Paagai

I think Thaivisa.com should organise a competioion to deign a new "cheap charlie" emoticon. Would be used reguarly on this forum and become the most popular after and

Why is it my one large wrist is always mentioned when my half German ancestry comes up? Off topic? I don't think so...has something to do with not having a large enough budget

In my experience lack of budget for horizontal action is directly propoportional to wrist size

On $1000 per month you would have a very big wrist, and miss out on all those cultural Thai experiences like acquiring new, gold jewelry, mobile phones, motobikes, etc etc, not to mention the priviledge of paying again and again to get them out of the "Jam man" and Grandmother out of the hospital.......... and thats before we even get on to the buffalo

I'm thinking about retiring soon in Chiang Mai. Is US$1000 per month enough to live off? I have no dependents and in good health. I don't need much but enough to enjoy simple things in life.

Yes and No

Unless you have something more in the bank account, you won't be able to get a visa.

I got over $600,000 as of now plus small pension(current $1100/month) at 60 and SSA at 62(current $1500/month). I'm kind of young to retire but will get ED. O visa until I turn 50. I just don't want to work anymore but enjoy the simple finer things in life rather than work my ass off until 65 like my father did and die early.

You are under 50? I have no ideas what an "ED. O" visa is.

600k usd won't help you if you are not married to a Thai and under 50 in getting a visa unless you find some way to invest here (which would be stupid if all you have is 600k)

Have you been to Thailand ever? If so have you spent any real time here?

Go get a double entry tourist visa or something. Come here for a 6 month trip and see if you like it!

As you admit not knowing what an ED.O visa is, why do you go on to offer irrelvant, patronising advice when the OP already told you he can get an ED.O Visa?

Anyway, suggest the following is compulsory reading for anyone wanting to survive on a tight budget in Chiang Mai

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=172904

I don't know about you but i'm sick of foreigners coming to this country and taking advantage of the system, stealing stuff and generally causing problems. If the Burmese chaps want to lear Englasih they should do what we all had to do and do it in a tax paying enviroment. Those Burmese have it too easy if you ask me.

With all due respect to you matey, I'm not sure I can agree with you.

I do hope and suspect that not only are you a newbie to this forum, but to the area as well.

I would suggest that you meet some of the Burmese that are in this country, befriend them and listen [once they get to know you] to some of the true horror stories from back home.

Listen to the stories about they themselves or their male family members being used as forced labor by the state or the army. Many never to be seen again. Talk to more and maybe you will hear stories similar to the entire village being rousted by the army in the early hours of the morning, the entire group being taken to an open area in the village and made to watch as a male village member is beaten, tortured, then shot, only to wound, then being buried alive, in full view of the remainder of the village. Probably makes waterboarding look like a baptism.

Get to know some of the expat element in and out of Northern Thailand that goes in and extracts what remains of villagers after the raping, beating, mulitating of these people who have had the bad fortune to earn the wrath of the Burmese Military. See some of the photos taken by these rescue groups, and then you say "These Burmese have it too easy".

No, I am afraid I cannot agree with you, because I have seen the photos, and spoken first hand with some of those who go to rescue. Do yourself a favor, find some of these people, both those who have gone in and those who have come out. Befriend them, talk to them as not talking down to them, but as another human being. Then revisit your above post, I do hope and pray that your opinion does become enlightened and perhaps even change

Only meant as constructive mate. We all have to live on the planet, and somehow live together.

Gonzo, 100% Spot on Post.

I have several friends from the Shan State, including some who are AWOL from the SSA, they are separated from their families and living on their wits having to some how make a living whilst running the gauntlet of the Thai police, unscropulous employers etc, etc. The fact is, they CANNOT go home, often for fear of death! And from what I've seen, if they do make any money it goes straight back to the family, (after the unscrupulous transfer agent gets their cut!). And the stories of jungle warfare, fighting with the Wa etc, can be tear jerking..........

Everyone of them would rather be back in Burma with their family if the poplitical situation allowed them to stay without fear, and to make enough money to live. If the Thai's aren't happy with so many Burmese migrants, the solution is simple - exert the necessary pressures to bring about regieme change in Burma. Unfortunately there are way too many self interests in Thailand that exploit both the cheap labour that comes here and benefit from the burmese regieme for that to happen any time soon.

It amazes me how racist Thai's can become when talking about Burmese people, especially when some of these Thai's are still in the feudal paddy fields themselves! Its an argument I've had several times with Thai friends, old prejuidces die hard I guess.

