FTB

23 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Facebook has clubs for most car makes.

Thanks.  Yes I've already joined some of the marque specific FB groups.  Decent for pictures of the cars and vehicles for sale.  I was just looking for more tech, sources for services, parts, knowledge etc.  Thanks for the tip.

On 2/7/2020 at 8:36 PM, Kwasaki said:

Plenty about but expensive, just google it.

Not sure if I'm misunderstanding.  There is plenty of what about?  If you are referencing sportscars, I acknowledged the expense in my initial post.  That's was not my question but was actually looking for like minded enthusiasts in Thailand on-line.  If there are sportscar clubs about and they are expensive and they are on Google can you let me know as I found naught.

Cheers

Greetings - I've been in Thailand more than 12 years mow and have enjoyed myself immensely riding motorcycles on and offroad.  I'm looking at sport cars (yes I know the usual challenges: cost, spare parts, etc.) to add something new for me over here.  All the years of riding motorcycles in the north of Thailand I have never come across groups of drivers enjoying the twisting roads like I have with the many motorcyclists I come upon.  Motorcyclists over here have a plethora of websites, Facebook groups etc to garner contacts, make friends, talk about bikes and modifications etc.  Not sure if my internet skills are in question but I've not uncovered anything of the like for Sports cars over here.  Anyone have any links or finger pointing?

I understand the barrier to entry with cars but I was hoping there are other enthusiasts somewhere.

Thank you.

Thanks Lite Beer.

However I cannot leave the country without checking in with immigration correct? If this is the case is there any way (extra fee, paperwork etc.) I can pay/file when applying for my Visa extension for retirement that would allow me to simply leave the country within my 90 day stay without having to file paperwork with immigration prior to each trip? Say like a multi entry Non Imm type O allows me.

Can I do that extension of stay for retirement on a tourist visa or does it need to be a Non imm, type O?

I travel extensively and the thought of having to file paperwork with the immigration office before I leave is disconcerting. Is there away to avoid the reporting situation?

Thank you for the explanation.

I would like to obtain a retirement visa in Thaialnd. Can i do this if I am in country on a tourist visa? Assuming of course I have the assets in the bank, am 50 years of age, etc.

I was told my first retirement visa needs to be issued from an outside country. Is this the case?

Thank you.

Ohhhh now that would be just what I need. Off to the accessory shop tomorrow thank you.

So I've got a bed liner installed in my pick-up and when loading motorcycles in and out of the bed the tires slip on the bed liner and create havoc. i'd like to keep the liner to protect the bed but would like to make it a bit grippier. Any thoughts? I'm thinking grip tape, the type used on skateboards but have not seen any for sale. Is there a textured non slip paint I can use?

KaptainRob - As you come down Ciang Moi road from the moat is the shop your describing on the first stop sign (one way street) about 50 meters from Warowat or is it on the one way street that makes a right, along the side of Warowat? There's a fabric store there on the corner, is it farther along the one way road?

Thanks in advance.

Dante - The Fabric store on the corner mentioned above has webbing in bulk of various widths.

On the search for Cam buckles. I know Chiang Mai has cheap ratchet straps in various locations but has anyone seen these type of specific straps anywhere? Desirous of high quality if possible.

Just hoping someone can point me in the right direction before committing to coming down to the city. Thanks all.

There is a place on the left side of HWY 108 between Hang Dong Marlet and Sanpatong he some really great works of art . I usually take people there when they come visit .... Its all large wood carvings ...

Thank you. Are there any landmarks close by to narrow down on the location, Google map link, GOS coordinates, etc. Thanks heaps!!

Ok we all know the joys of entertaining friends and relatives from abroad. Usually not too much of an issue. However this time I have a couple that enjoy arts, laquerware, and antiques . This is a topic for which i know nothing about locations and displays. Can those in the know please enlighten me to where I can find decent displays of such goods?

Sadly the only artist i have enjoyed from here is Supachet Bhumakarn and that is it for my insight into the topic.

Thanks in advance.

In Wat Phra Singh in the back where the small ornate temple building is there is a building to the right of it that has a display of photos of old CM...

