KhunVee

SGS or INTERTEK are both surveyors and deliver internationally recognised lab reports in English

The price obviously depends on the type of test(s) you need.

I have always used SGS for export purposes and am satisfied with their services. Their prices however are also international LOL

It is not a statement.

It is an observation.

That authorities are enforcing the law and getting "tough" is ABSOLUTE B*S*

I drive up and down between Phrao and Chiang Mai every other day or so.

For example, on that stretch of road (95 KM) there's 5 police check-points.

Each check-point is manned by officers 24/7

I can tell because their motorbikes and cars are parked in front and the airco's are running.

At night lights and aTV are on.

On that same stretch of road (yesterday for instance) there we're 5 great fires burning each the size of at least 500 sqm....

The cars of the arsonists where parked on the hard shoulder and the men where clearly visible in the forest, setting the fires ablaze.

(I wanted to stop and take pictures, but my BF said they might get agressive so we kept moving)

Only 1Km further down the road we were stopped by police at one of those check-points,..... to check our TAX and Insurance papers !?!?!?!

On the other side of the road where also 2 motorbikes stopped and got fined for NO HELMET !!!!!!

We continued and saw the other fires going on as they are since 3 weeks.

At night we stay in the Phrao "valley" and we could see all the hill tops surrounding us in fire.

Police is doing NOTHING!!!!

There's a small shop at Charoen Muang Road (the road of the train station) owned by a couple of young people.

The boy is really a good technician and values customer service.

When you pass the train station driving out of the city it's on your left hand side about 800 meters (or half a mile) passed the train station.

You can recognise the shop by all the LED lights blinking in front. Look good because the shop is small.

Amnuay is a place to avoid, especially when you're foreigner. All their stuff is extremely overpriced and their work isn't all that great.

I disagree with that. I've used Amnuay many times. Once I went there and got a quote, then sent the g/f for a quote a couple of days later. Guess what? They were the same price.

I think the owners are very nice people and they do good work there. One time our car overheated in the parking lot at Carrefour. One of the radiator hoses sprung a bad leak and the water drained right out. We called Amnuay since they were close. We had the baby with us who at the time was only a couple of months old and it was in the middle of hot season. They picked us up and gave us a ride home, took the car to their shop at closing time, and called us the next day to get the car. They replaced the hose. Total price for all of that: 200 Baht.

I've had other repairs there and always felt their prices were reasonable.

Having said that, one time when we needed a new compressor for the A/C did we felt their quote was too high. We shopped around and found the same repair for 50% less. So like with anything, it pays to shop around.

Well I had a very bad & expensive experience with them.

TV Rule (6) prohibits me to write all details unfortunately....

There's a small shop at Charoen Muang Road (the road of the train station) owned by a couple of young people.

The boy is really a good technician and values customer service.

When you pass the train station driving out of the city it's on your left hand side about 800 meters (or half a mile) passed the train station.

You can recognise the shop by all the LED lights blinking in front. Look good because the shop is small.

Amnuay is a place to avoid, especially when you're foreigner. All their stuff is extremely overpriced and their work isn't all that great.

I got mine at AIS (Thapae rd.) with 1yr warranty. I'm happy with it.

Global also has them.

If you are looking for a club, there are several in and around Chiang Mai.

There's a very active one in Tambon Faham, if you take the Faham road towards San Pee Sua, after the little tunnel under Super Highway, continue north, pass Tarad Kae Jao, and then you will see them playing at different fields left and right of the road (mostly after 6pm)

I am sure they will welcome you to participate.

I've seen some pretty well organised and serious competitions (monthly or so during the weekends) on the large field opposite Tarad Kae Jao, seemed to me that there were many different teams competing (I saw them wearing uniforms and team colours).

In Europe "Jeux de Boules" or "Petanque" is very popular in France (and other countries). I don't know the exact origin of the game but we all like to picture playing the game on the village square of a small town in the Provence, under the typical wallnut tree while sipping away a Pastis. The game is played by all members of society of all ages and certainly not bonded to the peasants only.

