bazza40

I brought in 7 large jars of Vegemite on my last flight here. OK, non-Australians don't consider that to be food. To us, it is a sacred breakfast ritual.

Maybe off-topic; however, I've always liked boerewors as a very tasty sausage. There's a bar in Chiang Rai that has Cumberland sausage on its breakfast menu.

Some pissers and moaners just dont like pure chuffin racism

Some pissers actually in the end can make a difference but then again this pisser is possibly wasting his time on trying to convince those with a paucity of any understanding of the issues involved in dual pricing that not only is it blatantly unfair it is actual bigoted and pure RACISM

Ah, the racism card. Odd how it's usually played when the dealer has run out of any other form of rational argument. Of course, you are not racist yourself, are you?

Dont usually feed the trolls but in your case will make an exception

Well now Einstein what else is the dual charging then if not pure RACISM?

And as it happens I am not a racist

Any person, club, Government who has two sets of rules based on an individuals Nationality is being Racist!, Its not rocket science you know

I could elucidate with many sensible reasons on why this policy is not a good one but then again I wont!

I'm a troll. Check. I'm Einstein. Check.You're not a racist. Check. It's not rocket science. Check.

Elucidate or elaborate? Up to you. Many sensible reasons? Checkout.

I have to thank you for the mental images you are providing. Apparently Hitler bit the carpet in his rages, do you froth all over your keyboard?

Assuming you're 100% correct, and it's all racism. What are you going to do about it? What can you do about it? Checkmate.

Have a cup of tea, a Bex, and a good lie down.

I was wondering: is there dual price for driving license ?

only if you aren't really a resident and have to pay a little under the table. This happened to me and I was totally fine with it at the time.

There is definitely dual pricing with visas, 90 day reports, and extensions. When one uses an agent, it's paying for convenience. Anyone who thinks nothing goes under the table under those circumstances please PM me, I have a bridge to sell.

I can understand people noticing dual pricing. What I can't understand is why they get their knickers in such a twist about it.

If you go to just about any golf club in the world, the price for visitors is always more than for members. That's because members pay annual subscriptions.

So if you are a falang in Thailand, how much tax have you paid compared to a Thai national?

When it comes to the crunch, if you think the green fees for a visitor at a golf club are too steep or poor value, you walk away.

It baffles me why the pissers and moaners on TV can't grasp the same principle applies to dual pricing in Thailand.

It's also somewhat pathetic when it's 100 baht versus 200 baht - if that signals impending bankruptcy, you shouldn't be here.

Rant over.

Some pissers and moaners just dont like pure chuffin racism

Some pissers actually in the end can make a difference but then again this pisser is possibly wasting his time on trying to convince those with a paucity of any understanding of the issues involved in dual pricing that not only is it blatantly unfair it is actual bigoted and pure RACISM

Ah, the racism card. Odd how it's usually played when the dealer has run out of any other form of rational argument. Of course, you are not racist yourself, are you?

I can understand people noticing dual pricing. What I can't understand is why they get their knickers in such a twist about it.

If you go to just about any golf club in the world, the price for visitors is always more than for members. That's because members pay annual subscriptions.

So if you are a falang in Thailand, how much tax have you paid compared to a Thai national?

When it comes to the crunch, if you think the green fees for a visitor at a golf club are too steep or poor value, you walk away.

It baffles me why the pissers and moaners on TV can't grasp the same principle applies to dual pricing in Thailand.

It's also somewhat pathetic when it's 100 baht versus 200 baht - if that signals impending bankruptcy, you shouldn't be here.

Rant over.

Below is based on information extracted from the Thailand Revenue Department website; http://www.rd.go.th/publish/24602.0.html 2014 Report, table on p. 94:-

Average (Personal Income Tax [PIT] + VAT) per person = 10,620 + 4,194 = 14,814 Baht.

(Assuming a Thailand population of 67,000,000)

Since the only one of those I pay on a regular basis is VAT, this equates to a VAT-liable annual spend of 14,814 / 7% = 211,628 Baht, i.e. if I spend more than 211,628 Baht p.a. on VAT-liable goods & services, I meet the average (PIT + VAT) tax payment per person in Thailand.

Without checking all my bills for VAT content, I reckon I pay quite a bit more than the average annual payment of (VAT + PIT) and therefore pay my way taxwise as a retired, non-working foreigner living in Thailand.

Why is only INCOME tax considered relevant when discussing this subject? The Thai Revenue Dept. receives 2.5x as much from VAT as it does from PIT.

As for the golf club analogy, how would someone feel if they'd paid their annual subs. (tax) and were then barred from the golf course because they weren't of the local nationality?

So you've lived here all your life, have you? That's the only way you can compare yourself to a Thai national. Doesn't matter if it's VAT or PIT.

The only reason a member gets barred from most golf courses is disciplinary. Nothing to do with race. Although that icon of American golf, Augusta, did take its time admitting an African-American to membership.

Most foreign countries have dual pricing.

It's only fair as most citizens here have much less than most tourists and retirees.

If it annoys you go home and pay much higher prices and be invisible to most women.

so when youre in a queue in a 15 year old car and everyone around you is in new mercs and camrys its right that the white guy pays more than the rich thais?

another thai ashlicker.

My Thai friends (business owners) recently decided to visit Mimosa shopping "mall" in Pattaya and asked if I would like to join them. We pulled up in a 5 million baht BMW and parked right next to the entrance gate. My friends were ushered through but I was stopped. I asked why.

Thais free, farang 300 Baht. We are discussed for a few minutes and eventually I got in using my DL. I am glad I didn't have to pay. What a complete waste of money and time.

By the way, I later saw on Internet it was 100 (or 150 baht for foreigners). Why on earth they asked for 300 I don't know.

Being charged to visit a <deleted> shopping mall? Well I never, and never will.

I can understand people noticing dual pricing. What I can't understand is why they get their knickers in such a twist about it.

If you go to just about any golf club in the world, the price for visitors is always more than for members. That's because members pay annual subscriptions.

So if you are a falang in Thailand, how much tax have you paid compared to a Thai national?

When it comes to the crunch, if you think the green fees for a visitor at a golf club are too steep or poor value, you walk away.

It baffles me why the pissers and moaners on TV can't grasp the same principle applies to dual pricing in Thailand.

It's also somewhat pathetic when it's 100 baht versus 200 baht - if that signals impending bankruptcy, you shouldn't be here.

Rant over.

Even if they had real milkpowder in them i wouldn't drink it.

In Europe the chinese do EVERYTHING to get real good milkpowder. They ship it to china because they don't trust ANY company there for it. Even when Nestle (or Nutricia?) opened a milkpowder factory in China they wouldn't buy it, they need it from Europe ONLY.

Thailand is the same as China regarding quality control.....but if the instant 3 in 1 coffee doesn't even have diary creamer then maybe that's the best.

Myself i only drink homemade coffee with fresh milk from Meiji.

The Chinese are paranoid about powdered milk because it was discovered in 2012? that a local producer had been adulterating infant milk powder with melamine to cut costs. Causes massive kidney damage. Can't remember how many babies died, think it was in the hundreds. Ever since, local products are widely distrusted.

There's a cohort of Chinese in Australia who are making big money by purchasing infant formula from local supermarkets and shipping it to China in container loads, where it's sold for 10 times the Australian price. Producers can't keep up with demand.

3 in 1 is for emergencies only, when I can't get to a coffee shop. Starbucks and Tom'n'Toms are excluded.

All types of 3 in 1 are mixes of instant coffee, sodium caseinate, and sugar. As coffee is the most expensive ingredient, it's probably fair to say the bean counters have worked hard at achieving the minimum coffee content possible. Think one would have to be a professional coffee taster to detect any difference in the brands.

Actually socialisation is the greatest misconception whenever homeschooling is mentioned.

My children get 4 hours study a day 1-1 and generally at least 2 hours play/ social activities with other homeschool groups. Far more than they would ever get in a shool setting and way ahead of their school friends

Do they speak Thai?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Most of the Thai kids I see in my condo are studying English, so perhaps it is not the potential problem implied by the question.

250k p/m.

Very helpful, presumably you also assist old ladies crossing the road.

Depending how far out in the sticks the OP wants to be, house rent will be 10K - 20K baht per month. He would need some capital investment in a scooter and car, recommend buying low mileage secondhand. Budget about 400K baht for those items.

All up for a family, I would suggest a budget of about 75K baht/month. It depends on how well or modestly the OP wants to live. Good luck.

