4MyEgo

Hmmm, I wonder who put the call in ?

What do you look for in a hotel? I suppose one that allows me to bring back 10,000 women over the next 16 years....lol

Time to take your hand off of it ????

In those 16 + years, I got to live in this huge house, drive a nice car from new, have a pretty woman to look at, who cooks, cleans, washes, Irons, and gives me a massage and that happy ending whenever I want. Sounds like your paying to much for your investment ????

I see marriage as a business or a good long term investment. You get from a marriage what you put into a marriage, same as a business or a good long term investment. 16 + the best years of my life, that said, most marriages fail because like businesses or investments, no enough was done to make the business work or enough research was carried out on the investment, i.e. possibly incompatible in the first place, ego, gave up, drank too much, had an affair, gambled, became abusive, (either partner), all recipes for failure in a marriage. I have invested a few mil into my marriage since we met 16 + years ago, wedding, house, car, bike, furniture and holidays of course, but that investment has paid off very well for me. Breaking it down over that period would mean my investment cost me around 500 baht a day, and for what I have received in return over that period to me means I have done extremely well. Now you might want to be single or pick up the odd girl every now and again because you think marriages are an open pit to pour money into, but to me, having a partner that is compatible means you want to spend the rest of you life with them, and is far better than being single in my opinion, that said, I also go on the principal of you only invest as much as your prepared to lose, and if your marriage fails, then you walk away with what you were prepared to lose and without blaming your partner for your lose because you knew what you were getting into, i.e. it takes two to Tango ????.

My point exactly.

What an absolute disgrace, but it just goes to show that this is a world wide phenomena, i.e. how low life politicians will stoop to hold onto power, "for the people" that is, of course". Can't wait to see how they cover up watchman's latest probe, with them not wanting to make public the documents of the investigation that was a Clayton's investigation.

OMG, say no more

Agree. I frequent the local waterhole up here in Issan at least 3 times a week and we have a great community of Xpats, most are from the UK, some from Australia, Denmark, Sweden and some Germans. Always enjoy having a conversation with the lads, even some Thai's come on in from time to time who have worked abroad and have a good understanding of the English language and culture. Seen a few pass away over the years, others return to their countries due to not being able to handle it here for many reasons and others waiting to move here when they reach their pension age. I don't mind the repeated conversations as I cut them off at the chase, yep, you told me about that one ???? To be honest, I couldn't live here without such a community, it's my out, not a heavy drinker, but like to have a few cold ones and few games of pool to entertain me, did the same thing back home with the lads who now days don't do what we used to do as they have partnered up and aren't allowed out....lol

Can you provide us with an update when done, either here on the forum or personal message. Be interesting to see what the problem was and cost. Get the stamina and pass it on to the landlord, it's your right as a tenant.

What is an LTR Pension visa ? Is it a Long Term Retirement Pension visa ? Cost ? Qualifications ?

I have never wanted to use an agent because I never want to be faced with an issue, sleep better at night. Looks like what I will do is take the hit, transfer 800k baht into my account for living expenses and go the marriage extension route. Will have to put some extra funds in the stock market to try and re-coupe "the loss" ????

That's a good point, that said, if it went down another 10% one might as well return to their home country because the cost of living here would be getting pretty close to what the old country costs to live so to speak, excluding accommodation costs of course as that is a no brainer.

75k baht would be for the retirement extension, e.g. 800k baht. The lower exchange rate means it's a loss when comparing the rate to almost a year ago. The spousal route would be half that, e.g. 37,500 baht when comparing it to last year. Even using an agent, if say for arguments sake, they charge 20k-25k baht, it's still better than taking the lower exchange rate, i.e. if you have enough funds here to carry you forward, without the need to transfer further funds to satisfy immigration.

That lower exchange rate in total comes to 75,000 baht, suffice to say that the way I am thinking is, if I use an agent for say 20k-25k baht and didn't have to transfer the 800k baht, and then the rate went up, say in a year, then I could get a higher exchange rate which could pay back what the agent cost me, e.g. 20k-25k baht. Either way, I see a lower exchange rate as being a loss, sure I get you, I shouldn't see it that way, but parking 800k baht in the bank which would cost me 75k baht more to exchange it, for the sake of satisfying immigration rules while currencies are down, sucks, so if I can avoid doing it and losing 75k baht from the way I see it, I am better off using an agent for say 25k baht, until the currency picks back up, if ever. Absolutely. Not if you see it the way I do, e.g. transfer 800k baht into my account and take the lower exchange rate compared to last year, i.e. 75k baht less, however not transferring it and using an agent for say 25k baht, saves me 50k baht. Surely you can see my point, using the agent in the above scenario is a win.

Embassy letters are only accepted at immigration for certain countries, mine is not one of them.

Yes am aware of that, but it's beside the point, it would still be a 37,500 baht loss when comparing rates to last year. Take away the agents fee of say 20,000 baht, I would still be better of as it's money in my pocket vs losing it at the strike of a keyboard. It doesn't make a difference, the currency is down since last year, as I stated above, about 10%

I ask this question because my currency has dropped almost 10% since last year, meaning everything I purchase will cost me 10% more. The above said, if I was to apply for the retirement extension, transferring funds into my Thai bank account would mean a loss of about 75,000 baht compared to last year (October). Just thinking out aloud, using an agent could save me around 50,000 baht, if I'm not mistaken, i.e. until my countries currency picks up, if ever. So what do agents charge for either a retirement extension or a marriage extension all up or is it the same fee ?

Training animals who have been taught from day one that it's ok to go 3-4-5 on 1 might be a little trying as that could turn things around. Just saying, besides, this will always continue, so best to avoid drinking to much and avoid animals looking to gang up on you like a pack of wolves, I have seen it time and time again in person, and yes it's despicable.

Nuff said.

They call this democracy

Have you gone outside to where the compressor is outside when you have turned it on (if possible) depending on the floor level your on. One of our A/C's only blew out air when we turned it on, so when I went outside to the compressor, I saw that the fan spun once turned on, then it turned off, I though it might be a condenser or something like that. I called the local A/C guy who came along, undid the side cover and pulled on the wires, he showed me that they had been chewed through by a mouse, cut them and reconnected them with tap and it started working again, cool air. Cost 400 baht for about an hours work. Worth investigating. Shouldn't your landlord be paying for the repairs ? I mean your renting the condo with the A/C being part of the agreement, so he/she would have to maintain it and or replace it I believe.

I wonder what Buddha must be tinking ?

I'm a believer

I don't know why, but the first thought that entered my mind after reading this story was the movie title: