Mike Lister

Anybody who has studied the subject knows, I'm pretty certain I do! So here, read the following and you'll know also:

Moved to Finance Forum

Baiting post and Bickering flame post removed.

I removed half a dozen posts. The OP is looking for suggestions regarding how to spend time in Chiang Mai, not instructions on swimming pool construction or the dynamics of the University.

A trolling meme has been removed.

All you type A people who are going to retire by the time you're 30 or 40, you better have a plan about what you're going to do. Retirement isn't a destination, it's a only a mile maker along the way.

Please read the document link given to you earlier and come back to us with any questions. Your visa type is not really relevant, it's mostly the number of days that counts..

This is not correct, the picture is far more complex.

Moved to Finance Forum

The weather is better than where I come from and the beaches are better also. The cost of living is also cheaper plus it was my choice to come here, I could go home any time but I chose not. Given those things, what gives me the right to ask for free stuff.

I'm going by reports last year from Pattaya residents and also the wind maps that show heavy pollution being blown in from the East in Cambodia. Also, we were in the area this time last year and I remember that whilst the area next to the shoreline was clear, inland about half a mile the skies were fairly dense. Hua Hin was similar, the beach area was clear but inland a short distance and the air was wretched.

The cost of retirement for a foreigner in Pattaya is a direct reflection of living costs there and how much it costs anyone else to retire there, be they foreigner or not, there is a relationship. If on average it costs foreigners between 50k and 75k per month to retire there and the local population does so on significantly less, that's a fairly reasonable indication, don't you think! But then you come along and tell us it takes over 330k a month to retire there, to a reasonable standard, which means somebody is wrong, either you or the population of Pattaya. This is not about how much money a person has or doesn't have, that is wholly irrelevant. This is about how much it costs to retire in Pattaya and live there to a reasonable standard. If your definition of what is a reasonable standard is so vastly different from the norm, so be it, just don't try and tell everyone else however that your definition is correct.

There are 72 million people in Thailand, which puts you with your wealth in the top 0.01% of the population and you think your spending is normal....dear god!

Here's a better picture, the balance of trade (imports versus exports) by month

"Thai exports have risen for six straight months, with export value for January increasing by 10%, to US$22.6 billion, while imports went up by 2.6%, to US$25.4 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of US$2.8 billion, according to Kirati Ratchano, permanent secretary of Commerce". And we're told there's an economic crisis, even though exports are at near record levels. Hmmm! One problem is that because imports have become more expensive, especially oil, that means there's a trade deficit. I suspect most of the deficit results from a strong USD and high oil importation costs. This means a weaker Baht in the future, unless some other part of the current account can balance out the trade deficit. If you look at the graph below you can see a major part of why the Baht has been so weak lately. https://tradingeconomics.com/thailand/current-account-to-gdp#:~:text=Current Account to GDP in Thailand is expected to reach,macro models and analysts expectations.

A weak Baht means exports are cheaper, so as long as the buying countries are able to buy, a weak baht is helpful. Import however are more expensive as a result of a weak baht.

The effects of the burning season in the North can be harsh in some years, fortunately, the worst of it doesn't last more than about 2 months, March and April are typically the worst. It can be very difficult to escape the burning season completely, anywhere in Thailand, unless you move to the islands. Coastal towns are generally less polluted than other parts of the country but even places such as Pattaya can suffer badly, Hua Hin to a lesser degree. Winds from the North, and West carry pollution from neighbouring countries, Myanmar, Shan State, Laos and China. Winds from the East carry pollution from Cambodia, winds from the South carry pollution from Indonesia and Malaysia. We live in the North and run two large air purifiers in our home, for about two/three months per year, they are inexpensive to operate and cheap to buy. The rest of the year makes up for the relatively short time the burning season exists.

We have a house that has 4 aircon units and all the other usual things such as TV, computers and appliances. We do laundry every second day (approx) whilst aircon is used only during certain months of the year because the house is very well insulated. Two air purifiers run 24x7 for six months of the year. 3 or 4 showers per day. But my wife runs a bakery business that sees the oven being used for several hours each day plus all the usual meals are prepared. Outside, we have two deep well pumps and pumps for sprinklers which run for a couple of hours per day plus overnight security and house lights. Our electric bills run between 1,500 and 2,500 per month, based on the months of the year and aircon usage. In 10 years we've never had a bill higher than 2,600 for one month.

23 degrees is too cold I suggest. Also, running an aircon in dehumidify mode instead of cooling mode will often achieve similar results but at a much lower cost.

Hmm, 5.24 per unit!

My condo bills in Chiang Mai always came from the Management Company rather than directly from PEA.

The same risks exist for any poster when they post their opinion on a social media platform, be it you, me or any other poster. That said, there is nothing in the tax guide that is opinion from other than quoted sources. The other consideration is that AN is based in Hong Kong, not in Thailand, as the sign on the bottom of the page confirms.

How much do you pay per unit of electricity? Condo's are notorious for padding electricity bills. Just for reference: "The Energy Regulatory Commission of Thailand has set new electricity charges, ranging from 4.68 baht to 5.95 baht/unit from January until April, 2024. The price from September until December this year has been 3.99 baht/unit". My guess is that you're being charged around 9 baht? https://www.thaipbsworld.com/price-of-electricity-from-january-april-to-rise/#:~:text=The Energy Regulatory Commission of,has been 3.99 baht%2Funit.

Moved to US Home Country Forum for more targeted response.

I wasn't really talking to anyone, just making the point that so many farang make significant demands of Thai government when their relative benefit to them is quite small. But I agree with you, I don't drink, don't mind double pricing etc.