Old Curmudgeon

New possibility for the caption: I like to surround myself with intelligent people.

This thread is about what you and I can do -- starting right now -- to make this forum more pleasant and more useful. Can do individually, on our own, without any collective agreements or permissions. I started following this forum more than 20 years ago, so I have earned the privilege of using the TV designation (from the original name, "Thai Visa".) Even 20 years ago, the level of monkey chatter here was high. But since then, the noise level has gotten so high, that it drowns out any useful signal. That noise, of course, is from trolls. I say there's no need to moan and complain about trolls here. That won't accomplish anything. But when trolls attack -- as they always do -- there are three things you CAN do: #1 - Ignore User: Just 5 clicks and that troll disappears from your screen forever. Not just on one thread, but on ALL threads, everywhere. Gone! A very powerful feature of the software behind this forum. Some trolls will think, "Okay, OldCurmudgeon, you ignore me; I'll ignore you!" And that is exactly the effect I want. Better for me. Better for everyone if the trolls just wash out with the tide. #2 - Report Post: This feature sends an immediate message to the people behind the scenes who keep this forum running. I'm certainly not going to use proper name for them here, but you know who I mean. They usually remove reported posts. But that removal affects only one post on one thread and is not a long-range or wide-range solution to trolls. I use the Report Post function clean up threads I start, but you can use it to clean up any troll posts, anywhere. Does not have to be on your threads. #3 -- Start private message (PM) topics. PMs are a very powerful, but little used, feature of this forum software. Can be 1:1, but also can have group conversations in PMs. Your own private, hidden, forum. Trolls cannot interfere in PM conversations ... impossible. That's a start to my thoughts on this topic. Is there anything I've missed that would help?? Thoughtful comments welcome, either below or (of course) in a private message. -- Old Curmudgeon Chiang Mai

Thank you @Keeps for following and remembering every little detail of @Old Curmudgeon's posting history on this forum. I certainly won't take it as an insult, but if you think Old Curmudgeon can't figure out how to arrange a takeaway, maybe you should read those details a bit more carefully. Now, please, back to the topic: fish and chips, really top-notch fish and chips. And, yes, delivery would be a bonus. [Please excuse me for a moment while I add a new name to my ignore list.]

@Marin points out that my OP wasn't clear about price. I'm not asking for fish & chips at 100 baht ... nooo! What I should have said is, I don't care what is the price: 400-500-600 whatever.

Thanks, @Keeps. That sounds worth a try. Do you know if they deliver? Oh, and OMG's menu -- as it appears on Trip Advisor -- says something like, "oven baked cod". Oven baked is not fish & chips. Maybe tasty, but a different menu. And warning: if fish says only, "cod" that is a slippery lie referring to the fish known as "Pacific cod". Different fish than Atlantic cod. Happens in the seafood business a lot. Change the name of a cheap fish; sell at a higher price like a better fish. I warned in the opening post about food inflation.

Thanks, anyway, @Mahseer. I've had Norden's halibut with mash. Very tasty, indeed. BUT ... it is not fish & chips style, and not Atlantic cod ... which is the topic here.

Fascinating comment: "cherry-pick" the rules. I'm wanting to know more. @Jaggg88 perhaps you'll start a thread with some provocative comments on that topic.

Good catch, @HappyExpat57: It is AI clickbait. The writing style, word choice and manner of expression of the original post does not match the general run of posts from @SoCal1990. The original post brings up some good points, and explains clearly. So, yes, it is helpful. But it is AI talking, not real personal experience. If this forum ever appoints a "dog catcher" for "catching" AI posters, I'll nominate HappyExpat57 for the position. And now I'm going to add SoCal1990 to my ignore list. He seems to have some good ideas in his posts here, but anyone who hides behind AI without admitting it is AI, I simply don't want to read anything he offers.