If I am looking for an evening out with the boys, we usually head for Spotlight, however, from what I have heard, Foxy Lady seems to be a more happening spot.

AKA "Poxy Lady" after a Thai friend mis-read the sign and asked what a "Poxy lady" was...... and then got angry when everyone colapsed in hysterics at the question.

Personally, apart from ocasional trips to meet other members of the Farang species in their getto bars, I'd avoid most of the places mentioned in this thread. The real Chaing Mai is outside the tourist strips in the hundreds of local bars in wooden shacks, packed with Thais having fun, or even just drinking at some noodle joint in the street.

Boy, this posted sure does not tell it how it is. Jimmy is great. His prices are great and he has a good system in operation to save people money.

The breakfast at Pinnacle is GREAT too; just so delicious, and the rooms a nice and clean with very friendly help.

As my old sainted grandma use to say:

"some people would complain if they were hung with a new rope".

Jimmy can be conacted at:

his deals on the rooms at the Pinnacle are great.

Newbie, first post, not that I'm a cynic but I could be forgiven for thinking you were actually Jimmy!

[N.B. just an observation, I don't know Jimmy nor have I ever been to this hotel]

Oh my, the Tawana Ramada! My first night in Bangkok, and...how does that song go, about making a strong man weak? Too pricey for us, so we later switched to the Grand China Princess in Chinatown. Memories are made of this...

PB, memories indeed, my first night in BKK too and the proverbial one night stand that never went away.............. he's now living in CNX and still driving me crazy! Still best of friends too (but nothing more - there's only so much craziness anyone can take )

A good topic, worthy of discussion. However, I suspect the answers you will get from what I assume are mainly non Thai respondants may not be the same as if you asked the same question direct to Thais.

I know several HIV positive young gay Thai guys in Chiang Mai, as far as I know (given this is a difficult subject and real facts and honesty can be hard to come by...), infection has been acquired from unprotected sex with other Thais in local cruisng grounds and saunas. Whereas, with a farang safe sex seems to be mandatory among them and their peers. This is highly contradictory; is there a tendancy among Thais to believe the only risk is from sex with Farangs whilst unprotected sex with other young Thais is safe?

"Naples Pizzeria on 70/15 Chang Moi Rd. just before the Mike's Burgers corner in the same complex as Hells Kitchen."

This where they've always been, but street address is wrong. Should be Chaiyaphum Rd.

The parking lot is right after North Wheels Car Rental, then walk in to the back of the complex. Haven't been for a while, used to go to the bar next door and order the Pizza to eat there and play pool but the bars closed down and the quality of the Pizza isn't as good as it used to be.

One that I like (Italian) is Spaghetti - (I think thats the name), I don't know the street name but its on the road opposite Loi Kroh on the inside of the moat, about 100M down from the moat (going against the traffic). I don't go for the big overblown Farang places like the Dukes, Stephano's, Buonissimo etc. This is a small, quiet place bit touristy but the pizza ain't bad.

Very impressive!

I saw an SUV driving around Chiang Mai taking pictures a couple of months back with a name of some internet mapping thingy on the side. Guess this was the result. Thye actually drove up and down the small street where I live, but it doesn't appear on their coverage. More still to come maybe?

Reason for the 2 oclock closing and crackdown on bars is theres a new sheriff in town a new police boss who is flexing his muscles and when spicy has to close down (owned by high ranking police) you know its down to the big big boss man.

I am advised after a month or so things should settle down once again and things will be back to normal

I understand its the Amphur thats enforcing this rather than the BIB alone, and thats why even the places that are always open late (owing to their BIB connections) are getting closed. The Amphur has gotten tough last few weeks, partly using the smoking ban as justification.

Allegedly, several of the big venues that have been caught open late once too often have enforced shutdowns pending. Apparently Mandagay now has to shut for two months (ahhhh, what a shame......all those lady boys dressed up with nowhere to go), Bossy and Warm up are others with problems. Of course, this is Thailand and these places are big $$$ in CM so I'll believe it when I see it.

New government needs cash to pay for all their new policies, not to mention all the votes they bought, and you know who's retirement fund. I mean, he has retired from politics, right?

Whilst Songkran can be great fun in Chiang Mai, I've had enough after a day so I'll probably head off elsewhere, maybe Taiwan.

