Drinking Water in Chiang Mai – A Survival Guide It’s a familiar scene to those living in the developed world: parched, you reach for the tap (faucet) to enjoy a cool, refreshing drink of water not giving a moment’s thought to the origin, treatment or conveyance of such a precious –and life-giving- resource. Do that…
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The Thailand Elite Visa One of the lasting immigration policies of the Thaksin Shinawatra administration is the “Privilege Entry Visa”, also called the “Elite Visa”. The Elite Visa is a multiple-entry visa, valid for five-years, which can be renewed easily upon expiration. But here’s the caveat: as long as the applicant still holds a valid…
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Sometimes real-estate can be really stressful, but then you often need to smile and move on! 1. Not The Best Neighbors 2. Listing The Closet As The Second Bedroom 3. A Little Leak in the Basement 4. The Dead Quiet Neighbors 5. The Ex-Wife Is Getting Half The Sale Proceeds 6. Hmm, Nice & Easy…
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Recently, the Thai government announced that that the Immigration Department will begin offering a ten-year retirement visa to foreigners over the age of 50 who meet other specific criteria. Almost immediately, the foreign retirement community in Thailand was up in arms thinking that they had to meet the criteria set forth by the government to…
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Not that it’s anyone’s favourite topic but if you’re in Chiang Mai for the long run, there’s no escaping monthly bills! Paying the RENT As soon as you sign a lease agreement and as written in The Ten Commandments for Tenants, you have a legal responsibility to pay the rent in the amount and no later than the…
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The worldwide war on plastic has been given a massive boost after a supermarket in Thailand started wrapping its fresh fruit and vegetables in banana leaves, instead of the dreaded, ubiquitous plastic packaging. And when photos of the produce were posted by local estate agents Perfect Homes,the story went viral, with social media bursting with…
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No different to many other cities in developing countries, Chiang Mai suffers the growing pains of pesky plastic waste. In recent years, though, a small but determined band of resistance have been doing their bit in and around town to help reduce, re-use and recycle the man-made stuff. So when Perfect Homes spotted a rather nifty alternative…
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Keep hearing that Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand? Read our article to find out the facts! It may have begun life as a “New City” back in the late 13th century, but Chiang Mai didn’t actually make the cut for official city status until 1936. And, believe it or not, from…
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So what exactly is a yellow house book? Quite simply, it’s a type of government-issued document called a Tabien Baan (literally ‘House Registration’ in Thai) which lists all foreign individuals holding a ‘Temporary Stay’ or a ‘Long Stay’ visa/visa exemption who live at the condo or house address specified in the house registration book. What…
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So what exactly is a Wing 41 Pass? Quite simply, it’s a special permit that allows everyday folk to drive their car or motorcycle on the 2km or so stretch of two-way road that runs through the Wing 41 Royal Thai Air Force base skirting the north-eastern flank of Chiang Mai International Airport. But naturally…
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