Re-leveling, Pond digging preparation, first wall and roof panels for the power & water plant and... television

This morning we got a visit of the operator of the digging machine to check the work to be done. It will take all together 2 - 3 days to deepen the pond and to make terraces in it. Tomorrow early in the morning the work will start. 

I repaired and changed some things in our bathroom and we fixed the television connections. 

In the afternoon we worked on the power & water plant again. We took off all the steel connections we already made yesterday and re-leveled and fixed again. The first wall- and roof panels are fixed now. 

After a nice cold Tiger Beer and a beautiful sunset, in the evening we went out for a nice dinner and  did some shopping at Makro. 

Find some pictures again. 

Frans Captijn

e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Changes, rain and next steps

Yesterday the village we live in got a power break in the morning. And although we made preparations for that things were not connected yet. So, we changed what we wanted to do and worked on emergency power supply and... succeeded. 

The Knock down home, starting yesterday, can be totally self supporting in Energy and water. It took some hours and I needed to make changes at the main entrance of power as you can see on the picture. 

We also installed the Air Quality Monitoring Station. It will get, soon, the name Thailand, Surin, Pyramid House Thailand to show air quality, temperatures, humidity and so on on the World Wide Web. We share the link with you as soon as it is ready. 

Today we worked on the power plant. We picked up the walls and roof panels yesterday and we hope we can fix them tomorrow. During pouring concrete one of the columns changed a bit of position so we will try to fix that tomorrow first. 

We had to stop this afternoon with welding because we got the first rain. After about one hour we could go on with welding and painting to do the preparations for the roof and walls for the power and water plant. 

Find again some pictures of the last two days. 

Frans Captijn

e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Back in the air and disturbances solved

Yesterday afternoon we got a new, wireless, internet connection of DTAC firm. Just as a try out for one week first. So far, as you see, it's working well for us.

In the mean time the water and power plant is working and totally ready now. We ordered the roof and wall panels and can pick them up next week. During pouring the concrete floor one of the hoses/pipes to put electricity cable in got some concrete inside. Stupid me I forgot to cover it before pouring. Happy I succeeded yesterday to fix it and the cables are in now. 

The problems with the electricity in the side office/living area are solved as well. It took a long time to finally discover (sending pictures to the firm who installed it) they made a connection wrong. After they told what to change I could fix it myself in ten minutes and everything is working fine now.

Another unexpected thing came up. It is very dry and hot at the moment here. We are surrounded by rice fields and a small rubber tree forest. Some beautiful birds (different than in Chiang Mai but even owls) different mosquitoes and... ants. 
The first night in our Knock down home it looked an army of ants visited us. We solved this problem now and respect them outside and have an ant free space inside. And if you do not immediately after using food clean your stuff... they are ready to help you so... a good lesson. 

Our watercooler is working well and Kadhow is used to be 'security guard' now on the land. Every cow that tries to walk in gets a warning in advance not to enter ;). 
For the cows we decided to order a special automatic water drink unit in The Netherlands. Son Rik will take care of that and send it to us. A kind of merit because the cows cannot enter our construcion site any longer. 

Still no digging machine. We changed the idea and on Tuesday our former operator with his machine will come to dig the pond. Working a bit a different way but with the same results and cheaper. 

Official building permission, at the Or Bor Tor, is under construction and we expect to have it end of next week. 

Phatsamon cropped palm seeds. She got from her sister. We think and hope the seeds will grow and we can crop our own (starting small) palm trees. She also separated the wast we have so far. Cardboard, glass, foam, plastic, etc.. Next week we will bring it with our truck to a special garbage station. 

Today the Air Quality Monitoring Station will be fixed. 

Find some pictures of the last couple of days again. 

Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Delay?

This word was the first that came in my mind preparing to write this blog. It took some time to realize for us it is not possible to have a delay. We are not in a project building “Pyramid House Thailand” in Surin but in a process. So… delay does not exist because we do not work with a schedule.

It was only in my mind to think we could live and sleep in the Knock Down Home we are building, as first step in our process, last Sunday evening March 15^th. But we could not. The water system was not ready, sewage not fully connected and we are (still) dealing with a malfunction in the electricity system in the delivered basic container. So more time needed and we do not want to stress up.

The same happened with our new internet connection. We heard yesterday it will take till at least somewhere in April till we can have a connection. So, I cancelled 3BB (internet connection firm) who changes over and over again the installation date and does not want to put cables in pipes on the land in the soil. Very strange because at the resort I am living in Mae Rim they did everywhere.

