Awk

Left my wallet on the counter at a food stall when there was a moslem food fair at the building next to Airport plaza. At least, I am pretty sure that's where I left it. Finished eating, and on my way out, noticed it was missing. Went back and asked about it, and though friendly enough, they had not seen the wallet, though the woman walked me to the logistics people and asked them to ask for it on the public speaker system. I was just "pretty sure" I had left it there, so assumed I was wrong, she being so helpful and all. Not bad looking either. Perhaps I had dropped it on the floor while eating instead.

Got the wallet back in the mail a week later, sans the money. Included a handwritten and signed note saying I had indeed left it at the counter, and "so sorry", but she had "very little money and my [contribution] was a big help", or something to that nature. I thought that's alright then, as I of course have "very much money".

"I am sure that you, like all other people here spouting the same, have no real knowledge about what part of the pollution is generated locally here in the north, and what blows in from other countries. "

​Follow the the season hear http://aqicn.org/city/thailand/chiangmai/city-hall/ and read this

http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2014/03/26/transboundary-pollution-in-northern-thailand-causes-dangerous-levels-of-smog/

"Perhaps most critically, pollution sources extend beyond Thailand’s borders. GISTDA (Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency) satellite monitoring shows clusters of burning “hotspots” across peninsular Southeast Asia. Chiang Mai in particular experiences drastic effects because of its location in the Chiang Mai-Lamphun valley, where smoke from neighboring Myanmar and Laos is prone to settle.

With its transboundary sources, Chiang Mai’s haze problem requires international cooperation. ASEAN member countries have made joint efforts in monitoring, preventing, and mitigating transboundary haze since 1997. In addition to a Regional Haze Action Plan, ASEAN member states adopted the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2003. More recently, ASEAN has introduced simulation exercises, management strategies, and zero-burning best practices."

Thank you. I have read it, but don't see why you think that asiafoundation article validates your point in any way. The author states that "The pollution’s sources go beyond farming. Accidental forest and grass fires during this hot, dry season are among the primary sources of smoke." and only that "Perhaps most critically, pollution sources extend beyond Thailand’s borders."

I don't see anyone disputing that the sources of pollution are perhaps not local only. What there is, as far as I know, no reason to claim is that "the majority of the pollution you will have starting about February comes from outside Thailand", as you and others do. That is in my opinion a wholly unfounded claim to make about something which it would be quite hard to measure, and something only for people highly qualified in those fields.

Think about it. In the whole north of Thailand there will be an enormous amount of burning at that time. How would you know that even half of the pollution you breath in here at that time comes from abroad? How would you measure that? Surly that is not a trivial thing to measure.

So its just a list of excuses.

A bit like voting then.....my single vote wont make any difference.

Lame and weak.

The Govt need to grow some balls.

Not lame and not making an excuse for Thailand but everyone thinks that if Thailand stops their burning then Chiang Mai air will magically clear. Chiang Mai is in a geographically location thats has always attracted this pollution. This has been documented by man from the earliest settlers of Chiang Mai. As for as growing some cojones I could add another 100 items to the list which would all come out above the air pollution.

Are you saying that if all burning off could be stopped in the north west of Thailand there would be no improvement in air quality in Chiang Mai?

It would help but not to the degree that people would like as the majority of the pollution you will have starting about February comes from outside Thailand.

I am sure that you, like all other people here spouting the same, have no real knowledge about what part of the pollution is generated locally here in the north, and what blows in from other countries.

And in response to my request, and as part of my own due diligence inquiry into the “Fund”, Andy wrote for attribution ad quote: “This is Andy Hall. The fund is being managed properly ad all use of funds will be transparent. Regards, Andy. The TVA managers won’t allow me to post the website to make doations but all who are interested can find it with a quick Google or Face Book search. The website reports before my donation today that the fund stands at US$ 6,255 but Andy updates that amount to over US$ 9,000. “MWRN fundraiser Koh Tao case accused justice fund (website + bank AC donations) now exceeded 300,000 baht. Thanks! <website censored>”

When you find the website, you can see a list of supporters who agree to have their names published: <URL censored>

Please, find the web site and add your name to the growing list, even if only 33 THB (US$ 1.00) donated by a local ATM at the mall, or by credit card or Pay Pal. Please support this most worthwhile cause that can only help the 2 youths and this ailing if not failing State. Good luck to us all. chock-dee

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

Andy Hall just responded to my question, “Can i assure my donors that their donations to the fund will be specifically and exclusively earmarked for the 2 boys? Or must the donors state that when they contribute?”

