madcatlady

I'm just impressed that people knew what it was when they found it on the beach.

MCL

As others have said before, my deepest sympathies go out to the families of the victims.

Whenever I travel from CM - BKK - CM I take the train. This tragic accident will not change that for me. I truly feel that it's the safest (and most economicial) option.

The large number of motorbike accidents don't put me off riding my motorbike either. It's just the way life is...

Very sad. RIP.

MCL

I agree with all of the above! Although Central are getting better at bra sizes and styles. They are expensive though. And undies/ knickers/panties are an essential to bring with you as the selection here is dreadful! I get my undies sent over here from Australia!!!

I found that when I first came here, I dressed in a more touristy fashion and usually had bare shoulders and thighs. The longer I've stayed, the longer my sleeves and shorts have become. (I've been here almost 6 years now!) Partly because I became more aware of local culture and didn't want to offend people. I also found I got more respect from Thai people if I dressed appropriately. Partly because I didn't want to stick out as a tourist any more! But mainly because I don't want to get cancer, or spend a fortune on sunscreen. Yes, I am now one of those crazy people that wears a jacket when riding a motorbike, even on the hottest days!!!

And congratulations on choosing Chiang Mai - it's a great city!

MCL

There is an excellent clinic that specialises in women's health called Kullapat Clinic. I've been there for Pap smears, and regular checkups too. All of the doctors there come from Sri Pat Hospital. It's off the Superhighway near Wat Jed Yod. They work from 5pm on weeknights and all day at weekends. They also have a website -

www.kullapat.com

Alternatively, the OB-GYN dept of any hospital can do the testing for you. Sri Pat is probably the best and not too expensive. I have a friend who goes to Lanna and raves about it but it's one of the more expensive hospitals.

Finally, I can recommend the doctor at Loy Kroh Clinic, Loy Kroh Rd, opposite the temple. They can organise all sorts of blood tests so STD testing would be no problem there. The wait to see the doctor can be quite long though.

As for your Thai friends, I suspect they may be telling you the truth. None of my Thai friends get tested, and wouldn't unless they suspected there was a specific problem. The idea of regular testing for STDs would mean admitting that they were sexually active with several partners. And a good Thai girl would never do that!

Good luck!

MCL

I've been living in my village for nearly three years now and most of the time I love it.

I do get annoyed by the rubbish that seems to get burned as soon as I put my washing out! Or the truck with the speakers in the back blasting out ads for termite powder at 6 a.m. But I don't even notice the village p.a. announcements any more and the chorus of chickens, frogs, and really loud cicadas have just become a part of the background noise. When I have visitors stay with me they laugh at the idea of the 'quiet countryside' in Thailand though!

I've always made a conscious effort to be involved with village life, and am known by name by every little shopkeeper. We attend housewarming ceremonies, put money in envelopes at funerals, and go to temple festivals. I feel lucky that my (Thai) husband has a lot of family nearby as they are all very supportive of me, especially when he has to go away for work. I've had neighbours help me deal with snakes in the house, a second cousin helped me bury my dead cat, an uncle chopped down a tree that was dangerously close to uprooting after a storm, and people often drop off bowls of food and bags of fruit. I'm newly pregnant and the local women have been fantastic.

I would agree with other posters who have said that a hobby is essential. I tutor part-time (on the sly), ride my bicycle up to the local dam on a regular basis, and study Thai. I also live close enough to the city (Chiang Mai) to go in for an occasional meal at a western restaurant. But I live far enough away to feel like I'm living a more rural life.

And I'm a London girl born and bred. I never thought I'd even consider village life but I truly appreciate it now.

MCL

Why does it always have to be on a beach? There are other parts of Thailand, you know!

I did start my travels in Thailand in Krabi but settled in Chiang Mai after falling in love with my trekking guide! Sound cliched? There are many many of us living here in the Rose of the North that were not even remotely looking for romance, let alone love, who decided in the spirit of adventure to go trekking. And fell in love. Or hung out at the local Rasta Bar and fell for a cute local guy with dreads.

Most of my friends who are involved with or married to a Thai guy didn't feel particularly strongly either way about Thai or farang. They just fell for the guy that seemed right for them.

But there is something very lovely about those Thai smiles, and that soft brown skin... oops, sorry. Lost myself there for a moment!

MCL

Here's a website specifically for Chiang Mai vegetarians -

http://www.geocities.com/chiangmaivegetari...taurantseng.htm

And this is the link to the map -

http://www.geocities.com/chiangmaivegetarian/mapeng.htm

We veggies are so lucky to live in Chiang Mai where, it would appear, we have more veggie restaurants per sq. km than anywhere else in Thailand! Happy eating!

