Jcord1

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Quantity over quality is never a good thing, unless you are selling one dollar items at a swap meet. It just lowers the quality of the experience for all. This is an emergency situation. It needs to be dealt with, and it needs a high degree of intelligence and competence. Not something Prayuth or Pipat possess. Someone else needs to handle this, and it needs to be handled yesterday!

 

The tourism industry is teetering on the edge of a tragic drop, and has already been devastated by this highly destructive administration. This could crush millions of families dependent on tourism. 

 

You know what they say about putting all of your eggs in one basket? I have been warning of the dangers of becoming too dependent on China for years. Now, after you have made your bed, you get to sleep in it. You have alienated all tourists but Indians and Chinese. Westerners are not coming here anymore for a dozen very good reasons. You insulted us. You demeaned us. You accused us of being evil, and you accused us of being criminals. You mounted campaigns touting us as bad for the nation. You demonstrated deplorable amounts of racism and xenophobia, and fear of the outside world. Some of your officials even went as far as saying we prefer to have tourists that look more like us! And now you want us to come back? Really? How soon you forget. Sorry, but they have not forgotten what was done and said. What they have forgotten is the Thailand, as a tourist destination. There are too many alternatives now, and they are not only trying harder, they actually have competent people in charge! Surprise!

 

Sorry to say, but the high spending tourists are lost for good. They WILL NOT come back to Thailand, for a dozen different reasons. And places like Pattaya, Phuket and Samui will continue to go downhill. So, the goons at the TAT continue to pursue ever higher numbers, regardless of the noxious air, unbelievable congestion on the roads, and woeful service at the airports, that this policy only exacerbates. But, will they return? Not like before. Not even close.

Most of the Thai people I've met personally have great admiration for the USA and it's the dream of many young Thais to study and or work in the USA if they could.  Many of them learned English by listening to American songs and watching American movies.

I think the romance with China is led from the top down in this government.  That plus China is trying to do a big economic bear hug with every country around the world that will allow them in the door.

Personally I think more Americans would visit Thailand if they knew what it's actually like.  Many may think that because it's run by a military led coup government that it's the same as visiting Myanmar and perceived as a potentially volatile country. 

Americans have more money to spend here than the Chinese (and we wouldn't be coming here on the zero dollar plan.....it's not the American thing to do).  Up until the Wuhan virus America's economy was strong.  And soon enough we will have a strong economy again.

I just think the Thai government should make more of an effort target tourism by Americans.

7 hours ago, petermik said:

When the first restrictions were announced here my reaction was...what about the BTS/MRT and public transport...absolutely blaady clueless the authorities here

I guess at some point social distancing becomes too costly, so the government had to make allowances for some people to go to work even though that risked more infection while other less fortunate people were shut down completely.

Whichever is the better strategy, the one Thailand chose seems to be working adequately enough.  My question is what needs to happen before all restrictions are lifted and things return to the way there were before Covid?  Or, might that never happen?  I think the government owes and explanation to the people on that point.

1 hour ago, orchis said:

Test at Anonymous Clinic.
See if it is confirmed as hiv positive.

Go see a doctor, e.g. Dr Krirk at BNH with these results.
There are infectious disease doctors at all the hospitals.
The advantage of BNH is the proximity to Anonymous.
There are many drugs available, the doctor will determine which.
If no complicated case (contra indications, side effects) these drugs are cheap; the doctor will write a prescription which you fill at Anonymous.

The stress and self stigma are two factors that can be controlled by yourself, 
the hiv can be managed with pills and healthy living, it needs some discipline of mind and body
but it's perfectly manageable.

Be Well.

The Anonymous clinic now has doctors on site that will write prescriptions. 

13 hours ago, wordchild said:

i would guess that the property market, in Bangkok, for both sellers and landlords is in for a difficult 2 or 3 years.

We have had massive overbuild and now a global economic shock. And this has come at a time when the Thai economy was looking increasingly vulnerable anyway.

 It always takes time for the property market  to adjust, its not like bonds or stocks where prices are highly visible and change daily. Sellers and landlords expectations will adjust down gradually as they realize they cannot meet their previous price targets. Those who are under no financial pressure will try to ride it out and put up with mid-term vacancy in anticipation of an eventual upturn. This is always stage one of a property downturn, a stand off between sellers and buyers (owners and renters).

Those who need too will start to break ranks and prices will gradually adjust down.

Since 1999, Thai property owners have come to believe that the good economic fundamentals the country enjoyed will eventually come to the markets rescue and the right strategy was to hold and wait any slowdown out. That strategy would have worked a number of times over the last 20 or so years.  In my opinion, it wont work this time (because the Thai economy is fundamentally in poor shape) and the market will come down both in terms of achievable rents and property prices.

But this will all take time. I would guess that the market will be in a downtrend for, at the least 2 or 3 years. 

For many this is not relevant. We own our property in Bangkok (purchased more than a decade ago) and have no intention of selling, despite my rather negative views on the market.

   

Yes I wouldn't buy something unless I was sure to live in it at least 10 years.  That might be the breakeven point.

I don't know why but many investor/owners prefer to hold out for the max rent, no matter how long it might sit empty.  Personally I like to rent to maintain flexibility in case I decided to move to a different area or different city.  Also, compared to Western countries, it seems to be much cheaper to rent here relative to the purchase price.  I guess part of that is no real estate tax here and higher building operating expenses in the West.

8 hours ago, JoePai said:

Yes, have just driven from Pattaya to KK without problem

So, travel between provinces is permitted?  Except maybe to Phuket or other locked-down provinces?

I'm confused on the rules about travel.  If travel between provinces is forbidden, how are the airlines able to resume operation?

Damn those illegal teens....

Your visa is under the old rules.  For visas approved March 1, 2019 and after the new rules apply.

Question:  I renewed my retirement visa in January of this year (before the change to the law was announced).  Should I assume I will not be held to the 800k/400k balance requirements until such time as I apply for a renewal next year?  In other words can I let me balance fall as much as I want until such time as I need to have 800k seasoning before the renewal next year?

I don't want to show up for my 90-day report later this year possibly with under 400k in my account and somehow my retirement visa gets invalidated.

Thank you.