At the place and land we are creating our ideas we do not want to have any cable in the air.

Phatsamon at the moment is negotiating with other firms to get the job done.

And the big digging machine… broke down and did not come. We will find another firm tomorrow.

It took two more nights in a hotel and last two days we managed to fix our power & water plant (even with an emergency power unit generator) back up and the sewage system is connected. All working well now.

Phatsamon painted the steel construction of the power-plant with grey primer and soon the walls and roof will be fixed. We also use the space as a storage for some garden tools.

Thai people like an outside kitchen. Phatsamon installed a part of it today.

So, starting today we will live in the basic Knock Down Home. I have to fix the malfunction of the electricity but I think I will get the job done or find a solution. Hope we will have internet soon to publish our further stories.

Find some pictures as usual.

Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Temporary no internet access and Air Monitoring Station arrived

Today we worked on pipe fitting of our water system and the sewage system. 
On one of the pictures you can already see the 'dead end' pipe (1 Inch) to connect to the two guesthouses and the main house. 

From all parts of the constructions we make, we make pictures. So, for instance, if we face any construction problems or leakages we know how it is made and where to find.

Today the huge digging machine did not come. We waited for hours, going on with our process, to discover it broke down. A telephone call had been nice. 

Yesterday the Air Quality Monitoring Station arrived and we hope soon 'Pyramid House Thailand Air Quality in Muang Surin will be on the web.

Due to delay of delivery out of China of fiber optic cable (we need 900 meters) temporary we will not have internet access. We just got a message like it seems now installation will be done on March 24th.
Because we start to live at the construction site, be aware of no, or delayed, updates. We are sorry and apologize for the 'inconvenience'. 

In the mean time, being in the village now for about 2 weeks, more and more I discover rural countryside. No stress. A family selling corn Father, mother (grand)child and dog on the old tractor. A very kind lady shaking up her rice to clean it. Find two pictures I made today as well. 

Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

The first aircon and pouring concrete in the evening. for the water & energy plant.

Electricity to our plant is working. Electricity at the Knock Down home still not. I do not know what the engineers exactly made so have to find out.

Around 11 AM the company we choose to deliver six Panasonic Inverter aircons in total came to install the first and smallest one. I tried to do my best to get the power working but did not succeed in time. The company who delivered the great temporary Site office/living space made the electricity lines I asked for but I cannot read the symbols. So, checked to get it working.

Some pictures of today. 

Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Legal morning, shopping again and… construction work.

It's nice to see more and more people are following our actions. 

Early this morning we went to the Land office of Surin.

It worked out our lawyer did a good job. We succeeded to register the official land lease agreement for me for the first 30 years, with a possible extension (But let’s live by the day first). All together it took 2.5 to have all the legal documents and registration ready.

A foreigner, in Thailand, cannot possess land. It’s only possible to lease. In my opinion Thailand with this does a good job to keep Thailand, Thailand. The structures we build will be on my name. The same with the building permissions we need (actually are in the final state of the process to get)

And although it seems a bit strange many countries or bigger cities in the world have this system.

So, the land lease is in my name and I am legally allowed to use the land. Because I stay in Thailand with a retirement visa I am not allowed to work. Working on the official lease land with a building permission in my name will not get problems.

Also, this formal rule not to be allowed to work without a workpermit and workvisa (I had for over 5 years in Thailand) is not a bad thing. It safes and guaranty work for Thai citizen. At the time I was working here I/the employer needed to show that for every working foreigner also at least four Thai citizen got work…

So happy we got these papers. And during waiting at the Landoffice I even guided a person (a former teacher of Phatsamons college) with Kundalini yoga in relation to a back problem she had 😉. Many people in the waiting room looking at us 😉.

After the Land office we went for a great lunch and for shopping. We found the, in my opinion most wonderful gold and dark blue mosaic tiles to create the lines next to the paths of the Petite Chartres Labyrinth we will create. Seeing them gave me goosebumps.  

In the afternoon we continued with construction work. Phatsamon preparing the wire mash for the water and power plant. The concrete we poured yesterday worked out to be more than fine. Tomorrow the aircon unit will be placed on it.

Late afternoon another digging machine operator (for a big excavator) visited us to check and prepare the Saturday job. We decided to make the big pond deeper and to create levels in it for several plants to grow. We wanted to do that end of the year but it seems to be better to do it now because in a couple of weeks the rainy season will start.

We keep you posted.

Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com