krikrik

There's plenty of water in Chang Puak.

The streets still look passable but have not ventured far. The garden has developed a large section suitable for aquatic spots.

Enjoyed the storm last night. Power went off briefly an hour or so ago. Can't believe the internet's still going !

How are others doing ?

Yes, did have some problems yesterday. I have to say that is the first time in a while (a few weeks ) that it's been off for more than short periods.

I was thinking the weather might have been responsible, at least to some extent. The television service (UBC) went out for a few hours last night, too.

How did it go ?

For those without transport, and not wanting to join a commercial tour, what's the best way to do this trip ? Songthaew or hire a taxi for day/half-day ?

Or is the tour group option worth considering ?

Check here, too : http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=75450

Related story :

Aussie sex offender deported from Thailand August 20, 2006 - 6:25PM

An Australian paedophile listed on a child sex offender register is due to be deported from Thailand today, Thai immigration officials say.

Paul Thompson, originally from Western Australia, was detained on August 11 on immigration charges while attempting to leave Thailand for Cambodia to renew his Thai visa.

The 56-year-old's name was on an immigration watch list.

A handcuffed Thompson was taken by Thai police to the airport mid-morning today and was due to fly to Perth in the mid-afternoon, the officials said.

Police have said Thompson has a long history of child abuse charges in several countries possibly over many decades.

Thai police also accused him of molesting children in southern Thailand.

Thompson had faced prison in Australia on paedophile charges, but fled to south-east Asia, where he travelled on multiple forged passports.

The Australian Federal Police recently applied for Thompson's passport to be cancelled but the application was only received by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs after he had left Australia.

Thompson had been held since his arrest at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC), the same holding cells as another notorious Australian child sex offender, Bradley Pen Dragon.

Pen Dragon has been held at the IDC since he was released from Klong Prem prison on June 30 after receiving a royal pardon.

He was among 70 foreign prisoners given a general amnesty that also went to thousands of prisoners in Thai jails by Thai King Bhumipol Adulyadej.

Pen Dragon had served 10 years of a 15-year jail term for sex offences dating back to 1993. He was guilty of threatening, beating and raping three girls - one aged 12 and two aged eight.

But so far no family members or associates in Australia have come forward to pay for Pen Dragon's air ticket.

Thompson's departure came just hours before Thai police were to deport a 41-year-old US teacher, John Mark Karr, who was arrested on Thursday over the murder of American child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey 10 years ago.

Karr is expected to leave the immigration detention centre mid-afternoon local time.

AAP

"He was convicted in California of kiddie porn charges in absentia (he skipped out on bail) ... he'll be sent to Cali to serve out his time. They could charge him with extra crimes beyond fleeing prosecution etc etc ... So no matter what happens in Colorado this guy is screwed."

So he has been on the run all this time ? Seems the US authorities were not making much effort to find him.

He doesn't seem to be using a different name.

The school in BKK clearly didn't do much of a background check, either. (And you might think his demeanor alone would have put them off employing him. Perhaps they liked his blue eyes. )

Let's hope this prompts schools to check more thoroughly.

If cleared of the murder in the States, would he not have to return to face any charges here (if he was doing this to escape imprisonment here ?)

If the verdict is not guilty, will he face other charges in the States ? What happens to people who make false confessions ?

Whether the man has anything to do with the murder or not, he is clearly not someone who should be teaching.

"Educators in Alabama, where Karr had studied education and served a teaching internship, said his interaction with children had raised concerns and he told many contradictory stories about himself.

"I did not think he could interact with children or adults .... You never knew what was true and what wasn't," Janice Myhan, a professor of education at the University of North Alabama, said."

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/cracks...13.html?page=2#

So why was he allowed to qualify as a teacher ? Did he teach in the States ? (Edit : seems he did, if info posted above is correct).

R.I.P.

My 3 yr old neice said it was a 'nice place to destress' after a busy day in pre school.

The name is a bit worrying. Tumbletots ...

Interesting. Can't imagine I would be too happy if I were the girl, even if she knows it might be a desirable option in some ways. Even if it is culturally acceptable, a 12 year old girl will have her own dreams. I guess she has to try to blend those somehow with the reality.

Does Thailand have a large number of single men ? If many men have 2 wives, what happens to the other men ? Monks and ladyboys ? Do poorer men have 2 women ?

are you sure they said "Lao Wai"

not "ler wa" ?

it is impolite but (very) common word.

it have nothing to do with foreigner.

Not sure ... just something that sounded like the Chinese "lao wai". It could be just some common word that I noticed only because of the similarity to the Chinese, which foreigners hear constantly around them on the mainland, sometimes accompnaied by pointing & staring.

So, what does "ler wa" mean ? If very common, it may be what I am hearing.

Ok... let me try again ...

