Klonko

10 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Happy to hear this.

Not so happy because the snake fled into the bathroom, 4 professional exterminators could not get it and my wife thinks that I better not use the bathroom for a few days.

Going back to the op's question: this night, a snake creeped into our bedroom.

16 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

... to pick up the actual 3 certificates...

I received my  COR original from my embassy via online service. I copied the original on my color laser mfp and it is hard to tell the difference between copies and original. One original for proof of residence three times in December and January. I am pretty sure that I could have kept the original.

No tourists = reduction in services and variety of goods. You can't have your cake and eat it

DLT Banglamung 12/22: passport with 2 copies of front pages and visa page, medical certificate + 1 copy, 2 copies of residence certificate, one copy each of front and back of existing driving licenses.

I made my copies with a color laser mfp and they were happy with the copies of my residence certificate from my embassy, so I could keep the original for obtaining the international driving permit.

5 hours ago, Cricky said:

How much did you pay?

THB 1435 online service (Switzerland). For me preferable to queueing. For the Thai DL, I used copies from a color laser mfp.

12 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Switzerland has a program that is excellent.  It is completely legal and one's choice is documented on video.  A nurse oversees the process.  I saw a documentary on this several years ago and as i recall the program is called "Dignitas".  An American with ALS went to Switzerland and ended his life there.  It was as the name implies done with dignity.  

 

If I was in a similar position then I would want the same.

There are two organizations in Switzerland, Dignitas and Exit, both private associations.  While Exit is considered reputable but does not serve death tourists, Dignitas also serves death tourists but has been publicly criticized for its policies and motivation.

Assisted dying is taboo in buddhistic Thailand. In case of need, will I still be able to fly back to my home country with its flexible rules? On the positive side, I will be taken care of physically and emotionally much better here, at a fraction of the cost. I will prefer dying here if the suffering is timewise limited

20 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe it changed, i remember reading on here as Elite was a form of tourist visa only 2 years given. Did you get 5 year on elite visa?

Last month..

No problem to get a 5 year license with Elite visa.

E.g. Italy does not accept Thai licenses without international driving permit, while Switzerland and UK are ok with the Thai license. The validity of my old Swiss license is questionable.

.

.

I need an "international driving" (permit) based on my 5 year Thai driving licenses. DLT Banglamung told me that I have to go to DLT Chonburi. I am not keen on driving from Sattahip to Chonburi.

As per DLT website, you do not need to go personally, but can enclose an "authorise letter with fee stamp 10 bahts". If this means that you can mail the original passport, original driver's licenses and other requested documents, how safe is this to do and what would be the specific address? Would it not be better to have an agent going to DLT Chonburi for me? Do you know a reliable agent performing this service?

If you contemplate buying a Tesla Model 3, check if your driveway works with low ground clearance or if Tesla's Thai version has increased ground clearance. Due to the battery, the bottom is flat. You may have no problems at the front and back, but the middle part may scratch if you cannot cross steeper ledges diagonally. Apart from that 2 mio THB is good value for money.

@Sheryl

Thank you. I thought so as well and it confirms one of the advantages of remaining a tourist despite having the main domicile in Thailand. As long as l can reasonably argue that I will take goods back to my secondary domicile abroad upon my next travel, I only need to observe the THB 20'000 limit for goods which are unlikely to be taken back, such as kitchenware or household fixtures.

As per customs.go.th, I am allowed to carry personal belongings for personal use in reasonable quantity worth no more than THB 20'000 duty free.

Literally this would mean that I had to pay duty re-entering Thailand just wearing my watch or for any gifts regardless of their value, and that most arriving passengers had to go through the"Goods to Declare" channel. I assume that the Thai duty exemption threshold in fact applies to gifts and newly acquired goods as resident and that other personal belongings are not restricted, as it is the case in other countries, or is their any experience to the contrary?

Am I a resident or tourist for Thai Customs with an Elite visa when l spend 4-5 months abroad each year?

From your experience, do all hotels or banks accept photocopies? I still reluctantly carry my passport while traveling in LOS.

1 hour ago, seedy said:

Many on UTube - here is one ...

Basically - the reviews I have read say "feels cheap, acres of hard plastic, choppy ride, noisy. Expect range in the real world to be around 1/2 of quoted

 

Better see the reviews from Björn Nyland on Youtube. My average range on my 2600 km road trip with the Ora was 80% of NEDC-range.

3 hours ago, fredob43 said:

Help required. Can someone inform me why Anyone would buy an EV in Thailand??? Reason for asking. I haven't seen any charging points. Also, who can fix one when they go wrong. I can see the point of cleaner air. But and it's a big BUT you can't travel any distance. They are a big problem in places like the USA also the UK. I can only think they would be less than useless in Thailand. 

On the one hand, these questions have been addressed in many posts, on the other hand, I understand people not willing to read through two threads with 40 pages of posts. It is also not easy for them to decide which thread is more relevant to them, "Electrical Vehicles in Thailand" or "EV Owners - Real life experience", and they need some luck to find  relevant posts with a Google search.

I did a 2600 km road trip in Thailand lately  and charging was not a big issue. However, a backcountry road trip through the North East or West of Thailand would still need to be carefully planned. The same is true for other parts of the world, if you travel longer distances off the beaten path. E.g. I can not yet replicate a past motorcycle trip in Scotland (including Hebrides and Orkney) relying on public DC chargers. 

32 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

GWM have a thing called “ one pedal “ mode, .... , many posters on FB struggling to adapt to this.

It is probably not the problem of GWM drivers to adapt to one pedal drive but the faulty implementation by GWM, at least in my Ora GoodCat Ultra 500. I have to switch it on not only when starting the car, but every time after adaptive cruise control has been activated. Further, it is not smooth enough for parking. In comparison, the one pedal drive in my Tesla M3 works perfectly.

On the other hand, phantom braking very rarely occurs, if any, with the Ora, but happens occasionally with the Tesla.

Spare wheel + tools mean 25 kg dead weight and lost space for the 150'000 km until you statisticaly  experience a flat tire. IMHO a tire repair set is sufficient if you drive on paved roads. A spare wheel provides emotional comfort because flat tire and dead battery are the (only) car breakdowns which most people can repair themselves on the road, especially with today's car electronics.  

P.s. My last flat car tire was 46 years ago.

We just returned from a 2600 km road trip and 90% of roads were very good. It very much depends on the province, possibly with a negative correlation to corruption.