CMHomeboy78

Do you mean traffic police checkpoints?

What is dangerous about slow-moving lanes?

Don't forget that Nong Hoy extends well across the highway/ Mahidol as well. I used to live down there. Never any troubles. It's nice to live among the locals. Those who feel they need to live in gated communities or condos in over-trodden areas really miss out on being integrated into the community.

Wherever I live I also always take it upon myself to be gracious and introduce myself to neighbors, share if I bake a little something extra, or bring back some kind of candy or something for kids when I travel abroad [...] Get connected and enjoy the area.

Should I still introduce myself if they don't understand English?

I also wonder if I should make some gifts right after moving in. Do you think it would be a good idea?

Allow me to comment.

Yes, it would be a good idea to give some small gifts of food to your immediate neighbours... but don't try to play Santa Claus and overdo it. I have found that almost all of them around here like croissants, so that's what I often give.

Language shouldn't be much of a problem if you speak slowly and get the young people to help translate to the older ones who may not be as proficient in English.

If you can make some progress with the Thai language, that is fine, but if you can't for whatever reason, then English is widely understood.

If you live here without alienating people, chances are you won't have any serious problems, other than minor annoyances. One thing that should be kept in mind is the fact that most Thais don't seem to be bothered by noise. I've never been able to understand it, and frankly I've stopped trying.

Good luck getting a place you like.

ATF and Tubby shoot it down but don't elaborate. I see the herd behavior every day when working in Thailand.

The herd is controlled by the boss. Most people follow the herd.

You were the first to mention Thailand.

Have you found herd behavior to be more prevalent here than in the other countries you've been to?

I think places like Japan and China have populations that are more herdlike.

Don't forget that Nong Hoy extends well across the highway/ Mahidol as well. I used to live down there. Never any troubles. It's nice to live among the locals. Those who feel they need to live in gated communities or condos in over-trodden areas really miss out on being integrated into the community.

Wherever I live I also always take it upon myself to be gracious and introduce myself to neighbors, share if I bake a little something extra, or bring back some kind of candy or something for kids when I travel abroad - keeping your neighbors on your side as extra ears and eyes is always helpful. Plus you get to (hopefully) make some friends in the process. I've been invited to untold numbers of parties and celebrations because of this, and also sometimes am greeted with a neighbor bringing over a portion of a curry or khanom jin, say, just because they cooked a bunch and they want to be neighborly. Get connected and enjoy the area.

Spot on bro.

That's been my experience exactly.

Well, its been called 'Little Beirut', but I was sure that was because there was a kebab salesman there a few years ago.......

He must have wandered over from the Sapahn Mengrai end of Charoen Prathet.

Although you can still get good rotis in the evening near the market.

Watching a worker as I plan how to do it better as soon as they leave?

The run-of-the-mill tradesmen here in Thailand do indeed leave a lot to be desired - some don't even have their own tools.

However, for people who are prepared to pay a decent daily wage it is possible to employ craftsmen in the building trades who are world class.

Look at what they build; the ban settees in urban areas, the the beautiful wood houses upcountry, the 5-star hotels, the posh condos, etc., etc., etc.

These places are built by Thais. The Burmese, Lao, and Cambodians are just the labourers. It's not like in many western countries where skilled immigrants have largely taken over construction work, and the indigenous white Anglo-Saxons have been marginalized in their own countries.

There are only two reasons for being unable to get competent workers in Thailand... A. You are a clueless farang who doesn't know to operate here. Or B. You are unwilling to pay these skilled workers a living wage.

Good post.

A brainless condemnation of Thai craftsmen as a whole shouldn't go unanswered... and you did it very well.

The number of "likes" he received gives some indication of the disconnect between so many newcomers and the people they live among. If they're not new here, then their situation is even more regrettable.

All the DOCS means. Psprt pages, lease from apt house, photos, ...others?

I took my house registration book, but a lease agreement from a flat or rented house would probably be accepted in lieu of that.

Otherwise, the application form, your passport and a couple of photos. That's all I can think of at the moment.

Last July I got mine at the immigration office opposite Promenada.

As far as I know, that's still the go-to place.

Good luck.

I might add that that it took one day, cost 500 baht, and was relatively hassle-free because I had all the required documents.

I think it's free if you are willing to wait a week or so.

Last July I got mine at the immigration office opposite Promenada.

As far as I know, that's still the go-to place.

Good luck.

