aliep

Well he shouldn't have put it where it isn't meant to go

One up the bum, no harm done

The HiSo here consider it a status symbol to hire escort vehicles and travel in a motorcade. Usually, it's the police they hire. In fact, anyone can hire them, all you need is money.

I am in favour of inconveniencing them with these checkpoint searches if it dissuades them from it in the future.

I sometimes wonder if there is a word in the Thai dictionary for "subtle"

well bugger me

When asked for a comment, the monk replied "Oh bugger!"

I am really puzzled by their arithmetic...

In another topic today, thailand is nber 2 in road fatalities in the world with 44 dead per 100000 inhabitants per year, which with a population of 60 millions makes it 26400 annually, or a daily average of 72.

Now this post says it is terrible that we had 260 dead in 5 days due to the celebration... well we should have 360 if we consider the average and if this is a dangerous time of year, we would have more than that...

where did I get it wrong...

and by the way, each month we have 72 x 30 dead people on the road = 2160 people... 7 boeing or airbuses crashes each month... and this does not worry anyone but when ONE airplane crashes somewhere in the world, it is top news worldwide... beats me...

oz

Quite right, the numbers are lower because most drivers are too drunk to remember where they put their keys

The figures I saw for 2010 (the only year I have seen), the average number of road deaths per day was 72.

The statistics are clear, the so called dangerous days are actually currently safer.

That's not to say the numbers aren't appalling.

Still well under the daily average for 2014 - these dangerous days are the safest days to travel according to statistics

I am sure the International community will be very happy if he wants to put himself forward at the soonest possible election, if he wins that he can stay longer. I think it has a name, oh yes, it's called Democracy. Starts with a D the same as he is now, it just ends differently (usually).

It has been said before : If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Nobody forced you to be the chef.

Nobody voted for him to be the chef either

Anyhow, I really do appreciate the info.

I expect that there will be repairs in the future. But my Lifan dirt bike, which I have abused for 4 years has cost only a few thousand baht to fix so far, and that has given me confidence to get another Chinese unit. And now I know what to look for.

Lifan make the BMW 650cc motorbike engine for BMW.

TripAdvisor do get a lot of fake reviews, but they're easy to spot, typically 1 time posters, but equally, TripAdvisor are quite good at spotting them, they check cookies, IP addreses, ISP's, browser strings and screen resolution. Your computer "leaks" your identity, not always accurately, but close enough to draw a likely conclusion..

They recently bought viator the online booking company and appear to be "manipulating" rankings to improve their opportunities for commission on bookings, purporting to be impartial whilst at the same time making money on bookings seems like a slippery slope to me.

Most of the Chinese gear is a copy of Japanese or American gear.

The Chinese are very good at copying what it looks like, where they are not so good is the actual material. If it's a Steel Alloy, they use Mild Steel, if it's an Aluminium Alloy, they use Aluminium. All is good until it wears out. Nuts falling off is not actually the dealer, they come in steel cages and the dealer simply bolts on the wheels, adds the battery etc. If your delaer is not very experienced, he won't know to tighten all the other bolts and add loctite. After the initial problem of things falling off (the chain tensioner is probably first), the next problems are usually, chains (timing & drive chains) the solution is to replace with Japanese, wear in the engine (smoke from the exhaust) the solution is to rebore the engine and fit new pistons, starter solenoid will also go, they are only 200 baht here, then the bearings on the axle will go, solution is to fit Japanese NYK bearings, the frame will need welding/stregthening because it's mild steel and the right alloy, finally the gearbox casing will crack and the gears will lose teeth.

Battery not charging is a common fault, just buy an automatic battery charger and charge it regularly, use you quad/carburettor Chinese bike regularly or starting becomes difficult.

If it's between 150cc and 210cc, it probably has a copy Honda GY6 engine, parts are readily available here.

