watgate

I might be totally off-base, and my apologies if I am, but I am starting to question the Thai peoples like, or lack thereof, of the Chinese. I was expecting a much bigger celebration of the Chinese New Year and was surprised to see a somewhat subdued celebration, mainly in the Warorot area. I realize the Thai powers to be are trying to lure more Chinese tourists here as evidenced by the recent popular movie shown in China. I might be wrong to compare the amazing festiviites in Chiang Mai for the calendar New Years on Dec 31,2012 and I thought the Chinese New Years festivities would have been more in evidence then just the low-key celebrations held in the Warorot area. I am interested to hear what other folks take are on this subject since their are many folks who have lived here a long time and have a pulse for what makes this place tick. I am by no means trying to denigrate or paint the Thai people or the Chinese, for that matter in a bad light. I am just interested to get some perspectives on the celebrations in Chiang Mai pertaining to the Chinese New Year.

What exactly is being built on this corner? It is a large consruction project and I figure it has to be either a condominium or a shopping complex. Just curious.

There were quite a few countries rated over Thailand as destinations for retirees and folks escaping the winters so if the baht doesn't go back up I will take myself and my money and winter in one of these other countries. I was planning on seeing more of the world anyway, this strengthening of the baht will give me the impetus to go to other countries.

With quite a few countries recently listed over Thailand as a place to retire, if the baht continues to strengthen against other currencies, then I will look at these other countries to spend my winters and my money in.

I most definitely do not like how I have lost more then 3% of the value of my money since I have been wintering in Thailand. If the baht doesn't go back over 30 to the US dollar pretty soon, I will have to look at other places to winter because I am sure the Thai government is involved in the manipulation of their currency. Also, I will be cutting back on my purchases here in Thailand for the remainder of my stay to make up for the diminished loss of purchasing power as a way to compensate for the bahts strength.

I entered Thailand on November 4, 2012 with a double-entry tourist visa which expires April 9, 2013. I departed Thailand on Jan 2, 2013 and went to Laos to visit. I returned to Chiang Mai on Jan 6, 2013. My question is since I only have a double-entry tourist visa and have entered Thailand twice already, can I go to Cambodia in February and return to Thailand again for the 3rd time where I will be flying back to the states on Feb 27,2013? Do I need to obtain another tourist visa since I have already used my two entries into Thailand? I am currently in Chiang Mai for the remainder of my stay in Thailand. Thanks for any info to clarify my situation.

Will the quality, or should I say, lack of quality of the air in Chiang Mai shorten an individuals life span, especially those who live here full-time? I have been here about 5 weeks now and I developed a bad case of bronchitis/sinusitis which is now being treated with antibiotics amongst other drugs. I am in excellent health and was doing a lot of bicycling and swimming prior to my current malady. As I ride around Chiang Mai and see the pervasive Somgthaews and Tuk-tuks spewing their noxious fumes all over the city,as well as the countless cars and motorbikes and buses spewing their exhaust into the air around the city it has me wondering if breathing this pollution on a daily basis has a cumulative effect on ones overall health. I guess those fortunate to live outside the city and the congestion might have a better chance or better odds of not jeopardizing or hurting ones health. It will be interesting to get some input from some of the folks who live here full-time or most of the year to see if they have encountered any health issues which could be as a result of the pervasive air pollution in Chiang Mai.

The game is just over a month away and after many frustrating abd disappointing years, my team, the fighting Irish of Notre Dame are fiinally back in the championship BCS football game (not to be mistaken for soccer). I would like to be able to watch the game live so if anyone knows a place in chiang mai that might be broadcasting the game live, it would be appreciated for the name and the address of the establishment.

