WinnieTheKhwai

The deal is that the monk will raise money for the project, spend the minimum to get the job done, then split the remainder with the local army brass.

If that's the case then I think we should all appreciate it because of the unique Thai character of the undertaking.

Thai heritage isn't limited to art or architecture. We should appreciate it as a perfect expression of Thai culture. And this is just executed magnificently.. monks (who aren't even supposed to touch money) raising funds which then flow to influential army people under the table.. A work of art. sniff.. I should stop now or I'll get emotional about it.

I LOVE the pool at the Orchid. I would still be there except for one really dangerous spot to drive my bicycle every day. I figured I was going to have a problem crossing a major street with no stop signs or red lights sooner or later.

Oh come on. Bike like this then, only easy left turns, or traffic lights. Walk across at the blue dots as it's one way there.

Leave my member out of it!

Newbies are more interesting in a business sense. So it was counterproductive to exclude them and just have a bunch of old-hand know-it-alls gobble up all the free beer.

And, that's assuming they're actually newbies and not just some rather notorious loud-mouth regulars who are now suddenly girlie-shy to show up in real life face to face, but they don't want to miss out on any free beer and food, so........

Bet he wasn't very wild after you smashed him.

Actually for me (and pretty much all Thais) I'd be more interested in a pool that did NOT get sun most of the time. The pool in my compound gets sun completely all day so you can't really take the kids for a swim until 5pm or so when the sun isn't so strong anymore.

What is an illegal nursery anyway?

Some people just crave the paranoia. The list of possible 'side effects' isn't anything you wouldn't find on just about anything. Especially when you're comparing to things like alcohol.. Sure, get all paranoid on getting a head-ache from Pepsi Max if you drink a crate of it, but think nothing of a couple Changs giving you a head-ache (for starters) a lot quicker.

But don't let me spoil the fun, and paranoia really IS a lot of fun.

I can't believe I haven't gotten a single recommendation yet!

Well, look, what do you expect? Thai women just aren't that hairy.

So it's a ... (wait for it) .... niche market. (*ka-ching*)

owever its not close to the airport.

Ratika

33 Soi9 sirimunglajarn Rd.

T.Suthep Muang Chiang Ma

If that's not close to the airport then I don't know what is. It's all of a 5 minute drive from the terminal. (Taxi through Wing 41 Rd)

The centipedes will give you a lot more grief than the scorpions.

This is brilliant, Puwa!!!!

Yes it is. However for stores/bars/restaurants I believe Coke does take them back if they're un-sold. I've had this discussion with a bar owner in Chiang Mai. ( Of course some of the really small places don't get delivered direct from Coke but just buy from Makro or similar.. )

It reads a bit like a scam, to be honest. Not necessarily by you, but the angling for using this as a way to obtain a visa with 'only' 4 hours of actual teaching required does sound like it. And without any teaching qualifications required at all, and no background check...! Apply now.. You have to wonder what sort of people this attracts.

Pepsi has longer shelf life. Looking at any can will confirm that (production date -> Expiry date)

I don't doubt that it's only 10 weeks for Coke though, it really is very short.

I'm interested.

What makes it a Montessori thing though? I went to a Montessori school myself which probably wasn't a great thing for me personally, but for a 3-4 year old I don't think it matters much anyway so I'm interested.

Is this for weekends though? Mine goes to kindergarten Monday-Friday. (An amazing one.. much better than anything I remember from my Montessori one!)

IMO Chiang Mai is a great place to live, not visit.

I think it's a great place to visit, too. Beats Bangkok (and most other Thai cities) by a mile, for starters.

Who would honestly enjoy visiting things like markets and temples more in in Bangkok? Chiang Mai is just so much nicer, more convenient and more beautiful.

When you live here a long time it perhaps becomes harder to see what the attractions would be for a short visit, because you see those things every day.

Whenever I feel like I need a reminder I go stay somewhere in the old town area, wake up at 6 or 7am and walk around. It's good to give you a reminder sometimes. It's all too easy to forget about the attractions living in some compound in the San Sai area and rarely getting beyond Carrefour.

