My Chiang Mai

For the next few weeks, drivers north of the city centre are advised to steer clear of the road running up the west side of the River Ping between Superhighway and the Central Ring Road. Half of it has fallen into the river.

Something went seriously wrong with earthworks where a small canal ran into the Ping recently, and a resident’s garden and half the busy north-south route fell into the water.

Contractors are working on the problem, but meanwhile, all traffic is diverted through very narrow village lanes, away from the large hole where the road used to be.

Drivers are advised to use the parallel road on the river’s east side, through Faham, in an attempt to avoid delays.

We asked 7 western expats who, between them, have 120 years experience of Chiang Mai what they liked and disliked about the city, on arrival – and now.

If they had the power to change anything, what would it be?Lastly, if they had the choice, where else in the world would they live?
Their answers make interesting reading. Their names have been changed to ensure their safety!

John (arrived 1989): “I liked the fact that the city then had very few high rise buidings. It seemed filled with smiling, friendly people. It had that ’small town feel’. I had no dislikes then or now, would change nothing and would never consider living anywhere else.”

Barry (arrived 1998): “There was cheap beer and good company. My only dislike was the katoeys. Now I love the good ring roads, good shopping and choice of good schools. I still dislike the katoeys and the low class expats. I would clean up the ’stinking klong’ once and for all (Klong Mae Kha). It runs right through the city and it’s been a disgrace for over a decade. Despite that, I’ve no idea where would be a better place to live.”

Brian (arrived 1995): “Now, just as then, I love the easy going people. My dislikes have always been litter, the rats and the beggars. If I had any clout, I’d put litter bins in all the tourist areas, get rid of the rats and make decent pavements to walk on. If I wasn’t here I’d be in Paris.”

Steve (arrived 2001): “I fell for the temples and the Thai people. Still love them both. I think there are too many foreign businesses in town, especially foreign run bars and restaurants. If I was in charge I’d make more of the old city into traffic free zones – pedestrians only – and restrict the foreign businesses. And certainly no more foreign owned supermakets! My second choice for living full time would be Chiang Rai.”

Clive (arrived 1981): “I was strongly attracted to the slow pace of life, the friendly people and the lack of traffic. There was a great mix of community spirit and a cosmopolitan environment. Now? I hate the traffic! I want good pavements not onstructed by phone booths and poles. I’d put litter bins everywhere and levy heavy fines for littering. And all the overhead power lines would be run underground. If this was not ‘home’ I would live in Bahia or Bali.”

Mike (arrived 1990): “Friendly people in a quiet town back then. I disliked nothing! But a lot of smiles have gone now. People are more serious. Buddhist values have gone and not so many people go to the temples. There is too much traffic, pollution and concrete buildings. If I had some power I would keep all the begging elephants out of the city, stop motorcycles parking on the sidewalks, surface Thapae Road properly and build more temples. My second choice would be Vientiane, Laos, but as it was 30 years ago.”

Dave (arrived 1989): “The first things to catch my eye were the smart samlors, quiet streets, friendly people and great Thai food. The cost of living was very low indeed. Now, I dislike the shabby samlors, the noisy and dirty tuk-tuks, the selfish seelor drivers, the overhead cables and stinking klong. The new ring roads are great and I like Airport Shopping Plaza. The cost of living has risen but it’s still reasonable. If I had a second choice? Kuching in Borneo. Same multi-cultural feeling, and a great park along the river.”

Only 7 people and 120 years experience! This is a “running story”.

Add your answers to these questions!

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

Dr Jack Green from Texas and his wife Nala have opened the first Baptist church in Chiang Mai city at the rear annexe of Boss Hotel near the railway station.

With degrees in theology and philosophy, Dr Green is a gifted and often very amusing preacher in the usual informal and friendly Baptist style.

He met his Lahu wife Nala through the church, as she worked for many years with a Baptist mission here, helping hill tribe people to export their handicrafts.

