lotus eater

I appreciate the responses.

Why someone would want an audi or vw is obvious and the same reason why anyone would prefer those cars - different people would put a different price on having them over the cheaper, inferior options.

Thanks, Ignis, for the specifics. May I assume the website you cite is the leading - or only established - place to find ads.?

Am I right to assume that the rate of price depreciation is much faster for these foreign models than even the less popular the locally assembled cars, for example the fords or volvos?

I saw the vw gti being marketed at the current motor show.

The vw as a small car with a long track record would suit me very well - I have a run of the mill local workhorse already and will hang on to it. The audi is a whim - but hardly a crazy one.

I would like to buy an audi a4 (or a3) or a volkswagen golf (gti, preferably) second hand if the price of one a few years old and in good condition is within my budget of under 2 million. I'd appreciate any info or advice in this regard. Some questions come my mind (I'm sure there are plenty others to consider):

- do cars like this depreciate from new faster than thai cars, so that my decision to buy 2nd hand makes sense (apart from making them affordable)?

- is my budget realistic?

- where to look out for one?

- given that I have no mechanical know-how, is maintenance and servicing up to scratch in Chiangmai?

- given that official dealers don't offer reconditioned cars with warranties, how to get one reliably checked?

- I'd be glad to know of other issues to bear in mind

I want to buy such a ticket going east. Can anyone recommend an agent which might be good - or even specialize - at this sort of ticket/fare/planning? Preferably one in Chaingmai but in Bangkok is also ok.

At Tesco On Nut the fee was 50 Baht an hour if you parked more than 2 hours when it first opened. I wouldn't recommend trying to park long term as they might whell clamp you (seen this in Carrefour)

A few of the BTS have a park and ride like Morchit and Lad Phrao.

Thanks for that info. Do you have an idea of the prices at Mochit or Ladphrao? (Presumably you know they allow long term parking.)

...

The sound soother is great for sleeping but doesn't help during the day.

You have a contraption that allows you to sleep well. But you want to stop muslims practising their religious rites, which they have done for centuries, with which their thai compatriots have no problem and which last in total barely half an hour a day - because you might want to sit on your balcony for a part of that half hour. And you are a guest in their country.

You have my deepest sympathy.

The OP also said

"...I am Christian, Thailand is Buddhist, why does everyone have to listen to this. It wouldn't be proper for me to stand in front of a Mosque while this is going on and preach Christianity with a PA System."

As has been pointed out Thailand 2nd religion, completely accepted by all thais is islam. Christianity does not have a similar official status, though of course thais are tolerant of all religions, their practices and their places of worship.

Does the OP know that the previous army chief, Sonthi was a muslim, that their past foreign minister and now head of Asean, Surin is a muslim. Such appointments would not happen in America. Whatever America is supposed to be, in practice it's something else. Thailand in practice is infinitely more tolerant than America.

try parking in Bumrungrad for free and shuttle bus to BTS

Is it that simple? I don't have the temperament or time to drive around testing the possibilities, especially as I want to minimize driving in Bkk in the first place.

Anyone know about Tesco Lotus at On Nut? Is it available for overnight and long term parking?

I will be taking my car to Bkk and staying in Sukhumvit soi 10 for about 5 days during which I don't need/want to use it until I leave. Can anyone suggest a place near a BTS station where I can leave my car for the 5 days? The more inexpensive the better. It doesn't have to be near Sukh soi 10, just near a BTS/MRT connexion to Asoke or Nana.

Where is the starting point and what is the route (roughly speaking)?

According to my Dentist (Lanna Dental) in Chiang Mai there is over 100 clinics in Chiang Mai city. So your poll has barely scratched the surface.

Thanks Eek for your recomendation, I showed Dr Attavit your post on TV he was pleased)

Where is this place?

To elaborate.

I have frequently been a few kilos over the 20kg allowance on other airlines and the extra has been overlooked. So while the rule may be universal it is not universally or invariably applied by all airlines. On one occasion that I recall I was some 10 kilos over and the airline charged me for 5 kilos.

In this case I was 5 kilos over and they charged me for all 5. Although I was paying up a hefty 150€ I kept the discussion with the check-in girl and her superiors civil because they insisted it was company policy and they had no discretion. (Another chap at another counter was making a prolonged fuss - to no avail.)

I was emailed prior to my departure with flight details, seat choice. etc and feel that they should have emphasized there that the rule would be strictly applied - this would have given me the choice of removing superfluous stuff at my flat in Paris.

My travel from Paris was barely a week ago.

I recently travelled to Paris and back on Air France and would issue this warning - they will not turn a blind eye to even a gram much less a kilogram of excess luggage weight over the permitted allowance - in my case 20kg in economy class. On my route it was 30€ per kilo. So be prepared to pay or have contingency plans to hand off/chuck superfluous stuff. (A further 10kg are allowed in strictly a single piece of hand luggage.)

A simple if rather general question. Returning from Paris CDG with Air France, would you advize buying standard alcohol (spirits) and scents (standard french brands) at CDG, on the plane or at Suvarnabhumi arrivals? I mean for price - which if similar I prefer to buy at Suvarnabhumi.

If you are still interested in that man who has a shop in the moat, I have his phone number. He still has a factory which keeps the same standard of craftsmanship.

Yes I would be interested. Perhaps you could pm me it and his name. Have you had such work done by him? Can he cope with english on the phone? Presumably I will have to the factory to talk about the specifics and he will need to give directions.

