JXXXL

as a matter of interest why did you move from Phuket to Chiang mai ?

Probably related to WWII that was raging at the time.

Aircon while inside...

And this when I'm outside...

This heat is no hassle for me

I'm green with envy, that looks lovely.

To my knowledge, I haven't pissed off any Thais since I've been here. I do my best to respect Thais as I understand I'm, ultimately, a guest in their country. I'm not quite as concerned about pissing off farangs, though. You appear to be pretty good at it too......

To my knowledge

That's the key operative phrase Brycat. I know you've been in Thailand a whole 8 months but you sound to me like a person who doesn't always know what's behind the Thai smile.

I'm not quite as concerned about pissing off farangs

You will when you douse the wrong Farang at the wrong time and get a fist in your face.

I was just sitting on Thapae Road near JJs when a British fellow of about 55 years old came striding up the street. He wasn't saying anything - just giving everyone the angry eye - like don't mess with me. He walked by a much older farang who squirted him with water without noticing his Charles Bronson act. He came back and started yelling and poking the old fellow who asked him to calm down as it was the last day of Songkran and didn't he know what to expect by now? He continued bellowing about kicking the old guys "arse", when up came a bunch more older farangs who had been watching and drenched him once again.

He went off down the street yelling and screaming and it seemed that everyone went out of their way to give him an extra bucketful all along the way.

If you don't want to get wet during Songkran, stay at home!

This is my first Songkran in Thailand (Chiang Mai) ever. I participated for 4 days (as it really started on 11/04/2552 in CM). I really didn't want to deal with it yesterday, so I stayed home. I went back out today, for the last day, and finished it up with a wet bang. I had a blast, but I knew the deal- you go out during Songkran, and you get wet. This is not our (farangs') holiday. To feel like we are some how excluded from any excess of festival because we are farang is just arrogant.

During Songkran, I saw thousands, litteraly, of Thais being soaked and not a one complained. The only complaints I saw were from non-Thais. I'm really getting tired of pissing and moaning expats that feel like they should be treated differently here. We are, after all, guests in this country. I think a lot of things should be different in Thailand, but I accept it as a wonderful departure from my home country.

Why in the world would you want to live/ visit Thailand if you can't accept the differences that it has to offer. I agree that the differences aren't all good, but hey- there's always the option to leave. Why pick on an old man spashing you with water (farang or otherwise)? Guarantee that guy wouldn't had done the same to a Thai. Hmmmm..... wonder why that is? Guess he figured he could take out his aggressions out on someone who wouldn't want to fight back.

Bully go home and leave Thailand for those who can appreciate it!

Poster boy for the farang who doesn't understand SK and pisses off Thais and farangs alike.

I'm planning on moving back and working from home and hoping to use Skype for international calls. I spend lots of time on the phone and long distance land line rates are a killer.

Any recent reports of the coppers taking away unregistered bikes? Just wondering if this was a typical periodic episode or if they are sustaining the effort.

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Ditto. Done it many times and going way around BKK via Chainat makes the trip much easier.

JXXXL, what's your best journey time using this route?

It seems to be about 11 hours each time with generous stops for rest. I recommend riding during daylight hours as a lot of roads aren't lit and if you're tired you won't see well at night. My group rides around 160-180, but it's the resting time that makes the big difference to overall time.

I've found it fastest and easiest to go:

Chiangmai, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Suphan Buri, U-Thong, Kampaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Petchburi, Hua Hin

There is a short stretch near Kampang Saen which is not 4 lane highway yet.

Ditto. Done it many times and going way around BKK via Chainat makes the trip much easier.

Ok - this is killing me to ask this - but need to :-(

Due to time constraints - I will not have enough time to actualy ride down to Samui & Phuket for the "Bike Weeks" however have heard that I can put my bike on the train? (True?? If so any info and tips would be greatly appreciated).

My MC and a few other solo bikers will need to do the same as with the work scene we can depart at the 11th hour as they say...

Cheers

Chris

I put my moto on the train from Hat Yai to Bangkok and it worked out well. I didn't travel with the bike because they didn't have room on my train. They put the bike on the train before mine and it was waiting for me when I got there. There is a shipping doc and the people there will load it and tie it town for you. I recommend you bring your own tie downs otherwise they'll use nylon rope which may chew up your plastic or paint.

If you are north of BKK, you'll need to change trains in BKK and the schedule will be subject to room on the train. Note, not all trains can take a bike.

I switched my dog to raw food after he got skin allergies. I started doing a lot of research and found the arguments for raw food extremely compelling. Actually, there are two general types of raw diets, one being BARF or meaty bones and the other is that ground up stuff you by in the market.

First off, the problem with dry food is it's mostly grain or rice which dogs don't tolerate well. Dogs are 100% carnivores and their systems aren't designed to process anything but meat and bones. People think dogs should eat a balanced diet, but that utter BS because carnivores aren't meant to eat a balanced diet. A high carb diet causes obesity, tooth decay, and all sorts of other ailments. Dogs' turds are also huge and smelly when they eat grain based food. Also also, most of the benefits of raw food are lost with that raw ground stuff.

