asiapt

ANYONE interested in buying Krugerands FULL or HALF at 5% below SPOT

I am in Maha Sarakham area and have no intention of flying out of the country. 

Looking to convert them to Thai gold as easier to buy and sell.

However, anyone that travels to Europe the USA or even Singapore can sell these at SPOT. 

Here in Thailand they are simply not interested and offer stupid money

Contact me if interested.

I have tried all the various companies / gold shops in this thread and NONE are willing to pay the SPOT on Krugerands... I am looking to sell (so as to convert to Thai gold) as I live here permanently and will not be flying anywhere in the near future. 

ANYONE interested in buying krugerands FULL or HALF at 5% below SPOT - Contact me.

I am in Maha Sarakham area.

Have sent you a private message.

Thanks for that... I'll give them a call then take a day out and drive down if it sounds positive.

But I've also heard of farangs getting spot rates at certain gold shops. I'm simply asking if anyone knows of any gold shops that are fair and honest... They are with Thai gold.

Anybody know where I can sell some Gold coins in Thailand...?

Preferably in Khon Kaen or Maha Sarakham areas

Most gold shops don't want to know unless it's Thai gold or they are offering ridiculous 25% below current rates.

21 hours ago, FrequentStops said:

Hi, did you find a van for your trip? If not I can DM you contact info for a service we used for a Savannaket run from Maha Sarakham.

I would appreciate that thanks.

Looking for a nice minivan with a driver for two or three day trips. Main specifification is they allow travel with a dog. 

I believe we also have a contactor as there is a separate electrical control box and it has this magnetic contact switch. We replaced that first (800 baht)  but still the same issue. We have a filter and pump combo also from Emaux so I am sure the components are all compatible. The engineer said the problem is that the SCC15 box is not sending the current to the magnetic switch to turn on the pump. If i press the black button on the front of the magnetic switch... it turns on the pump but one has to keep it pushed in with your finger. 

Thanks for your feed back.

Does anyone else have the same issues as me with the Emaux salt water Chlorinator. I have had two now and they only seem to last for a year before something happens inside the control unit and the option as are to sen it back to Bangkok for repair or do a bypass solution to rectify. 1st time was after 1.5 years and it was something to do with the timer so our pool engineer installed a separate time and electric box. Then we had a problem with the filter splitting and leaking (found out it was a cheap unbranded filter from China) so had another pool installer (who shall not be named as he also ripped us off with over charging for another issue already discussed on this forum) come and install a complete new system. New Emaux filter, pump and Chlorinator.

Worked perfectly till last week and then the pump would not come on at all. 

Only 14 months later Now the unit does not switch the pump on! Our pool engineer came out last night and again he says the issue is in the new Emaux SSC15 box again. 

He had to by pass the unit so we could switch on the pump manually.

The unit does look like it is producing chlorine from the cell but there is still an issue in the box so looks like I will have to send it to Bangkok for repair.

However, the reason for this post is to find out if anyone else has had issues with the Emaux SSC15 ?

I am being told now they they are not good and only last 1 - 2 years - and they are not cheap !!!

We had a 8m x 4.5m fiberglass ****** installed by company 3 years ago - Maha Sarakham at a cost of 490,000 baht. All was great for the first 2 years then the filter started leaking, (they should last for 7 - 10 years) The timer stopped working on the salt water chlorinator but the biggest problem was finding a company or individual to do the maintenance as we travel back and forth from the UK a couple of times a year. Our installer was not interested in any follow up or maintenance and simply referred us the the supplier of the pool and equipment ******** in Rayong. They were quite helpful on the phone and via email but the filter we were supplied with was a cheap Chinese filter when we assumed we were getting an Emaux filter like the salt water chlorinatior.

The leak on the filter became very serious and all attempts at repairs were useless. (It had split at the neck where the molding joined together and water was seriously squirting out under the pressure) So we had no choice but to get a new filter. We eventually found a ************** that was owned and run by an English guy "**********" who at first was very helpful, and we felt we could trust him being from our own country... we paid a for an inspection visit and was told to our amazement - our swimming pool system was complete rubbish and electrically not safe, so quoted us for a complete new system (Emaux Filter, Salt water Chlorinator and pump).

We decided to go ahead with the new system being installed as we live most of the time in the UK and wanted ************* to also maintain the pool.

What a nightmare... firstly we were over charged by a mistake on the invoice (admitted by the finance dept) to the tune of about £280. After several emails and waiting for the refund, we eventually made a credit card claim of which we won and were refunded the excess charges. Then the nightmare really began... We were told that any future call out fee would be 10,000 baht + whatever for repairs or maintenance issues! (Other independent contractors charge 2000 Baht for a call out) Then because they had to give us a refund, they turned up one day pretending to do an installation check and STOLE back all the tubs of pool chemicals that were supplied with the pool instillation.

