seesip

Thinking of trying this place but would love some feedback. Decor looks interesting but wondering how the food is.

Wondering if there's any direct flights, Air Asia is suggesting CNX-KL-Hangzhou which is pretty roundabout. Also would appreciate any background on Hangzhou... never been before and thinking of making a family trip.

I've heard they offer immunizations for food allergies, has anyone tried the procedure?

Somluck Kamsing?

THAT IT....!!!! Somluck is the one.. Anybody know what he does these days????

Thank you heaps two gun teddy

I seem to remember he opened a Gai Yang operation somewhere...

I had heard this was part of Ram at some point. Is this a full fledged hospital? How are the facilities? Any particular specialties or lacking in any? I'm more interested if this is a good option for ER care. Thanks.

We are happy with Dragon Air Supply, tel 053-854878. They handle a large number of the main brands and seem to be very capable.

The temperature controls aren't working (either way too cold or not cold enough, no in-between). I've had a decent crew working on it already, they've replaced some parts but seem to be out of ideas.

Thanks for that..

Am I right in suspecting the Thapae one is more tourist priced / quality ??

Not sure which venue that is? Are you talking about the Bar Beer area? Even those fights can be good pair ups but probably not as a general rule.

Kawila had a big fire a few years ago and hasn't reopened yet, although I believe they plan on it. For now the most regular fights are at the Night Bazaar--not the same show fights that you mentioned, but at an outdoor stadium off of Charoenprathet Soi 1 (the first soi on the left as you enter the Night Bazaar). That soi comes out one way to Chang Klan, so if you're driving you pass soi 1 and turn in the next one that takes you past Le Spice, then you turn left into the parking area that runs right up to the fight venue. There's other decent shows around town, like in Mae Rim at the Mae Rim Plaza, but they're irregular and you'd need to ask some of the boxers or promoters when they are scheduled.

Have a Thai friend who is looking to take the GED exam. I've seen a few places around town advertising but hoping to get some feedback from anyone who's tried them out. I expect there will be a place that offers tutoring for the exam prep. Thanks.

A few posters have recommended working with architects through the local gov't administration, who are qualified, affordable, and streamline the approval process since they are involved in the final approval for the building plans.

Is it also possible to find builders through the same route? If so how do you go about contacting them--is it through the architects that works for the gov't? Looking for a builder for a small residential project. Thanks.

Great thanks very much.

For rymthmic gymnastic, Saturday-Sonday, 1,000 baht for 16 hours, 2 hours a day.

Great, thanks! Do you know what time it starts? I'd like to go by and have a look.

What I found only previous program from 2 April-11 May 2012, fee 1,000 baht for a program, Monday-Friday but I do not sure that is rymthmic gymnastic or other gymnastic, better to go to check there. Are you looking for Gymnastic class for adult or child?

I've heard there is a gymnastics program at Chiang Mai Stadium in Chang Phueak, anyone have any details i.e. days/time/costs? Would also like to hear about other gymnastics classes around Chiang Mai. Thanks.

Just curious about the licking thing. I'm regularly out in a village pretty far out of town. Lots of semi-feral dogs around, and a few are friendly. One in particular we feed regularly and it keeps guard around the house. Sounds like it's not a good idea to pet these guys if there's a chance they could have rabies? Assuming it would be pretty easy to get licked in the process. Or am I overestimating the risk?

That is an amazing use of a shophouse.

How much do you think something like that would cost, ballpark? That would be a perfect urban pad.

Very hard to say.. As you can see in the gallery link that I PM'd, a lot of the materials are cheap. Still it's going to be more than just bricking in between the concrete posts and beams and then rendering it in cement. I know what they spent in total, but that's for a hotel type setup with lots of bedrooms and lots of bathrooms. If you take a double 4.5m x 4m shophouse style frame as Onthedarkside mentioned and then do arty-farty stuff on the side of one of it involving a lot of wooden paneling/windowing and some ironwork then you're paying more, but how much more will depend completely on what exactly you're putting in and how cheap you can source it. A way to start could be to buy an old wooden house out of town which will give you a lot of wood to work with. You can buy those (just for the wood) for about 100-200K. Depending on whatever else you find in materials you can then do all kinds of cool things that you wouldn't have in a standard shophouse. Very, very hard to put a price on that.

To be honest I think it's best to forget about starting out with a 'standard' design, because in Thailand you don't really save any cost doing that as it's all erected by hand anyway; it's not like even bog standard shophouses just come out of a mold. So if, for example, you find that your place is on a congested soi then you may choose to NOT have a typical high-ish shophouse ground floor, but instead put in something very low, but high enough to park your car in the first half-level of the 4.5m wide unit. Then you can have stairs going up above that and have your main living room space just above that. There really is no limit as long as you stay within the standard-spaced concrete (or wood) post & beam structure. Only when you depart that building method will you end up with more headaches. (Some people do though; standard spacing does mean that no room or space in your home is wider than 4.5m (or maybe 5m), or you'll end up with a visible post somewhere. (Which may not be the end of the world; and you can do L-shapes of course, to make it look spacious.) )

Excellent info, thanks. Where is the photo of the wood/brick shophouse taken? It looks like the name says Pood?

