steven100

Wasn't this the same guy who had a Thai wife and she robbed him of 20 Mil Baht and he wanted it back...... ?

This poor guy must feel terrible .... I'm sure there's been some sort of misunderstanding here !!

I would think the lady he was involved with would be of the honest type and it's just a mistake ....

All he needs to do is go along to the nearest police station and explain his problem and they will go and get his 20 Million Baht back.

Is this what they mean by " Enjoy our fresh food " or cooked just the way you like it ?

It can be very tricky replacing those balcony lightbulbs ...

I will be flying to Australia next week and was wondering whats the best way and most cost effective way to obtain AUS$ either before I leave or on arrival ..

is it best to change thai baht into aussie dollars before I leave ?

is it best to take US$ and change them into aussie dollars on arrival ?

Thanks for any advice ...

When building a teak wood / hardwood thai house should the timber poles be buried into concrete a couple of metres and if so should there be a waterproof between the pole and the concrete and not just straight into the mix ?

Burying posts in earth or concrete below grade will rot even teak as moisture will wick into it. But if you don't bury them then you'll probably need cross bracing so the structure is rigid and cannot be blown over as well as need attachment from post to slab to prevent lift. Best to consult an engineer if your goal is a long lasting, stable design rather than making something up.

My eyes are drawn to the blue pvc in that photo which is a bit of an eyesore. At minimum I would use black hdpe for the plumbing/conduits and run them flush against a post on a side out of view.

yes, they do look like a bit of an eyesore .. i'm sure there are better types & colours to use. I think there is brown pvc available .. i'll check it out. tks.

Yes OK, don't know about Oz councils requirements though.

If you do same as the picture, you can anchor posts / columns on the concrete slab in many ways, just make sure you comply with your county's building regulations or what ever they call it in Oz on the depth of the floor slab.

Thanks , and I will check on the building regulations as required.

Wood will not rot when it is permanently immersed in water ( vis 1000 year old pilings found in wet environments etc). It is the variation of moisture that allows fungi to complete their life cycle and thrive. So drainage at the bottom of the post might do more harm than good. Just face up to the fact that wood will eventually recycle itself into soil.

Thanks for your comment, I do think the drainage idea is a lot of problem and as such would opt out of tackling that one.

Hi Steven 100

Check with your local Building Department. If you do your house legally, you'll need permits, and plans. The plans should have footings for the poles.

In the pictured house, with slab, I would think the slab is about 4" thick. Either wire mesh, or a rebar grid throughout. Maybe a 24" X 24" X18" deep footing under poles.

Then , with added rebar grids in the holes. Then a steel bracket, in the cement, at each post. Bracket would be anchored in the cement. Pole bolted to the upper portion of the bracket. Google Simpson Strong Ties. This has what you would need. Post Bases.

These will keep the pole off the cement, and hold the poles, so your house doesn't lift in the wind. Sluggo 50

Sluggo50

I tend to agree with placing them on footing as you mentioned , that way there is no concern at all about moisture getting in etc ....

Then there is the question of support & vibration, however I believe this can be eliminated with some bracing, although I prefer not to have exposed bracing as it looks horrible and takes away the use of openess under the floor....

I will get an engineers opinion/design before going ahead as pointed out in another post.

Thanks for the information on this.

enough said ...

The local police need to pull together on this and come with a solution.

May even require a mass debate to decide so they should stand strong.

I hope he has plenty of beds at the station.

Crackdown on cabbies

August 27, 2012 6:05 pm

Cabbies who refuse to take passengers can now be arrested if those affected call the 1197 hotline or visit www.trafficpolice.go.th and provide the taxi's licence plate number.

Pol Colonel Weerawit Watjanapukka of the Traffic Police Command said police would issue warnings for petty traffic violations instead of tickets from September 1.

Those who receive these warnings will face the maximum fine if they repeat the offence, he added.

I just heard he's also been charged with " using a thai two tier pricing system illegally "

I zee zay caught zis man using zee fak crediz cud, maybe zis man is from paree ...

KL Malaysian Ringgit Only

Thanks M&D , so no US.

cheers.

And they require Malaysian Ringgit in Malaysia. They do not accept Baht.

So definately not Thai Baht ,

Malaysian Ringit and possibly US$ .... I somehow remember paying in US$ some time ago .

Can anybody confirm whether or not the Thai Consulate in KL accepts only Malaysian Ringit or can I pay in US$ for a TR Visa. ?

I believe it's MYR 110 ?

I emailed them but no reply as holidays last week.

Thanks.

KL will not issue you a visa if you have a red stamp.

I expect no consulate will accomodate you on this.

