davidgtr

Here's a bit of a map on where & how to get there.

Map extract is from the new Mae Sa Valley Samoeng loop guide map just published a couple of weeks ago.

If you want to see an accurate Cnx environs & Mae Sa Valley map, then check out this new map.

2 nights ago in Mae Sai a cold wind from the North was howling down the main street at 6.00 pm.

So I reckon that cold season is about to hit & that the strong winds have cleared away all the pollution in the air. It should be nice for the next couple of months, then straight back into the smoke & fires & heat. Enjoy the cool weather spectacular panoramic views while you can now.

Talking about panoramic views has anyone been up on the very top of Doi Tung & been able to see the Mekong River? Phu Chi Fah, plus Doi Phukha in Nan should also be absolutely stunning the next few weeks.

Ive got a relatively unsused bread maker for sale if you still need one.

details

1. Used only 3 times as the novelty worn off real quick for the g/f & son.

2. Brand: Breville Bakers Oven

3. Model: BB290

4. Price: 3,000 baht.

5. Includes manual & recipe book.

Tel: David 053219210.

Bier Stube best value for money brekky in town.

Where’s your hot tip to go & watch the final F1 gentlemanly race between honest Schumi & baby Alonso this Sunday night?

My fave is the Downunder with the giant projection screen, but I wonder if there any other joints in town with the same giant projection screen?

Long time listener, first time caller

Does anyone here play squash and would be up for a game?

Are there actually squash courts in cm btw?

Also could go for some tennis - as long as it's doubles (not fit enough to runn all over a tennis court =P)

I think that squash is still the go at the Gymkhana Club every Sunday afternoon.

Am sufferring from acute ear ache (not caused by the other half this time!) and am looking for a pharmacy/clinic in CM that might stock a particular product:

Locorten-Vioform (brand name) are ear drops that contain Clioquinol. This combats a particular water-borne bacterium.

I have already searched the forum and tried some recommended pharmacies around Thapae Gate area but with no luck. They have products with Clioquinol, but not as ear drops. I have already purchased other products, but they are not very effective.

I think may have to go to a clinic - but anyone recommend one (or a pharmacy) that may be able to quickly get a US or European medication. I have seen one recommendation for the the Polyclinic in Huay Kaew Road.

My problem is already diagnosed, it is a particular product/drug I am after.

Many thanks

For an ENT Doc you could try

Dr Sukitt Auripibul.

8/2 Sri Dornchai Road.

Clinic hours: 5.00 – 8.00 pm, Monday – Friday.

Tel (66 53) 282090.

The clinic is right down by the river end of Sri Dornchai, past the Lao Plaza, same side as the hotel.

Last night on the Thai news there were pictures from Fang and Doi Angkhang. Major damage from flash flooding. I believe this has to come down our way... so maybe that is what you are seeing? It is possible they are releasing water from the dams to be able to accommodate that, or that it is already here, I dont know the speed of water.

The water for the Fang / Doi Ang Khang area flows "north" into the Fang river (one of the very few rivers that does flow north), which flows into the Kok, then into the Mekong. Not to Chiang Mai. We get the water from the Ping watershed naturally enough, and from the Phrao area. But there's no doubt that they have had heavy rain north of Cnx.

The last couple of years it would seem that the water flow from the Phrao area has increased significantly = deforestation (& the same for most other areas?)

I note that the King said that the overall rainfall was not that significantly more than normal, so what is the cause of the flooding? Deforestation & the stupid clearing of incredibly steep mountain sides.

If you've ever been to Doi Ang Khang you will understand why they are having flash floods, every year they clear more and more land on the incredibly steep slopes on the east Fang side of the area to plant orchards - oranges / lamyai / lynchee. It would appear, as they are never going to learn.

The same also applies in the higher upper reaches of the Mae Taeng & Ping - the land clearing on steep slopes never stops, & only seems to increase at a faster pace.

So don’t expect the flooding to slow down in the wet season. It will only get worse every year unfortunately. Such is life with global warming & man's greed.

For old classic bikes in Chiang Mai try Ray's Dream Bikes

I know the beeer will be cold & will take you up on the fish & chips again, but have you got any good newspapers to wrap up the fish 'n chips?

C'arn the West Coast Eagles...

Owner of the motor bikes done a runner. How can I change the name of the ownership document?

Dont think you can, you're stuffed.

You need to prove payment & change of ownership, & no chance without a signature from the previous owner.

Also on R1009, 6.8 kms from Route 108, there is the Little Home (which looks a bit like a short time motel from the outside, but I don’t think it is).

But does it look like a short time motel from the inside? I wouldn't know what one looks like from the outside or inside David but perhaps you do. I just like to learn something new everyday.

Dont how it looks like from the inside yet, but I reckon that it could be a job better suited for Mysterious Aussie..

I have been searching the internet for hours, but have been unable to find a hotel near the Doi Inthanon National Park. I would really appreciate it if someone could suggest one or, in the alternative, recommend a mountain resort not too far from Chiang Mai City where I could enjoy some hiking and waterfalls. Thanks in advance!!

