konying

What surprises me is that in the North, Thais spend more $$$ to buy their vehicles that they do on their house.

I do not think its only the North, here in Pattaya, a few of my neighbors own 5 million baht cars, while their house is worth 2.5 million,

Then another idiot i know, sold her land somewhere in Isaan to buy a car

This was my experience 2 weeks ago. renewing 5 years for another 5

I do have WP , so did not need residency cert

Anyhow arrived at 8:30, handed over the usual copies. (note: no medical is needed)

With WP, they wanted my employee tax number(this is new, never heard of read anything about that)

Anyhow, called accountant, and got the number, which is also puzzling,as they simply write it down, so you could give them any number.

Off to do some silly reaction test, one pedal to accelerate and next one to stop and color blind test(all at the same time, lol)

Off too freezing cold room(air con super cold)

Watch some silly video for about 25 mins, NO it was not stopped, it was actually a 25 min video.

Off to pay the money and get a ticket,

Ticket called up, make a photo and 5 mins later all done.

Less than 2 hours to do all.

This is in Pattaya.

Half of the shops not paying rent or closing due to lack of sales and customers , hence the savings.

Those decorations are not very cheap to put on and just as expansive to maintain

I guess it had something to do with less shoppers but wouldn't it help to draw a few more customers by making the place look a bit more cheerful at this time of year and because they have always put on a big show in the past?

by leaving it looking so bare it's like advertising the fact that things may not be going so well?

Yes it would make more sense, but it also makes sense to reduce the price when nothing is selling, yet in Thailand prices increase

Can not help but wonder what is going to happen next year and years after.

First the 100 000 rebate , now the tax hike , so next year car sales would be plummeting or crashing ?

Half of the shops not paying rent or closing due to lack of sales and customers , hence the savings.

Those decorations are not very cheap to put on and just as expansive to maintain

Can be seen at your belt....you need the next hole: fat....you are on the same hole: muscle....

Not 100 % scientific but a good estimate

Belt is the same, even a hole less. So I am safe, lol

Honestly, I just can't seem to figure out why Western countries are so gung-ho to support Israel.

Gotta be money at bottom, and maybe fundamentalist Xian nutjobs.

Last time i checked Palestinians have been sucking Western tit for a few decades now with very little to show for it

You can thank israel for that, whilst they are sucking on the other tit.

Did not expect anything better from YOU, anyone else with common sense might disagree

I really doubt that any worries about ISIS in Phuket is effecting occupation stats.

I see the global economic situation being a big factor for reduction in Western visitors and I include Russians in that group.

Many of our regular guests from Russia have failed to turn up this year.

Our usual Scandanavians have disppeared completely.

Little off topic, but it will put a smile on your face.

Russians are coming back and more than before.

Since Turkeys fiasco, Thailand has become the main new place for them.

Just now, agency's in Russia offer Thailand trips from as little as $300 including airfares.

Got this info from a Russian friend, who is a developer and real estate agent.

He says, we will see the influx by the end of the month.

Of course occupancy rates haven't altered yet: people aren't just going to pack their bags and go home!

The next few weeks will be more indicative, though the overall occupancy levels will only change significantly if the Chinese market suddenly pulls the plug.

I have had a number of cancellations in recent days. Coincidence or not? Well, one of them mailed me and gave the exact reason for cancelling as the ISIS threat. Bookings have also slowed down. I only have a guesthouse. It would be interesting to hear from any larger hotel/resort owners/managers that post on here.

I am in Pattaya and while i have not had many cancellations, in the past week or so i had at least 10 fully paid bookings as a no show.

Also new bookings are not really coming.

Usually by now, i am already 90% full for Xmas and New years onward to half way through to January, this time, i can say i am empty, just a few rooms booked.

Next to me a larger hotel, with 100 rooms, same scenario, also a cheap 500 baht guesthouse(around the corner) has only 1 room occupied.

