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Actually, I had a change of address form (downloaded from the Postal Service website) notarized at the American consulate last week--by the consul himself, complete with embossed seal. The $50 charge is absurd--along with the ungodly fee for adding pages to a U.S. passport.

Don't kid yourself. The manager runs day-to-day affairs, but the power is in the hands of the few Thai majority owners/investors--who appoint the manager, pay no maintenance fees, evade all assessments, ignore elected association committees, and suit themselves entirely. A farang who buys a condominium in Thailand is utterly at the mercy of this establishment.

A case in point... Our condo is installing a new water system, new pipes to every unit. Our manager lamented that there might not be enough money to pay for the project inasmuch as so many absentee owners refuse to pay their maintenance fees and assessment charges. When someone suggested the obvious ("Don't turn on their water; cut off their electricity."), he replied, "Oh, no, cannot! VIPs." .

"Contrary to rumors, Joe Krebs will re-open for business on February 1st."

You can't stay in business by ignoring your mail. Not reassuring to a prospective client...

Posted Yesterday, 20:39

If none of the above suit you Lanny Williams in Bangkok may be able to work something out with you via e-mail etc.

Contact info on Bangkok Embassy web site

I did look for him on the Bangkok Embassy website--but found no mention of any individuals by name--except the ambassador.

Dr. Joe Krebs

http://www.us-taxpayers.com/

I'm afraid he recently retired. Last I heard he was in the US for medical treatment and I don't know if his partner will continue the practice

Looks like you're right. I received no response to my e-mail...

Many thanks for that referral. I will contact him directly.

Does anybody know of an American living in Chiang Mai who has had long experience preparing Federal income tax returns--and, for a "consideration," accepts new clients? My return for 2012 is fairly straightforward, but I hesitate to do it myself.

Any recommendations?

Is it only my problem? For me, Thai Visa is extremely slow this morning--and responses to various Chiang Mai Forum topics will not download at all.

Some units have full cooking facilities; others have "kitchenettes." Mine has a sink/dish rack arrangement tucked away on one side of the porch. I have a toaster oven that copes with breakfast, grilling open-faced sandwiches, etc. In the lobby of Nakornping is a small, inexpensive restaurant.

As is the case with most Chiang Mai condos, here you get what you pay for... I do love the open balcony, which looks north to the mountains beyond Chiang Mai--and gives this small studio a greater sense of space. My advice is to try for any northern exposure--much cooler in hot season, which is most of the year!

So, Finy, here's a view of my Bt.7000 per month studio at Nakornping...

Ahh... I see! Tucked away at the bottom right-hand side of the "Reply" box is "More Reply Options." Clicking on that gives you the attachment choices.

Blimey; for that sort of money just 10 klicks out of town you can get a near Palace in the hills. Why bother with a crumby condo in the smog bound City? Get out of town and the pollution is not even half as bad.

However... Out in the boondocks, in a detached house, is where security becomes a serious consideration. Burglaries are common; the neighborhood knows when you come and go; farangs (and the fat pickings) are targets. When the cat's away, the mice will play...

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Dave 2, how did you attach a photo of the Dynamic Duo to your post? I don't see that option...

I very much enjoy a studio (one-room) apartment at Nakornping Condo across the street from the Shell station on Huay Kaew Road--Bt.7,000 per month plus small charges for electricity and water, Bt.300 for monthly internet connection. Vast parking, Kad Suan Kaew practically across the street, Nimanhemin a short walk away, and many restaurant choices in this convenient neighborhood. There are all kinds of rental options at Nakornping--and everywhere else in Chiang Mai.

One block away (near Hillside 4) is The Dome, which has been previously recommended to you. I have stayed there twice for a month and enjoyed it very much. Only drawback is limited cooking facilities (in the suites) and no restaurant in the building. However, as I said, many dining options nearby. Ignore the standard rooms--claustrophobic. But the deluxe rooms, only a little more expensive, are spacious. When you come to Chiang Mai to look around for more permanent digs, you might make The Dome your base of operations--then decide to stay. You can book the monthly rate online at http://thedomechiangmai.com/accomodation.php or daily through Agoda.