Everyone is welcome to the services at 11.00am every Sunday, with a special welcome for a much-needed pianist and song leader.

LATE NEWS
The venue for services has been changed to the Grand View Hotel, Superhighway, each Sunday at 11.00am, starting September 27th.

More information on e-mail: jgreen@landmarkministries.org

Many years ago when I moved to Chaing Mai I had a Suzuki Caribbean which was about 6 years old. When it was time for a service I decided to use a small local garage based on my experience in the west where it would not have been economical to use a main dealer for service on an older vehicle.

The small local garage stated that the job would cost “Not more than 6000 baht”, yet when I got the bill it was for a total of 12,500 baht!   The garage made such a mess of the service that the car drove for approx one km and stopped dead when the timing belt snapped, they had apparently fitted an incorrect belt.

It was lucky for me that the timing belt snapped.  Because they had also disconnected the oil light after damaging the oil pump. Fortunately the Suzuki Caribbean is one of the few cars where a snapped timing belt does not cause damage to the the insides of the engine.

In desperation I called the Suzuki Main Dealer on the Doi Saket road. They came out and recovered the car and after getting it back to the workshop gave me a full appraisal of the problem and pointed out that the small independent garage had not only fitted the wrong parts, they had damaged the sump, the oil pump and messed up everything that they touched. On top of that they grossly overcharged me for parts.

The Suzuki main dealer fixed everything at a very reasonable cost and I learned a lesson that I have passed on to many expats in Chiang Mai. Don’t use the small garage, take your car to the Main Dealer as it will actually be cheaper and they do a better job.  It’s not just Suzuki. Since then I have used Toyota Main Dealers for an older Toyota car and they too have been thoroughly professional and incredibly cheap.

It’s fair to say that there are a few excellent independent motor mechanics in Chiang Mai, but unless a mechanic comes highly recommended it’s safer to just use the Main Dealer for whatever brand of car you own.

This article is Copyright © MyChiangMai 2009, no reproduction without prior permission.

It was some years ago that a raving optimist first described this effect, saying that in all economies the poor would benefit from some wealth, however modest, ‘trickling down’ to them from the governing elite.

Almost needless to say, the man was run out of town and has never been seen again. There were reports of him picking through an enormous garbage dump on the outskirts of Mexico City, but they were unconfirmed.

What I can confirm is that in recession (yes, we can use the R word now, worldwide. Recessions R Us!), the losses most certainly do trickle down, and they affect the great and the good, just as much as our noble local re-cyclers and the baby-toting beggar gang from Burma at Thapae Gate.
Northbound on route 118, just south of Doi Saket, you can U-turn and pull into a clean but unremarkable Thai cafe. I do so about once a month at lunch times to sample their very good (almost English-style) fried fish and (sadly US-style) skinny fries. They are very generous with their salad garnish too, but you have to take your own tartar sauce and black pepper. And vinegar, of course, if you are English.

Coming belatedly to my point, I noticed a year ago that I seemed to keep coinciding with the Coca-Cola truck, making what must be its most northern stopping point from Chiang Mai city. This handsome red vehicle would swing jauntily around the U-turn, never spilling a drop, stop outside the caff, and a tall thin man would shoulder a full crate of Coke bottles and march purposefully between the tables to deliver to the boss at the back. Past tense, you’ll note.
Three months ago, the same thing happened, but this time the man, looking rather dejected, shouldered the full crate out again and drove away without making a sale. Two months ago, he walked in slowly, carrying nothing, and took out half a crate of empties.
Last month – the same.

This month? The truck was half the size of the original – and it was almost full with full crates. And it didn’t even stop!

Let’s set aside the horror stories of echoing footfalls in the empty, marble, lobbies of brand new 5 star hotels; staff being lost through ‘natural wastage’ and the rest on a 4 day week.
When sales of a staple Diet (!) like Coke suffer so, this is Serious!

Copyright David Hardcastle