Dellboy218

I was in there last Thursday,. Got there before 7 and number 14. As for that booking an appointment on line.........I did dpeak to someone that arrived at 0950 for his 10.00 appointment. He was seen at exactly 10.00 and was out 15 minutes later!!! There are only half a dozen slots available for online appointments every day so it is not going to be a cure all. If they dont want to spend money increasing the size of the building, car parks etc then how about a double shift. Start very early and end late, that would spread the customers out a bit.

They could be helped immensely if the stupid 90 day reporting was done away with and for say, retirees, give them a 5 year extension after 3 consecutive one year extensions. I can't get emotional with a system that is too paranoid to look at alternatives.

Well I would have to agree with you on that one but if immigration are reading this I thought they were more likely to go for a double shift as it still keeps them all employed and looking busy which of course is what it is all about......bureaucracy! But I guess the system is deisgned to tell you whether they really want you here.

I was in there last Thursday,. Got there before 7 and number 14. As for that booking an appointment on line.........I did dpeak to someone that arrived at 0950 for his 10.00 appointment. He was seen at exactly 10.00 and was out 15 minutes later!!! There are only half a dozen slots available for online appointments every day so it is not going to be a cure all. If they dont want to spend money increasing the size of the building, car parks etc then how about a double shift. Start very early and end late, that would spread the customers out a bit.

You might find the explanation on here helps:

http://www.gt-rider.com/motorcycles-in-thailand/motorcycle-insurance-cover

Some o fit depends on what type of bike you are looking at. For the first class insurance there are different policies that basically end up the more you pay the more you are eligible for. At the end of the link is an applicatin for a quote. They do tend to be on the high side but they do tend to quote a bigger pay back.

If you ar elooking at Hangdong Road Tesco Lotus, I buy my obligatory insurance from a small shop about 200m past there. Unfotunately following an armed raid the lady in there has to keep the door locked now but it is opened on request.

If you are looking at 1st class insurance then I willl PM you.

And check out the riders ... the guys (and a few gals - often passengers) walking around town all bandaged up, arms in slings, etc. You can tell them by signs of 'road rash'. OK, a few are from mtn. biking - but the majority (ask them, I sometimes do - just for yucks) are from bike crashes.

Yeah I agree, these stupid farang's on holiday probably stop at red lights, stop signs etc and get rear ended. Plus they stupidly assume anyone coming from a minor road into a main one will stop or the guy in the right hand lane isn't turning left without signalling.

I'm sure there's many other things the stupid farang's think and do that makes them worse drivers.

For the record, I'm a farang.... Yes, the Thais drive crazy and yes so do the farangs.... Not all Thais drive crazy and not all farangs drive crazy but I have seen some crazy chit from farangs over the past 5 yrs living here in CM..... I've seen farangs driving a scooter with their Thai wives and Lek Krung children (yes 3 on a scooter) and all without helmets or eye protection. I've seen farangs talking on cellphones while driving. I've even had farangs pulling out of the side streets without stopping. Are there more crazy farangs driving scooters than Thais, of course not the population ratio does not justify this...but farangs (not all, mind you) drive just as bad a Thais...... Actually the only car/car accident I've been involved in was a farang that side-swiped my rental car and then when I walked up to his vehicle to question why he did that it, he denied it......but the obvious freshly made mocked up racing stripe my mirror placed down the side of his vehicle said otherwise....

Dont know if you would agree Dingdong but I reckon there are some foreigners/tourists/whatever trying to copy young Thais on their scooters. i.e. no helmet, squeeze through the almost imposssibly small gap, if one is on a bike then one must thread their way through all the cars to be on pole position at the lights. Had my car hit once by one idiot doing that on a rented Phantom. Out on my bike yesterday and nearly got rearended by another rental off Thapae. It maybe difficult at times but basically, if you wouldnt do it in your home country then dont do it here!

It is already a miracle that nobody who tried to help the poor Briton was not killed also from electrocution.

