ghworker2010
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Posts posted by ghworker2010
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Yesterday I started looking (for the first time) in the frozen food section of Top supermarket at good old Robinsons. I decided to buy 2 packets of frozen lamb chops. To my surprise they were really delicious. I cooked cous cous and also roasted potatoes / pumpkin.
The 4 lamb chops cost me a total of thb370 which is steep but worth it once in a while. If I buy a couple of steaks from the fresh meat area of Tops it would be around 150baht. By comparison eating lamb is expensive but I think I will start having it once a month. It reminds me of living back home.
When did you last eat lamb?
cheers
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I'm not a POM but I do like the British brand of black teas that one can buy in Top supermarket. I recently also purchased some cardamon and add this to my tea bag with full strength milk. Absolutely delicious. Someone suggested maybe some nutmeg might go well with that combo.
I also try to drink some Japanese green tea everyday. I put a teaspoon of the green tea leaves in the cup and pour water directly over it. Its good for ones health.
Please share any other tea drinking tips. I want to hear some tips from anyone who cares to share their knowledge.
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33 minutes ago, starky said:
Thaivisa search function not working?
meaningless comment from bored member is working.
If OP wants to raise a thread about anything he/ she can do so. This is not North korea.
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On 8/29/2017 at 6:13 PM, alanferdi said:
Thailand Thailand....Lovely Open country with beautiful landscape and people who do have a heart.
What got me off my rocker was the fact that you were constantly nagged.....Its normal to retire and live a normal lifestyle. But NO...Not in Thailand.
1. You have to go through these 90 day checks...they want to see if you are alive. It has got easier with this govt. but still a hazzle. Why cant they make a digital system and have retirees an ID like in Hong Kong?
2, Then you need to keep 800.000 blocked in a bank and produce receipt of it each year when you go to renew your pension visa.
3. The constant hackling and having to play games with the immigration officials that seem to make up things as they go along.
a. No working - Painting your own house or doing some manual work around your own house could put you into position to pay a fine from 50.000Baht. What nonsense is this. A retiree should be able to do the things he loves to do around his own house. Its his property and his money and bloodywell his hobby so what the cracker is this.....Retirement benefits for Thai employment.
b. There are jobs that only Thais can do
c. Farang is always farang and always in the wrong. The legal system does not protect. its only there to make the process a maze to both its own citizen and the rest of the world.
After spending money and making sure of the loops. It seemed to get out of hand and I thought it best to leave the country.
I am presently in Sri Lanka. It costs me 10.000Rs for a Residential visa or Retirement visa. Which is 100$. I can choose my own home, work in it and also be treated as a local. I do not have to jump loops in a circus as in Thailand. And besides most people do speak English and its easy to get about and do the things that I love doing as a retiree.
Happy I left Thailand nothing to loose!!!!
Im sorry but painting ones own house is NOT a risk. What are you talking about? This is B.S right?
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3 hours ago, jumbo said:
I dont agree with that very broad statement... there are local (some bi lingual) schools even government provided that are better than the often overpriced international schools and often the international schools give a lesser smooth link towards Thai universities of which some are excellent as well..
I agree and if your child is top of the class intellectually then there's a better chance of getting into one of the medical degree's via the 'quota' system thats available at some of the govt schools.
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On 9/12/2017 at 0:17 PM, jumbo said:
Ayutthaya, hands down. Has all you are looking for and still beach and big city around the corner. Interesting places, goood schools and universities around the corner. easy access to anywhere and the river for relaxing moments...
how long does it take to get to a nice beach from Ayutthaya city?
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With all the tension occurring at the moment in the region, what do you think are the chances of military conflict?? My gut feeling is that there will be war in that region sometime this year.
Putin seems to think that the U.S and NK are on the brink of war....
I can't see Trump backing down from conflict if NK steps over the line, e.g. if they hit Guam.
Are there any implications for Thailand if NK detonates a nuclear war head on Guam or South Korea?
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There's an old thai couple who own 2 vicious dogs and they live 2 doors up from us. 1 month ago we were sitting on the pubic bench opposite our house with our toddler; and they came running up attacking my dog right in front of use. The next day we went and politely spoke to the lady and gave her 2 chains. We asked if she could chain them up prior to opening her front gate. It worked for about a week and then things returned to normal with the dogs running out on the street everyday- mostly down to our front gate.
This morning I accidentally left the gate open a bit after taking my dog for a walk. 30min later the 2 dogs were inside my yard attacking my fury friend. The wife ran out there with a stick and got them out and the old lady was complacent at her gate doing <deleted> all.
Ive had enough and want to take the police to the front gate this afternoon. They need a warning. I don't want to have to worry about my toddler or my dog being attacked inside my front yard. If I have to I will pay an attorney to write a letter of warning.
Does anyone know what are our rights here? What is the law regarding this issue? I will go up to the station with the wife and let her deal with them but what is the go there. Are we going to have to make a donation for 2 of them to come with us to the woman's house?
Needless to say, majority of Thai people are absolutely clueless and hopeless when it comes to dogs. I'm not saying anything new here. This is amazing thailand.
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4 hours ago, psyvolt said:
Hyperbole much...
