khunPer

Hmm, the saying used to be that money don't smell...

Could well be that... -before the logs were felled, they were not illegal, but alive trees; -and before houses were build on a 35 degree slope, they were not illegal buildings, because there were none...

2nd October Samui +11 new cases Phangan, no new cases Koh Tao, no new cases 3rd October Samui +19 new cases Phangan +1 new case Koh Tao, no new cases There is a cluster of Covid-19 at ISS (International School Samui). The advise is: If you or your child has had any contact with students, parents or teachers from this school we recommend that you get a Covid test. If you know that you have had contact with any of the families that have had a positive test, you should isolate and seek medical advice.

Samui Plus Sandbox 7-night stay-rules from October 1st...

I got no idea. To my understanding it's voluntary where I live, so why should school fees be refunded, schools are so far open for all. In my daughter's class there are so far only two out of 15 students being vaccinated.

The one in that band with most female company was Bill Wyman, he said in an interview that he had more than 200 during their first year of touring, which was before they were rich - unfortunately I cannot instantly find the source in Google - Mick and Brian had only about 10-20, and Keith some, while Charlie had none. But perhaps during the happy hippie era in the 1960s and 1970s it was different. Just being a pop/rock musician - not really famous, and certainly not rich - could be enough for having the pleasure of being chased by young chicks. Especially the Swedish girls were crazy, could actually be quite scary so sometimes an escape was the only way out - i.e. running fast followed by hordes of screaming girls - and at that time it was also no problem dating more than one at the same time, it was actually quite cool...????

In the school my daughter attends to, the parent - or guardian - needed to sign permission for Pfizer-vaccination said to begin after 1st October, it was voluntary, not mandatory. Personally I'm for Covid-vaccination, and so is both my 16 year old daughter and her mom also...????

A lot of younger people have talked about Thailand, especially when working in Bangkok. Otherwise being a pop/rock musician - or perhaps just look like one... - is an excellent way to meet more than enough of "all those willing women to sex without commitment"; I talk from experience...????

Samui is so much else than Chaweng's beach road, and the similar stretch in Lamai...????

