Kinnock

I applied 2 months before I reached 66, and it took a total 7 months to receive the first payment plus the missed payments. So ideally you should apply well in advance of reaching the qualifying age.

I mentioned in a thread last year that Anutin would become the PM and the responses suggested I was crazy. Not looking quite so crazy now.

This thread, and the others about Thai Women, look to me as incompatible with the forum rule about not discriminating or posting slurs, degrading or overly negative comments on the basis of race, gender etc. Recycling old clichés about bargirls and claiming they are relevant for 51% of Thai people seems to be the main content of this forum recently. Are so many members really 'unlucky in love' .... or is it just posting heresay?

Yet another misogynistic thread from a serial loser who's total experience of woman is bargorls.

Ladyboy Sausages

Somtam with raw crab. Raw/live shrimps The cooked/prepared "Kanom Cheen' and 'Ahahn Damsan' dishes you often see in food courts and street markets, where it's cooked in the morning and served all day from unheated, fly-blown displays. Only eat this when it's first put on display, never at the end if the day. Khao Soi Ghai if wearing a white shirt. Anything a Thai person says is "quite spicy'. Pizza with tomato sauce (it's just wrong).

Europe can't afford a war. America and Russia can't afford to not have a war .... they are both militaristic cultures with overwhelming economic issues that needs a big distraction to avoid the harsh realities. So when Ukraine has finally been ground to ashes, another country will enter the meat grinder. Meanwhile Europe will become poorer and China (the true victor in the Cold War) will get stronger.

Sounds right. And that will increase inflation as almost everything we buy is hauled by diesel trucks. Food inflation will be amplified as farming also needs diesel even before the products are transported. But if it helps to buy another submarine or luxury watch, all's well.

I guess you didn't do chemistry at school? The diesel fuel combines with oxygen from the air - so increasing the weight. But the 'carbon tax' is still a scam to raise more submarine engine funds.

1 and 2 for me. I try to keep myself healthy, so may live for many years post retirement. I also need to know that my (24 years younger than me) wife has a good living standard after I've gone, plus want my daughter to have a good start on the house buying ladder. So don't spend much on myself.

Maybe there's sometimes a gap between the vision and reality? But my experience of Thai women at my office and in my private life matches the vision of the feminine, dedicated and caring Asian female. One factor distorting the Western male perception of Thai Women may be the unique culture of Isaan? As a shameless generalisation, the Isaan regions expects everyone else to support them. In Thailand most the money is made in Bangkok, the industries in the East and the tourism in the far North, the South and on the islands. Isaan farms struggle and many are dormant - just used to get government payouts, there's little industry or tourism, so it's like a vast Liverpool in the UK or Alabama in US. So the 'handout culture' extends to farmer's daughters. In the rest of Thailand people hold down 2 or 3 jobs to survive .... but in Isaan many just look for easy money.

It's an on-line system. You need to set up a UK Government ID confirmation first .... a clever system that uses your phone and your passport linked to the UK Gov website. Then there's a site for claiming from overseas (I forgot the link, but I just searched for it via Google). There's also a specific phone number for claims from overseas. They were very helpful and based in Newcastle, so no Indian call centre. I used Skype to call the number as you wait about 20 minutes on hold. You need to provide a postal address .... I used my Thai address so it was clear I'd not get the annual increases. I also have a UK address and bank account and considered using that, but I decided not to .... but if I start to spend more time in UK I'll change the address. I also gave my Thai bank details - but this was prior to the tax announcement, so may switch to UK bank for the higher tax free limit. Process was not hard .... but took a lot of time online and on the phone. I think it could done all by phone if you prefer. Took about 7 months to get first payment.

While I'm not a fan of EV's, running into the drive shaft of a bus is an extreme test of any car - and if the occupants walked away, that's a pass.

Everything happens in malls, with the exception of the pleasant Marina strip and the beaches in winter. Ramadan is a difficult time as all the restaurants and cafe are closed or covered during the day. There's nobody on the streets as it's too hot and dusty - so no street vibe, stalls or anything. Taxis are all driven by South Asians with no navigation skills or sense of direction. The 'skytrain' is good, with AC everywhere. OK if you have (lots) of ex-pat expenses and a good salary.

Remember that weedy kid at school who was always trying to please the school bully as he couldn't fight? He just asked the teacher for more homework as he think it makes him looks smart.

I think there's also the erotic, fantasy element creating the image of the exotic Asian woman. Suzie Wong, Geisha, Madamme Butterfly, Phuong in The Quiet American and more. I use the Flickr photo hosting site, and my pictures of the Missus get invited to literally hundreds of 'Asian Girlfriend, Asian Woman, Asian Wife' Groups. The idea of the submissive, feminine, beautiful Asian partner has become part of Western male culture.

.... but China will be OK with it, so no problem.

Newbie post with an improbable yarn. And while some Ladyboys can look convincing in photos, there's no way someone could not know until such a late stage in the proceedings. All such stories about the sausage surprise are just bicurious blokes being coy ..... embrace your open minded (and legged) approach to life and stop pretending it was a navigational orientation error.

We could have built a decent house for 2 million THB, which was the original budget, not including the land. We bought some land a few years ago in Bangsaen, near the sea. It had an old house on the plot - so had water, drainage, power and even a deep well. The idea was to demolish the old house and build a small retirement home using monthly income while I was still working ... so zero debt. I moved to a job overseas during the early stages of the project, so the Missus worked with the architect and builder .... both trusted friends. They did a great job, and the house is amazing ..... but the project creep was epic! Vast walk-in dressing room, 3 ensuites each bigger than my condo in Bangkok. A fully-glazed guest lounge and self-contained guest suite on the ground floor, plus one of THREE fully equipped kitchens (one outside, two inside). A vast lounge and bar on the upper floor (that we never use), then two huge master bedrooms of Saddam Hussein palace proportions. The builder bought all the old hardwood from a traditional shop house that was being demolished - so we have wonderful, restored timber shutters and windows. I love the place .... but it was not what the 'customer' ordered 😄 It was still funded from monthly income over a 3 year build, but final budget is 'not going to tell you' - according to the Wife. So beware of wife-induced project creep 😅.

The weed sold by the legal shops doesn't seem to be very strong anyway. I don't smoke, but tried what was claimed to be a full strength weed brownie, hoping for a reprise of my university-era giggling sessions .... and nothing happened.

Great background and the guy and his dog complete the scene.

Shabu buffet

Top 3 in order: Japan, Thailand, Korea. Indonesia could be in the top group, but same as in large parts of Malaysia, Sweden and UK, the Islamic influence clouds the issue.

Well I thought it was funny 😄 And also makes me appreciate my wife even more. A constant 27'C for the AC setting. Family drinking sessions take place outdoors, mainly due to the 'bin yang' grill .... so fan only.