gk10012001

As a point of reference, I live in Florida. I have been to Thailand 15 times since 2004. My experience in Florida at our condo was the pool is great in the hottest season. Quite pleasant to sit out by the pool in the shade and hop in and out to cool off. We were right next to the intercoastal waterway and had a good breeze. But for 4 or 5 month of the year we never bothered with it. My parents, in the 20 years they lived there never ever went int the pool. What a waste of a nice resource. Now in the home I have been renting, the pool is on the North side of the house and gets little sunshine. The water gets quite cool at night and don't use the pool for probably 8 months of the year. The dog I am sure is broken and she loves the water at any time even while she shivers. On all my trips to Thailand I found I did not use the pool that much unless it was the low season and the hot months. I often traveled there during my Birthday month (May) and jumping in the pool after the hours of travel from the USA was heaven. Taking a nap outside, warm air, a little sea breeze, some palm trees or other tropical plants in view, reading a book, or a magazine... Just a joy for the senses. No work worries. Just chilling. Some times my hotel had an OK pool. Flipper roof top pools were OK. Other times I rented by the day at a different hotel such as Mike's Orchard infinity pool over on Soi 4 is it? That was beautiful. I also used to go to a pool up off of what used to be called Soi Yume behind what was Carre 4 (now Big C). I can't think of the name, but I recall some camel insignia? In high seasons, Oct-Feb, I did not use the hotel pools much at all, except in the years when maybe I traveled from a cold part of the USA to Thailand for vacation. Then the pool if it had some sun was OK for a swim now and then but more then than now. It sure was a nice change from a cold dry Utah winter or a pretty, but cold and snowy Vermont winter month. I get plenty of exercise just walking and wandering all over Pattaya and found out that I really did not swim that much. Now, as I have aged and am now 64, I find the pool so good for health, take weight off the spine, stretch out, get some exercise, etc. but I really don't like the water too cold. And the chemicals and chlorine are not my favorite. My sister in Florida has a salt water pool, and that is the bomb. But they seem to break the salt water thng often and will not or can not afford to pay for a new one which they say breaks every two years or so, so they went back to chlorine basics. I have not seen many salt water types of pools in Pattaya. I have two months off now and am house hunting in Melbourne Florida. I am at a hotel that has a nice pool and jacuzzi. It is quite warm here and the pool really is nice. On the drive down from Syracuse NY I stopped over night at a place in South Carolina that had a kickass pool. Nobody used it. Beautiful backdrop against tall pine trees. Lots of palm trees surround the pool deck. It was nice. I am sitting on purchasing my retirement home in Florida and waffling back and forth on getting one with a pool. If I really retire and spend most of my time in the home, I want a pool. It must be salt water type which I think I can convert to without too much effort if it isn't one to begin with. i would get some sort of pool heating thing installed, probably by me as an engineer hobbyist. That can keep the pool warmer for several more months at little cost and extends the swimming. Even if I dont swim too much, sitting out in the screened in lanai with some pretty plants, having the nieces and nephews come over and splash around is nice. If I travel as I had planned to last year, and semi retire to Thailand, then I won't get a house with a pool. I would have one roommate renting, or if I really do end up overseas a lot I might rent the whole house out and for simplicity and other reasons, a pool would not benefit me. The Thailand retirement plan has been on hold for well over a year now, given the situation over there, so I am going to take another contract job starting in October, keep doshing up and probably postpone any purchase decision. Buying a house is a big outlay and I often see people spend less time mulling that over than they do while shopping for groceries and chatting back and forth with the wifie about what to buy for dinner.

So no mention of single jab vaccines such as Johnson Johnson? All these other checks and tests will not help much if tourists still do not come due to COE, ASQ and other quarantines, costs of insurance, sparcity of flights from so many cities and countries, etc. then supposed to keep logging in and registering on websites to go out.... Just utter nonsense

Yes the incomers were just an easy target to get money from. They are a miniscule risk compaered to the millions of Thais that are running around un vaccinated. Silly policy was the sandbox as far as a COVID limiting thing.

