GazR

On 12/28/2021 at 1:44 PM, DrJack54 said:

Some folk refer to a Non O-A retirement as "retirement visa".

They are obtained in your own country or country of residence.

If you actually plan to retire here and live ongoing I would suggest you obtain a Non O (retirement).

The non O can be obtain in Thailand once here or depending on which country your from can be obtained there.

You will require further advice about the financial requirements of both options. 

Personally I would defer travel to Thailand currently. 

Thanks - I don't have 800k, so I meant returning on a tourist visa and paying an agent in Thailand to put up the funds (for a day) and apply for the retirement visa. I got the retirement visa this way without leaving Thailand from 2010 to 2020. Now I have an agent in Thailand quoting as follows:

"Non O immigrant visa is 20,000 THB
A year retirement visa is 16,000 THB"

QUESTION: Why would I need both, or is the above just a silly answer to a silly question?

On 12/28/2021 at 1:50 PM, ubonjoe said:

If entering visa exempt or on a tourist visa you can apply for a non-o visa and then during the last 30 days of the 90 days from the non-o visa you can apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement at immigration.

Or do you mean Non-OA visa issued by a embassy or official Thai consulate,

Thanks - I don't have 800k, so I meant returning on a tourist visa and paying an agent in Thailand to put up the funds (for a day) and apply for the retirement visa. I got the retirement visa this way without leaving Thailand from 2010 to 2020. Now I have an agent in Thailand quoting as follows:

"Non O immigrant visa is 20,000 THB
A year retirement visa is 16,000 THB"

QUESTION: Why would I need both, or is the above just a silly answer to a silly question?

I would like to return to Thailand (lived there 25 years) on a retirement visa once things settle down re covid: Are they still issuing retirement visas, I wonder, and has the process changed? I used to get mine through an agent.

Re alternatives to Brazil: Argentina is currently in economic crisis mode and experiencing hyperinflation - again. Venezuela is a basket case. 

14 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

All the Nations in S E Asia will be looking at the Tourism Industry.

Many will be picking up the pieces from Thailand,s demise in the Sector.

Nations such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia are going to have increased Tourist numbers because Thailand has played a greed game, that now will bite them in the A55.

All the other Nations can offer more bang for the buck than Thailand, and also a better Vacation Experience.

As with Business,s, Covid has given many an opportunity, and time to stand back and do a reality check, and the results are going to surprise many for sure in the Tourism sectors of SE Asia.

Based on it's size, Thailand would still offer a far better commercial sex experience for tourists.

When you believe in things
That you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way

STEVIE WONDER

15 hours ago, Tanomazu said:

Exactly, and in Thailand you only get charged income tax if you brought the money in and it was earned in the same year.

 

Much better tax rules for expats in Thailand.

Aussie Questioner: I have a Thai Taxpayer ID number from the Revenue Dept.. My understanding is that, If i were to retire to Thailand and live on investment income and/or a pension, then I would be liable (if not expected) to declare both as income and potentially incur a tax liability.  .What say you, chaps ?

9 hours ago, sanooki said:

Thank you. Very interesting story. I see that writing on the wall, so instead of trying to please them by spending countless hours, I am really leaning towards "damned if I don't." After finding out about my mate's 6 month contract, it sort of clinched it for me. Part of me is so damned stubborn though.

If you are the only white face left, it's more likely they will keep you on. My friend from Trinidad with a U.S. Ph.D. teaches at KMITL, and when applying for work at better universities here recently,he always found that "it's all about the passport" which is the main reason he's going to give Thailand the bird and teach in S'pore. 

7 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

i suggest getting a gps reading

The PDK Kawasaki KR150 has 50 hp and there are a few in Thailand if you've got a spare 150-300k.

On 6/9/2009 at 7:53 PM, INTJ said:

So does a stock TZM do 180plus ?

On my speedo with my 70kg - yes. The TZM has 36hp stock compared to the 33hp of a stock a TZR.

