The local Communications Authority Thailand office on Ngam Muang Road at Ratchadat Damrong, to south Doi Thong, provides FAX, telex, telegram, long-distance & international telephone and radio communi-cation services, open 7 am until 10 pm. Only citizens or people with work permits of special visa status can get phone service to their home, but mobile phones are available to anyone.

Mobile phone numbers aren't available from Directory Assistance (dial 13). There are international card phones and local card phones. International cards can be bought at the main P.O., both cards are available at 7-11's and many other stores (ask for "Baht To-rah-sap" and offer 50 or 100 baht. The first baht means 'card,' the second money; different tones!). The lottery seller in front of Bangkok Bank also sells local phone cards (which many people like to collect). The card phones are more reliable than coin phones, and many new booths have been put up around town. One also finds tables set up top offer handphone use at 3 baht per minute.

Besides the main Post Office, there are two smaller ones on Paholyothin Road, regular postal delivery to all households with mailboxes, and "Poste Restante" (general delivery) pick up at the main office for people of no particular local address.

There are many Internet access shops, five local newspapers, about 5 FM radio stations, and four AM (but it seems like nothing but news and talk, 5 - 8pm). The FM Stations all play the same evening news, produced in Bangkok, at the same time (indicating much about local politics). Radio devotes more time to ads than to music. TV carries channels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and ITV free. Channel 11 (found at 4 on my TV) has some English language programming mornings and evenings. News and weather is around 9:30 pm. Even small towns now have e-mail shops.

Booksellers downtown along Tanalai carry English language newspapers, which come in after 10 am, (first to Chompun Books at Tanalai and Suksakit); Pu Tong, further west, carries some popular new books, maps and dictionaries.

The Post and Nation are also available on Banpaprakan by the 7-11, at the bus station and across the street at Dok Ya, in the Big C Mall, at Ran Nai In (the bookstore across from the Wiang Inn, just north of Jet Yod Rd going to Pahonyothin), two other shops along Pahonyothin, at a news-stand just towards town from the Den Ha intersection, and a steadily increasing number of other places. There are English papers available to read at the bigger hotels, a few restaurants and some guesthouses.

Used books can be found at KaReKaRon, a shop near the main Pahonyothin intersection, Pratu Siri, and occasionally at guesthouses.

Chiang Rai Books at Si Yaak Pratu Siri, the main Pahonyothin intersection, has English books, language instruction books, guidebooks and maps. Most local print sellers are beginning to carry a little bit of English language material, as has a photo shop near the Night Bazaar.

The free monthly travel magazine, Welcome to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, is widely available and an important asset for English-speaking tourists. It has a web site: http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com. This guide is on www.chiangraiprovince.com.