falangUK

That sounds really cool 🙂 my brain kinda stagnates out here in Thailand. You doing any vibe coding with AI stuff? Working on any interesting apps? I seriously need to get some fun geeky stuff back into my life, lol. Been finding the investing stuff pretty fun and refreshing too.

Thanks for sharing all that 🙂 really appreciate the detail. Your setup looks well balanced and thought through. I’ll take some time to study it properly and make notes to get my head around everything. Thanks again 🙂

Sounds like solid advice, I'll keep it in mind if I ever decide to buy. Also gave me the idea to revisit some of the plots we’ve checked out before, see their current condition, whether boundary markers are still intact, etc. Smart move buying up the remaining plots in your soi—better to secure them than risk someone loud or problematic moving in. A friend went through that and it turned into a headache.

Honestly, I'm drooling over all this amazing stuff—compared to the Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty CS curriculum we had at uni. I’ve always loved calculus, even though I was pretty terrible at it (still am, tbh). Totally agree—a PhD or beyond is pretty much essential for diving into advanced calculus. I just assumed the basics of CS were being taught properly. Asking for a friend lol, but is there even a point in trying to learn advanced calculus at this stage in life? Late 40s, always been fascinated, just never had the right teachers… and maybe the cognitive wiring isn’t quite there either.

Thank you 🙂

Are you able to allude to what some of the treatment options were? I'm guessing it wasn’t anything out there like biologic injections or immunosuppressants from some eccentric Thai doctor—did they suggest managing it through diet?

Also consider the hygiene and backgrounds—farm fresh, uneducated. Some of us really do end up in this place with blinkers on, leaving our brains at the airport. Wish I’d realised this 14 years ago or had the maturity to see it back then, lol.

Why would a PhD be required to teach? During my academic career in the UK, many of my colleagues didn’t have PhDs—some didn’t even hold a Master’s or a Bachelor’s degree. In fact, several of my PhD students were more academically qualified than the deputy head of the department.

Looks like you've done really well. Land around where I live near the Chiang Mai–Mae Rim border is actually more expensive than buying a house and land in the city. I'm pretty tempted to buy something with my Thai girlfriend using a usufruct—even though I always said I’d never go that route, especially since I wouldn’t expect anything back from the land or the relationship if it came to that. But just for the experience and maybe sell it off later. My only real concern is people encroaching on the property, though that doesn’t seem to be an issue in your case since it’s all in the same soi.

That was incredibly poorly thought-out legislation. I can't believe they planned to build something on top while people are still living there—it’s just insane. Glad they cancelled it in your case. Now it's another thing for me to worry about with the flat. I actually noticed a planning permission notice from the council stuck on a lamp post in front of the building and assumed it was for the car park next door. Seriously considering selling and putting the proceeds into investments like FTWG, VEVE, and VUSA. I'm guessing you've allocated most of yours to global equity funds too. I don’t know a whole lot about this stuff yet, so there’s always that worry in the back of my mind that if the market tanks, I could be in trouble. Based on your input, it seems smart for me to add VHYL and VUKE—or maybe L&G UK Equity Income—to my portfolio. Overall Plan • Emergency: Cash, MMF, Short Gilts • Long-Term: FTWG / VEVE / VUSA • Avoid: Short-term market exposure • No: Crypto or complex speculation Optional :
 VHYL (dividend focus) – smoother ride, lower growth
 UK equity tracker – home bias + aligns with GBP-based expenses
 Small EM allocation – higher volatility and long-term bets
 1–2 active funds – To explore a bit 🙂 Thanks again.

Thanks, Guessing this isn’t an option for a British citizen?, since most of these are likely only available to US citizens

Thanks for the masterclass—really appreciate you taking the time and effort. Sorry for the delay in replying, I’ve been travelling and also dealing with food poisoning. I’ve realised I need to do a lot more research. It’s actually interesting and enjoyable. I hadn’t even considered my workplace pension, but that’s there and I should be eligible for it in a few years. I’ll likely keep a portion of the emergency fund in savings. I assume with ETFs like FTWG, VEVE, and VUSA, it’s possible to liquidate quickly in an emergency, though likely at an unfavourable rate depending on market conditions. Here’s my current plan—let me know if it seems too complicated: Emergency money → cash, money market funds, short gilts Long-term investing (5+ years) → FTWG, VEVE, VUSA Medium-term (1–5 years) → short-term bond funds, laddered gilts, or fixed-term cash deposits As for platforms I’m considering: Vanguard UK: lowest fees, but limited investment options AJ Bell Youinvest: low cost (around 0.25% platform fee) Hargreaves Lansdown: slightly more expensive Fidelity UK: wide range of funds, decent tools One potential issue—I'd like to invest in the Vanguard Sterling Short-Term Money Market Fund, but I think I need to be a UK resident to do so. I’m usually abroad and considered non-resident for tax purposes. I can use my UK address, but not sure if that’s fully legit. On Thailand—loved Pattaya in my first year, but not after that. Really glad I didn’t buy property there. Would’ve been a hassle to sell, and I completely agree with not buying anything significant in Thailand. I don’t want to invest in something I don’t truly own, even with a usufruct. I’ve probably spent over 3 million baht in rent over the last 14 years, but I’m still glad I never bought. Never will. No kids—just 13 dogs and a Thai girlfriend. Her dad, for some reason, once tried to convince me to buy land and build her a house… while he was drunk. All in good fun, but from what I’ve seen in Pattaya, the way some Thai families behave when the farang isn’t around definitely doesn't encourage me to buy anything here.

My experience too, but in Pattaya. He made his money as an entrepreneur in the UK, then invested in property across Southeast Asia. Not quite a billionaire, but worth around £400–500 million. Looks like a broke pensioner, but we hit it off. Great wingman despite the age gap. His Thai wife used to get annoyed with me for dragging him to the bars, but truth be told, he never needed much convincing.

She was nice, but pushed for me to stick with steroid creams and suggested biologic injections—which may or may not work and start at around $1,000 a month. Cost isn't the issue, but the bigger concern is that she claimed the immune-suppressing injections have no side effects. That’s in contrast to a board member’s experience at Bumrungrad in Bangkok, where they put him on a diet and helped him manage his condition through nutrition, even setting him up with a dietitian. I haven’t tried that approach yet, but it’s something to keep in mind.

Honestly, I’m not sure what professions they’re in—there’s an overwhelming number of Indians and Nigerians in my area. I assume mostly nurses or maybe unemployed, but I could be wrong. For all I know, some might be ex-Spitfire pilots, though they don’t look old enough. Especially the Bible-carrying Nigerians who try to convert me when I’m just trying to relax in the park.