BradinAsia

43 minutes ago, Bobsuruncle said:

I totally agree with you about America as a choice of place to live. When I left there 12 years ago, I said to myself that I would never go back there to live. I do have an advantage when it comes to medical expenses because I'm a disabled veteran and the VA will cover most of my expenses if I live in America, but they won't cover any medical bills if I live in Thailand. I did give some consideration to The Philippines as there is VA medical there, but after spending a few months there, I wasn't that impressed. In America I plan to buy a van and convert it into a living space with solar electric, water, and propane. With a house on wheels I can move to wherever I want on BLM land and stay free for 14 day time limits. I can follow the seasons whereby if it becomes too hot during the summer, I just go to higher elevations and when it become cold during the winter, I just head for the southwest or across into Mexico. I know this can be done as I've done this before. Life can be real simple and if one follows the 14 day limit of stay and then move to a new free spot, life can be very inexpensive. And I won't need to fill out any TM 30s or 90 day reports. 

Bobsuncle, good luck on your nomadic life in America. We just did that for 8 months -- moving every two weeks between RV parks and state parks, seven months in Florida, then cross country to Colorado, and a month in Colorado. We saw a lot of nice places, but it nearly bankrupted us. Over and above the $25k cash for the travel trailer and F-150 tow truck, we spent over $5,000 per month, and came back here with a fairly large credit card debt. We are rather thrifty with our budget and during my 27 years in Asia, I never had any credit card debt. Yes, there are free places to camp for a week or two, such as BLM, but in the long run it's not really a sustainable lifestyle and gets very tiresome. 

Not only that -- America is not the same country it was 10-20 years ago. The major corporation tend to be predatory in their business practices. For example, internet. In the Philippines, we pay $25/month for fiber-optic broadband internet. In the U.S. we paid over $100/month (Verizon) and it was the worst internet I've had since the internet was first started in the early 1990's. Worst of all, after we cancelled Verizon and confirmed that our account was all clear, they are still billing us and threatening us 10 months later.

Before we left the U.S. we sold our F-150 but GEICO won't let us cancel our insurance coverage. They expect me to call them (international phone call from Philippines) to discuss "the reasons we should keep our auto insurance even after we sold the vehicle." I wouldn't recommend either Verizon or GEICO to my worst enemy.

You seem to me a very reasonable and intelligent person. I'd suggest you do your study and research well, unless you are independently wealthy and ready to lose a fortune chasing a dream you may never find.

1 hour ago, Bobsuruncle said:

Okay maybe a bad choice of words "daily life". 

Maybe what I should have said is that I would prefer to live in a country that doesn't require me or my landlord to report to immigration every time I chose to travel somewhere away from the house for 24 hours. I've also put up with the 90 day reporting for 12 years and the annual "extension of stay" BS without complaints until recently. I've just come to that point in my life where I don't feel like having those things in my life anymore. There are pros and cons to living in any country and one just needs to decide what they are willing to put up with. I for one chose not to do this immigration dance any longer.  

Bobsuncle, very well said indeed. That's exactly how I felt and a big part of our reason to leave Thailand. In recent years, it appears that a lot of others have come to the same conclusion.

1 hour ago, Bobsuruncle said:

America

Hey, Bobsuruncle. Good luck to you if you plan to find peace and happiness in America.

Last year after 27 years in Asia (Japan, Thailand and Philippines), and wishing to escape the air pollution in CM, I decided to take my wife and 4-y-o son to check out living in the U.S. That lasted only 8 months. The cost of living was the biggest shock. Even if we could afford it, after becoming adjusted to life in S.E.A., who would want to live somewhere that costs twice as much? Not to mention a place where brown-skinned people are often treated with disdain and worse.

In April this year, we decided to live in Tagaytay City, one of the few places in the P.I. that is clean, up-scale, cool all year around, but still 50-75% less costly than the U.S. Also, as a permanent resident here, my total immigration costs are 310 pesos (185 baht) per year. That's it. Nothing else. And no P.I.T.A. 90-day reports.

