Everything posted by Kinnock
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Shipping possessions from UK
You'll still need an agent even if you have your own container. Booking space on a ship, customs documents etc. Most shipping agents will not be interested in a single container, but maybe K-Line (based in Thailand at Laem Chabang) can help, as they deal in single containers for specialist automotive industry suppliers? The relocation companies can help, and if you book a full container it's faster and simpler a part container load. Just avoid Crown Relocation .... from my experience they are slow, unreliable and expensive. I've heard good comments about Asian Tigers, but no direct experience.
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Jail time to return for Cannabis players as PM describes the trade as a threat to Thailand
The idea that making something like this a crime (again) will somehow make the world a better place, is laughable. Decriminalisation of things like gambling, prostitution and recreational drugs creates opportunities for control and order. Making them illegal just creates opportunities for corruption and disorder. But this assumes a country has an effective police and justice system, and not many countries can provide that.
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Old is old. Or is it?
I think that's Vampires not falang men?
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Best new Mini PC for the baht?
I noticed on their Lazada shop they also have i3 and i5 versions with up 1TB SSD .... but these don't seem to ship with Windows. I've also been looking at mini pc's, but they all seen to built in a garage rather than branded products .... is this the norm for minis?
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Most showers in a day
Minimum of 3. Morning before work, evening after work, before bed. Plus 1 after a run or bike ride. The Missus can get away with one or two a day .... but she doesn't seem to sweat.
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Disgusted
Not true. We bought a plot with an old house on it - and demolished the old house to build ours. It's very different hacking down a forest to plant a few dead banana trees to con the revenue department. But I've seen enough of your posts to know you just say things to start an argument.
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Toilet paper on the dinner table
The water guns make tissue in the toilets unnecessary. What surprises me now is the dinner table tissue dispenser in the toilet.
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‘Living hand to mouth’: Record number of police officers turning to food banks
I guess you've no direct experience of how the UK police ignore cases of burglary, the 90% plus stats for unsolved crimes in UK, the no go areas in Midlands cities and the contrast to the super strict enforcement of minor traffic offences. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1797053/justice-system-police-unsolved-crime-rate But don't let that influence your thoughtless knee jerk post.
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‘Living hand to mouth’: Record number of police officers turning to food banks
UK Police are not first responders. You'd be lucky if they ever respond, unless you drive at 23 mph in the endless 20 mph zones. I agree that ambulance and fire services deserve a better wage level, but UK police should be paid less based on their value and performance.
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Are hybrids still an option?
Weight, cost, pollution and stop/start cycle. Diesel engines are heavier than petrol, add in the weight of the batteries and you get one very heavy vehicle. They also cost more to make and the suspension and drive train will cost more to cope with the weight. One reason for hybrids is pollution reduction, this is negated by a diesel. The ICE engine in a hybrid stops and starts regularly. The high compression and longer warm up time of a diesel is not ideal for this use case. With locomotives, weight is much less of an issue, and they tend to run continuously day and night, hence diesel electric is a good option.
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Are hybrids still an option?
Sounds ideal for the way we use our car. We make regular trips from Bangkok to Chonbur for business, then make less frequent, longer 'road trips' to the North and South. So it sounds like the shorter journeys could be all electric? I liked the look of the interior of the Haval when I sat in one at the Motorshow. If I lived in US or UK I would worry about future sanctions if I bought a Chinese car, but have no worries about that in Thailand. And I think some GWM production is now in Thailand? How's the interior finishes stood up to daily use?
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Disgusted
Yes, unfortunately it's all about money. There was a large wooded area opposite our house, many birds, some impressively large bats - a nice splash of green. All hacked down to plant a few dead banana trees so the owner can pretend it's agricultural land and save a few Baht in tax.
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Armed guards at French schools after headscarf-row terror threats
I support the principle that old men can dictate what female students should wear. But I prefer those short black skirts and starched white shirts to a burka.
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Being pressured to pay off wife's mother's large debt.
