FolkGuitar

I don't know if it's the same women you are speaking of, but in the small soi behind the old Montri, (Ratchadamnoen Soi 1) the woman there made three shirts for me last week. She's been in that same shop for as long as I can remember, and doing the same great work!

Nancy was a wonderfully caring person, always willing to lend a hand to those in need, and a great help to many elderly ex-pats here in Chiang Mai. She will be missed. R.I.P. Nancy. Roger, my deepest condolences.

It's either Dr. Sopa or Dr.Vannee. At the time I was introduced, my hearing aids were busted, and I'm not sure which is which. But it is the older woman, not the younger man that you want to have examine you.

Personally, I prefer bi-focals for motorcycle riding. Even the very best vari-focal lens have blurred peripheral image, with sharp and clear just a narrow strip down the lower middle. The width of that strip depends on the price of the lens, but even with the most expensive, there is still blurred peripheral vision in 2/3 of the lens. When I'm driving, I want as much of my peripheral vision to be sharp and clear as possible.

Prior to the Pandemic, the Chiang Dao Tuesday Market was was an interesting way to spend a morning. Anyone here living in Chiang Dao, or pass through recently on a Tuesday? Is that huge Tuesday morning market running again? Thanks!

Sad when a such a young person dies on the roads, but not unexpected. In fact, I'm surprised we don't see more injured food delivery riders, based on the way they seem to need to cut inside of turning vehicles, weave in and out of traffic at high speeds, and make right turns from the left-hand lane. These riders are trying to make a living, but often doing it at the expense of the safety of others on the roads. In this case, the rider paid his own way. R.I.P.

Does anyone still buy printers that need replaceable ink cartridges? Most printers I've seen being sold here in Chiang Mai have either internal or external bulk tanks. I print every day, only add new ink once or twice a year from bulk bottles that cost relatively nothing, even when compared with a single cartridge.

Now everyone, not just Elites, can be fast-tracked at Chiang Mai Immigration. We've used the appointment system a couple of times, and find it very effective. No complaints.

Make an appointment online. That way, you can be in and out in less than an hour, and you can pick your own date and time. The system works very smoothly.

If used in hospitals, there are three+ hospital/clinic supply stores in Chiang Mai, and several pool supply places that sell more than just pool chemicals. 'Pool World' on Mahidol Rd carries a LOT of other chemical supplies. 'Union Science' on Suthep Rd. is the biggest hospital supply shop, as far as I know, and there is another smaller shop a few blocks east of Union Science, and another fairly large place on Sri Poom Rd west of Chiang Puak Rd.

I hope this change will make the Miss Universe contest a bit more unbiased, and they allow in a wider range of contestants. Each year and every year that the contest has been held so far, the title has been won by someone from Earth!

The only Zen you find at the top of the mountain is the Zen you bring up with you.

Here... hold my beer!

Applied for mine today. Took all of 10 minutes, that long only because I had to fill out two application forms. Very speedy these days!

How's that working for you INSIDE the supermarket or department store? Places where it is most common for people to ask staff for the location of an item? Personally, I can use a printed map. I can use GoogleMap. But neither does me no good inside Warrarot Market, or any other large shopping venue, places where unless you shop there often, and not wanting to spend the extra time hunting around until you stumble upon your desired object, you're going to ask for directions... and usually get that vague wave of a hand indicating 45 degrees of compass arc... or bored look to go with the 'finished' comment.

Chiang Dao Tuesday morning market had a couple of stalls selling local tobacco by the kilo. One fellow was set up just next to the bus station.

Thanks! I've found that most hearing aid clinics only charge 400-500 Baht for an audiogram. Oddly enough, every audiogram that I've had in hearing aid clinics include a 'Signal-to-Noise Loss Ratio' test, which measure one's ability to hear spoken words clearly in various levels of background noise. This is a VERY important test when adjusting hearing aids for a user. This test was not done by Bangkok Hospital. Not as thorough an audiogram, as it turns out, that I actually needed. Fortunately, I had the results from the one done in a hearing aid clinic that I was able to send to my company.

This is especially the case with an audiogram. The test is totally non-invasive, nothing put in-nothing taken out. In fact, all you do is listen to beep tones or speaking in background noise in a pair of ordinary headphones and press a button. That's it. Out pops a piece of paper with your audiogram. And that is all I needed. If it IS legal to do so, and we are NOT required to have a doctor's prescription to get an audiogram in a hearing aid store, with possibly no medically-trained people involved, and we do know that it is... ...then 'requiring' a doctor's exam first, then more audiological tests than had been asked for, followed by another doctor's consult afterwards, and being charged for them despite being told that these were not wanted or needed is nothing more than the hospital covering its a$$ and padding the bill with unwanted and unneeded tests. Hey, if someone wants a doctor's consult and a more complete audiological examination, then this is great. But only if you need all of it.

Samui was great, back in the early '90s, as a place to spend a night or two before moving on to Koh Tao for a few months of quiet tranquility. Not any longer.

I eat lunch in the Old City or around town every day. I am seeing more and more tourists walking around the city than in the past 2-3 years, but it's not nearly at the pre-Covid level. The restaurants in which I eat have fewer than half their tables filled mid-week at lunchtime. Weekends are a bit busier, but other than traffic, which has already become a problem, Chiang Mai has a long way to go. I do see progress, but there is still work to be done. New restaurants and guest house/hotels are opening every week, and the feeling is positive. Agoda and Booking,com are telling us that most hotels and guest houses only have one or two rooms available, but I don't see the people yet.

Then are they really Audiologists? Or are they just people working in Hearing Aid stores as audiological technicians?

You're correct. I am on a crusade to eliminate unneeded medical tests. This is a serious problem all over the world these days. People have been brainwashed into believing that they need mommy or daddy to tell them what's best for them. In some modern countries, it's even the common practice to go to see a doctor in a hospital when one has a headache or the common cold! (Usual procedure in Japan.) Regarding the fellow who administered your audiogram, if he did NOT have a tertiary degree in Audiology, then he wasn't an 'audiologist.' He was a Audiological Technician. Your punctured eardrum required the services of a medical doctor. My needing a piece of paper did not. It just required an audiologist... or even an audiological technician. No interpretation needed or wanted. I had other 'experts' that I trusted more who would do that when they received the paper. The doctor's consult and the tympanogram test were just padding the bill.

Exercising in a park shirtless? Certainly. Just put it back on when you're done. Don't walk around town without a shirt. Fact is, the police 'can' hassle you about it. All too many young backpack tourists think that because it was the norm on Koh Phangan or Koh Tao that it's OK to walk around half naked in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, often with a bottle of beer in each hand. Ask yourself the question; would that be acceptable behavior in your home city?

When we renewed our 1-yr visas two months ago, we made an appointment. We showed up 20-30 minutes before time, had our papers checked in the tent, then went inside and stood on line behind 2-3 people at the counter who did NOT have appointments. They were given queue numbers and told to sit. They did NOT leave their paperwork at the counter. We did. We gave in out paperwork and were told to sit... no queue number given. About 15 minutes later our names were called for photos. Ten minutes after that, our names were called again and we were given our passports. The walk-ins who were ahead of us on line at the counter had still not handed in documents or talked with an Imm officer.

There is no reason why a 78yr old man, if properly trained and in good physical condition should refrain from any activities treated respectfully. I'm 75. I have no difficulties with paragliding, other than getting tired sooner than my younger companions. The family that flies together, ties together! (My wife and I flying one afternoon in Japan.)