hugocnx

There are a number of strategies that work to make the experience more tolerable for us retirees or anyone with some free time:

Visit elsewhere as well; both Airport Mall and a Rimping (interesting eateries) nearby, not to mention a record-settingly inexpensive (morning) vegetarian restaurant northward toward the canal. Yamasaki bike dealer south side of canal. And so on and so forth. For myself, fetching a book, divided by people watching, and (immediately available) snacks suffice. Or send a trusted cook and cook something familiar, or a beloved cleaning soul and you buff a dresser yourself for a while.

Chiang Mai is best experienced by those looking for opportunities to cope in positive ways, and living here better even yet when I'm willing to discard Western ideas of 'hurry, hurry'. Subscribing to the rat-race may not be the profitable way to experience life - once given the opportunity.

Yes Padre

First mistake was going there at 13.15 that's Imm rush hour,3-4pm you will find is much quicker.However as Circusman suggested use the mail in option. Immigration are now advising people to use the mail in method for 90 day reporting which has been covered many times on this forum,details in the pinned section up top of the page.

I went today and got there at 2 PM. I was out by 3. Had an banana shake and read my book. Not bad at all.

Not bad for a one year extension, but ridiculous for a 90 days reporting.

Seems to me that the people now working the 90 day counter are the 'working them sideways' staff....next stop toilet cleaner !

LOL, now that was what I'd like to write in my earlier post, but thought better keep them friends. But you are right.

Son of one of the guys maybe? (Not you that is)

What the fark are these foreign leaders expressing their concern. Let them all look into their own shity internal affairs first.

Name me one country that one might not be able to point a finger at. So called democracies, hah.

Well you stick to your wonderful totalitarian military regimes with all their freedoms, reforms, attitude adjustments, friends in the west, Amnesty, NHRC etc. I can stick to my flawed but vastly better ideal of western democracy, free press and freedoms to question, even criticise if you don`t object.

"Democracy is the worst form of government, exce3pt for all those other forms which have be3en tried from time to time." W Churchill

I gues you didn't read well. Where did I say I was against democracies?

Democracies like to point their fingers easily, but are democracies really that democratic? Maybe hypocrits.

Anyways, it is my freedom of speech and you didn't seem to like that being a democrat

You implied you prefer military rule and I respect your freedom to prefer what you like. History seems to show you will have more chance of freedom of speech, separation of judiciary from police state (=fairer trials) and so on.within a western style democracy Having the army take over over every time an elite baby drops its rattle from the democracy pram is not a plan for TH to move forward. It is absolute military rulers who tell the rest of the world that they are wrong. only the generals are right. Democracies tend to talk and negotiate with each other. You are then obviously in favour of that.

Now who is a dictator here. You say I implied to prefer military rule and because you say so then so be it? You can say what you want, but pitty you, I prefer not to talk or negotiate about this anymore.

What the fark are these foreign leaders expressing their concern. Let them all look into their own shity internal affairs first.

Name me one country that one might not be able to point a finger at. So called democracies, hah.

Well you stick to your wonderful totalitarian military regimes with all their freedoms, reforms, attitude adjustments, friends in the west, Amnesty, NHRC etc. I can stick to my flawed but vastly better ideal of western democracy, free press and freedoms to question, even criticise if you don`t object.

"Democracy is the worst form of government, exce3pt for all those other forms which have be3en tried from time to time." W Churchill

I gues you didn't read well. Where did I say I was against democracies?

Democracies like to point their fingers easily, but are democracies really that democratic? Maybe hypocrits.

Anyways, it is my freedom of speech and you didn't seem to like that being a democrat

What the fark are these foreign leaders expressing their concern. Let them all look into their own shity internal affairs first.

Name me one country that one might not be able to point a finger at. So called democracies, hah.

The other week it took me 90 minutes to get my 90 days reporting done in Chiang mai.

Got in just after 15:00 on number 685 while the 'meter' was indicating 655 someting.

When it was finally my turn, I noticed the problem.

Two youngsters doing the job. One girl was a student doing the paper work while the other person, this self-conceited young man (you may know whome I mean), was at the computer.

Instead of serving all people as quick as possible, he did not much but irritatingly keeping the girl from doing her work and listening and working wasn't particularly her thing either. Production less than 50% I would say.

Hope there will come a day that immigration gets more room and manpower. There is no way I can think of why they do not invest some baht into this as I also think they make some big money there. I feel sorry for all these inspectors who must be under stress and make overtime.

Even the hospitals don't have these crowded waiting rooms every day. Maybe not the best comparison but am out of words now.

This is the best way. Do you want them fish to choke to death?

Another thing is that he seems to like what he is doing.

So watch your steps.

I want descent prepared food. Not that lazy raw fish stuff; even the Thai food is more becoming.

Japanese are harakiri, so let them eat all the raw stuff.

yep, I know....Thai die from eating raw pork.

Some people don't use condoms when they ....

Have it your way, I am fine with it and I have my way.

>>"What these people want is a one-world government. They know that can't cram it in so they are devoted to slowly slipping it in.

They believe that it will bring whirled peas world peace. The song "Imagine" from the 1960's when many of these people were developing:"<<

And Imagine who killed John Lennon...........

What about the soups from www.hds-co-ltd.com ?

Pea soup seems very popular as many times sold out at Rimping.

Forgot to Google?

Maybe because it is imported and Thailand has no cranberries?

Therefor they shouldn't tax it at all as it is good for my prostate. 55

Thanks for your explication for Sugar Dummies. Lesson taken, but where did I say it was a mixture.

Anyways, it's of topic.

Fructose is 50% of sugar (Sacharose). The other half is glucose.

