MESmith

Now it's almost July and this is of course the thread that will never die! Here is a photo taken today as the farmers prepare for rice planting. Yesterday a road was closed as the flames were going completely across the lane. Luckily the wind patterns have been brisk enough to carry the smoke away unless one is directly down wind.

Been like that every day for the last 3 or 4 weeks down our way

Yep... Same here.

This year the burn off is worse than I've seen before for this time of year. It's almost as if the farmers are giving the finger to govt for telling them to "Stop the burning" at the end of the smog crisis. No baling of straw, & every effort to burn as much as possible. Luckily, weather conditions are more favourable, but if you live down wind, which we seem to do, it's cr@p. I think we need to start a "honk your horn at a farmer" campaign every time you drive past a burning field. If they wave back, give them a "middle digit salute".

Jeez, is this topic still going? It's almost June!

Now it's almost July and this is of course the thread that will never die! Here is a photo taken today as the farmers prepare for rice planting. Yesterday a road was closed as the flames were going completely across the lane. Luckily the wind patterns have been brisk enough to carry the smoke away unless one is directly down wind.

Been like that every day for the last 3 or 4 weeks down our way

bougainvillea?

Bought Boliden SMF battery on the road to the railway station a year ago, Charoen Muang.

Coming into town, pass the Superhighway there are some battery shops on your left, first or second, not sure.

For a pickup truck.

Cheers. Good to know for the future. btw how much?

Meanwhile, back on topic, where to buy the Boliden battery in Chiang Mai?

Best to wait until the warranty has expired.... but by that time, I will have backed into the bloody bamboo tree so many times, why would I go to all that time and extra expense on an old, beat-up truck?

Cut the bamboo tree down.....

Someone dented your new Ranger. Only one way to deal with this......

Don't put it on the windscreen, you will regret it at night. except the top 6/8 inches above you line of sight.

Correct and you must also leave space for the Buddha/flower things that your wife will hang from the rearview mirror.

Not if you get there first with your furry dice......

When you're flying, you're getting blasted by that little x-ray machine called "The Sun", without all the protection you get from the atmosphere when you're on the ground.

Sent from my shoe phone

Take a night flight ;-)

Try the Ban Tawai area, near Hangdong, for "sandstone" statues. Or the terracotta statue shop near Chiang Mai gate, inside the "old city".

Good work. So does this mean you CAN order a wildtrak now? Why has ford here said you can't order it? It seems to me if you are prepared to wait there should be no problem ordering now, unless they are having major quality control / supply problems.

As I said, it took intervention by Peter Fleet to tell the local dealer to accept my order. He emailed the GM and when I went into the dealership they knew me by name and no questions asked, took the order.

Mr Fleet could become a busy fellow if more people read this thread:)

It's not Peter Fleet who needs to get busy, it's Ford Thailand that need to get their act together & get the trucks produced & delivered to the domestic market. Over 3 months wait so far, & talk now of 5 months for a freaking truck!! It's a rare sight to see one in Chiang Mai. Lots of Mazdas.....

'We'll have songs from the war years"

Would that be the Falklands War or the Gulf war? Those are the wars that spring to mind during ERII's reign.

Update on the location in the OP. This development is actually, not a mall, but a Thai Watsadu outlet. similar to Home Pro or Global House, but part of the Central empire. Due to open later this month. For some reason, when the construction began, all the logos for the Central group companies were on display, which led me to assume it was a new mall.

Some might ask "why do we need another building supplies / diy outlet?", but I'm a happy future customer, 'cos that's my kind of shop, & I'm only 4km away

You may have noticed that all streams and small Nam Muang drains that only see water in the wet season get bridges. Water will flow just fine.

Secondly, during the recently completed widening the road level wasn't actually raised further. So it's the same as it has been the last 12 or so years

Thirdly, just last year, half of the greater Chiangmai Mai area was up to it's eyeballs in flood water. The Sankypeng Road and adjacent areas didnt flood.

Fourth, ... nah, that's it.

Wrong.

San Kamphaeng & the 1317 flooded at the beginning of August last year, a completely different event from the flood of Chiang Mai. The Kuang river / canal system has flooded 2001, 2006, 2012 since I've lived near its banks. It's a separate system to the Ping.

And sort your quotes out, you're quoting me as saying something another poster said....

This might account for the frantic buying up of all the rice paddy either side of the 1317. I live on the 1317, see the Lampang hills and it is quiet.

We also live near the 1317 & appreciate the rural feel to the area. I assumed the building up around the road was because it's the only main road leading out of the city that until now hadn't been developed. Where we live, about 1km south of 1317, the rice fields aren't being developed, they're being dug up to provide the fill to build up the housing estates. As the 1317 gets developed, & the land either side raised, it's going to be the new "San Kamphaeng Dam", blocking the southward drainage of water flowing from the north. Anyone heard of culverts under roads here? If you live north of this road, get ready for floods when the Kuang river floods next.......

Dairy herds out San Kamphaeng way. Try around here 18.734623,99.113524 in google maps. Mostly the black & white ones.

For future reference; they are called Fresians; you'll be referring to zebras next as black and white ones.

I was trying to keep it simple, referring to their colours as in the OP ;-)

yellow rat snake

Dairy herds out San Kamphaeng way. Try around here 18.734623,99.113524 in google maps. Mostly the black & white ones.

Looks like a rat snake, from those longitudinal stripes. Harmless, unless you're a rat

Yeah, some great reading there!

I've only clocked up 1,100Ks in just under a week.

Yesterday, sad to report, first descent scratch (done by myself) I was moving a fridge and pushed it all the way back, forgetting about that stupid aero-wing.

I've used the cruise control and I think it's great! It's very responsive, no lag at all.

The people worrying about the lack of power in the 2.2 shouldn't, it's dam_n quick for a 2 tonne truck.

I'm still getting used to all the auto kit, it was supper confusing the first couple of days.

I have the bog standard XLT but it still took me until last night to suss out how to dim the displays for night driving!

I have downloaded the full British version of the owners manual so no more mysteries... although it details all the stuff that I DON'T have in great depth!

Ideal, what's the link?

Thanks!

This might do

http://www.ford-ranger-forum-uk.co.uk/Downloads/2012%20Ranger%20Owners%20Manual.pdf

All I need now is a truck

Why is it that a large amount of burning is done by the military???? For all the years I've lived here in CM and the province, some of the main culprits are the military on / around their bases. I'll bet I can drive 1 or 2 kms from where I am right now and find some military fires blazing away....

Stray "live rounds" setting the vegetation on fire?

There is a lot of burning all year round. Obviously more in the dry season, but burning is 365 days a year. But if there is frequent rain the pollution is localized.

theblether did good

i got my wt today.

very happy with it.

The auto lights need to be turned off manually which is weird...unless i am missing something.

Great news, congrats!

Did you get the 4x4 or 4x2?

I'm only asking to see if the Dunlops are 4x4 specific or Wildtrak.

The Chiang Mai dealer told me that Dunlops or Bridgestone is random, or more likely whichever batch of tyres they have in stock. He had XLTs awaiting customers with both, but not mixed ;-)