lahgon29

Why watch TV when you can go streaming on your computer?! Try lemonTV. That is frombar dot com, select "other" tab and tada! here is your match (all of them) with multi choice streaming... Of course a large monitor is better than a tablet, but still why pay for a cable TV when there is so much online for free!

I can get all sports streaming through the Ace media player, from wiziwig site, but the buffering issues about 6pm onwards really cramp things in the evening.

Must love all the internet replies. Morden might be the only one that rationally replied.

I do know that Thai family ties are strong, and some old school mothers might insist on Sinsod.

I have taken good care of this woman and her family. I came here looking for some sane advice on how to handle this situation. Not to be told you are a sucker you are being scammed.

All insight is welcome but don't let everything you have read in the past to cause your replies to mean one way.

I'm not a troll. I came here asking a simple question. Maybe I'm a sucker, maybe I'm not and just looking for some outside views. Don't be so harsh people.....lol

Nevertheless, this is a case of the MIL, and maybe daughter taking advantage of you. You do seem very naive. You will be taken by this family. 99%. The missus can't believe your generosity and joked to me about why she couldn't have met you before me. Her 2 university educated, single, no kids, sisters would think Christmas was here if they could snare you for half the cost of your current outlays, with NO sinsod. MIL would be just happy to see them happy and cared for.

Be tougher, mate...Find out if the family really wants you and your money, or JUST your money.

Here in Udon, our local police have completely eradicated the jet ski scam. Pattaya and Phuket police need to ask our boys how they did It.

My wife want's a gun ,,, Having real estate problems with locals,,,

She says to protect herself !!!

She is also a short tempered , hot headed and dare I say emotionally unstable ,,,

I am of the opinion that she is not the only Thai wife with that condition !!!

I am sure that after receiving the weaponery ,,,

There lies the possibility of a few extinguished persons in front of our house !!!

Also would fear for my own safety after an highly emotional day !!!

Unfortunately I have been witness to Thai emotions building up ,,, Then the silent treatment ,,, finally a violent rage of uncontrolable anger !!!

Maybe this incident has been brewing for a long time and ""BOOM""

WHY in the name of sanity would anyone be married to someone they freely describe as - "short tempered , hot headed and dare I say emotionally unstable" ?

Seriously...

Mate, you just beat me to it...Why would someone happily live with a.., how should I put it... Nutter, who wants to own a gun, in ANY country..Let alone Thailand..

Madness.

To be fair the lies, innuendo, half truths and spin are not reserved solely for Thai elections, some of the rhetoric and drivel spouted during the recent Australian election puts anything said in Thailand in the shade. Some of the comments made by senior members, of what is now the new government, were strictly shameful and unworthy of what we consider to be a 1st class democracy.

What stands Thailand apart is the unsavory (choosing my words carefully here) side of the political system, what other developing country in the world would allow the governing party to be remotely controlled from abroad? I have no idea how this present situation can be resolved, the ruling party seems content to play the numbers game, no matter what the cost to the economy. The opposition seems driven by ego with no indication that is can "guide" the country into a new and modern era should it miraculously win power.

Democracy itself needs to be nurtured and developed, it is not a naturally recurring entity. If the conditions for this to happen are not currently present then a caretaker solution may be required, abhorrent though it may be a government with uniforms may not be a bad thing.

Obviously you are a disgruntled Labor or Greens voter from Australia. Your mob lost the election because they were a chaotic, untrustworthy, shambolic, left wing union friendly, unpopular, childish, excuse for a government, and were rightly punished. Most of the drivel I heard seems to have been from that [previous] Government [including Greens]. Get over it...

How you can compare the situation in Australia to here is beyond me, and I suspect many others.

Actually, I agree with your comments about politics here..

Maybe you should have stuck to just those.

If you are hoping for an Australian Aged Pension, be aware that you have to reside in Australia for the two years preceding your application for it. You might spend all your money here, then apply for your pension and be told that you won't get it for another two years, and that you have to stay in Australia. broke, for that entire two-year period.

You're correct, but I was led to believe, by Centrelink that, you can return to Australia, after having been living in Thailand [or other] for a few years, and get the OAP nearly immediately, but you then have to stay in Australia for at least 2 years after that, before you are once again allowed to go offshore again, and receive the pension. Personally, I think life is too short to have to stay there, living below the poverty line for 2 years, to get a few thousand bucks a year, later.

