Mahseer

Bang Saphan in PKK. Anyone wanting to get involved heads 25km north to Baan Krood where it's full on. Stay at Suan Luang beach and you'll never know its madness elsewhere.

This outfit show two half a dozen photos down. https://www.facebook.com/cmtools.rental.5/

Pretty sure this is old news. I know the man in question and used to see him and typically 3 of his ridgeback dogs early each morning on the beach when in town but after numerous complaints the authorities took action and he was forced to relocate his dogs to a farm outside town. Was in Bang Saphan for 2 weeks over new year and walked the beach each day at daybreak and didn't see him once and when I visited his residence was told he spends each day visiting his dogs.

Agent used and verified couple of posts above.

You most certainly can get retirement extensions there using an agent but needs confirming if you can/can't without. Anyone?

Note if you intend attending before the shopping centre opens at 1100 you need to use the 2nd floor car park entrance.

2nd floor. They are open 0900-1630/1700 but close 12-1300 for a feed.

Was at Central Festival immigration this morning at 1100 and pretty quite for all services with only half the chairs taken in the main hall. Give it a go you may be surprised but avoid Monday & Friday if possible and day after holidays. And yes you can do retirement extension there.

There used to be a Chiang Mai based airline that operated a grand total of 2 aircraft both Cessna Caravans each taking something in the region of 8 passengers. Name was Kan Air and they flew to places like Mae Sot, Pai, Chiang Rai, Nan and Mae Hong Son. Name was Kan Air and an absolute joy to fly with them but alas long gone. The aircraft were for a long time parked on the military side of the airport but not sure if still there. As stated not a lot of demand from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot and elsewhere considering there are a grand total of 2-3 flights from Bangkok. Maybe if the border was to reopen flights would pick up but not sure that will happen anytime soon but heres hoping.

Good to hear you are safe.

Survived I trust? https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-airstrike-kills-40-civilians-on-rakhines-ramree-island.html

Banded woodpecker spotted in Bang Saphan 2 weeks back. First time in 14 years and hasn't been seen since. IMG_5684.mov

Norden has halibut which is very much worth a look if you can't f&c. Comes with mash & mixed veg. Delightful.

Sorry Simon last one. Anyone who visits Yangon and skips downtown really is missing out.

I spent a couple of mornings just taking photos of the buildings in the 21-48 street area and the vast majority are still occupied despite the various states.

That is how down town Yangon looks specifically streets 21-48. It's the appearance that buildings 100 years old take on when there are insufficient to maintain. Personally I love this area.

Russians tourists typically don't wear suits on holiday. When I visited November 2023 there was a curfew in Yangon so when I revisited July & November 2024 I enquired and was advised there was no longer a curfew. If you have nothing to contribute..........

No curfew in Yangon at present and it's a great place to visit despite extensive troubles elsewhere in the country. As for safety wandered downtown daily on my own up to midnight and never an issue but that's just one persons experience. Tourism is about non existent at present but did come across couple of groups of Russians but they were likely in town on business. As for power outages as others have stated it's a way of line of life and the day there wasn't a power cut would likely make headlines (if allowed).

Similar view to the Excelsior my hotel of choice in Rangoon. Love the place and the view.

Kalaw is still excellent. Was there last November (after visiting Taunggyi for the balloon festival) and it still retains all the charm. Needless to say didn't see a single tourist the 4 days I was there.

The term 'black market' is slightly misleading and indicates deals can be done with shady characters which can be the case today around Sule pagoda in Rangoon but the exchange place I use is in Bogyoke market and is wide open for all to see so assumably operating legally. Best of luck with your projects.

There are two rates in Burma. The official rate used by banks and the black market rate. The latter did peak at just over 7,000/$ earlier this year but has been steady around the 4300-4600 level for past 6 months. Crisp $ bills required,

This was in response to China taking sides by offering the junta a $2billion line of credit.

Yes I recall and responsibility of a group headed by rapper named Phyo Zeya Thaw who became a politician and was a firm favourite of Aung San Suu Kyi before he became disillusioned after realising that little could be done for change without the nod of those in uniform. He resigned and took up the gun but was rounded up and hung in July 2022. His body was never released to his family. There is an excellent documentary on his life made by ARTE.tv called 'The Rapper Politician - Myanmar's Zayar Thaw'. You need a VPN to watch in Thailand.

Bogyoke Market in Rangoon is indeed still open 6 days a week but activity is greatly reduced and a lot of the stalls that are open tend to close early afternoon. The city itself is unaffected by atrocities elsewhere and life goes on with just the occasional barbed wire fence here and there but very little evidence of those that rule on the streets. Just back from 2 weeks staying downtown and thoroughly enjoy being there and found a fabulous hotel between street 31&33 named Yangon Excelsior stunning value for $55. Some of the major hotels such as Shangri La & Pullman remain closed but plenty others open and vast majority of restaurants are operational. Anyone tempted there is about a dozen flights a day from Bangkok and additional from Chiang Mai. E visa typically issued next day which is valid for 3 months and good for 28 day stay. Safe travels.