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Chiangmai
and the North
AVOID
OVER-STAY - OR ELSE!
Several tourists and expats are now locked in Bangkok’s uncomfortable
immigration detention centre because they have over-stayed their visas.
Lars Jansson, MD of the reliable thaivisa.com
website, warns of a big crack-down on over-stayed foreigners in the capital
and this policy may spread to the north.
Over-stay is viewed as a serious offence in Thailand. Fines are now
200b per day and anyone unable to pay is immediately jailed until they
can do so and fly out. ‘Culprits’ are recommended to settle their dues
at the nearest immigration police office and leave the country immediately.
Here in the north, double entry Thai visas from the Embassy in Vientiane,
Laos, are the closest, fastest options for re-entry. No new visas are available
at Mae Sai, only 30 day tourist extensions.
In addition to avoiding over-stay, foreigners living here must re-register
their current Thai addresses with immigration every 90 days. More info,
office hours, from (tel) 02 664 0400.
GOOD
FROM ILL-GOTTEN GAINS
Assets worth 8.6 million baht, confiscated from the former drugs baron
known as ‘Bang Ron’, will be given to the government’s Drug Prevention
and Supression Fund.
The fugitive, thought to be hiding in Burma and who had close links
with Chiangmai, has lost cash, land, cars and a boat.
REGIONAL
RECOVERY?
Thailand should join the regional recovery later this year. That’s the
upbeat opinion of Andrew Hunt, chief economist at Dresdner RCM Global Investors,
writing in ‘The International’ monthly magazine from London. The benefits
of increased private consumer spending were muted by continuing banking
sector problems. "The banks remain committed to restructuring their
balance sheets rather than growing them" says Mr Hunt, "and while
this has stunted the economy’s rate of growth, it has resulted in Thailand
substantially reducing its level of foreign debt. This bodes well for the
future and should allow Thais to join the regional recovery later this
year."
ROUND
AND ABOUT
Chiangmai Governor
Khun Pravit Sihsobon(R.) and Shanghai Mayor Zu Kuangdi(L.)
* It’s official! Chiangmai Governor Khun Pravit Sihsobhon signed a "sister
city" agreement with Zu Kuangdi, Mayor of Shanghai.
* A cookery class with jovial Master Chef Fadda will be held
at the Amari Rincome Hotel on 20th May, followed by buffet lunch in La
Gritta restaurant. Class fee is 400b including the lunch. His "welcome
gourmet dinner" on May 19th is only 450b per head. More on (tel) 221130,
ext 14.
* Traffic jams are expected near The Westin from May 6-8th when Chiangmai
hosts the prestigious annual meeting and conference of the Asian Development
Bank. Up to 1,000 demonstrators and another 1,000 border patrol police
are expected in the area. The ADB has so far loaned US$5,300 million to
Thailand, funding some controversial rural projects.
* The joint Thai-Japanese-Taiwanese venture, Chiangmai Frozen Foods
PLC, will turn out 2 tons of French fries per hour from next March.
The vegetable and fruit specialist - with 900m baht sales last year and
20,000 farmers under contract - wants to supply retailers such as KFC,
McDonalds and supermarkets.
* An unusual theatrical production featuring children from many local
welfare organisations takes place at the Chiangmai Arts Museum on May 20th.
The UK-based David Glass Ensemble, an innovative touring company
sponsored here by the British Council, will use the Rights of the Child
theme. More on (tel) 242103, ext 105 and e-mail <enquiries@th.britishcouncil.org>.
* Film buffs should head for the cinema at the rear of 12, Huay Kaew
(opposite Central) from May 30th - June 17th where European Union Film
Festival entrants will be screened.
* A sponsored fun run and walk up Doi Suthep is being planned for August
in aid of the Rejoice Urban
Development Scheme and the Chiangmai Disabled Center. More
info from Khun Sawanee and friends at the new Life Bar in Loi Kroh, next
to White Lotus.
* William Tuchrello of the US Library of Congress, Jakarta, will speak
about ‘Censorship in SE Asia and the internet’ on May 9th at the
Informal Northern Thai Group. May 23rd sees advocate Khun Nitaya Wangpaiboon
speaking about ‘Foreigners and the Thai judicial system’. All meetings
start at 7.30pm at the Alliance Francaise, Charoenprathet Road.
* Lecturer Graham Enwright is collecting used paperback books
for patients at Rajavej Hospital. They can be left at Sanuk Sanuk cafe/bar,
Thapae Gate.