Olso in the Mae Rim district there is an old house open to the public that was the home of one of King Rama wives (it's behind the Police Station just off the highway)... It has old photos on the wall - The whole place is I great time capsule right down the the front porch that can accommodate Elaphants!... If you go there check out the Wat that you can see to the West just across the khlong... Awesome Naggas at the entry...

Good little tidbit about the pics in the back of Wat Phra Singh. I've been there twice and not seen them. Thank you.

Interestingly the Wat you mention in Mae Rim as one of the wives temples is Wat Dara Prium and was on my list of things to see. However I do not know where her old house is in Mae Rim, and that looks an interesting visit also.

Again thank you everyone for the tips

Have a couple friends visitng from abroad and wanted to take them to some interesting sites outside of the obvious. A friend recommended Boonserm Satrabaapa's display of old Chiang Mai pictures that was a few doors North of the Dukes restaraunt near the Narawat bridge. Sadly I found out today that it is no longer open and no forwarding information available. Are there any other displays/galleries/museums that depict old Siam well in the Chiang Mai area?

Also feel free to chime in with other cultural recommendations.

Cheers.

Some very good tidbits suggested by the posters. Thank you kindly for the recommendations. I've been to most of the recommendations but some of them like the Bangkok Forensic Museum and the Fertility shrine are a perfect twist to include on a BKK exploring junket. Thank you also for the reminder to explore China Town early morning by one poster as I'm sure it takes on a completely different character at those hours.

Jasun - From your perspective was the Siam Narawit show and dinner well done and somewhat educational or horribly kitschy?

AyG - Some great suggestions and you're a savior. I have been to the Aphawa market before and enjoyed the ambience in contrast to the Damnoen Saduak market but for the life of me could not remember the name or location. A round of drinks or meal on me if you're in BKK when I get down there for relieving me of my headache trying to remember the spot.

Like you suggest I shall be exploring some outlying areas to break up Bangkok.

Because the op has lived in CNX he thinks, as many others do, that they are Thai experts when all they really know about is bars and being ripped off!!

My advice to the op is hire a Thai tourist guide for a day or two

Breadbin your summation of my character reeks of generalization and assumptions, a scary cocktail. Sadly my experience with tour guides in this country has me concluding they are next to useless. Their knowledge on the sites visited is limited at best and incorrect at times. In my experiences I've been better served travelling by myself and doing background research online of the locations and sites I'm to visit. This method has for me, far surpassed the experiences I have had with local tour guides, both here and in other Southeast Asian countries. The one exception was a quality guide in Khao Yai National Park However if you know of somebody that could raise the stakes in this arena feel free to PM me his number.

Ok I've lived in CNX for 5 years and now have to play the dreaded tourist guide for family friends (2 ladies) coming to visit BKK for one week. What is beyond the normal Wat Arun, Floating market, Grand Palace, Chinatown, and Jim Thompsons house in terms of interesting sites to see. Are there interesting museums that provide information to learn from outlined on the displays? I can get them to all the normal tourist locations but what I'm hoping the posters here can help me with are interesting sights not normally on the tourist agenda, that will introduce them to the culture a bit. Rural locations are fine.

How about Antique shopping? I know they enjoy that but the only locations I know for antiques are the old gals working Sukhumvit .

Thanks in advance?

That's it, we have a winner!!! Zha Cai it is then. I'll see if I can unearth it at any of the Chinese restaurants or markets but I fear it won't be an easy find.

As the article states the Kimchi fermenting process is similar however Zha Cai tastes nothing like Kimchi. I'll give the pickled mustard greens a try and see if there are any similarities.

Again thank you for the assistance and if anyone has unearthed Zha Cai please post up.

A tip of the hat to you all for weighing in on the subject of "what is this root", .

I just received the following statement regarding the root:

-----------------------------------

Zah-Sai is a pickled (salty) vegetable. Since it's picked, it has crunch/soft texture, which adds much needed flavor to otherwise boring sautéed vegetable dishes. Here is what I found in the internet search. It's pronounced more like, "Zah - Sigh" - the first line below is English translation, and the second line is how it's written in Japanese - katakana and kanji (chinese character)

ザーサイ（搾菜)

--------------------------------

Hoping this new data gives someone some insight as I'm still at a loss.

