RY12

For those without the above financial reasons for coming to Thailand, many like myself have gotten sick of it really fast, even though I thought it would be sublime to live here when I first came.

There are a lot dull farangs out there that seem to be constantly suprised and enchanted by Thailand even though they've been here 20 years or something. I've found the country to be really monotonous and predictable after a year, and now it's just a hot, smelly place with self-absorbed people. I fear that in earlier times, I would have been a benevolent colonist rather than a siamophile...

80% of Thais are myopic, self-absorbed, hedonistic, lascivious, arrogant and primitive little creatures that of course aren't going to show the OP any social respect ...but don't forget, those adjectives describe the majority of people in any other country in the world as well . Fact is, most people are dumb$hits in any population, I don't know why so many farangs expect Thais to be any different... I personally wouldn't want to hang out at a big table of random co-workers in the US, -besides our job, we have nothing in common. IMHO, Thais are especially more childish and mothered than other populations, so having the independence to eat alone is a profound fear to them, so the OP's co-workers are mearly saving him from that. I've had that happen to me countless times, getting invited then getting ignored. No big deal, it happens to other Thais as well (they rant about it as well).

thai phone calls:

"hello? hello? hello? hello? unh. uh unh. unh.... uh. kap."

Best post on thaivisa for the month. you forgot the whining, shrill "eah?" that punctuates the speech periodically. cambodia's even worse- "elo?, eh, ug , ug, buh, ELO!, eh..."

Man it's irritating when they interupt me mid-sentance with a loud 'hello?!', you can at least repeat the part of the sentance you heard or say sorry. don't give me this cultural relativism $hit, it's universally unacceptable. There are few things that make me hang up on my girlfriend, but when she does that, especially in the middle of a complex thing I'm saying, I lose it and hang up...

"The person I mention had complained to his congressman back home and was given a set appt. at the Bkk embassy where his wife was granted a tourist visa.

Your story sounds like BS."

I don't BS. What I said was true. If you would like to meet sometime, evidence can be presented, and then you may apologize. Up to you.

I think the reason for the discrepancy here is that Jimmy's person applied to a US Congressmen whereas venturalaw's just applied to a lowly state senator... correct me if I'm wrong? I'd like to hear more about Jimmy's story- it was a tourist visa and the congressman just vouched for the thai-applicant's US boyfriend/husband? How exactly did the bf get the congressman's attention?

No one thinks your an idiot, except perhaps the poster who correctly pointed out how stupid this post is due to the fact you haven't even tried to get your GF a visa but yet you rant and rave about how unfair the visa awarding process is and want to start some major petition drive on here.

My girlfriend has never applied for the tourist visa.

This thread is hillarious.

The op has never applied for a visa, but wants to stage a protest about the unfair practices of the BKK embassy in granting visas, as he sits in the US.

At least apply for a visa, and get rejected before you moan about the unfairnes of the system.

Ingenious guys! Have my gf make a risky application that has a good chance of failing, seriously damaging her prospect of future applications, just so I can have the right to complain about it! Let me say something: even if she was granted the visa I would still despise the system because I've read too many stories on thaivisa about good, honest people getting rejected. Let's focus on that rather than attacking personalities. I don't understand why so many posters want to defend the embassy, just because the officials gave your gf/wife a tourist visa doesn't mean they're "good hard working people" and Uncle Sam loves you more or whatever. Also, for those of you with a high-school education of the Constitution, I KNOW foreign nationals have no constitutional rights (well, actually they do), it's the rights of the gf/wife's US SPONSOR that I believe are implicated in the visa process. That's not to say I necessarily believe they deserve those rights ... no one here is too pleased by all those blind farangs over the years who have been bringing in subserve Thai girls that jump ship in our country.

I'll give you the advise I received from a law enforcement official. Go to Mexico and run across the border like everyone else.

If I knew a trustworthy coyote, I might just try that... unfortunately the Mexican Embassy is probably more restrictive in giving out visas than the US, since I assume the US has substantial influence over them, especially with this kind of thing happening a lot.

P.S. Is there some way to qualitatively compare the screening process there in BKK vs. embassys in other countries? Can you show a prejudice or higher/unreasonable standard with Thai persons? While a visa is not a right, if you can show the equivalent to a violation of their 'world civil rights of equality' (and yes, I just made that up) it may be another tool to use in the process. My two cents again......

Pleeeze. Non US citizens who are living outside the US have ZERO American civil rights.

