gerry1953

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

I don't know the answer to your question. I would simply find another dealer that can supply the latest model.

 

I would tend to agree but in my area of Isaan Honda dealerships are limited and carry the same stock.  Here they told me the 2024 model will arrive in another 3 months - maybe.  Going to another province to purchase one can complicate things even with a cash sale. (registering and red plate wise)

I was looking to buy a new 160 ADV but they only have the 2023 models in stock.  I wanted the lower seat height and the 4 valve engine for the advertised 10% increased power in all ranges.  The dealer can not tell me if it is only on the 2024 model or started in 2023?  Do any members know the answer?   Thank you

15 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

4 foot long !   How long is your arm ?  A snake can cover that distance in no time.   What will you do with the snake once you have caught it

Read and listen to Crossy …

They work for me every time and they even work on scorpions?  Then again I don't like to live in fear like some do.

If it becomes a repeat problem buy a 48"+ snake catching device from Lazada for about 1,300 baht.  I don't hurt them but place them over the wall into the heavy bush.  Most are harmless, some  are mildly venomous and a few are very venomous.  You can always go online and find cheap plastic pipe types that snare the snake. Check out one of the snake sites from Thailand and maybe you won't be so afraid of them.  If I get a highly venomous one I may want to relocate it to a better area.

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Based only on my hunch I think Thailand is somewhere between a manageable South Korea type situation and an severe USA type situation. But if Thailand loosens up too much and too quickly they will join the ranks of the worst case countries. 

I have to agree.  I would rather be inconvenienced for an extra few days with all the precautions and freedom limitations the government imposed rather than letting up early and having to do it again with it's added deaths, mayhem and economical devastation.  Best to err on the side of safety.

Indonesia has 1 death per million population as compared to Thailands .5 deaths per million?

I am not an Indonesia supporter but what do you contest about there numbers which have twice the deaths per million population than here in Thailand? 

Both are hot weather, humid southern hemisphere countries.

I like the OP and others only spend 6 months a year or less in Thailand (for the last 10 years with 2 exceptions of 18 months each).  I am getting tired if jumping thru the hoops for immigration on my retirement extension and want to drop it next year.  Does anyone see a problem applying for a 3 month tourist visa from Canada (actually 2 months plus a 1900 baht extension) then heading to Vietnam for a holiday.  In Vietnam I can apply for a another 3 month visa from a Thai Embassy and exit from Thailand to Canada after 2 months with no 1900 baht extension.  Theoretically I can continue doing this without keeping 800K + THB in my Thai bank.

 I took the time to read 15 pages of replies from this horrible incident about 9 years ago does anyone know the outcome of child sexual assault charges or if he was even convicted?  Most countries would make information available for follow up but nothing seems to happen here even after plastering his name in major newspapers, I researched but found nothing at all.  I hope it wasn't a case of the accused paying off the family (and child) and other parties to escape conviction.

I have been on retirement extensions (visas) for the last 9 years but for mental health reasons I return to Canada (and sanity) for just over 6 months most years.  I am not happy being forced to keep B800K+ in my Thai bank for 5 months even though I can easily afford it.

From what I read about the insurance prices the cost versus the maximum payout was an extremely poor investment.  The pre existing condition clauses were laughable and even though they say it won't affect us retirees, I suspect they are testing the waters - they love a good cash cow and IMO is sure to expand!  Many years ago I got Thai licenses which was susposed to get me into venues at Thai prices?  Now I have to pay 5 times the Thai rate at Parks, some private events, plus beaches - things change and it is seldom in our interests.  They love moving the goal posts!!!!

My solution is next time around will be to drop my retirement status and arrive with a tourist 3 month visa.

After 2 or 3 months in my Thai city with my wife and family I will spend a few weeks in Vietnam get a new 3 month visa then leave Thailand after 60 days (so I don't have to pay the extra 1900 baht to extend the visa to 90 days.  Sorry a 90 day tourist visa should be good for 90 days.

I won't have to keep the 800K in Thai banks with dismal returns or do 90 day reporting, renewals or bother with rentry stamps.

I feel sorry for the guys who are trapped due to economics and the high Baht rates.

As Joe says just take the usual precautions.  I have traveled the jungles in Central America and the Amazon and never caught it but finally got hit with a bad case of dengue 5 years ago in Jomtien Beach Thailand in a condo - go figure???

Sometimes there is a BIG discrepancy between the hazard rating figures and numbers the Tourism Thailand people report and the real numbers the hospitals treat.

On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 10:41 PM, paulhen said:

I am reaching out to any longer term expats here in Thailand in the hope of discussing a number of issues that have recently evolved in Canada making life increasingly difficult here and the future unknown... 

1) international bank transfers have recently become "impossible" so says my bank in Canada after my 30 years with them and six years here making SWIFT transfers, albeit with increasing bureaucratic requirements, some being farcical, until finally the door closed. Now they demand an in branch appearance to sign the transfer form.... 

2) due to the recent passing of my dear friend and bookkeeper, I now need to find new resources for a Canadian address and what are now relatively simple personal tax returns and to act on our behalf with a local phone number. 

3) discuss health care issues in the event of catastrophic illness, repatriating in light of the three month disqualification that prevails and provision for insurance for such an interim period or a work around

4) discuss Powers of Health & Attorney, Wills and such in light of any such repatriation

5) depletion of RRSP assets prior to age 71 forced dissolution 

6) hedging of Canadian dollar assets

 

Any takers for intelligent discussion?? 

