northernjohn

My friend and I were out there four months ago. Looked like a really nice place. They had a lot of old cabins that are no longer used. I have a friend who has his wife out there. She has full blown memory loss. Sorry I can't spell the word. It starts with al------. My friend goes out and visits her and brings her into town for a meal. He is very satisfied with the care she receives there.

This is the second story of them seeing someone for a retirement extension interview who hadn't received a queue number during the morning 8:30 exercise. In both cases, the people came early enough in the day that their passports and documents were going to make it in the pouch with the courier run of other applicants' documents going to the airport office in the early afternoon for signature approval. (Some days the supervisor may be coming to Prom office in the afternoon too do approvals.)

In any event, it's a good development that they're allowing late-coming people to be seen on days when they obviously have a light workload in the retirement extension dept.

It is indeed a good thing. Several times when I was over there I would ask about that and the girls would just say no more numbers.

The only thing I wonder about is he said retirement/medical. I have often seen no one at that desk. Maybe there is not that big a demand for that particular extension. Do they have a quota such as the normal extension which gives 25 numbers?

If there is no one for that particular extension the officer doing it should help with the regular ones.

Perhaps their ideal tourist is not going to come in big numbers just because they try and overcharge Chinese tourists and close bars early.

I am sure different people in the government have different ideas about what the ideal tourist is, but if you look at the benefits of the Thailand Elite program, it’s golf, spas, and discounts at upscale shopping malls, not discount coupons for the local bars.

If you look at the price of the better resorts and hotels, many have a starting price of 10-20,000 baht/day and 30-50,000 baht/day accommodation is certainly not a rarity.

This segment vastly outspend the bus filled with Chinese tourists or the group of backpackers, and they are rarely a hassle for their surroundings.

So my money would be on this segment being what Thailand would prefer to attract.

And the amount this benefits small Thai businesses is sod all.

But it's great for the crooked "officials" who own the upmarket resorts and hotels.

I agree. I like the small places where the staff will BS with me, work permitting, and the owner checks to see if everything is OK. They're the ones getting killed in the "new and improved" Thailand. With them go a lot of jobs--small businesses employ a lot more people than the high end places in Thailand.

I myself have no need for them. How ever it does burn my but to see Thailand trying to price itself out of the average families budget for touring. There are many families that would come to Thailand if there was more modestly priced resorts and in the city's modestly priced places for them to seek entertainment or just a conversation.

Have used them off and on for many years both here and in Canada. Not much success. this last time it did help me with my neuropathy. Also the wife went for the first time and she has been hospitalized three times for a constant dizziness. It worked like a charm for her. Can't say as I remember any real pain inserting the needles but they did for me hook up electrodes then turn them up until I tell them no more. The wife just got a few needles in her head no electricity.

I have read of people arriving at immigration at 3am and 4am.

I decided not to 'reply' to those posters, as I don't wish to get into a flame war.

Besides, I'm irritated by the method, not the individual choice to participate in the earlybird madness. If it floats your boat, go for it!

Having said that, this is a classic response to a dysfunctional system!

What if everybody swallowed their fear of 'missing out' -on what exactly? A 'deli' number!

Show up at 8am or thereafter, and force the authorities to concede that this method is unworkable, instead of working with the dysfunction.

I am about to do my 3rd report. I will never get there before 7am and if it means going back the next day (never had to, and always finished by 1pm latest with passport in hand) then so be it. By that I mean if they ask me to come back at 3pm, I will come back the next day. No skin off my nose, and I have better use of my time than lose an entire day, rather make it two morning segments.

I will also try the Airport, as my bank letter is out that way anyway, and report back on whether that's still a going concern

I agree with the comment that the crowd fear feeds on itself to where people arrive earlier and earlier and they don't really need to. When I did my retirement extension in January, I got my documents together and came out 44 days ahead of the expiration of my extension. I wasn't even sure that you could get an extension that far in advance; I came just to check out the situation. I arrived at 8:45 am, after the Immigration officials had already started to check documents for others in the queue, some of whom had been waiting since 3 am! Low and behold, I was given a queue ticket and was actually seen before lunch, with my passport returned before 2 pm.

Actually, I was kind of disappointed. I had looked forwarded to being told I was too late, to come back tomorrow and seeing how many decided to give up and go to G4T. No one did that day. At least if they got there by 8:45 am. The system worked exactly as it was suppose to.

