MESmith

Well, as I drove past the site this afternoon, accelerating from the red light, heading north, trying to have a look at the banner, whilst keeping one eye on the kamikaze fools trying to gain one place on their road to self-destruction, I did spy that Robinson is on the banner, so it looks like a department store is also on the plan. Or maybe "Barley Water" is heading this way ;-)

I hope they don't allow them to build an exit for cars onto hwy 11 to attempt to cross into the right hand lane to u-turn back to the north. It is a cross roads there, small side roads, so there is an opportunity to do it right.

You mean like the Big C Hang Dong disaster, with people coming out of the Big C parking lot and immediately wanting to do a right turn or even a U turn..

Exactly.

I hope they don't allow them to build an exit for cars onto hwy 11 to attempt to cross into the right hand lane to u-turn back to the north. It is a cross roads there, small side roads, so there is an opportunity to do it right.

I think the location your talking about is a few kilometres past Don Chan area, on the Superhighway going towards Lamphun. Correct?

And I agree it will need some good traffic planning for cars coming back onto that highway, most of which (I think) will head back to the main CM areas.

"good traffic planning" not always top priority around here. Up until now, there has been very little development along hwy 11 south of the city. If it starts to develop now, as on other major arteries out of the city, then they really need to build a frontage road or we'll end up with another planning disaster like the Hangdong road

Chiang Mai Plastic will work.. Or second hand, there are several shops, for example on the Hang Dong road on the intersection with the Middle Ring. (same side as Makro)

Steel drum might be more advisable - the plastic might melt

Or am I wrong in thinking bio-char production involves a bit of burning?

Had another look at the banner this morning, but the lights were green so I couldn't slow down. A whole row of logos, among them Tops, Office Depot, Power Buy. And, I guess a Central Dept store (unless Central group just own the development.) All this about 4km from our house - actually closer than the nearest 7-11. Just south of the traffic lights, on the west side of hwy11, looks like a gated community is starting. Looks like this area is starting to develop.

I hope they don't allow them to build an exit for cars onto hwy 11 to attempt to cross into the right hand lane to u-turn back to the north. It is a cross roads there, small side roads, so there is an opportunity to do it right.

It's going to be called Promenada.

They've been at it for quite a while now if were on about the same place.

No, Promenada is behind Big C on the road out to San Kamphaeng & ring road. This new location has only just started, & is on hwy 11, 4km south of Big C. They only started on the footings in the last 2 weeks.

The site has been under preparation for a month or so, but today a banner has gone up to indicate what's under construction. Located at the first set of traffic lights on Highway 11, about 4km south of BIg C, just to the east of Saraphee. Currently, the foundation footings are going in. At least Power Buy & Central names on the banner. Will take another look tomorrow morning.

It is amazing that none of the car companies have a decent English website. GM's not too bad, but none of them really good.

mia farang decides anyway

not in my house ;-)

Heading north up hwy 11, superhighway, south of the city, this afternoon to pick my son up from school, it was business as usual - "Wacky Races" as folk attempt to gain one place in the outside lane & arrive at their destination a few seconds earlier. IMHO, it wont change until our kid's generation grows up....

Yes. Turn left onto 1096 from 4 Seasons rd. The right turn is about 1.5km past the X-Center (which is on the left side), but on the other side (right side).

Turn right (off 1096) just before the PT petrol station. There is a sign for Sukantara. Go 18km (veer left on the only fork in the road - about 12km in) you are there!

Sounds close to or maybe a little north of Mon Jam camping which can be reached by surfaced road from the Samoeng road, turn off west of Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens.

ME wonders whether these camp sites have sprung up in response to the booze ban in national parks, 'cos many Thais seem to think that camping in the mountains is just an excuse to get drunk & sing awful out of tune karaoke. Anyone had experience of these campsites at weekends? Or even NP campsites - are they still remote karaoke venues, or are families seeking a bit of peace 'n' quiet welcome? wjmark, could you post coordinates so that the gps, google earth crowd can get an exact location?

