timendres

I did not state that I "know what the Fed will do". I talked about their likely actions within a given context. The Fed has two mandates from Congress - price stability and full employment. They have a third "mandate" that is not from Congress - stability of the financial system. They are achieving their price stability after the recent inflation spike. This does not require them to reduce rates, and they will be inclined to keep them high for fear of re-inflation. However, the yield curve inversion, and slowing economies in Europe and Asia, suggest unemployment is the more likely force on the horizon. If unemployment remains low, interest rates will remain (relatively speaking) high, unless the third mandate comes into play. If unemployment marches higher, rates will come down. So, if you say that I cannot predict unemployment or inflation or bank stability, then you are absolutely correct. But I can predict what the Fed will do once those forces are determined. Anyone can.

The Fed will begin cutting rates as soon as unemployment begins to show consistently rising numbers, or the financial systems (banks) begin to show trouble that cannot be contained by reasonable measures. Both are possible in 2024. However, this scenario, especially rising unemployment, will be the result of recessionary forces, which we already see in virtually every other major economy. That will, in turn, affect Thailand negatively both in exports and tourism, which will likewise make the THB weaker.

I have found that email support from Manilla is typically good. Rarely took more one or two days to get a proper reply. And... I also got my deposit on the 3rd.

It was silly of me. I had not left Thailand for 11 years, and I had some older 100's from the US. I was hoping to move them in Cambodia, as no exchange will accept then here. I was ultimately able to spend them in a couple of restaurants.

And the hassle of needing acceptable $100 bills. I showed them 2 different 100's and both were refused. Fortunately I had a $50 bill that they would accept.

It is my understanding that the matter is not a question of "number of border runs", but more a question of time spent in the country. Three months, or roughly 90 days, should not cause a problem, if managed properly. It could easily be seen as an extended "South East Asia tour". The two week stay in the Phills will make it appear more so. Even better if you have another long stay on the second border hop. Say in VT or KH. I think entering via air will be best, and be certain to be able to show your exit flights. It would be even better if on the final entry, your return flight is back to your home country. If you had all flights booked ahead, then if there were any real questions, you could show your intent to "tour" SEA and return home. The real problems start when you spend more than 120 days in Thailand within a 12 month stretch. A friend recently spent 6 months in Thailand doing border hops every 30 days, but began to get interrogated on the last two entries.

NOTE: As usual, US passport holders are not accepted.

MBK will have tons of used iPads for sale. Also, Fortune across from Central Rama 9 has many vendors selling used iPads. I prefer Fortune, but MBK is likely to have more choices. As noted above, the battery is the biggest concern, although it is easily replaced when it the time comes.

Also want to know! What qualifies for "Long Stay" to use that fast track? Does that apply to those on retirement extensions?

Yes, he was only 31. Especially so if it was due to something like schizophrenia, which is so difficult to manage.

Have you actually met any human beings?

In the case of football teams and the like, just having one mom there during practices and such would go a long way to ensuring safety. The moms could rotate the duty to reduce the burden. These predators need to hide their activities, and the moms have a vested interest in preventing that. I believe they would also notice any untoward behavior more quickly than others might. Simple and effective.

Often times, HDMI issues are caused by purchasing very cheap cables. So sometimes just purchasing a quality cable can fix the issue.

It is not an exaggeration in LA or SF or Chicago. Major cities are struggling with these problems. That said, the US is a very large country, and these areas represent a very small portion of the country in a "square miles" sense. Unfortunately, they are very densely populated, so the problem is quite extreme. There are many places in the US, like my home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where it is quite like Mayberry R.F.D. (very much like the "stereotypical" US in the 60's or 70's). There are so many small and medium sized towns in the US where they simply struggle with the same issues they have faced for decades - poverty and unemployment. But they are quite reasonable to live in if you can find decent employment. So, no, the entire US does not look like these videos. But go to any of these major cities that defunded the police, did not properly plan for the homeless and mentally ill, or are inundated with the tsunami of immigrants pouring in, and it will look a lot like these videos.

Well, not being Canadian, I have an advantage ^_^

The real justice here will be when the owner of that BMW sees the bill to repair it. Not cheap. Hoping he gets the bill to repair the shops as well. And i hope that cat haunts him!

You are quite right. And the Usufruct, being the best option in some cases, should be used appropriately. Just keep in mind that there is no 100% safe option for the many risks we face in life and plan accordingly.

I enjoy them from time to time. But I keep my mouth shut, check the bill with every delivery, and pay the total no matter what.

From the original article: It really does surprise Thai police how non-Thais are conditioned to never admit to a crime.

Don't need horror flicks. Just AseanNow:

Unfortunately, electric vehicles are making the "Listen" part less applicable. I am constantly shocked when they sneak up on me.

Let me converse with someone from the US and someone from Canada for more than a couple minutes, and I can definitely tell you which is which. Just looking at them, not a chance.

I absolutely love it when the giant TV ad screens crash and you see the windows prompts. XP is so common on those.

What I do believe is likely for any international flyers is that the price of oil is likely to continue to drop well into next year, if we see a global recession. This will certainly trim the price of long haul flights to some degree. But having looked at tickets for my brother to come visit from the US, the prices are not all that terrible right now.

You are correct that USD based expats here in Thailand are at the mercy of the exchange rate. Any British citizen can tell you how disastrous a rapid and extreme exchange rate move can be for your retirement planning. They got seriously hurt after Brexit. It is important for every expat here to keep exchange rates in mind when planning. But the truth is that "currency traders" have little to do with these exchange rates, except for short-lived movements. Large trends are affected mostly by international trade flows and large institutional investors moving large sums in and out of government bonds. This is why the "system" tends to self-correct. Except for the problem of the USD being the reserve currency, requiring the US to constantly run a trade deficit in order to supply the dollars the system desperately needs.