Lacessit

25 minutes ago, Negita43 said:

I occasionaly keep tabs on my glucose level ( I do not think I have diabetes but at my age I like to monitor).

 

This morning on waking up  I tested with my meter - result 6. (fasting)

I had one piece of toast with raspberry jam.

2 hours later I did another glucose test - result 4.9

I would have expected it to have risen but it went down.

 

The fasting glucose test may be all over the shop. The true guide is the HbA1c test, which measures how much glucose is attached to the red blood cells.

Raspberry jam is not straight glucose. It will be a combination of sucrose and fructose. Sucrose is a compound, equal parts glucose and fructose.

5 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

I also use a fixed deposit for this purpose but it's only 400k, it's on a rolling year by year fix in an account all by its lonesome. I use an agent to manage all my Immi interfaces and thus far he's not asked for anything further. But he also knows I keep high 7 figures in Baht in other accounts here, which will be my fall back response to the living expenses question, if it's ever asked, rather than screwing around with tax returns and statements et al.

I have had 800K on deposit ever since I first got a retirement visa, about 10 years ago. I did experiment with the 65K income method one year, and decided it was a PITA.

I have enough in other Thai accounts to last me for two years without drawing any funds from Australia, where there are plenty of pre-2024 savings to draw on.

Hopefully in 2 years time the experiences of others will be a guide.

My next extension is November, again there should be more information available on this thread.

8 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I traveled economy for decades as it's what my Co. booked for me. Recently I took my kid with me to US and booked Premium Economy for first time which runs double cost of economy. That alone is a world of difference. Only 2 bulkhead seats that are bigger, softer, more leg room, better food. Just makes for a better 13 hr flight. Upgrading to business would be doable but for 2 people that would run close to $9000. usd vs $4000 for PE. I just can't pull the trigger on that. Maybe when I start flying solo again I'll do the business class.

Premium Economy varies, some airlines the seats are not much better than economy. A couple of inches of leg room, better food, not much more.

Air Asia used to have lie-flat seats in Business on the KL to Melbourne leg. Still too short to straighten my legs completely.

Pre-COVID, there used to be some quite good deals for Business class, now the differential in price is just too much to justify the extra.

I have flown First Class twice, on someone else's dime. That really is luxury travel.

2 minutes ago, proton said:

 

KLM are the worst and not been with them for 25 years. Waiting in departures a fat KLM worker went round just picking up bags and deciding if they were too heavy or not and sending some off to the hold, no scales used, one or two arguments. On the plane after moving twice when asked to change seats so people could sit together the cabin staff asked me to move for a third time so a large family could sit together. When I refused they called me an awkward passenger. KLM, the oldest and the worst IMO.

Perhaps the strangest was a Spanish airline, in the days before smoking was entirely banned. I get to my non-smoking seat, after the plane takes off the people in seats in front of me and behind me are lighting up.

I asked one of the flight attendants why. According to him, the smoke was distributed better.

I remember flying business class with KLM from Tokyo to Amsterdam. 1990's. The Dutch really knew how to do good airline food.

5 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Guilty as charged. IMO it beats being dumb as a can of soup.

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

'Gate checked'...  when there is no more room in the overhead bins, some passengers are then forced to put their luggage in the hold. 

 

 

 

And why is there no room in the overhead bins? Because selfish <snip> have occupied it all with oversize items.

2 minutes ago, AreYouGerman said:

 

It was also a joke and you missed it for whatever reasons. Anyway.

 

I am admitting nothing, I am telling a story to make me not sound an <deleted> to the poor people who can't afford business class. 🤣

 

So now you are saying no-one should believe what you post.

You're a bit late with not sounding like a knob, the condescension in your first post saw to that.

Don't you know when you're in a hole, it's best to stop digging?

6 minutes ago, AreYouGerman said:

 

Calling them 'show offs' can only come from poor people. They are paying for comfort, not to show off. And if you are wondering about selfies made in business class - how many selfies are done in eco and put on fb/ig. Many more.

 

Personally I can't afford business class all the time but EU <-> Asia it has to be business class for me, I am a very tall guy and also got panic attacks in my early adulthood in situations where people get very close together and won't stand 10+ in the seat made for petite girls.

 

So, me traveling business class means the airplane is not at risk at getting hijacked by me because of a panic attack. Win, win.

In your first post on this thread, you stated I should travel in business class like normal people do.

In this post, you seem to be admitting you are far from normal.

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

UK Health & safety guidelines suggest that the maximum weight per item of luggage should not exceed 23KG though most international airlines will allow up to 32KG  

 

Current industry recommendations in the IATA Airport Handling Manual include:

• the maximum weight of any single piece of checked baggage should not exceed 23kg (50lbs), without prior arrangement. Although this limit is widely accepted, some airlines will accept baggage up to 32kg, and some foreign carriers have even heavier weight limits.
• "heavy" tags/labels must be placed on all pieces of baggage which exceed 23kg with the actual weight shown on the tag/label
• baggage belt weighing scales at passenger check in points should have an audible or visible warning when any individual bag weight exceeds 23kg.

Where heavy bags are identified but not labelled the airline should ensure that systems are in place to ensure weight limits are implemented and heavy bags tagged.

Training and work procedures should include provision for team lifting or alternative lifting methods.

 

https://www.hse.gov.uk/airtransport/faqs.htm#:~:text=the maximum weight of any,have even heavier weight limits.

 

 

 

My aim for checked luggage is 17-18 kg, and I have a gauge for weighing it.

