Oneman

I appreciate that a Gentlemans Club would generally be for gentleman from the British Isles and Colonies

Not at all.

The common denominator is ability to speak English, because it would be a social club.

Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Kiwis, Dutch, Danes, etc.

Thais who are comfortable in English.

Singaporeans, Malaysians, too.

One already interested is a Japanese businessman here, and his English is easily sufficient.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

What about an Expats Club in Chiangmai?

A traditional, private, members-only club.

Is there sufficient interest, or not?

Yes, there are two groups here already that attempt to be expats clubs.

But looking at their programs and newsletters, they are only lightly

focused on expat living here.

Instead, their main objective is business promotion.

That's fine with me, but it's not the foundation of a good club.

Among most other expats I've met here, none bother to

attend meetings of those two groups.

After attending five times, neither do I.

The Gymkhana Club certainly used to be, but that

was in years gone by; no more.

Now they can't even get organized enough to repair

the cracks in their tennis courts.

So what about a real expats club?

Speaking to a few other expats, there seems

to be some interest.

If ... somebody else would do the work to get it started.

If ... it were a private club with membership by approval.

If ... the fees were sufficient to discourage riff-raff.

No need for hundreds or thousands.

25-50 compatible members would be plenty.

No need for a building, because there are lots of

restaurants with suitable private rooms.

Meetings could easily rotate to various restaurants.

A men's club.

Females and children are fine in their place, but when

they start moving into a men's club, the men start

moving out.

(One example: the decline of the British Club in Bangkok

after their advent of "family" memberships.)

I'm not volunteering.

Just wondering if there is an interest.

A few other expats are wondering, too.

One or two may be willing to put in some effort

in this direction.

Thoughts?

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

The ash is definitely from the burning of rice fields, leaves etc. We can see the smoke rising, smell the burning and watch the ash come down. It is very noticeable because of the colour of our pool and the surrounding patio area.

My observations match what 'Thailand' has posted; no doubt about it.

Like the OP, I can also smell the smoke.

The leaves of plants outside on the balcony are covered with a fine, gray, ash.

That wasn't happening two months ago.

In my air conditioner, I've added a second layer of filter material, which can be removed for cleaning.

Washing it in the bathtub, the water runs dark gray.

I recently purchased two large air filters: substantial units at 28,000 baht each.

Similar dirt/ash/dust accumulates in those.

Looks like we in for a bad year.

What else can be done?

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

You could try Su Casa, their sister restaurant down off Neimenheimen, they specialise in Tapas there.

The thread topic here is Mi Casa restaurant, but Su Casa is owned and operated by the same couple, so I will proceed:

I've eaten at Su Casa four times since it opened, each time hoping I will enjoy the experience.

The tapas at Su Casa are okay, and the home-made bread is superb.

For the food alone, I would go back, but ...

The clanging, crashing, atonal noise ["music"] played loudly on their sound system is enough to take away any appetite.

The colored garbage attached to the walls ["modern art"] is almost enough to make a sane man vomit.

If that's not enough, the place is often populated with metro-sexuals, same-sexuals, and the mis-guided farang females who dote on them.

Doesn't enhance my dining experience.

Proceed to Su Casa at your own risk.

Unless, of course, you like that sort of place, then you might enjoy the food.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

so where do you get this ... " rack rates in the range of 2,500-4,800 " from ?

1) From a brochure offering "Special Promotion" -- which I picked up in the hotel lobby, and which is on the desk in front of me at this moment.

Special Promotion ... Buy 2 nights, Get free 1 night ... Room Tariff ... Standard [room] = Baht 2,450 ... Deluxe Plus [room] = 4,800.

2) From the hotel's web site -- just a few minutes ago -- which also quotes a similar range of rates.

My bet is that when a hotel, any hotel, is close to full, any low-price sign outside is pulled in and hidden away.

But if the OP knows to ask for the low rate, chances are he can get it, even if the sign is nowhere to be seen.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

.

HHFarang -

Here's a hotel for you to consider: Vieng Mantra.

It's brand new, and, as you know, in Thailand almost everything works better (and tastes better) when it's still new.

I've never stayed at Vieng Mantra hotel, but I did have a look in last week (just happened to wander past).

Everything shiny new, plus a lovely swimming pool.

The location is ideal: inside the moat, and just a few meters from Thapae gate, but, the hotel is too expensive for the backpacker hordes.

