mamborobert

Your right about the clout of China. Only recently travel warnings over possible terrorist attacks drew the Thai govt into a state of agitation and finger waving, and here one woman is (unfortunately) attacked, a travel warning issued and no reaction from TAT, Government, Foriegn Minister, no foreign ambassadors or consuls called into explain their greivous error in trying to look after their natioals etc. Wonder what would have happened if victim was not a PRC national......

Who would be the PR winner in a Downtown Inn type fiasco if a PRC national died.....

If people need to hire people to go around snooping on others that is pretty sad. Use your big brain and not your little one. You've obviously been involved with the wrong crowd. Pick your friends and lovers carefully. Don't get involved with prostitutes or yaabaa users. Just use the same logic you would in your home country; i.e. don't give out PIN numbers, don't open joint bank accounts or send sums of money from abroad. Keep your assets (stocks, bonds, cash, precious metals) in your home or other countries where it is under your control and yours alone. Keep the title of your car in your name. Always remember you can't own land here so don't bother with trying to come up with creative ways of making illegal purchases as the property will never be yours. If you need to have women followed then you are insecure. Always keep your guard up. If you want to provide for others when you are gone, make a Will.

Mom, is that you?

Significant other had a DNA test done at McCormick last last year....and result was accepted by Thai Govt. Was required so her sister (same father different mother) could get Thai ID card as wifey had one already. They saved up quite a while to get it done otherwise would have done it years ago. All up was 9000baht but not sure how muc of that was any government fee.

From the DFAT web site.

Address

236 Chiangmai Doi Saket Road

Amphur Sansai

Chiang Mai 50210

Thailand

Telephone

66 053 492 480

Fax

66 053 492 426

Email

[email protected]

You might want to confirm that "any" Australian teacher can "certify true copies". In Australia a teacher can usually only certify when they are working on a full time basis in a school or tertiary institution. Part timers, on holidays, retired etc may not cut it in all cases.

There are many professions that can certify but most would not be in CM. Have you tried the local Australian Consul in Chiang Mai. He should be able to certify (and may have a nice stamp that is easily verifiable if the need be). Might have more credibility with visa approving officer.

Just made my way into town on through Kong Sai road in Wat Ket and there is a full size Aussie flag flying now from the top floor of a shop house , nicely contrasting with Chinese banners on ground floor welcoming new year.

An utterly pointless thread and one that stands to do some harm if a potential retiree wanted to come to CM after having spent a few visits and is now alarmed about the numbers being thrown about here.

So many variables in taste, age, pursuits.....just as if you were in whatever your homeland is. Same as rentals and home/condo purchases you can easily run from 1 million to 5 million without trying hard, and with a minor bit of effort get into the 15 million to 50 million bracket.

What is even more suprising once we get past the "I can live like a Thai because I am more Thai than Thai crowd" is there are a few posters here that have been bemoaning the need to meet the 800 000 baht balance for retirees (that has been unindexed for years), or have been screaming poverty on other threads due to the lower US or UK or Euro exchange rates, or the Baht being too high.....that now appear to be Baht millionaires or multi miliiomnaires on his thread.

There are oodles of posts on expats that live and raise families on less than the 45000 Baht required, likewise for retirees with the 800 000 Baht. and there are others than live well beyond these figures and to my mind get a much higher quality fo life for that outlay than they would in their homeland....good luck to one and all...

But please don't look at what an ideal budget for an expat is, and please be mindful that the budget you provide unless qualified may persuade a potential expat that they can enjoy the luxuries of Veerachai Court or even worse still never have enough to reside in Thailand long term.

Lets not put people off with the my condo is bigger than your condo argument, or all I need is 30 sqares for the rest of my life posts.

I am initially more worried abut how old your friend is and whether he is on an old age pension or some form of disability pension. This in turn effects the length of stay he can be away from Australia, and if he is under 65 he really should check about how long you have to be resident in Australia before receiving a pension. Old age Pensions do not commence automatically at 65 just because you are an Australian citizen. Likewise DSP can stop or reduce under a lot of circumstances relating to periods overseas and relationship status.