But, I've been travelling non stop this year on business and enthusiasm for yet another airport, plane, hotel scenario is definitely lacking! Maybe it'll be a day round the moat and two more hiding in doors. The BF likes to sleep all day anyway

I remember one post, someone was saying that given the air prices in Thailand, there was not only "no reason for anyone" not to fly Cm-BKK (as opposed to the bus), but there was actually "no reason" for anyone not to fly first class.

Air fare dynamics in Asia are very different from, elsewhere. In europe, you can often get a cheap economy seat say for 100 Euros yet a business class ticket on the same flight is maybe 600 Euros for virtually the same seat and a bigger sandwich! Whereas Thai to CNX from BKK the difference in fare between business and economy is very minimal, but you get a much better seat (same old sandwich though LOL). i.e Business class here is MUCH better value than in Euorope so, if you can afford it, why wouldn't you take it? Its not worth even thinking about it to save a thousand baht or so.

All us farang have a right to be here if the Thai government says so...

Firstly, I don't think any Farang has any rights to be here (or any other rights for that matter). We are all guests in someone elses country and should respect this, guests can be asked to leave at any time! The Thai's are here because they were born here, and for the majority, born poor. Most Farangs on the other hand, are here because they could afford to come here. I can't respect anyone who is here becuase its cheap living, and still try's to short change Thai people (i.e. the Classic Cheap Charlie).

From recent developments in Visa regulations, the quest for "high quality" tourists etc, the Thai Government is clearly becoming less welcoming of the Cheap Charlie brigade of long stay "tourists". Thats what the ever more restrictive visa regulations are designed to remove from this country. If you have the money to live here, its no problem to get a visa and Thailand welcomes you. If you are just here as an economic refugee from high cost Western countries then you are not welcome at all. My guess would be we'll see even stricter Visa regulations soon, with detailled proof of income and financial status required to get any visa (in exactly the same as European countries and the US demmand it of Thai's wanting a visa). That would strike a big blow against the Cheap Charlies.

If you want to be pretentious then try Tawan Ramada just down the road.

I love to be pretentious and have been staying in the Tawana Ramada (Now called the Tawana Bangkok) for years! My tolerance level of Bangkok is about four days so the 3000 Baht upwards room rates are excellent value, I'm there on average about once a month.

Great hotel, if somewhat quirky and rather quaint, all the staff know me and I'm treated like royalty (its fun when the Taxi driver's trying to scam the change and a beaming bell boy bounces over and greets you by name ). Have stayed there with several BFs and never had a problem (my BFs are all the same type, the hotel still thinks they are the same person ) - I doubt too many of the male staff are straight anyway

The joiners fee is high I believe (around pan baht), but why would people do that? There are plenty of short time hotels for much less and it keeps "trouble" out of your nice hotel where the temptaion to empty the minibar may be too great The hotel's standard tariffs are clearly for single occupancy - they charge extra for more people in a room even when booked in advance so there's nothing inconsistent.

Recalling one episode a few years back they really proved their Gay friendly credentials when security escorted a "visitor" to my room at about 4 a.m. only to find 3 other "visitors" already on the bed (euphemistically: "a compromising situation" ) -and not a word was said nor an eyelid batted (being a good tipper always helps)! That night the mini bar did get wiped out as well as the pre acquired supplies from seven eleven

Know Saphan Kwai well as a BF used to live there, had some great nights in local bars there though never stayed there.

I take issue with the last word in the subtitle. If there were influences, why does anyone have to blame anyone? I think it's your hetero world-and-life view subconsciously leaking through!

I'm sure there are plenty of conservative xenophobes in the Thai population who blame farangs for every ill this country has! That said, I didn't mean anything by this phraseology; it was just an attempt to succinctly summarize the article with a tounge-in-cheek tag line

Interesting article in todays Bangkok Post:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Outlook/23Feb2008_out43.php

Apparently Thailand has had a gay culture for centuries, its not a Western import.

This article has certainly revived my interest in visiting temples, the "Suwannaram Temple of sodomy"[sic] sounds especially interesting

Just ask the pretty lady, "Pom kor nahm plao krub", and she will give you a bottle, then you give her the few baht that it is.

I've never flown Air Asia; I never realised they were SO cheap they can't afford to hire cabin crew who speak English .

I didn't say it cannot be discussed. I said I am not going to repeat it.

Libel suit anyone?

Rumor I'd heard was it's allegedly part of the master plan to move all of Chiang Mai's more seedy entertainment venues out to Chiang Mai land to make the night bazzar/loy Kroh/Thapae area a "better" place for all these high class tourists that are coming to the new hotels. Perhaps they are targeting rich Singaporeans and want to make them feel at home?

