Jen65

just for the record , the truck disappeared while I was dealing with the Police !

yes , I know only too well having worked and lived in New Brunswick for 5 years !!

there may still be lots of Brits as residents in France but I guess you are out of touch with how many want to leave after Brexit ! Talk to any property agency and they have loads of British owned properties the owners of which want to leave asap !! Also can't understand what you are on about re driving on the left or right ??? What has that got to do with anything about having an accident , getting one's car towed away and being left abandoned by the Police ,at night in the middle of nowhere ??

and to prove that you can get a tax ID number - just approach the tax office !

If France is so good , why do so many French come to Thailand to retire ???

Not the only one who considers the French Police to be inconsiderate and a pile of dicks ! I had a car accident late at night travelling from the ferry to my house . Car was severely damaged by a stray animal that shot in front on a country road . Police came , statement etc all done - they called for a tow truck to take the car away and when it arrived gave me the address of the garage .The truck left and so did the Police - left me stranded at midnight on a country road in the middle of nowhere !! Luckily I was able to flag a passing car to get a lift to next village . France and the Police !! mmmmmm very LOW opinion

Must be joking !!! France !!! I just left there and couldn't get out fast enough - the land of high taxes / high cost of living . Incredibly expensive to go out to eat . It's cold and wet in the North . When I first moved there 24 years ago it was fine but latterly if I went out for a good time to a club or even at the train station there were , how should we say "immigrants " trying to sell you drugs ! Totally out of control . France has BIG immigrant problems which are not going away . I had some choices on where to retire - Thailand , Panama , Costa Rica , Philippines , Vietnam , Portugal . Quite happy here so far . The main worry now is whether Thailand will return to being a "democratic " country to live in AND the immigration system does not adopt more negative rules and regulations to those who retire here .

you've been busy then ?

oh so I get the gloves as well but for a small fee ???

Update on the vibrations and the " clunk " in the drive/transmission on my Vigo. As it was suggested that most of the problems come from worn U/Js or centre bearing on the prop shaft I decided that bearing in mind the age/mileage it was a good idea to renew all ( all new parts received ) However , again today I was under the vehicle with the mechanic and he had a bar to lever the front engine mounts and sure enough the right side mount rubber had perished and was causing the engine to kick to one side !!! So finally we have the real cause of the problem and new engine mounts are on order - all three (2 front and one under the transmission ) . We will change the transmission and transfer box oils and do an all round lubrication service . After all these new parts the drive/transmission should be A1 ( fingers crossed ) Oh , and the engine was leaking oil from a badly fitted rocker gasket cover so that is also on order !!

Exactly !! any overhaul of the Immigration system (as it is supposed to be in the process of ) needs to sort it . They need a system whereby anyone who spends 180 days or more here is considered a resident and ALL in that category have the same medical insurance requirements - sorted !! The rest are just tourists

mmmm If I go out I may consider to change to an O-X visa but have to check on the insurance requirements for that - probably same ?

As far as I am aware ,this is for first time applications only and not for extensions of stay once in possession of the visa . It also puzzles me as why this does not also apply to the "O" visa application . The disparity in medical/health insurance requirements between these two visas needs "sorting out " !!!!

Loud noise , go faster bikes/cars , silly rumbling exhausts on Nissan Note's , lowered suspensions, wheels protruding outside the vehicle body , black smoke -- you name it the list is endless !!! lack of law enforcement , no insurance checks or premium hikes . Nothing will change just as the road death rate !!

Mine also in Foreign Currency deposit account and always accepted . I would also mention there are 2 types of foreign currency accounts (at least with Bangkok Bank) , one is fixed term interest bearing but very small interest and the other non interest bearing account . The important difference is that of being able to access ones money or even part of that money in an emergency ie medical reasons or other . Fixed term you are stuck !! I shall take my Thai Baht savings account book with me next time in case I get asked what do I live on !! Good info

I'm having a job to get my head round this !

put the tar balls in the sandbox !!! bingo

What a coincidence - propshaft issues - touche ! Checking my centre bearing it is also an original Toyota/Lexus part so all the parts I received are original - good. Even my workshop manual advises to be careful removing the shafts and not cause any "burs" from mishandling otherwise balance will be affected ! If, after replacing these parts there is still a problem, I suspect the diff may be the issue and it was the previous mechanic who replaced the shaft entry/bearing so I'm wondering if that was done correctly . Just wait and see .

just wait till you see what happens with electric cars !!

yes thanks for that .I have ordered the right NGLI 2 lithium based grease for the couplings . I will change the A/T fluid and the transfer box oil same time . Workshop manual quite comprehensive - advises to tap the yokes with a hammer to ensure snap rings are seated properly and yokes turn smoothly.

One centre bearing 600 baht , five original Toyota U/J's 2300 baht . I have additionally ordered transmission fluid and transfer box oil as will change theses plus ordered the right NGLI2 grease for the couplings.

Glad to say after all the useful informative replies here , I now have a new mechanic who went for a drive and agreed with me regarding the "clunk" noise stopping / starting off and we went back to the garage to investigate under ! Problem appears to be the U/Js and centre bearing ( the rubber in centre bearing worn ) . So I just ordered 5 new U/J's and a new centre bearing (all good quality / the U/J's original Toyota ) so will change ALL U/J's front and rear drive shafts and the centre bearing . At least the mechanic knows about marking the couplings so it all goes back together same alignment .Should be a metal patch welded on the shaft somewhere when it was originally balanced . Lets see how things are after this job done .

No parts listed or mentioned from mechanic - I think it came out of the top of his head - only said "big job" and didn't even bother to visibly check under the vehicle ! I did the initial check on my own - just paid a guy to put vehicle on the lift for 15mins . It was the mechanic recommended that came up with a ball park figure out of the blue and the reason why I don't put my faith in what many tell you - thus the request for any advice here . Advice / knowledge is free and can be researched free on the internet such that one can then make their own informed decisions and I'm thankful to those more experienced than I for giving such advice .

Unfortunately am too entrenched now with property , partner etc but I never thought 10 years down the line and having my only residence here ,that I would still not be a "resident" , just a one year tourist with a visas that could be snatched away in a flash and told to leave . I also did not think 10 years down the line that there would still be a Military Junta in power SO , one has to accept the bed one has made and sleep in it - for now anyway !

many thanks for the useful info . I have all this listed now and will go back over the garage " pit " and go down and have a really good check , under load . You are right about greasing as previously they failed to grease the splined shaft coupling . I gave up with Toyota because whenever I went in the place is full of girls and as soon as I try to explain what I want doing by reference to the workshop manual they look at me in amazement !! Totally fazed !! Even the mechanic who came out seemed surprised I was able to quote from the workshop manual !! One time I need a new steering rack and was quoted 27,000 baht by Toyota . I was able to obtain a genuine OEM part from Bangkok for 9000 baht !! Not been back to Toyota since then .