betico1

thanks very much for info. that's put my mind at rest a little:)

Not sure if i'm in the right forum but been trying to skype girlfriend in Pai last two days. spoke briefly on phone today and she says all the power in town has been out. I'm in Spain at the moment so hard to tell! is she telling porkies?

just searched that but no luck. I live in Santitam and would like to know more. Place I go to for som tam is on the main road away from the corner of the moat on the right side opposite 7/11. Everything is written in Thai there though so maybe it's the same place!

If that's the case I can only assume that what the OP was guessing is correct - there is no hot water during the daytime. Changed my routine going around 11.00 AM most days this week and every time they've been cold.

Showers have been consistently cold all week. Have told the girls on reception three times now and they just laugh it off. Never seen so many staff do so little as in this place. Problem is the lack of competition on the gym front so what can you do?

Men's changing rooms have clearly marked on the door if it's a hot or cold shower room (split about 50-50). Occasionally not mega-hot but always been lukewarm or better. You were probably just unlucky

Anyone know where to buy here in CM and roughly how much? Thanks in advance

Nok Air had it stated on website Monday and Tuesday but website has been down for booking flights most of the time since much to my annoyance. They have now added that the flights must be booked between midnight and 7am for the cheap fares. Promo ends on Nov 28th so may affect the weekend drinking plans!

nok air have a promo at the moment chiang mai to Udon Thani. 1100 each-way. From there it is one hour bus to the border or two to Vientiane. 12 hour bus journey to Udon makes no appeal!

i viewed a place the other day on sri poom 7, just inside moat on the north side. go down sripoom 7 and take the first corner to your left you will see a sign outside in English. he wanted 4k a month if long-term and also spoke a little English which is useful. Apparently internet is superfast if you are relying on it, but the place was a little dated for me. however 4k a month what u expect and it is a decent location

Beer Lao by the case Huay Kaew - Canal Road intersection. Off licence is on right side just before Canal Road heading Zoo direction. 920 a case of 24. Not sure for Lao Dark but I drink it regularly at the off licence with the tables outside along Nimmanheimen Road. They seem well-stocked for everything. Just a shame more bars don't sell Lao, light or dark. Beats the tasteless Thai beers by a mile and no thumping hangover

Ok. thanks for info. I'll stop by there over the weekend

A bit of a longshot here but you never know. I'm in Chiang Mai until I move back to Spain at the end of March. My Spanish is probably around the lower intermediate level and I would like to keep it fresh in my mind for when I return. Any native Spanish speakers on the forum (or any members who know of any) who are seeking to improve their English and maybe have time for an intercambio? If so please PM me

Saludos!

Have to agree with Keo - they are all much of a muchness. Overheard one American guy saying the Chang Export tasted like Budweiser - need we say more! Given up on Leo as had monster hangover on just five bottles last week. Would obviously prefer to go down the Erdinger or Leffe route but makes a night out very expensive. Then again probably worth it to feel human in the morning. Beer Lao is reasonably priced and at least has some taste but not a lot of bars stock it.

Fitness Thailand for me. 1,000B a month. Plenty of machines, free weights and a variety of classes. Changing rooms large and always clean unlike Hillside 4 which is a joke in that department and the machines there are from the '80s like the posters on the walls! Only plus with Hillside is the swimming pool. I'd like to find a decent gym with a pool for a good price though

many thanks for the advice. i couldn´t go before jan 24th as this is the first day of the chiang mai - hat yai air asia route.

i had my 60 day tourist visa extended by a month and now my stay is permitted up to Jan 24. the stamp in the passport says `applicant must leave the kingdom within the date specified´. i have a flight to hat yai on jan 24 heading straight to malaysia for a few days before returning and beginning the second 60 day block of my double entry tourist visa. so the question is do i have to leave thailand before the 24th or can i actually leave on that date? i think it will be the latter but better safe than sorry

many thanks

I already have the double entry tourist visa from UK, just a question of leaving Thailand and coming back to start the second block of 60 days. thought i´d give Penang and Hat Yai a look rather than just do the Mae Sai run. Hat Yai gets just half a page in Rough Guide so i thought i would check for myself. at the promotion price i couldn´t say no

i´ve got a ticket for the first flight on monday jan 24. will then take a minibus from hat yai to penang for 3 nights before a night in hat yai returning to chiang mai on the friday. good way of leaving thailand to start last 60 day tourist visa. a bargain at 1980 baht return with no visa required for malaysia

thanks,

have taken your advice and will now go to penang straight from hat yai but would like some information on the aircon minibuses which go there (times and where from) as i don´t really want to be changing buses in butterworth. also have booked an overnighter in VL Hat Yai on the way back

hello all,

no luck on southern thailand forum so i thought i would try here

i need to exit thailand on Jan 24 and return a couple of days later to start my second 60 day tourist visa. i was thinking of taking the new air asia route from chiang mai to hat yai which starts on jan 24 and then head down to thammalang pier near satun to take the ferry to kuala perlis for a day or two before heading back for a couple of nights in hat yai. the flight is scheduled to arrive in hat yai at 12.15. would this give me enough time to get to the exit point at thammalang (i read it is only open daylight hours) and are there any agencies running minibuses from or near the airport?

any recommendations for mid-range hotels in kuala perlis or hat yai would also be appreciated

many thanks

hello all,

i need to exit thailand on Jan 24 and return a couple of days later to start my second 60 day tourist visa. i was thinking of taking the new air asia route from chiang mai to hat yai which starts on jan 24 and then head down to thammalang pier near satun to take the ferry either to kuala perlis or langkawi for a day or two before heading back for a couple of nights in hat yai. the flight is scheduled to arrive in hat yai at 12.15. would this give me enough time to get to the exit point at thammalang (i read it is only open daylight hours) and are there any agencies running mini buses from or near the airport?

any recommendations for mid-range hotels in kuala perlis, langkawi or hat yai would also be appreciated

many thanks

advice please,

i have a double entry tourist visa (ie 2 blocks of 60 days). i arrived in thailand on oct 27th so the first visa expires on Dec 25th. If for example i did a one day overland visa run on the 23rd would i get those 15 days before my second block of 60 days commences? maybe just easier to apply for a 30 day extension at immigration. I take it there is no problem applying a little bit in advance as long as they add the extra 30 days from the date when the visa expires and not when you apply. is the extension done there and then or do they hold your passport until it is processed?

many thanks

i am always keen to try the `locals´ eateries but if the menu is thai-only and no-one there speaks any english then you are a bit stuck! lemontree restaurant at the bottom of Huay Kaew on the right hand side if you are leaving the centre has a full menu in thai and english and serves up consistently good thai food at fair prices

lucky you didn´t choose to move to Tangier:)