geisha

All three.

I have many friends in Phuket, mostly Kata and Karon. They have / had beach side hotels etc. Often we’d look at the hills and they’d tut tut and say how all this building was very bad and accidents waiting to happen. This was in the 80s . It was all jungle , nature is taking it back.

I’ll never forget renting a fantastic condo in a small building in Phuket.,I was very happy there, until one day they filled in the rice fields behind me and made a road , and on the road there were bars and small restaurants spouting smoke and odeurs and loud music all night. I cried.Had to move. It wasn’t for sale, but if it had been I’d have bought it. So in 40 yrs of Thailand I have never bought , suits me, can go where I want, skip the country for South America now and again and rent a storage unit while I’m gone. Rent is cheap enough.

Some people react to very spicy foods, some it’s the alcoholic drinks, and icy drinks, even water. Some restaurants are filthy. After seeing an Indian kitchen I didn’t eat Indian food for many years. The only one I eat at is Indian By Nature Thappraya Jomtien. Avoid sauces, like spaghetti Bolognese , as they keep the sauce for days , I got the bottom of the casserole and ended up being really ill,for 3 days.A nice Thai took me to his home as I was incapacitated and called a doctor. I was out of it for 3 days. So kind. The worse was in India. I ate only strict vegetarian, after visiting the Taj Mahal, I collapsed in the toilet of a restaurant stop ( luckily) heading back to Delhi , was missed on the bus , a lady German doctor found me, the bus had to stop at least 20 times , again 3 days but even hallucinating. Doctor etc. Now I am ridiculously careful, have 2 or 3 restaurants I trust. Never eat at those sushi stands and buffets, people breathing on them etc and open for all to see and touch .Ugh !

Well I suppose that if things worsen , it does concern the economy. Once things start looking iffy , property prices will go down , no buyers, how would it affect the airport , exports in general , etc etc. And where would you move a capital city the size of Bangkok ?? Thailand is falling apart, landslides all over Phuket , the North polluted and unlivable, tunnels collapsing and that’s only in a few days. Impossible to stop in a few years, this takes expert planning many years in advance as Jakarta. Disaster man made.

They don’t get highs marks for good manners either.

There were warnings over 20 years ago from the locals. In 84 Kata was one main road with jungle on one side and beach on the other. A little paradise - lost.

It’s going to annoy a lot of business and first passengers if they have to queue up for an hour or more ! I know I won’t , it’s ok for short flights, but long haul no way. I’m 71 now so I suppose it’s not a problem. They should fix the baggage belt problem , then there would be a lot less crying babies and kids, tired traveller’s and people in a hurry to get home, and the aged. Bad service. Welcome the zero $ tourists to Thailand , and put the high paying guests / tourists in a 2 mile long queue.

But what about all the other huge condos that have been built over the years taking all the trees away. On kata Hill, also the road above the Boathouse leading to N’ai Harn, also Kok Tanode ( behind my house it was jungle all along!) and then Patak rd and Patak rd 2. All sold to wealthy investors who don’t give a fig if it all collapses. I’m surprised Kamala is still standing . The whole range of mountains are concerned. The authorities need locking up.

A year or two ago ???

The above photo is the center of kata beach village. I lived opposite. So sad, the road is gone and so far I hear 13 dead. plus all the construction/ villas / condos gone. The kata / karon authorities should ban any further building on the hillsides. This is the cause of such tragedy! Lives and nature don’t matter any more, only money !!! Sad .

There are quite a number of “ snowbirds as myself in my condo.Mostly Scandinavian. There’re well off , golf everyday and eat most evenings in the Scandinavian restaurant of Jomtien. Very quiet people. I’m sure that if they knew they had to pay tax they might change destination. I defined will not pay any extra tax, I’ve been taxed to the hilt throughout my working life, it stops there.

I do not believe in self medicating in your case !!! You are not a cardiologist. Just get a full check up, and get the appropriate meds. You can’t play around with this. If you’re worried, get it done in another country and it will not be on record.,

Just come in 3 months at a time. Covers the EU winter for me. Even if I stayed 170 days for example, I would never spend 500 000 Baht !!! I spend about 60 000 baht a month all included. So I doubt that many people would be liable for tax if they own their own home already.

The basics should be done by the owner. I have had a few successful restaurants albeit in a country that is strictly regulated. The health and safety always checked once a year minimum. Electrician plumber and all fridges / deep freeze checked etc as in hot countries this is especially important., License up to date and good insurance. Get the experts in and you have peace of mind. You should be lucky to have good tenants in Thailand. Keep them and stop bothering them..

This is all a very backward way of thinking from the People who invent these new laws. Get in the experts and set up an easy to understand online websites which are correctly translated into a few languages. How can it be so difficult ??? Forget the Embassy’s they are good for nothing. Close them down and save billions. Keep just diplomatic services and help for Thai nationals.

When I lived in Phuket , Kata Beach, I used the little bridge in between 2 big hotels ( one 5*,the other 4*. ) it was also a water run off from the hills behind. There were rats underneath, one day a little foreign boy said there were many rats on the bridge.i went to have a look, and there was an open bin bag and rats everywhere. I spoke to the beach owner / concession whom I knew and suggested he buy rat poison fast. He looked at me shocked and said he could not. In those days they were quite devout Buddhists or so I supposed.,

A new version of Airbnb. I could never live in Thailand all year round, I’d be bored silly. Same as I don’t live all year round in my home town , I go away often .

I visited some friends in Cambodia. They live in Siem Reap. Theres’ a good choice of very reasonably priced condos, my friends place was fantastic , rents are cheap, food is cheap, easy visas , I found it more social minded than Thailand, lots of get togethers, great restaurants very cosmopolitan, nice night life , of course please don’t think I’m comparing it to Pattaya !! People are very kind and the spoken English quite good. I’ve been to most areas of Cambodia, it’s small after all, I used to go often to Sihanouk Ville until the Chinese invasion. All my friends businesses, lives , gone for good. Tho it seems lots of the invaders have left. I would consider Siem Reap for a long stay, the only problem would be medical care/ good hospitals . I’m not looking for being an expat, I appreciate my home and advantages too much to leave it all .

For sure a long weekend ( or more ) in Bangkok or somewhere else, . Great breakfast, visit local sights , temples, etc, swim back at hotel ( or beach elsewhere, ) apéro time at 8pm and a good meal out. Perfect.

Same as electricity pilonnes leaning dangerously, crossings no cars stop for, broken pavements, open drains, polluted sea water, often no garbage collection, fly tipping eyesores, storms drains used by food carts to pour their boiling oil into, air pollution, soi dogs,,, the people don’t give a damn, no one cares , why ? Sheer stupidly , laziness, egoistic, lack of education , I could go on and on.

It’s hot, she’s melting.

Why, were you planning a vacation of more than 90 days ?

I hope it has been plastered on the National papers ? That is the best punishment. Even tapping someone on the head should not be acceptable! The look of hatred on his face was enough for me.

Errol Flyn as my father was a copy conform ! Sean Connery, Richard Burton. Alain Delon ( died yesterday). James Dean marlon Brando. Richard Gere