Thanks for you post, it nice to read a woman's reply in this male dominated forum. I see comments about Thai women as manipulative. Probably because many village ladies considers a relationship/marriage with a farang equal to winning a big price in the lottery, wealth coming to both her life and her family, and she might need to be manipulative to get her part of it; Thai women talks, and they talk a lot, so she quickly learns it from other more experienced ladies. Often a farang man-Thai woman relationship is a win-win situation. Many a mature man still dreams about sexy teens - facts show it when looking at Internet searches - but in his home country it can only be a dream, as it would be embarrassing, especially for the younger girls, if an elder man in his 40s, or even older, looks at very young ladies, if not teens; he might even risk to be considered as pedophile in some countries. The only exemption is if the man is famous, or rich, preferably both, then he's cool when having an extremely young partner...???? When a middle aged man comes to Thailand the petite women often looks - and also acts - like teens, even they are way up in their 20s. The dream becomes possible as win-win, where the man get his dream fulfilled, and the lady moves up in social status because of a financial better off boyfriend, and hopefully husband. It might not be love, at least from her side, but it might be as I've heard from Thai ladies, "I don't love him, but I can stay with him", meaning that the life with her farang husband is better than whatever life she otherwise can get, as long as he can support her. Others say that "love comes by time, if the man has a good heart", meaning that the man financially can take care of a family, and behave nice; i.e. don't drink (too much), and don't gamble, and don't have too many small giks (side girls), and don't beat his wife. My lovely Thai girlfriend says that a cleaver girl don't take a lot of money fast - i.e. like the gold digger girls - but takes money in small lots over a long time; i,e, she is patient and perhaps manipulative. A Thai lady friend, who recently had finished with her farang husband, because he didn't want to - or could - come up with another 3 million baht for her business, said that "if he cannot provide, why do I need him!" Does it start with farangs’ promises of an easier life? What were you thinking? You were truly noble, while securing a guaranteed root and servility? And, all of this, on your pension? I've met a number of younger single men in the 30s - some of them well off in good career positions - that gave up on Western girls, as "they are too demanding". i.e. the dream-man for a Western lady might be close to the impossible. Reminds me of Marlene Dietrich's statement that "most women start changing a man, and once they have changed him, they no longer like him." I'm originating from a Scandinavian country, where we some years back had a rich man - he made his money from selling cheap charter-holidays to people that otherwise could not afford a holiday in the Mediterranean area - and he spent a lot of his fortune on a harem of young ladies. He lived like many a man would dream about - even many of the men would never dare to live like that for real, but dreaming is Okay - and was very popular, because he paid his income tax from the money he made, and he didn't try to hide his wealth, and he paid the younger ladies well, when he got tired of them. He made a very wise statement, saying that "you cannot buy love for money, but you can buy something that looks exactly like it!" So this is how the win-win situation often works: You buy something that feels exactly like love, and as long as the performance is played well enough to receive an Academic Award, does it matter if it's true love, or the man just live like he is in the 7th Heaven? Having a wife the little more old-fashioned way - meaning the man is the provider for the family - also costs money in Farang-world. Having a wife in more modern way where "we share", and the relationship goes south, can be extremely expensive for the man. So in fact, having a little bit "manipulative" Thai partner is often "same-same but different". For many Thai ladies - a number, if not many, are single mothers with a child, and in the Thai culture it's often the girls taking financially care of the parents - a provider and stability are more important factors than true love, just it's a kind man the lady can live with; and if he lives up to her expectations, love might often grow. A promise of taking care of family can mean all, and even on a relative modest retirement pension it's actually possible when living in Thailand; i.e. you can have a good family life after Thai standard for 40,000 to 50,000 baht a month. And don't forget that many Western retirees actually have pensionplans and saving, and more likely an income of the mandatory 65,000 baht a month, or much more. And some men are business entrepreneurs, either abroad or in Thailand, and can make a lot more money. There are of course numerous other possibilities than what I mentions - I cannot generalizing, but it's my impression that what i said counts for quite a number of relationships, I've met more of them than I can count - and even that horror stories about broken relationship makes headlines, there are probably way more boring success stories, which never gets close to the news. You eschewed women from your home country for a reason. Apart from the more demanding Western women I've been told about - and that makes sense to me - I can only talk from my own experience. I worked too much - as small business owner and entrepreneur you sometimes need to work hard - so my long time girlfriend dumped me after 13 years; but luckily we continued as best friends. Even that my age stated that I was in medical terms "middle aged" - i.e. in my 40s - was my mind still young, perhaps too young. Lots of women in same age level as me, actually beautiful women, were interested in me, but I didn't turn on; the worst thing was that I might rather be attracted by their teen daughters. I was also little scared if these ladies would be too demanding for what I could afford of lifestyle. Furthermore I've never been married, and not having any heir(s), a middle aged woman - a single mom in her 40s - was not a solution if I finally would like to have a family. Turning my view to South East Asia all doors were open - apart from I always liked South East Asian women - so this became an option. As "blue eyed" farang, first time alone in amazing Thailand, I was an easy target for a gold digger, i.e. one of the manipulative young Thai ladies. I was not in love, just would not let go of this young 22 year old dream girl, who actually had lied about her age and only was 19 years old. I later mentioned it for a friend, who ended up with a manipulative gold digger-type, Thai wife, and he said that it was exactly the same he was feeling, didn't want to let her go. The manipulating gold digger didn't work for me - luckily in the always unbearably crystal bright light of hindsight - and from friend's advise to find a little older model, it later worked very well, 17+ years so far...????

In the always unbearable crystal bright light of hindsight, you would often do things different, but you might not have that knowledge, without doing what you did first... And all the excellent advises that others kindly told didn't work, you know "my Thai girlfriend is different"...???? Often I realize that not being married to someone, can be so much easier, especially when it comes to separate from a partner - luckily I've been good friend my ex girlfriends from my home country - and should things go south with my Thai girlfriend it's also easy, we both agree, because what is her's is her's, and what is mine is mine. In my crystal bright hindsight knowledge I might opt for a housekeeper and ladies for fun, rather than a stationary woman; or just insist on a mia noi, or a number of giks. But on the other hand, would I then have been able to achieve the same life being on my own - proaably I could with assistance from a law firm do a number of things that so far to be has been done well by help from my girlfriend - and who will look after me, when I get old, or will I still have enough savings to pay someone to do it, or can I pay for living in a protected serviced environment for old people...???? I've probably been lucky - having first a short close encounter with a gold digger when being first time in Thailand alone, and thereby an easy target - so I had already in the crystal bright light of hindsight set some few simple rules; and I haven't been in need to change them later. Living in a village was not part of my initial wish, but I considered it, and I concluded that I could do it, but it would be a very different lifestyle from what I expected. I also keept in mind that many talked about living some distance from a Thai partner's family, so as long as I could afford to live in a tourist area I would prefer that. However, quite a number from my girlfriend's village, including family, moved to "my tourist area"...???? -but luckily they have never been a burden or problem...???? My rules was, and still is... Don't try to change me or my lifestyle Don't bring problems to me, I can manage fine to create enough myself I'm not rich, so don't stay with me for money, I however have enough money to take care of my own little family I probably would not change anything with a time machine, apart from hiring a different plumber when building my house...????

