Diary of a farang in Isaan

[jor]

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

I wouldn't call the estate that you refer to as Romford. Maybe it was back then though. If I can recall, the prefab roads were named after flowers.

 

Harold Hill was/is part of Romford with a postal address Harold Hill, Romford, Essex. 

 

Yes, the roads were named after flowers - we lived in Clematis Road. 

[owl sees all]

3 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Owl, do you, or any of you other Britishers (????) remember the Ahearn skip lorries that had the monopoly in and around the area ? One of his sons was in the same class as me at school, their yard was down Crow Lane, Romford, a very wealthy family if I remember rightly, their son, Richard, I think was into banger racing, he got killed in a race, nice guy as well, shame.

Remember them well. Seem to recall something about a lad dying through motor racing.

 

I think one branch of the family was into radio broadcasting.

[owl sees all]

4 minutes ago, jor said:

 

Harold Hill was/is part of Romford with a postal address Harold Hill, Romford, Essex. 

 

Yes, the roads were named after flowers - we lived in Clematis Road. 

Not number 45 was it by any chance?

Edited November 19, 2020 by owl sees all

[Golden Triangle]

Sorry, seem to have drifted off topic, not often I can reminisce about the old days with people who were there, by the way Owl, I know of another Orient supporter just North East of Korat, that makes 2 now ????????????

[owl sees all]

Just now, owl sees all said:

Not number 45 was it?

 

6 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Sorry, seem to have drifted off topic, not often I can reminisce about the old days with people who were there, by the way Owl, I know of another Orient supporter just North East of Korat, that makes 2 now ????????????

 

Orient! How did you know that? Can't keep any secrets on here.

 

Best not to let the footy crew know.

[jor]

14 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Not number 45 was it by any chance?

 

Who are you, Owl!??? 

 

Maybe PM me. 

[Golden Triangle]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

 

 

Orient! How did you know that? Can't keep any secrets on here.

 

Best not to let the footy crew know.

You let that slip early on, then whatever his name was complained ???? And you never mentioned it since, but I REMEMBER ????

[owl sees all]

46 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

You let that slip early on, then whatever his name was complained ???? And you never mentioned it since, but I REMEMBER ????

 

I had a trial for The Orient while I still in the Army. Couldn't cut the mustard. 

 

Played for the old Enfield Town and Ford Utd. Not strong enough for the game at that level. Plently of stamina, no power.

[sotonowl]

8 hours ago, jor said:

 

Harold Hill was/is part of Romford with a postal address Harold Hill, Romford, Essex. 

 

Yes, the roads were named after flowers - we lived in Clematis Road. 

I've lived in either Sheffield or Southampton most of my life, both cities have flower estates and both flower estates are rough.

[owl sees all]

 

The rice combine harvester costs 650 baht a rai if the rice is flattened. 600 if upright. Some folks don't like the combine, picks up too many small stones, but hiring folks to harvest costs 350 baht a day per head plus lunch and booze and energy drinks.

*****

 

My reply

 

I've never seen a harvester around our parts.

You are probably right about the harvester being better value for money. It must be faster too. There is sometimes a narrow window for harvest, so having to wait for the ladies, who are busy with other farms, is not good.

 

We are gonna keep the water in the paddy until the last days before cutting. Any thoughts on this bannork?

 

*****

 

Well, well, well! After me saying that "I've never seen a harvester around our parts," Mrs Owl has informed me that the big farm just along from us is about to get one on the job. She has suggested/insisted that we use the service.

 

Our rice patch is about 1.8 rai. I think the rice is not quite ready for harvesting. She is adamant that it is. So! We are gonna go and have a look this morning. If the Mrs is right we will use the harvester when it arrives for the other farm.

 

Edited November 20, 2020 by owl sees all

[owl sees all]

Just to finish off the smashing prefab debate:

 

1951 - Harold Hill

 

 

Harold Hill had over 500 dwellings. There were also large numbers around Sheffield, The south coast towns, East London and Kent. In fact they were all over England. Some are still standing. 27,000 were constructed in just a few years; mostly between 1949 and 1953..

Edited November 20, 2020 by owl sees all
Added Harold Hill and date

[GarryP]

16 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

The rice combine harvester costs 650 baht a rai if the rice is flattened. 600 if upright. Some folks don't like the combine, picks up too many small stones, but hiring folks to harvest costs 350 baht a day per head plus lunch and booze and energy drinks.

*****

 

My reply

 

I've never seen a harvester around our parts.