I learned already in primary school that before helping a person, victim of electrocution, one must cut off the power first or use insulated equipment

That will probably be too late unfortunately. If you are wearing any type of footwear, kick them off. Use your boot. I am surprised the did not have any earth leakage breakers fitted (safe T cut). That would have solved the problem.

what will change the minds of those that believe they have the right to mow down innocent riders/pedestrians etc

well there is a way - sometimes I wish I could drive a tank here - or at least have a rocket launcher on the back of the car - but then of course they would not pull out in front of you!

People like this are just very primitive without consideration for others - stupid, selfish and never learned how to behave.

How very true but unfortunately they always have the right of way. They probably do it in their truck as thats what they always used to do on their scooter. God knows how they manage to get away with it. Self preservation should really kick in and tell them to look before leaving one road and joining another. We were always taught 'Look Right, Look Left and Look Right again' when crossing the road. I can imagine the response here - WHY! Unfortunately the Scool teachers and Police are no better versed than any other so no one teaches the kids.

I wanted to take a minute to explain a couple things about the Mha Ma School and to thank everyone who has shown interest in helping them. I moved here 11 years ago with the intention of retiring. I didn't work for the first two years I lived here and I needed something to do. I visited many orphanages and started or joined small programs with a couple. These included Viengping, Chiang Mai Home for Boys and Wat Don Chan. I think any group or individual who is trying to help the kids here is great but I also took the time to look into the amount they receive both from the government and the public. I also looked into their warehouse facilities to see what they had and I tried to guess what they spent in overhead for staff and furnishings. Due mostly to their proximity to the city I can tell you that some of them get alot. I can also share that in my humble opinion some of them are sorely mismanaged. I got bored not working and got back in the grind but I wanted to continue working with a needy charity when I could. I was introduced to Mha Ma School by a friend a few years ago and I have been trying to help since. The main problem for them is that they are located on top of a mountain in Chang Dao at the end of a windy, single lane dirt road with no guard rails. It is best to go up with a 4 wheel drive vehicle and not advisable in the rainy season. There are about 140 kids most of whom have never been down the mountain. As I mentioned they eat mostly cabbage and rice. They get 10 baht per day per child from the government but only during the school year. When I started going there they had too many kids for the beds so many lived in the base underneath with vermin. That has changed since we built bunk beds and closed the gaps in the roof. We also painted the dorms and built new toilets. They need alot more. The Lions Club was kind enough to donate sleeping pads and pillows and Horeca regularly donates sausages. I gave them my chest freezer so they can store some for the rainy season. They have 1 male and 1 female teacher counselor that they must pay to stay with the kids 24 hours. Other than that there are 3 teachers and a headmaster. I can't even explain really how to get there since there are no signs to tell you when to turn off the main road. There is an unaffiliated homestay on the mountain and it's nice to spend the night. The kids love a big bonfire and BBQ. I am happy to lead a group up as soon as it's a bit drier. These kids are TRULY needy and I hope thay can get some help from you guys...Thanks!

Hey San Sai Sam,

Thanks for the details. Do you know if the Chiang Mai Toyride is aware of this group.

I'm sure they would like to help if possible.

Thanks,

Why not ask them. No harm in asking is there? Here is where to do it..................http://chiangmaitoyride.com/?p=36#comments

As has been said, Amorn do sell the basic stuff, their main outlet is Icon square which is about 350m east along the moat from Chiang Mai Ram hospital. They also have outlets in what used to be Carrefour on the superhighway and in Big C on the Hangdong Road.

It seems to me that motor bikes are just too risky in this city.

I agree. I hardly ever ride mine anymore. I use the car 90% of the time now. Seen too many m/c accidents and heard of too many others...

Fact: Every motorcyclist I have asked over the years answers yes if I ask if they have ever had an accident.

I love bikes, and have never been injured in my 40 years of riding bikes, but I sure enjoy driving my relatively safe car.

Tempting fate perhaps but fingers crossed and touching a good piece of wood, over 20 years here on small and big bikes and not a scratch. Now the car, various ones over the years............They have been hit by 2 motorbikes and a drunk pickup driver who somehow managed to rip the plastic back bumper off without touching another panel.

