GammaGlobulin

Ha-ha! Leave it to the guys from Australia to think up such interesting terminology! One of the reasons I love TV so much is that we have such a wonderfully diverse group of members here! And so, I find TV anything but...boring...

Really? What sort of potential legal troubles, if any, do you imagine that might cause? Is such a thing often done? I find such a tactic difficult to imagine. Wouldn't the landlord be "in your face", almost day and night?

I would be very interested to know if anyone here has, so far, taken the trouble to download and watch a copy of Bergman in the 1944 film, Gaslight. One reason I ask is that this film is one of the greatest Psychological Thrillers, even including those of Hitchcock, that exist, and this film will most definitely hold your attention. But more than this, and just in case anyone here suspects that he or she, as a tenant, is being gaslighted by a landlord, then, after watching this film, they will be able to say with greater clarity whether or not this is the case. And while watching this film you might be amused that one of the key elements in this film is the problem with, not the electric power in the building, but the gas lighting that flickers, dims, and then brightens at odd hours. I will not spoil this film for anyone who has not watched it by talking more about the lighting problem... I will only say that, if you are a tenant, and your landlord is gaslighting you, and if you often complain about power issues in your house, room, or building, and if the landlord continues to state that it's all in your imagination, or that the electrical problem is your fault, or that the lighting in this building is designed for Thai people and not Farang, or that you are overloading the circuits, when in fact you know this to not be the case, etc., etc., etc., then you will enjoy this film, because this film speaks to you. And, you will enjoy how Bergman overcomes the Evil Charles Boyer (if she does)... Yes, it is true, this is a great film to watch if you are a tenant with electrical problems, and if your landlord is reluctant or too lazy to rectify the defective wiring, and instead just insists the problem is all in your imagination, or that it is your fault! Please let me know if you have enjoyed watching this great film. And tell me, too, if watching this film has helped you FIX your defective landlord. I hope this film helps you as much as it has helped the hypothetical tenant who is the subject of this case study. We tenants "shall overcome", as the great Martin Luther King once said. Hoping to hear from you.....!

If I am not mistaken, judging from info freely available on UTUBE, it seems that the OP has divided the "standard" fees charged by this kind of agent... by 2.

EXACTLY! This is why, upon reading through this thread, I became utterly confused... Because, the relevant fees he is quoting seem to be about half the going rate... or LESS. Something seem to be amiss here, because these fees just don't ring true... Let's wait for further clarification...

Sorry, but I am not completely clear about what your status is and what you are paying the agent for. I have read your comments a few times. Am I to understand that you are saying: a. When you first applied for a retirement visa, at that time, you did not maintain the 800K requirement in a Thai bank? c. And that, instead of doing this, you opted to use an agent to handle both your initial retirement visa application, plus the following annual retirement visa extensions? d. And that now, you are asking how to potentially change from the first agent to another agent? And, whether or not that is indeed possible? e. And, just to be clear: How much did you pay to the agent for the initial retirement visa processing (without the 800K in your bank account)? AND, how much do you pay for each annual retirement visa extension (again without 800K in your Thai bank account)? f. And, now, are you saying that you want to return to the According-to-Hoyle retirement visa extension status (WITH the 800K in your bank account)? g. And further, reading the above comments, it would seem that reverting to the According-to-Hoyle retirement visa application/extension status is not as easy as you might have imagined? h. This is an interesting question: BECAUSE...If one watches UTUBE, people will sometimes speak about the initial retirement visa application (w/o 800K) costing Bt.35,000 to Bt.40,000-, so reading this thread, it seems a bit confusing because what is being stated is not especially well-spelled-out. Would someone who is knowledgeable and well-informed about these points kindly clarify? I have not seen this issue discussed on the forum; and maybe this is only due to the fact that I have not been looking for this information. Also, would it not be advisable to contact some sort of immigration attorney or advisor to help you straighten this out? And, in this case, is it even possible to easily resolve this "in limbo"-like kind of situation?

You are EXTREMELY fortunate with your great blessing! Personally, I LOVE to hear that... AOW! I always think... What has she found so suddenly surprising... NOW? Yeah, Man... A good Thai woman is both a miracle and a blessing, each and every day...

rooted unit? Do you mean like a rooted Android device? I don't exactly understand your meaning.

