dvdcm

Is there any particular window for the 30 day extension of a visa exempt stay? I'm here a week so far and would like to get it taken care of. 

If Apple had such a quality fixation then why are all these people having such a hard time with them?

"All these people?" Apple sold almost 75 million iPhones between October and December.

I did (drop on a pavement and) break a screen. Third party fix at Central Airport Plaza was inexpensive and lasted long enough to be worth the price, but of course not the same quality as an original screen.

I've used Ram for fifteen years or so without dissatisfaction. I enjoy the quick return of results. My US physician recommends the usual labs annually and I have them from Ram at a fraction. Reports appear thorough and haven't been questioned. This is not to say other capable facilities aren't available for less.

It's a cultural thing. Much as with traditional Balinese culture, where slipping naked into a bathing pool made one "invisible", a certain percentage of farang, when slipping into Chiang Mai, perceive themselves as appropriately dressed anywhere at any time in a combination of singlets, shorts, and socks. Fortunately they tend not to bathe in the klongs, in which case we might all need doctors.

If you're using AirBnB my advice from personal experience is to make sure to check reviews of the property and to be wary of any that don't have glowing recommendations. On my last experience with AirBnB the rental I booked wasn't--at least from my perspective nor my colleague's-- as advertised and I lost nearly 3K USD owing to their cancellation policy.

Gosh, is it September already?

I may have reported some years back stopping at Customs on my way out of the country with a (genuine) Rolex to get whatever was needed for my VAT refund. At least two of the officers were wearing the same model.

Less diplomatic, but in Chiang Mai try "Farang kee nok".

Tight Fist Brigade is diplomatic. Try "farang kee nok" or the generic "kee nee ow"

"Sorry, comrade. Your eight minutes are up."

I arrived at 12:00 and the queue... well more like a mob... was packed in well away from immigration desks and and spilling back down the concourse. I've seen it busy before but never like that. By the grace of my hosts I used of the Fast Track, but it is interesting to see this post because the sight made quite an impression on me, as well. If it was still jammed at 16:00 whatever was going on must have been an all day affair.

In my experience (and I've had some) Waldorf schools are usually loving, arts-rich, happy places. As I've seen it in the States and Europe, teachers will stay with children as they move up through the years, which makes it good to hear kind words about a particular teacher in the area. Parents unfamiliar with the system who are considering it for the long haul might want to ask directly about the general approach to reading, as it may or may not fall within their comfort level.

Cyrus, I hope you enjoy Chiang Mai if you make it here. How long do you plan to stay?

I found this thread intriguing and thus have read your other posts with interest. It doesn't appear you've visited the Kingdom before. My apologies if I've missed that, but I suggest you set up a vacation to come and look around, maybe meet up with some of the generous people on this site who have offered such good suggestions. Of all of the places I've spent time, Thailand is the most forgiving of honest mistakes (and even dishonest ones if you have the baht), but it's also one of the most challenging if one has to project one's own sense of order and disorder into the culture.

Contrary to one of your posts, Chiang Mai really can't be described as off the beaten tourist track in any sense of the term. It has actually become one of the world's trendier must-visit spots for a lot of the traveling public, although people dropping dead of mysterious illnesses and the occasional threat of civil war might dent that and of course it's now the low season.

I find the internet service well beyond adequate and rely on it a lot. In the manner of a fair number of my Thai friends, though, it disappears when you least expect and turns up again with no apparent notice that there has been any hiatus. Ironically, when I tried to post this it was out. It's about 11:30 during trading time in New York. I know you're working global markets, but if it's a consideration I thought it worth reporting.

Your cat is going to die one day, somewhere. It has a destiny and so do you. Unless it's a good Buddhist, it has only eight more lives and unless you are, you might just have this one. It is of course possible to become hamstrung worrying about snakes and vicious dogs. For myself, I worry more about tripping over canines sleeping soundly on busy sidewalks. I do love Chiang Mai. I'm a little cautious about expecting it to reciprocate. Stuff happens and the fact that people here roll with it happening or just ignore it is part of its magic for me and could well be for you.

"I don't need AC, or hot water or fridge..."

No offense intended, but have you been to Chiang Mai in March or April??

Has anyone honestly read the tweets? BKK is a large airport and most customers move through it satisfactorily. Imagine LHR worrying about the mood of your taxi driver. Tripe. By all means go to KUL.

They said I could get 6 month multi entry, but only 30 days each stay.

When I applied for my 6 month visa last March here in CM, the application had the additional option of double 90 day entries.

It seems to have a lot to do with your visa status in Thailand.

First time I applied I was in Thailand on the visa-exempt basis and they would only do a single entry to China.

Second time I was here on non-O and had the 6 month with options described above and was in fact given the double 90 days without asking.

Now I travel on a one year business F multiple entry issued in the States. Prices roughly the same and express service available.

I'm sure the subject came up during the recent state visit; both President Obama and Hu Jintao are known to be avid followers of this forum.

Yes, the price hike for US citizens was a direct quid pro quo for something that originated in the States. The Chinese response appears to have been "okay, well, we're raising our rates." It happened a couple of years ago; I've spent a few minutes with Google but can't come up with the specific incident.

Do I gather from the previous postings that it's no longer possible to get the one day express (drop off in the morning and pick up after three) from the Chiang Mai PRC Consulate? It was a bit more expensive but quite convenient.

