DaMan

^ Bizarrely enough, I do know the one legged farang guy zooming around on a rollerblade (assuming we are talking about the same person?). I have had a few conversations with him, we were staying in the same area once. Nice enough guy, do not know too much about him, except he will regularly take trips to places like Ban taawaii or other distant places on his "wheels"........

^ 1/4 the size of chatuchak? Really? That is a lot bigger than I thought. Chatuchak is pretty dense in quantity of stalls. Seems like replies here mirror about what I have heard previously from friends. Thanks for the info, I'll give it a look see in a few months when I am back in town..........

How would you guys rate the suan lum bazzar? I have heard mixed things. How many stalls/vendors would you say are there? I have heard it is decent for a night out but how about the prices on items? I would do the obvious and head down there myself but am currently in the US. Any replies appreciated........

(Assuming you are on the level and not trolling)

Did you ever consider that she just does not like you? Just like in the west, girls usually do not kiss guys they do not like. Maybe she likes you, but only as a friend. Maybe she is playing innocent and has 3 giks on the side (I know it hard to believe "real" thai girls actually do that!?). Maybe she is just shy. Who the ###### knows? I do find it strange that after knowing her for 2 whole weeks, you are already thinking about bringing her to england. Also when a woman says "you can never kiss me", this does not inspire confidence in further relations......

I think you are focusing too much on the negative Pablo. If you let one or two bad experiences with hotel reception tarnish your whole view, it is a dim view. Is Khaosan road annoying at times? Yes. Are there jaded, thai staff, who are absolutely sick of farangs? Yes. Are there sincere, friendly people, thai and farang? Yes. Are their lots of fun clubs with plenty of regular thai chicks? Yes. Khaosan road is what it is. Good and bad. Personally I'd take Khaosan over the lower sukhumvit/nana crowd anyday..........

While I can not say this enters the realm of "best", I certainly find this place pretty good. Its name is Plaa pow paak set (apologies on the spelling), and its on 1141 super highway about 5 or 6 kilos going away from the airport towards san kampaeng. No english sign, but it has one sign with a green fish and another with an orange fish. A date took me there a few weeks ago and also went back on tues. They have some really nice grilled fish and the tom yum goong was good. They also have some places in the back, where you kinda sit in a thatched hut. Good for a date. And here is the surprise: its really inexpensive. First night we had a huge grilled fish, big bowl of tom yom goong, some fish ball appetizer, som tum, rice, 2 large heinekens, 2 waters and the bill was 420 baht?!? On second visit equally as good and inexpensive. Menu is mostly in thai so put the significant other on the job.........

I know that china airlines has flown to chiang mai before. But am not sure about now. The flight is thru taipei so not direct from europe though. Check their website for details...........

You have recieved some excellent advice on this thread. I hope you heed it. However, I think you have made your mind up already. The only thing i have to say to you is: C'mon dude, you have known this girl 6(!) weeks in real time. Please do not give me this webcam and phone call stuff, it is much different than real life. Would you marry a woman from melbourne that you knew 6 weeks? Up to you. Then again what do I know? You could end up having 27 grandchildren. Best of luck to you. But the part about you willing to go 50/50 on cultural issues, hehe....................

Bina,

I know i think too much. I stated that in my previous post. This is part of my western programming. One of the thai (asian) criticisms of western culture that I agree with is that we think too much. That being said, you think too much also. There is a distinct possiblity that you think too much, more than me. Because I do not know you I do not know that for sure.

I realized the other day that if you ask just about any "or" question (as in the previously stated question "coffee or tea?" answer "yes") to large segments of thai people you will always get the answer "yes". You can plug in any "or" question and get the same answer. Try it out some time.........

Sri,

I am not sure exactly what your question is, so I can definitely not answer it. Actually there are so many questions that I would not know where to start even if I wanted to. I see where you are coming from and you make some good points.

I came to this conclusion because I have some work here in thailand. I live in the US but am here 2-3 months a year. I found myself being frustrated with some of the suppliers. There are many reasons, but a lot of them centered around the suppliers not living up to what my perception of the deal was (actually my perception was what they told me, but that is another topic also). I often told myself "Let go, Let go". This was helpful. It also helps to understand some of the ways your partner (business or otherwise) thinks. However, I found myself in situations where there was no way I could understand (some would argue nor should I). My brain is programmed in a way that I can not concieve where that person is coming from. They may think the same thing about me. One could argue that there are all sorts of things going on in thai society that as a farang you will never know and nor should you know. Our western way says knowledge is power. Have you ever had a thai person tell you you know too much? I have and I always thought how could this be bad thing? I still think it is a good thing. They generally were refering that I knew something about how things are working in thailand. Before I thought they meant, why are you not a stupid farang like all the other farangs? Now I am not sure, but I think it is linked to our western conceptions of knowing things for the sake of knowing. I am going a little on a tangent here. Anyway I do think we farangs think too much. I know i think too much. However, I would rather kit maak than a converse concept that I call "think too little".