In Thailand sugar is made from sugar cane and sugar palm. Whatever you make sugar from, half of it is fructose, so Thailand produces alot.

There's a big difference between fructose, which is a monosaccharide, and sucrose which is a disaccharide that can be broken down into molecules of fructose and glucose.

Sugar is not a mixture containing fructose as you seem to suggest. It's a single compound - sucrose. (Sacharose is the now obsolete name for the same compound.) So Thailand does not produce a lot of fructose.

May I then suggest you rewrite Wikipedia on 'Sugar"?

No need. It's already correct: In the section "Disaccharides": "A molecule of sucrose is formed by the combination of a molecule of glucose with a molecule of fructose. After being eaten, sucrose is split into its constituent parts during digestion by a number of enzymes known as sucrases."

So now you admitt I was right?

Sucrose = sugar = fructose + glucose according to Wiki.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Fructose is 50% of sugar (Sacharose). The other half is glucose.

In Thailand sugar is made from sugar cane and sugar palm. Whatever you make sugar from, half of it is fructose, so Thailand produces alot.

There's a big difference between fructose, which is a monosaccharide, and sucrose which is a disaccharide that can be broken down into molecules of fructose and glucose.

Sugar is not a mixture containing fructose as you seem to suggest. It's a single compound - sucrose. (Sacharose is the now obsolete name for the same compound.) So Thailand does not produce a lot of fructose.

May I then suggest you rewrite Wikipedia on 'Sugar"?

Quote: "As far as I can see it's simply not economic, and any production will most likely be pretty minuscule."

Fructose is 50% of sugar (Sacharose). The other half is glucose.

In Thailand sugar is made from sugar cane and sugar palm. Whatever you make sugar from, half of it is fructose, so Thailand produces alot.

Anything but healthy, everything is loaded with Salt and Sugar......

Diabetes is in epidemic proportions in Thailand these days.

yes i agree, diabetes rates are on the increase and obesity as well. the fault is not in thai food, but the increase consumption of western sodas and processed food

Thai food for itself is balanced and healthy - just avoid the western junk food

Western influence is just on the rise. The so called western soda's are even loaded with extra sugar to satisfy Thais hunger for sugar.

Together with fat pork, fat beef and fat chicken plus carbon loads from rice and noodles gives one to much energy intake.

Someone here start a new topic on coconut oil please. This topic is not about what kind of oil is best.

Pardon me Jonda. Many prepared dishes and drinks and so on are loaded with sugar. No way to take it out.

Gwei Tiao is mostly sweetened in the hot pot already or seasoned with Lot Dee which also contains sugar and of course MSG.

Hardly any veggies in there as well.

In Cambodia the real bitter lemon by Schweppes is sold. here the sweet variety Manao.

Go in a road side eatery and ask for coffee. Big chance you get the 3 in 1 if you forgot to mention. Teeth falling out.

Thanks all posters for serious replies.

Don't mean to be unkind but you are a wealthy (by Thai standards) idiot.

Are Thais eating healthy?

What a silly question in Thailand.

There are latterly millions of people in Thailand who are every day eating anything they can get to keep them going ..... simply because they can't afford anything else.

Grow up, get out of you elitist Farang mind trap.

Every day there are Thais who think they are lucky to get the 35 Baht for a meal.

They do not have the time, or more especially the money, to consider whether that meal is "healthy" or not.

And frankly they don't care, just as long as they can get a meal so they won't be hungry for a while.

Please excuse me for being blunt, but as many elite and wealthy Farangs in Thailand ....... you simply do not know the really of daily Thai life for latterly millions of poor Thais.

That's why your question is a silly and pointless question.

As I said, I don't mean to be rude, but you need to be aware of the daily reality of life for many poor Thais.

Thank you your Royal Bluntnes for showing who YOU really are.

There was a topic about "Thai food the best in the world?". That gave the expected hilaireous comments and so will this.

My thing is that though Thai food is amoungst the best in the world taste wise, and I like it alot, the Thai kitchen is very poor in nutrition value.

Right, from my point of view as a farang maybe and maybe not so bad for the Thai themselves.

Hot climate needs less calories than cold(er) farang climates but I am not sure about the other Thai intake.

I am not a dietician so whatever I write down here is not 100% covered or true. I lived here for more than 8 years and I've seen what Thai people eat.

Okay, let's start with what Thai mostly eat and I know it idoesn't go for all Thai and not for your wife/GF, but:

Thai eat mostly white rice instead of brown rice; just ballast. Take into account the noodle loads in whatever variety.

Thai eat alot of food that is deep fried and in many occasions fried in old(er) fat from whatever origin.

There is hardly anything that doesn't contain sugar. Funny enough their pastry is dull, farang wise.

There is hardly anything that doesn't contain MSG/pong chuu lot/lot dee, straigt away or as a sauce.

The amount of vegetables at one's diner is to be neglected, though you might say that fresh herbs might take over responsability.

More to fill in. Be my guest.

It is not about what they eat along, such as chicken feet or grass hoppers. Probably they get enough protein take in.

And this is not about me worrying Thai people get fat from eating western food....but they do get fatter and fatter these days.

Ok, no hard feelings, here you go http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293919-d1955605-r148573352-Edge-Pattaya_Chonburi_Province.html

Bit out dated, but I found it.

Are you really living in Thailand? There is no Xmas here as such.

Give the laws a great Thai Smile tour and forget about that obligate stuff.

You don't read so good do you. Its my idea, we've had a good year, and I want to celebrate. Last year the Marriott had an xmas eve gala, but cannot see details of it anywhere so just asking.

Oh yes, I read you quite well. Great idea to have a traditional Brittish Christmas lunch in Thailand.