grain

It is his responsibility, he drove his car into the gate, so he should fix it. Insurance companies like to drag their heels when it comes to making payments, they also looking for the cheapest options. If it was me and I damaged a gate where I was renting, and the owner was pissed off, I would fix it out of my own pocket. We're not talking huge sums here, probably a couple thousand baht. But now the owner is pissed off and booting him out causing him lots of grief.

Never been big on phone conversations, to me a phone call is solely to sort something out, as soon as whatever it is has been sorted out it's goodbye. I certainly make far less phone calls now than I did in the past due to various messaging apps on my phone.

Sounds to me like you don't have a friendly relationship with the condo owner. 6 years is a very long time and you should have established a good relationship in that time. The owner naturally wants the gate that you damaged to be repaired or replaced, and really it is your responsibility to do that. The fact he wants you out of there makes me think there are other issues. Perhaps he doesn't like you, maybe he wants you out so he can increase the rent with a new tenant. I doubt if there's anything you can do now but move. If the Thais you are living with turn on you, then you are better off far away from them.

No not Vietnam, they would resist and tie up too many troops, but Laos, Cambodia, Thailand...low hanging fruit.

Very small population (under 600,000) and beautiful natural countryside, but can get freezing cold - after Hobart the next stop is Antarctica.

OK that makes sense then, they had top tier travel insurance.

I'm missing something here: How did they get back into Thailand? If they got sick in Vang Vieng and were taken to Vientiane, presumably to a hospital there, why were they flown into Thailand (Udon Thani)? If they are on life support, why would the Thais allow them into the country in that condition? These girls may die at any moment, surely the Thais don't want foreigners coming in to die a day or two later, then Thailand has to deal with all that legal formality with deceased foreigners. Why weren't they just treated at the hospital in Vientiane. Things don't add up with this story.

I'll never forget the first time that happened to me. I used to walk past bars and gals would call out "velly nie" or "hello sexy man" then one day about 25 years ago I walked past a bar at Ao Nang, Krabi and some bitch called out "hello poppa" and that was the start, a line had been crossed that day, it was like every bargal in Thailand had got together and decided that from that moment on I was now officially "poppa" 😄

I entered visa exempt at Swampy 2 weeks ago, new Aussie PP, first entry to Thailand with that PP, I was asked by IO how long I was staying, I replied 6 weeks, and I was stamped in for 60 days. I'm returning to Australia mid December, and will remain there until mid March 2025. In mid March I want to make another visa exempt entry for about 6-7 weeks. So that would be my 2nd visa exempt in 6 months, and my 1st for 2025. Does that sound like an OK plan or would 2 entries in 6 months raise any issues with immigration?

Exactly same for us, we live 50km out of Korat city, but for us it's no big deal, every 3 months I have to drive into the immigration to do the 90-day report, which take 5 minutes, then we're off to Lotus's, Makro, and the other big stores.

it's 2 blokes having a punchup

They're getting high tech, I flew out of Swampy 5 weeks ago, I was ushered by a very friendly smiling young woman to an e-passport auto gate, no need to line up at an immigration counter and no need to get an exit stamp in my PP.

I arrived from Australia at 9:00pm Sunday night, there seemed the usual hoards of Chinese groups moving around as I walked to immigration but when I got to immigration I was surprised so few people, I went to a counter and had 3 people in front of me, I was through in under 5 minutes. No visa and got 60 days, all very fast and efficient. Good to see.

The 3 big noise things you need to stay well away from when looking for a new place to live in Thailand are: 1. (obviously the first one) and kind of karaoke bar, or pub, beer garden, anywhere there will be Thai bands or music. 2. Temples. They're not always so noisy but you never know what they'll get up to. All Thai religious ceremonies held at temples are noisy (they love mikes and loud speakers) and often temples hold fairs, and these are deafening. 3) empty plots of land. Not a good idea to have empty plots of land too close by, they are often leased out to funfairs, weekend markets, and similar events. Plus you never know when some construction will start and they'll be months of noise.

Her bubble will burst soon, hubby will probably fall for a LBFM and move on.

BTW, I never have naps, it's something I avoid as I've found if I have an afternoon nap it makes it harder for me to get to sleep at night, so no naps, on those rare times when I feel like a nap I resist and go off to do something.

5555 yes, a typo there, of course I meant "tiles"

My alarm goes off at 5:00 am, and at 6:00am I'm out the door for a 6km walk before there's too much sun. It doesn't seem that long ago that I'd come home from a night on the times at 5:00am and go to bed. Anyway, I'm now an oldie and usually go to bed about 8:30pm and listen to the radio, fall asleep about 9:30pm. We live in the boonies, so we are on the same schedule as the locals who are mostly farmers.

11 years now with a wonderful woman. We have a very nice relationship, and take care of each other, and it's the longest lasting relationship I've ever had. But I have to admit that age has a lot to do with it, I have a couple of failed marriages and numerous failed long-term relationships behind me, and the main reason for those failed relationships was I couldn't keep my willie in my pants. But now I'm 77 and don't have much libido left, so staying on the straight and narrow is not difficult.

The medical certificates are valid for 30 days, I suspect the COR are much the same. They're not something you get and sit on, usually people get one and use it that day, or the next day.

Damn dogs are the curse of Thailand, not just the soi dogs and homeless strays but even dogs that belong to people and roam around outside. What's needed is a mass culling, not a few dozen, but hundreds of thousands of them, caught and killed. But I know it ain't going to happen. Friends of mine in Australia who have been to Thailand for short holidays, a week at Koh Samui or Phuket, they all tell the same story about the fkn dogs.

that box thing is a right bastard, I never seem to get it right but they always let me pass anyway.

You'll need a certificate of residence (COR) from Immigration, that will take care of the different address issue. To renew your Thai DL all you'll need is your COR, PP, old license, some offices also want a medical certificate (they cost 100bt from any clinic) You'll also need to do a bit of a test. I recently renewed my 5-year license and I did an online thing where I watched videos for about an hour and answered questions. You need to d/l the app. If you've got a Thai GF or Thai friend ask them to help. Then when you go to renew your D/L there are a few more tests.

Tik Tok is for kids and young people to share their stupid vids, FB is for geriatrics to post photos of their meals and pets.

gododo: you won't get any help or any sense from the clowns on this forum. I don't think there's much of an expat community in NST, but as you are looking for a native speaker to give some conversation lessons, your best bet is to locate the NST expats, there must be a popular restaurant or bar they frequent. Connect with the local expats and you may find a retiree who is after some extra income. Another option is to contact the language centers, there's always a few in every provincial capital, you may be able to find a teacher who does some extra hours.