Baloo22

T.I.T. I would not choose soi Buakhao for a quiet holiday.....

+1

I like to use a name that more accurately reflects the nature of the street. Something like "Soi Drunkard".

Believe that street has more alcoholics per meter than anywhere else in the world.

Never flown with them before (not yet) but a did book a round-trip from Chiang Mai to Phuket a few weeks ago for a little vacation in July. To get the cheap "promo" fare, you may need to be flexible on the dates and times you fly. When you go to their website you can plug in your origin, destination, and travel dates. The "promo fare" may not be available on the date/time that you wanted but at that point you can scan forward and backward to find dates/times with the "promo fare". That is exactly what I did for my booking. As you step through the booking process, there will be more charges if you want to eat on the plane, pre-select your seat, check-in luggage, etc. It's transparent so there is nothing necessarily wrong with it. Just be aware and choose no if you don't want it.

I'm retired and flexible with dates and times, don't need in-flight meals, etc, etc, so I can get the cheap "promo fare". If you want to fly exactly when you want to and need in-flight meals, checked baggage, etc, you may very well need to pay more.

A few days ago I checked the date that I booked (1310 flight) with the "promo fare" and to get the same "promo fare" now I'd have to fly at 2245. I guess the 1310 flight is now full! As far as their perfomance for the trip, I'll let you know after my vacation!

mac filtering and hidden essid are a waste of time. as stated earlier, use wpa2 and some strong ASCII password like you can find here for example:

https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm

I will differ with you on this. MAC filters and disabling broadcasting of the SSID are not a waste of time. It is not a matter of having one "golden" lock but rather a number of security measures in place. You do not lock your car and your house to make them impenetrable. There is no such thing. You make it so that the thief passes by your car or house and goes for the easier, unlocked car/house. The more obstructions that you can put up against unauthorized connections, the less likely that they will happen.

First, if you don’t need to use wireless, DON’T! Use a wired connection if possible. It is inherently more secure (it doesn’t send data over the air) and it is much faster than wireless. Only go wireless if you have multiple computers in multiple locations around the house or if you need to move around with your computer. For Example; At one time, my household had multiple people/multiple notebook computers. Then I used wireless. Then, for a six month period, there was only one computer, mine, and I used it right next to the router. I connected with LAN cable and disabled the router’s wireless activity. I even ran cable to my AppleTV so I would not need wireless for that. Hackers can’t hack what isn’t on. And wired connections are much faster.

Here is what I do for the wireless when I use it in my household back home: (most modern wireless routers will allow you to do these things)

1--Disable the broadcasting of your SSID (the BM that advised to do it after you have setup and tested your connections is on the mark)

2--Use the MAC filter to limit the connections to ONLY those computers that you specify. The wireless “card”, or device, on your computer(s) have a unique number known as a MAC or “hardware’’ address. That is the address(s) that you enter into your router’s MAC filter.

3--Limit the number of IP addresses that your router can hand out to the number of computers that you will have connecting.

4--Use WPA2 security and a strong password. A password produced by the website you referenced would be good. (this password is entered in the router and also the computers to connect)

Could someone still get in given enough time and resources? Sure. But it will be more likely that they will pass me by and go for the next house with the unsecured system.

Go to Mike’s Burger bar and just follow the trail of empty beer cans, blood pools and vomit on the sidewalk. This will lead you to a burnt out police car that is right outside the front entrance of the Spice.

The sign is written in English because it is the foreign customers, both tourist and expat, that keep Spice in business. It doesn't mention Spice specifically because the poster of the sign could expect significant trouble if he were specific. All he wants is for legal closing times to be enforced and noise kept to a bearable level in this mixed residential/business area. A reasonable expectation, but one that won't be met.

Thanks to all for your replies. Never been to Spice/Spicey and from what I have read here on TV, I won't be going there. I am getting the impression that it's a good thing that I settled down in the North-West area of the city (just off of Huay Kaew Road). In other words, the opposite side of the city!! So far, it's been nice and quiet up here. (Songkran excepted, but hey, that was only three days and the big band stopped playing around 2200!)

I don't think the violence or abuses many have noted are limited to Thai people. In the US we have had multiple instances of "celebrations" that have ended up turning into riots. Colleges or cities where their sports teams have just won championships have provided several examples of such idiocy. Last year we saw riots in Vancouver, Canada, upon the loss of hockey game. True, it was the Stanley Cup, but still a hockey game! That covers the US and Canada. Shall we go to Europe? How many riots have happened after or even during football games? I’m sure some Australians can provide some examples from their neck of the woods also. Nuff said!!

