Presnock

yes and advertizing help getting a (FREE) Thai Tax ID number for 10-20K baht is really a ripoff..worse by far than any other ripoffs I see almost daily.

yeah why are the govt coffers empty after the mil govt left - oh submarines, war planes, tanks, etc for what war? They are right now re-enforcing their non-aligned status in the world.

wealthy pensioner is actually 2 categories - 80K or 40K plus so the approval could go to either of those two categories and not all to the 80K category.

India, Indonesia also pump their share of pollution in this region. It has been going on for at least 55 years that I have actually seen it here.l Won't change I opine in the next 55 years eiher.

I correct my misread - he does like pork!

last year, just prior to AIR ASIA being ransomeware hit with threats to publish data if not paid, the owner declined payment. Within a month my US VISA card tried two charges of 01 cent which my CC security immediately locked out my card and I had to get a new number (due to what was reported as a shortage of something on the cards, I had to wait 2 moths for a new card. I do not know for sure it was related to the Air Asia bit but sure seems strange to me. I am grateful though that my bank is constantly contacting me about charges if at odd stores (not that the stores are odd just not my usual stores).

In the US, IRS says it is only necessary to keep copies of your last 5 years of tax forms

recently an article says this was the dish that saved the Thais as a shortage of rice one year, king had them make Rice noodles (pad thai) and cut the need for rice in half supposedly. I have talked with numerous Thais about the lack of Pad Thai in many areas and have been told that it is a difficult dish to get JUST RIGHT and many Thais cannot do this so sometimes it is difficult to find.

Hard not to agree. Even if the hammer on the next tax scheme is shelved for the moment, prospective retirees from around the world will definitely hestitate before even considering retiring in Thailand because they will see just what the Thai leaders think or fail to understand. If other countries are right around the corner and offer some benefits be it financial (i.e. tax free) lower living costs, less immigration interference in everyday life, why would one choose Thailand? I think that no matter what the Thai govt does this year or next, they will find that the Revenue Department will be taking in a lot less monies from the ex-pats. This coming first quarter may look good with "tax free" condo purchases but that might not come to pass either. Those planning to buy condos with old savings obviously must be planning to spend at less than 6 months here or will be staying no matter what the tax situation will be. Good luck to all

OOOPs read that wrong...sorry.

one national dish favored by many foreigners is Phad Thai with shrimp (Gung) or chicken (gai). Tom Yang (gung) is another favorite but Mai Phet so it isn't too hot. Many restaurants will have pictures or "fake" dishes and you can get an idea of what it is. If you are in Bangkok, then most will speak English if you ask them. Phad Grapow gai (chicken) or moosap (ground pork) are also world wide favorites, just order Mai Phet. Phad gung prig wan (is a sweet pepper fried shrimp dish) Moo or gai Satay (pork or chicken on a stick) usually with side dish of peanut sauce. Any of these dishes not hot have been enjoyed by members of my family that could not eat hot spicy foods. If you will be in Bangkok much, then in the SIAM SQUARE/World Trade Area are more restaurants of every flavor than you could even count. There are health food restaurants too. Avoid any of the raw fish or raw shirimp dishes as there might be parasitic worms. Depending on where you plan to travel during your visit, remote areas will have limited food choices in many places - possibly even just Ramen noodles with flavorings. In the major cities there should be many available places to eat - i.e. market places with a wide variety of local dishes, or if you stay at a upscale hotel, they will have a varied menu of local and foreign foods and should be able to help you if you have any questions on the food or where to eat. Good luck and enjoy - plenty of good foods available.

said the doesn't like pork and rice dishes

you just sound bitter... sorry for you but as for me I am happy. I could easily afford to live in the US but there I would be middle income while here I am claimed to be wealthy pensioner so you are wrong in just about everything you say. As for me over and out with you on this issue - do not enjoy talking with ignorant folks.

You are exactly what I was talking about - individuals who need to get a life! I was happily married for 20 years to a lovely western woman from my hometown in the US prior to her passing.