On 9/7/2018 at 1:06 PM, 9KPhalak said:

Yet pay for a farang English teacher is 30,000 baht per month. 

20 years ago the pay was the same - or more.

No wonder Thailand will remain in the 'middle-income trap' for the forseeable future.

On 5/20/2018 at 4:40 PM, MartinL said:

I like my 250 Max a lot. I've been a classic Ducati bloke mainly (with some modern Triumphs, Suzukis etc. thrown in) in my other life and this style of bike suits me well now. I don't do many miles and 95% of what I do are on Isaan backroads, 300 - 500 km trips rather than short in-town use.  

 

I bought one in red, silver engine and cast wheels. I don't like drab-coloured bikes and black engines but my local dealer seems to sell far, far more black/matt bikes than red/white/green/orange, although maybe those colours aren't so easily available from Stallions, I don't know. I also didn't want wire wheels - the cast wheels are suitable for tubeless tyres, bringing all the advantages of tyre choice and  increased safety.

 

The standard tyres (I'm guessing) make for poor steering at slow speed - so much so that, after riding mine home from the shop first time, I checked the steering head races for overtightness but they were fine. I've now got used to them but the feeling persists - I'll change them for lower-profile Pirellis or Michelins when they're worn a bit more and that'll mean chopping an inch or so off the sidestand.

 

Engine is flexible and I can put it in top at about 40 kph and still have reasonable acceleration without jerking. Top speed solo has been 128kph on my GPS, 120 with MrsL on board. Fuel economy so far about 32 km/litre or so, about 90 mp(UK)g if that's more to your taste. Fuel goes onto reserve when two bars show on the fuel gauge and I can then get about 9 litres in the tank, giving a reserve of about 3 litres/90 km. 

 

Engine is almost identical to an old Suzuki design which means a free workshop manual for the engine is available online if you want it.

 

Speedo and odo are 100% accurate according to my GPS. The speedo needle is steady. 

 

Neutral very easy to find both when stationary and rolling forward. Gear selection is light and positive but a bit awkward when MrsL is on board. Clutch is good and light. Gear indicator is OK but I don't use it.

 

Neither myself nor my wife are big but seat is cramped two-up. Plenty of room solo.

 

Idiot lights are small and useless in daylight, but that seems common to many bikes - it was certainly the case with my last Kawasaki.
 

Brakes lack 'feel' but, despite that, do their job adequately. However, I'll be changing to EBC pads soon which will (I hope) improve performance.

 

Front suspension can be a bit harsh but is well damped, rear is fine.

 

Starting is easy but needs choke and the engine takes a while to warm up to tickover off choke. Warming up can't be done on the sidestand - there's no switch arrangement to allow the bike to run in neutral with sidestand down - use a paddock stand or by-pass the sidestand switch.

 

Paintwork is as good as the day I got it. Nothing's fallen off. No rust evident. I plan on changing a few more things one of these days but that's part of the attraction of this CHEAP and simple bike, IMO - experimenting is easy.

 

If I can answer any other questions, just ask away.

 

One thing I would say, though, is that Stallions have just announced a new 250 which might mean this one is no longer available, which would be a pity. I started a thread about the new 250 Makina here a little while ago. Look it up - you might like that one even more.

Hi ML, I have been looking at the Kawa W175 (enough power with an NSR carb - it's a Boss with only 5 gears) and the Max 250 as replacements for my TZM - although a good CBR 150R would be the sensible choice. Pics attached of my bikes ? Thanks for your erudite comments - I too am mostly a back-roads rider. Sixty two next month and been living here half my life.

On 3/10/2016 at 11:50 AM, Familyonthemove said:

Ah yes - Kawasaki GTO has a certain classic cool charm.

There's been posts on TV asking if anyone has a good one for sale - always a good sign.

Cool, but no match for Yamaha RX Energy Induction. Not so cool looking with your knees high and wide IMO.

