FlorC

Thanks Sophon,

Yeah , that's the one. You have all the freedom of which pot or pan to use. I've looked for it in small shops & the big retailers , but haven't found one. Lazada is an online shop , and I don't /can't buy online.

Why are they pushing these induction type ones ? They are everywhere.

I've been using these wide rice cookers , you know the ones , with aluminium pot to
take out. You see them everywhere. But the unhealthy "teflon" , which is no more
than a sort of paint or anodisation of the alu surface , comes off and leaves the
aluminium exposed . This is not healthy either en doesn't look or smell clean. Now
those inner pots , are not replaceble with a new one, AND because of the curved
bottom , you can't use the heating plateau to put a regular pot or pan on. So you
have to throw away the whole cooker. Now I want a stainless steel pot instead of
the aluminium crap. Global house has only one and Home pro 2. They say stainless steel,
but not replaceable and have round bottom too. They are much more expensive than
the alu one that starts at 250 B. The cheapest SS is 869 B.

I should have brought my 1 plate heater from europe, but it was too heavy. They
don't seem to have that in Thailand. The only ones are the expensive induction plate
cookers , but that needs special cookingpots for the induction to work. I am not
keen on having a HF , high powered magnetic field in the house and the potential
interference on the mains. Gas cooking is not an option.
So how do YOU cook electric ?

FlorC I'm sure that in 2008 diesel was 23 baht having risen sharply from 15 baht in 2004.

No dude , I write everything down. I was wrong about the peak price , I was repressing that awful memory of 44,24 B/l on 10th of july 2008. It was back down on 31th dec 2008 , like I said 18,34 B/l to be exact ( in Bangkok).

But if you don't believe me : http://www.pttplc.com/en/Media-Center/Oil-Price/pages/Bangkok-Oil-Price.aspx?s=1

And for the palmoil content and damage to engines : BMW Malaysia is complaining for making B10 diesel from 1st oct , the standard there. I think we're already at B9 (=9 %) of that nasty sh-- here in Thailand.

http://asia.nikkei.com/Markets/Commodities/BMW-warns-new-biodiesel-blend-could-damage-engines

http://www.motortrader.com.my/news/is-biodiesel-with-10-palm-oil-suitable-for-engines/

I guess that's one of the measures to pick up the economy by the new government : a win win for them:

Getting rid of the overproduction of palmoil , less import of real diesel , and when your car engine breaks down , more work and replacement parts for the repair shops /car dealers....more taxes & GDP. Or even owners that buy a new car ...even more taxes .

Thanks government !

Hey , how far from the 101 on the 1022 is the "Grand Canyon" ? Post a pic , to see if it's worth to go see. I can't see anything on satelite view. In 3 months , there is that 2 month window coming up , that I can come out.....Thai winter ! And I would love to go see the Thai grand canyon. I love my car too much to take it on a 70 km dirttrack though.

I went to Global house , this week but didn't see roadworks on a new elevated U turn. They are building one on the 101 /1134 . Totally unnecessary , and it takes forever to build it. Phrae's road budget is way too high.

Not sure if I've confused you, but the Grand Canyon is off the main Phayao to Phrae road ( 101 ) and not off the 1022. The elevated U turn you refer to looks about the spot to turn off to the right going towards Phayao, unless there are more elevated U turns being built.

If you had google earth you'd probably see it. It's just a few minutes from the main road. We had to ask a few people to find it.

For pictures just google Phrae grand canyon. Don't get confused with the Chiang Mai grand canyon.

I thought the roads in Phrae area were really good.

In your opening post , I thought you meant that "the Thai grand canyon" was at some side road off the 1022.

Then the penny dropped : you meant "Muang Phi " , I've been there twice . It is a long stretch calling it the grand canyon, but a nice walk around , and free when I was there.

The 101 is the highway from NAN , from Phayao is the 103 ( to the 101).

At the crossroad 101/1134 , is the elevated U turn progressing slowly , and is indeed the road to Muang Phi.

The 1022 is futher south , and I haven't been there all the way to where it turn into a dirt track in the mountains.

I take preppers serious , but like simon43 ^^ says , in Thailand prepping for what ?

As a foreigner here , when a tsunami/flood/vulcano/earthquake strikes , you just go to a different part of the country and wait it out. The minority with property/houses , might want to considder stocking up on essentials if they don't want to leave . If the government or whatever party goes full retard Khmer rouge on us, we're just a couple of hours away from one of the borders.

When Trump starts WW3 , Thailand will not be in the "hot" zone even with China so close.

That leaves very unlikely major events like big asteroids/ CERN-accidents/ orbital changes / worldwide pandemics,....Do you really want to survive them ?

