MESmith

If you have a "push bike". then cycle up to Wat doi Suthep early in the morning. I guarantee you wont worry about how to spend the rest of the day

A common mistake amongst some posters here is assuming that all Chinese are cheap and rude. There are plenty of well-heeled Chinese in Chiang Mai with money to spend and manners to go with it. A decent chunk of my business is now Asian, but since I have menus in Chinese, Japanese and Korean then it's not hard to see why. With direct flights to Chiang Mai from Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai etc, there are plenty of new customers to replace the slightly declining western tourists. Making brochures, signs or whatever in different languages isn't that expensive or difficult so I'm surprised more people aren't doing it, even though they are getting to be more prevalent.

Yes, this. My wife dabbles a bit in tourism mostly as sort of a semi-hobby, and was opposed to even catering to Chinese guests. I basically forced her the first time and now we actually prefer them. I don't think nationality is a very good indication of anything, but if there was a nationality that's potentially the most challenging then it would be American. Absolutely everyone from China has been great, although we do tend to get independently travelling middle class people. Most have excellent English too. She had guests from China for a week some time ago but their first day wasn't available.. So they booked The Meridien instead for that night! Not short on funds..

I was in a small family run restaurant,in the centre of the old town,we have been

a customer for nearly 30 years,they have signs on the entrance,no singlets,flip flops,

and over time I have seen the owner refuse to serve tourists that were not properly

dressed,this time a Chinese mother and young daughter,sat down,then were told

they would not be served and please leave,they were dressed respectfully,so the

only reason could be that they were Chinese.

regards Worgeordie

Although a dress code is a bit unusual, I can see why some places might want to have one. It's up to them if they want to exclude certain people based on attire, but to do it based on race, as you suggest this place does, shouldn't be allowed, and is illegal in some countries. I remember a night-club in Bournemouth, where I lived prior to moving here, had a 'No jeans' policy, which was a bit odd. I got caught out by that one a couple of times. I hear that some years later they had a 'No Shell-suits' policy but the local scousers complained that it was racist and they had to remove it.

I know of a place in town that has a No Riffraff sign, but that is totally understandable.

Got my bike and its perfect!

Thanks for all the information and suggestions.

Good day

Don't throw half a brick, what did you get?

I dress the same to visit a mall as I do the local market. They're both the same, places to buy things. I guess those visiting malls to pull a bird might dress differently

These people have not mentioned that, in order to receive this service, they will charge you an additional ฿1,000 service charge to "join" their "club".

Maderaroja, I'm sorry that you came to the CLL office and waited patiently for your documents to be reviewed. I thought it was clear that this is a special private opening of the Immigration office for members of CEC and CLL. Since I doubt you speak Japanese, you'd probably be most interested in joining CEC. I don't know why you put "club" and "join" in quotes, as if CEC isn't a real club and described our membership fee as a service charge. Our membership is 1000 baht and it's a Lifetime membership with many benefits. This is just one of them. I invite you spend some time getting to know more about CEC -- the About Us video on our website is a good place to start and as is our Facebook page. I hope you reconsider.

http://www.chiangmaiexpatsclub.com/about-us/

https://www.facebook.com/Chiang-Mai-Expats-Club-286223608211692/timeline/

Three people did join CEC today during the document review at the CLL office. A couple of them have been to CEC meetings in the past and realized it was time to join. CEC does much, much more than offer expedited access at Immigration.

Pay an agent or get up in the middle of the night. Nothing is compulsory, apart from having to get your permission to stay extended. Actually, that's not compulsory either

Can you hire for self drive? Kids would love turning up to school singing "Bob the Builder"

Can't comment, but sumthink dodgy methinks

Just wanted to add that just about the entire road between Maetaeng and Pai is under reconstruction now. They appear to be widening the road to 3 or 4 lanes wherever practicable so whenever it's completed should allow for a faster and safer trip for that leg. Until it's finished the dust will make a motorcycle ride pretty miserable.

This is some good advice. Can anyone else confirm this as we are planning on going in the next month or so?

Cloudhopper's word is good enough for me.

The attraction of the MHS loop is the drive, not the destinations. Great roads if you enjoy mountainous, twisty roads, great views & scenery. Car, motorbike or bicycle, take your pick. Waste of time if doing it on public transport.

As I type this I just realized I could have given my Granddaughter a chance to make 300 baht for standing in a line for 4 to 5 hours. She would have jumped at the chance. Bad me

You let your grand daughter drive somewhere and hang out in the dark at 4 or 5 am ??

Might be on her way home from a night out

"But it is Imm's fault that they cannot cope with the numbers of people who HAVE to visit their office. We are required by law to make these visits."

From my limited vantage point i can only see one visit per year to Immig as needed; that for the yearly visa extension. My 90 day reports are all through the mail, so do i need to go to Prom more than once per year?

And for the re-entry stamp, off to the Airport.

Immig i can deal with, but i don't like Prom. Maybe i will change my opinion one day.

People = plural, so plural of visit (visits) are required.

Sorry your vantage point is so limited. Try doing the maths. 20 queue cards per day multiplied by the number of days immigration is open. Now how many people on retirement extensions? I would imagine it is a lot more than the answer you got from that simple multiplication.

Witnesses say the card was speeding but did not mention the motorbike drove on the wrong side of the road?

In the witnesses eyes there are no wrong sides of the road.

Come the dry season, the reservoirs wont be fit for paddling in, nevermind scuba diving

I thought everybody cancelled their contracts when broadband & bit-torrents came along

Thanks, LivinLOS. I know Khun Precha's skills, and there is no question that he is the best!

But the problem we need to deal with doesn't require his skills. It's a very routine, 10-minute procedure that can be done by a 1st year resident without fear of screwing up. Basically, a 1/2" snip of the skin, retraction, an 1/8" snip of a tendon sheath, and 3-4 stitches to close the skin. Done. Two forceps and a pair of small Metzenbaum scissors. Were it a more serious matter, I wouldn't hesitate to use the facilities in Chiang Mai Ram, but that is not the case here.

DIY?

Actually, it's 'almost' that easy... But it's the 'almost' part that keeps me from trying. I have a fairly intensive medical background, but... not... quite... enough... to operate on myself.

Besides, I'm a wus. Probably the only thing that kept me from becoming a junkie back in the day was my fear of needles and pain.

I'll try the clinic you suggested, and thanks for that!

I forgot to add, open 17.30 - 19.30 weekdays.

053-329432

Thanks, LivinLOS. I know Khun Precha's skills, and there is no question that he is the best!

But the problem we need to deal with doesn't require his skills. It's a very routine, 10-minute procedure that can be done by a 1st year resident without fear of screwing up. Basically, a 1/2" snip of the skin, retraction, an 1/8" snip of a tendon sheath, and 3-4 stitches to close the skin. Done. Two forceps and a pair of small Metzenbaum scissors. Were it a more serious matter, I wouldn't hesitate to use the facilities in Chiang Mai Ram, but that is not the case here.

DIY?

"Hand Ortho Clinic" on canal road, west side, just south of B2 Hotel. 18.770912, 98.950432

Only had consultation, but they do minor ops on site, I think.

Time they opened a store in Chiang Mai. Surely the demand or the potential is here!

We looked at the SUVs under B2m eg Honda, Mitsu, Toyota.

Initially, I preferred the Fortuner.

Saw the Pajero at Airport. Chances of seeing one in the next month=zero.

Value per THB, the Pajero was # 1. We ordered the 4WD, diesel model with Pearl White colour. No regrets re choice. Sales rep was extremely helpful. Cannot say the same re Toyota.

The problem with Mitsu in CNX is that all dealerships are owned by the one company?

Old city & Mae Jo road are same dealer. Don Chan (superhighway) different. Or used to be!

Well done Nancy, and pay no heed to any Negative Nelly's.

If, once this has been done a couple of times to settle down, neither the CEC or CLL are able to get enough 'services', perhaps immigration would consider doing a joint morning or afternoon instead of an all day thing.

Or open it up to TV members. Strictly by appointment only, or there'll be folk queueing up at 5 am!

Only give the wife enough to do the day's shopping. If she comes home without any, something's up.

Just another example of never buying property in Thailand and never Invest any Money in anything here ...

Tell that to Bill Heinecke who made his US$ 1.14 billion fortune in Thailand

Or my good friend Peter who built Cape Yamu in Phuket, or my good friend Alan Zeman and his Paradise Group that built Andara in Phuket....

I know a lot of guys who've done very well in Thailand.

Far more than the ones who've lost money.

I see it the same way,

and would not generalize this like:

- never buy a house,

- never do business or

- never marry a thai woman.

There are those who are lucky and others have bad luck.

I consider myself one of the lucky.

More than 20 years married, healthy children and my Thai wife is diligent.

But who knows in advance how it goes in the future?

Nobody.

This applies to businesses and for women

That's why

My advice is, no matter in which country you are going:

50% of your funds should be in your name and in your home country.

The other 50% of your funds you can then invest with appropriate safeguards in a foreign country.

Never, put your entire fortune on a single horse.

50% of your funds in Thailand? A bit high!

200 Baht fee per item, no receipt provided. I love Thailand!!! Let me charge you extra for a job we are meant to be doing in the first place, but we'll keep the money hush hush!

Better than the fees offered by the "agents" next door

CEC membership goes exponential

Got my extension last week, but this is good news

So an agency is taking queue numbers that then won't be available to Joe Public who might arrive at 6am, on the off chance that they are going to get that many paying customers a day? And the spots that they get over their number of paying customers a day are wasted when Joe could have had one?

That doesn't sound equitable or fair at all, especially if only 20 slots per day are being processed.

I never go in for conspiracy theories, but if this is the case, I feel that we are only part way into the masterplan and the next cunning instalment hasn't surfaced yet. It just doesn't make sense that this would be it; how it's going to be from now on. For one thing, there are more people wanting extensions in Chiang Mai than 20 per day. That's only 100 per week, or 5,000 per year. Doesn't stack up very well when compared to the numbers Tywais was able to come up a couple of weeks ago.

For that reason, until informed otherwise, I'm calling conspiracy.

Call it what you like, it is what it is and if Connda wants fast tracking it costs 3k upwards.

I agree with BM's the standard of services should be improved, and may be soon, but prefer to keep an open mind on what is coming instead of whining and speculating about the current set up.

US$100 (extra fee) for processing ONE annual extension is acceptable and online/mail reporting is available. CMEC have arranged a special members deal at only 200BT extra ... join up if you want to take advantage and avoid early am queues or fast track fees.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark".