The long-stay market is a strong niche and it would improve tourism revenue in the province after political protests last year.

“Cultural tourism has been promoted for a long time, but competition in the field is intense. Many other provinces have attractive Songkran celebrations,” said chamber president Narong Kongprasert.

The chamber reported that local tourism declined following political protests by supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last April and May, But the incidents took place in a limited area and did not tarnish the province.

“It’s time to refocus our strength,” said Mr Narong. “We are confident that Chiang Mai is still a tranquil place with nice weather and perfect to be a second home.”

Living expenses in Chiang Mai are lower than Bangkok, while its low crime rate is another advantage.

The province is a long-stay hub for foreigners, especially Japanese. About 3,000 Japanese are long-stayers and have a close community through the Thailand-Japan Longstay Association.

Many Japanese stay in Chiang Mai for about one month on their first visit to see whether they can adjust to the local environment. Once they like the place, their second stay is usually three to five months. Their average spending is 30,000 baht a month, providing revenue of more than 1 billion baht to Chiang Mai each year.

“We expect to welcome more Japanese elderly in years to come. Once the number rises to 10,000, it means the province gets revenue up to 4 billion baht, much the same it earns from selling longan for the entire year,” Mr Narong said.

At least 800,000 Japanese retire every year and many choose to have a lengthy stay abroad.

The Japanese consulate in Chiang Mai revealed at a recent seminar that over the past decade the number of retired Japanese who had moved to find a second home overseas had increased by 38%. About 360,000 chose Asian destinations, up from 200,000 10 years ago, with 80% deciding to reside in Thailand.

The consulate estimates that several million Japanese will retire in the next three years and they will be high-quality tourists with high purchasing power.

Mr Narong expects Japanese long-stayers to increase by 10-15% next year as the recent natural disasters may drive people to stay out of the country longer.

The chamber has teamed with hotels and serviced apartments to renovate and reserve about 10% of their rooms or a whole floor for long-stayers, who also include retirees from Scandinavia.

“Local developers have shown good support for the project and it is estimated that there are 2,000 rooms available for new long-stayers,” Mr Narong said.

Government agencies such as the Tourism and Sports Ministry also supported the project with a plan to launch a retirement school to provide classes such as Thai cooking, Thai massage and planting vegetables for the elderly.

These might not be enough if Thailand wants to compete with Malaysia’s long-stay campaign.

The “Malaysia’s My Second Home” programme offers a 10-year residency permit and permission to buy property. In Thailand, long-stayers get a one-year visa and have to renew it every year. “Despite Thailand’s reputation for warm hospitality, I think there are many things the government must do to improve competitiveness,” he said.

Copyright Acknowleged

The driver called Toyota and was assured that assistance would arrive within the hour, 3 hours later 5 toyota technicians arrived and said they could not do much as it was getting dark, and it would cost 3500 baht to recover the car to the nearest Toyota Service center.

Back at the service centre it was too late for Toyota to do anything and they told the lady driver to return in the morning.

Next morning they said that they had to take the sump off and check the oil pick up pipe, which they did.  Then after stripping down the bottom of the engine for 3 hours they decided to check the oil pressure switch and found it to be faulty.

Now the shocker, the lady was presented with a bill for 10,500 baht !  When she protested the Toyota Main Dealer said that the warranty only covers the engine and as the engine was found to be OK, it’s not covered! They even denied that the faulty switch was covered under warranty.

So, an 18 month old Toyota (which was supplied with a 3 year, 100,000 km warranty) is not covered for any part of a repair that is entirely down to a faulty part?

Toyota have just lost a good customer who will soon be looking at other brands of car in Thailand.

Update by Andy

My wife is now safely back in Chiang Mai, as is the Toyota Yaris.  It’s my intention to sell the car and buy another brand, I have bought a new Toyota every 2 years for a considerable time, the last 2 of which have been purchased from Niyom Panitch in Chiang Mai.

I’d like to make it very clear that I have received first class service from Niyom Panitch and that they have dealt with minor warranty claims in the past without any problems and indeed without any suggestion of payment.

I often drive to Bangkok and my wife drives twice every year to Ubon, so we need to feel confident that our vehicle warranty is for the whole of Thailand, and it’s for this reason that I will be looking for another car.  At this time I’m looking at a number of brands including Mercedes-Benz and Nissan.

I have had a number of emails from other Toyota owners, they seem to be split about 50/50 with some owners experiencing no issues with warranty claims and some being denied warranty claims as we were.

I feel that Toyota cars are great, and I would not talk anyone out of buying one, but for me the reason for buying new is because I thought I was assured trouble free motoring for the advertised 3 years, 100,000 km

The sudden official British announcement (unusually naming no successor) came less than a week after Mr Quayle’s fluent Thai address to local Chiang Mai media, confident assertions about life in Thailand, and no hint whatever of an imminent departure.

Speaking of the strong, historic links between the United Kingdom and Thailand, Mr Quayle said that 5,500 Thais studied in the UK and some 50,000-plus Thai tourists visited annually. There was trade worth 3 billion pounds sterling each year between the nations – in Thailand’s
favour – and the UK was the biggest EU investor here.

Chiang Mai was home to some 1,500 British expats and nationally there was an average of 1 British death per day in the realm. Natural causes and road accidents were the chief causes of fatalities, he added, and there was not one British casualty during the recent political demonstrations in Bangkok.

Defending the strong Embassy safety warnings during that period, which invalidated many tourists’ insurance policies if they ignored the advice and cost much tourism business, Mr Quayle was unapologetic. He emphasised that it was “better to err on the side of safety in a situation which was escalating rapidly.”

“We were one of the first Embassies to put out warnings and we were the first to lift them” he asserted.

Until now, foreigners on overstay faced only the fine at Bangkok Airport by all those leaving with a valid international air ticket.

Now, one or 2 nights in jail at very least may be expected by those with more than 42 days overstay. Those with over 22 days face the discretion of the officer on duty and may also be arrested.

These penalties apply at Thailand’s land borders, as well as airports.  Furthur advice issued by Bangkok Immigration is that foreigners will find it better to resolve visa problems with them than with provincial
offices such as Chiang Mai.

Over-stayers who are taken before a court have never before had to pay a fine and do prison time, though many find that even after paying up they are still detained whilst their paperwork is processed.

Editor’s Note: The option to pay the maximum overstay fine and leave without risk of arrest has never been applicable to land borders, but has been a popular tactic with long term overstayers departing from Bangkok Airport with a ticket in hand to a country outside Thailand.

Thailand has always taken visa overstay very seriously, and some officers have been known to refer to it as “a criminal offence.”  Foreigners with more than 22 days overstay are strongly advised to  consult their own Embassies or Consulates here before visiting Immigration.

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.

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.

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 Tarin hotel.

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

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.

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