BritManToo

It was always the initial filing of paperwork that was the problem.

I couldn't even get an appointment without an agent, or queuing all night.

Getting the approved stamp 30 days later never took more than 30 minutes, even at the worst of times.

3 minutes ago, polkop11 said:

Thai will become more prosperous, good for them.

Can't say I've noticed my former wifes rellys or my girlfriends family getting more prosperous.

In fact they all seem to be really struggling these days, not even worth planting rice on their farms any more.

You must know a different class of Thais to me.

Or more likely, you don't know any Thais like many of the posters on ThaiVISA, because you can't speak one word of Thai (beyond 'farang')

38 minutes ago, malibukid said:

have you heard of culture?

 Cambodia, and Vietnam have far more culture and better quality culture.

Unless you like gold painted temples and fake smoking monks with i-phones.

35 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

If you regularly read Thai Visa you would assume 90% of farang/Thai marriages were disasters and every Thai hated every farang and yet day to day experience "on the ground " seems quite different.

I would agree with the marriages, but only the Thai officials and tourist touts seem to hate white guys.

If your experiences are different, you probably can't speak and understand Thai.

Last week,

Leaving Thailand at AranyaPrathet and entering I certainly got the impression the immigration officers hated me, even though I had a perfectly good VISA, they clearly were looking for trouble. 15 minutes examining my passport pages on the way out (Dude, you only need to look at my last entry stamp and completed exit paper), and 10 minutes of questioning on my way in (Dude, you only need to look at my current VISA, and entry paper) <deleted> do they think they're up to?

Why did you leave Thailand? 90 day VISA entry expired.

Why are you entering Thailand? VISA says to look after my children.

How long are you staying in Thailand? VISA says up to 90 days.

Where are you going after 90 days? Out of Thailand.

Where will you go when you leave? Not here again.

When are you returning after that? Not your business.

You can't make this stuff up.

5 minutes ago, yogi100 said:

You're confusing me with the person I was responding to. Try taking your time to determine who has said what before jumping in with your eyes shut.

Dude, we're old, easily confused, and some of us already have dementia, show a bit of compassion.

1 minute ago, thaiguzzi said:

And admit to having family & kids.

So, is it the kids or the sexpat scene that keeps you here?

Don't get me wrong, i like to party, but i sorta grew out of the girly bar scene about 13 years ago, coincidentally about the same time my wife was pregnant with our son.

I have kids, no wife (she went).

And I'm too old for sex (especially after 10 beers).

But I don't see anything wrong with a bit of flirting and horseplay in a girly bar of an evening.

Like I said, it's only my Thai children that keep me here, they get free everything as Thai citizens, too expensive to start shipping them around the world. Not that my 20-year-old daughter would want to go, she's happy at university with her mates. My son's only 7, doubt I'll get the chance at another country before I'm dead.

4 minutes ago, HalfLight said:

he B[eer] & P[ussy] Brigade, along with the generally welcoming approach to paedophiles that SE Asia has in general, will ruin Thailand as a retirement home,

Why would you retire to Thailand if you didn't want the beer and pussy?

There isn't much else here worth the trip.

1 minute ago, puchooay said:

So.....is pork, chicken, fruit, vegetables, dairy products and fish, for example, more expensive if you are going to make western food than it is if you are cooking Thai food?

I totally agree, most food ingredients are far cheaper in Thailand than in the western countries, I would suggest the people claiming western food is expensive either eat out all the time, can't cook, or are being scammed by their nearest and dearest.

5 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Sounds idyllic Bullie..............got room for an old but active handyman??

 

PS. Do you buy the house and actually own it for that money??

Are you OK with the 30% tax on your global assets/investments/pension/rental income, including property and pensions derived in other countries?

https://www.expatica.com/pt/finance/taxes/guide-to-taxes-in-portugal-105742/

9 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Anyone thinking of Cambodia should google Cambodia-China relationships and see if that's really where they want to be in 5 years.

I've always avoided Cambodia as lawless, but last week my alcoholic pals convinced me to go to Siam Reap for a drinking marathon. We all really enjoyed it, draught beer at 50c a pint (15bht), cocktails at $1 a shot (30bht). Indian takeaways in every street ($4-$5 for a sitdown meal). Hotel with a decent modern room and swimming pool $10/night.

Once I was over the land border (nightmare) there were no problems at all, it was really nice.

It was like Thailand 10 years back, but at a fraction of the price. 

@bkk6060, it wasn't any dirtier than Chiang Mai, and if your main purpose in life was to drink beer in bars full of naughty ladies 50c/pint in Siam Reap Vs 80bht/pint in Loi Krow is a significant difference (x5). If you want to include the lady drink prices 50c/pint Siam Reap Vs 150bht/pint in Loi Krow, then you're on significant savings (x10).

Just now, Odysseus123 said:

The more they talk about it the less they do.

 

I'm too old, talking about it is all I have left.

Luckily I can still drink the beer.