You are probably right about the harvester being better value for money. It must be faster too. There is sometimes a narrow window for harvest, so having to wait for the ladies, who are busy with other farms, is not good.

 

We are gonna keep the water in the paddy until the last days before cutting. Any thoughts on this bannork?

 

*****

 

Well, well, well! After me saying that "I've never seen a harvester around our parts," Mrs Owl has informed me that the big farm just along from us is about to get one on the job. She has suggested/insisted that we use the service.

 

Our rice patch is about 1.8 rai. I think the rice is not quite ready for harvesting. She is adamant that it is. So! We are gonna go and have a look this morning. If the Mrs is right we will use the harvester when it arrives for the other farm.

 

My wife's family up in Kalasin have just had their rice harvested with a harvester. In fact they have done so for the past few years because it is both quicker and cheaper than hiring hands to do the work. For small areas which the harvester cannot get into, they do it by hand themselves.

 

This year the harvest was good but they had nowhere to store the rice as the two family rice barns were still full from last year. So they sold all their old rice, but didn't make much money from it as rice prices are very depressed. The proceeds were given to mum and dad. They only grow rice (sticky and suay) to feed the family though, it is not a commercial enterprise. 

 

Once I retire in a couple of years and move up there, I will be helping with this. I'd rather sit and fish in their large pond though.     

[owl sees all]

24 minutes ago, GarryP said:

My wife's family up in Kalasin have just had their rice harvested with a harvester. In fact they have done so for the past few years because it is both quicker and cheaper than hiring hands to do the work. For small areas which the harvester cannot get into, they do it by hand themselves.

 

This year the harvest was good but they had nowhere to store the rice as the two family rice barns were still full from last year. So they sold all their old rice, but didn't make much money from it as rice prices are very depressed. The proceeds were given to mum and dad. They only grow rice (sticky and suay) to feed the family though, it is not a commercial enterprise. 

 

Once I retire in a couple of years and move up there, I will be helping with this. I'd rather sit and fish in their large pond though.     

Prices are appaling!

 

This year is terrible for the rice farmers. Many rely on harvesting much more than they need to pay bills and debts.

 

At last check Thai rice was 8 baht a kg; sticky 6 baht. Difficult even to cover costs at those prices.

[chickenslegs]

11 hours ago, owl sees all said:

At last check Thai rice was 8 baht a kg; sticky 6 baht. Difficult even to cover costs at those prices.

I am ignorant about these matters - but didn't I read recently that the government was helping the farmers by setting a guaranteed minimum price for rice? (as was done in previous years by Thaksin and Yingluk).

 

We are not permitted to link Bangkok Post articles, but if you google "Rice price guarantees unchanged" the BP article states guaranteed prices between 10b/kg and 15b/kg (depends on variety) this year and next.

 

What am I missing?

 

[owl sees all]

10 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

I am ignorant about these matters - but didn't I read recently that the government was helping the farmers by setting a guaranteed minimum price for rice? (as was done in previous years by Thaksin and Yingluk).

 

We are not permitted to link Bangkok Post articles, but if you google "Rice price guarantees unchanged" the BP article states guaranteed prices between 10b/kg and 15b/kg (depends on variety) this year and next.

 

What am I missing?

 

Not heard this. Everyone is moaning.

 

I'll inquire.

[chickenslegs]

7 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Not heard this. Everyone is moaning.

 

I'll inquire.

Just sent you a PM with the link to the BP article.

[473geo]

21 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

I am ignorant about these matters - but didn't I read recently that the government was helping the farmers by setting a guaranteed minimum price for rice? (as was done in previous years by Thaksin and Yingluk).

 

We are not permitted to link Bangkok Post articles, but if you google "Rice price guarantees unchanged" the BP article states guaranteed prices between 10b/kg and 15b/kg (depends on variety) this year and next.

 

What am I missing?

 

 

Maybe purchases and storage through BAAC,  I think there is something along this line 10 -15 baht supported by the government in an attempt to disperse the glut that is driving prices down, people selling from the field to the millers I am hearing the same as Owl

[Kadilo]

I see a thread running re price of Rice. 
 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1193118-kalasin-farmers-overwhelmed-by-losses-as-price-of-rice-falls-to-just-bt6-per-kilo/page/2/#comments

[champers]

On 11/19/2020 at 5:25 PM, owl sees all said:

 

 

Orient! How did you know that? Can't keep any secrets on here.

 

Best not to let the footy crew know.

Some of us know already. ????

