retarius

Intersting topic. A classic really. I have the same issues with bringing money from then US. What drives the British economy? What drives the value of the pound? Is the improved baht rate, baht weakness or UK strength? Are the current exchange rates the result of differing interest rates between the UK and Thailand? What are the prospects for rate rises or cuts in the near and long term future? Are the currencies fairly valued now? How are the currencies doing against a basket of currencies like the dollar, the euro, the Swiss franc? You hold gold (physical I hope, and not held with some trader) what do you think the prospects for gold are? No one can answer these questions with any accuracy. No one knows the future. And you could answer the questions correctly and some other unexpected happening in the exchange markets could mean that the rates don't move in the expected direction. I have two investing/financial rules 1) never in vest in something you don't understand and 2) it is never wrong to take a profit and 3) you can't predict the future. If you bring your money over now and the baht weakens in the future, you haven't lost money. You have locked in a rate of exchange, and you have to pay for the privilege when locking in future rates, and this is the risk you have to bear. The exchange rate between Baht and sterling will likely fluctuate up and down in the future, as it has in the past. Also you have to consider what time horizon you have as the pound will likely move both up and down against the baht in the future. The other thing is, what are you going to do with the money? Do you need it now? What I am saying, is that imho, you don't have a chance of guessing the future.....if it is money you will need here soon, personally I would change the money now and never look at the exchange rates for the next five years ( to avoid buyer's remorse). If the money is chump change to you and you don't need it in the foreseeable future and can afford to lose it, why not trade in the riskier assets now. Then exchange part of the money at regular intervals over the coming months/years depending on your time horizon? ie bring it over bit by bit to iron out the fluctuations in the exchange rate. Personally I don't see the dollar or the pound collapsing in the near future. Other than the regular collapses of Argentina, I've never seen Britain 'collapse' or other liberal democracies collapse. Be careful that misinformation in the media used to sell newspapers, doesn't cloud your judgement. The most significant knowable event in the UK is the election where labour might take the reins. Do you think this will be a plus for the current or the death blow to it?

Sorry, wrong approach. You don't need more incentive. Carrot and stick is an easy to understand concept, give the incentive if the arsonist complies with your wishes and perceives that he inconveniences himself; but cane him hard if he fails to comply. Simply giving incentives breeds entitlement and doesn't achieve the objectives of stopping fields being burned.

One of the key things about being successful (at anything) is to focus and prioritise. If you tackle hundreds of issues like Srettha is doing, it is a recipe for failure. One minute he's here signing a visa free arrangement, next minute he's there, checking out immigration lines that he will never have to stand-in, and the next minute banging on about a land bridge, next minute a digital wallet, day after that in Germany asking them to help Thailand's EV car business. He is all over the place....no one can be successful like this. You have to pick a few issues, five or less, and be relentless hammering on those, demanding progress reports every week or month. Having said that, he seems committed to improving tourism, one way or another. Personally as a low wage industry, albeit higher wages that agriculture, I doubt that increasing the number of tourists to say, 50 million a year, will bring huge benefits to the economy. The other thing, is that the best tourism is repeat business, and while sex tourism is decidedly repeat, family tourism is not unless you make each experience memorable and pleasant. After a 17 hour journey from Europe or 24 hour journey from the US, the last thing most people want is to stand in a line to be greeted by surly and unpredictable immigration people for 2 hours. So any efforts here are most welcome. The good thing is that this should be an easy issue to fix, just make sure the booths are manned when the flights arrive. The hard thing is making it happen....which is where my homily and rant in the first paragraph applies.

I certainly feel safe in the event of a war, until of course the Thai government chooses to designate retirees and farangs as undesirables and kicks us all out.

"The case for Israel's alleged attempted genocide is based on lies." There fixed it for you

Stop complaining it's only US$200 . If you live in a brilliant flashy condo, it should be no problem for you. Perhaps you would like to do without electricity instead and go off grid?

I wonder why he killed him? Did Hartl have a visa to be a DJ? Was he here illegally?

How long is it before your type learns that interfering with nature is never a way forward. It ALWAYS comes with unexpected and unpleasant consequences. For every complex problem there is a simple answer, and it is always wrong. Grow some brain cells. Rats are parasitic on human detritus, get used to it, it's nature. Put free food all over the place and rats will come, as well as other animals like foxes in then UK, bears in Canada and Russia, even tigers in India.

I may close attention, and there is only one side murdering Palestinians by the ten thousand. You are the one who needs to pay attention. These are innocent women, kids and the vulnerable who can't escape the IDF 2000lbs bombs and their sniper fire. Wake up and get some morals.

Silly vindictive nonsense from you. Obviously you have never made any mistakes in your life.....she was a 15.

How can the Palestinians trust anything the US proposes? Everything the US does is based pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian. The US is complicit in this ongoing genocide by supplying arms to Israel. I say, stop the slaughter. Innocent people are being murdered every day by the IDF and egged on by the zionists. I want to see every Israeli involved in this mass slaughter, condemned by the ICJ.