Not much point in buying health insurance I guess.

Just to add to the confusion about hospital costs. About a month ago I asked Dr. Trichek Sandhu the cost of a Cholecystectomy (keyhole removal of gallbladder). As usual this question causes doubt and consternation but after a huddled consultation with the attendant nurse he came up with "about 60,000baht". I took a few weeks to finally decide to have it done and returned to complete the paperwork. The nurse with the pen asked me what the Doctor had said about the price. I said 60,000. When she presented me with the papers to sign she had written 70,000+. When I queried this she just kept saying 70,000 and emphasising the + by repeatedly raising her slender,manicured hands slowly upwards.Ever so many times.+++ to make sue I got the message ; 70,000's just a starting point.

I signed but after a day or two cancelled the op. as I got increasingly annoyed about these financial shenanigans. She couldn't even tell me if this included one night's stay in the hospital.

70,000+ could easily amount to 80,000 or 90,000. Anyone's guess. Very unsatisfactory.

One year ago, I had a quote fom Dr. Ekachai Paiboonworachat at RAM for the same op and he came staight out with 80,000baht including a night or two in hospital.

I shouldn't be too hasty cancelling your insurance.You just never know. These things happen out of the blue.

My quote about cancelling insurance was in response to posters saying surgeons work for a few hundred baht.

Your quote with Sandhu sounds about right, as you will read from my earlier post that I paid 45,000 5 years ago for the same surgery by him. The point is, surgeons do not perform surgery for a few hundred baht and as Elektrified has pointed out they live in very fine houses, drive top of the range cars etc, which wouldn't be possible if they didn't charge 'going' rates.

By the way Uptheos I think my 7 hour spine surgery surgeons fee and the follow up cost 50k, Titanium 50k and everything and everyone else 50k. I have no idea what house he lives in but he drives an Accord and his wife drives a Vigo. I agree with you about the costing of a surgeon. A lifetimes training and experience does not come ''cheap'' which itself of course is relative. The elderly Chinese doctor who I saw in Singapore the day before yesterday had just had basically the same operation. His was done using the latest robotics and minimum invasion techniques. That cost about 850k Baht. I think anyone in the US or the UK would consider the prices you and I are talking about as ''good value!''

Nice to hear that you are still alive and well….after had been under the thai with a knife in his hand.

I'm a thai and it's so nice to hear the good news once awhile on this TV that not all thais are retarded and incompetent.

Wish you a speedy recovery

DJ

Well if you want another one............I couldnt walk for 100m or stand for 2 or 3 minutes last year without being in horrendous pain. I spent 4 months trying to find an answer and eventually I found Dr. Sudhee who told me that I had broken a vertebrae more than 40 years ago. He performed 2 operations on my spine and yesterday I passed my industry medical which I have to take in Singapore. The old Chinese doctor which I normally see for my medicals down there was very complimentary at the job that was done. I credit this surgeon for allowing me to walk again and you definitely cannot put a price on that! Dr. Sudhee used to work and teach at the Ram before he retired from there so that is where the operation took place. The nursing care in there I thought was brilliant.

He was surgeon to the deceased Queen mother and I'm pleased to hear that he has helped improve your life.

I bet he charged a bit more than a few hundred baht though.

Yes he did but then again the first operation took 7 hours and the second 4 hours and who do you want cutting bits out of your spine? I will pay for the man with the training and a lifetimes experience. He charges 500B for a consultation at his clinic which I think is a pretty standard fee. The second operation he waived his fee. At one time I could not even sit, after 30 seconds it was too painful so I spent a month lying on a couch. Helped improve my life is something of an understatement. Its taken 6 months to allow bones to fuse but now its time to go back to work!

Nice to hear that you are still alive and well….after had been under the thai with a knife in his hand.

I'm a thai and it's so nice to hear the good news once awhile on this TV that not all thais are retarded and incompetent.

