Hugh Cow

Who determines what is left or right? In Australia the democrats would probably be considered the centre or centre right and Republicans would be considered far right.

Indiscreet; unwise

You are a perfect example of why it is probably injudicious to share ones private thoughts on a forum.

Have you at least asked her to have a medical test? She could be a walking greenhouse for STDs for all you know.

Today I was standing with Mrs Cow on "my" land watching the house construction nearing completion. A rather esoteric thought entered my mind as it travelled to the future and I imagined one day a hundred years from now a couple totally unconnected to me or Mrs Cow would be standing on that very spot contemplating whether to renovate or demolish the old house standing on this particular block of land, built by an unknown someone in the past. The story remains the same only the players fade into the dust of history, to be replaced by new players, ad infinitum. We own nothing, we are just caretakers for others... Dust in the wind.

In all my years on visiting working and living in Thailand and dating a few Bangkok nurses in my past, I have never heard of a nurse in a Bangkok hospital working weekends in a Pattaya bar or any other bar. Why would she not work in a Bangkok bar closer to home and her job, not that I believe the story. Tell her you will meet her at the hospital and ask where she works. I would wager the closest she has ever got to a nurse is having her monthly STD test. I was unaware that there were people so naive about Thailand. Anyone who has naively got engaged to a woman they have never met will not listen to posters for advice that disagrees with their narrative. Any reasonably experience expat living here will tell you to drop her like a hot potato. Many have learnt the hard way so listen up. Of course that is not the advice you want to hear so I will look forward to your story in a year or two of how you lost all your money on a bar girl who has now left you for the next sucker. There is a reason why they say in Pattaya you never lose your girlfriend, you just lose your turn.

Wasn't there a sect in the USA that by all accounts were well educated who "died" so they could ascend to some spaceship? Then there was Jamestown the Davinians and others. It doesn't even need religion to dull the senses. There was Lenin, Hitler, Pol Pot. Today there are some political leaders who consistently bend the truth that people still blindly follow. Sadly the world is full of sheep and it shows how minute the number of critical thinkers in society there really are. Simon and Garfunkel in the song "The Boxer" said it best. "Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest"

They need to be severely culled and the public banned from feeding them.

I wonder how many of the arresting officers feel like hypocrites when arresting fellow police on corruption charges. In fairness it's a world wide problem. I remember a joke about Australian state police. Quite a few years ago the Victorian police were getting a reputation for shooting first. The New South Wales police were well known for the high level of corruption. After planning a joint raid on the NSW/ Victorian border the head of the Victorian police contingent says. We promise not to kill anyone as long as you don't steal anything. Then there was the corrupt Queensland police that went all the way up to the Police Commissioner Terry Lewis who was actually knighted by the Queen. In England you have police arresting people for comments on social media. The police sadly are a necessary evil. They enforce government laws right or wrong. There needs to be some sort of citizens committee overseeing the police.

I am constantly amazed on my small visits to Pattaya once every other month how that many bars can survive. Of course I realise many dont. It would be interesting to know what the survival rate is.

If Crossy's figures are in the ball park I cant see how it is worth it. allowing for 6 months@ 50kwh and 6 months at 25 kwh That should be about 70K baht per annum on mains power. That's 6 years pay back time for the parts alone. For starters I'd ditch the battery. Maybe fit one later when the price goes down unless you have worries about low voltage or power disruptions. I am putting an 11k/w system in (no battery) when my house is completed around July. I do have the advantage of my wife's cousin owning a solar panel company and he directly imports so I get the system at import cost with free installation. I will post on savings etc in the future when completed but that wont help you now. I believe there is a 2 baht per kwh feed in tariff which can be handy if you spend extended periods away from the house.

Thanks Ray. The reason I liked Cathay was the 64kg baggage plus 10 kg cabin luggage making 74 kg I can take to Thailand. I believe that's the most of any airline. I think Singapore is 50kg plus cabin luggage. Needless to say I am taking a lot to Thailand as I am moving their semi permanently. I will look at Scoot for other trips though thanks.

