falangUK

Dr Paradee at Sriphat used to be the one everyone recommended. Is Dr Preeyanuch Khunsongkiet actually better? Looks like she only graduated about five years ago, so I’m wondering if she might be a bit inexperienced. I’ve got an appointment with Dr Paradee early tomorrow and now I’m not sure what to do.

Thank you very much 🙂

Where are they held? Is it invite only? I used to attend a few meetups years ago but haven’t been in a while. Would be good to check it out again.

There were women too!??? Confronting the waiting woman, she hesitated then bolted for the door. Mr Ghayal chased after her, but the accomplice tried distracting him, claiming he might have misplaced his money. both women escaped in a waiting vehicle.

Ah the good old Triple Talaq 🤣

The whole thing really is a waste of time and money. In other countries like Indonesia, you can just apply for visa extensions online. No need to spend hours queuing at immigration. I remember it used to be a bit silly there too. You had to go in person, fill out forms using the correct colour pen, I think it was black, or they’d make you redo the whole thing. And you had to show proof of an outbound flight. So in that sense, Thailand is not the worst, but still, it would be much easier if extensions could be done properly online. I think they do offer an online option now, but it costs 500 baht extra, which makes you wonder if they are deliberately making the normal process as inconvenient as possible to push people into paying more. It really does feel like inconvenience is part of the business model here.

Yes, that’s the one. I used to shop there regularly whenever I was in Bangkok. Haven’t been to the CentralWorld branch in a couple of months though, so not sure what the current state is. But according to the staff I spoke to in Chiang Mai, they’re shutting down across the whole country. From what I understood, they’re still hoping someone might take over the franchise. Would be great if someone stepped in and kept it going.

That’s actually another good point. I think I came across it before but never really took it in properly. Makes sense though. If your appearance has changed significantly, like major weight loss or gain, then a new passport is probably in order. Still, it is strange how closely they are checking now compared to how relaxed they used to be. Something definitely seems to have shifted recently.

That’s actually a VERY good point! My passport photo’s about five years old, so if they're checking against that, the whole system’s a bit flawed, isn’t it? Can’t believe I hadn’t thought of that before, cheers for pointing it out. Now I’m even more baffled about why they’re doing these close checks, not to mention the strange “evidence style” photo holding the passport and receipt 😅

Just walked into Marks & Spencer in Chiang Mai today (12 June) and got a proper shock. Half the shop is empty, and all the sweets from the food hall have been moved into the clothing section. When I asked what was going on, staff said they’re closing at the end of the month 😞. The franchise is ending and no one’s taken it over. From what I understand, they’re shutting down all M&S stores in Thailand, not just Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Honestly gutted. M&S was one of those rare places that felt a bit like home. Good quality, decent food, familiar stuff when you needed it most. We always used to shop there, and just knowing it was around gave a bit of comfort. They used to sell M&S sweets like biscuits and chocolates at TOPS and another place I can’t remember now, so hopefully those products will still be around. Fingers crossed this doesn’t mean Marks & Spencer is disappearing entirely from the country. Still, feels like the end of an era.

Mind you, they checked my photo very closely against the one in the passport, so it might be worth getting new ones even if the changes are only minor. They never used to be this strict with photo checks, which is why I’m a bit concerned. I’ve extended several times before and never had an issue, but this time was different. At least in Chiang Mai, they’ve started doing this odd thing where after issuing the extension, they ask you to hold the passport and the extension receipt against your chest while they snap a photo on their mobile. No idea what that’s for, but it’s definitely new. They used to just take a photo with their fixed camera and be done with it. So yeah, probably safest to get a fresh set of photos just in case.

Hi all, I’m looking for a proper ophthalmologist in Chiang Mai, not a chain shop, not someone offering a free test at a retail eyeglass store, but a fully qualified medical eye doctor who can properly examine eye health, diagnose issues like cataracts or glaucoma, and prescribe treatment if necessary. From what I’ve gathered, names like Dr Rachada at Chiang Mai RAM and Dr Paradee at Sriphat come up often. Also hearing decent things about the doctor at Rajavej Hospital (opposite Holiday Inn). Any up-to-date suggestions or confirmations would be appreciated. Please, no recommendations for mall-based opticians or optical chains.

