newnative

The majority of Americans do not support Trump and they never have. The majority supported Clinton in 2016 by 2.8 million votes. Trump did not even receive 50% of the vote. In 2020, he was rejected by an even larger margin, 7 million votes. Again, never got to 50% of the vote. Both elections were landslides for the Democrats in actual votes and the actual wishes of a majority of the American people. Actual voters have turned thumbs down to Trump by huge margins in both elections. Twice the American voters have spoken loud and clear, we don't want him. Unfortunately, the Electoral College gives the false and very misleading impression that a candidate, rejected by the voters, has somehow won a 'landslide' because he or she wins the EC. Trump is a loser twice-over with the wishes of the majority of the American voters, and likely a third time in 2024.

You can blame Vance, not the 'left', for Hitler being in the mix.

Preview of the worst presidency in history, take 2, if Trump, god forbid, is elected. Wacko and Wackoer.

Centric Sea, for one. Can't remember if The Base did when we owned there.

I don't spend many sleepless nights pondering what ifs. But, I also don't have all my financial eggs in one basket, or one country. Should Thailand and the USA both go belly up at the same time, resulting in Thai baht, USA dollars, stocks, mutual funds, and real estate all being worthless, then spouse and I would, indeed, be SOL. And, likely not the only ones.

My money isn't dying. Dollar to baht today is 33.79. In the 14 years I have been here I think it's ranged from a low of 28 or 29 to a recent summer high of around 37. Probably the average has been around 31 or 32. I didn't like when it dipped below 30 but that didn't last long. Meanwhile, I get COLAs with my pension and Social Security and the COLAs are easily keeping up with Thailand's low inflation.

Happy in marriage. Happy to finally have the legal right to marry in the US and soon in Thailand.

No, Vance 'realized', hey, I could be VP to a very old tub of lard who's a dead man walking. To heck with ethics, to heck with integrity, I'll just be a 78 year-old's heartbeat away from the presidency.

Guess you're forgetting the 2000 election and one state deciding it--Florida.

Fool you three times, you're a Trump supporter.

Let's all remember that Vance was first in calling Trump 'America's Hitler'. Trump supporters seem to conveniently keep forgetting that.

People get sick and die everywhere--and, it can be just as sad and lonely for them in other places than Pattaya. Whether someone dies alone or surrounded by family and friends is usually more a case of how they have led their life than the place they may find themself at the end. There are lots of worse ways to pass away than in a 'condo building overlooking the beach'. In fact, that sounds pretty darn good to me--I love a beach and ocean view. And, it sounds even better having visited some nursing homes in the US while scouting for one with my sisters for our Mother. Even the nice ones I found depressing. I'd much rather be here, in my own home, enjoying the nice weather, and with help available at a reasonable cost if I need it at some point.

Yes, actually several did quit.

The NY Times endorsed Harris. The Post and the LA Times wanted to endorse Harris but the rich owners vetoed the endorsements.

I think you're a bit mixed up. It was Vance who first referred to Trump as America's Hitler.

And Vance beat Cryingdick.

How exactly is it going to 'ignite' tourism by April 2025 if its not yet even built? Likely the legislation might not even be passed by then.

Probably moved to Pattaya.

