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SDM0712
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Posts posted by SDM0712
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I'm starting to get a bit fed up with these black outs and not being a " sparks" have been wondering how big a generator would have to be to run, in an average sized house, lights, couple of air con units, water pump, shower heater. What are the practicalities of installing to kick in automatically or on a manual switch it and how much would the unit cost. I keep seeing small generators in HomePro and Homeworks but have no idea what they can support.
Just interested, anyone know ?
SDM
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Property investment can bring great returns but in my experience, which is long and varied, it should not be the investment choice for anyone wanting to make a quick buck. Personally I would take a long view of 5 to 10 years if buying something purely for investment. This takes into account the cycle of rises and falls that will affect the value. Right now clearly the market is falling and has been for a few years, not that many will admit this. Again, in my experience, there is not such thing as a stagnant or static market. It is always going in a direction and if it's is not up it's definitely heading in the other direction. But that's not a problem it will U-turn at some point. I'm still getting my head around the mechanics of the market here but I would say that as soon as the baht weakens and countries with our traditional buyer bases pull themselves up again, the market will pick up and start rising bringing property prices with them. In my home market of course I am used to the market nose diving and them flying back up again like a rocket, although I seem to be the only one that remembers at the time.
I decided to move to Phuket because of what was available in terms of schools, transport (air), leisure facilities, shopping facilities, hospitals etc. Beaches and tourist type things didn't really figure into it. But when I'm down I take my Ninja for a spin around the coastal roads, sea to my right, mountains to my left, and think I am lucky and made the right decision to come here.
SDM
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Absolutely right and I am completely unbiased. SDM
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Depending on where you want and how you to live I think it's quite possible. But make sure you either have a decent lump sum in the bank (you need 800,000 anyway for the retirement visa) or have a decent medical insurance policy. No NHS here. Many people seem to forget this.
Personally I don't think the UK state pension is enough for a foreigner to live comfortably. If you can live in the countryside like be Thais then no problem, but the tourist locations will be too expensive. Down here in Phuket if you can live in a 20 m2 room with no air con you could do that for about 4500/5000 a month. But if you want things like ac, hot water, and say 30 m2 size plus you will be looking at 10/12,000 PCM plus electricity, water, TV etc. If you need to eat out every day you could do for 100 baht if it's only noodles, but 400/500 if you want some real food in a cheap place, best to cook for yourself. There's nothing worse then coming to live in paradise if you can only look in from the outside.
My UK home is in NW London and I live in Phuket. I would say my living expenses are roughly the same and my medical insurance is about £160 a month via a UK company and roughly also what I paid at home.
SDM
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I've been using a Thai Expat TV box and am delighted with it. It only needs (apparently) a 3MB connexion but I connect it via my wi-fi network to a 12 MB TOT service.
I get live or seven days on demand BBC1, 2,3, ITV1,2,3, CBBC, CBEEBIES, C4, E4, More 4, Film 4, C5, NHK (?), Australia ABC (??), BBC World news, Sky News and maybe a few others I have forgotten about. For me, Casualty, Holby and Dr Who when it's on. I don't even get Thai TV anymore, gave my true box back.
The smart box gives me all the stuff that Android has so the memsab can watch her Korean Lakorns etc.
Well worth it.
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No, it means you should stop posting completely incorrect and made up statements on public forums that you cant back up.So if you you are right we should send our 2-15 years out snake hunting since olny 7% of them die from snakebite right?
In my opinion the percentages are irrelevant. As a parent I need to protect my child and if there is any animal that is in or around where we live that could harm my child or anyone else's child that is not acceptable. Doesn't really matter what the animal is. My preference is that it just be removed but if the process of removal itself is dangerous then I would deal with it in the same way as a rat, mouse or rabid dog.
It would be interesting to know that of the people who do not agree with me how many live in an environment where snakes are a threat.
SDM
PS incidentally I have found that sulphur powder left around your boundaries tends to put snakes off.
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Price of marmite and lack of availability of PG and Tetleys
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My personal and company accounts are fine in Phuket.
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No, and unless either speak nor can they.
S
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I can't speak for the Honda but have a Ninja 650, a bright orange/red metallic colour, and have been delighted with both the bike and Kawasaki servicing. I also upgraded from a CBR 250, which I found a most disappointing bike. My advice is always to go with the most power you can afford. I've "met " a few of these CBR 500 on the road and the performance difference is quite noticeable. S
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Travelling to and from airports is one of the permitted exceptions.
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Same here in Phuket, just hot a call from one of the other parents. What she actually said was, being completely wrong, is that there is now a curfew in the daytime too! My wife is in Tesco now trying to buy most of the shop!