Yaba use is rampant in Chiang Mai. I've recently seen a Thai friend loose a good business through an addiction to Yaba and partying all night (because you don't sleep). Its very available and apparently cheap, with plenty of supply coming from Myanmar. Its also the cause of a lot of the crime here.

I've never touched the stuff personally, but I know plenty of people who do, inculding Thais with respectable jobs.

Now that I've had my say about snails, I'd like to see if we can return to the original topic, which I think was a good one.

It had something to do with Thai homophobia, which probably doesn't have a lot to do with Leviticus.

Leviticus maybe not, but I suspect a lot of homophobia has deep roots in religons worldwide.

My only experiences of homophobia in Thailand has been from Farangs. Ocassional remarks from beer swilling straights (usually brits , the religion: football ), but worse is the hompohobic doctrines Christian Missionaries preach to Burmese refugees. As an aethist, I don't understand the hipocracy of religions that preach love and hatred at the same time.

PS - the one openly discriminatory situation we've encountered over the years was at the Hilton htel in BKK. My husband was applying for a job there, and as part of the opening interview, when they were listing their policies, they SPECIFICALLY said they didn't hire Gay people. My husband walked, out, but he chuckled as he recounted it to me, as the guy giving the interview was the an incredible Fairy (he said "he nearly floated on the chair he was such a Fairy")

Hillarious

In my experience the world's luxury hotels wouldn't function without gay staff, especially in Asia. Few years back I sat next to a Director of Hilton on a flight in the US, he was openly gay and telling me all about his BF!

Total speculation that they cancel flights because of not enough passengers. AirAsia is not the number one fastest growing airline because of a lack of flyers. I know FIRST HAND that their flights are almost always full, rarely falling below the 75% occupancy rate. Unlike Thai, where I have had many a flights with 4 seats at the back all to myself. To me it would make more sense for Thai to cancel a flight due to not enough passengers as they are the ones with the huge operating costs, NOT AirAsia.

I'm curious, what does the back of a plane look like? I always sit at the front, and those nice curtains block the view

Yes, if every time a repair is needed on an aircraft, and they choose to delay the flight instead of flying with it, it tells me that they take safety very seriously. For you to make such a broad assumption about the standard of their routine maintenance without having first hand knowledge is well, silly? I heard that Thai airways just blew a tire out while landing in Cambodia, my gawd! They must never do any maintenance on their planes! So am I going to stop flying Thai? No. Planes break down, planes need up keep, thats a fact.

And if every time a repair is needed on an aircraft, and they choose to cancel the flight instead of flying with it, it tells me that they take profit very seriously . The budget airline translation for "cancelled for technical reasons" is "we haven't got enough passengers to make money out of this flight so we'll save the fuel and put them on the next one (or the bus, or whatever....). Cynical, but often true.

Watched Thai changing a wheel during a 45 minute turnaround at DMK yesterday, flight still arrived early in CNX. Thai at least has the infrastructure to make routine repairs happen without delays!

Just get on Thai Airways. Now they have low fares just like Nok Air / Air Asia.

And they usually give you exceptions on luggages. It's talkable especially if you hold their frequent flyer account.

Agreed! This is sounding like a cheap charley thread......

There are only two ways to fly in, or out of CNX, Thai Business class to BKK or Slik Air Business Class to SIN. Compared with European/US costs its ridiculously cheap, why would you even bother with cattle class, let alone a "cheap" i.e no service airline?

Couple of weeks back Thai checked me in on a flight to CNX 10 mins before departure at Suvanahbhumi! That wouldn't happen most places.

I personally know two local guys who've been hospitalized in the last month in separate incidents of gang violence, one after some one bounced a Samurai sword off his head (jing jing!) I doubt they'd agree that its "claptrap".

Sorry to hear it, Paagai, but aren't some of your buddies the worst of the late night bad guys, as compared to the Thai preppies at Dara Academy?

True, I guess some aren't in the "don't go looking for trouble" category, and I suspect neither of the guys I mentioned above were entirely innocent! A common scenario: one hot head gets into an argument somewhere, then goes back with some mates to "sort it out"; it escalates until someone gets hurt......or worse. One factor propogating Gang warfare in Chiang Mai is the many different tribal groups, some of whom are still trying to settle scores dating back to the middle ages!