When we went to Thailand in May 2016 and saw the new filter, it looked half the size of our original filter. On checking our pool volume (liters) we found that the filter they installed is too small for the size of pool ! It works for now but is nowhere near as powerful as the last system and can hardly even suck up any debris with the pool vacuum - simply has no power.

So now we have seriously fallen out with the latest company and in effect have no guarantees again as a 10,000 baht call out fee is absolutely ridiculous.

So my advice would be to make sure you chose a local and reputable company that will give you the follow up service you need and don't go for the cheapest option. Try to talk to existing customers from the company you choose to do the installation and get some independent testimonials.

Hope this helps

Message me if you require any more details.

The Grape vine run by Nick,has a pool table and good company on a Friday night and good pizza

Where is the Grapevine in Maha Sarakham?

So there must be 100's of expats in the Maha sarakham area... Where else do they meet up?

I was in the BB bar last week and chatting with Garth and his wife... fantastic place and very friendly.

Does anyone know of a Hotel with a swimming pool in Maha Sarakham ?

I have heard the Taksila Hotel now has a pool but when I went to look it was like an Olympic swimming pool and not that appealing.

There must be a few others around surely...

The size is very acceptable 8 x 4.5 mtrs and does not seem smaller when in the pool. The depth is 1.8 metres at the deep end and the pool does not have angled sides.

Would not do anything differently and am very happy with everything.

HERE IS A SHOT FROM IN THE POOL

From the far side overview

I am back in the UK now so cannot tell you the make of the pump and chlorinator etc. but the lights were about extra (5 or 10 k I think) pump, jets, pool surround 18 inches wide around the whole pool, cleaning brush and vacuum was all included. Extras we paid for separately were the ladder and the pool pump housing and the extra concreting we did.

I have just had a 8 x 4.5 mtr fiberglass salt water chlorinater pool in Maha Sarakham... 600,000 Baht Finished

Used an Australian guy based near Bangkok (has a Thai company) and his team to do it and surprisingly (for Thailand) it all went to plan and was installed in 3 days! and the concrete surround and sand wash was completed with the week. Message me for his name and details. Here is a picture http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l243/asiapt/20140424_091824_zpsdfc6f23c.jpg

Trying to contact Bob Thompson of Splash pools but no emails answered and phone line seems dead!

Anyone know if they are still in business - based in Rayong I believe.

Having been through the process both Thai side and here in the UK, I can say that I am often baffled by the problems some folk face whilst going through the process. Maybe I was lucky when doing the settlement visa on the Thai side because it only took 3 days, and maybe I was extremely lucky on the UK side getting my wife through the permanent residency side as well as it only took 6 weeks...

Perhaps, just perhaps, the poster hasn't told us the full facts and as a consequence his application has been rejected. From the 20 or so Thai / UK relationships I know where I live, only one here in the UK has had their settlement bounced and that was because he was a 65 year old man marrying a 30 year old pratum 6 uneducated wench from some massage parlour that he married and brought back to the UK after knowing her for a whopping 6 days. But hey, who am I to suggest that the UK immigration folk maybe, just perhaps, are doing the job properly and keeping those who are slightly suspicious away from our shores....

I have told the full facts, and I have been seeing my girlfriend (aged 39) for 2 years!! I am 53 yrs and been to Thailand 4 times and her to the UK once. I am just as stunned at the decision as she is a really nice honest and well educated Thai girl. has a house, car and good job... But it seems like my papers were not good enough, not hers... It has now been another 7 weeks since the refusal, no news of any decision being overturned... We are both so frustrated and despondent at the system.. I am now going to try the agency route (another B50,000 + B32,000 application fee) and cancel the appeal as I have found that it's going to take at least another 8 months and still may get refused.

Cont...

This is not the first time I have had to go through this process as this is my 3rd marriage. The first was to a Thai 14 yrs ago (another refusal that took over a year to sort out and a real nightmare story in itself, 2 refusals then an appeal and cost me many £1000's in solicitors fees). We won in the end and that was a good marriage that lasted 7 years. Then I married a Filippino and we were together for 5 years. No problems with that application, she had an interview (with virtually all the same info and documents I submitted this time) and she was granted a visa within 15-30 mins... I was stunned at how short the interview was.

Before I get any comments about why my previous marriages ended, they just did, just the same as any western marriage ends. The first (Thai) had a casino and gambling problem that got out of hand. The second (Filipino) had an affair with her driving instructor!!!! So I finished with her and told her to go live with him... and thats where she is now (with his baby and very unhappy and regretfull but too late now).

This is what really gets my back up.....

There is an agency right next door to the UK visa office in Bangkok and they hassel every girl / couple that goes to the UKvisa office to use their (Thai agency) services. They charge about 100,000 baht but guarantee that she gets the visa. A girl that was applying at the same time as my girlfriend (who was an obvious bar girl with no real job etc.) Got her visa with no interview and many of her papers had been (arranged / supplied) by the agency.... Yet my girlfriend with all genuine papers, good job (works for the Thai government), own house and car etc. gets refused!!!!

