PlanetX

Had dinner at the Four Seasons Italian restaurant a few nights ago

Stunningly beautiful view and facilities

Food was very nice

Back on topic: I think it's kind of sensible.

If you can't mantage imbibe more than enough alcohol between 5pm and 2am then you have bigger problems to worry about.

Sometimes its nice to have a beer after work (3-5) and then go home and have dinner and get ready for the next day

New twist on skyrocketing prices...

Scarcity.... Last night at Makro ...NO COOKING OIL , save for the little small bottles.

and also the selection of rice is very very sparce.....

Strange times ,,,,, they are upon us

G

It's been in the newspapers recently and to cut a long story short it is to do with price fixing.

It also has to do with the US Federal Reserves quantitative easing program that is causing currency inflation resulting in even places like Laos to have food riots

It is a global issue

Loi Kroh seems pretty tame - there are many places that would be completely suitable for families on the street as well as bars for patrons interested in meeting working girls

After 2am the street does become a haven for Lady Boys and they can be quite aggressive but it seems as long as you are polite and firm they will let you pass

There really isnt a whole lot of reasons to be walking down the street after 2am but occasionally it happens

Save your money - splurge when you get home or go on holiday

why are so many people concerned with this topic?

Who cares - obviously it works for both of them

the whole purpose of those shows are to label and divide the masses like a Dr Seuss book

It should be a really good game

I dont think you will see anyone roll around the grass crying after a tackle

No-one has any sympathy for Ireland or Greece because they were partying on other peoples money for more than 10 years. The Celtic Tiger economy never existed. Its time to pay the piper and they dont like it. Solution??? Emigrate.

I guess you could say the same thing about Portugal, Spain, UK, US .... the list goes on and on

Overall I feel much safer in Chiang Mai then I did living in America

As others have mentioned - road safety is a concern - be very careful, EXPECT the unexpected

That's hardly a comparison - comparing a town in SEA to the entire USA.

Overall

That's the third time you've edited it....any chance of a definitive answer?

I am not doing this with you in every thread

I answered the OP based on my personal experiences

Overall I feel much safer in Chiang Mai then I did living in America

As others have mentioned - road safety is a concern - be very careful, EXPECT the unexpected

That's hardly a comparison - comparing a town in SEA to the entire USA.

Overall

Chiang Mai is one of the safest places in the world. The only thing you need to watch on safety is some of the posters on this forum.

Ever been in Chiang Mai ? I really wonder...

Chiang Mai has an average of 7 traffic accidents an hour with everyday people killed (source: traffic police) . I had 3 accidents myself all due to stupid driving of locals, 2 times were a lucky escape. At night motorcycle gangs are ripping handbags of ladies shoulders. Leaving this heavily polluted and dangerous shtihole was the best move ever, also finally released of 24 hours irritated eyes and a sore throat.

Ask locals in Chiangrai what they think of Chiang Mai...

The good thing, Thai cities have no ghetto's where you feel unsafe. The only time some idiot tried (failed) to mug me was in my own city, Amsterdam.

:jap:

I think that was me when my TGF tried to take my credit card to the gold shop

Overall I feel much safer in Chiang Mai then I did living in America

As others have mentioned - road safety is a concern - be very careful, EXPECT the unexpected

The only thing that really bothers me is when the server stands over my shoulder waiting for me to look through the 100+ page menu and pick something

I try and just ignore it but I do feel rushed and feel like I am wasting his/ her time - but in many cases the restaurant employed Tolstoy to write their menu

It will be nice to have a US style sportsbar/ restaurant

The frosties at Wendy's are nice

uptheos

re ... Is that with or without the full service?

if you can get me a " full service" and a hair cut @ 60 baht from a nice thai WOMAN p m me her shop details coz i need a ...... hair cut soooon : )

respect ... dave2 : )

ps ... aroon rais lovely chicken and potato curry with steamed rice is going up from 55 baht to 60 baht in a few days ....

im gobsmacked .... and so will all my thai and english bank managers

a 5 baht increase .... wow ..... the heavens are falling ... dave2 : )

Thats also a 9% increase

Combine it with a stronger baht - it becomes almost 15-20%

It's completely serious. And I'm the silent parter ($). I have a secret love for all things breast.

Actually prefer thighs to breasts, how about you?

