newnative

I think it was the right decision for Biden to step down. He was unable to turn the tide back in his favor and it was smart to see that and get it over with. He will go down in history as a good president. And, as the president that saved America, and democracy, from a second term of the worst president in US history. No small feat. He will always have that to look back on, with pride. Poor Trump must be gnashing his teeth down to nubs. Now, he's the old, semi-senile fart running--and, positively ancient compared to Harris. From stories I've read, he's already regretting his very poor choice for VP. I would be regretting it, too. I think Harris will be a strong candidate for the Democrats. Hopefully, she will pick a strong running mate that will help deliver one of the swing states. She will easily win the popular vote--Biden did by 7 million--but the cursed Electoral College is the beast that must be fed.

The beaches are neither dirty nor poor. Pattaya's beach has been widened and now they are working on widening Jomtien's beach. Both are being kept clean. If you actually knew Pattaya, you'd know that it 'ticks' far more boxes than the two you mentioned, as a post before yours by shdmn attests to--and lots of us enjoying living here don't even have the 'nightlife box' as one to tick.

There is a movement to modify the cursed Electoral College, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. States signing on to the Compact agree to award their Electoral College votes to the candidate that wins the 50 state popular vote. So far, 17 states and the District of Columbia have signed on. To be activated, it needs enough states signing on to reach 270 Electoral College votes. Currently, it is at 209 EC votes. There is pending legislation in a number of states representing 50 EC votes. Still a ways to go but something hopeful for those who believe presidential elections in the 21st century should be determined by popular vote, and not a relic from the 18th century.

The judge who handled the case disagrees with you.

Trump might win in 2024 but no way will it be a 'landslide victory'. Let's remember that he lost by 2.8 million votes in 2016 and did even worse in 2020--as a sitting president--losing by a horrendously embarrassing 7 million votes. In both elections he could not even garner 50% of the vote. No 'landslide' with the voting for Trump in either election. Far from it. Likely the same in 2024.

Definitely Trump's mental fitness should be considered, just as much as Biden's. I think they are both way too old and way too addled. The US has a minimum age to be president, why shouldn't there be a maximum age? 35's the minimum, maybe 75 as the maximum.

What you have here is an excellent example of the Big Lie theory working, sadly, quite well. First used by the Nazis and dusted off by Trump, it's very simple. Tell a big lie long enough and often enough and, eventually, a certain percentage of the population will come to believe the Big Lie to be true. And, Trump told a whopper of a Big Lie with his loud and long and frequent false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Obviously, that 75% figure of those believing the Big Lie that were Trump voters in 2020 were also predisposed to want to believe the Big Lie. My guy didn't win, Trump must be right, the election must have been stolen, I feel much better knowing my guy did win and I didn't choose the loser. Phew! Investigated to death with no evidence found to support Trump's Big Lie, nevertheless a certain percentage of the population has come to believe the Big Lie. Theory proven, once again, sadly. It didn't help that with the 2020 election we had the perfect storm of massive mail-in voting for the first time, massive voter ignorance as to how election day and mail-in ballots are counted on election night and the following days, and massive lying about the election by the sitting president. As for the thread itself, we have a good example of yet another reason to ditch the cursed Electoral College. In the tread's blurb and title, we have 'landslide' and 'blowout' both being used to describe what might be the 2024 election result. The fact that one candidate might win 330 electoral votes and thus have a 'landslide' 'blowout' victory gives a very false impression of the election, itself, and the will of the actual American voters. In 2024, Trump will likely lose the popular vote yet again--he did by 7 million in 2020 and he is now a convicted felon--but if he wins 330 Electoral College votes suddenly he's won a 'landslide' victory--when nothing could be further from the truth. How have you won a 'landslide' victory when the actual voters have rejected you for the third time?

Plenty of retired expats in Thailand with money. Pattaya has lots of housing projects with starting prices of 10MB or more. Many houses at the Siam Royal View project are over 20MB, with some over 100MB. One is listed for 200MB on Hipflat.

Wrong. Trump is Grifterish.

What dynasty? Too funny. In two presidential elections Trump never received even 50% of the vote. Lost badly by 2.8 million votes in 2016 and even worse in 2020, by 7 million votes. 7 MILLION! Horrendous for a sitting president with all the powers of incumbency, but, quite understandable when you're ranked the worst president in history, bar none. The actual voters have soundly rejected him not just once, but twice. Loser. And, a whining, crybaby loser, at that.

I try to be a decent person. I'm not religious and dislike organized religion but I try to live by the Golden Rule. I try to not let negative things that happen upset me and, instead, try to 'bend with the bamboo', one of my Dad's favorite sayings. I try to always be a 'glass half-full' guy. Note, a lot of 'trys' there. Not always successful but trying. I think i's a good idea to not take everything too seriously. Some things, yes, of course. But many other things, not such a big deal when you think about it. I still remember a line from some movie I've forgotten the name of. The line was something like, 'One hundred years from now nobody's going to give a sh*t what happened to you today'. Shake it off and get on with your life. One thing I have learned over the years is that sometimes something negative happening can turn into a positive with time. I remember right after college going for several job interviews and not getting the job. I was very down, but then I interviewed for a job at a community college library and got the job. This job was a much better fit for me than the other jobs I had tried to get--and I ended up working at the community college for 35 years. Lousy salary but great job, great co-workers, and great benefits, including a traditional retirement pension with COLAs I am grateful to have.

So true! Lost by 2.8 million votes in 2016, appointed president over the wishes of the actual voters by the cursed Electoral College. After 4 years of the worst presidency in history, lost by 7 million votes in 2020.