Located on a very quiet soi -- really not much more than a foot path -- so no noisy traffic.

Lots of restaurants within a few minutes walk: Miquel's Mexican, Mike's Hamburgers, and some of the best pizza in CM at Girasole.

The new, and still excellent, Brix restaurant in the Montri Hotel.

The House restaurant up the street, for nouvelle-fusion, if you like that sort of thing.

A Thai cooking school around the corner, which looks like fun for a day.

And fantastic pastries at De Naga cafe just South on Moonmeuang Road.

Som-phet market about 15 minutes walk North, for fruit and Thai-style snacks.

And on Sunday night there is the "walking street" night market, which is totally shopping and totally tourists.

But on Sunday nights, an excellent food court sets up inside Wat Phan-ohn.

I recommend that.

So, with luck, you may never have to squeeze into a tuk-tuk.

Normal, rack rates in the range of 2,500-4,800: far above your requested price in the OP.

But when I walked in, the desk clerk was quick to offer a rate of 1,500 per night.

I wasn't looking for a hotel (I live in Chiangmai), but I just wanted to have a look.

Remember, this was just last week -- high season in full force already.

Rates that far below rack rate means they don't have many customers.

So chances are high that you'll be able to snare a similar rate for your trip in late-January.

But hurry in before the backpackers discover it, and before the hotel puts in a buffet, because then everything will go downhill from there.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

(Psssst, HHfarang: Thank you for the compliment, but it embarrasses me to have every single word in my long and detailed posts, quoted in full. Just a sentence or two is enough to focus your reply, and enough to boost my ego.)

Hmmmmm McDonalds

Ahhhh, one more for my ignore list.

If anyone else wants to join in the Christmas spirit of ignoring Grinches, complete instructions can be found on my user profile page.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

Before you give up on the dinner Buffet in hotel's I would suggest the Kantari Hills hotel,Neimenheimen soi ?

It is Nimman soi 12.

Thank you, Mickmac, I know it well.

And the decline in quality at Nimman Grill in Kantary Hills Hotel was one of the major factors in my decision of, "No more buffets".

I didn't eat there for Christmas dinner, but the thread topic here seems to have expanded to buffets in general, so I will comment about Nimman Grill:

Lots of breads (cheap).

Slices of most items are paper thin (trying to make less appear as more).

Items that should be hot, are not.

Items that should be chilled -- like salads and some desserts -- are not.

The price is low, and so quality must be trimmed to fit the price.

So last time I was there (about three weeks ago) I ordered Fillet Mignon dinner set with imported beef.

The quality of that has declined compared to previous experiences, but the price is still the same.

Beef portion size was about 2/3 of past servings.

Beef probably was imported, but the quality -- flavour and texture -- was nowhere near the past standard.

Salad was 1/2 size of previous meals there, and now with more lettuce (cheap) and less other vegetables (more costly).

Cafe de Paris sauce was bland, lacking herbs (costly).

When it first opened -- about two years ago -- Kantary's Nimman Grill was among my top restaurant choices in Chiangmai.

But when I saw the buffet appear -- about one year ago -- I started to worry.

In my observations, when a buffet appears at any restaurant -- where previously there was no buffet -- all of the food quality declines, even the ala-carte.

It's moral hazard at work in the kitchen.

Impossible to offer good quality at an ala-carte table, while trying to scratch out a profit from the buffet table.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

(Psssst, Mickmac: No need to quote a full post on forums like this one. Just a relevant sentence or three is sufficient to focus your reply.)

.

.

Thank you, khunphilip and newbie001 for your clear opinions about buffets.

My recent experiences -- at a variety of buffets -- match your comments.

After many, bad experiences, I've decided, "No more buffets".

Christmas dinner, I too went to a buffet (not Shangri-La).

The restaurant is normally superb -- ala-carte only, no buffet -- but the special, Christmas buffet was very disappointing.

I paid the bill and left, then went to a little Italian place and had a plate of pasta.

Newbie001 is right when he wrote:

... common though in chiangmai, to have a great place to eat and then after a few months or a year, they either raise rates, cut proportions, or quality and sometimes all three.

I agree, and from now on, I'm not willing to risk any buffets; not at Christmas, not at any time, and especially not in hotels.

From now on, I'm only willing to order ala-carte, where the food is cooked fresh.

