wolf81

What I've seen in my local Amazon's (Chiang Mai province), is that what used to be called Americano is now called Black Coffee on the menu. Black Coffee is 40 THB, but Americano much more expensive, 65 THB IIRC. I think Amazon made this change like half a year ago or so. It's probably the same in all Amazon's around the country. It's good to be aware of this, I think.

Yellow book might be fine in other places. E.g. Land and Transportation Office in Fang accepts it just fine. And most stuff in Fang immigration takes me anywhere between 10-30 minutes. Though not many foreigners are willing to live in "the sticks" I guess 🙂

P.S.: see also this:

I use coconut oil, as I read it's not as unhealthy as many vegetable oils.

You should research alternative treatment options, such as using Ivermectin, Fenbendazole, Mebendazole, ... Various studies (e.g. lab studies on mice) have shown success when treating cancer with this medication. Also people have successfully treated themselves. These are just a couple of such studies, many more can be found online. - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7962607/#:~:text=Fenbendazole was also cytotoxic against,mebendazole (36–38). - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260343692_Effects_of_fenbendazole_and_vitamin_E_succinate_on_the_growth_and_survival_of_prostate_cancer_cells - https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/news-and-press/news-and-press/game-changing-treatment-for-prostate-cancer-could-become-available-to-patients/

I got a pool (2.5 x 12.5 meter) and it's pretty easy to maintain. I clean it about once every 2 weeks and it's about an hour of work - removing leaves, vacuuming in bottom of the pool & filtering the water. I kinda enjoy that hour, as it's a bit of physical exercise, a nice distraction of my daily work of software engineer. I also love swimming, try to swim every day. So make good use of it.

When acquiring Thai Citizenship I believe foreigners can own up to 1 rai (1600 m2) in land. Seems worth to pursue if young enough. Less worries at old age, no worrying about visa rule changes and the like. https://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-law/thai-citizenship-application-process/

There's plenty of corruption in the West. It's just less visible, perhaps more at higher levels of society.

I remember some research that I read quite some time ago, that suggested if people have very little in terms of property, really their honor is all they have. As such, poor people would feel more quickly aggravated if they feel their honor is under attack, as it’s pretty much the only thing they feel they can defend.

Living in Chiang Mai I find the air quality ok for most of the year, outside of burning season. During rain season, after a heavy rain, air is very clean for a little while.

Did you consider diapers?

Got a relationship with my GF for 7 years now. But at time she can be a pain in the backside, especially regarding financial matters. I think woman in general can never really be happy. My GF got a good life (50.000 THB a month to spend on mostly herself and our daughter, 2 houses including one with a swimming pool, her own 3 rai farm, a car, no loans). I also got a condo recently which will be inherited by our daughter if would be gone in the future. But still only 40 years old, so hopefully that is far away ... We do have a daughter together, so for the sake of our daughter it's better to stay together. But I wouldn't marry her (would have considered if she was as gentle as when we met, but people change). Since a person is responsible for his/her own happiness and woman can never truly be happy while men certainly can (just enjoying working ,hobbies, friends), it can be better to stay single. You can have the upsides of dealing with woman without much of the downsides. In a relationship this can be harder to separate.

Interesting to see so many Western/foreign companies leave in the last couple of years. MAKRO, Lotus, 7-Eleven, Carrefour, now Esso ... Wonder if at some time companies like Shell and Unilever follow suit. I'm suspecting these companies leave because Thailand makes it hard for them to do business here? But not sure. Will reduce competition though and that cannot be a good thing.

I’ve seen that kind of dancing at parties in wats in our village (northern Thailand, “the sticks”). No nudity, but scantily clad young ladies dancing on the podium as well. My girlfriend calls such ladies “coyotes”. And many young children present as well (cause there’s also children toys at the temple at such events, such as inflatable sliders.

Will he be able to get conjugal visits every now and then? And I don’t mean from fellow inmate Somchai.

You do know feeding your wife popcorn will not make where thinner, right?

And dress a bit nice when visiting government buildings (like immigration). Smile and do a wai from your nose to show respect when meeting with bank employees, government officials and Thai people will treat you better.

Good point, never looked into this. Maybe it's not as good as an alternative as I thought it would be, but perhaps I can find out the ingredients. I buy the Grace brand currently by the way.

I use an alum stick as well. Other big brand deodorants (with antiperspirant function) often contain aluminium and from my understanding this can be a cause for cancer.

I think in general it's a bad idea to be a guarantor. But it's ok if you have a lot of excess income I guess. Also understandable in case it's your child or wife for example and you know they are responsible people. I wouldn't want to be guarantor for my girlfriend, since I know she's bad at managing money. We got no debt, got a house, got a car. And I provide my girlfriend with 12.000 THB a week. And still every week she manages to spend it all. And I know of Thai families in the neighbourhood who do have repayments for mortgages or cars and they have multiple children as well and can manage with maybe 20.000 THB per month. Told my girlfriend she could easily save 1000 THB a week. But she says I don't know all the things she needs to buy. For our daughter, for cleaning the house, etc... I do know she spends quite a bit on the lottery. Probably the remainder at the end of every week in hope of striking in big. So a person like that, can never be a guarantor for. Cause can't manage money and spend responsibly.

I know a Dutch pensioner that -due to this regulation- always sends money to Thailand for the whole year (~15.000 EUR) on 1 January. I guess better safe than sorry.

You'll be paying anyway, one way or the other. Some ways are less overt of course.

So you're saying an oil massage a day keeps the crabs away?

Generally feeling safe in our home in a village in Chiang Mai province, but there's been moments it was a bit less. Last year a guy would often visit our home. He would go through the gate and sit on our front porch, wanting to sell something to my girlfriend. He was addicted to yaba and I didn't like him going this close to our family (we also have a 6 year old daughter). He sold snails and such to my girlfriend and used to proceeds to buy more yaba. However, this guy died last year and now not really anything to worry about. My girlfriend did mention she has a lady friend living a bit outside the village and this lady friend doesn't always feel safe, having her home a bit outside the village. I guess for single woman it can be more scary like this, doesn't matter if Thai or foreigner.

Got 2 Xiaomi's as well (larger one and smaller one) and also been happy with mine. The app is kinda optional, works fine without out. However, over time, as the filter becomes more dirty, the device becomes less effective. So occasionally need to buy new filters of course. Or maybe can clean the existing filter.