So been playing catch-up after buying my new PC and getting it all configured etc. It took a few days to get the Ubuntu Breezy (preview) AMD64 partition CD downloaded, installed, all the packages I use from ‘universe’ installed, almost the entire operating system re-loaded again in the form of updates over the next month (leading up to the recent Breezy stable release). However, all’s well with the world in that I can now do the bulk of my work a hell of a lot faster than I could with the laptop. The only thing slowing me down now is my Internet connection. Other, not so urgent issues remaining:

Work-wise, things are coming along, but still not as quickly as I’d like. I’ve set a schedule to follow to ensure that I have adequate time to cover everything, and help me fend off distractions.

For my main client, I’ve been tasked with helping another developer finish an e-commerce project. However, I have only just started getting my head round the design and structure of the code. It uses a database-driven access control and page content system that confuses the hell out of me, and lots of unusual techniques that I’m not used to it yet.

For my second client, progress has been painfully slow, which I am really disappointed with myself about. I’ve written some very basic user interfaces, back-end classes and some test scripts but have been waiting for a digital certificate to be issued in order to run the tests. That came, then the supplier’s system came up with an error, which I’ve reported but am awaiting feedback on. Yesterday, I realised that there is actually much more I can do while waiting for that, so hopefully I can start making some more noticable progress on the code for that project on Thurday/Friday. I’m disappointed with myself because he’s now paid up in full in advance and there’s not much code to show for it (yet). Due to trying to juggle the main client issues, and the usual daily accounting/admin/visa/work permit crap, the internal projects have been going nowhere. However, I have invited N’Det to come and visit for a day or two, so we can chat about whether he would be able to help take on some of the technical workload and maybe start progressing the internal projects. Mee is also learning a little bit about accounting now, so once I find a decent, simple accounting system to work with, she should be able to start taking on some of that. Getting the accounts sorted out (separate my personal accounts from the business etc, getting Mee in a position to look after things a bit) is my most important non-work priority at the moment, but finding an appropriate open source software package (that’s ready for use) is proving difficult and I can’t afford to (and wouldn’t want to) ‘invest’ in (or tie myself to?) a commercial/proprietary solution. The best (in terms of architecture etc) I’ve seen so far is GNUenterprise, but it’s still too early in development for normal daily use.

Visa/work permit bullshit? Basically, I applied for a 1-yr working visa extension and was told I don’t earn enough money and I don’t have enough Thai staff. You can get a 3-month working visa with a simple ’letter of invitation’ from a legitimate Thai company (although you have to travel to at least Malaysia to apply). Once you’re in Thailand on a working visa, it seems (as a British citizen) you can get a work permit if the job pays 30000baht-a-month in a company that employs at least one or two Thai staff. That’s great if you’re only working for 3 months. If you go to immigration and apply for an extension to your working visa, they require proof of 50000baht-a-month and at least four Thai staff. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the appropriate paperwork together in time, so (again!) I had to go to Ranong and travel to Burma and back, as I have done every 3 months for a long time now. A couple of days after getting back from Ranong, I call the labour department and ask them if it’s OK to send my work permit renewal docs etc by post, and they say that the work permit expired with my previous visa entry and that I need to come in to cancel the old one and re-apply for a new one! And what’s more, if I fail to do so within 15 days of the old one expiring, I will be reported and face (another) 2000baht fine. Sounds like another ploy to make me run around more and waste even more time and money etc. Makes me wish I’d followed the advice of some of my other farang friends and kept myself off the radar. Anyway, P’Son has offered to go along with me to both the labour department and immigration tomorrow and ‘clear things up’. P’Son is very good with ‘officials’, and knows how best to deal with them. Nearly three years now I’ve had Golder Software Systems Ltd running as a legitimate Thai company, and I still don’t understand how (or if) this bloody immigration/work permit system works so that I can stay here and work! Welcome to Thailand (or not, as the case may be).

Lots of other things been happening away from work (and beaurocracy). We’ve started on the next stage of the house project - the terrace. The temporary roof above the temporary terrace is leaking, and it’s a bloody health hazard because the planks are loose, so it’s now time to finish that bit off. I’ve discussed the plans and costs etc with P’Chai, given him half the money up front (to order the materials etc) and he’s now running around taking care of that for me over the next couple of weeks. It’ll be nice to have more room to move around in when we’re confined to the house because it’s raining, and we can start moving some of the kitchen stuff out of the bathroom! We’ve also agreed on plans to make a more suitable track across the land between my house and Greg and P’Chai’s house, so there will be a few truckfulls of earth coming in soon too. Should make a few people’s lives easier, especially now the existing tracks have now been reduced to mudbaths by the recent rainfall. Had a couple of birthday parties last month too. P’Noi and P’Deun stopped by on their way back to Samui from Bangkok and it was P’Noi’s birthday. Then, a few days ago, it was P’Geas birthday (P’Chai’s girlfriend) and N’James too (P’Lek’s four-year old son from over the road), so we had a joint party for them at our house. Should be a few pictures in the gallery.

Oh well, haven’t blogged for a while, so that’s what’s what these days. Back to work I guess. I need to satisfy the needs of the customers and get paid, so I can satisfy the needs of the beaurocrats, and in turn be allowed to stay here in order to satisy the needs of my girlfriend, my other friends and hopefully one day, finally, myself.