spaceshipcrew

Chiangmai is the place where you don't wanna be, it´s an urban fungus without a future, only getting worse. Many unfriendly people, nothing of good cityplanning, traffic accidents every 7 minutes (source: traffic police), air quality worse then Bangkok, and it's only about money.

It used to be a nice place about 10 years ago, but 5 years ago it went down very fast and not will come back. Forget Chiangmai if you wanna live a quality life, after all it's much too remote, disconnected from the modern world, better focus on the Chonbury province.

My elderly parents (84 and 81) have retired to Chiang Mai.

How would I go about finding someone like that? Suggestions?

If you've had a car I could do it for you, but I don't have wheels also.

Also I'd like to make more trips with my 79 year old mum, unfortunately years ago my Bangkok girlfriend stole my brandnew pickup and sold it :-(

Those metertaxi guys are more interested in dumping Lonely Planets at the elephantcamp or silverfactory for a huge commission rather then driving elderly on the meter. I never saw them using the meter after all.

Better you find somebody amongst friends.

Please do not get upset but I think most of farang who live here do not pat tax, do they?

Just a 20-30 baht extra for the local to spend to maintain all the facilities at temple and national parks, is quite reasonable.

Have you ever visited the 'monks area' of Doi Suthep ? Not easy to get inside, but if you carry an empty box pretenting it's the new english courses, they will let you in.

At the eastside you see that strange long slide disappearing in the woods. The monk refused to explain what it is, but not long after I learned this 50 meter long slide they use to get rid of their garbage (for a large part those plastic orange buckets people donate)

At the end of the slide, hidden between trees is a huge landfill of waste, plastic, poison and they just leave it there.

That's how they 'maintain all the facilities at temple' !

Wierd. I had some family come up from BKK last weekend and they wanted to go to Doi Suthep (tried my hardest to get them to go to Walking St Market - but nope). Its been many years since I went to the temple (rather than whizzing by on my way north).

Usually I walk up the stairs, but we had small kids, so did the lift........

This indeed is A SHAME for Thailand, it's complete against they idea they 'care about getting tourists back'. Yes they want our money, just the way they do it it's very insulting, unpolite, dishonest and brutal.

Next week my darling from Laos will visit me, Doi 'Scam' Suthep is a must but already I get negative feelings if I only think about the quarrel I will get at the top.

I will take the stairs for sure, not only because I'm overweight, but also when you use the stairs the scamguys at the top are rather easy to blow away (so not the scamguys at doi inthanon)

A Temple is a House of God, therefor everybody has the right to enter it for free, and I respect no human who asks money from me, especially when it's out of RACISTIC MOTIVES !

Amen

It's really about time they gonna learn something !

Next week I needa go 2 Udonthani see my Sweet Treasure in Vientiane.

But I REALLY HATE those '1st class VIP' nitebuses, they are a horror. Windows can't open, a freezy AC, NO fresh air for 13 hours, just snoring, couching and farting people, a roof construction that makes your eardrums crack and an onboard toilet that's beyond your worst claustrofobic nitemare.

Are there any daytime buses from Chiangmai to Udonthani ? Guess a daytime bus would be fun, at least you see something of d'wonderful landscapes of Thailand !

Who knows a reliable transportation company / prices, important information etc. etc. ?

Many thanks in advance !

Try the Thai Post office, many people don't realize that they move full households of furniture etc.

My extended Thai family have used them several times for both major moves and to send refridgerators, wahing machines etc., and been very happy with the focused and professional service, good packng, cheap rates and reliable service.

Good luck.

The post office, serious ??

Who knows a reliable transportation company / prices, important information etc. etc. ?

Many thanks in advance !

you can't get a ED visa and a work permit.

come here and I´ll show you

this is a very big world, can't know everyting

I got it because I work few hours for a university, but depends on the benefits if I go on with it after the first year, I'm not a voluntary work-addict.

So, I got that 1 year non-immigrant ED visa and workpermit, what actually are the benefits of having it ?