Well, boycotting of mass transit systems is not a new thing. Martin Luther King led the boycott of some city bus systems in the USA and it was very effective. Just saying that the masses do have more power than they may realize

Placeholder, Jeffr2 And the usuals; Jeffr2, Placeholder, Chomper Higgot acting and posting as if it is etheir mssion to educated every body and that nobody else knows anything and continues to try and flame others. Vaccines are not the only way out of this mess. They are just the only way that Jeffr2 believes. Vaccines will most likely just delay the inevitable while making the parmacy companies billions. Now the booster shots, and new variants and other things. Heck the Mu variant is now one of the largest versians in new cases in Columbia. Vaccine breakthroughs, children carrying and transmitting the virus and other things are a long way from being wrapped up. Countries that did lockdowns, and countries that did not are all tending towards about the same final results. The mass psychosis and push and political influence of the pharmacy companies may very well induce, coerce or even mandate constant artificial and temporary immunity vaccinations for as long as the companies find it profitable. "And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

Just my two cents from 15 visits there over the last 17 years. Do NOT put down a huge deposit. If they demand it, then walk away. I caution against a long term lease as you mentioned 5 years. Things change. I would not do any longer than a one year lease. I highly recommend you keep some options open when committing to anything long term in Thailand. As for commissions, you will rarely get the full story. Simply smile and agree to pay what you think is fair. Some rents and lease rates are pretty low right now. I however, would not trust such a low rate being honored for 3 or 5 years, especially if Pattaya's situation improves. I know you would have a contract at what might be a low price now and supposedly guaranteed for 5 years. But temptations, pressures, etc. can arise. It is not unheard of to see things happen that induce a renter to move out.

I never said I fear anything. As far as committees and management, you poing out what could be and often is an issue, nazi over burdening condo management. The pendulum can swing too far in either direction.

That amount of vaccination percentage is never going to happen in Thailand. As for boosters, well, who knows how strongly those will be needed, or done. That sort of planning and manufacturing and distributing is a bit far away methinks

Yes. Neighbors, permanent or Airbnb as some units were, especially Chinese or other nationalities can be a problem. Stuff in 4 or 5 people in a unit next to you, and then good luck. Not to mention not rare condo association nazis that ten to pop up. Dealt with them in the USA at a place I lived in and I won't buy a condo unit ever again.

There are less things to steal as so many bars and clubs and gogos and other businesses closed up shop and took their goods with them.

Don't recall seeing many newsletters, but not too long ago some newer flyers would pop up around town and they would occasionally update their websites.

Take a look at the topographic map of the area. All downhill from the surrounding hills down to the beach. And if you walk up Pattaya Klang of course you will notice the incline. Lots and lots of acre feet of water flowing down to the sea. There is less forests, less trees, less shurbs, less vegetation to act as a buffer and slow down the flow of water and give it time to soak into the soil and down to the aquifers, be absorbed and stored by the vegetation, etc. Now add more and more concrete which inhibits the ability of the water to soak down. https://en-us.topographic-map.com/maps/a5gy/Chon-Buri-Province/

Thank you

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitcoin-no-value-people-banks-195931100.html Interesting article. Invest as you want. Bitcoin Has No Value: People Bank's Of China Official Announces Further Crackdown

It is always wise to advise caution and do a lot of diligence. So many people have no idea what the are investing in, they just think that crypto is new and cool and saw the big increases it had (while ignoring the big decreases it had and how a lot of people got whacked when they bought and sold at the wrong time). Get rich quick can be a big temptation

I agree with you. your comments also ring the same: Yawn..... this is the same rhetoric that has been making the rounds since Bitcoin first arrived on the scene. Yet, here we are. I guess there will still be people making similar statements ten years from now. You are drinking the Kook aid. Millions of crypto have been stolen, lost, etc. and those are just the big cases that make the news. To even try to assert that everything is above the board, that the software is verified and validated, that all transactions are secure and inviolate is ridiculous. Few people really understand block chains. Ethereum just announced a known bug was exploited if one used an older version of its sw. Invest as you want. I can imagine a few Etfs might be worth taking a shot at. But it is a pure gamble. There is no real basis to judge the soundness of the investment as one might when buying a stock, such as Does the company make money, is there a financial moat, is expansion or growth likely, and dozens of other possible criteria. Hoping to buy low and sell high...good luck

I suggest you consider the possibility of some Imploding. Regulation and disclosure in the USA could be a big issue. Around the world and in different countries, crypto has different levels of acceptance. The less than open nature of some crypto and criminal elements is long from a settled issue. It might not take much for some large scandal or theft to trigger some negative valuations

