KhunLA

Never got the daily pub/bar thing. Give me a 6 pack, doobie, and a bench outdoors.

No highjack, on topic, cost of, how to stretch, invest for the long game, or pay as you go. Our solar system is on the high end of pricing, since installed, and with better components, hopefully. Don't expect any oops for 10-20 yrs, hopefully, though won't be around if any. Our ROI should be in the 5-8 yr range, probably the latter, but all good in that aspect. Depending on your monthly usage & bill now. Some guys have a system, supplements or almost carries them through the whole month. 5kWh tie in systems are not expensive. It's the ESSs, batteries, that add to the cost, (185k for ours) if wanting to be off grid, unofficially. We're still conx, but don't need the grid. EV & solar just compliments each other and adds to the value of both. But it does depend on your finances, lifestyle, age, possible ROI or not. If out of the house all day, then solar wouldn't be much use, or a more expensive system, and impractical, or very long ROI. I've been here for a while, retired/home all day, and wife is younger, so a no brainer for me. If just arriving, and 65 ish years old, then no, unless planning of living 20 more years, or have someone to leave it to. Simply rent something or buy a comfy condo & enjoy. Couple mill for a house, 1 mill for a car, goes a long way to one's monthly budget if not needing or wanting either. Many places a car isn't even needed, and probably our biggest monthly expense, especially if ICE, considering buy in, petrol & maintenance over the life of the vehicle. Definitely a luxury item, if not needed for out & about or local getting around. Plenty of inexpensive options also, if just knockin' around town. We really don't need a car, it's just a convenience, as everything is <5 kms away. If single, I could easily live very minimalistic. All personal choice, and plenty of here. ENJOY

-0- electric bill and only 445k for solar system ???? Beats giving PEA 3-6K a month, and charges the EV, saving another 3k a month. Worth every baht ????

A 10 yr old with a 3000 baht allowance ???? 18 yr old with 5400 ... if not in Uni or going to, needs to get a job, and be self sufficient. My daughter in between HS and Uni, lived with us, and even got a job, knowing she didn't have to, but didn't want 'our' money. I didn't raise her that way. You want - you earn. Didn't think she'd take it that serious ???? Got to love her. She know she didn't have to, and I'd support her for those few month, but she wouldn't have it.

I don't think you fell on hard time, you jumped on hard times. Simple solution ... back to UK, take whatever housing available, possibly only a shelter providing, until gov't can help, if ever. Step 2 .... get a job ... any job. Surely they have temp employment agencies. Sign up, show up everyday, and take what's available. Temp job, may even turn into a permanent job, if they like you. Find a steady job, not daytime. Maybe part time dishwasher at restaurant, or something else overnight, as always hiring, to keep days open for better options. I've done both, when needed. I wasn't born with a 'small fortune' ... I worked for & earned it. Last obvious advice .... quit being an Alky, as suspect this is the root of all your problems Good Luck.

Fed already has the program set up to do just that. Student gets reimbursed up to $10k a year, $60k total reimbursement if needed. Used as a recruitment tool for many employers. Even better, if poor and can't afford college, their are Fed grants you can apply for .... Grants = no pay back ... free college. USA - Land of Opportunity ... IF motivated. More than enough 'hand ups', no need for 'hand outs' to those that don't need, or won't work for it.

Same same, torrents to the laptop, and watch on the 65" TV, which I use as the laptop monitor anyway. Too easy & FREE Really can't remember last time I had any cable/TV, paid subscription service ... maybe 30 yrs ago, maybe. Was never a fan of TV programming. Anything I did watch, days past, I recorded, and watch, FF thru the commercials. Yea, that long ago, before cable.

Comes on a steel frame (a guess), so just like a trailer/mobile home, you could load it up and move it if need be, wanting. But cost here/TH, would be silly of course. ฿2 mill should give anyone a decent home to live in, own if having partner, or going condo. Depending on age, or simply rent, as cheap enough, giving option to move around, if needed/wanting to do. If coming here/TH, at 65 ish yrs old, how long do you plan on living, to get any ROI by building/buying a home ?

