Goinghomesoon

Thanks all.  Weirdly the short haul flight my family & I took this week is appearing on our ROP statements already (it was a discounted ticket so only a small # of miles but heck they all count).   Our ROP number is in our online Ethiopian Airlines member profile. I just booked my ticket online - same process as always.   I'll have to follow up on the previous flights since they were long-haul Business Class so I really want those points.  

On ‎6‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 4:11 AM, simon43 said:

 

 

 

Myanmar has been my favorite place to live for the last 4-6 years.  I only returned to Thailand because their internet international gateway is a bottleneck and teaching online is difficult without a fast international internet connection.

 

But having returned to Thailand late last year, I find that the 'sanook' seems to have disappeared, at least IMHO.

 

I've met a lot of people like that.  I genuinely love many of the people I met there. They have a second-to-none motivation to improve further education, do well for themselves and their families. On the other hand their unwillingness to improvise, suggest/make productivity improvements, inability to multi-task and their sheer resistance to change drove me spare in the office environment.   (Yes, I know a lot of this is to blame on the lack of high level good governance, poor standard of education under the old regime etc.)  If I had less work pressures I probably would have enjoyed the country a lot more.  

Good luck in LP.  Will be good to see what you think of it as an alternative to our side of the river.

I've taken quite a few flights with a Star Alliance partner (Ethiopian Airlines) over the past 6 months but points are yet to come across to my ROP account.  I've been waiting because I wanted to use them for a business upgrade  on some travel that I'm booking soon, but I'm starting to lose hope.   Ethiopian says the information has been sent to TG.   ROP don't answer when I email them.  I'm only a Silver member so not a priority I guess?!

How long have you found partner points generally take to be credited to your account?

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 1:49 AM, simon43 said:

….But let's consider the Laos-Cambodia discussions here, since it's maybe useful background information for others.

No idea about Andorra, but like you I've lived in Cambodia, Thailand (Bangkok & Isaan not too far from where you are now I believe) and, most recently my least favourite of them all, Myanmar.  Cambodia remains far and away my favourite. Medical care is improving for those with private health care and you are sufficiently close to the coast, rural escapes like Kampot and big-ticket tourist items like Siem Reap.  I am biased because it is the place where I have made many local friends and we continue to meet up when we visit, even as we all move on with our lives.  There is a sufficiently developed middle class that value a lot of the same things I do; I haven't found that elsewhere including in our area of Isaan..

Vte and LP I enjoy but just find they have a bit less to keep me occupied. There's only so many weaving cooperatives and coffee shops one can see...  We also have a son who will be in early High School when we retire and from colleagues I think ISPP has it over VIS, though I know you wouldn't have to worry about schooling.  We have our holiday place near Phon Phisai but it will never have enough to keep me busy for more than a few weeks, and while youngster #3 is in school there's no hope in h*** of us living up there.

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Yes, at khon Kaen psychiatric hospital. I know a few who have studied in the UK, or the US, which is also OK.

Yes, this!  Brother-in-law received very good care including counselling/talk-therapy to go along with the medication he needed - though this was now a few years ago.  The staff were very good at explaining in layman's language to my FIL and husband the various treatment protocols.

7 hours ago, giddyup said:

Because I rang Centrelink International in Tasmania and asked why it had been stopped. They told me that it should not have been and it had been stopped wrongly by the office where I dealings with the woman in question. Coincidence, maybe. Anyway, I was reinstated immediately, that was 9 years ago and never had a problem since.

No doubt true at that time, but that was 9 years ago. Since that time "data matching" has been implemented. This automatically links your immigration record with your Centrelink record and often times any cancellation is automatic and not done manually by a person.  (Not saying the cancellations are always correct, just that 9 years ago was different to now - these days it's more likely to be a computer program that cancels a payment, not a person.) 

On ‎4‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 1:38 PM, 86Tiger said:

 I have used Lek Rentals several times.  Top service and will use next time I need rental.  Meet you at airport and will pick up vehicle from anywhere you prefer.

 

 

You can find contact by google or they are active on Udonmap.com

Lek are great - we have used them multiple times in the past decade, with deliveries to the airport, meeting us at the train station or even delivering to our hotels.  Only small complaint is if you have kids their car-seats are not to any western standard, so best bring your own if that's a concern.  Contract is in English and their communication is top-notch.  

Hope it works out Simon.  We finished working in Yangon in July last year, had a good stint at our house 14km from PP before moving on to our current assignment. If you can survive working in NPT you'll be fine in PP!    I very much enjoy our visits up there. Our house is rural and we have a small solar set-up, no running water and it's just glorified camping (albeit in a beautiful Thai-stilted house that my hubby and a builder cobbled together).  We head into PP several times a week, there are usual a few farang at the Amazon coffee on the main road and even more at the shopping centre enjoying the AC.  I have met one younger European guy who has a business that manufactures water and drink bottles, mostly they are retirees though.  I don't think I could live there long-term - my Thai isn't good enough to socialise without my husband and I would find that just a bit limiting - but perhaps in 10 years when we retire I may have time to make inroads into that language problem.  For the moment PP offers the perfect quiet break for us ...if it weren't for the blasted dogs that bother me on my daily run!   Good luck and we may see you around during a visit (I'll be the farang wife trailing the Thai hubby...there aren't many of us around!)

Now that I've moved to Africa and a place where they aint much quality farang OR Thai food at all.... that will be me in our next visit to Thailand.  And we'll be flying whichever airline gives the most baggage allowance.  But no, for the most part we don't hoard when in the village...needing a particular ingredient gives us a good excuse to drive 80 mins to Udon for a touch of civilisation ???? 