We miss Thai food, it's hard to find here, but we love Tagaytay. It's really a no-hassle life here. And our son attends a large private school here for a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S. or even Thailand.

I wouldn't live in Phuket even if someone gave me a house there free.

But, best of luck to you. Hope you find your dream home.

Regards, Brad

On 8/15/2019 at 7:22 PM, Matzzon said:

It´s also nothing new. This has been posted many times before on Thai Visa.

A few years ago, I lived in Chiang Mai. Left in 2016 and came back to the Philippines. We miss a lot of things about Thailand, especially son-tam. But it's nice to be in a place where my annual immig. cost is 310 pesos (about 185 baht) and the immig. officers are polite & friendly and we never have to wait more than a few minutes. The main things I didn't like about Thailand was the ludicrous rules at immigration, the snottiness of the IOs, and the 20,000 baht or so we paid to an agency every year to take care of all the P.I.T.A. immig. stuff for us. In the Philippines, I go to the Immig. office once a year (anytime during Jan-Feb), pay 310 pesos and go home until the next year. So freaking simple.

52 minutes ago, brian2f2f said:

Complaining about being on a fixed income and losing 3000 baht a month or more do to exchange rates.

Don't forget other such unforgivable things that the Thai authorities allow to happen, like --

    - Too much rain.

    - The weather is much too hot.

    - Too many earthquakes without advance warning.

    - Too many people who don't learn to speak English.

    - Too many Thais who are repulsed by uncouth, unwashed farangs with hairy armpits in bars and restaurants.

Isn't it reasonable to expect that Thais should appreciate that all us farangs decided to visit/live in their country,

and for God's sake, shouldn't the Thais make every effort to make their country more like the UK, the US or Oz?

On 8/10/2019 at 10:17 AM, Samui Bodoh said:

 

"...the trick is to see the good stuff while ignoring the bad."

 

Bodoh and Rooster, I find a lot of reasonable common sense in what both of you are saying.

Since the real world is not a good/bad dichotomy, I would suggest this version:  "The trick is to see the

reasonable stuff while ignoring the ludicrous." TVF has a lot of both, hopefully a lot more of the former.

BradinAsia (now enjoying much cooler weather in Tagaytay, Philippines)

PS: Been visiting Thailand off and on since May 1962. Taught 2 years in university in Bangkok and later

5 years retired in Chiangmai. We much enjoyed Thailand and its ancient cultural heritage. We especially

miss the food. Now we're enjoying a much simpler, more peaceful life as a permanent resident here in

the Philippines -- total annual immigration fees: 310 PHP (about 185 THB). 

On 10/6/2018 at 1:05 PM, TEFLKrabi said:

You may not like the movement but how can any human being joke about rape?

His comment was not about rape. It was a spontaneous response of pure shock upon being suddenly confronted with the most hideous face this side of the moon.

3 hours ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Yes, and they get fifty virgins each by way of compensation - not a bad deal in Pattaya!

Perky, let's be accurate. The correct number is 27 -- which is actually quite adequate since every time you pork them they recovery their virginity for the next go-round.

8 hours ago, Kim J said:

Any campaign by the Police to reduce antisocial behaviour has to be applauded, in particular something that might help to improve Thailand's woeful road safety record. But I do wonder when they are planning to do the same to all the Thai males that constantly mirror the exact behaviour this latest crackdown has targetted, also all the Thai renters that do not check licences. I do hope we can see that happening soon.

The truth is: By international agreement all DL are legal everywhere -- unless the cop can't read it. The only purpose of an International Driver's Licenses (IDL) is to eliminate the language problem for policemen in cases where one's home country DL is in some language other than English. 

When the police arbitrarily require an IDL, as was done there in Pattaya, they are creating their own rules. I've used my U.S., Thai and Philippine DL in many countries for 60 years. Not once did a policeman tell me I need an IDL.

