johnsjourney

or find a tuk tuk with a phone who likes repeat business, the price can even get cheaper that way

On the Hang Dong road at Airport Plaza, southbound (towards Hang Dong) just after the traffic lights there is a Michelin I think on the left, and a little further down on the other side of the road at a U-turn is a Dunlop, where we got our tyres replaced recently. I don't know about rebalancing but they managed to find some extra work to do on a wheel overnight, but they offered to take us home. There are numerous car related shops on that road.

Well, I hope that Thailand -and the rest of the world- recover soon. I'm not convinced that its anything other than a bear bounce type increase.

If the press was full of stories predicting "The End of Equities" or "Buy Gold and bury it in your back yard" then I'd be more inclined to believe that we had turned the corner.

Just my take on things

the only green shoot is money printing - watch out for inflation as the USA doubled the money supply already in the last year (see CRB commodity index looks like a major low has been passed to me and currently flying up)

agree the opposite of the press view is usually right - there is little talk of hyperinflation, therefore I expect that is exactly what we will get with all that printing, the baht stays close to the dollar...

...and then they'll call inflation 'growth'

have lived in the area for 4 years, PM'd you the address

the University hospital on Suthep road (not the road to Doi Sithep), the main road going out west of the western gate of the old city, a few big buildings along on the right hand side, sorry cannot remember the name but it is superb value for money and our daughter had her eye problem fixed there quickly and effectively and just a few hundred baht

just bought one in Central, Kad San Keaw, a black yamaha for 6900bt

does not seem to detect how hard keys are pressed but otherwise fine (and they talk me into a stool and stand on delivery)

sounds like up to 5% is going to bank commissions hidden in the exchange rate, get a Nationwide card and get most of 63 baht (I haven't checked what I'm getting at the moment but it's always been close to the real currency rate, currently around 63)

I only have spending money in pounds, not being a pensioner I'm lucky I can still move into fast growing economies rather than dependent on one relying on highly leveraged (mortgaged) flat or falling asset (UK property). A huge chunk of UK spending relies on remortgaging that is no longer possible, and that's just if house prices stay flat. The UK economy will get worse and usually weak economies have low interest rates and currencies. But of course one needs to be very careful with money in Thailand too.

I take it you are not earning your living from a bookshop, bar or restaurant Neither am I, but I can understand if those who are get upset by the number of posts trying to paint a picture of Chiang Mai as an unliveable/unvisitable place, e.g. the nonsensical post a while ago about CM being the world's most polluted city. Informing is good, but rumour-mongering in a way that will hurt many people's (not just farangs) livelihood is definitely not!

A short clip from today's The Nation:

It may be a danger to breathe

Cool weather is being blamed for the increase in dust particles in the air

Published on March 8, 2008

As many people across the country are enjoying cooler temperatures, the Pollution Control Department has warned that unusual weather often comes with a health risk.

"It's noticeable that when the weather cools down and there's morning fog, the amount of small dust particles soars above safety limits," director-general Supat Wangwongwatana said yesterday.

The acceptable limit for dust particles smaller than 10 microns is no more than 120 micrograms per cubic metre of air. According to yesterday's checks, Bang-kok's Huai Khwang district saw dust particles soaring to 206.4 micrograms. Samut Prakan had around 243.2 micrograms.

In Ayutthaya, the amount of small dust particles yesterday stood at around 254.8 micrograms. In the North, Lampang recorded 181.2 and Chiang Mai 141.

Supat hopes air quality will improve next month when summer starts.

Daily Xpress

BTW, the figure for Chiang Mai the 24 hours ending at 9:00 AM today was 105.2, a significant improvement from the last two days.

/ Priceless

No rumours here that I can remember, some of us really have been getting mildly unwell, or avoiding doing things to stay healthy, and some really are leaving at this time of year. Last year for example I flew out on the morning of the first whiteout, though that won't happen this year as it's not so bad, hence the feeling that there is some over reacting.

