i.e. law, court cases, etc) to support your assertions above.

you have asked me debate the issues above and i Agreed.

you have asked me to to state my positions and i did very clearly.

in fact until this moment and for the past week you have not replied to anything apart from "trying" to insult me.

Joecoolinsamui.

Interested to see your detailed reply as per point 1. Some of us are interested in this debate without the additional unncessary baiting.

Pls do inform us.

In general, most Thais would defend the driver by saying maybe the passengers said something to offend the driver, or farang rich, can pay, so why start argument, and all the other illogical excuses to blame the incident on the aliens. It's easy to blame everything on the whities here mainly because there's a general national loathing for westeners. Behind most of the facade of smiles lies resentment, jealousy, distrust, contempt, disrespect, agression etc.

These tourists go home tell 10 friends who tell 10 friends etc. Yet, we are told tourist numbers are up, if so, the propaganda is successful and ill informed westeners still arrive all bushy tailed wearing their rose coloured sun-glasses thinking they can deal with the average Thai logically, reasonably and rationally. If they want an enjoyable holiday here they should learn to just pay up and shut up.

Oh, i do not think it is maybe so simple, I would not say taxi drivers in any country are a good example of the general population or would be defended as such.A good deal of Thais, i am sure do not like these guys either. We have choices at the end of the day whether to take them or not. I would guess that these people (customers) felt aggrieved by the change in price, although the violence they probably did not expect. Do agree with some of your points though.

Do you know of any houses that last 30 years???

Yes. Have a look around Nathon or Bhoput. There are also some Chinese shop houses which are well over one hundred years old.

If the house is built using correct materials, is lived in and regularly maintained, (not just an uncared for rental property) there is no arguable reason at all why there should be a "life" on the property. However, I have to say that some of the monstrositys

built here like the white flat roofed buildings overlooking Ban Rak and the airport will hopefully fall apart sooner rather than later.

Whole heartedly agree Gatorade

MiniVDO: Most residents agree with the construction of a bridge linking Lanta Noi and Lanta Yai islands in Krabi.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/prev...php?news_id=248

A final public meeting on the plan for construction of a bridge linking Lanta Noi and Lanta Yai islands of Krabi have reached an agreement on the plan design. The participants comprised local community leaders and the general public. The Krabi Governor Siwa Sirisaowalak concluded that the consultant, who carried out the plan design and environmental impact, has conducted surveys and questionnaires and these indicated that residents, especially on Lanta Island agreed that the construction of the bridge be carried out as an urgent matter to ease transportation problems. He said if the project gets a green light from the Environmental Board, the provincial authority would push for it to be included in the 2010 fiscal budget. The project is estimated to cost over 300 million baht to build.

Andaman News NBT (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Monday 16 June 2008 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ Contact [email protected]

That's great, but until then, why do they not allow another ferry company (or two) to operate?

Responses regarding corruption need not be posted...........

dont think you need to spend 300 Million baht to solve this problem or help it a great deal.Just some good old common sense and more ferries. But then again its a great chance when spending 300 million to ...

Interesting - I never associated Phuket with Bukit - I will ask at work tomorrow as I bet the Singaporeans and others I work with do not either - I live in Bukit Timah

I also found some interesting stuff here

http://baanjochim.wordpress.com/a-brief-history-of-phuket/

Prakanong, near the nature park on the hill ? I understand alot of Thais live there

As I understand - Bukit in Malay means peninsular. Many moons ago, Phuket was a peninsular before a previous tidal surge cut it off from the mainland.

Another incorrect fact/ post. It means Hill not peninsular

.

Please would the OP consider retitling this thread as it is misleading when first read.

OK - how about "Phuket infrastructure sucks for silly rich farang investors and other alien residents"?

Why am I sitting outside Don's Mall (thankyou Don!) sending an urgent email to a client on the otherside of the world - risking being mugged in the early hours? Because I can't get a phone line to my house and all other satellite technology is blocked for one reason or another~

How did you become a super moderator by making conflicting and confusing posts like that. Utter nonsense, first complaining about old days and then about modern technology. Might as well delete the whole post for what it is worth.