Andy’s good advice is: “<name>, the fund is for all costs relating to the boys access to justice. It's quite a mix of things we are using the money for now. 100% related to the case though, and their fight for justice. Andy Hall

Searching for this in google brings up the correct page as the first link: justice-koh-tao-murder-case site:youcaring.com

Not sure why the page displays in a non-English language when I use Google Chrome (but in English when using Firefox), but clicking on the button above the

"Share on Facebook" button brings you to a page where you can enter the amount you want to donate. Then click on the button down on the right (still non-English in Google Chrome). Then on the next page, fill in name and other details (will not be shown on the public donator page), and click the button down on the right.

If they should be guilty and judged so, one can hopefully have some faith in that verdict if they have been provided with competent lawyers and assistance, which should be in the interest of everybody. The mentioned fundraiser tries to do that, so hope both those who think they are guilty and those who think they are innocent provide a contribution.

Skip the beers for a couple of evenings and spend the money on something better.

I should have been more clearer.

I use the totobobo face mask strictly when I riding my bicycle or motorcycle

so I want to find out if the 3M Filtrete sheets are at least N92 or greater.

If they are, I can easily cut them to size for my current face mask at a much reduced cost.

I am not sure either, but this looks like an attempt at summarising the effect of some of the 3M Filtrete products:

http://www.iallergy.com/filtrete-air-filter-comparison.php

Not sure where they got their data from, but looks reasonable to me.

3M has a large range of Filtrete products as you see, ranging quite a lot in efficiency. I think the one for sale at HomePro and etc. here in Thailand is the red one rated 11 MERV, which as you see has a lower filtration efficiency than your N95-like mask. I.e., the equivalent of N80 (80% efficient at filtrating the specified range of air particles), if that rating even exists, versus N95 (95% efficient).

My posts were not based on facts just common sense. Could be one in three and 1/2years is indeed some thing to get excited about. Me I took it to be part and parcel of living here or any of the other places I have lived. Of this size.

Each has their own experience and belief of what common sense is all about and they are welcome to it. It is nice to see a thread like this where we can see the experiences and common sense of others.

Had to read the first sentence several times before I realised he used the word "just", and not "or" as I thought the first few times.

I've been looking at some houses for sale here in Chiang Mai during the last few months, most of them less than five years old, and one or two new and never lived in. One thing that has puzzled me is that all the houses have several cracks in the walls. These cracks mostly range from 50cm to a metre, going in diagonal lines. I'm not sure how to gauge the depth of the cracks, but they do not look purely superficial to me.

From what I can gather, this may be caused by the ground not having settled firmly before the foundation was laid, or just bad work?

I wouldn't think this was expected, but all the houses I've looked at so far have had them. I thus wonder if this this a normal and mostly cosmetic issue here in Thailand, or as I suspect, a bad sign, and something a home of decent quality should not have?

For reference, the house/land combinations I've been looking at have been in the 3-5M Baht range, which I guess is around midrange here in Chiang Mai.

I've just seen they have it on a 4DX screen or an Imax screen (plus standard digital). I am guessing 4DX means gimmicky extras like moving seats (never tried 4DX) and Imax is the way it was intended to be watched? Both cost the same.

There is an article on No Film School called "Christopher Nolan wants you to see Interstellar in 70mm, here is why you should", which convinced me to consider going back for the Imax experience. The picture quality of indoors earth scenes was pretty bad in Maya, lots of noise/grain.

I am going to assume that Central Festival only has a digital Imax projector as digital projection is the only type mentioned on their website, so will probably resist going back, unless they keep it on for longer. There is a big space themed picture and information gallery outside the cinemas, so this feels like a big event and the type of film they might let run longer.