You TEERAK has bery smart friends, as smart as her maybe ? :-)

Mate

She's not the sharpest tool in the shed, I have to admit. Doesn't make her less lovable. She still can't grasp the theory about the aircon, today.

GAZZPA...Can you post a larger version of your avatar? I've been staring at it for 10 minutes trying to figure it out..Even with the reading glasses, It's just too small.

Report them to 1111

My immigration guys are great - happy and smiling and really helpful - and not a single hint of backhanders.

Which office?

Actually, helpful, no hints of backhanders, and quite professional in Udon. Last year, They sent me away to get an updated copy of a bank statement...Mine was a day early, and then called me to the front of the queue when I got back from the bank. A few guys here have told me Nong Khai used to be an uncomfortable experience.

Pity about you experience in Sisaket. Better luck next year.

Whilst there are no doubt many violent characters in that lovely city, I do not buy the fact that he was just walking along, minding his own business, and suddenly gets attacked out of nowhere.

Unrelated: I think at age 54 it is time to hang up the wife-beater.

Just out of curiosity..Where are singlets called wife beaters, and why? Half of the males wear them in hot weather in Oz. I've always known them only as singlets, or vests in England many years ago..Only recently, and on TV have i seen them referred to as wife beaters.

The wife, after I mentioned it to her, wants me to stop wearing singlets now. I should have expected that

Get yourself a usefruct costs only a few hundred baht and in the event that your wife dies before you then you still have the right to live in the house until you die, all legal and all above board with no need of dodgy shell companies and lawyers, very easy to do and only takes a couple of hours at the land office.....

I finished doing this today. I have a lease on the house until I die, even though it is 100% in my wife's name. 2 channots both have my name on them, though not as owner. I had to get a translation from a solicitors office signed by me and the solicitor and wife stating that I understand the conditions. The lands office don't keep this, they only wanted to be sure that i understand. Costs were 75 Baht per channot.

It was explained that there were 2 options. [1] that I could get 30 years that COULD be transferred to my child if I died, and wanted that, until the 30 years event was reached, or [2] until I die, in which case the wife can sell or do whatever she want's then. We agreed on option 2, as I'm sure my Aussie kid won't need to holiday in Udon after I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Any break up of marriage means the house cannot be sold until I die, or agree to the sale, in which case, compensation can be agreed to, legally.

Keeping an eye out for any strange chemicals or other potential poisons that might suddenly appear from now. alt=rolleyes.gif width=20 height=20>

I think you are wrong reference not being able to sell the house if you divorce, I was told that if you divorce the usufruct can be broken but that said you still have the same rights such as your entitlement to a fair settlement on the sale of goods exactly the same as anybody else Thai or Foreign who gets divorced here, getting that fair share could be an issue but that is the same anywhere else in the world as well. The only way around that appears to be by not getting the usufruct off your wife or doing it before you marry, I am no expert but all these sort of questions where covered in the earlier thread I mentioned and it is well worth a read

I don't think I am wrong under the agreement. My [unregistered] wife, even according to her, cannot sell the house in the event of a breakup

Section 5 of our "Memorandum of Understanding Of The Right of Habitation [translation]" states "In case of the transferor agreeing to sell the land or property under section 1, during the period as indicated in this contract, the prior consent of the transferee shall be required" I assume that that means me, if we are together or not together.

Section 1 states that I have the right to "occupy a plot of land as identified by land certificate xxxxxxxxxxxxxx as a place of dwelling for a term of 30 years until and /or the transferee dies"

The lands office officer asked my wife several times if she understood that I had the final say over sale of the property for 30 years or until dead.

If I've been rorted in any way here, [And it wouldn't be the first time] I wouldn't mind a head's up on this..But it seems pretty plain to me from my experience today, that I'm safe for until death . break up or not.

She'll never leave me anyway...She told me so...She's Thai.

Get yourself a usefruct costs only a few hundred baht and in the event that your wife dies before you then you still have the right to live in the house until you die, all legal and all above board with no need of dodgy shell companies and lawyers, very easy to do and only takes a couple of hours at the land office.....