I've had condo fees ranging from 20 baht a sqm to 77 baht a sqm--and a number of condos with fees in between those two figures, with a dozen or so projects. What's important to me, as a condo owner, is not how much the condo fee is but, rather, is it enough to keep the project maintained properly. A condo is a big investment for me and I want my investment maintained. At the last Pattaya condo I owned, at an older project, the condo fee was not high enough to maintain the project in the style the owners demanded. Rather than raise the condo fee--if I remember 40 or 45 baht a sqm--the project did a special assessment every year to make up that year's shortfall. Special assessments are easier to get approved than raising the annual fees. The special assessments varied but generally amounted to the condo fee being around 60 baht a sqm--about right for the project's size and the small number of units. Obviously, with a project of 1000 units, you get some economies of scale vs. a condo project with 200 units. 1000 owners are chipping in for the guard at the front gate vs. 200 owners at the smaller project. The 20 baht condo fee I mentioned was at a project with 1800 units. At one project I owned at, I could look from my balcony to another older condo project next door. It was easy to see that the condo fee was not adequate to maintain the project. The pool water was often murky green rather than crystal clear and the building had a somewhat rundown look to it. I would guess that not enough owners want to raise the condo fees at that property to maintain it well. I don't want to live in a project where that is the case. If you do your homework before buying you should be able to avoid purchasing at a project that is not adequately funded. Check the condo fee, the sinking fund and the financials. Even when properly funded, some condo projects are not maintained as well as they should be. That's why there's no substitute for on-site observation before buying, with several visits at different times of the day, checking everything you can. I recently visited a condo project that I used to own at--a newer project of around 1000 units. Although I was not there long, I observed enough to see that I would not be happy with how the project was being maintained if I still lived there. Everything still looked to be working, the pool was clean, etc., but a closer look showed a lot of neglected maintenance that would drive me nuts. Quite simply, it has around 1000 units and a condo fee of around 50 baht a sqm. That should provide ample funds to keep the project in tiptop shape. This project was plagued with illegal daily renters when I lived there and it was clear on my recent visit the project had been subjected to very heavy wear and tear. I understand they have since cracked down on the daily renters but the maintenance hasn't caught up. That's what you want to be looking for when you visit. Keep a sharp eye on everything. I was a new owner at this project and it's always a gamble on how a new project will be maintained. Seeing it now, I would give it a pass and look for a better maintained project, one with owners that are far more demanding with management about maintaining the building well.

It's been a few years but I used to live in a condo right on Pattaya Beach and every morning I would sit on my balcony with my morning coffee and enjoy the beach and ocean view. And, every morning, Pattaya Beach was cleaned. The tractors would start by Dusit and work their way south. Spouse and I still drive by the beach probably once a week on our way to Central Festival or after leaving T21 and the beach has always been clean so I think the cleaning is still being done. If there was recent trash it might have been from a storm since we are still in the rainy season. Someone posted photos of the beach a few weeks ago on a thread regarding shade trees and the beach looked litter-free.

I was just going to post the same thing--give Pattaya a look first. The nightlife areas make up just a small part of Pattaya. My spouse and I have lived here 14 years and we live very nice lives here without the nightlife having any impact on our day to day activities. We also lived in Wongamat at one point and that was a very nice area. We are now on the Darkside and liking it, as well. Pattaya has probably the widest selection of different types of housing anywhere in Thailand, at all price points. Since housing is usually one of the biggest monthly expenses, that's important. Also, as you said, good selection of hospitals and schools. Plus, great shopping.

No, doctors are cheap, at least compared to America. I still remember going in, years ago, to get a mole removed. Went to a dermatology clinic, rather than the hospital, since it was a minor procedure. Was in the examination room about 5 minutes and the doctor zapped the mole. Got the bill. $500! How could it cost so much??? There was a long list of charges, only one of which I still remember: $50 for sitting on the examination table while the doctor zapped the mole. Not joking. If I had known, I would have stood.

He remains a two-time, and likely soon to be three-time loser with the American voters.

One thing to remember is the American people rejected Trump twice. In 2016 he lost by 2.8 million votes. A landslide in favor of Clinton. Not a close race by any means by vote count. Actual American voters didn't want him. In 2020 he lost by 7 million votes--even more voters didn't want him. An even bigger landslide in favor of Biden. In 2024, actual American voters will likely prefer the Democrat candidate over Trump once again. But, the Electoral College may award the presidency to Trump, as it did in 2016 over the wishes of the American voters. Trump is a two-time loser with the American voters and likely will be a three-time loser with the voters after this election.

A bowl of corn flakes mixed with a granola nuts mix, sliced banana and apple on top, with low-fat milk. Now, time for a visit to my home gym and then a swim.