Hi La,

I found all those pictures fascinating. The Thai builders construct a house somewhat differently from that practised in most Western countries, but at the end of process, the Thai version seems to work out very well.

What stage is at now La? When are you planning on moving in? And that driveway, are you going to pave it, or do you have an off road vehicle to negotiate the "rice paddy" when the rains come?

Emdee

hopefully move in June 1st. about 4 month construction. started a bit late and they'll take off a few more holidays. contract was for 120 days, figure we'll be a month late, but told builder not to worry. so he doesn't try to make it on time and cut corners. was out there today, half wall for upper sala is almost done, and they are prepping for the back pad / thai kitchen / work and storage area, running length of back wall. go to land office soon, to register house and get house book, has to be 80% done. but they don't know about the extra pads, so should be soon for all paperwork to be done and house book issued.

we have an entry level toyota vios, so we'll need a drive way. also a 2 meter wall on back and one side, other 2 sides just wire, since won't be able to keep the snakes out anyway. 1st house was fairly snake proof.

they do build stuff quick here. though no need to worry about extreme cold weather, just the sun, hopefully the design will eliminate most of those concerns.

i give them a few days work, then i update the thread with some pics, and little commentary. a few fellow forum members are interested, one contracted the builder for their house after this is done. the only headache has been the well, if you read it, but i think it's sorted out, we'll know this week.

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https://sites.google.com/site/lareegem/

Yeah La, when I was viewing all of your photos and I saw the bush land that your house was being built in, my immediate thought was "Joe Blake territory", which is rhymning Aussie slang for snake territory.

I also thought that if I were building where you are, I would not be walking around in thongs and shorts but rather long trousers and gum boots for protection.

I guess it is one thing to have snakes on your property, but it is entirely another thing to have them enter your house.

About 10 years back I was staying at the Bangkok Marriott River Resort, down river by about three kilometres from the Saphan Taksin Pier.

One lovely evening I sat out on the balcony of our room, and put my beer glass on the ledge of the balcony. I thought to myself "gee, that is a brilliant green branch", until I suddently realised it was a python - a tree python I think and therefore non venimous, but I didn't stick around to examine the reptile in any detail and scurried back into the room and made sure the sliding door was firmly shut and indeed locked.

In the morning I had a tentative peer over the ledge of the balcony, but Mr Python had moved on.