NoshowJones

On 3/13/2025 at 6:24 PM, offset said:

The some of the fix interest rates shown for this bank are for Thai people for foreigner the rates are lower 

What bank is KTB? Is that Krungthai Bank or Krungsthri (yellow bank)?

15 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Thais have more patience.

I hope wouldn't be referring to their dreadful road behaviour surely.

5 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

There are many Brits in Pattaya when i venture to those areas, and regulars. Most who sit their long term, are on some form of benefits back in the UK, some setting up accounts in Phillppines - these people look thick as anything but when it comes to fiddling the system suddenly turn into Steve Jobs. 

 

They're all racist too, and blame all the issues on immigrants, meanwhile they themselves are fleecing their own country. 

"meanwhile they themselves are fleecing their own country."

Can you please give an example of this, I mean what benefits are they claiming? 

12 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

Many Brits i meet who live in Thailand, are on some sort of benefits from the generous UK, more so after Covid. Absolute parasites. Then they pontificate on muslims..

 

Awful. 

OK, "absolute parasites." I do not agree with people on benefits living abroad then claiming from the UK government, but what about UK MP's? They are even bigger parasites, some have other jobs ie Lawyers and Company Directors etc, while drawing their full MP's salary, and what about the ones claiming second mortgages for other homes at the UK taxpayers expense?

On 3/12/2025 at 10:11 AM, NoshowJones said:

I deliberately stay local during Songcran as I know all it will take is some Farang to throw water over me and there will be severe consequences.

Confused are you?? I think it is very plain.

On 3/11/2025 at 5:02 PM, georgegeorgia said:

I don't exactly know 

It's a Qantas Pay card ,like a debit card 

I'm only a hospital cleaner I have no idea 

Did I press that Agoda button twice 

At least try to help me out ,you have never helped me even once scorecard!

A Travel Card is a virtual card issued by Krungthai Bank which allows you to transfer money from them to you if you are in, ie the UK.

16 hours ago, jesimps said:

Three places I've been during Songkran which are chaos, Pattaya, Kanchanaburi and Bang Saen. Pattaya being the worst, it's mayhem and drags on for a week to a greater or lesser extent. If you're a Songkran lover, Pattaya's definitely your place.

I deliberately stay local during Songcran as I know all it will take is some Farang to throw water over me and there will be severe consequences.

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

A PR puff piece for this hapless administration. She has accomplished next to nothing. That entire family is so toxic at this point. They hoped her youth would fool people into thinking that she was progressive. She is just a younger dinosaur. 

 

She is moving Thailand backwards at a breakneck pace. 

 

 

That may very well be true, but I would still have her as "PM" rather than the soldier who led an illegal coup and stayed in power for nine years.

On 3/10/2025 at 9:26 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

For proof, I give you the 1%. Richest men on the planet and never satisfied. Always fearful that someone is going to take it away and always wanting more more more.

That's capitalism for you.

Anyone know why all the daily contact lenses at Lazada are out of stock?

Anyone know why all the daily contact lenses at Lazada are out of stock?

5 hours ago, SMIAI said:

 

Perhaps you failed to understand anything at all.

Let's go back. You told an anecdote about a particular hospital that charges foreigners 500 baht. My advice was to avoid that particular hospital if you cannot afford the 500 baht.

Is that too difficult for you? It seems that you are just searching for a way to complain about something.

Pattaya City Hospital is not the only choice in town. You aren't forced to go there. But if it's the closest to where you live, then you can choose to pay 500 baht for the convenience or simply go further afield. Not everyone lives on Soi Bua Khao.

It's not a Thailand thing. It's you. @BritManToo pays 50 baht. I don't remember paying any premium when I chose to visit a government hospital and I rarely go anywhere early in the morning. So the oft spoken untruth about having to go early in the morning and to wait all day, has not ever applied to any of my visits. Good service and not expensive.

Some people are prone to making problems for themselves.

It was a farang outside the hospital who told me what happened to him, did I not say that? Are hospitals not like banks and immigration offices who just make up their own rules?

This is Thailand.

2 hours ago, SMIAI said:

 

But you paid for that with taxes and such. You didn't in Thailand.

Who didn't?

1 hour ago, SMIAI said:

 

So? Is 500 baht too rich for your blood? Is that not affordable? They charge a premium to foreigners. If you cannot afford it, go elsewhere. It's a city centre hospital. Move away from the centre and you won't need to pay a premium.

How much to see a doctor in your home country?

"How much to see a doctor in your home country?"  Nothing. As for your post. 

On 3/6/2025 at 3:47 PM, BigLek said:

In general, I believe foreign retirees are a positive presence in Thailand, more so than tourists. Retirees typically stay in Thailand nearly full-time, consistently spending money, including at private hospitals over time. From what I’ve seen, most of them don’t cause any trouble either. They tend to make an effort to assimilate into the culture and get along well with locals. On the other hand, I think it’s the short-term visitors, those who don’t grasp the nuances of the culture, that tend to create more problems for the local community.

Excellent post. I have been here for 20 years and have had lots of farang friends although not any more, they have all died or moved away.

Of all these farang friends, apart from the odd drunk or druggie, have all been decent people.

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Florida Keys are transient land. The next hurricane could demolish them.

 

Freedom of speech is no problem for people who keep their mouths shut.

What sort of life has anyone got who keeps their mouth shut?

On 3/8/2025 at 2:57 AM, UserC923 said:

The most ridiculous news story I have ever seen in my life.

