Mickeem

Got into Heathrow last night (monday) after setting off Sat afternoon CNX - BKK - BOM - LHR with Jet Air - 20 hrs waiting in a resturant at BOM (Mumbai) fed curries! when it was realised there would be further delay we were bussed to a very nice hotel for the 2nd night paid by Jet Air after immigration agreed to keep our passports and let us out of the Airport without a visa.

Although delayed 2 nights I feel we were quite fortunate compared to the scenes on the news of travelers delayed at Heathrow.

My neighbor is a sr. exec in a factory making AC units for cars. He said it is crazy busy. Can't find workers, orders are booming and biz is fantastic.

I was driving around Chonburi the other day and you would be amazed at the number of new housing developments oriented towards Thais. Unreal.

Biz is booming in Thailand...believe it or not...

Yes I agree Biz is booming - the streets here in Chiang Mai are crammed with shiny new 'Jazzes' 'Hiluxes' etc it looks like cars will be outnumbering bikes

here if they're not already.

PattayaParent: wouldn't that be a consideration everywhere you retire?. Obviously if someone if very rich or very poor Thailand (and alike) are probably not a wise move. My question is assuming you're the average Joe, is it worth it?.

apetley: glad to hear you're enjoying the LOS. However if I'll retire I would probably look for something more central, say Bangkok, Pattaya or alike with major amenities and good medical services. Obviously a village in the countryside is always cheaper to live at but that's not on my radar.

Bkk., Pattaya, Phuket are well and truly off my radar. Village life for me and mine. Comfortable house , cheap food, good local Monday market, Albeit a visit to Makro every 3 months, local beer bar ,to have a beer with friends .What more could you want?

Jazz bars, fine restaurants, movies, bowling, beaches, shopping, seaside restaurants, wine shops, etc.?????? Just a few that come to mind.

And a market open everyday...

The market for rice is price sensitive the rise of the Baht has made Thai rice even 'premium strains' uncompetitive.

With the Euro and Dollar on a downward spiral, optimism is all the TAT have left. Here it comes, another bad season and desperate tuk-tuk drivers.

Don't Forget the British Pound has been on a dive as well

Nowadays I refer to the Tuk-Tuks as 'Paeng Paengs' they are getting greedy or desperate? here in Chiang Mai also

Prior to the drugs war, bar girls for starters were super slim,

Aah...Super Slim Bargirls those were the days..

Easier via Chiang Rai

Public transport via Thaton too infrequent resulting in long wait at Kiu Satai (junction to MS on road to Mae Chan)

I'm sure ThaiVisa members will be doing their best to reverse this trend

With a big bottle of Heineken 72 Baht, Chang 42, Archa 37 I'm not really surprised the TAPB manager is complaining. I doubt he speaks for his competitors though.

1.43 PM, too early to tackle this problem personally

11:57 PM As law-abiding, legal alien I just quickly walked to the mom/pop-shop 70 meters away and bought 2 big bottled of Chang Classic and a bag of ice, 91 Baht. Of course I wouldn't think of buying after midnight

2-3yrs back you would have got 3 bottles for that..

You will see a lot more after Loi Krathong.. a result of reckless 'playing' with fireworks

Well recommended - saw them at the 'Festival' centre in Pattaya the other day playing a few big band classics, including playing a number while traveling up and down the escalators!

Good quality Footy Shirt copies and watches (Lolexes) buy bulk to bargain prices right down.

I had the same problem nothing received from an Aeon ATM but funds (6000B) taken from my Nationwide account.

Sent them all the details they reimbursed the funds quite promptly while advising the refund could be reversed within 90 days? if the claim is found to be fraudulent.

I will not use Aeon anymore as their system has some serious 'glitches' and I would not like to be contacting Nationwide several times a year for 'refunds' then again due to NW new overseas charge policy it's time to ditch them.

OP - why did you not fly from CNX to KL on Air Asia ?