Last townhouse, 2 yrs ago, was ฿6000, but we have dog, as a few doors down, exact same townhouse (same builder), and only ฿3500. Nice neighborhood, carport, nothing I'd call a back yard/pad. But wife had a jungle back there. Decent size. 1st floor main room, bath, then full size (bare), actually large kitchen. 2 bdrm & bath on 2nd floor w/balcony. 1.7 kms from surf, easy walk & 0.5 km to park, on the way. 7-11 about 200m away. Really liked it, except didn't own it. If single, or wife same age, could have stayed there. Owning, you eventually live, housing free. Just pay in advance, and get it all back when selling. Present house, actually cost about the same. Nicer of course, on 1/2 rai. But if wife lives 30 years, all in, ฿2M, works out to about ฿5555 a month. She owns it, can sell if she needs the money, no rent increase, and added plus of having solar, so no PEA bill. That alone saves about ฿3k a month, along with another ฿3k a month, charging the EVs vs petrol. We have a water bill and <฿200 a month. That's it, for mandatory monthly bills ... does take a 'pay in advance' investment, but well worth it. IF ... you or spouse/partner will live that long. Daughter gets it afterwards. Play the long game, always better.

Yea, it's a bit iffy. as after our build started, someone bought the small lot next to us, and started raising chicken. Horrendous smell, and we had that shut down. Took a bit of effort, no money, but all relevant agencies followed through and did the right thing. He shouldn't have been allowed to start in the first place. Wife had to go over everyone's head (village & tambon heads) to Amphur environmental folks. Then they, local heads got on board also. Once involved, shut down, dirt scraped & replaced within 6 weeks and smellin' fresh again. Just in time for us to move in, as house was getting finished. You really have to choose wisely, and we thought we did. Small lot didn't help, as last house, we controlled 6 rai. Another reason why we bought the lot across from us here, and other neighboring lots are spoken for, and not going to be a future problem.

2 silly posts in a row ... well done. Tuk tuk driver was best reply (IMHO), as the worldly traveler would know. Though karaoke was good, but need a tuk tuk driver to take you to the right place. Some of the replies are a bit embarrassing, as useless, but more so, is you state you speak fluent Thai. How was that possible, and you not know how to find nightlife, in any Thai city. That you have to ask, is a bit embarrassing. Even with my limited, very limited Thai, I'd be able to find nightlife anywhere here, if wanting. Good luck in your quest ... have fun

Yes, as it's not a sponsored sports race or anything like that. Just a leisurely week of cycling. Looked at site/map of proposed routes, and pretty good, avoiding hwy#4 as much as possible. Couple stretches, but unavoidable. Pretty cool for the dedicated rider, and with the support vehicle bringing up the rear, a bit safer than self riding. Not a group activity person myself, but if into cycling that much, I think I'd join in, though not in the group, if possible, just tag along ????

I'm apparently not neighbor friendly, why condos don't agree with me, and would need a lot to put it on. If single, guess that would be the only choice though, the condo route. As owning is the only way I'd live here, renting is just a waste of money, for me. I always play the long game. If renting, then I'd just go nomadic, and not in TH.

It shouldn't. If married, and going to orphanage/dumping ground, with parents approval, if living, Go to family services in your amphur and ask. I did, (A Muang, Udon Thani) but since not married, told almost impossible. If not, just be foster parents to one from an orphanage. More than a few waiting. Instead, I, just raised my daughter, and she simply adopted us (new GF, now wife), when legally able, actually just this year. Don't let the legalities, get in the way of providing a loving home to an orphan. Especially a true orphan, as no worries about her parents changing their mind.

torrents ... as there isn't a movie that I'd waste 50 baht on to watch. Nothing but time killers. Can't think of many new movie in the last 15 or even 20 years, I'd want to watch again.

