Yelly

A place on Nimmanhaemin called "Y Bar." It's inside the Kantary plaza at the front of Soi 12. Right on Nimman...the trees are lit up with blue lights.

I bought a 2 TB Western Digital internal 3.5'' SATA-3 (64MB.Green) harddisk for just 2550 baht on the 15th of October this year - just 3 weeks ago.

I don't remember the name of the shop, but it was in the little mall called CM Computer - marked on the map in the attachment.

The price might have gone up since then, though...

Wow! Is it USB 3.0? And is the power supply USB?

Yes, unfortunately, the "big" ("free") event already happened on the 29th. However, for those that missed that release, these are the relevant options left for 2011

Yee Peng Lanna International (Lantern Release) Nov. 9, 2011 / 17.00-20.30

Limited participant only 1,000 people. Registeration Fee 100 USD at website yeepenglanna.net (100 USD included trasportation, dinner, lantern and souvenir)

Yee Peng Muang Chiang Mai

Nov. 8-11, 2011 - Nov. 8, 2011

Lantern Parade in the evening from Thapae Gate to Chang Klan Rd.-

Nov. 9-10, 2011

Miss Yee Peng Beauty Contest & Kiddy Contest-

Nov. 10, 2011

Floating Krathong Parade in the evening from Thapae Gate to Prai Sa Nee Rd. till Municipality Office (white Pagoda)-

Nov. 11, 2011

Big Krathong Parade in the evening from Thapae Gate to Prai Sa Nee Rd. till Municipality Office (white Pagoda)

Call +66 (0) 5324 5032

Long Sa Pao Chao Wieng La Kon, (Loi Krathong in Lampang)

Nov. 9-11, 2011 at the bank of Wang River, Lampang City-

Nov. 9, 2011

Arch Decorating Contest (Festivity Beleive)-

Nov. 10, 2011

Floating Sa Pao Parade from Behind Van San Wood Hospital to Yang Dam-

Nov. 11, 2011

Big Sa Pao Parade from Kao Jao T Junction to Nakorn Gate

Call +66 (0) 5423 7237

Loy Krathong Festival in Lamphun

Nov. 9-11, 2011at Tha Kham Bridge, Muang lamphun-

Nov. 9, 2011 Small Krathong Parade from Inthayongyos Rd. till city moat-

Nov. 10, 2011 Opening Ceremony & Local Market-

Nov. 11, 2011 Big Krathong Parade, Kiddy Contest, Fire work at Inthayongyos Rd., Chang Sri Gate, Rob Mung Rd. and Tha Kham Bridge

Call +66 (0) 5353 0683

We priced them at Computer City and Panthip for a 1 TB. Best price was near 3k baht for a 1 TB at Panthip...until we thought to go to Big C.

Got an Acer with a 3-year warranty, 1 TB, for 2,299 baht total yesterday. Hadn't considered that it might be marked up due to the floods, but we're pretty happy with our purchase.

I didn't look for 2 TB, but I reckon it is cheaper, here, even with the flooding.

I highly recommend Bret from Learn Thai from a White Guy (just google it)

Seriously.

He is farang, so he can cater lessons to each individual very well. I have had friends who speak much better Thai than people I know who have lived here for years....after just 4-5 lessons. And, he'll Skype the lesson if you're unable to be around Chiang Mai for a while.

The best part is that he really teaches you to read the language.

I hear there's a new police chief in town and this will probably have a lot to do with it until the "roles" are figured out.

Have to be honest, I had the "in" last night at a "closed" bar and it was rather strange shooting darts and playing pool with the doors slammed shut, and the overhead doors pulled down, barkeep constantly looking out of the little slats to be sure the police aren't around. I even got shushed from time to time. (Can't be loud shooting darts at midnight in a bar nowadays, I SAY)

It was 12:30 a.m... That's not that late, but everything was on lock down. I have friends who like to frequent certain tourist bars for dancing and I hear everything that way has been shut down - nothing past midnight.