One has to watch ones mouth in these trying times, I can only wonder what the reasoning is for this. Perhaps purely to keep the roads clear and check drivers. I think anyone out and about today can expect to see road blocks so makes sure you have your passports and work permits with you.
SDM
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most of us are complete losers and really jealous of those amazing billionaires who discuss their incredible success on anonymous web chat forums in between their morning polo match and afternoon tea at the oriental
The tea has gone right off recently, I bring my own Tetleys.
SDM
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I don't think any of the "pay as your earn" sims give unlimited validity. I know that DTAC "HAPPY" and AIS 12Call have maximum credit of 5000 baht and 1 year's validity. Not sure about True.
SDM
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I have also noticed that there is a small group of posters who tend to take a very negative unhelpful and adversarial view. My "ignore" list has grown over the last half year or so , it's a very useful tool and I suggest anyone bothered by these people use it!not you don't feed the trolls they will go away.
On the whole I believe most members are decent people.
SDM
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This sound a like a story that can only end in disaster.
In these kinds of situations I don't think it makes any difference if the two parties are Thai/Farang or Thai/Thai. Unless your GFs family are "connected" * this situation could get very bad and very quickly.
In your and their shoes I would chalk it down to history and never mention it again. We're not in Kansas anymore.
SDM
* In this I mean has people around them that will protect them if things get violent.
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In the past when I had a Thai girlfriend living with me in London her mum asked her if she had met my mum. The intimation was that if she had not met my mum then I was not serious about my girl.SDM
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Stick to places where the food is cooked in front of you and you should be fine. Never eat food that has been standing. SDM
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You could do one of these accelerated TEFL courses in only a few weeks, pass the relatively simple exam and voila you are qualified. The course will cost around 50,000.
SDM
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I did it once in the early days of coming here with someone I knew quite well to a very similar reaction. Now I never kiss anyone in public even just on the cheek. Rarely even touch a Thai even if I know them quite well. A wai is as far as I go in public. Maybe I've been here too long. The kissing thing in the UK is only a relatively recent thing anyway. I always get confused, is it one cheek or both cheeks, what if you both aim for the wrong cheek, could this end up on the lips. I think the French do left cheek, right cheek then back to the left, and even my French male friends kiss each other. In London it's normally just one kiss on one cheek, this kissing in public etiquette is very confusing. I sometimes kiss my dogs outside on the top of their head when I get home, but they aren't bothered either way and are technically Thai.
SDM
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From what I understand lomatopo is quite right. The concern has always been the "what if" factor that the 'phone might disrupt some system on board. I also understand that even when the 'phone is off its transmits a periodic signal anyway which is how the police track them, hence criminals remove the batteries, but that might be Hollywood BS. With Easy Jet (a contradiction in terms) in the UK the cabin crew tell you not to switch on the 'phone until you are in the terminal building. I did ask once how aircraft navigation can be compromised when the aircraft is at the stand with the engines off, but no answer. I suppose they just want people off the 'plane ASAP without "what's apping " their friends ..."I'm back !!"
The "will affect aircraft navigation " is probably a similar line to "might affect sensitive equipment" in a hospital when the reality is that most doctors use their mobiles on the wards. What they are really trying to avoid are ringing phones, text messages beeps and the like.
I think the airlines that will soon be permitting mobile phone use on board though will be limiting the use to wi-fi only. (Although have subsequently read the article above)
Rotate, landing gear up.
SDM
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Depends if you've seen "The Fourth Kind" with Milla Jovovich. I've seen and laughed at some scary movies in my time but I didn't sleep properly for a week after this. Supposedly based on a true story.
It's not an owl.
SDM
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Popadoms with onions and mint sauce on the side
Onion Bharjis
Any madras or vindaloo
Bombay aloo
Allo gobi
Keenan nan
Where are you and if not Phuket......do you deliver ??
SDM
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No. Just a plain old fashioned cock up.
SDM
Is what you pay for - what you get?
in Phuket
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I think if you engage in tourist type activities you will pay more than we as expat residents feel you should.
I remember back in the day when I was a tourist with pockets rammed with drakma, lire, baht, whatever they had in Thailand. Who knew, who cared, it had lots of zeros and didn't have a photo of the Queen, I used to hire a speed boat to take me and mine over to Phi Phi and then back again because I hated the public boats. It was 5000 baht each way. Now that I've been here a week or two would I pay that, no chance. I'd like to go back in time and give myself a slap.
SDM
PS I'm sure you all know this but if you go down the the Aquarium, Zoo and Imany other places and show your Thai Driving Licence you will pay the Thai price. S