Despite the negative tome on this forum, the girl was 15 when she made a mistake. 15 year olds should have a chance at redemption after a mistake. Her 3 children have died, and she has lived for years in a guarded refugee camp. Cancelling her citizenship was simply an act of vile inhumanity. I hope she thrives in the coming years.

Who are the vile monsters? In my book they are Israelis. In your book they are Hamas. I disagree with you and think you have no morals or scruples.

Can rarely go wrong with Toyota. I had one or two in my garage for the past 20 years. I still have a Ford that I want to ditch, it is a crappy build, and no one wants to buy it, even after I have put a recon engine in (after 87,000 kms).

The Daily Mail, a really trusted source of information....

The US will never 'change sides' whatever the ICJ says. AIPAC have death grip on the throats of the American legislature and many members as dual Israeli/Americans. With the politics being so close, neither side can afford to lose seats when AIPAC slams them for voting to dump Israel.

I don't actually deal with the pharmacy, my wife does the talking in our house, so I don't know off they speak English.it is called ARKARNYA tel 02-278-4036. Sheryl please delete if I am not allowed to post the telephone number. Thanks

I used to have my UK prescription mailed to me here in Thailand for several years. It was sent in regular EMS type mail and was never opened. The medicines were free, so I declared zero value and classified them as medicines on the customs form. I can't imagine why Testavan would be different. Having said that private hospitals seem to be able to get almost anything here....the problem is that they often add a big mark-up. But no harm in asking say a Bangkok Hospital or Bumrungrad if they have it, cannot it, and what the price is.

I must say that I often find the convenience of modern technology is often like a mirage in the desert. Disappointing and banal to say the least, and what is supposed to be better, is worse for the consumer and only better for the business selling the products. I have to say that I have not found this with LED lights. Quite the reverse in fact. I'm not an electrician either, and I am convinced I'll die via electrocution here in Thailand. Sorry I could not be more help.

There is no law behind US sanctions. That's why they are called illegal sanctions and American law does not apply outside the US. Thailand can re-fuel and do any sort of business it likes with Russia, but the US will start sanctioning Thailand if Thailand does not bend to US will. The other thing is that the US can sanction individuals and companies in Thailand meaning that no US person can do business with those individuals or companies. And if the companies are multi-national and have a nexus of business (a subsidiary) in the US, the US can fine that country in the US. Brazil do not follow US sanctions in respect to Russia, the company that was doing the refuelling and then refused may have a US person as a company director or may have a business in the US that can be blackmailed. There is no international law that supports laws made in one jurisdiction being applied globally, which is why there is controversy around them. Allies and or vassals usually go along with US sanctions....China notably told the US they would not adhere to them, so the US then punishes China for not adhering to the sanctions by targeting companies like Huawei. From the US point of view, sanctions are great because you can hurt your enemy with any due process, m]no having to provide evidence to a court, convince a jury, there is no defence allowed. Having said that, Russia has galvanised the global south to reject US sanctions and is reducing its use of the US dollar for trade. This way, there will be a cost attached to the renegade and piratical nature of sanctions. UN sanctions by convention apply to the world.....so many of the sanctions on NK are observed widely, although Russia seems to be breaking those sanctions now in wartime....at least that is alleged by the US.

Yes, it is possible. It is about 8-900 baht per box of 50. I buy it from a pharmacy in Bangkok via mail. It was prescribed by a doctor in a private hospital in Bangkok, but they charged a very high price.

Thought I'd check in, but it is the same old debate. Folk who have been marinaded in US/Israeli propaganda for 75 years,. defending the indefensible. Folk who have insight and wish to see the vile slaughter stopped and Israel exposed as the murdering, apartheid state that it is. I am proud to be on the side which has a moral compass, and not the side that defends bullying oppression and slaughter.

Outrageous. Police should be forbidden from harassing such vendor. Citizens, residents and tourists should be able to consume anything that grows naturally or is derived from such plants.

I have been told by my wife who is Thai (but not that reliable for information), that Class 1 entitles you to full coverage for accident insurance which covers medical for you and your passengers, for third party damage if it is your fault, and for your repair to be done with autoparts from the original maker, so if you have a Toyota, the repair can be done at a Toyota shop with Toyota parts. The coverage is up to limits specified in the policy. This may cause a shortfall if you plough into a Bentley, a Lamborghini or a Porsche. Class 2 has the same protections to the specified limits, but the insurance makes the choice of where you vehicle is to be repaired, and so you can end up at a dingy old shed, where they take your shocks and stuff off and replace them with worn out old parts (it happened to me....shocks were taken of the car when it was put in for the wife's crash and when it came out from the repair shop the shocks were useless, I put it into Ford for repair and they gave me the old shock back.....different shocks for 3 manufacturers....I should have sued then but didn't) I never heard of Class 2+2. Class 3 is government mandated insurance that is also included in any insurance you buy privately. It costs a nominal amount, about 690 baht, if memory serves correctly (but you would be advised not to trust my memory, I don't and you may find it costs 890 baht or another number).

Please come home soon Yingluck, Thailand needs you to sort out the mess here.