BB1955

If your coming to Chiang Mai . Avoid the over night train at all costs . Its a bumpy boring 17 hour trip . Even with a airconditioned sleeper it gets a little boring during the waking hours ... The wife and I did this once coming from Bangkok . Would never do it again .... Thai Orient or Air Asia is your best bet or even the overnight bus from Bangkok. But avoid the train if possible .

There are many great things to see and do here in Chiang Mai , could easly keep you busy and amused for two weeks ... As far as renting a motor bike ,, do so at your own risk . Much better to take a taxi or tuk tuk or Red or Yellow truck

As the OP I'm very grateful for all your help - I'm now 'Wised-up'

At immigration I usually show my Thai drivers licence as proof of where I live. This has always been fine.

How does one get a yellow book?

You need to go to your local Amphur office, where Thais get their Blue House Registration Books, as you probably guessed. Take your passport with copies of relevant things like personal details and visa. You'll need to get a letter from Immigration to prove you're here on a long term basis(which they count as a year); you won't get one on a Tourist Visa. Also, proof of residence at the relevant address eg rental agreement.

You will also need to furnish two people who work for the government to go with you to verifie you are who you are and where you live ...

Pizza here in CM is hit and miss and pricey ...... I ll make my own sooner or later I'll get it right

Boring

If I win it I ll donate it to charity . I already have a nice motor bike ..555

When we lived in the USA we had the 5 day rule the fifth day start packing . Here in Thailand same thing . Problem here is they never tell you when there coming and when they plan on leaving .... Had one guest show up in toat of three more people we diidnt know and two dogs . Needless to say we were not happy campers . This last year she called to come visit , sorry we are busy that week ... Let us know when you get here we 'll break free one afternoon and have dinner ...

He is lucky it could have been much worse . She probably was not schooled well on the proper way to fleece a farrang ....

I know that you can no longer get on the 30 baht plan . I tried last month and they said it was closed to foreigners married to Thai s . If you are currently on it I doubt you will be dropped though ...

I used these guys to check my house before i signed contract: http://www.checkcon.com/

You are a life saver.... I will be calling these guys right away!

Need to check that the workers, contractors and suppliers have been paid. Get the names and phones of the electrician, plumbing workers (hesitate to call the local yokels plumbers), a/c installer (you will need such unless buying a/c from Power Buy or similar and get their installation). Verify the plumbing and sewage disposals. Your biggest hair-pulling concern will be getting reliable workers, so make sure you have those lined up. Wall construction will be a major consideration also the iron work for the gate and any fencing. The windows and doors can be bought ready-made or built to order by a joinery shop, but will have to have the hinges and locks installed. Flooring will be a big item, and tilesetting for the showers and any floors/walls is very easy to bugger up so get a good tilesetter (my last one cost 100 baht/sq meter, very good work).

If you do it then can actually be good fun, but make sure you do thorough inspection every day while the workers are there. Don't get in the way but let them know you are watching.

Thanks, I will definitely be using this list whenever the construction resumes! I will probably be going with the English speaking construction mgr that my friend, the original house owner, hired. While it will be his job to delegate the work, I intend to be there 'over looking' the work, but out of the way.

On my house I was there everyday checked everything ,, still a few snaffoos you wont catch them all ...

Like pulling a strand of spaghetti from a big plate covered in sauce, you don't know how long it is til you find the end of it. There is much that can bite you. Do your self a favor and have the building and foundation inspected by an expat architect or construction manager.

Having the building and foundation inspected sounds like an excellent suggestion and a good place to start! What other steps can I take to help determine the build quality of the house and also to reaffirm that its paperwork is in good standing?

I would make sure that all the paper work can be transfered to another owner .........

I have looked at alarm systems here and was not very impressed . What I found was a decent system that would cover a normal size house would be around 30 to 40 thousand baht ..... But Im still looking ....

At least they got a single entry.

They could get about 5 months out of the visa by getting a 60 day extension to visit their wife. During that time they could try and put 400K in the bank or if they can meet the income requirement of 40K baht and then apply for an extension of stay.