I finished doing this today. I have a lease on the house until I die, even though it is 100% in my wife's name. 2 channots both have my name on them, though not as owner. I had to get a translation from a solicitors office signed by me and the solicitor and wife stating that I understand the conditions. The lands office don't keep this, they only wanted to be sure that i understand. Costs were 75 Baht per channot.

It was explained that there were 2 options. [1] that I could get 30 years that COULD be transferred to my child if I died, and wanted that, until the 30 years event was reached, or [2] until I die, in which case the wife can sell or do whatever she want's then. We agreed on option 2, as I'm sure my Aussie kid won't need to holiday in Udon after I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Any break up of marriage means the house cannot be sold until I die, or agree to the sale, in which case, compensation can be agreed to, legally.

Keeping an eye out for any strange chemicals or other potential poisons that might suddenly appear from now.

14 years ago, Sai Keow at Ko Samed was beautiful..Clean sea and beach. No plastic. Same 10 years ago at Ko Chang..Soon as a nice beach is discovered in LOS, it's the beginning of the end. Not much left now. Beaches I've seen in Cambodia are even worse. Still some beautiful beaches in the Philippines if you're willing to travel. Palawan has some beauties..No plastic, waves, clean beach and empty..Try Sabang.

I agree with Petercouz that very few if any hold a candle to the average Queensland beach. I don't live here for the beaches, though...

Opened an account at KTB last November..Apparently had to take a 1 year accident insurance policy with the ATM card. 1000 Baht. Don't need to do again, they said I didn't bitch about it as I was only on Multiple O at the time and needed an account, . A year on, I had automatic deduction from my account today of 999 Baht.SMS message. I thought my account was being tested by some new scam, and the wife rang KTB, stat. She was told yearly ATM fee. She told them it was 250 Baht last year, why 999 Baht this year? Don't know, they said.. We went into Central in Udon. This time there was no escape for the bank staff from the missus. We were told eventually that 750 Baht was insurance [but only says ATM fee in updated passbook]. Nobody informed us of this upcoming sting, by email or SMS as "People don't want the bank to bother them" we were told. A friend of ours who sells insurance, tells us more likely that there is a trailing commission involved.

We cannot get money back this next year, but apparently, we can cancel card and insurance next year at end of October, and get another card. Wife missus says that we will be doing that. But, of course, we are advised that this would leave me uninsured..I told them I had Platinum with BUPA and felt reasonably safe. Big smile from my side of the desk. No smiles from the Banks side.

Sort of got a semi win. ..To me, that's gold!.

Love it here!

What the heck is a "casual gym visit"

That's where you just walk into a gym, see people exercising and sweating, think that looks like work, then turn around and leave.

Hah! That is basically what my visits to the gym are like. With regard to the OP that seems like a very cheap day... I only have Bangkok as a reference but to do all of that there I would assume a price more along the lines of 1000tbh.

It's Udon Thani, Pitts, which is much cheaper than Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, Samui etc. The prices were true. My 25 Baht per cup Arabica bean long Black shop has no aircon or free wifi, granted, but a pot of hot green tea is included..1115 now....Time to go!

Speaking of Perth and considering that mostly Aussies are reading this.

Scoot Airlines have just released a Perth - Singapore fare for $88

Yes you are right but it is just a promotional first fare commencing on the 9th of December I think

After checking flights back Brisbane, it seems the specials that are on Brisbane-Udon Thani- Brisbane, don't exist in reverse. I can get cheaper flights to the UK than to Brisbane, due, I suppose, to the larger selection of airlines...Another reason to not return to home often!

Yes, I realize I can fly AirAsia and Scoot from the Gold Coast. Been there, done that, and I'd rather pay the extra.

A long way off retirement but some cost comparisons that have me thinking a bit recently

Thailand England

Education c.300,000/year Free

Healthcare c.5000/m insurance Free

BMW 320 c. 3,000,000 c. 1,200,000

Coffee Machine c. 15,000 c. 5,000

Supermarkets are about the same, but I would say you have a bit more variety and (never thought I would say this!) better quality in the UK.

Thailand is cheap for some things, hotels, restaurants, labour (a double edged sword) but not for others, and the things Thailand is not cheap for are becoming more of a priority in my life than the things it is cheap for.