Sorry if this sounds out of line, but it can’t have been a great feeling when she asked you to write and sign that, especially after all you’ve done for her, sending her to school and uni?

some sharp insights in there. I suppose I had the same thoughts buried somewhere, but like most of us, I probably left my critical thinking at Suvarnabhumi. In my case, it’s yes to all of the questions… except the last one 😅

Blimey, that’s actually spot on. Might have to tattoo that on the inside of my eyelids, just to remind myself every time I blink. Never thought of it so clearly before 👏

Are you sure it wasn’t the other way round? Like she was trying to make sure you got at least half, and wanted it written up all official like? Something along the lines of “you shall receive not less than fifty percent” as the fine folks at Thai Immigration might phrase it 😏

Just watching this podcast with George Mack and Chris Williamson. Honestly, it’s a real eye-opener how far behind the UK is in some areas. Not saying the US is some land of milk and honey either, especially with Trump looming again but still, the contrast is wild. Apologies if links to vids aren’t allowed:

Last time I was back in the UK, I barely recognised my old area. Honestly thought I'd gotten off at East Ham by mistake. The place just didn’t feel the same, felt like a completely different town. Not trying to be offensive, but there used to be more of a balance. It was once a very typically British town, and now it feels totally changed. There was even a transgender Romanian rough sleeper who was helping out at the local library. That kind of thing would’ve been unthinkable back in the day. Didn’t notice much of a difference in prices, but to be fair, I’ve never really paid attention to that stuff anyway. Just found the shift in the social and cultural atmosphere pretty shocking

That one’s fizzled out, hasn’t it. Was thinking of starting a new thread about this girl at Lotus (ex-Tesco). Known her a few years, she knows the girlfriend too. I usually pop in there alone after a run, and every time she hits me with “You’re on your own again? Where’s the girlfriend?” She’s always seemed pleased to see me, bit up and down though. One of those people who’s either all smiles or in a mood, nothing in between. Could be a sponsorship angle later on, maybe 30k or more, who knows. Bit older than that bubble tea girl someone else mentioned, but still… not boring 😅

Ah ok, got it. Just to check are both your passports from the same country? . Never really thought about using the “wrong” one at the counter lol. Thanks for sharing your experience, that Mr & Mr story is gold 😄 I had a lot of trouble with an AirAsia counter staff at the gate last time, just flying from DMK to KL. She wrongly assumed I needed two completely empty pages in my passport and made a huge fuss about it. Ever since then, I’ve been kind of paranoid about random requirements and what staff might decide on the spot lol.

Thank you! I think I just assumed it wasn’t possible to book flights without a passport because most of the sites I use have the number saved and it autofills. Appreciate the clarification 🙂

Hi, I’ve applied for a new UK passport and it’ll take about a month to arrive. I want to book flights now to get a good price, but I don’t have the new passport number yet. I still have the old passport, but once the new one is issued, the old one will be cancelled. So the problem is, if I book using the old passport number, then later show up at the airport with the new passport, the numbers won’t match. I’ve heard some airlines charge a lot just to update the passport number, almost like buying a new ticket. I’d rather not wait a month and risk ticket prices going up, but I also don’t want to waste money. Has anyone dealt with this before? Can you book a ticket without entering the passport number and add it later? Or book with the old one and update it once the new one arrives? Would really appreciate any advice.

I can never really make up my mind. I keep going back and forth. I'm usually happy for the first few weeks, then I start getting bored. But overall, I'm mostly happy here, especially with the pups well, at least 12 of them, not counting the big black monster 😅. Definitely happier here than I was in the UK. That said, when I visit the UK, I'm alright for a couple of months. I can enjoy places like Bali for about two weeks, and other countries just depend on the vibe.

That's a pretty impressive setup, almost like a pro kitchen. Are you or were you a professional chef? I've read a lot of your posts about food, breakfasts and all that really good stuff. And thanks again for the low-cal cheesecake suggestion earlier! 😊

I've been thinking about getting a breadmaker here in Thailand. The one time I tried baking bread in an oven back in the UK, it was a total disaster 😅. I ended up buying a Panasonic breadmaker (I think it was Panasonic anyway), and it was so much easier just threw in the ingredients and it came out better than store-bought bread. Newbie question: is using a breadmaker generally better, or does baking in the oven have its own advantages? I honestly have no idea.