Lacessit

When I was a kid in Australia, chicken was a luxury we had about once a month. The staple meat was lamb chops, roast leg of lamb, mutton stew. Now, chicken is as common as dog turds on a soi, and lamb of any description is as dear as poison. What happened?

Valid point. I have found most medications prescribed for me by the medical profession are unnecessary and harmful.

It's interesting both Russia and China have ageing populations, People above 60 in China are forecast to be 30% of the total population by 2050. The situation is even worse in Russia, where women are much more numerous than men, and there are far less young people coming up. I'd disagree there are fewer people dying in war, the butcher's bill in Ukraine must be quite high, although getting an accurate estimate is well nigh impossible.

Maybe I am antisocial, but I completely fail to see the utility of Facebook and Twitter. I have used LinkedIn on limited occasions, with very little personal information about myself in my profile. Every time I get a "survey" from one of the companies I deal with, I delete it. If you want me to participate, pay me for my time.

1/ Pad Thai Goong. IMO the quintessential Thai dish. I have it without the chopped peanuts and sugar. A small addition of chili. 2/ Pad Siew Gai. I add the chili myself. I like the long flat noodles, although without excessive oil. 3/ Mussuman curry. Bonus - whole baked fish with garlic.

IMO Thailand is one of the better places to be. It's not hard to live well here. I keep a low profile. I am aware everybody lies here, or tells me what they think I want to hear. I never disclose any financial information, except to Immigration on extension day. I've been on the planet for Stalin's death, the Suez crisis, Kennedy's assassination, the Six Day War, the Cold War, 9/11, the GFC and COVID. To me, the Ukraine War is just another crisis which will be resolved one way or another. I can't do anything about it except call out Russian trolls on ASEAN. Why worry about something over which I have no control? The world will go on, with or without me. That's what will happen.

I've never seen any indication from the ATO they prefer to have people tax resident, do you have a link to support your statement? I have a Centrelink pension and a quite modest investment income. They get zero from me as a tax resident, due to franking credits, and SATO. Neither of which apply when taxing someone as non-resident, where they take 32.5% of ALL income.

AFAIK you have to only pass one. Having said that, I understand there is legislation impending that will have only the 183 rule as the determining factor. I suspect, like myself, it is unlikely you will be asking the ATO for their opinion. Back on topic, 24.17 baht. Collapsing upwards, apparently.

There are companies in the West that assist credit card debtors by consolidating all the cards into one loan, usually at much lower interest rates. I don't know if that can be done in Thailand; however, IMO it is worth exploring because it is probably the interest rates that have her trapped in a vicious cycle.

Is that standard practice in the US? IIRC when I rented in Australia all the agent wanted to see was a bank statement and my employer's phone number. It must be fun looking for a rental in Indonesia, AFAIK it is still one year's rent up front before the tenant is allowed to move in.

I actually don't have a credit rating, because I have never had a personal credit card. I've had a company credit card, was glad to get rid of it because I was always worried about overstepping the mark. My father worked in a bank, he taught me to never use credit. Sorry, off topic.

She is probably waiting for you to bail her out. Given the loan sharking that goes on here, I would say threats should be taken seriously. US consumer law and negotiation may not work here. Perhaps you or she need a lawyer to explain the options more clearly. My Thai GF knows if she ever goes into debt, it is the end of our relationship.

I would ensure my affairs were in spot-on order, so my heirs would find it very easy to deal with them when I die. I would not engage in omphaloskepsis. I would probably abandon the disciplines I currently adhere to, as there would no longer be any point to them. The USD 10,000 I would spend on myself. Assuming I was still capable, high-end golf courses and beautiful women. I'd like to go out with a bang.

I think I still have a T-shirt somewhere that says "Don't vote - it only encourages the b*****ds." The left votes to get a bigger slice of the pie. The right votes to keep what it has, sometimes to get more. I can't think of any politician that survived his/her ensuing election by telling the electorate the pie would be smaller. IMO politicians are living proof of Lord Acton's observation, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The only politician I have ever admired was Ted Mack. Anyone reading his history would know he was a man of integrity, a quality very rare in politics.

I understand Dr. Morgan in Hang Dong is highly recommended by CM expats.

Look for a pathology lab. I use Mengrai Labs in Chiang Rai. OP, have you had COVID? Long COVID is one possibility for chronic fatigue. If you don't know, a pathology lab will be able to test for COVID antibodies. Eliminate sugar entirely from your diet for a month. It certainly won't hurt you,and may help you.

The Australian outback is a useful destination for self-appraisal. Stay on one of the stations, the next house will be about 10 km away, and the next town 100. Limited radio, no TV, perhaps a couple of station dogs for company. I had a month like that in September, 2001. When I got back to civilization, I thought the whole world had gone mad. Still does.

This is an area which is very vague, there are AFAIK 4 basic tests of tax residency. If the ATO decides you are NOT a tax resident, good luck with trying to change that decision.

Spanking is cruel, just give them a good poke while bent over.

None. I do know about half a dozen people with businesses, and I've seen the cops turn up on certain days openly accepting money. 1000 baht seems to be the going rate, I don't know what that buys.

IIRC, it's the Russians who bombed the living daylights of everything in Syria to support Assad's brutal regime. Permit me to doubt Putin's invasion of Ukraine is a force for good, although it is certainly about continuing the theft that commenced in 2014 with Crimea.

So Thais can have cops with 40,000 baht/month salaries and a stable of luxury cars righteously pursuing a couple of women flashing naughty bits. While owning brothels ( sorry, shower massage ) into the bargain. Amazing Thailand.

Longest warranty, with a stainless steel tub.

I shower when I feel grungy enough to warrant it. As for women riding bikes, this is my favorite. Extra points if you can tell me which theme park the Dorchester is close to. Hint: It's in Oz, not London. PushbikeSong.mp4

I do prefer experiences that are memorable in the right way, rather than the wrong way. I have had plenty of both.