rebo

I let make mine in Airport Plaza, 4th floor: A small booth engraving US army style tags (stainless steel). It was 500 THB (for two sides) but since it's not a real engraving but kind of melting process and it's not really deep I would let them do the lasering two or three times on the same clamping next time. Shouldn't be too expensive an maybe worth the trial.

After about 1/2 year now mine is a little bit worn out but still readable.

You may also look at this older thread: http://www.thaivisa....gency-neck-tag/

In the meanwhile I found one shop at Wualai Rd. (18° 46’ 50.36” N, 98° 59’ 14.51” E) where they can make the same style from real silver with a real engraving but they asked for 3'000 THB what I found too expensive. I asked all other silver shops in Wualai Rd. but nowhere else they can do it.

Cross my fingers it will never be necessary to make use of our tags ...

Generally what is it like riding on the roads here with the drivers....fast and hard and no signals from vehicles ?

With about 20'000 bicycle kms on Northern Thai roads I can't remember any real problem with cars (even though I ride an average of 25 km/h) but had some dangerous adventures with playing dogs on the road (2 crashs) as well as elderly village people on bikes and motorbikes (but never crashed). I try to avoid the city area as much as possible but even there never a really threatening situation.

Look far beyond your track and don't hesitate to ring your bell better early than late if you have the feeling any creature in your way is not aware of your departure. Then always smile and greet, and you'll never get a bad feedback.

Be always prepared for a sudden, hard break (One more reason for the disks). I need to break hard at least once a week.

Use clear hand signs early enough to show the traffic behind you whenever you plan to change your direction. Turn your head to check.

Go on the very left side of the road. A bicycle in the middle of the road can make thai drivers angry easily.

Not to mention - Wear proper gloves and a good helmet.

Assenting DLock I would choose a disk brake model if you plan to conquer some real mountains, and a better fork (it will pay off as soon as you go upcountry with partly heavy road damages). I personally won't buy anything with less than a Shimano XT shifter (smoother) or something adequate from e.g. Sram (a bit "clickier"); I have quite a lot of experience with cheaper stuff but nothing is that precise and service-reduced.

Then you are in the 20'000 THB range but imho it's worth the money cause it increases your joy a lot, and thus helps keeping you riding on.

Did you ever have a look at the Merida Matts series? Very good value for money, too.

Don't go for a too large frame (especially MTB, and especially if you like a more sportive pace), meaning I would rather go for an 18" size as long as you aren't lets say > 1.85 m. If you find out later that this may be a little bit too small you can easily "make it bigger" by changing some parts but you will never have a chance to "make it smaller".

Wonder if the resort halfway up/down has Wi-Fi? If so I could pop in for coffee sometimes to use the internet. I didn’t note the name when passing. Perhaps Rebo knows as he cycles up and down regularly?

The name of the resort is "Taad Plaa Camp" (tadplacamp-retreatdotcom). I'm not sure if they have internet access but looking at their website I guess so.

Cool thanks! It looks like there's a road leading up there from Saluang, is it relatively easy to navigate in a truck? (2WD). Do you go by mountain bike? How hard is that ride? Appreciate the details.

Yes, MTB. It's a little bit harder than Doi Suthep due to some really steep passages but never need to push. Since I come from outer Saraphi it's a 130 km tour which takes almost the entire day incl. some chatting with the monks. But it's worth the work, the area is very beautiful. Half the way up/down the mountain is a resort to refill "fuel".

Any chance you could post a map of the location or link to Google maps? Curious about the specific area you mentioned. Thanks and good luck.

19° 01’ 00.84” N, 98° 45’ 43.46” E

I cycle up there about every 2 weeks and became friends with one of the monks. He told me there are only two seasons of the year: rainy and cold (not cool). For a forest monk life over there is almost ideal but since it's in the middle of nowhere the lack of infrastructure makes it quite difficult for "normal" people to stay there for longer.

Even though I also like to stay in undisturbed, quite surroundings I would rule out for myself to spend the majority of my time up there.

And don't underestimate the powers of nature at a place surrounded by sound rain forest at 1'200 m over MSL: as nice as it is as difficult it makes your daily life. Insects entering not only your electric devices, mildew/fungi at places you never imagined, unwanted fast growing plants occupying your plot within days ... to call only some of the most likely adversities.

And forget a cheap internet access for the time being.

Of course it's possible to survive at places like this but you'll have to learn lots of things the hard and pretty expensive way, too much to list here. Life will be boring and too labourious (especially if you aren't young anymore) in the long run, after the first enthusiasm has gone. This was at least my own experience living two years on Sumatra in similar circumstances.

My suggestion for you: Choose your residence at the foot of the mountain. Very nice areas of land close to little creeks with all anemities of civilization (incl. quick medical care when needed).

L.A. Bicycle is a brand, not a shop.

