Flyguy330

Well tyhat's funny - the spell checker deletes the word "Bollixx".

Right - but I was more wondering if he might hang out in some Bangkok pub and is best mates with loads of you lads. Or maybe that he's a well known <deleted>.

OK, this is my first post on this thread. I hadn't ther time to read through it before. There has been a lot of comment about Thai's believing in their 'superiority' - though the notion has been declared inexplicable and wrong. I think I can explain it. I've often read and been reminded that Thailand is the only Asian nation that has never been defeated and colonised, and whose culture and monarchy has been preserved through thick and thin over the centuries. I guess that counts for something, and makes Thais feel justified in feeling superior relative to those other local nations. I think that makes some sense.

I'm glad to hear it. I just thought that calling him Nim Chimpsky was a bit snide. My mistake. I'm not endorsing him 100%, nor Bernie, but I like a lot of his thinking, and he is a thinker.

You've mentioned before that you don't like Noam C. Why? His politics I presume? I like a lot of his writing. He's very good at outing Corporate America and its abuse of the working classes. I guess you wouldn't like Bernie Saunders either.... are you a Republican?

I made the OP, but I didn't comment on your reply. It was someone else.

Doesn't look like Bangkok though...

Jeez - it sounds like hard work to me!

I worked my whole life in a 24/7/365 industry. I had a variable roster. One day I'd be working all night. A day or two later I'd be working all day. Constant shift changes, with crack of dawn starts, followed by middle of the night starts. All over the clock. Now I'm retired and my greatest luxury is - a lie in. More than that is the freedom to set my own bedtime/wake up routine. I've settled into one where I normally hit the sack around midnight and tend to read for an hour before sleep hits me on the head. I wake most days at 0830, bit nap until 0930. I then catch up with the news of the day on my iPad until I roll out of bed for breakfast around 1000-1030. I've been known to lay reading until 1100. Like I said, this to me is luxury after decades of sleep disruption and deprivation. The only drawback is that my days seem to fly by too fast. I sometimes wish I was more of a 'morning person' and was naturally waking (and rested) at 0700. I could probably get more done in the day. But, I am what I am. How about you? What's your routine?

It may be free in some european countries, but from all I'm hearing and reading the standards are abysmal, with long delays for non-urgent treatment or testing and deadly delays for emergency treatment (people regularly dying while waiting in Casualty, or being sent home with incorrect diagnoses to soondie). In Asia I have NEVER had to wait to be seen by a Dr in an emergency, and have never been put on a waiting list to get non-urgent treatment. Sure, I have Med Ins and pay for it big time, but you know what they say about free stuff? It's worth exactly what you paid for it. Nothing.

Some of you may be familiar with the website Zerohedge.com It was originally a finance centred website with useful articles and debates on economic issues, many of the contributors were knowledgeable. Unfortunately it later morphed into a political forum (with a finance leaning) and a lot of the current contributors are nutcases. I still read it because some of the articles are still useful, and it tends to be ahead in the news cycle. One of the regular article writers is a guy named Ben Bartree, and his tagline says he is an American author, based in Bangkok! Is he on this forum? Does anyone here know him?

If you're French, yes. Look out for frogs too.

One other thing - I guess many of you should also consider the tax implications of where you are when you die. For my homeland I am Non (Tax) Resident, and they have no claim to any inheritance taxes on my estate. Those taxes are pure robbery in many western nations, and hard to escape - maybe impossible in some, like the UK for example. Once the UK Inland Revenue have their hooks in you there's practically no escape. They own you even after death abroad. I paid income taxes all my life, at top rates, often over 50%. The assests I managed to accumulate were worked hard for, and bought from taxed income. I got little benefit in return - my son is being charged full overseas tuition rates in University in my homeland in spite of all the money I handed over to them in punitive taxes. I was never a burden on the State, and he didn't even attend junior school there. I feel highly aggreived, and there's no way they are ever going to get another penny in taxes from me - ESPECIALLY NOT INHERITANCE TAX. That's all for Him and my descendants.

I'm aware now, and it matters to me. I think there's nothing sadder than touring a Colonial era cemetry in Asia and seeing the names of all the people who died far from their homelands, and are buried in foreign soil. I'm interested in their histories, and often look up their names on the internet. But all too often such graves and graveyards are terribly neglected, with weeds and plant overgrowth, toppled headstones, and a general air of abandonment. A disrespected, and ignominious end to brilliant lives. Also there's the simple fact that my family would probably appreciate having a place to go to where they can 'visit' me, or feel some closeness, even after my death. I feel that need for my own parents and relatives. My female partner (an Asian girl) had her mothers body cremated on the instructions of her father. He also arranged for the ashes to be scattered in the sea. Now my lady weeps when she thinks of it, and deeply regrets following his instructions. She pines for a memorial, a gravestone to go to, to pay her respects, and feel some closeness to her mother. I'm sorry now that I didn't advise her against it. Now I realise the importance of a physical memorial for relatives. It aids the greaving process.