Which law do they avoid? I am curious to know that.

The owner can sell at any time to anyone, or is that not true.

The registered lease will stay on the chanot so the new owner has to accept that. It will probably reflect in the sale price.

But once that lease is finished it is taken of the register and then what to do when for instance his daughter is now the owner?

Did anyone reply to above post from Khun Jean.I am interested to learn more.How Khun Jean puts it is how i understood it anyhow that land can be sold at any time along with a lease, but new owner has to honour the lease as long as it is in force. Thereafter if not renewed by original owner you have to start again. Doubtful in my view that original owner will be around anyhow after 30 yrs or will he want to renew, more likely resold it or passed on. Meaning back to square one for owner of house on land he does not own right ?

Sorry I had my tongue firmly in my cheek - I doubt a British guy lifted a hand in building houses in Singapore - just as today you will not see a Singaporean do so -sub-continent and Chinese mainland both era's I would guess

Indeed, i guess not much has changed in so far as labour used. Nice to see traditions passed down though.

"after 30 years of tare and ware even with the best maintenance most houses in the tropics would be so worn out that you will need to knock them down."

They must build then differently in Singapore then as there are lots of old houses here well over 30 years

British brickies must have been better back then

Did you think that the British built the houses themselves only ??

If you build something right the first time, no reason it will not last past 30 years even in the tropics in my humble opinion

Been drinking it for years and I never felt better. I can walk up walls and have X-ray vision too. The gills are bit of a distraction, but take the good with the bad I always say.

TAB is TAB

Some people get it from their own well. City water however is an other case. Best of luck to start to drink it

from regular tab provided by most places... People who can afford it can REALLY feel the difference.

Hi Any idea of the cost in Samui for the water supply connection and meters etc. I.E if it has to come from main road etc, is it per meter for pipe ??.

What is the system and who controls the supply etc. Any advise on going about the process etc from anyone ?.

Thanks

A.I

There is a vid on the subject on youtube in 4 parts, just type in samui.

Hi did watch 3 parts so far. interesting stuff. Could not see any part about prices for connection etc as yet, from websites i checked seems all over the place, any advise. Currently using a well. Road is about 160 - 180 meters away.

Vested interest or not, I am only stating facts that can be substantiated and verified very easily. (The headmaster's CV of Bluewater is very misleading of how the degree was actually obtained.)

If I am wrong about something I will be the first to admit it, but I have checked and double checked everything I have written and feel very confident in posting it here.

A child's education is something worth having a vested interest in.

wuuguuwuu

Obviously not 100 % water tight on the facts. The post was made to provoke a reaction and it did from the people personally i was most interested to hear from I.E the schools themselves. They have made a comments/post, subsequent to this post and given alot of information which is great for all to read and not in a mud slinging manner, which makes a change, but what one would expect from educated people.TQ

Open Gates is by far the better school. Bluewater is NOT an international school, neither is Open Gates yet but they will be when their new campus is finished this fall. They will then be recognized and accredited by the Thai Ministry of Education. Also, Open Gates is the only school that offers the Cambridge IGCSE exams that can be used for admittance to university or to get a job. The closest place to take these exams other than Open Gates is Bangkok.

To be a true international school that is recognized by the Thai government, it has to meet literally hundreds of specifications. Size of classrooms, types of classrooms, curriculum, etc. Plus, you have to have at least 5 rai of land and Bluewater only has 3 rai. Also, Open Gates has classes from Nursery up to Year 11 while Bluewater can only teach up to Year 5. I think your children are too old to go to Bluewater and Bluewater cannot offer the IGCSE exams.

Read these articles that were in the Samui Express newspaper:

http://news.samuiexpress.net/index.php?opt...e&Itemid=88

http://www.opengates-samui.com/news/groundbreaking.html

They also are going to be offering a total of six languages starting in September:

http://www.opengates-samui.com/news/sixlanguages.html

They just hired a new school principal who has years and year of experience. He has run schools all over the world and used to work for Cambridge to certify schools and authorized them to give the IGCSE exams.

