swissie

Clearly, you have not been living in Thailand for a long time.

Thank God for GG. Otherwise we would fall asleep here. His daily comments are a guiding light for me. Him analysing the world (and human nature) daily. Always in connection with profound findings concerning human existance. Never mind other "social media". Never mind the Library of Congress. The wisdom of the world has found a home with GG's daily comments here. 😉 "Hony soit qiu mal y pense". French, Google is your friend.

My laptop going crazy. For example: More and more it happens when I want to sart-up the screen remains black. Then I have to "kill" the pointless procedure by pressing the "on" button. After a second start-up after 10 seconds the start up is successful. Also; By clicking on the "return arrow" (upper left of the screen), it brings me back not to the previous site but to the 2nd previous site. Crazy! My laptop tells me that his name is "ASUS". 4 years old. Not sure if that is of any importance.

Taxation of "foreighn-income" is all the rage here. Why not hire a reputable Thai Accountant, specialising in taxes generally? If Problems arise, refer the Thai Tax Wizards to your Thai Accountant. Under the Motto: "If my Thai Accountant can't handle my Thai taxes, how could I"? Example: I had my Visa-Stuff handled by a Thai Visa Agent. Once immigration discovered some "irregularity". I refered them to my Visa Agent. I never heard anything from immigration in this matter ever again. I am absolutely sure, that such a constellation would also be applicable in connection with "foreighn income". Money well spent, especially if larger amounts are involved.

By Walking down the Streets: How can the "arresting forces" know witch hispanic is here illegally versus a legal hispanic?

Yepp! How many planes/flights will it take to deport 5 to 10 million? How many buses/trains?

Worse: He has basically declared economic war on the rest of the world, including allied nations. By the end of his term, the US will have no (democratic)friends left. A while ago, a former president called a certain date in US history as "A day that will live in infamy". Jan 20 will qualify for such an expression once more.

Of course everybody is happy as "he" promesed everything to everybody. Ranging from auto workers to his billionaire buddies.

sorry, copy & paste not working.

Real Estate is good. But let's not forget that this sails under "2025 stock favorites". As I don't invest in women anymore, I am getting more "liquid" by the day. To increase my liquidity further, I have sold my old Buick and my kitchen sink yesterday. So, I am open to stock recommendations. Let's rock and roll. 😉

You should start to compare 1 family US homes to 1 family homes in Europe as far as building standarts are compared. But be warned. You will cry out to your wife: "My God Virginia, most of us live in overpriced wooden tinderboxes". The story of the 3 pigs come to mind. 2 of them erected flimsy houses. The 3rd erected a brick house. The big bad wolf came along and effortlessly blew over the flimsy houses, but failed to harm the brick house. That's the moral of the story. But peace brother, peace.

Truly, the amount of fraud is unbelievable. Just think of all the international corporations that are allowed to pay their taxes in some exotic islands. Practically paying no taxes. Therefore, I would support any effort that all employees of McDonald would be allowed to pay their taxes in the Cayman Islands.

Quite true. Only solution: We all must become rich. Marx, Lenin, Fidel Castro have failed. The more I recommend my stock-market tips.

And more millions that need "food-stamps" to keep them from starving. This is not happening in Sudan or Eastern Timbuku, this is happening in the richest country of the world.

Corporations, states, private households are "dept heavy" and increasingly so, wordwide. Especially by the next US presidential election in 2028 this will be the Nr 1 issue. Global Bond Markets will elevate it to this "major issue". Regardless of other political circumstances. Since after WW2, the "west" has prospered with the magic potion called "credit", mainly. Never mind "productivity increases". This concept can not possibly be maintained for the next 50 years as before. This can turn out to be "the monkey wrench" for the future global economy. A time, when "holding our ground" will be considered as a success. Under these circumstances, major corporations featuring a mere P/E ratio of 5 will be considered as "fit for the future". We may have to become more "humble" again. Possibly to the advantage of most of us.

Of course there are many ways to play the mortgage duration curve. It seems, your best properties had something to do with brick/concrete. Fine. - What I am referring to are typical 1 Family homes with picket fence. Made of 2x4's and particle board. "Father time" takes it's toll on those constructions. Where I live, with this construction scheme, I would not get a building permit to erect a shak to store hay in. You may also want to read in the "Pub" sub forum: " American building standarts...."

Quote: "When you sell, you aren't necessarily always buying back into the 'same market'. In some cases, people are making a change to a different city, state, or country. But, in any case, buying back into the same market has not been a problem for me--either in the US or here". Yes indeed. The Farmers "Up North" have sold their farms (their sons not wanting to farm anymore). They bought a lavish motorhome and live in Arizona. Plenty of cash left, to support more than an occasional square dance. Some of them enjoying a "second spring", sometimes disturbing 30 year old marriages. Never have I seen happier old folks. By selling their land in exchange for a lavish motorhome with plenty of cash left. In other words: One must not necessarily buy into "the same market". Some buy into the "Thai-Market", but that's another story.

Uhhh: I am confident that you will find the time to outline why my comments are "ridiculus". Take your time, point by point. Something like a) b) c)

Yes, by all means. Copy and paste You Tube Thai contributions with AI translations. You stepping outside your house, mixing and mingling with Thais, possibly in the deepest of the Isan? Come on, it's not you. Too late to re-invent yourself.

I agree. A combination of R/E and stocks are best. R/E has the advantage that you can buy it with OPM (other peoples money). This is generally known as a "mortgage". A mortgage in the US usually runs for 30 years. Why is that? For a very practical reason: Houses in Europe are designed to last for 2 to 3 generations. Unless much mainainance is invested, a house in the US is desighned to last for 30 years. The duration of the mortgage. True "wealth building" works in other ways. So it's the "land" that produces the value over time and not the house. Most "American Houses" would not get any building-permit in Europe. The construction considered as "too flimsy". Considering the fact, that the US home consists of a basic framework of 2x4 lumber, no wonder that hurricanes like those structures.

Yep! Selling into a Bull Market means selling a sack of potatoes for 10$ only to buy it back for 11 $.

Gentlemen, it won't be long and expats will cherish the boring political environement that we call Thailand. Because, with the new "helmsman" in the US, all hell will break loose in the West. Enjoy the political calm in Thailand, as the "helmsman" in the US has no plans concerning Thailand. Of course this will change immediately if one of the helmsman's advisors tell him that Thailand is located very near Greenland.

No secret, that software based trading systems produce better results than "traditional chart reading" in combination with "gut feelings" of short term traders (eliminating emotions). Unfortunately, systems that produce good results are quickly adopted by too many traders, thus defeating the system from within.

Therefore use VIX Volatility indexes or Bollinger Bands.

Nice yield over time. But as a comparison: In the early 1980 the Dow Jones Industrial hit 1000. Today it's over 42'000. Conclusion: R/E is good, stocks are better. Caution: The DJI reflects "industrial growth", not to be repeated in western economies for the next 50 years. High Tech may bring similar stellar performances for the next 50 years. Maybe/possibly/perhaps/hopefully.