Centrelink will always know if you have been overseas as they data match against Immigration records at least 4 times a year, as well as against the Tax Office, Medicare, and Births Deaths and Marriages.

People will always tell you they got away with something, or they know someone who did. Not a lot of people will admit that they have been caught out so take everything with a grain of salt, your friend needs to be absolutely certain that he will not get caught. It only takes one person to dob him in and he is screwed as he may well be periodically declaring that there has been no change in your circumstances.

You can certainly get married and not advise Centrelink but if (or when) they catch up with him it is hard to explain how having a wife skipped your mind a few times when for example completing declarations or tax returns. They may not backdate changes or ask for recovery of money, but they will cut future payments.

Payments are generally reduced because a partner earns money, so again, her age and occupation, if any is relevant. Sometimes depending on what benefit he is on if he declares or they find out, that he is married or defacto he ends up getting half the married rate, which is less than what he would get on a single rate.

Under the Australian Marriage Act 1961 a registered Thai marriage is usually automatically recognised under Australian law.

The Smarttraveller website advises

Marriages entered into overseas are generally recognised as valid in Australia

• if the marriage was recognised as valid under the law of the country in which it was entered into, at the time when it was entered into, and
• providing the marriage would have been recognised as being legal under Australian law if the marriage had taken place in Australia.

There is no requirement to register a marriage in Australia which takes place overseas. The foreign marriage certificate is prima facie evidence in Australia of the occurrence and validity of the marriage.

The Bangkok embassy web site also has some relevant info at

http://www.thailand....onsular_P4.html

Undeclared defacto often looks a more certain way to stay, especially for disability stuff.

Good luck

Firstly I want to apologise if anyone is offended by this post. That is not my intention. I hold no views on the subject matter I am posting on. I seek neither to inflame a sensitive issue or be an advocate or appologist for the subject matter content.

I read through a number of Chiang Mai webistes, some of which are Thai, and have the same broad cross section of views (and the odd loon) that one would find on boards in English. There are a number of Chiang Mai web sites with odd views, but I am not suggesting that the website that I refer to is odd. I have found it both useful, informative, and interesting. Today I was on the Islamic web site for Chiang Mai and it had a link from an article to a very recent, and in my opinion, very interesting and well put together documentary in an article titled " 9-11 from the perspective of Thai Muslims".

The doco is 20 minutes or so long, professionally put together, with good english subtitles and can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/slimmono#p/u/1/XnU4Op84_Mc

I found it interesting and thought others might also.

Lots of questions about people wanting to renew a 1 year to 5 year early, but anyone have an idea about the other end.

How long can your 1 year license be expired before you have to start the whole process again and not just simply obtain a 5 year renewal.

After many years finally pulled my finger out and got my 1 year and as luck would have it have been offered a lucrative contract job in Malaysia from April to October so earliest I would be back in Thailand would be November 2012, some 4 months after the 1 year license has expired.

Any advice or info much appreciated.

Wifey has only one battered photo of her deceased mother that is some 15 years old and looks like its a copy of a copy on some almost vinyl like material.

It seems like it has been doubled in size so a lot of the clarity or definition has gone....as a side it really makes you appreciate how advanced digital cameras have become

I would like to get it restored, or scanned, and tarted up quite a bit.

My wife is very attached to this photo so understandably do not want it damaged in any way, but is anyone aware of a place in CM that can scan and restore/enhace at all to a good quality.

As this is a suprise for her I would rather that it was done quickly (as she will certainly see its not about) so I need to do it when she is out of town so maybe will only have a day or two to play with but really want to get the best image I can so if it takes a little more time I will have to fudge a bit or "unsuprise" her.

thanks

Take the Thai issue (as a male aggressor) out of the equation and is it really and different?

Domestic violence is not a Thai only issue by any means.

