MESmith

OP, how many people were in the spouse extension queue by the time immigration opened? Did anyone get told to comeback the next day?

I was busy snatching up my queue ticket and diving into the waiting room when Immigration opened, but I made time for a quick look backwards: maybe 15-20 people (with married couples counted as 1) in the spouse extension queue at the time. I didn't wait to see if anyone were turned back, but I don't think so. The really long one was the 'Teacher-Student-Missionary' queue.

If no-one was turned back, then that begs the question - why are you all getting there so early?

Here's an interesting thought - what if you all turned up at 8.30am, to get a number, what would be the difference?

Has this problem has been created by the 'Me First' brigade, much like the old Benidorm dodge of reserving your sun-lounger by leaving a towel on it at 5am, which becomes, 4am, which becomes 3am, which becomes midnight, just so you can be first. Although I never made it to the Costa Del Sol, partly for that reason, it seems to have been common knowledge that this strange ritual was started by the Germans.

Exactly! People can apply for extension 30 days (more?) before due date. Just turn up at 08.30, & only go very early or use agent, if you're running out of time near to renewal date.

OP, how many people were in the spouse extension queue by the time immigration opened? Did anyone get told to comeback the next day?

If you missed it, the airlines did plan in advance and did reschedule their flights for one night, the 25th where it was approved for free release of khom fai and was publicly announced. So one can't fault the airlines as they did their part. What other countries would shut down an entire airport for a celebration?

How come there were so many delays then?

Forgot to tell the passengers?

So.... I went there to Loy Krathong myself tonight.. Hmmm.. First of all it started raining, and secondly there was some kind of construction going on, turning it all a bit muddy..

So then I drove up to Pa Daed / Aom Muang and Loyed one Krathong there.. however.. due to the drought the water level was quite low so hard to reach the water, plus there was no current to speak of.. So the Krathongs mostly just sat there. It's nice having water gates but it would be even nicer to have a bit of a flow during the festival as to not turn the entire river into a lake.

So then we were at plan C; the little stream near Varee school and the Mae Jam Pa noodle & khao soi place. Finally! Could reach the water AND quite a strong current. SUCCESS!

For reference, that's here: https://www.google.co.th/maps/@18.756664,99.0169336,3a,75y,260.72h,87.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snjPPm5d34333EtNpGZzqVQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Had the same problem near Rimping Condo last night. Had to drop the kratongs into the river, & they didn't move much.

I guess it wouldn't be traditional to attach little rubber-band powered paddle-wheel motors to 'em, would it...

They should've emptied the dams upstream after closing the flood control gates south of the city. Then at 19.00 opened the flood gates south of the city

I love the way BiB prioritize crimes to solve

so where's your secret place to go, Winnie? pm will do

Oh, right; it's here.

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@18.7416955,98.9836265,3a,75y,140.1h,77.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_3JcVhrzy9k4OWkfGvIbkw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Cross the narrow bridge, not too far South of the Middle Ring.

558815_10152182473071664_1277551665_n.jpg

So.... I went there to Loy Krathong myself tonight.. Hmmm.. First of all it started raining, and secondly there was some kind of construction going on, turning it all a bit muddy..

So then I drove up to Pa Daed / Aom Muang and Loyed one Krathong there.. however.. due to the drought the water level was quite low so hard to reach the water, plus there was no current to speak of.. So the Krathongs mostly just sat there. It's nice having water gates but it would be even nicer to have a bit of a flow during the festival as to not turn the entire river into a lake.

So then we were at plan C; the little stream near Varee school and the Mae Jam Pa noodle & khao soi place. Finally! Could reach the water AND quite a strong current. SUCCESS!

For reference, that's here: https://www.google.co.th/maps/@18.756664,99.0169336,3a,75y,260.72h,87.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snjPPm5d34333EtNpGZzqVQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Had the same problem near Rimping Condo last night. Had to drop the kratongs into the river, & they didn't move much.

Watching from the 15th floor window overlooking the city, it was easy to see that the 'one-day-only' release of Khum Loi made an incredibly beautiful display on the night sky! It seemed to be three times more lanterns in the air as everyone released their balloons on the same night and the visible result was nothing short of fantastic. This was the first year that I didn't go down town to enjoy the festivities, but the fireworks going off all over town combined with the dancing lights in the sky more than made up for it. A wonderful sight to see!

Down at ground level, near Rimping Condo, it wasn't quite the same. Compared to previous years, the number of Kom Loi was markedly down. I even saw a BiB extinguishing lit lanterns being prepared by people on the bridge next to Rimping. Very few fireworks, & the official ones seemed to be let off one at a time with long intervals between. Lots of Kom Loi in the air to the south of where I was. The alcohol ban only seemed to apply to public space, not the riverside restaurants, even the shacks to south of Rimping Condo bridge. On the right bank, crowds were enormous. We left around 20.30.

Drove in last night from east of Chiang Mai. Came in via McCormick hospital road, little traffic, Parked in the soi behind Prince Royal College. 5 minutes walk to riverbank & LK action. No problems leaving around 20.30.

