Does anyone use or know if these are locally available in the Chiang mai area?  I used them when living in Florida and they are incredible and so easy for a newbie like myself.  Thanks!

All this time I was under the mistaken impression they were for lazy gardeners...I never considered the newbie angle! ???? Having been bought up with dirt under My fingernails I guess I am also set in my ways. ????

We Aussies call them wicking beds. Has anyone built and used them here? 

It's probably cheaper to fill long planting box that doesn't have holes with gravel about how much water you'd want then add the soil on top, rather than to get a dedicated self watering type planter

 

Ikea does have some big self watering pots, but in a circular shape though

 

I think for newbies, you could sill over water and end up with soggy rotten roots with this type of box

No you cant over water a wicking bed. It will only hold the design level of water or less. What happens above the "fill" level is the trick.