Just heard, from Don Battles, that 'Taco' Jim, or Jim Urdahl who many may remember from his time on Phuket back then--90's to 2000, I guess--has sadly passed away.

I don't know much more than that--I can only assume that he was back home in San Diego, but have no real facts.

Just thought some folks might want to remember such a great guy--legendary cheese and yoghurt maker who helped produce the first alternatives to mass produced processed junk--and many other culinary achievements.

RIP, Jim.

Yes, the Don's longtermer ranks are thinning................

Taco Jim actually passed away some weeks back.

RIP

Yes, the Don's longtermer ranks are thinning................

Taco Jim actually passed away some weeks back.

RIP

He was a great character--and thanks for correcting the 'timeline' of this sad event--I'm always a little late to the party--not sure whether this news has already been posted on TV?? If so, apologies, but just wanted any of his old friends to get the news.

His passing was first mentioned in this thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/738951-central-through-way-mess/?p=8061917&hl=%2Btaco+%2Bjim

Taco Jim had lost his mother and brother in the USA. His health was good but apparently he had contacted so virus that struck him at home and died 2 hours later in the hospital. Jim was a great guy and helped me develop a lot of food products in Phuket. He ran the cheese plant for awhile. There was a sharp curve on Sai Yuan Road that he tried to straighten out with his motorcycle several times. In my book Merchant Of The Orient I called this the Taco Jim Memorial Curve. He was always skinned up with road rash. He went back to San Diego for 8 years and came back to Phuket about 3 years ago. He is the only guy I know that never had a regular job. He and his buddy Charlie built a cement boat in the USA and sailed it to Australia. On the way back they crashed it on the rocks in Sri Lanka. What a guy!

The number of old timers left are few. It sad for me as I may called to graduate next God only knows. My quality of life on my small gated farm in Chiang Rai is good. The maintenance work on this place with several buildings keeps me working a lot. Feeding the fish and ducks are pleasurable things to do. I closed my business 1 year ago. Now I will open a fish park on the property. Longhorn saloon will reopen and hot sandwiches served starting Aug. 1. RETIREMENT AT AGE 81 SUCKS. I DON'T LIKE IT SO I AM GOING BACK TO WORK!

Good for you Big Don ! Rock n'roll my friend.

Maybe the old-timers Don knew are gone, but, I know loads of people that have been here thirty years, or more.

None of them have fallen off the perch, yet, but, that time is fast approaching.

It helps to have arrived here young.

Anyway, didn't know Taco Jim, but sounds like he was a character.

His passing was first mentioned in this thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/738951-central-through-way-mess/?p=8061917&hl=%2Btaco+%2Bjim

Thanks for that--living all the way up North, in Chiang Mai these days, I rarely read the Phuket Forum--hence, I missed the news--also, wasn't aware that Jim had managed to return from San Diego--I'm very sad that I didn't send him an email for a while--would have given me a good reason to visit Phuket again.

Taco Jim had lost his mother and brother in the USA. His health was good but apparently he had contacted so virus that struck him at home and died 2 hours later in the hospital. Jim was a great guy and helped me develop a lot of food products in Phuket. He ran the cheese plant for awhile. There was a sharp curve on Sai Yuan Road that he tried to straighten out with his motorcycle several times. In my book Merchant Of The Orient I called this the Taco Jim Memorial Curve. He was always skinned up with road rash. He went back to San Diego for 8 years and came back to Phuket about 3 years ago. He is the only guy I know that never had a regular job. He and his buddy Charlie built a cement boat in the USA and sailed it to Australia. On the way back they crashed it on the rocks in Sri Lanka. What a guy!

The number of old timers left are few. It sad for me as I may called to graduate next God only knows. My quality of life on my small gated farm in Chiang Rai is good. The maintenance work on this place with several buildings keeps me working a lot. Feeding the fish and ducks are pleasurable things to do. I closed my business 1 year ago. Now I will open a fish park on the property. Longhorn saloon will reopen and hot sandwiches served starting Aug. 1. RETIREMENT AT AGE 81 SUCKS. I DON'T LIKE IT SO I AM GOING BACK TO WORK!

What is so virus?

Taco Jim had lost his mother and brother in the USA. His health was good but apparently he had contacted so virus that struck him at home and died 2 hours later in the hospital. Jim was a great guy and helped me develop a lot of food products in Phuket. He ran the cheese plant for awhile. There was a sharp curve on Sai Yuan Road that he tried to straighten out with his motorcycle several times. In my book Merchant Of The Orient I called this the Taco Jim Memorial Curve. He was always skinned up with road rash. He went back to San Diego for 8 years and came back to Phuket about 3 years ago. He is the only guy I know that never had a regular job. He and his buddy Charlie built a cement boat in the USA and sailed it to Australia. On the way back they crashed it on the rocks in Sri Lanka. What a guy!

The number of old timers left are few. It sad for me as I may called to graduate next God only knows. My quality of life on my small gated farm in Chiang Rai is good. The maintenance work on this place with several buildings keeps me working a lot. Feeding the fish and ducks are pleasurable things to do. I closed my business 1 year ago. Now I will open a fish park on the property. Longhorn saloon will reopen and hot sandwiches served starting Aug. 1. RETIREMENT AT AGE 81 SUCKS. I DON'T LIKE IT SO I AM GOING BACK TO WORK!

What is so virus?

I took that to be a typo - maybe should have been "some virus"

It was a typo it should have been some virus. I had received an E-mail from his friend Charlie and could not get much out of him other than he was seriously when he saw him last before going to the hospital. It was a strange situation. I had seen him in April and he seemed fine.

He was a character! I saw him less than a year ago outside a market in Rawai along with a few other long timers having a beer. RIP, Jim. Has anyone seen old Aussie (Jameson) Steve around Nai Harn area lately. I haven't seen him since I got back. I tried calling him, no service.

He was a character! I saw him less than a year ago outside a market in Rawai along with a few other long timers having a beer. RIP, Jim. Has anyone seen old Aussie (Jameson) Steve around Nai Harn area lately. I haven't seen him since I got back. I tried calling him, no service.

Yea Jimi, saw him at the Sauna bar two weeks back. BR,GOM

He was a character! I saw him less than a year ago outside a market in Rawai along with a few other long timers having a beer. RIP, Jim. Has anyone seen old Aussie (Jameson) Steve around Nai Harn area lately. I haven't seen him since I got back. I tried calling him, no service.

Yea Jimi, saw him at the Sauna bar two weeks back. BR,GOM

Well, that is the closest bar to his house! LOL! Maybe I'll look for him as I drive by there next time. Cheer! Jimi