orpheus454

Riding to school today I saw probably 15 kids sitting on the roof of a school bus that was motoring along.

I can actually go one better than this:

Coming home from work a few years ago, I found myself driving behind one of those older type song thaws with wooden framed back and a flat roof, and on that roof were 2 boys having a fight.

Why anybody would want one of those rotating head small diameter things is beyond me.

If you want excellent quality plain, simple and efficient, get the 56" Mitsubishis from HomePro for 2200 odd baht.

I've installed 4 of these now and they're excellent.

We're on an artesian water supply. For just 1500THB I had a pre-tank filter installed to remove sediment and it does such a good job my 3,000THB under-bench 3-stage drinking water filters are almost redundant... well, not quite, they remove odor and bacteria.

I looked at other systems which were overkill for our purposes but may suit dam/town supply water. We drink copious amount of water daily.

Hi Rob

What brand/model is your pre-tank filter?

Thanks

Goerdie. ... John Wayne Airport is in Orange County CA, Dallas has DFW and Love Field. Yes the planes taxi over bridges at Dallas Fort Worth International. They don't land n them though.

Thanks for that, Marty.

You might have also pointed out that Americans drive on the RHS of the road.

This may have been on the cards for some time. Anyone who has driven up Viphavadi Rangsit underneath the tollway will have noticed the uneven road sinkage caused by the massive pile caps supporting the road above, much bigger than would normally be employed.

No, these must be for some other purpose.

Due to the use of modern materials such as kevlar, modern aircraft are actually extremely light.

How else do you think they get off the ground...?

if you think about it, what kind of airport runway can be built on concrete pillars? The weight and speed of any commercial jet would smash the pillars to pieces in no time at all.

Plus how can an airport taxi off a slip road. Where is the gap in the buildings going to be so the wings don't smash into anything as it turns in.

Priceless response...!

THW (copper) and THW-A (aluminium) are not intended for use under ground (specifically excluded on the Bangkok Cable page).

Is that right? I thought THW (copper) was OK in conduit underground but NYY was OK bare.

Your only option is a Limited Company + 4 x Thai staff.

Not true. 'Farang' lawyers tell you that because they are generally greedy and untrustworthy.. I stopped using such lawyers about 10 years ago and now use an honest Thai accountant.

You have several other legal choices:

1 - Registered Limited Partnership with your GF, where she owns 51% and you own 49% of the business partnership (or other ratios, but she must be the majority partner). You can apply for a WP, (so long as your profession is not on the prohibited employment list). The requirement for 4 Thai staff relates to visa extensions, not to your B visa. However, depending on your local labour office, they may require you to have 4 Thai employees or possibly 2.

Note - I have used this type of structure for the past couple of years for one of my small hotels, partner was ex-wife

2 - Registered sole Trader Business. Your GF goes to her local Tessabahn office and registers the business as a sole trader. Cost is about 100 baht if I recall. This type of business has no limited liability protection. She can employ you as above.

Note - I have used this type of structure for the past couple of years for another of my small hotels, partner was another ex-wife.

We used our Thai accountant to help us to register both types of business. The sole trader fees were about 400 baht, the partnership fees were a few thousand baht.

For both of these types of entity, you do not have legal 'control' over the business. But (as with my businesses), if you possess the skill upon which the business relies, then you do have 'control'

But! Your success may vary because some accountants deny that you can use this type of legal entity to employ a foreigner. Check the Thai law and you'll see that it is quite legal.

Good luck

Simon

Yep, wife as sole trader, 2 local employees, a visible presence (e.g. shopfront with sign) and you can get a work permit no problems.

http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/default.aspx

Cash will get you the best rate with no fees.

If you're not happy carrying cash and you have a Thai bank account, set up an account with OzForex or BahtSmart.

An excellent resource for identifying snakes:

www.thailandsnakes.com

Well if there is going to be lots of Russians going there, I won't!!!

Assuming that he is Russian?

Must be with a name like Vlog...

Random tripping of RCDs / RCBOs can be a nightmare to diagnose.

Less so if you have individual RCDs on each circuit.

Not too expensive these days.

Nakhon has excellent live music, especially in smaller bars.

Look along the main road behind the city that extends from behind the Wajirawut camp south to Homepro.

The best is FullHouse bar, the owner/musician is a genius. Be there by 9, as he generally gives way to the band by 10.30ish.

FullHouse is about a km south of the Koo Kwang intersection.

If I had used the alternative shipping method (EMS) which would have cost an extra $11, it may have got through. But equally it may still have attracted the same VAT on the (larger) CIF cost, worth the risk for a < $2 saving?

I think Customs allows the major couriers to assess the duty owed according to " the book" and acting as agents on behalf of Thai Customs and they therefore will charge the maximum amount they believe applicable to avoid coming up short. When things come through the post office and, presumably, customs officers do the processing, they have the authority to make the call, which means some things pass without being charged or they might attract a nominal amount.

