TroubleandGrumpy

Hillary - just like several posters on this forum and this post, just cannot get over that Trump won (fairly). I am looking forward to their reactions when Trump wins again. But I am even more looking forward to what Trump is going to do to the corrupt Dems and RINOs. And to all their supporters/enablers like NATO and UN and all the 'funders' like Soros etc. Trump has had 4 years of planning and getting things ready - he is going to start running like an SR-71 Blackbird at full speed.

Me too Mate - I was involved when the Military in Australia and USA were developing their new 'failsafe' network designs, and the Academic Institutions who then developed and took it way further.

This story, like so many others like it, make me laugh - and they gain and again confirm how stupid the authorities are in Thailand. I do not laugh at the beating - at the authorities that keep pushing Thailand as a venue for 'quality tourism' and that it will be a 'hub of XYZ' - and all the other BS and terrible/corrupt decisions that the authorities in Thailand spew forth in this country. This is not a random one off event - this sort of thing involving aole tourists happpens every day. Day after Day - Week after Week - Month after Month - Year after Year. It just never ends, and there is no end in sight of the BS that people in authority get away with here. Thailand - you have a great country with lovely people, but it is full or corruption and BS - and the majority of your tourists are not 'quality'.

Sadly that is true in a lot of cases.

True - and luckily mine got through that mostly before social media became so dominant. But nowadays social media makes it so much harder to raise non-narccisistic 'balanced' non-karen non-woke girls, and socially capable young men who have grown up and dont play boy's computer games all day/night.

I hope Facebook follows them soon. Not because they are outdated but because they are not a good thing for children - makes many of them narcissistic and socially isolated.

I think Thailand's situation was best summed up when Tesla chose Malaysia as its SEAsian manufacturing hub - just ahead of Indonesia - Thailand was not in the race.

I agree the last bit about low 'quality' tourists, but IMO the main reason Indonesia and Malaysia get more international business from other countries (including China) is because they make it far more attractive for the businesses and the workers they will bring into the country by offering serious and real tax incentives. Thailand still operates like in the 1990s and thinks that offering 'special' Visas for foreign workers with huge amounts of money is all they need to do. Besides Hong Kong, most Chinese investments are in Singapore and that aint because they 'like' them. An educated workforce is a bonus with regards to Singapore, but with most businesses that have invested in Thailand in the past are manufacturing and industrial - and lots of woke Uni degree workers are not their requirement. Additionally, Thailand's major exports are agriculture and for far too long a high Baht has impeded their growth and allowed countries like Vietnam to take some of their share of the pie - same things across most agricultural products.

The issue/story is about the economic recession that Thailand is enetering after 10 years of the Junta and the decline in overseas development. Thailand is no longer the only 'port of call' for manufacturers and big industries looking to setup a base (hub?) in SEAsia. Malaysia and Indonesia have been kicking their butts for many years, and Vietnam is making strong moves forward. Meanwehile Thailand has been pushing Chinese led growth though tourism and letting them take over as the their main overseas investment source. Ad of course this has all been supported by the Thainese that have infested the wealthy and influential parts of Thailand. Bad moves all around - Chinese Toursim is not as good for the country as TAT claim - they spend most of their money with 'approved' Thainese businesses in Thailand - it is what they do. Likewise, they will never be good for Thailand like USA, Japan and Sth Korea have been over the last 2-3 decades. Their reign as the 'manufacturing tiger' of SEAsia is coming to an end - and there is SFA they can do about it now that will not take a long time to have impact. Technically the Thailand economy has been in decline since 2017 - it was coivered up by the Junta and then the Pandemic gave them more 'cover'. But now they are desperately applying bandaids to a severe wound that has been bleeding badly for a long time. Demanding lower interest rates to spur private borrowing and spending will only make the macro situation worse in the long run, and force more foreign wealth to leave the country in the short term. I have been very negative about the Thai economy for a long time - and I cannot see it improving anytime soon with these numpties in charge.

They are called Thainese - and they started coming here less than 100 years ago. They have taken a large slice of the wealth in a lot of areas - particularly industry and politics and military. They are IMO a cancer and should be removed/excised.

I can name them - they are called 'Thainese' and their families first came to Thailand less than 100 years ago.

