Wave A Magic Wand......What'S Missing From Chiang Mai?1

[hellodolly]

A mayor that can't be held to ransom by the songteaw drivers would be good, too.

A little unsure of what you are getting at. I believe he did allow them to raise the minimum rate to 17 baht from 15 baht. Not sure what they did to him to get such a huge raise for all I know it could have been the first one in ten years long over due.

Would appreciate your explanation as I do use them a lot and have no problem with the price. I generally just hand them a 20 baht and thank them and walk away. Some times it is more but that is a price I agree on before I get it.

[BillyBobThai]

A 10 year retirement visa with anual reporting at 7-11. Also see the USD back above 40 baht.

[keo]

*better, wider pavements with less obstructions.

*better local beer.

*better pool tables.

*a more considerate, safer driving style.

*wider choice of movies at the cinema (both local and international).

*better bread and more affordable dairy products.

*higher standard of education.

*more well maintained green spaces.

*less litter and pollution.

*less import tax.

*less traffic.

*less shoddy workmanship.

*less muppets gawking at their iPhones/BB all day.

*hot season replaced by a second cold season.

*electricity/telephone lines put under the ground, out of sight.

*all billboards removed.

That'd do for now.

[hellodolly]

*better, wider pavements with less obstructions.

*better local beer.

*better pool tables.

*a more considerate, safer driving style.

*wider choice of movies at the cinema (both local and international).

*better bread and more affordable dairy products.

*higher standard of education.

*more well maintained green spaces.

*less litter and pollution.

*less import tax.

*less traffic.

*less shoddy workmanship.

*less muppets gawking at their iPhones/BB all day.

*hot season replaced by a second cold season.

*electricity/telephone lines put under the ground, out of sight.

*all billboards removed.

That'd do for now.

You forgot to mention Change from Thai standards to western standards.

[Rancid]

Perhaps just a couple of things like back in the West I miss to improve the quality of life:

Public servants able to remove your children to foster care on a whim would be good.

Red light cameras, radars, breath testing and the odd tasering for being slow to produce your licence helps focuses the attention and garner respect. Not wearing a helmet should involve internal inspection, electrotherapy and perhaps lobotomy for repeaters.

Body searches at the airport always do it for me especially in front of my kids, sniffer dogs are also cute whilst standing at attention, eyes to the front.

Not being able to modify your property in any way without government approval and fees is helpful.

Heavy land taxes is something I really miss, gets the poor trash out of good areas.

Being arrested for being involved in a sex for money transaction as we all know reduces rape. Removing urinals should be compulsory as it is sexist that men get to stand. Also I think all men need to be more vocally identified as potential paedophiles, such not allowing males to sit next to a child on an aeroplane is good policy.

Perhaps increasing asylum seekers on full welfare and free housing to increase cultural diversity. Without the freebies and perhaps a promise of Sharia law, sorry, they just won’t come.

Imprisonment for not paying taxes (except if rich of course) is a must.

Other favourites like free passes for the rich on crime is already enacted, as is political corruption, excessive feather bedded bureaucracy and a military budget that disappears into black holes.

I know I’ve missed few, I need another trip home to remind me of all the good stuff I’m missing. See in the US the Department of Homeland Security (among other agencies?) has just ordered millions of hollow point bullets, now whatever that is about I’ll bet that is something I would really miss too.

[kaptainrob]

Sheesh ... in all that I think you forgot to mention "parking fines" ....

Perhaps CM is best left 'AS IS' ... I like un-regulated.

Perhaps just a couple of things like back in the West I miss to improve the quality of life:

Public servants able to remove your children to foster care on a whim would be good.

Red light cameras, radars, breath testing and the odd tasering for being slow to produce your licence helps focuses the attention and garner respect. Not wearing a helmet should involve internal inspection, electrotherapy and perhaps lobotomy for repeaters.

Body searches at the airport always do it for me especially in front of my kids, sniffer dogs are also cute whilst standing at attention, eyes to the front.

Not being able to modify your property in any way without government approval and fees is helpful.

Heavy land taxes is something I really miss, gets the poor trash out of good areas.

Being arrested for being involved in a sex for money transaction as we all know reduces rape. Removing urinals should be compulsory as it is sexist that men get to stand. Also I think all men need to be more vocally identified as potential paedophiles, such not allowing males to sit next to a child on an aeroplane is good policy.

Perhaps increasing asylum seekers on full welfare and free housing to increase cultural diversity. Without the freebies and perhaps a promise of Sharia law, sorry, they just won’t come.

Imprisonment for not paying taxes (except if rich of course) is a must.

Other favourites like free passes for the rich on crime is already enacted, as is political corruption, excessive feather bedded bureaucracy and a military budget that disappears into black holes.

I know I’ve missed few, I need another trip home to remind me of all the good stuff I’m missing. See in the US the Department of Homeland Security (among other agencies?) has just ordered millions of hollow point bullets, now whatever that is about I’ll bet that is something I would really miss too.

[TommoPhysicist]

There is a very good beach at 'Ob Khan' national park about 15km outside of CM, past the 121 beyond Hang Dong.

It's a medium sized river with alternating rock and white sand beaches.

