mhortig

I need to get photos taken for a US passport. Where in Chiangmai can I get photos taken? I am staying near Thapae gate, are there any shops in the area? Does the PhotoBug shop near Chang Pruak gate do passport photos? Thanx,

Thank you to all responders. Sounds like some of you got an email, and some not. I had read on "Don's life in Thailand" site that they would send an email, and that may very well have changed. TIT.

Thank you to all responders. Sounds like some of you got an email, and some not. I had read on "Don's life in Thailand" site that they would send an email, and that may very well have changed. TIT.

This is mostly for Thai wix. Check out this link for info for accessing the que on line: http://www.donslifeinthailand.com/Immigration_Online.html

Yes, the appointments get taken quickly. You can book 100 days in advance. I got mine exactly 100 days in advance on the day when appointments just opened. All of the preceeding days were fully reserved already. I went online at about 8:30 am and their were only 2 slots left open. So I suggest exactly 100 days in advance and book early in the morning. I'm not sure what time the appointment que opens. Good luck.

2 days ago I made a "que on line" appointment for my retirement visa extension at Chiangmai Immigration. I was provided with a que card and number which I saved. I have read that they are supposed to send me a confirming e-mail for the appointment but I have not received it. Should I be concerned ?

Is there any way I can go to their website and re confirm?.

I am looking for a hospital/clinic to do phaecoemulsification and IOL implantation. I have done extensive research and the clinics most used by falangs are in Bangkok and Chiangmai. I would prefer not to have to travel to do this. I really would like to have it done here in Phitsanulok. I have already checked out King Naresuan University Governent hospital and ruled it out. (If anybody wants to know why, message me).

If anyone has had this done in my area I would like to know about your experience. Where, was it successful, any problems ? Who was the Doctor and what type of IOL was used-monofocal or multifocal. I would also appreciate to know the toal cost, with preop exams, medication etc .

I'm assuming there is some interest in a dentitst reccomendation for Phitsanulok as there have been many readers but no replys yet. So I'll share what I've found out. Having a lot of pain I needed to do something, so I reluctantly took my partners suggestion of trying the dental clinic at the government hospital. Pleasant surprise. The two dentists I saw both spoke very good English. The clinic is very modern and they have a computerized x ray machine. The intake dentest diagnosed the need for a root canal. I was then seen by the dentitst who will do the procedure, Diagrams in hand she clearly outlined the cost and carefully explained the process in good English and made an appointment in 3 weeks, in the meantime some medication was prescribed. My initial appointment including x ray and antibiaotics was 190 baht. The root canal is 2,900, previously I have paid 9,000 baht in private clinics. The replacement crown is 6,000 baht which is about what I've paid before. I'll update this after the work is complete, but it looks like a very good choice. You will probably need a Thai speaker to navigate the front desk and the dental clinic desk clerks.

Can anyone reccomend a competent English speaking dentist here in Phitsanulok. Previously this forum reccomended Dr. Somchai, and frankly I was not happy with his manner, English ability or billing practices (overcharge the falang). I have also tried the clinic at the now named Bangkok hospital and was very unhappy. I went in for a cleaning and came out with a 3000 baht bill which included a number of procedures I had not requested or preapproved. I previously had my dental work done in Chiangmai and was very impressed with the work, the manner and the cost. I really don't want to go back to CM for my dental work. Has anybody had a good experience in Phitsanulok?

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Thanks for your comments. I have looked into this and found conflicting reports on its effectiveness. Our soil (fill dirt) is "sai din" and we're taking steps to improve it, Lots of manure, organic lime, mulch etc. We've got the EM so I'll give it a try. Some farang gardeners who use EM do indicate they have observed some improvement in the vitality of their gardens over time.

_{^{I am planning to add EM to my soil. I have added the molasses mixture and set it to "activate". How many days should I alow?. The lady at the garden shop said 7 days, but the EM application guide (English) website said 2-24 hours. Which is correct? Does it make a difference?. I like to be careful when preparing any mixtures for the garden. From reading the EM website I am concerned that too much activation time could elevate the ph too much. I have just added lime to increase my ph and don't want to overdo it. Can any of you farang gardeners/farmers clarify this for me?. Thanks.}}

What is the best time of year to prune lime trees. My understanding is that pruning should be minimal, mainly toi control shape/height, remove dead and weak branches. Any tips from people who have healthy lime trees would be appreciated.

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD FOOD FOR THOUGHT.....

I have gardened in America for many years and many of the Thai gardening practices make me cringe. We have about a rai of land with many trees that we had transplanted for us. The Thais insist that the dirt must be mounded around the tree trunk, especialy in the rainy season to prevent "flooding" of the trees. We are in Phitsanulok, and we do have a lot of rainfall in the rainy season but it is not "monsoon" rain and lighter that many areas. Unfortunately my wife listens to the Thais and is convinced that their techniques are correct. I have always understood that mounding was a danger to the trees, and all my researching supports this. We have been here about a year and while the trees have not died their growth appears to be less vigorous than I would expect as they are well watered and fertilized. Any comments on this practice wiould be appreciated.

