nidnoyham

It is already growing rice. Her sister is using it. In the last 6 months, she has paid off all her bank loan. I want Si to take over the growing. Either that or hope the factory alongside wants to expand. It has roads on three sides with our field being the only open area to expand. Unless they relocate a road I suppose. The 35k bht, I assume, would be for the seed, fertilizer, and a cultivator to turn over the soil. I don't think it includes the Comb' Harvester for the finished article. This still sounds a bit pang to me for 8 rai. Is it becoz I is white ?

Thanks Joe, The irony is, our bit of land is next to a fertilizer factory. Perhaps a 'hole in the' wall job is in order.She could alway get a job there .....

Anyone have any idea how much the outlay is prior to growing rice ? I have been quoted 35,000bht to seed, fertilize and prepare 8 rie for a crop. This seems a bit excessive to me.

I just know my daughter would call me when:- A. I am trying to sleep. B. When I am eating. C. When I am on the bog. D When I am watching a film. Just like she manages to do every week when I'm at home.

packhike' If you get those tomatoes to grow to a good size, you could have a few customers for them on this forum.

So Tom, the under 50 rule applies and the Sunami was a one off !

Good job you didn't have to count your money today Alan, or you'd still be in the old condo.

come on then Gary, get that little hat on and get stuck in. Bend down and think of Thailand. Have you got your own rotivator for preparing the ground ? How much is it to hire a combined harvester ? I might get into this farming lark while I'm still young.

Rice, has gone up to 10,000bht per tonne, from 6,000 last year. Could this be the new oil ? countries like P.I. and Indonesia are looking for guarantees of supply by Thailand and Vietnam. Trade agreements are being negotiated to keep the rice flowing to their warehouses. The shortage is coming from the trend towards non food crops.

Carry on Girls Set in a seaside town with Bab's having a fight with that big chested girl over a stolen bikini. I think a donkey was involved too. They don't make 'em like that anymore !

Camping ! Followed by, Abroad, Screaming and Up the Jungle.

My local council now has a policy where you go along to the offices to queue up to make an appointment for another day. Whereas before, you just walked in and waited to see someone. They believe, you going there twice, gives a more efficient service.

Yeah, God must really likes the working class, look at how many of us he made ! He must really hate money, look at the arseholes he gives it to.

Thanks Owen -JS.- Joe.... We too had tax relief in the UK, paid on mortgage interest and on insurance premiums to finance a mortgage. My first mortgage in 1979 had both tax concessions, Mr Brown soon stopped them. I wanted to compare the Usery to Sub Prime to illustrate Owen's comment about 'nothing new in the world.' Usery may be illegal Joe, but so is prostitution in Thailand. As far as the C.Cards go, that is outrageous profiteering, I get an offer for one through the post every week. Bank rate 5.5%, interest on C.Card 19.9% +. Not a bad mark up. No I didn't read about Muslim banks in some rag recently, it was an article in The times some while back about two Muslim banks opening branches in the UK to cater for Muslim house buyers who were uncomfortable dealing with our banks ( at least we have that in common ! ) So basically, the banks in America, were handing out mortgages while rates were low to people who were a bit ' iffy', knowing that they would get a higher return on these mortgages, plus if the Joe Schmo couldn't keep up the payments, they would then reclaim a house worth more than the initial outlay. They then sold these high interest deals in blocks of hundreds or thousands at a time, in packages to other banks. When interest rates rose, too many people bailed out causing a crash on property. the money stopped coming in on the loans and the houses were worth less than the original outlay. I have never been happy with people using houses-homes, to make large sums of money. Luxury items are fare game, but a home is not a luxury, it is a basic need for all.... man , beast and bird. It's just a pity this mess could not be restricted to the Banks alone. It would appear some are making a killing on buying others at a knock down price. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Owen, you can probably put me right if I have it wrong, but isn't 'Sub - Prime Lending', just modern jargon for old fashioned Usery ? Edward 1st ( the bad guy in the film Braveheart ) outlawed it in England over 750 years ago. The charging of huge interest on loans to poor people was considered to be a bad thing even then. Ironically, if Muslims were in charge of the wests banking system today, their religion forbids interest being charged to the poor. They must be having a right chuckle to themselves about the present situation. Pure greed has bought this about, lending money at high rates of interest to people who can ill afford to pay them. It was OK when rates were historically low. Then the rates increased and people lost their homes. Whoever runs these huge banks, creating these 'Sub Prime Lending' policies, need their arses kicking. O.K put me right, but do it gently.