Thanks Andy,

I just googled it, I'll drop them a line.

MES, I had a drive from Mae Rim to Fang, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Doi Saket just after the harvest, lots of straw but didn't see a single bale.

Saw quite a lot of baling east of the city, south & east of San Kamphaeng, along hwy1317. Never saw any for sale, maybe it all goes to the dairy farms?

You probably need to be looking just after rice harvest time. A fair amount of baling is done now, prior to the traditional burnoff, but that was more than a month or so ago. Now the new crop is growing, all the bales probably been claimed.

If you post your application to HK by registered mail from Thailand, it's trackable on both Thai & Hong Kong post websites.

Drove past the Ford, Chiang Mai dealer today - no Rangers on display out front. I've only seen one out on the roads in CM since launch. Why do dealers take phone numbers of potential customers, & never make a follow up call? We gave my wife's number so that language wouldn't be a problem. And where are those Wildtraks?

Where did you go?...the new one (still under construction) at the Mae Jo Rd had a 2dr in Gold up front and 4dr Gunmetal Blue in the back.I just wished they'll finish the construction soon...hope to see more of them big like this one coming and maybe they will improve the service as well...

That's the one I drove past yesterday afternoon - didn't stop, but nothing out front to "advertise" the new model. They were both out front a couple of weeks ago, when you posted the photos.

Drove past the Ford, Chiang Mai dealer today - no Rangers on display out front. I've only seen one out on the roads in CM since launch. Why do dealers take phone numbers of potential customers, & never make a follow up call? We gave my wife's number so that language wouldn't be a problem. And where are those Wildtraks?

If you're planning on buying a car in a Thai's name, & it's their first car, you should also consider the effect of the car excise rebate - I believe not all models qualify.

In Chaingmai I'd recommend either Khuangsingha (up near the Huay Kaew rd end of the 11) or Amnuay (head office on the 11 not far from Charoen Muang Rd [look for the big Alpine billboard]).

Note that there's a few vendors of these types of products in TH, so you might save some shipping delay by buying locally...

Thanks for the info. Was thinking of buying on a trip back to the UK. No rush, as a new truck isn't even on order yet ;-)

Would there be any effect on truck warranty, fitting something like this?

Thinking of buying this & getting it installed here in Thailand (Chiang Mai)

What kind of business would be capable? Or would the dealer selling the new truck be up to the job? Would a third party install mess up the truck warranty?

> It would be By Random . - NO CHOOSING . ( i will not show any photo )

Mystery Puppy! Blind Puppy Date! Like!

Blind date, & you end up with a dawg.......

Note this colour looks much darker out on the street, and much nicer under the motor show lights:)

Looks pretty freaking awful in that picture posted by stefan

I think I'll wait for the XLT to be upgraded with more accessories. USB, bluetooth, audio controls on steering wheel are the minimum I want, without all the bling on the Wildtrak.

Picture supposedly taken yesterday in Rayong.

I'm not sure if they're 3.2s or 2.2s but I hope there's a black 2.2 in there somewhere!

That chilli orange doesn't look anything like the pictures on the Ford website

Well it looks like that on the showroom at motor show!! I have one on order in the 3.2

Looks like what at the motorshow, the Ford website pics, or the one posted by stefan2519?

Picture supposedly taken yesterday in Rayong.

I'm not sure if they're 3.2s or 2.2s but I hope there's a black 2.2 in there somewhere!

That chilli orange doesn't look anything like the pictures on the Ford website

Also maybe just maybe they have learned their lesson and won't release the dams until the rain gets real bad.

One can always hope.

They should be releasing water NOW, for irrigation, for the farmers.

Heh, I have made a bet on flooding along the Ping river being brought under control in the coming years for the in-town area.

Note that severe flooding of the type we had last season doesn't happen too often, perhaps once every 5 years. Still, the disruption is significant enough to put in some significant work. I hope.

Once every 5 years seems pretty frequent to me ;-)

Btw, betting is illegal ;-)