I agree with 99.9% of what you said - but there is something about 'student loans' that I always wanted to ask someone about. In Australia we have student loans that must also be paid back, but it seems in USA that there is an interest rate charged against the loans. I saw that one wqoman had paid back over $120K of her student loand of $80K, and still owed almost $70K. I dont agree with paying back the loans, but surely they should not be a profit making venture. In Aust if you have a $100K debt you are forced to pay back a minimum percentage each year as soon as your income reaches a certain minimum level (taken out with taxes). The debt is permanent and it stays with you all your life until it is repaid - but there is no interest charged. In Aust it was free until they started charging people fees - with a Govt provided student loan the alternative. Sure there are some freeloaders on the dole who never pay it back, but over 90% of people pay it back. It has removed those who would stay at Uni until they were in late 30s studying permanently, and it does mean people have to think before taking on the lifetime debt - it has made a huge difference. I assume it was started in USA as an option to give poorer people the option to get a degree - but surely it should not be a profit making venture with huge interest charges accruing year after year. It reminds me of that home loans disaster started by Clinton that eventually lead to the GFC when the loans all suddenly collapsed - all caused because they were very profitable (on paper) and salespeople were paid big commissions to sell them.

That Joe Biden has dementia and his Son should be in jail.

UNEDITED - Authorities are investigating the incident further, ensuring the boy’s father faces consequences for his actions. This case highlights the urgent need to protect children's rights and allow them the freedom to choose their beliefs without fear or coercion. FIXED - Authorities are investigating the incident further, ensuring the boy’s father faces consequences for his actions. This case highlights the urgent need to protect people from the toxic religious cult that is called Islam.

I found some years ago that drinking lots of water, a good diet (not so much meat), and taking Psyllium fibre helps a lot.

Delay the trip if you can. If you cannot, then go - and return using a tourist Visa (real one, not an automatic on arrival), and then go to the local Office and submit an application for a new Marriage Extension - plus take proof of the reason you had to leave the country at the 'wrong time'.

Up to you - but not recommended. They have not been 'trained' and dont really know themselves, but you will have drawn your name to their attention and that is usually a bad idea in Thailand. When tax rules are changed in a 'civilised' country like say Aust. UK, USA - before the new rule takes effect the Tax Depts send detailed advice and information out to all the staff (with site by site training for big changes like this one), plus they publicise all the detailed information on the web for the taxpayers and provide Q&A services, and they inform/train all the accredited tax professionals. They aint happened in Thailand (yet) and who knows when it will happen - IMO you would be wise to stay quiet and what until that happens (if it ever does). Even then I would still not go and see them and ask anything - I would ask one of the 'informed' tax experts.

If he invites you again - tell him you know a bloke that would love to play there 😁

I hear you - had 2 mates when living in QLD Australia that were from NZ - they both hated NZ as compared to what it was decades ago. We lived in Thailand for almost 4 years and then we lived in Australia for another 4 years waiting for Pension and Wife's Citizenship. The changes I observed just in that short period away were astounding and all bad. While there the women's word cup was held in Aust and it was just ridiculous all the PC and Woke khrappp about it all. The thing is that the majority of people would roll their eyes, but no one was 'allowed' to speak out about all the BS - because anyone that did was called Bigot, Sexist, Misogynist, etc. I was so glad to leave and come back to Thailand - faults and all - I hope they never fall for all the Woke PC khrapp that a minority has imposed upon the majority in the west.

That is just one of the many many reasons why so many blokes have left Aust/NZ (like I did) and moved to Thailand. Lefty leaning Govts (both sides) have made things Woke and PC since 1980s - and they aint gonna stop any year soon. It is dangerous here and it is a bit 'wild west' but I for one really like that 'freedom'. I would like certain things to be more controlled and regualted, but as we know from experience - when the lefties start controlling things they never stop and they always screw it all up.

Amata Springs and Adoya Links are two of the most exclusive private golf clubs in SEAsia. You have as much chance of playing there as you have of playing at Augusta.

Wow - that does not surprise me - but it reminds me that everything here in Thailand is a risk that needs to be managed.

Well aint you a special princess - good for you darling.

Sounds like you have a good draiage system - especially with a river nearby, which means downhill to it. In the concrete jungles that aint usually possible and in the farmlands there is no need to do that. Can you do some handyman work? Have a hacksaw and a ladder? There are several hardware chains in Thailand where those pipes and the 'blue glue' are sold. Easy to do - cut and remove the corner section broken - just below the corner join and about 6 inches from the broken straight pipe, Take that to thestore and buy new corner and straight pipe that will go over the top of it - use the blue glue and tape it up for a few hours and the glue will keep it in place. Paint it if you have some to match.

Yes indeed mate - a bit of lunch and then maybe some shopping in the Mall (they all have a Tops for me and a 'market' for her) and sometimes we catch a movie while there too.