BonMot

I've been in and out of Thailand for 30 years. Lived in Bangkok for 12. I can count on one hand the truly bad experiences I've had. On the other I can count the times I've been turned down for a ride. I totally side with the poor cabbies and that's excluding the fact that the rates / fares are below market - even for Thailand. The notion that an individual should be forced to waste their time or lose money in a business proposition when they know full well this is the case is pure folly. The poor driver who bothered to pull over, wants money declined your money because it's a loss for him in some way. Nevertheless, self service pricks see that cabbies are some sort of public social service and it's absurd. A good rule for Bangkok is to stuck to BTS MRT and it's much faster as well. You want a cab at 2am on lower Sukhumvit to go to On Nut Saturday night. Oh well. You wish to punish someone so that you may be served. Absurd. I suspect if the same whiner's were driving the cab they'd equally whine about being forced to carry unwanted fares. If Airbnb were tossed out of the country tourists would again be more centrally located. As for Phuket and Samui, same thing. Why would anyone go there? These are known places to be entirely scammed. Will the comments of this officer / official change anything?? Hell no lol. If you are dumb enough to live or holiday in Phuket, Samui suffer it. These scams are decades old. Up 2 Them

But that takes nothing away from my statement. It remains an asset however poor, degraded. It is not money that evaporated - spent on bubble tea and nightclubs for which nothing can ever be recovered. There is so called good and bad debt. This is econ101 stuff and has nothing to do with what how Thailand's banks choose to manage their loans. They don't foreclose because it's in their interest not to do so. That doesn't change the fact about the quality of the debt. Business, banking law does not require a host of checks and balances as in the west. Bankruptcy is still next to impossible for individuals to file. Therefore, you own that debt like a rope around your neck for life. That's a win for lenders and precisely why in these dark times banks are still happy to toss loans at people entirely unable to pay them. 24% interest for life is a sweet income stream.

There's effectively no personal bankruptcy so the banks are pleased to take the *risk* at 20+% per year.

The bank can arguably recover on the real estate if it cannot be sold outright. I disagree.

When the utility fees went down by law our apartment instituted a common fee. B300 for two persons in central Bangkok. Includes all and lift. You're getting ripped.

This story runs annually...sigh. When discussing debt real estate and to a lesser extent vehicles should be removed from the equation. Having a mortgage is not the same debt as 100k in Starbucks, cosmetics and dining out. It's criminal how the government allows people to wade into such debt. Thais know nothing about finance generally speaking.

35-50yo Pattaya 8 mo's a year. 50-70yo Bangkok. Both + four months Koh Tao, southern islands, travel abroad. 70-onwards Bangkok 10 mos a year. Few months travel in Thailand or Japan.

Lol. Nearly half. So, at least 55% well over majority are not. Who writes this cr*p? Headline: Well over half Thais polled are not satisfied....

To the title of the post. Would anyone know if there's a benefit to an international account other than presumably your ability to trade equities, etc? International account requirements? $$ to open, balances and most importantly any additional tax issues or forms? Thanks

Drunken mud wrestling in lingerie maybe

A part of the reason I had remained in Asia. Lovely, feminine beauty. Pass on the brawlers thanks.

70% of House Republicans voted with Biden. It's on them as well if not more so. All the chicken hawks doubly so.

yuck

Mid term elections even if Republicans win will have little affect. It's well beyond the pols. Fed balance sheet Interest rates Treasury balance sheet. Congressional spending Bond market Republicans just spent 40B on Ukraine black hole. Why would the market turn around simply because they landed a tiny majority?

Pretty much everything you've written is untrue. Biden saving the economy was good for a laff. You certainly did not go Wharton or HBS. I will grant you that Republicans can spend money almost as fast as Dems. It really doesn't matter and that's why the congress is spending as it is. The nation is finished. They're all getting backhanders on the way out.

It doesn't mean that at all. Much of the weakness of GBP is on that side. THB is now 37/us1 or thereabouts. Some fringe economic blogs predict when the dollar is cranked up, peak interest rates and the pound is in a nosedive could be close to parity. Like 1.05...

You're still here?

To address everything that's been said - none of this will be getting better with all the internet addiction.

This is absolutely true. Even if not educated well by Thai simply going to a decent/ well regarded secondary school, having some university and an office job. The people (and women) being discussed have zero education and throughout there lives at the bottom of Thai pecking order, no money, no access to finance. At 25-30 realization no way forward. Add to this deep family obligation that strips them of money, opportunity. I'm not making excuses for them but that's the reality. Plan for tomorrow. With which critical thinking skills? What money? What TIME? Women left with few options can be mercenary here and back in your home countries.

I'm lost how the photo at all relates to your statement. He's actually thinking ahead. Proactively protecting the vehicle from getting dinged by morons opening their doors on it.

It's entirely China's sabotage. Do you see that stuff here? No. East Asia? No. It's purposeful.

This thread conjurs up the story of the fisherman lazing under the coconut tree when the farang approached and said...

Then get out of issarn and live in Bangkok where at least the half-smart people live.

Thanks for the link

As little as possible. Great relationship with almost all aunts, uncles all but one are gone. All cousins but a few good relations. Immediate family just a bunch of numbnutz and retatdz. My brothers are certifiable nut cases.