KhunLA

Yea, I took a lot more, and longer breaks away from home when living in Udon Thani. Now live were we use to go quite often, so sometimes wonder why we bother going O&A. They are shorter, and more about different food and a view, not so much exploring anything new, as already did that the first 20 years here. As stated a few times, the journey is more interesting than the destinations. And we only seem to settle in for a day or 2, before moving one. It's nice when we find a bungalow with a view & pool alang with good food, or a great night market nearby.

Yes, I had 2 huge tax bills, actually after retirement, because I no longer had any deductions. Broke that 5% income level, with no deductions, so yea .... OUCH Although through some creative number playing, managed to keep below the max tax rate of 37% at the time. Registered in a state with no income tax. 😎 For the curious, 5% starts @

Not exactly cooking, but needs to be done a couple times a week to have a constant supply of Milk & Water Kefir

Everyone is subject to the same tax code, and can use to their advantage. How much taxes did his assets provide to the tax base ? RE & school taxes on his business and personal properties, assets. Taxes for just 1 property ... How much income did he put into the economy via his employees' salaries, along with their income tax contributions. Along with every other tax they paid on their purchases, RE taxes, school taxes, providing more jobs & tax revenue. Smart rich people don't have an income, by paying themselves salaries. They get low interest loans against their assets, and live off that. Paying 5-10% interest, instead of 25-37% income tax, then deduct the interest off their tax liabilities. All things everyone can do. Tax code is available for everyone to use and or abuse. Allowing everyone to manage their finances the best they can .... ... to afford those vacations (always on topic) OMT ... work smarter not harder

Wonder if SAIC's pick up will make an appearance at auto show. I bit too plush for me, and priced accordingly, ฿2-2.5M, from online reports. Waiting for something around ฿700k w/60kWh battery and more importantly, a proper 2m cargo bed. Don't need another SUV with small cargo bed, that my wife can't even stretch out on. Kind of wish Toyota, would electrify it's 'Champ' pick up, since having a proper work bed available for it ... OMT ... I didn't just say that out loud

Huge 1st meal for me @ 1300 hrs. Usually just the eggs. No need for a snack around 1500 hrs Eggs, spicy sausage, pumpkin, kale & Rye, smothered with butter Off for my healthy 🙄 morning / afternoon walk at the park, w/sunscreen 2k & vapor mask

So ... only almost healthy air (and that a stretch) to breathe in only 20 of the 77 provinces of TH I'm not counting 20 ... as no 'Green' at all. source - IQAir site

I always found the 'treasury' statements only suit themselves. Remember ... And yet ... 50% of earners, only pay <4% income tax ... Go figure

Maybe Adolf will chime in with his opinion this week about Trump. One can only hope

Too Late ... I already quoted it ... No, it's a good post, with my follow up, and should sway most intelligent people to stay away, unless they want to hang out in smoggy, hell-ish temps 😎 Go to Samui ... easy and cheap via ferry, or simply fly in. Lovely beaches, fresh air, and probably some P4P company for those not in a relationship ... ROCK ON

Hey ... don't be sending people down here, as have too many already. Have to self entertain, bring your women (or dudes) with you, as no P4P here. Few restaurants with AC, and Ao Prachuap smells of sewage, so pick your viewing spot wisely. How hot ... DAMN HOT ... and it's only 11:20 AM & feels like HELL And the fresh air .... cough cough ... PM2.5 is 10X WHO's healthy lever of 6 µg/m³

Don't know where I implied 10 folks taking part was justified, but spin your reply any way you wish. Quite normal replies here, and nothing to do with my post. Do suspect it wasn't just a random beating of a stranger minding his own business.

Never lived beyond my means, why I could vacation (not hi so), anytime, anywhere at a whim, and retire early. Before moving to TH, only owned 1 new vehicle, and that was a work truck, for dependability. Lived in crap neighborhoods, usually while rehabbing (a little sweat equity) my next rental property. Building equity and income from non salaried jobs was always the priority. Independence from govt & corporations. Still live by that today, with solar, BEVs, and garden/greenhouse for whole foods & home cooking. Interesting hobbies & time consuming, as living life is. Yea, minimal TV viewing, and more living life. Oh honey, ready for my 2nd cup. Get my morning reading out of the way, before baking some Rye bread, then the dog will take me out to the park, for my morning walk. Need to hit Global House today, again, as having a small microwave on sale. Need one for the trunk of the car, when O&A, for making sure the market street food is at proper temp before eating, while munching at a nice viewpoint when O&A. Already travel with water kettle & French press for our coffee fix in the morning. Rolling stone collects no moss ... ROCK ON Cruising around with my 'Blue Jean Baby Queen', and the dog of course.

Hopefully the house will be beachfront before I crap out Café LA ... stay tuned for grand opening announcement.

Hopefully they let China build it, if Rama 2 is any indication of safe road projects of late

It's tolerable where I live, almost, as past few days have kept us indoors more than usual. If I had to live further north, and tolerate the bad air for 4-6 months, then I probably wouldn't live in TH.

"Mr. Lelonek, speaking through a translator, informed the police that he was unsure of the attack's details" I suspect there is a wee bit he is leaving out of the story.

Lived in TH in 2000, didn't have a landline phone or a TV. Same with living in Memphis, TN, USA area, just before coming to TH. I don't think I've owned a tv since 1980s, till about 2003, and only watched DVDs with my daughter. English DVDs, as a learning tool for her. No TV programming, and still don't have any. Only 'TV' watched now is torrent downloads, and only because there isn't much going on at nighttime, living rural in TH. Besides, playing with the wife & dog is more interesting than anything TV programming. Not being a sports fan, not needed for that either. I've always considered TV nothing but a waste of time, and movies simply time killers. Especially now, since what they put out is geared to the brain dead. A lot of my free time is planning O&As, whether local or a long week of overnights, exploring TH. No different than when living in USA. Planning trips to relax and explore in TH. Same when in USA, except a lot of taking to women, since single there, quite often. TV is not living life, it's killing time.

no

I could get that in Philly, PA, USA ... China Town, the area looks no different than some Thai restaurant streets Doesn't have the limestone karsts & cheap surfside or mountain bungalows with a view though 😎

Foreign aid is a gift to people that didn't 'pay' for it. Myself and my employers paid into SS. Not our fault the govt mismanaged the funds. Actually it probably is, me not voting, and people voting for the same idiots that depleted the funds. I think I got back or will get back, before I crap out, every tax $$$ I ever paid. Been on full SS bennies for 25 years ... ... I'm a blight on society

Maybe not your's, but it was typical in mine and with my peers. And we were far from elitist. Seems a couple other members agree with me ... hmm. You can keep repeating it, but won't make it true, except to you Have a nice day ... BYE BYE

Salmon, pumpkin & spinach ...

Doesn't anyone go south. Stunning landscape down this way. Been on all those in OP, and nice, especially the Nan drive, and thought that was probably the best of. Also the newest, possibly influenced by that, as been on the others a few times.