Presnock

2 hours ago, Accidental Tourist said:

Mmmh...what about Lao language then...

 

Well 50 years ago I went to Laos too.  The "hotel" I stayed in had folks speaking English - maybe not perfect but I spoke Thai and they are close enough that we could always end up satisfying whatever we needed to know.  As an American native, I realize that most native born Americans are not bi-lingual nor  do they want to spend the time learning a foreign language.  US govt agencies cannot even fill their

vacant billets for foreign language speaking Americans (i.e. the US State Department online jobs mentions that several years ago State could fill only 24% of their foreign-language billets.  Around 1980 or so, the US High Schools dropped the graduation requirement for studying a foreign language, usually French or Spanish is an example of the Americans not willing to put in the time necessary to learn another language and now with AI there are new APPs that enable folks to "get by" in many different languages.  I don't believe one can really understand the cultures of a foreign people unless they can actually converse with them.   I have been fortunate enough to study over 10 different languages.  

20 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

Today on Jomtien beach I was sitting in the sand, with noise canceling earphones and deep sunk in (earphone-compatible) work. The headphones are easily visible for anybody walking past, by their cables and black color.    

 

A middle-aged westerner and a younger Thai lady walked past me towards the water, held a yellow plastic bag my way and asked something. I didn't hear one word, because of the noise-canceling headphones, but assumed they asked if that bag was mine, what else could they mean? So I made a no-no gesture with my hands.  

 

They left the bag at the water's edge, splashed 10 minutes in the water and walked back past me, shouting something again my way.    

 

This time I took the earphones off, and we had this dialogue:    

 

I: “Sorry?”    

Man: “Thanks!”    

I: “Thanks for what?”    

Man: “Thanks for NOTHING!”    

I: “What do you mean?”    

Man: “Thanks for NOT watching our bag.”    

I: “0h sorry, you see I had the headphones in and was just assuming that you - "    

Man, interrupting: “Okay okay, have a WONDERFUL day!”    

 

He walked off with a superior air, no longer listening to my reply, and the lady laughed happily. He had shown her who the master is, especially as they towered upright over me, sitting below in the sand.    

 

—    

 

No need to comment on their behavior, but would YOU watch a stranger's bag on the beach? Especially when you're occupied with headphone and complicated thoughts and sometimes trek to bathroom or snack stalls?    

 

I rather wouldn't watch a stranger’s bag on a Thai beach:    

 

- Someone might run off with HIS bag in MY care (either planned by him or not) 

- The bag might contain illegal stuff and be part of a setup    

 

Or would you?

Absolutely not!

14 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Surprise, surprise, with unmotivated students because they always pass, non English speaking English Thai teachers.. as my boss was a master in English but could not conversate with me,  English camps in Thai Language and a Government that only speaks of important to learn English, but nowhere in Thailand you can find an English movie on TV, and everything should be in Thai..... A bit of big change is needed... Maybe the former backpackers were better to teach than the average level of a Thai English teacher... 

Years ago (at least 48, I was assigned to Thailand with my family.  There was a radio station that played the English soundtrack for foreign movies, news programs, etc.  Prior to that, there were many US bases here in Thailand with 100's of thousand of US military.  Yet during those times too, one would think that English would have at least gotten off the ground but TIT and their xenophobia.  Instead of fighting those different, they appear to sign treaties with foreigners but only to keep a certain distance from them so that the powers that are can better control the masses.  My opinion anyway as I havelived/worked  in most of the ASEAN except for Cambodia and yes, over a span of 50 years Thailand always has ranked the lowest on the locals' English speaking.  Many can read English but I am

not always sure that they understand it.  The folks that do speak English usually have gone to schools outside of Thailand and they went to internal schools that probably had a fairly good English

program or private tutoring.  My younger daughter at first went to elementary schools that had a reputation for English language but we learn fairly quickly (or not so quickly as we changed schools often) but finally found a reasonably affordable international school with a great program - all English except for the Thai classes.  And yes, I speak Thai well enough to go anywhere and talk about just about any

subject.  I make mistakes but we laugh together.  This is still paradise to me.

I continue to regularly see questions about the taxation by the Thai govt of US pensions - I queried a foreign tax

advisor concerning this question.  They informed me that even though the US and Thai governments have a 

tax agreement, legally the Thai govt could tax the pension funds sent into Thailand.  They said that any taxes

paid to the Thai government from pension sent into Thailand, then the US will refund the same number of dollars

taken out of those funds by the Thais.  Previously in this forum someone provided the tax brackets for Thai taxes

and it indicated that the lowest tax bracket begins at 150,000 and I think that was in US dollars so if one is on a

US pension, they probably would not have to pay any taxes to the Thai government.  Until the Thai government

comes out with the final approved law on the taxes, we are all wasting time even thinking about it.  If they do

tax us anyway, it might mean that they are killing the proverbial goose laying the golden eggs.  But, since this is TIT...

