Rasseru

It's been so hot, I've put all the fans on.

'You've got to remember to lean forward on the launch and grab the chicken rail real tight.'

Actually, more important than that is squeezing hard with your legs whatever you can of the bike's seat, frame, body and foot pegs. Lock your lower body to the bike, and the rest is easy. : )

For those interested, there is a small motorcycle accessories shop on the ground floor of Panthip Plaza that sells top-of-the-line helmets, as well as, I think, less good helmets. I bought an Arai helmet there three or four months ago. Expensive, more expensive than in Japan, but hey . . . it's my head. Years of road racing motorcycles, which included a number of crashes, including three well in excess of 160 kph from which I got up and walked away uninjured, have taught me the value of helmets. Almost any helmet is better than none, but a high quality helmet is worth its price . . . whatever it is, frankly.

Thank you, Throatwobbler. That's very helpful.

I have long been persuaded that there should be no helmet laws. There are so few Darwinian mechanisms at work in the world today that operate toward the end of assuring the further improvement of the human brain that I would like to see at least one good one in place, and I can think of few better than that of allowing individuals, using their own brains and free will, to choose whether or not to wear a helmet.

That does not answer your question directly, but I should think you will be able to guess correctly my answer.

Thank you, getgoin. I think I probably know, from my recent searches, the place you are talking about. If that is the case, then all I can conclude is that the shop is not yet open. I'll wait until I can get in touch with Sergio directly, before I try to look again.

I had the same problem. I happened to wake up around 1:30 am, and found it was back on by that time.

I have tried to do my homework on this, searching this forum and googling.

I get out-of-date information about the old Buonissimo, but nothing current.

I have read here about a friend of Sergio starting up an Italian restaurant near Thapae Gate, but that doesn't tell me where he, Sergio, or his wine outlet are. I heard from Sergio himself about six weeks ago that his wine outlet was going to be on a soi off Chang Klan Road, across from the Park Hotel and I have found someone else's confirmation of this on this forum, but I have gone twice now and looked all around the possible sois, without any luck.

I'd be grateful if someone could send me, in a private message, Sergio's telephone number. If you do not know it, but have other helpful information, I would be grateful for that too, here or in a private message.

I am having today the same problem on both of my two computers, no access at all to YouTube, but access to all other sites, which suggests strongly, to me at least, that the problem does not lie with either of the computers, but rather elsewhere.

I am in Chiangmai and have been unable to access YouTube at all today. My browser searches and searches, only to inform me, eventually, that it cannot find the server. I have no trouble accessing any other sites.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Rasseru, and Khun M. Hulot,

Well, we would never speak "bluntly" to such fine young blades as you, but a little "honing," we think is in order here.

There is nothing in the poem that implies the author/viewer is looking at the River, or can see the river. But, of course, you are free to project onto any poem anything you like

best, ~o:37;

Sawadee khrap, k. orang37,

You may speak as directly and honestly to me as you like, whenever you like. I am sorry if my earlier observation offended you in any way, as your message above suggests to me it might have. There was no such intention behind it.

I understand - and understood - perfectly well that, as you point out, there is nothing in your fine poem that implies that the poet is looking at the river or can see it, and I was not projecting anything of the kind, or indeed anything at all.

On the contrary, I just found it odd, and still do, that a specific mention was made in the title of the post to something that seemed to me to have about it an air of significance in relation to the poem but, as I thought about it, at the same time seemed like it could have in fact no relation to the poem or the perspective of the poem. That mention caught my attention, and puzzled me briefly, and on that basis I offered my observation. Again, without any intention of offending.

Best wishes, particularly with regard to your sleep, which I hope is better now than it was a few days ago.

Rasseru

I know you did Rasseru. I was only teasing (and the star comment was directed at Maejo man ). Its normal for me to laugh off any compliments, im never sure how to take them! ..and, nice to see you around.

Goodness gracious, eek! Let me give you a piece of advice. Never laugh off a compliment. Grab every one you are offered and stash it some place safe. They are good things, of which one can never, ever have too many, and one never knows when the supply of fresh ones might run out! : )

That being something like my third post in as many months . . . I hardly think so, Maejo Man. : )

yeah I've noticed that you've been very quiet. Don't be a stranger, drop in for a beer if you are passing

Thanks, MM, will do. Happen to be in Bali now, as my preferred place to escape the heat of April in Chiangmai, but will be back start of May. : )

I think it was very classy and decent of you, eek, to introduce yourself in your new role as you did.