[uptheos]

A mayor that can't be held to ransom by the songteaw drivers would be good, too.

A little unsure of what you are getting at. I believe he did allow them to raise the minimum rate to 17 baht from 15 baht. Not sure what they did to him to get such a huge raise for all I know it could have been the first one in ten years long over due.

Would appreciate your explanation as I do use them a lot and have no problem with the price. I generally just hand them a 20 baht and thank them and walk away. Some times it is more but that is a price I agree on before I get it.

So because they got an increase, you tip them less?

[canuckamuck]

Motorcycle taxis, not just at the bus station but all over.

Edited August 18, 2012 by canuckamuck

[Ulysses G.]

^ because paradise would be Chiang Mai becoming a hub for sex tourists and sexpats......

It already has been for many years, but not up to much compared with Pattaya and Bangkok.

[amexpat]

Trash/rubbish bins.

[uptheos]

Trash/rubbish bins.

We already have trash and rubbish bins, but they are both in different places.

[amexpat]

We already have trash and rubbish bins, but they are both in different places.

Please translate that for earthlings.

[uptheos]

We already have trash and rubbish bins, but they are both in different places.

Please translate that for earthlings.

OK, we already have rubbish........AND trash cans, but they are both in different places.

[Rinrada]

More shopping malls

Seriously, a beach would be nice but then EVERYONE would want to live in Chiang Mai. Tuk tuk mafia would move up from Phuket, Russians from Pattaya and a new expanded Immigration Office would be overcrowded AGAIN.

Besides, a beach without surf is just sand.

Dump a couple of hundred ton of sand around the sides of the moat,spud in a few umbrellas (cinzarno..of course)avec deck chairs, employ a few ice cream/sticks of rock/funny hats sellers and voila....CM sur la Mer.

Could also get some of those nice chaps up from Pattaya who could run a Jet Ski operation and have all those (expected) happy tourists whizzing round the town having a great time on their wee boats....

wouldnt that be nice....??

[hedonist44]

We already have trash and rubbish bins, but they are both in different places.

Please translate that for earthlings.

OK, we already have rubbish........AND trash cans, but they are both in different places.

Y o u... h a v e... t o... s p e a k... s l o w l y... f o r... s o m e... p e o p l e......: )

[Semper]

*better, wider pavements with less obstructions.

*better local beer.

*better pool tables.

*a more considerate, safer driving style.

*wider choice of movies at the cinema (both local and international).

*better bread and more affordable dairy products.

*higher standard of education.

*more well maintained green spaces.

*less litter and pollution.

*less import tax.

*less traffic.

*less shoddy workmanship.

*less muppets gawking at their iPhones/BB all day.

*hot season replaced by a second cold season.

*electricity/telephone lines put under the ground, out of sight.

*all billboards removed.

That'd do for now.

How do you cope with this ordeal?

[amexpat]

Y o u... h a v e... t o... s p e a k... s l o w l y... f o r... s o m e... p e o p l e......: )

Grammar helps, too. But as long as we both(?? <deleted>?) understand each other, it's ok.

[ProdigalSon]

@HelloDolly - what I meant was that every time there's a plan to improve the public transport system in town, the songteaw drivers block off the road around Thaphae Gate until the mayor backtracks on any plans that would benefit CM.

[market trader]

Roads with names and name signs.

[Beetlejuice]

GIRLS.

[richard10365]

I think we need another mall.

[keo]

*better, wider pavements with less obstructions.

*better local beer.

*better pool tables.

*a more considerate, safer driving style.

*wider choice of movies at the cinema (both local and international).

*better bread and more affordable dairy products.

*higher standard of education.

*more well maintained green spaces.

*less litter and pollution.

*less import tax.

*less traffic.

*less shoddy workmanship.

*less muppets gawking at their iPhones/BB all day.

*hot season replaced by a second cold season.

*electricity/telephone lines put under the ground, out of sight.

*all billboards removed.

That'd do for now.

How do you cope with this ordeal?

I realise that I don't have a magic wand. I lower my expectations. Rarely go to the cinema, or play pool. Pay through the nose for imported goods/beers. Keep my wits about me when driving, and don't expect anyone to give way to me. Feel a bit sad inside when I see rubbish/shoddy workmanship/electricity lines/billboards everywhere. Fortunately I was educated elsewhere, although I did suffer 1 month of Thai language instruction some years ago.

Are you part of the 'Thailand is perfect, if you don't like it go home' brigade?

[uptheos]

A 10 year retirement visa with anual reporting at 7-11. Also see the USD back above 40 baht.

Now THAT'S what I call, wishing!!

[theblether]

Hmmmm......very interesting. It had occurred to me that CM could be doing with a Water Park.......

@hellodolly.......when I was in Singapore with my gf she had commented that she wished there was a decent museum in CM.....and art gallery too.

@canuckamuck......good point re the motorcycle taxis......I wonder if the tuk tuks have blocked.their expansion in the city?

[endure]

Me.

[theblether]

That's very profound.and.a.wee bit sad endure :-(

[endure]

I don't know about profound but it's very sad

[richard10365]

I think we need more 7-Elevens!

[kaptainrob]

I think we need more 7-Elevens!

.... and more coffee shops!