50,000 baht a month - when you have the 800k baht deposit and don't need to worry about funds for extension of stay - is Okay for a modest lifestyle, but if you are dreaming all the usual dreams that we often hear about the Pattaya-lifestyle, it might not be enough. Based on my 16-years experience here, you can live - or rather survive Okay - for 10,000 baht rent of a modest place, including basic expenses 5,000 baht for health insurance (depending of age and cover) 15,000 baht for daily needs as food, providing you cook some at home or dine in modest places 5,000 baht for other needs, including transportation That leaves you with about 15,000 baht a month for entertainment, including just hanging out with other foreigners in a pub, or if you wish to spend little extra on something. It's not a lot, but it's doable. You might need to be compare with what lifestyle you will have, if you instead stay in your home country. In my case I have a better lifestyle here in LOS than I could for the same money in my home country...????

Green Zone restaurants that have been approved to serve alcohol from today, 1st October...

There are no tourists - the so far hardly 1,000 Samui+ won't count anything that matters - so of course most tourists businesses are closed at the moment; but how do you know that "35% gone to the wall"..? The 7-Elevens and Family Marts with blocked window seems more like temporary closed, until the situation change; a permanently closed convenient store from those chains will normally be totally dismantled within a week.

The PND90 tax return form states that only if you don't accept the withheld (15%) tax on interest, you shall report it - same for dividends (10%) - i.e. if you accept the withheld interest tax you don't need to do anything. The actual wording in English translation of PND90... 1. Interest, bill or debt instrument discount, which the taxpayer is the first holder (if opt not to pay tax at the rate of 15 percent) 2. Share of profits from mutual fund (if opt not to pay tax at the rate of 10 percent)

I wonder if their prediction is based on the Sandbox success, or they are looking on another crystal ball for this this and next quarter, where all restrictions are lifted...???? From what I've read in various forums - and I shall admit that I have no idea of what Indian people might wish for, so perhaps some 800,000 visitors are originating form India - then most of Western people wish to wait until it's easy to enter; this means no COE, and no expensive Covid-tests, and no SHA accommodation. Furthermore Westerners wish no restrictions in behavior during their holiday, things like limited alcohol servings, and no pub and bars forced to be closed - many tourists wish to enjoy a drink in the afternoon before dinner, and perhaps later in the evening spend some time in a pub, so it's not a question about lady bars - and no curfew, and no mandatory use of face masks. Don't forget that numerous Europeans have been demonstrating against mandatory use of face masks.

Might be depending on where on the island you look, how do you get the impression that 33 percent have "gone to the wall"..?

5 percent permanently closed does not sound as bad as many posters, over the last year or so, have given impression of in this forum, wonder if 5 percent is based on facts...????

My neighbor used grass squares, they seemed to do the job, they still move the lawn after 10 years...????

Yes, I saw 4 young farang couples - well one of the chicks looked black - on Maenam Beach today. The boys were playing ball of some kind, the girls were just sitting looking gorgeous in their bikinis, so seems like some tourists are coming...????

Probably only if you book a room with both a bed and a sofa...????

29th september Samui, no new cases Phangan, no new cases Koh Tao, no new cases 30th september Samui, no new cases Phangan, no new cases Koh Tao +2 new cases

"Why on earth should that happen? It simply doesn't make sense", is exactly what the Danes thought, but if you read the tax rules and the DTA, it makes sense. The DTA between Denmark and Thailand for example says in article 18 that "pensions and annuities may be taxed in both Contracting States". In principle you still need to report your income, and then either be exempt from tax, or having the tax refunded. Denmark claims it's right to tax pensions as "source Country". The DTA between USA and Thailand is for example more specific in USA's right for taxation as source country, it says that "pensions and other similar remuneration paid to a resident of a Contracting State in consideration of past employment shall be taxable only in that State" (Article 20). Therefore you cannot generalize, each country might have separate rules about double taxation, even that the so-called "standard agreement" says that pensions are taxable in the state of residence, which is mention in posts above to be used by Norwegians...???? A country can also have different type of DTAs with other states, for example it was before a tax heaven for retired Danes to settle in France or Spain, as the DTA said that their pension should be taxed in the state of residence - just like for the Norwegians in Thailand - and as both France and Spain have very beneficial low tax for retirees, they became "tax heaven" combined with in general also little lower living costs in the areas, where retired Danes would settle. However, Denmark cancelled both DTAs and suddenly all the "tax heaven"-Danes were subject to double taxation ...????

Totally different from what I hear and find in published studies, but science and experts often seems to disagree...????

I would presume that it's part of "amazing" Thailand...????