I live in Chiang Mai but from NYC. Where can I buy a great Bagel, without a bagel and some scallion cream cheese who needs smoked salmon

There is no such entity as a great bagel. To Australians, it's like eating plasticine.

Haven't had one, eh?

Tried eating several in New York. Apart from the plasticine effect, completely tasteless. I suppose it's like you guys trying to eat Vegemite. At least that sends a wakeup call to the tastebuds.

I live in Chiang Mai but from NYC. Where can I buy a great Bagel, without a bagel and some scallion cream cheese who needs smoked salmon

There is no such entity as a great bagel. To Australians, it's like eating plasticine.

I am eagerly anticipating the OP's next thread on the cost of barfines. If he can manage 31 lines of text over an extra 20-50 grams of smoked salmon, I think the sky's the limit.

That translates as: Not my concern or I do not know much more than what I care to know while I really do not care to learn or make any effort to know or learn anything about what you want or what you are asking for....so they say: My Mee.

Just joking in part but usually if they do not know they simply say : My Mee

When Thai People are asked about something if they do not say: My Mee, then Thai people are also well known for commonly saying:

My Lou ( I Do Not Know)

My Sap ( No Idea )

My Die ( Can Not )

My Ow ( Do Not Want )

My Bi ( Do Not Want to Go )

My Coy ( Never )

My Kow-Jai ( I Do Not Understand )

My Lroo Rlueng ( I Do Not Understand the Story Concerning This Conversation )

My Coy Hen ( I Never See )

My Doo or My Mong ( Did Not Look )

My Sohn-Jai ( I Am Not Interested )

My Lrou-Jack ( I Do Not Know About That: "Thing" or "Place" or "Person" )

My Chop ( I Do Not Like )

My Yom ( I Do Not Accept )

My Coy Hen ( I Never See )

My Tum ( Will Not Do )

My Set ( Not Finished Yet )

My Hen Doo-Way ( I Do Not Agree )

My Jai ( I Will Not Pay The Money )

My Lrack Koon ( I Do Not Love You )

My Mee Ngun ( I Do Not Have Money )

My Jai Ngun ( Will Not Pay The Money )

My Ah-Rloy ( Not Good Tasting )

My Kin ( Will Not Eat )

My Dee ( Not Good )

My Jap ( Do Not Touch )

And there is more..

You will hear a whole lot of "My" this and "My" that..... all the time ....so better get used to it.

Cheers

Ooooh you know a lot of Thai.

In case you need it, the Thai adjective for sarcastic is gra thaaek gra than.

As you have learned, while the literal translation of "mai mee" is "no have", it is widely used as a way of shrugging the person off regardless of whether or not they in fact have the item. In fact you will sometimes get the "mai mee" even when the item is clerarly behind them on the shelves, or before you have even named it.

Basically they are just trying to get rid of you. I think it even happens to Thai customers (as a way of the staff reducing their workload, especially if the item would require that they check, or fetch it from another part of the store). But it happens more with foreigners. Both because being outside the thai hierarchy, it is considered "safe" to disappoint or annoy foreigners, and becaye dealing iwth foreigners is more work/effort - harder to know what they are saying plus they often are seeking less common items.

Often it means "I don't know what you want and am unwilling to make an effort to find out" or even, if you have not yet even named the item, "I assume that dealing with you will be hard and I don't want to make the effort".

"Mai Dai" ("cannot") is the same story. More often means "I don't want to bother", "I don't know what it is/what you want" etc than that it is actually not possible to do whatever.

Patient but firm persistance is the best recourse. Smile and say "Kitwa mee...." (I think you do have...) and keep at it. Since the main impetus is to avoid effort, make it more of a hassle for them to take the "mai mee" or "mai dai" route than to just serve you in the first place.

You're probably right; however, IMHO persistence is a waste of time. I prefer to say Mai Bpen Rai and go looking elsewhere. Odds are pretty good someone in the same street will have the item.

I've nonplussed a few Thais by whipping out the item in question, and offering to sell it to them.

As far as food is concerned, 20 minutes is the limit. If it's not on the table by then, me and my Thai GF get up from the table and leave.

Mai dai, mai jai is a useful expression.

The argument here is whether one should pay an agent with the inevitable implication of corruption, or do it yourself and potentially have to wait around for hours at the whim of immigration officials.

Having experienced the DIY reception at Chiang Mai Immigration one time, I have no desire to repeat. So since then, I've paid for an agent.

Let me suggest those posters who parade their brilliance, and imply people like me are incompetent retards, have never dealt with CM Immigration. Or if they have, are willing to spend 1 - 2 days at all kinds of weird times for a result. I have better things to do with my time, thank you.

You could do as others have suggested or you could both just enter on a 30-day visa-exempt permission to stay, convert to a 90-day non-O visa during the last 15 days of your 30-day exempt, then apply for a one-year extension of stay for the purpose of retirement during the last 30 days of your non-O. The only downside of that is the maddening procedures at Chiang Mai Immigration. They are awful! I suggest that you read some of the threads about Chiang Mai Immigration. You decide that you would rather live elsewhere. Good luck.

Yes, there are a lot of horror stories about CM immigration. However, if you are willing to pay an agent the whole process is a lot less painful.

My last retirement extension took 20 minutes. I don't even attend CM Immigration for the 90 day report, simply give my passport to the agent one day before.

Your money, your choice.

It's ridiculous how much some complain about the supposed hardship of maintaining your legal status here. I'm happy to spend what amounts to a few hours per year at the immigration office in order to stay here.

So what do Thai folk have to do on a regular basis in the UK..?

I have been here for years and in two days this week have had 3 visits from the BiB..

Perhaps they are monitoring your posts on TV.

What bothers me might not bother others. for instance it bothers me that they drive on the wrong side of the road but many people like that. Go figure.

The purpose of driving on the left or "wrong" side was so charioteers, who were usually righthanded, could wield swords or use a whip for the horses. That carried over into modern vehicles.

I have no idea why Americans originally designed vehicles to drive on the right hand side of the road, just as I have no idea why they choose to measure their fuel in gallons, when everyone else uses metric units. I suspect it is sheer cussedness.

I moved here 7 years ago, and wasn't aware of TV until about 2 years ago. I doubt very much it would have influenced my decision to retire here.

It's a good source of current news in Thailand. It's also a good source of information such as immigration issues, electrical problems, and computer glitches. Take a bow, the moderators who help us there.

It's also a very good tool for warding off Alzheimer's. I enjoy identifying the trolls, cretins, narcissists and poseurs, then stirring them up a little. Sometimes we'll get a comment which is pure gold. And sometimes the poster doesn't even realise what they have said. I'm convinced there are people on TV who spend all their waking hours glued to the screen. Different strokes for different folks.

So long may TV continue.

Get your priorities right. Buy her a toaster instead, and show her how to make toast for you.

Fixed rate deposits are just fine at Chiang Mai Immigration, I've been using them for years. As another poster has stated, they can be cashed in at any time but with a loss of interest.

My experience also.

We know appearances are important here so why go out looking like a homeless person unless you want people to avoid you. People are not equal and things are not fair, never have been and never will be. You can learn to play this very simple game here in Thailand or you can sit and complain about life being unfair.

What do homeless people in Thailand look like?

And is your idea of a homeless person the same as a Thais idea of a homeless person?

Most of the old losers posting here think sandals and socks are the way to go ........

Ever seen a Thai person wearing sandals and socks?

So you judge a book by its cover.

My landlord wears sandals and socks. So do I. They are comfortable.

He owns property in England, Malaysia, Sydney Harbour, and Chiang Mai. His house in the middle of the Old City is worth about 30 million baht alone. He wouldn't regard himself as a loser. Neither do I. If you and I had a pissing contest on assets, I'm fairly confident who would come out in front.

For a guy who prides himself on his superior education, you sometimes make comments which make you look like a total prat.

The motorcycle taxi guys look at me with contempt when I pay for their 25 Baht service in one Baht coins. You would think they should be grateful that I am providing change they can use with future customers.

The 7/11 cashiers smile gratefully when I pay for my stuff using coins, but the people in the queue behind me look at me in contempt - while the cashier counts my coins.

What am I doing wrong?

When you pay for a tuk-tuk with 1 baht coins, you are announcing the chances of a tip are zero. So you are looked on as a Cheap Charlie.

It's just a hypothesis; however, I've noticed the aircon and fans are usually directed across the counter. Perhaps you should consider changing your underarm deodorant.