There are many wonderful, devoted, caring and faithful wives in Thailand ...... but sorry to say, yours is not one of those. Press reset and start again. It will be painful at first, but the rewards if you find a good one are worth the effort. And on the other hand .... being single in Thailand is pretty good too!
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Are hybrids still an option?
I could charge at my house, and do the shorter trips on electric power alone. For longer trips I can use the IC engine - so no need for charging stations. Have not replaced my ICE SUV yet, as the only plug in hybrid that's not an over-priced import is the Mitsubishi Outlander, which is an old design. Waiting for a locally built option.
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PM Srettha: Legalise casinos to save Thailand’s economy
And, using the same logic, legalise prostitution? But this utopian view of legalising the grey economies for their benefits, assumes the existence of an effective police force to control the negative aspects the activities.
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Being pressured to pay off wife's mother's large debt.
Well yes ..... and I think there's a consensus amongst the learned forum members on that .... No!
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Being pressured to pay off wife's mother's large debt.
..... Because some of us have had the same predicament, so we can share learnings based on experience. He's not asking some random guys on the Internet .... this is supposed to be a forum about life in Thailand (and about Trump .... and EV's) 😃
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Being pressured to pay off wife's mother's large debt.
Noooooo! In my experience the extended family of a Thai wife are allergic to help. First issue is that they do not understand basic accounting traps such as compound interest or penalties for not paying every month. So within a year they will have more unsurmountable debt and will be back with hands out. Second issue is that they think you are rich, so anything you do will never be enough. They will resent you for the help and resent you more for not giving them 2 million .... each. Direct help for your wife on the condition she never borrows again .... OK. Help for the never-ending woes of the family. No!
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Are hybrids still an option?
I've taken a Kicks for a drive, and was impressed. Lively performance, especially from a standstill, quiet, comfortable, spacious interior. Interior quality is much improved on the latest model too. I also like that it does not have a rubber band CVT transmission, which is a weak point if you do high mileage. The very similar Yaris Cross has all the complexity of an ICE and a hybrid, but I guess this is only an issue if you plan to keep it a long time. Depreciation will be lower with the Toyota though. Ideal for me would be a plug in hybrid with a decent battery range that's made in Thailand, so I didn't buy a Kicks as it can't run on battery alone.
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Are hybrids still an option?
Yes, a plug in hybrid sounds like the ideal option considering current state of charging stations. But I think there's very few options on the market? If you don't want to pay import duty, isn't the Mitsubishi Outlander the only option?
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Why did Hollywood become so boring ?
It takes a coalition of investment businesses to raise the funds to make a movie, and they are looking for a guaranteed return on investment. This means a proven track record of consumers, either because it's a sequel, franchise or based on a successful book or video game. This has resulted to successive dumbing down of storyline. With the exception of a few writer/directors such as Christopher Nolan, who has the determination to do what he wants and the track record to raise the funds, everyone else just churns out boring franchised sequels that end in the predictable big final fight scenes.
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Thailand Ranks 2nd Most Attractive Investment Location in Asia
I think Thailand ranks high in the 'Chinese Opportunities Index, but very low in the 'Global Opportunities Index'
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Annoying cold calls…
I've managed to add most of the Thai spam calls numbers to my block list, plus the extensions for VOIP spam calls. Unfortunately, I also get the annoying Brit with the South London used car salesman accent .... he's trying to sell financial advice but sounds like he trying to flog a clocked Cortina.
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Your best sexual experience here in Thailand
My girlfriend (now my Missus - and still one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen), back at my apartment after a fun night out in Bangkok, a monsoon thunderstorm, a stack of cushions and a corner window. The lights were out, so I just saw flashes of her with each lightning strike. She was scared of the storm, but too caught up in the act to stop. I've never really been into sex with strangers, although I'm impressed with guys who can perform on a first meeting. For me I need to feel something for my partner, want to give pleasure as well as take, and need time to learn what works for her. It's like when you borrow a mates motorbike and take it for a spin .... it's never as good as a ride on your own bike.