Sticky rice balls. You are hilarious. Skills32 don't misconstrue. I actually LOVE hot weather and where I come from it is now in the 30's fahrenheit and my state is getting pelted with another northeaster. I am ecstatic to not have to deal with snow, ice, sleet, freezing rain, SAD (seasonal affective disorder) whereby everybody walks around depressed and miserable. I am so lucky to be here in Chiang Mai. I was just curious because, as I mentioned earlier, the weather was a lot hotter then in the previous winters I have been here. One thing I must admit though is that I am not looking forward to when they start burning the rice fields only because I too love to be outside tapping out countless miles on my bicycle. Oh well, that's a long ways off and I am going to enjoy my time now in this great country experiencing all the marvelous things I encounter on a daily basis.

In the past two years I came to Chiang Mai either the end of November or the end of December. This year, for the first time, I have come to Chiang Mai the beginning of November and man is it hot. I am thinking that it will cool off as we come to the end of November and march into December. I guess my question for all you year round expats is how do you cope with the oppressive heat during the dog days of summer? My guess is you must stay indoors as much as possible in the air conditioning. What is typically an average monthly charge for electricity when the a/c is running almost non-stop? I'd be interested to hear about your experiences in dealing with the heat?

I can take you to a big car park and you can ride around until you get comfortable then i can take you somewhere that is not to busy but has other bikes and cars on the road i reckon about 1-2 hours should be enough as i live just at the edge of the city lots of places to practise .

I am wondering if there are any schools or places where one can go to learn to operate a motorcycle. Although I am quite proficient in bicycle road riding and have logged countless miles riding my bicycle, not only in the States but also in Chiang Mai, I have never learned to ride a motorcycle. Since I will be in Chiang Mai for almost 4 months this winter, I thought I should learn how to ride a motorcycle so I can explore places outside the range of my bicycle. I also want to go on some excursions to various places in Thailand once I become proficient in riding motorcycles. So, if anyone knows any places which could teach this farang, I would appreciate their names, addresses, and ph # if possible.

I can relate to HelloDolly because last year when I was in Chiang Mai for 2 months, I went with this sweet Thai girl to a wedding reception her cousin was having in Lampang. It was a blast. I made a complete arse out of myself, I drank too much and danced the night away with her amongst scores of Thai villagers form the surrounding village who were in attendance. It was so cool to be the only farang amongst all the Thai folks and everyone was jovial and having a great time. It was a unique experience and one I will remember the rest of my life. Captain Rob's description has my insides stirring because the places he has described sound like the places I am seeking out. Thanks for the input.

So I realize this is primarily a Chiang Mai site but based on my observations there are many individuals on this site who are very knowledgeable and informed about the country of Thailand as a whole. With that said, I am interested in any feedback concerning areas or regions of Thailand that someone has visited or lived in and they felt the area was a "must" see for other individuals. I have traveled a little through Thailand but would like to visit special places which really stir your soul or take your breath away. For whatever reason, maybe the scenery or the uniqueness of the region, any input would be appreciated.

As a person who likes to plan ahead, and seeing as how I will be needing to do a border run near the end of January 2013, is their ever a day when the border is closed due to a Holiday or other reason which would preclude someone from utilizing another exit and then re-entry into Thailand and maybe having to wait until the following day since the border was closed on the day you arrived at the border and thus were compelled to stay overnight in order to exercise your second entry? I am planning on going to Mae Sai exactly on the 90th day and I don't want to get up there and find out I can't cross the border into Laos and then back into Thailand because the border is closed due to a Holiday or some other reason.

So I understand you have to bring a couple of recent passport size photos, as well as copies of pages in your passport plus your visa plus your entry form into Thailand, when you go to the Immigration office in Chiang mai to get your 30 day extension. Does anyone know of a place to get passport size pics plus a place to get copies made of your documents?

So is it best to wait until my 90 days have elapsed ( initial 30 days then 30 more with tourist visa then additional 30 days by paying 1900 baht at Immigration office) before doing a visa run to Laos to utilize my second entry into Thailand so I can start the whole process over again?