For the visaruns I don't need it, I always loved to have a reason going to Laos.

What other benefits, easy Thai driverlicense (to not be scammed anymore by those racists when paying entrance fees) ?

Also, do a thread search here on ThaiVisa. I'd hate to guess how many times this question has been asked and answered.

Avoid to fill your mind with hate that's really not good,

and don't forget that information is always being updated !

If you are satisfied with a question that has been answered a half year ago, I am not because that's old information !

Digs? I like the Mali Namphu Guest House, google it. Right there at the fountain center of town. Best to email for a reservation as often full. Requst 1st or 2nd floor, I've not tried 3 or 4, don't think my knees would take it.

This place had bedbugs when I was there in February.

In the orange bus Udonthani - Nongkai I sometimes ask if any peeps will go to Vientiane and share a car, I know it's Lonely Planet behaviour but the better airconditioned cars may be pricy and I dislike tuktuks, dust and smoke. The're always people who wanna save money (and newbees who appreciate some guidance)

If the tuktuk between Nongkai busstop opp. Tesco Lotus and the bridge (1 km) 'standard' wants to drop you at the 'visa office' tell him not to stop but bring you rightaway to the bridge. Those scammy offices just only fill in your paper and make a photo for 2.000 bath. Just bring some pics and don't mind the queing, also when paying that 'visa office' you need to wait for the visa to be ready, they not give much benefit.

If you go for a visarun better plan the visit to Thai embassy a day later, when on the day of arrival you might get stressy about if you gonna make it on time or not.

When early at the embassee you see a long queue before the embassy opens, business guys outside want to do the application for you charging 2.000 bath using the queue to convince you, but soon as the embassy opens the queue suddenly disappears as everybody goes inside. When busy the embassy might close earlier.

If you don't mind the 2.000 bath extra that guys are helpful, do everything for you and next day they return your passport at 1PM on the same spot.

If all by yourself: bring: a pen, water, photos, photocopy of passport (but there's a photocopier as well) and be prepared for sit and wait for an hour or so, and watching people is always nice.

hello, does somebody know if it´s possible to bring a 8 week old puppy into Laos via the Nong Kai border (without any documents) ?

many thanxx in advance !

and somebody interested in a free puppy (ma = white ridgeback, pa = ???) they're white with black spots, a grey one and a black one.

free but must be sure it's people who love dogs and not only as a cute puppy, and knows very well how to take care them. we have 7 of them.

can see them here here / born august 11

chiangmai located

Today for the first time I presented a filled in complaints form at the TT&T desk. Every downtime, speed-or bandwidth trouble, or minor hiccup over the past 4 weeks black on white, 28 lines in total including time I'd spend on calling them to get the more serious complaints solved.

For a moment the girl was speechless, just a short 'wow...' And without a doubt she said: '50% discount'

Where I first needed a thousand words to try convince them how troublesome my network connection can be, now I didn't have to say a single word.

She immediately started to fill in the form they use to request a refund, untill now they always approved it.

The form can be downloaded here http://ttt-log.co.cc/

Probably get a quicker response in the Thai Language forum. Moving it there now.

Ah, thanks very much ! I didnt know there is a Thai forum as well, will try to find it.

How do you write this in Thai:

'if you are addicted to your family, to sleeping, watching TV and making long phonecalls, please do not contact me'

Many thanks for the translation and joob joob in advance !

BTW the new URL to this TTT Maxnet form is http://ttt-log.co.cc/

but also via the old URL.

A whole lot of Thai Visa users downloaded the Maxnet complaints log.

There's an updated version now direct printable from http://ttt.24ex.com/ (pdf) This log makes communication with the TTT staff more easy and it's useful information for them.

Theres place for technical data as well as experiences about the functioning of the callcenter staff.

Few annoyances like multiple forwards, repeatedly asking for your phonenumber, your mobilenumber (that can see it in your profile, no need to ask for), long waitingtimes etc. you can write it down here.

I especially note names of staff members who are very good, so I can request to be forwarded to them the next time.