2 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Well this thinly veiled threat pretty much confirms who put him in the hospital in the first place.....

Precisely! There is little doubt about who hired the attackers.

On 5/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, monkeycu said:

Every father has a most beautiful daughter, does that mean every father can make the news

Be serious! Every father doesn't have a daughter that beautiful. She is what she is -- accept it.

22 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Bad drainage creating surface water, typical too fast driving for the conditions resulting in aquaplaning and loss of control, and riders using the underpass as a rain shelter by parking illegally in a traffic lane at a place where they are most in danger. 

Just another day in paradise.

Look at the video again. There are two traffic lanes under the bridge. It appears that the bikes sitting under the underpass bridge were on the outside edge of the shoulder, completely out of the traffic lanes waiting for the rain to let up. Riders in Chiangmai often shelter out of the heavy rain in this manner. The SUV/truck driver was driving much to fast for conditions and making a dangerous lane-changing maneuver when he lost control. I'd say take his license for about 5 years, Let him walk. 

4 hours ago, Solinvictus said:

They shoulda locked his a$$ up

 

????

Who shoulda locked him up? The police did not get involved at all. He said sorry, returned the cash

and as is usual for Thais, she forgave him. Story finished (fortunately for him).

I don't think Brits are so bad -- most Brits I meet, I understand only about half what they're saying

-- with all their mumbling, problems with rhotic R, etc. If they could just speak clear English...

31 minutes ago, donnacha said:

You obviously lack the capacity to construct actual arguments and, instead, puke out one sentence insults that add nothing to the discussion.

It appears you have repeated this procedure 1,038 times on this forum. Well done.
 

If you take an objective look at your last 10 posts (mostly rambling nonsense) you would have to

conclude that you're the one who lacks "the capacity to construct an actual argument."

Good luck living in your own little bubble.

4 hours ago, donnacha said:

Thailand has been a good host to them, and to all of us.
 

Really??? An amazing statement. Amazingly weird.

7 hours ago, TonyR101 said:

I have absolutely no sympathy whatever with this family.

The solution to the problem is simple - 

Place the 800,000 Baht in a Thai Bank savings account. Take mother home to Nakorn to live you. Spend $1000 of the current $3,000/month cost on keeping mother in the loving care of a Thai maid. Use the other $2,000/month to repay capital/loan costs on the 800,000 and in twelve months time the family has kept both mother and Thai Immigration happy, and as a bonus has amassed an 800,000 Baht nest egg in a Thai bank. 

I have absolutely no sympathy for someone who has become a flaming authority on this forum in only 21 posts.

7 hours ago, donnacha said:

There was no "ruling". Money you have to pay for necessary care simply does not count as income.

The reason for the 800K bank deposit, or equivalent verified income, is to ensure that Thailand, a developing nation, does not get stuck paying for the considerable end-of-life costs of elderly people from rich countries.

Remember, for most people, the medical costs of their final month will be more than their medical costs for the entire life before that.

The 86K per month being spent on this unfortunate lady provided her with the special care that Alzheimer's requires. It does not cover the considerable cost of cardiac and other expensive operations that people often need as their body finally breaks down.

Sadly, this lies waiting for most of us at the end and, under current medical ethics, caregivers are obliged to do all they can to save your life unless you give very specific instructions that they must not.

Medical costs are lower in Thailand than America, but they are not nothing. $25K is actually a fairly low estimate. Just one cardiac operation would eat up most of that. You might need several. Emergency repatriation back to your home country could cost ten times that.

So, they are making sure you have that money stashed away, for your own emergency use. All poor countries should do this but, unlike Thailand, the Philippines are not in a strong enough position to insist upon it.

By leaving her in the Philippines, she is essentially getting that desperately poor country to pay her mother's end-of-life care. The care provided in a government hospital won't be great, healthcare in the Philippines is significantly worse than Thailand, but it will certainly drain resources away from sick Filipinos.

 

You obviously don't know much about the Philippines.