That's true, but it's the American partner's Constitutional rights, to associate and form loving relationships with whoever you please, that is being infringed upon when the consulate denies your partner's visa, assuming you're just trying smuggle a sex worker into the US or whatever's in their head.

You may be better off petitioning for a "tick box" system where criteria are laid down and as long as you meet the criteria the visa is granted ... taking away the ability of the ECO's to refuse on a whim if they happen to dislike the applicant. And taking away their ability to interpret the rules differently amounst themselves so identical cases can be refused or approved depending on who is looking at the application. This is surely the greater injustice is it not?

And to those who say a tick box system will mean fewer visas or that some will never get a visa because they can never meet the criteria .. well these are the same people who don't get the visas now anyway!!

At least if its clear what is required then applicants won't apply until they know they qualify.

This is a very good idea - it may even reduce the amount of applicantsaltogether because they'll know they won't get it, make the busy embassy more happy. Like with my gf- she has land and house in her name, some money in the bank, and a big travel history with me to other countries, but she doesn't own a business or have a mainstream job, so I know probably half the interviewers would reject her.

Your anger should be directed at those who have abused the privilege and made it way too hard for an honest Thai (this is Thai board), especially a poo-ying, to visit the United States. I unequivocally understand your anger and agree for the most part that it is way too difficult to have a friend or love interest visit you in the USA. But it isn't the embassy staff nor ambassador's discretion, they are following directives from the immigration sector. After all, even if someone has a visa from the embassy, they can be turned away by immigration at the port of entry. I think that would piss me off more! An embassy visa means nothing unless immigration accepts it and the only way they accept it is if it was issued within the parameters they set for such.

Immigration rules and policies have evolved into what they are because of the usual reason, many people think that the rules and policies don't apply to them and they do what they want, be mad at them and maybe start lobbying to have all visa "over-stayers" and illegals hunted down, deported and everything they own seized as a fine except for enough money to get a bus home once they reach their own border (I'm not being sarcastic here). Perhaps when there is true repercussions to violating immigration policies, the illegals will stop, go home and the honest visitors can once again enjoy the privilege of visitation with reasonable documentation.

Hi Martian,

I don't think it's the case that the officials in the office are given "directives from the immigration sector," they're given vague instruction that the applicant should show 'sufficient proof of return' and each officer interprets that phrase to his own devices. I don't think Homeland Security sends down directives that say something like 'no ladyboys, ex-bargirls, or students under 24' or anything like that. Maybe I'm wrong? The result is that each officer gets in his mind what a 'returner to Thailand' looks like and if an applicant doesn't meet that standard, like she owns a house, has money in the bank, but doesn't have his idea of a 'business', then he automatically refuses her.

Getting angry at Mexicans like you suggest isn't going to do anything. All I want is to see what the thaivisa opinion is on getting together a petition or something, which may or may not work in making the process more fair.

As to your last sentence, perhaps you should realize you are on a public forum and insulting posters such as myself will get you no resolution. No, I'm not rich but yes, was lucky to get my now wife a tourist visa but it was on the heels of trying to get a Fiancee visa that wouldn't work because I had to return to my job in Thailand. Completely different than trying to get a straight-away tourist visa. I had frustrations too but ended up with success in the end. My wife just passed her citizenship interview.

I'm sorry you felt insulted, I directed my last comment to people who got the visa "and want to give some cliche redneck defense", not merely people who succeeded and want to give real input like you. Keep an eye on those conjuctions!

I would also suggest, at your displeasure I am sure, that your anger, attitude and contempt for the embassy staff may provide additional evidence that they made the right decision. One piece of advice: You get a lot farther faster when you show them respect, in public and private, and do things by their rules in their way on their schedule. They are in charge and when you recognize AND accept this, you might find success.

My girlfriend has never applied for the tourist visa. I'm not an idiot, even if she were to, I'm not stupid enough to show the officials anger or a lack of respect like you imagine I would. She hasn't applied because I don't want to risk the rejection, as that will just make it harder down the line when our finances are better.

I appreciate your goodwill but your post is actually the kind I wasn't too interested in seeing... it's kind of old hat- the guy (not saying this is you) who gets the visa easily is so giddy from the approval of Uncle Sam that he assumes everyone and the Embassy is angels and anyone who doesn't get it must be anti-social, angry riff-raff that didn't deserve it in the first place.