To say that socio-biological factors do not affect cultural growth really seems kinda silly to me. If a culture does not have food to eat, are they going to write books? And I have also ate poorly cooked rice.......

To use a very simple computer analogy: Some people in the west have their brains hardwired a certain way. Some people in the east have their brains hardwired a different way. Sometimes a software program can be applied and some computers will accept and run some of their programs. Unfortunately, there is code that will not be accepted by each of these computers. The code should work, because the data is correct (?), but no matter how many times the enrty clerk puts in the exact same data that they have proven to be correct (in their own experience), it is not accepted.

Now some people keep on putting in same data incessantly no matter what the result. Some people try to figure out a new code. Some people say kit maak maak. I could go on, but I think you guys get the idea. I want to state again, this a very simplified analogy.

Also, congrats on having a reasonably intelligent debate for this many posts. I rarely see that on the internet. Hope to see more..........

I was up at Mae sai the other day and after an hour of uninspired dvd shopping, I decided to return to the border. I filled the new immgration form ( my passport had the old one ) and promptly checked the no income box. I thought about checking under $20K or over 80K but for some reason no income vibed with none of your business. Went to the window, not checked for the 20K baht or asked anything. Highlight was a delicious bowl of korfoon (sp?) that the locals told me you can only get in mae sai. Does anyone know about this dish? It seems to have cheese in it.............

^ According to my friend he gave it up for awhile, but then couldn't take it and came back.........

I was wondering if anyone knows of any super bowl events for monday the 7th, 6AM. I am super psyched as my team is playing...............

I actually ate at kiat ocha today for lunch. I looked at your site yesterday and saw all the info (great site by the way, especially with the maps, and i am not kissing your ass). I thought was it good. Not to beat a dead horse about blue diamond, but I do not see how you can make any comparison what so ever with kiat ocha concerning the service. They are a tight and efficient machine, refilling your sauces and other items on a rotating basis. They seem to be nice under a gruff exterior. Similiar to alot of chinese places, it is not personal, everyone gets treated the same. I have a lot of respect for the forthrightness (?). Maybe the CM long timers know this (and this is bamboo network so i have no idea if it is true) but my friend told me that the owner won 78 million baht in the lottery and offered food for everyone free........

I had a large vegie at mad dog a few nights ago. I would give it a B-/C+ (which is actually a really high grade for me, but then again I had 6 beers). I enjoyed it and will go back and try it again some time. I have seen the pizza under the heat lamp at paradise and it looked anything but appetizing.........

Actually I meant to ask in the last post, where is Kiat Ocha? And forgive me but exactly is kao man gai? I think I know what it is, but not sure. If you could give reasonably good directions, it would be appeciated as I have this ability to not be able to find anything until the second try...........

^ I definitely have to agree with meadish on his take on their business. I sensed the same vibe as to their family situation. That being said, I really do not expect much service in thailand, especially at a place like blue diamond. I have no problem going to the counter and ordering and paying. If the food is as good as blue diamond, I would take that everyday. The only reason I even mentioned it was their was distinct sour undertone to the staff that left a bad taste in my mouth. Hence, my farang overload comment.

On a side note, I ate lunch at Khun Churn, nim soi 7, today. The lunch buffet was very good at a extremely reasonable 60baht. Will absolutely return, just wish I was hungrier at the time. Vegetarian delights galore, i would recomend it. On a side, side note, a few days earlier when I was stumbling around on my motorbike looking for the old location of khun churn, I found this isaan chicken joint at the end of nim soi 11. It is almost at the end of soi 11, you will see the guy grilling chicken outside. Half chicken is 45 baht and is enormous amount of food and fresh, fresh, fresh and delectable. Menu is all in thai but seems like khao niaw and somtum and the usuals.......

I ate at Blue Diamond today. Major positive: The food was really good. I had the tofu sandwich on whole wheat bread and then had a salad. The salad was excellent, really enjoyed it. Major negative: Service was not even bad, it was non existent. This would usually not bother me at all. What did bother me was that staff and owner carried sullen faces and could not be bothered in slightest. The place had many tourists and they seem to be suffering from farang overload. Would i go back, most likely. However, what would have been a great meal was tarnished and I will go back with trepidation (It could have been a bad day). There are many places to eat where they will be nice to me............

This may be old hat for you long timers here in CM, but I like the indian vegetarian place on moon muang soi 9. The place run by indian-thai people not the pretender place right next to it. I love thai food but 24/7, I need something else. The big T is good and if you are really hungry you can get the next size..........

Does anyone know where to pick up a decent used cell phone in Chiang mai. I have some business in thailand and am thinking about getting a cell only for when I am there. Where do you think I should go? About how much for the used cell? Costs for set up with sim card? Appreciate the info.........................

I'll second the recomendation for the vegetarian society. I stumbled upon it coming back from the airport on my motorbike. I am not vegetarian but eat that way alot. It was really delicious with incredible amounts (buffet style but not all you can eat) of food at cheap prices. To find it, the only advice I can give, is that it on the way to the airport, next to the gas station behind the white(?) fence..................