It's still horrible in Chiang Mai.

The sky is yellow'ish and the sun looks like an orange ball from some cheap sci-fi movie.

I am sick, my bf is sick and all our staff is sick in some degree....

Visibility is less than 500 meters and some times less sometimes a bit more, I guess the haze comes in waves.

We drive up and down between Phrao and Chiang Mai city every few days or so. On the way up there it's even worse and can see the burnings all over the place. Especially at night you can see the glow of burning bush in the hills. I see no sign of decline in fires over the last week. To my observation it's even more than 3 weeks ago when they started.

I was in Phrao hospital 3 days ago and the waiting room was just packed (many times more than usual) with people suffering from irritated eyes, nose and throat.

Just terrible.

I would recommend the Camera Repair shop in Ratvithi Road.

From Mike's burger on Chaiyaphoom Road, cross the canal and walk into the old city toward's the Three King Monument.

About 200 meter after crossing the canal it's on your right hand side just after Saint Germain des Pres (restaurant and rooftop bar)

It's a small "mom&pop" shop but they deliver good service. You will see some old second hand camera's in the window.

Are you interested in buying Eucalyptus wood chips, shavings, bark and/or sawdust for your Bio-char?

It's all sorted, bone dry, clean stored and certified (soon we will be the first in Thailand to also have FSC certified Eucalyptus)

Contact me tru PM.

V.

For any Orthopedic surgery you are best off in Maharaj Nakorn if you don't mind blending in with the nice local people at the waiting room(s)

The same surgeons are also operating at Ram but then you pay double (or triple) because your room will have wallpaper instead of paint :-)

My parents' friend had a hip replacement there and 3 years later still very happy with it, and job well done.

Maharaj also has private rooms if you like.

I have a Kia2700 which you could rent - only free Friday to Monday though. Holds 9CBM and can handle 2 tons no probs. Has correct registration for haulage (yellow number plate) 1,500 Baht/day. call me on 0810307565

Great, I'll be calling you shortly.

Message to other readers:

If you stil have info on other options, please keep them coming.

As Johngreen's truck is only available during the weekends,... I need more sources.

Thanks,

Check out ABS Ambassador. It's not an International school but a Bi-lingual private school.

I know for a fact they have Chinese (Mandarin) classes for age 5 and up... don't know about the quality and so on but certainly worth checking it out.

It would surprise me if the large International schools of CM don't have this available. But I have no factual knowledge about them.

Is there a place in Chiang Mai where I can rent a flatbed pick-up truck or mini truck with 1.6 - 2 ton load capacity?

Without driver!!!

Or does someone know who has one and want to rent out to me?

Type Tata or one of those Japanese mini trucks they use for water delivery,...

Need it for 3-4 days this week. (Wednesday to Saturday)

Hiring transport Nim See Sang or others (with driver) is not an option as we need to drive ourselves from and to many different locations.

Thanks.

Is there a place in Chiang Mai where I can rent a flatbed pick-up truck or mini truck with 1.6 - 2 ton load capacity?

Without driver!!!

Or does someone know who has one and want to rent out to me?

Type Tata or one of those Japanese mini trucks they use for water delivery,...

Need it for 3-4 days this week. (Wednesday to Saturday)

Hiring transport Nim See Sang or others (with driver) is not an option as we need to drive ourselves from and to many different locations.

Thanks.

If this is not the last-straw for the majority of farang who only ever wanted to live happy and peaceful lives here in the "Land-of-Smiles" then I honestly-to-God don't know what that "last-straw" will be for you to accept that the negatives of living here far out-weigh the benefits.

I put my money where my mouth is because the writing-on-the-wall is CLEARLY dictating that a disaster is brewing, the likes of which has not been seen for several decades here in this country. I have also been told personally and privately just how bad things are REALLY GOING TO GET.

