Ajarn

You likely won't have any problem with volunteering here. And you can do it without a work permit in most cases. In my 23 years of living here, I have never heard of anyone having a problem with the authorities for working a volunteer job without a permit..

As to buying property, my suggestion is to forget it. You can't buy poperty here unless it is in a Thai name. I don't know of ANY Thai I would regard as suitable for my millions of Thai baht, so that is why I don't suggest buying. Renting gives you a feeling that you can live anywhere, without the major hassle of selling your used house in a market where new houses are what most people are looking for...

Good Luck

Ajarn,

Did you construct that beautiful swimming pool of yours on someone elses property? Do you have an ultra long term lease or something?

Nope, it was built on trust. Been living here for 9 years, figured it was worth it. It was...

You likely won't have any problem with volunteering here. And you can do it without a work permit in most cases. In my 23 years of living here, I have never heard of anyone having a problem with the authorities for working a volunteer job without a permit..

As to buying property, my suggestion is to forget it. You can't buy poperty here unless it is in a Thai name. I don't know of ANY Thai I would regard as suitable for my millions of Thai baht, so that is why I don't suggest buying. Renting gives you a feeling that you can live anywhere, without the major hassle of selling your used house in a market where new houses are what most people are looking for...

Good Luck

It amazes me how racist Thai's can become when talking about Burmese people, especially when some of these Thai's are still in the feudal paddy fields themselves! Its an argument I've had several times with Thai friends, old prejuidces die hard I guess

If you grew up here you might understand. Surrounded by 'enemies' all your life. Similar to what Israelis go through, I suspect. And the govenment and parents and teachers all express these feelings...

The furniture you can get in supermarkets and Chotana road is the chip board covered in vaneer rubbish. Unfortunately Thailand doesn't have any trees. The place to go to buy this stuff is Ban Maa (Maa as in horse). This is where they manufature it and sell wholesale to Chotana rd etc... You need to take the superhighway heading to Lamphun, as you pass Lamphun you will see several orange sellers at the road side, pass the Cosmo petrol stn and look for the soi with a liitle roof arch thing. That will take you into Ban Maa and there are loads of shops for about five kilometres. You'll obviously need a truck (they will deliver, but it cuts into the money you'll save) and if you can take a Thai to barter for you so much the better. Go to a supermarket and make a list of prices then go to Ban Maa and you'll see how much you save. They do have varying prices for different levels of quality.

Alternatively, if you want something a little better then go to Ban Tawai. Take the Hang Dong road, as you get to hang Dong the road bottlenecks. Carry on to the traffic light and turn left. Go for about three kilometres (you'll see some expensive shops on theis road, really nice furniture) until you cone to an arch roof thing over the road and turn right. You'll know your on the right road because there's a shop on the left with loads of things made out of wagon wheels. Most of the furniture is on the right side towards the end of the main straight road. The stuff they sell here is real wood, albeit not they standard of wood that we expect back home. But it's better than the vaneer that peels off after a year or so. Again, different prices for varying quality.

The furniture at talat Thanin is simple and cheap. But the vaneers are very few. Mostly simple wood construction.. and cheap

For good cheap handmade furniture, try Talaat Thanin on Chotana road.

Bullshit article, written by a non-expert on a tour of Laos. From Laos he says there is no smoke from Burma... great eyesight

Hi,

Does anyone know, are there any direct buses or trains from Chiang Mai to the town of Det Udom in Ubon Ratchathani province? Or, failing that, to Ubon town itself? If so, how long does it take, roughly?

Or must one change at Bangkok to do it overland, or is flying the only real option for this route?

Thanks,

Dan.

Pretty sure there is a direct bus to Udom from Chiang Mai. Leaves Udon about 9pm, arrives in Chiang Mai around 6am, leaving Chiang Mai (hopefully) at 9am, arriving in udom at 6 pm. And the route is more direct through Loei and a right turn at Phitsanaloke to Lampang and Chiang Mai. I think the cost is 600 baht... You can simply go to the bus station to learn everything

just alot of wind/ very slight rain up here by Meechock...I was hoping..

There was a lightning storm up north, and the edge of heavy winds from it hit Meechoke

Kun Lek, the law in the city is quite strict these days about when they can start, and have to stop and my staff have never been wrong.

It is not like when we first came here and they could do whatever they wanted.

The Mayor said it, not me

This place rocks.

So far the best Mexcian food I have had in Thailand.

Definitely rocks. Best I have had anywhere outside Mexico and a few places in the United States.

I'm surprised at your statement. . Certainly I have had better food in Mexico, as well as any place in California, where I am from.

I am surprised you are surprised. I say best I've had outside Mexico; you say you have had better in Mexico -- no difference. I say I've had better at a few places in the United States; you say you've had better at any place in California -- some difference, yes, as well as making it clear you have never eaten at a Taco Bell, but not so big a difference as to warrant surprise, I would think. I've had what I consider far less good at any number of places in California, but there you go. Best Mexican food I've had in the United States, by the way, was in an out-of-the-way place in New Mexico and, as I have mentioned here before, some homemade stuff bought from peasant types on the streets of New York (although I guess they could have been from somewhere else in Central America than Mexico).

