smooth expat

Living without AC isn't that bad. Just takes some getting used to. A good fan is all you need. I got tired of paying outrageous 3k+ electric bills so I stopped it altogether. Saves a lot of money and I'm never hot.

Do it. I'm back here in cold, dreary farangland. I'v just visited for a few weeks now but I'm already miserable and want to go back on the first flight out. I hate this crappy country so much. It sucks sucks sucks.

Chiang Mai is definitely cheaper than Pattaya for rentals. But I have found you can rent a basic air con room with tv for as little as 5k a month here. My last couple rooms were 5k and 6k per month and were quite comfortable, had air con, tv, fridge, etc. You won't find many places for less unless you are willing to go without air con. I now rent a room for 3200. No air con but it is not as hot as you might expect. Just needs some getting used to. Saves lots on the electric bills which is why I moved.

I've been here 5 years and I just can't get into the Xmas mood. The fact that it doesn't snow here is a big reason why. It just doesn't feel like it.

I have been going to walking street pretty much weekly for 5 years, and have never been approached by one or particularly noticed gangs of lady boys walking around or overtly aggressive ones, but then i don't wear gold jewelry, flaunt money or attempt to take one home. I must be doing something wrong

You haven't noticed them?!

What is keeping the USD afloat? It has no manufacturing/export sector anymore.

Now that's just stupid. Probably will end up paying 10,000 baht or more for that cheap hat in order to get out of the jam he's in. Fortunately for him he's in Thailand and all it takes is a bit of cash to get out of these things. I've been in a similar situation here.

I've never seen this place so dead.

My internet has been down for 4 straight days.

Something smells fishy. What person hands over $900 for no reason?

I see a lot more 'tourist' but they are the cheap charlie kind you see on ws. Seems tot values quantity more than quality these days.

These people believe in banks or something???

30,000 baht? Yeah right. Probably only 3,000 baht.

Most ask for the passport face page, rarely has anyone wanted to see the Visa page

Does happen, mate. That's why you need to use the copy.

Just give 'em a copy. If they ask for the real thing go somewhere else. Simple.

Possible she's done a 1,000+ men. You aren't the first, buddy.

Make your own alky. Saves a lot of baht now.

If interest rates keep going up in the US as they are expected to do, the Baht will definitely fall. If you look at the charts, the Baht is following interest rates closely.

Sorry, but if I planned a holiday here no political unrest would deter me. The girls aren't going away anytime soon you know.

US & UK should stop importing their cheap junk. Slap tarriffs on them. Then watch their economy crumble. Their power is based on nothing more than mercantilism.

Marxist liberals cheering the downfall of their own race. Really sad to see.

This guy was nobody to respect. Just another black racist, a Mugabe who resented white economic success. Glad to see him go.

Should have requested a 'service' performed. Wink wink.

I think they pay you more because you are more authentically "English". That isn't really racism. Would you hire an English cook if you owned a Chinese restaurant?

Why? It's just charity.