On 11/24/2023 at 7:53 AM, sirineou said:

Given what you know, what you said might make sense to you, but unfortunately for you and many others , what you know is not the full picture. 

When trump was elected, I often posted that trump was a danger, but that he was not the real danger. 

The real danger is that the players saw how much more  they can get away with, and how much the electorate would buy.

and players will be players,

I said, "one way of another trump will go away, but trump wannabes will always be around. and now they have a new play, in their play book" 

And we see this play all around the world. 

   Most countries are depopulating, this is a fact, first world women are not having enough children. That is a fact.

The US has an advantage in this paradigm, they have an immigrant culture, and are a desirable immigrant   destination, so they are able to maintain population and grow. 

If they are to survive as viable economies, European countries need to learn from the above lesson. Either have more children or replace your population with immigrants.

It is as simple as that. 

But the immigration issue is a wedge issue that players will use, and "players will be players" they will play every card they have, and Ethnocentrism is a card the hold. 

The Brits shot themselves in the foot by it, the Netherlands will shoot their foots also , and I am afraid that unless the immigration issue is addressed in a sustainable fashion, and a way that it is palatable to all involved, more countries are not far behind. 

That is correct!  Japan has always had a strict immigration policy, Australia used to be that way too until they realized they needed more workers.  Japan has a birthrate of less than 1 per couple.  S. Korea now

has a birth rate of .8 per couple and by the end of the century, the N. Koreans will just be able to walk over the border unless things change I read the other day.  I sure have no idea of the rate in N.Korea but can't imagine that it is very high.  The US problem is that there are way too many now pouring into the country.  It used to be that shortly after arrival, an immigrant would proclaim to being an American and was accepted as that.  They moved to different areas and learned to live in a different society from which they fled.  Nowadays, they tend to flock together with their former countrymen, until they can elect the govt people as they outnumber the old residents and then try to change the society of the Stateside local into their old society from which they fled.  I don't get it?  oh, our government doesn't fight them

for the space as we just turn it all over to them.  Now Europe is experiencing the same thing.  

On 9/18/2023 at 9:57 AM, connda said:

Eventually someone is going to write, "Does that mean farang's pension income too."

Short answer would probably be "No," at least for those countries with bilateral tax agreements with Thailand.  If you're paying income tax in your home countries, then Thailand has no claim to tax the income twice.

I have checked with a tax advisory group re pensions being taxed - if a US citizen the country having a tax agreement could still tax the pension but then the US IRS would lower one's tax equal to that taken out by the Thais.  I also saw one responder that the tax rate in Thailand would be on any income including pension over 150K US dollars as the very basic tax table so most folks here probably don't get a pension of over 150K USD annually.  I do not know what the Thai govt will do, all I can do is wait and then decide what I am going to do.  If they do begin taxing every ex-pat pension or otherwise, then I do think they are going to kill the goose-laying the gold eggs.  But as we all are well aware, TIT

says it is good in the local area only - what about students?  if they are away from the district in school the majority of that

time?  Just wondering

My recent 90-day reporting experience - got my notice 16 days prior to due date (Monday), on day 15 ((Tuesday I did the on-line report with and

sent it in during the morning.  I received my new 90-day report date on Thursday morning.  Great service and much better than what we used to

be required to do.  This was with the CM immigration office.

23 hours ago, bob smith said:

I think most companies are having a go at it.

 

Just watching a documentary about it.

 

It's shocking whats going on. The world has gone to s#@t

Actually it has been going to crap for a while, it finally hit the level that makes it obvious to almost everyone.  I have been seeing folks talk about

buying a bag of chips or something else, all markings including weight of product inside are exactly the same except in reality, the product is up to

50 percent less.  And since TIT, in order to make more money, they tell you it is on sale but the price is really 10-15 % higher than normal.  What a deal they have for all!  Probably a lot of the same going on elsewhere as I hear nothing but complaints from friends still in the US.

18 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

There is a very good reason that Thais need to jump through hoops when they travel overseas. They are known for saying what suits them instead of answering truthfully. Strangely, in the UK and my very first job many decades ago, I was told exactly the same about Irish people when they applied for National Insurance cards. Certain nationalities have a reputation for telling porkies.

Well, I have been told by visa officers that the reason many Thais (other ASIANs also, especially not so elderly females, go to other countries and stay longer than they are allowed.  I do not know what they do but even my wife was denied a tourist visa, owns her house, car, owned a restaurant, was chief chef and only wanted a tourist visa to take child to US for college.  Consular folks said that wasn't enough to guarantee she would return to Thailand.  She was married to me a US born citizen!  They said that we have to apply for an immigrant visa - took a while for all the paperwork, then had to wait over a year due to immigrant backlog in the US so changed our minds and daughter is in college here.  