I've usually had the root in Chinese bean dishes like in the picture above. I'll begin the drum roll in anticipation some new insight, haha.

Again thanks all for the efforts.

The one piece that looks like the root is at the 6 o'clock position a couple inches up from the bottom. the root is laying horizontally.

I don't know about the "zassie" part of this, but I'm 90% certain that this isn't a root at all - it's bamboo shoots. It's available in the chilled section of pretty much all Thai supermarkets. Some versions are salted, and others are fresh.

It's very widely used in Chinese cuisine, and to a lesser extent in Thai cuisine. (For example, it's sometimes included in fish red curries here.)

Wikipedia article with pictures at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_shoot

Thanks for the guess, but no it's not that easy. In the first post I described the root being the size of a small fist. Though the size of the slivers the root is cut into when being cooked are similar to bamboo shoot size.

Thank you though for the guess.

AyG you mentioned Burdock root and Daikon. The lady that gave me the name of the root is Japanese and cooks avidly so I'm sure if it was either of those roots she would have given me those names since they are bothed used extensively in Japanese cuisine.

Stoli I wonder about Cassava, as its the right color but sadly not at all starchy like the Cassava.

Here's a picture of a Chinese Green bean dish, that includes scallions, garlic and what looks like the root I'm talking about. Though the pieces I've eaten are similar to this in color but were sliced longer.

Any ideas?

A bit more information would help:

(1) What language is "Zassie" in?

(2) Is the root used in Thai cuisine?

(3) Is it starchy? Crunchy? Soft? Fibrous?

(4) Does it have a strong taste?

(5) What colour is the flesh? And the skin?

(6) Does it have "holes" in it? (If yes, then it's probably lotus root - my best guess from what the OP wrote.)

Apart from lotus root, I wondered if it might be burdock root (Japanese "Gobo"), though that's long and quite thin. Or daikon (a kind of radish), but that's too long. Or water chestnut (probably too small)?

Thanks heaps for the responses, greatly appreciated.

Answers:

1. I was told Zassie is what it is referred to in Japan and China so it does not sound language specific. Kind of like Scotch Tape and Tissue. I was told its also referred to the same name in English, however when trying to search for it online using a variety of searches I came up with nothing. Bottom line I'm only using the spelling from my transliteration of what I've been told how the name was pronounced.

2. I'm unsure if it's used in Thai cuisine. Other than Chinese and Japanese cuisine I was told its also used in Korean so there's a good chance it could be found over here.

3. I have only seen the product in a cooked state. It is not fibrous or starchy but a bit crunchy.

4. I've only seen/tasted it in a cooked state and it's always been marinated in a salty broth or sometimes sesame broth so obviously takes on those tastes.

5. I have to guess that in its original state the root is a pale color. When cooked it comes out a pale to light brown or tan color.

One insight is that in Los Angeles, a very diverse mix culturally where there are loads of ethnic stores, it was sold packaged as a chopped root post marinating. In other words not fresh like I've seen Daikon, ginger etc.

Again thanks heaps for all the guesses and insight. Since I've only seen it post prepping, chopping, marinating and cooking I'm not sure if it has holes in it or not. However the texture seemed very similar to Lotus root. Only thing that makes me think it may not be Lotus root is that all the times I've seen or eaten Lotus root its sliced in a way to show off the holes characteristic in the Lotus root. In the dishes I've eaten with this particular root it was sliced into thin, small strips, not showing off the wonderful holes of the Lotus Root.

I'd like to locate a root that I have not been able to source. its a root that sounds like Zassie (or something like that, but I cannot locate it on the internet anywhere) and is the size of a small fist. It's cut into small slivers 1-2 CM long about 3mm wide, and often marinated in either salt mostly or sesame sometimes before being utilized for cooking. I've had it with green beans often at good Chinese restaurants back in the states and would like to use it to include in my vegetable dishes over here.

Does anyone have any input into the name of the root and if it can be sourced over here?

He truly was a straight shooter that took the time to explain the details of the situation, something sadly not practiced by most surgeons in CNX that I have met. Going to miss his contributions to keep me up and running. Thank you Dellboy for the post.

Gents - A tip of the hat for the responses. Off to Airport Plaza to sniff out the Motorola Defy line.