Ormgard

In Bangkok Posts "Postbag" (section 1, p 15) of Friday 20 JAN a Martin Scott points out that as of 14 FEB 06 Thai credit cards with a "swipe" (magnetic strip) facility won't work outside Thailand.

This is important info for expats here going back to the old country.

As of above date credit cards will have to have an electronic chip. The only Thai bank to issue such a new card is apparently TMB, Thai Military bank.

You have friends coming in who want to cross into Myanmar at Mae Sai and want you to go with them - but you have a long term visa and don't want to loose months by getting just one month's extension on returning into Thailand.

This is how you go about it:

Bring with you a photo copy of the vital parts of your passport (visa and arrival, TM, card). Thai immigration will then retain your passport and duly process the copy. You pay B 100 and proceed to the Myanmar immigration where you pay the usual B 250 and leave your passport copy with them. This you retrieve on going back, and then you of course pick your passport up where you left it on the Thai side.

Very decent of Thai immigration to tell me this, I think, as I was prepared to "loose" more than a month by crossing with my friends.

Yes there are a lot of Thai cooking schools in CR. and thats nice for the tourists and other interested, like retired bargirls who have to cook for their new husbands etc.

But a school were thai can learn about the secrets of the western kitchen wouldt be very helpfull for many restaurants i guess. There are not enough western cooks in CR, and the ones qualified are offcourse expensive.

Therefour if anyone knows about this i would be interested.

Maybe its an idea to start one??

I can't help you with the western cooking stuff, Erg, I wish I could.

I had no idea there were many thai cooking scholls in CR! I've never seen any ads, bar one.

I'm looking for a serious, kind of non touristy way of - I have no GF, you see - learning how to cook Thai food. Can anyone suggest some course of action?

On a one day Myanmar visa you can also travel around in actual Tachilek and a bit into the country. But what is there to see/do in actual Tachilek (apart from the usual offers of hedonistic pleasures)and beyond? Myself, I've never gotten past the market and a beer close to the bridge. Where do the tuk-tuks parked on the Myanmar side of the bridge want to take you (apart from the girlie places)?

If you are in Thailand on a three month visa expiring beginning of March, aren't you in jeopardy of getting just a month's visa extension from the day you return into Thailand?

Is it really true - which someone wrote on this forum - that you can cross into Myanmar WITHOUT the visa renewal bureaucracy, and the accompanying cost of USD 5, simply by leaving your passport when you exit Thailand? I suspect you must go through the complete visa renewal process, and then, as I said, what happens to your three month visa NOT marked "multiple entry"?

What's a good place to rent a big 4-wheel-drive car for a few days? There's a sizeable renting place just opposite Bo's...

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I am an old friend of Cornelis Vreeswijk, one of the most if not THE most famous Dutchman in Sweden.

Limbo, Söderkis och senare 'Lundensare'

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Cornelis... a genius. I have a CD with me here, somewhere.

I tried to get hold of you in Bo's Sunday before last. I guess you were in Nan. This coming Sunday I'll have the doors locked and bolted and try to corner you.

You might tip off some Belgian media that Hervé is finally being translated into Thai. Worth a small news item? As you say one wonders why now, so many years later?

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Ottokar get a Thai partner.

I'm like my fellow-countrywoman, Garbo. "I vant to be alone. " Besides, I'm decrepit. 70.

(I wish I could learn this quote business.)

I've got a clue myself! I'm back in town efter having had to spend much too long a time in Sweden. I've discarded the pretentious signature SWEDE CHIANG RAI, mostly because I in my abysmal technological stupidity couldn't even get in there and keep posting. So now it's Ottokar. "Eih bennek, eih blavek!"

By the way, everyone who's promised to buy the first one when we meet should take the opportunity to do so right now, since I'm on the wagon and  might fall off pretty soon, after all Xmas is coming up.

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"Eih bennek, eih blavek"

This needs an explanation. It sounds suspiciously close to "hier bennik, hier blijfik!", which is Dutch and means "here I am, here I stay!" (här är jag, här stannar jag!").

I disregard the other possible explanation "an egg I am, an egg I remain"!

Please shed some light in this darkess.

Limbo.

It's king Ottokar's motto. You know, "King Ottokar's sceptre", by Hervé, written (and illustrated) during WW2. It must, as you point out, be a travesty on "hier bennik, hier blijfik" (which you so faultlessl translate inte Swedish; how come you know Swedish? Apart from hearing the yells at Barry's driving range?)

I suppose "King Ottokar's spire" had a special meaning during the German occupation?

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Without a doubt Sriburin is the best hospital in town. Dr. Subin, in particular, is the most able physician in Chiang Rai - excellent English language skills with a good understanding of farang ways. Sriburin's dental clinic is also top notch. I have less confidence in their surgeons and a few of their other specialists - for any maor procedure Bangkok is the best bet.

I believe that each hospital has its own staff of doctors. They do not practice at each other's facilities.