ON Route 1009, at the bottom of Doi Inthanon (before the park gate) on the right hand (north) side, 7.3 kms from route 108, turn right & go 1 kms & there are 4 resort places

1. Touch Star

2. Inthanon Paradise

3. Inthanon Highland

4. Inthanon Valley

Don’t know about prices, but my guess is the range might be 500-1,500 baht a night depending on the season. No recommendations, but some will be better managed than others.

Also on R1009, 6.8 kms from Route 108, there is the Little Home (which looks a bit like a short time motel from the outside, but I don’t think it is).

Then up the mountain at the Park HQS there was a new (hot water?) guesthouse called Eco Hut being built a few months ago & I'm sure a few bungalows must be finished by now. Price range at guess might be 350-800 baht a night.

But my tip would be to go for the Navasoung resort in Mae Chaem.

Up to you.

Tom McQueen, (squash coach & ex partner in the old Lovebirds.)

Hi. Were you running the bike for the 3 days? If so no way had it been fuelled with diesel as it wouldnt even have run.

If Honda say dont use gasohol I guess you have to take their word. Hopefully a carb clean/rebuild will be quite cheap.

I would take the bill back to the gas station and have a friendly word. You never know they may cough up or failing that may offer a free tank of the right stuff.

But then again they may just tell you that you should have known the correct fuel for your bike.

Agreed if it was a tank full of diesel you should not have gotten more than a km or two at the absolute max.

But interested to know which Shell gas station in Chiang Mai – why hold back? Spill the beans please.

I haven't visited this place for a few months now but just walked past and noticed it has been levelled to the ground, What's the story?

I think it's re-opened in Moon Muang Soi 5, near by the back entrance to the Rama guesthouse.

Skimming through this thread I saw no recommendation for a implant dentist, that being what I was looking for. Can anyone provide such a recommendation - and their current (total) cost for each implant?

cd

50-60 thou is the price generally quoted. But dont ask me to recommend an implant dentist as that price is way out of my league.

Now here's an interesting bit of new research just out in the UK..

Im not really sure how appropriate it is to Chiang Mai, but

"Helmeted Cyclists are more likely to be hit."

According to a Pommy traffic psychologist "drivers pass twice as close when overtaking cyclists wearing helmets than when overtaking their bare-headed counterparts. . .... while helmets had been proven to protect kids in low speed falls, it was questionable whether they offered any real protection to somebody struck by a car.

But either way, the study suggested that wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place."

And "laugh"; to test another theory, Dr Walker donned a long wig to test whether there was any difference in passing distances when drivers thought they were overtaking a female cyclist. He said drivers gave "her" an average of 14cm more space than for a man not wearing a helmet, probably because women riders were seen as more unpredictable.

The same guy also wisely says that cycling is good for you - your life expectancy goes down much more if you don’t cycle than if you do! So there you have it. Keep pedaling Ulysses G, you'll most likely live longer.

The original article I saw was in the SMH or the The Age. But the guy's website is at

Dr Ian Walker

We definately need a Grand Finals bash somewhere, any suggestions?

For me there are only 2 choices.

1. The UN Irish Pub

or

2. The Downunder

The UN Irish Pub is ok & long established, but they sometimes need to switch TV Channels to other sporting events, or you have to move TV rooms. All a bit rough right in the middle of your fave couch potato event eh?

The Downunder is new & fresh, with Aussie beers & is run by a couple of hard core Aussie Rules fans, so no chance of interruptions and the only disturbances are barbs & wind ups from rival supporters. Sounds like the right place to go for the AFL final to me.

What time is it on (I mean the game)

Friday night

AFL 6.00 pm. Fremantle vs Melbourne.

NRL 9.30 pm. Dragons vs Sea Eagles.

Saturday

AFL 5.00 pm. West Coast Eagles vs Western Bulldogs

NRL 8.30 pm. Knights vs Broncos

Sunday

V8 Supercars 8.00 am Sandown Park.

Philipp Island MotoGP is also on Sunday morning. Probably starting at 9.00 or 10.00am? on Star Sports.

We definately need a Grand Finals bash somewhere, any suggestions?

For me there are only 2 choices.

1. The UN Irish Pub

or

2. The Downunder

The UN Irish Pub is ok & long established, but they sometimes need to switch TV Channels to other sporting events, or you have to move TV rooms. All a bit rough right in the middle of your fave couch potato event eh?

The Downunder is new & fresh, with Aussie beers & is run by a couple of hard core Aussie Rules fans, so no chance of interruptions and the only disturbances are barbs & wind ups from rival supporters. Sounds like the right place to go for the AFL final to me.

Do they show NRL games also?

Yeah they've got all the sports from off ABC TV on a huge screen.

Visited Jai Yen last night to catch the aforementioned and the place wasn't even open! I was in the area between 2000 and 2230 and no sign of activity. If anyone knows where the Italian lads are playing over the next week I'll give it another go.

