Paagai

Now thats as I understand it, but sometimes I get confusing information.

I sure know how that one goes! Have been trying to get a straight answer for days, yours seems to be reasonably direct from the horse mouth as they say!

Thanks for the directions; If I followed you correctly that put's you somewhere opposite the south side of the main building. Will make sure to pop in and I usually have several hungry companions

I am always amazed at these festivals about the enduring strength of the Shan culture and the pride these people show in it, despite the s**t that get's dished out to them both in Thailand and back in Burma. For those who don't know or understand about the Shan it's worth a visit to this fun and colourful party.

...The standard is 400m...??...so 5K will be 12.5 times around(that's the inner lane)

That would be for the proper track INSIDE the stadium, They've closed off the inside lane of the road running around the outside of the stadium and it's used by many for general exercise -walking/jogging, I assume (though not certain) that's what the OP was referring too? Use of the main competitive track is regulated by what else is going on there.

Gonzo,

An excellent thread. Please can you share with us exactly which days times for the festival? The best my Shan friends could come up with was a couple of days somewhere around the twelfth! Anyway, were's sure to be there!

I'm assuming this is the festival for Auk Phansa (end of Bhuddist lent - sorry if my transliteration sucks ) but the Shan seem to attach some extra significance to it? Attached photos from last year (not brilliant mobile phone jobs - sorry). Absolutely packed with some great traditional Shan entertainment, and colourful costumes. We had a great time and I thoroughly recommend it!

Where is your stall, we'll happily come and say hello!

You mean the outer track/road that has one lane closed off for people to walk/run around?

A quick look on googlemaps measures it at about 140 x 230M or approx 620M circumference.

Dunno if that helps?

Spicey's

Maybe way back when, Spicey had some attraction, but with so many better places to go around town these days why would anyone bother. Or maybe I missed something?

BTW, Mandagay has a good valet parking service

Santitham area north of the moat, between Chang Puek Road and the superhighway is packed with rooming houses for students on every street, which would fit your requirements exactly. No problem to rent for a month; that's the norm.

But, these places don't advertise on the internet and quite a lot are full, especially the new ones. You will need to put in some footwork and go around and ask (preferably with someone who can speak Thai if you don't).

Take Winnie's advice and stay in a guest house for a few days until you find somewhere. Guest houses/cheap hotels in that area include Walai, Banilah, B2 Hotel, Inthanin Hotel, Pangsawan Hotel, Santitham Plaza Hotel. Google them.

Footnote: ITM Massage school have a good list of accommodation options in that area on their website see: www.itmthaimassage.com/accommodation.php

Not wishing to be the party pooper, but if the OP needs to ask these type of questions, with all due respect, he doesn't have much in the way of electrician knowledge or presumably skills.

Electricity is deadly enough, mix it with water and the combination is more lethal. OP might be better off getting a decent electrician to install it, rather than risking one's life to save a few Bhat?

Of course, finding a "decent" electrician here is also a challenge.......

Sorry to bump an old thread, but are these guys legit for giving deposits back? they want me to put down a 1 month deposit to stay 1 month

I never had a problem getting the deposit back, nor have I ever heard of any issues or problems from several others I know who stayed there since. As stated by many on this thread it's a well run and respectable business. You most likely won't have any problems there, but you are paying a premium price for it.

Main negative these days would be noise and traffic which have increased exponentially in the six years since I stayed there, but that goes for plenty of other places in CM too On the plus side several new restaurants have opened nearby in the last few months that, although Thai, are more farang friendly.

Have a look at DD Park, located just to the north of the moat between Huay Kaew and Chang Puek Road, not so far from the Santitham area mentioned above. They have a pool though not sure how big it is, and it seems to meet your other requirements. It's hidden away so should be quiet. Also there is fitness Thailand (Large gym, but no pool) close by at Icon Square, and a nearby public pool just behind there, though it's a little run down.

Santitham plaza also has a public pool, which I believe is still open, though the gym there has now closed As mentioned above, plenty of accommodation options; try Noppakao Place, or maybe View Doi Mansion.

Hey, I hate to ask but I have been scrolling through pages ....

Is the area in/around the moat likely to be seriously flooded? (Wasn't bad last year at all!)

According to the map posted earlier in this thread, and current/predicted levels should be O.K.(famous last words...) most at risk would be SE corner according to the map.