Yeah, at those prices it better be VERY romantic. I'd had "romantic" massages that cost a lot less.

Sounds awfully yellow.

Answer: You have to check the expiry date on the bottom of the can.

This especially applies to Coke, which has a shorter shelf life.

When expired (and I'm sure the heat adds to this) it turns completely vile.

So especially in places that don't have a big turnover in these drinks I usually ask to check the bottom of the can first.

You could always build it yourself with Soda water, lemon / lime juice & Equal. Number One bar has real lemons and above-average soda water (Schweppes was it), so all you need to source is some limes. And a box of Equal at Makro.

I have to correct myself here; Number One bar has BOTH the Western yellow lemons as well as Thai limes. So all you'd to bring is some sweetener.

Most of the year is like this. Exceptions are November-February when it's even nicer (cooler), and March-April which are shit.

I stand corrected.

Thanks a lot for that website, Blinky Bill. It will be helpful in the future. Like I said, it's my hearing that is off, and when a Thai says something it happens so quickly that it is often indistinct.

Don't blame yourself unnecessarily; it's not (only) your hearing, it's the limited range of vowels you have available in English. You were quite right that it's not 'ang' as in 'gang' 'bang' 'sang'. It's not 'ong' either, but coming from English I would't call either more right or wrong than the other. I always use "Falong" myself when I'm trying to upset those pedantic people who think there is such a thing as a standard transliteration for Thai.

Kanchanaburi is a bit of a tongue twister and it STILL doesn't sound like it is printed.

This one is interesting because usualy when non-Thais go wrong in Thai it's because of tones or incorrect consonants. Here it's often just the stressing of syllables / rhythm of the word that goes wrong, ending up with something like "Can-chana-brewery", which to be honest is amusing enough to keep using it.

Then there's people living for years in a place they think is pronounced Sankypang. Or Chom-chen near Pattaya. (Possibly a reason why Pattaya is so popular is that foreigners can pronounce it. )

I guess that you are not hanging with the Hi-So crowd. THEY pronounce the "R" sound, which is actually correct.

While they would pronounce it as "R" (as something close to a Spanish R, so Texans need not apply), I struggle to call any particular region/class' pronunciation more correct than the other. In Lao (and Northern Thai) there's no R at all, and people use 'L' or 'H' in words where central or Southern Thais would put a Thai R.

I'd answer the same to Thais who tell me they're ashamed because they can't speak accent-less English. There is no such thing. Even within the British Isles there isn't a single correct way to pronounce just about any English word. So it's OKAY to speak with an accent, be it a Thai, German, French, Ozzie or Cockney one.

I believe most ALL women love to look and smell good. If you were unfortunate enough to never have experienced a good smelling, hair free, taking pride in herself woman outside of Thailand, then all i can say is that that may only reflect on the kind of person you were able to attract...?

OUCH!!!!! And Hatton is down....

www.northwheels.com

http://www.rubycarrental.com

www.budget.co.th

etc.

Had an excellent Americano coffee this morning on the Middle Ring.. Beans ground in front of me with a burr grinder, then Espresso'd in an Italian made espresso machine.

30 baht.

Why are costs going down so much I wonder. This gotta stop, it's ridiculous.. excellent coffee for 30 baht. If this keeps going the coffee will be cheaper than the som tam in this country.

My favourite seafood restaurants are located in Rayong province at Haat Payoon which is on the coast next to Ban Chang.

No fancy decor, just simple tables and chairs on the beach amongst the trees.

Always very fresh and well prepared and the price is local, about 1/3rd the price you would pay in some tourist rip-off joint in Pattaya, Jomtien, Cha-am, Hua Hin, Phuket, Krabi, etc.

Thanks for that, I appreciate it..! It probably applies to many of the less touristed seaside locations.. I also had stunning (and stunningly cheap) seafood in places like Chanthaburi, Prachuap and Trang.