Thread: BD dream getting there

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Originally Posted by bankao dreamer

It has gone up to 7 trees now so the Wife said to the land owner we have to pay you something, Oh 7 trees !!! errm 200 Baht will do

Trees are good, I'd fit as many in your space as suits the area. Make sure you don't put a mango tree too close to anywhere you wanna sit; those protective little mango tree ants will eat you alive!

Are those the big orange-reddish ones that really stick to your skin?

Oecophylla smaragdina (common names include weaver ant, green ant, green tree ant, and orange gaster) is a species of arboreal ant found in Asia and Australia. They make nests in trees made of leaves stitched together using the silk produced by their larvae.
Weaver ants may be red or green.
Oecophylla smaragdina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



This ant link is quite interesting.

http://www.thaipulse.com/blog/thai-w...s-in-thailand/

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

This ant link is quite interesting.

http://www.thaipulse.com/blog/thai-w...s-in-thailand/

I enjoyed that, a very amusing read. The guy writes really well.

Good find Betty...

Now back to the shop/restaurant/bar

Don't do it Nai you have your whole life before you.



What do you need a raise for ? that looks high enough.

200 or so Baht a truck for soil, another 200 Baht for 7 trees, 500 Baht for a crane truck for a few hours - I moved to the wrong part of Thailand

Love the tree-lined drive BD. It'll look great when they've done whatever it's called when trees grow - branched out I guess.

I get the distinct feeling you have plans for the garden, besides the turtle paving...?

Keep the pics coming.

Thanks Roobarb
We have had a few bargains recently. The trees were a gift from a family friend who only accepted the 200 Baht begrudgingly, my big surprise was the crane lorry. We asked a couple of people with said vehicles and they were unwilling to drive over rice fields. We popped into the builders yard where we bought a lot of materials from and we know they have such a vehicle, my wife asked them if they would be willing to let us hire it to move the trees. The Chinese lady owner said because its you yes we don't normally rent it out. I thought ooh here we go pang. She said how much do you want to pay ? My wife said 500 Baht thinking the owner would laugh but she said ok you can have it now and take 2 of my workers they are not busy at the moment.

All to often we hear or read about Falangs being ripped off so when we are on the receiving end of such generosity and helpfulness I think we should all let everyone know.

Now as to the landscaping plans

We haven't got any we are making it up as we go along. We walked around the land saying would a tree look ok here ? erm yeah why not lets dig a hole here then. Go with the flow bend a little and you never know it may look good in the end

Originally Posted by bankao dreamer

Now as to the landscaping plans
We haven't got any we are making it up as we go along

I believe in this single statement you have highlighted the secret to successful living in Thailand....

If you try to go through life here with a detailed plan and set your expectations too high you are just setting yourself up for disappointments.

I'm on the scrounge for free trees too. The land we are on had some beautiful trees on it a few years ago, but the previous owners cut them all down for reasons that totally escape me. They are now vandalizing another piece of land they own and have just had a big backhoe demolishing the place, including some lovely big trees. Give a Thai a decent sized chainsaw, or better yet, a backhoe, and they could wipe out the Amazon rain forest in a few weeks. Canada won't allow them to migrate there because of the potential destruction of the Boreal forests......

You seem to be doing rather well at your place.....free trees by Gad......I suppose next you will be having free fish for the pond.....free geese to guard the place....

^ It's all beginning to make sense now BD:

Cheap soil - 'fell off the back of a lorry' (come on, try and deny it)
Trees - removed from the neighbour's field with the help of a family friend (to whom you slipped 200 Baht for his efforts)
Earthenware pots - 'off the back of another lorry guv, honest to god, travellers this time, shifty looking bunch, no idea where they went afterwards'...

I bet I was right all along about Betty having to build a smaller house because someone's nicked half his bricks. Look, you've even nicked his house design for your restaurant...



Joking apart, it's great progress you're making BD. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

^^^^

Bugger you've got me bang to rights you have guvner Ill come quietly and here is me finkin I could get away with it.

Tiling nearly done on the pond next the seating bit.

Still no free fish.

Splitlid better check his pool's still there...

Tell you what though BD, forget the fish:



Stick a little table in there to put the beers on. It's ideal.

My Dear Roobarb we seem to have an uncanny gift for thinking alike. When the hot season kicks in I may evict the fish to the Thai pond in front of the house. In fact the more I look at it !!!!!! fish habitat ? hot falang with a cold one habitat ?

Splitlids pool what a terrible thought !!!

Originally Posted by bankao dreamer

fish habitat ? hot falang with a cold one habitat ?

You'll need a few fish to keep the mozzie population down, or just add loads of chlorine.



Does look vaguely familiar...

Did you mention before it was going to be a little restaurant? Is it too early to put in an order of KaoPadMoo?

Betty
The fish may not be allowed in after Roobarbs suggestion, Chlorine ? will a cup full of rice whiskey do the same ?
KaoPadMoo as much as you can eat my friend.

^very kind of you, Sir, very kind indeed. I do hope, in a while, not sure how long that while will be, to have a little road trip around Thailand and visit a couple of these lovely builds along the way.

It is a nice idea to have a pool under the sala. I see potential for some fun too:

I think I may need slightly bigger pipe !!!!

Originally Posted by bankao dreamer

I think I may need slightly bigger pipe !!!!

I am sorry to hear that.
If it will make you feel any better it's not the size of the pipe but the way you use it.

Great thread BD, love the idea of using the portable houses! Hope to start a new construction thread of my own very soon.

^^^^
Thank you and welcome to the Forum.

I look forward to following it Fatone, any idea what style of home you will be building ?

You're moving in the right direction, BD, and your basic plan is sound...

Where did you buy those pots for that price, BD? My g/f from in beween Surin & Buri Ram wants to buy a few fish type pot thingies for her Mama's home so Jnr No 2 can have fish to play with.

Hopefully you are somewhere in the area. We were thinking 1 K bht for one itty bitty wide mouth fish pot. That price for those numbers sound like the duck's guts.

^^^^

We bought them from people from Ratchaburi driving a lorry full of them ( honest Roobarb ). They came through our village a couple of days ago. The wife said they are top quality and made from the correct type of clay. The FiL has one similar thats 50 years old so they last well.

We are half way between Korat and Khon Kaen but I don't know where they could be now. I will PM the phone number they left so you could get them that way.