Gecko

On 5/1/2025 at 8:24 AM, DonniePeverley said:

Dual pricing only effects cheap backpacker type tourists and sensitive souls. Thailand in no way should appease cheap backpackers who offer nothing to the economy, but take up valuable space. Not only should they put the prices up for foreigners but ban anyone with a back pack from coming into a national park. Furthermore ban hostels. 

 

The prices for these places are still cheap compared to western standards. 

 

Thailand simply needs to adjust the wording and image of the dual pricing. For example, if you see a price on the wall, but then offers Thais a reduction it may look better than showing two prices on board and you get the dreaded sensitive police brigrade crying dual pricing. 

 

In London you have attractions and places that offer discounts for locals, and those not from the area pay more. I see no moral outrage there. Imagine being a local Thai and seeing lovely national parks destroyed by mass cheap tourists, throwing rubbish everywhere, crowds, and the enviromental damage it does to your locality. Letting them in cheaply offers some compensation. 

 

Aren't the also planning this for the BTS - where by locals in Bangkok may get a set fare of 20 Baht per person, but others will pay full fares. Wording makes it okay. 

Here we go. Backpackers out, quality tourists in.  That these places are cheap compared to western standards is irrelevant. This is Thailand. With the same argument you could say, why rice with chicken is 40 Baht only, raise it to 200.

On 5/1/2025 at 8:24 AM, DonniePeverley said:

Dual pricing only effects cheap backpacker type tourists and sensitive souls. Thailand in no way should appease cheap backpackers who offer nothing to the economy, but take up valuable space. Not only should they put the prices up for foreigners but ban anyone with a back pack from coming into a national park. Furthermore ban hostels. 

 

The prices for these places are still cheap compared to western standards. 

 

Thailand simply needs to adjust the wording and image of the dual pricing. For example, if you see a price on the wall, but then offers Thais a reduction it may look better than showing two prices on board and you get the dreaded sensitive police brigrade crying dual pricing. 

 

In London you have attractions and places that offer discounts for locals, and those not from the area pay more. I see no moral outrage there. Imagine being a local Thai and seeing lovely national parks destroyed by mass cheap tourists, throwing rubbish everywhere, crowds, and the enviromental damage it does to your locality. Letting them in cheaply offers some compensation. 

 

Aren't the also planning this for the BTS - where by locals in Bangkok may get a set fare of 20 Baht per person, but others will pay full fares. Wording makes it okay. 

You are basically saying tourist should pay 10-20 times more. Less tourists ,  less rubbish.😗 Talking about locals, aren't expats locals but still pay the farang price?

15 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Definitely no need after a trip within Thailand.

From abroad there is mixed info, some people have said they've been told no need if staying in the same place. However I believe you are supposed to and I always do. Luckily I own my own home (well technically my wife does) so I don't need to bother a landlady/landlord. Once the account is up it literally takes about 30 seconds to do a new TM30 so not worth the risk of not doing it if you can do it yourself.

I guess it depends on the office. My office told me they will fine me if i don't report after having stayed 24 hours in another province

Wait for Musk's son Techno Mechanicus 😁

This name alone makes him the born president😇

Market prices for coffee and chocolate have increased significantly due to weather and supply chain issues.

On 3/7/2025 at 10:18 AM, Jim Blue said:

Everyone blames the police but if the country takes the ever increasing tourists in without increasing the police resources they are just at the sharp end .

You could argue they are too busy tracking every step of expats who live in Thailand for many years without any criminal record whatsoever. 

On 2/17/2025 at 10:23 PM, drbrit said:

Hi, can anybody describe what is required for police background check for a school?

I'm not being hired by the school I am being a voluntary sports coach.

I have a non O marriage visa so I am allowed to do voluntary work on that visa class

for any voluntary work is a work permit required AFAIK

5 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

Just south of Hua Hin ...    everyday for the last  2 weeks dozens of Humongous field fires burning like they were competing for first place in hell

 3am  6am  10am  2pm 6pm   don't matter totally out of control..   and of course..  the government does absolutely nothing

 and they can't say they don't see it..  the clouds of smoke billowing up can be spotted for miles on end  . at one point I had to stop my car because I could not see the road in front of me

well, they give good advice, saying stay at home, don't do outdoor activities😆

4 hours ago, WDSmart said:

I think I came down with influenza last Tuesday while visiting a hospital for a checkup from a doctor. My symptoms started that night. It's now been a week since then, and I just starting to feel better the last couple of days. I tested myself for COVID-19, but that was negative. This just seems like the "flu" which was fairly common in the USA when I was growing up. I'm going to stay home and isolated until I'm sure all the symptoms have disappeared and for a few days after that. 