A couple of months ago , they changed the palmoil content to get rid of the overproduction . More of that nasty stuff in diesel , has an bad influence on your motor/consumption. I haven't been to the gasstation since februari , and running on empty.

That is also my idea about the reason for the increased consumption.

So the premium, at I think a 3Bht/l extra, is actually the same diesel we got before, so that would mean that the price decreases on the world markets are simply not passed on to the consumer.

There is nothing to find on Shell or PTT website that indicates the palmoil content in "premium" diesel ( nor regular diesel). The premium expensive ones , are so because of the additives that MIGHT make your engine run better and cleans it from the inside....if you believe that <deleted>.

Years ago , rule of thumb was that fuel (diesel or benzine ) was nearly 3 x the Thai price back home in europe , now diesel in my country is 1 euro (41 THB ) and outside of Bangkok & Chonburi , and neighbouring provinces , you pay now just over 23....which is about halve or more than halve the price back home. In 2008-2009 diesel was 18,5 in Chonburi , with about the same oil barrel price.

This was after the 35 + B/l. Taxes in euroland have CERTAINLY NOT come down , so I guess the diesel fund is growing sharply here in TL, or the oil REFINERS & distributers are racking in the big money.

I would not mind paying more for REAL diesel , palmoil deteriorates engines of cars older than 5 years.

If they can produce oil in 2015 at 40 $/barrel , think about the profits they made all these years when prices were double or more AND the governments that taxed it . We've been scr.... by all.

And a another invasion of Poland in 3 , 2 , 1 ....

If you live in rural Thailand , and where it is not likely to get a monster flood , there is no need for prepping. Prepping is very much needed if you live in the ussa or europe. Rural Thailand has veggies & rice in abundance and enough water.( may need some filtering or put a silver coin in ). The one thing that would kill me is no electricity = no aircon and computer , so the heat & boredom is going to get me for sure. The big financial reset that will ravage the " first world" , will barely be felt in Thailand.

A couple of months ago , they changed the palmoil content to get rid of the overproduction . More of that nasty stuff in diesel , has an bad influence on your motor/consumption. I haven't been to the gasstation since februari , and running on empty.

Hey , how far from the 101 on the 1022 is the "Grand Canyon" ? Post a pic , to see if it's worth to go see. I can't see anything on satelite view. In 3 months , there is that 2 month window coming up , that I can come out.....Thai winter ! And I would love to go see the Thai grand canyon. I love my car too much to take it on a 70 km dirttrack though.

I went to Global house , this week but didn't see roadworks on a new elevated U turn. They are building one on the 101 /1134 . Totally unnecessary , and it takes forever to build it. Phrae's road budget is way too high.

25 aug : stopped at the constructionsite opp of the PTT gas station on the 101 because I still thought that 1 sept would be the opening , wow , even a november opening seems a bit optimistic ! Bummer .

just make ur own mayo its easy cheap and u have the taste u like. btw Phrae is a great place to live

I live in phrae so I am curious. ... what can I get in makro that I can't get in the other stores? I know I can get a baguette in big c but thats about it bread wise. Thanks.

You mean the 32 B baguette that tastes like cardboard and loses more weight and gets shorter as time goes by. ( masked inflation ). Or its sibling the 35 B bread, tastes the same , a crust filled with air ? Or the square sugary "bread" ?

From other posters out here , I read that Makro has a slightly more european food choice.

Lotus had mayo of its own , 75 B , just edable still more than double the european price , but stopped. Now there is the sugar mayo from "best foods" , more expensive and cr-p , or the real expensive kraft ,...

So yes I hope Makro brings some better and cheaper choices and its own brand.

Fruit & veg are very expensive at bigC and limited at Lotus. The market here is Phrae is not always that great.

Glad to see it's now all concrete though.

Making Mayo is with raw /uncooked eggs... not really something I trust in Thailand....samonella !

But ofcourse the mayo I buy is also from raw Thai eggs....

I have no fridge too . You need mostard to make good mayo....again very cheap in europe , expensive in Thailand.

Yesterday Lotus Mayo returned after about 2 months ! 75 B , so I bought one.

Hey , in NAN , you have to sign a paper stating that you understand and will aply those rules , going to different provinces ...the 24 h from your address, you have to notify police or immigration where you stay . They make sure you understand , that they can revoke your retirement extention .

If you go to another province , the hotel will notify , so it will be in the computer . If Nan checks , and you haven't reported it , well I see them doing it. Retirement extention is like being on parole.

This is probably not going to help you , but :

On the 101 around 18 km north of Phrae town to Rong Kwang , there are on both sides of the road , oil barrels for sale. You have to be pretty desperate to come all the way from CM....

