AllyB

I have built a house, one consumer unit for ground floor & outside, another for upper floor, both RCB. Contractor who did the house was fine (don't know their name, wish I had). An uncle did the outside lighting which after a while kept tripping the RCB, and after another while (and a family spat) it was "solved" by another different uncle. Turns out he bypassed the RCBs and the unseen wiring from the first uncle was flex rather than cable which overheated, partially melted the insulation and shorted when high humidity in the air. Recently had some air con guys to fit a unit using wiring left by the original contractor but they noted that the circuit has been compromised, even deliberately causing a short doesn't trip the RCB. I have been in contact with my original main/foreman engineer who has now contacted the original electricians, waiting for them due today. The lesson I've learned is to watch very carefully any work done by family members who are supposedly jobbing electricians, plumbers, builders etc. From reading other posts, this is a lesson I should have learned from reading rather than my own direct experience. So, this is now posted as an example for others to avoid.

Thanks everybody for the symathetic sentiments

Are there any competent electricians near Sri Thep in Petchabun province?. Are there any, anywhere, who are? I can pay for travel & overnight stays in hotels.

For 2.75% over 4 months the minimum deposit is 200,000 - also just dropped yesterday to 2.65%, I opened my account today (sucks ....) Any pre-mature withdrawal will get zero on the amount withdrawn, provided it doesn't go below 200,000 at any time or the whole lot is zero. After the 1st 4 months interest drops by 1% for a further 2x3 month fixed periods, subject always to the minimum 200,000 beiing there. For immigration purposes the capital ammount is always available, but if you touch it and it drops below 200,000 you'll get zero interest. Also the BBL does a similar fixed term account at 2.75% (2.65% now I presume) for a minimum amount of 10,000 and fixed for a year. You could open several 10,000 accounts and if you need to get your hands on some of the money the drop to zero % would effectively be limited to blocks of 10,000 at a time Depends on when you expect to need money over the next few months/year

I often travel to Europe from BKK and spend many hours crusing around various web sites to get the best deal. I am completely free from restriction on when to fly or not (subject to national visa restrictions) so my conclusions may not fit everybody's circumstances. My experience has taught me several things:

1) depending on the airlines the best prices seem to be available anything from 6 - 10 weeks before departure

2) length of stay does seem to have a difference at the 1 month's duraton mark

3) check the dates of national holidays at both ends , being slightly askew from these date can find cheaper flights as everybody else flocks on to the holiday dates

4) check the currency you're being charged in is the same you pay your card in, I find card curency exchange rates are about 8% worse than inter- bank telegraphic transfer rates

5) if you do have specific dates in mind, don't repeatedly search for the correct dates when fishing for price patterns, just use them as test data to get feedback (ie prices), judge the pricing information this reveals then book with your real dates. Software records how intense are the hits on the same date.

6) business class prices tend to stay the same, it's the restricted economy prices that change the most

7) if your flight involves a transfer, you might want to book mixed cabin classes for differnt legs, you can most often get these tickets direct from the airline Or, for the brave you can book separte tickets for separate legs, but you'll get stung if caught-out in a delay. From a differnet perspective, instead of "getting stung", you could call it an unexpected, but expensive, mini City-Break holiday. I've had one of those in Amsterdam thanks to some Icelandic volcanic ash.

8) lastly, double check everything, preferably with someone else who sees what IS there and not what you think is there, before clicking the Confirm button.

Hope my experience can help others

PS do whatever you can to avoid Charles De Gaul airport

I live near Sri Thep, in the long triangle between Lopburi, Saraburi and Phetchabun. Does anybody know where I can buy a small gas/petrol powered garden rotorvator/cultivator, Also on the look-out for a power washer, I think Homepro stock them but I'm not sure if there's a Homepro near me or not Thanks in advance for any help

This company is a complete rip off. I paid 500B and every time I telephoned to the English-speaking Bangkok connection number I was charged 9B. Each time it said "all lines busy" or "no such number" or "no answer". Complete sh*te. I carefully checked my dialing never got through despite numerous attempts. As a test I internet video conferenced a mate (UK) and then Dee Dialed his mobile number, I was watching his phone not ring while Dee Dial variously told me there was busy, no such number etc etc. Total lie and total rip off. I've written off the 500B to experience Beware

Similar circumstances, bought new dish and decoder box. I have similar problem, my better half tells me that Truevisions has suspended all farang progammes from gold service for the time being. Might be lost in translation, she's technologically illiterate & I'm Thai illiterate, and I don't understand how the service works, eg why register in the first place and not just buy a card? Sorry no answer for you.