I thank you for the offer, but I don't really need any more help or advice on how to get the tourist visa- I've read up countless hours on personal experiences, etc., on thaivisa and other sites. Anyone with half a brain can figure it out- just show them as much evidence as you can and cross your fingers. I've calculated that my gf is probably in the 50% likelihood category, and that's not worth the risk in my opinion.

I usually don't think too much about this subject, but when I start thinking about buying a horrendously expensive plane ticket for my gf and I to go to South Africa (visa free for Thais) because I want her to get out of Asia and just see a little bit of a Western country for the first time in her life, I start remembering about why she can't just pay the $900 and come see me in California.

Aren't these policies made by the State Department? Who is their boss?

The policies are actually reasonable ("sufficient proof that they will return"), it's the BKK Embassy's interpretation of those policies that suck.

I'm not advocating trying to change immigration law, that is pointless and too huge a task. I'm just wondering if we should get together a petition supported by our local Senators/Congressmen, that we could submit to the BKK Embassy, or site to when our gf applies for her visa (for example: "please take note that my host in the USA has signed and has the support of his Representatives to a petition for the discretionary process in this visa application")

Side Note - you can complain to your own local congressman and they can take action and have notice sent to the clowns in the Bkk Embassy. I know of someone who took all the steps to push the right buttons this way and his wife was granted a visa after continually being rejected at the walk in counter.

Really? Elaborate please?

Is there anything we can do? An appeal that US Embassy officers better inform their discretion on US Tourist Visa applications:

There are a lot of Americans on thaivisa that have had our lives and relationships seriously effected by the unreasonably harsh visa standards at the US Embassy in Thailand. While I understand the need of US immigration to stop the influx of illegal workers into the USA, I don't think officers at the Embassy are really furthering that by refusing a majority of the tourist visas for Thai girlfriends that have already and sincerely shown vast amount of paperwork and proofs-of-return. These women (or men), prospective spouses of US citizens, have sufficiently met the federal immigration statute's burden of proof and individual officers should reflect that better in the discretionary aspect of their decision-making process.

I can't imagine the number of Thai girlfriends who have actually abandoned their partners once they arrived in the USA is very high at all, but what is extremely high and undoubtedly definite is the disastrous effect visa-denial has on US citizens' personal relationships and life in general. The arbitrary decisions by embassy officers has serious implications for US Citizen's rights to visit intimate partners:

"No person shall... be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,..." 5th Amendment.

"And there are other spheres of our lives and existence, outside the home, where the State should not be a dominant presence. Freedom extends beyond spatial bounds. Liberty presumes an autonomy of self that includes freedom of thought, belief, expression, and certain intimate conduct [personal relationships]..." U.S. Supreme Court- Lawrence v Texas (2003)

What I purpose is that we appeal that the 'proof of return' standard generally be met for embassy officers by Thai citizens that can claim, or show evidence of, being in a real, personal, non-business relationship with a US Citizen. The US Citizen should also have a right to contribute to her application. Proof of property ownership, work-records, bank assets, photographs, or passport stamps proving a real relationship lasting longer than say 6 months should all be sufficient by their own to satisfy this proof for the officer. Don't tell me the officers are helplessly bound to US laws and can't change, they have broad discretion in the interview to decide who'd return to Thailand or not. I'm just appealing that they let their arbitrary discretion be informed by the above suggestions rather than their own biases. I'm not advocating for a big overhaul of the application process in one embassy in one little country, I know that would be futile; I'm merely requesting that the officers in Thailand, freely and of their own accord, consider public opinion and conform to countless other US Embassies across the globe that are more lenient and thoughtful in their desision-making process.

The fiance and marriage visas are NOT sufficient substitutes. A free man should not be forced to marry a woman just to visit her, he has a right to grow and mature a relationship just like any other citizen without marriage being a pre-requisite to having her visit his home.

It's probably futile, but should we Thaivisa members form a petition to give to our Senators? Would it make a difference? Should we give it to the Embassy instead? How many signatures could we get- 40 or 50?

(For all you rich or lucky farangs that got the US tourist visa the first attempt, and want to give some cliche redneck defense to the Immigration Department, f-ck off this thread.)

Thanks for the advice jay. It was my concern that this would be situation, but I was holding off hoping that there might be people around that just do supervisory work for a reasonable price as opposed to all-or-nothing professional contractors that are only going to do the whole job or nothing. You know, we're really just planning on building a one or two room structure with a simple bathroom, probably just one storey. I've contacted other tv members who've built what I had in mind, a couple years ago, for 100k and they listed all the materials. I've looked up the current price and I still see no reason why it a structure like this should go for more than 300k, especially if I have mostly free labor and can buy the materials ourselves with a truck.