Where I am when I die is of little consequence to me. Where I'm buried is however. I don't much like the idea of burial in a foreign land. I plan on being cremated, and if possible having my ashes returned to my homeland for burial.

I remember watching a documentary yonks ago about the psychedelic era in the US. Leary featured heavily in it. Wasn't it he who coined the line that summed up the culture - 'Turn on, tune in, and drop out'? But the one thing I remember most about the documentary - even after all these years - was Leary's final words to camera when intercepted on a New York street for a comment. He was asked something about 'the end of the hippy culture'. His response was "I never liked hippies anyway" - fade to black....

From the South China Morning Post this week. “The statistics on “lonely deaths” were released by the Japanese National Police Agency on Tuesday. They showed that across Japan, 21,716 people died alone in the first three months of the year, with nearly 80 per cent, or 17,034 individuals, aged 65 or older.” stunning and frightening statistic.

I did a contract for 3 months in Santiago, Chile in 1988. Loved the place. Dead safe (still under Pinochet rule), friendly people, great food, amazing wine, and the female talent was amazing. I considered a side trip to Brazil, but all the Chileans I mentioned it to were aghast and strongly advised against it. I took their advice and visited Valparaiso instead (which was great). A mate of mine who did visit Rio was held up at gunpoint in the street. The internet these days is full of videos from Brazil of the most cruel and horrible murders being regularly committed there. I'd love to have seen the Carnival, but no way will I go there now.

Good post. I have an account with UOB in Malaysia, which I opened because I expected it to aid me in getting a UOB account in Singapore. UOB is HQ'd in Singapore. But after I had established a good 6 months with the Malaysian branch and I asked them to give me a reference or whatever to help open a UOB Singapore account they told me they couldn't, and being an account holder in Malaysia (even a Premier Customer) would in no way assist in getting a Singapore account. Later, when I got a Thai LTR Visa I asked them to help me open a UOB Thai account I got the same answer. They have no links. I also have HSBC accounts in multiple countries where I've lived or worked (not Thailand unfortunately - there is no HSBC retail banking in Thailand). HSBC have a wonderful facility on their website/app called Global Banking which allows you to see your accounts in every country, and make instant cost free transfers between them. That to me is fantastic. BUT - try to get your 'relationship manager' in country A to talk to your RM in country B and you soon realise they may be CALLED HSBC, but they are different as chalk and cheese and have no formal contact system at Retail Banking level. If you are in country A and all hell is breaking loose in your country B HSBC account you will simply be told to contact your country B RM. Also - the websites/apps in the various HSBC countries are ALL different. No commonality, no standardisation. The upshot of all this is I've learned that these 'global banks' are global in name only (at least at retail level) and only top Management have any commonality across their global networks. Country specific operations are like separate businesses.

Nice idea, but if you never establish Tax Residence in one of those countries (and maintain it) you will probably be declared Tax Resident in your home country and taxed there instead. They've got us every way guys - you cannot become a global tax exile on planet earth. All you can do is find the cheapest legal option. For me - I established Tax Residency in Malaysia, and only need do 90 days per year there to maintain it. The rest of the time I can be nomadic and untaxed. Good plan for yachties too.

Are you sure about this? In Malaysia (which has now got a Remittance Tax) you can REMIT the proceeds of the sale of a foreign property and it is EXEMPT from the Remittance Tax. The Remittance Tax ONLY applies to INCOME earned overseas. Remitted proceeds from a property sale is CAPITAL (not Income), and is specifically exempted. Maybe it's the same in Thailand?

This was an interesting discussion but faded away. Does anyone know what happened to the guy in this story? Did he survive? The debate between Kwilco and Mike Lister was also very useful. You both sound like you have insider knowledge of Thai medicine, but yet opposing views. Very confusing and a bit worrying. I'd like to have seen this one resolved for all our sakes. Please comment again.

Your info is out of date. Malaysia proposed a Remittance Tax in October 2022 and it was to start on Jan 1st 2023. There was an outcry from locals (yes, many locals work overseas and remit money) and the Government backed down, said they would defer the change for 5 years. That's where you probably stopped paying attention. As did many. However in June 2023 the Government announced that they had 'gazetted' the Remittance Tax law (meaning they put it on the statute books, contrary to their earlier promise) and FURTHERMORE they BACKDATED it to Jan 1st (the original planned inception date). So Malaysia now taxes remittances (with certain exceptions). To be fair to them, and indeed Thailand, this Remittance Tax is something forced on them by the OECD, whose policies seem to be driven by the GOOD OLE U S of A! Thanks Buddy!!

[media] Worth a watch......

So why did you quote it? Do you always rest your arguments on fluff? And don’t get so angry bud, it’s not about you.