Property can be cheap but if you want a nice place in a good location (and that means Bangkok for most people who work here) then it isn't much different to provincial cities in England.

Many people here mention healthcare..Cost and quality. I was in the emergency medical field for 27yrs in Brissie. Most people there have private medical insurance if they can afford it due to hospitals full, even emergency depts. If your condition is emergency, eg Stroke, heart attack, fell off roof, etc..Then the initial treatment is up with the best in the world. No question, and free ambulance to boot. Anything chronic, eg waiting for valve replacement, bypass surgery, hernia, hip replacement, specialist appointment, then you could be waiting in pain for months, even years. Private insurance will get it done quicker, but still with extra fees up to thousands of bucks..Dental? Long appointment waits and extortionate fees for no better quality than here.

Best bet in Thailand is to get Accident Insurance, and pay for most surgery needs,,Believe me, hip replacements and colonoscopies are dirt cheap compared to the West...Unless you want to wait forever to get it free...

I keep my BUPA in Oz going in case of the unexpected, whatever that may be..Pay for what I need here which is minor, and get it done pronto. There is no free dental in Oz as someone suggested, unless you are poverty stricken and join the loooong queue for Govt dentistry. Most medical problems are lifestyle related here, so much about medical care is up to you...Just my opinion.

The cost of the massage is way over what you pay, assuming you are talking straight massage, the cost of $86au is more likely to be for 1 hour and the shop down the road from me does it for $55/hr.

Everything else I would say is correct.

I think you misread my post, mate..

I said 1 hour foot massage, and 30 minutes back massage.would be $86..Go to the Chiang Mai massage on Gladstone rd, Dutton Pk, and check the prices.

Glad you agree with the rest!

Mate of mine is over from Brisbane for a visit. Early retirement like me. After a normal, boringly happy lazy day, with nothing better to do, we did a cost comparison of our day ex meals. Brisbane prices are approx, according to my mate. Clear to see how Thailand seems so cheap to us, more than most other TV member countries.

Casual gym visit in morning. 50B........Brisbane 390B

2 long black coffees after 50B Brisbane 178B

1 hour foot massage and

30 min back massage

at Nong Prajak 210B Brisbane 2494B

Car hand washed 150B Brisbane 900B

flat white and New York

Baked Cheesecake at

carwash cafe at Nong Prajak

while waiting 125B Brisbane 290B

Total 585B 4252B

I do this, apart from the car wash, 3 times a week..Other days just as [in]active.

I couldn't afford 3 days at $140 a day, plus the other 4 days, for just hanging around, as can't my soon to go home friend.

How does this little lot compare with a day in other countries?

They are in Chiang Mai in huge numbers. The one aspect I dislike most about that is that they are very incompetent riding motorbikes and pose a daily menace to me in that way. They stop in intersections to open and look at maps. They unexpectedly u-turn on one way streets, and in general drive like clueless rubes. A tourist policeman I know tells me that Chinese tourists involved in accidents on motorbikes is a daily occurrence and out of hand. I think we are on the leading edge of a total Chinese invasion over the coming 10 years. They are already buying businesses and land etc in CM and jumping in with both feet. They will not be as easy to fleece as the farang that came before them.................

Pray tell me how Chinese [Not Thai Chinese] are buying land and businesses in Thailand? Do you mean international businesses investing with a Thai partner, or individual Chinese? I didn't know the rules were different for Chinese..Are they?

I've been with Bupa for ten yrs. now and I am 68 yrs. old. The premiums only go up every 5 yrs. and like the other posts tat talk about age guarantees if you took out your policy before the age of 60 then you are guaranteed renewal for a lifetime. I have only had one claim in ten yrs. and my premiums remain the same with a 15% discount which is the discretion of the branch manager.

Barry

Could you let me know which city you are in and how to get a Branch Manager? I joined last December -58yo- and I was told that after 65yo my premiums would rise by 10% a year after 65yo, plus normal fee rises. I joined online through Bangkok. I worked out that if I [hopefully] make 80, I would be paying a fortune. From what you say what I was told was wrong. I haven't made a claim, and am still holding on to my BUPA Australia at present. If your claim is correct, I could drop my Aus BUPA.