Or make a trip to Savannakhet for their multiple entries with no financial proof needed at the moment.

As a farang married to a farang I have to show either 800,000 in the bank or a monthly pension of 65,000 per month I never understand why it is much less if you are married to a Thai all those who I know married to Thai's moan that there wives cost them a fortune as they are very spendthrift that is not the case with my wife I would love to know who came up with such an idea that farang wives must cost more than a Thai wife !!!!!!!!

Welcome to Thailand

A morning aftermath from a previous year.

PICT0140.jpg

Wow I dont feel so bad now ... I ve got them inside theres no way to stop the little buggers

I d personally like to see a Hardies !!! Or Wendys best frosties ever ...

To my knowledge there is no requirement to be married to a Thai in order to get the yellow book. Recently in Chiang Rai I saw afarang man and his farang wife get issued their yellow books.

This is true you just have to be a renter and in the country legally

Why not get a yellow book? Makes life a lot easier.

Interesting you should say that. My wife and I went to the Hang Dong Amphur office last Friday and enquired re the obtaining of the "Yellow book". The head guy,after making us wait for a while while he read the paper, made it abundantly clear he would make us jump over many hurdles including having to cajole the head man at our village,plus another person to accompany us and act as a witness. We have lived, as a married couple, at our address for 5 years and we own the house.He continually asked "why you want? " My wife spent several minutes explaining why and he just blanked us.I know it was relativly easy a while ago but I'm not the only one that has had this recent experience at Hang Dong.Maybe its an easier process at other offices.

We just finished one a few months ago at Hang Dong and yes had to jump through all those hoops . Its best to deal with the girl at the counter then she will send you to him once you have your witnesses one leader of the village and another any government employee ... Once thats done you come back in about two weeks to get your book and sign it ..... I gave both my witness's 500 baht . I bought some fruit for the girl behind the counter she was very nice to us ......

I laid about 500 sqm of grass its the finer bladed grass . 10 cm of soil underneath some squares took well and grow tall others are not I have a few brown patches as well . I watered it everyday for about three weeks now Im down to about every three days . Its been down now for three months and will get its first cut tommorow . What can I do with the patches that are not growing well I can see they have not died they are very green but there not taking off like some of the others . What fertilizer can I use . Also do they make a weed and feed like we use to have back home . I do have an abundance of crab grass , I have picked most of it but comes back as fast as I pull it up ... Any help I am in CM ...

I just laid 500 sm of the finer bladed grass I paid 25 baht per meter delivered ... Lots of water first three weeks some patches of brown but seems to be doing pretty well .... There are a couple of places on the road to Night Safari that will deliver and also lay it for you ....

Did my 90 day report on the 17th . Took about 2 hours ... Place was a mad house but none the less when you go you really dont know what to expect . I always plan to spend the entire day ...

The only way I have found to keep my weight in check is to ride my bike everyday 40k . If I stop riding it comes right back..... Usually takes me a couple of months to get it back to where it should be ....

2010 I brought a dog in from the USA took her as carry on had no issues clearing aggriculture paid 1000 baht to customs and got a receipt . No big deal easy and fast ....

If you live near Hang Dong Hospital its probably a bar thats opened in the village just south of the hospital . I hear it sometimes at night but usually for just short amounts of time .

Dukes hands down !!!!

why don't one if you unfortunates start a new topic where you can post the pictures of the the women who have r[pped you off.

or just stick to the topic's photos.

Here's the onion farmer and his half a million dollars fiancee during happier times.

Malcolm McCurley and Boontip Choochuay.

http://www.thailand-tip.com/nachrichten/news/sind-brautpreise-in-millionenhoehe-und-betruegereien-an-der-tagesordnung/

No doubt he was scammed and he d better get his eyes checked at the same time. Moral to live by if you play the game in Thailand ... Never invest what you are not willing to loose......

My guess is there is alot more money where that came from ...Seen the price of onions from Auz ???????

Still feel sorry for the broken hearted Lad ...