Johpa
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Posts posted by Johpa
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I am not surprised by the number of Thais killed or taken hostage given the large number of Thais who work in Israel in the agricultural sector, especially on the Kibbutzim.
As for the bigger picture, my own humble and worthless opinion is that both sides have long been, and still are, in the wrong. Pick a side and now you are now in the wrong as well. I highly doubt that a two state solution is viable only because the West Bank is simply not large enough to be a viable independent nation-state. A better solution, again in my worthless opinion, would to be to merge both the left bank and Gaza back into Jordan. Jordan is a "Palestinian" state as the people on both sides of the Jordan River share identical language and culture. Gaza could become the Mediterranean port for Jordan and with UN and Israeli financing the building of that port could employ many an unemployed Gazan and offer some hope to the Gazans. Unless the global community seeks out an alternative solution to the long standing horror of living in Gaza, dating back to the Egyptian occupation decades ago, the suffering on both sides will not end.
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Try taking the back road to Mok Fa Waterfall off the 3009. Just after you connect with the 1095 is the Suan Mok Fah restaurant, a good lunch spot.
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Both my kids were born in the US and both have Thai IDs and citizenship. They should be placed on the house list. Then they need to go to the Amphoe office, and yes sometimes it takes some tea money. And it also takes some time and repeated visits depending upon the Amphoe, but it can be done. You might need to contact your local headman or kamnaan to act as "phu yai" and grease those wheels as well.
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Thais in the city tend to get married in the hotels which usually have pre-paid plans where they arrange just about everything. It is also common for the wedding party to rent traditional Thai garb. There is a small shop behind Wat Singh on Ratchamanka Soi 9 that does such rentals. A couple may visit a temple to make merit but it is not mandated for a Thai wedding ceremony.
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On 4/28/2023 at 11:41 PM, Mac Mickmanus said:
Did the hill tribes move into the area quite recently ?
Moved from China and Burma after World War 2 ?
Many of the "hill tribe" villages in the Mae Chaem area are Karen who are indigenous to the region.
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On 3/19/2023 at 6:47 PM, CM Dad said:
Why do so many people think it is funny to post what they see as amusing or clever remarks when there is a weather-related disaster like what happened in some areas of Chiang Mai on Saturday. Childish, asinine remarks are inappropriate and are not appreciated by those whose homes and businesses were damaged by the storm.
Perhaps you are just relatively new to ThaiVisa to ask such a question as childish and asinine remarks have long been the norm. As for clever remarks, well those are few and far between.
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Sounds similar to the case of the purported missing millions from the Mae Sa Elephant Camp bank accounts. Odd that a major bank would not have records of those withdrawals and perhaps even have video of the withdrawals as I doubt that amount of money was taken via an ATM, which also often have videos of transactions.
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On 6/21/2022 at 10:45 PM, CMHomeboy78 said:
Dental care in Chiang Mai isn't the third-world <deleted>-shoot it was not so long ago.
There have been very good dentists in Chiang Mai for decades. There was a Seventh Day Adventist Clinic on Chang Puak Rd, close to where Bangkok Bank is now located, that was headed by the legendary Dr. Lamberton for decades. Not that one could encounter lower quality dental care, but good quality dental care in Chiang Mai has always been fairly easy to find.
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13 hours ago, easydoor said:
I allways wonder why people, what ha been 'many times' in Thailand, don't konw anything about immigration.
They don.t know from october, you get 45 days excemption, they don't know you very easy can extend a visum excemption... I won der what they know.
I think they just want to let us know they are commimg to Thailand ......
Uh, I have not had any issues getting an appropriate visa in decades and usually got a Non-O 90-day visa. And I have family and friends up towards Mae Sai so extending a visa via a bridge run was always an easy option choice. Alas, this upcoming trip I will be pressed for time more than previous trips due to a family wedding. I believe the 45 day visa on arrival is a relatively recent change that needed confirmation. And rest assured, before covid I had either been living in CNX or visiting annually for a few months at a time for about 40 years and never bothered to notify others about my impending arrival and in fact have been totally absent from ThaiVIsa for about a decade until yesterday due to some imperial entanglements that kept getting me banned. As for what I know, well I have probably forgot more than most people here know and so now I do have some holes in my knowledge which need to be filled in. But I see ThaiVisa has not lost its cantankerous charm.