Good to know 2 people before deciding on one. In afact I'd be very interested from a customer of either this man and/or the Lanna Cushion people on an upholstery job.

I will be going there this weekend and would appreciate any recommendations. Any pleasant location in the vicinity will be fine - I will have my car. Wireless internet would be nice but not essential. Most of the time I'll be out of the place - driving, exploring, etc.

I need to get an armchair re-upholstered, and would appreciate info on a top flight shop/man in Chaingmai. There was about a year ago a recommendation to a man working from a shop on the moat (west side, near the coffin shop) but that place seems no longer to be functioning as such. My favourite armchair, which I brought with me from England is now crying out for this service.

Lana Upholstery is the best in CNX.

From the super highway turn down the main road near arcade bus station heading toward the river, turn right at the first set of lights, straight on over the next main road follow straight ahead

about 500 meters on the left in a new building on corner of soi. The charming owner spreaks very good english and prices are very reasonable ..... you may have to wait a bit he is always very busy...... hope you follow my directions if not PM me and ill contact you

Thank you very much. I'll be trying out your directions perhaps tomorrow and will take up your offer to pm if necessary.

I need to get an armchair re-upholstered, and would appreciate info on a top flight shop/man in Chaingmai. There was about a year ago a recommendation to a man working from a shop on the moat (west side, near the coffin shop) but that place seems no longer to be functioning as such. My favourite armchair, which I brought with me from England is now crying out for this service.

Can "Thaksin" now be used as a verb for running to the UK away from bail and criminal litigation?

eg. Giles did a Thaksin.

That seems odd. Is 'favour' being used as a verb in the expression 'to do someone a favour'? What about 'one's best' in 'to do one's best'?

Reckon he's got you there SJ---surely an adverb, but then I was s**t at grammar--see, I didn't go to a grammar school [ sorry, English joke]

Neither verb nor adverb but abstract noun, in grammatical terms; although of course nonexistent in the english language.

Holy crap! PM-10 was recorded at 215 on the 14th and 205 on the 12th. This is beginning to look very much like 2007. We almost have a month worth of PM-10 concentrations above 100. If it wasn't for our house that is currently being completed (and doesn't have a gate yet), we would already be 700 km south. The whole family is coughing and wheezing. I'll order a jumbo pack of N95 rated masks for next year and book a holiday in March. Just too bad that the kids have to go to school until almost the bloody end of this month.

Cheers, CMX

Is this "N95 rated mask" specifically effective for the PM-10 pollution and if so where do you buy them ? Would appreciate that info.

I want to change the plates of my car to Chiangmai (presently they are Nakhorn Ratchasima). Perhaps someone who has done this or knows for sure can tell me the precise docs/paperwork I need to take along to the relevant office.

Many thanks for any help on this.

I moved in November and never told immigration. This week, I did my 90 day reporting and listed the new address. Had no problems.

Also with no demand for proof of new address (rental agreement or other doc)?

..the officer, after a quick referral to a senior, signed the form and gave me the bottom of it. Don't think he'd seen the form before. No proofs, other docs or questions to support the form. So my experience of the procedure was slightly different from yours - at the same CM office.

So, did he or did he not re-set your 90 days?

When I did this at Jomtien they re-set my 90 day clock, which was a small but nice benefit of playing by the rules.

No, he didn't - doubt that that would be possible in the Chiangmai set-up.

It does not hurt to do it, but hardly anyone does.

You mean that most people who change addresses during the 90 day period simply wait for the end of the 90 day period and the normal reporting date? This was my original intention - before the 24 hr rule was brought to my notice.

It would be great if someone with Chiangmai experience came in on the thread with recent experience.

Hi Lotus, You're in luck! I just went to C.Mai Imm. today. I moved from my old apt. into my condo here yesterday. (I did my last 90 day report Dec.30) Thinking I needed to report my new condo addie within 24 hrs,I went to the 90 day window to inquire. I handed my pport and the card with my new condo addie on it to the officer while explaining to her that I was there to report the addie change,having moved just yesterday. With a somewhat puzzled look on her face,she handed the pport and card with new addie to a uniformed senior officer who just happened to be sitting next to her. He then asked me if I had moved "from here,(the addie on my last 90 day stub)to there", ( the new addie on the card). I said yes, he then shook his head ,handed the pport/condo card back to the lady I 1st spoke with, at which time I was told to come back when my next 90 day report is due (late March) and then put the new addie on that report. It didnt even seem like they had any idea about any 24 hour moving rule,or at least they certainly were'nt at all concerned about it, Hope this helps! Harp. 88

This is a quite a coincidence and a bit hilarious too. I went to report the address change one day before you. The chap at the 90 day reporting window (#5 I think) told me to go to the other building near the entrance from the road. There the officer, after a quick referral to a senior, signed the form and gave me the bottom of it. Don't think he'd seen the form before. No proofs, other docs or questions to support the form. So my experience of the procedure was slightly different from yours - at the same CM office. Ah well, it's done.

But thanks for responding.

In the end I did report the change of address rather than simply wait until the next 90 day reporting. The process couldn't have been more perfunctory. Nothing other than the relevant form - no proof of new address or even a glance at my passport requested.

I complained that my recently installed 2 meg internet was not connecting half the time. Their office says it's because my house is pretty far from the relevant local 'pod' and if I downgrade to the 1 meg service the disconexion problem will go away. They gave me a curious explanation about the flow being smoother over the long distance if not being pushed too fast....

Is this worth trying or rubbish?