JimTripper

It may be just me, but I distinctly feel as though the country is increasingly becoming more crowded with people. The towns I have lived in all get more crowded and people are always wanting to move somewhere less crowded. I wonder if they are letting more people in or if people are moving into the cities more.

Sorry, no facilities. I'm afraid you will have to take a dump in your own room.

I'm Ok, but I'm not saving much like I did in the Usa. More just like neutral. My lifestyle is fine, but I'm a bit worried that I should be saving more. As you get older you need more saved up to be Ok. I got a couple large tax bills that reduced my savings that I was not expecting, that got me a bit worried. A chunk of it was getting double taxed on liquidating some of my retirement accounts. I did not have the records from decades ago in contributions so I had to pay the tax and a hefty penalty on the full amount. A bit of advice, I don't recommend retirement accounts anymore to get the tax deduction. It's not worth the risk or hassle, though I think it would be beneficial if you handled things perfectly. Just use a regular brokerage account.

Cheap Charlies is actually pretty pricey. Usually at least 200 baht if you get a drink even with the daily special, so $6-ish in Usd. I guess things have gone up in recent years but it feels almost like a Denny's (a diner in the Usa) price to me. That's not somewhere I would eat out at all the time, more like just once in awhile. I'm used to street food though, I'm not a restaurant guy. There's nothing wrong with street food btw, many places have fresh seafood and the food is fine. Not street carts with wheels, but medium size streetside setups where they are cooking with tables setup. It's better and cleaner then the food court.

The man-god has spoken!

Pfffffttttt...You can step right outside and places on klang have good rice dishes for 60 baht that are freshly made. But noooooo...everybody has to sit at the food court and stare at each other and breathe other people's air because it's tooooo hot outside. 🤣

It's a bit nicer in the evening, 7-9pm or so, less crowded.

I think this kind of business startup is much easier in Cambodia. Many expats opened businesses there last time I was there (many) years ago in Sihanoukville. Russian bars on the beach etc. Reports say it changed with all the Chinese there, but the business regulations may be the same. There were guys who owned their bars downtown and on the water and it did not seem, superficially at least, that they were hassled at all or asked for money, etc. You still can't own the land however.

You will if you need cheap eats. You will also get used to living at pattaya pad and shuffling in to the food court. You can't eat at 7-11 every day.

Most people have a hot dog or weiner with it. Beans, toast, a hotdog weiner and ketchup.

I never ate the food there after the first couple times. It was always a meatless dish. Only a coffee from the stand or an ice cream cone from DQ or KFC. The ice cream cones are 20 baht. The coffee is 35 baht I think. It does not seem like a place many would aspire to retire to. Hopefully, I'm just passing through. For others, it's God's waiting room.

Did you find the free water machine? What did you have to eat? How much was the food? Was it the pattaya klang store? Cheap eats? Sammich? I think some of the newbies gravitate there. Everything is in English, predictable, has the food card system. Also, a lot of older guys that need to rest and take a break after shopping because they are older.

Sounds like they rent entire resorts or hotels when they travel rather then just one unit.

I bought a Budweiser at Big C the other day. It felt special like I was buying a treat. Brought back memories from the good old days in the USA. Next up am going to start doing some mixed drinks, like Campari & OJ. Reminds me of Italy. No Hong Thong, Wong, Ching Chong, whatever. I don't really like the crap they serve in Thailand. It's just the only thing around usually. One guy near me drinks a large Leo every day. Seems crazy. Life is too short to drink large Leo's 🤣. Wong Chong Hong. Johnny Walker Black Soda Ping Pong Fried Rice.

I loved craft beer in the USA. I never got into it in Thailand, as I viewed it as overpriced which is a huge turn off. Strange since the price is still about what I would pay in the USA without much hesitation.

Going to the loo is good. You are pissing in out of your body after the alcohol gives you a buzz. You don't want beer sitting in your body. All cheap beer is, is a carrier for the alcohol.

The Op would not be much better off buying a streetside meal for 59 baht. That's mostly rice. The beans or side would be much less then what he got in the can of beans in this size. Of course, there's always free water at the stall so he saves a bit there. Assuming it's filtered and not tap water. If in doubt, just fill up your bottle at the big c food court free water machine.

One thing I would want here with any kind of physical disability is lots of money. Need a house with a large yard and swimming pool. Most things would get delivered. Day trips would be to places that were accessible like beaches or national parks that were researched beforehand, or beach road type nightlife. Going to the corner noodle stall three times a day would be a thing of the past.

Yep. They always want to extend holidays here.

This was probably why I got 'off beers' at small bars in the past, some of which I could not even drink. I just paid and left. I used to think they were pretending to pop the cap behind the counter and giving me a flat draft, but it could have just been a really old stale expired beer.

Because he's German.

56 baht is not that bad. Same as a coffee at many places.

In & out branding would get diluted with foreign country franchises. Part of what makes it special is the pure american ordering and customer service vibe that can't be learned by foreign employees no matter how well you train them.

Because they don't want outsiders in there. There have been many documentaries about Thai prisons. They were only allowed to film people out in the pretty courtyard with flowers, or in spots that were not reflective of true conditions there.

The same reason they only allow pretty courtyards and such in any documentary. It looks better.