crudski

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking at transportation choices from Bangkok to Chang Mai. Just wondering about the train service? If this has been discussed before and I couldn't find it, could someone please post a link? Thanks.

I'm just wondering about time, prices and how far in advance you can book. Thanks.

http://www.chiangmai1.com/chiang_mai/train_bus.shtml

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

james 24 .

maybe that was your interpretation of things ... but dont bame the thais .

they are only doing what they are told to by the #iss poor ferang management

dave2

So the management tells the thai's to be moody and miserable,yeah right

Management might try leading by example......or explaining exactly what type of service the customer prefers....my understanding is that management are responsible for the product and the delivery.......not the waitress who is looking grumpy!!!

Yeah right,thai's are never to blame for their own behaviour

james 24 .

maybe that was your interpretation of things ... but dont bame the thais .

they are only doing what they are told to by the #iss poor ferang management

dave2

So the management tells the thai's to be moody and miserable,yeah right

Video review of Charlies,just posting if anyone was interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6ZYlw19DmU

OK, this is not the U.S, this is Thailand. Your anser is none. Absolutely none. That is not the culture here. I am an American and I had a lot to learn once outside the U.S. The fact is that the tipping attitude of the U.S. is not continuous around the world and you need to get over it. Difficult, I know. But bringing the U.S greed and expectations here (or anywhere) is just bad. Simply bad. OK, enough of my ranting. If you want to be a tourist and throw your money around, that is up to you, but stop and think.

Dude, calm down. Don't worry, I won't ruin the country for you. You're still safe not to tip. I'm guessing British. Worst tippers in all of Europe.

All I was asking is IF there is an expectation. A simple yes or no suffices.

Great Christmas attitude though. Merry Christmmas

British??? I think him saying "I am an american" sort of gives it away dude..

Not quite sure why people think you won't,its very easy to get nice houses or/even condos around Chiang mai,5000baht a month at a lot of places,don't get me wrong its not the Shangri la but really easy to find a nice place

After reading this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thai-arsed-t320547.html

about shoddy workmanship and half-arsed attitude to the finished product,can you build your own home after you have purchased land then just get the thai's to connect electricity and water?

Ive edited the topic title to better reflect the discussion

cheers

by the way - I think in the 3 southern provinces the law of needing to register all phones including pre-paid is still strictly enforced

now this next part Im not too sure how it works - but apparently if you have a prepaid from elsewhere (and hence not registered in the 3 southern provinces) - the phone would not pick up signal. I cant say this is true - it sounds so overly sophisticated to me, but maybe someone more tech savvy can confirm whether this is possible? reason I was given this explanation was cos my overseas roaming prepaid phone wouldnt work in the southern province (but worked in Bangkok)

My UK sim worked in Samui and Phuket, so did the Thai sim I bought in 7-11 in Bangkok, both in my UK phone.

It should do as they're not 2 of the 3 southern provinces...

I stayed at the Corus hotel £28 a night,ok but not the greatest,apparentley 4*(booked through Agoda)its 100m from Petronas Towers and 50m from KLCC underground.I can't complain about my stay there,not far from the bar areas especially the aloha bar which runs a happy hour from 5pm till 9pm,20RM(200baht) for the first drink then 1RM(10baht)till 9,as from the airport i paid 71RM into the centre,thats from LCCT Terminal.Kuala Lumpur,clean but boring,hope you have a good do.....

The new models are still 53000 baht with the spoked wheels. Out the door with insurance and registration they are close to 56,000 baht however.

I paid 57,000 Baht. Incl. mag wheels, registration, helmet, jacket, home delivery, english manual and other excellent services

Helmut

Helmut, if you have the chance can you post a picture of your new bike. Right now I'm about 50-50 on trading my three year old Nouvo in on a new one. But I haven't seen any of the new ones yet, only the pictures. This is the best I've found as of yet of the new red model.

I like this one but its not one of the old or new colours,yamaha must be selling customised parts for the NE.

this is galare thong tower in chiang mai but ive never been in it or stayed there so all i can offer you is this pic

sorry .... dave2

ps ... 10 dollars a day sounds good for a few days ... but this building is going downhill in my opinion so beware of anything longer

I'm just wondering how you can say this building is going downhill when you've never been in or stayed there???

