Chris and Dan

As far as I could tell it was only liability insurance, covering any damage you do to other vehicles and property. Like most things in Asia, it was at your own risk. Did not worry much about them stealing the truck, we were not very far from it at the places we stayed, or they had a gated parking area for vehicles with a security guard. Kind of hard to make off with a truck, especially with Thai license plates on it. If we were on the motorcycle I would be more worried about theft. Can not remember how much it cost, but it was not too expensive, or I would have remembered.

Hey Erwin! I was going to look you up this trip ( I was in Chiang Rai for 2 weeks in Jan./ Feb.) but I ended up 'tour guideing' a group of friends and family around and didn't have any 'free' time.

About Lao: Chris and I took the truck up to Boten (China Border), Phongsali,Xien Kok (Burma border),Sop Hun (Viet Nam border)and down past Luang Prabang a ways and back to Chiang Khong. This was 30 days from the last week in October 2008 (I think) on. Thought it would be the end of the rainy season, but had about 10 days of heavy rain. Warning do not attempt this with a 2 wheel drive vehicle in the rainy season like I did! A lot of the roads are dirt, and some of the most slippery clay surfaces I have ever encountered, and I have driven in the mud a lot! Slid sideways downhill over 200 feet hanging on the edge of a cliff coming back from Phongsali! But still, it was a GREAT trip! Sorry I don't have any more current info,but the GT Riders info seems to be up to date. You have to bring your vehicle ownership papers, and every other document you can think of, to the Motor Vehicle office (out by the airport) and get a "Vehicle Passport" - that's how they translated it into English. When you get off the vehicle ferry on the Lao side they will spend a couple of hours examining and stamping all the papers,you having to go from office to office. And having to go to the 'people' immigration office over where the long tail boats cross for you own visa stamp.Get across early and do not cross on a Sunday either direction. Best to cross on a weekday. Laos immigration keeps short,and strange, hours, and if you are there during non-office hours they charge you "overtime", and more than double, on Sunday, including the ferry. Cost almost 100 USD to get across on a Sunday! You have to buy Lao vehicle insurance from a different office near the vehicle port Immigration/ Customs offices. Unless it has changed, you only get a 2 week 'visa' for your vehicle, but you can extend it to 30 days for an extra fee. The woman who sold us the insurance motorsai'd into some government office in town and got the extension, for a fee. We had Nok, the tour guide, along for the crossing day to help translate, or we would still be there. But you with your fluent Thai should have no problem, right? Hey if Chris and I, with our "nit noy-nit noy passat Thai" could do it, you can, too. You get lots of stares and second looks at your license plate. I don't think many farang drive their own vehicles across Laos. We did get stopped at one roadblock and a very stern cop (immigration police?) made a very thorough check of all our documents, asking us dozens of questions in Lao, but he finally tired of our "do not understand" and let us go on. It was a lot of fun, and I want to go back on a motorcycle sometime. You will enjoy it too, I am sure. Dan (Dan and Chris)

US NOVEMBER ELECTION. Ex-pats must apply for an absentee ballot and then receive the ballot and fax

your ballot selections( or e-mail if your home state allows this)to the US. This is a lengthy process so

don't wait if you want your vote counted. You can check with consulate or embassy here in Thailand.

Is there any interest in organizing some regular ex-pat get-togethers, say once or twice a month, without a specific interest (like runners, motorcyclists) but just to meet others, outside of a bar, or restaurant setting;sort of a community meeting / community center?

I am in need of transporting safely a small book to Mandalay, Burma before May 20, 2008.

Any ideas? Is anyone flying to Mandalay from Chiang Mai?

I am in urgent need to get a small book safely to Mandalay by May 22.

Any ideas at this time? Anyone flying into Mandalay from C. Mai or Rai?

Baan Bua Guest House does have wireless internet connection. Don't know how fast, or how well it works as I haven't used it myself. Be advised that DSL, regardless of the speed they quote in the adverts, is not going to be anywhere near as fast as the average DSL connection in the U.S., or Bangkok,and not near as consistent.

Oooh! I know that got a lot of people's attention, but there's a BIG catch, as in, teaching English for free. Fon, the Burmese maid at Baan Bua guest house needs somebody to teach her English, but being Burmese, she is too poor to afford to pay a teacher. If she learns some English language skills she will be able to fill in for Tim and manage the guest house occasionally so that Tim can take a day off. Now that Brian is no longer with us, there is only Tim to run the show. A further problem is that she only has time from 5:00 to 6:00 PM; between her job at Baan Bua and her second job - she works 16+ hours a day.

We would like to be her teachers, but we travel a lot and won't be around for more than 3 weeks at a time. If you are feeling charitable and have the time to spare, contact Fon or Tim at Baan Bua guest house on Jed Yod Road.

We last visited Khun Korn Waterfall in March. We re- visited today, July 11. We were shocked at the results of

a huge fire that must have gone through there between our visits. The ground has been partially covered by rainy season greenery.

The huge bamboo forest is gone as the bases are burnt and they have all toppled or are about to. Trees, palms, bananas

are burned up along almost the entire trail to the waterfall. How did this fire start or what happened?

I am seeking an English speaking beginner piano (keyboard) instructor.

Does anyone know of one in Chiang Rai?

Does anyone know of a place or a contact that sell legit motorbikes over 200cc.

"ST" Motorcycles on Th. Banphaprakan (turn right at clock tower coming up Th. Jed Yod towards market) occasionally has 'legal' (with license plates and registration book) 250cc dual purpose bikes i.e., Honda Baja's / Degrees, and have quite a few of same for sale without plates. Their service is great, the people friendly, and prices only a little higher than a 'regular' Honda shop.

Really legal big bikes are hard to find, as to legally import a used bike you would pay almost triple its cost in import duties, so I think a lot of the 'legal' bikes have had a 'friend' in the motor vehicle office issue some 'special' ownership / registration documents - just guessing about that. You can always do like most big bike owners do, and drive without a license plate and pay the on-the-spot 'fines' if you get stopped.

Does anybody go dirt bike riding around here? Lots of street riders, but when I'm on a dirt trail, it's just me and the hilltribe people on Honda Dreams.

Just a warning to anyone thinking of buying any of the Thai language computer programs from the vendor near Dairy Queen on the ground floor of Big C, DON'T!

They are supposed to be for Thai's to learn English, but they had a good spoken dictionary feature with English translations and a simple picture alongside that looked like it would be good to help learn Thai, as well as English. But, the disk failed to autoload in the computer, and when the the 'install files' were opened, it corrupted a bunch of my existing files and generally f.. screwed things up, besides not installing or working at all! And, guess what? No money back. They will exchange it for another of the same screwed-up disks, but I don't know why you would want to do that. Anyway, be warned. This is not just like a bad music CD or DVD from Tatchilek that just won't play. This will seriously screw up your computer.

Visa run to Burma casino (Golden Triangle Paradise Resort) isn't happening. We were given a free night at the hotel voucher from a friend and stayed on 21 March 2006. We had to pay 200 Baht each to Thai immigration and 10 dollars U.S. ( or 450 Baht ) each to Burma immigration. They don't stamp your passport - no visa issued - but stamp the date on a copy of your passport which you return upon leaving. Hotel was nice, casino pathetically small - this is no Las Vegas - there's no swimming pool, only stores were a 7-Eleven size "duty free shop with not much in it, and a tiny jewelry store. The sole restaurant charges a 10% service charge and then 10% VAT on the total. You are not allowed to leave the hotel grounds - guardposts at all 4 corners - and nothing to see or do but watch the boats go by, drink and gamble. If gambling is your 'thing' then you will be disappointed, too, as there is 1 roulette wheel, maybe 7 bacarrat tables, and one smallish room filled with slot machines. Understandingly, the hotel was near deserted. A few day-tripping Thais, and maybe 10 guest rooms filled.

It's not worth the trouble or expense.

Peter at Orn's Bookshop off Jetyod has several kittens to give away.

Peter at Orn's bookshop off Jetyod has kittens to give away.

I am a retired falang woman living in Chiang Rai. Are there any older farang women

living in Chiang Rai who would like to get together and chat, visit, and who speak

English? I would appreciate any suggestions. replies.[email protected]

We have had the MaxNet 512/256 ADSL for 11 weeks now. Can't compare it to other high-speed connections in Thailand because this is the first we've had here, but we had DSL service in the states for 5 years and compared to that, MaxNet sucks! It is slower than dial-up at times and the slow times are unpredictable and last for hours.Also have tried DSL connections in a variety of cybercafes all over Thailand and the connections in C.R. are slower than anywhere else outside of Nan, so it may not necessarily be the ISP. That said, MaxNet IS slow, expensive (790 baht / month) and the customer service isn't so hot,either. If anybody knows of a better ISP here in C.R. I would be willing to switch.

Anyone have experience in buying a new car in Chiang Rai? We are thinking of buying a new Toyota pickup truck from Toyota Chiang Rai. Any feedback on this dealer?

What discounts or 'free' accesories can you bargain for? Any cautions or advice?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

There is an AA Meeting in Chiang Rai on Monday Evenings at 7:00 PM

at the Chiang Rai First Church. It is a white chapel built in l914 on

Rattanakhet St., near the corner of Phahon Yothin Rd.

Meetings are one hour long and held in the meeting hall on the left of the chapel. Anyone interested in help and support with their

drinking problems, please join us. There is no church or other religious affiliation.