nigelforbes

As a broad principle that's true. I was having a discussion with an experienced investor about this subject. The problem we ran into was that it wasn't easy to define what "timing the market" really means. Day traders time the market all day long, that's perfectly clear. But the funds investor who changes his strategy on funds, once every three years, is that timing the market? I don't think so. The investor who gets our of equities due to economic collapse and stays out for two or three years, is that timing the market? I don't think so. The 65 year old who switches from 100% equities to 60% equities, is that timing the market? I don't think so.

And a gift hamper and some flowers.

I believe there's a requirement for insurance companies in Thailand to be members of or registered with the OIC, Office of Insurance Commission. They are the people who determine whether an insurance company can trade etc and makes those companies behave in a certain manner. Much more than that I don't know but some googleing may uncover more. I did find this, if it's of help: https://www.thailandmedical.news/pages/thailand_medical_insurance_listings

Yes and no, I suppose it depends on the definition of "time the markets". I moved from 100% global equities to around 50% Wealth preservation funds, 10% equities and 40% cash. Not long afterwards the markets fell and my investor peers/friends all took hits up to -40%, I suffered -6%. I came out of equities because the 10year became inverted and I thought I could see the inflation writing on the wall....I was lucky, I was right. Now, I'm slowly getting back into equities, very very slowly. A friend says I'm timing the market, I say I'm not. I say I'm making rational adjustments based on economic forecasts and events. Define it how you will, if that is timing the markets it's definitely not a looser game.

PensionBee is a UK company, they are an online pensions consolidator. In the UK at least there are tax issues associated with pensions, I don't understand what the connection is with them and Thailand. But as to the question whether the beneficiary of a pension can be different from the person who earned the pension, I IMAGINE/GUESS no, because of the tax implications. EDIT: Except after death of the pension fund owner that is.

Wont know for certain until end fiscal 2023.

USD 251 bill at end Jun at an exchange rate of 35, USD 229 bill at end Oct but at an exchange rate of 38. BUT USD 286 bill in December 2020 at an ex rate of 30. I'd say they were broadly flat but I haven't done the calculation. November numbers should be available soon. https://www.bot.or.th/App/BTWS_STAT/statistics/ReportPage.aspx?reportID=80&language=eng EDIT: I did the calc., the reserves were broadly flat.

Alcohol?

We visit Pattaya twice a year or so, we live in the North. We usually stay in Naklua or at the Holiday Grim in North Beach. We go to the beach in Sattahip and do our shopping and dining in Pattaya where there is plenty of variety and the standards are good. We're normal, we don't do the bar scene so maybe we're not that normal but we do like to stroll down the beach in the evening and would prefer not to run the gauntlet in doing so. There are loads and loads of people like us except newbie and forum based farangs can't tell the difference between me as a resident of 20 years and my Thai wife of the same, and, a monger with his Issan love interest, they are all the same to that group, foreign male and a Thai female, it's pathetic. If they would but understand it, the percentage of normal folks far outweighs the mongers and whores in Pattaya, far outweighs.

I'm faced with two choices, either debate the issue or put you on ignore, it's no surprise which way the vote went.

Can the girls not go do their soliciting in places where they are a little less conspicuous, instead of Pattaya's main thoroughfare, a place where families, children and normal people walk to enjoy their holiday? Better still, are there not enough establishments with roofs and four walls where those working girls could go and still easily be found by tourists. I don't think the police are trying to clean up Pattaya at all, I think they are just trying to get the sleaze out from underneath everybody's gaze and force the industry to be a little more discreet. Is that too much to ask.

Que?

There are a number of online fax services that are free, I used one a few months ago to send a document to the SSc folks in Baltimore. Either google free online fax or I'll take a look and try to see what I used. FAX.PLUS, you'll need to sign up by entering your email but there hasn't been any downside to do doing that, five free faxes or so.

Nonsense, have you even read the article and if so, have you understood any of it! "But efficacy wanes over time, and an analysis out last week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the need to get regular booster shots to keep one’s risk of death from the coronavirus low, especially for the elderly".

I agree with 33 or 34 in 2023.

Are you collecting green shield stamps?

Or perhaps it was merely a joke....oh brightest of stars!

You're supposed to wear them, not smoke them!

All the dreamers have come out to give their advice on where to buy XXXX large condoms in Thailand, really, I mean really!

Yes, agreed. But let's not forget what the subject of the thread is, it's the strength of THB and one of the factors that contributes to Baht strength is the existence of those Foreign Currency Reserves, at their existing levels. The combination of relatively low government borrowings, very low overseas borrowings in foreign currencies, the existence of the Foreign Currency Reserves and the absence of costly overheads such as social welfare programs, all contribute to that strength.

I pay marginally over 200 Pounds per year plus the site is feature rich, I'd happily pay more, all things considered. I file UK taxes, not US.

I pay on average 0.70% of the sum invested in fund commission and 0.35% per year for platform fees, no charge to buy and sell....UK. Interactive brokers in Luxemburg would give you a better deal, perhaps look into them. Also, tax on dividends is mostly reclaimable, up to a limit, if not resident for tax purpose, without limit.

I see a few new bank owned Benz in the driveway.....is perhaps more accurate.

Dunno, but I'm happy to concede that the comparable debt is probably not 750% of GDP, based on what I've seen, now that I've done some digging....I will continue to dig but am going square eyed with this currently. Markets always cite Thailand's relatively low debt levels, especially their extremely low overseas debt levels where the loans are denominated in other than THB. Perhaps the story is in the relative amounts, it's far easier to find 500 bill (Thai debt) than it is to find 31 trillion (US debt), especially when almost half that amount already exists in the Foreign Currency Reserves (Thailand 200 bill US) Other considerations when making comparisons between the two countries is in social security and social benefits debt, US SSc future debt levels are increasingly high, Thailand's are close to non existent. Whilst there is a crude form of unemployment benefit here, there is very little financial overhead whereas in the US it is extremely high. Lastly, as far as I can tell, US debt by individual States adds about US 6 trill to the US debt pile.

As said earlier, my mistake, I intended 10 million per year.