Meggie Mae

I live in Chiang Mai. My initial 2-year motorcycle license expired last April. I assume from your comments above that I have a year's grace period to renew without having to take the written or road test again. If that is correct, can you advise on what documents I'd need to have copies of when renewing the license at the Land Transportation office?  Thank you.

Hi Robbie, I recommend you contact our friend Sasi at SabaiTour.com for recommendations and tips. She's super knowledgeable, speaks excellent English, and is not out to rip anyone off. Her office is conveniently located across from Wat Phra Singh (a must see) on Rachadamnoen Road, next to the 7-11. She's there every day (now selling fruit shakes and my homemade brownies & banana nut bread), so feel free to drop in for advice/pointers on what to see, where to eat and/or stay, what to avoid. She can arrange reliable drivers, tour guides, etc. An honest and altogether pleasant person to know. Tell her Karen & Norman recommended her. Chok dii!

If I want to make a "quick" red curry, I get a packet of pre-made curry by either Lobo or Kanokwan brand. Then brown 1-inch chunks of beef in a bit of canola (not palm) oil, add curry paste until the meat is covered, and about 240 ml of coconut milk (lo-fat versions of the latter are also available). while this is simmering, I cut "Japanese" eggplant (the long, purple ones) into 1-inch slices and sprinkle with table salt, to get the bitterness of the eggplant out. Then add about 240 ml of water to the pot. Sponge off the salt from the eggplant and add that. you can add additional chili and naam pla to taste. I'm a farang and don't have a problem buying pre-prep'ed curry pastes; they've generally been reliable and I find I can customize them to taste.

Hello, and thank you for your response. My goal for the moment is to clean up this area, mainly to get rid of the weeds (which, as mentioned, have been cut close to the ground but are now--absent any rain--brown, dry and unsightly). Ideally, I'd have some low-growing, grass-like plant there so at least the area looks green and tidier.  With our permission, our neighbor planted a couple of dozen banana plants last year, many of which didn't really take hold. The remaining ones that are starting to get bigger can stay. I don't really intend for the land to be revenue-producing, nor do we intend to build on it. It's a nice expanse that extends to her land, separated by a now-defunct (gov't) irrigation ditch, with views of the hills in the background.  We'll continue to pay her to maintain the land.  Meanwhile, WE will pay to have the area tilled, leveled, and if necessary, planted with something low-growing and green.

Have often used my U.S. bank debit card to pay at Rimping, and have never been asked for a PIN. The cashier probably was asking for your Member Card #.  If you don't have a physical member card, just give your phone number if you ever applied for a member card.  Since I can never remember my phone number, I taped it to the back of my phone.  If you don't have a member card and want one, just go to the customer service desk and apply.

Hello, Our property in San Sai includes about one rai of land that formerly was planted with rice by our neighbor.  She gave up on planting once price supports ended and the ditch that used to supply water is no longer usable.  Since then the paddy has become overgrown with weeds--especially Spanish needles. Recently I had her cut these almost to the ground, but expect they'll come back once the rains start. (I recognize that butterflies and honeybees LOVE this weed, but there's enough of it on my neighbors' properties to support tons of butterflies and bees, trust me...) I've read that glucosate will kill Spanish needles, but don't want to poison the soil so that other, more manageable, lower-growing and attractive plants can grow. Have thought about hiring someone to come in and plough the soil, smooth it out, and perhaps add some topsoil. Then maybe plant some kind of grass.  The area gets full sun and could be watered from our well when it's not raining.  

Any comments or ideas?

My husband (on an O-A) just went to Immigration in Chiang Mai, which has a drive-thru service (he was on his motorbike). Only took a couple of minutes.

Hello, My 2-year Thai mororcycle license expired on April 10, 2020, by which time the Transportation Office was already closed. Any idea if this office is open now, and whether they'll allow any kind of grace period due to COVID? Will I have to repeat the whole process again, i.e. sit thru lecture, take written test, do practical test and sit in waiting room for photo and new license issuance?  Thanks for any info!