RikDao

Buffets all over the world are similar, in that the food sits around waiting to be eaten. I get around this by going early-ish, but I understand that not everyone wants to do that.

In my experience there yesterday, everything I tasted was good. I was also the only person eating there. My Thai wife didn't want to try it. Why? Because she'd never tried it before. She went over to one of the Japanese places to eat; in my view those places are expensive because the portions are so miniscule.

The gentleman I spoke to at the restaurant asked me if 299 baht was too expensive. I said maybe for some people, but those people are not likely to be hanging around Maya anyway. (Please don't misunderstand, I'm not implying that I'm wealthy but I like to go to movies and Maya is a very pleasant mall in general).

Oh, by the way, check out San Andreas, the movie, if you have an ironic sense of humor. It's one of the dumbest movies I've ever seen. It's so stupid it'll have you howling, and you'll stay just to see if it gets any more dumb, and yes, it does.

For sure one of the better restaurants. Nice decor, also.

Anybody on here been there? The original one is in the Night Market area, but I finally tried this one, which has been open just under five months.

It's delicious Middle Eastern food, lots of chicken-type dishes, curries, fresh salads, hummus, etc. Tasty but not spicy. The staff is very friendly and helpful and they have a buffet for 299 baht. I'll definitely be going back, because I love this kind of food. It's a nice break from Thai food, which I also love.

I've been here nine years this October and have already purchased my ticket for Mexico. I could be perfectly happy for the rest of my life in Thailand if it weren't for the present government. My little inner voice is saying "get the heck outta Dodge," this man is not playing with a full deck of cards and that will eventually trickle down to all facets of life. It's already bad enough - as a musician it is illegal for me to play UNPAID in public, but the harassment from the BIB in Bangkok described by an earlier post can get worse as they grow bolder when the PM gets cemented into his position. And there are other circumstances we can't even mention on this forum that are going to cause a great upheaval. I don't want to be around for ANY of that. I arrived when Thaksin was ousted, and not a THING was noticed by me or my friends. THIS PM is making serious waves felt by all!

Not trying to be a wise guy, and for sure I haven't been here long enough (year and a half) to compare nowadays with the good ol' days, but what (generally or specifically) are you alluding to in your final sentence above? I understand about the music in public issue, but...

I don't read much about Thai politics or Thai-farang relations, it's true. I am aware that there are tons (literally, LOL) of Chinese here in Chiang Mai, but they seem to add color to the place, especially the beautiful females, and there can be no doubt that they're helping the economy. I have a fair amount of farang friends, and I don't notice them complaining much about the current political situation.

So please, relieve me of my ignorance. I'm naive, yes, I admit it, but I'm open to new ideas and facts.

(I realize this thread has probably peaked, and I probably won't get an answer. So be it).

Tescos stock horseradish sauce own brand from UK. There is a parsnip shaped white root stocked in the markets that I believe is some sort of horse radish, give that a go, used it in making a pickle.

I think you mean Daikon (Japanese radish)... not very spicy and good for soups and salads.

I've never seen Fresh European horseradish in Chiang Mai. If you do find any, please let me know.

It's not as if you can grow it from seeds, you grow it from root cuttings.

If you do find some and you can get it growing, you could corner the market!

Yep, daikon pictured, and like you said, not same-same. Maybe galangal will have to do.

Perhaps could corner the market for horseradish, but the question arises: What market?

Thanks to all for replies.

Hey thanks!

I did it last week in person, which is kind of fun for me and my wife cause we go over to Centron Airport afterward, and that's always fun.

In at ten, out at 11:15.

Sometimes I run into friends there, sometimes make a new friend.

This looks like heaven for those 40 baht a day boys!!!

Why the "boys"? Because you can afford more, that makes you a man? A little dysfunctional man, perhaps? Not everyone was born into wealth like some people or got lucky to either have great parents or great teachers! Maybe you should read Outliers from Malcom Gladwell and learn about humility!

Hahahahahah! Quite hilarious response! Thanks for that.

Let's see, right now the rate is 33.33 to a dollar, so 40 baht would be, umm, well, not much! Dollar fifteen or something, after fees? Dollar twelve?

So you got insulted by the "boys" part? I'd be more inclined to chafe at the "40 baht" bit. Personally, I can handle 60 baht a day, easy. Maybe more.

In our alphabet it's phuch chnid hnung in Thai, I believe.

Thanks in advance.

Fire ants of South America and Southern North America are not red... they are black, somewhat small to medium in size and their formic acid bite is AWFUL... raising a pustule in a half hour ... They build large sandy/ earthen mounds and will swarm attack anything / anyone that steps into the mound... they have been known to kill animals and even humans when attacking in a swarm...

I am a very experienced veteran of fire ant infestations ... Just hope hope that they never reach Thailand... I have never encountered an ant in Thailand that is even remotely as bad...

Yep, they can be really vicious, and some people are allergic to the venom, like with bees. They're tiny and they swarm, so if you get some on your ankles while you're outside, they'll start stinging before you even realize they're there. Not likely they can kill you unless you're allergic.

But that thing in the pic? Like several have already said, it's not an ant.

Welljust to REALLY clarify: There are three types of people in the world: those who go to jail, those who don't, and those who make deep philosophical replies to Thai Visa threads.