Other Makro stores I've been to in Lampang and Chiang Mai have much better produce and meat departments than Big C. They have a good selection of whole wheat breads, buns and other baked goods. The biggest plus for me is an American made cheddar cheese I have only seen at Makro, that makes that inedible crap Big C sells look like what it is...inedible crap. Generally, prices at Makro are less than Big C, and they have "wholesale pricing" for businesses.

I am glad to see them coming. Big C can use some competition. You can't even get near the store on weekends. Phrae has been put on the map in recent years, drawing in Home Pro, Global House, and now Makro. Can a Central Mall with Robinsons, Tops, and McDonalds be far behind?

But why ? Phrae is not a rapid expanding metropolis with housing estates popping up like some other province towns.

I like the Global house though. ( lots of people with nothing to do than greet you...).

Central & Robinson with all their expensive stuff ? Who's gonna buy there ? Not really a province of the rich here.

Lol yes the card board bread.... but it has been better than nothing. ... definitely not the fresh hot baguettes I had when studying in france.... but living in a small village outside of phrae has definitely lowered my farang food standards.... on the plus ive started to learn to cook... I will definitely checknthenstore outnwhen it.opens

The 28 B for 6 croissants at bigc though , are not that bad.

I definatly lowered my farang food standards BUT sometimes I have these cravings....

I live in phrae so I am curious. ... what can I get in makro that I can't get in the other stores? I know I can get a baguette in big c but thats about it bread wise. Thanks.

You mean the 32 B baguette that tastes like cardboard and loses more weight and gets shorter as time goes by. ( masked inflation ). Or its sibling the 35 B bread, tastes the same , a crust filled with air ? Or the square sugary "bread" ?

From other posters out here , I read that Makro has a slightly more european food choice.

Lotus had mayo of its own , 75 B , just edable still more than double the european price , but stopped. Now there is the sugar mayo from "best foods" , more expensive and cr-p , or the real expensive kraft ,...

So yes I hope Makro brings some better and cheaper choices and its own brand.

Fruit & veg are very expensive at bigC and limited at Lotus. The market here is Phrae is not always that great.

Glad to see it's now all concrete though.

Thanks Curtklay. I'll go see next week on the 101. Close to bigc , that's got to hurt the C.

Driving into town (Phrae) , I saw a glimps of a promotional board from MAKRO. It was in Thai but I couldn't stop to take a better look. Is there a new Makro opening in PHRAE ? Where ? And when will it open ? I looked on the website , but no mention yet on the list of Northern provinces.

Could be good news for us in the Phrae area. Lotus s-cks and bigc is not much better. Hoping for some cheaper and better range of products , and maybe some better bread !

Wow , more than 3,5 months , and no takers.

End of May 2015 :

I went early in the morning and was the only one there. Aircon was still off and I was sweating from the long walk...

New Lady at the info/90 days desk , friendly and speaks some English.

Then filled in my tm7 and checked my papers for retirement extention.

No waiting , got my stamp , but just one glitch : they want bank update/statement from today. ( bankletter max 1 or 2 days before ). This time they let it through because I had no transport. But next year I have to go to the bank before going to the immi office.

I had 2 photocopies of all documents but they only needed 1.

All passport pages need to be photocopied. I didn't give the copy of the extention stamp from 2 years ago , but came prepared , and had lots of backup copies.

Since they moved to the nice new building ,they have become far more friendly and relaxed.

1km from the crossroad to the 1091 , there is now a new BIG C , but as I found out returning....it isn't opened yet, still working...

Road from Nan to Wiang sa is about completed, but on the stretch to Rong Kwang , there are still patches of work. Nothing muddy , but again little stones against the minivan.

Parking at immigration has not improved and they are building a new building on the right side of the office.

You can get them re-coned in Bangkok. Almost anything is possible in Bangkok. Although I hate the city itself, it's an amazing place for finding obscure parts and getting things repaired that other countries quit repairing decades ago.

Re-cone in C.M.? I doubt it.

True ! In the soi's at Ban Moh in Bangkok , there are places that re-cone speakers. It's impressive , but I have reservations about reproducibility of the original sound. For big cones resonance frequency ,frequency spectrum, audio properties , ...are going to change.

And throw in a limited work permit , for working/building your own house.

If I can buy a couple of rai , I want to build a quality house on it , not the Thai crappy 7 cm concrete brick shack. Finding a contractor who does it MY way , is near impossible and over expensive.

Global house , Home pro , Home mart ,...will be happy. Finally some works for their over staffed outlets.

When renewed love becomes extra love after the men seeing the most beautiful girls in the world...

Most beautiful ? Huh ?

Heart warming to see the aid coming from muslim countries from Morocco through the rich middle east to Indonesia.

All those rich muslim oil states ( and kingdom) , so open for new workslaves to build their high skyscrapers. /sarc.

Thailand should not have to bother with other countries problems.