For you, well, actions have consequences. Would you accept her being mad at you for not taking her in unless she accepts a stipulation to get vaccinated? Would you refuse her entry if she does not get vaccinated and could you live with your decision? Is there enough risk to even worry about any stipulations or even making an issue out of her not being vaccinated? My own sister will not let me stay in the house for a few weeks visit while I am between contract jobs unless I get vaccinated. I have been paying rent to her for the past 5 years. Both her and her husband are vaccinated. I did have COVID barely symptoms last year. Slight fever gone overnight. I tried to reason with her that even vaccinated people can carry or transmit the virus, and they are probably a bigger risk to me than I am to them! I also pointed out that she is still going to work and teaching unvaccinated students at a private school, that her husband is still going to work at overnight delivery and interacting with people, that they still go shopping, and that she just flew cross country and back to San Francisco and back and of course was on planes, in airports, went out to eat with many people, etc. She also still goes and gets her nails and toes done, gets foot massages, etc. So I asked how can that behavior be construed as being risk aversive, and then worrying about what I might bring?! Of course she blew up at my asking and offering a contrarian opine to what she wants. She always was a hot head and a drama queen. Its too bad because her Husband is a cool guy and we get along and have a lot in common. Oh well. I tried to keep the money in the family and paid them for my board for all the years while I am away working on the road 98% of the year on contracts or long vacations so I thought we had a pretty good arrangement. I stop home maybe for two weeks a year and did visit at Christmas usually. No big deal. Now I stop paying them, and just go buy my own little retirement place. It was about time for that anyway as I am on what will most likely be my last contract job at my age and time to get a more permaent future home. The funny thing is they are broke and in debt and will really miss the monies I send them, but I can't change their spending habits they have been doing for 30 years. This just shows how irrational some people are and once they make up their mind they are not listening. Driving back to Melbourne Florida starting Monday to look at houses. Will be paying cash so the deal should close fairly quickly. Title insurance, quick house inspection, and my agent brings in a lawyer for the routine paperwork signing. No dealing with banks, and appraisals, etc.

I always was hoping to do some tutoring on the side in the engineering math or sciences. I am still a practicing engineer but when I retire (which is imminent) a little tutoring keeps the brain active, and I enjoy teaching. It just seems a wast to not be able to apply what I have learned and to help others for some nominal fee. I was imagining 10 hours a week or so would be optimal. While I do not need the money, there is nothing wrong with some extra on the side that pays my food or grocery bill every month or whatever

Show proof? How? No forgeries or fakes in Thailand? Okaaaay. This "relaxation" will not do much for the tourist dollars becasue with the current quarantine and travel rules, millions of tourists will not be coming. Relaxing shopping rules inside the fence does not do much if people don't come through the gate

Are the kids vaccinated? Either way, vaxed or not, the UK's decision is Draconian and irrational and is an example of penny wise and pound foolish. What happens if a traveler does not pay? Are they still dragged off to quarantine and kept there until they pay? Are they kept there and then let go after the designated time but sent a bill? Again, what if they don't pay the bill? Are they taken to court and sued? Or must one put funds in escrow before being allowed to travel to the UK?

Again you are being stupid and trying to deflect from your own idiocy. The cost is irrelevant if one was going to do the traveling anyway. My point was that if somebody was plannng on traveling, then scheduling it properly might eliminate some 90 day reports. People like you just love to read things that are not there. Give it up. You are focused on the wrong thing. Go lurk and troll elsewhere.

wow. This guy was a financial genius and great investor

really. They do provide commissions on siezures? That is never a good thing as it easily leads to over zealousness and improper things. Many court cases in the USA have happened where the cops just assumed the worst and confiscated things. People leaving Vegas for example have been stopped and cash siezed. Many months later the people had to sue to get the money back, but then signed non disclosures and promises to not sue in order t get the cash back, instead of being allowed to sue the police. And many more cases of confiscations of goods and property when people were innocent

I did not ask for anybody. I am not hiding in a bunker. I am constantly amazed how people such as you love to attack people and badger and belittle any time they can. Really is disgusting behavior and mentality on your part. Corruption will not stop and society will not move forward unless some people stand up to things. Some British people do object to the wealth of the British family and do question the modern need and necessity to continue to fund them. And the same sentiments towards the Thai monarchy which by all accounts has an even more quantity of wealth both in absolute terms and relative terms to the average Thai person's wealth. You seem to be accepting of the corruption. That is horrible