Chiang Rai Guy

Something else. I always wonder where all this anti Thaksin anti Samak knowledge of the English community comes from. Maybe the Nation.PAD or Bangkokpost.PAD or ASTV.2 (TOC.pad.com.)

disgusting.

Or maybe: Thai speaking people, our own wisdom and research and our own level of intellegence... Or are you tied to the opinions of those that were bought by Thaksin and Samak?

Yeah, you might want to consider that some people do know their history when it comes to Thai politics, wxpwzrd. Many of us have lived and paid close attention to the political situations as they affect so many of the foreign communities' lives in one form or another.

Thanks to everyone. I'll keep you updated as the progress continues. Wish you all well.

CRG

Hello all ye Chiang Rai peoples.

It's Lance of old from AUA....Just wanted to update anyone who cares on my situation. I'm back in the States where elections about the only thing talked about to the point where I want to shoot myself. On August 25th I will be receiving a shiny new hip. I will go under the knife to get a total hip replacement with a lot of extra stuff to fit into my displaced hip. I decided to go with the ceramic on polyethylene, rather then the more solid option of titanium. The reason being the nature of the metal on metal shelling out ions into the bloodstream and no long term studies of the effects of that. Maybe none, who know. The ceramic should last longer than colbalt on plastic. Anyway, for anyone who cares, I would like to be back in Thailand next year sometime, but also thinking about grad school in, of all other things, water resources. Apparently you are not lacking any water at the moment.

All the best to everyone. Have a beer for me. Say hi to Thierry at Reggae.

Lance

Earthquake...9:49am?

Distant noise followed by one fast shake with windows rattling.

No earthquakes reported. www.earthquake.usgs.gov and not felt here.

Actually visa not vias.

Vias on arrival in Huay Xiay, accross Chiang Khong in Laos. Friend did it a few weeks ago.

Yes, CSS, they also offer the course here, however I don't if the program offers a certificate that can be used overseas or not. If they do, then great. Jostein, you should probably check with both to gather more information. The gov. also teaches some of these courses in town at the ymca near the police station and provincial hall.

I'll remind you that this is a program that comes with certificate of Thai Massage, like the Wat Po certificate, however is only for women.

Try the Mae Lao Hospital.

A friend of mine (French) woman got a certificate there or near there and now practices legally in France. The program is only for women, as many of the woman who are trained there are battered or come from broken families and offeres them a path out of extreme poverty and fend for themselves. The patients practived on are not the easiest, many have mental health issues, however massage is a prescribed therapy for them. If you want more information feel free to pm me and I can find out for you. Mae Lao, as i'm sure you know is about 20 km south of ching rai on the Super highway.

CRG

Ahh the good old meng wow. They are large critters. I had one that was a good 5 inches work it's way into my home a few years back. Didn't want to kill it but the possibility of more in the area scared me, so I took defensive action. They can get pretty bit, though not quite as the one on Doi Wow in Mae Sai overlooking Tachilek.

My last where to post, I swear. Does anyone know if there is a place in town that will take old batteries and recycle them. I have hundreds and refuse to throw them in the trash. I always have this image of little children with nothing better to do than pick up old batteries thrown in the street, forced open by passing cars, playing with the little buggers and ending up with some terrible disease. Battery disease. Ok, well, if you know pass it on...

Anyone know of a place or person where they sell good used cars at less than 5% financing. Struggling on this one. Most places want 7% to finance, which in my mind is pointless since I can buy a new car for the same price. Where do all the good used cars go?

Goski, you can buy Doi Tung coffee at the health food store next to Nava on Thanalai road opposite the old wooden chinese hotel. They have a few brands there. Last time I bought a bag, forget what size, it was about 190 baht. THey have a few other brands, and tastes. This was espresso, but I think they have arabica as well. You can also find ground coffee at Northern Farms. About the same price 195 per pack. I think the beans are from a Chiang Mai brand, but forget exactly. There was a place opposite Shell at the Chiang Mai gate that sold beans at a really reasonable price, I think it was Doi Chang coffee, but don't know if they are still there. The shop was rather unsuspecting, so take another look.

and they occaisonally whack the poor animals head with a metal hammer. heartless fools.

Fom what I've witnessed over the years, they only use those hammers (with a spike) when elephants are around outsiders. With the obvious dangers involved, sometimes they need a head-klonk to stay right. I don't see them using it cruelly at all...

I know the feeling. I often have to give the misses a good head klonk to stay right, not cruelly at all mind you.

That off my chest, I have been able to sit on the elephants head, or neck, where the mahouts sit at ruammit. Since I spoke thai, the mahout gave me some simple commands for the pachy and let me ride where he normally does. I don't think they offer any courses however.