Sunday rates were only cut for a select few industries (which I still don't agree with, but it wasnt a cut across the boards)
Energy costs are not the highest in the world, far from it, and neither are fuel costs. Where did you get this rubbish from???
Food prices are high, but again not anywhere near the highest in the world and comparing it to two areas are silly, but then again - you also fail to mentiom Australians have one of the highest weekly wage earnings.
Good that the gov finally put the GC spit issue to bed. Dragged on far too long.
Unemployment rampant- compared to what? It's actually low (5%). So again, your whinge has no basis. Which also goes for your drug rant.
Your whole post is nothing more then alikely baseless pathetic rant.
Come on... The energy prices are absolutely expensive and unregulated. It was in the news a few weeks ago about another 20% price rise.
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14 minutes ago, Rancid said:
Mind you if you want to cash in on the housing bubble while there is still time may not be a bad idea to do so now.
I recently sold my house at a ridiculous price and downsized to a nice waterfront townhouse with very low body corporate. Cashed me up nicely and I even prefer the new place.
The only thing you can be sure of is that future governments see expats as a small unimportant voting block so will happily go after them.
The last sentence is exactly right. But its extremely unfair to treat ozzies like this who have been paying taxes all their life.
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5 minutes ago, carlyai said:
Why can't the expat become a resident again before they se'll the house?
I'm pretty sure they can't stop a nonresident from becoming a resident again.
Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk
Yes this is a valid point. Maybe don't sell it in the next 12 months but hold it until after you return. In which case its still 100% taxable (under the existing post 8 May 2012 AU property CGT rules) but pro-rata recognition of prior residency SEEMS to be permitted but I cannot yet confirm this. The document isnt in the public domain (yet) and I want to see the full copy. The 2019 rule could also take it away !!)
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5 minutes ago, carlyai said:
I don't know much about these things, but wouldn't they be trying to stop say Chinese investors buying up Australian properties, and then after a time selling them?
These people are only investing and driving up the house prices, then selling for big profits.
Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk
maybe, but the average joe blow living in Thailand will be hit by this harsh new revenue raising tax law:
The proposed law is far worse than I envisoned. Its a "drop dead tax" and needs careful consideration..
1. At the TIME OF SALE if the vendor is a non-resident for tax purposes they would be incapable of access to:
a. The main residence exemption for past property use
b. The main residence eabsence rule allowing up to 6 yaers of exemption and
c. The general 50% CGT concession. eg at present a valuation at 8 May 2012 is allowed to partially protect loss of grandfathered gains -
If your an ozzie living in Thailand and you own a house back home.... the nanny state government are drafting a new tax law where you will lose your CGT exemption if you sell after the 30th June 2019.
I can't believe this government or maybe I can. They are so anti expats / or any Australians who want to live abroad. Maybe you have been paying taxes all your life in oz and want to retire in Thailand and change your tax status to be a non resident of oz at the ATO.... you will be stung by this new rule.
Time to put your PPOR on the market? You have 1 yr.
Australia has gone to the dogs. You couldn't pay me to live there. Screwed up govt run by old dinosaurs driven by revenue raising goals.
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On 6/23/2017 at 11:04 AM, HooHaa said:
first of all, i wasn't speaking directly of the OPs wife, i was just weighing in with my opinion on the general situation. the loss of nested quotes on the forum often spins these discussions out of context.
independence doesn't mean a severance of ties to their family it means a commitment to the new family and the ability to move forward with a new partner. The ability to make decisions that look froward look and are not heavily or unduly influenced by ma and .
Family loyalty is all good, but people marry to have families of their own and if one partner is always looking back, its pointless.
I'm the OP and have read most of the responses thus far. The above comment was valid to me because its the way I think as well. All I want to do is to move forward with my own new family. We can still visit her family every 2 months or whatever. Im not in the poor house like so many have assumed. Im not a deadbeat either like it was suggested 8 pages back. I simply don't want to live in an old dust bowl city just bc her family are here. Where we are intending to move to has better hospitals, food, good schools and beaches. My intuition tells me that the transition will be tricky to start with but in the long run it will work out ok.
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7 minutes ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:
As your wife appears to be the main bread-winner with a good career and would clearly miss her family if you moved away "to the sea", I think you should stay where you are. Your family could be worse off if your wife could not find such a well-paid position and she would undoubtedly, as a poster suggested, want to visit her family often, either with you or alone, in addition to which they might want to stay with you occasionally, which could present accommodation problems.
Living near the sea always sounds great but many people who do so, rarely visit the beach after the initial attraction wears off and most would not want to swim in the heavily polluted waters in some locations. I would advise that you confine yourself to occasional visits to beach resorts for holidays etc. and keep your wife happily living close to her family and present job. If she were to end up by moving to a less satisfying job and to missing her family terribly, she would always tend to blame you for what she might consider as your selfish action in "making" her move.