I guess that 'camp' will be concentration camps non-MAGA people will be sent to.

Been here 14 years. Still love it--everything I have posted about on other threads. As for farangs leaving Thailand for somewhere else, I don't know a single one who has done so. At 72, I still find plenty to interest me and keep me engaged here, including finishing the construction of a new house with my Thai spouse, which we have been working on since February.

Less than I had planned. Biggest single monthly expense these days is probably health insurance.

Sounds a bit like my spouse and myself. In our 13 years here in Pattaya we have lived in everything from a 48 sqm studio condo to our current house, a 3-bedroom on the Darkside. Like you, they all 'felt about right at the time', and for our financial circumstances at the time. We are just finishing construction on our next house, a bigger 4-bedroom with one more bathroom in the same area. We decided we wanted a home gym and more room for visiting relatives. As we've gotten older we've chosen more space and privacy over an ocean view.

Age, 72, married to a Thai, been here 14 years and live in Pattaya. There's not too much I would do differently. We started on the beach in Rayong and, in a do-over, we should have settled directly in Pattaya from the get-go. After living here about 3 years, we sold our condo in America, no regrets on that except we should have held it longer, but we needed money to buy more property here. As others have said, I, too, haven't felt the need to learn Thai, which is good since I am awful with foreign languages. Moving to Thailand, I would say only bring things you can't replace, things that have meaning that you want with you. I should have brought more of that and fewer clothes. Once here, I would take some time and try to get signed up to the best health care plan you can, at the most reasonable cost. I should have done more research before I signed up with both the plan I have and the health care company. I initially had hospitalization and outpatient but I have switched to just hospitalization as outpatient costs are so reasonable here. I now know there are cheaper alternatives but I have been with the company so long now that, at my age, I am sticking with it.

She lost the cursed Electoral College to Trump. The actual voters preferred her to Trump by 2.8 million votes. Not a ringing endorsement of Trump by the actual voters. He, of course, did even worse in 2020, losing by 7 million, and the Electoral College couldn't save him.

You got one thing right in your ridiculous, inaccurate post. Yes, this 'permanent Farang resident of Pattaya knows why he lives in Pattaya'. This Pattaya resident wants to live in a beach town, to start. Always wanted to, now I do. This resident wants to live in a city that's not too big and not too small, with easy access to both a major airport and a major city. This Pattaya resident wants access to very good dental care, eye care (just has SuperSight), and regular health care. And, excellent shopping for all he shops for, whether it is an automobile, furniture, housewares, clothing, food, wine, electronics, appliances, antiques, whatever. All available here, along with hundreds of restaurants of all kinds, movie theaters in English, and all sorts of sports activities accommodated. This Pattaa resident wants to live in a city with a wide mix of expat local residents. I know expats from the US, Ireland, China, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, England, Israel, Holland, Italy, Australia, France, Canada, and likely some other places I've forgotten. Plus, Thais, of course. Almost everyone I know is partnered and not living here just because of Pattaya's 'sex industry'. Do some indulge? Probably--but sex is available anywhere in Thailand in a city the size of Pattaya. This expat also chose Pattaya for the wide variety of neighborhoods to live in and, especially, the very wide variety of housing available at all price points, whether you choose to rent or own. My spouse and I have lived in everything from a 48sqm View Talay 7 studio condo right on the beach in Jomtien to our current home, a 4-bedroom pool villa on the Darkside. In between, there were other stops in Jomtien, Pratamnuk, Pattaya Beach Road, and Wongamat. We liked them all, and Pattaya had all our housing needs covered, whatever we needed at the time. Whether you want a smal highrise condo on the beach or a 10MB to a 100+MB pool villa in one of Pattaya's numerous, and growing, luxury housing projects, the choice is there for you. For this expat and my spouse, Pattaya simply checks far more boxes of what we are looking for in a place to live than anywhere else in Thailand--and, we have been to a lot of places. We are not alone--far from it--which explains why Pattaya has grown so much in the 14 years we have lived here, and continues to grow tremendously. May I conclude by inviting you to join the Just Can't Quit Pattaya Fan Club. I notice many members have been actively commenting on this thread. As the name indicates, it's made up of folks like you with Pattaya envy and, apparently, no outlet for that envy except negatively posting on any topic involving Pattaya. Now hundreds strong, but there's always room for one more. Our two newest members hail from Haystack, Iowa and Queen's Breath, England. (Should they change that to King's Breath, I wonder?) A big Pattaya welcome to you both!

Pattaya, the 15th most-visited city in the World, will survive, and thrive, without you.

The president can keep doing these interviews but I doubt they will help. I think the damage is just too great to be overcome. And, I say this as a life-long Democrat, who hoped earlier in the year to vote for Biden's re-election in November. Ever since the debate, every time he announces a new public appearance, I cringe. What will he do this time? You don't want to be cringing when your president announces a public appearance. I think Biden has been a good president but it's time he steps aside. Of course, should he remain the nominee I will vote for him. Better sometimes tongue-tied and gaffe-prone Biden to stark raving mad Trump.

We have a pool villa on the Darkside and we have complete privacy. Our land plot is about 110 square wah. We have a wall surrounding the property and a solid giant door and a solid sliding carport gate the same height as the wall. The main thng is to pick a house that has single-story houses around it--no second floor to look down into your property, no second story windows next door that you have to look at from your property.

What you describe is just a tiny percentage of expats in Pattaya. I don't know a single expat who starts their day like that.

Now if we can just get road construction at night, too.

Huh??? Useless. Get moving on upping the foreign quota instead.