Are you sure they weren't meng mao last night?

They burough underground and wait for the first rains after the dry season, usually just after Songkran. If you go out while the Thais, and sometimes myself, collect them, they often try to find the source of the nest. They stand where the meng mahn (mahn because of the oily texture of them when fried) burough out of the ground and collect them by the thousands. It truly is a delightful tradition here. Haven't met a local person who doesn't like them. Fun for the whole family, even if it is one or two nights a year.

I am at the hospital nearly every day for therapy, and the BKK post always comes around 3 o'clock. I'm guessing most outlets should be around the same time.

c.r.guy,

your early influence helped to understand the ways of the forum, and how to navigate through a community, how to share, etc.

i'll never forget your selflessness.

i'll leave you with this:

"you lead me through the forest, and showed me the way to the mountain" -Fussum Von Graype

Ahh, Von Graype the wise

Little known, but man did he pack a punch. I always have the urge to drink grape soda after reading him.

i'd like to share this with all of you who helped make this possible.

Wow, a great feat for the the largely unknown, yet deeply soul searching buddhafly. I'll never forget your first post....you remain in my heart. Hope one day we can chat and discuss things largely unknown like the origins of rice cultivation and the new central plaza opening in Mae Chan. Cheers

CRG

I'm personally only for a movie theater. Chiang Rai has been a beautiful secret for a long while. This may just be the end of it. As for the location, I can't believe Central would consider building in a very rural area of Mae Chan. It makes no sense for them financially. They need to be closer to the city. That Central would consider building in Mae Chan, however, would save a lot of small businesses in CR city from closing their doors, however. There a lot of pros and cons either way, I don't see them opening in Mae Chan.

there are rumours it's not sustaining itself. Whispers of selling the magazine at amounts far beyond sane are in the air.

What kid of bike you lookin for

Happy new year CRG!

That sounds like a really nice plan and with that kind of start it will without a doubt get some attention as well. So it is going to be a general library for the community and not a special focus on students?

Yes, it will be a library for the public and students alike. Although my faith in getting the Thai student population to read remains weak at best. So it will be a public library and yes, AUA is a non-profit org. I would surely have been fired by now if it were for profit. For the students, we plan to make a computer room and self-access center where students can come and do extra studies, tests, listening, etc. on their own time. Regardless of what you decide to do AjarnP, and whatever you decide is great, we will be going forward with the plan and just hope people are interested and hope to get some donations here and there.

Hi all

It's been awhile and am still healing. It will be a long one and in no way enjoyable, but that's life. On this topic, AUA is currently under new ownership, of the land, that is. We will still function as we normally have, however the new owner is planning to do a major revamp of the place sometime, I hope, this year. Along with this new building we are going to include a space for a library for the community. I am very excited about this as it has been something I've been working on for awhile. We already have a donation of over 800 books from a generous member of the community. Included in the donation are a number of novels and reference books about Thailand and SE asia. It's truly an amazing collection that will soon become available to you. We haven't yet worked out membership yet, but should be similar to Chiang Mai AUA library and pretty minimal cost, which we will need for operating and staffing the place.

I am urging anyone interested in donating books to please come by the AUA. We would tremendously appreciate any donations to get a good collection going. We can currently store any books that are donated and would be happy to put a name or plaque of some sort with the name of people who donate large volumes.

I really hope we can get an active community of readers going here in Chiang Rai. It is needed and I hope to provide it for you.

In terms of timelines, be patient. It's a work in progress, but we have a good start and have talked with the CR Chamber of Commerce to help with donations for bookshelves, tables, etc. and there is active interest.

I hope this helps and we can start something great for the CR community!

CRG

There is absolutely no harm in sending in your 90 day notice form to the nearest immigration. There is no need to go in person. A few days early or late is never an issue, as long as the gerneral area is there. This is important if you wish to renew a one year visa of several sorts. When applying, immigration may request to see your receipts, so save them. If you don't have them, they will check their records to be sure, and if they can't find you in the books, expect a 2000 baht fine, depending on the friendly officer taking care of you. Some have been let off with warnings. Don't expect it.

As for sending the ninety day form, you can send it easily to Mae Sai immigration, who are the only ones in Chiang Rai able to renew one year visas, I beleive, don't quote me. Mae Sai has an immingration office as opposed to immigration border checkpoints. But you must send a SASE with it. (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope). They always return it within a few days.

If you ever forget and it's well late, send it anyway. It never hurts. And send the following on the regular schedule. Think of it like taking a dose of medicine. If you miss a dose........

Mae Sai Immigration is almost always friendly and helpful. If everyone can return the favor, let's keep our Immigration staff on our good side. Dress decent and smile.

Goes a long way here.......

CRG