My hunch is that even if my gf and uncle just start building freestyle, winging it, some bored old guy or relative will wander in and he'll have some help to offer for not much compensation.

I wonder, has anyone out there come across easy, step-by-step building guide books written in Thai?

I'm looking for a skilled/semi-skilled contractor in the Ubon area who could play an advisory role in the contstruction of a cheap (less than 400k) bungalow near Hat Wat Tai. My gf already has a small, new isuzu truck which she shares with 2 other family members who will labor for free and have experience in building, but aren't capable of reading plans or judging structural integrity. So basically they can buy all the materials and transport them to the site, but we'd just like to have someone there who can give oversight, and perhaps do some skilled-work like wiring. I know this isn't ideal as many of you have explained to me in my former posts, but the timing of this construction has unfortunately occured when I won't be able to be in Thailand, so I'm leaving it up to her.

I was told in former posts that it was too much to expect warranties, especially at the cheap price of this house (shed really), but nonetheless I'd still like to have someone who'd be decent enough to keep in touch a year or two after construction.

My gf is in Ubon at this very moment, actively looking for builders, so feel free to reply or PM me and I can give her the number of the person.

My plan is to review all the buidling advice I've read on the internet and forward those recommendations to my gf who can discuss it with the contractor, for things that seem overlooked in Thai building like insulation, adequate water pressure, etc. Overall, I'm not too worried about it because it's such a cheap house, but I'd still like it done right.

Does all of this sound like a reasonable stragety to get things going? Seem like an alternative is to have the gf just buy a Thai do-it-yourself book and forget about a contractor all together, but I'm not sure they trust themselves enough to do that....

Endless fun at Hat Wat Tai, bamboo stilt huts and filthy sand berms to play in.

Here are some thoughts on the faults of humanitarianism I hope some fellow thaivisa member could use as argument defenses if they have a similar encounter like I did :

So I was in a restaurant in Ubon with my gf a while back and there were what I believed, by looking at a patch, Peace Corps volunteers at another table talking to a Thai about some village somewhere. I heard about half of what they were saying, but then they said something to the effect of 'at least we don't just come to Isaan for the women!' and made scoffing glances over at my table. Now I've been with my gf for 2 years now and we're basically the same age, so this was a suprise for me... I think he heard me speaking bad English to her so he drew some stereotypical conclusions.

Disregarding the fact that this particular guy was dip$hit who probably just arrived in Thailand , I got to thinking about these humanitarian, idealistic types of people in general, who I encounter a lot here and abroad. Maybe I'm just becoming a selfish evil fiend, but I've really been losing patience with grown adults who are perpetually stirred-up about broad human problems, whether it's global warming, legal justice, abortion (conservatives and liberals), or say poverty (as in Isaan). These people, even though they are often good-hearted folk, seem to think they have a moral upper-hand on business-people like me who just focus on helping our customers in a local area. While some humanitarians realize they're just helping the people in their immediate circle for their own sense of satisfaction, others (like journalists, politicians, or some volunteers) seem to think they're "contributing" to solving some mass problem while the rest of us are respectfully morally inferior. I want to turn that around, and remind everyone that charity and activism, by claiming purposes they can't meet, are often the most offensive:

Let's get real, the vast majority of mass problems are only ever solved by mass measures or mass events... and the vast majority of measures that solve social problems are economic development. Moreover, because these problems are on a mass scale, individual efforts on the issue often warp into nothingness- some mindless accountant in New York who with a keyboard stroke transfers funds to a factory in Khorat probably just did more for Isaan than 2 years of squatting in a village by a peace corps volunteer. On the other hand, maybe the funds eventually bump another factory out of business.... etc. etc, the point is it's like a huge multiplying fractal: -causation in the economy of a mass human population is impossible to trace, and what particular action does good/ does bad is mute.

Even if we assumed it wasn't, or assume that helping a few individuals for a brief period (with a problem that'll probably just come back) is valuable for it's own sake, I'm starting to have some serious problems with people who are hyper-concerned about the 'plight' of impoverished people like in Isaan. I don't want to see anyone suffer, but we need to have some perspective on what's going on here- poverty doesn't equal suffering. Everyone seems forget that there is a real, tangible difference in the personality and emotional structure of those who grew up in a developed, educated world and those in the 3rd world. My girlfriend's grandmother from the backwaters of Surin is not a deeply thoughtful being, and would not break down into an philosophical depression like Aristotle if she became homeless and hungry again. But this is what we in the West imagine happening because are lives are so comfortable. The reality is that humans can adapt, and except for the fact that more of your relatives will die early and you'll be sick more often, a life in poverty isn't going to make you less happy than if you were in the West or Japan (where suicide and depression occurs much more often). The poverty in Isaan is awful for a lot of good people, but there are frankly a lot of true peasants out there that, for whatever reason like lack of education, just don't have a lot going on upstairs, mentally or emotionally.