We have 25 of them we use ourselves and we have sold dozens of 150cc dune buggies (2 seater, automatic, roll cages, seat belts) at 130,000 baht each, so we do know what happens. Your most important task is to find a trusted inexpensive mechanic, because you going to need him. Finally, keep it in the shade to avoid discolouration.

I think the bodykit posted by the OP is actually a stand, you lift the car up at the front and the stand stops it rolling over, good for small parking spots.

There does seem to be a plethora of after market accessories in Thailand and the attitude by the buyers seems to be, if "it's available, it must be good". I suspect you couldn't explain the concept that "less is more" to most of the buyers.

Inverter A/C's are less efficient if running continuously (you're converting AC to DC to run a motor with losses in the conversion process). Inverter A/C's are more efficient if they are oversized or set to run so that the compressor is running on half or a third speed speed in the outside unit.

The inefficiency is in stopping & starting, for several reasons. A correctly sized inverter will run on full speed for a shortwhile and then the compressor will slow down (but not stop).

By far the best solution is to fit 2 A/C units. A conventional unit that you set at 1 or 2 degrees lower than your inverter unit (so it runs continuously) and an inverter unit set slightly higher that actually decides the temperature in the room.

Personally, I would go for 2 of 18,000 BTU units, one conventional and one inverter. The conventional unit will provide 0 or 18,000 BTU of cooling, the inverter unit will provide 0, or 6,000-18,000 variable BTU of cooling.

For efficiency, keep refrigerant pipe runs as short as possible and don't put the outside engine in the sun.

Yesterday my daughter crashed her go kart into a 4 year old rubber tree and smashed it, the farmer is asking for compensation, would be a fair compensation to pay? lowers/highest?

Checked 7th July and Chiang Rai Immigration are no longer issuing any residence certificates for any purpose whatsoever.

First, we are assuming the what the Forestry Department is saying is true. Ask any farmer and he will tell you, the Forestry Department consider their job as extorting money from poor farmers and businesses. It's probably the second most corrupt agency in the country after the BIB. It doesn't sound like a "coffee" shop is a resort, but what it does smell of to me, is that someone has stood up to them when they came round looking for money, or more likely, they got greedier than the businesses could afford. I suspect the other 7 came up with the necessary.

Olive oil has a low smoke point and is not good for frying, BUT, extra light olive oil has a very high smoke point, is great for frying and very good for your heart.

On top of that, French fries taste wonderful made in olive oil

Don't walk down the street without ringing a bell, and shouting "unclean... unclean..."

Get real, there is no danger from HIV. I am astounded by ignorance in 2014!

Straight forward answer, Chiang Rai is a much smaller town (Chiang Mai is Thailand's second largest city) and consequently, Yes, Chiang Rai is cheaper than Chiang Mai.

How much cheaper depends on how you plan to live, will you buy or rent your home? how do you spend your time? your money?

The people at the Immigration office in Chiang Rai are an absolute pleasure to deal with, they always have a smile for everyone, I don't have any experience with the Immigration officials in Chiang Mai, but I have heard it's not so pleasant.

_{Regarding a horizontal condo and the walls touching, I don't know how many walls must touch, maybe only one? I did own a condo in Pattaya where only the floor and ceiling touched another condo unit. I know they have to touch, because this was my first choice for developing a 9 Rai plot of land into a luxury 6 plot housing development.}

_{The condominium Act is a useful piece of legislation that would have been nice to use, not least because Thai buyers could then get mortgages. However, I had to settle for a limited company with 3 foreign shareholders (totalling 49%) and 3 Thai shareholders (totalling 51%). All are directors of the company and all have an equal vote (shareholders can be children, though directors cannot). In my case there was another advantage, in the middle of the plot is a 4 Rai lake, it would have been amusing to see the land office try to put Chanote marker posts in the middle of a 4 metre deep lake!}

12.73 to 14.33 baht/litre here in Chiang Rai.

Very few LPG cars available second-hand here, they are very desirable because of the enormous fuel savings.