Gonzo the Face

Well let me say a hello back to you fellow TV old timer.  You are further living proof that the Chiang Mai Mosquito bite never fades. Once bitten you always have to come back to Chiang Mai.   Not sure about the other place , but for a big chicken fried steak brekky come by the Pun Pun ,  Buy you  a cup of coffee and talk about the good ole days. Lots to catch up on.

14 hours ago, eyecatcher said:

We have had to jump through hoops with our business to comply with health and safety and obtain licences, as does everyone else.

 

So, you know what I am going to say.....

Why don't you address the issues required to get the licence and stop whinging on about it or sell it and let someone else gleefully tackle it.

.....so you think I am "whinging" .  Weeelll just maybe you don't  know what the current difficulty and current confusion of getting a license for my type of business is.   

You know what ... when HE designed us, he designed the brain much larger than the mouth.   

So, you know what I am going to say.....

Its a shame that some people on this forum seem to get that backwards.

6 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Why would the "powers that be" single you out for persecution?  Do everything according to Thai law...if that does not work...hire a good lawyer...

Ya gotta learn to think Thai.

11 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Lets assume that the daily rate is 500 baht, but ur not allowed to rent by the day, only the month. 

 

Draw up contracts where the customer agrees to stay for the month for a total monthly rental of 500 baht. If they choose to check out after 1 day, then that's fine. You have followed the letter of the law and you can charge what you like for your rooms. It is your business after all. ????

Don't think I haven't thought along those lines.  Buuut I am a falang and have been living in Thailand for any years,  They would get me.  That may work back home but I don't want to chance it here.

As I get older I find that I have to agree with a great man who said " A mime is a terrible thing to waste." Words spoken by Marcel Marceau.  As I get older I think I am loosing my mime. So I find that I would like to request help from the TV Brain Trust again. 
I have a guesthouse and restaurant, as many of you know, for over 20 years now.  Close to two years back I was visited by the powers that be and was told that after operating as a guesthouse for over 20 years , I could no longer rent rooms to my customers by the night, but they would let me rent by the month. Well having the vast majority of clients who are backpackers and trekkers, who don't stay for more than a few days, that pretty much wiped out the guesthouse clientele. 
For years   we have had a relatively good restaurant business having a very interesting menu and, as our customers report, very good and very economical food.  Very honestly I can say that we have not had a food complaint in the total time being here.  The guesthouse business did supply a great percentage of our food business.  We have had a very good following from various groups in the come, stay for a few years and then return home, categories. But they seem to not be coming to Chiang Mai as much,  any longer.  What I am saying overall is that business has slowed to a trickle, to become more of a worry than like a labor of love.

Some time back we even advertised on this forum, offering a 10% discount to all identifying members.  Many of the members are no longer with us or no longer here.  But any TV member giving their TV name still gets the discount.  Groups for breakfast are very desirable but harder and harder to find. Heaven forbid, I have even thought of selling., but this has been my home for about 30 years now and I find it hard to envision moving.  
So believing that two minds are better than one, it stands to reason a couple hundred are better than two.  So if you would, how about helping a former gimp out.  OK Brain Trust , What can you suggest to turn things around.  Any suggestions???
Thanks in advance.
Gonzo

1 hour ago, MrBrad said:

If the bank management wants the new desk out in the customer area, how about putting it in front of the door that is currently being used as a door, and re-open the door that is wheelchair accessible!

That is a very good suggestion Mr. Brad. The side door which is wheel accessible is surely available and usable by the non handicapped as well.  Relocating the desk by the other door would be able to solve the problem.  One problem,  and that is a very  simple solution that would take very little forethought.  Only thing is that the person who didn't think of it before closing the other door would loose face by not having thought of it.  Now to have it done will take some time to come up with a realistic answer as to why they didn't think of it in the first place.  

My point is why do they need that desk out there anyway.  In the times I have struggled in, there has never been anyone using it.