I used to order shirts from Lands' End in the US. Then recently they got the idea to use some global shipping service that pre-charged the customs duty upfront at the time of the order. The last order I made (and then cancelled) they calculated customs at something ridiculous like 80% of the price of the merchandise. Obviously they were doing the assessment of customs duty on their own. It wasn't a Thai Customs Officer.

I have since put in essentially the same order (two different times) via Lands' End in UK. They charged a small amount for shipping and sent the items via the post office. Both of those orders arrived in my condo office without any customs notice. For some reason that I never understood, the lady in the condo office who handles parcels said there was a 7 baht (yes seven baht) charge due on each of those shipments. The condo never charges for handling parcels so it had to have been something to do with the post office or customs.

In the first case I would have had to prepay something like $100/Baht 3600 to cover customs duty but the amount due was determined by a shipping service in the US. not Thai Customs... and in the second two cases I paid next to nothing as determined by Thai Customs.

According to my friend in the customs department it's post office workers who do the duty estimation, not customs officers. He says the department has asked that they be less severe.

And yes, the 7 baht for some packages is official, but I am still to figure out the criteria on which it is levied.

Sounds quite bizarre.

I have internet banking with BBL and think only had to show the passport.

Try Krung Thai, their internet banking works fine.

I had internet banking with Thai Commercial but it seemed to be incompatible with my Macs.

I tried to get internet banking with the Gov Savings bank, but was told it was for Thais only.

The only way to get a work permit is by forming a company with a registered capital of 2 million baht. Then you would need 4 Thai employees.

...or, as I understand it, a sole proprietor type business with spouse as owner and 2 Thai employees.

I never assume anything anyone tells me is a fact.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Will that do?

Depends on where you're standing.

No it doesn't.

(Unless you're an astronaut)

Or you're standing on one of the poles, stoopid...

3BB

my local Toyota dealer

Thai Post

Makro

Tesco Lotus

my mechanic mate in our village

the maternity ward where my children were born

I guess it shows how simple minded certain people are.

Russia/Ukraine conflict downed a flight full of Dutch people, should I hate Russians for that? Don't think so.

Turkey downed a Russian jet last week which was absurdly unfair, actually I'm quite fond of Turkish people so should I hate them now? Sure not, do I hate Erdogan, yes definitely.

Also I hated it when the UN/NATO couldn't interferre in Syria due to Russia, Iran and China blocking it, Soon after I met a guy from Iran, had a good conversation with.

As a matter of fact most Iranians hate their government, most Turiskh people hate their government.

Russians on the other hand probably love their government but that's just an odd breed, I don't like Russians in particular but that's more cause they don't seem very social, has nothing to do with politics. Americans I find a bit obnoxious in general. I guess people that are from the largest nations on eath have some superiority complex or something, they theirselves would probably call it being proud of their country or whatever. Look at the Chinese as well, also behave like they don't give a shit, don't believe me, ask hoteliers.

Last thing: Go Trump, would love to see him as president

Actually I don't like Germans, French and people from the UK either.

Yep, this post certainly shows how simple minded some people can be.

Another post like that will result in a loooooong suspension. If not permanent.

You're all misguided.

This is the funniest post yet.

Have any senior Muslim clerics openly declared their abhorrence for what has happened in Paris yet?

Yes.

Not sure I could fit all that in! Looks great though.

While not strictly fine dining, when in town I always head to Wine Connection at K-Village, Suk Soi 16 for a great steak with nice wines by the glass at very reasonable prices.

I'm sure?

Can I have next weeks lottery numbers Mr I'm sure?

She left cos she's crazy.

Her new bf is skint and going home.

I'm well rid.

6 times she's dobbed me in.

Being youngish and single here is great.

Ive been here 14 years and if theres one thing id wished id done is stay single.

Money and freedom.

Why'd you stay with her after she dobbed you in the first times?

Go and chat with the school!

Our daughter is now in P1 at the local government school, and our 3 and a half year old son will be beginning 2 days a week in Kindergarten 1 in a couple of weeks.

I monitor things as they go along, but the school seems pretty good so far.

Even if you can speak Thai did you ever think about what kind of intellectual enlightenment conversation you have from talking to a Thai man. As a rule, most Thais can not carry on an intelligent conversation unless the subject is eating, <deleted>**k, stealing and drinking. YOU FOOLS NEED TO WAKE UP TO WHERE YOU ARE LIVING. A Thai male friend will be an exception and usually he is interested in learning from you about western ways. Did you ever think about why Thailand is 38th in the world in education? It is because the government and the big man want to keep Thai people stupid so they can not come to Bangkok and make a big problem.

He's right, you know.

I'd better wake up to myself before I recklessly make friends with someone who actually isn't worthy to tie my boot laces.

Thanks Don, you're the best...