Hi folks,

I am happily returning to visit Chiang Rai in a couple of days. I will be on the Green Bus from Chiang Mai. Is there a new bus station, and if so, will my bus go there?

Also, if anyone has a low cost guest house recommendation; I would appreciate it. I've been paying 250 in CNX, and have the needed A/C. I will consider no a/c up there. Bloomberg TV would be very helpful to me. Thanks.

There is a regular 10B bus from the new bus station to the old, and vice versa.

The Tourist Inn guest house in Jed Yod Road has 250B rooms that were clean and spacious when I took a friend there last week.

Not sure about Bloomberg.

There are many nice ones here. 250/d may limit you but many many have weekly rates It has been 2 years but I liked Ben GH (several classes from basic to luxury) Orchid (my favorite), PS (best value), Baan Bua (Good atmosphere, BoonBundan good selection. There are many more but these are the ones I am familar with although in the past.

So, TL, where did you stay, what did it cost and how was it?

I stayed at the Boomrumbung GH for 200 per night. Wouldn't recommend it, but it worked for me. No TV, it does have hotshower. Towels smelled like they had been used to give dogs baths, which is a possiblity, since it appears they have some caged dogs up front. The people were very nice, not one single problem. It's backed up to the bars, so there was a nightly CCR rendition that ended about 12, which was fine. If I walked from Jet Yod to the new clock and turned left, and went about 100 meters on the left, my favorite noodle shop of all time. The hot sauce is almost entiely seeds. The rectanglar tables, not the rfound ones. Keep going another 300 meters just past Face Bar, cross the street and there are two very fast, very clean Internet shops for 10 THB per hour. Lots of students after school, but during the day I had the place to myself. Just put on the headphones while the gamers are going at it. Across from the TOT IT school. They were charging 40 per hour on Jet Yod. My favorite bar was on the road that takes you to the airport park, about 150 meters before it end, on the left. Had live music, and A BEER PROMOTION, 3 Leo yai for 139 THB. Very cold, too. Nice waitresses, good food. Have yet to find a decent place on Jet Yod Rd. 60 for a small? Not when I'm paying 43 for large Tiger in CM, and that's not in the farang area, either.

I would like to see Chiang Rai address the soi dog problem, but that problay won't come until the rabies does (like Bali). Chiang Rai is going to be too small and boring for many, but I really like it, and would consider living there.