The LOG:

date

complaint (downtime, block, speed, bandwidth, hiccups etc.)

call time (the time you called 1103)

forwards x times (number of times you have been forwarded)

asked no x times (number of times they asked for your number)

call back promise min (minutes they promised you will be called back)

name employee

call end / mins (end time of your call, total minutes) (last month I'd spend over 600b calling them)

call back time (time they called you back)

solved yes/no

satisfaction

remarks

Just use it the way you want, leave open what's not important to you.

Ofcourse this log is not mend to attack Maxnet but to help them improve their service by providing information with a smile

(generally speaking)

Its about time I'll have to choose between my Thai gf and my Philippine gf, which one of them I will choose to go on with and set up a small business. Thai gf is in the same city as I am, Phil gf is able to have a good converstion... Or just try to keep both of them ?

Yes I know it's also a matter of the heart, but what other things I'll have to deal with ?

Q: Who has relational experience with both Thai and Phil and can compare ?

Q: What are the pros and cons of Thai girls (as a potential partner) ?

Also I got several times a bill waived for 50% or 100%, don't be affraid of suggesting this to them, it helps them save their face

I learned it saves a whole lot of talking if you simply confront them with the facts on paper via a log you keep about downtime, speed and how they solve it etc.

I've made a log form for this and put it on the internet, everybody can print or download it from here

Update Sundaymorning: Maxnet Premium, Chiangmai-Sansai now faster then ever, powerful bandwidth.

And now let's hope they are able to stabilize it like this...

Chiangmai - Sansai

However, my good news :

After and hour and 5 mins of waiting patiently and being oh so 'jai yen' about it, I walked out of the office with a signed document by the manager that my bill has been waived for the entire period of 16th June to 15th July (my billing dates).

Yes, ZERO BAHT for the month. As I said, I had the documentation and proof etc., thus their only option was to back down, and yes they know there is a problem; they have admitted this.

Also I got several times a bill waived for 50% or 100%, don't be affraid of suggesting this to them, it helps them save their face

I learned it saves a whole lot of talking if you simply confront them with the facts on paper via a log you keep about downtime, speed and how they solve it etc.

I've made a log form for this and put it on the internet, everybody can print or download it from here

Never ending trouble with T&TT Maxnet internet connection made me start to log all complaints like downtime, speed and the way it's handled by the callcenter 1103 (often giving a second headache) Also the times you be forwarded to another staff, how often they asked your phonenumber etc. you can log here if you want.

TT&T office in Kadsunkeaw shoppingmall, Chiangmai handles it very well, sometimes get discounts etc. Giving them a copy of the log makes it easier for them to handle.

This form can be printed from this PDF: here

In the dark you can't clearly see the gear position so audio reminder that you are in R instead of D is not so bad, though annoying, I agree.

Why not disconnect the beeper itself?

Where to find that stupid thing ?

Beeps are for total dumbasses (same as backside mirrors on SUV's) so away with excuses, yes lot of da's on this roads, about 90%, but if those silly warnings can't be switched off for professional drivers it's a cheap crap car even when oversized Camry. (and it is indeed)

I also can't stand the stupid beeping in our Altis. However, being "Fair and Balanced", I will admit the beeping had reminded my wife several times that she was in reverse possibly preventing a mishap.

She worried about that and argued against us buying an automatic for that reason, she having driven only manual shift vehicles. I told her no way would I subject myself to her (less than smooth) clutch operation!

Somebody who is not aware of the gear switched in reverse should NOT drive a car at all !!!

The car in question is luckily not my car (would never buy a new style Toyota myself, also for that reason) but of a Thai friend who asked me for advise.

I think all cars should have them, how many times do you follow a car in Bangkok and it does NOT have a dent in the back?

Thats typically Thai way of solving problems the upsidedown way

Is it not about time the gov will open it's blurred mind and finally start paying some attention to that whole traffic problem here ? Or are the people here already been given up when it comes to education ??

Or are foreigners really 'the only problem'...