Okay so I am coming to Thailand this winter and will be staying for 4 months and I fully understand what I have to do with my 6 month double-entry tourist visa. Where I am confused is that a couple of years down the road I am intending on staying in Thailand for 6 months and with a 6 month double-entry tourist visa it seems plausible that my visa might expire before I depart Thailand. For example, hypothetically say I will be staying in Thailand for 6 months from Oct 1,2013 until March 31,2014. I get a 6 month double-entry tourist visa issued on September 15,2013 so therefore my tourist visa is valid from 9/15/13-3/15/2014. So now, and this is my first question, can I go to immigration on the 60th day to pay the 1900 baht to get an additional 30 days? If so, then this would be on Nov 29,2013. Now, my second question is can I do a visa run to Laos on the 90th day to begin my second entry into Thailand? If so, then this would put me at 12/29/2013. So now another 60 days go by and I go to the immigration office again on 2/27/14 to pay another 1900 baht for another 30 days in Thailand. So now another question arises in that when these 30 days go by the date is now March 29,2014. My flight out of Thailand does not depart until March 31,2014. What is my recourse? Can I go to immigration and get an additional 2 days, and if so, any idea what the cost would be for the additional 2 days? Also, it would seem that when planning my stay in Thailand I could always lessen my stay a few days short of 6 months to avoid this problem. Do you concur with this strategy? Lastly, I was struggling initially with the concept of the 6 month validity of the tourist visa which begins when it is issued by the Thai Consulate office and the fact that I would still be in Thailand when my Tourist visa expired because, as in the example above, the Tourist visa was issued on 9/15/2013 and expired on 3/15/2014 and I was not leaving Thailand until March 31, 2014. My understanding, and please correct me if I am wrong, is that when I went to the Immigration office the second time on 2/27/2014 as mentioned previously in the above-mentioned hypothetical scenario, my tourist visa was still valid and even though it would expire before I departed Thailand on March 31,2014, the Immigration office would put a stamp or something to that effect in my passport to reflect the additional 30 days I would be able to stay in Thailand after paying the 1900 baht. Is this correct?. Whew. This can get complicated and congratulations to anyone who can follow this. My head is spinning just trying to convey my scenario and address my questions and concerns. Thank you for any input or information which might be forthcoming.

Does anyone know if you would get a better rate for American Express travelers checks versus US currency?

I will be arriving in Chiang Mai the end of October and since I will be staying for 4 months, I am looking to buy a new bicycle which I can keep here to use when I am here this winter and in subsequent winters. My question for all you knowledgeable bicyclists is which is the best place in Chiang Mai to purchase a bicycle. I am most likely going to be buying a hybrid with at least 21 speeds, as well as a helmet and bike lock. I am looking for a bike shop that will give me a good deal and I can get the best bang for my buck. Also, preferably one that has been around for awhile so in case I need to come back for any repairs or to fix a flat, they will still be around a year from now.

Has anyone ever encountered bed bugs while in Chiang Mai? Either staying at a hotel or a long stay place or any other place for that matter. I am trying to avoid a potentially unpleasant experience and if anyone has encountered any bed bugs or maybe knows of places in chiang mai that are known for having them, I would appreciate any information so as to avoid those places.

My apologies to any English blokes for inadvertently stating "Brits" when I should have stated Englanders. With that said I am impressed with the degree of sophisticated analysis offered up by the knowledgeable folks on this forum. Your insight is much appreciated and should my buddy achieve success with his picks, the first round will be on me.

That's a great idea. I know I will be looking to make a visa run around the end of next January myself and will be inquiring around that time for anyone possibly making a run.

Howdy- I need to know who is going to win the soccer matches between Spain and Portugal and Germany and Italy AND the reason(s) why. My buddy is in need of some insightful help from all you soccer afficionados and prognosticators. My condolences to the Brits for their hard fought match against the Italians. They can hold their heads high for their spirited match and remember, there's always the next time"

Ok I would like to know the exact details of what transpired with the infamous jet ski fiasco whereby some unsuspecting tourists were evidently ripped off by some unscrupulous proprietors. My intent is not to open up old wounds or disparage the thai people, who by the way I have a fond appreciation and love for, but just to understand what happened with this unfortunate incident.