Ajarn

Miquel's still has tamales as a special. They are worth a try.

I had never had them before and I quite like them. They are made with corn flour that someone is carrying in from LA which is apparently difficult to find here.

Tamales are supposed to have some sauce, right?

Well, the tamales I had at miquels didn't have any, and they were awful. Mostly thick breading...

Hmmm, every oak tree has at least an acorn of truth, is there any missing falang persons last seen in Chang Mai? The last missing person story I was aware of was some young dude in Cambodia a year ago...

On the organ havesting, that is not bullshit, at least not completely. Its actually known to take place in India and Pakistan where the selling 'spare' body organs is a way of life. The actual drugging and 'theft' of organs is less common but exists there also. Usually the poor victim is dumped in a ditch and a single kidney is left so the victim isn't killed outright.

So yes there is a myth but behind it there is still a bit of a monster.

Who actually knows... you??

Seems to me that you are part of the reason these stories have gained muster. Why do you think this story is real? Did someone else tell you, or did you witness it yourself. ?Truth now, please.

Theres no smoke without fire and you're a sceptical nugget to think otherwise.

Just for you I'll show you some things <Hold on while I dig out the archives...>

Heres the first one:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/...ns_scandal.html

Heres the second one:

http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=7723

And heres the third one:

http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/21601.html

Still think I'm making it up Ajarn?

Are all these others too?

This is the only time I've even spoken of organ harvesting so don't make assumptions unless you can back them up Aj.

Yeah, bye bye

Thanks to all replies. Seems like a lot of good places to start.

I'm afraid that it is because old time expats really had to want to live here to be here. Now it is so easy to come and go and get long term visas that we are getting swamped with people who only come here to save a dollar and have no love at all for Siam. They whine and cry and want everything to be just like home, except cheaper and don't recognize that in the Far East, Western goods and services are luxuries.

I'm sure that you remember when we used to have to go all the way to Penang every 2 months or so to get a visa and we felt that it was worth it to live here. Many of the newbies pretty much hate the place and would pack up and be on a flight home in a second flat if it wasn't all so easy.

Not to mention the tax clearence certificate we all needed each time we left the country for any reason. My first experience with corruption and the government..

I look back as a 'winner' rather than a loser, especially if I compare with most of the newbies here. I feel like I did something great by living here and I feel like I was a ground breaker, when you think about the lack of internet and english tv... and hamburgers.. I mean how many people have stayed here and had decent lives? I've seen the vast majority of farangs I've met here fail at being happy in this great place. I feel sad about them, but also happy to have learned my lesson from their failure..

(That's a gorgeous pool, Ajarn).

Yes, but it's ######in' cold at the moment!

Let's not be modest.

I heard that it is heated!

My 'solar heater' is what runs fairly slowly out of the hose... Kinda nice on a warm day sitting next to it, but these days, I get nothing once it strikes the water..

There's a small but quite useful book called "Food Paradise; Chiang Mai Restaurants 2006-7" which we bought for 80 baht at a Citylife-organised charity event.

It includes a key (which I'd not really noticed before) indicating whether or not the restaurants will (or claim to) do home delivery.

Not sure where it would be available now but someone else may know.

Amongst other things, I learnt there's a Swiss and a Swedish restaurant in CM, as well as a place doing tom yum pizza .

In my experience, most any restaurant will deliver if offered some money... Minimum 100 baht for living near Rimping, on mae jo road, if the first word is 'no'.

(That's a gorgeous pool, Ajarn).

Yes, but it's ######in' cold at the moment!

sorry

How much are you paying? Because my pool cleaner is off on Sunday, so he might do it if the money is right...

I want to buy a swimming pool cleaner.

You know... one of those little plastic things that crawl all over your pool floor and up the walls and suck up all the dirt and leaves.

I did some research on the 'net, and have decided on a Zodiac Baracuda Genie Series II.

I could get one air-freighted in from Australia (AUD$599 + $125 insured air mail) but does anyone know of a local distributor?

I have a fully tiled pool, so a smooth surface model would be required.

