ExPatInChiangMai

Not related to “new” airport. But step one in the project to eliminate traffic signals on outer ring road 121. next will come rebuild of 121/1006 (Bor Sang). Then 106/121 Seraphi. learned all this from YouTube “good life in Chiang Mai”. Very good YouTuber for Chiang mai

Has anyone found something comparable to AAA? Dead battery, out of gas, short distance towing. Always had this coverage in US. Really helps the peace of mind.

I was there Friday night 29th. Very crowded. Amazing laser/water light show. I think scheduled for 7:00 and 8:00. Parking an absolute fiasco. I think I understood their announcement that they will continue through January 21 due to popularity. Can anyone confirm? IMG_5908.mov

Any Vietnamese style barber shops around. Not looking for “extras”, just some attractive eye candy.

Thanks, Degrub. It was so strange to see. A fairly narrow path through different fields while nearby fields not touched. A rare but not unique event.

Maybe nano microburst? 😉. Internet says microbursts cover larger area and wind gusts radiate from center outward. These all lay down in one direction only

On my morning bike ride in Doi Saket (Chiang Mai) I came upon the strangest site. Portions of the rice fields were flattened. Not just one farm, but several different fields. Seemed to be in a general path, so I assume it must be a weather event. We have had some scattered thunderstorms. Notice how the rice is flattened in just one direction—not like a blast in the center with flattening in all directions. has anyone seen this before and have explanation?

Thanks KhunLA. Deco looks like a real possibility. Appreciate your help! ????

I hesitate putting this in the Motorcycle forum knowing the primary focus here is much larger bikes. Anchi and Lulae are these small “e-bike/scooters” battery powered. does anyone have any experience with these type of bikes? My requirements are for low power and not particularly large battery capacity. Considering use for daughter getting around her large university campus. My only additional requirement is that the battery being easily removed for charging in her apartment. No outdoor charging options are available.

Daughter is attending Khon Kaen University International. Sprawling campus and she’s never ridden motorbike before. Does anyone know of motorbike/scooter riding classes? Prefer at least some English. Daughter raised in USA and speaks limited Thai.

I’m so glad we moved next door to the rice paddy

Replying to my test — the 51,000 transfer from Sunday was posted to BKK on Monday as INTERNATIONAL FUNDS TRANSFER. so it appears if you get the message “transfer in seconds” it will be local transfer. In Wise, just play with the amount until you get the message it will take several days.

I have only recently been having this problem with Wise/BKK bank account. For the past year, ALL of my transfers have been identified as "FTT" on the BKK statement. But, for August I transferred 60,000 baht initially and it showed correctly. Then, I subsequently have done two smaller transfers, 6,000 and a 10,000 (to get my total for the month over 65K). Each of these were transferred "in seconds" and neither showed FTT. Today, I'm playing around with Wise transfers. Without actually processing the transfer, I put in various amounts. Everything below 51,000 showed "should arrive in seconds" while greater than 51,000 showed "will deliver Monday" (today is Sunday). My assumption is that for amounts which show "delivered in seconds" are going to marked as "local", whereas if delivery is later, will be FTT. Anyone else able to test this?

Not claiming it is the cheapest but AIS has an international service 003 for 2.5 baht/min for calls to USA. May be cheaper to Australia. they must activate first, then just dial 003 and country and area code and number. just call direct from mobile.

Very easy. Bring photo and TM30 receipt and passport. very quick service. Yes morning only. Pay 500 baht and pick up in the afternoon next day.

I was approaching the deadline for my 2nd 90 day report on my retirement extension. Had moved out of my rental house into house my gf and I built. But, gotcha, house not assigned house number yet so couldn’t register TM30. Took a week of gf’s voodoo and visits to I think 3 local government offices to get house number and address and her blue book. my concern is we were living in the house for over one week and I know TM30 reporting is within 24 hours of stay. So the next day, with dread and pockets of baht for anticipated fines, we head off to immigration. Attempting the trifecta—register TM30, onsite 90 day report (since new address registration) and in preparation for getting drivers license going for Residence Certificate. Here come the surprises: 1) TM30 piece of cake. They have remodeled the office. More room AND air conditioned. The workers were very courteous and helpful. And no mention of fine for late reporting. Total time: 20 min 2) 90 day report: walk next door to copy room to get a copy of my fresh TM30 receipt. No waiting at walk up/drive up window. Bingobango. Done 3) Residence Certificate—firstly I want to explain clearly where you go. You do NOT need to go through outdoor document review. If you enter the office from the front, you will see all the Visa related windows. Ignore these and walk all the way to the right and go up one flight. Or if you are outside you can go in the side door (marked staff only) and go up one flight. There they have a desk sitting in the hallway for Residence Certificates. Total no brainer. Gave her application form (downloaded), another copy of passport and TM30 and recent photo. Expedited service 500 baht. Come back next day to pick it up. Total time at immigration — 40 min now in fairness nothing was Visa related, but still we should give props to the workers. At all offices they were polite and helpful. Even the copying office. next week I will test the Dept of Land Transport. For some reason I’m not so hopeful that process will match ????

I wanted to give a close out report on my daughter. Her Thai mother brought her Thai birth certificate issued by the Thai Consulate in LA. They registered her residence at her Grandma’s house n Bangkok and received her Thai ID. At the same time she got her Thai passport. SAME DAY! (Maybe US State Dept can learn something from Thailand). Went to Thai immigration in Chiang Mai to see how they wanted to deal with her Tourist Visa. Sure enough, as several of you suggested — she must leave Thailand and renter on her Thai passport. So, her aunt will be taking her Mai Sai to exit and return. just a bit more nonsense: if she isn’t able to leave by June 3 (her 60 day depart date), I guess she will have to EXTEND the useless tourist visa in order to have time to depart! if her aunt wasn’t nearby, I’m sure we would have just ignored it. Going forward she is Thai. At least while she’s in Thailand. thanks to everyone for your input and help

There is great nursery out 1317 in Mae On district near road 4042. A bit far but a great drive. I’m not sure about small trees, but they have an amazing collection of large ones

Thank you, KiwiAussie. That is a very interesting article. Since that is treated as an "extension of stay", my assumption is that she would NOT be allowed to work. This may be a means of buying her more time if needed (she has also applied to CM International University) so we another "fall back" option (assuming she is accepted, she can extend based on Education). So, I think we will be safe allowing her stay long enough for the Thai ID and passport solution. Then, it looks like I'll get a Siem Reep and Angkor Wat vacation with her to clear out her USA passport.

I am retired from USA and living in Chiang Mai on an O-visa based on retirement. My daughter has just turned 21 and wishes to move to Thailand to live with me. She has obtained a Tourist Visa and will be arriving in early April using her USA passport. Her mother, my ex-wife, is Thai and is still living in USA. My daughter was born in California. We have begun the process of having my daughter obtain a Thai ID card (based on her mother). The process requires that we obtain a California certified birth certificate and submit the application for a Thai birth certificate through the Los Angeles Thai Consulate. This is in process now. Assuming we jump through all the hoops to get her Thai ID (need Thai Birth Certificate and daughter and mother will appear in Bangkok Foreign Ministry), my question is: What do we need to do about her Tourist Visa? If she obtains her ID before her Visa expires, can we just “ignore” her need to depart? Will that jeopardize her utilizing her USA passport for future trips to Thailand. I understand it will be easier for her future travels to just use her Thai passport (once she has obtained it). But, does anyone know the proper process for her converting her Tourist Visa into Thai residency?