My Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is well on its way to having a sub-branch of the Royal British Legion, following well attended meetings at The Olde Bell, Loi Kroh Road.

The UK charity, which helps millions of former and current servicemen and their families, was founded in 1921 and is best known as the “custodian of remembrance” on November 11th every year, and the world famous Poppy Appeal. A branch has existed in Pattaya for several years, and only a few more members are now needed to make Chiang Mai a sub-branch.

Welfare Officer Glenn Croston (left) told a packed meeting at The Olde Bell on July 22nd that membership was open to all who supported the Legion’s aims, irrespective of nationality.

Many were surprised to learn that since WW2, in only one year (1968) had no UK service people been killed in action.

Glenn is pictured with Richard Prouse (secretary, centre) and Pedr Fawkes, landlord of The Olde Bell. Colin Hardcastle (below) gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the younger generation.

Editor’s Note: The annual non-denominational Remembrance Day gathering will be held at the Foreign Cemetery, Chiang Mai, from 10.45 am on November 11th. After the traditional 2 minutes silence, traditions of respect will also be held by Seri (free) Thai and the local branch of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

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

As part of an ongoing effort by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to promote Thailand as great country in which to get married, fifteen European couples, mostly from France, have tied the knot in Chiang Mai thanks to an event that was sponsored in part by both the TAT and Thai Airways.

Going overseas to get married has been gaining popularity amongst European couples for some time, and clearly Thailand would like a slice of the cake, so to speak.

The wedding ceremonies took place at the Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai between the 18th and the 20th of June.

Chiang Mai was chosen for the event because it’s the cultural and tourist centre of Northern Thailand, following the ceremonies at least two couples went on to Samui for a honeymoon.

The couples were all invited by the Paris office of the TAT, French tourists account for the fourth biggest visitor source in Europe, with Germany, the UK and Sweden taking the top three positions.

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

Starting on the 2nd of August, 2009 Air Mandalay will be operating twice weekly flights between Yangon (AKA Rangoon) and Chiang Mai.

This is great news for tourists and for local residents who want to take a break to Mandalay, where it’s easy to travel onwards to many other interesting places in Myanmar (Burma).

As the main gateway to the rest of Myanmar, the Yangon Division is located in the southernmost part of the central plain and borders, Bago Division in the north and east, Gulf of Mottama in the south, and Ayeyawaddy Division in the west. Coco archipelago, which is part of Yangon Division, is situated in the Bay of Bengal. The total area of the division is 3,927.15 square miles.

If you have never been to Myanmar then it’s well worth a look. It’s a different experience from anywhere else in SE Asia and most visitors are very impressed with the warm welcome of the Myanmar people.

Myanmar has some spectacular beaches for the more adventurous traveller, including Ngapali, Ngwe Saung and Chaungtha.

Other tourist destinations near Yangon include Shwedagon Pagoda, Botataung Pagoda, Bogyoke Market and Kandawgyl Lake.

Myanmar can be very hot and humid in the summer months, and the best time to travel is in the cooler season between October and March.

Editor’s note: Our policy is to help readers with travel information. Whether readers wish to avoid Burma under the existing regime or not is entirely down to personal decisions.

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

Phra Ajaan Pairat, also known as Phra Kru Ba Noy, is the young Abbott of Wat Doi Noi, the “Little Hillside Temple” near Lamphun, and since he arrived 6 years ago the place hasn’t been the same since!

In late 2003 he fulfilled his dream of building a huge Buddha image in just 24 hours (‘Good Morning Chiangmai NEWS’ January 2004), now he has opened the temple’s own radio station which broadcasts on 88.50FM every day, and a plant for producing smokeless diesel fuel!

Oh, and there is a free English class for beginners every Sunday morning, organised by, yes, you guessed it, Two years ago Phra Ajaan was on his own at the temple, now there are 14 monks and novices, all eager to learn from him. He is self taught in English and everything else he does.

To produce what he terms “Bio-Diesel”, Phra Ajaan mixes ethanol alcohol and potassium hydroxide with the oil to produce his smokeless fuel.

He has used the fuel in his family’s car for 3 years to ensure it was effective and safe. If you go to see him at the temple he will gladly show you an experiment in which he dips one tissue in diesel fuel and another in his bio-diesel, then sets them both alight. The one soaked in diesel fuel burns with a terrible black smoke, the bio-diesel burns cleanly with no smoke.

There is now a fuel pump at the temple.  With the residue oil left after the filtering processes, Phra Ajaan uses it for cooking. Nothing is wasted!

You can hear English on his radio station from 9-10.00am every Sunday, one of my contributions to the temple, the other being English conversation for the monks afterwards.

Anyone coming here will love the place as much as I do, the surrounding countryside is breathtaking. Don’t expect a Wat Pratat Doi Suthep, but expect a lovely warm feeling at a very simple temple with this exceptional Abbott.
Take the Super Highway out of town, past the Big C Supermarket, and continue due south along the Lampang road (route 11). Some 30kms from Big C you will see a blue sign written in English: ‘Community Forest’. Do a U-turn here, drive past a small police station and turn left at another ‘Community Forest’ sign and follow your nose.

Copyright © Derrick Titmus, no reproduction without prior permission.