I believe it is 45 days before the due date to extend. You cherry picked one days experience the day before and the day after could have been very different.

Seems like the system is working how ever some times you don't get in to file until 3:30 in the afternoon that is how the system works you wait in line and the higher the number the longer you wait. It is just that people have finely realized the futility of posting the time it takes.

As to no one going to G4T I think people that go there are like me and don't bother to stand in the line for a couple of hours. When I did mine I went in about 1:30 in the afternoon.

I keep checking hoping to hear news of progress with the on line appointment system. I don't know if this is a no news is good news or some thing we hope doesn't happen like scrapping the idea. I know the consulates had met in some manner and presented a very good idea to immigration. Nothing since.

guys !

Enjoy the nights in the north !

You dont need an AC as the nights are cold,

just open your windows and enjoy the clean fresh air there !!

I don't think my wife would like it in Northern Alaska.

On the topic I know nothing.

I do have a machine I can use as a nebulizer. It is supposed to be better than a puffer.

As I say I know nothing about it. It was just a part of the concentrator I bought. I get the capsules from my doctor. Don't even know if I need them just use them about once a month.

Mail came back today, that is a turnaround time of 12 days. 3B stamp is enough for normal mail on the return.

Included the slip and a blank TM47 form, no other notice.

On the backside a list of names of policemen responsible for the area .

You sent it in on April 1 and received it back on April 12. What date does your 90 day START on?

Due date was 11th, it was stamped on the 4th, new date is 2nd July.

That is correct for the due date. Sounds more like a problem with the mail.

Mail came back today, that is a turnaround time of 12 days. 3B stamp is enough for normal mail on the return.

Included the slip and a blank TM47 form, no other notice.

On the backside a list of names of policemen responsible for the area .

You sent it in on April 1 and received it back on April 12. What date does your 90 day START on?

Thanks for the info @Bob. This looks like a great option if need arises, also easy (and fast) to access for us "Southerners". It belongs to CMU, so that should explain the affordable price level.

Let's hope it will not get run over by the not-so-in-need and consequently suffers the same demise as the health insurance for foreigners 2 years ago.

According to the other thread on this topic (which should be incorporated with this one) The ultimate goal is to make it for 60 and over. They are taking them at 40 now and still have room so I don't look forward to them being over run. Just slowly able to attain their goal of Geriatric 60+.

It makes sense to have a place where older people can go as they will be suffering far more from many things than a 40 year old.

Edit

Forgot to mention sadly not only are they more prone to different diseases but we are more fragile.

What's the minimum age?

I read some where 40 with the intention of raising it to 60.

I was wondering about the private room. I know some can be like an apartment at the Ram.

Queued from 05:00 today and didn't get processed until 12:00. Was asked to come back at 2pm ish to pick up passport. I was extending my ED visa. Loads of fun.

What was your queue number?

A friend of mine introduced me to an ice cream vendor in the food court on the ground floor at the airport mall by the fish tank I was shocked at the price 25 baht and three flavors. Not a connoisseur of fine ice cream but I thought it was really good.

Try Johoney, just round the corner from Love at First Bite. Haven't been for quite a while but hope the young couple owners are still making their own ice cream. Google the name to find their Facebook page for more info and example flavours. Not expensive, I seem to remember.

Many thanks for that. Just back from my first visit to Love at First Bite.

We liked their food although mostly western but very good, and priced at about 150 for a main so not cheap by Chiang Mai standards. But their garden is a very tranquil oasis and a great place to while away some time flicking through their many mags.

AND they make home made ice cream! Great flavours-my coffee ice cream very good and my gf's Passion Fruit ice cream was very tasty. They let me try the salted caramel(!) didnt taste salt but good flavour, and the Ma Kiang that was a bit like raspberry. Marked at 70 for a big scoop, but only charged 60.

Didnt want a coffee but they have a very big coffee machine, and it smelled very good, so next time.....

Not so far from where we live and good to add to our 'GoTo' list. Near Rimping Village/Iron Bridge if that helps others to track it down.

Directions are easy.

Once you cross the Narrowt bridge coming from the old city turn right and take the first left. Love at First Bite.is down towards there on the right hand side. It even has a parking lot next door. Great pastries there. I am going to have to make a trip over there to check out the ice cream shop.