Your best bet is to leave the country for 6 months and then return and apply.

Consulates are becoming very particular lately on issuing visas.

Ousted Thai premier premier Thaksin Shinawatra ©, flanked by Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (L) and Nobel laureate and former East Timor president Jose Ramos Horta ® attend the first Strategic Review Forum in Jakarta on July 17, 2012. The three Southeast Asian prominent political figures were panelist in the forum on peace and reconciliation in Southeast Asia.

How embarrasing is this for Thailand, having a convicted criminal and a fugitive from justice as a panelist in the forum on peace and reconciliation. A person who has being the catalyst of all Thailands recent troubles. An alledged perpetrator of crimes against humanity and a finacier and agitator for the fractionisation of Thai society creating violent disunity in the Thai community and viloent public disorder in the streets of Bangkok. Its abhorrent to see him sitting with Jose Ramos Horta a Nobel laureate, a man honoured, like a parasite trying to leech credibility and honour through association. Its like a pedophile on a child safety forum.

Yingluck should immediately come out and repudiate any association between Thaksins attendance and Thailand and its government. After all if his conviction was political his pet government should be able to prove it now in a climate where all political interference would be pro Thaksin.

There's no way she would ever do that .....

" the international community thinks this is a joke " they hold absolutely no belief or seriousness about the thai system of government.

JMHO.

has anybody heard of the movie

' never ending story '

The policies for getting a Thai Visa in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar) are slightly stricter than getting a ((off topic link removed)) but the overall procedure is quite easy if you have everything prepared ahead of time.

Yangon is not the complete ideal place for just a quick visa run, but a great place to get a Thai visa if you also have plans to do some traveling or hanging out in Burma (Myanmar).

Note: You must have a booked airplane flight ticket into Thailand in order to apply for a Thai visa in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar).

Tips for Getting a Thai Visa

• It’s always handy to carry a few copies of your passport and a few passport photos. There are makeshift options for getting passport photos outside of the embassy, but these places always charge a premium (because they can).
  
• Read over the list of Thai and Burmese holidays to make sure you have 2 days with no holidays (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to get a visa and completely forgot about looking at holidays – only to have to wait a few extra days).
  

I am thinking to fly to Yangoon to apply for a Thai Tourist Visa ...

Is there a thai consulate there ?

also, is it just an overnight stay as in go in the morning and pick the passport up the next day ?

Thanks for any info ..

cheers !

Hi all ,

I'm looking to build the thai house as shown below in Australia and have just a couple of questions as I'm not sure what's the best and proper procedure ...

When building a teak wood / hardwood thai house should the timber poles be buried into concrete a couple of metres and if so should there be a waterproof between the pole and the concrete and not just straight into the mix ?

Also, if no need to bury the pole and as such placing them on 500x500x300mm pads as shown, will this be sturdy enough when trampling around upstairs, I mean will there be any movement/vibration ? will council allow it built this way ?

When pouring a raft foundation for the house, should there be anything under the concrete where conc meets the compacted rock & soil ?

Thanks for any feedback .. much appreciated.

Just goes without saying ......

" never trust a Dubai lawyer "

"Mr Suwat responded to the calls by saying that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has instructed Deputy Prime Minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, who is in charge of security affairs, to devise measures to tackle the issue in a swift manner."

I think Mr. Chalerm knows a lot about Scam.

Mr Suwat responded to the calls by saying that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has instructed Deputy Prime Minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, who is in charge of security affairs, to devise measures to tackle the issue in a swift manner.

The Ministry has also been requested to provide these embassies with updates on the government’s increasing efforts to fight crimes against tourists.

Mr Suwat elaborated that the ministry is urging local tourism operators to refrain from scam practices as Thailand’s reputation as an attractive tourist destination can be severely jeopardized.

Now come on you guys, stop ripping off the tourist so much, I'm coping a lot of shit about it. !! There's enough to go around for everyone ... don't be so greedy !

There are to many questions unexplained for my liking.

Where are the two Portugues men that were last seen with the two sisters ?

Is Interpol working with them to find these guys as they may provide clues ?

The food poison theory just don't cut it i'm afraid.

This is a typical CYA ( cover your ass ) media statement given by the BiB.

"Thai authorities gained widespread criticism, and resulted in the sisters’ father, Carl Belanger, accusing the Thai authorities of a cover-up in an interview in the sisters’ home province of Quebec, Canada.

Col Boontawee has refuted the allegation."

Are you telling me that after all these deaths you still don't have a clue as to what the cause was for each of them ? I suggest if you don't know what your doing, please tell us so maybe they can get someone who does !

imho.