Seen in isolation. they look nice, but unless you've got very short legs you will look a bit silly - like those guys riding Yamaha RXs and Kawasaki GTOs with their knees splayed out. Not a problem on my Yamaha TZM, but if I was to trade up (?) to a Stallions Buccaneer or GPX Gentleman, I might look the same. BTW any local owner reviews on those two - in English? 

No need to describe the driver as 'female' in the headline.

On 3/9/2016 at 6:53 PM, CLW said:

Kawasaki GTO

Because I drive one 555

Love the GTO and the RX and owned both - but only riders under 5'6'' look good on them. RX-S was particularly sweet - great soundtrack. Concorde better, but not pretty.

On 8/3/2017 at 5:41 PM, Jdiddy said:

Around town: Yamaha TZM 150cc 2 stroke with no mirrors, lane filtering monster

Road trips: R1 or S1kRR

Anyone in Bangkok got a nice TZM for sale ?

The winner will be The Transport Company  (state-owned) as it has the lions share of  (if not a monopoly on) inter-provincial bus routes.

The losers will be the passengers as its buses are relatively slow, unreliable and uncomfortable compared to the private tour buses. 

9 hours ago, Awohalitsiktoli said:

Unfortunately, this is the "next generation," which is "generation zero" because they have zero to offer Thailand or anybody else. The education system needs to change.  Here is a one-word suggestion for those who would like to change the education system:  Singapore.

 Part of Singapore's education policy since 2007 has been based on a HEAD/HEART/HANDS approach wherein HEAD is sub-divided into THINK/KNOW/UNDERSTAND. Unfortunately, from my more than 20 years teaching experience here, I can say that the approximate average ability score for 90% of Thais in any REAL academic setting re the latter three categories would be <<50%/<50%/<<<50%.  So i opened my own school :-)  

Hang on, there is an opposition? When did that happen? I thought they had taken their ball home because they kept losing. Bad news 'opposition,' you will always lose at the election box. Ban all the politicians you want, you've tried this before...how did that work out? Unless you want to become North Korea or be the new Burma of ASEAN. I thought one of these lot had been to Oxford? I assumed it was the University...

The only thing this tells me is that the bar you were at yesterday has Happy Hours every Tuesday.

The Yingluck administration is being squeezed out from many different angles at once. The election failed to deliver them a quorum, and there is no credible path to achieving one. They are frozen on delegating funds, establishing contracts with other countries, attracting investment, announcing any policies, nor the ability to continue existing ones. Even the power of the emergency decree will likely be challenged in court. The actions we see the Yingluck administration now take on a daily basis is all they can do. All they can do is talk. They can express outrage and " try " give orders to the EC, they can " try " to establish a PR narrative of blame, they can " try " to arrange auctions to salvage the rice scheme, and they can " try " to continue to administer an avalanche of threats on those that oppose the administration. They are also reduced to the ultimate humiliation of trying to seek whatever power can be granted them through the very oversight institutions that they have held such open disregard for in the past. But much more than that, they can't open government offices, they can't stifle the protest on the streets, and the inexorable march of the courts continues. They have been backed into a corner. The Prime Minister has long ceased to occupy her office at Government House. She is being jostled secretly from location to location, ascending and descending stairwells. She arranges interviews with international media outlets, where she is confronted by another kind of discomfort - caught between the probing, disconcerting reality of the questions posed to her - and her efforts to show a skeptical press that she is capable of handling any of it.

I've been saying it for weeks: She's toast.

Thailand has a Think Tank ? i know it has a lot of thick tanks but a thinking one ? hmmm a novelty

Good one and at the same time somehow manage to reduce a possible value of the article itself.

Anyway, once more it becomes clear that figures provided by the government do not match up. Even a golf caddy would have difficulties to explain away how come this wonderful scheme which should be continued for years and make Thailand a profit, how come this not only didn't work out, could never work out, but was even allowed to continue with losses mounting into the hundred billions.

Thailand has at least two 'think tanks' - I used to work at a different one: www.kpi.ac.th