BarnicaleBob

I have used Bangkok Bank for many years and have had no problems of any kind. I use the Kad Suan Kaew branch which has a forex counter and is open seven days a week from 10am until 8 pm. The staff are helpful and can deal with all issues. Bangkok Bank is the largest and most international Thai bank with a huge local branch and ATM network. If you open an account at KSK branch ask for a young man called Sam who speaks English and is very customer service adept. He is not on duty every day but he has capable colleagues who can deal with you on his off days. Overseas electronic transfers are simple to organise and take only a couple of days to effect. If you are bringing in over 50 000 USD you will be contacted to verify the purpose of the transfer but this is standard global practice to minimise money laundering so do not be perturbed. Otherwise you will have access to all the services you need.

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I agree totally about Bangkok Bank as the best all around bank. I also use the Kad Suan Kaew branch because of all the other branches I have been to they seem to be the one that understands all sorts of transactions. You get a ATM card with your account and you can transfer funds to and from the US on-line. If you keep at least 20,000 baht in your account they will also give you a debit card that you can use in many of the local businesses in Chiang Mai and around Thailand.

I looked at the list of government hospitals that seem to be accepting us in this plan and a question comes to mind. I know we are to register with the hospital in the Amphr we live in but once we are enrolled if we require medical attention can we go to any of the other listed hospitals for treatment? The reason I ask this is that I do not think much of the government hospital in my Amphr and would rather be treated at one of the other government hospitals listed.

My wife uses her 30 insurance at Theppanya government Hospital which is on the Super Highway and the Rout 1001. Does anyone know if they are accepting us into this program there and if so what they require?

OK, my mistake, my wife told me her insurance is Thai Social Security and not the government scheme of this topic. So disregard my question about Theppaya Hospital.

My wife uses her 30 insurance at Theppanya Hospital which is on the Super Highway and the Rout 1001. Does anyone know if they are accepting us into this program there and if so what they require?

I don't think I would let my kids ride on a Thai train, 18 derailments since the first of the year.

I don't see how any of this is any different than what Christian churches do in the West.

I went to visit some of my wife's family near Roi Et a couple of years ago, it decided a party was in order and that we needed fish as the main course. I drove my brother-in-law to his farm where he had several fish ponds. He got out of my truck and started a small gas motor next to the pond and then we sat down for a couple of beers. After a half hour the ponds water level was down to less than a foot deep. We walked into the pond and just picked up the fish we needed for the party then reversed the pump and refilled the pond. Issan ingenuity simplest way to fish.

I have attended a number of autopsies as it was part of my duties to attend them as part of my investigations. I never liked this part of my work and can’t understand why anyone would ever want to see one. Several of the autopsies I had to observe were of small children and babies. How would you react if you paid to see an autopsy in Bangkok and they wheeled out a two year old?

I would like to address the OP’s question about our Thai wives/GF belief and use in Thai mysticism. I am an open minded person and have agreed to accompany my wife on occasions to see several different Thai mystics and have also watched her make her own offerings (usually a pig’s head) to the spirits in our yard.

What is important is that they believe in what they are doing and to discredit it to them can only create disharmony in your relationship.

As for magic/magik, I think there are a lot of charlatans out there but I think there may be a small percentage that are capable of causing or making an effect on the outcome of an event. In these cases I feel that it is not magic but maybe a science that has not yet been revealed to us as yet.

I'm confused. Why could the young man not go straight to a police station and explain the problem regarding his friend still back at the bar and that they are being charged 10,000 baht for only 4 beer? And, let the police know that the two young men will report this extortion to the local newspaper if the police won't do anything about their problem.. What am I missing?

Why would the man not go to the police: I have a 66 year old friend who was a victim of this a few months ago, it was very late and night most the bars were closed but he still wanted to drink. As he was walking around looking for a place a tuk tuk driver approached him and offered to take him to a place that was still open. It turned out to be a karaoke bar on Chang Klan Rd, it was about 3:00 AM and the place was nearly empty. He ordered a bottle of wisky and the lady manager sat with him for about an hour as the drank. He then asked for his bill and was given one for 22,000 baht. He did not have that much on him so he refussed to pay. The manager locked the door so he could not get out and then he was approached by the lady and five thugs. They wanted what money he had and his watch, he asked for the police and they started to puch him. He was knocked to the ground where the punching continured along with repeated kicking. They went through his pockets and took all his money about 11,000 baht, his watch and rings. Then they took him outside where the same tuk tuk driver was waiting and started to go with him to the ATM to get more money. He managed to get away and went stright to the police to report it. He also made a report to the U.S Consulate who has been following up on the police investigation. The manager was arrested but bonded out. My friend ended up in the hospital with a black eye two broken ribs and a lot of other bursing. He glasses and his denture were also broken during the altercation. The case is still ongoing but this may be one of the reasons for the police cracking down on these seven ksraoke bars.

