Ajarn

one with special kind of tool to open up any lock,

Skeleton keys that open any lock of a certain type and brand are quite easy to make.

The skeleton key is a myth.

Trust me on that one.

My father used to make them when I was a kid, as we had lots of cabinets with tools and such, and he did not want to have to use a whole bunch of seperate keys. I would borrow one once in a while and go all over the area opening all of the same kind of locks.

It has to be the same brand lock and the same size, but they do work.

Maybe sassienie isn't old enough, but I remember them from my childhood, too

What kind of medical certificate do you need?

Just your regular 60/80/100 Baht clinic or hospital "he has a pulse" so ok certificate.

Here is a copy of the requirements.

And a topic of my experience in December > 5 year to 5 year renewal

Not really. There are two different certificates. The one you ask for has a name, but I can't remember it. I have tried to use the second kind, and it was refused...

I wonder if the "Tourist Police" in that area are more trustworthy than the regular police?

Sorry about your troubles and good luck!

Simply, No. They can speak English, but that is the only thing they are good at, in my experience.

I would say, 'mostly' well prepared. I have had a number of bummers with their mexican food..

It is similar to the poor little children forced to sell flowers in the bars at night. They stay up so late they can't attend school.

Why do you think they can't attend school? Because they stay up so late, or because they don't attend school due to not being Thai? I don't see them as being exploited at all, simply they are a part of the family making money. I don't believe that they are kidnapped or taken from their families either. I'm fairly sure it does happen, but nothing to the degree that most people believe. Why do they believe this? Do they ask the kids or talk to anybody at all? No, they are simply customers who make up stories they think will be believed by others, or listen to them...

It sounds great to say, 'don't buy flowers', but why? It only keeps that family poor, never getting enough money to do anything else. But it is easier to have a 'good' reason not to spend the 20 baht, doesn't it?

Until the families can make money in a different way, they will be out there trying to sell flowers. The best thing anyone can do is buy the flowers, or make a donation to a group out there helping kids and their families. The worst you can do is what many of you are doing now, not buying the flowers at all, or creating bullshit stories so you don't feel bad about it...

Flash flood hits Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI: -- A flash flood has hit 80 villages in Chiang Mai's Om Koi district, affecting 32,000 residents and damaging 5,000 rai of farmland, an official said yesterday.

Heavy downpours between June 8-10 caused water sources to rise, especially Mae Teun Creek, and flooded nearby villages and farmlands in the area's "worst flood and landslide disaster in 100 years", said deputy provincial governor Pairoj Saengphuwong.

Some 4,800 families in 80 out of 95 villages in Om Koi were affected. The damage to villages in Tambon Sop Khong and Na Kian were unknown as they were marooned by impassable roads. Some 8,000 relief packages have been sent to those affected.

-- The Nation 2009-06-14

Unusually misleading title George--Om Koi is several hours drive from Chiang Mai proper.

It is about two hours away from Mueang Chiang Mai, still in Chiang Mai. What is your complaint??

it makes me wonder if SASSIE had all the problems because he offered way too much money for the job....

I'm sure that is not the problem. I pay my live-in 10,000 baht per month, and she earns it.

That's a lot. A Bachelor Degree graduate from Payap who speaks English gets paid not more than THB9,000 when working at Index Living Mall. You are generous :-)

You can't compare the two. I don't think it is too much, and I am doing the paying

ajarn, you on the boat, what was in the blue bag, or was it some personal infection you dont want to talk about, which is very understandable....some good old pics there.

We were in a canoe, not much storage space. To snap a pic of me, I had to hold my bag to give her room

After reading all of the replies, I can see why Andrew Drummond referred to the people on Thai visa as "mostly Dorks and Rednecks".

To Patrice, I'm sure it is a lesson you learned in Thailand:

1. Don't get involved with Heroin in Thailand.

2. Don't ever ask anyone on Thai Visa for this kind of help.

Hail Storm, Suthep road area, 1988

Akka woman on my honda 750, Chiang Mai 1989

Canal fisherman, Chiang Mai, 1988

Old fashioned hunter, Chiang Rai, 1987

A beautiful house for sale, Kilomet #144, road to Chiang Rai, 1988

Same house, 20 years later....

My dream house near Mae Sai 1988

A chicken seller Chiang Mai 2004

Hair cutters waiting for business, Tachilek, Burma 2004

Woman praying, Wat Doi Tung, Chiang Rai 2003

Hand tooled sawmill, Chiang Mai 1987

''

Me on the river to Thaton, 1988

'

Banana sellers, Tak, 1987

You mean this one?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Satellite-Tv...or-t191498.html

NSS (North Star Sat) Tel 053 350 731

Kun suriya...telephone number is 085-040-4012

No. PSI on Mahidol road

it makes me wonder if SASSIE had all the problems because he offered way too much money for the job....

I'm sure that is not the problem. I pay my live-in 10,000 baht per month, and she earns it.

