Fat is a type of crazy

Not from where I am. I have mentioned before you need to book a certain way which is by a comparison site and then to the site in this case being Agoda. I looked a second time and it's gone from AUD 36 to 37 for some reason  including breakfast. 37 x 23.5 odd is .. 870 baht. Without breakfast under budget. 

How about '12 The Residence Hotel & Apartment' for around 750 or 850 including breakfast if search by Tripadvisor and pick Agoda. Seems popular. 

I have full cover in Australia for about 77000 baht per year including extras like dental which will only go up a few per cent per year. Lets say I spend 6 months in Thailand. Keep my home policy. I wish there was a top up policy one could buy for emergency treatments only i.e. for accidents and things whereby you can't get back to your home country. I assume it is not a thing. 

Jesus Long Posts Gamma. Long cut short I like Sporcle.com and have learnt the flags of the world, the periodic table, capital cities and countries of the world and there's lots of fun other quizzes depending on your interest. Lots of quizzes to test you word knowledge and similar. Also love the English The Chase show which tests your ability to recall answers fast and under pressure. A further show Letters and Numbers, the Australian copy of a french show, tests your ability to combine letters ... and numbers. Fun. 

9 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

No cult member here. I liked what Trump did for the economy in his first term, as well as in foreign policy. After he lost in 2020 I wish he would have taken a step back and let some younger and less tainted people step forward. Wishful thinking though. He has a total lack of introspection that is fascinating and horrifying. I am amused at the impact he still has on so many people and how much real estate he occupies in their heads.

To your last point for me it is not about Trump but his supporters. I get that there could be a person like Trump, but the fact that so many have and continue to support him is bamboozling, and a depressing indictment on aspects of human nature. 

Also the fact that so many Republican politicians still won't be critical is saddening, though understandable given his popularity, but still speaks of the worst in human nature. 

So the fascination is not with the flawed pathetic man but with the fact that he still can be so significantly supported. 

Just now, bignok said:

What's the point of gyms? High prices for boring repetitive exercises. 

During covid I did my own thing including walking up this steep forest area and I miss doing that. If they raise the prices too much or I live half time in Thailand I might quit. I think gym is good to get out of the house and go somewhere with one purpose only to get fit. 

Talking about gym it does annoy me when the younger guys, who generally seem a bit softer around the edges than my generation, do a set then sit there on their phones for sometimes five minutes, look into space, then do the second set. The gym is busy and need the machine or bench.

The girls if hot are in total tight fitting stuff doing squats and other things that I assume build bum muscles. Better not look though. 

I don't see women trying to be men in Melbourne - Sydney where I think you come from is a bit more loud and outgoing and possibly more uncouth and Aussie Oi Oi in general.

All the gender stuff is mainly in the news, and not in day to day lives of most people, designed to upset a certain subset of Asean now posters. 

21 minutes ago, bignok said:

What town? You can walk along the beach from there. Rooms are good, pool is good. Restaurants nearby.

My memory is that you go along way down off the main road. There may be a couple of restaurants but far from the nearest bigger towns at Khlong Prou, Kae Bae or White Sand Beach. No other stores. If have transport no problem.

My understanding is it is on the river near the beach and it was a little difficult to actually get to the beach depending on tides. Kind of middle of nowhere but might be nice for that reason. Lots of people said it's a bit run down when I looked at it pre covid but may be better now. 

20 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I've only been once, and I'm pretty sure it was a Novotel, but it's been years. I remember it being very remote.

 

Have you stayed at all of them? 

 

Do you know how frequent the shuttles are at the Santhiya Tree? I don't mind driving, but I don't remember much parking. 

 

 

I have stayed at Paradise Resort, Santhiya Tree, KC Grande, Sylvan,  and Kacha. Bhumiyama and Nest Sense nice in Lonely Beach. Nice cheapies too like Little Eden Blue Lagoon etc. 

The one you stayed could have been Mercure maybe. It is a bit distant and not that nice unless you pick the best rooms as I found. Bad beach.

Santhiya Tree had a shuttle every two hours. It says every hour but not sure low season. It's a bit over a kilometre to walk to town so not so bad. They all should have parking.  Can't remember spots being at Kacha but they say they have parking.

9 hours ago, bignok said:

Aana Resort 1200 baht is good

Would not recommend. Out of town so hard to get food and a bit run down. Not right on the beach. Past its prime I think. 

8 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

less is better than more, but 3,000 a night for three in a nice beach location with a nice breakfast is okay.

 

4,000 for a one bedroom suite okay, or 2K each for adjoining rooms.

 

Last time I was there I stayed at the Novotel, and it was okay, but too remote.

