harsu

i've just been reading the newsletter bit of www.chiangraitourist.com/ Apparently Central is 90% complete. They will have over 200 stores including Robinsons, Tops, something called B2S etc a foodcourt, cinema and a bazaar with 50 kiosks and 42 take away stalls. Weather proof surroundings -and -most importantly for my family - accessibility!!! I'll be able to take one person in their wheelchair. They'll be able to do their own shopping much more easily. Chiang Rai is a great place to live, but this help will open up socialising opportunities for some of the less able members of the community

All good to me. I'm a Maccas junkey and I hope Starbucks shows as well plus a Cineplex where a westerner can go to and not get treated like a POS eg: Big C cinema

Failed miserably to sample everything today. We were tempted by a spread of green curry, two types of pasta, three different potato bake dishes, baked chicken, two types of meatballs, salad, couscousand tagine, boston bean casserole, sausage and onion bake, apple cake, peach crumble, flapjacks and strawberry and cream dish. No doubt I have missed out others as the afternoon heat has affected my memory. Another very pleasant social and dining afternoon. Two dogs to entertain us , one of which occassionally blessed us with a cooling shower of lake water. If the decision is taken to continue them into the rainy season or at a different venue which offers more protection from the elements then you won't hear us protest.

Dear Jubby, This will not work. T. has been attempting to improve my disposition by letting me have my choice of dogs for years. The effects of female hormones/lack of hormones are resistant to all bribes and compliments. Even cute little dogs who let you put ribbons in their hair will not help. Just learn to recognise that there are times when you need to operate a quarantine -no approach - totally silent- zone around the afflicted person, and at all other times, be nice. The monster inside us strives to get out, it is beyond our control.

Having spent the last ten minutes being castigated by our resident expert on game systems for showing my ignorance on the forum, I will now try to correct what I said.

Playstation 2 games are everywhere, but BigC is the'best place to get them'. Playstation 3 games - there is a limited supply kept in stock at the Sony store (on the main shopping street where Da vincis and Boots are) but they have a brochure and they will order in what you want - it takes 2-3 days. The Tesco lotus, on the left hand side of the Superhighway going up to Mae Sai has some new and secondhand Playstation 3 games on a small independent stall at the front of the shop (before you actually go into the main shop. They also have some Xbox and Xbox360 games.

Hello from another relatively new arrival. What sort of games are you looking for? If its for PSP 2 you can get some up here, but for PSP3 there is a very ,very limited supply north of ChiangMai . If you let us know, my younger informant may be able to tell you if or where you might find some. Maybe when Central plaza opens a Games shop will open too.

Be careful, very,very careful. I still have some steel-capped stilettos in the bottom of the wardrobe.

Abso(bloody)lutely brian. ! Thanks for that. Women should be all 'sweetness and light'

Given me an Idea for a thread

See you all on Sunday. So far it looks like couscous, a beef balti and a peach tart/crumble sort of thing are the contributions to the fare. Tell Woraphat to make that cream/fruit dish again, Kandahar - that was seriously good. Actually, everything people bring is -haven't eaten anything there that I wouldn't be very happy to put my name to.

We'll return the Dexter dvds we borrowed last time and a couple of series of Fringe, and some Prison break, and anything else we dust off.

Hello from another relatively new arrival. What sort of games are you looking for? If its for PSP 2 you can get some up here, but for PSP3 there is a very ,very limited supply north of ChiangMai . If you let us know, my younger informant may be able to tell you if or where you might find some. Maybe when Central plaza opens a Games shop will open too.

Last I heard , it was scheduled for official opening at end of March.

I've heard hearsay evidence that it may be April.

I always like reading this forum thread, it's like being transported to an alternate universe.

a Dodgy Ducatti with some Harmonic frequency inbalance.

VF's Ninja .

and another Ninja with what looks like a wafer of a seat. whats the story behind that. Bike too comfy !?

I know nothing about Harleys but I guess thats a custom Job. That Back tyre is for show or designed to transfer some serious torque !?

I wonder who the tail end Charlie was who was riding the unassuming black step through behind the Duke, is this your new ride Jubb

Didn't spot the step through. nah. mines white and green, not so much white at the moment. Black would be better for sure. I'll give you Tail end Charlie though

You worry me with your tail end biz

The buffet at the Rimkok is accessible but a long walk through the outside paths.

Wiang Inn buffet is acessible once the staff lifts you up the very high curb. They did tell me they have a portable ramp that can get electric wheelchairs in too.

Thanks for your advise, harrrry and pomchop. We have been to the Rimkok - and it is fine ( though the last time we used it we got caught in a torrential downpour on the way around - but that's our fault for not taking umbrellas).

I ask for your assistance in identifying places to visit in Chiang Rai Province which are accessible to a wheelchair user. The wheelchair is not battery operated and is lightweight.

