Lacessit

Earthquakes are a good reason in Chiang Rai.

Selling my home in Australia was a considered decision, it was an illiquid asset which required a lot of catch-up maintenance every time I went back there. My son is happy to provide me with accommodation as and when I go back. As he should, I still have a financial interest in the large house he owns. He has no mortgage to worry about, few of his generation can say that. 70% of my assets are still in Australia, now mostly cash, precious metals and peer-to-peer lending. So I guess I am not a complete idiot. I see my life ending here, I have no interest in returning to Australia. If you read up on what happens in aged care homes there, you'll understand why.

I haven't had a blowout here; however, I have had quite a few flats. Almost invariably, it's from the tire picking up a nail or screw on the road. Shows up as a slow leak. I can't recall seeing a streetsweeper here, perhaps that's why.

Apparently non-sexual massages, with the intimacy involved, are mentally beneficial for mood, quite apart from any physical benefits. Having said that, there are some people who get nothing positive out of a massage, and find them painful. Happily, I am not one of them.

Good advice. I used to drive 1000 km in a day in Australia, and I'd pull over for a 20 minute nap if I had the symptoms you describe. I still do in Thailand, for shorter distances. A dangerous time to be driving is just after a heavy meal, because the body is taking away blood from the brain, and directing it to the digestive system. Even more if the meal includes alcohol, which is a depressant.

I would say if the credit card provider did not know you have Thai bank accounts, they would not be able to come after the cash. If you are paying off monthly, unless you are racking up large amounts, they would probably just write the balance off as a bad debt.

You have the good fortune of having homes to call your own in the US, many here don't. Good luck with your life choices, safe travels.

Complete rubbish, the Thai women I know are hard workers. My GF is very street-smart. If I get only 50% of the care she gave her father, who died recently, I will be well content. He developed Alzheimer's about two years ago, and since then has been looked after by her. Meals, washing, cleaning his house, haircuts, everything. I'd say either your experience of Thai women is limited, or you are associating with the wrong type, to form the opinion you have. BTW, foibles is the correct spelling.

Two things: You don't mention the roof insulation, get the best R-factor encapsulated insulation blankets you can afford. Don't mess with PU spray insulation, it's a potential death trap. Make sure the builder knows to put vents in the soffits, so that the heat in the roof space has somewhere to go. If not, your aircon bills will skyrocket.

I have to admit I am not at ease in social situations with strangers, I would rather be with good friends who accept me as I am, or have myself for company. Voltaire probably anticipated my reaction a few centuries ago when he said " This animal is very wicked, it defends itself when attacked".

It was in Lamphun Road, Chiang Mai, opposite the condo where I lived at the time. The road is narrow and congested, it is virtually impossible to get above 40 km/hr in that spot. The female Thai driver apparently claimed she fell asleep. I can only think of two ways it could have happened, either she put the front wheels on full lock, or she was clipped by a truck coming the other way. Quite right, it is a stunning lack of competence, or extreme bad luck.

" His Royal Horniness". Pure comedy gold, Rooster.

No disagreement at all with what you are saying, I use the term sex workers, because they work at sex for a living. No longer in P4P. When I was, I always treated any woman with consideration, and let them set the limits on what they were comfortable with. To me, the punter who mistreats a woman just because he is paying for sex is the worst kind of animal.

You may be right. Having said that, IME it's not too many car manufacturers who put premium tires on their vehicles. For example, my Mazda is on the original tires, Dunlop Enasaves. They get only 50% of car owners who say they would buy them again, so I guess they are not as good as Michelins. I can think of some modern cars that would be unsafe to drive at above 120 km/hr. Nissan Micra, Mitsubishi Mirage, Proton Savvy. Hit a bump or pothole on a Thai road at higher speeds, they'd be airborne in the blink of an eye. This particular crash apparently occurred at no more than 40 km/hr, attesting to the driving skill of a Thai.