Wish you a speedy recovery

DJ

Well if you want another one............I couldnt walk for 100m or stand for 2 or 3 minutes last year without being in horrendous pain. I spent 4 months trying to find an answer and eventually I found Dr. Sudhee who told me that I had broken a vertebrae more than 40 years ago. He performed 2 operations on my spine and yesterday I passed my industry medical which I have to take in Singapore. The old Chinese doctor which I normally see for my medicals down there was very complimentary at the job that was done. I credit this surgeon for allowing me to walk again and you definitely cannot put a price on that! Dr. Sudhee used to work and teach at the Ram before he retired from there so that is where the operation took place. The nursing care in there I thought was brilliant.

I have never seen an accident from signal jumping, maybe nobody else has either, so why change?

I would guess there are many things you haven't seen. Yes why change, just wait until you see one or get involved in one.

Well I have to agree with you on that Semper, doubtless the young lad whose bike ended wheels up in the middle of the Hangdong cross roads by Big C agreed with you as well as he got carted off a few months ago. Unfortunately it is not just those that jump lights that suffer it is the innocent that gets dragged into it as well, their life can be ruined by someone elses selfish stupidity. Then of course there is the one that is totally oblivious, riding one handed talking on their mobile phone, feet up on the top of the engine becuase of puddles and going through the red light but thats ok as they are going up the side of the road, the bit cars never use. ........................mostly!

I have used one on the southwest side of the moat a few times without any problem. It is on Chang Lo Road a few metres west of Thipphanet Road before Suan Prung hospital.

You can get those water activated bug bombs in Tesco and Big C, at least here in Chiang Mai you can. I used one a few weeks ago. I have found the small botle of liquid insecticide used in a mains powered heater to be very effective at keeping mosquitos out of a room, even in a room with no mossy screens and open windows, the bottle lasting about 1 month if left on 24/7. A long time ago I also tried one of those small insecticide tablets that are placed on a small heater, I found those to be ineffective.

Thank you for that guys; I am going to see if they can bring my HP laptop back to life!

A certain HP distributor said it needed a new motherboard.

Now there's a coincidence. I had an HP 6500 series notebook (the daughter has it now) which stopped working. The company I had bought it from ( no longer in Phantip but they are in Airport Plaza) also told me the motherboard was kanckered and it would cost quite a few thousand baht for replacement. The (I guess its the same) shop mentioned by the OP advised it was moisture and just needed a cleaning! Whatever it was I picked it up after a couple of days in working condition. I guess not a lot has changed in the past couple of years

And the Land Transport Office is...........

Handong road heading South on the left just before Big C (literally). About 60M before the last 'U' slot in the road before the traffic lights there is a small entrance. The next one past the 'U' turn is the exit.

How to get rid of pigeons

I like step 9.. You will need to pick up an owl or falcon

I would recommend buying a slingshot.. You might not get rid of the pigeons but your aim will be great.

Yes I read that page. Could do with a few real ones around here to thin the pigeons out a bit. I have a BB but as with the feral cats, they just come back when you are not looking. Unfortunately one misguided local woman goes round the village putting food out for the poor street cats (!) Unfortunately the cats are so well fed they wont chase the pigeons who are equally well fed and of course they breed because of the food, more mouths to feed this woman puts out more food (Except near her own house) and so the cycle continues! I reckon I am going to need someone with a very long ladder to either spike or net all the places a pigeon can land. There must be some outfit around that does that.....................anyone?

Your best option would be to talk to the "misguided local woman" and tell her to stop feeding them, or else.

Yes, I quite agree. However, despite being asked by others not to do it she continues to put food out around empty houses. At least she does not put any around my house any more so I guess I do not have any direct reason to take it further. When it dries up, some more vixol/pepper mix will go back around my house!

There's a trick they use for seagulls that may work for pigeons also. Sting a few line of almost transparent fishing line between trees and house.....the birds get spooked because they can't see and hit it and don't come around any more................