Was watching a financial expert discussing the dollar's demise against other currencies. He said the GBP will not be able to hold it's value, due to our economy being so similar to the US. I wasn't sure what he meant, but having read your post, it has become a bit clearer. Our most famous prestigious cars are now all foreign owned, same as our airports, water companies..... Anyone with a history stretching back more than 30 years, can feel justifiably betrayed by present politicians. Recent arrivals must think our politicians are great - all that equality handed out in the work place and benefit wise- all within a few decades. You haven't paid into the system ? No problem, as long as you work cheaply, it will be fine. The indigenous population had to struggle for centuries to get the working conditions we/ they enjoy today. How does that song go ? " All in all, you're just another brick in the wall ! "

It is reported in the Evening Standard that there are plans for a future charge to cars entering LHR central area to drop off passengers of £20, plus £20 per day parking. If people stop driving in to drop off, how will public transport cope ? The bus station is already one of the busiest in the country. On top of this, a congestion charge of £3 for lorries using roads around the airport, including the M4 This to pay for a 6th terminal and 3rd runway. Landing charges are to increase by 20% over the next few years. LHR is already one of if not the most expensive airports to operate in. Let's think about this, the BAA is now Spanish owned and Spain's national carrier Iberia has gone broke. Is there a connection ? It don't look good for B.A.'s business.

You don't drink a lot of Coca- cola ? Even though it is displayed in almost every American film made ? Along with Bud' beer, Burger King....... You're not playing the game old chap- go out and buy a Coke right now.

Si keeps mentioning the large area of land that is now under sea water near BKK. I suppose Koh Lahn was joined to the mainland once. I hope they move the capital to the Pitchet area, that bit of land we bought will be worth a few bob then. Just monitor where Mr T starts to buy up rice fields.

Just spoke to my mate, thinks the taxi from Pat' to HH was 2500bht. Taxis are cheaper from HH than Pat'. he only went to BKK from HH. Don't know how much he paid. cheers.

My mates went by taxi, if there are a few of you, it would be the best way.

Arrived in Hua Hin after dark. I won't go into why, it's a Thai thing. It was Saturday night and it was heaving with people. Tried to get to the beach area but all the sois are tiny, like between Beach and 2nd road. finally ended up in a dead end that had a hotel. The guard told us it was full. An old bloke wearing a plastic crash helmet with a towel underneath -foreign Legion style, told us he knew a hotel for 1000 bht, but we had to give him 50bht for showing us where it was. After 7hours of driving and half an hour around Hua Hin, I agreed. I expected him to get in our pick up, but he jumped on his rickshaw bike, for me to follow. He must have been 70 if a day and had to stand on the pedals to get it going. after crawling along the dual carriage way with him in the outside lane at 5mph, we turned right into a narrow soi. Went into the hotel, where the owner took one look at me and said " One thousand two hundred baht ! " I was in mood to argue. the room was a dump, I went out and got pissed at the nearest bar. Next day we drove around in the daylight, it was so much easier on the nerves. anyway found a nice hotel-800 bht, a few minutes walk from the beach- pool, restaurant and newly refurbished- nice ! It is called Subhamitra Hotel, Amnuaysin Rd Huahin. Tel. (032) 511208 / 511487.

Didn't the trades description act, stop them printing " Made from iron girders " on the bottles ?

Another reminder to those about to retire to LOS. Some things you can't plan for, are the exchange rates of your domestic currency to the Baht.

If you are paying the bill, don't use your UK sim card. It would be cheaper to buy an old Nokia 3100 or such. I got one here for £20. when you buy it tell them you want it unlocked. Go to LOS, you can get a sim for 50-90 bht. it will save a fortune. If you have mates with a Thai phone, they will not appreciate you calling them with a UK card in yours, it will drain their credit.