Do farangs here notice Thais noticing them very much ? (If you have been to China, you will not need "very much" quantifed.)

If Thai, do you (a) nudge your friend and/or ( whisper "88888" when you spot a farang ?

If yes to (, what word do you use ?

Anyone who has travelled in China will be familiar with the sound of the word "Lao Wai" (Literally - old/respected outsider) rippling around them in waves as they make their way amongst the insiders.

After spending some time in China, I came here and thought I noticed a similar word being used by locals when I appeared. Dismissed it but still think I am hearing it .Just an after-effect of China or is there a similar term used here ?

Thanks, Puwa - very informative.

Our service is still ( *****TOUCH WOOD*****) much better than previously. A team of three technicians visited (finally) and they did appear to have some idea of what they were doing. They told us we had a "noisy line" and possibly did something to help with that. In any case, there has been a (****TOUCH WOOD****) definite improvement since they visited.

The power went out soon after they arrived and we assumed they'd switched it off. When they were leaving, we chased after them to ask them to put it back. They told us they had not turned the power off and drove away. It did take a while to convey the message so it may well have been pure co-incidence but ...who knows ? The power was off in our neighbourhood for an hour or so after.

However, I do advise phoning until the technicians arrive.

Wouldn't it be best to discuss all this with a Thai-based US lawyer ?

Not clear on exactly what you are asking for here. Other people's experiences ?

Hope you can find a good solution for the kid.

Sorry to hear of your father's death.

Whether to attend a funeral or not should be a totally personal decision. If you decide not to go, do not let anyone make you feel guilty about it.

If you go, it may help you along in the grief process. However, depending on you, your beliefs and various other matters, it may not.

Your presence may be helpful to other family members; but that again depends on many factors.

It's up to you how you choose to grieve him.

You could head up in to a mountain at the time of the funeral or sit in a pub.

It's really only between you and your Dad.

It sucks. When working, I never get more then 8 kpbs as download

The connection cut out the instant I made my previous post .

It has been better here overall, though, which it most definitely needed to be if TOT was interested in receiving their payment.

Still looking ...

Thanks for the feedback about TRUE.

TOT has been better here recently (***TOUCH WOOD***). Some technicians did finally visit; whether the improvement was related to this and/or the many hours on the telephone or not I cannot say.

How are other TOT users finding the service lately ?

P.S. Please post more details about the TRUE company, if possible.

I have been wondering about the internet cafes, too. Would one need to give someone a special gift to keep a net cafe business running ?

It seems there's no real interest in a group letter at this point (& some disagreement with the idea) so I will hold off. It is just that my other attempts to get some satisfaction have failed. I have already spent many hours on the phone and waiting around for technicians who never arrive. I have spoken to some people I was told were in management positions in BKK and CM. Renewed efforts in the last few days ... will see if this makes any difference. The person in BKK indicated that customers could dispute the bill if they believed service was unsatisfactory. I would prefer not to need to go to that trouble but would do so to make a point and others might like to consider doing so, too.

The service I am receiving is not just patchy - it is almost non-existent. That is just not acceptable. If we accept the status quo, I am very much afraid it will only become worse.

I absolutely agree that if expats and locals can have a united voice on this, all the better.

Anyway, all ideas welcome. I do think it is important we keep this thread running, for a number of reasons.

Thanks for the comments, earlofw. I was wondering about the face aspect and what intermediate steps might be worth trying before moving on to a complaint in the letters pages.

Would you care to post a quick draft of what you think would be appropriate ?

OK ... have knocked out the letter below :

We are a group of expatriate residents of Chiang Mai, writing to express our disappointment in the internet service provided by TOT.

Despite paying amounts of up to 20,000 (???) baht per month for so-called "unlimited" high speed internet connection, we are frequently able to connect for only very limited periods each day. Sometimes we are unable to connect at all for days at a time. The connection speeds are also far lower than those promised in the packages.

Telephone calls to the customer service centers of the local and Bangkok TOT offices fail to produce explanations or action. We are advised a technician will visit, but in many cases (???)such a person has never materialized.

We wonder why this highly unsatisfactory situation is allowed to continue and if it is experienced throughout the country ?

It's certainly an extraordinarily easy way to make between 500 and 20,000 baht per household or office per month !

Comments welcome.

If you are willing to add your name, send a PM. I will send it to BKK Post and CM Mail but as a "names and addresses supplied" deal.

So, what if we put together a simple letter to be signed by a number of us here (Concerned Customers, Names & Addresses Supplied ) in Chiang Mai and send it to BKK Post as well as Chiang Mai Mail ?

I will try to type something out and others can offer additions / modifications. (This may take a few days since we all have such intermittent access). It is worth a try.

Something I find very interesting is that if you phone you may find yourself connected soon thereafter - if briefly - and if they ask you to test your settings while on the phone to them it seems to suddenly and mysteriously connect ...