KhunLA

Only ever wore mask at 7-11 & Makro, when you couldn't get in without one. Mask ... IMHO ... are totally useless at stopping a virus, in most situations.

60 feet ... ????

Do you prefer the kettle or the pot ... ????

If I may, what 'plug' ???? are you using, as saw too many to chose from online. Priced from 'too good to be true' to 'are you nuts'. LAZ having more than few.

Might want to lead with that next time posting.

OR ... could have simply popped into the local MG dealer, few kms from the house, since on the way, no detour involved, and topped up there, 45 ish % at all of about ฿175 (outrageous) in 30 mins, while snacking on krappy sugar treats, actually the Pandan & chocolate thingys aren't bad, and washed down with a few cups of coffee, in AC, using their internet, while typing the Chumphon post up, and might even be done by the time the car charging was ???? Options abound ????

To add to the above post ... ... a day (or 3) in the life of your BEV battery ... ???? Using Solar, not the grid, and on granny charger, 2.3kW hr vs 7.4kW for wall charger on grid. On return home from Chumphon, arrive 1300 ish hrs, let things cool down a bit while unpacking (3 night trip turned into 1), along with quick munch. Plug in, Day 1, before 2pm. Start off around 38% end at 43% if memory serves ... BUT, out for dinner and a drive. Use a few kW s, so almost back to square one. Wake up, Day 2, at sunrise, just before actually, check ESSs, plug in, before any solar production. Unplug after a bit, wait for production to surpass consumption, or close enough, plug back in. Unplug, go run some chores, heavy overcast & high temps, cook dinner (electric oven) & ACs. Weather iffy tomorrow, so wait & see. Wake up, Day 3, all good, looks like partly sunny day, plug in at sunrise, again, just before. Unplug, wife off to market, return, solar production more than consumption, plug back in, and take it up to 87%, more than my usual 80% top up, as know we're going out to dinner later, and wife to morning market tomorrow. Besides, sun not cooperating, and still want to bake bread. Production barely matching consumption in late afternoon. After dinner & tomorrow's (today) market run, and we'll be over 80% till next plug in, at around 60%, which won't be for a few days, as now the weekend, and we don't do weekends. If so, we'll take the scooter, maybe to surfside, weekend night market, as no parking for cars if not very early. Wife already went to morning market again, today. Using solar ... of course I could not be a CC, and simply plug in the wall charger/grid. But that would mean giving PEA all of ฿100 and defeat the whole purpose of having solar. Besides, faster charging is more stress on EV batteries. Take care of them, and they will take care of you. If sun in full cooperation, and not going anywhere, could top up 40-80% in 1 day, as 40% = 20kW = 8.72 hrs @ 2.3kW per hr, (2.7hr @ 7.4kW). Quite easy, though we usual stay in 60-80% range, unless I know we're going to use right away.

You're original reservations ARE correct. YOU CAN'T OWN LAND. Condo is the only thing you & wife can own. Simply accept that fact, and go from there. Keep in mind 'corruption rules', and can work for you OR against you. If somebody wants what you illegally, technically, have, they will take it, legally. Your choice, but do have a PLAN B when going down that road. Invest only what you can afford to lose. When someone offers you what you know they can't legally offer you ... that's pause to think real hard about moving forward. UP2U

Didn't read the thread, but why would you need a 'service' It way too easy to DIY. https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/adult-passport-renew/#:~:text=Qualifying adult passport renewal applicants,only to U.S. Embassy Bangkok.

When lived in Udon Thani, local forum had an excellent monthly meet up. Met a few very nice people, and developed a few friendships. Along with more than a few others, who's true colors were exposed when a couple issues arose. Sort of like extreme rep/dem, vax'd/unvax'd demographics and lines were drawn. Thought that was really weird. Afterward, I avoided new 'friendships'. Realized my 'gauge' for friendships ... If I had you over to the house, or I invited to your house. Meant very few real friends, no matter where I lived. Also noticed the 'look the other way' farangs, if eye contact made. I'll at least give a head nod, though rarely go out of my way to chit chat it up with strangers, especially if I'm actually doing something. Will strike up, even initiate a conversation if seems appropriate. Do purposely avoid groups/gathering, as there seems to be one locally, surfside. Same folks sipping (smoking ???? cigs) chit chatting it up weekly if not nightly. Fine and I get it, but not for me. Always been a bit solitary and down right anti social, and UT experience reinforced that mindset. Enjoy being by myself, winning most argument with the dog is plus. In my mind anyway. On Topic .... Thailand is what you bring with you, or leave behind. It's simply a location, you make a dream or a nightmare.

I live the dream no matter where I'm at. Think I got to my 'final' Shangri-La. Unless I hit the lottery ... then I'll move forward again to a better Shangri-La. No gas bill, no car payment, and rain water is free ... ????