And if I ever see another chocolate fountain, I'll be out of there in a flash.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

we would like to stay in an area where we can walk to lots of restaurants, bars, nightlife, attractions, etc. with a minimum of taxi/tuk tuk hiring. ... I've been looking at two hotels that sound good in our price range (1000 to 1500 baht) but I am not familiar with the layout of Chiang Mai. ... Amora Tapae Hotel near the Tapae gate and the Empire Residence Nimman

Hello HH --

It is clear you have done your homework about hotel locations.

Either of those hotels would be suitable for your objectives, but, the "personality" of those two locations is very, very, different.

Amora -- close to Tapae Gate -- is in the heart of the backpacker area: low budget tourists, with low budget attitudes.

And the shops and restaurants around there know they'll never see most customers a second time.

So service and quality are just enough to keep their names in Lonely Planet, and not one bit more.

I wouldn't stay there, but flocks of backpackers do.

Yes, one appeal of the Amora is that it's across the moat from the Sunday night "walking street" night market.

Big deal: You have a night market in Hua-Hin which is virtually identical.

Your post mentioned bars and nightlife, yet you are coming with your Thai wife:

Well, that's not clear at all.

But the beer & prostitution bars are mostly within a 15-20 minute easy walk from the Amora, mostly along Loi Kroh road from the moat to the Night Baazar, with a few sprinkled in other areas as well.

As for cocktail bars and pubs, they are all over town, so if you are thirsty, you can find beer or whiskey anywhere.

Your second choice of hotel is in a location with a totally different "personality".

Nimman Road is advertised -- ad nauseum -- has "hip and happening".

What exactly does that mean?

It means there are a lot of bars catering to Thai college students at nearby Chiangmai University.

If you are Thai and 20-something, you'd fit right in.

If not, then not.

A farang can go in, and they'll serve you, but you'd be the only farang on foreign territory.

The Nimman Road area is full of restaurants, some of them quite decent, but none (that I know of) are exceptional.

They are too busy being hip and happening to pay much attention to the quality of the food.

But, within walking distance of the Empire Residence hotel you can easily find an acceptable meal.

Otherwise, what's in the Nimman area?

There are a lot of coffee shops -- more coffee shops than customers, it seems.

And a lot of pastry shops -- where the pastries look far better than they taste.

Plenty of foot massage shops -- as in any touristy area in Thailand.

But the main shopping attraction is shops offering (1) clothing for Thai women, and (2) home decor accessories (nick nacks).

Maybe that kind of shopping would be fun for your Thai wife, but would it be fun for HHFarang?

Other than food and shopping, what is there on Nimman Road to attract a farang from Hua-Hin for one week?

Nothing that you can't easily find in Hua-Hin.

Given your request in your OP, you're best option is to stay inside the old city, within the moat.

Find a hotel or guest house there.

In your price range of 1,000-1,500/night you have many, many options.

And you can easily walk to anything you want or need within the old city.

Now I will take a completely different approach and offer a counter-point to your desire to visit here without using tuk-tuks or taxis.

Tuk-tuks in Chiangmai are very benign.

I take tuk-tuks almost every day, to everywhere in the city area, with never a problem.

With your Thai wife as your care-taker, you wouldn't have any problems either.

Typical tuk-tuk fares in the city are 40-120 baht.

Taxis don't cruise the streets here, as they do in Bangkok, but song-taeow are easy to find on every major street.

Unlike Pattaya where song-taeow mostly follow regular routes, here in Chiangmai, just tell the driver where you want to go -- anywhere at all.

If he agrees, the fare is only 20 baht.

For longer distances, or in special situations (like from the Night Bazaar) the fare may go up to 40-50 baht.

Still, just pocket change.

Being willing to use tuk-tuk or song-taeow will open up lots of possibilities for your visit here.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

Is "Mr. Moo" a brand of sausages available in retail stores in Chiangmai?

If so, I want to try them.

Where to look: TOPS? Rimping? Somewhere else?

Or is this only a kit, or sausages only sold to restaurants in large quantities?

Thank you.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

.

Very interesting topic -- Thank you, 'Cheesy' for posting.

I had a few questions, so sent email to the company last night.

Quick reply received early this morning -- indicates good customer service.

Might be useful information for others interested in this package:

(Reply in red is from Mr. Moo company.)

.

> I read about your sausage making kit on Thai Visa.com

>

> Can I buy the kit in a store in Chiangmai?

We can arrange to deliver your kit cash on delivery to your address in Chiang Mai.