MCL

So, another Burger Bar closes ! First it was the Texas place opened across the road from Mike's Original, Thapae.

Now Joe's Jets have skidded !

Looks like it's back to Mike's Original. At least they are still there and always open.

Must mean something.

Maybe the vegetarians are refusing to be converted...

MCL

Jeezus, snakes scorpions centipedes I read about all the time being in people's houses!

We're about to move to a rural area where each of the above are probably more prevalent.

Gotta be sure my life insurance is paid up because I will without a doubt suffer an immediate cardiac arrest the FIRST TIME I come face to face with one of these lovely creatures in my home. Lord God Almighty !!!

Get yourself a cat. Mine does an excellent job of battling the snakes, giant centipedes, scorpions, gorilla-sized spiders, and anything she can get her chops around. Cat's will know when something scary is in the house long before you will. She even hoovers up the roaches and geckos (unfortunately the geckos).

Our cats catch snakes and bring them in still alive to show us! Yesterday we had a squirrel, a snake and a frog brought in all within half an hour! But then we have got 6 cats!

MCL

Are you sure it was because your feet were pointing to the headboard,or was it because your head was pointing to the West? I believe that West is the direction you arelaid to rest in, meaning only the dead sleep with their head in this direction. I had a GF move my bed once after I moved itunder the window because of this. Shesaid under no circumstances would she sleep in a bed facing this direction. The other explanation is Buddha is as thehead, so you should not put your feet there - if it was not related to West.

I don't believe it had anything to do with direction although, she may have failed to explain properly and this may have been the reason. But as I'm aware the head is the most sacred and the feet the dirtiest so would certainly make sense not to do this if you didn't want to offend someone. I don't think all Thais would be cremated, although what you say would make sense, but I did think this was the case with most!

My husband kicked up a total fuss when I wanted to site the bed with the headboard facing west despite the fact that it was the most practical way of using the space. I ignored his protestations for two years but our lack of success in producing a child was constantly referenced back to the position of the bed. Finally, I gave in and we moved the bed so that we are lying south to north. I'm now 8 weeks pregnant! But I'm sure it's a coincidence... or is it?

Anyway, his reasoning was that dead people are laid out with their heads pointing to the west. I know this to be true as his own mother was laid out in this way. And it's not only Thai people that believe that. My Jewish grandmother was laid out in the direction indicated by the rabbi too.

MCL

If it had been serious at the time, would the child's parents not have known?

Are you really that naive? Anyone able to abuse a child is also able to scare that child enough into keeping their dirty little secret. Maybe the victim was too ashamed. Maybe he thought no-one would believe his word against a so-called pillar of the community.

But then, we will never know the truth as it will never go to trial.

MCL

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhh! No, not my reaction to the news but my reaction to those TV members who immediately jump on this as an excuse to yet again bash Thailand, its government, its workers, transport system etc etc etc.

For the record, I love the train and always take the 2nd class sleeper from Chiang Mai to BKK and back again. Safer than the bus by far. Lovely friendly staff, a proper clean bed to sleep on, and lots of smiley sellers at various stations along the way. Wouldn't travel any other way.

And I totally support the SRT too.

MCL

The truth is in the middle....to obtain a driving license in Europe is an overpriced, overregulated business. Here it is just not enough.

What puzzled me is the fact, that you can ride any bike with one license. So you pass the test on you Mio Automatic and can immediately ride a Big Bike. At least there should be some kind of age limit or you should be only allowed to drive a big bike after you hold the license for a certain period.

Anyway TiT

It's the same for cars here. I passed my test driving a little automatic Honda City and noticed on the back of my shiny new Thai driving license that I was now legally allowed to drive a minibus! Worrying, eh?!?

So sad to hear about these two young guys but they knew the risks. Maybe it was questionable that they were able to hire such a big bike in the first place but no-one forced them to get p*ssed or ride around without helmets.

My condolences to the family...

MCL

I also don't see farang women with Thai men.

Is it fair to say that it is practically impossible for a Caucasian woman to find a nice Thai man who is seriously seeking a relationship (despite the fact that the Thais are obsessed with white skin). I often read that Thai men aren't the best spouses in the world anyway. So girls, how many of you have found real love in Thailand (with short or tall men) and are not supporting your Thai men and their families financially?