Near where I live there is an Uk guy in his late 50's and him and his partner have regular blues. Police have been called numerous times, she has had black eyes, he has been stabbed and hospitalised. No Thai intervened because the young Lady (31) does not have any family here, having said that there were complaints about the noise (hence the police attending). This has been going on for two plus years at least once a month. End result they got married, and still it goes on once a month like clock work. Continuously fuelled by alcohol and jealousy by both parties.

I still say hello to the (now) wife and have a yack, but to her husband have not said a word to him for a year, he knows what I think as I have made it abundantly clear.....but it carries on sometimes quietly and sometimes noisly behind closed doors. His wife is actually more embarrassed for him because she knows that I as the nearest farang to him want nothing to do with him at all tahn she is for his or her acts of violence. All the local Thais see that I have nothing to do with him and know why as when a few have asked I have openly told them.

And at the end of it...the wife absolutley adores her husband for reasons that I will never work out. I would never get between her and him in a blue because if she thought he was going to get decked it becomes "my husband right or wrong", and she is capable of extreme violence (has slashed him who she loves with a knife a few times)...but he knows what will happen to him later if I see him do something and if I front up it usually tones down ......I say usually, liquid courage is a horrible and gutless thing, much like striking a woman.

I will deck him in a heartbeat....but much later, never when she is around and riled up...done it twice before and he said nothing to no one, including his wife. Afterwards I actually felt bad about it and still have some doubts as the guy is 10 yeasr older than me and intoxicated at the time...it did not make me feel better as I know it still goes on my only hope is that less often and less violent, but I really think thats deluding myself. I don't think I achieved much as far as stopping anything at all, all that has been established locally is a difference in behaviour amongst two farangs as to what is considered acceptable. The same differences that exist with Thai as well I guess.

the weird thing for me was that NO Thai would get involved as she had no family here at all and was in an established relationship, but there was certainly an explicit expectation for me as a a local farang to get involved to try and sort it out (other women in the compound would talk with my wife, often whilst I was there, something should be done blah blah blah, all stop look at me type stuff, and that was the subtle go. So maybe it is farangs sort out farangs and thais sort out Thais.

Why are the latest river levels on the site below forbidden for me too see. Is this a worrying sign.

http://www.hydro-1.net/

The info is still there, and updated but you have to tab through different screens.

As there is now a widespread problem (or anticipated problem) they have put several marker stations on one web page (Ping, Wang, Kuang, Pasang etc). They have made an hurly table for today and the next two days

I cannot paste a link as it just has the main web address.

At 11.00pm it was showing Nawarat as being 3.45metres.

They did have this graphic.

It seems that we are only 25cm from the critical, thankfully the rain seems to have held back a bit now....but the stuff from San Sai still has to come down so I am more concerned about how quickly the Ping discharges (and where).....

I admit I don't discuss Shakespeare,

I think his best "Midsummer Night's Dream", find "Hamlet" overrated, but also enjoy "Julius Caesar"

The iambic pentameter is a little hard to get into at first.

Julius Caesar has a nice little bit to it that my father used to retlell to us as children as a moral more than anything.

Marc Antony recites "Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, Quite vanquish'd him".......a stab by a friend becomes the "unkindest cut of all".

No matter what you do you always run the risk of being knifed (even by a friend), even when you have done a lot for them. Perhaps ancient Rome is not that ancient, or just Roman after all.

Which in turn brings back to the OP, you might in time develop a very few good freinds here, and that is true anywhere...after a small number you have good aquaintances rather than friends. Perhaps the expectation was too high in the first place....We are as Nancy has pointed out reflective more or less of other places, but with a few extremes permitted by the Thais and allowed by economics. Its a city not a retirement home (complete with happy pills). Given this maybe the OP has an unreaslitic view of retirement rather than Chiang Mai, and perhaps there is not enough "genuine" people to get him engaged, and that may be a problem anywhere in retirement. But if you are solely reliant on people for amusement or engagement you are going to have a problem anywhere. As it is there are more than enough other things to do in CM that are very enjoyable. I came here for Chiang Mai, not for the attraction of the expats.