>

> Do you put M.S.G. into the sausage seasoning?

No we do not use.

> ใส่ผงชูรสหรือรสดีไหมครับ

> Because I can not eat M.S.G.

>

> Thank you.

>

> -- Oneman

> Chiangmai

> .

Surprised no one has mentioned Girasole in the old city. Great pizza and a nice garden court yard. My favorite place for sure.

I'm happy to second VIBE's recommendation: Girasole is one of my favorites, too.

I keep going back for the spinach-ricotta pizza.

Tried their lasagna recently -- it's adequate, but their pizza is, so far, the highlight.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

Link to Girasole web site, with map: http://www.chiangmaindex.com/girasole.html

_ _

Do they stay at Veerachai Court when the bars close?

Thank you.

I always appreciate any opportunity to mention a valuable feature here on the ThaiVisa forum: the Ignore User function.

That function enables each of us to be a "super moderator", by eliminating posters who delight in posting off-topic.

Complete instructions can be found on my personal profile page.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

M-Cuisine was recently bought by a new owner and the menu is the same but service is definitely better.

Superb lasagna -- traditional style and flavor.

If you appreciate home-style Italian food, I recommend M-Cuisine on Suthep Road.

The lasagna is a perfect balance of meat, cheese, and noodles.

Served with country-style, home-made bread, and a small portion of salad.

I keep returning for that.

(Ordered pizza once: very nice, but there are better pizzas in Chiangmai.)

M-Cuisine in a very quiet soi, away from street noise.

Service is quick and attentive -- better than expected in a Thai-run restaurant in that class.

In the background, soft, traditional music.

M-Cuisine is the direct opposite of nouvelle/fusion and similar pretentious, over-priced, excuses for food.

You won't find any spikes of vegetables sticking out on top.

No swirls of colored sauces trying to make the portion appear larger than it really is.

No heavy plates trying to fool you into thinking you're getting a lot of food.

None of that.

Just good food on a plate, served like mother would serve at home.

The decor is very basic, and, frankly, bit tattered around the edges.

Could do with a good cleaning up, but that's not likely.

Customers mostly Thai -- couples and Uni students.

A few adventurous tourists, brave enough to explore away from the Night Bazaar.

None of the cheap-Charlie, riff-raff, who inhabit Mad Dogs and similar dives around the moat.

But a major problem: M-Cuisine restaurant is very difficult to find.

It's only open at night, and that makes it even more difficult to locate down a dark soi.

Suthep Road, soi 3, about 1/2 kilometer West of the Irrigation Canal.

Across from the back gate of CMU.

In that area, there are two 7-Eleven stores close together.

Soi 3 is roughly mid-way between those two stores.

Go into soi 3 about 50 meters.

Location is in the same neighborhood as the heavily advertised Mi Casa, but different soi. (Mi Casa is in soi 5.)

Approximate only:

Difficult to find, yes, but make the effort and you will be rewarded with delicious lasagna at M-Cuisine.

-- Oneman

.

I use avast.

DNS

1. 202.69.137.137

2. 202.69.137.138

Thank you 'ParryHandy' for posting that.

I just added to my DNS table.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

Looks like observations about service at Siam Commercial Bank are fairly balanced.

That's encouraging.

And now I'm not so worried.

Thanks to those who posted helpful comments on this topic.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

I love those cute girls in the purple uniforms

On topics which I start -- such as this one --I appreciate any motivation to mention my favorite feature of the ThaiVisa forum: the Ignore User function.

"Ignore User" has increased my enjoyment of using ThaiVisa, because it eliminates posters who are off-topic or irrelevant.

ALL posts from ignored users are eliminated on my screen.

Complete instructions are on my profile page.

Now I shall follow those instructions for 'JimmyTheMook'.

And I hope he will do the same for me.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

My guess is you have bought or downloaded fake EST software

Thank you, RubbaJohnny -

I don't know what is "EST software", but now I will follow your clue and run my virus checker tonight.

And you have reminded me: this happened just after downloading a 'beta' of "SiteDelta", a popular Firefox addon.

Comes from Germany, and that's close to Ukraine.

Maybe there is some connection, or maybe not, but here is a bit more about "SiteDelta" in case anyone else is using it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SiteDelta

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

Is anyone else seeing declining service at Siam Commercial Bank in recent months?

I'm wondering if something is happening there.

In five years at SCB, I've always had superb service ... until just recently.