As I've said several times now, I've HAD a Kindle. I've used a Kindle. I've also had and used Kobo and Sony e-book readers. Lots of experience with them. AND, experience with the iPad Mini. I find it to be every bit as good an e-reader (or better!) than all of the dedicated e-readers. This statement is based on several years of experience with both styles, not on advertising copy. Please stick with your Kindle if you wish to. But when you want to read Time magazine, or a science book with color diagrams, let us know and we'll lend you our iPads.

To be honest with you I think very few people buy books on any device that have colored pictures. For that matter go into a book store and look for books that have colored pictures in them. Many on the cover but not in the book.

For science and advertising copy I agree get an Ipad or what ever else you want because chances are you will be looking into other sources of information any how.

If you are like me and just want to read books without having to go through various process and are not interested in any thing else get a kindle. It is the best choice I can see based on what has been said here.

Just out of curiosity how long did your Kobo and Sony e-book reader last? Could you read them with out a light in the middle of the night? Could you read them in bright sun light?

Thanks fellows lots to think about. I do read a lot and the quality of the light is important to me. There is one huge down side to the I pad and that is it is apple. I have my hands full with windows 7. Can you read an I pad in full sunlight?

I saw the Paperwhite in B2S today (not sure what B2K is but I could only see one shop selling them in Central - B2S). As has been said, price I think is the problem. As with many things here: Electronics + Import = Mega Bucks. Double the price compared to the USA - 7,990 baht. Bargain. Not!!!

I only find Kindles useful for novels and I don't read enough of those to have a device dedicated to it. Unless you want to faff around with EBay I'd much rather pay the 5,000 more for an iPad Mini 4 that can do all the things that it can do BESIDES being an e-reader AND display books reliant on graphics and / or colour MUCH better than an Kindle. That's just my circs though, if I wanted something JUST for novels or B&W text a Kindle would be fine, but definitely not at double the price.

Sorry about the B2S screw up. One of many senior moments. I was wondering if the Ipad mini4 will store all the books as well as open them to where I left off. Or any of the other devices that people use. I do read a lot and have an extensive library. Also do all the other devices have a list I can just go to and click on the book. Sorry for the questions but I really am not tech savvy at all.

I think the Kindle that won't ship to Thailand is the one that comes cheaper because of the ads. Pay a bit more and get the ad-free one. I ordered one for my son , a Paperwhite model about a month ago. Yes, comes by UPS in about a week. If you order via Fleabay is the warantee valid?

You are correct. I didn't pay attention to that in my post above. When I bought mine a few years ago and shipped here, it was without ads.

Kindle Paperwhite 3G, 6" High-Resolution Display (300 ppi) with Built-in Light, Free 3G + Wi-Fi

by Amazon

Price: $209.99 Free Shipping for Prime Members

Select connectivity and other options after adding to cart

In Stock.

This item ships to Mai Rim, Thailand. Learn more

Ships from and sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC. Gift-wrap available.

Connectivity: Wi-Fi + Free 3G

Much cheaper without the ads... and they don't work in Thailand anyway. :-) So, it appears I was half-right, half-wrong, mea culpa. :-) I'd still go the ebay route again, I think.

Why not just go to B2K at the Festival Central and get one there?

advantage of eReader over iPad mini.... Your kids won't want to be on it every time you put it down!

... LOL! And that's the truth! 555!

E-readers ARE lighter weight, though, and for some of you old folks, that's important. And they make special carrying pouches that attach to the sides of walkers now in several designs.

I prefer my Kindle because I can just throw it in my grabpow and take it any where with no problem.

Do they check, if you have done the TM28/30, when you go for Visa extension?

Did my 1-year retirement extension today, no questions about TM30.

Great, done by 11:20. How early had you arrived? Cheers...

did you happen to noticeArrived 03:30, done 09:20

I see where you were done at 9:20 were you the first in line or the second in line? If you were the first 20 minutes would be 3 an hour and 24 a day. Unless there was more than two officers handling the applicants.

Did you happen to notice if all 30 queue numbers were passed out?

I have heard it said that with out bees 1/3 of the worlds fruit and vegetables would disappear.

For my self I would just ignore them.

But what hasn't been mentioned here is they have been known to be fatal with just one sting.

There are a few who are very succeptable to the poison they have.

Also I have been told that a dab of toothpaste will take the sting away.

I have never heard a Thai call the waitress "younger sister", "nong" yes, but that does not mean younger sister ?

