LazyYogi

I think it's too small to be a rat snake.

Now it's hiding in the mango tree in front of the house.

I got a couple more photos of it.

I'm not so sure it's any of those.

I should mention that I'm in Chiang Mai, and my house is right by a small swamp/marsh area.

This guy was about 1.5 cm thick and a little less than a meter long.

Found him outside the house, but he has since disappeared.

*Edit: sorry forgot to attach the photo the first time

Anybody happen to know where there are small farms with milk cows near the city?

In particular any that have reddish-brown colored cows?

I'm interested.

I live in Chiang Mai. I've studied a lot about Buddhism. I follow it myself.

I can speak, read, and write Thai. And I have some writing experience.

I'll send you a PM with contact details.

can thais get a tourist visa easily?

Yes, very easily. Next day pick up, I believe.

Simple question. Has anyone seen any place that sells beef jerkey, like the kind that you can get at any gas station in the US?

"It's the result of humidity," Southern Meteorological Centre (East Coast) director Wanchai Sak-udomchai said.

This man needs to be fired.

It's smoke not fog.

I also say forget the north.

Yes, it get's cooler in the evening during much of the year, but not April.

April in Mae Hong Son is hotter than Bangkok.

Very sad to see "relocating nearby residents" on their to do list.

They had the good fortune to live near Manjushri's holy mountain, and now they must get kicked out to make way for opera houses and cinemas.

Ha Noi

Would like to see Hanoi sometime, but from what I understand it's even hotter there in April than anywhere in Thailand.

HCMC maybe but Ha Noi is in the North and has 4 seasons just like Europe. It'll be spring there and cooler than here.

Edit: a cool 26C compared to a warm 34C in Bangkok

http://www.tripadvis...When.To.Go.html

http://www.tripadvis...When.To.Go.html

Oh, my mistake. I must have been looking at the climate data for record high instead of average high.

If you're American please dont come here thinking its SF; you will simply add to the problem.... the unis already have an 80% population of those 'batting for the other side' hard to believe but true.

my biggest fear is that i will turn one day (all said tongue in cheek!)

Interesting statistic! Does this reflect your personal research, or what? I thought the universities had a "Don't ask, don't tell!" policy. Maybe its really a "Don't give a sh*t!" policy.

I think he's exagerating. My 100% raised in Thailand teenage daughters say the number is closer to 50/50.

Seriously? Half of the university students are gay?

Both sexes, or just the guys?

In any case that seems like a really high number.

You can then head south to Kep for a elaxing time (and crabs) or go north to Siem Reap.

Had crabs once in college already. Don't think I'd want to get them again. But a beach might be nice.

Ha Noi

Would like to see Hanoi sometime, but from what I understand it's even hotter there in April than anywhere in Thailand.

I would take Siem Reap over Phnom Penh anyday.

Where are you starting from ?

Starting From Chiang Mai, but will probably bus it down to BKK.

Cheapest flights I've seen to:

-Bali $455

-Ho Chi Minh $185

-Hanoi $221

-Siem Reap $364

-Phnom Phen $95

-Penang $207

-Yangon $171

And then direct from CNX there's Kuala Lampur at $197, but don't really feel like going to Malaysia.

What amazes me is when I see someone driving a Honda Wave, not wearing a helmet, but there's a helmet sitting in the front basket.

Just had an incident last week. My wife's cousin is riding around with no helmet after he's been drinking. Loses control and smacks his bike into a wall.

He's extremely lucky that his jaw took most of the impact instead of the top of his skull.

Still, he had to speand a few days in the hospital, and now he has to drop out of school and look for a job so he can begin to pay back the medical bills.

Every time I take a cab in Bangkok, the back seats have the strap but no buckle. I feel for it in the gap of the seats and it's like they have been removed. Ridiculous.

No, you sit in the middle and put your left arm and left leg through the left belt, and right arm/leg through the right belt. Very safe position in the middle, like a spider in its web.

LOL!

Why don't they just stick with "Amazing Thailand"? It already has a nice ring to it.

Well, at least it isn't as funny as "Malaysia, it's truley Asia".

A lot of hotties study at Payap. Don't know how approachable they are, but passing through the campus there is always a lot of eye candy around.

On Samui, we only have one day....

I have to go across the boarder anyways around that time for visa reasons.

Thought I might as well make a trip of it and go somewhere I've never been yet.

Between Saigon and Phnom Phen, which would be the better place to spend a week to get away from Songkran?

Or any other place with cheap flights nearby that anyone recommends?

My story might not be the most typical, but I first came here because my school (University of Wisconsin) had a study-abroad program with CMU.

After staying for a year of studies I liked it here so much I didn't want to go back to the states.

And on tipping: that's one of the nicer things about living here. Tip if you want to, but you don't need to. The tipping culture in the US is just stupid, in that you are obliged to tip at least 15% of the bill regardless of what service you get.

Definitely lots of American missionaries here. At the Superbowl watching party held at the Empress Hotel we missed the halftime show to listen to some lady ramble on for several minutes praying for Burma.

Next year I'll definitely watch it at one of the bars.

Tip to keep from puking: Keep your eyes closed.

Motion sickness is caused by your brain getting mixed signals from your eyes and inner ear. It assumes that you ate some halucinogenic, which it tries to purge from your system.

Of course you also miss all the nice scenery that way, but it's better than getting sick.

Seasonal haze eases in northern provinces

LAMPANG, Feb 20 – The thick haze and smog covering Thailand’s northern provinces, particularly Lampang and Chiang Mai, on Monday improved dramatically owing to downpours.

Lampang Governor Booncherd Kidhen said that the air pollution crisis here returned to normal as the rain helped reduce haze, clearing particulate matter from the atmosphere. He admitted that Lampang this year is severely blanketed by a thick haze, and smog exceeding the safety limits to 230 microgrammes per cubic metre.

A major cause of the haze problem resulted from open air burning activities, Mr Booncherd explained, adding that the province has initiated measures to strictly control burning activities in all 13 districts, with the ban remaining in place until April to prevent a recurrence of the haze.

Agencies relevant to forest fire control and the local administrative organisations were assigned to provide equipment and budget to brace for possible smog and forest fire in subdistricts and villages as well integrating fire response operations immediately and efficiently.

The governor warned that persons starting illegal burning activities in the province will be charged for violating Royal Forest Department law and may be sentenced to as much as 15 years in jail and be fined Bt100,000 maximum. Violators will be charged and must compensate all damages in line with the Enhancement and Conservation of the National Environmental Quality Act B.E. 2535.

In a related development, Chiang Mai Mayor Tassanai Buranupakorn led municipal officials, police officers and other civil servants from a provincial natural resources and environmental office to the downtown Tha Pae gate to inspect vehicles with excessive black vehicular exhaust as well as campaigning against the ongoing air pollution which was higher than the safety standard.

Mr Tassanai said that although the suspended particulate matter and other hazardous dust particles on Monday declined to 50-80 microns per cubic metre, Chiang Mai municipality continued spraying water at each location to reduce the dust to prevent a recurrence of the crisis.

Meanwhile, the mayor also asked for cooperation from contractors to control dust from construction sites and called for residents to refrain from burning activities.

Municipal and provincial authorities will apply all measures to tackle air pollution in order not to inconvenience tourists, the mayor said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 20 February 2012

Says here that it rained. Where were these "downpours"? I certainly didn't see any in town.

I thought the air improved just because the wind picked up.