SKguy

26 minutes ago, unclesteve18 said:

Dont often reply to forum,  however;  this story hit a personal chord.

Have been going to Rajavej for 14 years and the Dr quoted is my personnal doctor.

Dr Will  (nickname) , is one of the most reputablle doctors I have met. The reason he gave his name ( which is unusual) I beieve is that he wants to defend his facility publically and personally as he is the new director

I would recommend Rajavej highly, and  assure you Dr Will can be taken at his word.

I too have used the Rajavej Hospital on several occasions and, unlike the Ram, I have always received sound treatment there.

14 minutes ago, psyvolt said:

Who the hell are you too say that? You have no right to tell Thais what they can and can't do or feel strongly about.

I for one apploud a country that still feels proud about their flag and what it stands for.

I could not agree more with you!

Time to stop making excuses for such loutish behaviour. Just because you can get away with it in your country of origin does not automatically confer such a right when visiting another country.

I've often wondered why western people are termed "aliens" by the Thai Immigration Authorities!

This is too terrible for words!  When on earth will the authorities take serious steps to educate people about road safety. I used to teach road safety to school pupils in England, teaching youngsters to understand just how serious every aspect of road safety should be taken is obviously the first step in educating the population at large. 

Sad to say it sounds like this mindless type of behaviour is spreading here from the UK where this goes on every single day. Just spent several months back in England where the news includes daily reports of stabbings, especially involving youngsters.

What we see burning here is not only my favourite playground in Chiang Mai, but also "protected" national park. I have been hiking and mountain biking in these woods for years. This was once a rich habitat where -on occasion- one could see rare plants like Sapria himalayana and rare animals. Unfortunately, I have witnessed the systematic destruction of this area by the annual burning and encroachment over the last two decades. By ecological standards, the Doi Suthep national park today is just a shadow of its former self.

The fire yesterday was especially bad. Probably catastrophic, at least from the viewpoint of species with small populations that exist in small local niches. Such species, for example lizards, amphibians, ground-covering plants have zero chance of survival if their area is burned. And as species disappear, the bio-diversity of the forest is reduced further. This happens year by year.

Most of the fires are laid intentionally. I have spent enough time in the forest, to meet the illegal hunters and gatherers who lay them. Yes, they are hard to catch. But it's certainly possible. If rangers would spend as much time patrolling the forest as we do spend mountain biking there, these activities could be monitored and probably prevented. Sure, 250 sqkm is a big area. But it only takes a small motorised squad to patrol it. I was thinking E-bikes.

Unfortunately, there is no budget for that. The local government deems it more important to deploy small motorised squads to protect Songkran revellers from having to endure the sight of shirtless people.

Too much Thai culture for me, unfortunately. Hundreds of thousands of small animals probably died in the fire yesterday. Isn't that violating a certain Buddhist precept in a very massive way? Perhaps the Buddhist population of Chiang Mai finds such contradictions tolerable. I don't. I am also getting quite tired of having to escape the annual smoke orgy for long periods that seemingly get longer. Again, too much "mai pen rai" for me.

So goodbye Chiang Mai. Goodbye Thailand. It's been a wonderful two decades.

Cheers, CM-Expat

Very sad to hear about your decision but fully understand the reasons for reaching it. The serious issue of burning in Chiang Mai is recognized by the authorities but the continual threats to punish the offenders who cause the fires never appear to be followed through. Until determined action is taken, the pollution arising from the burning will continue, as will the far-reaching consequences to the health of those subjected to it.

And why not? Pooves are far too sensitive......You want to hear my old Dad go on if you want 'offensive'.....

Who gives a toss what your old dad has to say about anything? Or you, come to that!

I am tired of hearing about Jewish persecution during WW2 look at how they treat others now and maybe you can see why this happened.20 million lost their lives yet we rarely see them in the news.

What an appalling comment! Nothing could ever justify the horrifying slaughter of millions of human beings by the nazis during WW2, whether the victims were Jews, Gypsies, Homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mentally and Physically handicapped, not to mention the many other groups of human beings who perished. You appear to be referring to Israelis when you say "look at how they treat others now" but you conveniently overlook the fact that they are under constant threat of destruction by some of their neighbours. Any country, including Israel, is fully justified in taking what ever actions are necessary to protect its population. A typical example of "how they treat others now" may be seen in the following documentary: https://vimeo.com/151279276

It seems that to some , the penny never drops, that we are not actually liked here.

Correct, but they never seem to dislike all the money we spend in this country!

The continued decline of a once great nation,despicable beyond belief how they can shun their own only to allow thousands of immigrants the same very rights they are denying those that have kept the cogs of social security turning for so long.

RIP Great Britain.

Couldn't agree more with you!

here we have the results of letting in 1000000 so-called refugees into europe.

kick merkel out of office fast....