The ones at Talat Warorot are very utilitarian with not a hint of ability to do anything imaginative/custom. We had a few things done by them and were very disappointed every time. They made awful cushion covers and messed up our kid's school uniforms. We would not go back. We found an excellent lady who does custom and high-end work about 50 meters from Dukes Mae Ping River on the same side but she is so good that she is swamped and her turn around is more than 40 days now - if she will even take the work. We have found another lady who is great and does custom work in Sansai, but we're trying to find out what's going on with her as she has been closed for about 2-3 weeks now. Neighbors say shes around just not working at the moment. If I get more info I'll update.

Much obliged for the input.

The problem seems to be that the older women who retire due to poor eyesight or whatever, are not being replaced by younger people as in the past.

Most of the work we want done is rather basic, so we'll give the markets a try before looking for someone with more skill.

Agreed... the old aren't being replaced by the young to the same extent as before.

Years ago there was a seamstress in almost every soi in the Wat Muang Guy/Sanam Golf area where we live. Now very few. The young girls have more career options nowadays.

Working in a bank or office brings with it the chance to join the "leun-mai" Thais with their smart clothes and new cars.

There are still many good seamstresses in Chiang Mai, but they are harder to find. A friend of my wife's mother used to do my sewing, but she had to stop because of her age and bad eyesight. Her three daughters are all CMU grads and on their own. A typical case.

Choke dee... hope you find someone.

The origin of the T'ai race is a vexed question.

...

Hi there.

Can you please supply the link source of where your post came from?

That is, unless you yourself are claiming authorship.

Thank you.

Most of it is from my topic, 'Lanna T'ai - what's in the name?' which I posted a while ago on The TVCM Forum.

My sources are diverse and too numerous to list. If there is a specific point you would like to discuss I will clarify it if I can.

I'm a graphic artist, not an historian, but I have lived most of my adult life in Chiang Mai and I have an abiding interest in the history and culture of Northern Thailand.

OK. Thanks. I read your post as a paste it job without link and now I hear you telling me you did write it, at least now I think you are saying that.

Yes, I did write it myself, but the facts are taken from the principal Thai historians - W.A.R. Wood; Camille Notton; Hans Penth; David Wyatt, and others.

If the subject is of interest to you, I could recommend the series of ebooks by Andrew Forbes, Ancient Chiang Mai. Vols. 1 - 6. [CPA Media].

Dr.Forbes is currently the dean of Chiang Mai historians, and his work is full of interesting information.

The origin of the T'ai race is a vexed question.

...

Hi there.

Can you please supply the link source of where your post came from?

That is, unless you yourself are claiming authorship.

Thank you.

Most of it is from my topic, 'Lanna T'ai - what's in the name?' which I posted a while ago on The TVCM Forum.

My sources are diverse and too numerous to list. If there is a specific point you would like to discuss I will clarify it if I can.

I'm a graphic artist, not an historian, but I have lived most of my adult life in Chiang Mai and I have an abiding interest in the history and culture of Northern Thailand.

The origin of the T'ai race is a vexed question.

During the 19th century informed opinion classified them as Altaic, along with Native Americans and several other races who were thought to have originated somewhere near the Altai Mountains in Central Asia. However, linguistic and genetic studies in recent years have challenged this theory insofar as it relates to the T'ai. The matter remains unresolved.

The Shans [T'ai Yai], the Lao. and the Siamese are all descended from the same racial group, the T'ai, who made their first historical appearance in the 6th century BC. From that time onwards Chinese chronicles made frequent references to them. The Chinese referred to the T'ai as barbarians, but little meaning should be attached to this expression. They called all foreigners barbarians down to a very recent date, and doubtless the term is not even yet obsolete.

The warlike kingdom of Nanchao had a majority T'ai population and its territory included most of what is now Yunnan. Between 757 and 763 AD Nanchao conquered the valley of the upper Irrawaddy. Returning in 832 they carried their conquests downriver as far as the delta region, destroying the Pyu capital near what is now Rangoon [Yangon]. They twice invaded China and on one occasion besieged Chengdu; also raiding Tongking and Annam, then under Chinese rule.

The T'ai never ceased to be on the move, infiltrating south along the river valleys of central Indo-China. Small groups of them settled among the Khmers, the Mons, and the Burmese. T'ai mercenaries appear on the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat. North of Raheng [Tak] at the junction of the Ping and Wang Rivers, the small independent T'ai state of Phayao came into existence as early as 1006. In the 12th century their settlements began to form small states under chieftains called chaos and sawbwas in what is today Northern Thailand, Upper Burma, and Laos.

