I don't visit this forum often but it seems unusually quiet. Is this forum dying? If so, what's up with that?

There tends to be a normal ebb and flow on this forum, as with others. Many broader Thailand questions are better handled in one of the other sub forums on ThaiVisa as they are not Chiang Rai specific. Many people are still around but perhaps focussed on another sub forum like news, sports, farming, photography or motor vehicles, etc.

Chiang Rai itself is quite small and easily navigated so most people find they run out of Chiang Rai specific questions press fast. Some of us try to start a conversation from time to time but we usually get interrupted by the trolls which ends up discouraging others from posting.

But to answer your question the forum may be quiet right now but it is far from dead as the members are still around and it is the members who make up the forum. As I often say, the forum is what we make it and it depends on the input of the members.

Maybe because there is a local forum (other than TV) that CR people prefer more; less trolls and BS.

Regarding Government Health Insurance, I friend of mine had surgery last week at the government hospital and they informed him that they would not be renewing is card.

I have a residence permit and I notice that my card is not like others as it looks different and they plainly spell out on top of the card that I am a permanent. Not sure if they will renew my card at the end of December.

I would agree with you JulieM that it appears this forum is dying (The Chiang Rai sub forum).

While I check it almost every day, I almost never post here. There is one forum member here that responds to almost every post and very often, those posts are negative, argumentative, and just generally rude.

With that said, that member does also post some great information and responses, but for me, the bad FAR outweighs the good.

I know for me (and I have heard the same comment from MANY others) that because of that member, I (and they) just don't want to contribute here.

It's really a shame that one member can ruin such a promising tool. And Chiang Rai is a small town. Word gets around.

For me, I've found another similar tool dedicated to Chiang Rai that is much more useful with virtually all responses being upbeat and helpful.

I hope you can navigate your way over there.

We do suffer an interesting phenomenon on this forum, where people complain about it but refuse to make a positive contribution of their own. They tear it down and point fingers but won’t lift a finger to make it a better place. The only time they post is to say everything is the fault of one individual and everything would be great if we just got rid of that person. They claim to be friendly positive people but they show no evidence of that on this forum.

We do suffer an interesting phenomenon on this forum, where people complain about it but refuse to make a positive contribution of their own. They tear it down and point fingers but won’t lift a finger to make it a better place. The only time they post is to say everything is the fault of one individual and everything would be great if we just got rid of that person. They claim to be friendly positive people but they show no evidence of that on this forum.

They have to come here to post as there are so few posts to read where they come from. Fine, I am sure everyone will welcome them here if they post something informative or even community building but they do not seem to want to do that.

I guess you are having to peddle faster to keep warm these days vf

I have to say, I miss the entertainment factor of those guys who would come on here with a bizarre question like, where can I find a blue five legged goat. Anyone who dared suggest there might be something off with the question was called an idiot and rude while being told to answer the question as asked or shut up. On second thought, perhaps I don’t really miss those people.

Harry, by the time I get out on the bike it is usually midday so the wonderfully cool morning air is little more than a pleasant memory.

I have to echo VF and Harry's comments. For a time this forum seemed to attract an inordinate number of trolls. Calmer recently and MUCH more usefiul now that the "I think'ers" have gone back to Bangkok

Op,

This forum is like a Soi.

It's an interesting Soi. However, people try to avoid it after a few visits.

Visitors just don't want to deal with the few obnoxious dogs who think they own the Soi.

Thank you for the excellent and well timed examples of what is wrong with this forum. It is clear who the rude and offensive posters are.

I would agree with the comment that “Visitors just don't want to deal with the few obnoxious dogs who think they own the Soi”.

Even if I want to answer a post, I may not contribute, as any response given is likely to be “barked” at, referring to the above quoted soi dogs. And for the “They claim to be friendly positive people but they show no evidence of that on this forum”, Well I guess it’s true that “Every dog smells his own dirt”.

As to the “so few posts to read where they come from”, I think the OP was talking about this place, hence the need for the post.

Thank you for the excellent and well timed examples of what is wrong with this forum. It is clear who the rude and offensive posters are.

Yes, it is very clear.

We don't insult people by calling them dogs on this forum. It is the other guys who do that, in an attempt to disrupt this forum and promote another one. That is very clear.

Thank you for the excellent and well timed examples of what is wrong with this forum. It is clear who the rude and offensive posters are.

I merely used a metaphor to describe my perspective to the Op. I believe that is my right as a member of this forum.

It was not my intent to cast any aspersions toward any particular member.

I would like to post my opinion about this but I am scared somebody might disagree with me or be rude to me so I won't bother.

A large number of reports have been made about posts in this topic.

So far I see no infringement of the forum rules. But I am monitoring this topic closely.

Forum Rules

Sorry I missed some of your posts but I was out howling at the “frog eating the moon” as they say here in the North. There was a little cloud cover but not enough to spoil the event. I hope others took the time to leave their computers and witness the Blood Moon.

I would like to post my opinion about this but I am scared somebody might disagree with me or be rude to me so I won't bother.

In all seriousness, this echoes my feelings about all the forums on TV, not just Chiang Rai. I used to love the informative exchanges, but over the past few years it has just become a battleground. It's not worth the time or effort to comment, knowing you will be attacked for your thoughts. Lately, I've been wondering why I even bother reading such crap.

I would like to post my opinion about this but I am scared somebody might disagree with me or be rude to me so I won't bother.

In all seriousness, this echoes my feelings about all the forums on TV, not just Chiang Rai. I used to love the informative exchanges, but over the past few years it has just become a battleground. It's not worth the time or effort to comment, knowing you will be attacked for your thoughts. Lately, I've been wondering why I even bother reading such crap.

I think these are the most accurate posts about the trouble with this forum. The other forums on TV do seem to have plenty of "attackers" but they are mixed in with plentiful good posts. Many posts, but not all, get disparaging remarks by different members. On this Chiang Rai sub-forum, there really only seems to be one major attacker, but that member is relentless. I, and I'm certain many others also, don't want to post here because it's almost guaranteed they will be knocked for it by this member. It's really too bad as this could be a great place to exchange ideas. As they say, "One bad apple...".

There are days that I think that the CR forum would be better off rejoining the Chiang Mai mob.

Even the guy that worked so hard to set it up has long given up in disgust and more than a few long term contributors seem to have thrown in the towel and given up on expat forums all together.

Personally I’ve never been able to win… abused as a foot kisser and for placing the lives of our noble local missionaries at risk by one side and blamed for the actions of acquaintances by another, a small town community that I once enjoyed has soured to the point that I can rarely be bothered participating either online or off.

The member held up as responsible for all the recent conflict undoubtedly has the capacity to be a considerable pain in the arse.

He is not unique, expat forums, including ThaiVisa, are full of them and alongside many he’s a mere amateur.

Without them a lot of the more interesting discussion disappears and it becomes a lifeless online framework exchanging the dates of the next flower shows and trying to generate a few advertising baht.

The other site has a banner headline on its homepage…. “Keyboard warriors not welcome here” or words to that effect.

It’s their loss, but when I think about the antics of some of its contributors here in the old days it also takes hypocrisy to a new level.

Maybe what they need is a few trolls themselves.

There are days that I think that the CR forum would be better off rejoining the Chiang Mai mob.

Even the guy that worked so hard to set it up has long given up in disgust and more than a few long term contributors seem to have thrown in the towel and given up on expat forums all together.

Personally I’ve never been able to win… abused as a foot kisser and for placing the lives of our noble local missionaries at risk by one side and blamed for the actions of acquaintances by another, a small town community that I once enjoyed has soured to the point that I can rarely be bothered participating either online or off.

The member held up as responsible for all the recent conflict undoubtedly has the capacity to be a considerable pain in the arse.

He is not unique, expat forums, including ThaiVisa, are full of them and alongside many he’s a mere amateur.

Without them a lot of the more interesting discussion disappears and it becomes a lifeless online framework exchanging the dates of the next flower shows and trying to generate a few advertising baht.

The other site has a banner headline on its homepage…. “Keyboard warriors not welcome here” or words to that effect.

It’s their loss, but when I think about the antics of some of its contributors here in the old days it also takes hypocrisy to a new level.

Maybe what they need is a few trolls themselves.

It might build their post count up.

I disagree with you about better to join the Chiang Mai forum. Here is a little different and I think deserves to be here. Everyone should be welcome here but that welcome also should include the caveat that you accept people as they are. I certainly do not like everyone that posts here and I do not dislike everyone that posts on the other forum. I am sad that they left as it does narrow the number of people using the forum.