I've compared these two schools till I am blue in the face and Open Gates is really the only choice. Bluewater wants to claim it is an international school but the bottom line shows that it is not and the parents of the children going there are going to be disappointed. Open Gates does an excellent job academically and it shows by the fact that most of their students take their IGCSE exams at least a year or two earlier than normal. A 12 year old girl just took the exams!! Open Gates uses the UK curriculum as well. They celebrate and incorporate a lot of the Thai culture (Open Gates teaches 5 hours a week of Thai language and Bluewater does not).

If the OP compares the two schools (especially the fact that Open Gates is going to have a huge new purpose built school campus this fall) they will see the choice is clear. The owner of Bluewater only has his PGCE which is the bare minimum to teach and it is only an honorary one, he didn't have to attend school to get it.

I think just because the prices aren't on the website that it should cause any kind of suspicion.

Interesting post thanks, but one feels that a vested interested is more than apparent.

Eitherways interesting.

Hi

I am just about to embark on a similar venture. Would be good to share experiences along the way. I am based in Singapore and bought land in Samui 3 years ago. Now decided to take the plunge. Have a good idea how I will approach it but v interested in speaking to people in a similar situation.

Cheers

Gareth

That's real interesting. Maybe you could send me by PM, your email / contact data.

So looking forward to receive it...

I'm lookin 4 the same thing in next 3-4 months so interested 2 hear how u get on with this .

Wwhat i understand it's not so busy in construction currently. The Baht is changing & this is 4 some positive for others not. Personally 4 me its good as brings costs down.

Brings down costs........

And the rising price of oil, steel and other comodities doesn't negate that?

All costs r increasing reagrdless, but better 2 hav rising costs along with a more favourable Baht exchange rate than rising costs & a lousy exchange rate. As 4 construction i would guess it is also is dependant on how busy construction companies r locally, if they r very busy then their rates are higher.

R construction companies rushed off their feet in Samui, I think not.

As the topic says I am seeking information from anyone that can help or has some experience of these matters in Samui. Wud like to build a house on land purchased recently. I have been looking at option of contacting local builders and then trying it that way and separating the job from Architect and builder or looking for a company that provides all services. I was thinking that having separate people some how will help with quality control and having different views to protect my interests. I understand also that system is such to involve a bank and lawyers to have the project payments, staged. Not too interested in paying people up front for them to run off as have heard alot of horror stories around Thailand. Does this happen often in Samui ? Not meaning buying off the plan. I will not be staying in samui for all of construction but can visit so quality management is important, not that as i normally understand it, as soon as you turn your back, something substandard happens, causing problems later.

Would be great to hear some stories from long term residents etc on reputable companies. Or is it best to get in touch with some expat residents community for advise. Will consider all options. Just do not want to get burned..

Understand it takes a long time to get people in court in Thailand for what its worth.

Hows the general market over in samui ? Builders and construction busy ?

Its not a small house I intend to build and also wondered if any idea of costs per sq meter. Looking of course as all for a quality construction and very importantly western standard finishing work in the interior for the right price.

Again if members could recommend the best way to go about it with your experience wud be very glad to hear.

I'm lookin 4 the same thing in next 3-4 months so interested 2 hear how u get on with this .

Wwhat i understand it's not so busy in construction currently. The Baht is changing & this is 4 some positive for others not. Personally 4 me its good as brings costs down.

Thanks for your concern, but I talked to lawyers already and they said; it is possible but.... and than came up with a way too high price. I work now with a company and they want to do it by the book and will cost much less but takes a lot of time. But thank you for your thoughts!

This is how it usually goes: You will probably meet someone with connections at the land office, but to get it upgraded you must pay a percentage of what the land would be worth if it was upgraded. You pay because you think you are going to make money with this upgrade and this (briberies) is how things go in Thailand. Then you have to be patient because it can't be upgraded directly (there are many excuses to keep you waiting). After a long wait you start realizing that it will never be upgraded. If you become too loud they will send the police after you because you tried to bribe a land official or worse. It is a scam and whatever you pay after this you will loose too, but maybe you are lucky...

why buy it in the first place ?