18 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

There is a very good reason that Thais need to jump through hoops when they travel overseas. They are known for saying what suits them instead of answering truthfully. Strangely, in the UK and my very first job many decades ago, I was told exactly the same about Irish people when they applied for National Insurance cards. Certain nationalities have a reputation for telling porkies.

During my working years, I lived in 14 countries, (Asia, Cent AM, Af, Eu), kept a log of good or bad.  I included food, people, acceptance of foreigners, religion, climate.  I spent a total of 9 years in Thailand between 1972-2005, 6+years in the PI and

when all as said and done, decided to retire in Thailand with the PI a close second.  I spoke the local lingo in those countries that I lived and basically got along well with the locals.  I loved the PI, golfing, scuba diving, beaches, different islands with different

folks, English speaking, cheap BUT, 18-20 typhoons per year, earthquakes up to 9 level, volcanoes active and local food not to my

liking so much.   The weather was a bit like Thailand but no really big typhoons (though more violent than before), earthquakes but

much weaker, local food is great, people accept westerners, especially when one speaks the local lingo, plenty of golf available and

though things are getting more expensive, it is still fairly cheap.  I hope to spend many more years in retirement here!  

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

Do banks typically just take the word of the borrower as to how much their assets are worth?

 

Why is the state not going after the bank that colluded with Trump to loan him the money illegally?

 

How much did Trump have to bribe the loan officer?  

Ther isn't anything about colluding - Trump over valued all his assets when applying for the loans and yes they were repaid BUT, by over inflating the assets that is fraud - then, on top of that, when it came to paying tax on those same assets, Trump and co. under valued said assets.  The law doesn't state from what I have heard about people having to lose money from the loans but the fact

that the values were not even close to being accurate!  We are talking 100's of time more valuable as Trump wanted to be high on the

Forbes magazine US richest billionaires! All this is from the trial and people under oath.  When he is not under oath he lies but when

he swears in court he claims the 5th amendment so they can't get him for lying!

4 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Nobody questions Trump's 2016 vote totals.

wrong!  Trump and the MAGAites all question the vote totals...according Trump  close office folks, he questioned the totals even before the election was over.

On 10/28/2023 at 3:12 PM, pomchop said:

How many have know a few semi rich kids who had everything handed to them on a silver platter their entire lives where parents/grandparents bought them the finest schools, clothes, cars, country clubs, debutante balls, draft deferments, etc and further used their influence (bribes?) to get them special treatment and move to the front of the line.  While i am sure parents may mean well what can often result is a person who thinks his/her "success" is all because they themselves are somehow superior to others who actually had to go out and dig and scrape for their success.

 

Trump is the poster boy for a spoiled rich kid that likely would not have amounted to a hill of beans without daddy giving him the silver spoon.  His greatest "talent" was to turn that into an ability to scam people his entire life by not paying them, lying to get what he wanted and exaggerate his "importance"....he then stumbled into POTUS which he saw running for potus as the greatest free infomercial of media coverage ever.....and in this endeavor he was indeed successful beyond his wildest imagination. Obviously the more outrageous things he said the more attention he got.  Mock the crippled, dis pows and war heros and scoff at silver star families, grab women by the pxxsy , pay off porn stars, rape women, fraud after fraud, lie after lie, encourage violence over and over, and his supporters lapped it all up as it was "entertainment" on a level never before seen by a presidential candidate. Even trump never really thought there were enough gullible people to buy all his BS and actually vote him into office. 

The goal was to get a ton of free publicity to further the brand name worldwide.  For once in his life he found he was really good at something that he created.  He became the best and biggest conman in USA political history. 

 

Now he is hoping those same gullible people will continue to believe he is somehow being "persecuted" and that he has done nothing wrong, in fact just the opposite everything he has ever done or ever will do is perfect.  So lets hope his orange jump suit fits him perfectly and maybe, just maybe, some of his cult members may wake up to the fact that they got conned and the con will continue until they finally open their eyes and look at the FACTS as to his fund raising, his fraud, his criminal acts and say enough.  Admitting that you got conned by the biggest con man is not a disgrace.  It has been going on for centuries.  Some learn and avoid getting conned again.  Others are too proud or ? to ever admit the emperor has no clothes.

in my opinion, I do think that he won the 2016 election as so many Democrats voted for him instead of Hillary plus all the regular people too coming out hoping to change politics.

This indicates to me that they are acting as a mobile consulate.  If so, then why do I have to use local mail in order to get a new

passport?  Just wondering.  Or, can I just make an appointment at the Congen, Bangkok to get a new passport?  Anyone have

ny idea?