That girl is now in London... she got the visa illegally and admitted to my girlfriend that it was easy... just pay 100,000 baht and they sort out all the paperwork... She phoned her from London to ask why she did not get hers!!!

If all these rules are supposed to stop this kind of thing happening, then why is a THAI AGENCY opperating right next door to the UK visa office...

Two further points.

1) What exactly do you think illegall immigrants get from the government, other than a free trip home if they're caught?

2) Very few members of the general public feel any sort of stress or frustration over immigration as very few of them ever have anything to do with sponsoring an immigrant.

re point1: I have no idea what they get from the government... but you don't see 1000's of the illegals on the streets, and I can't imagine they all are finding work with no NI numbers etc. I can only assume they say the magic word ASYLUM and they then get the benefits and housing and all the things I CANNOT GET, even though I have never claimed any benifits and have always paid my taxes....

re point 2: How can you state "very few memebrs of the public" The whole county is angry and annoyed with the current immigration situation, they are all suffering from the open door labour policy ofletting millions into the UK..... True they don't suffer like us who are trying to sponsor someone but they are ALL suffering from the mass immigration effects..

Anyway these two points are beside point of my initial posting.... Sounds like your actually employed by the home Office the way you stand up for their rules and policies!!!

My refusal was because of not enough evidence re the accommodation. I live with my elderly mother (84) in a large 3 bed semi which has no mortgage or loans and I do not have a rental aggreement. All I sent in with my fiancees initial application was a letter stating the above signed by my mother the owner of the house. Which I see now as inadequate evidence.

The house has more than enough space, so I can only assume that the ECO did not beleive the letter, ( I cannot quote the exact reason as I do not have the refusal notice at hand right now) How can I send a mortgage or rental aggreement when none are needed or exist!! I have since obtained a letter from the soliciter holding the deeds and took photos of the house, etc. and submitted with the appeal.

Two further points.

1) What exactly do you think illegall immigrants get from the government, other than a free trip home if they're caught?

2) Very few members of the general public feel any sort of stress or frustration over immigration as very few of them ever have anything to do with sponsoring an immigrant.

re point1: I have no idea what they get from the government... but you don't see 1000's of the illegals on the streets, and I can't imagine they all are finding work with no NI numbers etc. I can only assume they say the magic word ASYLUM and they then get the benefits and housing and all the things I CANNOT GET, even though I have never claimed any benifits and have always paid my taxes....

re point 2: How can you state "very few memebrs of the public" The whole county is angry and annoyed with the current immigration situation, they are all suffering from the open door labour policy ofletting millions into the UK..... True they don't suffer like us who are trying to sponsor someone but they are ALL suffering from the mass immigration effects..

Anyway these two points are beside point of my initial posting.... Sounds like your actually employed by the home Office the way you stand up for their rules and policies!!!

My refusal was because of not enough evidence re the accommodation. I live with my elderly mother (84) in a large 3 bed semi which has no mortgage or loans and I do not have a rental aggreement. All I sent in with my fiancees initial application was a letter stating the above signed by my mother the owner of the house. Which I see now as inadequate evidence.

The house has more than enough space, so I can only assume that the ECO did not beleive the letter, ( I cannot quote the exact reason as I do not have the refusal notice at hand right now) How can I send a mortgage or rental aggreement when none are needed or exist!! I have since obtained a letter from the soliciter holding the deeds and took photos of the house, etc. and submitted with the appeal.

We pay over £600 for the settlement application.... massive rip off

and then have to wait 12 weeks for the appointment / decision...

The refusal comes back (standard copy and paste wording) like... lack of

evidence of the accommodation and the ECO saying "they did not think it

is spacious enough" even though it was a large 3 bed semi with only 2 people living in it!

Then... when you gather up the evidence they need and jump on a plane to

Bangkok to submit it hoping the decision will be overturned when they see the new evidence...

But no...... We British citizens and taxpayers who are paying Home Office Staff

their wages and only want to get on with our lives and live with our wives in the UK.....

They arrogantly give you a letter saying that ... they will look at the evidence

in 16 weeks and if it is still no good, the case goes to appeal in the UK

where there will be another 6 month wait.

and they are supposed to be Public servants....

I know they have a hard job to do but for £600+ we should at least get some

sort of fair play and timely decisions surely! How many of us guys are being made

to wait and wait and wait and be punished for what.....?

There are 100's of illegals being let into the UK everyday... what is going on...

We pay massive fees and try to do it the right way and we get punished and they

(illegal immigrants) get everything..

Has the home office gone mad? or do thay have a more sinister agenda that is really

about causing as much frustration and stress as possible for THE GENERAL PUBLIC

with mass immigration etc. so they can bring in more and more control and taxes

and limited freedom of movement etc.

My question to the forum is

Does anyone know a way to get the VISA section to look at the extra evidence

submitted without having to wait ANOTHER 16 weeks?