Lacessit

I loved my work, and still have dreams about being back at it. At my current age, my average life expectancy is 5 years. I have survived 4 different types of cancer. I manage aches and pains with a judicious mix of exercises and occasional medication. I don't have to worry about running out of money, or not having anyone to take care of me. IMO the best thing about old age is financial and mental independence.

$240 million income to his properties is a hell of a lot of advantage. If you disagree with the term bilk, perhaps it's because you have your own set of blinders on. I read somewhere dentists in Hawaii can immediately tell if a patient is from the military base, when they are in civilian clothes, due to the much lower level of fillings/cavities.

When Trump played golf during his first Presidency, he played on his own golf courses. His Secret Service detail was billeted in the accommodation areas of whatever golf courses he played, mostly Bedminster. The Secret Service numbers were enlarged, due to the extra vulnerability of a golf course. On average, the Trump property charged the American taxpayer $800,000 each time Trump was golfing, for Secret Service accommodation and food. Trump played golf over 300 times. That's $240 million. Highly unlikely the Trump properties were giving discounts. Point taken re recovering addicts. However,permit me to doubt an anti-vaxxer conspiracy theorist and anti-fluoride campaigner is the best choice for improving public health. Since 1966, when the Governor of Hawaii banned fluoridation, that state is the worst in America for dental caries. I don't need to badmouth Trump, his actions and words do it for him.

Do part pensioners get a pro rata of the $83.20? The notifications I get don't include any mention.

When checkpoints are operating in my area, there are 2 or 3 police actually working, and another half dozen standing around doing squat. The fixed checkpoint past the 118 heading towards Phayao is only manned in the morning, never in the afternoon or evening. Yet when some VIP comes to Chiang Rai by car, there are police stationed every 500 metres on both sides of the highway for about 20 km. IMO the police are not short of personnel, they lack any work ethic. Throwing more money at them won't change the culture.

Lack of effective enforcement. It's a 200 baht fine for not wearing a helmet, and I'd say 80% of scooter riders in my area don't wear helmets. Even some Westerners.

News to me Australia has open door Immigration policies. I guess the patrol boats rounding up illegal immigrants and putting them in detention centres are just a figment of my imagination. You've obviously never read Murdoch's local daily, The Australian.

AFAIK lefties are not neo-Nazis.

Very poorly. IIRC it comes second to Libya the last time I looked.

You are exaggerating, Thailand is ranked 52 out of 127 countries on the Global Hunger Index. Perhaps you have not been here long enough to know every temple has free food for the needy. There's only 43,500 of them. Please tell me how a Thai family can afford a scooter costing 50,000 baht, but not helmets costing 300 baht. That's a choice coming more out of ignorance than financial necessity. Not all nanny state regulation is bad, but people do throw out the baby with the bathwater.

You prefer insulting their intelligence?

If a single Thai person doesn't have a helmet, their choice to live or possibly die. Don't you think it crosses a line when they put their children at risk as well?

Racing drivers wear helmets, I am not a racing driver. Cars have safety features such as seatbelts and airbags, scooters do not. I've been driving cars and pickups for over 60 years. I've been rear-ended and T-boned. Never had a front-on collision. I guess I must be doing something right, how about you?

Nothing to do with a nanny state, common sense and road fatality statistics should tell people to wear a helmet. Are you one of those people that think wearing a helmet infringes on your personal freedumb? Would you expect the state or a GoFundMe to look after you, when you become a paraplegic as a result?

It did not work that way for me in Chiang Rai. I suppose like Immigration, banks have rules which vary from branch to branch. For years, Chiang Rai Immigration accepted a 6 month bank statement. This year, they changed it to 12.

I transfer lump sums via WISE every 3-4 months. I made Thai and Australian wills more than 5 years ago. What's in Thailand goes to my GF, what's in Australia goes to my son. I understand probate in Thailand is about six months. I have a joint account with my GF. It has enough in it to last her several years. Apologies for going off topic.

I did not have my usual drink of water before going to bed last night. I don't think it made any difference.

Each to his own. You have a fair margin of safety with your US pension on exchange rates. Australian pensions are not as generous.

Question for the OP: My last extension was November 3, 2024. Prior to that, I had BB and KK accounts, both with over 800K. The 800K in the BB account was used to support the retirement extension. The BB account is with a Chiang Mai branch. The KK account is in Chiang Rai. I would like to close the CM account, and transfer to CR as more convenient. There is also the fact BB needs a week to get a 12 month statement, whereas KK can do the statement immediately. Can I use the KK account to support my 2025 extension?

I tried the income transfer method once. I found it was a major PITA, because I was having to transfer a mix of pension and capital, and also be wary of exchange rate fluctuations. YMMV, but to me the 800K is far simpler. I transfer lump sums from the pension accumulating in an Australian account. Lower fees that way as well, and I can time transfers for better exchange rates.

I see children on scooters without helmets so often the sight is no longer remarkable. I do wonder at a risk assessment thought process, which seems to make wearing face masks on a scooter a better preventative measure than a helmet.

Your reading and comprehension skills could do with some upgrading. I did say I have Australian and Thai debit cards, and would be delighted to use them in a pay-wave system.

I take it you did see where I am located?

True, there's an opportunity cost. I have enough money to last longer than my life expectancy by a big margin, so it's not a concern. Is there a thread which identifies which regional offices have similar agent/IO relationships to Pattaya? I'm sure it would be of interest to most ASEAN members.

Oh, an ASEAN sniper. Who asked you, buttinsky? IME people who pay with cash do it quickly. The majority of people I see paying with phones are incompetent when they do so. So you have never used those words? How saintly of you. Careful your halo does not choke you.