AS Thai Airways no longer fly direct from Brisbane to Bangkok, I'm thinking of flying Brisbane to Bangkok on Cathay pacific Business Class. Can anyone tell me what Business Class is like on Cathay Pacific as I've not flown with them for years. Also what is Hong Kong Airport like to transit through? Is it relatively easy? Lately I've flown via Manila on Philippine Airlines and find it very quick and easy. My other alternative if not Philippine Airlines is Singapore Airlines. Not sure if this is the right place for this post.

I believe its done through Hong Kong.

The sad thing is there are people that actually believe him.

Hopefully I have estimated my needs including health insurance etc. I realise there is always the unexpected in which case my children may get less inheritance.

Thanks to Daz Grain Arick and others for their help and comments. I agree with many of those comments and always intended to leave most of my money in Oz. As to the house I am aware that the money on a house is not an investment but I see it as part of the legacy to my good lady wife should i beat her to the pearly gates. It is my "gift" to a woman who has stuck by me and been a wonderful partner over many years.

Thank you and yes I love where I live in QLD but It is time for me to move on with my life. I can and will come back from time to time.

I have many things that have a sentimental value that i wish to take. My lounge furniture is not one of them. I haved many hand carved items and nick nacks i wish to have in the new house that I will be building on my return. I am just deciding on how much to take depending on whether I have a PCL or FCL. I do know when you get to 5 plus cubic metres its probably better to get an FCL. I have been involved in importing equipment from Oz to Thailand in the distant pass and was just after a good reliable shipping agent.

Thankyou for answering a question with a question stating the obvious. I have things I obviously want to take. I would appreciate a constructive answer rather than more questions thanks.

I am looking at moving my household furniture etc from Brisbane to Bangkok. I want to do door to door so I need a shipping agent to do either a full or partial container load door to door. I want a reliable company that will organise handle the shipping and paperwork. Is their any good reccommendations out there? Any experience with companies used that were good will be appreciated.

I will buy phones TVs etc from Korean companies but absolutely nothing else especially A/C and white goods. My background/qualifications are in Aircon and refrigeration.

By fridge/freezer I assume he is talking about a domestic fridge that incorporates a freezer at the top, bottom if drawer style or side by side as opposed to a separate domestic fridge and a separate freezer. most fridge/freezers are all generally "frost free" unless quit old or comparatively small. In nearly all cases the compressor is located at the back at the base of the fridge. Many of these fridge/freezers incorporate fans to circulate the cold air and most have an aircooled condenser (like small car radiator) located near the compressor to remove the heat absorbed from the cooling coils (evaporators) plus the heat of compression caused by the circulating compressor. The fan draws air through the condenser and discharges it from the bottom of the fridge and therefore needs a space at the back from the wall (approx 75mm) and preferably at least 50mm gap around the top and sides to disipate the hot air and prevent overheating. Overtime lint builds up on the condenser coil and fan blades and reduces the airflow causing overheating. If the gap is sufficient, turn off the fridge check for dust/lint and gently clean the fan and condenserwith a soft brush and then vacuum. Restart the fridge. NB after turning off fridge wait 20 minutes before restarting to prevent damage to the compressor motor unless you know the fridge has an auto start delay.

Americans have already dealt with their anger issues by shooting a few people in their local community before leaving for Thailand.????

Noone "deserves" that for just walking into a seven, buying something and quietly leaves minding his own business and had he done so he would have probably staggered home to sleep it off with just a hangover. But he didnt and aparently was still being aggressive to the ambulance attendants trying to help him. Dont know where you live but In my world there are consequences for drunken idiots who mouth off. If you cant handle your alcohol then dont drink and being drunk at 5am says he cant. "A mans got to know his limitations" dirty Harry.