What nonsense. The refugees are fleeing from the same enemy that committed this atrocity.

So you don't suppose jihadists like those who perpetrated the atrocities in Paris are amongst them?

I look forward to the 1,000's of Muslims that will march openly in protest against this atrocity.

I wouldn't hold your breath!!

The UK joined the European Economic Community in 1973. Who would ever have believed what would develop from that?

Six weeks ago, Nigel Farage delivered a powerful speech to the "European Parliament" with which I personally concur:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/R5lXYw1l8l0?rel=0&autoplay=1

If you're a foreigner, and in Chiang Mai, and want to be seriously overcharged for anything medical, simply go to Ram Hospital. You can go to Rajavaj, or McCormick for the same - if not better - treatment, for about half the price. Trust me, I've had the experience and know all about it.

You are spot on with your observation. I was treated negligently and with a highly toxic drug in intensive care at the Ram Hospital which could have cost me my life and for which I was seriously overcharged. A few months later I was treated at the Rajavej for exactly the same allergic reaction to MSG in restaurant food and given one tablet which did the trick with no side effects whatsoever. I am still being treated in England for the after effects of my "treatment" at the Ram. The attached photo was taken after a canular was "shoved" through a vein in my hand. The Ram wanted to charge me for some cream to apply to my hand which turned out to be utterly useless! The charges for one overnight stay and tests I didn't require were unbelievable.

I think not only are they over charging but they are in some cases advising people towards treatments that may not be required and expensive hospital stays that are also not generally required, unfortunately everybody knows full well that Thailand has a tendency for ripping foreigners off and medical treatment is also included

and don't go quoting prices from your home countries - this is Thailand not the US or UK, it is a 3rd world country were "Rip Off" is the primary objective

I was treated negligently and given totally inappropriate, dangerous treatment in Chiang Mai, the awful side effects for which I am currently undergoing tests and needing treatment in the UK. When I returned to the hospital in question to show them the results of a canular being literally shoved right through a vein in my hand, I was prescribed some cream which I was asked to pay for and which was totally ineffective anyway. The cost of the "treatment" was exorbitant by Thai standards.

A "haze".....oh really! Would a haze cause thousands of people to seek medical attention in Chiang Mai?

We are wearing face masks inside and outside the house, our eyes are red and very sore, we are coughing up phlegm continuously, many people are having to take antibiotics for chest infections. They darn well need to get out of their airconditioned offices and face reality!

‘the wai’ or the Thai greeting - a show of respect, as well as the friendly nature of the Thai people, form part of “Thainess”

If the true meaning of "respect" and "friendly nature" was fully understood, the habit of describing tourists/retirees as "farangs" and "aliens" would no longer prevail.

p.s. I love living in Thailand and do not consider myself a whinger just because I make the above observation.

Dodgy.

More aspects than 1 make these budget airlines dodgy......meanwhile dummies keep linng up to fly with them....you save a bit of cash though.

I don't think Air Asia is dodgy. Apart from this accident it has quite a good safety record. In fact, a better safety record than some non-budget airlines. Just look up the stats.

I only ever had one experience of dealing with Air Asia and that will surely be the last one.

In the UK, things have gone to ridiculous extremes in the attempts to pacify and please muslims.

We should bare the truth of everything so the world knows what is really going on. Especially ISIS. Why do I have to search the internet to find out what is going on. ?.

Of course it would lead to war on the streets so we will shelve that plan for the time being.

You are so right! The likes of Cameron, Blair, Livingstone, Simon Hughes have all expressed their eagerness to see a muslim prime minister installed at Number 10. It appears that the British public will obediently toe the line.....

Now you know why people keep smiling in this country.

Do they?
 

please don't primitivize what I say. For sure nobody gave order to Branson, it's just carefully manipulated media mainstream which forms people's outlook. Try to speak something against it on American or British TV and you will be ostracized and stigmatized as "fascist" "racist" "sexist" "ageist" or something. Amercian discourse mongers developed dozens of terms to neutralize any ideological opponent...

for people like you interference in internal affairs of independent nations became normal, that's why you don't see anything weird in this article...

How do you expect anyone to accept that what you spout is not primitive?

1) stone is not worse than any other way of execution- electric chair, gas chamber etc

2) why you (or all Western World) should decide what is acceptable and what is not for an INDEPENDENT NATION? Why do you think you know better for them? they didn't ask your advice. I don't understand why US and it's satellites consider themselves responsible for all other world. Nobody gave them any authority. This is a real chauvinism.

how overconfident you must be to really believe in such a mission! oh, my god! or as tolerasts teach us to say: oh my goodness!

Give us all a break.........go and live there yourself!

Absolutely unbelievable in the 21st century. Well done, Sir Richard!