Perhaps this explains Meechok--walking distance from your home?

I can't name a favorite body part, I'm fascinated by all aspects of healthy, well-proportioned females in many shapes, sizes and skin tones.

Who said anything about women??? I'm talking about chicken...

I think he was talking about female chickens

Favorite buffet went from 49 to 59 baht -- was actually quite embarrased because I did not have enough - hahahahahha

Hooters!!!

oops - wrong thread - just overly excited

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:jap:

Gotta love those jobless "recoveries" - I guess if you factor the US starting another war with Iran or NK then the economy will heat up again

If you want to teach, why not invest the couple of years to get on online degree and then you wont have to worry about anything

5340b - 1300b (for the bus) = only 4040b more saves 22 hours in that annoying crap bus.

22 / 4040b = pay 184b per saved hour........

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun BangkokCityLimits,

This comment is not intended to debate, contradict, argue, or "split hairs," with you. Just a personal reaction from the two of us:

Yes, 184 baht per hour (around US $6 per hour) may seem like a low price to pay, but that's if we think of it in terms of the revenue we might be earning in the US: and its "relative spending power" there (very small).

Living the "cheapskate life" here in Chiang Mai in a consciously made trade of some "cultural, and social, aspects" of life in the US for the freedom to have the time to spend on things we want to do ... rather than "working for the man" to cover the much higher cost of living ... in our case: creative writing, and leading a kind of ersatz life as a 19th. century "person of letters" divorced from television, movies, and video, where we spend up to hours on long serious e-mail exchanges with fellow writers and old friends discussing topics ranging from post-Darwinian evolutionary theory and neuro-science, to the archaeology and history of Buddhist iconography in S. E. Asia, as well as computer programming in .NET C# ... and reading, and reading ... as in books, as well as on the internet.

From that perspective: 22 hours at US $6 per hour, or about US $132, covers five-sixths of a month's rent of a lovely in-town small house with teak-wood floors and large gardens with high walls (yes, we're dam_n lucky on that one). US $132 easily covers electricity, water, and food for one month (2 liters of soy milk a day are about 50 baht).

Second, that 22 hours: well, the long-haul from CM<=>Udon doesn't have to be a waste with a head light, reading glasses, and the fact that the newer Chinese-made buses are actually smooth enough riding to read, or study most of the night.

Of course, it's easier to get to UT by air, but then you have the same hassle to get to the Friendship Bridge, do the two required dances through exmigration and immigration, get to the Consular Services Building, etc. Of course, the nicest, and most expensive way, would be to get the Laos visa in Bangkok in advance, and fly direct to Vientiane, and back home the same way, but now we are talking three months rent ?

So just a slightly different point of view.

best, ~o:37;

I agree with this but I also think Safety needs to play a big factor in this

You are taking a calculated risk by going on a long overnight bus trip in Thailand and this route especially has seen a few major accidents as of late

> That about sums up Chiang Mai's attitude for the printed word

Right.. though that's probably true everywhere, with printed (paper) media becoming an increasingly hard sell due to the amount of free content on the Internet.

There are two separate things though:

1. Selling newspapers or magazines (or perhaps better: running a successful media company which includes other income sources)

2. Quality journalism and tackling tough or taboo topics, or those that touch people in high places.

You can have 2. without 1. (And 1. without 2.). Especially in Thailand, the best journalism does not come from newspapers or even professional Thai journalists. It's either independent publishers on the internet, or (VERY FEW) foreign journalists.

Good Points - you arent gonna have any hard hitting journalism unless you want your free ride to "pattaya"

Chiang Mai Food Magazine - specials, promotions, coupons, menus, snapshots of meals, spotlight interesting Thai dishes, how to guide for ordering street food, Thai food combined with weightloss suggestions, hamburger of the month pin-up

Just went in for a try. Thought I might have a burger. Nobody waiting for food. Place about half full. Five people stuffing around and nobody took my order in spite of my Marcel Marceaux impressions; just nice smiles. After 20 minutes and another later arrival being served, I left. They lose.

So did you. The food is quite good.

However good the food is , it's the owner who loses if he can't get served. I've heard several comments about the staff comparing the service with Charlie's old staff

It really doesnt take that much to kindly approach the waitress and ask for a menu or to take your order