WinnieTheKhwai

I had a great flight with Thai from LAX recently.. I know there's lots of things wrong with Thais and their routes, but there's only ONE airline that gives you the feeling you're already in Thailand when you board, and that's TG.

I agree with the OP. Suvarnaqbhumi is currently NOT used to the max, and with 1-2-Go and Nok inching towards going belly up, there really is not reason for the inconvenience of having to transfer between airports.

Other countries have multiple airports around their biggest cities out of necessity, not because it makes sense or is convenient!

It may even make sense to let C concource join the domestic side if needed.. it's not like the international side is fully utilized..

where do i start looking? who do i start asking? what kind of prices am i looking at ??

In that segment of the market (basic) there aren't many internet sites you can look at. I recommend you check into a guesthouse first and just go look around in an area you fancy and ask at apartment buildings if they have a room available.

Prices you're looking at are around 2500baht. (non air con) Nicer/newer places will cost a bit more, but you could also spend less if truly desperate.

"Free Israel"? What does that even mean? (Did it perhaps say "Free Palestine" ? )

Anyway, I think she's a colourful person who has a significant number of grumpy days, but who can also be VERY welcoming and good spirited. She's the Basil Fawlty of Chiang Mai restaurateurs and personally I think the place is an asset to the city.

This is the only link you need:

http://www.chiangmaibus.com/

As it's in Thai, the route maps are half way down the page on the right hand side. It's the links where you see the bus numbers such as 2, 11, 6 (clockwise) and 6(counter clock wise).

Personally I think the bus routes are rubbish. They've been running like this mostly empty for over a year now, you'd thin, someone might catch on that the routes are rubbish and need changing.

(I know, I know, This is Thailand)

I really like this topic.

It'll probably be closed soon.

Sheesh.

I'm not gonna post now.

Oh wait.

Would be interesting to hear their observations about the economy in 98 to 2000. This time around could be a bit worse than 97.

I was around before, during and after that (as were many others of course).

It did NOT have a big impact at all. It was however VERY different from what we see now. 97 was primarily a CURRENCY crisis; the Thai baht finally was floated against the US dollar, meaning what used to be a 25-ish rate went up to near 50 before going back down a little.

The key thing however was this: Really not a lot of key things in life were affected at all; prices for just about everything remained the same EXCEPT for some imported / luxury items.. But your regular shopping and so on pretty much remained at the same price. So the impact was minimal. If anything this was a huge advantage for Chiang Mai because all the local wood carvings and furniture and all the other crap they make around here suddenly was exceptionally competitive, even more than it already was.

What we see right now though seems different, though to be honest I don't notice any impact on anything important here as well. Sure after '98 a lot of people's money went a lot further suddenly, now we see that back down. Big deal. It's not like you'd be living better if you moved home would you? So just suck it up and learn to appreciate the good things in life that honestly you can still afford just fine.

Into which of your two types do you fit vehicles such as the Jeep Cherokee, Toyota Landcruser and Landrover? Or do you not consider them to be SUVs?

Well, first and foremost I don't consider them to be vehicles that are currently widely on sale and competitive in Thailand. I did think to include a 'dedicated 4WD' type category, in which would also fit the 'actual' Mitsubishi Pajero (not the 'Sport') and some of Suzuki's 4x4 vehicles. But none of those are assembled in Thailand and come with huge price tags, if you can find them at all.

But secondly, to answer your question: No, those I don't consider SUV's. SUV = Sports Utility Vehicle, a type of raised estate made to look like a rugged outdoorsy kind of rig but actually aimed squarely at soccer mums. No, I would not put a Land Cruiser, Classic Pajero or Land Rover in that category, though the Freelander came #$*(* close.

Chances are if you go to a Jeep or Land Rover enthusiast's gathering and refer to people's rigs as SUV's they'd smack you.

Hi WTK, what is included in the 'real deal'? also whats the name of this place?

at Haad Yai CHok dee, what do they have???

Had Yai Choke Dee has a mix of Central Thai food and Southern food. Some really good stuff around there, and fast as it's pretty much 100% a 'rice & curry' shop in the sense that you select by pointing at what they have on display. Phuket Lai Khram has that as well, BUT they also have a made to order menu which has some really really good dishes on it, like the curried wild boar dish. (phad phed moo paa). Also try their Southern style Khanom Jeen, even when you're normally not a fan of Khanom Jeen in the usual varieties.. The Southern style you'd normally find in places like Phuket (ok.. ) and Trang and is amazing; it's served with a yellow curry sauce and some sweet/pickled vegetables. Both these places are very popular and well established.

When I say real deal I guess I just mean they have more dishes that are the ueber-spicy type that Southern food is famous for. I don't know the name of the place on Charoen Muang.. the other buildings on the 3 remaining corners of that intersection are a bridal shop, a tyre service shop and a bank/financial building. Anyway, here is the street level view of the place in mapjack.com : http://www.mapjack.com/?PxYyUvekacBG It's not fancy, but nice people running the place.