If Overbrook was true to its motto - God is love - why do they overcharge and overprescribe medicine for poor patients then threaten them when they can't pay the bill?

Mymechew

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Thanks Mymechew! Many thanks. Saw Dr. Subin today and was taken care of very, very professionally at Sriburin Hospital. I felt in good, capable hands.

On the super high way near the king mengrai statue there is police checking for drunken drivers. My experience with them is I pass them with out getting checked. Has anybody got any experiences with these police men?

I passed them too yesterday around lunchtime; they didn't wave me in either. I have heard from other farang in town that they don't bother with us. I had my helmet on. And I was sober. And the bike papers were in order. But still, as always with police all over the world, a bit unnerving. So I had to have a wee drink. But only once I got OFF the thing. In the evening. After sundown.

It is my understanding that they play football at the stadium in Chiang Rai. Does anyone know what days and times they play or where I could find out...a schedule perhaps?

I can't, but I sure wish someone can. I passed the stadium today and the kids were practising cheering on the stand, so the tournament, or whatever it is, is imminent. The weekend maybe? Can't SOMEBODY'S Thai partner please find out? Why is it that we farangs here can't find a system for getting some info out - every week - about what is going on?

The TAT does not unfortunately seem to be much good; it doesn't seem to be so much geared to farang needs, but more to what Thais want to do, which of course is perfectly legitimate. The so called Chiang Rai Guide Book is hardly any use whatsoever.

Bar girls are in the bars for a reason, and honestly is NOT one of those reasons folks - wake the hel_l UP!

Biggest reason: Single motherhood with no decent means of support.  This poo may or may not have had a husbund.  If so, fantastic odds he's an alcoholic deadbeat, and poo would love to ditch him but is not in a position to.

This is not in itself a cause of lying.  I belive bar girls are reasonably honest with me, but then I don't come off as a sucker who's going fall in love with them, or go back to my country and send them money.  Maybe speaking fluent thai helps too.  As far as I know, I have never had a girl lie to me about having a child (most do).  IMO the guys that get lied to are the guys that lie to themselves about who these girls are, and want to be lied to, in some way, by the girls.

All this reminds me of one of Bernard Trink's mottoes. Trink is the legendary "Night Owl" who cruised around Bangkok's night scene for decades and wrote about his findings in Bangkok Post. The column is gone, but he still writes the occasional book review for the paper. The motto was/is:

"Never, never never never never never never ever marry a bar girl."

I have friends coming in around Jan 10. They want to spend 4-6 days

here. Maybe 1-2 days trekking, 1 day see Chiang Rai town, 1-2 days

see the province. (Not too primitive trekking, province seightseeing

in car with English speaking driver and reasonably comfortable

lodgings but nothing like the major hotels or resorts).

Can members give a reasonably unbiased hand in suggesting what to do?

Joel Barlow, member of this forum, has written the ChiangRai Guide

(2005 edition B 245, available at the bookstore about 100 meters

north on Phaholyothin – i e main street – starting from Bo’s Place

and on the same side, and at other outlets like Lanna Souvenir next

to Gare Garon, also on Phaholyotin).

Joe’s guide is a gold mine of information, but how and where do you

find really up to date info on treks etc, considering how rapidly

things change?

Incidentally, there’s what I think is an entirely new Chiang Rai

colour map out (it’s a ”PN MAP”, bilingual Thai-English, costs B 90,

ISBN number, printed on the cover page, is 974-7745-71-2.) Pretty

good map of Chiang Rai town, very good map of the province. I bought

it at the above-mentioned book store.

A list of ”Chiang Rai City 10 top attractions” usually contains -

apart from wats Phra Kaew, Phra Singh and Doi Thong (with the city

pillars) - Hilltribe Museum, Oub Kham museum, Mae Fah Luang cultural

park, Mae Kok cruise & elephant camp, Khantoke dinner, Morning market

and Night bazaar.

Joe Barlow suggests some more, in the province:

”Don't forget Doi Khao Quai (I failed to mention that you can see the

charcoal-eating, gold-shitting monster's cave) and Doi Klong Khao (rice box

hill, the other is buffalo horn hill - actually crystal buffalo horn...) with

400+ steps up to a Buddha statue and incredible view (also a

hermatige, now with

access blocked off). Good exercize that one!”

”Doi Luang - great cave, just south of Mae Sai, is interesting -

several caves,

actually, with a strange new shrine.

There are some pretty interesting temples near the river Kok by Wiang

Chai, and

the hot-springs and falls behind Ban Du - way behind, called Doi Prabhat, are

nice. So’s the road to the hotsprings opposite the elephant camp, on which I

took the last photos I posted on thaivisa.com.”

Does anyone have any other ideas?

For the planned one day tour of the province a tentative route is

Chiang Rai-Mae Salong-Doi Tung- Mae Sai (lunch)-Chiang Saen-Chiang

Kong-Chiang Rai.