If you choose to ignore the truth, then all that I can say is that you have NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF FOR STAYING HERE.

Good luck...these poor people who don't deserve all of this misery coming from multiple crises are going to need it.

You working for FOX-News maybe?

1. Rimping: has some sometimes but expensive if you looking to buy many.

2. Chiang Mai Plastic: at Warorot Market (it's a huge store within one of the small soi's,... ask anyone there and they'll show you)

3. A small shop opposite of the Suan Dok Hospital, but you need to drive up towards the mountain a bit (sorry but don't know the exact name of the shop and the location name) it's very small but has a lot of glass bottles and jars for beauty cream and so on in the window.

maybe the Australian government knows the answer: http://www.immi.gov....ets/04fifty.htm

Early migration waves

The date of the first human occupation in Australia remains unknown but evidence exists that humans have been on the continent for at least 40 000 years. Consequently, the Aboriginal people are regarded as the Indigenous people of Australia.......

.....The migration program has reflected economic or social conditions in Australia and elsewhere. For example:

During the 1840s a large number of Irish immigrants came to Australia to escape famine in their homeland.

From the 1860s to the late nineteenth century, labourers from Melanesia were recruited to work on Queensland plantations.

From the 1860s to the 1920s concerns about population imbalance resulted in deliberate efforts to attract women to Australia.

During the second half of the nineteenth century, Afghani, Pakistani and Turkish camel handlers played an important part in opening up the continent's interior, facilitating the construction of telegraph and railway lines...

you can change a countries name but not its origins

It's a pity they say Australian citizens, definitely not originally from Australia.

Yes, you're absolutely right.

They are white.

And the original Australian people are black.

As I have previously noted there have been barefaced lies, now exposed, for example the US Navy's role and the security of key royal sites.

Where has it been stated, that the US Navy offering help and then been sent packing is a lie ?

Originally sources reporting this, was US Navy sources.

I'm not questioning you, just would like to see where and what was said to counter the US Navy statement.

Errrr,.... The US Ambassador good enough for you?

URGENT:

CAT Telecom, the main international internet gateway braces for flooding: Phone and internet connections could be disrupted due to possible electric failure because of flooding.

-- Thai PBS 20:45

This has just been posted in the news section. It maybe the answer to your questions.

Thanks to all for comments.

It's been up again and now down again,... think we're going to get some more trouble soon.

I'm on TOT in Bangkok and i'm having issues accessing all kinds of international websites (facebook included)

And my DTAC gprs doesn't seem to be working either.

Thanks for the update.

I'm also on TOT but in Chiang Mai and AIS/3G seems to be working on iPhone,... so the site not blocked then,... let's blame a TOT server in in the flood area maybe?

Regs, V.

Facebook Down or Blocked?

Can't open the page all day already today October 26 2011

This is the message I keep getting in all my browsers (Safari, Mozilla, IE and Chrome)

"...could not load the webpage because www.facebook.com took too long to respond. The website may be down, or you may be experiencing issues with your Internet connection..."

Anyone the same issue?

Any suggestions or ideas what's going on?

My internet is okay for all other sites (well, at least those that are not blocked LOL_)

I am trained to rescue people and deliver first aid. I would like so much to help. Sadly, my visa dont give me the right to work. Sad but even with tears in her eyes, i can not do something else than watching those people.

Yes I remember all the Farangs who were helping after the Tsunami were told that they had to apply for work permits or stop helping. This was despite the fact that people were dying and the Farangs were volunteering and didn't receive any money for their work. I was just speechless at the time but nothing has changed since then..

i truly wish people like you would get over themselves and add something creative to the debate.

I seek real information not smug finger pointing and half-assed work permit jokes

If you want, I could get you face to face with at least 3 people who actually happened this to.

Then you can tell them yourself they are making jokes.

2 of them are ER-Surgeons with a good reputation in their home country and the third is only a Class A - ER Nurse with 22 years of experience in International Volunteering.

Your bar not open yet?