That is an amazing use of a shophouse.

How much do you think something like that would cost, ballpark? That would be a perfect urban pad.

Very hard to say.. As you can see in the gallery link that I PM'd, a lot of the materials are cheap. Still it's going to be more than just bricking in between the concrete posts and beams and then rendering it in cement. I know what they spent in total, but that's for a hotel type setup with lots of bedrooms and lots of bathrooms. If you take a double 4.5m x 4m shophouse style frame as Onthedarkside mentioned and then do arty-farty stuff on the side of one of it involving a lot of wooden paneling/windowing and some ironwork then you're paying more, but how much more will depend completely on what exactly you're putting in and how cheap you can source it. A way to start could be to buy an old wooden house out of town which will give you a lot of wood to work with. You can buy those (just for the wood) for about 100-200K. Depending on whatever else you find in materials you can then do all kinds of cool things that you wouldn't have in a standard shophouse. Very, very hard to put a price on that.

To be honest I think it's best to forget about starting out with a 'standard' design, because in Thailand you don't really save any cost doing that as it's all erected by hand anyway; it's not like even bog standard shophouses just come out of a mold. So if, for example, you find that your place is on a congested soi then you may choose to NOT have a typical high-ish shophouse ground floor, but instead put in something very low, but high enough to park your car in the first half-level of the 4.5m wide unit. Then you can have stairs going up above that and have your main living room space just above that. There really is no limit as long as you stay within the standard-spaced concrete (or wood) post & beam structure. Only when you depart that building method will you end up with more headaches. (Some people do though; standard spacing does mean that no room or space in your home is wider than 4.5m (or maybe 5m), or you'll end up with a visible post somewhere. (Which may not be the end of the world; and you can do L-shapes of course, to make it look spacious.) )

I'm estimating 250 sqm for a double width, 3 storey unit.

I'd want to build it out a bit beyond the cheapest materials. The goal is to have office space in the ground floor and living above, which is why I'm thinking of shophouse rather than standalone house. Plus I'm assuming that shophouses are ubiquitous, so hoping that makes the materials cheaper/easier to source than if I were to build a standalone... but maybe that's inaccurate.

The 'most economical foot print' is 4.5m x 12m, that's 4.5 m wide and 4 m/between posts with 3 posts back. So that's 54 sqm/level/unit = 324 sq mn for a 3 floor double unit. Not sure where your 250 sqm calc comes from. I have managed the building quite a few townhouse type structures and this 4.5m by 4m beam box seems to be the most economical cost. Longer beams need a lot more steel = more cost.

Plus a 3 floor building needs a stronger ground floor to carry the weight of the upper 2 floors, so the standalone house comparison is not valid. If you have plenty of ground area then a one or 2 floor building is cost effective, compared with a 3 floor building. Usually folks build 3 or more floors based on ground cost/availability to make cost effective.

That's great info, thanks. So basically it's more cost effective to keep it 2 levels, unless the land is pricey enough to limit the building area.

Would like a rough estimate of how much it would cost to build a double wide, 3 story shophouse.

CM's newest hospital is a pretty good example of modern architecture with it's wave-form roof >

Curious which hospital this is?

Lanna's a good option. There's two others that would also be good for beginners, Quest and Tiger. You can google both. Probably depends partly on what part of town you will be staying in.

Dr. Chumlong sounds like a good option. I think the Thai docs are well versed in the standard treatments/talking points, etc. But I'm sure the cultural background would be a factor esp with therapy.

M & J or another mini van saves a few hours on the VIP bus. They pick you up at your place and drop you off. Much less hassle.

Last time I went I watched a few minivan group members use a USD $10. It's worth a try but not guaranteed. I think still better than 50/50 odds.

I'm considering the M & J option, anyone else have any experience with these guys? Do they stop on the way up or is it a non stop to Mae Sai?

but the 2 floods have been twice in the past four years though. Even when it rains the drains cant deal with the water. depending on where you are obviously, I used to live after the bridge on Tanawan 2 and the road flooded very easily making it hard to get around without a vehicle.

Yes Tanawan 2 does flood more easily,like you said somthing to do with the drains or lack of them,personally I would not want to live on that side,

regards Worgeordie

Not sure which one is Tanawan 2... from Google Maps looks like Tanawan is on both the north and south side of the inner ring road. The section I've been in before is where the Jia Jia pool is, which I'm placing as the north side of the inner ring road. Or is that 2?