13 hours ago, charleskerins said:

WTH does 555 mean?   Heavy Equipment operator /teacher       yes some tough work

555 equals ha ha ha (sound of Thai speaking 555)

12 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

You really worked for a bank?

 

Do you understand that loan interest rates are partially based on the valuation of applicant assets?

 

Don't you think it's good public policy to ensure that valuations are not fraudulent?

Hey, the under valuation he did when he paid taxes (some years a billionaire and didn't pay tax at all - that too is a CRIME in the USA.

We sent our daughter (moved housing) to find the "better" local Thai schools until 5th grade.  We kept moving because all the

schools did not meet the goals we had for her.  In 5th grade we sent her to a "new" school - fantastic buildings, layout, etc half

Thai teachers, rest Farang - though most farang teachers eventually tried to leave as soon as possible as the school was run by

the daughter of a Thai univ. and most of the Thai teachers were schools buddies.  Anyway prior to the end of the first year, we

knew we were leaving - even were offered full scholarship to continue but no way - and by the end of the 3rd year all the original

students were gone as well as the farang teachers.  We went to an international school (CMIS) - daughter on a US passport so did

not have to take Thai classes after 6 grade which the Thai teacher didn't like because she really liked our daughter.  She began studying Chinese in 7th grade, then a year later began self-teaching Korean because she like KPOP (by graduation she had passed

level 4 of the international Korean test), she continued studying Chinese and even taught basic Chinese at another Thai high school

near CMIS, which was broken up by the pandemic, took AP Chinese, did teacher's asst for one year when she had a free hour

daily, taught Korean and English to others as part of the community service they needed to graduate.  She speaks, reads and writes 

Thai with no problems.  She English (American with me), and Thai exclusively with her mother and most of her friends.  She is now

a student at the number one Univ in Thailand studying Korean.  Your wife must take time to speak Thai with your daughter.  Extra

classes should help especially in the writing while watching Thai programs (especially news for vocab) or movies should also help her.

Good luck!

unfortunately, the US politicians are first of all, POLITICIANS and in my opinion, like in other countries in which I have lived, consider themselves entitled to make as much money for themselves and their families.  They may come into an elected office with dreams of "solving" the problems of their nation.  Soon though they seem to learn how easy it is to fatten their wallets - corruption is the current word used.  Some countries try to pass laws preventing such corruption but the law that is passed if possible, is too weak or watered down because who wants to kill the goose that lays the golden egg so to speak.  Now, most western countries are infested with way too many immigrants.  Previously, the immigrants into these countries merged into different communities and assimilated into local society, many becoming productive citizens.  Nowadays with the hordes pouring in, they tend to stick together, becoming a voting

majority in many places and begin to try to change their new country to be more like the one they fled, and in doing so destroy the

society of their new country.  This is my opinion anyway but I have seen the same thing elsewhere and read stories from other  countries and it strikes me as being exactly the same.  I recall India had a story years ago, that their parliament had been trying to pass a non-corruption law unsuccessfully for 5 years.  My own congress failed to pass an insider trading bill recently without success.  Now I am fully aware of salaries, and when almost all the elected  officials' families are rich I begin to wonder just how is that possible.  

On 10/21/2023 at 1:57 PM, Pipi Olly said:

More and more people are paying the price of a life of anxiety and stress as they age. Being happy and relaxed is one of the most efficient way to remain in good health. Of course it ain't magic. Other factors come into play, especially genetics and your body's ability to manage all those toxic substances that the industrial world releases in the environment. But happy people with solid social networks usually live longer.

 

At the end of the day, we all die.

read and article the other day from some doctor - he said the biggest killer of man was "retirement" because they all stopped doing whatever too soon.  I agree somewhat, but many people should have changed their lifestyles earlier in life if they wanted to possibly have a healthy retirement.  Too many wait until it is too late to really improve one's chance of longer life - that would be healthier too.  What is a longer life with rampant disease, paid, hospitalization etc?  I am approaching 80, walk 6kms a day, lift weights, do core stretching and exercises regularly.  I have very few pains occasionally but I have done this for many year already - though I used to run instead of walking due to the "runners high" which I experienced every day.  I have a younger wife and we have a 20-year daughter and I hope to have many more lucid years to follow their lives.  I also do not drink alcohol, nor smoke tobacco or other drugs.  I have not even had a headache in over 20 years.  BP is that of a healthy 45 year old.  But, if I were to not wake up tomorrow,

THAT"S death.   But I enjoy life daily, am happy and have no regrets in my life.  Hope all are at least satisfied with their current life - otherwise, try to

change it.  Be happy!  that is easy, after all this is TIT and we choose to be here.