I've seen a handful of movies at the IMAX at Central Festival. Most have been "nice enough", but Interstellar was amazing.

They also have something called Ultra screen at CF. Not sure what that is. Once I was forced to see Maleficent there, since all the other theatres were sold out. Paid 1200B for two tickets I think, though that did include complimentary popcorn and something to drink. Still not sure what Ultra screen is though.

Hey AoA, why belittle the dreams and abilities of others, esp youngsters? Negative comments to kids are very counter productive. If you think growing up female in Thailand is easy these days, i suggest you open your eyes to see the pressures kids live under every day.

Well, the preface did make it sound like the girl was destined for something more than asking "tea or coffee, sir?" high up in the air, so I'd have to admit I was kind of thinking something similar myself.

I bought a manual single auger juicer at the pharmacy near the supermarket in bottom floor Central Airport, i juice carrot, apple, beetroot and greens with no probs, its only 1450baht. i have a twin gear green power $600+ juicer back home and this does the same job

farang kee nok. Why he buy this for me? All my friends have electric one. Very easy to use. I have to turn this around and around for a very long time and only a little juice comes out. Every morning I feel very tired, but my husband, he just ask me, "why so little juice today?"

Sorry, I could hear my wife thinking in the background. Central Airport, near the supermarket, eh? Perhaps for the upcoming wedding anniversary I'm thinking.

Edit: Thavisa screwup - double post.

"Extra" classes in the middle of the normal school day? Sounds very much like a rip-off to me too. What is a child who does not attend the "extra" class supposed to do in that time? Sit alone for an hour and wait for the "non-extra" classes to start again? Any decent school will stay far away from such nonsense.

Or, a 'decent' school will provide extra teachers to tutor the student or students in need, giving personal attention on a one-to-one level so as not to disturb the more advanced students from paying attention to their own studies. THIS is what is done in EVERY public school in Japan. It works. It's done right on the classroom, so the 'group' is never broken up, and students can remain with their classmates without the stigma of being singled out. By the end of the school term, 90% of the students in the room will have received extra help in one subject or another. Often there are two or three 'extra' teachers working at the same time in the same room.

That sounds great and I have only read good things about such a system, but surely that is something different from what the OP describes?

The OP, if I understand correctly, describes a scenario where in the middle of the day, there is no regular class schedule from 13:00 to 14:00. Instead, those who wish can pay for the "extra" class, which is taught at this time, while those who do not wish/cannot pay, do what? Twiddle their thumb for an hour, waiting for the regular class to start again at 14:00?

Saw a poster at my daughters school for a children's party at this place ("NIC's"?):

http://www.facebook.com/Nics.Restaurant.Playground/photos/gm.702504689836226/564438023684497/?type=1&theater

Nobody wants to do it because if they find problems they are tossed into the middle of a shit storm. Same if they do not find problems and some come up later. It is a no win situation for them. It is also incredibly difficult to do all the things you are asking.

You should have hired a "consultant" engineer or engineers to monitor the construction so they could see it repeatedly during the building process and blow the whistle if it was not right. That is the Thai way with construction but maybe it was all done before you bought it in which case you should have had it inspected before you bought it.

And speaking of that, does anyone have anybody to recommend, for an inspection prior to buying?

I see tips for some cafes to try here, but myself I'd like to mention the Dhara Dhevi bakery. I have not eaten there myself, but they seem to have some sort of shop at the Central Festival Foodmarket, and I've started to eat there now and the. The shop is right by the entrance to the supermarket. Small pieces and quite expensive, but also quite good.

I suspect the difference in steak quality might be due to how long they've had the beef.

Once I was warned that they had just killed the cow (if I understood things correctly, though now I'm not sure if they do that or just order the beef pieces), so the beef was not recommended that day. The next few times the beef was fine, then once it was significantly more hard than usual. After finishing my meal, I enquired as to why the beef today was not so good, and was told they had just got the beef in that day; they normally need 3-4 days to make it good, but today was the first day.

Not my business to tell them how to run their business, of course, but had that day with the mediocre beef been my first visit, I would not have bothered to visit again. I guess one is supposed to ask if the beef is

"good today" before ordering ;-), and if not, opt for something else.

