Ben Zioner

Easy to answer that one. First year I deposited an extra 200k believing that I could use the 400k for my extension of stay. Not so, the letter they gave me showed only 200k available for immigration purpose. Never mind I had enough elsewhere. But that makes perfect sense since logically you can't use the same money for two distinct guarantees. Thereafter I had one account for CC and a distinct on for Immigration. Dunno yet what I am going to do with the latter. Smallish money anyhow.

They wanted to know why you were coming so often to Thailand. If I was them I'd ask too, add ask also how you make a living, etc. If you stretch the visa system you must be prepared to be asked some questions. What you wrote just shows that the IO did their job.

I have opened mine with 200k. Why? Hotel bookings, airfares for holidays get dangerously close to that number.. Had it for 7 years now, zero complaints, never paid any interest.

Ironically I have been living here for over 10 years. Married, two kids, two cars, a fully air conditionned, 200m2 house, about 6 weeks holidays a week. I am spending 2.5 to 3 MBaht a year, for what is a normal western, lower middle class lifestyle.

Minor detail, there your have 35000 multiplied by 2. And how many kids of school age? Oooh yes Decent health coverage for a family of 4 costs 15k to 20k a month. 10k "to play with" ? When a week in Koh Chang will cost me at least 150k.. Laughable. What's strange is that with such low levels of income, while I couldn't afford to live here, I'd have more fun living in the country side in the Pyrenees, hiking and cross country skiing.

Nope. You said "You can live quite healthily and happily on $1,000 a month in Thailand/ Laos/ Cambodia/ Philippines." . In Thailand 35000 Baht is a bare minimum for living single, so "happiness" on a bare minimum? And without family one can't be happy anyhow, so 200000 will be a starting number.

Vietnam wasn't he only war in the Seventies. I was 20 in 1973, never fired my gun, just watched the R...eads run back to Egypt. Was great fun, the inventory of what they left behind was a chore though..

Nope..

Couldn't find the "this is ridiculous" emoticon.

Of course, and nothing could happen to a 72 years old, in Thailand, without health coverage. Now, when I give it more thought, I reckon the answer for OP would probably be to in Thailand stay part time (3 to 6 months a year). Absolutely not cutting his bridges to Oz.

When this happens to me I just get a hard on, problem solved.

Honestly OP, with these numbers, i'm afraid there never was any boat to be missed. Move to Armidale, get your family over and enjoy the rest of your life under Medicare. I am always staggered by the extent to which geezers underestimate the rate at which healthcare costs increase as one ages. Simply do not come to Thailand with a proper western style health cover, in OP's case this is only available in Australia. Remember he is 72.

So, for you, language is like clothing? One must be "trendy" to be "in"? Once I got clobbered here for using "man" instead of "dude", made me laugh.

Yep I do the same. I've also built a 20cm external layer of reinforced concrete to my house, with an earthed 20 mm sheet of steel between the external and internal layers.

Let's call it: "The substances cabinet".

Come on Thailand, chose between us or China before you go crying for our know how. But it might be an uphill battle to rid you of this "have it both ways" culture.

Doubt you can get Ritalin without prescription. My daughter gets it from her Doctor at Manarom, English speaking. I can dig out her name if you want.

How about Gigantopenia?

"Thai democracy", what are they talking about? Ohh..! they mean that perverted system where the Thai people have just been robbed of their vote.

Nope, one can pay for and have sex at any age.

They should swim them back to their toxic fatherland.

Missing link Indeed.

He is American, but could be British or even French... About time they remove the visa exempt admissions and require a criminal & employment record before issuing visas.

Thanks, must have been the "Hot exhaust".

Sheds an interesting light on the state of the young Thai male.