I have found models from America but they are well over 30,000 baht. You can call phil at P&N poolshop and see how much he gets them for 01-004-4971. If you can get them from Australia let me know. I would be surprised if you could get it past customs without being taxed

100%.

Anyone with such a nice, private swimming pool, has to be rolling in dough!

any chance of a TV pool party there??

we can have a few hamburgers as well!!

Yeah, it's nice, but there is no room to roam around I'm afraid... Because of my physical problems (can't really walk well), and because I live alone, everything here is designed for me, so there isn't but 50 cm of walk space between the pool and plants.. Sorry about that...

Ajarn is a great cook; Might be able to do better than hamburgers. He used to bring in stuff to Chiang Mai University and everyone raved about it.

He has his own website mostly devoted to recipies as well

Thanks UG, the recipes were mine, but my wife did the cooking..

Once per week, I visit a restaurant for a 'treat' (losing weight). Miquels has been that place the last few weeks. Everything is good there, but I wish they would use corn taco shells for their tacos instead of the wheat ones...

They made tacos with corn tortillas for me several times, once at a small extra charge. Don't know if it matters but my requests are usually made mid afternoon when they are not busy.

Thanks!

Hmmm, every oak tree has at least an acorn of truth, is there any missing falang persons last seen in Chang Mai? The last missing person story I was aware of was some young dude in Cambodia a year ago...

On the organ havesting, that is not bullshit, at least not completely. Its actually known to take place in India and Pakistan where the selling 'spare' body organs is a way of life. The actual drugging and 'theft' of organs is less common but exists there also. Usually the poor victim is dumped in a ditch and a single kidney is left so the victim isn't killed outright.

So yes there is a myth but behind it there is still a bit of a monster.

Who actually knows... you??

Seems to me that you are part of the reason these stories have gained muster. Why do you think this story is real? Did someone else tell you, or did you witness it yourself. ?Truth now, please.

Once per week, I visit a restaurant for a 'treat' (losing weight). Miquels has been that place the last few weeks. Everything is good there, but I wish they would use corn taco shells for their tacos instead of the wheat ones...

I'm looking for wholesale blank colored t-shirts and a printer who can design a logo and print the shirts. Looking for around 1000 pieces...

Anyone know of someone who can help?

I have seen that sort of thing done at "Jipata" on Nimmenhemin Rd, about half way down on your right coming from Huay Kaew Rd.. Chock dee..

What sort of thing? Do they sell t-shirts, or do they print them??

I'm looking for wholesale blank colored t-shirts and a printer who can design a logo and print the shirts. Looking for around 1000 pieces...

Anyone know of someone who can help?

Ever wondered why driving passenger-carrying vehicles is prohited to farangs under the Royal Decree?

Perhaps it's a population control measure? Just like the lack of enforcement of helmets, seat belts, drink driving etc?

Sily question. It's because there are plenty of Thai busdrivers around, and they get first choice in jobs.. Didn't you know this??

Methinks the Trolls are peckish!

I dont think the OP is a troll.

I commend him for letting us know and to remind us to be on our guard..we live in a foreign country thousands of miles from home and can be suceptable to things that happen on the spur of the moment.

Still sounds like bullshit, to me

What makes a good burger?

The owner HAS to be American.

However, fish and chips takes a Brit, Aussie or Kiwi to do it right!

Don't forget the Greeks if you live in Oz.

I haven't a really great burger in Cnx but most are adequate. You are right about Mike's their buns let them down. I won't go back there for a while. In his defence it is a hard to get a good burger bun in Cnx especially to get one that is big enough to fit a decent sized burger.

Try the Irish pub. They have always made their own breads and as I recall, their hamburger was large and delicious. Actually, the bun was delicious, but the hamburger was usually disappointing

If I had your kind of money Ajarn, I would take off the delicious bun from an Irish pub burger and put in a Duke's hamburger patty for myself and then drop off the other crap burger to some poor, starving used book dealer and go eat the good one !

My kind of money??

Anyway, good idea

Sure there's 1 on canal rd on the left side if your heading into CM

I would like to nominate you for the Thai Visa most vague directions of the year!

