simon43

Personally, I think all immigrants should be required to eat bacon butties for breakfast and keep damp dogs as pets.....

When I built small hotels in Phuket, I always leased the land for 20 years at a cheap, monthly rate. The lease of course was registered at the land office. The contract actually stipulated no financial penalty on me if I 'abandoned' the land before the end of the lease, because although I owned the buildings on this land, the land owner could claim these if I abandoned the lease. Of course, a non-Thai can legally lease land in his/her name.

[quote] ... ...A funny story about that riding a train in Italy as a 15 year old talking albeit rapidly ... [/quote] As an aside, I teach 300+ young students whose first language is not English. They all have the same view about 'Americans' (meaning from the USA). Americans speak English much too fast! I find this a constant problem when searching YouTube for short, relevant science videos for my online lessons. The video content is good, but I have to reject it because the narrator is from the USA and speaks too fast. British narrators seem to mostly speak at a more acceptable pace, (and science videos don't seem to use Brummies or Scousers!). Apart from fast-speaking Americans, I reject many videos because they are spoken by Indians with a very strong accent. (Yes, I could use a wide range of narrator accents in my lessons, but time is short and my students' English abilities are still at a lowish level!). In the UK, I like the West Country accent, also soft Scottish 🙂

Working class Brits?! I'm nothing of the sort. In England, one eats breakfast (at breakfast time), lunch (in the middle of the day), tea (a meal around 5pm) and supper (an evening meal). As for 'Dinner', you can have that with your lunch.....

Sneaky Burmese payback for their defeat at the battle of Nong Sa Rai.....

Any person with a touch of class, (like me for example), would avoid GG like the plague. I come from a family of academics, my father a professor of languages, my mother an author (but only writing in French, her second language). My 2 elder brothers are Cambridge graduates, and have published many research papers. I got my Masters in Space Science from London University. I speak English, Thai, Lao, French and some Burmese.... Trust me GG. Any man with true class would not want to associate with you..... have you tried the local mental asylum?

[quote] ... ... wearing a black bin bag around his neck. [/quote] .. as you do!!

At the party for my Thai wedding some 20+ years ago, up in deepest Issan, we decided to call it a night when the shooting started....

Your family history would certainly seem to suggest that susceptibility to bowel cancer is in your genes, (just as some families have a history of breast cancer). My father died when he stood up from his chair and his heart decided that it was time to take a rest - he was 89 years old and dropping dead after a healthy and active life is a reasonably good way to go. My mother died at 84 after various strokes. she had been a smoker and alcoholic for many years, so I don't suppose that helped. In her final months in the (very decent) old peoples' home. I used to smuggle in whisky for her (alcohol was strictly forbidden by the nurses!) - might as well enjoy your final moments. My paternal grandfather died at 65 of a cardiac arrest, but most family members have been long-lived and healthy.

My UPS invoice lists: Disbursement fee = 249 baht (taxable charges) Duty = 445 baht (non-taxable charge) VAT = 788 baht (non-taxable charge) on a declared value of $90 USD (2,924 baht) 7% of 2924 = 205 baht. (Clearly Thai maths is different from other countries...)

I know all about HS custom codes, and if I check the specific customs code for that item, the tax (like almost any type of goods imported from China under the ASEAN-China FTA), is listed as exempt from all taxes 🙂

A place with no religion...

Well, I met the UPS guy and had to pay 1,043 baht. The import statement says that about 500 baht of that was import tax (why??), plus service fees plus VAT etc. However, the good news is that this pole from the Chinese 'scum' seller is of great quality, well-made and well-packed. I've already used it to lift a wire over a 15 metre tree 🙂

The goods are valued at about $250 USD, 8,000 baht or so. After informing the UPS caller about the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement, which exempts my goods from import tax, UPS has released the goods for delivery BUT will only hand them over to me if I pay about 1,500 baht to the delivery driver. God knows where that figure comes from. I can either refuse the goods or pay the 'ransom' fee. Since, as stated above, the Chinese scum is the only supplier, and since I would have minimal/zero chance of getting a refund from that supplier, I have little choice but to hand over the money.

Unfortunately, the Chinese scum was the only supplier of this item that I found..... FYI, it is a carbon-fire, telescopic fruit-picking pole of 21.6 metres in height. No, I have no fruit growing 21.6 metres above the ground, but I do have a wire radio antenna for my ham radio hobby that needs to be mounted as high as possible 🙂

I think there is one, based on my receipt of goods sent from China over the past decade. No import tax was levied by Thai customs. Now (unfortunately), a supplier in China has sent me something by UPS (why oh why didn't they use China Post?!). Of course, UPS is now holding said item for 'ransom', demanding payment of customs duties. I used to have the link to the online database which indicated what import tax (if any) would be due on different kinds of items that are imported into Thailand from China. Does anyone know the link? I want to double-check the tax situation for my item before I 'do battle' with UPS. Thanks

Hmm, I read the link. Whilst GB News breached rules about using serving politicians as news readers, interviewers etc, there was nothing in that link to say that JRM had actually been impartial in his comments and presentations....

GB News is an excellent, independent media organisation that isn't afraid to expose important news stories that other MSM media ignore. Muslim rape gangs, discrimination against the indigenous population and so on. Long may they continue their good work!

I'll correct your statement: "I managed very large retail outlets in my country many years ago and this reported situation would never stand the test in Court IN MY COUNTRY" This is Thailand, put something in your pocket and have a track record of stealing from the same shop? You're guilty!

Top bloke Mr Farage. At least he has the guts to admit past errors of inadequate candidate vetting. Hope to see him in #10 in the future 🙂

All of them are totally brain-dead if they thought that it was morally OK to accept these gifts, (regardless of the legality of it). God help us if these are the types of politicians we have - unable to predict anything further than the end of their Pinocchio noses...

Here in Khao Lak I notice that cars do stop for tourists as they cross the main road on the zebra crossing. The first time I wanted to cross, I was completely 'thrown' by the sight of cars stopping for me. I think I've been in Thailand too long!

Please watch this wonderful short clip of a cat climbing up a homemade ladder: https://www.facebook.com/reel/835863325336745 Many humans have a fear of heights, but why not animals?

Although many overseas banks will cancel or not renew your credit card, once you permanently live outside your home country. That's what my UK banks did >> refused to renew the cards when they expired (some 20 years ago...)

Well, I'm too old to have interest in creating wealth - I'm very happy with my modest lifestyle. As for discounts, cash back etc, I seem to manage very well at my 'level' of cash purchases. I regularly get discounts in the shops where I go because I speak Thai and have a good sense of humour 🙂 When I buy something, I'll often ask 'loat mai?' with a smile and the price is often reduced. Many years ago, one of my charity enterprises was called 'Xtrer': https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/143465/if-only-1-of-twitterers-used-xtrer-it-would-generate-more-than-1-million-for-charities-every-month The slogan for that venture was 'A little Xtrer helps', which sums up my view that even a small amount of money can make a big difference in your own or other's lives. I used to buy 300-page school science books in Myanmar (printed locally on the thinnest of paper) for $3, but that small outlay would make a big difference to the studies of middle-school students. Call me a cheap charlie perhaps, but I was once a $ millionaire (doesn't mean much nowadays!), and as times have changed, I have adapted and learnt to live a happy and fulfilling life without the trappings of consumerism.