It looks like they have blocked the site where they show the Mae Ping levels.

At least I am getting a 403 forbidden error.

died for me too about twenty minutes ago

<snip> Sounds like you should have never come to Thailand. Why did you come?

Mostly for the alcoholism.

But I must say that after a few years of slugging down large bottles of beer with sweat pouring down my face -- while listening to some girl jabber something about "sister brother me need motorcy" or how I shouldn't "think too much ... just same same but different" -- the experience, even drunk, began to wear thin.

I post here because I happen to know a lot about Thailand and retain an interest in the place. I do many other things as well. This is just one of them.

thanks for your honesty. Though I'm not really sure how much you really know about Thailand. Thai alcohol and hookers for sure, much else, I have my doubts.

Quick tip for anyone coming to Thailand. If you really want to know the locals, learn to speak Thai properly. Most Thais can't express themselves in English and if you can't speak Thai, doesn't leave a lot of room for a conversation beyond "same same" does it?

Agreed it is very important to learn Thai (for functioning as well as freinds). Having said that (and at the risk of being considered an over exageration) you are still limited in the subject matter you discuss. I find a lot of Thais know little or take little interest in, the rest of the world, even the Uni crowds (and Uni crowds are probably just as limited elsewhere). World politics, varying styles of music, class literature (asian and western), religion, politics, sport (except maybe football) are dealt with superficially if at all. You get more than same same when you learn Thai but I really do not think (with my locals anyway) this has lead to deeper conversations (though the ability to speak Thai has lead to far better conversations and productive ones at that that had I not learned and tried). Generally its a yack about family, motorbikes, some crap television program, cost of produce at the market, where you go now, etc

This is probably reflective of the education system (its very recent extensions and limited scope) but also perhaps its just "different" not worse or bad, but "different" values, culture and priorities are different, and rightly so Shakespeare, Nietchze, and the US debt crisis lacks relevance ...and that can be a wonderful thing for a lot of the time, but for deep and meaningfuls on things that are important to me its sometimes "phone a friend" from Oz or the UK...and when I realise I do this I am begining to think that the OP's observations are not that askew.

I know what the OP means. I recall once saying to another newcomer "something has made the expats here meaner than snakes." For the many years after that until I left, I mostly spent my time with my wife.

I think its a strange brew that results in what you see: The daily stress of noise, pollution and people who can easily stab you in the back with a smile on their face; low cost of living that attracts low-cost people; widespread alcoholism; isolation; extreme heat; a society that is so corrupt it is basically a criminal state; being told that what you just saw isn't what you just saw -- it's just that you "don't understand the culture"; stress of trying to drive somewhere and taking you life in your hands -- each day could be the one when the truck does cream you from the side.

Ya, stuff like that makes people weird over the long haul.

Not working for TAT any more then?

Just come back from the Iron bridge (at 6.30pm) the very brown but still majestic Ping (if Gerry Marsden can try and make the Mersey and Merseyside look good cut me some slack) is flowing very freely in the centre and there is about one metre till it would top the lower promenande (sounds nicer than footpath) on teh East side, and then its another metre or so to the road proper. Lots of people driving slowly across the bridge and taking camera photos, but I still managed to get my bbq chicken so despite the throng all was not in vein. There has been a break in the rain and even a patch of blue so I guess it all depends on how much water has to come down and whether it rains/drizzles consistently for the next few hours....but a welcome break nevertheless (or no bbq for me)

Just a short while ago the river did crest the riverbank here in front of The Pun Pun

At the rate of river rising it should be in the lower back yard in an hour or two......

Now where did I park the ark....

\G

That can't be correct at all....My Thai is poor but CM108 advise "

เทศบาลนครเชียงใหม่ แจ้งระดับน้ำ วัดที่เชิงสะพานนวรัฐ วัดเมื่อ 12.00 น. อยู่ที่ 3 เมตร และคาดว่าในเวลาประมาณ 18.00 น. จะไม่น่าเกิน 3.50 เมตร

โดยคาดการณ์ว่า ในคืนนี้ไม่น่าจะมีการล้นตลิ่ง

and that was at 10 past noon I think.

