rickudon

Official statistics are highly dubious, around 40% of Thais work in the informal economy - government has no idea how much they earn, My wife runs a village shop and micro laundrette, she 'takes' about 3-4,000 a day with a markup of 20%, so theoretically makes 500-600 baht a day - BUT that is gross - if you allow for wastage (food goes bad), utility bills and days when she cannot work a whole day, average is more like 300-400 baht. And hers is one of the largest shops in the village.

Rained on and off in Udon this afternoon, sometimes the concrete even got wet. Less than a millimetre.

Do not know bout the zoo, but saw some shots on the Thai news of houses flooded up to roof level. Most roofs were inhabited by dogs trying to sit the flood out. Some bodies were being retrieved as well.

God another Russian troll

80,000 dollars is about 3 times the average UK pension. Few who would have that much.

Sad if you cannot appreciate the village life. Obviously way out in the bush can cause problems, but otherwise it is great. I live 5 km from a small city, so can shop there anytime, have great internet, fresh air, beautiful sunsets, land, my own fishing ponds, veg garden. Living in a city is horrible. Pollution, little or no garden, traffic. In the UK my son is looking for a new place to live in London (has been away for a year) - rents have gone through the roof, due to the return of students after Covid; he went to one viewing and was 1 of 25 viewers that day! He now thinks he will have to pay up to 1,000 GBP a month just for a room in a shared house or flat. Still will have utility bills, commuting costs and food to pay for. Buy a place? Only when he gets some inheritance money. Cities only any good for the young, if you have any money left for entertainment.

Did a bit of online research, but did get widely differing results (some from 70 years ago!) This wshows some of the results https://www.quora.com/How-many-nuclear-warheads-would-it-take-to-destroy-the-Earth and this bit seemed the most rational: Also, it seems fallout is overrated. A Northern hemisphere exchange would have limited effects on the Southern Hemisphere. By the time substantial fallout arrives in the southern hemisphere, most of the radiation would have decayed or been washed out. In the Northern hemisphere, most deaths would probably be due to famine, pestilence, cold and societal collapse. So best advice in Thailand - move South of the equator if you can, if not, wrap up warm, get your own power system, and buy anything useful. Biggest problem will be holding on to it.

My thoughts. If Putin goes nuclear in Ukraine, and NATO does nothing new, it will just encourage him to try again, Baltic states, Finland ..... when do you say enough is enough. Hitler and the 30s again. First it would be best to try a conventional military response - it has been suggested destroying the entire black sea fleet, or all Russian assets in Ukraine. Putin might realise he cannot win, and back down. Or he might go all in ...... If the war goes nuclear, Have to assume a lot of weapons used - but i think not all, not even half, Nuclear winter will affect the northern hemisphere - and the majority of the population of Russia, Siberia, North America and Europe will be dead in 6 months - incineration, radiation, starvation and cold. But some will survive as long as not all the nukes are used. It will take some days to weeks for fallout and nuclear winter to get to Thailand, and effects will be somewhat less, Possibly months for Australia and New Zealand to get any. Internet probably gone in minutes. Financial systems maybe even faster. Electricity grids if not destroyed will slowly degrade - power cuts and shortages will evolve. Logistic supply chains will be disrupted, in Cities many things will run out in a few days. Law and order will suffer breakdowns, but will be patchy - total chaos one place, limited in others. Small towns and villages probably best places to be, survival there could be quite possible. What would i do? Invest in solar power to get at least some electricity. Stock up with one month of food (or more). Buy lots of seeds and gardening tools. Weapons. Build community networks - many people have some useful skills, even if just knowledge. What we do not know, is how bad it will be - impossible to predict.

Predictions may or may not be right. Best to look at the data of what has already happened. CO2 up, temperature up, sea level up and flooding events, droughts, storms, heat waves now set new records every few years. Then someone says it isn't happening ....... duh. Usually reckon next year or decade will be cooler, because less sunspots, cosmic rays or some other cause. For the last 20 years they have been saying this, so far have always been wrong. Empirical science says if it is warmer, you WILL get changes. And we are seeing this more and more.