I do this because several times I have observed a 1 - 1.5 kg discrepancy between my gauge and the check-in point. It's only one airline I am not going to name.

The difference is in the airline's favor. I wonder how much extra money they make from that little scam.

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

I see this primarily as the airlines fault when charging extra for luggage. 

 

With so many people taking their large carry-on luggage, the security lines become ridiculous, this is particularly bad in at the security screening in the UK, particularly in the summer when so many people are off on a cheap holiday and trying to avoid check-in baggage fees. 

 

The additional issue is when boarding by row and you are near the front, but someone at the rear of the plane who'd boarded earlier places their carry on in the overhead bin above your seat - then the flight attendants ask that you 'gate-check' your baggage (which valuables). 

 

IF airlines didn't charge extra for check-in baggage - the issue would be greatly reduced. 

 

 

Baggage is weight, the heavier an aircraft is, the more fuel it consumes. That's serious money.

If airlines did not charge extra for check-in baggage, I could guarantee there would be morons turning up with 50 - 100 kg of crap. Privileges invariably get lost because people abuse a system.

I don't mind paying for checked baggage. My carryon stuff is usually a couple of kg, light jacket, phone, powerbank and toiletries.

I'm not sure what you mean by gate-checked baggage. Not a good idea if said baggage has lithium batteries, and why should I be giving up space allocated to me to someone who doesn't want to put their stuff where it should be?

34 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

So now you're complaining about luggage with wheels?

 

Because if you're taking your crap with you for any long distance, those wheels will make it much more comfortable than lugging it over your shoulder.

 

 

No, I am complaining about oversize, overweight luggage which is put into overhead lockers, because some airlines don't have the spine to say no to the selfish gits who abuse the system and other passengers.

The wheels are another indicator what's inside is too heavy to be "carry-on".

If you can't carry 7 kg of belongings a couple of hundred metres, I recommend a program of diet and exercise.

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

 

In public or on the golf course ?

AFAIK golf courses are public places.

53 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

I know the guy is a grifter, and already went too far with his Golden Sneakers, autographed Bible and threads from his Georgia arrest jacket, but this might finally be too much:

It would not surprise me if Trump started grifting his farts as well.

It's not as if they would be a limited edition.

Just now, Ralf001 said:

 

Thats wearing any baseball cap in general.

 

Wearing of in public is a warning to me that the person has issue.

Golfers wear baseball caps all the time.

It's the ones who wear them backwards that you should be wary of.

9 minutes ago, ronster said:

See it every time when flying from bkk to Roi et. 1-2 carry on bags and a doughnut bag or two with about 2-3 boxes in each one ! 

Doughnuts must be more addictive than crack cocaine I guess 🙈

They are a status symbol, same as a Mercedes or Patek Philippe. Cheaper alternatives do the job just as well, it's more about image.

On 4/25/2024 at 8:29 PM, scorecard said:

And/or regularly brings from abroad large supplies of basic foodstuffs all available at many outlets in LOS. Often same bad or equivalent quality local manufacture.

 

Seen this many times. Recall one farang wife who brought massive supplies of very size of ziplock bags from the US. And a Brit guy who brought suitcases of meat pies in cans from the UK. 

It's actually illegal to bring any meat products into Thailand, although I suppose being canned might make a difference.

I bring in lots of Vegemite, basil pesto - anything non-perishable that is expensive in Thailand.

1 minute ago, paddypower said:

I'd equate not filing as the equivalent to doing 120 on the hi-way. enjoyable and minimal risk (except for keeping one foot near the brake).

There are signposts on highways that tell me what speed I should not exceed.

I have yet to see a sign post that says I must file a tax return in Thailand.

OTOH, there have been several posts where pensioners like myself have been told by Thai tax officials they don't need a TFN, let alone file a return.

Let them come for me, I am not going to make life easy for them.

I am wondering who wrote the OP, possibly a MAGA supporter who made it past primary school.

49 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

There are plenty of hard shell cases that are designed with carry-on dimensions.

There are some that are even smaller than maximum carry on size.

Again, please explain why someone should be more concerned about your belongings than their own.

If you know everyone else has a hard shell and you have fragile stuff, buy a hard shell.

 

I am not the poster you are arguing with over the issue of damage to fragile items.

Having said that, I fail to see why my luggage choices should be dictated by the lack of consideration of others.

There are also plenty of oversize hard shell cases with wheels being stowed in overhead lockers, which is a contradiction. Why does something supposed to be carried need wheels?

Either you have not flown for a while, or you just don't want to see what is staring you in the face.

Just now, save the frogs said:

 

No actually YOU are missing the point.

The entire POINT of hard shell cases is to protect fragile items.

If you have fragile items, then get a hard shell.

OR ... you can wrap it in bubble wrap.

But YOU are missing the whole point if you expect your opponents to bring soft shell suitcases not to damage YOUR crap. 

 

How many hard shell cases would fit in the frame at every gate? My answer is damn few.

9 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

Yeah, mystifying. Like a generic donut freely available at any Central Mall.

 

The power of branding -huge with our Chinese friends.

 

Also: Toberone chocolate bar -ever knowingly bought outside of Duty Free?

I tried a Krispy Kreme - once. It seemed to be an amalgam of fat, carbohydrate, and sugar.

Duty Free nowadays appears to be an oxymoron, everything in there is too expensive.

I don't drink, smoke, or use perfume, so I am a poor target.