Paagai

The word from my guy is that true is changing the code everyday so they can't get around it.

It's much more complex than that; there are several fundamental differences in the way the new True system works, which makes the piracy method previously used by Dreambox more or less impossible to implement.

Weather forecasts having been showing possibility of thunders showers or storms for the past 2 months or more. The reality is there has been very little rain in the past 2 months. Days when it does rain it has been for only 15 minutes or so. However August and September are close and that probably means a lot of rain.

That's very true. The Mae Taeng and Ping rivers are below normal for this time of year. Almost 100% of the Mae Taeng is diverted to the canal to allow rice planting to start. Last year there was much more water flowing. A few days of hard rain could change all that quickly though.

IIRC last year's flooding woes started with Nock Ten That was almost exactly a year ago........... If anyone has seen what happened in China last few days it might be time to prepare the sandbags!

Sadly I dont recognise what you describe, and I was out of there like a shot when I first stayed in C.M, when I realised the reputation the area had for "people batting for the other side" and it essentially being the Le Crow for Thais.

Batting for the other side ? What does that mean? Is it a TV.com euphemism for whether one prefers Pizza or Burgers?

Well, I'm a Pizza man and proud of it. Fortunately these days you can get some really great Pizza in Santitham too and burgers (Google it)

Santithum does seem to be a popular locale of discussion. In all honesty haven't been through there for a while. Last time was with my ex-wife many years ago where we met some people on business in a gay bar (yeah I know, but it is true) where the main attraction was a guy masterbating on the stage, didn't do anything for me but the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Recall hearing shouts for an encore.

Paagais' unashamed avatar basically sums it up. Santithum is the area for gays and katoeys, if that is your thing then you will undoubtably love it. Vibrant buzz, coffee, food etc is the justification for friends and relatives that don't know better, the reality is quick access to what rings your bell. Friend of mine recently discovereed a yearning for katoeys, he changed locale from southside straight into Santithum and it definitely wasn't for the coffee.

One has to question your motives for posting such utter rubbish when, by your own admission, you've never even been there recently. Your comment, "Santithum is the area for gays and katoeys" sums up your ignorance more than anything else. You should get with the program, it's 2012; the days of the gay ghetto have gone!

Yes there are still four gay bars with shows of the type you describe. But, they are all in discreet locations largely out of sight. Three of them in quiet sois where no one would go by accident, and most are located just off Chang Puek road and not in the center of Santitham at all. A very stark contrast to the high visibility whore bars around the city's main tourist areas. If you want to find the really sleazy gay bars, where old farangs can be seen publicly fondling young guys, look no further than the Night Bazaar, and you'll find way more Kathoeys on Loi Kroh road than you will in Santitham.

Santitham does have several good restaurants and Cafes that are popular with gay farangs but they are all respectable places that have a mixed clientele and none are specifically gay. Compared with the four gay bars, there is a much bigger group of old local Thai style "lady bars", though these are now few in numbers, concentrated in a small area and largely off limits to Farangs, What Santitham does have is maybe a hundred plus small bars and restaurants, many with live music that are packed with Thai students having fun. Some of them maybe gays or kathoeys of course, but that's normal anywhere in Thailand .

Can't find Santhitam on the map - can you give a few landmarks and general directions please?

It's in Chang Puek district inside the area North West of the moat and North of Huay Kaew Road, bounded on the East by Chang Puek Road and north and West by the Superhighway.

18.801841,98.978233 is Haa Yak Santitham (the traffic circle on Santitham Road Thai's often use in directions)

The Encryption has now gone to NDS, which in the UK they have been trying to crack since 1997, so don't hold your breath for a solution any time soon.

card sharing has been going on in the uk for many years with sky having no luck in stopping it

Really, please do tell more......

Mostly planes take off towards the South and land towards the North, but if there are different and strong winds that this can be reversed.

Departures to the North are usually to de-conflict outbound and inbound traffic rather than anything to do with the wind.

Where did you get that information?

MSPain

Here: http://www.aviation....ngMai_Chart.htm

Its been a long time coming.........

Mostly planes take off towards the South and land towards the North, but if there are different and strong winds that this can be reversed.

Departures to the North are usually to de-conflict outbound and inbound traffic rather than anything to do with the wind.