"Nong" does mean younger sister, or brother, and Thais use it all the time. Even for complete strangers who are younger...and "Pi" for older. The same terms are used for actual relatives as well. Kind of cool, I think.

Thank you Berkshire - I think this question is revealing much more about the posters than about the question of what is "Thainess" - which I assume is to be answered from a Thai perspective of what the word means.. and yet, people use it to bash... how sad.

Bashing Thais was not my intention but of course there is a certain element in Thai Visa who believe that to have an opinion about Thailand that doesn't agree with theirs is Thai bashing.

The question wasn't about Thais per se but their political leaders who are promoting Thainess for a politcal end. I could go on but I am sure anything more I said would be deemed as Thai bashing.

You say they are promoting it for a political end. The very idea that they are trying to bring Thailand together has nothing to do with it in your opinion. The P M said shortly after he came into power that it would take 20 years to bring unity to Thailand. That to me would be Thainess. How ever I believe (in my opinion) that Thainess is doing it the way they have always done it until the West came in and is trying and succeeding in introducing Western materialism in as a substitute for family values.

A more relevant question for this forum might be "What is Northern Thainess?" In fact, locals in Chiang Mai wouldn't refer to themselves as Thai at all, but Khon Muang.

Living in Chiang Mai and being married to a Thai who has most of her family here I would have to say B S. They refer to themselves as Thais and maybe some do as Khon Muang just as some in the states refer to them selves as southerners or northerners. But still Americans. Even all the original different native tribes refer to them selves as Americans. They may identify which tribe but they still claim to be Americans.

The current e-readers are pretty much similar in the 'reading' part. Most come with back-lighting if desired, or, you can turn it off. Most have built-in dictionaries with touch-the-word connectivity. Most can access the Internet for immediate downloads. Kindle's real advantage is the huge number of books available. Push a button, get a new book, and read. Some complain that the ease of this system causes them to 'over-buy' and blow their book budgets too quickly. All of them have the ability to 'side-load' book from your computer that you've gotten from various on-line sites. None are really 'better' than the others. They just have different 'features' that some like and others don't need. I've gone through Sony Readers, Kobo readers, Nook readers, and Kindles. Now I prefer using a mini-iPad. It's heavier than the others but does what I want.

I know you can order from Amazon on it but do they deliver to it every time automatically with out having to go through a process?

I bought a Kindle white book in August in the states. I was extremely happy with it and so was my wife because I didn't need a light at night to read it.

Just last month they surprised me with an update that made it even better. I can't complain and highly recommend it.

I am not really familiar with the other brands do they need a light to read them or do you have to be in a shady place for them. Or are they more like note books?

I'll go along with everything that has been said so far about Dr Chadathip.

Don't know about Kris, but I trust Elektrified's judgement.

Not sure that I'd go the 'no anesthesia' route, even if it's purely psychological.

That's like an article I read many years ago about a dentist who put a clothes-pin on his patient's ear and assured them that the drill wouldn't hurt. Flash to a picture of a happy kid in the dentist chair with a clothes-pin on his ear as the dentist, with drill in hand, hovered above him. That approach would last approximately 5 seconds with me.

I always find it fascinating how confident Thai dentists are that they won't hurt you. "Trust me!" Yeah right. I've now gone through 6 local clinics and approximately 8 dentists. Out of those 8, I've quit 2 for sub-par work and 6 for hurting me. My dentist in the US and both of his periodontal techs routinely administered anesthetics, and in 14 years of being a patient in his clinic, no staff member every hurt me during dental procedures. That tells me that dental anesthesiology isn't rocket science, but is a simply decision and conviction to keep your patients out of pain. The average Thai dentist simply doesn't care to keep you out of pain, imho.

Now may Dad...different story. He was another individual who would forego the anesthetic and endure the pain because he didn't like the 'numb' feeling afterward. God...<shiver>!

Right. First time I went the no anesthesia route and it worked out fine. No pain whatsoever. Not sure I would do it again as I may have just been lucky this time.

I have had a filling and one cap replaced with no pain killer. The first time was a filling and I thought she was just examining it. Turned out she had put a filling in.

I highly recommend Elite Clinic. There are other fine dentists in Chiang Mai as well as bad ones. I was lucky and went to Elite first. The wife had gone through two dentists and I put my foot down and said no more cheap work. She is very happy with Elite.

The clothes pin worked in about 1/3 of the cases they tried it on. Years ago. I don't think it caught on.