It is a very volatile number, but accurate it seems, I thought 1st and 2nd March was a great improvement, down to 50, then it doubled.

No big deal, not trying to change anything here,

suggest any concerned (though I don't think anyone is) they might be losing business at this time of year when it should be peak season lobby the powers that be to, say, actually enforce the bans when it does get above the accepted safety level. That might have avoided a large out of control fire in our estate yesterday that needed several fire engines to help protect a nearby house. Though why they didn't cut the land just around their house I have no idea.

I would have voted 'bothers me once in a while' too, since I wouldn't let anything bother me more than that.

Well, sofar nothing compares to last year. Here's a couple of graphs, handpicked from a couple of the threads running through marts 2007. For those who wonder why the old timers just can't take the new complainers seriously, have a look at threads with related titles on what currently is page 66-70 on this forum.

Thanks for that, interesting how the biggest increase is almost to the same day 3,4 March, but only half as bad this time. It varies a lot between the years. One can only guess why, but I know in our village the leaf burner has been banned this year after 2007, but notably not removed for the future!

I wouldn't generalise about old/new complaining/avoiding/bored though, I've been here for seven years but not many Marchs. This is still the best place I know, most of the year. I certainly wouldn't waste my time complaining!

I almost wonder who sets the 'acceptable' level, scientists, politicians, or politically promoted scientists, and against what acceptable level of health. Thai safety is as care-free as the UK's is over the top. But I don't know, don't care, I notice the difference when it reaches 50, and am one of three people in my immediate location who were unwell for the three weeks from 10th Feb when it was above 60.

For sure most people here think it's not a big problem, it would be weird if people thought it was a big problem and stayed here all through this time of year.

I'm aware there may be more arsenic in the water where I go and all the rest of it, but at least I'll be able to have a fully active day without catching a CM cough or worse I cannot get rid of for weeks. The far future is too random to care much about, hardly any of us are going to get lung cancer, even if I read it's the second worst city in the world for it.

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/G...fm?task=default for the answer - chose 'PM-10 Index' and Chiang Mai.

Yesterday was the worst day this year I think so far. Best to stay indoors and do less those days, because it effects the immune system. The particles are far too small to see or smell, except against mountains in the distance. Bangkok air pollution is easier to detect but much less harmful, if lung cancer rates are anything to go by. Not a good idea to be here regularly February to March it seems. Though I'm not quite ready to be an expat twice - perhaps there is a Chiang Mai expat community in Surat Thani!

happens to me about once a year, including last week

I just pop along to Loi Kroh clinic (closes 1pm-mid afternoon though) half way along the road opposite a temple, and after waiting an hour the doctor sorts me out with whatever I have from just lack of strength from the cough (this time) to pneumonia or bronchitis (previously). Total cost 500 baht this time and the meds made a big improvement as usual within 24 hours. If you want no waiting around, then try a hospital like the one just befpre Tesco on Hang Dong Road, of many around town. They will charge about the same or more, you don't get what you pay for, except by reducing waiting times. The guy at Loi Kroh has fixed us for so many things over the last few years so well.

It's grim air pollution every year, have seen cinders in our garden for many weeks now, and don't recommend living in this part of Thailand from Feb-April ideally, until it starts raining again, and until they learn to police the burning, which I expect causes more lung conditions than smoking.

In the meantime best advice is to drink lots (and I mean many litres) of water.

Do we hear when it happens and it isn't One2Go?

But so far to me there is a pattern here, and just last week and this week I explicitly avoided using O2G for our daytrips to Bangkok to get our family UK visas sorted. Doesn't look like I was wrong.

yes the Thai gold currency has gone up more than our western currencies, and looking at 'emerging market' stockmarkets versus 'developed' (submerging?) ones I am not surprised if locals feel wealthier faster then tourists.

But after living here for 6 years or so I notice a remarkable increase in the speed of construction outside town, the ring road superhighway that started work when I first arrived has suddenly been mostly finished this year, and two Rimpings, a Big C and a Macro have all popped up near Hang Dong. I suspect a sudden temporary drop in the 'traditional' ways of doing business. But back to normal again this year perhaps.