I developed a good career in the UK and my wife, two kids and I enjoyed a pretty good relationship and lifestyle, but that did not prevent her going off with a guy she had only known for a few months after 37 years of marriage, with the excuse that I "worked too hard", even though for the last 22 years I worked from home. It was no consolation to me at all, when after two years, the divorce and the equal division of the proceeds of all our assets, including our home and my business and future pensions, she wanted to return as she had "made a terrible mistake". This is, of course, nothing like your own position, but it does illustrate how easily you can be blamed for trying to do what you believe is best for your family.
thats a good story. did you take her back? i hope not
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17 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:
Phuket is vastly overdeveloped but it is a big Island and still has some nice spots , I would take it any time rather than an Isaan dustbowl village.
Frankly a lot of members ( not all ) talk nonsense about the island and I suspect would love to live there if they could afford it. Not having a dig at you in any way , just a general reflection on what I consider to be an unfair stereotype.
You couldn't pay me to live in Phfucket. Its full of Thailands worst low life aggressive thais. I would rather live in Issan than that hole anyday because the people are better. There are so many better locations than ugly Phuket
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3 hours ago, jeab1980 said:
I agree hes dead beat and selfish.
A deadbeat that could buy and sell you. A lot of members assume just bc Im on a low income here in the LOS means that Im poor.
Next time I ask you to think before you type with those fat little fingers of yours. Otherwise I will take you off my Christmas card list.
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3 hours ago, steven100 said:
The fact is you are only thinking about your own wants and desires ...
You want to have the wife pack up, leave her happy existence and move so you can be near the water.
very unthoughtful of you ... recipe for disaster !
I know what I would be saying if being the wife .....
you would be going alone.
you sound similar to a hard nosed western bit&&ch. Its why I like Thai ladies. Are you a man or a woman may I ask?
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1 hour ago, dotpoom said:
There are times we have to make decisions in this life, paeticularly when it comes to our nearest and dearest, without having to run it past a bunch of strangers for approval first?
I'll just do whatever I want. How does that sound to you? If I want to ask other farang living in Thailand if they are in the same situation then thats up to me. cheers old boy
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I feel a bit selfish for wanting to do this but I'm proposing to move to a new area of Thailand- on the coast somewhere next year. We currently live in the N.East and although I like it here I feel I want to swim in the ocean and live the good life by the sea.
The wife has in principle agreed to it and her mother says 'ok up to you'. But I know that she finds security being so close to her family.
Currently, my wifes family is quite good to me but there is always a bad apple- the eldest brother. From the start he was quite aggressive and disrespectful to me but it has been resolved now as we don't see him much at all. He basically doesn't come to our house at all thankfully.
My wife is a medical professional earning good money and has lots of friend and family here. I have a low salary, no friends and no family here. Thus its easy for me to move but hard for her.
Being near the coast means better food, hospitals, closer to bangkok, beaches. It makes a lot of sense but I know my wife will be sad and maybe a bit worried to leave her home town. I see it as a way for her to grow up and evolve and start a new life with her family (my baby and I). We will have no support from her family if we do move away but such is life.
Its not like Im taking her back to the nanny state where I grew up overseas. Its still Thailand. My instincts say.... try it for 1 to 2 yrs and we can always come back. Do you agree?
cheers
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On 10/3/2016 at 8:37 PM, KhunBENQ said:
What I did today.
Yellow book, passport and copies.Answering a couple of questions, fingerprinting, taking photo.
Sure and this is the bigger hurdle usually (translations etc.).
Yellow book includes name in Thai script and assigning citizen id (starting with "6" in my case as a "temporary foreigner").
Can anyone tell me the benefit of having the Pink id card? Is it worth obtaining? If so why exactly?
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21 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:
If you get a new one year extension your current re-entry permit would be invalid since it was issued for a different permit to stay date.
I think getting your extension after you return from your trip could be risky since you will have less than 6 days to get it done. Best to get the extension and pay 1000 baht for a new single re-entry permit.
If I arrange the new work permit at the labour office before I go then that means that the day Im back to work we can take the new paperwork / contracts etc to immigration and get it the same day. It would take 2 hours. I can do that within the 6 days remaining. I think its plenty of time to be honest.
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My current ext of stay based on employment expires on 8th June. Work told me that they want to arrange another 12 month contract with WP.
We are going abroad for a holiday 20th May and back in early june (2nd). A month or so ago I paid for a 're-entry permit' which is valid to the 8th June.
Does it matter if I go back to immigration before I go away and get the 12 month ext of stay- does it impact the existing re-entry permit? Or should I just get the WP done before I go away and get the 12 month ext of stay done when I get back on the 2nd June.
I don't want to nullify the re-entry permit.
thanks
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On 29/04/2017 at 4:17 PM, soalbundy said:
one with a handle that the wife can lift. You live in Bangkok breathing in all that filthy air and are worried about getting cancer from a frying pan ?
I dont live in bangkok and thus your comment is baseless and has no relevance. I am subjected to fresh air on a daily basis.
Stupid rule... need a Work permit to get the blue book on the car
in General Topics
Posted
TIAT This is amazing thailand. If one financed the purchase of a car in Thailand years ago and showing the WP when applying.... Pay the monthly payments on time and then a few yrs later not working anymore and pay out the loan. They will not issue the blue book without a WP. <deleted> is all I can say. What a stupid rule.
Do you agree?