Maybe he likes to sit on a train and look out the window..

I undertook the same journey CNX to KL Air Asia then Air Asia X to Stanstead, had grabbed a ticket for £100 as soon as they opened the booking for the new service. I would use the service again if they had kept to the cheap no frills concept, problem is the 'cheap' bit it just isn't any more. So high prices coupled with their late Stanstead arrival its Qatar or the Gulf carriers now.

I have had this problem with the AEON ATM's as well at Airport Plaza Chiang Mai having 2 X 6000B debited from 2 separate accounts and not receiving any cash from the machine.

Was eventually reimbursed after filing claims

AEON staff were disinterested in helping with the claims at the time.

Beware using AEON - for UK Nationwide Flexi account holders be advised that there is NO 150B charge at the Ayudayha (yellow) ATM's

Ha Ha - looks like Google is on the ball, someones been teaching it Thaiglish.

I've just paid 25B for my Kilo looks like I've been diddled. Also looks like oversupply has driven the price down as a few years back Lychees were no less than 40B a 'Lo'.

I was also nearby and very lucky not to have been injured - It was a proper BOMB as it was reported on the local news that a quantity of Plastic Explosives was used - that is not a 'thunderflash'

So, just wondering...sounds like you heard this on an actual news report...is their more information anyone?

And by the way, lest you think I am either drunk or paranoid, I don't drink, and I allowed my 19 son to go songkranning the whole day. I do know that so far anything that has happened here in Chiang Mai has been very late at night, seemingly so that folks will not get injured or killed. Still, I like to know what is actually happening. There is always the possibility that angry non reds will try to revenge or retaliate.

Ok just got this clarified it was a 'Plastic' Pipe Bomb with a timer not PE.. I smelt pyrotechnic smoke immediateley afterward. As a previous poster mentioned the Phone box would not be standing if it was. Anyhow it was a hel_l of a bang and I had heard similar 'explosions' throughout the night about 2 weeks ago. Why they were not reported in the media I do not know, maybe no damage caused and away from the 'tourist area'? There was (is) a low level campaign to cause alarm but not injury by the use of these devices although if someone is close enough they could kill.

You all sound like it could not happen

I was 200ft away when the bomb that went off near mandalay a few weeks ago sitting in Blue Sky havin a beer

It not like its impossible guys and I am certainly not paranoid either

Already been established that it was not a bomb, but a "thunderflash"

Whatever

all I know is, I was sitting not far away from it and it sounded and felt like a bomb when it went off all I know is if that aint a bomb I dont wanna ever experinence anything bigger than that.

I was also nearby and very lucky not to have been injured - It was a proper BOMB as it was reported on the local news that a quantity of Plastic Explosives was used - that is not a 'thunderflash'

Just a word of caution with respect to these AEON ATM's at Airport Plaza. Back in November I had 12,000B deducted from 2 separate overseas accounts after X2 withdrawal attempts at the office AEON ATM I did not receive any cash during the w/d attempts. The nice but disinterested staff would only keep advising me to contact my banks - eventually I was reimbursed after AEON did not contest the claims.

I have also seen reports of the same happening at Pattaya AEON ATM's so be aware that there is a potential glitch in their systems.

I would advise any UK Nationwide Flex account users to withdraw from the yellow Ayudhya bank ATM's as they are CHARGE FREE for them ie you will save 150B and the FX rate seems reasonable.

Indeed it was a bomb in a telephone booth outside Wat Sai Moon Muang. I was very lucky not to have been seriously injured as I was riding my bike around the corner towards it seconds before the explosion. It was incredibly loud, upon arrival there was glass and debris blown over the road and smoke everywhere that smelt similar to pyrotechnic powder. I did not notice any injuries. The CID turned up 20 mins later and blocked off the road. Not the situation one expects toddling off to the pub on a Sunday evening. I consider myself to have had a lucky escape and hope the idiots responsible are quickly apprehended.