Hugh Grant on soi Cowboy,presumably when he'd finished filming on Brigit Jones 2 for the day and Jimmy White on soi 8 Pattaya.

building bungalow 75 metres squre,1 bedroom,1 toilet and shower room (western style, and 1 living room, its a simple rectangle shaped bungalow 15 mtrs ft long ,5 mtre wide,,3 metre high..i want plasterered walls ext and interior,ceramic tile roof, lowered ceilings (not false ceiling with tiles) ceramic tile flooring...i plan to go to homemart and buy everything from there,,can anyone give me advise on what is going to be the more expensive for me ,,cement ? tiles ? roof tiles ? concrete for foundations ? ive spoke to two builders ,the first one was greedy and wanted 150,000 to build only and 560,000 to build and buy materials but he wouldnt even give me plastic guttering in the price,,the second builder says he will build eveything for 70,000 start to finish,he is taking me to homemart where i can show him what tiles ,toilet,shower etc i want...if anyone can give me any advice on the pitfalls and some basic good general advice then i would appreciate it..this is my first house and its also major headache !!

thankyou

Just finished building a house for my wife's parents, its a Thai 12 poster, standard layout, so not too sure about sqm!. We built it a good 1 metre up from ground level and it has two bedrooms, living room, kitchen + bathroom and front porch. Roof quite high up for a standard house. It is fully earthed and has some nice touches inside, ie good tiled floor and ceiling tiles, plus I had the builders fit some orbital ceiling fans, all the electric cable is in ducting.

For materiel's, I used several sources and it may help to find one that gives credit, ie pay bills later.

Personally I think its not a good idea to remain on site all day long, just quick visits everyday to view and comment on anything you want doing, or re-doing!!.

Supply plenty of water and ice daily, and the odd few beers, or rice whisky now and again. You are not going to get the same standards as back home!, the interior decoration is a bit slapdash, paint & wood stain everywhere, but you are getting a good house on the cheap.

I wouldn't worry too much about building permits out in the sticks, (who owns the land??), maybe a different story in Pattaya/Phuket/HH.

This house cost 90k labour, and 358k all building mats, that's down to the last light bulb.

About the prices,are you talking pounds/euros or dollars?it obviously can't be thai baht..

Don't get a fino, they are the biggest pile of rubbish I have ever driven, I have a honda click and it is 100 times better than the fino.

I have a Yammy Nouvo 135 Elegance and its 200 times better than Click. Fino is 42k, Click is 50k and Elegance is 60 k. Fino is great and cute.

Nouvo Elegances go for 51,500baht,i bought mine new and didn't have to barter.That probably doesn't help if your spending 40K,you may struggle to buy a new twist and go for 40K or under.

51.500 perhaps in BKK without mags. Sounds very cheap though, sine they fetch 45k secondhand. Is it 115cc? Mags are 3000 more because better tubeless tyres. In Phuket 59k all included, discounted cause got 2 at the same time.

Bit of a late reply i know,new 135cc nouvo elegance cost me 51500baht in Chiang mai,no mags,with mags it was 2000baht more,bit of a mistake on my part as to get mag wheels and new tyres will set me back 8000baht now,you live and learn.

Don't get a fino, they are the biggest pile of rubbish I have ever driven, I have a honda click and it is 100 times better than the fino.

I have a Yammy Nouvo 135 Elegance and its 200 times better than Click. Fino is 42k, Click is 50k and Elegance is 60 k. Fino is great and cute.

Nouvo Elegances go for 51,500baht,i bought mine new and didn't have to barter.That probably doesn't help if your spending 40K,you may struggle to buy a new twist and go for 40K or under.

Cheers gents

I'm heading to Penang next week, but in light of the new troubles getting a tourist visa there, has anyone tried Kuala Lumpur lately? I haven't found any current reports here.

Are they issuing tourist visas in KL without any difficulty?

If you've been there lately, perhaps you could give us an update?

... and maybe a short outline on the visa application process? i.e, how long it takes to get the visa ... what documents you need ... any agents you used and would recommend. (even places to stay ))

THANKS!

I was there two months ago no problems then but I don't know about now, but you were asking about getting there so

heres what I done from LCCT took a taxi from the desk after customs for 700 baht to the embassy, it closes at 11.30 am taxi takes 45 minutes, arrived embassy 11.10am ( I've done this 4 times now and never been a problem getting there before closing) handed my papers in for an Non O came out of the front gate turn right and walk 10 minutes down to Ampang Park metro line, and went to Chinatown (Pensar Seni station 16 baht) Chinatown Hotel 600 baht, next day I took the metro back to embassy, theres a Mcdonalds outside Ampang Park where you can stay till the embassy opens at 2.30pm, left the Embassy back to the metro station to KL Sentral 20 baht and caught the AirAsia bus for 90 baht to the LCCT with two half to spare for my 18.45 flight back to Bangkok.

If you don't want to go straight to the embassy take the AirAsia 90 baht bus to KL Sentral then cross the road to the Rapid train and go to Pensar Seri Chinatown, lots to do around there and the foods cheap although beers expensive 70 baht a can in the 7.

Hope this is of help.

Nice one mate just a few things,

can you pay in baht or have you just currency converted for us?

what is the LCCT