Yes. This Thai AOW....! What does it mean, REALLY?

I think you are making a generalization here. What you describe, no doubt, happens in all cultures. I also think that just about everybody could do well with more training in the art of effective communication. And, I believe that when someone turns the tables, like you describe, this is the result of poor education, and also having poor parental role models. The best strategy is to just quickly cut your losses, and run. Personality is shaped and "set/hardened" at a very young age, maybe age 7 or 8. Personality does not change much over time. Therefore...CUT...and...RUN... It's your only good option, unfortunately. (PS: You should try to teach your Wife/GF all about the advantages of practicing The Scientific Method in all facets of human existence.)

I remain as sober as a judge. You can bet your bottom dollar on that...

Maybe the Hawaiian Shaman had never seen Virginia Woolf. Certainly, no constructive criticism here...

All things must pass. And all good things must come to an end.

Sometimes, you gotta be cruel to be kind, though...

Have you seen the film Baby Doll? Your answer is there:

Twice... But not counting.

Maslow wrote a lot about his theory of Hierarchy of Needs. When/If this hierarchy of needs is met, then, in theory, one might eventually reach self-actualization. I am not quite to the level of self-actualization, but... I'm getting there. Just a few more posts, I keep telling myself, And I, too, will become self-actualized.

In my humble opinion, TV is the most special forum for very special people in Thailand. I am very satisfied with the quality of TV. Always have been... Always will be. I would not change a thing...

That's because HR managers know what Maslow knew... SHELTER is a BASIC NEED, without which, not much productive work would get done, of course.. HR guys realize this. Hence, your living accommodation was of paramount importance...

My Fellow Passengers on This Blue Marble: How many times have we heard about the many talents of London cab drivers? And, what about the Mystique of NYC’s Butter Boys? Do you think London cab drivers need to be smarter in order to do their job? Or, does one need to be a lot more street smart to drive a taxi in NYC? If you have any interest in this topic… First, Enjoy the music, here: Second, Answer the question posed in the Topic’s headline in the comments’ section below… The music is amazing, right? Regards, Gamma

I respond in a constructive manor. I accept her criticism. I thank her for her constructive remarks. And then, I always try to improve myself based on her suggestions. After several weeks have passed, then I ask her to rate me on my improvement. if I still have not met her expectations, Then I always try harder.

My Fellow Sufferers, What’s your wife’s MAIN Strategy when you CONSTRUCTIVELY criticize any minor thing about either HER, or Her Performance? For example: If you make a minor constructive suggestion in order to help her… Does she immediately divert the topic away from the subject you had just broached? Does she almost totally disregard what you were trying to help her with, and instead begin talking about some completely unrelated fault of yours? A pet fault of yours she has already covered countless times? (Any fault, the first fault that pops into her head? Anything to divert the subject of discussion?) Or, if she does not use this diversion strategy, then what DOES she do when you try to help her improve herself, to teach her something important? Does your wife or GF take criticism well? Does she thank you for your help? Or, if not, then what does she do, most times? Thank you for your help in my recent quest to better understand this kind of dynamic. Regards, Gamma

Extremely coincidental that you should mention marriage. It is my belief that a local landlord can be even more controlling than a local wife. And, furthermore, I was mulling over this the other day, and it seems to me that it might be more difficult to divorce one's landlord, than one's wife. Think so?

If I had to guess, I think this is a literal translation from the Chinese, as one of the following: 老板 = boss 老大 = boss (but sometimes this is boss in the gangster sense, as in head of the ZhulianBang, the Bamboo Union, which is a famous gang in Asia) 老爸 = this means father, but often more than father, as the head of household, and usually quite old with much power in the family (not always exactly this meaning) 大班 = Taipan (you recall the Clavell book, probably) So, from the Asian perspective, your significant other, GF, or some random girl, is just being respectful and flattering you, because she want you to think that she thinks that you are powerful. I am sure that someone has already written a book on this topic. Or, if not, then someone should write a book on this topic. This is a patriarchal society. However, this does not mean that it is the women who actually hold the power in society. We can know this from an analysis of Kinship Terminology.

I am completely OK with humans. It's only the landlords....