3pm, 4.63m. So, if the map is correct, that'll be all of Nong Hoi, the areas south of Mahidol Road, Night Market, the lot, under water.

I guess for now the sand bags are doing their job....

As well as 4.63M at 704 the flow rate is also well above the maps 673 for flooding area 7.....

no official report that rimping is closed but at 4.63 i'd say it would be.

From this post if not already, it sounds like it soon will be!

The town as a whole does NOT flood. I will be downtown having beers there tonight.

Quite a cavaliar attitude and inacurate. This is 2005 and nothing to say it can't happen again. Perhaps you haven't been here long enough.

To be fair to Winnie he said "the town as a whole". As I recall in 2005 it was only the area around the Night Bazzar and along the river that flooded badly, enought to be a major problem, but that's only a small area of the whole town. Other areas, e.g. in the old city, Suteph, Chang Puek etc were largely dry.

40 baht per head more per drink for a lady female drinking companion, think yourself lucky.

There is a scam going on in Pattaya, which I have personally witnessed, where a gullible looking farang goes into a restaurant and orders a meal.

While eating his meal, a Thai girl begins chatting with the guy and convinces him to buy her a drink that appears as just being friendly all in innocence.

When his meal is finished and he receives the bill, there is an addition 2000 baht added for the hostess fee. If the guy tries to explain to the staff, who are of course all in with the scam, that he did not realise the girl was a hostess, he suddenly finds himself surrounded by men all very keen to beat the crap out the guy if he doesn't pay up like a good boy and this is all done with the blessings of the police.

The best thing is to avoid these places or otherwise watch you're backs and be on the alert for scams at all times.

Seriously?? What restaurants would that be?

Either way it wouldn't work on me; firstly not because I would most likely not buy anyone a drink who is blatantly hustling for one, secondly not because I'd ask the price, and thirdly not because there's no way I would have 2000 baht in my wallet.

Dunno about Pattaya but in CM I can think of several karaoke bars that employ the business model "Beetlejuice" describes......

Based on this article http://prachatai.com/journal/2011/09/37093 and especially the first picture in it I can only come to the conclusion that some conservative, yellow-minded, probably influential parents (It’s a private school …!)/ teachers simply misused their children / students and their sports day to make some propaganda against the red government.

For me it’s clear that adults must have been involved; imagine only the tens of thousands of Baht for all the stuff needed.

I wonder that I did not read a single similar theory in any of now almost 1’000 posts in the two existing threads. Is it that absurd?

I thought my hint

with this post was a strong enough suggestion along those lines.......

I do not believe those school kids dressed as Nazis as an expression of satire.

Maybe they'd just been watching "Inglorious Basterds" and thought the Nazi's were the cool underdogs? Just one example of a film where the humour and irony in it would probably be lost or easily mis-interpreted.

Without an education in the history to put world war II in context, watching some of the many, many world war two movies out there could lead Thai kids to believe the Nazis were glamorous heros and fun to imitate. Especially, if the subtitling or dubbing into Thai looses some of the meaning. Add to that a bit of Mr Bean and they probably think it's all good clean fun and, unless someone tells them otherwise, could easily perceive the nazis as the good guys.

I think you have to view the whole big picture of what Thai's see of the west and western history through the eyes of movies and TV. Not just what goes on in the class room.

Whatever is said now about Nazi symbolism won't change the history of what happened (as bad and as worthy of remembrance as that is), whilst concentrating on what's going on in the world today just might.

"Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it."

George Santayana

Oh I agree, as I said, "as bad and as worthy of remembrance" I'm not suggesting what the Nazis did should be forgotten, nor should the lessons from that period of history. But it is just that, history. You can't change the past, but you can influence and change the future.

So, do you expect us to all say EVERYTHING we are outraged with when discussing a specific thing??

No, and quit it with the sarcasm cos I think you got my point exactly.

But, just in case, to put it simply: I find the level of hysterical outrage as expressed on this thread, and now elsewhere, is totally disproportional to what was, at worst in my opinion, a stupid cultural misunderstanding.

If someone wants to be outraged about symbolism related to genocide, save that outrage for the here and now genocide mongers of today, where it might make a difference, rather than waste it on a bunch of schoolgirls in fancy dress! Whatever is said now about Nazi symbolism won't change the history of what happened (as bad and as worthy of remembrance as that is), whilst concentrating on what's going on in the world today just might.