@Pink7 As is ours, though as B is, we're still conx to PEA. I think this month will have -0- use, or maybe 1 kW/unit, as wouldn't want them to think it's broke and replace it. Though they may screw up and give us a 'spinning' meter. That would be nice. Past couple months, our PEA bill was about 20 units and around the 100 baht mark. As we have an EV, and new wall charger (7.4kW) for that, which is on the grid. Did test and use a couple times, hence the past couple usage bills from PEA. Unless needing a fast top up for the EV, we won't be using the EV wall charger, or the grid at all in the future.

If not within 10 yrs, then you've squatted it and can file for homestead, and own it ????

1 step above village headman/puyaiban. 1 level below Amphur office. That's the office that sends out land taxes. It will be the larger office in area, usually fenced, and may have the trash collection trucks parked there. องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบล / Subdistrict Administrative Organization Here's photo of ours, and last one in NaDi Udon Thani was about the same. Search that on your area, in Gmaps.

Puyban should know, and if not definitely the land office. Suspect the other guy didn't want to lose a sale. orbator should also know, as they do the tax records.

As long as lease isn't with one's wife, or soon to be ex, as they can cancel after 1 yr. Aside from that, lease is as good here as anywhere. Or course if any landlord doesn't want you there ... nuff said. If a landlord did extended to you a long lease, and did have it registered w/tax payment, that's a pretty secure lease in my mind. Many, most won't do that. So that does give a bit more credibility to their intent to honor. Of course if a primo building lot, and someone wants the throw a few million baht their way ... well, hopefully they'd compensate you for any future inconveniences.

Definitely no shortage of coffee shops, quaint little cafes/bistros, or even truck-van-sidewalk vendor w/seating nearby. Transport, if not having, would be more of an issue. Though once on one of the rail lines, shouldn't be much of an issue. Many malls having direct access to BTS/MRT lines, even having coffee shops within the system. Some actually comfy and not just kiosk. Don't discount mall food courts for AC comfort and abundance of selection. Options do abound. If self driving, then the adventures are even easier. Google Maps, and rail system maps/info are your friends. When at Krung Thep, use extensively to make thing easy when out & about. Gmap; info, operating hrs, photos, reviews, sometimes menus and links to vendor sites for more info.

I'm sure B will chime in. I can give you our short experience (since 4 Aug 2022), and with the best & worst sun conditions. Based our system on PEA monthly usage at rental townhouse w/ 1 sm AC. Used 600-700 units / kW a month. Better house build and components, and we haven't broke 600 kW a month yet. That's w/ 2 larger ACs, but very efficient inverters. 8kW hybrid inverter, w/20 kW ESSs. Started with 10 kW ESS, then paralleled a 2nd in. We are basically off grid. Don't think with our usage, we could do it with 5kW inverter & 10kW ESS, as really a bit limiting, and would need to be super conservative, on the week of krap weather; heavy overcast & rain. Some days it took all day, to top up the ESS (10kw), and not always 100%. With minimal use, although, since so overcast, ACs really not needed. One reason we added the 2nd ESS, along with having a digital PEA meter, so no roll back for us. Good days, ESSs top up in 2-3 hrs, all of 10+kW, as we don't go below 50% on ESSs / 10kW of 20kW that we have. If haven't seen yet, link below for our system: https://aseannow.com/topic/1268214-solar-8kw-hybrid-inverter-w10kwh-upgraded-to-20kwh-in-sept-2022-essbattery-not-diy/

I'd call that a 'small car' ... along with a couple other options, in same price range, actually a bit cheaper I think, and also can be registered: https://www.autofun.co.th/news/เทียบสเปคกันชัด-ๆ-pocco-mm-vs-wuling-mini-ev-เจ้าจิ๋วคันไหนครองใจคุณ-37641

2 main cheaper things for myself, and adds to my pocket money, as both are huge savings vs USA's silliness: ... lack of real Real Estate Taxes ... inexpensive (& accessible) healthcare, without the need for monthly insurance premiums. Added bonuses of inexpensive products due to close proximity and trade agreements with China: ... inexpensive EVs along w/Gov't incentives ... inexpensive Solar System components (cheap labor installation) Savings from USA taxes, healthcare, utilities is literally enough for a single person to live on in TH. I save about $600/฿20k a month, on just those 3 items, and could easily live on that amount here.

No better angle unfortunately. It was going round & around, profiling nicely for me, until I got my camera ????

Many excellent hours of listening to. THANK YOU R I P

Drinking coffee on veranda, look up, and notice this one 15 meters away. By the time I got camera, half way up the tree, back to me, then up under the palms ... Greater Flameback - Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus https://ebird.org/species/grefla1

Read and watched warnings of vaccine and immune system in the very beginning and one reason I'm unvax'd. Nice to think some people are waking up.