My dog older dog has improved in so many way since he's been eating raw, and we've been feeding our new puppy raw since he was old enough to eat. It's actually not much more then feeding them dry food as the high quality kibble is really expensive.

There are lot of myths about feeding dogs so I recommend you do your research before coming to any conclusions.

Oh, the thing about dogs being pure carnivores is the same for cats, they do much better on raw food too.

JXL,

I buy from the market, I buy the bones & stuff they sell for 30baht per kg...people here apparently put it in soup etc....I find most of the bones have really good amount of meat on the bone (and fat)...dogs love it.

just about every market ive been too i have been able to buy at, id be surprised if you cannot, you might just have to ask, it probably wont be stacked on the meat table

Thanks ND, I will go check out some of the markets and maybe ask the butcher if he can give me something custom. What I need are non weight bearing bones like necks and ribs with a lot of meat on them. I've seen big soup bones but my dogs can't gnash those up and eat them.

One issue in countries like Thailand is nothing goes to waste and has value. I some western countries, butchers will give away good dog scraps because people just wont buy that meat at any price. Same with guts, they often cost more that the good meat.

Interesting idea about the stray dogs

I feed my dogs raw meat and bones and I am looking for a cheaper source. My wife has been buying pork and beef at the wet market and we pay about 120 and 140/kilo respectively. I'm not sure if you save anything buying in bulk. The quality isn't important either as the bones and chewy stuff is good for their teeth.

Go to Sa Moto, opposite side of Mahidol from Chiang Mai Bikers and slightly north. I know he has several types of indicators in stock now.

Vibe, if you want to try grinding your own beans, you might want to buy a hand grinder. What you are looking for is something adjustable that will allow you to produce different degrees of fineness for different brewing methods. Don't use one of those cheap bladed chopper/grinders as they smash the beans into pieces of varying fineness. I think the shop called Hillkopf mentioned somewhere in this thread has some hand grinders.

Buying freshly roasted high quality beans and grinding yourself just prior to brewing will give most people the biggest improvement in taste for the lowest cost. A good burr grinder is very expensive but makes a huge difference in quality. But, you don't necessarily need an expensive grinder unless you're making espresso.

As far as storing coffee, the best way is to keep it in an air tight container in a dark cupboard. And, buy your beans in small quantities so you don't have to store them long.

Vibe, do yourself a favor and read about how to treat coffee. For the best results, you shouldn't buy beans more than two weeks from their roasting date and you want grind them immediately before brewing/pressing. And, NEVER put your beans in the freezer or refrigerator. A freezer is a very dry environment, and coffee naturally absorbs scents from other foods. Go have a read at coffeegeek.com to learn more.

To never put coffee in the freezer is an old wifes tale and only makes sense if you put your ground coffee on an open plate in the freezer

Wow, you must know something that the experts haven't figured out yet. Enjoy your coffee.

Douwe Egberts grounds. Rimping. Quality man, quality. The only coffee that I can drink black, if that has any merit?

Agreed. That's top quality. I take the Special.

How fresh can Douwe's be? And already ground? Compared to beans roasted locally and ground yourself before making a cup.

Good point, but one that would be hard to measure. As I would rather have a cup of pre-ground Douwe than many local beans that are fresh. Just because it is ground on the spot does not make it a better coffee. I keep my grinds in the freezer to help them stay fresher.

Vibe, do yourself a favor and read about how to treat coffee. For the best results, you shouldn't buy beans more than two weeks from their roasting date and you want grind them immediately before brewing/pressing. And, NEVER put your beans in the freezer or refrigerator. A freezer is a very dry environment, and coffee naturally absorbs scents from other foods. Go have a read at coffeegeek.com to learn more.

For me, I buy my beans at Leibenard because the quality is excellent and I know when they are roasted. They have several blends so make sure you're buying one that meets your requirements.

Do you speak Thai well enough explain your needs or do you require a shop where they speak English?

I have some very good specs which a non-English speaker should be able to follow. I also have some close Thai friends who can explain any details so English is not required.

I need to get a custom part made for my motorcycle. It's not complex and basically involves cutting and bending .125 sheet aluminum, and I have a good template. Does anyone know a good shop where this can be done?

Thanks Neinke, will check those places out. I was just hoping someone knew of a specific place so I don't have to drive around in this horrible traffic.

TB, what I'm looking for is a portable/temporary enclosure rather than something permanent.

Does anyone know where I can buy a folding enclosure for a dog. It's not a cage, but a series of sections that rest on the ground to form a small enclosure. These are commonly used for potty training dogs or keep puppie(s) or small dogs confined at night.

I've seen some really big one at the pet store at Central Airport Plaza, I only need a small one for my new puppy.

Tried a place called Huan Chow Ying in Baan Tawai that I thought is worth a mention. It's a really quaint place in an old teak wood house and seating is on the floor (Lanna style I'm told). I thought the food was excellent as well as the prices. I can't remember the names of the dishes, but they have North and Issan food. The Tab Tim was really great.

