moontang

Extension granted on 21 December 2020, for OA-Retirement... my sixth.  One year, from 10 January 2021 to 9 January 2022.  Sold my condo, and woukd like to reduce holdings here, especially with what appears to be a strengthenig dollar.  What's the earliest date I can drop from 800k to 400k.  Thanks in advance! 

20 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Shipping fees sharply increased as of late. Is it possible that increased costs or maybe lower quantities (due to lack of foreigners in Thailand) pushing shipping costs even higher, are affecting the prices? Just speculating, I'm not in the know.

That said, it was always Central Food Hall or Villa Market for me when searching for imported stuff. Not BigC.

I am somewhat impressed with Central food hall.  I got a 6 pack of 490 ml Heineken cans for 299thb, yesterday.  Perhaps the were clearing out the holiday packaging.. They were born mid October.. Tasted great, and still about six months fresher than what some of the bars are selling.  Four packs are 228 or 57 each.. Also a better price, and cases of 12 for 679..lowest I have seen. 

Let me be more specific.. Not talking about ATM... I got a cimb preferred that I can use for free at any Thai bank atm, nationwide for free.  I want to wire 500k from my Nonthaburi Krungsri account to the US, from a Krungsri branch here in Patts.  So can I withdrawal 500k without paying the 20 THB +. 1% interprovince fee?  would be 520 THB.. And I just hate fees, but it could also effect how I execute my plan. 

11 minutes ago, Eindhoven said:

 

Please let me know about the ones who "have been found to have bribed AND created fake visas".

It's easy enough to spread untruths; not quite so easy to present real evidence. You can do so via PM to prevent yourself from almost certain litigation.

It has happened.. A couple of teachers were stopped trying to leave the country.. and jailed.  It was more prevelent when there were countless teachers working indefinitely on visa exempt entries.. which started winding down around 2007.  The agents would allegedly do the border bounce for you, but they had fake stamps.. Just like the girl busted last week for selling several hundred fake medical certificates per month.. on Facebook.  Nothing libelous or slanderous about that. 

18 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Well now the e-mail they sent me makes sense.  However, I have never used their services or requested information from them, so the bigger question is how they received my e-mail address.  Could the TV site have given it to them since they are an advertiser or do they have a mining program embedded on TV to funnel our personal information to them?

It seemed to mysterious coincide with the 90 day reporting app release, which according to Google had been hacked, causing a chain reaction of alerts on some retail accounts that I hadn't used in years, but had used the same password. Fortunately, I do not use Thai credit cards.. 

Can you do this without interprovincial fees? I can use my Nonthaburi account in BKK without fees, but just how large is the fee free zone?

Since we did stray off a little with comments on other destinations in Latin America, any comments on Cuba?  Cigars, pretty girls, nice beaches, chicken and rice... is it even thinkable?  And that reminds me of bad Internet.. which countries are notably good and bad for Internet? 

BTW, thanks to everyone for being interesting and informative.  

2 hours ago, tonray said:

Alabama

Was actually born in Miami... there is more South American culture there, than many places in South America. My old hood is all Venezuelans.  

I probably should have added that I would likely start out as a snowbird escaping some pretty harsh Wyoming Winters.  My Spanish language skills are far better than my Thai, even after seven years of living here full time, and visiting since 1998.  Portgugese and French.. almost none.  Quite interested in Argentina.. I know a few that say the Argentinian steak places are better than the best in the US. 

Yes, Armenia Colombia.. The rubber stamp comment applies mostly to civil servants whose rubber stamp may determine what you can and can't do.  Those with important rubber stamps hold all the cards.. similar to our beloved immigration Bureau.  But we were comparing Colo to Thai, and he said that was one thi g you don't want a Colombian to have... My response was a bullhorn would be something you don't want to see a Thai with, but there is a rubber stamp culture here, too. 

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Colombia.

Armenia, Pereira, Manizales,  or Bucaramanga. 

Crime rate and cost is too high in Medellin. Bogota too cold 

Mexico if you meant Latin America. 

 

Queretaro, Guadalajara, or too hot Merida 

A friend lives in Armenia.. It did sound interesting. He is married to  a retired civil servant, and got a pretty cheesy Uni English teaching job.  They were paying 450 usd for a townhouse.  He joked about their rubber stamp mentality.. How ones status is often determined by their stamp.  Already familiar with Mexico... generally don't like resorts, but I was somewhat fascinated bt the Sonora capital, Hermosillo.  