6 hours ago, donnacha said:

 

Yes, that would solidly solve the problem they claim Thailand is "forcing" upon them. They could even forego the 800K and pay just 20K per year to an agent. Problem solved for less than the cost of their flights to the Philippines.

What they have chosen to do instead has solved their real problem: they want to remain living in Thailand but they do not want to continue paying 85K per month for specialist care. Leaving mum in the Philippines saves them almost $2K per month.

Hopefully it won't make much difference to the old girl, and they no doubt have many other important things they can spent the money on. It just lacks class for them to play the victim card and pretend that this was not 100% their own decision. 

 

All in all, a quite ludicrous post. When you look at all the complexity and cost of living long-term in Thailand, even WITHOUT adding in medical expenses, using a word like "forced" is quite reasonable in this case.

4 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

My mom's somewhere in heaven, but I'd never ever have sent her to the Phillippines and go back home where I believe I belong to. 

They just got rid of her, that's all. 

 

Healthcare in the Philippines isn't what I'd want for my mother. https://borgenproject.org/healthcare-in-the-philippines/

 

 

We lived in Thailand for 6 years, the last 4 yrs was in Chiang Mai. We returned to the Philippines

just over 2 yrs ago. Excellent health care is readily available in both Thailand and the Philippines,

however that health care is indeed much more expensive in Thailand.

Also, living anywhere long-term overseas involves many factors obviously, not only health care.

One big disadvantage of living in Thailand is the cost and complexity of the entire immigration

process. In the Philippines, with a a Philippine immigrant visa, once a year I go to immigration 

and pay 310 pesos (190 baht) and I'm good for one more year. It's very hard to beat that.

17 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

They can't / don't want to submit the required deposit for the visa. The logical step then is to leave. Am I missing something?

Uhm, they have already left -- or did you miss that?

18 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

The family has said that Thai financial requirements - notably having to have 800,000 baht kept in the bank for their mother - had forced them to seek care in Manila. 

 

   No Thai requirement whatsoever had forced them to seek care in Manila. Nobody has forced them to do so. 

Are you closely involved with this family? Or are you simply making ridiculous comments just to be vicious and cruel during their difficult times?

On 1/14/2018 at 6:02 AM, MaeJoMTB said:

 

(a shame because white people invented everything in our current civilization), the more we can make the better the future will be.

A rather common myth, unfortunately it completely ignores the many inventions, discoveries and contributions of the Chinese, Indians, Persians and Arabs. Ever heard of Omar Khayyam? He was working on advanced algebra when the whites in Europe were still quite uncivilized.

Also, did you know that the loom, arguably the greatest invention since the wheel, was not invented by white people? Marco Polo brought the loom back from China and it became the first commonly used “machine” in Europe. The loom spawned many other inventions which in turn became the main impetus of the industrial revolution in the West.

I suggest a bit of education would eliminate such embarrassing myths.

4 hours ago, sirineou said:

 Most of as have medical insurance,and  social services   back home  .

I had a congenital heart condition that cost $240.000 to repair in the US , my out of pocket cost was $1200. , my med insurance pict up the rest. I doubt I would have being better of in Thailand  cost wise.

But when I hit oil , perhaps I will join the Arabs at the 5 star hospitals.    

The medical insurance companies back home are obvious not all the same. As a retired U.S. gov't employee, during my last

4 year stay in Chiang Mai, I had no problem submitting my Chiang Mai hospital bills to my GEHA health insurance. Even the

most expensive hospitals. Of course, I paid up front and then submitted the bill to GEHA by mail for reimbursement.

In the long run, the results were much the same as if I had been living in the U.S. But, maybe some insurance companies

won't pay for overseas medical care, I don't know. GEHA was happy to pay bcoz they saved a lot of money.

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

 

For a good 80 per cent of the population developing the country into a giant Pattaya seems both a good thing and praiseworthy goal and that has been a fact for a very long time.
 

Pray tell, where did you dig up this gleaming jewel of wisdom? Maybe from deep in your nether regions.