NanLaew

That's quite easily the saddest potted biography I've read in a long, long time.

I have lived and worked in the US. It has more statutes than you can shake a stick at. The average American likes all these laws. I would go so far as they crave them. They think that having all these legal protections is what makes their nation a beacon of democracy.

Could you go back to the first shop and let them know that their photos are not acceptable because they are photo shopped , explain that they were not accepted . They would probably change their process to developing photos that are acceptable . That would be helpful to all concerned in the future Maybe good for the first shops' future business, but won't do anything for @4MyEgo's ego

Yes. Several times. I've also been "let you in front" in the UK as well, but since I shop in Thailand three or four times a week versus once or twice a year in the UK, any attempt at correlating this with Thai people's attitudes is worthless. Nice to see that overall you are happier in Thailand than the UK and that despite all the gurning, it is "ok for me now"

While we're here, has anyone else's pension check not shown up yet?

1. To your account means you know it is in the country before you send to her on a domestic transfer. Avoids any unlikely 'I didn't receive it' scenario to a third party's account. If it doesn't show in your Thai account, it is easier to rectify. Note that if you are using your Thai banking app, you should have already registered your self with the bank so that transactions greater than 50k baht/day can be carried out. You would also need to make sure the daily max transfer limits on your account can handle the amounts planned. You can do that on the app. 2. No. Extra paperwork is something needed for a foreigner buying a condo who may want to repatriate the proceeds if he sells up. 3. There are taxes involved. Up to your wife and land seller to agree on who pays them. 4. You don't need to declare anything when making the international and/or domestic transfer. Depending on the local land office, you may be required to sign an affidavit to the effect that you acknowledge it was your money but it was a gift and you have no claim on the property.

Is there such a thing as a European licence? I thought all European nations issued their own licences to meet an agreed EU standard. If you state the European country your licence is from, you should get the definitive answer you seek rather than the guesses you don't want.

If you need to ask... Sorry, I was taken aback by your rhetorical question.

Yes indeed. I heard read somewhere that it's the final frontier?

Medical tourism. It's not all about gogo bars and short times any more although the dwindling amounts of ageing Lothario's may be reluctant to agree.

As I suggested in my earlier nautical tale, damaged conductors can offer resistance to normal current flow causing heat, insulation breakdown, flashover or, if in the vicinity of something with a low tolerance to heat such as air conditioning pipework insulation, start combustion by radiated heat. Did you know that the principle of a "hot wire" is the basis of the old fashioned filament light bulb? 12 V DC @ a nominal 35 A load through a poorly made or "damaged" connection or wire will overheat. The BYD cable could have been "damaged" when it was assembled by the third-party auto parts manufacturer who makes them or it could have been "damaged" on the assembly line. It's unlikely that it was "damaged" by the owner, unless he thought the bonnet (hood) was a small boot (trunk) and stashed something in there previously. Mrs NL used to transport chooks to the market in the back of her CR-V. The "blanket" on your Atto blanket is not there to keep the battery warm in winter. It's a thermal sleeve that insulates the battery from external heat sources. High heat cycles can shorten the life of a car battery and if the air flow in the engine bay is deemed insufficient to regulate this exposure to heat, the manufacturers install the thermal sleeve. I have one on my Ranger (as does most everyone else who has a Ranger). I had one of those 24/7 emergency battery replacement chaps who didn't put it back after replacing the battery as it was too much effort. Rather than show him the error of his slothful ways, I waited until he had left and refitted it myself.

FWIW, a friend of mine did a no-appointment, walk-in UK passport renewal at VFS Trendy last week. They can do it for a fee. He declined their suggestion for him to use a cheaper copying shop elsewhere, as he wanted it done as quickly as possible without leaving their office. His costs: "127.51p pounds sterling for the passport .. will be taken off my Kasikorn Visa card circa 5,600 bt within the next few days. Add to that cash payment as below totaling 2000 bt walk in fee 1560 bt copying 440 bt ..(colour copies of every page of passport being renewed and Thai drivers license both sides.) 7,600 bt total" The scans of his TDL was for the proof of address requirement.

I'm impressed. With you noticing all that stuff in my posts I mean. Otherwise... PS: City & Guilds in Cheese Mechanics, Garretts Green Technical College.

So what happens to these relationships when the German's tell the noob Thai PM and DPM to go fish?

I have experience with damaged cables. I had one on a ship where the wires inside a power cable were "damaged" when they were compressed in a clamp and through heat and vibration, caused the insulation to eventually break down, causing an arc that failed to trip a circuit breaker so the short-circuit stalled the generator that threw a rod through the crankcase that spewed hot oil onto the hotter compressor exhaust that caught fire with the flames eventually melting the fuel filter bowls on the main engines and igniting that source. That was a fun-filled 20 minutes putting that one out. Of course this was all before EV's were invented and it did take Transport Australia five years to work that one out, so here's hoping the damaged wire/high-current/high heat incident on the Udon Thani Atto will be explained sooner than later.

I guess your missus wrote and signed the affidavit for you. She does luv you. Keeper!

It's not the voltage that's the issue, it's the current. A loose connection on a high-amperage device gets hot. That happens on ICE vehicles too. A lot. Enjoy your Atto

I imagine you posted the same confused emoji on your own comment. It would have been appropriate! If I ever used an emoji, maybe. Emoji's are for the ineloquent, inarticulate and otherwise linguistically stunted.

Then hedge when its low. About 15 years ago, Qantas did exactly that and locked in their avgas prices for a fixed period, whereas the others didn't. When avgas prices soared, Qantas was sitting pretty and banking like gang busters but pretty sure most of the profits went into the pockets of shareholders as I don't recall them ever being a bargain airfare carrier.

Without specifics, your 'many reports' and 'many people' are worthless. I did witness several Chinese guys with their 'wives' when I was picking up my 1-year MENO in Savanakhet last April. Maybe those are the ones that are being bailed up or causing any tigher scrutiny? Alternatively, maybe a few expats who are... estranged, are trying to pull a fast one?

If you can't stay on topic, don't bother to post.

This is Thailand. Tipping is neither obligatory nor expected. Having said that, most modern restaurants with automated POS have the service charge included, so check the bill before wasting your money. If a member of the wait staff has gone 'above and beyond' at table service, then maybe leave some green bills. Same applies in a traditional dinery with the hand-written tab, no tip is expected but small change is OK or maybe a red bill if she's (been) a sweetheart (and your wife's not looking/gone to the restroom). Hotel maids, part of the hotel service. No tip from me on short stays, but I will leave my "shrapnel" loose pocket change when I check out. I did stay long-term in a serviced apartment and had the same two maids who did extra work after I had guests over. They would also take any laundry they found in the washer and put it in the drier or hang it out on the balcony so they got a couple of hundred baht once a week and I would also get some chocolates or sweets for them to take home for their kids. For the home maid service, if through a commercial company, that's what they are paid to do so no need to pay more unless they did a really good job on a really dirty stove top, etc.. If this is a 'private hire' and the same person coming in say once or twice a week, maybe a small bonus around the time of a local holiday would be well received but again, no need to tip on every visit. For the handyman, agree a price up front and how long the job will take. If they do it well, on time and all in good order and you think you may need their services again, a few hundred baht will be acceptable. Other "tips" that are acceptable for the journeyman handyman is some cold beers, but only after they're done.

I recall you need to provide some sort of affidavit for a third party to collect it, no matter how much she luvs you.

Maybe the OP's a Russian of "fighting age"?