Old Croc

This is Phuket and part of my whinge. S Thai are very nice, fun people. Most of the service people in Phuket originate from all over Thailand . Where do you think all the younger people in Issan migrate to for work? Places like Pattaya, Bangkok and Phuket of course.

Of course, it's an Island! Having a connecting bridge doesn't change that fact! There are hundreds of islands around the planet that have tunnels or bridges to another land mass.

The usual herd of Phuket haters have leapt onto this thread. Most have only ever spent a short holiday in the town of Patong and found prices above their budgets. Yes, taxis, etc. are a rip-off and more expensive than anywhere else in Thailand. It is a shameful national government failure that mafia organizations are allowed to ply their crooked trade there with impunity and can even dictate their own excessive price structures. Why surprised that the tourist towns are expensive? As one of the world's most visited tourist destinations it naturally has higher prices and more rip-off merchants than Nakon Nowhere in Issan. Try to find something cheap in London or Paris. However, this thread is about expat living and general COL expenses. Try reading the OP again! Expats rarely use the mafia products and generally do not reside, shop nor eat in the tourist centers. For the astute, Phuket has all the advantages of its world class scenery, beaches, Islands, etc. without becoming a patsy for the thieves.

Why would you say that? Phuket is one of the few Thai Provinces officially free of rabies.

Great Nik, well suited. Comments on a Thai forum about a topic discussing living in Phuket yet states he lives in Viet while raving about The Philippines. Well off topic.

Never let facts get in the way of a good hateful rant. This poster lived in Phuket for some time, then moved just off the Island to take up residence in a village to the north. IMO, a good lifestyle choice for a positive person. He still frequents Phuket for many services such as shopping and hospitals, but spews his hatred of the place in his posts and topics. The OP talks about expat living, not tourism, and states the west coast tourist areas are not recommended for residence, but ADumbRation ignores this in the rant. While some of his "reasons" listed above are correct, many are exaggerated or simply untrue. I could pick holes in many of his points, but there's little to gain when up against a closed mind.

Unfortunately, northern beaches in Australia cop the brunt of rubbish from their near Asian neighbors.

Your lack of knowledge gives some clues as to why you went broke in a country where the COL is very low for foreign pensioners.

There are none so blind.... Read my words again, I wasn't suggesting corruption in Australia is about petty rip-offs on the street or paying officials tips to do their job. Thailand style corruption is small scale compared to Australia. There, it's about gerrymandering, politicians using tax money to pander to big business, the church and private schools. It's about conservative leaning electorates being given 3x as much government grant money as labor electorates, and much more. They consider budget money to be theirs to spend in areas that will enhance their personal political ambitions. It's corruption on a grand scale.

I was retired in Oz with sufficient income to live comfortably, particularly as I owned my house. I was, however, bored <deleted>less with the sameness of lifestyle, and sick of the corruption of politics with big business. I also hated the petty officialdom intrusion into every aspect of my life requiring permissions, permits, fees, et al for virtually anything at all. Prices were high and went higher every year.. Wages and pensions mainly static. I lived in a police state where you get fined hundreds of dollars for exceeding speed limits by a couple of kmph and lived in fear of a booze bus lurking around every corner if you had a beer or two. I also travelled to Bali and Thailand several times a year and loved the way locals lived for themselves with little government interference. The corruption and officialdom in Thailand are small scale compared to Australia and can be largely ignored or paid for with pennies. I now own a number of properties (sort of) and live without any worries financially. Here you have a choice of lifestyle according to your wants, and every day can be an adventure. I wouldn't again live in Australia where the only thing you have to look forward to is a slow demise in a nursing home. (I have to specify I wouldn't want to live here on a Thai salary.)

I lifted the pic from GE. I looked for the big signs to which you refer but couldn't quickly find them. I'm not sure what the posted fine is, but he was probably ripped off with the amount he paid.

It's known by locals and expats in Phuket that bikes are banned in tunnels. There has been much discussion on this forum over the years. There are signs, but probably difficult for tourists to spot. Thais generally don't risk the fine to save a couple of minutes, the bikes I've seen roaring through tunnels are mostly foreigners.

Most Thais don't know the difference between a tourist and an expat. Many expats don't know the difference between a one-year extension of stay and permanent residence. Not just jet skis, but all water sports are banned in Krabi for environmental reasons. However, mass transport of tourists by commercial vessels has caused major damage to some islands (and much loss of life), in this magnificent bay. There have been several incidents noted in this forum over the years of tourists taking hire jet skis from Phuket to Krabi islands and also of Thais trying to subvert the rules by starting hire businesses there.

Silly question. Impossible to state an exact speed from the video. However, it was excessively fast for the conditions and almost certainly above legal limits. The girl did look first and tried to run to safety, but the person on the bike was going way too fast for her to escape. The rider made no attempt to swerve and only briefly braked about a meter before hitting the girl. He then immediately sped up to flee the scene. This Frenchman, of North African origin, should spend considerable time in a prison cell to contemplate his actions. Over the years there have been far too many incidents of this nature in Phuket, specifically Patong and Kamala, with the common themes of gangs of French citizens with Arab names, big bikes, speed in busy streets and disregard for others. The Police need to get serious about their activities.

It's not of course, but the poster you quoted didn't question nationality, ie Citizenship., He was making an educated guess as to the Frenchman's origins. I agree with his conclusion.

I had neither a letter nor a stamp in the new PP. Immigration was happy to transfer necessary details based on the stamp in the old. Replaced in 2020.

When I received my new PP, the Embassy put a stamp in the cancelled PP stating any valid visas remain valid, and referenced the new PP number.

Pompeo violated ethics rules, State Dept. watchdog finds | The Hill

Aguilar is 14 years older than the American singer and sold most of her records before Aquilera started recording. It's her birth name from her Filipino father.

A few years ago, a couple of these tourist boats collided in that channel at high speed. From memory, 2 Russian children died.

Others did it! OK, that's alright then. Let's worship their descendants and give them ultimate control of governments.

He knows very well where I'm from he's just being his usual petty, trolling self.

Too broad a description? For someone only a little smart, a clue could be found in my nik or even from my interest in this thread.

What are the British monarchy’s historical links to slavery? | Monarchy | The Guardian

The post I was quoting was about the source of Royal family's wealth and power, not their failure to acknowledge it. That would never happen with this lot. I'm from a country that the British invaded, slaughtered or enslaved the local inhabitants and despoiled the natural environment in their efforts to recreate their home conditions.