MESmith

There are people who are bothered by the air, but lots and lots of posters have said they are not very bothered at all. However, certain neurotic whingers seem to live to moan and complain. They also reject any "anecdotal evidence" by anyone who disagrees with their views and any real evidence as well - ahem!

I guess the pollution is not noticeable in the city.  Smoke from burning outside the city must cancel out the diesel fumes 

Burning?  Not in my neighbourhood.......

 What burning?  Photos taken today.

Congratulations to you people who had some rain today.  On the eastern side of the valley we didn't get any.  We did get our a$$hole neighbour doing his bit to improve the air for everyone....  

And he's not Thai

They had the bamboo mats in Index Living Mall, on the superhighway, south of Carrefour.  That was over a year ago.

Any chance of importing Burmese ABC stout duty free, under the new rules?  Can buy in the duty free shop at Mae Sai.

Just for future reference--where was this guy's shop?? A good lock-picker is always handy to know.

Might cost you a bit more, the OP & locksmith are in Had Yai

I think in Thailand they've misunderstood the "reduce carbon footprint" concept.  They're reducing the carbon here by burning everything, to get all the carbon in the atmosphere so wind will take it elsewhere.  Thailand, zero carbon 

A question - I am renovating a high-end condo - if you were going to buy one (say around 5m) would you 'expect' to see a granite or parquet floor or would high quality off-white tile be ok? If I switch to tile I would still put granite and marble in the two bathrooms.

If you are planning to rent out the condo, put down a parquet floor.  Always looks nice, but be sure to do a very cheapo polish / varnish, that scratches really easily, so you can keep the deposit when the tenant moves out 

On Thai tv today, they showed a fire engine in Chiang Rai, spraying water into the air, I guess to clear the air.  A tad more useful if they simply went out on patrol with police, govt officials, extinguish the fires they find, fine the individuals involved, crack a few heads, generally let the people know this has to stop.  But no, much better to have a media event, & let the burning continue. 

And the more sensationalist headlines we get on tv, the more people will be inclined to head elsewhere for their news.  Ever heard the story about the boy who cried wolf.......

Still waiting in chiang mai for the call to arms by redshirts last week.

Do you want the Sun or the Guardian for your news?

I'm not a smoker, I don't live in a condo, but out in a very smokey northern countryside.  Where are smokers living in condos supposed to smoke?

 

I have heard a dozen stories about why they burn as much as they do from clearing rice stubble to stimulating mushrooms. Why do they continue to burn the countryside?

Because that is the way it has always been done.  You don't honestly expect these uneducated "serfs" to change  their habits in less than 2 or 3 generations

Mouse, could you possibly let us know how much you paid for the bungalow on the beach at Siam Bay, & whether you booked in advance through their site or just turned up.

Thanks, Gladiator. I'm now thinking of spending one night at Hat Mae Rumpung Beach, as it's reachable in a day's drive, then moving onto Ko Chang for a few nights.

I 'm sure that you will have your own route but if not, here is mine with approx timings at 100kph:

Highway 11 to Lampang - 1 hour

Highway 1 to Tak - 2 hours

Tak - Kampaeng Phet 1 hour

Kampaeng Phet - Nakhon Sawan 1.5 hours

Highway1/Highway 32 onwards to Bangkok as far as Ang Thong 2 hours

Ring Road Higway 9 to Suvanabhumi 1 hour Toll road

Highway 7 to junction with Highway 36 just outside of Pattaya 1 hour

Turn left on Highway 36 to Rayong 45 minutes

Approaching Rayong turn left onto Highway 3 sign posted to Chantaburi

The turn right to Hat Mae Rumpung Beach is a couple of kilometres

Follow the beach road for several kilometres and the Condotel is on the left just past the V.P. Guesthouse

Last year there were extensive roadworks between Lampang and Nakhon Sawan but they may well have finished by now. I tend to use PTT/7-11 for pit-stops and there is a decent service centre about 20 kilometres south of Suvanabhumi

Thanks, that pretty much matches the route I was planning.

Has anyone driven Lampang to Nakhon Sawan recently?  There was a thread about this route, but that was then, this is now.  Any updates?

Doesn't bother me, but people may be planning to download & watch later today - SPOILER

It looks like we have a convoy to Koh Chang!

How much for those traffic police escorts, flashing lights, pedal to the metal all the way?   On my budget, probably as far as Lamphun 

Mouse, could you possibly let us know how much you paid for the bungalow on the beach at Siam Bay, & whether you booked in advance through their site or just turned up.  

Thanks, Gladiator.  I'm now thinking of spending one night at Hat Mae Rumpung Beach, as it's reachable in a day's drive, then moving onto Ko Chang for a few nights.

Are there any decent cheapo bungalows on Hat Mae Rumpung Beach?  I've been googling this afternoon & can only find websites for booking hotels - not my kind of thing....... I'd rather stay on the mainland with my wheels rather than head to Ko Chang.

I wonder how those track vehicles damage the shoddily built highways?

I hope they're wearing rubber on their undercarriage 

Deal. It'll be Makro cheese at 350 baht/kg though.

no worries, I have a bottle of Blue Nun I opened a few months ago, but couldn't finish

Normal == Thapae to Samoeng Intersection in 11 minutes.

Can I have some cheese with your whine?

I'll get the whine, you provide the cheese.  Can't afford both, being overpriced as they are, compared to "normal" prices in my original home country 

Can't say Ive seen traffic flow normally in the 20 years I've been coming to or lived in Chiang Mai.  Define normal please 

My view of CM city seems to be obscured,  disappeared into the smog & smoke, I guess.  Usually, in the evening, I can see the city lights, over 15km away.  Tonight, visibility is practically zero.  Everything ok, I hope.

Hey CM folks,

Over in Hang Dong this evening the sky is rather foggy as if it's going to rain and the air is full of smoke particles.

How's the situation on your side, over to you....

Been quite smoggy over on the eastern side of the valley.  I say smoggy rather than foggy, 'cos there's stuff in the air that gets to your eyes when outside for a while.  Yesterday was hazy, poor visibility, but the air felt fine.

It could have been worst, it could have been a Hotel

Dead right.

This is Thailand and here providing the money is right, you can build anything you want, at any time, in any place.

Beware if thinking about purchasing that lovely piece of land with the beautiful scenic views, because it`s only a matter of time before someone builds a whacking great monstrosity that by law can be erected only 0ne metre from the boundries of your property.

Quick answer to the OP; he is powerless to do anything.

It is actually 2 metres from the boundary, not that that makes much difference.

Wrong.

I speak from experience.

Can't build a structure with windows on the boundary.  I think anything else goes.....