I hope karma works out for this one.

The Tesco Express on Nimman in Chiang Mai was out of everything but about 15 cans of soda and a few bundled packs of cans of Heine at about 6:30 p.m. this afternoon. Shelves were also emptied of ramen and any sort of produce.

No messing around, so we bought a case of beer from the local liquor store. They were receiving a delivery several times the size of usual, in prep.

I live in Chiang Mai, but I went to Chiang Rai a few weeks back and really enjoyed myself.

It's much cheaper and maybe not as posh as you're wanting, but I really want to recommend a guesthouse called Chian House. It's right in town, they have GREAT Western and Thai food for under 60 baht a plate. The bungalow was only 400 a night, with A/C, and it was huge. The best part: this place has a pool and it was relatively empty this time of year. They also still just allow you to keep a running tab of the beer and food you consume during your stay, to just pay at the end. I would highly recommend this place for a family, as well.

As far as things to do, the Black Temple was REALLY cool. It actually might have scared me a little bit as a child, but I was a huge pansy. The Saturday walking market was great. I scored some great finds.

Panthip has them reasonably priced on the second floor. ~2.5-3k

One of the cars spent a fair amount of time around Nimmanhaemin today, and sat side-by-side with my husband as he rode the motorbike down Suthep, today.

Thank you!

I usually do a border run from Chiang Mai and just hire one of the minivans to take me roundtrip, but I will be in Chiang Rai in one month, just when I need to re-up my visa. What method of transportation should I take to the border? I assume there are probably frequent buses for this, no? I'd rather not do a motorbike.

Thanks. I tried searching before asking but everything is for Chiang MAI to Mae Sai

Awesome! About time!

Royal India is good, but not to go eat in. We get the delivery and just make the naan at home.

Do you have a tracking number?

I don't think you'd get all that for under 5K baht.

Like the other posters say, its the kitchen requirement that sets it apart. Very very small % of apartment rentals have any kitchen facilities, as Thais just tend to "make do" with whatever space available.

Take the kitchen area out and you could find a decent, clean place virtually anywhere in CM for well under 5K baht.

That being said, we got a small electric oven that does the trick for around 1k baht and a NICE "stove" with grill, complete with pot and lids, for around the same (1k). Our "kitchen" came with only a toaster (?) and a hot water dispenser, but we have a full "western-style" now and abuse the hell out of it.

Also, our building has a ton of studios available around your price range, and I love the location. Very near old city, but within walking distance of anything you'd need and tuktuks and red trucks almost on your doorstep if otherwise. 103 Condo, Project 2.

After seeing this place mentioned on ThaiVIsa, I made the mental note to remember it next time the husband and I wanted something new.

This place is fantastic! All of the food we had was incredible (pad see ew seafood, fried mushrooms, stir-fried asparagus, and shrimp fried rice) and the beer deal is great (129 for 3 large Chang classic, only 109 for three of the Draught or Light). My husband could not believe how tasty the food was.

We were there at 7 pm on Friday night, though, and there were only two other tables of people there the entire time we ate. We left shortly before 9. It was raining, though, so maybe it kept any sort of crowd away? Regardless, the security guard held an umbrella over our head while we prepared our rain coats, etc, for the bike ride home. Very nice. No band, pretty dead.

And the music was LOUD. I saw it mentioned that it wasn't loud, but I disagree. We were almost yelling at each other in conversation.

Not enough to keep us away, though. This is a new, affordable, favorite.

Sorry you had that experience Yelly....I would recommend Wat Rampoeng as I have been there many times. The Abbot speaks average English and usually has a translator handy. At the three temples teaching the Ajarn Thong technique, Doi Suthep, Rampoeng and Chom Thong, they are all intensive courses with no real Dhamma teaching for basic beginners who want to know something about the reasons for meditation and why Vipassana is so important.