The wheel chair user is able to get up and walk a few level steps with support, but can't manage any steps up or down. The wheelchair and occupant can be bumped up/down a couple of steps but it's not easy. I know a lot of the restaurants and cafes in town are accessible if you can park right outside them- and information about these will not be refused!- but it was more along the lines of any gardens, galleries, museums and general interest places that would be of interest -even for an hour- that I would welcome suggestions about. They don't have to have disabled toilets, though this would be great.

I have been doing some looking around and ,so far, have found the following places to be accessible : the gardens at Rajabhat University, the Chinese language centre and gardens at Mae Fah Luang university, most of Mae Fah Luang art and cultural park, Doi tung gardens- though the ramp down is v. steep and you get plenty of exercise going up and down paths, Wat Rong Khun (the White temple), the ground floor of the museum at Wat Doi Ngam Mueng in C.R , the lower floor of Oub Kham museum (C.R), some of the paths/cages at the children's zoo off the old Chiang Mai road, and about half a dozen exhibits at the top carpark to the captive breeding zoo near the aboretum on Doi Tung. Edisons is OK if you can manage to park right outside for five minutes, and a small reservoir off to right of the Thoeng road has good flat concrete paths all around it..

I would welcome any help/suggestions to make things a bit more interesting for this adult.

I've seen it -at some point - in Ayes Deli (in the lane beside De Vinci's restaurant in town. They sometimes have cider there as well. Didn't look at the price. They're worth checking out for the mozeralla and cold meats as well.

Any African eatery or bars in Bangkok, they haul it in from Malaysia or Cambodia and its dirt cheap if you buy a pack of 24 cans. Even malta guiness, you know that one Thai people say tastes like kunumpang (bread).

Dirt cheap ??

Cans were running 190 ish a can if buying a full slab of 48 cans from wholesaler..

That doesnt seem dirt cheap to me.

Thanks. Might head along this a.m.

I think the show opens up at 10am and closes about midnight.

Does anyone know the opening times for the festival? Is it open during the morning?

It might not have been completed two years ago, but there is now a concrete road that you can get on to which takes you right round the lake literally following the lake contours. Great for bird-watching.

We've just been cooking pizzas on one of your wife's companys BBQs using this compressed charcoal from Den Ha market. Both contributed to give truly excellent heat production and retention. Our first time trying to cook pizza this way - aided by two experts who used to run a pizza/pasta restaurant (might have helped slightly!!), and I have to say the pizza base was the best I've ever had. Next time it's the roast chicken. This charcoal still had heat aplenty after a couple of hours, and didn't take long to heat up. The uncompressed charcoal we've tried gives out plenty of heat but fades fast and left a lot more mess.

The Den Ha market has it in the large rice sacks, maybe 20 kilos. It is kept in a back room and is sold by the "anchor" store at that market. Just ask anyone in that market, they will point out the shop for you. It is the "pressed" or "compressed" style, long cylinders with a hole through the center. Burns for hours. The price is a bit high, in my opinion. The stuff is available all over town but I haven't shopped for better prices yet. I should. I buy quite a bit of it. I would guess if you find their supplier, you would get it for half price.

Please let us know what type and where you purchase yours.

Kind of difficult to go by description but could have been a cobra. But also could have been a rat snake

Rat snake - Ngu Singh

Difficult to find pictures of a cobra without the hood up but there are a few.

As you say, even without a photo it can be difficult to identify a living, moving snake. It certainly does sound like it could be the Indo- Chinese rat snake or the Common rat snake- especially if it had big round eyes. However, having seen some dark cobras (with their hoods down) - identified for me by one of the local gardeners - out and about in the day-time here, I like to treat them all with considerable respect and distance, and admire them from afar.

Today we are trying to eat less. After a wonderful Christmas day feast at D.and R's and yesterday's cornocopia of delights at the PotLuck, it was time for a little restraint. There was so much good food yesterday that there were dishes we didn't get round to sampling. The potato and anchovy dish, pumpkin pie, chocolate cake, chicken curry and strawberry and cream confection were among many of the hits. Nice to meet more 'new' people and the added bonus of leaving with the second series of 'Fringe' to watch with some other DVDs.

Forcast for Sunday. 26C and partly cloudy. Could be another perfect day (except for no Kd BBQ)

Harsu group cooks will bring home-made mince pies, bread and chicken in white wine.

There are cheap deals on mattresses everywhere, just stretch out and buy the one thats comfy for you.

As for price, king size can be bought for about 3000 bht Up.

Yep,

thank for that.

The question was though

"Was just wondering if any of you have heard or know

anything about them?"

I guess that's a no.

Regards

Will

Sealy do make Backsaver beds, they have an inner construction of pocketed springs and various combinations of foam and memory foam on top of these (depending on which type of backsaver bed it is). They also have a well-supported edge to prevent sagging.

