CMguy

Often when you pay with cash you become irrelevant the moment the cash leaves your hand, pay with a credit card and you can usually dispute 30-45 days later...it helps when the store will not refund or replace defective items....I always use a card for expensive items...peace of mind and reward miles.

If possible I would highly recommend a family visit to Thailand first, perhaps over the school holidays, the longer the visit the better. Not just a trip to the tourist sights,but where you think you might live.

Visit the schools and talk to expat families and teachers. Ask whatever concerns you regarding education.

Rent a car and drive around the city and outlying areas of where you are interested in.

Visit hospitals ask about insurance and fees, coverage and treatment. Talk to staff, and expat families in that setting to get their opinion on the healthcare.

Attend an expat club meeting, most any city that has international schools would have a local expat group. Ask the questions you have as well as get their input on additional queries you should make.

Churches, Consulates, Chess clubs or any other affiliations you can think of will likely have informed individuals that can impart their knowledge upon you, to help in your decision.

Bottom line the more informed you are about a decision the more likely you are to be equipped to make the right decision, IMHO a family visit is essential to making a properly informed decision.

I used to laugh this off as an adversity to shoping with my Wife when this problem first started about 8 -9 months ago

But now it has got serious.

Whenever I visit ANY department store, Supermarket or even a gym within five minutes a pain starts in my right buttock , goes into my thigh and eventually freezes my right foot so I am unable to walk any further and have to leave the buliding and go and wait outside.

I even have trouble queing up to catch a plain!

Within 15 -20 minutes of leaving the building the symptoms have gone. I never have a probem like this at home or anywhaere else for that matter...this is really bizzare

I have had an op for sciatica in my left leg, but this feels like its something else.

Obviously I am going to have to seek medical assistance for this condition, but I was wondering if anybody else has ever suffered from these symptoms before and how they cured them before I go?

Cheers

TP

To be honest it's ruining my quality of life right now

I have to agree with 2long, the symptoms really sounds like a trapped nerve.

i have a recurring problem with a trapped nerve between L4/L5, and my symptoms are similar. a regular treatment of heat, ultrasound and improving spinal flexibility helped me considerable in easing the pain, and frequency of the symptoms.

The staff at the Physical Theraphy clinic at Suan Dok hospital on Suthep road were wonderful for me.

Some good info in your post. Sometimes persistence and knowing what the writen rules say helps. But in the end they hold all the cards.

I kind of like the reduced amount for married. But for the divorced/widowed it really makes no sense. But like I said I think its an error.

In Phuket they ask for sole legal custody of supported children with 7.17 extensions, if you are under 50.

I spent the better part of today at my local immigration office. I have sole legal custody and I showed the money, and I still have to return tomorrow to interview for my extension....this is my 4th extension based on supporting a child, the last 3 went through without a hitch...I will update this tomorrow, whatever happens.

Far better to leave the car at home and call a cab.

True, and if the angry ex had not already demonstrated her ability to slash a tire (thats another story ) thats what I would do but I was looking for something more secure....and not where she will see it. also I would rather not impose on a friend.

I will be going on a holiday for 4-6 weeks and would like to know what the long term parking availability and cost at Chiang Mai airport. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

When I first arrived in Thailand I was told the "Sin Sod" was about 500 baht. This I understand was the norm in the viliage where I was visiting, a realy nice villiage i might add with a lot of very pretty women. Most of the women there thought I was a handsome man, really they said it so often I was surprised and embarassed.

If you don't want to pay an exhorbitant Sin Sod go visit the viliage of Soi Cowboy yourself what a bargain.

In any market with a lot of volitility there is a lot of money to be made if you have a good idea about the direction of cash flows. Who better than the Thai Government and those connected to have profited from this....I would like to see the stock/currency trades done by those in power in the last few days.

John B- you are right it is very important to inspect the quality of the workmanship, however it is proving to be difficult to do properly. Insights from current and past tenants would be useful.

ThaiPauly- I also like the Hillside 4 unit but even though there are a number of vacant units the prices are holding up (inflated), looking for a motivated seller!!

MyePenRye- No I don't know of any building inspectors , assesors or engineers. Looking for them any Ideas?

Dustoff- I totally agree with the efficiency of a good pressure cooker.

For cooking ribs you can't do much better than a good smoker, with hickory, mesquite or whatever wood or wood chips suits your tastes, takes along time to cook but worth the wait.

Anybody know where to get a smoker or pressure cooker here in CM?

I have just started looking at several condo's and was wondering if any Forum members had opinions good or bad about the condo complexes in question.

I have looked at Nakornping Condo's, Hillside 3, 4, 5 also the Hillside condotel near Payap University ( one beer to many reformatted the brain cell that stored the number, Hillside 7 or 8 me thinks) RimPing condo's, Galare Thong Condotel or Galae as most Thai's refer to it. I am also set to look at a few more in the coming days.

The unit's I am interested in are typically between 60-105 sq meters, with prices between 1.3-2.5 million baht. Any Insight about Chiang Mai's condo market would be appreciated.