Do not know if its ISIS threat or something else.

Well done!!

I think the point is to be dedicated to it. If it is Herbal Life, or no carbs or low fat, with or without cardio. The point is you must really do it, than it works.

Well thats the thing, many people are unmotivated so do not even try as its too hard.

I found Herbal life to be really easy.

Why was it easy, because

1. I did not stop eating my favorite food or snacks, i just ate it once per day

2. I was not hungry

3. It takes less than 30 seconds to make

4. I did not stop drinking alcohol, just changed the mixers.

Other diets look scary for people who are unmotivated, the cooking, the prep work sounds "hard" and even for myself, having background in bodybuilding i had my diets, but just too lazy to cook and stock to it.

The Herbal Life or alike shakes, are just drop in water, mix and drink and all done.

No need to go shopping, no need to prepare, or really do anything.

What is herbal life, and where can I get it? I do not have a weight problem, but want to stay around 75Ks.

Herbalife International is an American multinational multi-level marketing corporation that develops, markets and sells nutrition supplements, weight management, sports nutrition and personal-care products.

Just use google translate of if Thai is near by and they will contact you, can purchase from the head office or find someone who is selling http://products.herbalife.co.th/get-herbalife

I have only tried the shakes and the tea.

About the tea, i can not really comment, as i was taking it together with the shakes for the first month, not too sure how well it work or if it works at all, but the shakes were great.

Still do one per day, admittedly i have started to eat little more and have gained 3 kg, but i also now train on daily basis, so the gain may well be the muscle not the fat

I will say though, if you donot want to loose weight and only want to maintain, i would propably go with protein shakes, also will be cheaper than the herbal life

Honestly, I just can't seem to figure out why Western countries are so gung-ho to support Israel.

Gotta be money at bottom, and maybe fundamentalist Xian nutjobs.

Last time i checked Palestinians have been sucking Western tit for a few decades now with very little to show for it

There is no best, its all good,

Just get LED fully digital smart TV from any of the major brands like LG and Samsung and you will be happy with it.

All have automatic software updates

If you want to get latest, get the 4K resolution

Do not bother with curved, its just a gimmick, it does not provide better picture or viewing angles to justify the price

So it will be part of EU? Like schengen?

Not for another 100 years.

Nothing but a charade.

Ukraine is useless in all aspects and will never meet any of EU requirements and if accepted will be a parasite living off the EU.

EU is well aware of that, but need to keep the face

and they do want to encourage one of Ukraine's greatest exports to the EU - tall blonde women in miniskirts who will marry anyone with an income and a house.....

Poland already has a trademark on this export

So it will be part of EU? Like schengen?

Not for another 100 years.

Nothing but a charade.

Ukraine is useless in all aspects and will never meet any of EU requirements and if accepted will be a parasite living off the EU.

EU is well aware of that, but need to keep the face

@TheCruncher: So salaries for experienced Thai construction workers, whether around Bangkok, Rayong or other areas in Thailand are around 400 baht per day. 500 baht per day is already a specialist with some special skills. So even if you hire more expensive construction workers at 500 baht per day, that still only makes you 15k per month. Foreign construction workers get somewhere around 250-300 baht per day.

Hope that helps. There are no construction workers making 30k per month.

Robert, as I said, time to spend some time in Thailand.

Many skilled construction workers make 1500 - 2000 Baht a day for at least the past 4 years.

Even a rice picker will not come for less than 400 Baht anymore these days, and you know what you got then.

I'm giving up. Your numbers are complete rubbish. And by the way a normal worker at a rice mill anywhere in Thailand gets 300 baht per day. That's it.

Ignore him, he does not have a clue and just posts utter drivel he heard at some bar or read on somewhere.

Dare him to show a payslip or any evidence

He will just come back with some more drivel.

I guess you haven't been to Thailand for a long time Robert, because a construction worker in Bangkok doesn't go home with less than 30K a month.

