CMHomeboy78

I always find your posts on the history of the areas so interesting, but this one is outstanding, and not what I was expecting when I clicked on it. I hadn't heard of these characters that you're talking about and it would appear that I'm going to have a very interesting couple of days reading all about it.

A lot of people who are between 10 and 15 years older than us tell magnificent tales of doing that journey, such a shame it's not still accessible. Even some people around my age who rode bikes from Europe when we were slaving away to ensure we would retire early - it wasn't exactly envy that I feel because we wouldn't have retired so early if we'd taken a year or two off to do something like that, but I can only imagine how good it was. One bloke from Cheltenham had rode a big trial bike as far as Cambodia and said the best part of the whole trip was going through the Swat Valley in Pakistan, which at the time was an off-limits war zone that would be another place off the hippy trail map. Another friend our age went to Jordan and Syria, somewhere which must be fascinating being in the cradle of humanity where civilisations in our part of the world first formed into towns and cities. It's such a shame that we'll never be able to go there. Seven years ago, when we first started travelling, we had very loose plans to work our way overland to England, through India and the middle east, only going to safe places, nowhere dangerous, but we never quite got around to doing it and flew there from KL in the end. Perhaps we're just not cut out to be so adventurous as others, but we enjoy everywhere we go to and don't have real regrets about missing out on it. It would have been nice, but what we ended up doing instead wasn't so bad either. I'm going to start surfing the web and looking for the people you have been talking about. I didn't know Chiang Mai was on the hippy trail, I think maybe I was born in the wrong generation.

The thing that stuck out most in your post however was when you said "It felt like coming home; in ways that I don't fully understand even to this day." We came to Chiang Mai for a couple of months. Five years ago. And I'm about to negotiate a 30 year lease. There really is something about this place, and the odd-ball people that tend to end up being longtimers here, that makes it the most extraordinarily remarkable city that we've ever been to, and we've seen plenty of them. It doesn't even feel like a city. It's a small town, bigger than a village, but definitely not a city. And we seemed to be coming home when we got here.

Thanks so much for your intelligent and heartwarming reply.

The 1978 Iranian Revolution, followed by the 1979 Russian invasion of Afghanistan ended the magical mystery tour suddenly and violently.

It was quite a trip while it lasted.

Combined with the emergence of more affordable long distance flights and tourism, I think that was about the time it just shifted to flying into major regional centers like Bangkok and then schlepping it from there across SE Asia, sometimes also including Nepal, Hong Kong, etc. Or as part of an 'Around the World' ticket that airlines did back then.

With "The Book", of course.

(EDIT: Ah.. that turned out to be a BIG image.. but perhaps apt, given how monumental it was in shaping travel in the region. So I'll leave it. )

Good point Winnie.

That's exactly what I did - flew into Bangkok - two years after doing the overland trip.

Again an interesting story, thanks.

Btw your link for Eight Finger Eddie isn't working here is the correct one: http://wiki.theflowerraj.org/Eight_Finger_Eddie

Thanks for that.

The Malaysia Hotel? I used to stay there too.

As a bookseller, you may have read Richard Neville's book about Charles Sobhraj. If not, by all means do.

Incidentally, if you can get some used copies, please send me a PM. I'll buy several. The only one I have is falling apart. It is the cheap Pan [1980] reprint of the original Jonathan Cape [1979] edition.

The duck is very nice. What is the drink they give you?

+1

The roast duck is quite good, and my wife makes an excellent Suki with the ingredients she orders there.

Otherwise, the place is nothing special, and it's not cheap.

So does the Daily Mail................

True enough... but the New York Times has a more educated [and influential] readership worldwide.

and if my Aunty had balls she's be my Uncle........

And to me...it was interesting but superficial.....no real analysis or where to now, hardly in depth and more of a water cooler (or Thaivisa) discussion..

It would have been nice if its was more substantial than gathering coup, third world economy, and rainfall to make an article. Its a bit sad if this is the level of fluff being directed at the "more educated [and influential] readership worldwide"

Can we get back to the CM focus now instead of who has the better news service....coz all in all this was not a good example to base a claim on.

My simple statement of fact was answered by a ribald put-down.

You're not a Daily Mail reader, are you?

The relative merits of the New York Times as a newspaper is indeed germane to the topic.

I stand by what I posted.

So does the Daily Mail................

True enough... but the New York Times has a more educated [and influential] readership worldwide.

I think he means in 'the American speaking world".

The Times (UK) and the Guardian (UK) are high quality papers also.

The NYT might have the circulation and influence in the USA, but let's not get carried away.

The New York Times has a readership and influence that go far beyond "the American speaking world."

" most influential newspaper in English speaking world. "

Really?

Yes really.

Remember Marshall McLuhan's perceptive comment years ago: "You don't read the Sunday NY Times, you enter it like a warm bath."

It's not nonsense.

A discussion about the public behaviour of farangs in Thailand concerns us all. Especially those of us who are settled here with Thai families.

Why? How I behave in public is absolutely NONE of your concern. Get over yourself....

Yes it is our concern.

The public behaviour of some high-profile minorities effects the rest of them.

An example would be the Nigerian scammers and how they have impacted the mainly law-abiding and decent Africans who come here. Who would trust any of them now?