A few points to add, based on personal experience:

- the ATM/counter service (yes, it does mean 7-11) is for domestic flights only

- there is apparently a 30baht service charge added if you go to 7-11; I don't know about ATM payments

- the banks listed on the web site are in fact the only ones participating at this time, i.e., no Bangkok Bank

- if you choose the "counter service" thinking it means you can ticket at a local TG office, as I did, it will cost you more (in my case 200 baht)

The above came to my attention after I booked Chiang Mai- Bangkok the other day and stopped by my local TG office to pay and pick up the ticket, which is my standard practice (and is still the system for international flights if you don't pay by credit card online at the time of booking). The woman behind the TG counter acknowledged that the newness of the system was confusing people a bit. She did invite me to ake the 7-11 approach to save a few baht, but I elected to pay the extra bit in the interest of time. I believe she actually had to cancel and rebook the ticket.

I've done visa runs on two occasions to Singapore by simply passing through immigration, lunching with a colleague, and returning through to catch the next flight back to BKK. Never actually left Changi. No problems though the look from the immigration official on the second return was priceless. I'm sure they have a stream of people with airport meetings so can't imagine any issues.

I must have been lucky. A couple of weeks ago, I stopped in late morning, received a ticket from a young man who advised me to come back at 1pm and I was finished with the extension by 2pm (with another hour for a multiple re-entry permit). I do believe I had the benefit of 2 or 3 no-shows.

CM does seem quite reluctant to process earlier than thirty days before the renewal date. When I showed up last year with an air ticket showing I would be away at the point of renewal, they extended my existing visa by two weeks beyond my return date and told me to come back then.

Jesus...I never thought I would rave about Apple products so much.....

I know just how you feel. I was a MAC fan from the beginning. I eventually switched to PC's for about 15 years out of software frustration. The Nano started me back on the path to Apple. I still use/need parts of both worlds, but after taking care of my morning emails with the iPad and the wireless keyboard, I'm totally sold. Happy I didn't wait.... it's the most fun I've had with a piece of tech hardware since, well, the iTouch.

Stopped at iStudio in the Plaza in Chiang Mai yesterday in search of a screen cover...should have known better but it was convenient.. none to be found and same non-service that has now twice lost them major purchases from me. Veritable feeding frenzy in the iPad section. But I would recommend anyone Apple shopping in Chiang Mai to go directly to the main MacZone shop near Kad Suan Keow . My opinion only, but based on experience.

The case I mentioned previously is nice enough for now, but definitely not the deal you received, GM1955. I'll be in the market to replace it before long. For those who can wait, the next generation of iPad will surely be worth it. Fortunately, I'll be in a new budget year by the time it appears.

I was planning to wait for the next generation but spent part of Friday with a friend in possession of a 16 GB Wi-Fi version. I was so blown away I stopped at the iStudio yesterday at Changi Airport (I didn't make a special trip, but can't fault the timing) and walked out with the 32 GB Wi-Fi model.

As I found with my iTouch, 32 is really much more than necessary but there were no 16's to be had. I used SGD and with currency conversions I paid around US 671. That's about eighty bucks more than I would have paid in the States, but I'm not going to be there for months. It's $40 or so more than if I'd queued up for the product in Thailand.

Aside from the fact that I was able to walk out the door with the gorgeous little device in my bag (tax free), the huge difference for me was the pleasant surprise that the staff I dealt at Changi was actually friendly and helpful, which I find disorienting considering my experience at other Apple stores, including Thailand. Sure, they have one of the world's great products and they know it. But I consider the extra bucks worth it for the lack of attitude.

I did pick up the wireless keyboard because I do like the tactile response. Time will tell if it's a laptop replacement. I really didn't get it with that expectation. In the States the Blackberry- iTouch combination has been perfect for my work. I'm sick of lugging around a laptop of any sort and suspect this will make a great presentation device among other joys. The only challenge is that I haven't found a way to break it to the iTouch that there's a new member of the family.

GM1955 the standard case MC361ZM/B allows it to both free stand and to lie at an angle. SGD 54.71....

Went to dinner with friends last night at a "hi so" restaurant in the city. I took customary holiday precaution of lugging along a discreet thermos of firewater so as not to offend or dine dry. Management plainly thought we were out of our minds and pointed to the opened bottles sold all around the restaurant. Quite a change from a few years ago.

With all respect for the courage of the OP's wife in trying to help right a perceived wrong, and happy that she didn't end up hurt, the car driver slammed into a songtheow and now the songtheow driver has a farang's insurance company breathing down his neck for money he surely doesn't have. The wife apparently nearly missed the farang's car. Had she hit the car, do we assume she would have held the driver of the car blameless?

I've used RAM myself for various procedures large and small and have no complaints so far. I do check the bills. Prescriptions are overpriced as they seem to be in most hospitals, given that that's how they make their money. Doctors seem to be generous in handing them out, which I assume to be part of the business model. My pharmacist tells me Sripat (sp?) is slightly cheaper on the meds she can't supply. I have friends who swear by Sripat and would find it acceptable, as well.

I took a friend to RAM last weekend with no appointment for x-rays and we were in and out in 3/4 of an hour for 700 baht. I'm sure there are people on the forum that would call the wait excessive and the price highway robbery but will continue to use the place (and select my own doctors there) until I have reason to go elsewhere.

The sacred nature of the queue for the British may be largely unfathomable to the rest of the world but is an aspect of culture I fully respect and often long for when traveling to other parts of the globe.