We live outside Phitsanulok. Has anyone had any HANDS ON experience with growing grapes in this region? I do see them in some garden shops but needless to say I'm not comfortable with what the shop keepers tell you. Can they be grown here? What variety (thai name please) is best. Given a choice I'd like a red seedless variety. Any additional hints or suggestions would be appreciated. I am currently constructing an arbor. Thanks for your ideas.

Thank you all for your comments. I have switched to CAT and am extremely happy with my internet speed. Much better than True Move. You get very high speed downloading for the first 5 gb, then it slows but not under 350 kbs. Much much faster than True Move, and my browing speed has increased considerably. Short of having a landline, which is not available in rural areas, this is very suitable for me. To those of you, who like me may have looked into CAT in the past, their offering now is considerably improved, and cheaper than True Move.

I live a short distance outside muang Phitsanulok. There is no "landline" internet service available here. I have had True Move sattelite internet, and am NOT happy. It is expensive (over 900 baht per month). I get 3 gb of dowload/upload then it is frustratingly slow for the rest of the month. I use my computer for movie/tv downloading and email and occaisional internet browsing. Often it can take over ten minutes to open e-mail and sometimes not at all. and their support service is terrible.

Can any one reccomend a better provider?. It has been one year since we started True Move so I hope there is something better out there. I want greater capacity of downloading and faster speed. I do not want to pay an exhorbinant set up charge. Thanks .

From time to time I need reliable assistance to fix computer problems on my HP home desktop computer. Can someone reccomed a good techie, one who preferably can speak some English. Must be in Muang Phitsanulok. Please only suggest somone you have actualy had a good experience with. I have tried IT city where I bought my computer and they only service when under warranty. I have used a company in the arcade computer mall called UP, but their primary person is no longer available and I need alternatives. Thanks for your help.

What is the current approximate m2 cost for a cement driveway/parking area done by contractor. We will need 50 m2 including a walkway to the house. We want some metal reinforcing, but there is only one small car that will be using it. I would like to get an idea of what the "all in package price" with a contractor, people have been paying recently.. This will be very useful for negotiations. Thanks.

We have an approach road to our house that is 22 meters long by 3m wide: 66 m2. I am thinking of surfacing it with the crushed red rock that I see on a lot of unpaved country lanes. I would appreciate any comments about this material. How thick is it applied? How long does it last? Is it good to combine with a layer of small gravel, which I have seen also? What is the approximate cost and how much would I need?. This drive will only serve one small car so there is not a lot of traffic. It is a raised road bed so excessive water has a place to go. Any information would be appreciated.

We are building a 130 sq m, single story house outside muang Phitsanulok. We have the land and I know exactly how I want the house laid out and have prepared drawings but I am not not experienced in the "structural" aspects of building. Can someone recommend a good designer engineer in the Phitsanulok area. Include any cost information if you can.

Thanks to you all for your input so far. I should have mentioned that the adjacent "rice land" is not under cultivation as it is up for sale, so the only water accumulation to attract frogs, mosquitoes etc. would be rain water. We definitely plan on building on piers down to the "original " land.

We recently purchased 250 talong wah of rice land and put fill dirt to raise it 1.5 meters. There is only rice land adjacent. so the land is like an island. Has anyone built on land like this? My first question is whether we actually need a wall to support the land before we build. We would prefer not to build a wall due to cost, but want the land to be stable enough to build on. The house will be 13 feet from the nearest edge and over 20 feet on the other sides. There is also a stretch of raised 15 foot wide access driveway. We will not surface the road until the construction is complete. If anyone has actualy built on raised filled land like this I would appreciate any information on what we should consider before building. Thanks

We recently purchased 250 talong wah of rice land and put fill dirt to raise it 1.5 meters. There is only rice land adjacent. so the land is like an island. Has anyone built on land like this? My first question is whether we actually need a wall to support the land before we build. We would prefer not to build a wall due to cost, but want the land to be stable enough to build on. The house will be 13 feet from the nearest edge and over 20 feet on the other sides. There is also a stretch of raised 15 foot wide access driveway. We will not surface the road until the construction is complete. If anyone has actualy built on raised filled land like this I would appreciate any information on what we should consider before building. Thanks

We recently purchased 250 talong wah of rice land and put fill dirt to raise it 1.5 meters. There is only rice land adjacent. so the land is like an island. Has anyone built on land like this? My first question is whether we actually need a wall to support the land before we build. We would prefer not to build a wall due to cost, but want the land to be stable enough to build on. The house will be 13 feet from the nearest edge and over 20 feet on the other sides. There is also a stretch of raised 15 foot wide access driveway. We will not surface the road until the construction is complete. If anyone has actualy built on raised filled land like this I would appreciate any information on what we should consider before building. Thanks

Hello,

Is the mae sot border crossing now open for visa run. The visa is a type "O" that requires a stamp every ninety days. If is is not open can you suggest other nearest open border crossing for a Phitsanulok resident. Thanks for your help.