What do you mean, it's Loi Kratong already today and tomorrow (2 days event) and roads closed around 4 pm everybody should get out of the city!

its only Tuesday, with the bigger days of Loi Kratong to come !!

Royal family will takes around 10 minutes to pass by not the whole day!

some "VIP" is about to drive down it from the airport so the rest of us not permitted to use it.

In your attempt to be very smart you have in fact missed the reality. As others apart from me have confirmed already Hangdong Road was closed on Tuesday at peak time around 6pm NOT for 10 minutes but for the best part of an hour. OK? Thats the fact. Thank you!

I feel your pain, but the motorcade probably took less than 10 minutes

The Ranger 2.2 feels sluggish to me compared to my old 2.5, so I imagine the Everest even more so, especially with the auto box. If you're not normally in a hurry and are quite happy poodling along behind people who seem to be stuck in 2nd gear then I'm sure it'll be fine.

Is yours 4wd. My 2.2 goes like a rocket. Leaves everyone behind at lights. No problems up the steepest hills around Chiang Mai.

OK I'm confused:

Chiang Mai Air Museum

The Chiang Mai Air Museum is located near the Chiang Mai Airport. It contains a rare collection of World War 2 airplanes and related objects. Visitors are allowed to enter the planes and are provided with detailed information about the planes and their history.

Address:

Air Force Base 41

Chiang Mai

Thailand

Tel:

Open: Daily

Last I heard you had to make n appointment to visit. Changed?

The Answer: (Don't laugh!) B-I-C-Y-C-L-E!

Glide through and around all of the stuck cages.

Bike for Mom! Bike for Dad! Bike for Sanity!

As a keen cyclist, I'll stay in my truck around the city & suburbs. Bicycle for rural roads & mountains only.

For those of us who cannot figure out what Loy Kratong is all about

For those there is Wikipedia.

so where's your secret place to go, Winnie? pm will do

Early January for Children's Day at Wing 41. The kids love it & so do I!! Very much a hands on experience - sit in the older planes, hold guns, pose with soldiers etc.

My son's school is closing at lunchtime on Thursday. Reason given is road closures in city centre on Thursday afternoon for Loy Kratong, preventing school buses from taking kids home. I suspect most of the kids live outside the city centre, as this school is outside of the middle ring road.

RAM has been undergoing renovations for at least 2 1/2 years,nothing to do with competition, started long before the Bangkok Hospital opened. Unfortuantly now in the area where people are are most affected.

I am led to believe work stops around 4pm every day, it certainly did when I was recovering after an op.

What choice do they have ?

Well, they could work on one floor, whilst relocating patients away from floor above & below. Or are they really so full, that's not possible?

Since the crackdown on booze a couple of years ago, the leftbank area near the Rimping condo is a great plce to hang out.

quote "Go to GPS 40° 0′ 0″ N, 123° 30′ 0″ W Northern California its called the Emerald Triangle/ Number 1 doobi growing area in North America. Zoom in on it and you will see the green house's. Imagery date is 5/31/2014. I'll stick to GE." unquote

No thanks. The subject is poppy fields in northern Thailand, where GE imagery might be up to 2 or 3 years old.

Interesting article about for criticizing the police force online. On Facebook

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/873016-facebookers-face-8-years-in-jail-for-criticizing-thai-cops/

Original Storey

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1448268875

Maybe we could be charged

After all the immigration are under Umbrella of The Royal Thai Police

Thanks for that post.

It was just another rehash of what we all know is happening here in Thailand.

It just got me to wondering why do these people stay here.

I am in no way justifying the law but I am saying I am aware of it

don't think it is fare and certainly not worth all the effort people

put into bitching about it. For me it was just another part of the

package I bought when I finally committed to retiring here. Any other

country would have some thing I didn't believe was rite but would buy

if I was going to commit to retiring there. If I wanted every thing

like back home I would still be there.

I think they're Thai

"The 7th Infantry Division inspected, by air" By air or by Google Earth.

I'm not sure if google earth is very up to date in those areas. On a recent trip to MHS province, I saw lots of corn fields in small valleys, & it crossed my mind how easy it would be to hide something like poppy fields, surrounded by 2 m high corn. Only visible from the air.

Is Is 03'03/2015 good enough for you on updates by Google Earth.

Not if they plant in a different area each season. The area I was exploring was only from 2014. I doubt the resolution is good enough on GE.

"The 7th Infantry Division inspected, by air" By air or by Google Earth.

I'm not sure if google earth is very up to date in those areas. On a recent trip to MHS province, I saw lots of corn fields in small valleys, & it crossed my mind how easy it would be to hide something like poppy fields, surrounded by 2 m high corn. Only visible from the air.

Tar removes super easy with some WD-40 or similar.

Duct tape & wd40. good for most things!

If travelling with Thai wife, try parking car before ticket office, & wifey buying tickets, without mentioning the "big nose" in the car. Drive through gate, presenting tickets. Has worked before.

Those films dont help much, too thin, a couple of rolls of duct tape will fix you up.

Great range of colours now, not just silver