Renegade Sea Monkey

Hi all, I would be grateful for advice; not sure if this is the right forum but it seems to fit here. I rented an Airbnb in central Bangkok for 4 1/2 months. Like a lot of Airbnbs, the electricity/water charge is separate (I initially paid for the Airbnb rental, and then after the reservation ended and I moved out, the host sent me a follow-up request for money for the utilities -- it's an official message from Airbnb with the subject line "[The host] is requesting money"). The charge amounts to $1,750 (USD), equivalent to roughly 57,000 Thai baht. I work from home and like to keep the place cool, so I admit that I got the high electricity bill that I deserved! And I know that electricity in Bangkok is expensive. Nevertheless, it does seem rather high. I was expecting something around 40,000 or lower, based on previous extended stays at Bangkok Airbnbs. Also, I know an expat in the same building who rents from a local landlord, and his electricity bill is much lower (like me, he has a one-bedroom apartment). I liked the place and don't want to offend the host, but maybe I can ask the host to check it again? The host is transparent about it and sent me the reading for the meters right when I moved in, and then when I moved out; I'm attaching the pictures. I gulped when I opened the message from Airbnb and just want to make sure the price is fair. Thanks in advance for any responses.

Do you mean that people now find "pay to play" online, or that Tinder has created such a wave of free casual sex that going to places like Soi Cowboy isn't necessary anymore? I wanted to ask about this, or maybe commiserate. For me, Tinder has been really hit-and-miss. Generally speaking, I wouldn't call it a hookup app; it just seems more like a regular dating app. I am well into middle age, so maybe that's a factor? I've heard that if you are in your twenties or early thirties, it really is all about sex. Maybe things change as you get older. I've read that there are five men on Tinder for every one woman, so it seems like not everyone will be successful if we assume that Tinder has now replaced the go-go bars. So many women on Tinder, no matter the age, are pretty emphatic about wanting a relationship ("swipe left if you are just looking for fun"). I will probably embarrass myself with this but: just today I matched with a tourist from elsewhere in Asia. She said she was only in town for a few days, so it stands to reason that she's not looking for a LTR or marriage. She actually asked me, in our conversation on the app, what I was looking for, and I said, something casual. We then moved over to WhatsApp. I feel that, for a lot of men, hooking up would be pretty straightforward, but not for me. At a point in the conversation, I sent her a racy photo (a brief bathing suit), preliminary to asking her if she wanted to meet up -- and she got offended. We had the exchange below (image attached). I don't send d*** pics unless I really know the person well and it's consensual -- just common sense I think; I don't want to be rude, regardless of what the other person is down for. But I was just so puzzled and frustrated by the way the conversation developed (I deleted her and moved on). Why did she swipe right in the first place? Is she just bored and looking for attention? (Just to clarify, it *wasn't* a nude photo -- and I'd be in heaven if women sent me sexy photos; that's exactly why I'm on the app! Hello, it's Tinder!) I used to be more of a gentleman on Tinder -- I would just make conversation (no photos) and ask the woman for a date, making the assumption that everyone knows why we're on the app. But, even in Bangkok, I've had the experience of paying for coffee and dinner, and getting a flat rejection when I ask her back to my apartment. That can be so crushing and humiliating. It's weird that this is the app that's supposedly brought a global wave of sexual liberation, since my own experience is so different. (For the record: I am white, 5'11", average looks, try to stay in shape with regular gym visits.)

Hi everyone, I am going to move from Bangkok to Manila. This involves shipping 7-8 boxes of books. I haven't actually packed them yet, but I used SF Express to ship the boxes from China to Bangkok. The boxes are not large -- the SF Express boxes were about 14 inches wide, 14 inches high, 18 inches long -- but will be heavy. They don't have to get to the Philippines quickly -- I would be fine with a 4-6 weeks delivery time. I was wondering if there is a fairly inexpensive and reliable service? I have a Thai Post office near my apartment but I've heard they are expensive. I've noticed there's an SF Express in Bangkok and I will contact them for a price quote. I've also heard about Balikbayan boxes that overseas Filipinos use to ship things back home; perhaps I can use that service also. Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions/experience. Thank you!

Does anyone have a PDF of the "checklist" that they could share? This seems like an important document to consult! But I can't access it b/c of the technical difficulties on the Embassy website.

Hello all, My US passport expires in March, so I am renewing my passport while I am on the 60-day visa exemption. I have read the directions on the US Embassy Bangkok website and various threads here (https://aseannow.com/topic/1310564-us-passport-renewal-question/; https://aseannow.com/topic/1300665-us-passport-renewal-via-bangkok-mail/). So I will mail the materials to the Embassy using Thailand Post courier, as the directions instruct. I do admit that I'm anxious about putting my passport in the mail and would rather make an in-person visit to the Embassy, but I understand that this is the way it is done now. I do have one question that's been hard to answer, though. For at least 4-5 weeks, I will be without a passport as a tourist here. What ID should I carry in the meantime? I am going to photograph and xerox my passport information page, and the page where they stamped my 60-day exemption. Is there anything else that I haven't thought of? Also, just a bit random but: I have been poring over the directions on the US Embassy website but they're suddenly having technical difficulties and I can't access this important page. This really is just a glitch, right? Thank you