I'd take a box home over a condo, if I/wife owned the land. Though that's a wash, condo monthly fee vs land rent. 34 m² doesn't cut it, as my eat in kitchen is 40 m² now, and we use it all.

Thanks for posting. As I keep talking myself out of going to the bottom provinces, and pretty much the only ones I haven't been to. Satun on W side, or below Phatthalung. Next time when he head S, this year, as been to other spots more than a few times.

If you got a college education, and you can't manage your budget to pay off a $17k USD student loan, then you surely wasted your time & money on a college degree. From the link (apparently few read): "Federal reserve data shows that the median student loan is about $17,000. About 17% of borrowers owe less than $10,000, while about 7% owe over $100,000." The price of a just OK new car, and I bet many have one of those sitting in their driveway. Pay your damn student loan ... ????

According to the site, you ain't gettin' in without it ... mask.

Obviously not me .... https://www.asew-expo.com/2023/en/rules_regulation.asp

Also noticed more than a few Atto 3s while out & about lately. Quite the nice looking ride. Along with the Ora Good Cat, though more of those 'locally', while driving between Krung Thep, Hua Hin & PKK & Kanchanaburi

Quick update, MG ZS EV, still lovin' it ???? OK, no surprises, 10k kms check up done. Did a couple O&As this month, hence update, paying more attention to #s. I always state ~360kms per charge, or more, and that is still accurate ... around town, with 60 & 90 kph being the speed limit, per se. Don't do much 90 kph, as everything is close, unless short local O&A. Mixed driving, and we get 360+ per charge. Now, over the road, the past 2 long O&As, then closer to the 320 kms per charge (WLTP rating), and considering doing the speed limit (90 kph) when possible, that's impressive, since almost 2X the WLTP testing speed of 47 kph w/perfect conditions, which obviously, TH is not. Speeds fluctuate between 80 - 110, high end when needed, passing or whatever, but rare that I go over the 90 kph. Find when arriving somewhere, or done highway driving, we usually average 80 kph, using distance/time calculation. That's also with the car full running w/AC on, during any stops. Also AC on when topping up, we'll call that 'accessory' mode. So not bad at all, with all things considered. Dog needs her AC, though uses very little when stopped, whether full on, or just accessory mode (when charging). Long O&A, mostly open road driving, and 320 kms per charge, using ~14.7kWh/100 kms, says the ZS, and very accurate, as are all the ZS's readouts, estimates, before, during, after the journey. Actually impressive. Local O&As, and around town, 360 or more kms per charge. Have another long O&A coming up after the 10th of this month, and probably till August, if not bored early. Family thing at NBLP, then do the N side while up that way. Starting to get a bit bored with the S, as cut our last usual loop short after 10 ish days. Too many tourist here ... damn annoying ???? me me me ???? For those MG owner, took us forever to figure out how to lock the car, running, with AC on, for the dog. Leaving full on, or compressor doesn't engage, if not 'on' or plugged in. You have to wind down window, with fod in pocket (don't forget), lock door from inside button, then wind/press button to put window back. Yea, technically, someone could steal the car, until they turn it off, then can't restart. It's insured, just leave the dog tied somewhere before you take it ????

Just noticed (peeked), yes, Jan 2024 ... smog season, along with peak tourist season, so when on hwy#4, suckin' in the good sh!t. People might want to give that a pass ????

You must of read that somewhere ... ???? Red hanky/bandana, hanging out back pocket ... oh yea, let your freak flag fly ... ... I must of read that somewhere also ... ????

$0 - $0 You take out a loan, YOU pay it back, not me, not my taxes, well, whoever is still paying taxes. Nobody paid my bills, gave me money for college. Everybody wants it given to them. Work for it, and you might appreciate it. Fed backed loans apparently aren't that hard to get. Try using it, get the education and the job, and simply pay it back. USA, still land of opportunity, IF you work it. Sooner or later, you run out of other people's money. Keep buying votes, but can't pay the bills. Cost everyone down the line.