Hello, I have been trying to locate a phone number for PSI computer on Mahidol rd., but no luck.

Anybody got the number??

,

Yeah, this has always been a scam of some shops. The best thing to do in my opinion is to buy your own good lock and chain, and chain the body frame of the bike to something unable to be moved.

By the way, why not mention the name of the shop??

I think the OP is full of shit. He likes to make up 'exciting stories'...

A few old pictures

Pra Lampuwaen near Phrao

Lahu Village near Pai 1989

Akka lady getting her smoke 1989

River Boat 1993

Akka man getting his smoke 1989

Ricefield near Poyang, Thailand 2004

Chiang Dao 2005

Naens, Tachilek, Burma 1989

If you are a Farang, forget trying to employ a live in Nanny/housekeeper in Thailand, whether they are Thai or Burmese, it doesn’t work.

My wife and I decided to hire a live in lady housekeeper. Offering good wages, 9000 baht per month plus food, use of computer, days off etc.

The job involved some light house cleaning and looking after the home, 2 dogs if we stayed away for a few days.

So I advertised in the job centre at Mai Rim Chiang Mai and in a Chiang Mai local Thai newspaper.

My wife was receiving scores of phone calls per day as a result of the ads.

Women from ages 17 to 60 were phoning for the job, plus ladyboys, gays, and guys offering girls they have on their lists from 14 to 30. Also girls asking if they could bring their children, mother’s and siblings. When my wife told them they would be working for me, a Farang, than the situation changed. Many were asking up to 20000 baht per month for live in. The younger the woman, the higher the wages. None of them had any doable checkable backgrounds or references.

Some of them were really bar girls looking for an assignment because business is down in the town. Others were from poor backgrounds encouraged by their parents or boyfriends to apply for the job, plus educated girls from middleclass families seeking any Farang to support them in a lifestyle they are used to. Most only interested in short time work, although they understood I required someone here long term. It was a ploy to get a lot of money quickly from some gullible Farang.

After interviewing about 50, we took on 5 girls, one after the other, not together. All tried it on for money, the, my mother has had a motorbike accident, sick buffalo etc and when It became clear that I was not falling for this, they soon became bored. Most left on their own accord, the others I had to throw out. One girl, I asked to leave after I saw her throwing a large boulder at my dog. That was scary, she actually held a knife up to me and kept nagging for money, although she had already been paid her wages up to the time I wanted her to go. In the end I had to give her an extra 3000 baht so as to make her leave peacefully.

Also worth keeping in mind: I was advised by my brother in law, who is a Thai lawyer, that there is a scam in which some girls who have police contacts, could say that the Farang touched them and threaten to report this to the police unless a lot of money changes hands, plus some have diseases such as AIDs and TB.

Not worth the risk and hassle or if you do decide to take on one of these girls, ensure she is well recommended and has some sort of references.

Of course we are going to hear of some success stories, but at these times of economic crisis, taking a complete stranger into the home is a dangerous practise, especially if it involves caring for young children or pets.

Sounds like a made-up story to me... I have lived here for 25 years, have always had live-in help, and never had any of the weird experiences one guy quotes from the only time he has advertised for a maid...

My view is that if she is being straight with you, this is actually a manageable problem, so don't let all these fear-mongering posts get to you. Ask her to change her mobile phone number, which is easy to do, and break off all contact with him. If she won't, then your problem is with her, not the ex-husband, and you'll need to decide whether your relationship is worth the headaches this situation might bring.

Agreed 100%

Remember OJ Simpson? I think that is what some folks are trying to say. Unfortunately, the Thai police department protect their own even if one of their members is a thief or murderer. There are too many examples to believe otherwise.

Ian that is bullshit, and you should be aware of it. Police have helped Police sometimes, but not always, or anything like it. If you want to act like you are experienced here, at least you should sound like it.

I think this weather is quite normal for this time of year

I have ordered from practically every restaurant on their list, and so far every restaurant has done an excellent packaging job every time.

I think 12k is a fair price for the house.

All I can say is that I pay about 200 baht for the Duke's small pizza with mushrooms and olives and pepperoni and even though it is delish, I can barely finish it.

I pay over 300 baht for a medium Pizza Company pan pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms which is also good, but it is much smaller than the Duke's "small" pizza and I am still slightly hungry afterwards.

A large Duke’s pizza with 3 items is a little over 500 baht, but it is so huge that 3 big eaters can share it without ordering anything else except beer. We do it fairly often.

I'm sorry, but, I cannot explain why we have such different perceptions about the size.

I think it is the crust. I like thick, you like thin. A large thick crust can feed a lot of people for a few days, perhaps

It is 200 baht for a "small" pizza - that is so big that I have a difficult time finishing it- at the riverside Duke's that is probably the size of a large pizza at Pizza Hut/Company and much, much less expensive. I enjoy both types of pizza, but the Duke's is much more reasonable!

I disagree with you UG, I think the pizza company has a better, larger, cheaper pizza.. and it is tasty