In the end it was NO CONTEST. The cards are stacked totally in favor of an electric fence. The "fear" of Thai people, even the Police who do the "sign several times in a log book" patrol seem to respect the fence. The cost per linear meter INSTALLED by a polite, competent three man professional staff from Bangkok was FAR LOWER than stainless steel spikes. In my opinion any drug addict can throw a blanket or car floor mat over a typical security fence and lean a stolen ladder against your wall. Impossible with the electric fence we have since it is also wired to a very loud alarm.

Wait, does the object that touches the wire have to be grounded, or will every cockroach, rat, bird, or falling leaf that touches the wires set off the alarm? Also, if the house is left alone while we're away, is it common experience that a loud alarm would do any good? i.e. are the neighbors really going to wake up and call the police? maybe they'd have to if the alarm didn't shut off after the burglar stopped touching it. which begs another question, if someone accidently touches it at 3 am, will someone have a key into your property to turn the alarm off?

But it is a good idea and sounds better than stainless steel spikes. Only way over it is to have two trampolines on either side I guess?

Have there been any studies to show what are the best angles for the spikes on top of perimeter walls to prevent people from climbing over with a ladder? The fact that I see numerous variations in Thailand tends to make me think no one has done a study- some of the spikes lean in, others out, some are vertical with angeled offshoots, etc... which design is the most difficult for burglars?

The Japanese Embassy in Bangkok has a pretty viscious looking wall- a downward-slanting spike, a curved one, and then a tall vertical one behind them... but still, couldn't the burglar just drap a heavy cloth over it, attach a sheet of wood to the end of the ladder so it balances on the spikes, and just climb over?

Looking at the article linked below and other predictions, do most of you agree that if the baht goes up or down vs. the dollar till the end of the year, it's not going to be more than 1 baht above or below the current 34? Thing is, I got $10,000 I have to wire to Thailand but just found out I can't do it for another month because of banking problems, so I'm really anxious now because this 34.05 is the best it's been in a while, and I don't want to miss the boat....

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=129761

I'm not a builder nor a civil engineer (mechanical with a bit of civils experience) but my main concern would be structural integrity. Your sketches do not depict any walls in the ground floor and, if this is the case, the structure lacks lateral stability. Thus, unless the column foundations are substantial and the columns themselves are well reinforced, the building could be severely damaged or destroyed in an earthquake.

Of course the omission in your sketches of the ground floor walls could be down to them just being quick outline doodles but even if there are to be walls or you are not building in a seismic risk zone it is as well to get a professional to at least eyeball the design.

These are the kinds of concerns I have that make me really confused about this whole process. On the one hand there's posts saying building a house is no big deal and i can just throw a rough sketch a local builders, and on the other hand there's people suggesting elaborate soil tests, specifc materials specifications, earthquake protection, etc. to be done by professionals. Is there any kind of middle ground here to make a safe structure with a warranty of sorts without having to get cheated out of 30% of the costs? Are there reasonably-priced professionals out there that can supervise a building and gurantee its stability while at the same time allowing me to buy the materials?

So yes, I was planning on having the first floor unfinished, and then walling it in when I have more money.

What are your basic dimensions?

Well I'm not sure, just put the man in for scale in the sketchup drawing. I'd say 4m by 8m for width and lenght, then a small portico like I indicated. maybe a 2 or 3 meter high roof (from the floor of the attic to the peak ridge ) on top of that, enough for storage. Yes, all I want is a glorified shed, a bamboo latter instead of stairs is even sufficient for the first few years.

Without question your biggest risk is cost overrun, I wouldn't imagine that structural integrity will be an issue. Build quality will also be an issue and I would suggest there are areas of the construction where money can be saved and others where money should be spent, e.g use QCON or Superblock instead of red brick for the walls to improve the R Value and provide better build integrity.

Are there any other tips like this where you think a more expensive product is called for? I for one am hoping to use epoxy grout instead of cementious, even though it's more expensive it is much more sanitary.