What are you looking for Rass? Brownie points

Arent gold stars the preferred method of gratification in the forum?

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..tnx Rasseru.

You are more than welcome, eek. I mean what I said and said it because I thought it. Have no more interest in gold stars than I do in brownie points. Am a little disappointed - but am used to it and not surprised - that the world seems to think everything is done to get something. : )

I think it was very classy and decent of you, eek, to introduce yourself in your new role as you did.

What are you looking for Rass? Brownie points

That being something like my third post in as many months . . . I hardly think so, Maejo Man. : )

I think it was very classy and decent of you, eek, to introduce yourself in your new role as you did.

Sawasdee khrap, khun orang37,

I do hope you are both doing well, and getting more and better sleep than before.

Viewed from the west bank of the Ping? That seems odd. Lovely poem, though.

Why is that odd? The North or South bank, that would be odd.

(Assume it's a condo on Charoen Prathet Rd.)

Just odd in the sense that if you are watching the sunset behind Doi Suthep from the west bank of the Ping river, the river is not in your field of vision at all, so it would be no different from being anywhere else, that's all.

Viewed from the west bank of the Ping? That seems odd. Lovely poem, though.

. . . So is the IDL and the IDP the same? I understood that an International Driving Licence was only obtainable in Bangkok. I've never heard of an international Driving Permit, but if that's available here in Changers maybe I should get one?

My understanding is that there is no such thing as an international driving license, and that the term is a commonly used misnomer for international driving permit. Whether or not you should get one depends on whether you could use one, which in turn depends on where you plan to travel. An IDP obtained in Thailand is of no use at all in Thailand, only in some other countries. And as I have learned - for the first time, unfortunately - from some of the other postings on this thread, it seems that there are a number of countries that will allow you to use your Thai driving license as is, without any need for an IDP.

I was always under the impression that the IDP was basically a translation of your licence if it wasn't in English. Since the Thai licences are now in English, I didn't think that there was any reason to get an IDP anymore.

First, a minor point. English is not the only 'important' language in the world. An IDP, at least one issued here, provides information about your passport in Thai, English, Spanish, Russian, German, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese and French.

I've used the new licences in the US and Canada without any hassles at all (including renting).

That is both good for you and good to know.

Then again, perhaps other countries require an IDP. It would be good to know which countries require this for reference.

That is exactly the point. It's a country by country matter. In my case, I am going to Bali for a month, and my research taught me that Indonesia will allow me to drive there if I have an IDP together with my Thai driving license.

Out of curiosity, why an International and not Thai ?

It seems you do not understand what an international driving permit is. An IDP is a document that in effect allows you to use in other countries a driving license that you hold in one country. I have a Thai driving license, two actually. I will be going to another country next month, where I will want to be able to drive. By taking the IDP and my Thai driving licenses with me, I will be able to do so.

Thank you, Meadish.

Out of curiosity, how had business been for them of late, if anyone knows?

I post this not to ask how to do it, but to report on my experience for the benefit of others.

I was successful this morning in getting an international driving permit issued to me at the motor vehicle bureau here in Chiangmai. My research before doing it suggested that this was not always possible, or at least not easily, in the past.

I visited the bureau last week and got a list, in English, of the documents required. One was a residence certificate I needed to obtain; the rest I already had.

I obtained the residence certificate yesterday at the immigration office near the airport. Last week I had stopped off to find out what the requirements were and so arrived yesterday with all I needed. A simple and quick process, conducted with courtesy by the official I dealt with.

I arrived at the motor vehicle bureau this morning at around 9:40. I presented the materials to the same desk on the first floor (second floor for users of the American language) as I had obtained the list of requirements last week. The official reviewed and assembled the materials in the order she wanted them to be, completed an application form and had me sign it and all the pages that were copies of other documents. She handed me the package and sent me off to get a number to wait to be called by another desk. I waited about ten minutes for my turn. I presented the application and paid the fee. I was told the IDP would be ready in an hour at the first desk. In fact, it was ready, and I was called, in about ten minutes.

A very easy and trouble-free process.

I recommend Neo Entertainment in Airport Plaza, but think that in doing so I am repeating, with the addition of the name of the shop, one of the earlier recommendations.