Lacessit

I don't know what circles you move in; however, the average income in my GF's village is 2500 - 3000 baht/month, and the vehicles there are usually bought on finance. My GF's father has never owned more than a bicycle. Until I came along with four wheels, he had never been outside the village and surrounding rice fields.

I'm not sure graduating from university here makes a person smart. Rote learning, and obedience to authority. Plenty of freelancers in Pattaya claiming to have Ph. D's. My Thai GF cannot read a map. OTOH, she is street smart, which to me is more important.

I don't care if I am accepted or not, I tread my own path. When I am in the village, I keep to myself most of the time. My GF and her grand-daughter are sufficient company. When I am at the condo, the Thais there treat me with respect. I can't say I have the same respect for some farangs there who behave like prats.

You buy a lot of flour?

I'm of the opinion that the person who has accumulated the money retains control of it. Given the last time I owed anybody anything was 1974, I think I can claim I have more competence than many people of either gender. Given the "modern" family law systems in Western countries, and their forcible division of assets on a one size fits all basis, in that respect the Middle Ages sound quite appealing.

Older Thai women make good wives, I don't know that a mix of a 60 yo farang and a teenager is going to be invariably successful. When they have some life experience, yes. I've met quite a few Isaan women, they seem to be hard-working. One I met in Chiang Rai was the most organized in terms of paperwork I've ever seen. If I was to give my GF control of my finances, she would immediately spend them on buying land. I think she has a few Chinese genes. We'd be asset rich and cash poor, at my stage of life I prefer to be the other way around. My GF is well taken care of after I die. I don't see any need to do more than that.

European languages are vastly different to Thai and other tonal Asian languages. Thai has complex vowels, and the subtlety of tone is incredible. The Thai word "tong" can mean stomach, gold or a flag. The only way to really tell the difference is seeing the Thai script. OTOH, Thais do struggle with the complex consonants common in English. Ask a Thai to pronounce words such as paint or refrigerator. My GF and I trade words almost daily, it's one way for us both to improve.

I was introduced to the beauty of Thai women back in the eighties. I had flown in from Australia as a scientific consultant to a business in Map Ta Phut. Wat was tiny, could not have been more than 35 kg. Slender, every movement was graceful. Gorgeous face, framed by short lustrous black hair. We worked together in the laboratory for a week. At that stage, I spoke no Thai. She managed to communicate to me she had a boyfriend who had broken her heart. I made no moves on her, it would not have been appropriate. Much as I was tempted. A day before I was due to leave, she showed me a health certificate. I didn't twig to the fact that was her signal she wanted a relationship. When I came back to Thailand six months later, she was gone. I hope she found happiness.

I started learning Thai when I was 67, 11 years ago. I'm still learning, IMO it's a good antidote for senility. I'll probably never be fluent in Thai. I can make myself understood in most situations. My smartphone has Google Translate on it, so if I want a word outside my normal vocabulary ( e.g. screwdriver ) it's just a matter of showing the Thai person I am talking to, the Thai script on the screen. I do recommend learning Thai, it does make life easier. And I feel quite chuffed when I can have a conversation with a Thai entirely in their language without a word of English spoken. That feeling makes my day.

I stand corrected, I should have said not available over the counter. I've been using antihistamine for sleep for several years. As I only take them once or twice a week, perhaps I have not acquired tolerance. AFAIK, the original mickey finn used to shanghai sailors is chloral hydrate.

It would set some kind of medical record for a 25-30 yo to develop dementia or Alzheimer's. 5% of people develop dementia in their 70's, rising to 37% in their 90's. Overall average is 14%, which is hardly all of us. People with those afflictions forget a lot of things; however, they don't usually forget to clothe themselves. Alcohol removes inhibitions, the most probable explanation for her naked condition.

I think you'll find the charging rate from one of those is very slow. It's a bit like trying to fill a fuel tank with a pipette. While I am sure EV's will probably supplant the ICE eventually, there are still quite a few issues to be dealt with. It won't affect me, my current ICE vehicle may well last longer than I do. On YouTube, there's a couple of videos by a guy called John Cadogan discussing various aspects of EV's.

If I run out of fuel on a trip, a jerrycan and the nearest gasoline station will solve the problem. If I run out of electrons, only a tow truck will solve my problem.

It's possible the magnetic strip or chip has been damaged, I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. New card at the bank, problem solved.

Take out the Thai baht, convert it to anything else ( US dollars, Swiss francs etc. ) at a money exchange. Small loss on the buy/sell pricing. AFAIK taking Thai baht out of Thailand is prohibited. Any other currency can be exported.

Thailand is like any other country, if one takes the trouble to understand the rules, speak the language, and enjoy what it has to offer. IMO good food, beautiful women, a life as simple or as complicated as one wants to make it. There are a lot less rules here than Australia. If a retiree is going to come here with limited resources, refuse to learn the language, live off western food, drink excessively, and lose their head over women, it's almost inevitable they will be disappointed in their choice of retirement destination. A problem can also be an opportunity. I regard driving in Thai traffic as honing my survival skills, and helping ward off Alzheimer's.

Barbiturates are illegal in Thailand. As are opioid medications. If sleep is your problem, I have found Codiphen ( drowsy antihistamine ) always works well for me. AFAIK, not habit-forming.

I've flown over Mauritius once, it looked like a green jewel in a blue ocean. Stunning from the air. Sounds pretty good to me, modest income requirements and none of the Thai Immigration BS. Best wishes for your new venture, simon43. I might have joined you if it was not for the relationships I have here.

I'd say yes, I also had quite a few that wanted to make the liaison permanent. I never was hansum man, but I do like to think I have good manners.

I would have to agree with this, sex belongs behind closed doors. Pawing girls publicly just because you can is not a good look. When I was in the bar scene, I found treating bar girls with respect and consideration paid dividends in terms of their enthusiasm later. And yes, I know some of it could have been faked.

How many Thai wives do you have? A photo you sent me does not look like her. You also said she had become fat, like a German hausfrau. Looks in pretty good shape to me.

You are probably correct when it comes to Thai bargirls in their twenties and early thirties. After that, IMO the clock is ticking, and the Thai BF will be trading them in for a newer model. IME the number of Thai women in their late thirties and forties who just want a man to "take care" are legion, and they know it won't happen with Thai males. My regular massage lady is a case in point. Now 60, she is not beautiful, but has a cheerful and slightly nutty personality. She bemoans the fact I am already taken. When she was 30, her Thai husband of 10 years said you are not beautiful anymore, I'm out of here. Left her with an infant to support. I used to know several farangs in Chiang Mai who recruited their women from the hill tribes. All that was needed to "take care" was a roof over their head, food, and a couple of thousand baht a month.

The Gica's should work OK. I am still gobsmacked by the fact those kits are less than $3 ( AUD ) here, and $25 in Australia. Some scumbag is making a motza.

It helps. However, other attributes women look for are power, money, and intelligence. It's imprinted in their genes to seek men who give their progeny the best chance of survival.

Valid point.