Quoting his farang friend, a local lad said to me recently, “Martin thinks you drive like a Thai”. Well, I know not to shoot the messenger but even strenuous interrogation failed to reveal whether the comment was complimentary or an indictment of my road manners.

I opted for the former, since my observations of Thai driving during 30 years of holiday making and recently as a car owning Chiang Mai resident have convinced me that the two as which dictate decent driving (alertness and anticipation since you ask) are shown in abundance here.

At the newly opened Tuskers Grill birthday boy Chas Begley blowing out the candles while girlfriend Rachel Jones wonders what he wished for.

The yearly and colorful Poi Sang Long festival in Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces begins this week. The festival marks the time when Burmese-Thai, Thai Yai and Shan State residents gather for a three-day ordination party for their young boys.