Still the same reasoning for moving the topic; issues relating to ladyboys are not wanted in the gay forum, which is only for Real Gay Men.

(Though seeing how often ladyboy related topics clutter up General and the bedlam that ensues, I think a point could be made for a dedicated ladyboy forum. I mean gays and women have their own place, it only makes sense to have one for the third gender as well.)

But anyway, as for the question, it's not like there's a shortage of ladyboys working in the hair & beauty shop industry, so by all means try it out and report back how it went. I also completely agree with you in not going overly feminine as per the standard Thai Thai beauty pageant look; that looks ridiculous on anyone, females included.

Regularly take tuk tuks in CM [...] aggressive [...] drink [...] the gf is 8 months pregnant

Obtain clue, do not pass start or collect 200 baht.

I need to get a banner made . I need to find a place that will supply the.. material,

and paint the words, I have had them made in other province,s but not here,

I will make the carrying poles myself directions please

Any sign making shop. There are loads all around town. Usually have a sign saying 'Signs!', in Thai. (ป้าย)

If it's okay with everyone then I'd like to just respond to the question?

There are two types of vehicle that are commonly referred to as SUV's in Thailand but they're very different. Your first choice will be to choose between these types:

1. Vehicles based on / derived from pick-up trucks. These include the Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu Mu7 and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (not to be confused with all other Pajero's before it, which weren't directly based on pick-up trucks)

2. Vehicles based on/ derived from passenger sedans like the Honda CRV and Chevrolet Captiva.

The former (1) will usually have turbo diesel engines and are built on a ladder frame. They tend to be bigger, heavier vehicles. (2) will drive more or less like a passenger car, be less tough, smaller but more refined to drive. Also in footprint (be it physical or carbon based) there's little difference with regular passenger cars. Pick-up based vehicles share a similar footprint with pick-up trucks.

(1) tend to be fractionally cheaper, mostly due to tax reasons. This makes them a very good deal price-wise as you get a lot of car for your baht. But they're not for everyone, you may not actually want a tough diesel 4x4.

I would love a true Indo/Malay place.. But indeed some Southern Thai food comes close.

There are many good Southern Thai restaurants around Chiang Mai, most of them small places. There are two kinds, the ones that are a bit more mainstream / chinese and then the real deal. Don't get me wrong, the former are still well worth a visit and include for example Phuket Laikhram on Suthep Road just East of the Canal Road intersecton, and Had Yai Choke Dee on Chang Klan road, not far from Chiang Mai Land.

For a good 'real deal' place try for example the one on Charoen Muang road, on the corner of the third traffic lights East from Nawarat Bridge. But there are several.

My wife doesn't think it is her friend now due to the ID card registered in a different province then her. But looks a lot like her.

So... seeing that her friend is still alive, which Karaoke does she work in? Wouldn't mind buying her a cola..

I would recommend dressing well and generally looking wealthy, smiling and looking confident. It's all about appearances in Thailand. Try going shopping at KSK or Robinson mall and look good and shop/purchase some nice things and the store women will be drooling to give you their phone numbers. Easy as that.

LOL.. Now those sound like the ultimate catch..

Honestly I don't see the need for all the hate. What's wrong with everyone? Jealous perhaps??

It makes complete sense to be with one or more friends when going out to the pubs around Nimmanhaemin et al. Being by yourself in those places would be un-Thai; it's easier to make contact from group to group.

This forum is going down the drain fast.

F1 cars don't roll and pitch a whole lot last time I checked? (Unless they're barrell-rolling off the track of course)

Yeah, you gotta specify which publication..

The Nation, Manager, are completely rabid in favor of PAD.. Others may be a little better.

This is becoming a joke, the sad thing is innocent young soldiers on either side could die because some prats want to keep face.

That won't be the first or the last time in the history of the world..

Applies to Western countries just the same. (e.g. 'we don't want to leave unless everyone agrees we WIN')

Gotta be burgers or pizza to rile up the masses.

I think the main point is not riding a bike. And not operating a vehicle while drunk.

Nice to include a slur against Thai men. If you think that way about half the population then please stay in the US.

I thought this topic was sad, but then I thought of some of the people living in the News Clippings forum providing their take on Thai politics..

Compared to that, I'd like to submit this as the Post of the Month.

You guys sure type on your keyboards a whole lot more than drink.

Come on, go do something for the local economy and imbibe, you'll be glad you did.

And yes, the daytime alcoholic entertainment options in Chiang Mai are terrible. Some options in Moon Muang Soi 1-2, then Number #1 bar, and that's about it.. But even there it's pretty dead.

The only place with solid daytime drinking options that I know of is Pattaya.