CM-Joe

There are various ebook readers, that display standard pdf files and many other formats, like the brand new sony readers (PRS300 for 199US$, PRS600 for 299 US$ or the readers from iREX and many more). Reading is very comfortable with them. And contrary to the statement of UG you do not loose your ebooks if you should loose your ebook-reader. You can store them on your computer, save them on an USB stick and restore or copy it whenever you need to do it, no big deal at all. Only the KINDLE of AMAZON is different. If you don't know, there are thousands of ebooks legally free available and many more ilegal... So if you compare costs, it is much cheaper to read ebooks. You can compare an ebook reader to a mp3 player, who would like to miss it today. It is just much more comfortable and you are free to read what you want and not what your local bookshop is offering you. As I read at least 2 books or more a week I realy know what I am talking about.

Since more than one year I use now my ebook reader and I would not want to miss it anymore. As I prefer to read in German, this is the only way to have a wide selection of books here in asia. If I am traveling I don't have to carry a lot of books with me, just one light reader. For people who like to read not just the very limited selection that you can find in the local bookshops it's great! That UG with his bookshops has a different opinion is from his business point of view understandable...

As I am livining in Bali I have been to the Bangkok Indonesian embassy many times and can tell you that:

You need US $ for the visa

You need a return ticket

If your passport is ok and you have the 2 photos you will get a visa for 2 months, no problem.

I think it is the one that is near Nimanhemin Road. Near the Kasem Shop you have to take the little road there for about 300m. There is a (I think this) Filipino Restaurand.

I will leave Thailand and have to sell my Honda Dream (125 ccm). About 2 years old, very good condition, paperwork ok, only 3'500 km. Sell it for 10'000 THB. If you are interested send send me a pm.

Indonesia has a so called social visa budaya. With this visa you can stay 6 month in the country. After two months you have to renew it every month. After six month you have to get out of the country and get a new one. You can get it in Bangkok in three days. But to get it, you need a letter of a so called sponsor. This must be an Indonesian person. If you don't know any, you also can get it from a visa office. More infos here http://www.bali-expat-business.com/ . The retirement visa is a little bit more difficult, but not much...

Does anyone know if a International drivers licence can be obtained in thailand specificly chaing mai

Is there a service that does this here

You need to have the local driving licence, valid for 5 years. At the same building at the land and transport departement (road from airport plaza to hang dong), where you get the driving licence (second floor) you also get the international driving licence. However, if you have no thai driving licence you can't get one.

I am on True cable at Chomdoy Road, pay less than 1000 THB for 1024 KBS and I never had a problem. I download my recorded TV with more than 1000 KBS. I am really happy with it.

YES! I can!

There is a really good buffet on Sundays at the Amari Rincome hotel, starts at 11am I believe. Not the cheapest, about 500B per person, but well worth it. During the week they have the lunch buffet at 12noon. For 375B per person. Going to be heading that way today. Enjoy!

Actually the Amari buffet is available every day. If you are resident you can get a discount card (1 for 2).

Well, this time this will have quit a heavy impact to our future. After two happy years in Chiang Mai on a retirement visa we will have to look for a new home. As my wife is only 47 it seems so, that we have to leave Thailand soon... I am just glad, that I did not buy a house as planned...

If they really want us to go, then we will have to go: Bali is nice, Brazil is nice and also Europe has very nice countries. But anyway it is always a lot of trouble to move and sell or give away all the stuff you cant take with you. We just started to make some good progress in speaking Thai and now they want us to leave. Shame on them!

I have been driving here for almost two years. Driving is different to Europe but after some days it is very easy and comfortable. I never had any problems and I drive pretty fast. Driving outside the city is just fun. Good streets, little traffic and you can discover places that you wouldn't see otherwise. However I sold my car, because within the city you are faster by using the motorbike, what makes more fun, at least as it doesn't rain...

For the German speaking people here are some interesting links for Internet-TV-recorders:

www.shift.tv

www.save.tv

www.onlinetvrecorder.com

www.zattoo.com

If your internet connection is not fast enough you can download the recorded TV programms. You have the selection of most German TV channels and depending on the provider also channels from Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands and other countries.

I have connected my 42' TV with my computer and watch the wanted program directly on the TV. I also have a DVD player with a UBS port for that I could download the programm on an USB stick. This is very convinient if your PC is not close to the TV...

