GlobalCtzn

I think you'll be shocked at what a dump it's become. Take a detour and visit Udon Thani as it's closer to how you probably remember Chiang Mai (except the locals are less dim-witted in Udon).

Sounds like somebody got walked on in CM in the past and is still sour about it. Glad life in Udon is treating you better, hangin' with the intellegensia………..

My neighbor on the mountain.

The TPP is not a trade deal……………...

Have been visiting LOS for almost 40 years. Drove around Chiang Mai, Lampang & Chiang Rai this month. I commented several times to the missus that the driving attitudes seemed markedly better than ever before. Nowhere near as much passing on blind curves and driving at insane speeds etc. Was I dreaming or has anyone else felt the same?

As someone who rides a motorcycle on average 70 -100 km a day around Chiang Mai, I would say that you are dreaming

Good riddance to him and his family...?

Xenophobic expats……………………………….oh the irony. You and your posse make me laugh………….at you , not with you

The road that cuts from Canal Road through CMU agriculture area to Samoeng road is full of bicyclists who do not understand how dangerous it is to ride side by side rather than single file. Narrow winding roads with limited line of site, and motorbike, car, and truck drivers who have little or no awareness along with the cyclists. Every day I ride it serves as my reminder to myself that I am riding amongst very low-consciousness drivers/riders and I should ride accordingly………...

My recommendation would be to go back to school and become proficient in both reading and writing Thai. This will teach you the tones and how they work from a whole new perspective that you do not get from learning conversation. By the time your reading and writing are fairly decent your understanding of Thai language will be on a whole different level than now. If you still want to do a home stay immersion after that I think you would be getting a lot more out of it by then. Good luck!

Took a friend to do a 30 day extension of a tourist visa yesterday. Arrived at 7:15 and got in the right line (there are at least 4 distinct lines now). He got #10. We were finished at 11:00. It took them from 8:30 to 11:00 to process 10 tourist visa extensions. You arrive at immigration in Bangkok or Chiang Mai at the airpot and they can process a person every 2 or 3 minutes or so. But for an extension they cannot? One page of the most basic data and a scan of your passport and look at your immigration history. What the hell can they possibly be doing down there?????????????

In Chiang Mai there seems to be no slow season for Chinese tourists at this point. As a daily motorcycle rider they are one of my daily safety concerns. They are scouring the area and the surrounding mountains for land at a very steady pace as well. I imagine they are going to be a fairly dominating feature of life here going forward. NEEEE HOW

I have been told by a reliable source that they are putting speed and observation cameras around the entire moat. They are going to get addicted to all this new revenue, and we are going to see CM blanketed with these cameras over the coming years.

Doi Suthep receiving a special shower.

The word for humid is Cheun or humidity is Kwam Cheun.

As someone who comes from a dry, semi arid climate I can definitely feel the humidity of Thailand. I get out on my farm and start working and within 15 minutes I am wet and soon soaked. Somehow it feels good. Sweat all day, drink a ton of water, take a shower (which after a day of work feels like heaven - like taking your ski boots off after a long day of hard skiing), and at night sleep like a baby.

Never trust a man with 2 x first names ...

Except for Ricky Bobby……….you can trust ol' Ricky Bobby.

Global deflationary collapse coming. Thailand is merely a spectator. Real tangible assets, no debt, and good community is where I am putting my eggs……………….

I ride in a full lane (at the right lane if multiple lane road) and ride with the flow of traffic. No car ever has to wait on me. The left side is filled with people turning, entering the road, exiting the road, all kinds of motorbike, bicycle, cart, pedestrian, etc. The real issue here in my opinion is that Thais (and others) do not see motorbike traffic as equal to their car. They afford motorbike riders little to no consideration, when in reality any sane and responsible person driving a car would afford any motorbike extra consideration given the vulnerability of riders and the extreme consequences of accidents. I ride 100 km a day in CM and have been riding here for over 14 years and am continually amazed at the low level of driver consciousness that pervades this country!

I would really like to hear at least ONE well-reasoned, informed response that included a real world solution to this problem, rather than the endless Thai bashing. These forest floors burn MULTIPLE times each dry season, as the leaf fall is tremendous inside the forest. If you could stop the burning in the forest (which I doubt is possible) for 3 to 5 years you would build up such a fuel supply that when it did eventually burn you would lose entire sections of forest to inferno type fires, rather than the slow creeping leaf cleaning fires that burn about 6-12 inches of leaf cover at a time. Any of you Thai bashers out there have a solution? Anyone?

I would really like to hear at least ONE well-reasoned, informed response that included a real world solution to this problem, rather than the endless Thai bashing. These forest floors burn MULTIPLE times each dry season, as the leaf fall is tremendous inside the forest. If you could stop the burning in the forest (which I doubt is possible) for 3 to 5 years you would build up such a fuel supply that when it did eventually burn you would lose entire sections of forest to inferno type fires, rather than the slow creeping leaf cleaning fires that burn about 6-12 inches of leaf cover at a time. Any of you Thai bashers out there have a solution? Anyone?

The bank of Thailand announced it was banned.

And banks make law now ???

The BOT or Bank Of Thailand is the Thai Central Bank, and in this case they must have the authority to ban Bitcoin as that is exactly what they did in 2013 I believe. I believe they have also reconsidered that ban, but to answer your question, YES, in Thailand the BOT has the authority to allow or disallow any currency they choose.

Much of Europe is sliding into decline and permanant recession

Russia is facing economic doldrums as its currencty collapses and its financial institutions downgraded

Chinese growth has slowed

Arabia's citizens are furiously killing each other like never before (what's new)

Japan has just tried printing its way out of recession, and failed gloriously

Apart from the UK, Israel, Germany and a hand full of other countries, America is in very good shape

Japan is toast. Europe is right behind them. And the U.S. economy is smoke and mirrors, and what good news you see is a short-lived byproduct by money creation and manipulation. Seriously!!!!!!!!!! Who out there with any experience running a business looks at the current climate and sees recovery?………………….ANYONE? Let the brave souls step right up here and now and proclaim U.S. recovery…….. I dare ya!

anyone reading this will be dead and buried before your fantasy scenario comes to fruition

For sure.

Ahhhhhh, the smell of normalcy bias confirming each others' world view. It could be as early as this year, but within the next 10 at the outside (prior to 2020 is my personal guess), you will see a paradigm shift in the global monetary system. And yes Alice, the almighty Dollar can and will take it in the shorts. It is all part of the plan……………….

Yet another good reason I no longer live in Thailand ... I refuse to let my wealth support such a corrupt and vile nation.

So, just out of curiosity what shining light on the hill place of residence do you and your wealth now consider worthy of your presence?

...create a phantom enemy....

..use it as an excuse to start yet another war....invade the country....and do as you please....with 'just cause'......

....isn't everybody tired of this charade....or does it have to happen in your own back yard first....

...but then it will be too late.....

...imagine being obliterated...on a pretext......

Best post on this thread by far! You understand the production being played out quite clearly, and your last line will resound in my head all day today I think................

Thanks to all who have responded - appreciate it!

Hello all, I would like anyone who feels inclined to offer your favorite restaurant suggestions for Chiang Mai. I find myself in a bit of a food rut lately and would like some new places to eat. Give me your favorite places/dishes or any other suggestions you wish to make. Thai food, western food, international, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, etc. Thanks in advance for you your suggestions.

A local taxi driver came forward and claimed he had been beaten and then offered a large bribe by the police to provide false testimony. After that public proclamation I have not seen any mention of that in this unfolding story. Where is the follow up to that blatant action by the police?