Memory foam is the stuff that when you lie or sit on it for a few minutes, moulds itself to your body shape and provides support without too much firmness. There are many types of mattress that offer memory foam built into them, or you can buy a mattress overlay to put on top of your existing mattress to help if you have back pain. The best memory foams are made from latex - and this means that they can get quite hot for some people. They also vary in depth, density and price.

Whether or not the beds outside of makro are 'real' I have no idea. If they are Sealy (or any other reputable named ) beds they would come with a guarantee -even here. But whether or not they are real, as many other posters have suggested, the best way to see if they are 'worth' the money, is to take off your shoes and lie down on one for at least 20 minutes in your normal sleeping position(s). We all promise not to laugh.

There is no hard and fast rule about which type of bed is best, certainly hard beds are not necessarily the best for a bad back, and most expensive won't necessarily give you a good night's sleep. It's all about personal preference.

Thanks both. Very good info, especially the part about traveling one way by vechile, although thus far I am loosing that battle Being out voted. Nice guys get back aches.

Keep in mind that if you take the boat from CR to Tha Ton they are going against the current and what this generally means is that they have to give it more gas and therefore you get to listen to more roaring engine noise for about 5 hours....slower going upstream than downstream...seems to me coming down stream there are times when they cut the engine way back and go with the flow...for what it's worth..

You could come down river very slowly on one of the bamboo rafts that are sometimes for hire. There's some lovely riverbank views to enjoy. Whichever way you decide, watch out for us and don't let your wake get too high, we have two little bright orange plastic bathtubs (shaped like boats but steer like baths) and are often out on the river south of Namlamkok at this time of year. We usually manage to up-end ourselves or beach ourselves on sandbanks at least once each time.

If you want to name the doctors, I will ask my RN if she has an opinion.:jap:

She says that his name is-somthing like this-Phi Chai and he are vere respectet she said,about surgery and so, in the stummic area.

brianmarinus

She does not know him but has heard of him. Older doctor? All these type Doctors would come from CR hospital anyway. The personal service may be a little better at Sriburin since CR so busy but sees no big problem with CR with a VIP room. Key is a good Doctor and let him do hospital arrangements.:jap:

I agree. My father has just had planned surgery (minor, but required a general anaesthetic) at the general hospital. He is registered with Overbrook, goes there first and is then seen at either Overbrook or general hospital depending on which specialist he needs to see, and when they are available. His bill for 3 days/2nights in a VIP room, surgery, care and medicines was just over 5000 baht.

The next logical date for the picnic is Sunday, 26 December at 12:00 noon. Any reason to change it?

Suits me

Probably a good idea to keep it on a regular day if possible so people get a habit.

Sounds good to us, plus then we can bring along my brother and his hordes as they usually come to to visit at Christmas. Show them what they're missing living down in Grunthep. We have just finished off the half apple pie 'forced' upon us by Dingdong (O.K. seized out of his hand's) at the end of Sunday's event. Absolutely delicious.

I found two small pies to bring. They are apple AND raisin combined. Haven't tried them. We'll let the group decide if they are worth the trouble. Couldn't find just plain apple.

I am bringing a large charcoal grill that will be fired up and ready if anyone needs to reheat anything. I'll get that set up early.

Have invited several other folks, most of whom I don't know. I meet people and invite them. So, perhaps we'll have a fair sized group of non-forum folks as well.

I understand that scorpio has finally landed that new car that he has been waiting for and it will probably be at the potluck. I have searched in vain for a few monks that can come christen it. In the absence of the monks, I have made a plan for all of us to christen it at the potluck. At 1:45, we will form a queue and proceed to pee on his tires. Everyone drink plenty of water beforehand.

A second really enjoyable afternoon. Apple pie heaven - we even had custard. Chilli, Italian beef, papaya salad, pizza, potato bake, pork steaks,the list goes on and on. What a pity the stomach says 'full' before you've tried everything. Oh. and there was some serious conversing going on as well. Nice to see you all, and special thanks to Scorpio and Kandahar and spouses for setting it all up again. If we have one in December, I'll make some mince pies.

Not Makro but BIG C , they are doing excellent unfrozen back bacon , in the deli counter near the fresh meat section. They are also doing a wide variety of Cheese, but wow , what a price.

The Bacon is if I remember correctly about 100 bht for 250gr pack. Enjoy , its the best around I think.

The same bacon( streaky smoked) is in Northern Farm 230 baht per kilo, cheese(cheddar) 450 baht a kilo.

I think the bacon sunholidaysun1 is reporting about is the Canadian style back bacon - it's not streaky or smoked - and it is nice. Doesn't taste of chemicals/preservatives etc. Price is currently 107 baht /250g. Best not to think about the price, just have it very occassionally and enjoy.