There's  a double test kit for I think 79 Baht, testing for Covid and Influenza.  I got the flu,too.

In The Beach the movie it says:

Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, it's probably worth it.

The only downer is, everyone's got the same idea. We all travel thousands of miles just to watch TV and check into somewhere with all the comforts of home.

And you gotta ask yourself......What is the point of that?

Well, I did watch movies in the evenings in Pai 20 years ago 😁, was quite relaxing actually. But okay, there were just a handful of people who watched with me.

2 hours ago, campbell said:

If you need to come to Bangkok, I can recommend Dental Design, Times Square Building Mall, 2^nd floor, Sukhumvit Rd accessible by the walkway from Asoke BTS station. Tel 086 351 9881. Ask for a consultation with Dr Thamrong Limpanapa who will confirm (or otherwise) whether you need root canal treatment and if so, pass you to the specialist at his clinic. He works Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and sometimes Monday. Their website is https://www.dentaldesignclinic-lab.com/. I’ve been a patient for more than 20 years and couldn’t ask for a better dentist.

 

Pricewise for rct? Can't see a price list on the website. 

2 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

 

Hello Gecko :

 

I agree with what you wrote, but I don't think the issue is whether you can manage to live on 20K for a year or two long stint, but whether you can do it on an ongoing basis in retirement (10-20 years). I get the rural lifestyle: 2K row house, farmer's market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, mountain biking and shooting hoops at the local elementary school lifestyle, but over time other issues/"wants"/needs emerge which will likely make a 20K budget constraining, especially as you get older and may have more medical expenses. Maybe not true for everyone, but true for many.

Nope.  No rural life at all, apartment in the city; Big C,  Tesco, Robinson are here. Lived on 20k for some years. It still can be done.  But if you want more comfort, a good health insurance and enjoy western food and  lots of traveling, 30 k is the least.

Kamphaengphet.  You can walk around without seeing any farang.

What you could do is to use say 800k and invest it in Crypto or stocks that promise high returns. You may double it or lose 80%, Everything is possible.😇

Here it's discounted for some time already, but not  buy 1 get 1 free. I think it's 189 for one.

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Aro cheese is about 80 baht cheaper than Mainland.

 

The deal maybe is related to having too much stock, too close to the best before or use-by date.

It's cheaper, but the taste is not the best imho. 

what about crypto/stable coins?  Or park it on wise.

On 10/30/2024 at 3:18 PM, TaoNow said:

For many years now, Thailand has had a declining birth rate.

 

There is (legitimate) concern that, at some point in the near future, Thailand's working-age population will begin to decline. 

 

Anyone on this Forum has seen the emerging effects of this at gas pumps, restaurants, domestic-help options, etc.

 

It is too late to try to reverse the modern Thai preference for small families and few children.

 

Thus, in order to meet the near-term labor-force demand and need for eldercare, it makes sense for the Thai government to ease the way for migrants from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia to help fill these gaps -- due to the migrants proximity, ethnic similarity to Thais, Buddhist religion, and shared indigenous customs (e.g., Songkram, etc.).

 

For those of these cross-border migrants who spend a significant time in Thailand and can assimilate to the local culture and customs, that investment in the Thai economy and culture might be a viable pathway to citizenship.

 

It is a trend that we will increasingly witness around the world as some countries have aging populations while their neighbors are still "young."

 on the other hand certain work that is now done by 5 people could be easily done by two. 

5 hours ago, Expat68 said:

That's a new one on me, leaving the country yes

That's new for me too as I haven't notified Immigration for a while and never was fined. But this time the officer confirmed even just going to another province for the weekend triggers a TM 30.  Because they would need to know the whereabouts of the foreigner as he / she might be up to no good.  

Kamphaeng Immigration  also requires now again a TM 30  within 48 hours every single time after returning home having stayed in another province.

29 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

I have found that most cars stop but the motor bikes not a chance in hell.

if I stop with my motorcycle, I'm quite sure all following cars or motorcycles will not and I bring myself in danger or the pedestrians.

On 9/20/2024 at 6:41 PM, nahkit said:

Can I remind you technically you're not a teacher! because you don't have any teaching qualifications. To be a qualified teacher in the kingdom you need to have an education degree and or a post-graduate in education for a foreigner.

Does "qualified" here mean meeting the specific requirements (like formal education and credentials) to be recognized as a legitimate or authorized teacher in Thailand? If so, that would mean that someone is not a teacher, even though they have a work permit for teaching and a teaching license from Khurusapa.