rickudon

I think the scheme will see few takers as it is too restrictive. And the current Thai policy protects HIso greed. On the other hand, i do think that foreign land ownership (and landlords with many properties) causes land and house prices to spiral upwards, and the poor end up renting. This has happened in the UK. 40 years ago, practically anyone could buy property if they had any job and were not a spendthrift. Now we have an entire generation of those under 40 who have little chance of doing that - those with money buy up a lot of the property that comes on the market, pushing prices up, and then rent it out. Because they cannot buy houses, younger people have to rent - and then the rents keep going up as well. My son has just rented a room in London - he wanted a flat, but prices were a joke. How much 1400 GBP a month for a ROOM. That's over 60% of his net salary. how the hell will he ever save enough to buy? Last year, he was paying under a 1,000 GBP.

When i moved to my village 12 years ago, there was a lot of rubbish burning (including M-in-L who burnt leaves about twice a week). Now the only burning IN the village is garden waste, nearly every house has a bin. Litter has also declined a lot, except for the damn soi dogs 'recycling' it back on the ground. Still a fair bit of field burning, but this rarely reaches the village. I did buy an air purifier about 5 years ago, but only need to use one or two days a year now.

My daughter went to a free public kindergarten near our village for about 18 months, food included. She had previously gone to a private one but that only lasted one day - we went to pick her up early and wife saw them abusing her because she wouldn't sleep. We were quite satisfied with the free one. When she was 4 she moved to a kindergarten that was part of a catholic school (school receives some state funds, but not state run), that had fees similar to what OP said.

So now Terrorist groups will prioritise kidnapping Thais as they pay up.

In Udon Thani, last week wife and daughter applied for new passports on Thursday, delivered to home address on Tuesday

I would try to write my autobiography. Not for sale, just a family heirloom. When you get older you regret not finding out about what your parents and grandparents did, or what they thought about. You know some, but to late for the details.

Two factors involved here. First, nearly everyone is finding inflation hurting. Airfares up at least 50% compared to last year or 2019; forget the official UK inflation rate, rents are up 20% in London compared with last year, and fuel bills about 100%. And many employers are offering a derisory 3% pay rise! People not sure if they can afford an expensive flight now. Other factor is many people have been forced to Holiday in their home country the last 2 years, and realise they CAN have a good time there as well. And if your money runs out at home before your holiday finishes, can just pack and go home at no extra cost.

Lots of Russian business people have had 'accidents' this year - the hit squads have been busy?

Just make sure the external units for your air conditioners blow hot air straight into their windows .......

Could be an idea if you can work remotely. My son just started work in London after a year off, now impossible to find a place to rent ( 30-40 viewers a day, most places snapped up within 48 hours) and rents have increased by 20% since last year - near impossible to find even a room for 900 GBP a month, What with utility bills and commuting costs, 75% of his net income will be gone before he even thinks of food. He is hoping to get a posting to a job in Asia.

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.