When Thailand was a dictatorship, it may be true that we Thais were quite wealthy, had large and magnificent houses and 4-5 cars parked in a row. But today, we are very poor. If you look at the big picture, Thailand has never experienced any crisis. So why is the economy in recession?

Thailand's three neighbors have disappeared since Covid, whether it's a depreciation of the currency, war or a decrease in tourists. Why have they survived until now?

This is the reason why most Thais are not interested in democracy.

"When Thailand was a dictatorship".  Was???? It still is. What other country forces it's expats to do 90 day reporting? We are not criminals on parole, so why are we treated as if we were??

On 3/7/2025 at 4:24 PM, 123Stodg said:

For decades, Thailand has been labeled a “Third World” or "Developing Country", laden with corruption, etc, but in many ways, it now offers a better quality of life than some so-called developed nations. So how do we measure the comparisons?

 

While many Western countries struggle with rising costs, declining public services, decaying infrastructure and increasing social tensions, Thailand quietly provides an alternative that many find more appealing. Affordability, safety, public services and overall happiness, has Thailand already surpassed the West in the most important aspects of daily life?

 

Cost of living is an obvious advantage. In Thailand, one can enjoy high-quality food, affordable healthcare, and comfortable housing at a fraction of what it costs in many Western cities. Healthcare for locals is accessible and inexpensive and dining out is not a luxury but a daily norm. Public transportation, especially in Bangkok, is efficient, modern, and inexpensive compared to the overpriced, outdated, aging and often unreliable transport systems in many Western countries like the US and UK. 

 

Crime and public safety are also worth noting. While no country is without crime, Thailand generally feels safer than many urban centers in the West, where violent crime rates have also risen a lot in Western cities in recent years. Community cohesion remains strong in Thailand, with people still valuing social interactions and respect for others. Inequality surely exists, but it doesn’t feel as stark or socially divisive in daily life as it does in some Western countries where there is a higher percentage of poverty and homelessness now than in Thailand.

 

Lifestyle in Thailand is another factor that seemingly sets it apart. The balance of work hard to enjoying life is often better in Thailand, with less emphasis on the constant grind and more appreciation for leisure, family, and social life. Culture and a sense of happiness contribute to an overall quality of life that many Westerners also find refreshing.

 

So, is Thailand still really just another “developing country,” or has it quietly outpaced the West in many important aspects of daily life that most people heavily value? 

 

While some will argue that Western nations still lead in technology, quality of life isn’t measured by GDP alone. More and more people might be thinking Thailand now offers a better, freer, and more fulfilling way to live than what used to be considered the dream of life of living in a developed Western society. 

A lot of what you say here is true, but "affordable health care" may be the case in some public hospitals, but I was told by someone who went to the public hospital in Soi Buakow in Pattaya, that he would have to pay 500 Bt just to see the doctor alone before any charges for medical attention.

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Use the 3bb phone app and pay by QR code.

Cannot get 3bb phone app.

18 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Thailand is much cheaper but better no. West has too many rules though. Socialism has ruined the west.

Capitalism has ruined it even worse, especially in the UK, with all these rich "Sirs" and "Lords".

16 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Wife ordered a couple things, no problems.  BUT, you have to make sure it is the 'TEMU' site, as I see a lot, most of,  the ads on sites, are not the TEMU site, even though listed as.  The not so fine print points that out.  Need to read the url address, same with all the fake ads of ridiculously low priced offerings.

That's interesting. Thanks.

Temu suddenly arrived on my computer. I was very impressed by their products and prices so I ordered a couple of items, this was about 3 weeks ago. They still have not arrived.

I keep getting emails almost daily. One had a heading "We regret to tell you", another "Credit back". But it was just a ploy to advertise more of their products.

Are Temu worth dealing with?

4 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

Still a thousand times better than the MOT test in Thailand, yet you said nothing about the low level of the MOT there.

 

I bought a used car about 3 years before I came to stay in Thailand. It just received a full years MOT. I noticed a smudge mark (not a crack) on the passenger side windscreen. I pointed it out and asked about the mark and was told it was not enough to fail the MOT.

The following year the car passed the MOT with nothing being said about the mark, the following year the car failed the MOT because of the mark, I repeat again the UK MOT is a farce and is about money first and the safety of the car second.

On 3/5/2025 at 10:12 PM, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

I have a PM2.5 monitor in my house in Phuket, I live a few hundred meters away from the main road, and the roads in my area are private so barely any traffic, the measurement on the monitor in my room is never above 10, normally around 6. 

 

The problem with big cities here is as you say the cars and pollution.

 

In the UK a car MOT takes 1.5 hours normally, important tests are regarding the car's emissions.

 

I take my car for an "MOT" test here every year, the front wheels are put on a set of rollers, the front brake is applied, and the same thing is done to the rear wheels, total mot time is four minutes, passed, OK for the next year.

 

I have my car serviced every year by Toyota and it is good for emissions etc but I wonder how many millions of cars on the roads do not have such service levels. 

MOT's in the UK is nothing more than a money making exercise. You can take a car out of the garage with a new MOT and something could happen further down the road that could have meant a failure.

All that is needed is a compulsary annual major service done by a qualified garage.

If anyone doubts what I am saying, suppose you could take any car more than 3 years old of the road at random  and give it a full MOT.

How many would pass it? I rest my case.

13 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

another stupid comment.

Not as stupid as yours.