Contact me if you would like to see my place at Nakornping...

Yes, but look what those services cost--between six and seven hundred dollars. Fine if a company he works for is picking up the tab...

I started this thread, so I should report its conclusion.

At Immigration this morning at 7:45, the herd already surging at the locked door. At 8:00 the national anthem, then the doors opened, and the stampede was underway. No violence, but nobody giving an inch either. At least the early arrivals got a number card (the machine is broken); at the desk those cards were exchanged for an appointment number. When I was given my number, I was told to come back after lunch--at 1:00. People ahead of me had filled all the morning appointment slots.

Back at 1:00, my number was the first up in neon lights. The lady who interviewed me was pleasant, efficient, and accommodating. At 1:15 I was told that all my papers were in perfect order--to take a seat and wait for the return of my passport and 365-day visa extension. At three-thirty I received both, no explanation for the two and a quarter hour delay.

This whole process is not only bizarre but also shameful... My advice: Bring earplugs (the din is awful) and a good book.

What a way to run a railroad...

Has anybody had recent experience--say,in the last week or so? Is it still a case of the doors opening at 8:00 a.m., heavyweights and sharpest elbows bulldozing their way to the check-in desk, survival of the fittest?

I plan to be there at 7:30 tomorrow morning and dread the prospect. However, I must apply for a 365-day extension to my non-immigrant visa...

The other thing you can do (if you are American) is look for plastic that refunds all ATM fees and charges no foreign transaction fees. You can Google that list, and you will find there are very few such institutions. However, I have two such cards: one from Schwab Bank and the other from Stanford Federal Credit Union. You are eligible to join SFCU by making a five dollar donation to the Friends of Palo Alto Library.

At one point, I had only one of these cards. When an ATM ate it, I was obliged to use a card from another bank that did not refund ATM fees and charged a 1% foreign transaction fee. (Many U.S. banks charge 3%!) During the following month those two charges amounted to more than $40...

"Do you actually use the tub? Or just want it looking pretty again?"

Both... Yes, thanks for the renovation tips. Lacking talent, tools, and expertise, I will ask around for somebody knowledgable enough to undertake such a renovation project.

I found La Fontana a mixed bag...

On the plus side:

• Immaculately clean, including the rest rooms--and attractive.
  
• Cloth napkins--always a pleasant surprise in a restaurant with moderate prices.
  
• Good house wine--at least the red I was served.
  
• Bread sticks with salsa dip made a nice hors d'ouvres.
  

However...

• I ordered spaghetti bolognese. There was plenty of ground beef, but the tomato sauce was disappointing. It had a viscous taste--not fresh.
  
• My order arrived promptly. Shortly thereafter the restaurant began filling up, and clearly the kitchen was overwhelmed. The table next to mine ordered soon after I did, but they were still waiting for dinner when I paid my bill and left.
  
• The waiter and two waitresses never cracked a smile; neither did the owner. An eleven year-old boy, presumably the owner's son, brought me my bill and made change.
  

In summary, a convenient location and a reasonably priced menu. However, La Fontana faces heavy competition when it comes to Italian food in that area of Chiang Mai.

Yes, you're probably right... New in Chiang Mai, I don't know people whom I would trust for such an undertaking (demolition, plumbing, etc.)--but I suppose a store that sells new tubs would recommend installers.

Thanks very much for your suggestions. They are Plan B, assuming there's no alternative. Taking out the old tub will be one helluva job, though--not to mention replacing it. I am hoping for a path of less resistance!

Is that possible in Chiang Mai? Does anyone know of a competent individual who knows how to do this? I have inherited a scratched and scraped tub that would be difficult to remove/replace on a high condominium floor. I would like to avoid the considerable problem of installing a new one...

THANKS VERY MUCH for your suggestions! I will give those numbers a try...

My mobile account is with GSM (#121*). This evening I called a mobile number in Indonesia: Bt.220 for ten minutes! I would use Skype, but twice the Skype connections were very poor.

Is there a better deal than GSM for long distance within Southeast Asia?