sysardman

Shame it wasn't a Thailand based crime so he'd have spent his time here, that would've wiped that smug look off his face.

so you belong to the group of people who have to be told that if train/bus runs A->B, it will most certainly also run B->A? With just a little more brains you would not need to have posted.

More alternatives-if youre 111% train-mad:

get off at Don Muang -cross road by footbridge, use the FREE shuttlebus-exit 8 from arrivals.

If that has just left- citybuses 554 or 55 from the busstop-or also vans 555 from just over inside the taxiroad.

get off at samSen and get a fast motosy to Phyathai-end of ARL.

stay on till HLP-get the ChaChoengsau train till Lad krabang-then the ARL-for the real trainbuffs. cheaper too.

The person I saw wanted to go from Swampy to Hua Lam to Chiang Mai and got all sorts of runaround answers. I havent been on the CM to BKok to Swampy for a long time and I just wanted if I could stop at Bang Sue now they have all these new rail links that weren't here the last time I went on the Chiang Mai railway. All I wanted was some confirmation instead of some smart ass comment. If can't answer it then button it!!!!!!!!

Hi, I saw a poster last month doing the same journey but in the reverse direction to mine. What I wondered is if I came from Chiang Mai heading to Hua Lamphong then can I stop off instead at Bang Sue and then go to one of the new Suvarnabhumi connections I've seen at either PhayaThai or Makkasan. Obviously this would save some time by not having to go the full distance into Hua Lamphong.

the story needs to be told................

I think the story has already been told in the BBC/HBO mini series 'Tsunami: The Aftermath'. This new one just sounds like the same,same but too late!

I absolutely refuse to watch any Thai TV show that doesn't involve a midget or a cretin.

. . . you missed out the funny fat guy and the ghost . . .

Or the gay or the idiot with the big false teeth (or is that the cretin).

Anyway I just feign interest because you have to admit there's a lot of fit tottie on these Thai soaps - a bit better than the slappers in Coronation Street and Eastenders ..(British soaps)

Down syndrome or mentally retarded people were also popular on these shows.

I think it's a slippery slope, do we sweep them under the carpet or do they allow them to function in society as actors or whatever they choose. The few shows that I've seen with Downs Syndrome actors have actually been some of the best and most genuine performances. The same goes for people like Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones, that guy made that show memorable.

what speed did you sign up for and what are you getting using which speed meter as yard stick, against which city, abroad?

I am on TOT; 7mb line very stable at 5+, but still tempted to switch

It was 6MB when I signed but they upgraded it after a few months to 10MB (no charge). It will show this on most speed guides but I do notice when I stream Youtube videos etc that there are times when there are pauses. I think that that is a problem in general with the internet and overseas servers and I don't think that's actually to blame on 3BB. If anybody knows different and knows how to get great speeds all the time I would be interested to know.

Hi Gennisis, Please report back with the results when you get

it installed, as I am also in Chiang Mai and i am really fed up

with the TOT service !!, and I am looking for something better.

regards Worgeordie

I can't compare with any other service but we signed with 3BB, chose the free 1 port router and pay monthly 590Baht. They installed it within a few days even though we had no landline and the service has worked fine since then. I swapped the router later with my own UK wifi router and again had no problems other than the normal power outages we get in our village. Been using it for nearly 12 months now with no complaints.

PS was also using 3BB a couple of years before that when were living in an apartment complex.

PPS forgot to mention that I'm also in Chiang Mai.

Hull revised there rules about mid-year.

Many thanks for that, it's very useful to know.

As there aren't many answers and found myself quite interested by the question I checked the internet. It sounds quite a great route from Mae Sot to Mae Sariang but also care must be taken, It sounds like there are Songtaews go that way regularly so can't be too bad. The advice I've seen is to keep an eye on your fuel, do the journey in the daytime and keep your papers in order for checkpoints. I think it's also an idea to keep an eye on the weather at this time of year. The figures I've seen quote about 250Km and about 5 hours to do the journey. Anyway I'm sharing this but it's a future reference for myself and having never been that way before I'm not suggesting anybody take my advice without doing their own research. Being close to the border with Myanmar speaks for itself and obviously could be risky.

I did this about a year ago on a road bike (b for bicycle, not m for motorcycle). The road is paved the whole way although there were a couple of sections under construction/repair but nothing so bad that it couldn't be done with any motorized vehicle. If you start with a full tank, there should be no problem making it the whole way. We had a mini van with us as a support vehicle. It had no problems. There are a few stores and several places to buy a few liters of petrol along the way. There may have even been a petrol station between Mae Sot and Mae Sariang but obviously I wasn't looking for one.

The weather shouldn't be an issue at all for the next few months. This is the best time of year to do it.

