Rasseru

they made him do pushups? that's surreal.

Particularly with the air the way it is.

perhaps it's the latest public interest initiative launched by the CM constabulary. . . . . this new project could be borne of their concern for general public fitness.

Either that, or a clever way to impose capital punishment by causing lung cancer.

Nothing yet, but I am about to buy an air purification system for my home, and am looking into effective masks to wear out of doors.

they made him do pushups? that's surreal.

Particularly with the air the way it is.

Next you'll be telling us your country is a continent and not an island

Oh, the shame of it, to have one's country be a mere island.

It's oft been said by people who are usually trying to make a point about the perceived excesses of expats spending habits that they could get by without difficulty on a mere pittance if only they "lived like the Thais" or lived a "Thai Lifestyle". . . . .

What does "living a Thai Lifestyle" mean to you?

I must assume that people who use the term in that sense mean, among other things, living life without wine.

NEVER use UPS or FedEx, etc. to receive items in Thailand unless money is not an issue for you. You will end up paying duty.

I understand that much of the time you will be paying tea money, not duty.

Yes, English is amazing. Through the deft use of a few carefully chosen words, the OP was even able to give the impression that his topic had a connection of some kind with Chiangmai.

Thanks for both suggestions.

By googling, I found a place called Kensington, which offers many property- and housing-related services, including landscaping and garden design. If anyone has any experience with these people, in any area, I would appreciate your thoughts about them.

I only want to stress that this a legal, above board establishment and NOT a sex massage parlour.

"Happy" Massage. Rethink your topic.

That's a pretty dumb response.

Thanks for that, BB. Wouldn't have known otherwise what to think about that post.

I am looking for a person or company in Chiangmai to help me, preferably in English or Japanese, with designing and setting up a garden. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks for posting. It's about time people started paying attention to the problem of poor air quality in Chiangmai.

It may not directly relevant, but I have had some 20 or 30 hard-cover books sent to me in Chiangmai from England by ordinary post, all with values included in the invoices (some of which were quite substantial). None has ever gone missing. I was once charged a small duty on one volume (which was a mistake, I believe, but one more easily dealt with by simply paying it).

My impression is that Ajarn does not suffer fools lightly, but I have seen him agree with other posters any number of times. He might even agree with this one.

No, I don't suffer fools lightly at all . . .

There, you see? He's saying no, but he means yes, to my post!

You really are a strange character Ajarn! Why are you always at loggerheads with what people post? It's almost as if you're looking for a virtual fight sometimes: angry: Try to be nice, and maybe even agree with some posters, sometimes?

My impression is that Ajarn does not suffer fools lightly, but I have seen him agree with other posters any number of times. He might even agree with this one.

Well, in my experience, most bikers don't have insurance, and if they have an accident, their 'rights' are respected as anyones.

How would you characterize the breadth of your experience?

For a moment, Ian, I thought you were trying to prove that Lobin's tasteless link was true.

Rass, you can still buy 91 benzene (and 95 as well) at many places here in CM. I run 91 gas in all my bikes.

The widely published plan to eliminate this fuel has been pushed back.

. . . Soooo, will we see you soon on your new Vespa, with raccoon tail flying from a 5 foot aerial whip?

Pushed back is not the same as will never happen. Soooo, as I will want to ride it for a long time as well as a good time, the possibility of your seeing me on my new Vespa still depends on a resolution of my concern about gasohol in Vespa engines.

According to my Thai friends (who aren't som tam ladies), there is a new police chief in Chiang Mai who (and I quote) "doesn't care about money" and is just out to <deleted> with guys riding unregistered bikes.

Cool if true. Even cooler would be if he next does the same to guys driving unregistered cars.

I do not know. I have to talk to Suchart real soon, so I will ask for ya.

Cheers, gdpjohn. No worries about petrol expense or the blue smoke thangy, rather whether the engine will hold up without gaskets being eaten away, and so forth.

These " illegal " bikes come in with invoices detailing the serial numbers of the frame and the engines. If they were stolen then it would show up when they were exported. I dont think its worth any thiefs time to borrow some old big bike, strip it down and then ship it legally to thailand to make a few yen.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061129f3.html

I wonder how many of our pollution crusaders are home with no air-con, working on lessening their carbon footprint?

I side with you on having no air-con, and with those you call 'pollution crusaders' on taking seriously the poor air quality we often have here in March and April.

I live in Chiangmai and want a Vespa, but have a concern that has prevented me from buying one yet. It is, what gasohol will do to a Vespa's engine. Anyone know? Gdpjohn, mild7even, Greenside or anyone else, have you spoken with the owner of Suchart about this?

It has started in Chiang Mai. No plates? No invoice? Lose your bike.

Good if true.

Agreed!

Why should some (albeit the majority) register and pay the taxes and others get away with not paying.

On top of which, allowing unregistered big bikes on the roads here is an important contributing factor behind the theft of big bikes in Japan (and possibly elsewhere) that are then imported into Thailand as parts and reassembled for sale here. As one who lived in Japan and rode big bikes there and who still has many friends there who do the same, I would be very glad to learn that steps are being taken here that will result in fewer bikes being stolen there.

It has started in Chiang Mai. No plates? No invoice? Lose your bike.

Good if true.

Officer O'Malley how many amelikans fit on a wespa??

Good one. Americans, of course, don't fit on Vespas.