Don't feel confused, BeeM: LA is indeed a Thai bicycle producer and brand as well as they have shops all over Thailand. The one I meant you find here: 18° 47’ 42.34” N, 98° 59’ 33.83” E (Paste and copy in Google Earth).

Google Street View will show you the front of the shop naming it clearly "LA Sale & Service Shop". You will find a great variety of imported (mostly from Taiwan) bikes, too, which I personally would prefer.

New bicycles in Big C and Carrfour...from 1000 to couple of thousands baht..

Most value for your money you'll probably get at LA Bicycles and Chaitawat Bike Shop (Google is your friend ...) but don't expect any reasonably reliable bike for less than a minimum of 15'000 THB.

Of course, if you plan to drive only 200 kms per year you'll find "something" for about 4'000 THB incl. pink handlebar basket ...

Anybody know if there's aircon for lunch?

Went there yesterday afternoon. The place is open (roofed) air, no AC, and not really cosy, at least during day time.

Found it quite pricey (250 THB for the cheapest Kebab); thought we are not BKK here hence ordered only a normal coffee (Unfortunately "no hap" Turkish coffee even though promoted on the handwritten chalkboard.) which was indeed one of the better ones in town.

Don't predict them a long tarm future ...

I assume you want so pay the car in cash money ... So the sales ladies are not very interested in you cause they get additional bonus by "selling" you an installment contract.

When we ordered our Vigo directly during its introduction some years ago we had the same problem. We managed to meet the sales manager and explained to him why we needed the car very urgently. After a second and third visit within the following week we presented him a bottle of "Black", and voila ... got the third full option Vigo available in Chiang Mai. "Returning the kindness" ...

You may try horecasupply dot com. They also sell to private persons but you may have to take quite big units. Normally we share our e.g. Gruyere purchase with two other families, then it's fine. I didn't find any cheaper genuine cheese supplier in CNX.

I assume that the (welded/ soldered) connection of 2 metal parts of your screen holder are broken. Since these 2 parts are most probably sectional iron I would suggest to weld them, not (hard-)solder.

Here you find the welding whiz with the adequate state of the art equipment (the boss can speak English a litten bit but enough to communicate):

18° 45’ 45.60” N, 99° 01’ 27.20” E (copy and paste into Google Earth, can see the shop in Street View, too; can't miss it).

The coins are exactly what I mean, 050me. But I'm actually looking for a shop selling them in Chiang Mai. Thanks nevertheless.

Can anybody recommend a reliable source selling Islamic/Kelatan Dirham (Silver) / Dinar (Gold) coins minted by World Islamic Mint? (More info on islamicmint dot com). Is there an Islamic gold shop anywhere in town?

Thanks a lot.

... i don't think the sun can heat it up to boiling temperature.

A water temperature of 47 to 50 C. already gives normal humans an "unbearable hot" feeling.

Maybe the illustrious science minister, Mr Plodprasop, famed for clearing the floods with 1000 boats, will line up planes on CNX runway, to blow away the smog

This one made my day ...

Now I bought one at the place Mestizo mentioned in Airport plaza. Total 500 THB the U.S army size, lasered on both sides (The smaller ones are cheaper). Looks even nice but I'm also afraid it won't last very long; they don't use an engraving process, their laser does not remove any material, only melt micro-dots into the polished surface, not really deeply. But however - at this time being it meets its purpose and 500 THB didn't ruin my budget. At least now I can use it as a sample to ask i.e. in silver shops in Wualai Rd. for a really engraved version ...

It should help, Mestizo.

Thanks a lot!

I’m looking for something like US soldiers wear on their neck: A metal tag, not bigger than a dollar coin, with some text (Thai) engraved or punched on both sides (address, phone no., blood group, insurance info). Not decorative, only functional, should be non-corrosive.

Does anybody know where to get it in CNX? Thanks!

Nice race with far more than 1’200 participants.

Organization at start/finish area (registration/labeling, rest rooms, free beverages, traffic control, finishing line a.s.o.) as well as along the route was professionally done.

Already looking forward to San Sai 2012.

Thanks a lot to all people involved!!!

Thanks for the info. We'll definitely have a look on Sunday morning.

I appreciate seeing the bicycle community in Chiang Mai growing fast. And I find most of these people really likeable.

We live on farm land far from any village and have 5 cats we never allow inside and they have never had any trouble at all.

We live in exactly the same situation but have only one cat (and two dogs). Even though we get lots of crawling visitors like all kinds of snakes, centipedes, scorpions we all feel fine since many years.

I heard several times from different Thais that consuming fresh coconut would lead to soon death in case the consumer has Aids.

Any reason for this?

BTW, Thursday Morning when I drove past Global House I was thinking, that place sure has had it rough these past few years. First that fire and now the flooding.... I wonder if they're making out with the insurance pay offs???

Global House wasn't flooded inside. No damages. They simply laid a brick wall at their doors when water started rising.