Is this overdoing it, or the wrong approach entirely? You’ll be in a car practically all day…

Again, any better ideas? Grateful for whatever feedback I can get (but please, no

off-topic verbiage).

There’s a nice foot massage place in Big C, costs only B 150. It’s tucked away in the Big Store section, to the left as you come in from the outside car park, at the very opposite end from the food court, close to the movie theatre (showing King Kong, by the way, but in Thai only version).

If you stand with your back to the wall at the far end of Big Store, i e looking towards the food court, and then walk about 50 meters straight ahead you’ll see the inside car park right to your left. There, on the corner closest to the car park, is the three couch massage booth.

Can’t someone with a Thai partner phone Big C to find out if they ever show English version films or Asian films dubbed or subtitled into English?

On the 2nd of January at Santiburi golf course there is a tournament(I`m pretty sure it`s the Singha Open). Many players from the Asian tour will be competing there.

It`s a good chance to see professionals in action and see the game played the way it should be.

It`s free to enter the course and walk round with the players. It doesn`t get to busy(it`s not the Masters) so there`s plenty of room to see and get up close.

I understand that refreshments are sold around the course for those who like to refresh themselves,if you get my meaning.

If I`ve got the starting date wrong I will update this post.

                                              Enjoy.

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I'd love to go if some kind soul can give me a lift out there, say from Ha-Yaek or anywhere in town.

Please try to confirm if it actually is on Jan 2nd.

Please, everybody, some of us are new in town and don't know our way about, let alone what Thai names hotels, bars etc have. Be more specific, please, about exactly where bars etc are situated. Example: "corner of Pahonyothin". Which corner??

Gare Garon on Main N/S road-north from Edison a couple shops has some.

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Yes Mumbojumbo, it isn't easy to describe where Gare Garon is.

I guess it is about twenty meters from 'The Old Dutch', the old style Dutch pub and restaurant at the main street. In the direction of Bo's Place and at the same side of the street.

It's here where our Canadian friend Robert Potter will show his artworks. From 16 December 2005 about 19.00 o'clock (believe it or not, we are welcome!).

Limbo.

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It may be worth poiting out that Gare Garon, as well as possibly other bookstores as well will order books for you, from Asia Books in Bangkok. Takes about a week to get here.

On my search for the Founding Father of the Chiang Rai Forum, Mr. SWEDE CHIANGRAI, I found a lot of persons who are not.

The only thing I suspect is that he (himself!) possibly visited Bo's Place last Sunday.

He might have spoken with a soft Scandinavian accent (Swedish perhaps?).

Anybody got a clue?

Limbo.

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I've got a clue myself! I'm back in town efter having had to spend much too long a time in Sweden. I've discarded the pretentious signature SWEDE CHIANG RAI, mostly because I in my abysmal technological stupidity couldn't even get in there and keep posting. So now it's Ottokar. "Eih bennek, eih blavek!"

By the way, everyone who's promised to buy the first one when we meet should take the opportunity to do so right now, since I'm on the wagon and might fall off pretty soon, after all Xmas is coming up.

My compliments to Limbo who so admirably monitors the forum!

Looking for second hand English pocket books in reasonable condition, for small cafe in Chiang Rai. Grateful for all replies; please give rough idea of type books and quote rock bottom price, plus how I reach you.

Looking for second hand English pocket books in reasonable condition, for small cafe in Chiang Rai. Grateful for all replies; please give rough idea of type books and quote rock bottom price, plus how I reach you.

Looking for second hand English pocket books in reasonable condition, for small cafe in Chiang Rai. Grateful for all replies; please give rough idea of type books and quote rock bottom price, plus how I reach you.

You might risk to loose your telephonenumber if you don't register it before the end of the year (which means in two weeks). I asked to-day in two shops in town if I could do it there. In both shops the staff told me to go to Big C second floor to the AIS shop. It is the shop between the pharmacy and the bread. Opposite the side with the gold shop.

Take your passport or an ID like driver license. And your phone of course.

Limbo.

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Very, very useful information. Thanks! If we all of us could somehow contribute this kind of solid info stuff, this could become a really useful site.

Looking for second hand English pocket books in reasonable condition, for small cafe in Chiang Rai. Grateful for all replies, a few or up to 100 books; please give rough idea of type books and quote rock bottom price, and how I get in touch with you.

Ring Roy at The Caddy Shack. Great little bar. I don't play but this guy is in the know and organises twice a week competions at different golf courses in the area.

071414702. I know he gets discounts it's up on the board in his bar.

I can't find a golf emoticon ??

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MP5 it took me ages to find the golf emotion you were looking for , so here it is

wouldn't you agree

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Where is The Caddy Shack located?

Sorry to bother you about this, but can someone tell me how to quote properly? I tried the "help" menu, thought I understood the instructions, but no...

Being a technical moron doesn't exactly help.

So please.

I just got back to Chiang Rai. The whole town is lit up at night in a way I don't remember. Lampoons from every lamp-post etc. Remnants from His Royal Highness the King's birthday, or what's going on?