morpho

Anything Thaksin says will only further inflame an already highly tense situation...on both sides!

As they say, Cambodia is not for everyone. The same holds true for Thailand and other Southeast Asia countries.

I've lived in Chiang Mai for almost 2 and a half years and many things I've thoroughly enjoyed there and some things I have not. For the past 12 months, I've thought about leaving CM and Thailand in general. Vietnam, Philippines, and Cambodia have been my main options.

But it looks like I'll be making the move to Cambodia within the next 4-6 months. Mostly because I met a lovely Khmer girl who I want to develop a serious relationship with. But also because I feel much more welcomed here than in Thailand. I find Khmer people to be more friendly and welcoming than many Thais nowadays. I do have some reservations about moving to and living here. In general I think it will be more expensive to live here in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap than in Chiang Mai. And I will miss getting on a motorbike and taking drives up to Doi Suthep or into the beautiful countryside around Chiang Mai. But I do like the laid-back atmosphere and friendliness of people here in Cambodia. Only time will tell if I like it here as much as I hope and if things work out with the girl I met.

I live in Chiang Mai and I bet local officials, hotel operators, and travel agencies are freaking out right now! Granted it may be too late for many tourists to cancel their plans to be here for Loy Krathong but I imagine the number and intensity of complaints will go up substantially, especially from Chinese tourists and their tour directors!

If you're interested in getting farther outside of Chiang Mai, you can go to Doi Inthanon (highest mountain in Thailand) for a day, or to Chiang Dao for a day or two (suggest staying at Chiang Dao Nest), or drive up to Pai for 2-3 days (rent motorbikes and explore the surrounding countryside is the best), or you could spend 2-3 days in the Golden Triangle/Chiang Rai area, or if you don't mind driving but want to see some beautiful country you can do the Pai-Mae Hong Son-Mae Sariang-Chiang Mai loop (or in reverse) which is best with 3-4 days or more

Simply appalling!!! Is there even a Thai word for "justice"??????

Joana, you can have my spot here. I'm leaving Thailand next year after almost 3 years living here. Cambodia, Philippines or Vietnam are much more inviting...and the people much friendlier.

Feel free to message me if you choose to live in Chiang Mai and I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have about life here.

Good luck!

I bet this farang gets skewered for stealing 100 ThB from a temple....while Mr. Wirapol Sukphol (AKA Luang Pu Nen Kham) will get away scot-free after stealing millions.

That's Thai justice.

I have a pet hate with bank cashiers.... they never seem to concentrate on serving you, always too busy trying to do three things at once with the other tellers sitting next to them, sometimes just feel like grabbing them by the ears and yelling "look at me, i am in front of you not over there" !!!

I mostly agree with you about tellers...they really don't seem to pay enough attention to the task at hand. I also attribute part of the problem to communication problems...their marginal English proficiency and my marginal Thai proficiency. I had a teller totally misunderstand a withdrawal/transfer I wanted to make last week...a supervisor had to come over and get things back on track....and you could tell that the supervisor was not happy about it.

However, I've always received excellent service from BKK Bank staff working at the service desks helping with ATM/credit card problems, currency exchange, etc. They have always been very helpful and professional...and that's been my experience at a number of branches here in Chiang Mai. Part of it I attribute to their better English proficiency (than most tellers) and ability to fully understand what I need.

When I first moved to Chiang Mai 2 years ago, I probably thought that I would own a house by now. But for many reasons, I continue to rent an apartment. As you pointed out, there is a plethora of rental units (both houses and condos) here that are readily available at cheap prices. On the flip side, there are also a lot of nice houses available here at low prices but the exchange rate over the past 2 years has not been favorable for me to make a big financial commitment by purchasing a house (or condo). Security has also been an issue for me since I have been traveling for about 3-4 months each year and I never have to worry about the security of my apartment. If I owned a house, I would only feel comfortable if I had a reliable house sitter who could stay in the house while I was away (also a reason I don't rent a house but instead rent an apartment). Flexibility is also important for me...I only have to give a 30-day notice here if I want to move out and move to a new place here or head to Vietnam, Cambodia or the Philippines to set up shop.

Both look like real punks!

If Soderlund gets out, no doubt he will kill again...those eyes convey pure evil.

Two million annually now...and hoping for FIVE million! Chiang Mai eventually will feel more like its Chinese than Thai!

Next thing you know restaurants, cafes, travel agencies etc. will have only Chinese menus perhaps with a token Chinglish translation (and no Thai of course), complete with Chinese waiters and waitresses and shop fronts will only have Chinese language signs like at some Chinese restaurants in Laos like 四川菜 (Sichuan food). Wow Thailand will be transformed. Next thing you know everyone will have a solar hot water heating system on their roofs and electric bikes will start to be used rather than motorcycles.

The transformation has already begun here in Chiang Mai, especially in the Nimmanheiman and Thapae Gate areas. Restaurants have printed brand new menus with Chinese translation...travel agencies and massage places have Chinese translation for their services. In Pai, I heard a Thai lady working in a travel agency speaking some Chinese and I asked her if she spoke Chinese...she said she was learning some at work because they has so many Chinese customers. I even heard a Thai girl in a bar talking Chinese some to 2 Chinese guys who came in. And a bar here in Chiang Mai was raided last weekend on suspicion on having some Chinese girls working there...heard that 5 girls were taken away by the police for not having proper ID.