Welcome here...just up the road in Fang....I do the dhamma teaching and Phra Greg the meditation instruction.

http://watsriboenrua...ss.com/about-3/

you can even Skype me if you want to chat about it...

fabian.frederick.blandford

Wow, thank you for the information I appreciate it.

I work full time now until the end of October, but perhaps I will give it another try somewhere else.

We live near Sahara and go mainly for the cheap pizza. The pizza is GREAT and is only 99 baht for a large-ish cheese pizza.

There is no falafel on the menu....so vegetarian options are limited. The vegetarian panini is good. The fries are VERY hit and miss (we've eaten here at least ten times in the past two months).

The lentil soup is good. The hummus is okay but they only give you one small pita to eat it with.

Husband enjoying his pizza:

And here we had no idea you needed a sticker at all...having never been stopped

In my opinion, Wat Doi Suthep is the best option for a beginner. Ajahn speaks pretty good English and can answer all your questions in length.

Wat Ram Poeng is somehow overcrowded, too many people, socializing is distracting, though the training is also good.

Wat Chom Phong doesn't offer a lot of instructions.

What is also good about Wat Doi Suthep -- it is not so hot there during the hot season.

Sadly, things must have changed in the past few years as I will absolutely NOT recommend Doi Suthep for a beginner.

I was set to begin my course here this weekend and spent 24 hours there.

I left because:

I am a beginner and there was NO guidance past my short talk after the "opening ceremony." There was a lot of chanting and none of it was translated. Also, the monk that was "working with me" spoke awful English (I live in Chiang Mai and work in an office with natives, and have also taught, so I think I have a grasp on Thai "English") and I could understand very little of what he was trying to convey. He never stopped talking or asked for me to speak, so all of the questions I had went unanswered. I felt they were hurrying me through the introduction process because they had other places to be. Also, after that initial introduction, I could never find a soul to talk to to understand what was happening. This is not for a beginner - this is for someone who knows "how" to meditate and is comfortable working alone.

Also: I was stuck in a block two buildings from anyone with bathroom facilities that were hardly clean. Black mold was growing on the sinks and my room was covered in the stuff. The bedding was moist enough to be practically fresh out of the water (as are the mediation mats all over the grounds) and the one night I slept there, I was attacked in my sleep by an insect or spider, apparently, as there are bite marks and bruises that are numb all over my right leg.

The meditation hall is just as clean and I had a beetle climb over my leg during my attempted practice.

My last straw was when I felt I absolutely needed questions answered after 24 hours and there was not a soul around. The office was locked. The other retreat participants were completely MIA.

I have to add that they teach strictly Thai Buddhism here, which should be obvious: but that includes some weird "5 commandments" of Buddhism that I had never heard before...much like Western Religion, actually. These commandments said that if you are to break one, your soul will never reach enlightenment. Very odd.

Upon deciding to leave, I had to just pack up alone and return to the Wat Doi Suthep office, where I told them I needed to go home. The monk did not care, did not ask questions, and merely took the key from me. Is this normal!?

I am from California and my husband has been studying Buddhism for years. He has participated in similar retreats at monasteries in the USA, and once I told him about everything, he said he couldn't blame me for leaving.

Wat Doi Suthep hardly offers guidance OR a comfortable place to learn to meditate.

try the ground floor at kaad suan kaew, in the area between the mall and the hotel where handicrafts etc are sold. i've bought clothes for meditation there before. another option is to stop by one of the shops around town that has the gift packages of monk supplies pre-wrapped in yellow plastic buckets. those places sometimes have layman's clothes for sale.

Thank you so much. I wondered if the monk supply stores would have them. I will try Kaad Suan Kaew, also.

Perhaps try Warorot, I imagine the long fisherman trousers and loose Northern style shirts would be acceptable.

I don't find myself near Warorot too often. Do you know that they have all-white in these styles? I appreciate the help....I just find Warorot overwhelming and try to avoid it when possible. If it's my only option, no problem...I'll brave it!