"Won't be long before the brits and yanks are at it again"

Huh? We're each the other's only real friend!

dosnt make me crazy,

just people like you bunching all people together who have tattoos,, them that have tattoos must be mad,, else why would you mention them,

ive got tattoos but i dont go around shouting at police, and ive never been to prison,

Sorry, but not intending to bunch all people together about anything, and inferring that they are all mad? That's your choice.

Maybe the tattoos got the cop crazy. I just mentioned them because they looked so silly. But honestly now, I know hundreds of people with tattoos, and at least two of them aren't crazy or mad.

As far as whether it's making you crazy, umm, maybe not, but mad? Maybe.

Don't worry though, since this was moved out of the General Forum, not many will see it.

Pardon my ignorance, but I don't seem to have Netflix available in Thailand. Is it? If so, how do you get it? Thanks.

Sweet, beautiful story.

Just read a few responses, don't want to get riled up reading Thai hate. Lol. I find Thai difficult to learn. I want to know numbers, a few verbs, nouns, adjectives. I like Thai people, most of them I've been in contact with. I think the younger Thais are very nice. I believe it shows them you have respect for them if you know a few words. They're proud and have reason to be, since they're likely the most popular country in SE Asia. On the other hand, I don't expect Thais in general to want to talk to me, and I'm cool with that.

You're not meant to know who's doing it, are you? It's not, ahem, legal. But it's a way to make money, you gotta pay to have your laundering done. Just walk outside and look around and you'll see it: Thais trying to make a buck! Don't blame them, actually.

And no, ain't been here too long, but find the place fascinating. Learning about the place, trying to understand it.

Re laundering: Who's gonna audit the place, the IRS? Remember, this here's Thailand, not Kansas. Dang, they probably washed millions just building the place.

Why are Cambodian banks able to pay such high rates?

From an economic standpoint, they probably aren't realistically able to pay such rates, at least based on the riskiness of their carry forward investments.. But, as the old saw says, risky investments require the payment of a risk premium. Otherwise, you'd be totally daft to plant your money somewhere that didn't compensate you for the risk taken. Question: Is the premium they're paying commensuarate with the risk you're putting your money into? That's the question that needs an answer to. Maybe they are moving forward from the Pol Pot era...........

............... or are they building a Promenade Mall in some rice field?

Hate to sound like a broken record, but it's a legal ponzi scheme. They have high rates to attract hard currency (dollars, euros, etc), and then they turn around and use the money they've attracted to pay the high rates. Works like a charm until the bubble pops. Then the last ones holding the bag, so to speak, get shafted. I wouldn't put a dime into a country like Cambodia. But that's not to say a guy couldn't make some (relatively speaking) good money there before the bubble pops... Vulture capitalists like Soros likely are perching on the fence, waiting to destroy the Cambodian economy by shorting the currency (Thailand, 1997?) so they can swoop in and buy up the damage they've done for pennies on the dollar. Come to think of it, they're probably doing the same with regard to the US, especially as the value of the dollar spikes. As far as Pol Pot's victims go, guys like Soros and his ilk couldn't care less about them, dead or alive.

@JLT: I think the owner is a Dutch investor who in principle had a good idea to build a retail mall in the 2nd biggest city in Thailand. So the timing and idea was good. However I guess he didn't have much of an idea about what kind of malls Asians like, he could have gone to Singapore/Hong Kong/Shanghai/Tokyo or even Bangkok to get an idea. Not sure how long until they will sell it or do something different with the place. But I'm sure they are loosing money on this project.

Just for the record since I've seen many people incl. on TV state that CM is Thailand second largest city in Thailand, perhaps since the Rose of the North is considered the second capital by some.

Here is some of the numbers I've found

(assuming one is talking population which revelent to retail and not area etc.)

#4 http://www.livingthai.org/census-populations-for-cities-in-thailand.html

#6 by popuation according to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Thailand

#7 http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/thailand-population/major-cities-in-thailand/

#8 http://www.citypopulation.de/Thailand-Cities.html

There's lots of other stats, both newer and older, but I've never seen it listed as #2

thanks for the clarification. I didn't know that it was only somewhere no 6 in Thailand but good you highlight it.

Yoo hoo! Hike on up to Doi Suthep and look down. You'll see the makings for a LOTTTT more than 134,000. The Chiang Mai metro area has about a million.

One just need to be in the wisdom lounge of Kasikorn Bank in most branches on weekends to realize most sitting there sipping the free lattes are not farangs but also Thais.

To qualify for that, you need to have at least a few million baht investments annually or savings balance to keep that membership

1Mbht is only $30k

I doubt any American in CM couldn't find 2-3M bht.

Not that you would want to bring that into Thailand at the moment.

If you see how active the 30 baht dish thread was ...you may form a second opinion

I am sure there are lots of monied Americans living in CM no doubt ...whether they want to park 60-90k USD of their money in Kasikorn to get the parking perk may be another thread altogether

I am moving money out of the US banking system after the balls were ripped out of the Dodd-Frank bill and NIRP is on the horizon... The FDIC cannot cover all deposits, of this I am sure... One needs to ask just how much derivative exposure do Thai banks have... Surely less than the estimated $1 quadrillion by the western banking cabal...

Enough Dems voted against ripping the b@#%s out of Dodd-Frank last week so that it didn't pass, but the Repubs will try again soon, and they'll keep trying until they achieve what the banksters have paid (or blackmailed) them to do.

It's likely a laundering operation, and they couldn't care less if they have actual customers. In fact, the fewer, the better for them.

Rubbish.

Ah, spoken with the confidence of a man who is likely (but desperately wants the world to think he isn't) clueless.