Stevemercer

Naah. I regret they are not co-ed. Melbourne Uni for me.

The 'seven sister' colleges are still a big thing.

Yes, now that the ice is broken with the Royal Pardon, Thaksin will be out in less than 6 months. I think he has a good deal. I'm sure he can have whatever visitors he wants - family, friends and politicians will all be kow-towing to him every day and every hour. Much better than being in a faraway country Welcome home Thaksin. I think he is a spent force politically. I'm sure the current government coalition will have plenty of problems and, God willing, Move Forward will sweep all before them at the next election. All the have to do is stay solid as the opposition and smear Pheu Thai with the 'in bed with the establishment' brush.

Depression is real. Clinical depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain and needs medical treatment to correct the balance. However, it is not an easy thing to find the right medicine and right dosage, particularly because it takes a few months before you know if the medication is working/not working. If it's not working, you have to taper off over a month or so, start the next medicine and wait a month to see if it works etc. etc. With correct medication, you can finally look back and understand that how you felt was not normal, and there is no need to be in that state. Your confidence, vitality and outlook on life are sky high. Most anti-depressants also prolong sex (e.g. inhibit ejaculation) which is often why rock stars take them (and subsequently auto-asphyxiate). I used to be shy and withdrawn. The anti-depressant medication I took got rid of this as well as lifting my mood. Before that I could scarcely speak at meetings, because of shyness, but after I could perform at meetings, present in front of hundreds of people etc. etc. This really had a positive affect on my work becasue I could achieve my full potential without being held back by shyness or self-doubt.

If you are past retirement age, and looking to settle down with someone, maybe you should be looking for a lady with whom you can be friends and grow comfortably old together. Looking at your wife, do you think you will be happy together in 5 years or 10 years time, when maybe the sex and physical fit is a thing of the past? Will you be able to enjoy the simple things with her? A good meal, holiday at the seaside etc. Even if you largely have separate interests/lives, can you come together at the end of the day and have time to share a smile and a few words? Many Thai ladies have this material fixation. My wife seems to. So it is not unusual, butit doesn't have to be a relationship killer if you can reach a common understanding about how to live within your means. Your job is to look after the money, save and secure your future together. Her job is to spend all your money as quickly as possible. If you can manage this juggling act, it doesn't have to be the end. However, the bottom line is does your wife still give you joy and happiness, or is it all take, take, take? If you're not happy, things will only get worse. You need to have that prospect of happiness, joy and security in your life. If your wife is sucking it all away, you really have no choice.

I think you just have to put up with him. It doesn't sound like he's the type to do any physical harm. If his wife is beautiful, and receptive to a bit of flirting, even more reason to put up with the bad along with the good. You just need to have strategies/excuses in place to minimise your time with him.

I agree with other posters that younger Thai ladies can sometimes seem emotionally immature. They are like teenagers - sometimes moody, distracted, distant, bored, volatile. Think of your girlfriend as a teenager and respond accordingly. She will have many good qualities, but will sometimes be non-communicative and hard to read. She may feel a little guilty about the relationship (e.g. she could not tell her Mum or Dad) which makes her run hot and cold. Is she comfortable holding your hand in public when you do go outside or cross the street? If no, she may not be entirely comfortable in the relationship and a bit self-concious or embarressed.

I live near Mahasarakham and rainfall has been well below average (about 75% of average). September is normally the wettest month so maybe we can make it up. My ponds are at about 50%. Last year they were 75% at end August.

Papaya grow fast. You'll have plenty of fruit after 12 months. But they are fragile and need a lotof water. They need calcium and seem to grow best next to concrete. You want to get shade trees in as quickly as possible. Look around for popular natives (e.g. that grow naturally around the area). They will typically be hardy, fast growing, cheap at local nurseries and only need watering for the first year or so. Start planting around the fenceline and access/walking paths. Weeds and pest species thrive best in sunlight. They don't tend to grow in shade. You won't have much grass or other ground plants once you re-establish the shade.

I can only suggest building up a loose circle of friends/acquantainces within 30 minutes or so from where you live. Tinder is good to build up a social network. With 6 - 12 acquantainces on chatting terms, there should be social opportunities develping . Avoid the obvious 'independents' and younger people (<35). Pick only those you find attractive or intriguing. Be fussy. Just be patient and opportunities will present themselves over time. You might chat with someone for months before something happens. Maybe you will never meet or there is no spark when you do. I think it's really just a numbers game and always being friendly and generous in small ways.

Well, there might be a pool table up there soon.

I tend to agree with the OP. You very rarely come across a Thai lady with sexual hang-ups. They are all pretty confident they can please their man/men and, while typically passive, are pretty keen participants.

I'm aged 64, married 3 years. To be honest I wouldn't do it again. If my current marriage to a Thai lady ended, I wouldn't date another Thai lady. I'd return to my home country. I've seen too many old, cynical bachelors chasing the ladies and don't want to become one (although I think I might be rather good at it). Plus I can't be bothered going through all that meeting the parents/relatives, dramas etc. etc. etc. involved with another Thai girlfriend.

