donmuang37

Hmmm... I think that Suthep and Abhisit are being charged, and will be acquitted so that they can return to politics without the sword of justice hanging over their heads. (Whitewashed?) Pigs will fly before either of them will be found guilty, let alone receive any severe punishment. IMHO justice is obviously not color blind. And the vast majority of the 90+ killed were not military people. They were civilians. A couple of past court cases ruled the particular parties in those cases were killed my military rounds fired from the direction where troops were located. As soon as all this blows over, Suthep will shed those robes in a heartbeat!

If I recall correctly, Thaksin & Yingluck won by landslides. Or are you one of those "only Bangkok residents with university degrees should be permitted to vote" proponents?

I found a book on Amazon.com that might be interesting:

"The Green Self-Built Book: How to Design and Build Your Own Eco-Home (Sustainable Building) by Jon Broome

I just bought the Kindle version so I can check it out when I get home; however, would also buy the paper version for daily use and reference if it is good.

About trees: Don't forget to consider roots. Many fast growing trees have dangerous roots which can crack your foundation. Check with your nursery.

And our house in Don Muaeng flooded in 2011. What a pain. Be sure to get your house up a couple of meters, including parking for your vehicles! It will flood again. Not "if", but "when".

Good luck

Hi,

I'm a retired American who earned a very good living in telecom in the USA. I'm married and our life style is similar to what it was in the US. We spend about 120,000 baht per month, and do pretty much whatever we wish. However, our single family house and two cars are all paid for. We have 6 A/C units and at least 2 are always running when I'm home, sometimes 3 or 4. We also have an electric dryer, plus 6 hot water heaters, so our electric bill averages 5 - 6,000 baht per month in Bangkok. I buy a lot of Western food items at Villa market, Tops and Foodland which can be expensive. Not much of a drinker so that's not a factor. Happily married, so not out chasing the ladies.

Agree with whoever suggested that you factor in the cost of health insurance and would add accident insurance. Being an American, I wouldn't be comfortable without a car, but you may be used to living in London without one. But if you want one, add about 50,000 baht per year for insurance, maintenance, license and fuel.

Finally, consider two more factors: 1) Exchange rate risk - folks on a Euro retirement aren't happy these days. I had a similar problem with the US$: 44 baht/dollar when I arrived (and fortunately bought our house); now only about 32.5 baht/dollar. 2) Cost of living almost always goes up; rarely down. Fuel was 14 baht/liter when I arrived and now it is double that. So I'd suggest some money invested in high quality equities to keep up with inflation.

Hope that helps, Good luck

The Rayong Resort is secluded, elegant and quiet which may be good for a honeymoon. Was there for 2 days a couple of months ago. No Russians and only one small tour group. Secure parking. Nice pool. Can get a boat to Koh Samet for a day trip.

But if you want dancing and partying, it would be too quiet for you. Also, not the place if you are on a budget. I think we paid about 4,000 per night which included two breakfasts.

Good luck.

Hi,

Strongly suggest that you keep US bank accounts and credit cards. It can be difficult for a farang to get a credit card in Thailand, and they may be needed for medical emergencies, travel, car rentals, airline tickets, etc., Agree with the recommendation to keep a U.S. phone number. I use an AT&T mobile which is only activated when we are in the USA. But without it, many companies won't honor your credit cards. If you have a permanent address in the USA and mail forwarding, that's good. If not, check into, Escapees.com. I use Texas as my domicile (no state taxes) and Escapees provides that and forwards my mail. They have been very reliable for the past 12 years. Best of luck to you.

More like they dont want a bad rep because of tourism, what about thee publics right to know that a person who is a danger to society is on the loose.

Hello, wake up and smell the coffee! The public has no rights, especially the foreign public. You should know that.

I have used Garmin GPSs since 2006; just bought my 3rd pair (my truck and my wife's car). They aren't perfect, but always get us where we are going and back home again.

A couple of pointers:

1. The distances shown are as the bird flies so your mileage may vary.

2. I find the ETA is fairly accurate for long trips, but not as accurate for short trips, and, of course, the GPS has no knowledge of current traffic conditions. Must adjust for lunch breaks, Amazon coffee stops, etc.

3. Any new roads, road closures, etc. after the GPS data base is issued are unknown to the GPS. Use caution.

4. Be sure to listen to the GPS, but also, look at it. There may occasionally be conflicts. Common sense prevails.

5. When looking for a hotel, resort, restaurant, etc. at a distant location, enter the city as "Go To" first. Once you are within about 10 km of the city, enter your final destination.

I think it is an amazing device with zillions of locations in a small package which is correct 98% of the time. Love my Garmin!!

Why would they even consider Kittisak's return since they boast blatantly he is wanted and he possibly has 700 mil? When are the police going to stop giving advance notices about who they are seeking to arrest and why? Will they ever learn?