Hi Paulhen.

1) Swift transfers are a pain because of high fees plus you have to be in Canada (at least at RBC).  I use TransferWise exclusively due to low cost (went down May 2018) plus very good exchange rates compared to others and banks.  No receiving fees at my Thai bank either as it arrives in THB.

2) Get a Canadian address and a good accountant who can do your taxes online if you are out of country.  You can sign, print and return to them for him to submit.

3) I keep my BC medical paid up as it is cheap at $37 CAD per month.  When I return there is no 3 month waiting period.  Sometimes I so 2 years at a time in Issan but my BC medical is still valid with permission from them.  If need be I can fly back for treatments.

In Thailand I either buy travel insurance (at 65 it is getting harder) or I self insure and I keep a $30K CAD credit on cards should I have an "incident".

4) I keep wills in both countries and my Thai wife can transfer up to 500K baht a day should I croak from my Thai bank.

5) Your RRSP assets should roll over to a RRIF or LIF at 71 where the CRA dictates a minimum and maximum you can remove each year.  Cashing it in will trigger large taxes for MOST people.

6) I try to keep funds both countries and use them when rates are to my advantage.

Cheers

On ‎5‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 8:59 PM, Banana7 said:

Just checked transferwise. For CAD$5,000 I see 7.25 + 29.07 =  CAD$36.32 and an exchange rate 24.95B which is competitive with Grand Superrich in BKK.

 

I'm concerned about the Thai bank fees for receiving the money. Kasikorn had about 5 different fees for one transfer using SWIFT.

Trust me Banana7 that Kasikorn charges zero fees when using TransferWise as I have sent about $60K CAD in the last 2 years.  They convert your CAD to THB in Canada and it gets sent as baht (at a decent rate too).  Kasikorn doesn't add a receiving fee and they don't add exchange fees as it arrives in their own currency.  Over the last 2 years TransferWise dropped their fee from 1.5% to as low as .5% (may 17th) and kept the exchange rates reasonable unlike the banks in Thailand and in Canada.  For me it is the only way to go.

Jeez Mae - that sucks to be you - wouldn't they take a post dated cheque!!

Sadly some do sell their own kids outright or get them into the "business" so they can send money home.

18 minutes ago, Acharn said:

Quite a few years ago I knew a guy over the internet who was giving his wife's parents an allowance of ฿30,000 a month. He was a systems analyst for an oil company (I think one of the larger ones) and made a six-figure salary. I think the baht at that time was around 40 to the dollar, so thirty big ones wasn't a big deal to him. It depends. I wouldn't be able to do ฿30,000, but ฿10,000 wouldn't be hard. It's up to you. Does your wife know what your monthly income is? Maybe she thinks you're a lot richer than you think you are.

How much disposable income you have shouldn't determine how much you give or pay your in laws and wife.  What is important is they are decent people, not lazy, respectful, and without high expense vices like drugs, alcohol and gambling.  Them asking for more money after receiving all the other perks of being married to a generous farang would be a problem for me but if they needed a hand I would gladly offer IF they had those good qualities.  The OPs description indicated lack of respect and  a feeling of entitlement from the whole family?

a 2018 update - things change!

I only use Transferwise now as they lowered their rates on most transactions as of May 17th.  I use my direct debit to transfer money to them for free and on a $5,000 CAD they charge $42 CAD  ($4.50 fee plus .75%).  If you use the bank transfer method for larger amounts it goes down to .5% (plus $11.50) and you get a great exchange rate.

The other OFX company I had planned on using charges 0 percent fees but the exchange rate is so bad that Transferwise is a far better deal.  When I use the OFX general site the exchange rate looks reasonable BUT when you process the transaction the rates are much worse?  Sometimes the cheapest is not the least expensive!

Thanks for the link Thaichiplanet, I like to catalogue all the plants and trees I have in my yard.  My wife always referred to this as a "Khana" tree so I could never research it.  I pick up those flowers in the morning (seasonal) and put them on Momma's table - and yes they use them in cooking. 

Thanks Hutch - designed to provide lots of shade plus low maintenance.  I have a beer drinking table in the back yard too!!!

Hutch68 - With the dams being at 100% before the beginning of wet season (in Isaan) should be a concern for major flooding I would think.  I would hate to see a wall of water like we had around Bangkok about 5 years back, I lost a newly built car when waters breeched a 3 meter wall - dyke?

In my area our main dam is 4 meters below full so they have lots of room to capture and control any flooding.  It rained heavily today and this is 2 months earlier than 2016.

3 hours ago, CGW said:

Big difference to last year, this year the reservoirs have water in them! this time last year it was bone dry everywhere & they were empty with no rain expected till "late" due to El Nino, I live 12k outside off Udon, we have had 2 good downpours in the last 4 months, last night & today smaller showers & cool!

Same in my area - it has been very dry the last 4 months with only one good rain last week but the reservoir is higher this year for mid March and it appears to have storms coming over the next few weeks.  Last year here it was May before it got wet?  I find it amazing in Isaan that it can rain heavy in one area yet several hundred meters away it gets nothing.

Are any extras available or is it all inclusive - I mean ear and nose hair trimming and a nice shoulder rub!