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It has been many. many years since I have had a need to visit Thai immigration to extend a visa or for any other reason. Alas the Thai e-visa system failed me over a trivial typo and they just took my money and told me to reapply. So I will arrive and get a 30 day visa on arrival but will need to get an extension as I am intending to stay for about 60 days. Am I able to get a 30 day extension at CNX immigration? Is there any word on the bridge at Mae Sai reopening for visa runs? Also, I read that Thailand would be granting 45 day visas on arrival but can't seem to verify that. Thanks in advance.
And yes, after nearly a decade, I am back.
Happy Trails
Johpa
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Going in-country on Non-O (marriage) but need total of 120 days. Wife will not be with me at time of renewal. Can I (1) do turn around at border (Mae Sai), or (2) get a 30 day extension at immigration (still one full day for me in CNX but without all documents as we keep original documents with wife and she will be in the US), or (3) should I just take the easy but more expensive way (I am fixed income and not much of that) and fly somewhere else for a few days? My first choice would be to ride up to the Mae Sai region to visit friends and family, but my understanding is that I would only get a 15 day extension and I will need a full extra month extension.
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See, I told all you people Mae Rim sucks and you should all stay away. We have Aussies who speak cryptically, over priced steak houses, and because Mae Rim is such a geographically small district we must all deal with the wafting stench of pig manure on a daily basis. Yes, Hang Dong should tempt you all with their lush green fields and modern "mubaans". I mean heck, even I travel down for a burger at Papa Rocks. Head south young and old men, head south.
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3 hours ago, bkk6060 said:
I have a question about this place as a Pattaya/Bkk guy it seemed strange. So, at 730 am on Friday, I hear some Thai music then some Thai dude on a loud speaker not mobile but from a speaker on an electric pole. I was already up but <deleted>? My GF tells me the guy is talking about free dog vaccines. Great, thank you.
As I drove more in the area I saw many of these megaphones/speakers on poles in various places. Kind of seemed communist but what do I know, maybe good to warn people if there is a problem. Anyway, just curious any info on this?
Maybe it is time for the local headman to get modern and use e-mails or Facebook. Just ask around, or have the GF ask around if others don't also think it is a bit antiquated. You only need to convince a single phu yai (influential and respected local) to effect change. Many villages now have a new generation of younger headmen who are favorable to such change. And most villages now use the loudspeakers far less frequently than in previous years.
As for western food oriented restaurants, there are great spots off the 3009 (Prem Rd) north of town, both Chez Phillipe and the Pansawan, that are as good as STOD. But like most Thai establishments, if busy the service can be slow. The rural ambiance of Pansawan makes such a wait comfortable and at Chez Phillipe the smiles of the owner and her daughters make the occasional wait worth the time. Just enjoy a bottle of wine.
And bkk6060, check out the 12 Panna market and some of the restaurants nearby, which are just across the bridge on the south side on the Mae Jo connection road (1260).
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6 hours ago, luther said:
I have lived in Mae Rim for 6 years. The plaza is ripe for somebody to open a restaurant that will be packed. The farangs are here and many have the money to spend, and word will quickly leak out.
9 Moo 9 down the Hang Dong way is what somebody should be emulating...excellent salads, light food and or a substantial piece of meat or fish.
You can't compare Mae Rim with Hang Dong. Mae Rim does not have the critical mass of ex-pats that the Hang Dong region has to support a "Kat Farang", a western market. Even SOTD depends upon folks from the big city coming up, not locals. Phillipe had his restaurant in the Plaza, arguably, no not arguably, as good as STOD with great salads, and it was rarely crowded, but it is doing OK in its new location. It is interesting as to wht STOD does well and everyone else struggles. Sort of like why Mon Chaem is always crowded and the neighboring places with even better views struggle.
The demographics in Mae Rim just aren't there yet for expanding western oriented restaurants. Besides, the ex-pats in Mae Rim seem to go a bit more native than those in Hang Dong and there are many local Thai restaurants far better than anything to be found in the big city relative to both price and quality of food: e.g., Baan Suan, Rabiang Palm, Pansawan, and Hi-So Lanna.