Everyone here is an individual and some exibit different personalities on different days. They all belong here but that does not in my mind give anyone the right to just come here to attack either the forum or an individual member. Of course if a member is attacked he should have the right to reply and one member does repeatedly. I do not think these responses to provocation should be held against him.

There are few if any members here that I would like to see all day and every day in person but most have enough to share that an hour or so every month would not go astray.

I think if you cross out all the members posts which are responses to criticism are eliminated you would remain with interesting posts from a person who has found his own way of living in our chosen home of Chiangrai. I hope he continues to do so as I hope most members do.

I do not think the forum benefits from either these attacks or the responses though I do consider everyone has a right to defend themselves.

I want to thank Scea and Harrry for their thoughtful posts. I accept that I am not like some of you on this forum and I am sorry that causes some of you such distress. I may be different but I plan on staying this way.

I speak the language, I don’t speak disparagingly about Thais or Chinese, I don’t believe in the conspiracy theories of some, I am not trying to make a buck off of other members, I am always polite and courteous with everyone I meet, I have never asked to have a member removed from this forum, I never raise my voice or hurl insults or profanities at others and even when I think someone is an idiot I am too polite to say so.

I moved here much younger than most, I have never found Thailand to be a difficult or confusing place to live, I don’t have food fetishes or baggage from a past life and have never been into manual laborer.

I have never been divorced, have no children, receive no government support and have no health issues. I don’t smoke, drink, gamble, cheat on my wife or physically or emotionally abuse others.

I know some of you don’t think I have a right to an opinion and want me gone but that just isn’t going to happen. You need to learn how to accept my presence in Chiang Rai as I am not going anywhere. It would be nice if some of you could make a positive contribution to this forum and write something other than how much you despise me but I guess that is too much to ask.

I would like to post my opinion about this but I am scared somebody might disagree with me or be rude to me so I won't bother.

In all seriousness, this echoes my feelings about all the forums on TV, not just Chiang Rai. I used to love the informative exchanges, but over the past few years it has just become a battleground. It's not worth the time or effort to comment, knowing you will be attacked for your thoughts. Lately, I've been wondering why I even bother reading such crap.

I think these are the most accurate posts about the trouble with this forum. The other forums on TV do seem to have plenty of "attackers" but they are mixed in with plentiful good posts. Many posts, but not all, get disparaging remarks by different members. On this Chiang Rai sub-forum, there really only seems to be one major attacker, but that member is relentless. I, and I'm certain many others also, don't want to post here because it's almost guaranteed they will be knocked for it by this member. It's really too bad as this could be a great place to exchange ideas. As they say, "One bad apple...".

Insert image of 2 grown men crying and one laughing here. My comment was clearly tongue in cheek. If you post an opinion on a forum, somebody will disagree with it. If you can't handle that, it says more about you than your "attackers".

Sticks and stones.......

Scea,

I'm glad you're still here! I wondered what happened to you.

I have lots of respect for you and your posts.

When I first joined this forum, I said you would be a great moderator. I still believe that. (no disrespect to the current moderators)

Over the years many valued members have either chosen to stop posting on the CR forum or have been banned, there is a common reason that this has happened that has been mentioned already which is one particular member. Whether the forum is dying or not is a matter of opinion but I'd say it has been in a persistent vegetative state for some time now.

The common reason for members being banned, which you failed to mention, was repeated abuse of forum rules even after repeated warnings.

The downward spiral started with the coup against Limbo. This was a person with a lot of local knowledge who put a lot of time into running this forum.

As Chiang Rai has become more developed and with an increase in westerners living here newcomers to CR can find out info much easier.

The change in visa rules has lead to fewer people asking for info about crossing at Mae Sai.

About 6 posts removed in the last few minutes. As another member mentioned 'Bickering and Sniping'.

At least the CR forum does seem alive and well read.

Perhaps I should point out that Limbo lost his moderator position before I started posting here, so that one can’t be laid upon my doorstep. He was indeed very knowledgable about the past but as mentioned times have changed. My own experience of living here since the mid-seventies really has very little bearing on life today.

Things change and evolve no matter how much we try to resist. Social media has had a profound affect on forums and the way people use them, with many fading into oblivion due to their inability to adapt.

Information about Chiang Rai is readily accessible from a multitude of sources these days which tends to limit participation on any one site. There have always been more people in Chiang Rai who are not forum members than who are. I don’t have the crystal ball of some, but I do imagine things will continue to change over the next few years and I will be an interested observer.