You may be right. I might have read here that he was Korean, but don't think I asked him myself.

I btw usually went there for dinner, around 6-7 pm. Perhaps I was just lucky.

Pure speculation on my part, but last time I was there, in June, the Korean guy was still there, but not in the kitchen. The burger was sloppy made (but tasted fine), and the menu was also considerably reduced. He mentioned somebody else was cooking and that was why the menu was reduced to the simpler things.

I think this was not long after some lowlife here posted on whether there was any reason why he should not rat out the Korean to immigration for supposedly working without a work permit or something like that. Not that I ever saw him working there myself, of course.

And a mystery it will have to remain as you didn't hang around to find out.

One has to wonder why this forum attracts so many, for lack of a more polite word, idiots. The op saw something he thought was strange, described it in

detail, and asked if anyone else had seen it and knew what it was. Normal people would suggest some reasonable ideas as to what it might have been. Perhaps some had even seen the boy in action, feigning an injury outside a bar, in front of a car, or whatever. But not the CM forum.

asked if anyone else had seen it and knew what it was

Never asked either of those questions in OP. Might help if you read the OP before making, for lack of a more polite word, idiotic comments.

You mean even the title, "12 year-old scammer or just a clown?", was not enough for you to understand the op was asking for some feedback?

@Chiengmaijoe

You got as far as following him to where he stopped and then you have to guess what happened next. Why did you not stay and then be able to tell the rest of the story.

My guess is it's all BS.

Great guess. You're quite right, my real name is Walter Mitty. Where can we meet so you can collect your prize? While we are playing games, my guess is that you are a retired detective, right?

I didn't ask him what he was up to because I was intrigued to see what he was going to do next. He could see me watching but he still proceeded with his smearing the juice and giving an injured look. I was expecting him to try and scam customers coming out of 7-11 but as it was, he got on his bicycle and pedalled off. I got in my car to go home, and of course I could see him ahead of me, then he stopped on the pavement near Inter Bar and was obscured by a parked car. It was about 1am and hardly anyone about.

My guess is that he was up to no good so the point of my post is to see if anyone else has seen this kid or heard of something similar going on. I've never heard of anything like this in Chiang Mai. Another odd detail is that he had a cyclists fluorescent jacket on, and a spare one in his hand? The cordial juice was 42 baht and I'm not sure, but I don't think he took the rest of the bottle with him, but there was a fair amount spilt on the side of the road. So far, it's a mystery, that's all.

And a mystery it will have to remain as you didn't hang around to find out.

One has to wonder why this forum attracts so many, for lack of a more polite word, idiots. The op saw something he thought was strange, described it in

detail, and asked if anyone else had seen it and knew what it was. Normal people would suggest some reasonable ideas as to what it might have been. Perhaps some had even seen the boy in action, feigning an injury outside a bar, in front of a car, or whatever. But not the CM forum.

Happened to be at a place with an escalator today and found myself looking aound - saw one guy that seemed to be hanging around just watching - we were there 2 hours - saw him before and after.....kind of caught his eye and he moved.....

Can't say as I blame him for moving. If I had seen you watching me, having been there for two hours, and then you 'kind of caught my eye,' I would have figured you were some kind of hustler, that, or trying to pick me up! Either of which would have caused me to move out of your area PDQ! He probably thought that if you were hanging around the mall for two hours you were up to no good!

Wife and I were walking along hand in hand with our shopping carrying bags....not really looking like on patrol.....

Something just doesn't compute...

You managed to keep him in sight for two hours? He was standing still, and you were walking... What? Circles around him, or more of a back and forth pattern?

Yep... I'd feel pretty weirded out myself.

Especially if he has "that look".

Sounds great. Thanks for the tip.

2 or 3 patsies found then , no doubt hand picked by the owners etc

All this been rushed up due to 1 person spilling the beans, Sean McAnne, who in my opinion is telling the truth and is found out to be lying as at least got the casemoving

"who in my opinion is telling the truth and is found out to be lying"

???

Let me try to help. Replace the last "is" with "if". A one-letter typo. "if found out to be lying ...".