Please,please consider recommendations carefully and I'd bet that most of us ferangs here can put you in touch with a good builder ( I can) as we expect higher quality work.

Alright, can anyone recommend good builders in Ubon ?

The devil is in the detail and will certainly be there big time unless you micro manage EVERY aspect of the build, from start to finish. I agree it can be done but unless you are prepared to invest huge amounts of time and shorten your life by several years, best you factor in a cost over run of around 30%.

Yes, that is what I'm afraid of, since I DON'T have the time to supervise and buy everything myself. There's an uncle in the family that apparently knows how to build and shares a truck with the gf... maybe I could just turn it over to him and hope the thai tendancy to overbuild will make the house strong enough... since structural weakness is what'I'm scared of (leaky faucets, etc are tolerable).

Where would one buy thai books (in thai) on building houses? bookshops i've visited havent had any

Below is a rough Google Sketchup of what I was hoping to build late this year in Ubon. I was told that 300k could build a two storey, 9 post house, with basic finishing, so I'm hoping 300k for below isn't too crazy? Specs:

+ two small rooms (one air-conditioned) divided by a bathroom on second storey, unfinished first floor (to be filled in later)

+ concrete slab floor and ceiling of that second storey (for sound insulation)

+ cheapest roof possible- steel trusses with metal sheet roofing? perhaps insulated for attic storage

+ 3 or 4 cheap windows, double-paned for insulation.

+ concrete block walls, insulated on exterior.

+ basic aesthetic cappings to the coloumns, frames for the windows, etc

+ Sink below the second storey, basic countertop next to it for primitive kitchen.

+ bamboo latter to the second storey, no stairs (yet)

+ Tiling only in the bathroom, other two rooms could be finished concrete for a while

Appliances, furnishing already possessed

This is what I'd like to be built, on the otherhand, would I have to get an expensive architect to draft up plans for this, or would I just be doomed to taking pre-drawn plans for the house? The gf is just as in the dark about this as I am- we've both been told that building companies overcharge, but may provide warranties, and self-build with local friends/family is cheap, but may be unstable, no warranty....

"Near the river" is a little unclear, but the big market building and the new 500 meters + paved pedestrian river frontage area, both under construction, will supposedly be a major future attraction both for locals and tourists.

Personally I'm looking forward to someone opening a Mexican restaurant.

What about "La Cantina Moon River"........... or "Ubon Con Carne"............

Though it probably means you have to import a Mexican chef.......and be there yourself as well

Anyways - best of luck!

Hola bergen,

we're by that big grade school just at the top of that hill which hat wat tai is at the bottom of. her family is in a legal battle of being evicted from the land where they're building that paved pedistrian river area you mentioned. we're behind the school on a little soi too narrow for cars, about 30 meters from either of two roads. i'd like a mexican restaurant too, but the food would probably be to expensive for locals and i couldn't trust them to cook it right while i'm gone. we're thinking an internet shop would be good since it's right next door to the school and i havent seen others around. anyone done internet shops before? my main worry would be technical problems- i imagine it would be expensive to have an on-call computer guy on hand, and viruses...

So if my gf has a new house, are there any generally accepted ways to make money out of it (like opening a certain type of shop on the first floor facing the street) ? it would be in urban Ubon near the river. We have several creative business ideas in mind, I was just wondering if there were safer alternatives that always seem to work. we wouldn't have enough money for a 7-11 or anything like that. i notice a lot of those more primitive conveince stores on the first floors of houses, that sell odd items, i can't imagine those profit too much?

Just a question: which area are you doing and are you tiling vertically or horizontally?

Doing the floors of a small house, so horizontally. duly noted about the white showing dirt, but if it can be wiped off easily, (and isn't seeped into the grout like with cementious grout) seems like it might be worth it?

I have epoxy grout in all my bathrooms here in the US, and so far so good. Quite a bit more expensive than regular grout but worth it. It comes in wide range of colors including WHITE. We used the brand name "Polyblend". You can get epoxy grout in so many blands in both sanded and non-sanded grout. Any grout line that's over ¼" gap, you must use "sanded grout".

Not much else to tell you or where else to get it in BKK, because I'm still in the US

TC

So what color is your epoxy grout? do you find it requires less maintanence? only drawback i've heard about it is that it's so strong it ca crack the tile if the building shifts slightly. not sure if this is true for grout lines less than 1/4 inch thick.

Also, can it be applied in a manner to make it flush with the tile? i've heard depressed grout lines collect dirt more easily.