How easy is it to set fire to a more modern Thai house built of bricks, mortar, steel rafters, concrete piles/base and metal roof - no wood?

Yes, lithium batteries contain a high energy load and any fire will likely destroy the vehicle, anyone still in it, and anything next to it. Luckily the fire usually takes a few minutes to reach catostrophic levels and anyone not injured should have time to leave the vehicle. A study in the UK looked at deaths associated with EV versus petrol/gas cars. This showed incineration was more likely in a petrol/gas car compared to an EV. So, yes, the risk is there, but is less than a petrol/gas car. A diesel car is probably safest if someone is worried about being incinerated if their car catches fire. I used to fly radio-controlled planes. On high fire risk days, you couldn't fly lithium battery powered planes becasue of the risk of fire from a crash away in the thick grasslands. You could still fly nitro/petrol powered planes because the risk of fire in the event of a crash was negligible.

When I retired, there were a few things I wanted to do: Live in a tropical climate Design my own house Have a bit of land to keep me busy Rehabilitate said land to try and attract a bit of nature Have fish ponds with a variety of species (not obtainable in Australia) Have tortoises and other exotic pets (not available in Australia). Thailand was affordable and has kept me busy doing the above. We live on about 1 hectare on the edge of town which has everything needed for day to day living. The nearest city (with airport) is Khon Kaen, about 45 km away for everything else. I've lived here nearly 10 years now. I can see the time when property maintenance will get difficult for my age. I always said we would stay 10 years and then decide whether to stay in Thailand or move back to Australia (if affordable). The time for that decision is coming and I'm still not sure. Luckily my Thai wife is an Australian and Thai citizen which makes things a bit easier.

Yeah, I think I am a minimalist. I always say: 'When in doubt throw it out'. When I retired, and moved to Thailand, my possessions totalled one suitcase weighing 18 kg (mostly books). I've recently got a Kindle so I don't need the books. When I next move I'll sell or give everything away, and start anew. I guess I believe in moving through phases in life. Once you move to the next phase, you start anew on a new adventure, and don't need all the old baggage associated with the previous phase.

Yes, use nuclear power stations to desalinate sea water (producing fresh water which is needed by most countries), generate electricity and produce hydrogen through hydrolysis. Waste heat and steam can also be used for heating and supply to industry. Four useful streams from the one power plant without generating carbon dioxide.

This is a straight forward question with a simple answer. Your landlord is trying it on. Forfeit your deposit, move on, and forget about the matter. Put it down to experience. You can freely leave and re-eneter Thailand anytime so long as you meet your visa conditions.

Wow! There are a lot of cynics out there. If ASEANNOW is a true representative of western opinion, North Korea must be a true haven we should all move to,

There's nothing wrong with being bored. As long as you have something to look forward to tomorrow.

Being 'legally; married would no doubt assist in getting a visa (and eventual residency in America). However, once in America, immigration laws recognise de-facto relationships, including same sex (unlike Thailand). So yes, it would be best to go to one of the recommended agencies to work out the best options for your partner. Once in the US, it will be pretty easy to find a pathway for your partner to stay. I would recommend, while still in Thailand, collecting as much proof as posible to demonstrate you have lived together for so long. This might include joint bank accounts, household books, joint travel etc. Even if in Thai, you can get it legalised and translated. It will be much easier to do this while still in Thailand.

My wife once stole 200,000 Baht from my fixed term account (out of 400,000 I had there for my marriage extension. I think she hoped to replace it before the extension was due. She took my fixed term bank book, passport and my forged signature on a withdrawal slip to the bank and convinced the staff I had authorised the transaction. She took it out in 4 lots of 50,000 Baht (at different branches). She tore out the page on the bankbook showing the transactions and new balance. I checked my term deposit about 4 months before it was due and was astounded to find I was 200,000 Baht short. The bank staff managed to track down the original paperwork for the transaction done at that branch and it was obvious from some of the signatures that my wife was behind it. Anyway, I managed to replace the money 2 months prior to the extension, although I took an unexpected financial hit. So if your wife or partner is determined they will always find a way to relieve you of your money. It's our job as husbands to try and safeguard our finances for our shared future. Sometimes it seems like the job of the wife is to spend as much money as soon as possible.

We had a leak and I went on the roof to fix with sealant. Next thing I knew I was in an ICU hospital bed. I fell through the roof for 3 metres until I hit the ceiling, broke through that and fell another 3 m onto the granite floor. I was lucky - no broken bones or permanent injuries that I am aware of. The accident insurance on my SCB ATM card paid most of the hospital bill.

The funeral will cost 100,000 - 200,000 Baht depending upon how many relatives and friends etc, the deceased has. As others have said, the organisers will get 50 - 100% back from donations. If you want to make a contribution, it would be much appreciated. You could offer something like 15,000 Baht up-front, or make a very generous envelope donation of 4,000 Baht at the cremation (give to the widow after the cremation ceremony and when you are walking away from the coffin after the flower giving - the widow and her close family will be waiting nearby discretely for farewells and these more personal envelopes).