CMBob

Seems a reasonable method to make inexpensive calls to at least some other countries from Thailand. The Skype service (which certainly wasn't free) provided a telephone number in one's home country which allowed people there to call us here in Thailand for free as well as send sms back and forth. So far (very minimal research), it seems that most similar services are geared for businesses and are much more expensive. Again, with minimal research, I've found one outfit called Sonetel (which I'm not promoting as I don't know enough about it yet) which apparently is similar to Skype and touts having sms messages go to email. And the Sonetel service is about double the cost of Skype. So....to the extent anybody is aware of a service similar to Skype, some of us would very much appreciate that information.

I too have used Skype for a few years to have a US telephone number and to be able to get and make calls to the US. Given the announcement that they are killing the service on May 1st, I damn well better get a refund (cash and not their other unwanted services) for the balance of my annual subscription. But, no, have no experience with other service providers and have not begun any in depth internet research to figure out a decent alternative. Hopefully somebody who knows of a good alternate service (voice and sms) will post in this thread.

Typically the air here (CM) isn't very good during March and most of April; however, this year has been better than normal....the AQI was actually in the green a couple of days earlier this week. At this moment, My IQAir app says it's between 65-71, shows Bangkok at 64, Pattaya at 58, and Phuket at 56, All fairly close at the moment (but, admittedly, CM is usually worse this time of year).

You didn't even bother to keep the bank passbook? It would appear that a "few thousand baht" didn't really matter to you.

I just completed this quiz. My Score 30/100 My Time 156 seconds  

Where you take appliances for repair there is the smaller building on the right, not in the main building.

A few posters have got it right. The "tax free" status belongs to the donee (person receiving the gift), not the donor. As to the taxability in Thailand of "gift" funds that the donor remits to Thailand, that's a whole other kettle of fish.

If you will simply go read the requirements on the Consulate/Embassy pages about passports, you'll know what's required. A photo shop here (one typically will have a sign in the window mentioning passport photos) will ask you what you want, country involved (e.g., some countries use a different size for passport photos), etc. and they'll know the requirements regarding size, background, glasses on or off, etc. If you simply google "Chiang Mai Passport Photos", you'll see several places in the area.

You have suggested that CNX is unsafe and also are suggesting that CNX does not comply with the ICAO requirement of a daily daylight inspection of runways for foreign objects. Perhaps you could share with us how you know (if you do) that CNX doesn't comply with that standard.

Apparently airport officials don't have you on their list to notify of inspection or maintenance procedures. Pure speculation on your part.. Having flown from a raft of major airports in the US (and other countries), to this day I've never seen one of those airports close a runway during the daytime to remove, as you say, "small amounts of rubber." The last serious accident at CNX was, I believe, in 1967, and the accident occurred here but wasn't related at all to airport safety. I see no reason to have any significant safety concerns regarding CNX.

Don't partake but it's unbelievable how many pot shops are around CM. Rather like some of the names (a relatively new shop on Nimmanhaemin) and some signs seem to be asking for issues (shop on Soi 11, Nimmanhaemin):

Correct. The Thai government has decreed that sim cards will be at least temporarily suspended/inoperative on May 1st, 2025, unless the name associated with the sim card is consistent with the telecom's records. There have been one or more articles in the Bangkok Post lately about this and supposedly the rule is to combat call-center gangs/people with multiple sim cards. I don't recall what entities (telecoms or banks?) that are required to enforce the new rule but, given the general use of mobile banking, it makes sense that the banks would be involved. Edit: Found at least one article about it: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2952406/govt-crackdown-on-mule-accounts-with-new-mobile-banking-rules

The OP's situation is familiar to me although happened long ago. I entered on a Tourist Visa and went to immigration (Hua Hin then) to convert to a Non-O and hopefully obtain an extension based on retirement. I got both within an hour. The Non-O visa (yes, it's a visa) was dated 2/27/09 and was stamped "USED." On the next page of my passport are two stamps: (1) a Stay Permit dated 2/27/09 with an expiration date of 5/27/09, and (2) a stamp also dated 2/27/09 with stay permission until 5/27/10. So, I too walked out that day with 15 months permission to stay. I used no agent, had the 800k in the bank for at least a few months, and proceeded to obtain my own annual extension based on retirement a few weeks prior to May 27, 2010.

Only place I can suggest is Amorn as they repair all kinds of large and small electrical appliances. Located east of Power Buy and next to Computer City (north of the old city and on the north side of the moat).

Relating to CM only: While I've never had to actually file a new TM30 after staying in a hotel elsewhere that filed a TM30 for me, I have twice had an attempted TM47 filing rejected for that reason (the rejections specifically said it was because I had a different address....the hotel address). But other times it doesn't happen. So, as mentioned before, it's hit or miss. Probably depends on whoever is reviewing the online TM47 filing and who is erroneously disregarding the June 2020 police order provisions. But, then again, I had one attempted online TM47 filing rejected for the reason(s) that my entry date and/or extension expiration date were wrong. They weren't.