You can have a crowd of people pretty much anywhere with 90 percent just wanting to have fun and no problems. Add some booze and 10 percent trouble-makers and you can end up with some bad happenings.

Saw this sign hanging in two separate locations on Chang Moi Road a couple of weeks ago. I'm new to Chiang Mai and curious about it.

First; Does anyone know if it is connected to any specific action? (From the wording of the English, I suspect it was a Thai person (or other non-native english speaker) that put it up.)

Second; If it concerns the actions of a Thai government agency, why would the person concerned put it in English? What would this person expect Falang to do? If one of us Falang went to the Thai agency and complained about their running their government, I can foresee them telling us to "shut up', "get lost" and "don't come back".

Just curious and and wondering if anyone knows what it is about? Thanks in advance!

I just went through a 90-day report at Chiang Mai Immigration office on 11 April 2012. When I received my passport back from the Immigration officer the "Receipt of Notification" (bottom portion of TM47) was stapled to one of the passport pages. There is no barcode on my "Receipt of Notification" (bottom portion of TM47). After going through my passport page by page, I did find a barcode sticker on the inside back cover of my passport. The number that the sticker has right below all the bars is my passport number.

I don't know when or who put that barcode sticker on there. It could have been Chiang Mai Immigration or it could have been Jomtien Immigration on one of my earlier 90-day reports. I really can't say. But I have decided just to leave it there.

I wrote a short report on my first visit to Chiang Mai Immigration for others that may be going to Chiang Mai Immigration for the first time. So other first timers do not waste time wandering around the area/building with the crowd of Burmese people in multiple lines! (Mario2008 referenced it above.)

I flew from Seattle - Taipei - Bangkok and then return in 2010. Then one way Seattle - Taipei - Bangkok in 2011. Booked both times directly from the EVA website. They were always the cheapest flights from Seattle to Bangkok. I have had no problems with them. It was cattle-class but had a decent selection of movies and TV shows and the food was not that bad.

Since they are based in Taiwan, most of the passengers were Chinese. One funny thing is when they attempt to board the aircraft by rows. Staff would announce "Rows 30 through 40 will now board" and every single Chinese person in the place got up and and crowded into a rough line. Leaving about 25 of us round-eyes sitting there staring at each other. I thought of how much fun I would have as staff telling them all to sit back down and that "We will do this again and keep doing it until you get it right!" Of course, I would be fired the next day.

Never flown with them before (not yet) but a did book a round-trip from Chiang Mai to Phuket a few weeks ago. As you step through the booking process, there will be more charges if you want to eat on the plane, pre-select your seat, etc. It's transparent so there is nothing necessarily wrong with it. Just be aware and choose no if you don't want it.

Also, to get the cheap "promo" fare, you may need to be flexible on the dates and times you fly. I checked the date that I booked (1310 flight) and to get the same promo rate now I'd have to fly at 2245. I guess the 1310 flight is now full!

I may be wrong and correct me if I am but there has seldom ever been a notable out break of bacterial infections found in the food here in Thailand that I know of or ever heard of.....

If there was Would we ever hear about it?? People from Europe can speak for Europe. In the U.S. when a doctor/clinic/hospital has cases (especially multiple cases) of samonella, e-coli, or other serious food posioning they report it to county or state health departments. Those departments usually do a decent job of tracking the sources and taking action. And it's open, transparent, and reported in the news media. Even if a local health director would attempt to cover it up, you can bet that very soon some staff person will be on the phone to a local TV or print news organization. Then it's in the news and you have a bunch of journalists hounding those government officials. Then you will find large audiences at the next City Council or County Commissioner's meeting and not very shy about demanding answers and action. Does that happen here?

Even in the normal every day of life health issues are reported. My local city newspaper back home had a sections each week that detailed the restaurants that had been inspected that week by the County Health Board. The restaurants were named and the inspections details reported. If you ate at "Ronnie's Seafood" down the road, you could read about their latest health inspection. You could also go to the County Health Department and get copies of their prior inspection records. Does that happen here?