not at all in what I wrote. I lived and worked in Thailand (married to a US female) for 15 years at different times. I wasn't a bar hanger and hardly ever drank any alcohol and never did any drugs. My wife passed away due to cancer, and during our time together, we lived also in many other countries. I kept a log of the good and bad in each of those countries - Spain, Italy, Portugal, Malta, PI, BKK, Guatemala, Angola, Zambia, and also worked in some others. So, when it came time for me to retire I looked over the log and Thailand, closely followed by the PI was number one in most categories so that is why I came here. I have not had any alcohol nor drugs at all during my retirement so I definitely don't hang out at any bars. I did marry a Thai lady that I met and we now have a 20-year old college girl. To me, life in Thailand continues to be exactly what I retired here for - it is much cheaper than the US but I could afford to live there too. I love Thai food, especially all the fresh fruits available. I don't hang out at the beaches either but do enjoy travelling around the mountains and undeveloped areas. I retired originally in BKK but grew weary of the driving within the city so moved to CM. Now that daughter is a college girl, while we own our house in CM, we are renting a house in BKK and I am amazed at how easy it is now to move around the city via the trains. But, when daughter goes off to graduate school in Korea, my wife and I will return to CM and plan to take vacations during the burning season to escape the smoke. I also note from this forum that maybe quite a few did come here for what your are claiming but I am sure that many came here for the same reasons that I did and they still enjoy it and don't complain as much as some do. Getting old must not agree with some. We are all in the same place so try to be nice.

actually, since we cannot impact the political situation in this country who really cares if it is liberal or conservative or what. I and I think most people that have come from some other country have seen that so far it is much cheaper than at home, the weather never gets too cold nor too rainy which might change too and which we cannot affect in any way, attractive women, good food, lots of beaches, and varied nature. The majority of locals are of the Budhist persuasion so are fairly tolerant of the decadent foreigners that also come here so I fail to understand why the arguments among the forum members here about all the things that they have no control over in the first place. Please just enjoy the life here, compared to many places this is paradise. Be nice to others on the forum as all kinds of folks come here for many different reasons and I am sure none came here for arguments.

only a couple of things left out in the talk of the orange one you omitted the super rich too as they know he will lower their tax rates and promote programs in which their companies can reap record profits but, Biden also follows along in some of that because he is a true politician who has learned how to get really rich being a politician as a career. He plays up to the poor and comes up with populist programs to give benefits while seeking their votes and has done this successfully for many years. Of course my opinion is only based on my life experiences and career in government and a short stint working in Delaware - Biden territory.

Yessir, began mid 60's and with each new generation more and more lost as these younger folks hardly find anything worth fighting for. Now after O enticed them to get worthless pieces of paper from colleges, all they have left is huge debts from loans that THEY signed for in order to get a degree in some useless subject and THEY want the govt to forgive those loans - and yessir Biden is using this as another possible stepping stone to re-election...My opinion anyway as I don't believe Trump nor Biden even care one iota about our nation. Both are just in love with themselves.

Having worked and lived around the world, politics and politicians are basically the same everywhere. Most are corrupt and once elected concern themselves with getting re-elected onto the gravy train. I am an American and only those selected by the international businesses, big pharmas, rich become candidates for important positions. Perfect examples are the candidates for this November election. Neither has the interest of the US in their goals because their goals are given to them by the rich. this is my opinion based on 60 years of following the elections and seeing what those elected try to do once being elected.

oh sorry guess it must be one of the former British colonies then. Normally it is folks that seem jealous of the US - where the vast majority are immigrants from every country around the world.

You People meaning Americans and left and right issues - I am wondering you must be from EU - have you been following politics there and public opinion? You should see exactly more right and left due to the same issues. My opinion as an American - yeah I am against US politicians/politics!

I wasn't sure that I hadn't forgotten or not but in the US nowadays, weightlifter transgenders can compete in actual competitions and they win, set new "female" records, etc. A New Zealander transgender was approved for a competition in Japan even. Sure cannot understand the reasoning for allowing that to happen! Imagine if you had a daughter who spent years training for some sport, be it weight lifting, wrestling, swimming, tennis, baseball, or any sport requiring some type of phyical strength and she had to compete against men in that sport and undoubtedly would lose against a "MAN" - how could that possibly be fair? I sure don't understand it.

Well, real experts on Thailand know for sure that the expression TIT means that nothing is certain and anything certain could change immediately or the governing bodies could change immediately followed by a change to ANY situation. I first lived in Thailand in the early 70's and have seen numerous changes on just about everything except the changes. My take anyway.

I would think that any reasonable court would rule against transgender men who think they are women in any competition against women where "natural" strength just gives them an unfair advantage, let alone the sharing of dressing rooms where the transgender still has male genitalia and the shock from many females having to share their intimacy with these transgenders. I do not hate transgenders, but I also do not understand that feeling. My last biology class was over 60 years ago so maybe biologists have added transgender when talking about male/female sex at birth. My opinion will not change during my lifetime for sure.

And, for the Nov election candidates, Trump greatly increased that debt and Biden is well on his way to further increase the debt. When will the US ever have a Congress that fights for the country and citizens instead of big business and the candidates chosen by the party. I guess until the members of Congress stop fighting to get re-elected versus changing laws, writing yearly budget bills that fight debt increases, especially with useless pork barrel additions to make individuals popular in their state but unnnecessary for the nation's well being. My opinion anyway.