AjarnP

Normally your Pu Yai Baan (Po Luang) will check and ask how many tiles you need to replace. These are then supplied free by local government. It only applied to standard corrugated cement fibre tiles though and you have to do the labour yourself.

Good luck

Yes Scea. The shop is opposite the main gate of Wat Pra Singh. Wat Pra Singh is in between the main police Stn and Overbrook.

That's interesting because I've been after a pair of scissors for a while.

So coming from the market the Wat is on your right and the shop is on your left?

Best shop where the pros buy their gear is directly opposite Wat Pra Singh near the train library.

They also have a sharpening service for trimmers and scissors.

Those were the days...Sunday mornings under the bonnet with a half set of imperial sized spanners tinkering with who knows what.

Actually though, as Pomchop says it seems crazy to be paying Toyota's premium prices, especially if the vehickle is out of warranty. I wonder too whether there is anywhere where one could buy the genuine bits and have a tinker again? (my knuckles are far too smooth these days, a few new scars would be a change)

Great idea. It certainly makes it all worthwhile when someone asking a question takes a few moments to respond.

where's Huai Khrae?

Generally water is pretty good though some areas have a lot of iron.

The trouble is that here where we are it is very erratic, some days it's good, some days you wouldn't want to wash the car with it. I run all our water through a filter containing media such as carbon, fine sand etc. and then pass drinking water through a Reverse Osmosis (RO) filter. which I plumbed into the kitchen and the ice-maker fridge etc.

Whole set up, excluding the main pressure pump, about THB 10K and worth every stang.

Erwin

PM me your email and I'll send you my travelogue from this trip.

It's very easy to do and great fun

It's really great when an OP asking a question of the numerous sages here in the Rai actually takes the time to say they found what they were looking for and offers thanks for the help.

Thank you OP. You are a welcome addition.

There's a bedding store exactly opposite Makro called Penang Furniture. The software is in the annex that sticks out towards the road on the right-hand side. Egyptian 600 strand cotton it ain't but its pretty good stuff.

I find that teh problem is more related to after sales service and spares availability than initial purchase. Yes, it is possible to catch Homepro on a good day in Chiang Mai and have it carried over here at your cost.

The problem comes much later though when you need that replacement water filter for the ice-maker in the fridge/freezer or ??? This generally applies ot all "major" brands. We had a beautiful Whirlpoool side by side fridge freezer but the only guy in the north qualified to service it lives in Chiang Mai and charges three thousand baht per single visit. Of course that's one visit to find out what's wrong and two more to install the part you have waited for for the last three months. (second visit because he forgot his screwdriver, I kid you not!!!)

IMHO, buy a (much cheaper) LG/Samsung/Hitachi all of which to basically the same job. Not only do they do the same job but invariably they have installed the latest in inverter technology which means that it eats half the power too.

Happy shopping

There's another long(ish) walk is planned by the monk students at Mahachulalongkornrachawittalaya on 10th January.

Around 200 monks and a few also-rans will walk from the Golden Triangle to Wat Phrathat Pha Ngao in Chiang Saen following the riverside pretty much all the way. Departure time is about 08:00 and if history repeats itself, we should get there by about 15:00.

Join if you're up for it.

don't forget the planned railway station and not to mention the continuous convoy of Chinese 18-wheelers thundering through. Make sure where-ever it is, it isn't on any possible route between there and the metropolis of Chiang Rai

Ajarn P, I've got lots of old greasy parts and worn tires. I'm in Chiang Mai. If you ever get down here, you can have them.

Thanks el jefe. I plan to cycle over to your area in February (after CNY) from my home in Chiang Rai. Be great to meet you and relieve you of your old bits and pieces. I can always put them in a box for the Green Bus to carry back.

I'll PM you when I know the dates

Thanks many

AjarnP

Happy New Year folks, Have a great one filled with good health, much wealth, peace and happiness.

Personally, 2012 wasn't a great year but at least the Mayans were wrong though whether or not that is something to be grateful for remains to be seen. GOOD LUCK to all for 2556

I bought my Canondale roadie in UK and bought it back here new. I packed it myself in a proper bike bag and protected all the bits I thought necessary. It arrived reasonably unscathed except for a small bend in the large chainset cog which was easily straightened out. I flew TG and they did not charge me for carriage. Upon arrival I purposefully went through the red channel but was waved through after they determined that it was "only a bike"

That was 2003 though and it is possible nay probable that the system has chenged umpteen times since then. The way I see it, airlines differ in their thinking so it would be best to contact the carryer direct to ask the blunt question.

I still reckon that the Tops Bakery has taken over as the best bread in the Rai. Dusit does make some tasty bread for sure but wrapping it in cling film makes it "sweat" and very soft. Reason given when I asked was..."Thai people don't like hard crusts"

Oh well; there's no accounting for taste I guess

I use Castelli which I buy through Chain Reaction in UK (well Ireland actually) The wicking is pretty good and they manage to keep me pretty cool. I do think that even on a road bike a loose fit is better in this climate too.

My wife and I are decorating a new coffee shop bakery with a cycling/cyclist theme just outside chiang rai city and need all this kind of thing as decorative items.

Don't know where you guys are but if you're close then ?!?!?

Drop me a PM maybe

Thanks

1 Go to the central police station and file a report that You were involved in an accident and were unable to settle as the other vehicle owner had disappeared.

2 Take a copy of this report to your insurance company.

3 file a claim to getvyour car fixed thru your insurer. Assuming there's no no claim bonus lost.

If you don't have an insurance company to handle it, consider going to the Tourist Police first before the regular police. They should have English speakers there, and will write up your version of the incident in both English & Thai and give you copies of the report (ie, what you told them). Then if you feel necessary, take a copy of these reports to the regular police. This eases the potential language problems with the regular police, & is a good start should other negative things develop.

It would amaze you that not many ( probably 10%) of the Tourist Police can speak English. I had to see them about 4 years ago after a good friend had passed away and there were 4 T/Police in the office and they had to get an interpriture to find out what I was there for. I speak very good clear Aussie English.

This is why the Tourist Police now have a group of foriegn (not necessarily farang) volunteers who are able to assist with tanslations. At the last count there are 17 languages covered and I daresay Ozzie Strine is amongst them. If anyone does need assistance, ask to see the volunteer table and contact the volunteer in question directly.

[AND before the flak starts...NO Tourist Police volunteers DO NOT require work permits other volunteer work does though]

Started as a quiet one at home but then what seemed like half the village turned up, one bearing a portable electric organ.

Threw the last couple of drunks out at 1am.

Yeah, we missed you, but you did get a mention in dispatches at one point in the conversation...Merry what's left of Christmas and 'ave an 'appy new year.

1 Go to the central police station and file a report that You were involved in an accident and were unable to settle as the other vehicle owner had disappeared.

2 Take a copy of this report to your insurance company.

3 file a claim to getvyour car fixed thru your insurer. Assuming there's no no claim bonus lost.

I would try through CP. I know they do five day old chicks and think they probably do ducklings too. You might have to order a lot though.

I visited Ripley's "Believe it or not" at Niagara falls once and met the tallest female(lady?) in the world. The wild west was entertained by traveling shows exhibiting strange people with a miscellany of deformations.

People have a strange liking to look at disfigurement. Strange, but true.

Website will cover bicycle tourism and a restaurant catering, as well as normal fare, to the specific nutritional needs of cyclists.