I watch it on a 42 inch screen, it is not that bad. And I don't look online. I use it as a online recorder and download the files. The quality with save.tv should be ok. I use shift.tv, which is not perfect but also aceptable. Actualy it is looking even better on my big plasma screen then on my LCD Computer screen... But of course it is far away from HDTV. But it is a good solution to look to German TV (you can record almost everything) for little money and a normal ADSL-Internet Connection. I have True for 850 THB, which allows me to download with about 120 KB/s.

German TV by Internet:

www.shift.tv - works very good, but resolution is low

http://www.save.tv/ - seems to be better, but I have no experience with this one

http://www.onlinetvrecorder.com - quite good, has not only German but foreign TV

If you realy want to have very good quality you have to do what LivinLOS proposed.

The cholesterol thing is mainly a big cash cow for the pharma industry. Like high blood preasure it doesn't need medication. If you follow a moderate diet (plenty of raw vegetable, salads, fruits, no or only little meat and sugar, no or only little of alcohol, nicotin...) and have some exercices (30 or minutes a day) that would be much better for you. There are no side effects and you will feel much better.

An old answer, however most people (especialy Americans) prefer take medication, wich sometimes have more sideffects than benefits. But it is you life and your decission.

Toyota Fortuner for sale in Chiang Mai: silver metalic, automatic, leather seats, 3 l diesel engine, 1 3/4 year old, only 22'000 km, insurance and taxes paid til October, new price 1.2 Mio., now only 800'000 THB. PM me or call 085 719 5685.

A nice place for living are the mountains in the north of Bali. I build there a house in 600 m above sea. Just 11 km tho Lovina. The climate there is very good, like Chiang Mai in January: Cool nights (17 - 19 o) and warm days (25 -30 o). I have a beautiful view of the whole north coast, can go up to the coldmountains (just 30 minutes by motor bike) or go for swimming, diving or fishing (only 20 minutes by moto bike).

Cost of living are the same as in Thailand. However Indonesia has earthquakes, vulcanos and islamic terrorists (but terrorists you have today everywhere). The Balines people are nice and friendly and the quality of living for expats is excellent. By the way: Bali is one of the nicest island in the world...

I will attend (solo, no guest).

Thanks guys

I have the same problems and I am hapy to see here the solution.

I have been to Doi Inthanon just one week ago and it was fantastic: Cool (17 Celsius) and good air. It is realy a good trip to get some fresh air away from Chiang Mai. The last 5 days I travelled to Nong Kai and would say that 50km outside of Chiang Mai the air is getting better and better. Go and visit one of the many nice national parks in the north, you can even camp there for almost nothing. If you have a Thai driving licence you only pay 20 THB instead of 400 THB.

I got last week 4.75% at Bangkok Bank for 12 month. This was for investments of over 1 million THB. Last year I even got 5.25 %.

China fonds went up a lot, but can also go down a lot. There is no profit without risk...

I am sory to hear that and wish you good luck for that you get back your laptop.

This also reminds me to save my datas and I guess I will buy an external disk for backup.

I had many diesel cars in my life. But the 3 l diesel motor from the fortuner is just great. I can realy recommend it.

I go to Platinum Fitness Center, which I find better than Powerhouse, because it also has a large Swimming Pool. They also have Yoga Center, white fluffy towels for 10 THB, Spinning Center, Personal Trainers, Juice Bar, Massage, Sauna, good equipement etc. Cost for one year is 10'000 THB, for 3 is 15'000 or 20'000 I dont remember. It is very clean, good and friendly staff, good equipment, a lot of parking space ...

... We bought the bread at Carfour because this is quite good. But now we bake our own sourdough whole grain bread, much much better...

There is a house delivery service, which brings you fresh German Style bread at home. However I never tried it, as we make it ourselfs now. Here is the link: http://www.monsmade.com/

CM-Joe,

Home baked sourdough wholegrain.....etc better than carrrefour and mons....

Do you use a bread maker? Which brand? Where do you buy the flour?

If it goes to hand kneading and ovens I can't be bothered, but if a breadmaker etc I'd really like to know more.

LE

Well my wife makes the bread by hand... But its fast done. The flour I get at Rimping. They good lour from Australia and also good whole grain from Thailand.