Flyguy330

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.

That was fun reading, but pretty lightweight as a serious study. It was an opinion poll, nothing more. They put Harrison 15 places above Trump - a man who served for only one month! That in itself discredits the whole method. It’s a fluff piece.

It would be interesting to have a thread where that claim that Biden is the worst US President ever was debated. No matter what you think of Trump, or even Biden, he wasn't the worst President ever in my opinion. I believe that was Woodrow Wilson - the US President who agreed to the setting up of the Fed, and handed US monetary policy over to a cabal of crooked bankers. He also introduced the Income Tax in the US, and was a renowned racist. His efforts in WW1 are not universally appreciated either. Overall I'd say he is higher on any 'Worst' list than Biden - or even Trump for that matter.

I used to occasionally hang out in Wanchai when I worked in HK, and got to know a few of the regulars well - the girls I mean. Mostly they were part timers on the scene, who were otherwise employed as maids during the week, but just making some cash on the side and having some fun with the buleh to brighten up their otherwise harsh and boring lives. I once had a discussion with one about the number of these young girls who seemed interested more in the 'old guys' than in the many younger guys. Her answer was, yes of course the older guys usually have more money, but they were also generally nicer to be with, less demanding of weird sex and constant shagging, more inclined to stay with one girl, and less nasty or violent toward them than the younger guys. These were not professioinal hookers, they were (are) part timers who are in real need of some affection in their lives, and they appreciated it. You could have a proper GFE with them. That's why I'd far rather go 'mongering' in Wanchai on a Sunday (the Maids sole day off) than be harassed by nasty pro's on the make in BKK or Pattaya. Hong Kong is the real underrated sexy city of Asia. Thailand is just cynical - and even more so now than it ever was before. My final tip - look for the Indo maids. They are the hottest to trot.

Yer only as old as the woman you feel. Or should that be....WOMEN. Plural.

I was having a few beers in the Cafe De Paris in Monaco on the Friday before the GP. The waiter was a rather surly frenchman, and the beers were exorbitantly priced. When I asked for the bill he got the number I'd had wrong and I didn't feel inclined to correct him since for once the mistake was in my favour. One free beer. Big deal. But it felt good.

None of those are iambic pentameter. Limericks are anapestic trimeter. What is Iambic Pentameter

Forsooth I know not why I am so sad It wearies me, you say it wearies you So wrote Shakespeare, some of the few lines I still recall by heart. What an incredible talent he was. Yes, the old Iambic Pentameter, a rhythmic form in poetry that dates back to ancient Greek plays. I studied ancient Greek in school, and Latin too - what they now call 'A Classical Education'. My Greek textbook was Thrasymachus, and we were required to learn passages and decline the text using standardised iambic pentameter symbols. Pretty challenging for a 13 year old. It was only in my later years I began to truly appreciate the value of my Greek and Latin studies - they are the root languages of so many European tongues, and they are embedded in the English language. It's always fascinating to know the etymology of common words in everyday use, I get a kick out of that. I recently read a piece by a Guardian journo who was commenting on the dissapearance of the Classics from modern education, and she actually wrote 'what use are those languages anyway in modern times'. The silly bitch hadn't the wit to realise the tool of her trade (the English language) is built on their foundations.

I'm really starting to notice that this forum is becoming nothing but one big Personality Survey, where intimate questions are asked, and personal answers sought on matters that I (mostly) don't care to share with complete strangers. Aside from it being boring (I really dopn't care how much you <deleted> for instance) I think it is also unwise to reveal so much of yourself on a public forum. It always comes back to bite later. Try coming up with thread topics that are a bit more cerebral, eh? PS. I don't do Facebook either.

Bowie

We can say NO! I bet Farage would pursue this as policy. Reciprocate, or Extricate!

YES! Please, Please, Please! I've been advocating this for YEARS! Not for Thailand - but for ALL nations and nationalities coming to the West. Stop giving foreigners the same rights as locals in Europe, unless they reciprocate and give Europeans the same rights as locals in their own lands. Why on earth should a foreigner coming to Europe from a country which BANS Europeans from owning a home or business be allowed to buy property and own businesses in Europe? I actually believe this would go a long way toward opening borders (which all Lefties want) and improving international trade and investment. It would increase the respect foreigners have for the privilege of living in Europe, and might even remind Europeans of the benefits they have as a result of their European citizenship. So, YES, Please do this NOW!

Is it MANDATORY for every 'sheila' in 'Oz' to be tattoed? In my experience (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast) it appears to be. YUCK.

I haven't waded through all of this - I only read the 1st page, and I'm wondering - you really keep your PASSPORT in a 'grab bag' that you can leg it with? I hope you have it well chained down, wherever you keep it. My passport is in a safe!

Not a single vote for Malaysia, even though it's only across the border! But Pakistan is good? 🤪

Here's a great Youtube video for you - one which proves the 'conspiracy theories' about organised Union busting. Yes, it's specifically a US based case, but the strategy is being copied throughout the anglosphere.

Are you a nutter? Welcome to my ignore list. You're the first ever.

Tone deaf reply