MCC
TOP INNOVATIVE SIXES
Two teams from Marylebone Cricket Club dominated the 13th International
Cricket Sixes at the Chiengmai Gymkhana Club.
The MCC 1 team beat their younger counterparts in the final on April
9th, both having already beaten the best that Australia, Sri Lanka and
the locals could field.
A record 26 teams played during the 6 day tournament which this year
was part of the United Nations/International Cricket Council ‘Global Cricket
Week’. Thai children benefitted from a sponsored runs scheme via Unicef,
and local youngsters learned the game at a soft-ball ‘Kanga’ junior cricket
competition. A Swiss team, Cern-Zuoz, competed for the first time and made
it as far as the Plate finals, losing to Australia’s Lord’s Taverners.
Beware
of fake 500s
Chiangmai must beware of fake 500b notes. A village shop-keeper near
Sarapee, suspicious of a note from a regular customer, bought an audio
electronic checking machine - for only 500b!
She was proved right when the quick-fire warning squawked in English:
"Be cautious, counterfeit!" The note has already been handed
to police, so all we know is the honest customer’s comment: "It just
didn’t feel right."
NOT
ALLOWED IN LAOS
It is forbidden for foreigners to co-habit with Laos nationals without
official consent!
Permission for "intimate relations" must be obtained and "a
relationship" declared to local officials. Penalties range from fines
of US$500 to 5,000 and imprisonment. Laos nationals face similar sanctions.
An Australian Embassy spokeswoman warns that there have been several
recent prosecutions and penalties have been enforced.
Fast rising flights
Surprising sanctions or not, Laos tourism promotion, cheaper visas etc,
are working well and air services to and from Chiangmai are filling up.
Even though the high season is past, don’t assume you’ll get a seat without
an advance booking.
Faster
boats to China
Travel by river to Laos and China will open up fully within a year thanks
to a newly signed multinational pact to stimulate tourism and trade on
the Mekong. Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong will become fully developed river
ports thanks to an allocation of 260m baht.
WANTED:
BIKE SALESMAN
There’s a vacancy in the city for a Thai bike salesman - and it must
must be a man! Too many customers at Khun Kek’s Top Gear sales
& service shop in Changmoi Road think a bright young woman is unlikely
to know anything technical.
"We really need a young man who is a bike enthusiast who can chat
to customers in Thai and English," says the attractive business owner
with a sigh. "Newcomers don’t realise that I ride, build and repair
mountain bikes myself!"
Selling quality bikes from 6,000 to 125,000b is the mainstay of Top
Gear and surprisingly, 30% of buyers are tourists who take their new bike
home with them! Job-seekers can call (tel) 233450 or meet any wearers of
the team’s unique "No Granny Gear" tee-shirts at the weekly Sunday
morning bike run from Thapae Gate.
CASUALTIES
OF THE WATER WAR
English motorcyclist Philip Marshall became an early casualty of Songkran
when he met a car on the wrong side of the road at the notorious Superhighway
under-pass:
"At around 8.30pm on April 12th under the Superhighway bridge
on Charoenrat Road, I was hit at the blind bend by a car coming towards
me on the wrong side of the road. As I lay in the road with 6 ribs broken,
the car sped off.
Three Thai motorcyclists lifted me from the road, took me to hospital,
brought my bike to the car park and called the police. Another had chased
the car and taken it’s number!
I hope these good people read ‘Good Morning Chiangmai’ because I
want to thank them most sincerely. Without them I think I would have been
struck by another vehicle and at very least be in a much worse state."
Philip is recovering well and we repeat his letter in Thai in the hope
it reaches his Knights of the Road!
Moist
misery
Deaths, injuries and damage to vehicles reached their annual peak during
the Songkran Festival, at its height here between April 12th - 16th.
Nationally, 142 people were killed and 1,272 injured and police gave
alcohol and recklessness as prime causes.
Locally there were many Thai road accident victims, some skidding on
the wet roads, many bikers falling off due to water thrown in their faces
from speeding pick-ups. Windscreens were broken by ice, buckets and sheer
water pressure, one new car driver losing a screen worth 26,000b.
An American businessman needed 36 stitches in a leg after a head-on
collision betwen two motorcycles, both riders attempting to avoid water
spray.
Malaysia recently imposed mandatory jail terms of up to 10 years for
any drivers causing death or injury while drunk.
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