orang37

Hi,

I want to take take some friends of mine up (starting from Chiang Mai the day after Loy Krathong) to see Doi Angklang, with a stop at Chiang Dao.

A long time ago I once stayed at the Amari in Doi Angklang in November (expensive and freezing !). That's not in the budget range now.

Ideally, we'll want to descend from Doi Angklang before it gets too dark, and we want to be in the Fang area to visit Wat Tub Thao and its cave and remarkable 500 year old Buddha the next day before heading across the high road to Doi Mae Salong the next day.

Any recommendations on guest-houses/hotels near Fang ?

Certainly don't need air-con that time of year, but paying up to 600-800 baht per night is okay for a better quality place.

Appreciate any recommendations.

thanks ~o:37;

The false dichotomy of "Haves" and "Have Nots," like a long tapeworm in the bowels of Farang thought, continues to feed on its stupefied expat victims, most of whom are from the "Haves" of their own native states where the offer of this dichotomy may be void.

This is a country of "mai mees," "mees," and "mee maak maak maaks," with the important distinction that some "mai mees" are actually "mees" or "mee maak maak maaks" who have chosen to become "mai mees," or, are posing as "mai mees."

The absence of the two logically intermediate groups ("mee maaks" and "mee maak maaks") is a requisite component of any valid deconstruction of Thai cultural phenomena ranging from the random motion of unlicensed predatory touts at Suvarnabhumi, to the secret-codes used by deaf tee-shirt vendors on Sukhumvit, to the increasing popularity of Mae Kwan Im and vegetarianism among the Thai-Chinese urban middle-classes.

These lacunae in the spectrum of hen ge tua (greed) are what drive the movement of hot air masses up from political parties, and attract violence the way soi dogs attrract fleas.

It is in this orchard that farang (guava) grow rotten as well as Girly-Berries become over-exposed but remain quite tasty.

This does not, of course, stop us from lamenting the blocking of streets since driving is a major form of birth control here, as well as a eugenic cull of the lame.

~o:37;

While I personally agree with the OP that Swampyboomboom is over-built, I don't have any problems with any country's decision to build a vast international airport for their capital city that is a national palladium of technology, shows "national face, etc." It's Thai's country, it's their airport, not mine.

While it gives me pause to know the architect (Jahn) was famous for the roof-collapse of his first major international project (Winkler building, St. Louis, Missouri, USA ?), evidently that wasn't his fault, and he did go on to fame and fortune : he's one of the world's most prolific architects.

I do find the OP's demeaning ad hominem attacks on people who responded critically to his statements absurd, suggestive to me that whether or not his critics are drinking beer, he is certainly swilling his own ego with gusto.

And the statement about all the kids who don't go to school because they can't afford the clothes in Thailand is a howler worthy of the Oprah Winfrey show in America.

I personally do not like SVBhumi for two reasons :

1. it's still full of the same unlicensed touts accosting travellers lke Don Meaung was (is ?). Wearing no identification, obnoxious posers, pestering scum, running petty scams. that to me is a national disgrace !

2. to me it is BUTT-UGLY : funereal, mortuary, necropolis : are some the terms I'd use to describe it. to me it does not reflect, embody, or promote, Thai (let alone Asian) cultural heritage and visual style : which can be so beautiful.

And. yes, I do believe that an airport could still be of the scale required for SVBhumi, facilitate the functional tasks demanded of handling passengers and baggage in great volume, and still have a very different aesthetic that would reflect the Thailand I know and love.

~o:37;

How surreal can it get ? Possible answer (?) : as surreal as political rhetoric needs to be to distract, seduce, divert, channel, sublimate, opiate, hallucinate, mesmerize, mis-lead, rationalize, confuse, mystify, obscure, inspire ... ad nauseam ... ad infinitum.

A few legless, or a few corpses, is a small price to pay such politically useful diversions ?

o:37~

Hi Khun Desi,

I've read most of your replies, and I think you have lots of good advice, but I'd like to add my opinion that you need to evaluate the symptoms in light of your total physical health and mental health. Have you had a standard cardio test ? Is this a time of unusual major life changes and/or stress in your life ?

Once you have excluded any major problem in the body's vital systems, then I think you will be in a position to evaluate which of many alternatives (aerobic exercise, yoga breathing [pranayama], swimming, etc.) and what environmental improvement (air cleaner, etc.) might be useful.

I practice pranayama regularly (as a preparation for meditation), and I am convinced it has really increased my already excellent lung-power. And I think the great body of scientific research supporting the value of aerobic exercise for vascularisation, cardiac efficiency, and therapeutic impact on many forms of stress-related illnesses (from acid reflux to migraine, yes, even on allergies) might suggest you consider evaluating your current exercise regimen to make sure you are reaching and maintaining the minimum intensity level of cardio-vascular exertion over a long enough time period that you are getting the aerobic benefits.

best wishes for your health, ~o:37;

What's in the mirror

"Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. Between the two, my life flows." Nisargadatta

yep, that's exactly why I prefer the mini bus from the airport, as I arrive by air anyway and taking the Udon-Vientiane international bus, not only requires me to get a Lao Tourist visa at the Lao embassy in Bangkok, but I also have to take a taxi from the airport to the bus station, by the time I have arrived at the bus station, the mini bus is already driving for about 20 minutes.

Hi,

I'd appreciate a little more information on the minibus you mention : I assume you are talking about a minibus from Udon Thani airport ? Any link to an on-line schedule for said mini-bus.

thanks, ~o:37

Hi,

I've been reading posts from several months ago and older here on going from CM to UT and on to Vientiane.

Just curious if anyone has made the trip by bus in the last three months, and what your experience was like, if you have.

Seemed to be some question as to exactly what type of buses the VIP's to UT are : are they equivalent to the new 24 seat beauties on the Mae Sai route ? I doubt it, but it would be good to know more spefically, and if I don't hear from someone here, I'll go to the Arcade station and check myself.

If you have made the trip by bus, recently, how were the roads at night ?

thanks, ~o:37

Hi,

I have two friends coming over around Loy Krathong time with their nine year old boy; they love outdoor water-related sports like rafting and kayaking, trekking, etc. They are very down-to-earth folks that love nature.

As a long-time (and much older) expat my water-related activities in recent years have involved mainly eating fish by the Ping, Kok, and Mekong

I've already planned to take them on a day trip to Chiang Dao (possibly even further north to Doi Angklang and to visit the remarkable Tup Thao cave and Wat near Fang).

I've heard good things about the Chiang Dao Nest resort, and recommended that place for them to consider for an out-of-town stay after a few days of the magic of Loy Krathong, also recommended they consider the "old classic" of the raft trip from Thatorn to Chiang Rai.

If any of you have recently stayed at Chiang Dao Nest, or taken that raft trip in the last year or two in November, I'd appreciate any comments.

And if anyone has any ideas on rafting, kayaking, etc. in Lanna, would appreciate maak maak.

thanks, ~o:37