Incidentally, the issue isn't about merely holding hands, which isn't so bad, it's about treating Thai women in a way that is contrary to ways that are accepted in their culture.

There is a Golden Rule for farangs in Thailand... "Let Thais front for you."

Follow this rule as often as you can. It has always worked for me in serious matters like this.

I would have to agree with you on this CMH78, my girlfriend has saved me a lot of grief the last few years. Be it on simple matters like overpricing or double pricing to things like vehicle maintenance repairs. I normally identify the problem, but if I get involved in negotiations then the outcome ends up worse for me.

It is sometimes bloody frustrating have to operate in this fashion but once I learnt it isnt worth the effort or stress to get into a disagreement with some of these less than honorable types.

In relation to the OP, Im not sure if insurance companies here have the replacement vehicle system for while your vehicle is getting repaired. Possibly not as that would go some ways to ensuring you got your car/truck back in a timely fashion.

Gd luck either ways and I hope when you do get your vehicle back it is repaired correctly.

Glad you agree... excuse me for sounding didactic on this point, but it's the fruit of long [and sometimes bitter] experience.

No matter how well you speak Thai, or how street-smart you are, your initial dealings with tradesmen and business people here are best done by Thais who have your financial interests in mind.

If you can establish a good relationship with those who do work for you or provide services, then - obviously - you no longer need go-betweens.

But until then, accept the situation as it is, and follow the Golden Rule.

What, people that use their brain scare you?

The OP is definitely not using his brain for anything useful or important if this is what he spends his time thinking about. I have a great admiration for intellectuals and critical thinkers.

Spending your time thinking about this nonsense is just pathetic.

Whereas posting replies to a topic you consider nonsense is a worthwhile use of your time, I guess?

It's not nonsense.

A discussion about the public behaviour of farangs in Thailand concerns us all. Especially those of us who are settled here with Thai families.

Most of those bashers are just ignorant of the reality. As you say it would be Road Warrior or Mad Max with out them. Also I wonder how many of them are just trying to scam the system. The OP i9s a prime example he spends six months a year here and is illegally driving for three months of them. He has been getting away with it for years and when finally called on it cries foul.

What makes it "illegal"? Is there a law or regulation?

This sounds like the must carry your passport thing. No one has shown a law that I have seen..... I wish I could see a law for both of these situations.

+1

Just another gray area in Thai law... it keeps everybody confused and makes it easier to collect those "special fines."

Great visuals!... and a graphic reminder of what could happen to the city's modern facade in a short time.

What happened to all the farangs - did they leave so soon?

It's all about affection. That's all.

No, it's not all... affection is only half of it.

The other half is respect.

Respect for the girl, and respect for the values she was taught from childhood.

By all accounts this seems to be a raid that failed its objective due to bad intelligence prior to the strike.

No one was found to be illegally employed or on overstay, and all were released within hours.

What could have been a photo-op for police brass, with a lot of pointing and smiling, followed by a group of hapless farangs being frog-marched off to an immigration holding pen, didn't happen.

The confusion and turmoil among young farangs working here under-the-radar must have been considerable. Something like a raid by the Keystone Kops - nobody arrested or seriously injured, but chaos in their wake.

If any harm was done, it was psychological. It wasn't an intelligence failure of the type that led to a drone attack with Hellfire missles on a wedding party... TIT after all.

There are still some smiles left in the land.

Y'all can go back to work now.

Chiang Mai has quite a few good photo finishing shops - Photo Bug comes to mind.

For something out of the ordinary, like canvas, or for top quality prints as well as hi-resolution scans, giclee prints, etc., try:

Pattrara Prepress

242/2 Manee Noparat

Tel. 053 210816

Near Chang Puak Gate.

Good luck.

My wife holds those two citizenship's you mention

When we leave Thailand she uses the same passport she used to enter Thailand

which is course is her Thai Passport

At which point when leaving Thailand they will ask to see either a visa or green card to go to the US

or a US passport which she shows them hers.

She then of course enters the US on her US passport which requires no visa for her

Leave US with US passport & re-enters Thailand on Thai Passport

As to your stamps question again just show your a dual citizen & show the stamps in the corresponding passport

you used to leave your other country of citizenship

Any citizen of any country would never want to enter a country to which they hold citizenship with anything other than the passport they hold for that country.

Otherwise even though they are a citizen they are for all intents & purpose bound by the immigration laws that apply to non-citizens

My second daughter has Thai and US passports. During the past three years she has travelled several times between the two countries the way your wife does it.

No problem in the USA... my mee pahn-hah in Muang Thai.

"off the grid" or "under the radar"...?

Sorry guys I stand corrected.

There is really no good answer on this, as all it takes is one policeman or immigration officer somewhere that interprets things their own way and decides to give you a hard time. An argument with them would surely go nowhere.

That pretty well sums it up.

The July 31st 2014 proclamation from on high was just the latest in a series of contradictory statements that come out from time to time.

I don't think it will be the last one.

Where is this regulation?

Search engines exist. Use them.

I have searched for years... I have never found a regulation that says that. No one, including Thai attorneys, have ever given a link to such a regulation.

If you are sure I wish you could provide a link because any people have been searching for a very long time.

I don't think such a law exists.

If it did, surely someone would have found it by now.