Thanks

It varies.

I trust her 99% atleast 1% of the time, but I trust her atleast 1% 99% of the time.

You can fight fire with fire but you can't fight ignorance with ignorance

Around town just dress comfortably.

Visiting wats dress comfortably, but make sure to cover a the jiggly bits.

BOT has learned fast from her sisters FED and BOJ.. Market manipulation. Oops sorry, the right word is "intervention".

The central bank must be buying THB. And probably some SET shares (heavy volume today, you'll see that we are going to finish the day in the green !)

That's the motto now : no cycle anymore. Just higher, higher, higher.

Terrorist attack ? Higher ("let's show them that we are not impressed") Coup ? Higher. etc.

It's becoming utterly ridiculous.

I also suspect central bank "intervention" to keep the market/currency stable but the question is how deep into their pockets are they willing to go ?

As other members have recommended you should have some travelers checks as well, but learn from my mistake, I once had some "Visa " travelers checks and I was only able to exchange them at one bank "auttaya bank". Get American express travelers checks, they can be changed at virtually every bank or currency exchange booth you see.

I have personally returned for a refund the return portion of a round trip flight with TG. They did require that the unused portion be returned to the place of purchase ( the thai airways office that issued the ticket not the travel agent if used) I did not recieve 50% of the total price paid but as memory serves me I got back about 35% of the total return fare. The whole process took about 2 months or so.

You need to pay careful attention to the terms for your ticket purchase to ensure returns are not forbidden, of course this is found in the fine print so get your handy electron microscope and read it carefully.

Good luck, CMG

anybody else look at the sun lately, I see the most unusual rainbow anybody know the cause?

Under no circumstances should you look at the sun. If you do you will certainly start seeing strange things as it starts to damage your eyes and given enough time looking at it will cause total blindness. I'm not trying to sound cute in reply to whether or not there is some strange phenomenon or not, just trying to warn people that looking at the sun with the naked eye under any circumstances is NOT a good idea.

You are absolutely right Soju, looking directly at the sun can cause blindness, just like in my teenage years I have to be warned to keep away from activies that may lead to blindness , Thanks for looking out.

There is a partially covered pool ( about 50% or so shaded) in moo baan Tanawan 1, on Mae Jo rd next to talot ruam chok.

There is also one completely covered next to suan dok hospital at technican pad, it is intended primarily for hydro therapy however the staff would probably allow responsible recreational use,

also this pool was designed to be heated but the last I knew the heater was not working, maybe they will have it fixed by the cold season.

anybody else look at the sun lately, I see the most unusual rainbow anybody know the cause?

Chilli powder mixed with water in a large aperture water pistol may be an alternative.

 

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good Idea I will have to try that.

If a dog chases you while you are driving a motorbike or riding a bike the best thing to do is to not run --they just think you are playing. Best thing to do is stop abruptly, shout and throw a rock at them. If they seem like they are trying to bite you while running alongside then the best thing to do is stop and kick them as hard as possible.

My neighbors dog used to do this to me but stopped after the first time I threw a rock at him from the motorbike

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Yes you are right a dog does often percieve a person running to be playing( the old predator prey instinct is still there).

However when I am on my bicycle the last thing I want to do is play with a dog.

I have noticed that when I am peddling 40+kph very few dogs even bother, problem with the neighbors dogs is when I pass them I moving slowly as I am either just starting or finishing my ride.

My goal is to discourage the chase all together......have not hit them with rocks yet but next time I pass them I will be armed.

tom yung goong perhaps you can take comfort in the fact that you are not enduring the dog doo mine field alone

.......It did not work for me but you might have better luck

I just posted while i was pissed off and feel people might get the wrong idea about me overall.

However you will get the correct read of me for the moment.

Also it can be useful to vent.

If your neighbor’s dogs continually crap in front of your house is it OK for you to crap in front of theirs?

If the neighbor’s dogs chase you while you are riding your bike, is it OK to chase them with a cattle prod, pepper spray or something similar?

Does anybody know where one can buy either a cattle prod or pepper spray in Chiang Mai?

Now don’t get me wrong I love dogs, hel_l I’m sure I was one in a former life. But I think there should be consequences for a dog’s actions, either for the dog or the owner.

I guess I am just venting because I am tired of shoveling shit and running (riding actually) from dogs. Anybody else have this problem? If so, what was your solution?

I carry my drivers license, and a few thousand baht, also an atm card in case a few thou is not enough

I also scanned the relevant pages of my passport and e-mailed it to myself where it is stored and available to me anywhere I can go online.

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Excellent idea! Could do the same thing with other valuable things...like credit cards.

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Never did that with my credit cards but I do with travelers checks.

Also having copies of important documents on your PDA/mobile phone might come in handy.

I carry my drivers license, and a few thousand baht, also an atm card in case a few thou is not enough

I also scanned the relevant pages of my passport and e-mailed it to myself where it is stored and available to me anywhere I can go online.