Ha, ha! The question is "Will you ever learn?" This technique is used all the time when they really don't want to apprehend and prosecute suspects. I really love the ones like, "The Thai Police will raid an illegal gambling operation on Sukumvit Soi 18 at 10 am tomorrow." Guess what? Nobody was caught, the place was empty. Big surprise!

It is too bad that Amazon.com doesn't have an operation in Thailand. I use them in the States and they are very reliable. But I'm ordering things with a US credit card for family and friends who live in the States. The Thai Customs would ensure it wasn't economical to have merchandise delivered to me in Thailand.

Come to think it, an Amazon.com in Thailand would have to use Thai employees. So the "Mai pen rai" factor would probably destroy their efficiency and reliability. That's a shame, but TIT.

I had a Toyota Vigo, 3.0L, 4-door, 4-wheel drive automatic for 8 years. Still in great shape when I sold it to a family member 4 months ago.

Toyota will release the all new version of the Vigo in the next 6 to 8 months it has been reported. I'm sure it will be a great truck, but I didn't want to wait.

After looking at all the pick-ups available in Thailand, including the new Nissan, I bought a Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2L top of the line model. My wife and I both love it.

Currently, it is the only truck available with 6 (count 'em folks!) airbags. It was the first pick-up truck to get a 5-star crash rating in the Euro NCAP test. Also, received a 5-star rating in Australia.

In addition to the airbags, it has 6-speed automatic, power drivers seat, cruise control, dual zone auto climate control, back-up sensors AND back-up camera. Can drive through water 80 cm high! Could list more but you get the idea.

It is very big so commands respect on the road. Handling is excellent, brakes are outstanding, both items better than the Vigo. The cabin is comfortable and surprisingly quiet. The standard sound system is quite decent. Plenty of power with the 5-cylinder, 3.2L diesel. There is a slight hesitation from a dead stop, but you adjust quickly. The auto box can be controlled manually by pulling the shift lever toward the driver.

No vehicle is perfect, but overall, we are very happy with the new Ford Wildtrak 3.2. :-)

Good luck in choosing the best truck for you and your family.

Fairly recent polls indicated that over 60% of Thai people believe the corruption is OK if it benefits them. Cheating on school exams in endemic in Thailand. I've either been cheated or there was an attempt to cheat me here on many occasions. Government officials have been reported for cheating citizens and for corruption. There are constant complaints about double standards in the justice system.

So ban all the current politicians, but you better ban all government employees too.

Now where are you going to find good, honest people to fill the tens of thousands of open positions? From the pool of over 60% who consider corruption acceptable?

In my opinion, until basic morality changes in Thailand, nothing will improve. Bad politicians will simply be replaced by other people who are just as bad. Double standards will continue to favor whoever is currently in power.

Rules for military courts martial are well known around the world: "Carefully consider the evidence and then hang the guilty devil."

Historical fact: Dictators normally don't give a hoot about international opinion.

In Thailand, a verbal contract is very difficult to enforce, especially for farangs. So, as a practical matter, you have no contract and are at the mercy of the new owner. If you can't work out something with him, it's time to pack up. As for the October rent, I think you've been had. So without a good, educated Thai wife, you don't stand much of a chance getting your rent back.

As for rights, farangs have few rights in Thailand regardless of what the law says. It's extremely rare to see the courts rule in favor of a farang over a Thai. Rarer than hen's teeth. Good luck

Sounds like BS to me! I've been here 12 years and have never been asked for pictures in the bedroom. (Just applies for extension 10 days ago. No problem.) But I was previously told to supply 4 photos of my wife and me at home, one of which to be taken in front of the house number out front: 115/17, etc. And also had to supply a map of how to get to our house.

I think they are jerking your chain, but good luck.

Sounds like BS to me! I've been here 12 years and have never been asked for pictures in the bedroom. (Just applies for extension 10 days ago. No problem.) But I was previously told to supply 4 photos of my wife and me at home, one of which to be taken in front of the house number out front: 115/17, etc. And also had to supply a map of how to get to our house.

I think they are jerking your chain, but good luck.

Sounds like BS to me! I've been here 12 years and have never been asked for pictures in the bedroom. (Just applies for extension 10 days ago. No problem.) But I was previously told to supply 4 photos of my wife and me at home, one of which to be taken in front of the house number out front: 115/17, etc. And also had to supply a map of how to get to our house.

I think they are jerking your chain, but good luck.

Sure, the Democrats didn't support the protests, they STARTED them!

Of all the current big political lies, this one takes the cake! But, this is Thailand so the people will buy it hook, line and sinker.

The Democrats thought they would be put into power, like the 2006 coup. But it hasn't happened and they are pissed off big time. Too bad!

My Thai wife had AIA for many years which paid whenever she went into the hospital, including 2 operations. Good coverage; no hassles. She recently changed to an insurance/investment plan with another company, but had been happy with AIA. Cost 20K +/-. Good luck