Perhaps should move my account somewhere else?

This post is not another routine complaint about Thai service levels, so details of exactly what happened aren't relevant.

Rather, I have observed a clear and distinct decline at two branches of SCB in Chiangmai.

It's so bad that I'm worried.

It anyone else noticing any changes at SCB elsewhere?

Or is it just random variation?

Thank you for any observations about SCB.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

.

Now, 15 minutes later, back to normal at http://www.google.co.th/

That was very odd.

And very worrisome.

I'm not going to check my bank account on-line tonight.

Better to wait until the morning and go to the branch in person.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

Has Google Thailand been hacked by Russians?

Or is there some other reason that http://www.google.co.th/ shows up in Russian language tonight?

(I assume it's Russian language.)

Is anyone else seeing this for Google Thailand?

I tried using direct access in Thailand, and using a separate access link from outside the country.

I tried using the WiFi in my condo building, and also using AIS 3-G.

All exactly the same.

Should we be worried?

Or is there some simple explanation that Google looks like the images below?

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

Сервер обновлений NOD32

Настройка обновлений:

1. Выбрать в меню Обновление -> Настройка -> Серверы -> Добавить

2. Вписать в окошко адрес

http://nod32.hitline.net.ua

, нажать кнопку Ок

3. Выбрать из списка серверов

http://nod32.hitline.net.ua

4. Нажать кнопку Дополнительно, выбрать в Подключение к интернет пункт Нет, нажать Ок

5. В окне настроек нажать кнопку Ок

6. Нажать на кнопку Обновить сейчас

...suck it up ... What a crock ... get a life.

I appreciate any opportunity to mention a very useful feature of ThaiVisa; the "Ignore User" function.

Liberal use of that has made my reading of ThaiVisa much more pleasant.

Almost a riff-raff-free zone, but not entirely.

Step-by-step instructions to ignore users are on my profile page.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

our mashed potato is made of real potatoes.

Thanks, "KevinHunt", for helpful reply.

I'm afraid that KevinHunt has focused only on the negative comments in my review.

If I didn't point out some shortcomings, a horde of readers here would accuse me of being in a partnership of the owners.

So, some further comments are in order to help other readers evaluate The Red Lion and my OP.

I based my judgment of the mashed potato on two factors:

1) There were no lumps at all -- perfectly smooth consistency

2) Bright, white, colour that usually comes from a package -- rather than light yellow of locally grown potatoes.

If the mash are home-made, so much the better.

Ice cream - I have some customers who come specifically for the ice-cream. It's made by an Italian living in Chiang Mai.

That explains it -- it wasn't "ice cream", it was "gelato".

Gelato is popular in Chiangmai, but very different flavour and texture than ice cream.

I didn't even think of that, and assumed the worst about the ice cream.

Well, now I know.

But, still, I didn't care for the dessert of "apple pie with gelato".

Sausages- Waitrose? I've never seen them here. Mine are made locally by an English butcher and I think they're the best English sausages available. I've never had a complaint

I believe you.

My opinion was based on shape and size: short and stubby, exactly like Waitrose brand.

Waitrose is always reliable quality, and not cheap price, either.

inside of the front cover of the menu (the first page) is a welcome note that clearly states that if any of the food is not to your taste we will gladly change it for something else. No quibbles. If you don't want to change, we don't charge. Fair enough?

Very nice sentiment, but, you know, in Thailand I would never do that.

Culturally very, very, awkward.

The cook would lose face.

The waitress would lose face for bringing the plate back to the kitchen.

The manager would lose face for having to authorize an exchange or a refund.

The owner might even lose face.

So, if food is not to my taste, or is really bad -- and I have a few times experienced that here in Thailand -- I will simply nibble around the edges, then pay and leave, never to return.

To The Red Lion, I shall return.

Now, about the "riff-raff" angle.

It is worth emphasizing that TRL is largely a riff-raff-free zone.

That's another point in it's favour.

Thailand attracts a lot of "riff-raff".

One way to avoid them is to find places which have a better atmosphere.

Perhaps fun to start a thread on how identify and how to avoid riff-raff foreigners in Thailand.

So, my next order at TRL will be non-Waitrose-bangers and made-from-scratch-mashed potatoes.

What's for dessert?

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

Tried the U.N. Irish Pub?

No, not yet.

Would be nice to see detailed review from you.

Or a link to a review, if already posted elsewhere.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai