MESmith

+1 for 29er with road tyres.

Hope all those quoting top speeds are using speedometer, not mobile phone gps

Do you think that there's much difference?

I know the GPS estimates are a bit grainey.

I think it would be worth avoiding the front suspension if you want to go quickly on the road.

I've burst the little switch that lets me lock the suspension out, and I reckon I suffer a bit from wasted energy riding with the suspension unlocked. Also, the riding position is less aggressive because the handlebars are higher, with the forks not compressed.

SC

Depends on the quality of gps fix. Can get some way out readings which are obviously wrong, so why not some believable high readings. Look at the gps plot - sometimes you're way off the road etc.

I lock the front suspension on roads, except on descents where I know there are pot holes. Very comfortable on long rides. I do a mix of offroad & on road, so it means I only need 1 bike.

+1 for 29er with road tyres.

Hope all those quoting top speeds are using speedometer, not mobile phone gps

What happens after the 20 queue tickets have been seen to by immigration? Do they call it a day, early or can late shows turn up & get seen?

Btw anyone know why quotes seem to be screwed up recently?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Usually "operator" error

http://saengthongshop.weloveshopping.com/template/e3/showproduct.php?pid=27223639&shopid=319083

Selling off 2015 year model. A bargain.

They are also on Facebook, & reply to pms very quickly.

When I drive round, I see traffic violations every few minutes, even in front of policemen who do nothing. Crackdown my a-s-s!

My 2 appointments made on-line were successful at the first attempt.

I'd queue overnight if the Stones were coming to Chiang mai. Not sure if a queue ticket for a retirement extension qualifies as the "hottest ticket in town"

British Consulate ....e-mails bouncing

British Consulate .... staff scowling

British Consulate .... price gouging

British Consulate .....in the trough snouting

Very unfair.

I have dealt many times with the Consulate staff and in every instance Panitha and her team have gone above and beyond what is required by their FCO employers.

In every instance they have done as much as they could and more than they should by FCO requirements.

They deserve credit, not cheap sarcasm.

In my experience the above also applies to the current Hon. Con.

I am not referring to form filling.

I agree, the staff were great. It was the <deleted> <deleted> in London that <deleted> everything up!

btw, I self censored myself before TV got on the case

I thought the consulate was "no more".

Even without an online appointments system, they could allow people to visit the office to make an appointment. This is the major failing in the system & can be easily corrected.

I was shopping at Promenada this afternoon, & decided to see if I could get my 90 day report done. 15 minute wait. Can't complain about that & quicker than my usual trip to post office

Office was pretty quiet. Maybe a dozen people sitting inside.

About what time did you get your queue number. Obviously they are not running out of 90 Day queue numbers in the morning, although getting one in the afternoon might be 'hit or miss'. So, just curious about the time. By the way - good show! That might actually show some promise.

Early afternoon.

So....when my retirement extension comes up in January, I should be able to go when the office opens, get a number and having all my paperwork ready to go, be served a few hours later and out the door. Is this correct?

If immigration has in fact opened its own "agent service," doesn't that indicate that they are purposefully not aiming to serve expats and tourists as a matter of course? I mean if their operations are run smoothly and efficiently, there would be little or no need for any agents.

As for the comment about finding a student to stand in line for me, or get married and have the wife do it, well, that's only a topical solution -- we need to cure the patient.

By the way, two thoughts:

1. What is the need by government to have expats report every 90 days? Has this ever prevented a crime or solved one? Has it benefited either the foreigner or the government in any meaningful way?

2. Why do we have to submit copies of every Thai immigration-stamped page of our passports? What does immigration actually do with all that paper -- which they have had copies of since 2006 in my case? What could possibly be the point of having nine sets of copies of my passport?

Why, during these interviews with immigration, are these basic questions never brought up?

I'm surprised more people haven't questioned the requirement for expats reporting to immigration every 90 days. I asked one of the immigration officers about this requirement a couple of years ago. He stated, it enables immigration officers to locate foreigners that are here illegally or wanted by their home countries.

Thailand does attract some people who are on the run from law enforcement but somehow I can't imagine any of these people would comply with this requirement nor can I imagine a person being in this country illegally would show up at immigration for their 90 day report.

I believe the 90 day requirement along with all the copies from our passports are as mind boggling to immigration as it is to expats, because none of them really knows the reasoning behind these requirements either. In spite of this, Chiang Mai, is still a great retirement destination.

And why the need for a photo, when they take a digital pic?

I was shopping at Promenada this afternoon, & decided to see if I could get my 90 day report done. 15 minute wait. Can't complain about that & quicker than my usual trip to post office

Office was pretty quiet. Maybe a dozen people sitting inside.

I went to get my retirement visa extension this morning. A friend told me to show up early. I thought it was overkill to be there at 6:45 AM, but it was far too late. There were people who showed up at 6:00 AM who didn't get a number. Nobody from the office came out to say all appointments taken, go home. Lots of grumbling. I finally went home at 9:30 AM.

Shouldn't be that way. Everything would be fine if the online queue system was re-instated & upgraded to allow reservation of 90% of slots, with a few reserved for walk ins.

Retirement Extension yesterday. Arrived early for appointment. Seen immediately due to a "no show". Finished before my appointment due. Picked up my passport afternoon. Not sure what all the fuss is about

People were sitting inside. For how long? A couple of noisy Frenchies....

Somebody gets easy upset and offended I think ... Get a grip

Somebody doesn't like chinese.

Why not put a sign up outside the temple, saying "No Dogs, No Chinese"

Try asking a rice farmer to do the job for you. They have petrol powered backpack spreaders. Maybe they're not suitable for smaller areas?

Funny how traffic flows so much better at 1001 & 11 intersection, now that traffic lights have gone & we have a roundabout in operation while they build the underpass. Just leave it that way & save a heap of money

It's a shame the old office is closing because it had, at last, returned to some sort of normality and is a lot closer to home for many of us who will now join the Circus at Promenada.

Having all the staff at one location has to be the way to go. good parking & facilities should be better for all,

Roundabouts are great as long as drivers know how use them. That's a big ask of Thai drivers.

Driving in a straight line is a big ask! Maybe more luck going round a roundabout

They should reserve a floor for foreigners. Big need for this coming up, & they will help subsidize the locals care costs.

Big C Extra food court on superhighway. Great variety of Thai dishes at great price. Beer towers available. Push a few tables together. Shocked that no one suggested this or other food courts

And a great introduction to contemporary Thai culture.

Was a pretty substantial downpour on Doi Suthep yesterday, especially for those like me on their bicycles