Scotland is a lovely country, but you need to be fit to enjoy it and be able to survive being wet and cold. Spent 7 weeks living in a tent on the shores of the Solway Firth, weather was mainly good (but try walking 6 miles in the rain at night, with no public transport - also so dark you cannot even tell if the road is in front of you or a ditch!). Also a later trip touring Scotland by car, nights were so cold it was hard to sleep in a tent with an ordinary sleeping bag. Then got 2 days of continuous rain - couldn't dry clothes easily, had to sleep in the car (a small car). Both trips were in summer. Also did a week on the isle of Arran in April - went swimming but 2 minutes was all you could last or you risked dying of exposure. If you have lived continuously in Thailand for 10 years and are over 75, i would give you a 50/50 chance of surviving a Scottish winter.

All applicants must attend an all-night audition. One eventually might get a paid post... I guess i should have done that...... lot of fun doing the auditions!

A vaccination certificate is a better idea. No tests needed then.

Unrealistic. Wife runs village shop and the net profit is about 600 baht a day. Before wages. She could never employ anybody at 800 baht - unless she increased the mark up to 40%!

Yes, in our village have seen 2 upgrades to roads in the village, new drainage, new electric cabling and all houses access to mains water in the last 12 years. But one kilometre away none of these (only a few houses). As suburban sprawl reaches small villages the infrastructure improvements are dramatic. But a road 500 metres away is impassable to cars in the wet season (i made that mistake and grounded out once) - i would even be careful in a pickup truck.

Bill only comes once a month.... flooding probably completed the circuit.

Infrastructure expenditure in Thailand is allocated in roughly these proportions: - Bangkok - 60% Provincial cities - 30% All other towns - 9% Rural areas - 1% If you are not on a route between towns, or close to a town or city, or have a powerful hi-so (e.g. factory owner), you don't exist.

Metallic finishes last longer. My car 10 years old, not garaged (partially protected by a roofed area) and no special care (washed when too dirty). A couple of chips but i think plastic underneath so no rust. Nearly as good as new. Also have to drive through floods some times. Just a basic eco-car.

I had steam coming out of concrete a couple of months ago. Cause - old electrical wire from lighting not disconnected, just dumped on the ground and concreted over

Only in Bangkok. 4 times in one hour - waved them down, declined destination. So ended up walking about 3 miles (not pleasant) Next day booked a taxi to airport early in the morning - at hotel - he refused meter and was very threatening when we queried his price - had tight schedule so had to accept. Last time i used a taxi in Bangkok (2015)

I came to Thailand when i was made redundant/retired, because i could see that retirement in Britain was going to mean watching every penny ..... In Thailand the first few years were good, but life is slowly going back to watching pennies (low interest rates, inflation greater than income, big Thai family doesn't help). Would like just enough more so that i do not need to check the bank account before any big purchase, and go on holiday with the family whenever i wanted. Another 20,000 baht a month would cover that. If more, would spend more time back in UK and would have enough to fund my daughters University education.

That's why you do not eat burnt toast.

Yes, so many Thais are hypochondriacs. I try to avoid letting the wife go to the pharmacy for me when i want one thing, because she will come back with 5 or 6 medicines. Got Covid 2 weeks ago, unwell enough i wouldn't go to Pharmacy myself - just asked for something for my sore throat - she came back with 6 or more different things, including antibiotics of course. Only things i used were a cough medicine and strepsils, rest i just threw into the fridge, half of the pills were loose and un-named. My daughter then got Covid one day later as well, just a bit listless - but no, straight to hospital for 3 days! Bill was 30,000 baht, fortunately her insurance paid up.

Spidermike hits the nail on the head. Took family to Hua Hin 4 years ago -fly Udon - Bangkok, then coach to Hua Hin. Total travel time was about 8 hours each way, because of the coach shuttle timings. I'm not doing that again.

No Thai i know earns that much, about the same as my annual income! The world bank doesn't show such a rosy figure https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2054387/world-bank-1-5m-fell-into-poverty 5 million (8.4%) in poverty in 2021 in Thailand, The world bank assesses poverty as an income of less than 165 baht a day. Try living on that.

If you are not vaccinated, wise to have travel insurance if coming to Thailand. Covid is still common here (3 waves have passed through our extended family in the last 6 months). Hospitalisation can be expensive.