The floor seating is not for everybody. I can make it for about an hour but after that, my legs are aching.

One other thing about helmets, SHARK is a top brand, right up there with Arai and Shoei. Shark helmets are manufactured in Thailand and some mysteriously fall off the assembly line and wind up local bike shops at a much lower price than you would find them in the US or Europe.

Sa Moto on Mahidol road always has a few nice Shark helmets.

Help Help Help!! Three months of searching and this is my last shot. Can anyone supply a contact name and phone number for a GOOD supplier of Jap motorbike imports ( dirt bikes, off roaders etc ) Also really need to get spare parts for my Yamaha Blaster ATV ..... thanks in advance

Chong Aik in Singapore

+65 6294 2531

Let me clear up a few things.

First, the kind of gear you want is mesh or textile with CE certified armor. Most of the gear you could find at that shop in Pantip is this type. The brand they sell at that shop is called Red Corn from Japan and is way overpriced. And, no, it doesn't have Kevlar armor.

About leather gear, leather is the best protection from road rash, but way too hot for this climate. Textile and mesh will give you good protection and is designed for hot climates. BTW, PB, leather loses 50% of it's protective ability once it's been saturated and dried. Also, using cleaning solvent is good for your suede dinner jacket but not for leather riding gear. You may just want to wear those pants of yours for fashion as there useless for protection.

About gloves, this is extremely important as things that get damaged first are hands and feet. Using fingerless gloves for riding is like a pair of cement swimming trunks and typically worn by Harley fashionistas.

Boots are also a key accessory. If you're on a budget, get something sturdy and most important something that wont fly off your feet when you crash.

Regarding denim, it's useless in a crash as I have experienced first hand. There are a few companies who make kevlar reinforced jeans and they seem to work a treat although I don't have any experience with them. One brand is called Draggin Jeans and they have a video of a guy being dragged a quarter mile on his arse and the jeans don't tear.

In terms of where to get it good gear, I recommend you buy it in the US and have it shipped to Thailand. You can find some great closeouts on top brands and the shipping is quite reasonable. If you're a big guy you'll have a tough time with selection in Asia and the prices will be more than double. Two of the best shops I know of for gear are:

www.motorcyclecloseouts.com

www.newenough.com

You are absolutely right about dressing for the crash and there are a lot of good alternatives for tropical climates that protect you very well.

I do a LOT of riding in Thailand and Laos. I agree with most of what JXXXL says as far as what gear to get. Being nit picky I believe the gear in Pantip is "Yellow" Corn but that is not important. It is expensive and pretty gaudy in my opinion.

I have mail ordered items from the U.S. but I have not seen "reasonable shipping". Plus if customs pull it you have to pay duty and tax. Have ordered many items in the U.S. and then had a friend bring them over in luggage. The only problem here is that you cannot try the goods on and sizing varies. I especially would not buy a helmet without trying it first (and helmets are a little bulky to bring back). If you want good gear you are going to have to spend some money.

There are a number of shops in BKK especially "The Paddock" that have a good selection but also expensive. Singapore, IMHO, is the best. I purposely scheduled a trip there just to buy parts and gear for myself, g/f and others. I bought a SHOEI helmet for a little less than what I could get one for in the states and much cheaper than in BKK or CM. G/F got mesh jacket, boots, helmet and we bought a number of replacement parts. The only thing we couldn't find were good mesh riding pants in a size that fit the girlfriend. Carried or wore everything back and just strolled through customs without a problem. But as I said, the big advantage is one gets to try everything on.

Hope it helps.

Silverhawk,

You are correct sir, it is "Yellow" Corn. Yellow or Red, they both sound stupid and you are right about being gaudy, I wouldn't want to wear a jacked that said "Road Magician" on the back.

You may be right about the shipping from the US is you have the dealer ship direct. What I do is ship the goods to a friends house. They take the packing slip off the box, consolidate the order and ship it by USPS (US Postal Service) to my house in CM. I paid about $30 for a box containing a jacket and pants. I've also received about 12 packages from the states and never paid duty.

I've been buying a lot of gear for friends in Thailand and had it shipped in or carried it and never have been stopped by customs. I brought three Arai helmets from Singapore last month and didn't get a second look from the boys in white.

Singapore, I agree, is the best place in the region for buying gear. I've bought a lot from Chiap Lee, who is the SEA Arai distributor and carries Clover, Dianese, Oxtar and a few other top brands. His prices are good too.

I've just brought back some Draggin jeans for myself from the UK, they are great as they look feel like jeans but have kevlar sewn into them, a mate came off in Chiang Mai a few years back and slid for a while on his arse, luckily he only ripped through the pocket on them.

Not sure where they are available in Thailand but i'm sure they are as they are made in Oz, they also do kevlar sweatshirts.

Check out dragginjeans.com.

draggin jeans

I'm pretty sure Power Station in BKK has Draggin products.