Oh well , I worked out a couple of years ago that 50 pigs would pay for our family lifestyle even the trips to UK!

edit: ... and a massive upgrade to the old potholed canal road to San Patong after years of talk

Tescos must be laughing, I can't see how a shop in it's right mind would go publicising that it is going to get more expensive. They should just raise the prices and dangle enough 'buy one get one free' things and big discounts on things people don't want to give the illusion shopping is still cheap like all the others do.

A few months ago, on a saturday, i went to Airport Plaza for a lunch appointment. After lunch, i returned to the car park and opps,it's blocked by a row of vehicles parked vertically in front of my vehicle. Although some of the vehicle were on neutral, there was no space to push them forward or backwards. Since then, i've avoided Airport plaza on weekends. Any advice, folks?

Before lunchtime is shortly after it opens so then I drive up to the top levels which have not filled in at all yet, amusing to see people preferring to double park than climb one more level. Parking outside is pretty reliable but with a hot car on return.

Other than that I have always been lucky that double parkers have arrived fairly soon after we return, except once in a mountain market half way to Chiang Rai, but even then a complicated shuffle and tight turning got us out.

When in Airport Plaza go to the bottom floor, close to the back entrance, where the aquarium is. Look for the Yakazuma(?) bakery, there is usually a fine selection of bread in there.

and opposite Airport Plaza and up a slip road from the city just a little bit the new Rimping supermarket has a good selection of bread.

yup, I'm there, have been for several years, it's great. Several people who have lived here have since moved on so I suggest renting not buying but no particular reason for that other than there are flight paths to the airport (and future growth of that) to take into account. Very green and shady and generally maturing very well, though the bridge is being replaced so excuse the dirt track on the way in!

They must be expecting a lot of newly wealthy Chinese, because in the six years I have been here I have not noticed much rise in tourism.

I did the visa run today, all ok, but don't expect any DVDs, see my post here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...44311&st=30

Did the Mae Sai visa run today. No problem, much quieter on both sides than I remember, market fine on the Thai side but all market shops appeared to be closed in Tachileik, though that was just the view from the Customs area. I didn't think it sensible to go in as things are at the moment. There appeared to have been a massive flood last night, sandbags appeared to have saved the market, it could be the reason the shops were closed but I doubt it. A couple of small floods for the bus on the way up but river levels falling back during the day.

Sadly no Burmese monks at all, and few apparently Burmese people at all, though those I did see mostly seemed happy.

That was for Friday 28th

Did the Mae Sai visa run today. No problem, much quieter on both sides than I remember, market fine on the Thai side but all market shops appeared to be closed in Tachileik, though that was just the view from the Customs area. I didn't think it sensible to go in as things are at the moment. There appeared to have been a massive flood last night, sandbags appeared to have saved the market, it could be the reason the shops were closed but I doubt it. A couple of small floods for the bus on the way up but river levels falling back during the day.

Sadly no Burmese monks at all, and few apparently Burmese people at all, though those I did see mostly seemed happy.

I don't know but I'd like to find out too, TOT locally for us to your west near Hang Dong Rd has been awful the last week, off about as much time as it has been on.

As I see it this is still speculation with as much evidence for as against, based mostly on what third parties, rather than what the consulate or any official officials are saying. The last thing some would want if this is merely a temporary change of service (see my message on the first page), is for it's profile to reach the attention of those who may therefore feel the need to change it. However as I think Thaiquila is saying there is no point applying even this small amount of logic to such situations, so I keep an open mind until next week.

Don't panic, I was told (by my guesthouse) if I'd waited until Monday the guy who is happy to give multiple tourist visas would be back from holiday in Thailand. I didn't wait, came back on Friday with a single. This is backed up perhaps by a guy at the guesthouse getting given the wrong visa by mistake so I guess the usual management is away. So I'd assume this is the case unless people are coming back next week only with singles...