I know they used to have limits on how old a person is who is donating blood, is that still the case?

Can you give approx directions to star ave outlet please. I am out of the city these days and just can't picture the location. Thanks

It's in that somewhat new center near the bus station right on Hwy 11, same shopping center the new McDonald's is in.

If you rent a scooter, make sure it is a place that doesn't hold onto your passport, just a photocopy. I'm sure some will say not an issue, but it is taking a chance that can be avoided.

Yes, never give your passport to a rental place. Only give them a copy of it and you can quote Thai law that says you must have your passport on your person or nearby at all times if they give you any grief over this issue.

I get it, you say it is not a UFO and I understand that, so for now it is just an Unidentified Flying Object until someone figures out what it is.

I had seen the sign before when passing by and always wonders what the heck it was all about, thanks for the very interesting post.

The door locking put me off. I'll stick to Major until they stop that nonsense.

Go to many movies at the airport grab a seat in the back row,

have yet to see people get up and check the fire exits they all just sit where they are during and after the announcement of where they are.

I* am still trying to figure out why every one was using the fire exit instead of the main one at the Promanada, At the airport they use the main exit.

The reason I used the exit at the Promanada was because the ushers opened both exit doors at the end of the movie and signaled for everyone to exit that way. It seems for some reason they did not want anyone to exit the way they came in. This may be to prevent people from getting out of one movie and then ducking into another without paying, but that is just a guess.

Why not get a yellow book? Makes life a lot easier.

Interesting you should say that. My wife and I went to the Hang Dong Amphur office last Friday and enquired re the obtaining of the "Yellow book". The head guy,after making us wait for a while while he read the paper, made it abundantly clear he would make us jump over many hurdles including having to cajole the head man at our village,plus another person to accompany us and act as a witness. We have lived, as a married couple, at our address for 5 years and we own the house.He continually asked "why you want? " My wife spent several minutes explaining why and he just blanked us.I know it was relativly easy a while ago but I'm not the only one that has had this recent experience at Hang Dong.Maybe its an easier process at other offices.

When I got my yellow book about three years ago at the Doi Saket Amphur we also had to have the cajole or the head man of our village accompany us to the office. They just wanted him to verify that we both lived in his village, that's all. This is because there is a difference in your spouse owning a house and actually living in it, so the cajole assures the Amphur of this. I think we only paid the Amphur about 100 baht. By the way it is typical to put a tip in an envelope for the cajole once he has completed this task. We put it 500 baht and thought is was a good deal considering how many time over the past few years I have needed to verify my address for such things like a buying a car.

I don't think the locked exit doors by the screen are a big problem for several reasons:

1. The theater employees open the doors at the end of the show, not totally sure there were locked or just closed.

2. If the lower exit doors were locked anyone could unlock them from the inside within seconds.

3. The doors where you enter are always open and provide an easy exit all the time.

4. Finally, it is my understanding that the theater management has been made aware of this problem and may have changed it's policy on the exit doors.

For those of you looking for an apartment or condo above the "mosquito line" you will have to find one above 1660 meters or about 5,250 feet. Being that Chiang Mai is only about 300 meters above sea level you will need to live on about the 4o3rd floor. Not sure anything that tall is on anyone's drawing board yet.

They just finished doing the intersection of 121 and the 118 last month, based on that and the fact that they are using cement rather than asphalt I would guess we have about two more months to go before they are done with it.

Sounds like one of the five type of Asian Otters to me. Maybe a Hairy-nose Otter but this is a little bit to far north for them normally.

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Chicken Fried Superman [ thanks to Barnicle Bob]

Does Bob have a brother name Bill, who was a Sailor? I think I once heard a song about him ....

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whoever Barnicle Bob is, he won't live long on a diet like that. i couldn't imagine what his cholesterol profile is; not to mention his waistline!

Barnacle Bob here, first thing is yes I had a brother named Bill, he was not in the Navy but retired from the Army. Nor was I in the Navy but I did own a nice boat at one time. My cholesterol is 160 and I take no medications for it. However, it is not like I eat at Pun Pun every day, I only have these meals in the photo every so often so my body has a lot of time to recover in between. Thank you for your concerns, I will keep it in mind and not over due it but remain happy with a good old fashion meal from time to time at Pun Pun.

Retired at age 33 I would assume you have a military disability retirement. In which case you would be able to receive medical benefits for your disability through the VA via the FMP program. If you have full medical coverage through Tri-care then they will pay 75% of your medical bills.

If you have a college degree you could supplement your income by teaching English but to begin with I would use your GI education bill to attend one of the universities such as Payap as Jarhead suggested.

Go to the Chiang Mai VFW website at http://www.vfw-chiangmai.com/ and contact one of the post officers for more information, you don't to be a member as we offer help to all veterans member or not. We have at least a couple of guys in the same situation as you, recently medically retired and living here on their pension. You PM me if you like.