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3 hours ago, evenstevens said:
in the past week, been past Simon,s Place, twice , at best 3 to 4 farungs there each time, and on other occassions, over last 6 months or so , lucky to reach that number
its clearly lagging behind Steak Of The Day and Company at Maerim Plaza in all facets of the restaruant trade,, , i beleive he lives, above the restaruant ,which would be the sole reason ,to keep his doors open, to this point of time, just my view only ,I have a number of nosebags in Maerim District, who offer a better deal all round then Simon.s Place
a lovely morning to all
So ES, pray tell where there is a better ex-pat oriented pub in Mae Rim. Of course there are proper restaurants with a bit better food, although Simon's pizza is pretty good for pizza in Thailand, and certainly one can easily find a longer menu elsewhere. I listed two such places in my post, both of which I prefer to Steak of the Day, but that is just my humble opinion. And I know of many Thai places that will serve me my Sang Som soda with some good Thai food. But, as your post suggests, where are there some hidden and yet affordable ex-pat oriented pubs around Mae Rim that we should know about that offer a better deal than Simon's? Is there another pub with decent western food (the Thai restaurant next door to Simon's has very good Thai food at local prices and Simon does not mind if you order food from there) , a pool table, playing western music, and with a multi-lingual proprietor as affable as Simon himself? Bless us with your wisdom.
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The Plaza as a whole is not prospering, other than Tuesday market night, with a better daily food market north of the town center. Even the dentist shop relocated.
The breakfast place across from SOTD might have succeeded if it wasn't for the bad service. Simon's place attracts a wide variety of folks ranging from teachers at Prem, families, a few Thais in to play pool, and yes, a few regulars who may drink a tad too much at times, but it is by far the best ex-pat oriented neighborhood pub in the area. Simon's has good and affordable food and drink. It also fortunately repels the ilk of ES. For dinner, both the Pansawan and the Chez Phillipe (off the 3009) offer some of the best deals for western food in Mae Rim in a restaurant setting.
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I am probably around 80-90% Thai food. Probably 100% Thai food for lunch but sometimes I have a western breakfast and the occasional pizza for dinner. But not being in-country the entire year I find the western food in Thailand as wanting as the Thai food in the US. I have found only one really good burger in Thailand over the past 30 years and have yet to taste great pizza in Thailand. Just went to a nationally noted Thai restaurant here in the US and the food was OK, but not great. But I got to admit the Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas was pretty darn good, but you have to pay me to go to Las Vegas, and only my former work paid for me to go down to attend trade shows.
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Well if you are looking for a serious read you can always track down a copy of one of the great academic scholars of Thai culture, Stanley Tambiah, and his tome Buddhism and the Spirit Cults in North-East Thailand.
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Me fears that after the end of the Buddhist Lent (phansaa) that we might see more than a one day stretch that the bars will be closed. You might want to stock up now on your favorite beverage as a hedge bet.
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I am loyal to my many Thai friends who have been loyal to me and my family over the past 35 years. Not that everyone is perfect here and I do have some in-laws who I do not speak to. But most Thais have been great friends over the decades and of course both wife and kids have Thai citizenship. But my loyalty to my friends may force me to turn on the Thai polity as it descends into a bizarre military cult-like state a la North Korea and I, and many others, are close to starting a boycott Thai tourism campaign akin to the Boycott Burma campaign begun in the 1990s.
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On 9/23/2016 at 7:22 AM, elviajero said:
If you want to apply in Malaysia the best place is the Consulate in Penang.
Also great food options in Penang, including some world class Indian food. Penang use be one of two locations nearby to get any visa, the other being Kota Baru. Not sure if Penang retains the charm of yesteryear, but reports do indicate the food is still very good.
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16 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:
Visit California and tell me that. I miss being able to eat Thai food 3 times a day for a pittance and living in a clean comfortable room for a few hundred dollars. There is nothing like that here. You people don't know how good you have it.
He is not thinking about moving to the west coast but to Tampa. Sure would be a lot cheaper for me to relocate my US household to Florida as well. But no thanks.
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On 9/8/2016 at 9:12 AM, richard_smith237 said:
But realistically - There are far more success stories than the very small minority of failures... It just doesn't make interesting reading so we hear little of them.
My own observations over the past 30 years, admittedly anecdotal in nature, is that there are far, far more failures than successes. And I doubt it has anything to do with formal education,a grossly overvalues commodity in the west, and far more to do with culture and social expectations. I've been married to the same Thai woman since 1987 and some days it can still be like roller skating on an ice rink.
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3 hours ago, tifino said:
Quick, Eunice, grab me my shotgun!
Where to buy GT Rider maps
in Chiang Mai
Posted
You can often find the GT-Rider maps at Mr. Mechanics in the big city or also up at the Xcenter in Mae Rim. They are an excellent complement to using online maps. When I pull out my GT-Rider maps those with only online maps always crowd around me asking where to get them.