The point is a general one, no where did I suggest this thread should be discussing Burma (which I used as an example) or any other places in the world where human rights abuse, and genocide goes on. I'm just saying that, in my opinion, the discussion here is disproportionate to the reality, given the world has bigger problems. Of course, that probably applies to most of Thai Visa

Kindly point out the post of anyone that has turned a blind eye to the plight in Burma?

That was exactly my point

Hypothetical question: if the kids had dressed up in Burmese army uniforms and said they got the idea from Rambo 4, would any of the Farangs expressing "Outrage" have batted an eyelid, let alone mentioned it on TV, got it dragged up in the foreign press etc? I think not.

I find really hypocritical, people who can claim disgust and whip up such hysteria about the glorification of things that happened sixty years ago in another continent, and that are meaningless to those who live in our adopted country, yet completely ignore, and turn a blind eye to the genocide that is still taking place right now 200 clicks up the road from here.

If you are going to apply the principle of outrage, please apply it consistently. The numbers murdered by the regime in Burma may be less than killed in world war two, does that somehow make it more acceptable?

IMHO registering is well worth doing. If you lose the phone, you can get any money that is unused and all your phone number information transferred to your new phone.

That and buy a cheap phone that you don't have to worry about loosing. Back up your contacts regularly; when your phone does disappear or whatever, you're never more than a few hours and a couple of thousand Baht away from being fully re-instated.

No hassle and no worries. On the few times something's happened to my phone (lost/broken) it's been about time to replace it anyway so I've always had my money's worth. Sweet! I just don't get lugging expensive phones and gadgets around!

I don't get why the OP want's his back anyway. If its for the data on it, you can be sure the shopped wiped it, reformatted it, unlocked it, put it in a different colour case and/or whatever else, immediately they got it. Buy another one, (new or second hand) re-install your backup :whistling: and move on......

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 26, 2011

WIESENTHAL CENTER URGES THAI LEADERS TO CONDEMN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL EVENT GLORIFYING NAZIS

--Snip

The totally over the top language and unsubstantiated allegations in this press release completely destroy the credibility of this organisation in my opinion. I guess as time progresses, the pool of Nazis left for them to catch gets so small they have to produce this type of inflammatory material to fill the publicity void. As they say, any publicity is good publicity, right?

It seems, what started as a minor incident has been blown out of all proportion, and now those who should know better are seeking to pour petrol on the flames for their own motives.

"Once I get the IMEI number from my carrier then I will report it at police and they will trace this phone."

:cheesy: If you've been in Thailand long enough to have a "Mea bann" you probably know already why that's funny.

The only interaction worth having with the Police would be slipping them a couple of thousand baht to make the "Mea bann's" son comprehend the error of his ways.

BTW if you employ domestic staff - valuables in your pocket or in the safe ALWAYS

Hi 'Paagai' Before trying to be asmart ass,

Don't worry, I'm quite happy to leave the smart ass thing to you, since you so obviously enjoy it Anyway, I wasn't replying to your post or your smutty attempt at childish humour

And your Thai spelling of the place is wrong! It's….นิมมานเหมินทร์

Well take that up with google - it's how it's spelt on google maps นิมมานเหมินท์ and the family name Nimmanahaeminda as in http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/ไกรศรี_นิมมานเหมินท์ and plenty of other examples of that spelling in Thai.

Back on topic: Thanasiri House 16 Nimmanhemin Rd. Soi 1 might be one for the OP.

After seeing the photos I think I see a Thai political message in this march. The logo on the black vest showed the seal of the Nazis and had printed on it RED NAZISM. When you add to this the fact they were all wearing red shirts I see a political influence there. This was drilled home to me when I opened the photo and my wife yells out "see dang, see dang". Oh well who knows.

Yeah, and if you know something of Thailand's history over the last few decades you'll know that Krating Deang didn't start off as an energy drink this could well have other Thai political motivations that are being missed in the "don't mention the war" hysteria on this thread.

Of course, if that hunch is correct the discussion is gonna be very limited. Not sure how much of that one they teach in Thai schools either.

From the pictures it looks more like harmless fun than anything intended to have any kind of message though.