Actually, you should not be surprised any more, since you took every example of you thought I said, exept for not paying attention to what I did say..."I think that the Mexican food at Miguels is okay, not great, by any means" Simply, I'm not agreeing with your opinion.. Hope you got it.

Starts afternoon 11 April - 15 April.

Everthing back to normal on 16 April.

16th is still a govt holiday, so some people may continue water blasting

This 3m x 10m x 150cm pool cost me 200,000 baht, including the paved walkways...Has all the plumbing

Hi Kan,

I've always enjoyed your photos, but not this one...

My favorite time for photography in the North is during the rainy season, May- October. Everything is green then. Now it is too dry for nice photos, IMO.

These stories have been around for years, but it is a good idea to watch your truck anyway...

As for a majority of people... Certainly most folks that live in CM are aware of the issue, tourists and would be residents are, in every example I have experienced, definitely not aware because the problem is not widely publicized for obvious reasons. Talk to the tourists in the airports and ask them about the issue, I do. Most would be residents and tourists buy into the idea that CM is in the mountains and look no further than that statement and the associations that forms in their minds.

IMHO RAM 1 is going downhill these days. They are just out to make a fast buck from insurance cases and its reflected in their prices.

Try Lanna 1 hospital. Just as good as the RAM and half the price. Easy parking also.

Cheers

I don't think you can fairly judge hospital care by the hospital, but by the doctor who treats you. I have had problems at Lanna, but with the doctor, not the hospital.

hi everyone and anyone, please can someone let me know where i can getr a cylinder and air for scuba in Chiang mai

There is an oxygen dealer to the left of the Railroad station on the main road.. can't remember the name, but I remember the good service they gave me...

Read the article today in the BKK Post.

The authorities are messing with the migrant workers, to 1) discourage further migration, and to 2) extract a bit of tea money.

Not fair at all....but then again who ever promised that life would be fair?

The same issue is debated furiously in the USA. Illegal immigrants are not allowed valid drivers licenses in most states, and so drive illegally in constant fear of being stopped and having their vehicle confiscated. (The article mentions a registered migrant worker in Thailand who had his vehicle confiscated in this raid).

It isn't just Thailand where this is happening....

Are you sure? I only know of calif, oregon and washington where anyone is allowed a driving licence. What States don't allow someone to register for a licence, illegal or not??

This link is to a virtual map of Chang Mai which was posted on another forum by a guy called "Dirk"

http://www.mapjack.com/

I'm quite impressed with it. Hopefully in time, further Thai towns & cities will be added.

This is from 'GoogleEarth,' a free program that will show you most everywhere in populated towns and cities around the world. Unfortunately, this map of Chiang Mai, although dated as '2008,' is about three years out of date.... Looking at my house I can see the old movie theater that was torn down more than three years ago, first turning the lot into a market that failed, and now a few bars that are doing fairly well. This is up Huaykaew Road just a few hundred meters east of the Rincom intersection behind the new BBQ restaurant. However, the map is quite detailed if you take these three years into account. I do recommend Google Earth to anyone interested in looking over areas to visit. It is detailed enough that I could find my old apartment building where I grew up, the house I built many years later in New England, and even the small Zen temple in the middle of the bamboo forest next to my house in Japan. It's like looking at my past.

When ever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories....

actually mapjack is different. it's not google earth. it's done by a guy named bjorn who lives in chiang mai - local boy does good. the images on mapjack are only a couple of weeks old. it's awesome. they're going to do other cities in thailand pretty soon.

Many of the images are more than three weeks- or even three years old....

With all joking aside, would it be possible to get the local Monks to bless the trees? It seems that the trees with yellow and orange ribbon tied around them never get touched.

Or maybe you could tie some ribbon around your favorite trees? If the workers think they have ghosts in them I am sure they would leave them alone.

It doesn't seem to matter to the city if the trees are 'blessed' or not. A few of the old trees on Suthep had loads of 'blessings' (cloth strips placed around the trunk) but were cut the same... Times have changed

Reminds me of the beautiful old trees along Thanon Suthep and along the road to Sankampeng that were cut down many years ago. Simply so they could widen the road...

With your cards, you seem to be doing a lot. I congratulate you.

But I can't think of anything to help you except to suggest moving to some other country...

Go to most any computer shop that sells printing paper and get some plastic sheets to print on. Print on them, then iron on the image yourself...

Any idea what such plastic sheets are called ?

I think I have seen some guys in Kad Suan Kaew doing something like this (they had a computer & T-shirts, but I did not inspect any more closely). They were on the 1st floor (the one after Ground floor ) at the opposite end to the escalators, next to DVD stalls. Not one of the shops; one of the stalls.

transfer sheets

I've known Mama Falafel since she came to chiang mai in 1992. She is Israeli, so she has the attitude that if you fuc_k with her- watch out! But, she is also one of the nicest people in town. I have seen her give food away to needy people, and do many other nice things for them. With your attitude about her in this public forum, it might suggest to me that you are not a favorite customer.. Oh well, she has been here a long time and I'm sure her attitudes don't bother many of her customers

She's always been fine with me but I still have seen her be rude to other customers, from what yourself and UG are saying she has another side to her, which is good to know - but I don't think customer relations is her strong point

Some customers...