Etaoin Shrdlu

I have used the pay later option on Agoda several times. I book through their website and not the app on my phone. My card is debited automatically on the date specified on the booking, which is usually a few days or so prior to the check-in date.

And a yinzer to boot!

I'm not sure, but I have heard that a Thai woman who has a foreign surname may have issues when seeking to register Sor Por Kor land in her name.

I think the baht would fall within the definition of exotic currency for foreign exchange purposes: https://www.babypips.com/forexpedia/exotic-currency#:~:text=Exotic currencies are a term,illiquid compared to major currencies.

Certainly prior to the 20th century, Christian missionaries and other outside factors influenced attitudes towards toplessness. In the 20th century, the 10th mandate of the 12 Thai Cultural Mandates as set out by Field Marshall Plaek Songgram required "appropriate dress" in order for Thailand to appear as a modern society. So both, I guess.

Up until the early 20th century, many Thai women used to go around topless. I wonder why that particular element of "Thainess" is no longer promoted.

The baht is probably actually considered an exotic currency in the world of foreign exchange trading.

Outside of Thailand, the baht is considered a minor currency and usually attracts an unfavorable exchange rate. I would change baht to Australian dollars here in Thailand.

She tried that and spent quite some time at an AT&T store with their customer service people. No joy. As far as we can determine, AT&T wouldn't release her number because it was a pre-paid account with no address on file, but we're not really sure. She ended up cancelling the AT&T number and getting a new one with Spectrum along with an internet account for her apartment. Now I just need to make sure that AT&T stops charging my debit card.

Islam and Judaism both engage in ritual slaughter in the name of their deities. Why should Kru Kai Kaew be afforded anything less?

Innkeeper's liability law in Thailand makes the hotel responsible for loss of guest property while in the hotel regardless of who may have stolen the property. There is a limit of liability of 5,000 baht for cash and valuable items such as negotiable instruments, jewelry, etc. However, if the value of these items is declared to the hotel and the hotel accepts the items for safekeeping, the limitation of liability does not apply. So in theory, it would be better to give valuables to the hotel for safekeeping after stating the value and getting a proper receipt.

I pay 100 baht at the local barber. My son complained that the last time he went to that barber, he got a bad haircut. That's nothing. I get a bad haircut every time I go. But for 100 baht, there's really no such thing as a bad haircut.

MSIG = Mitsubish Sumitomo Insurance Group. The parent company is rated A+ Stable by Standard and Poors and I would consider it in the same general league as AIG and AXA. Having said that, the local MSIG office is a Thai public company with limited liability, as is AIG Thailand and AXA Thailand, so the S&P rating of the parent does not apply to the Thai venture. I would expect MSIG Thailand to be professional in their dealings with their policyholders, although their policies and premiums will probably not be substantially different from most other Thai insurers due to regulations regarding policy wording and rating.

If you plan to live in the unit and enjoy the location, facilities, views and conveniences, then it may be a good investment. If you are looking for capital appreciation, then it is probably not a good idea. There are exceptions, such as units purchased in either financial distress or in poor physical condition and then fixed up, but those tend to be the province of people with specialist knowledge. It isn't always easy to keep a condo unit occupied by a tenant that pays rent on time (or at all) and does not abuse the unit and contents. Then there are maintenance costs, common area fees, insurance, taxes all eating into the rental income. It is also difficult to increase rents since tenants have so many options here, so inflation drives up your costs while your rental income stagnates. There are better investment opportunities available that carry fewer risks and don't require as much effort. Good luck.

The judge says she will ask Donald Trump to step inside.

The CEO of Ananda grew up in Florida and attended UC Berkeley and the London School of Economics. He's mentioned his desire to showcase the company's liberal policies. There may be a political dimension to this.

Of the insurers based in Thailand, I believe AIG offers the highest limits for medical expenses (5 million baht). AIG also offers cover that will pay for repatriation at actual cost. AXA Thailand also offers travel cover, but I think the highest limit they offer is 4 million baht. Other Thailand-based insurers offer travel cover, but I would stick with the larger multinationals. They tend to have better claims-paying attitudes. There are also specialty travel companies outside Thailand that may offer higher limits, but I am not familiar with them. You might wish to contact an insurance broker and ask them to help you find the best solution for your requirements. It does not cost more to use a broker and a broker can also help if you do have a claim.

The foreign chambers of commerce have raised the issue of the need for work permits for PR holders with senior Thai government officials for many years now. They have also complained about the one-year validity of non-quota immigrant visas. There is no will on the Thai side to do anything about these issues and probably never will be.

If you really don't want to deal with the broker, you are fully within your rights to fire them. You would need to write to the broker and advise them that they're no longer authorized to represent you. You would then have to send a copy of that letter to the insurer with a cover letter instructing them to deal directly with you. Commissions are contingent upon the broker's continuing role as your agent. Simply referring the business one time doesn't entitle a broker to commissions on subsequent renewals if their appointment is rescinded. Any commissions they earned prior to their being fired would be theirs to keep, so firing a broker should be timed for before any renewal activity on the policy in question is commenced. It is unlikely that you'd get the insurer to rebate the commission to you, so the premium would not change, and on a PA policy all the above may not be worth the bother.

AXA is on a bit of shaky ground on this, although many insurers will support their brokers and will discourage policyholders from "going direct" after a broker has arranged or renewed cover.

Freedom of speech in the US means that the government will not in advance say what one may or may not say before one says it. It does not mean that there won't be consequences of one's speech, including criminal prosecution for fraud or other criminal activity furthered by such speech.

" What remains to be seen is whether he’ll be able to keep the grift going post-presidency. Members of Congress, his administration, political supporters, special interests and foreign governments flocked to his properties in numbers never seen before. He also, over and over again, directed government spending to his properties, from his insistence on doing government business at Mar-a-Lago to Mike Pence staying at Doonbeg when he had meetings all the way on the other side of Ireland to his attempt to host the G-7 Conference at his struggling Trump National Doral property." Full article here: https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/trump-reported-making-more-than-1-6-billion-while-president/

It would all go towards children's education. One preparing for med school, one for law school and two still in undergrad. Doubt there would be anything left after that.

Yes, they are.

I think that banks will probably use your last US address for any credit reporting to US credit agencies if you maintain a US credit card while using a foreign mailing address. I think they will also comply with whatever banking and credit card regulations apply to your last state of residence as they have no realistic way of knowing and complying with foreign banking and CC regulations as they are not licensed outside the US or in some cases the state they operate in. But I will defer to anyone who has more experience or insight into this.