Trip to the Dentist

This has been the week for dental work. Daeng had a few cavities filled on Friday and started the process of replacing a missing tooth with a three tooth bridge. I was having slight pain from one of my back teeth so I visited the dentist on Monday.

The dentist told me I had an old age problem, like I did not know I was getting old already. She showed me in the x-ray how the bone was shrinking and there was a space between the root and the tooth. Since it is an area that can't be reached with the tooth brush or flossing periodontitis develops in that area.

She gave me the name of the closest dentist that does this type of dental work. The periodontist is in the City of Chiang Rai, about 60 KM south of us.

On Wednesday we packed up and headed to the City of Chiang Rai. We stopped at Tun and Hlong's, Daeng's brother and sister-in-law, and had a great breakfast. The fare was everything from fired bamboo worms to something I had never had before. Hlong had roasted peanuts and chili peppers together. It made the red chili peppers not as hot as usual but made the peanuts RED HOT. They were really delicious.

We headed south on route #1. We were stopped at the first check point south of Mae Sai. We expected that due to the high volume of drugs that are being moved out of Myanmar (Burma).

If you would like more about the drug movement just read a few days back to October 10th in this blog.

The officer in charge spoke with us for a couple of minutes and told us, with a smile, to get out of there. I got him to smile but he would not laugh even though another office laughed at us.

We drove to Chiang Rai, checked into the Jamson Guest House and headed over to the dental clinic.

The Clinic opened at 5:00 PM and we were the first in line. I met the dentist and she looked at x-ray and checked my tooth.

She told us that I should have the tooth roots cleaned, "planed" was the term she used for the deep cleaning. Then should keep taking the antibiotics the other dentist gave me and come back to see her for reevaluation a month from now. She told me the cost would be 900 Thai Baht ($27.00 USD).

I felt comfortable with the Clinic and the dentist so I ask when it could be done. She said, right now and we did it. After the work she put a gum like mixture around the tooth and the gums. She said the antibiotic-containing gel would stay on for about 5-7 days.

She also gave me some pain medication and more antibiotics but told me she did not think I would have much pain. That was an additional 150 TB ($4.50 USD).

She also told me that she was very positive in what she thought the outcome would be.

I felt very good about the trip and the dentist.

Back in Mae Sai, Thailand for 3 days

05-16-09 Moving into new Apartment for Mother

We got up and drove to pick up the containers and two suit cases that we stored while we were on our 20 day road trip. Daeng went up the road and paid 2000 Tb to secure the new apartment for her Mother.

We went back to hotel and dropped off the suit cases and three plastic containers, changed shoes and headed to her Mother's old apartment to help move some thing.

We made three loads in the Honda Jazz with the seats down. The only thing hat will have to be moved with pick-up truck are the refrigerator, washing machine, one table and large wardrobe cabinet. Hopefully that can be done tomorrow with some help.

We also stopped at appliance place to have electrician move the water heater and wall fan to new apartment. Yep, that's correct, here in Thailand you take the water heater, air conditioners, etc. with you when you move.

The electrician said he will take out the old water heater from apartment and move to new apartment for 300 TB ($9.00 USD) providing he does not have to run more than 5 meters of wire. If he has to run more wire there will be a little more money. I think he said 15 TB (45 cents in US money) a meter if he has to use more wire.

This is were the old water heater will go when it's moved.

Daeng spent the rest of the day cleaning window and things so when her Mother gets back from visiting friends in Chiang Rai it would be clean and livable.

05-15-09 Finding an Apartment for Mother

Daeng started out in the morning looking for a new apartment for her Mother. The reason is the landlady has sold the property and the new owner came by and said the Mother needed to move by the 1st.

That is short notice but folks in Thailand just do think like that. I think it has something to do with the class system here. Renters are looked at is being lower than property owners so the property owner can do what ever he or she feels like to the renter. No thirty day notice, just move!

I can't go with her as when they see me, a farang, the price goes up. Farang is the Thai word for a non-Thai or a round eyed person that does not come from Thailand. It is not a bad word just a descriptive word. Farangs pay more sometimes even in this little town. The duel pricing is not as prevalent here in Mae Sai as it is in the tourist areas like Bangkok, Pattaya or Puckett.

Daeng came back to the Internet Cafe where I was writing stories and we took a ride to see a couple of apartment she found. The one I liked was within walking distance from the big morning market, had ceramic tile floors and was very clean. Daeng liked that one the best, also.

Daneg said that she had tried to rent that apartment three years ago but it was full at that time. Cost is 1700 TB a month ($51.00 USD) plus electric and water. Electric runs about 300 TB a month and water 150-200 TB a month. Total expense per month around 2200 TB. That is the same as she was paying at the old place. This apartment is much nicer and in a better area.

Daeng agreed that she would rent it tomorrow.

05-14-09 Return to Chiang Rai

We have been back in Mae Sai for 3 days. The first day we had to turn around and go back to Chiang Rai to pick up Daeng's motorbike. Boonreang, her son, had taken it to go to his new school in Chiang Rai.

His school is what is called a "Home Stay School". What that means is he goes to school with his teacher and then comes home and stays with the main teacher Monday through Friday. This gives him a chance to get his homework done and also get extra help from his teacher.

We took a pillow, a plastic dresser drawers, some clothes hangers and a few items that he said he needed.

We were stopped at the check point just south of Mae Sai so they could look through our car. Normally we are just waived through but because we has a lot of stuff, including 120 kilos of rice, 50 kilo of peanuts, 25 kilo of potatoes and some other fruit for her sister, they checked us.

Remember, this is "The Golden Triangle" as tricky Dick named it. Thailand has cleaned up most of the opium poppy growing but Laos and Myanmar (Burma) are the second highest producer of illegal opium in the world. You guessed it, Afghanistan is first.

The trip only takes about 40 minutes even in the rain. The rain slowed down to a drizzle and Daeng rode the motorbike back to Mae Sai.