Thanks beau thai

As a person who is disabled and having been living here for approx 30 years, I accept that there is a less than ideal consideration for the disabled in this country.  But when a large corporate institution does something so evident as to not consider the disabled, and yet desire to have those disabled patronize their establishment, I think , in the interest of attempting to educate the public, that it should be brought public. 
I am wheelchair bound and have been for many years.  I accept attitudes in this country towards the disabled and I still choose to live here.  But there is a line.  I have been a well satisfied customer of Bangkok Bank for many, many years.  
Since my wheelchair days, I had specifically opened two of my accounts at the Meechok Plaza branch.  Their staff is pleasant, competent and very capable.  For me most important is that they have an access from inside the mall that is wheelchair accessible and one does not have to use the front entrance which has a larger step.  Fine until very recently.  Some inconsiderate individual has decided to close and lock the inside, wheelchair accessible entrance door so as to be able to place a desk at that point .   Yes but they still want your patronage.  I do think that this should be brought to the attention of the bank higher ups in Bangkok.  I hope to do just that, but before that, I would like to hear from some of you able bodied people so as I am not just too personally involved and  reporting such would be inappropriate. I would appreciate hearing from you.  

Thank You 

40 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

1.  From previous post by the OP he himself has stated that he has disabilities (which never seem to get him down) so I think he is well placed to understand and sympathise with the associated problems.
2.  My understanding is that TM30 registration on line is getting easier and may not be an issue especially as he already has a guest house.
3.  Many longer term residents would rather put up with the pollution than move.
4.  As suggested by others I think a quick PM to “Nancyl” could help.
5.  I think your idea has much to commend it and those of us who know you from either this site or from your Guest House hope it works out well.
6.  You are a well respected member of the CM community and I am sure there are many here who will help you out to the best of our ability.
 

Thank you fore the more than kind words Scottiejohn.  Sorta gives one a warm funny feeling inside . Thank You

Thanks for all the input gang.   Can anyone give me more input on this so relaxation?  Was it in the newspaper or where can I read more about it.  Just had someone come in specially to tell me about the relaxation for a year or two.  I do need and would like more information on that.   ..... and I wasn't thinking of setting up a full fledged nursing home, but rather a rental space for able bodied seniors.  A Nursing Home situation would most certainly open up a bigger can of worms, as some have itemized.  Thanks again gang for the info.

Did you happen to see anyone who was disabled? Photos do not look as if area is wheelchair friendly.

Guess one may consider it a blessing in disguise...   Some months ago we had this blessed event happen by way  of a neighborhood stray cat give birth to 5 precious and adorable kittens, under one of our bungalows.  Now I am not usually a cat person but these kittens and their playful ways are just precious.  Even our high security dog has become pals with them.   I must mention here that the mother cat either did a runner or has been done in,  but she hasn't been seen since shortly after the birth.  Anyhow having a restaurant doesn't go together with having 5 playful kittens.  Soooo  I would like to give them away to someone maybe with children or someone who would just like some very playful kittens.  If you may be interested drop me a PM or stop by The Pun Pun  and see if they may strike your fancy.    Some suggestions have been given to drop them by a temple or as was even suggested... to just drop them in the river for a swim....  Well not too charged up on either of those suggestions.  I prefer them to go to someone who wants them and will give them a good home... Hope to hear from you/

Gonzo

Anybody have any update on this topic??  I was told that this no nightly rentals by guesthouses was instituted by the previous Immigration Commander, known as Big Joke.  Other than myself and the condo doing nightly rentals on the west side of the city,  I don't know of anyone else abiding by this rule.  My question is, now that Mr. Big is no longer here, is this ruling still in place and being enforced? 

I have to tell you that it has seriously effected my business.  Guesthouses have been around in CM for what 50 - 75 years?  All of a sudden it was stated that they now needed a "Hotel License " .  The hotel requirements just do not fit with a guesthouse any more that a tractor trailer truck tires would fit on a moto. Any body know of guesthouses doing nightly rentals?  Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Gonzo

I just know the answer is out there somewhere with the huge number of chefs in Chiang Mai.  

