rickudon

Udon Thani usually lower than Bangkok, currently in the 130's. All particulate matter, SO2, NO2, ozone all ok. Outside of town always better. As currently staying inside most of the time (a different health issue), Particulate matter not much of an issue. Air purifier goes on if i can taste or smell the pollution.

I'm sure my daughter would like that.

I am sure that fusion will be achieved soon. The next step will be how to tap the superheated plasma without damaging the reactor, to make electricity. That will not be easy, never hear much about that. Still 50 years away from commercial usefulness.

Jonny, do not forget the bull bars and gun rack extras. The MAGA hat (made in China) is free.

Never been in the SAS, but did get arrested by the Libyan secret police once. But i didn't know it at the time, or i would have shat myself. Only questioned for about an hour, guess my answers checked out, because I am still around.

Had one in Udon Thani. Used to sell (maybe still does) outside Fruit market/Makro. Hearsay was that immigration picked him up. he explained he had a son to look after, no wife. They let him go, If he tried selling Som Tam, might have thrown the book at him. Very few Thai burger stalls.

I have lived in Udon Thani for 15 years, and have no plans to go anywhere else. Many things have improved. 1. Traffic - inside the ring road, rush hours are a bit slow. The new ring road finished a couple of years ago is pretty close to western standards and no longer requires the annual 'repair', hasn't needed it. In town out of rush hour(s) it isn't too bad. a bit slow sometimes, but rarely gridlock. And once you know the city, you know the faster routes 2. Air quality - there are only a couple of official monitoring stations, on major roads - so reported air quality is always poor, Get out of the high traffic areas and it is lower. I live one kilometre outside the ring road and although i do have an air purifier, sometimes do not need it even once a year. Local burning has decreased a lot, Main problem is the air that blows in from far away and traffic fumes, Typical real AQI's are moderate, then low in wet season. Much of the old rice paddies are now unused, turning to swamp or scrub, 3, Roads - in the last 10 years nearly every road has been upgraded, this last year has seen an asphalt surfacing surge - smooth. haven't driven on a dirt road that goes anywhere in years - even most of the side soi's now surfaced. 4. Health - several private hospitals, also a good public hospital which has an international office to help us illiterates' access the right services - and no markup on costs (I use it). 5, Food - all the usual big stores (Makro, BigC, Lotus, Tops) also villa market and several other western food outlets, Restaurants took a bit of a beating during Covid but still plenty of choices - even have a Michelin chef with a beautiful restaurant only 200 metres away! 6. sight seeing - not exactly world class, but quite a few places worth a visit, in town and out. UDtown is one of Thailand's largest entertainment, restaurant and shopping centres, The lavish landscaping exceeds anything you can see for free in the UK. Out of town - you may have heard about the 'sea of red water lilies - well i have a smaller 20 rai one 100 metres from home! 7. Immigration is pretty good - very few horror stories and no multiple hour waits for service. 8. Late night entertainment - not much left, soi Samphan only has one bargirl area left now - most of rest is being slowly redeveloped into Bangkok hospital car parking and small hotels. 9. at home I have garden, Small koi pond and on the farm 200 meres away my own fishing ponds; can sit in the sala and watch/listen to the local wildlife. very peaceful.

So much misinformation in this thread. A graph which was first made in the 1960's is used to say it was warmer in the past (we didn't have all the ice core data then, we now know it is probably warmer than at anytime in the last 800,000 years). Also CO2 levels are now the highest in those 800,000 years. Volcanic eruptions? - Humanity's annual carbon emissions through the burning of fossil fuels and forests, etc., are 40 to 100 times greater than all volcanic emissions. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/736161 Did MMCC cause the California fires? NO. But it resulted in more undergrowth from recent wet winters, and drier conditions from hotter summers, meaning that these conditions increased the risk of a devastating fire. The last 5 years have seen a big increase in forest fires globally, even in Siberia. MMCC (man made Climate change) is not just about temperature, but the cascade of effects it causes, The problem is that many people focus on just one point but do not see the big picture. My scientific background includes Biology, Geology, Chemistry, Food science, agriculture, environmental monitoring and more, My interest in climate and man's effects on the climate was first aroused when i wrote a paper about Quaternary extinctions of large mammals - just a small change can cause an imbalance that leads to major changes.

Just a couple of points. First, many posters seem to be unaware of many of the Thai tax allowances (especially if retired and on a pension). Most retirees will not pay tax on the first 500,000 baht of income (includes the 150,000 zero rate tax). There are other allowances, but not available to all. Look at Mike Listers tax thread started last year, or do your own research. Second. We do not really know how much information will be made available under CRS (common reporting standard) but probably very limited. Complicated if more than one bank involved. Credit cards may not even be covered. Third - what documentation will be required, and will we really be expected to provide Thai translations? That will cost more than the tax itself! Also my pensions are processed through different banks before the money is sent to Thailand, and never is paid directly into a Thai bank (cash from Credit card). If audited, could take years.... and i remit less than my tax allowances anyway (plus qualify under a DTA). For me, very much wait and see.

Just over 30 years ago i had a recurring UTI. First treatment was penicillin K, a one gram dose. it worked for a month but then UTI back. next 2 antibiotics prescribed only worked for a few days. Doctor didn't know what to try next. I suggested as Penicillin K nearly worked the first time, to give me 2 doses, which i took 48 hours apart. Problem solved. Just my experience.

Serious problems need serious answers. it can be made pretty near financially neutral.

Well, i find a lot of that data laughable, First, some of it dates back to the 20th century - it isn't up to date. The graph talking about CO2 levels rising 800 years after warming starts, stops when CO2 gets to 280 ppm - it is now over 50% higher than that! That is a level not experienced in the last 800,000 years, higher than in the last 4 or more glacial/interglacial cycles. The double glazing example was a fallacy. It is well known that greenhouses get warmer, but it doesn't affect the other side of the glass outside the greenhouse. Anyway going bust may have had nothing to do with the science, just finances,. Yes astrophysics is behind the timing of Ice ages; but our point in the cycle means the earth should be cooling; it most definitely is not. Global temperatures are increasing, over the last 10 years every year has been more than 1 degree centigrade warmer than the 19th century baseline., with the last 10 years averaging 1.25 degrees. Global temperature has risen by 0.2 degrees centigrade or more for each of the last 4 decades. He belittles the impact of CO2 on the atmosphere. Man made emissions now stand at over 40 billion tons per year, half of which is taken up by land and sea - the rest stays in the atmosphere. We are adding to it faster than the carbon cycle can use it. here is one link - https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide

Halifax Clarity. Free for all oversea use (including cash withdrawals) You do have to pay for UK cash withdrawals, but just need any UK debit cards for that.

Yes, But they have been to chicken to roll it out nationally due to right wing hysteria. The big advantage for citizens is if you do loose your job, you do have the peace of mind that you shouldn't starve while trying to get another.

I tried to use Wise some years ago. made 3 attempts, but only one payment got through. Haven't used since and cannot use because my phone number changed. I use my UK fee free Credit card. use to pay some bills e.g. super market shop, and get cash out at a Thai bank counter. Only 'fee' is the Mastercard currency conversion rate, which is pretty comparable to Wise when you add their rate and fee together. Only drawback is need to payoff cash withdrawals quickly to minimise interest costs. Never had any problem.

The vast majority of USA citizens pay little if any income tax. and welfare seems to be to easy to get. How about a novel alternative? Give everyone welfare, at a subsistence level. Pay income tax on EVERYTHING you earn (no tax free allowances). May seem very socialist, but if you give everyone a welfare payment, no need for massive bureaucracy too administer it. Because everyone gets welfare payment, they can afford higher income tax payments. For those who are to lazy to work, they get just enough to survive - if they want more money, they have to work.

And who pays for that? Like so many other services, efficiency cuts mean money not spent on it. The climate is changing, and with it comes consequences.

I live on 5,000 baht a month. But the wife spends 35,000 baht....

OP sounds like one character we used to have in Udon Thani. Used to bemoan that farangs dressed improperly when going out, especially when going to government offices. Said we should wear proper leather shoes, long socks, long trousers, button up shirt and a jacket! Hell i am retired, on permanent holiday and the temperature is often in the mid 30s centigrade. I wear for comfort. Sandals, shorts, proper short sleeved shirt. That's it. Udon Thani does tend to have more 'blue collar' retirees than some other places, but there are interesting intellects to be found, if you look in the right places. Just need a few more Bridge players!

8-9 times a day. I do have CKD, BPH and Urgency issues if i stand up after sitting or laying down for some time. Overnight - go around midnight and usually one other time. In the morning usually go 2-3 times within 2 hours, after that OK. I take Duodart and it does help provide a better flowrate. Hopefully also shrinks the Prostate, but no proof of that yet. Since CKD diagnosed, have upped my liquid intake slightly, and Urine colour nearly always clear to pale yellow.

So many solar lights around these days it is hard to see the stars. Trees? they clean the air, provide shade, fix carbon and produce a useful product - wood. Maybe I am lucky that my entire life, apart from University, was spent in small rural towns and villages or suburbia - always had a garden (and trees). Cities are for work, not play. I also spent a year in a camp in the Kakadu national park. I saw animals you never will.

That is one thing i totally agree with. BUT i wonder how many of those belonged to corporate attendees going there to try and influence the outcome. This analysis is worth a read https://theconversation.com/cop27-will-be-remembered-as-a-failure-heres-what-went-wrong-194982#:~:text=Geopolitics&text=The invasion meant that oil,act boldly on fossil fuels.

Aseannow is becoming a haven for conspiracy theorists (with no theory) and deniers. Yes, it is sad that the 'climate emergency' keeps getting exaggerated by the media to get more clicks. BUT look at the facts. 1. CO2 levels have been steadily rising, higher than any level in the last 800,000 years. Man now accounts for about 5% of all planetary CO2 emissions, and the carbon cycle cannot deal with that extra amount. 2. Average global temperatures have been rising steadily for the last 140 years (when good records began) and is now increasing at more than 0.1 degrees Centigrade a decade and the rate is increasing. 3. Average Sea levels are rising (currently at 3mm per year) Those are 3 measurable FACTS. (there are others). The world is already seeing more extreme weather events, and other events, such as coral bleaching, more frequent larger forest fires, melting permafrost and glaciers. There are certain events which once they start are very difficult to stop and reverse. These include changes to AMOC (the Gulf stream), the dying of the Amazon forest (part due to climate change, part due to deforestation) and the loss of habitat for many important species of Animals and plants. I wish they would stop saying '10 years to save the world' or whatever, but there will almost certainly be some dramatic changes during this century if we keep our CO2 and other emissions up. Can we stop it? Not with you lot of pathetic non-believers.

Similar to my experience, except they didn't even want my UK address or any UK tax data! Just really the statement that i wasn't a USA citizen or liable for USA tax

Fish make the best pets. Do not wander off and annoy the neighbours. Not noisy. Can go away on holiday and not need to get someone in to feed them every day.