Our daughter did 10-12 grade at Prem Tinsulanonda in Chiang Mai while we lived regionally as the international school where we were living didn't offer the classes she needed.  It was an awesome school but very, very pricey - close to what we would have paid for boarding in Australia.  There are at least two others offering boarding in C.Mai. Not Isaan, I know, but there were direct flights CM to Udon so she could fly across to see family easily if needed.

No, sorry.  But I posted in the Pet forum recently about a great one in Bangkok that we recently had our cat in for several months while we were transiting/moving between countries, if that helps at all.  

54 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

... is the card now related to staying outside the country ? Has anyone gone through this exercise and been reissued another card ? Are you required to stay in the country for a certain period before they will renew ...

If you left Australia more than 5 years ago you may no longer be eligible.  Best you contact them and ask. 

Red this link https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/medicare/medicare-card/eligibility/who-can-get-it 

We just had our cat spend an  extended period at a great cattery in Bangkok.  I remember how hard it was to find a good one when we lived in Bkk so thought I’d give them a mention. Our cat was in transit for a couple of months as we moved from Myanmar to Africa but had a stint in Australia between the two. 

They are called Catdominium - it’s a suburban house owned by two sisters and they have built climbing ramps, sleeping boxes, vantage points, an enclosed garden, entertainment zones and each room can be blocked off so cats from different owners can be playing but not interacting directly.  The overnight cages are as nice and modern as any I’ve seen.

One owner speaks perfect English and her sister (who is at home with the cats, does the cleaning, playing etc) is pretty good too.  They sent multiple daily updates on Line and were super helpful. You can look them up on FB or the net - Catdominium.  Tell them Coco’s owner referred you ???? 

I think that renewing the card for a further five years and assuming you will automatically remain eligible is incorrect.   Medicare can be cancelled at any time (and so can the card) if they data-match with Immigration records and determine you are a non-resident.   

If you don’t log into your MyGov account, or receive a hard copy letter (for whatever reason) you will be none the wiser. Until you try to use your card in the future.  

My best friend (non res) has just been through the drama of re-enrolling her eldest kid who is starting uni in Australia next year. 

We are currently in Australia but need someone for a one-off pet care job in Bangkok - involving transport and taking our cat to the vet and home again.  Any suggestions for an Airtasker or oddjobs-type company? 

14 minutes ago, Max11man said:

re post #20 by 55 Jay on May 20

 

I've searched this site and this was the only page with a hit for the term "security screen" or "security door"

 

I've been looking for products like this...  https://shadeandshutter.com/security-screens/ 

None of the major home improvement / building shops seem to stock them around Chiang Mai.

 

Anyone know where they can be bought in Thailand?

Any comments on quality of local product?

 

Look up Meshtec Chiang Mai on the net. The owner was producing security mesh products for export a few years ago when I knew him. Not sure if they retail locally or if they have what you are looking for. . 

22 minutes ago, HHTel said:

Malaysia has it's own rabies problem so I imagine they're now doing 'damage limitation'. 

There must be some additional politics to the ban.  We are shipping our cat direct from Myanmar to Malaysia (and onto Australia).  Myanmar has many more rabies deaths per year than Thailand but no import issues. 

On 5/6/2018 at 3:49 PM, Mr Kie said:

next project.... 6 solar panels with on grid system, each panel generates 300 watt enough to run the air con, water pump, ventilation. 

total cost will be around 87,000THB

We have a small home-rigged setup (panel/inverter/storage battery) but no connection to grid since Govt power has not made it to our land yet. We get enough to charge phones and run fans overnight in 2 houses. Has been a game changer for my brother and sister in law who live in a sweat box. 

Look forward to reading your updates. 

On 4/5/2018 at 11:52 AM, CLW said:

Another example, basic soil tests are free for farmers. But hardly anyone uses this service. Instead they apply fertiliser like they always did or even more stupid, the salesman tells them.
What a waste of money, resources etc...

Hi CLW could you expand on the soil testing? When my hubby went to pay our land tax a few weeks ago he was asked to account for usage of a government-funded dam in our land. At the same time he was listing how the resource is used, he asked at the office about any classes or help available to farmers on land quality. His sister and husband recently moved onto land next door and have trouble establishing anything more than a kitchen garden.  Hubs was told there is nothing available in our area. So I’m hopeful there might be another office, maybe he asked in the wrong place. If it’s relevant, when in-country we are Isaan-based between Nong Khai and Bueng Kan.

In case anyone here is thinking of sending pets to Malaysia or beyond (it’s a popular staging point for import to Australia). Malaysia currently does not allow pet import from Thailand due to the Rabies outbreak. 

I like the look of this, claims to be a reimagined Isaan house http://livingasean.com/house/modern-house-amid-country-atmosphere/ 

14 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Hand written Info from Pax cards has never been imputed into the MDB. It would be an incredibly labour intensive task to do so and would overload the system.

Cards could be made available later on an individual basis for agencies with a need.

 

Correct.  Data-matching between government agencies is simply about establishing that Person X has departed/arrived Australia. They don’t care where you go.  In depth information from sources such as airlines can be obtained by investigative agencies if needed but isn’t standard. 

21 hours ago, akirasan said:

Our house we are in now is an oven. It's an old Thai style raised wooden house with paper thin walls and a tin roof. I'm currently looking at ceiling fan options. 

After 2 years it's gotten easier. If I know it's going to be a hot day I start drinking water early and keep it up throughout the day.  

We have a wooden house but taller than many others (3metres) to take advantage of breeze. Having traditional terra-cotta tiles has helped enormously to reduce heat. We also have ventilation gaps under the eaves to let hot air circulate out.Lots of trees as we are rural. Fans only because we have a small solar setup. We had two nights over Songkran that were pretty hot, but otherwise it’s lovely.