And most states in the U.S. now have some form of "press shield" laws that prevent police/politicians from forcing journalists from giving up names of confidention news sources. Even in the states with the least restrictive laws, the police must go before a judge and show cause to force disclosure. And many states have "whistle-blower" laws that help protect citizens that reprort criminal or unethical behavior of government officials. Are all these type laws in all states perfect? No, don't think so, but I don't think that Thailand has anything even close.

As far as any payoffs and corruption; Does it ever happen in the US? Of course it does happen. People are inperfect in all countries and it does happen in all countries. But in the U.S., it is the exception rather than the rule. And there are multiple state and federal agencies specifically tasked to investigate and prosecute corruption cases. Just in recent years there have been state governors and several congress critters put in federal prison. And we have a news media and hoards of investigative journalists that love to hunt and hound suspected corrupt police and government officials.

In short, I have a suspicion that there could be many outbreaks of such food poisoning here in Thailand and you would never hear about it. Nope, no problem, just move along.

Thanks. I appears, then, that the use of a barcode was an experiment that has been interrupted or abandoned.

I was there two weeks ago and they gave me both.

OK. I just rechecked my passport page by page. On the inside of the back cover there is a barcode sticker. It has my passport number on it. I have no idea when or how it got there. In fact, there are two barcodes on the inside back cover. One does not appear to be a sticker but rather looks like it printed on the passport. It has a number that does not match the passport or any of the visa's in my passport.

Did the immigration officer give you the regular "Receipt of Notification", ie the bottom part of form TM.47, or did he put a bar code sticker in your passport?

The regular Receipt of Notification. No barcode sticker.

Did my first 90-day report at the Chiang Mai Immigration office yesterday. I had done them previously at Jomtien Immigration. Got there about 1330 and it took a little over two hours. Did not seem to have the same organization as the Jomtien office. To be fair, they did seem swamped with customers and perhaps do not have the staff to handle those numbers. Also it seems that Jomtien has a bigger and newer building.

A few items for those going for their first time. When you go through the gate and enter the parking lot, take a look to your left. You will probably see a large crowd of people in multiple lines trying to get in that building. DO NOT GO THERE! It is some sort of special operation for Burmese people. I don't know the specifics. What you want to do is go another 10-20 meters into the parking lot and then look to your right. You will see another building with a blue sign "Re-entry, Extension, 90 Day". That's your building.

Go in that door and go to your right. There will be a ticket type machine there. It was covered with a sign saying that counters ### have no tickets, but there was a lady there handing out number tickets. You get different numbers for Re-entry and 90-day reporting (turns out I did not need a re-entry permit). After that, you wait and wait. The guy sitting next to me was renewing his retirement visa. He said that he had been there since 0830. Once my number was called, it was a 10 minute operation. Then a quick walk up to the Airport Plaza Mall for a bite to eat.

I don't see anything wrong with asking....people don't have to answer. ......We don't know the status of many posters.....many I believe are virtually housebound.

...... I say ask away and no need to read or respond if you are not interested in the topic. And to those that have helped me in the past, I appreciate it greatly!

My two baht. I agree with uptheos and T_Dog. All forum members should feel free to ask the questions they need. Everyone is free to not answer if they don't want to. Skip right on by. None of us need to fight and argue with everybody on the internets.

I don't know if you have tried Pern's Restaurant on Huay Kaew Rd. It is on the north side of Huay Kaew about 250m NW of Kad Suan Kaew shopping center. I have not eaten steak there. I stick more to fish and chicken. I have eaten there several times and the food quality has been good each time, IMO. Unfortunately it is closed right now for the holidays.

Also right next door is The Salsa Kitchen for those that want some Mexican food. Try their San Francisco Mission Burito. Good and big. Before huge arguments start about "authentic" Mexican food, I will say that though I am not an expert on Mexican food, I do know that there are different styles of Mexican food from different regions. I like the food at The Salsa Kitchen. Others may not. It's OK!!

You could take a look at Powerhouse Gym on Soi 6, Nimmanhaemin Road. Clean with good setup of free weights and machines. The shower/locker facilities are good also. I have been going there for about a month now and am very satisfied. Staff is polite and helpful and, so far, I have had no problems with any of the other patrons.

The full-time membership can be kinda pricey but that's up to you. They do have a "Mid-Day" membership that limits you to 10:00 hours to 16:00 hours for 9500 baht a year. Since I am retired and have no "pressing engagements" during the day, that plan suited me fine. So far I am well satisfied with Powerhouse Gym.