Last few times I've been, admittedly a while ago now as I voted with my feet, it was their special offers that put me off. A screaming brat and a bible reading free with every meal! Sorry, each to their own, but its just not my thing!

Excellent PB!

Good information on the gay scene here can be found in OUT in Thailand Magazine- http://www.out-in-th...-to/chiang-mai/

James, "Good information" would be a link to pages like un-biased articles which offered a fair and balanced view of the Gay Scene in Chiang Mai and retirement here. "Bad information" would be a link to a page on a commercial website that only lists the advertisers in your magazine and gives a totally distorted view of gay life in Chiang Mai. Have you no shame ?

To the OP, try Googling "gay chiang mai retirement" or similar, you should find lot's of useful information. Just ignore the total Homophobe who's site claims you can retire for 550 USD, his view of Chiang Mai's gay scene is REALLY bad information, as well as being six years out of date.

Heading North on Chang Puek Road, LH side between Rajaphat and Khunagsing is a professional company that specialises in industrial safety equipment of all kinds, including all types of extinguisher, servicing refills etc plus much more including insurance company recognised certifications.

I love some of that stuff, but it can wait until I'm in a fair-price region of the world.

Dragon Air - Direct HKG - Sweet

All very well if you want to live on the street while you are there and consume Noodles to sustain your body. Hotel and good food prices in Hong Kong don't come cheap so there will be no saving on the clothes. Add the Air Fare and you really went for the sightseeing, not to go clothes shopping !

Good one

Even if he could find lodging at a decent price it would cost as fortune running around looking for the cheapest one. That is why one is going there so they don't pay to much for the Item.

But then again he is probably going to be a tourist.

Having spent many nights in some of Hong Kong's most exclusive hotels during the last few years I kinda appreciate the cost An excellent city to enjoy a few days pampered luxury, including shopping, but definitely not a place where the cheap charlies are likely to be happy.

But, for shopping perhaps you guys are behind the times. From HKG airport take the express ferry to Shenzhen, if you haven't been you'll be amazed what a nice place downtown Shenzhen has become, with some fabulous shopping malls, restaurants and hotels.

Actually, Paagai, you judge very quickly. One post only for me, but over a decade living here.Racking up a count of comments does does make one's comments valid.

And for your information, I pointed out a past incident, not a recommendation, of how those police ended up in the hospital after harrassing a group of US special forces at a Lois Kroh bar.

oh dear......

they sold Guinness until a couple of years ago

Is that the place that sold other things as well?

You're probably thinking of Spanky's. The other stuff that Pinky's sold was burgers, wings, and burritos.

Yes, you're right, was Spanky's I had in my mind

I love some of that stuff, but it can wait until I'm in a fair-price region of the world.

Dragon Air - Direct HKG - Sweet

they sold Guinness until a couple of years ago

Is that the place that sold other things as well?

A newbie with one post telling us how the customers in Loi Kroh are going to beat up the police. Sad, very sad.......

D-Lo was the one just off Huay Kaew near Trio condo right? I heard they had some kind of run in with the neighbors at the new location (Jet Yod). Seems the neighbors had influences in the wrong places Not a good situation to be in when you're Burmese.

Dunno what the outcome was, or even if they're still in the country, but haven't heard of it re-opening anywhere.

If your goodlooking you could make good money in Japan as a male , club escort for mainly middle aged women .Think you could get it up ?

The OP is looking for work in Chiang Mai, not Japan! However, if he's got a good body the same principle would apply here too Though the Job Description would likely be broader, especially for a farang guy.

How many families do you see there or friendly people out for a stroll. It is the red light district plain and simple and most Thai people (like myself and my wife) will not go to an area like that. We want it shut down with the prostitutes, drugs and crime but tourists and expats keep it running.

If you naively think it's only foreigners who keep it running and all Thais are as pure as driven snow you've obviously never been to Santitham!

Already in another thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/558190-oh-no-not-another-election/#entry5413394

I did NOT come to Thailand to pump myself! I think especially in this culture, the demand for full service will remain alive and well.

(Yes, I know there is a self service station near Katam Corner on the outside moat. But It Is Not Worth It! )

Ummmm, careful now, some of Chiang Mai's Gas stations of old are famous for the "full service" available in the washroom. No need to pump yourself for sure