In 1238 two T'ai chiefs attacked and defeated the Khmer commander at Sukhotai, then the capital of the northwestern part of the Angkor Empire. They established a T'ai kingdom which was to become a powerful state under King Ramkhamheng in the latter half of the century. Kublai Khan's conquest of Nanchao in 1253 caused a mass-migration of T'ai southward, adding to the population of the small states already in existence. They continued to move south until they dominated most of what is today the Kingdom of Thailand.

Wait... Are you saying that you don't?

Frankly, I don't know what to think.

I lived in England for a while in the early '70s as a young artist on my travels.

Some of the time was spent on Yeoman's Row off Brompton Rd. The row houses, which once had been occupied by the Yeoman Guards, were said to be haunted.

I never saw an apparition myself, but so many neighbours - intelligent and refined people - claimed to have had uncanny experiences, including sightings, that I have always given some credence to the existence of Ghosts.

On the other hand, maybe those wiley Brits were just pulling the leg of a gullible young Yank.

I said it half in jest but... who knows? The concept of 'ghosts' and 'spirits' is so universal, that there must be some kernel of 'real' about it. The Mexican's celebrate 'The Day of the Dead.' The Japanese have their 'Obon Festival.' In the Jewish religion, a cup of wine is left for 'Elijah.' Christians worship a 'Holy Ghost.' The list goes on and on. While Sociologists and psychologists will say, from their point of view, it's a way of establishing a continuation of life, who is to say that this is the ONLY reason for it? I don't know why ghosts have gotten such a bad rap, Who says they are malevolent? Why can't they all be friendly, like Casper? I'd like to think my mother and father are around, still puzzling over my antics and getting a kick over my lifestyle, while enjoying the freedom from the aches and pains of old age. I like 'Haunted Houses.' Nothing 'spooky' about them except the people selling tickets to them.

On another note, is there a Vegan version of the various Witche's Brews? Eye of a newt? Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog? How about 'tofu and tempeh, basil and thyme, into the microwave one more time!'

Sir Thomas Browne said it best:

"There is surely a piece of Divinity within us, something that was before the Elements, and owes no homage unto the Sun."

Happy Halloween!

One of my daughters bought some land in Saraphi - a lumyai orchard that we've diversified with other fruit trees.

Last year I bought ten small lime seedlings at Kamthieng for 40 - 50 baht each. The alternative was fairly large trees at 1000+ baht each.

Of the ten I planted, seven survived, and two flourished, bearing fruit already and are nearly three metres high. The others look healthy enough, but are still quite small.

I never knew that kaffir limes were makruts. Thanks for that bit of information.

Don't bother with seedlings for papaya - they grow very fast - just plant the seeds. But use the seeds from a tasty one.

Choke dee.

The Greenbus [VIP] from the CM Arcade can be recommended.

I've only gone in the mornings, but they may have departures in the afternoon and evenings.

Happy trails.

If your child says "Dad, can we visit a Haunted House this year?' just reply;

"What's wrong with the one we live in. Go to sleep, dear."

I think one of the reasons that so many of the big old houses in Chiang Mai have been torn down over the years has been because of ghosts.

They were believed to be haunted by the phi of deceased relatives.

The Thai are as credulous as the upper-class English are about seeing the ghosts of their ancestors.

Wait... Are you saying that you don't?

Frankly, I don't know what to think.

I lived in England for a while in the early '70s as a young artist on my travels.

Some of the time was spent on Yeoman's Row off Brompton Rd. The row houses, which once had been occupied by the Yeoman Guards, were said to be haunted.

I never saw an apparition myself, but so many neighbours - intelligent and refined people - claimed to have had uncanny experiences, including sightings, that I have always given some credence to the existence of Ghosts.

On the other hand, maybe those wiley Brits were just pulling the leg of a gullible young Yank.

No i'm not young man. Manners and courtesy is a human thing and wherever you live the individual knows damn well whether they are offering it or not. i like living here and have done so for many years and still do enjoy the country but i'm not as fickle and pathetic as to try and pretend its a cultural thing. Get a grip pal. Its about a respectful approach towards other man that many here and many don't.

You sound like you're about to go off the deep end.

If your child says "Dad, can we visit a Haunted House this year?' just reply;

"What's wrong with the one we live in. Go to sleep, dear."

I think one of the reasons that so many of the big old houses in Chiang Mai have been torn down over the years has been because of ghosts.

They were believed to be haunted by the phi of deceased relatives.

The Thai are as credulous as the upper-class English are about seeing the ghosts of their ancestors.

In Thailand it's not what you know, but who you know.

If your mother's sister is police brass, then things can be worked out the Thai way.

Choke dee.