Actually Tulipgirl I originally thought there weren't many foreign woman/Thai man partnerships out there either. But in the course of of my work now I come across couples regularly. And mostly they are long-term-married-with-kids so they are not 19 year old bar boy/backpacker couples. They are out there, living their lives in the suburbs like everyone else.

I'm one who found a fabulous, mid-30s, single Thai man & we are now happily married. I don't send money to his parents but do occasionally pay for things. I also occasionally send money to my own mother back home. Why should anyone begrudge me the right to spend my salary as I see fit?

Oh...and he's taller than me by a smidge

Hear hear! Me too!!!

I met mine when he was 31. He was a bit rough round the edges at first but has scrubbed up nicely!

We send money to his dad every month - 1000 baht - and so do his 4 other children. It was the only way we could get him to stop working at the age of 74 years old. When we visit, we buy essential stuff for him, and medicine when he needs it. If he needs anything big then we all club together as a family.

I've certainly never been asked to send money for a sick buffalo!

As for my husband, he used to be totally self-supporting but the downturn in the world economy has hit tourism in Chiang Mai very badly. So now he does odd-jobs for friends and is studying Chinese at the community college every day in an attempt to improve his employment prospects. Unlike his tour-guide friends, he is not sitting at the whiskey shop at 10 o'clock in the morning drinking Sangsom!

There may be times when we feel like killing each other but I'm in no doubt whatsoever that I got a good'un!

MCL

It's a good idea to cut down on carbs, especially white rice. It causes your blood sugar to skyrocket and an hour later you're hungry again for more carbs!

Thai spicy salads -som tam, cucumber salad - are usually good, as long as they don't add too much sugar.

You could always try 'gao lao' which is noodle soup but without the noodles. You get all the other bits and the veggies but no noodles. Yummy!

Avoid Phad Thai like the plague! And anything with coconut milk.

If you do weaken and order street food, order any dish 'sai nam mun nit noy' and hopefully they'll cook it with less oil.

Good luck!

MCL

I'm 157 cms (5'2") so am short by Western standards but tall compared to Thais! My husband is 172 cms so I got a tall one, and I like it!

I have a couple of girlfriends who are much taller than their Thai men and neither party cares. The women wear heels without a second thought.

We're all the same lying down (or so I've been told!)...

MCL

People will always stare at what they perceive to be outside the realms of a 'normal' relationship. As to what they're thinking... who knows/cares?

I've been with my Thai husband for 5 years. We are about the same age but from completely different social backgrounds. And he's quite dark and I'm blonde and fair-skinned! We attract looks here because we don't fit into this perceived notion of a relationship. But then we were in London, as multi-racial/cultural a city as you can find, and people stared at us there too!

MCL

Any non-thai children attending an international school is forced to learn the thai language. All of these children have a 1 year, non immigrant visa... in other words, an extended tourist visa. There are many more useful languages to learn in the very limited class time. I can understand immigrants learning the language, but non immigrants being forced to learn thai is unnecessary and a waste of school resources. What do you think?

By the way, I have contacted the school principal about this matter, and he just shrugs his shoulders so I am relocating my family to a more reasonable country.

Are you for real???

You're going to be here for at least 6 months and your kids are at school here yet you still label yourself as a tourist.

I would understand you complaining if you were only going to be here for a matter of weeks but 6 months or more... At least someone in your family should learn Thai. It is the respectful, not to mention practical thing to do. Do you really have no interest in Thai culture? Why are you here then?

And I agree with all of the other posters that point out that learning a language can never be a waste of time (especially if it's the language of the host country). 25 years ago I learned French, Spanish and Latin at school. None of them have been that useful in my life so far but I don't regret learning them.

MCL

So nice to read some positive experiences for a change.

My experiences run along similar lines.

1. Lost my wallet in the city and decided to walk home. Tuktuk driver stopped and insisted on taking me back to my village even though I explained I didn't have any money at home either!

2. Had a puncture on the superhighway but no money. Pushed it to a local village where they fixed the puncture, then let me drive the bike to an ATM and return with the money.

3. Stopped at a shop to buy chillies but they had sold out. A local women took me to her house, gave me a cold drink and picked some chiilies out of her garden to give to me.

I come from London where people generally wouldn't give you the steam off their p*ss!

Now I can't imagine living anywhere else in the world...

MCL

My sympathies go out to the poor woman's family. RIP.

It's such a shame when an incident like this becomes open season for people to slag off Thailand and declare it incredibly dangerous for tourists, especially women. I've lived here for 5 years now and find it no more dangerous than most places in the West, including London, my home town.