I think he meant to say, On the left side if going south, across the road from the 700 year stadium

What makes a good burger?

The owner HAS to be American.

However, fish and chips takes a Brit, Aussie or Kiwi to do it right!

Don't forget the Greeks if you live in Oz.

I haven't a really great burger in Cnx but most are adequate. You are right about Mike's their buns let them down. I won't go back there for a while. In his defence it is a hard to get a good burger bun in Cnx especially to get one that is big enough to fit a decent sized burger.

Try the Irish pub. They have always made their own breads and as I recall, their hamburger was large and delicious. Actually, the bun was delicious, but the hamburger was usually disappointing

From The Nation's weblog:

Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas said it himself that based on evidence and plausible assumption, he suspected men in uniform were involved in the New Year bomb attacks.

On January 8, General Prem Tinsulanonda, president of the Privy Council, met with 84 senior cavalry officers and key battalion commanders and urged them to act as an anchor for public morale and safeguard the country in light of the unstable situation triggered by political turbulence.

Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin outflanked then premier Thaksin Shinawatra by uprooting all of battalion commanders seen as Thaksin's cronies. Sonthi's move undermined the clout of Thaksin's allies from Pre-Cadet Class 10 and paved way for his grip on power. Maj General S, a Thaksin's Pre-Cadet Class 10 fellow graduate and staunch ally, had personal and professional interest to steer officers from Pre-Cadet Class 22-to-24 to rise through the military ranks. The general and his proteges are now assigned to desk job.

In the July's reshuffle, Sonthi chose to fill key battalion positions with graduates from Pre-Cadet Class 25-to-26. And he removed the majority of Pre-Cadet Class 10 officers to inactive positions after the coup. Even though there is no one pointing an accusing finger against former battalion commanders, it is not a mere coincidence that Prem should have an unscheduled meeting with incumbent commanders.

I suspect the masterminds behind the bombing will never be unmasked because it is a long-established tradition that graduates from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy will not annihilate one another.

Suspected masterminds in all past bombings linked to the military continue to elude the law to this day.

Could not be closer to the truth. There is a major struggle currently between the military and the police. But nobody will ever discuss that openly.

How the ###### would you know??

I have experienced those tour buses fighting across traffic lanes to try and get a perceived time advantage. I've also had one inches from my rear bumber flashing lights - I was doing 100kms/hour and overtaking at the time.

Maybe he thought you were 'loaded', and was trying to save you.

Chiangmai Saloon. Seven different burgers to choose from, all of them charcoal-grilled.

Thanks for the link, sabaijai. It's the only menu I've seen where everything sounds delicious!

I know Dannys too. Its only a small takeaway place but the Fish and Chips is excellent. They are now doing small pizzas as well. The burgers are okay but the patties are a bit small, but still okay value considering its Ozzie Beef

Believe the place is for sale. Saw an ad on citylife.

What makes a good burger?

The owner HAS to be American.

However, fish and chips takes a Brit, Aussie or Kiwi to do it right!

I've had burgers in many countries georgie and the best by far was a small shop in Parnell Auckland called "Al and Petes". Their steak egg and cheese burger was second to none.

The best burgers I've had were in Australia - Crow's Nest, Sydney. Beet root on burgers really works. As for Chiang Mai, Mike's gets my vote so far, but I've yet to try lots of other places who do them...

most of the small fish & chip/burger bars in NZ do beetroot as well.Infact,mcdonalds even came out with one called the "Kiwi Burger"

almost made our kiwis extinct!!

what a way to drag down one of our best cusines- the lettuce all sliced up and using cheese slices, give me a real burger any day over MacDs

Actually, many Americans don't think of what MacDonald's or Burger King or other fast food outlets serve as "hamburgers", they serve Whoppers or Big Macs or something simular to a hamburger, but with their own corporate twist; You make the real thing at home usually and you don't put mayonaise or thousand island dressing or sliced up lettuce on it.

Sorry UG, but I don't agree with your assessment of what most Americans think, cuz I like Burger King's Hamburgers, and at home, I always use mayonaise and lettuce on my hamburger.