I am not aware of a Novotel on Koh Chang. I see a Novetel Marina and Koh Si Chang so you might have the wrong spot.

Been booking my trip so can offer some tips. 

Sylvan which is formally Seaview Hotel is nice. That is the hotel which put the guy in jail for the bad review - probably why they changed their name. It's $86 Australian and it has a really beautiful forest setting, private lovely beach though a few rocks, excellent buffet breakfast up high with a panoramic view. Rooms on the beach are the best within budget with full sea views. Only down side is to get to town at Kae Bai you have to take a taxi but it's 50 baht per person and takes 5 minutes. You can walk along the beach at low tide.

Other picks for a little bit more are Santhiya Tree - they have these amazing new rooms with wood throughout and your own private pool for under $100 Australian including big buffet breakfast. Beautiful beach and big pool.  It is 5 minutes from town too but regular shuttles.

For in town at White Sand Beach KC Grande is nice. Hillside rooms are on budget but I don't like the atmosphere. Beach side rooms $20 over budget. Kacha is a half step down from KC Grande but still excellent as noted and much cheaper and decent breakfast, nice pools, on best beach. 

Dewa is nice but possibly a little bit past it's prime - next to Emerald Cove mentioned above. Has a sister hotel AWA that is nice and modern too but a few minutes walk to the beach.

Gajapuri resort is nice in Kae Bai and Paradise resort is in Khlong Prao too but for some reason the latter is showing high prices now. 

6 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Good to hear and only a short flight>until you get to Trat >up to 600b >ferry Pay Koh Chang ferry >pay go hotel around 120b

OR take a taxi sleep all the way to your hotel for maybe 4k max

Exactly. Can get bus from Bangkok airport to hotel in Koh Chang 900 return. One way Trat airport to hotel 650 baht. Not impressed but on holiday so cop it. 

Big sale Bangkok Airways now. Good fares Bangkok to Trat for them. 

13 minutes ago, bignok said:

Cool. You know a good bungalow deal? 

Because I am normally on a shorter holiday I am staying at hotels with buffet breakfast etc to keep the girlfriend happy but for a long term stay Blue Lagoon on Klong Prou and Little Eden on Lonely Beach are fun. Both in natural settings but maybe a bit basic for longer stays. There is a few similar ones on Lonely Beach. The Op might know.

I have seen Kacha in White Sand Beach lately as low as $37 a night and that includes a buffet breakfast with two nice pools right on White Sand Beach with a night market there at night. It's now $50 but it goes up and down. Australian dollars. 

Just now, bignok said:

Rainy????

Correct. I need a getaway from Melbourne winter. See the girlfriend. Have nice swims. Bigger waves are fun. Sometimes lucky and rain on and off. Good last year at that time. 

I am going in August. Do you have comments on good taxis at a good price to and from Bangkok.  I assume the main ferry is the only one and the other has not come back. Some good deals on hotels now. 

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

It's actually a bit screwy, someone earning $100K or $300K offshore is worse off if they are classed as non-resident. If it's $200K, the tax payable is about the same irrespective of residency status.

If you are deemed a non resident you generally don't have to pay tax in Australia on a range of foreign income types so I think it can be advantage for those people, at all income levels, to be deemed a non resident assuming they are paying a lower rate of tax in the other country. 

47 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

In theory pay tax on the first dollar?

 

What about the ATO Senior Offsets even applicable to aged non-residents.

 

With tax advice as with medical advice the bottom line is to always consult a professional.

 

Advice here can sometimes be a helpful guide but compliance with regulations, at the end of the day, is always the person's own responsibility.

 

Good point. It seems then that for a single person the tax for a non resident would knock out the offset at about the $7000 income mark i.e. tax rate of 32.5 cents and maximum offset for a single person of $2230. Less for couples.

This assumes for a single that total income is less than $50119 to get some benefit or $32279 to get whole benefit based on shading rules. Could be other factors I don't know about so calculations may be off.  Getting advice sounds like a good idea if this becomes a thing. 

Seniors and pensioners tax offset | Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au)

Was there a month ago. It is nice.. a bit too pretty but nice atmosphere and fun Sunday market. 

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Aren't all of us in a mixed race marriages, and don't we all have mixed race children?

According to Apple, Netflix, bank advertising everyone in the UK is also in similar circumstances.

In Australia so many ads have a pretty black curly haired young girl. They appear in much much higher ratios than in the actual population but I think advertisers have decided a pretty black young  curly haired girl ticks all the boxes of inclusion, fun, beauty and desireableness. I don't mind because it's all good and I tape free to air and fast forward the ads.