On the off-topic topic of flower estates: my mum was brought up on one in Farnworth in Bolton. It was; still is; a rough place especially for those living on Pansy Road. 

[nkg]

Just seen this thread.

 

You have the makings of a book here! Excellent writing, thank you Owl ????

[samsensam]

On 11/19/2020 at 3:04 AM, owl sees all said:

There is a funny story from Mildred's school. I'm sure they would not mind if I was to spill the beans.

 

Mildred brought home a math's book about a year ago. The section they were working on was giving examples of calculating areas of shapes. But, I notice that the formula at the top of this particular page was incorrect. For the area of a triangle, the formula was hxb multiplied by 2. But this was obviously wrong. The correct formula is hxb divided by 2. Or hxb multiplied by 1/2. I got a red felt tip and circled the error.

 

I told Mildred to show the teacher the mistake in the text book.

 

When she got home I asked her what the teacher said about the error. Teacher said; "Tell your Dad not to put marks in text books."

 

don't try to fight the system, work round it; i often help friends' children with their english schoolwork. fairly regularly they will come to me with questions or queries about mistakes in text books and/or those awful worksheets some teachers throw together, or something that the teacher has told them that is clearly incorrect. the children are usually correct and i advise them that in school go along with whatever the teacher tells them, everywhere else in their life go with what i tell them.

 

re the guitar, have you taught your daugher how to tune it, or bought a tuner? an out of tune guitar is not particularly motivating to play, or pleasant to listen to.

 

and the drawing... to be honest most of the friends' female children spend a lot of time producing that style of anime character drawing

[nkg]

18 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

 

 

re the guitar, have you taught your daugher how to tune it, or bought a tuner? an out of tune guitar is not particularly motivating to play, or pleasant to listen to.

 

 

 

I always use a tuning fork with my guitar, simple and gets the job done. No batteries to run out ????

[Odysseus123]

2 hours ago, nkg said:

 

I always use a tuning fork with my guitar, simple and gets the job done. No batteries to run out ????

I always a "splade" to tune my Stradivarius....you should hear Sibelius' violin concerto when tuned to Z flat minus.????

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, Odysseus123 said:

I always a "splade" to tune my Stradivarius....you should hear Sibelius' violin concerto when tuned to Z flat minus.????

Is anyone else having a problem posting "edited" posts?

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 hour ago, Odysseus123 said:

Is anyone else having a problem posting "edited" posts?

You have to go to the 3 dots in top right hand corner to find the edit “ button “, as before it has a time limitation ( 15/20 minutes ? ).

 

Just checked it ,worked  okay.

Edited November 21, 2020 by Andrew Dwyer

[Odysseus123]

16 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

You have to go to the 3 dots in top right hand corner to find the edit “ button “, as before it has a time limitation ( 15/20 minutes ? ).

 

Just checked it ,worked  okay.

Hi,

Hmmm..not for me..edited...produces double post (original and edit) and then-when you try to delete one or the other produces..a polished turd-all within the time frame.

 

I think it is all due to that South African fella's satellites...which have been buzzing my home of late..

"I know this much is true.."????

[chickenslegs]

7 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Hi,

Hmmm..not for me..edited...produces double post (original and edit) and then-when you try to delete one or the other produces..a polished turd-all within the time frame.

 

I think it is all due to that South African fella's satellites...which have been buzzing my home of late..

"I know this much is true.."????

Possibly a glitch in the Matrix.

[quake]

15 hours ago, nkg said:

 

I always use a tuning fork with my guitar, simple and gets the job done. No batteries to run out ????

smart phone apps are very good now days for tuning.

using a tuning fork requires some skill, you don't have that when you first start. 

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by quake

[FarFlungFalang]

21 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

I am ignorant about these matters - but didn't I read recently that the government was helping the farmers by setting a guaranteed minimum price for rice? (as was done in previous years by Thaksin and Yingluk).

 

We are not permitted to link Bangkok Post articles, but if you google "Rice price guarantees unchanged" the BP article states guaranteed prices between 10b/kg and 15b/kg (depends on variety) this year and next.

 

What am I missing?

 

What you missed was their lips moving that's how you tell they're lying!

[Odysseus123]

4 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Possibly a glitch in the Matrix.

Anything's possible..but I reported the problem some time ago..

 

You will just have to put up with some hairy posts for the time being and,if it is in actual fact the Matrix, it is comforting to know that we are all in it together-altho' I have never known a "chickenslegs" before....

 

Why the plural?One chicken not enough?