Yup, they also use it strung across reservoirs to preserve trout stocks from hungry herons. Also old bits of fishing net. Certainly worth a thought using a handy lecky pole nearby. Thanks.

Yup spike strips, thats what I have been asking for if anyone has seen them around town. Rat Glue, undoubtedly effective but some of these place are rather inaccessible and ......a bit messy. Plastic owls, maybe worth a try if there were any of those around. In the mean time they were not keen on the vixol (which has just been washed off) or my BB gun (plastic ball type).

As for the suggestion of simply asking them to go. Sorry mate, no offence, but you were right, thats weird! Anyway I did ask one very politely to go away and it told me to bugger off so it got a couple of BB balls up its bum, said something very rude and flew off!

Where I live, we have a lovely pool and garden. The pigeons like to bathe and shit by the pool in the morning. There is a lovely old British lady who lives by the pool. She feeds the pigeons. She's been told that these vermin defecate in the pool and then her grandchildren swim in it it. No use, she says, in her inimitable British accent, "but the birds are my friends." Full stop.

The cure...put a cat on patrol. We had a cat that had her kittens in the garden. While the cat was in residence, there were no pigeons. So, although there are thousands of pigeons in the area, the minute the cat went on station, no pigeons.

Since the Thai believe all life forms are past or future humans, this method gets around the moral/cultural restraints. Get a cat.

Sorry, that wont work. If you read above you will see that I also have someone that goes around the village putting food out, in front of other peoples houses, to feed the cats. The cats are so well fed they dont chase the pigeons and there is so much food the pigeons have their fill as well. With so much food they are both breeeding uncontrollably. I am not going to add to this villages problems by introducing yet more cats. The answer is for this person to stop putting food out. She knows not to do in front of my house. Putting 20% Hydrochloric Vixol around the area seems to be working well enough at the moment.

I think what you are referring to as a BB gun I would refer to as an Air Gun which I believe does require a license here. What I call a BB gun fires little blastic balls and doesnt. Effective at 2m and less if you want to stand there all the time. I have tried my ultrasonic animal scarer that doesnt work on cats and dogs and now doesnt work with pigeons either. Just trying an old favourite, VIXOL in the white bottle with 20% acid. Yes I have thought about fishing line or thin wire and will probably give it a go. So far no suggestions about companies that sell anti pigeon spikes and fit them in awkward places but thanks for all the suggestions.

So what exactly is the problem with using a BB gun? Hubby and I ran a greenhouse/nursery operation in the U.S. prior to retiring to Thailand. Our genuine Michigan-made Daisy BB gun was an important part of our pest control team.

My gas BB pistol is not going to cause them anything but a minor inconvenience and anything worthwhile is going to be awkward for the windows plus I am not going to stand out in the road for hours. You can wait all day but as soon as oyur back is turned...........

Thank you for the other suggestions.

The problem with something to induce a state resembling a Norwegian Blue of some infamy is the wife. Bhuddist, doesn't like hurting things!

As for the suggestion from Singapore, well, I will be there on a flying visit in a couple of weeks so if there is anything available thats legal and can fit in a suitcase please let me know.

Yes I read that pigeons and Owls do not get a long to well and that putting a fake one out might have an effect but that it will probably be only temporary. The pigeons are a fairly recent addition around here, I think attributable to all the food left out for the cats.

Also the bright shiny deterrents, I thought of cooking foil but it wont las too long and the CD's wont add to the aethetics.

Ultra sounds systems - not cheap - are really very efficient. If you can't find some in Thailand, either order by the net, or get some friend to bring them back from Europe for you. Other solution, but longer term:, feed them with sterilizing seeds (Ornistéril, Ovistop, Fertistop 99 ?)...<BR>Otherwise, only but spikes and light "floating nets" wilol do...<BR>Good luck!

Thank you for your suggestion. I read on one page about pigeons that said there are sound scarers available for virtually all pests and they all have on thing in common, ''They don't Work!'' From my experience with ultrasonic dog and cat scarers I brought back from the UK, the animals around here are deaf as they do not take a blind bit of notice!