Unless you've got some undocumented Burmese in your car, why is being close to the border risky?

Well this could be why we're asking for first hand accounts. A lot of the stuff I've seen on the internet are quite a few years old. As for being risky, well If you're with a group like you sound to have been then maybe no problem but one or two travellers in the middle of nowhere doesn't sound my idea of being risk free.

That's what their rules say.

Have the rules changed again since last year, I'm sure when I last applied it was a 1000 pounds a month income and nothing mentioned about 20,000 in a bank?

I absolutely refuse to watch any Thai TV show that doesn't involve a midget or a cretin.

. . . you missed out the funny fat guy and the ghost . . .

Or the gay or the idiot with the big false teeth (or is that the cretin).

Anyway I just feign interest because you have to admit there's a lot of fit tottie on these Thai soaps - a bit better than the slappers in Coronation Street and Eastenders ..(British soaps)

As there aren't many answers and found myself quite interested by the question I checked the internet. It sounds quite a great route from Mae Sot to Mae Sariang but also care must be taken, It sounds like there are Songtaews go that way regularly so can't be too bad. The advice I've seen is to keep an eye on your fuel, do the journey in the daytime and keep your papers in order for checkpoints. I think it's also an idea to keep an eye on the weather at this time of year. The figures I've seen quote about 250Km and about 5 hours to do the journey. Anyway I'm sharing this but it's a future reference for myself and having never been that way before I'm not suggesting anybody take my advice without doing their own research. Being close to the border with Myanmar speaks for itself and obviously could be risky.

I've done that route a few times over the past year. Very beautiful. But I have done it on motorbikes and not in my car or truck. It is very remote. Fuel which is few and far between, as is everything on that route. could be a proble to smaller bikes like a wave. but in your CRV the problem is the road. very narrow in areas. Some times the road narrows to 1 lane and is over grown with brush to less than a meter. If you get in trouble, there in no help around, maybe only a few bikes a day that use the route.

By motorbike I would do it again in an instant. With my car or even my truck I would not do it for any reason

If I may suggest. Just north of Tak is bhumbol dam, well worth a stop and many places there to spend a night. another 40 km give or take past that is Thoen, There is a back road cut off to Hot and on to Doi Inthanon. I did go to Doi Inthranon about a month ago. they now charge 500 Bt per person non Thai. They didn't care I had a Thai DL, Tax card, work permit, and house book. Sure I paid more tax in Thailand then any of them but had to pay the full tourist amount.

I can't remember anywhere being impassable on our route but I do agree it is an idea to keep your fuel tank full at every chance. As we did Doi Inthanon to Tak we were going downhill for the most part. If you do decide to spend your cash and visit Doi Inthanon then we found a nice little place to stay in Ban Tha Sala called Smile Home (off the traffic lights in the town centre). It made a decent base to visit Doi Inthanon and wasn't a tourist trap so was quite cheap and clean and comfortable. Good food in the town market.

Production wise it is a mix of nice to horrible. Editors here need to learn when to 'cut'. The show drags and drags at all the wrong points. The storyline is absolutely pathetic and actors unlikely to get a job outside Thailand. But each to his/her own. If it what you are used to watching and there are no options, go with it. Living in theatrical/cinematic bliss is a choice. Thai's have their ways and Farang theirs. Never to the two shall mix.

Here is a link to a Thai actor who went to the US to learn his trade in NY. He recently returned and starred in a Grammy film about to be released. Look at the difference - film is in both English and Thai. Here is the link to the trailer. He used to host a show on the Fashion Channel - UBC 40 at the time. What a change...

The theme was already done way back in the 1930's. It was called Reefer Madness.

Perhaps a more artistic way of putting the message across would be an improvement. But it certainly does cause Paranoia,among other serious side effects.

One side effect seems to be having a manic hairstyle

How are you travelling? the closer you are to the Myanmar borders then the routes tend to be very mountainous. I did Doi Inthanon to Tak taking the back roads until I hit the 106 and then route 1 into Tak. The little Yamaha Mio got a bit on the warm side coming down the steeper trails until we hit the main routes. Anyway if you can be more specific about your means of transport and itinerary then maybe people could advise.

The aforesaid formulaic soap opera is - like all of them - utter tripe.

The attempt at a 'hidden feminism' critical analysis is pathetic.

Next.

Anything that stops the missus from yacking for an hour or so can't be all that bad

There's one or two topics already on this 7-11 franchise stuff like this one - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/580025-i-am-considering-buying-a-711-franchise/page__hl__%207 . I think one thing mentioned is that 7-11 decide where your shop will be and not you. Anyway best of luck.

Till a plane crashes, nothing will stop these people. Third world Thainess.