Yeah it's low low season this month & I think that JKevin & Noi decided to have a short holiday before high season kicks in.

Also the Aussie John half of the Bluze Bros is downunder in Oz for the Philipp Island MotoGp this weekend - lucky bastard. So I guess it will be back to normal at the end of the month for some more blues tunes at the Jai Yen.

Singapore is cheaper & better!

Anybody been running with out them if so what has your experience been

I was looking at some bikes down town 400 CC to 1200CC great bikes, good prices but not one with a book.

The lady at the shop told us no problem as long as you stay in Thailand. Met a farrang there who said he had been running without a book for ten years three diferent bikes and never had a problem, But it sure makes me nervous. We are not talking about a few thousand Baht here. Supposedly they can get a book for 70k but you could tell they really didn't want to.

I think that it all depends on where you live & ride. There are different practices for different parts of the country.

I live in Chiang Mai / North Thailand & have ridden bikes with / without plates for years. It does not seem to matter until you are stopped at a police checkpoint & they are looking to make some money. But generally (up country & not in the city) when they see a farang coming on a big bike, they just wave you through & let you go, probably assuming you are just another dumb farang tourist on a unregistered rental bike. But I don’t think you can get away with this in Bangkok / Pattaya / Phuket.

Now up till 2-3 years ago you could even take the unregistered bike out of the country into Laos / Cambodia at many border crossings. But then they got computers at the borders & could not put the details in as they (the local officials) would be questioned why they were letting unregistered vehicles out of the country.

Regarding insurance, yes you can get the minimum 3rd party insurance for an unregistered bike and at least in the North they do pay out on it – I’ve witnessed this several times at rental shops & with mates getting banged up. The 3rd party insurance does pay out!

My guess is that those who say they don’t are not speaking from experience.

My tip for the insurance on the bike is to place the sticker on the front of the bike, where the cops at checkpoints can see it clearly & perhaps not worry so much about the rego sticker. Remember with a bike they have to look at the rear end of the bike to see the plate & if you are already on your way, then it’s most likely too late.

Riding up country (anywhere between Chiang Mai & Ubon) when I approach a police checkpoint I always slow down a little, flick up my visor so the cops can see it is a farang, then pick up a little speed & they normally wave you on. Don’t deliberately scream to a halt every time you see a cop beside the road or a checkpoint, as you are just begging the cops (some of the Thais call them begging dogs) to stop you & make a few baht.

In Chiang Mai city I once had them ask for a licence, passport, work permit, in that order when they stopped me & were just looking for any excuse to make a few baht. And this case they got nothing. I had nothing on me - not even my wallet, it was a Sunday morning & I was just slipping over to a mates house 3 kms away to pick up a CD – I refused to give them anything, after 15 mins of BS asking me to go to the police station, they gave up & let me go. But what a crock of <deleted> asking for work permit, as well. It just goes to prove they are only looking for money!

Now my tip here is to carry a laminated colour photocopy sheet with your passport, driving licence, biz rego, work permit & insurance card on it. Mine measures 16 x 14 cms, is waterproof & folds up nicely in my wallet. Flash this & 99% of the time they are happy. The laminated colour photocopy also works brilliantly for checking into hotels / banks / anywhere they ask for your ID. No need to carry originals & run the risk of losing them. I’ve even crossed into Myanmar once with the colour photocopy ID!

Re stolen bikes, IMHO Thailand is still a hub for stolen vehicles (bikes & cars), although Cambodia is probably catching up fast. Those who say it is not probably don’t look at the Thai bikes mags & see how many shops are dealing in big bikes these days. There are scores if not hundreds of em, all over the country, & most of the bikes they sell don’t have plates. Check your bike & if it has a broken steering head lock, then there’s a very good chance it has been knocked off from somewhere overseas.

If you’re buying a bike, try to get one already with a plate, or buy from a reputable shop that is already selling bikes with plates. If you deal with a shop that is not selling bikes with plates, they are not probably not right inside the system dealing with bike rego. And after you have plonked down your money for the promised bike rego, they may well encounter problems beyond their control & either ask for more money or delays in supplying the rego. It took me 5 months to get my bike registered, after an initial stuff up buying an old book for an Africa Twin that was in Laos, but still registered in Chiang Mai – on the advise of the rego experts, after they had even inspected the book. And in the end this book did not work & they had to get another book to recycle. It’s a funny system but it works & all the officials – customs / immigration / vehicle rego office – say it is all ok & legit now. I reckon Thailand’s a great place to live & ride a big bike!

Last but not least a proud Taksin sticker adorning my bike fairing

Some of the cops laugh at it & are confused what to do / say.

Downunder just opened. Its on Nemanhemin road. Giant Screen, steak sandwiches, Aussie food etc. Right next to Happy Hut, on the east side of the road half way down Nimanheimin.

The Downunder sounds interesting & right next to "happy hut".

Anyone been to the Downunder yet - any reports?

Must be Aussie management with a name like that, or got a strong Aussie connection.