Two million annually now...and hoping for FIVE million! Chiang Mai eventually will feel more like its Chinese than Thai!

In Chiang Mai, they have a unique way of insuring payment or at least some modicum of restitution. I had a solo motorbike accident here and was bang up pretty good. I was transported to a local hospital but before that, the license tag on my motorbike (which I own and was pick up by some friends) was taken off and provided to hospital staff when I was checked in. It was given back to me when I paid my bill in cash later.

For durability I think the Click would be the best choice, especially if you live in the countryside or where the roads are worse than usual.

I think of the Fino and Scoopy more as city bikes and probably more stylish than a Click. But like others have stated, avoid both if you are going to also drive it.

I think of a Vespa is a waste of extra money.

Personally I drive a Nuovo Elegance 135cc which I don't think they make anymore...but love it for the power it has.

I went in this morning for my 90-day reporting in. I hadn't been in the office since October last year because I've been traveling in and out of the country a lot and hadn't had the need to go in for my 90-day.

I was very impressed with the changes in the office since I was last there. The staff still needs to be increased to deal with the volume of foreigners needing assistance but the office is much improved IMO. I'm referring to better signing on where to go and what to do (and in very understandable English), simple things like IN and OUT doors to improve flow in the office, a separate area set up outside specifically for Burmese workers, an improved copier area, and a motorbike overflow parking area. I don't know if the office has a new chief or what but whoever was responsible for the changes gets CONGRATS from me.

I was in and out in about an hour...and would have been out sooner if some foreigners would have filled out their paperwork and had the required passport copies before their number was called, instead of doing it at the counter when they were called and wasting time.

Also, the immigration/police officer taking care of 90-day reports today was a credit to the office...very efficient, friendly, and providing excellent service with a smile!

Back in October to renew my retirement visa and will hope for the same.

FinFree Thailand Event

After 30 years in hotel industry, the worst guests for me are, in no particular order: Israelis, Russians, Chinese, Koreans, Indians.

The best: Australians, Japanese, Thai, Americans (obnoxious at times but not rude), Kiwis.

Israelis are at the top of my rude list with Indians a close second.

I'll never forget running into an Israeli guy early one morning at a 7-11 in Pattaya. When he realized that I was American, he started berating me about USA this and USA that. I really was dumbfounded...I just wanted to buy a new toothbrush. Anyway, I didn't really respond but just kept thinking that without the USA, Israel already would be in the dustbin of history. I paid for my toothbrush and went back to the hotel while he still stood in 7-11 berating the USA to the Thai girl he was with.

Oh, BTW, I am not anti-Semitic but the hard, cold facts are that Israelis in general (esp. young ones who just finished their mandatory military service and are traveling around to try to forget the experience) are rude (and self-centered) as hell.

As for Scandinavians, I find them to be some of the nicest and hospitable people I've ever met (except for one time a Norwegian punched me for no reason at a bar...his friends promptly pulled him aside and apologized to me and said he was way too drunk). I have very good Norwegian and Swedish friends and consider them to be like family.

No. I have worked in America, my neighbour is American where i live now. I was sort of having a go at his stereotypical crap..and the Brits and Americans always seem to get it. On reflection it was probably a poor choice..I have my prejudices like everyone else but Americans aren't top of that list.

I am Welsh which by the way which is hugely different from a Brit.

This thread has turned into a sort of I like don't like sort of moan..pretty irrelevant to Thailand as I would have the same prejudices at home.

Off for a drink with my American neighbour..won't show him this thread though..

Never been to Wales but definitely hope to visit someday.

BTW, my favorite football player is Welsh...Ryan Giggs!

Maybe some people are moaners because they are stuck between cultures. They have been here quite long time but still not really accepting the Thai culture ways of doing things. At the same time their old country has changed too and it also feels "foreign". Old friends feel like strangers, not really the same as years before. They feel betrayed at both countries.

For British and Russians especially this might be even harder culture to fit in than for most because in a conflict situation they are quite eager to start a shouting match. That behavior really is seen by Thais as a bull in a china shop stuff. Especially if a foreigner start belittling the Thais involved on top of being very angry. Loss of face...huge red flag.

How stupid to mention the Brits with the Russians.

Somehow coming from a hierarchical society with a monarchy , where manners still play apart in life..etc..we are closer to Thai society than most. Plus we have always been multi cultural in the uk given our colonial past..

You know very little about the Brits, start a shouting match are you kidding..who are you hanging out with.

Are u American..?

Hey...no need to assume that someone is American just because they made a stupid remake about Brits...you only show your own prejudices. I'm American and I've hung out with my fair share of Brits and we've gotten along just fine. I have even learned to understand and appreciate their twisted sense of humor (well at least to some degree). And we've hung out and watched Premier League football (not soccer) games together while I try to understand what they're talking about while watching the game. And alternatively I've attempted to teach a few of the finer points of American football (with limited success) while we chowed down on bangers and mash & fish and chips to keep it an international affair. Only once do I remember getting pissed at a Brit when he called me a "typical American" for simply not watching the final 10 minutes of a football match. I don't go around calling a single jerk from England a "typical Brit", which would only disrespect my Brit friends...but I also don't appreciate being called a "typical American" which was definitely said in a negative context. Anyway, I ended up just letting it go, mainly because one of my Brit friends was sitting right between me and the jerk in question and I didn't want him to become collateral damage.

Man, whoever detained Mr. Nick sure did a number on his face!