Long live Loi Kratong and 'Third world Thainess', it's all the western grumps with their smug know it all comments that should be banned. If you can't work about all the Thai festivals and the magic they bring then why are you here?. I've yet to hear of a plane being downed by a lantern and most of the planes I've seen have 2 engines so the chances of both being crippled must be astronomical. As for the lanterns catching on electrical wires, well most cables are rat traps anyway waiting for the next accident to come along so maybe they need some culling. As for the blackouts, we seem to get one a week anyway without a festival so what's another one.

When I first started riding a HD in Thailand, a 25 year veteran gave me this advise ...

Think of Thai traffic as a flow of water. It will quickly fill any empty space.

And from my own experience earned riding on the road since 1968 - act like every other driver, both other bikes and cars and trucks, is out to kill you.

I'm driving a Honda. Does the same rules apply?

Yes my old Master taught me 'When you can lide honda lice paper and not leave skid mark then you are one with motosai'

It's like the Four Yorkshiremen sketch reading all these posts, for everyones reckoning it wasn't actually all that long ago. I remember all this stuff - one poster mentioned 100Mb HDs - that was luxury, I remember 5Mb HDs and storing stuff on hundreds of floppies.

Agree with most of the other punters, I will always use the bike instead of the car except for special trips. If riding a bike you cannot drift off, you beed to stay focussed all the time, be suspicious of every vehicle as they often will do stupid things. Because a trafic light changes to green also doesn't mean you can go, check the red light runners before moving off. Remember that many Thais on bikes and cars don't use their indicators, they allso park and ride up the road the wrong way. The death toll for bikes is high as many simply ride dangerously and get themselves killed, the rest are cleaned up by the lunatics in cars, Fortunas, minivans, buses and trucks (the last 4 being the most aggressive).

As to the OP if he feels uncomfortable on a bike then nest not to ride one, the Mazda will get caught in traffic a bit but will be a safe and comfortable ride.

It's not only the Thais who seem to drive badly in CM; it's also the farangs. I drive a car, motorbike, and ride a bicycle and I have seen any number of lunatic motorbike drivers who are farangs: usually without helmets, sometimes without license plates, speeding and weaving through traffic lanes. There seems to be almost no enforcement (police) on the road to nab these kind of people and until there is, this will continue.

57 year old "Lunatic" here: personally, I enjoy the "almost no enforcement (police) on the road", I enjoy the fact when caught without my helmet (like I used to do in California for 20 years before the Police State Republican gov made us wear them because of nannystaters like you whining) by a BIB needing beer money, I pay 200 baht, wish him a good day, hop back on by DS1000 Multistrada and zoom around your slow behind. I call that FREEDOM. Try it in California, and a cop will treat you like they just caught a mass murderer. I guess you are one of" those kind of people" that wish that police state mentality in Thailand. Please leave.

Only someone that never rode a motorcycle anywhere else would think that motorcycles are somehow "dangerous" in Thailand, and not everywhere else in the world. I've ridden north to south, east to west, and staying alert, not drinking alcohol, keeps me upright and smiling, in Thailand like everywhere else.

Thailand motorcycle riders are among the best in the world, from my observations.

Yeah wait till they start with the speed cameras like we have in the UK - can't go 100 yards without getting your picture taken and a nice little demand for a tea money contribution in the post. Give me the freedom here and I'll take my chances.

PS I do wear my helmet though cos' that's common sense not because some nanny state official demands it.

Don't be shy. A lot of smaller shops and 7-11 will gladly take them in payment or exchange.

I've heard customer service desks in large supermarkets will exchange them.

I know the treasury under our local governors building will exchange them without charge. That's where the local shopkeepers buy their bags of coins.

Yes as Farma says don't be shy - it's a great way to practice your Thai as well. Instead of just handing over a note every time, try and listen to how much they ask and stand there counting out the coins. I haven't had any bad looks from other customers or staff and I think many appreciate it instead of having to count loads of coins to give you change.

Have eyes in the back of your head and expect the unexpected and it's no problem

I mean motorbike boys and a cackling market trader - such damning evidence - just as the writers attempts to sparkle us with his mastery of Thai.

Well it does show that the person concerned mixes with the ordinary people and doesn't live in an ivory tower.

These are the very people you claim to support

Affordable principles,, the going gets tough here and you and your kind (Thaksin) are away on an airplane spouting inane rhetoric as you depart.

I'd love to show you my ivory tower someday - where did you get that. I live among the heart of the Red country and I've yet to meet a terrorist. These people are the ones that grow the food that goes in your over exercised mouths and when the reckoning comes matey boys I'll be eating real food while you guys are snacking on your ipods and blackberrys.