Where can I get Caraway Seeds.  I usually had gotten them from Northern Farms but now they say no have.  ( Maybe just too lazy to look)

We use that delicious spice in quite a few things.  Kasem's also no have.  Short of checking in at store after store, I thought it wise to go to our brain trust.   Anybody see this in your travels?

Many thanks

Gonzo

22 hours ago, NancyL said:

If they're working near the "offending" wires in a bucket truck, perhaps you can ask if they'll lash up the wires causing the problem if if they aren't their wires.

Good suggestion Nancy, unfortunately not a buck truk and across the street .

Know it can't be but so many wires over the street that I wait to see the concrete posts start to bend.

Well if this doesn't take the cake......   they can't find anybody whose cable it is and can't do anything about it,,,,,BUT ! ! !   they are out there right now putting up more wire/cable  !!!!  The power of city gov't !!

May as well as the results cannot be any worse.  Here is my problem.   Most cities in this ole world are at least trying to do something about the miles and miles of overhead city electric, telephone, TV cable and the like, put them underground ??? ,  but not it seems is Chiang Mai.  For over two months now, I have made call after call to ToT,  PEA and even spoke face to face with some of the BB cable people.  ....and for what.... nothing it seems.  The wires overhead of my entrance gate are hanging lower and lower.  It is now to the point that a pick-up with a camper top will snag them if they are not lifted with some type of stick.  Last month, when the movie people were here shooting , I think it was one of their trucks that snagged one and broke it.  It has now been sitting coiled up in the corner of my property for about a month. I just don't know who else to call...... no one comes to check it out.

They put these wires up to provide a service to somebody, so with the line down you would assume somebody is not getting some service. Yet none of the service utilities seem to give a damn.

Does anyone know who or what group  I should report this problem to ??? 

I would humbly request that the person who wrote that news article cease doing so until they go for further education 

On 4/30/2019 at 12:37 PM, Captain_Bob said:

It's dead now for several reasons: 

Low season after Songkran, always was, always will be. 

Seasonal burning/smoke/haze. Same same but worse. Politicians/cops useless. 

Social media: "most polluted city on earth", true or false doesn't matter. 

Hot as ####! and this year almost zero rains. Al Gore was right. 

Chinese invasion, which despite arrivals doesn't bring much local income. 

And... the continued failure of over-saturated copy-cat business sense: 

Let's open a cheap guesthouse / travel agency / restaurant and money will fall out of the sky!!! 

Note your last sentence,,,,,,,,  you made no mention of the fact that better than a year ago a police mandate was issued to all guesthouses that they could not do nightly rentals.  Needed a Hotel License now to do.  There is a difference between a guest house and a hotel as there is a difference between a car and a truck.  ...and the vehicle laws pertaining to cars vs trucks are different.  Hotel licensing rules make it just about impossible for a small guesthouse to meet same.  There should be different rules for guesthouses vs hotels as there are for cars and trucks.

When/What is the official date that George first started Thai Visa.... and do we have other start up members still with us ??  Anyhow Happy Birthday.

On 4/11/2019 at 4:30 PM, NancyL said:

The new city buses have lifts that make them wheelchair accessible. 

 

How do you normally get around now, Gonzo?  Can you get in and out of a car with the assistance of just one person?  Does your wheelchair fit in the trunk/boot of a normal car like a Toyota Vios?

 

With Grab, you never know what type of vehicle is going to answer your call.  I suppose that after a driver has accepted your ride, you could send a message that you are in a wheelchair and are going to need assistance getting in and out of the vehicle.  Sometimes the drivers use tall vehicles like pick-up trucks or four-wheel drive vehicles that are difficult for elderly people to enter and exit.  

Thanks for your reply Nancy.  Most of the time in the past couple years I have been getting around by Tuk Tuk.  Had a regular one that was used.  Now that is coming to an end.  Was a little awkward boarding now with one leg,  but with the aid of the driver was able to be done.  I now need to have a back-up plan either another Tuk or was looking into the possibility of Uber/Grab type transport for bad weather days.  Wheelchair folds up pretty much so hasn't been a problem yet in any event.