If you wanted to live like many of us do here and live in South America, which country/city would you choose? 

7 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Most expats have their own transport.  Eg. motorbike.  Tourists do not.

Maybe they don't come back to Pattaya / Thailand a second time, because of the transport situation.  

 

I spent a total of five weeks at a decent hotel in HH over the last year.  Now it is about 750 per night, but it was much cheaper in the loooong low season.  But, the one thing I will never forget about the place is one day turning to walk up the stairs and seeing a huge rat crossing the kitchen floor.  I had never eaten there.  Couldn't forget that dang rat if I had too.  I was just reminded of how people have extremely long memories for things that aren't a part of their culture or upbringing. 

YMMV, but I always tell them it is credit, so I don't need to enter the PIN.  Never been denied with my visa logo debit card here, and there has never been any mention of PIN.. Could it being chipped make a difference? 

I had a perfect room last week, but the dogs, moto mob, and one songtaew driver tried to ruin it.  And those sidewalks are all torn up, too.  S Pattaya Rd is kind of weird in that regard.  That last 1 km is just disgusting.  My next trip I am going to be right on the Baht bus line, and close to good shopping, as well as a 15 minute walk to the bus station... No pool at this hotel, but I think the convenience will pay off.  I despise the orange vested clowns.  I don't even want them to think I need a ride.  Got a mob of about 20 on my soi, fortunately, I am very close to the main Rd, One 650cc mini songtaew could eliminate the entire stinking gang.. but that would be common sense. 

Grand Perfect Apartment in Udon had the money in my BBL account within five minutes of me giving her the keys.  Those Rajabaht girls are as cute as they come. 

I would rather walk down a soi with an abundance of whatever kind of bar, than walk down a dark, nearly abandoned soi.. well abandoned except for the dogs and maybe a few homeless.  Noticed the same in CM, when they said no more pubs around the Uni perimeter.  I admit the people overlooking it had some legit gripes, but on my side of the building you couldn't hear it with the ac on.  I used to do my laundry at 2-3 am, as my trades were winding down.. they were as friendly as could be, and it was a good place to get change... then it just became a dark alley... Be careful what you wish for.. I have owned three homes here, and by far the most noise came from a planned moo Baan.. people feeding soi dogs, loudspeakers, dog breeders.. 

12 hours ago, pixelaoffy said:

Never rent from private owned owners. rent from serviced apartments who deal with many tenants on a regular basis When you are screwed this way you have to hire a lawyer and then you get screwed again. No rights for tenants in Thailand

Quite a bit of truth to that, but I hate getti g screwed on much needed electric. The reputable serviced apartments do settle up quickly, though. 

Get a sun screen or even a car cover.. Auto pai ts are much better than before.  1 month?  Wait till you wait 9 months for a bad pool tile job. 

What I am noticing, is the moto loses are doing their best to insure there are just enough soi dogs on the footpaths to eliminate the option of walking. 

33 minutes ago, LALes said:

Its that type of Thai thinking that makes Pattaya the world class resort that it is.

Add the foreign criminals and you'd get a pretty good episode of Star Trek, assuming you could find some younger ladies. 

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, working hard to keep up the image of the songtaew driver.

I told him where I was going, just to simplify things, but still hit the buzzer on the main road... If he had simply stated whatever price he wanted when I mentioned the place, no complaints whatsoever.. Might have paid 30 to the hotel.  Another child, with a knife and a low IQ, in a (stunted growth) adult body.  It's a shame, my hotel is almost perfect.. but how could I possibly recommend a place where stray dog packs are of more value than western tourists. And almost no one in the transport business can be trusted.. 

Took baht bus last night about 1 km to avoid the dog pack.. Handed the driver 10 thb, and he said F you!  I noticed previously, they were trying their hardest to keep the change from a twenty.  Seems like the rear springs are broken on about every one of them. 

Perhaps, a better question would be where to live if your two feet are your preferred mode of transport. 

12 hours ago, RamenRaven said:

The younger foreigner crowd has mostly disappeared due to COVID restrictions.

 

Students, backpackers, digital nomads, athletes, adventurers below the age of 35 are mostly gone.

 

I'm one of the few left. I mostly have to do things by myself now.

It is a noticeably older farang crowd nowadays. Would be interesting to see the age distribution of the ASQ detainees, but I would guesstimate the majority of them are over 50.  KSR is quite a bit more dead than Sukhumvit.