Those rice pickers, who call themselves construction workers a few months a year, are happy with 500 Baht a day but you don't want your house build by them.

Rubbish.

Skilled electrician, foreman, with 9 years working for the same company earns 18 000 per month and a company pick up truck.

A hadnyman for Central Shopping Malls, with 3 years working in the same company, 13 000 baht per month with OT if he does any.

By bye lemoncake.

More rubbish

@TheCruncher: So salaries for experienced Thai construction workers, whether around Bangkok, Rayong or other areas in Thailand are around 400 baht per day. 500 baht per day is already a specialist with some special skills. So even if you hire more expensive construction workers at 500 baht per day, that still only makes you 15k per month. Foreign construction workers get somewhere around 250-300 baht per day.

Hope that helps. There are no construction workers making 30k per month.

Robert, as I said, time to spend some time in Thailand.

Many skilled construction workers make 1500 - 2000 Baht a day for at least the past 4 years.

Even a rice picker will not come for less than 400 Baht anymore these days, and you know what you got then.

More rubbish

I guess you haven't been to Thailand for a long time Robert, because a construction worker in Bangkok doesn't go home with less than 30K a month.

Those rice pickers, who call themselves construction workers a few months a year, are happy with 500 Baht a day but you don't want your house build by them.

Rubbish.

Skilled electrician, foreman, with 9 years working for the same company earns 18 000 per month and a company pick up truck.

A hadnyman for Central Shopping Malls, with 3 years working in the same company, 13 000 baht per month with OT if he does any.

Does not Cambodia offer one for $10 000, or use to anyway

The poor are generally not allowed to succeed too much. Once they have something of value, the rich will find a way to take it. Most if not all rich people in Thailand got there money from either crime or exploitation or their family, who got it from crime or exploitation.

Rather a very silly assumption.

For starters anyone with big money AROUND THE WORLD, did not and does not make it clean.

Even to keep the inherited money involves lots of "dirty" work.

I know a few foreigners, who came to Thailand with almost nothing and now own 3 houses(around 12 million each) nice Benz, 5 kids in private school etc.

Would not call them super rich, but certainly not living payday to payday

wow. How on earth did he escape that with only minor injuries? Lucky lucky guy !!!

Silly question, he was wearing 5 Buddhist amulets

Anyone know the licence plate number of the taxi? Wife wants to buy the lottery number!

259

Everybody gets (or they should by now) your point, ok, at your point seems reasonable, however I was interested in the crux of the complaint, major or minor complaint, have you addressed it yet.

How can a fictitious complaint be addressed?

Do not listen to people who clearly do not have a clue.

Being scared of the noise is perfectly normal, no sedatives are required and if anything harm the dog.

Keep it safe, ie inside the house so he/she does not run away and act normal.

The more attention you pay to the problem, the more scared it will get.

During the noise, just use calm voice and tell the dog "its ok" and if anything joke around telling it to come out from under the table.

Eventually dog will over come its its fear and ignore it.

My gang of 6, do not even open their eyes any more to the sound of fireworks, when initially would be shaking and hiding

Great comment thanks. My shoulder has actually got better, but that means I can lift it to parallel with the floor. Have read a bit about physio but have a full thickness tear so not sure that is an option. But continue to research, and visiting surgeons for multiple opinions. Cheers

My advice is do not do it, especially if getting better. Try deep tissue massage, unless you serious about some sport, surgery is not the best way, as i have learned.

Takes a very long time to recover and full recovery is not guaranteed.

I torn both right and left shoulders, did surgery for right shoulder, did not do for left shoulder.

Left shoulder recovered in time, right shoulder lost mobility.

I am back to training and pain in right shoulder even after the surgery is by far worse than the left, also during rainy season or cold.

I have been eating glucosamine +msm, on daily basis and it does help

Also try voltaren tabs, slow release or more stronger arcoxia, but voltaren seems to be sufficient enough