ricklev

Thanks for your comments. The way I see it Part B is $2220 ($185X12) per year in 2025 which means the first year penalty is about $220 and the savings is about $2000 by not enrolling. My understanding is that if you live abroad you can sign up for Part B at any time and immediately receive the benefits, so it seems reasonable to wait until it is needed, even with the compounded monthly increase. (Am I wrong?) I am less concerned with the cost of coverage if I have to go back than with the cost of living and livability of the city. That is why I was curious if anyone had thought about it. I will have to immediately find housing. I am just musing. Hopefully my health will remain excellent and my biggest issue will be the rising cost of my Thai insurance policy.

Some (just a few really) of the drivers are so full of stress, confusion, jealousy, greed and anger towards their customers that they are in a state of consciousness that is almost drug like, and then some of them enhance that state with drugs like yaba, that is so cheap now it is almost free. Anybody that has lived here for a while has had the upsetting experience of being on some kind of public transport with a driver who is not right in his mind. I have had drivers deliberately pull forward quickly while I was boarding in an effort to make me fall. And this was for no reason in any way related to me. Just his mood.

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Thanks. That is a scooter ride from my condo. I will give it a try. Which barber do you like there?

I visit Chiang Mai for three months every summer and the 100 baht haircut I get from my favorite barber is absolutely perfect. It's a Thai style hovel that would not suffer from a good cleaning but the guy is an artist that takes pride in his work if not the cleanliness of his shop. There is always a line of Thai guys in front of me making for a long wait. I can't find the place on Google Maps though.

Do you just take the next one available or do you have a favorite? I remember the first time I went there, maybe 15 years ago, the barber closest to the window, reached under his chair and pulled out some Japanese nudey magazines for me to enjoy while getting my hair cut.

Any suggestions for a barber shop that is simple and cheap. I mean an old fashioned shop with a few chairs priced under 200 baht, usually around 100-120 baht these days. I used to go the one on Thonglor just down from the BTS as they had a lot of experience cutting Japanese and farang hair, but the guy I liked there retired. It's not so much about the price as it is the simplicity and speed. My cut is a pretty simple number 5 on the clippers with no fade and finish with scissors. It's the no fade on the side that most Thai barbers just can't wrap their head around. I have no interest in salons or hipster shops. Just your basic barber!

It always amuses me that my country, the self-proclaimed greatest country that god ever created in the history of the world, has not figured out the best way to clean their asses. I did read that the great Covid toilet paper shortage woke up a few to the beauty of the bidet. On a political toilet side note, I purchased this from Lazada last night to celebrate the inauguration of the president the USA deserves.

No idea what that means but have great day. 🙂

No JUSMAGers here?

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I have been taking it for a few years. Is it good? Does it help? No idea. :). Can't hurt I figure. I buy it from IHerb.

I recently turned 65 and enrolled in Medicare although although not in part B yet. I figure with part B it may be useful for catastrophic coverage, if I can get back there. I do have Thai insurance but it is only 5 million baht and not that great. I wonder if other people have researched the best/cheapest city to go to if need be? I no longer have family ties in the USA. Thanks.

I am a USA citizen but not a veteran. About 10 years ago I would occasionally go to the cafe at JUSMAG on Sathorn and enjoy cheap USA beers and good food. It was possible then to show my USA passport to enter. Is that still true? Worth going? Thanks!

One of the rare times a drug is much cheaper in the USA: https://www.costplusdrugs.com/medications/tadalafil-5mg-tablet/

I get it. Trump is one lucky SOB! Even as it all implodes. and/or explodes, in the next couple years, he will still be loved and praised by his sycophants and they will surely believe it was not his fault at all. Cognitive dissonance in action. They are delusional. (No offense intended!) (I'm not saying... I'm just saying...!)

More often, for me, the food comes and then we sit around waiting for the rice. Either way, doh!

I did just order lunch from Grab and paid with my KBank Visa debit card with no problem. This was in Bangkok. Kanom jeen nam prik 🙂

Must be a fairly high percentage of Foodpanda's customers paying with Bangkok Bank debit cards. You would think they would put some kind of notice up. Same for Grab.

Interesting. Yes, both Foodpanda and Grab no longer accept my Bangkok Bank Mastercard debit card, but my Kasikorn Visa debit card has been working on Foodpanda (I order every day) and I was able to add it as a payment method to Grab. I wonder what that is all about...

Thanks!

The owner of the condo I rent has agreed to install a new AC and is willing to spend up to 20,000 baht plus installation costs. It is understandable that she wants to go cheap as the 30 year building lease is up in about 32 months and the leasehold condo building on Crown Property land in Bangkok will be demolished. I saw some TCL, Haier and a couple of other brands of 24000 BTU invertors at around this price and as cheap as 17,000 baht. Any suggestions/recommendations for specific models? Thanks. https://www.thaiwatsadu.com/th/product/แอร์ติดผนัง-Inverter-24,200-BTU-TCL-รุ่น-T-MTX-25-60403906

If you are mixing the saline solution yourself you have to use boiled or distilled water to avoid any infections. The saline solution salt sold at pharmacies and online comes premeasured for convenience. You add the specified amount of boiled or distilled water. The packets are cheap. Easiest thing is to buy bottles of normal saline solution (9%) but mixing it yourself is fine. Kit mach mai dee!

Success after paying self-employment tax to get 40 quarters. It took many months but the correspondence with Manilla Federal Benefits Unit was always clear and prompt. There was a long wait (3 months) for the telephone interview, which is the last step before the application is forwarded to the USA for final approval. Retirement Benefits We have processed 3 of 3 steps of your application. We made a decision to approve your application on January 6, 2025.

It's not the headline that is the problem. Anyone that has been in Pattaya more than a week knows that the description of what happened is nowhere close to what actually happened.