Is there still any place for good fish & chips in Chiang Mai? Really good, not just ordinary. Inflation is ruining food quality (everywhere, not just here). Finding a good piece of Atlantic Cod, cooked just-right-crispy, not oily, is no longer easy. Is it possible?? For really nice fried fish, price doesn't matter ... I don't care 100 baht more or less. Oh, and delivery, too. Central Chiang Mai so contested that it's not worth going in person to restaurants located there. Far more pleasant to order delivery. The question is where to order? If Norden restaurant offered fish & chips, that would be ideal. They know how to cook fish (and they do deliver). But Norden's menu on Trip Advisor does not show any fish & chips. (Maybe they do, but I missed it.) Other recommendations, please.

May I put a finer point on that ... Makro here is Thailand is a Chinese-Thai imitation of Costco. And we have plenty of experience seeing where that leads. ("Chinese-Thai" means Thailand born, Thai name, Thai national ID, Thai language, but Chinese thinking.) So my answer to the OP question is this: Costco management very likely watched as Carrefour and then Tesco-Lotus were sunk in Thailand. Not wanting to put their precious capital at such a high risk, they are staying away.

Agree 100%.

Yep!

Predictions, please, how long this tax silliness will go on until Thai bureaucrats finally realize that smart farang are finding ways around all those new regulations.

Obviously right in the middle of the mainstream. Expect a fight to the bitter end to defend his position, his reputation, his income. Oh! Just noticed: a government employee, too. ("Veterans Affairs".) Going to be a vicious, vicious fight to protect all that.

Well said, @mokwit

Very interesting comments, @GinBoy2. Would make a lively discussion thread. Would you like to start a new topic along those lines? [If you don't, I'll do it, with credit to your post above].

Thank you, @still kicking, for bringing up this topic, because I had no idea that many/most posters are NOT in Thailand (or regular, frequent visitors like the off-shore men). That explains why so much monkey chatter noise here. So many posters just don't have first-hand experience or any recent experience on topics related to expat living. So why do they pollute the forum with endless silly comments? My own "ignore user" list has hundreds of user names, and still growing. Shouldn't be like that, but it is like that. It's the only way I know to stay focused on topics that are relevant to expat living in Thailand. Well, this topic has helped me to understand a bit more than before.

For excellent French Toast, try the new Route 66 Diner, East of town. I've ordered it twice in recent months. First time was very good: down-home style, not hi-so restaurant fancy. But second time was not very good. I'd bet they brought in a temp cook or something like that. Still, worth a try to see if they can return to the original standard. Has occurred to me to bring my own bottle of maple syrup. Waitrose brand from TOPS Food Hall. But I haven't done that yet: don't want to get mobbed by my fellow American breakfast eaters.

Exactly the same for me as described above by @liddelljohn. Used to be one of my favorite restaurants. But, for whatever reasons, didn't eat there for several years. Then recently ordered for delivery ... and "boom!!" ... like a totally different restaurant. Much lower food quality. Only the logo stayed the same. Service charge or no service charge, I won't be going back to that Fuji place. (Unless the Japanese come back and take it over again.)

Not bad for a opening post created out of thin-air by an AI bot. But I say: Nonsense! I'm over 80 so speak from first-hand experience. So many interesting things to do every day, the challenge is what to select and what to pass by. Sure, move a little slower than age 60-50-40, but still move and do interesting & enjoyable things every day. No reason to search for "entertainment" such as watching waves at the beach. And with unlimited good books to read, I don't expect to get to any boredom stage for about another 80 years or so. Check back with me then.

Source: https://gab.com/TheOutlawJoseyWales

Even if it is sponsored, very useful post with helpful, specific details.

Those sausage rolls from Sloan's are worth mentioning on any topic !! The pastry (bread) is light texture, tasty and just-right crispy. My favorite, too. Thank you @mickmac for thinking to add it on this threadd.

Valuable summary from (I presume) first-hand experience. Thank you, @Foxx for taking your time to write and post.