I first travelled here alone, starting off in Krabi, and never felt vulnerable. I had just arrived from Sri Lanka and Malaysia, both of which I found far more threatening as a solo woman traveller. Most of the guys were charming but not dangerous.

I live in Chiang Mai now and rarely give safety a thought. It's true that I don't travel alone late at night in certain areas, but that's no different to the way I behaved in London as a resident, or other places as a tourist. I've occasionally heard rohypnol stories but they all seem to involve farang men and bar girls with their eye on a wallet!

I guess you just gotta be careful and take reasobale precautions whoever and wherever you are.

Would be interesting to find out what really happened to this poor woman but that's fairly unlikely...

MCL

My best mate just flew here economy from LHR and raved about Etihad. Said their entertainment system was first class. Food was pretty good too.

MCL

This happened opposite Burger King, at one of the T-Shirt sellers, just before the corner of Khao San Rd...

I popped out to seven around nine last night and saw alot of police and a crowd gathered.... rumour last night was Thai Husband had shot his wife and kid and tourist was hit in crossfire....

Vary sad.

This is crazy! Seems that every day a tourist is killed or dies in Thailand. Making Thailand safe for foreigners, whether from Thais or from foreign gangsters, has got be a priority for this goverment. When people ask me if it is safe to travel to thailand, i have to say it is not safest place. I think travelling to Lao or Cambodia or China is probably safer than Thailand at this point.

I can't agree with you that Cambodia is safer. There are guns everywhere for sale for a few dollars. I was in Phnom Penh when an argument erupted in a busy market place between a flower seller and another local. The guy just took out a gun and shot the flower seller. All in broad daylight.

The Swedish woman was just unlucky. Hope she's doing okay now.

MCL

Sounds good. Plus One! Thanx.

MCL

As far as i know there are 7 vegetarian restaurants in Chiang Mai. Starting from 20B to 35B for rice with 2 different dishes. Typical Thai where you can point out which dish you want. Some of them are quite good and spicy, with sojameat or tofu. They are located far appart and no good parking though. For these prices you can try 4 different dishes/meal and do a trail and error to find what you like the most.

vegetarians rule!

There are so many veggie places in Chiang Mai - we are so lucky!

There is a fabulous vegetarian lunchtime buffet for 80 baht at Khun Chern, Nimmanhaemin Soi 17.

Good Thai food, Salads and sandwiches at Blue Diamond, Moonmuang Soi 9

Excellent Thai food at a small place simply named Thai Vegetarian Restaurant near Wat Prasing on Intrawararot Road.

The best khao soy (IMHO) is to be found at the small corner veggie shop on Sutthep Road just past Wat Suan Dok.

And there's also Pun Pun around the back of Wat Suan Dok which has the most amazing mixed flower salad!

Oh, too many to mention!

My friend has a great website that you should check out...

http://www.geocities.com/chiangmaivegetarian/

Good luck and good eating!!!

MCL

For years now on other websites (particularly the backpacker oriented ones, if not this one) people have reported thefts on private buses.

Why on earth anyone seems to think it is necessary to book a "package" on Khao Saan Road of all places is beyond me.

Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I have never heard of this sort of thing happening on the scheduled Govt run transport system.

So to all those who are new to this country; Thailand is still very safe and relatively crime free but you increase the risk by dealing with some of the "agents" who prey on vulnerable tourists.

Travel on scheduled Thai transport like Thais and I am sure you will have no problems.

A close friend of mine was robbed on a Chiang Mai - Bangkok 'tourist bus' last month and lost 20,000 baht in cash from her backpack that was stowed in the hold under the bus, and a further 2,000 baht from her wallet that was in the bag on her lap. We took her to see the tourist police back in Chiang Mai and they were totally unsurprised at her story. They told us that ALL tourist buses are illegal as they are unregistered and uninsured. They said that they had many similar stories. We asked why they didn't go after the bus operators when they know they are illegal and they told us that the buses are different every time.

I spoke to several tour guide friends of mine about this who said that the police are getting paid off by the bus companies to turn a blind eye. They warned me never to take a 'tourist bus' and recommended the public bus, which rarely (if ever) has a problem like this AND is insured!

They also told me stories of tourists being drugged either through free drinks or some kind of gas in the aircon system. Dunno if this is true but it seems entirely possible.

My friend finally got 10,000 back again after she went to the police station every day for a week. The police declined to comment on what would happen to the tour company or its employers.

Be very careful...

MCL