Perhaps the reporter is not as as close to the Ping as Gonzo though....as I recall it has made it up to the car park near the road once at Gonzo's and CM108 advised that ther was no flooding at all then

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

absolutely right. whats all that twoddle of socio economic claptrapp??

My English is passable as well, I believe it is "twaddle" and "claptrap", but I could be wrong.

Thank you for coming though.

Please check your own spelling before criticising others spelling!

Thanx. Shudnt "others" be pussessive "other's"

Bonus points for not using z in criticising though

There is a difference between poor typing and poor spelling

I stand erected

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

absolutely right. whats all that twoddle of socio economic claptrapp??

My English is passable as well, I believe it is "twaddle" and "claptrap", but I could be wrong.

Thank you for coming though.

Learn some Thai then you can natter with Thais. Failing that, I think you'd find a much higher proportion of farangs in places like UK or Australia.

I can read Thai fine, and speak passable, and have no issues communicating with the Thais in my neighbourhood, having said that most speak around me speak Mandarin to each other as they are from the old KMT areas. I can say a few pleasantires (hello, thank you etc) in Mandarin and thats about all. Round where I live we see perhaps one lost farang tourist per day but certainly no expats (living as opposed to cruising/shopping or visiting Thai freinds, or myself).

Somehow the conversation drys up if occasionally say I want to talk about the recent Australia verses South Africa (we will not talk at all about the earlier game), any books, even politics, music. Its only occasionally, very occasionally, but I would rather fill this need near where I live rather than seek the opinion of a bar stool companion (Thai or farang) and hence contemmplating a move.

I am not looking for Australia or UK (been teher done that). I am looking for a higher ratio (not a dominant ratio, not excesssively high, not numericaly higher), preferably expats not toursist. and preferably not from the bible or beer belt, so asked the simpel question as I do not know, as I do not live in an area which is frequented by farangs, and never have.......

Incidentally thsi was covered in the Thai news as well with a few pictures.

http://www.cm108.com/bbb/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=44540

A bit of context. I have been renting in a small soi on the East side of the Ping for the last six months. Now I see plenty of farangs when I am cruising around, or shopping, but as for walking in my neighbourhood,, nope, nil, nada unless they are hopelessly lost. Every now and again this does get to me as I would like to have a bit better people watching opportunities and a general yack with a passer by or exchange pleasantries at a local shop.

My question is this, are there any condo complexes or soi's or areas of CM where you would find a higher proportion of farangs (ie condos at the percentage limit). I am not talking about the talking in tongues mob, or the singlet and Leo 10.00am heart starter crew (my appologies to Veerachai Court et al), just a group of normal everday folk representing a broader cross section of the farang community as far as age, nationalities, socio economic backgrounds etc. Likewise there are some condos that seem to have a lot but they are just the one condo in an island of nothing else.

Again not so much the housing estates more the condos and sois in CM proper (say withing the first ring road). Is there are higher number around the CMU or Canal Roads, or are there upcoming areas such as around Payap?

Do farang now have a multi ethinic ghetto/sanctuary/haven/pod/fantasy island in CM yet? And if so (or not) would you want one, realising that it can never be an exclusively farang area or even a majority (and thats not what I want by any means which is one reason I tend to avoid some "estates"), but is there an area or few sois where there are "more" in the general flow.

Its never been that hard to find Burmese kids at the Loi Kroh boxing bars and they are still pulling shifts tonight. I know any decent person wants to help these kids but handing out money (or soliciting from drunks whatever way you want to put it) just perpetuates this tragedy. Is there are particular reason why the many farang business owners cannot stop this one source at least by perhaps making patrons aware (posting the linked article in toilets etc) or at approaching the centre management. There have also been more than a few times when a drunk patron has been capitalised on as well. Saves two parties in the end.

I give up on the flower and frog ladies........