thaibeachlovers

Ever since Og discovered an old mammoth bone makes a great club.

I left because I can't get the pension in Thailand ( was living there on savings ), and after I got divorced I had to pay rent which meant I couldn't afford medical insurance.

I was talking about the next 10 years.

So what if I don't live there now? Is that supposed to impress me? I lived there long enough to know how it is. If you had a valid point ( you don't ) the forum wouldn't have regular stories of woe such as the OP.

It's not bad for those that are actual long stay. Problem is for those that don't have extendable visa and have to leave to renew a visa.

Always an exception to the rule, but get back to us in 10 years and let us know how it's going.

Buy a house, condo, etc and stuck with it when it goes wrong. All night karaokes move next door to houses, condos let the horde rent by the night etc. In LOS a farang basically has no rights when it goes wrong. Pay a lawyer to sort it 555555555555 As always in LOS, it's great till it's not. I've read too many tales of woe on this forum ( and TVF ) from people that left their brains at the airport. I learned the lesson very early on. I stayed at a nice resort on Chaweng Beach where a farang had built a lovely teak room for yoga classes. Went back next holiday and both farang and yoga room had vanished. Never did find out what happened, but I'll bet he didn't go voluntarily.

NB I changed mosque to square. I was thinking about it being done after prayers. We were also told that we'd be pushed to the front if going there.

The square where they chopped hands and heads was just down the road from where I lived. Done on Fridays after prayers. I chose not to go see. Losing a hand was a disincentive to steal, so Riyadh was very safe from theft. Could safely walk around with enough cash to buy a new car.

I've never not had enough money when I need it. I don't care if you go cashless as long as I can use real money. Plenty on here saying that their way is the only way- they ain't the only people on earth. baaaaa.

Yeah, lets bring back stoning for adultery.

Last time I went it was horrible, but that was when the horde was in Pattaya. Without them it's probably OK now. I took the ferry directly to/ from the beach, so didn't need to take a vehicle to get there.

Just don't get scammed onto the wrong boat. I was and regretted it. The ferry doesn't charge a lot.

Other than pointing out you don't have to pay large for the dinner- can go to ordinary resto ( never got the point of paying large to eat with people I don't know, but up to you ) have you considered that they have to make as much as possible in high season to tide them over the low season? Nothing unusual about that.

Have you considered that they WANT you to have to jump through hoops if you don't qualify for a non O? Once upon a time they wanted us to stay in LOS, but no longer, IMO.

I used second class sleeper and slept most of the trip. Speed wasn't a priority, and scenery was. No matter how many train trips south I made I always enjoyed them. I really loved traveling by train in LOS. All part of the rich tapestry of Thai life.

but apparently never learned much in those "many times". I once stayed in a Pattaya guest house co owned by 3 farangs. One of them told me he did so because it was like owning a brothel ( they had a gaggle of girls that "worked" there ). Last time I saw him he was getting dragged out onto the street and beaten up by the one that was "the boss". I don't think the "boss's" Thai wife was impressed by her husband's actions making her lose face, as next time I went back there, the "boss" and the other part owner were gone.

In Thailand Rule #1/ never invest in or buy property. Rule #2/ ( applies in any country ) never employ ( or work for ) friends or relations.

Thailand has thousands of wonderful places to live that are not like Phuket.

Ain't it amazing how easily people are seduced into becoming slaves to the machine.....................

555555555555555 I had an Oyster card in London, and a Bee card here. I use real money to load them. Next.

LOL. Phuket is about the worst place in LOS, even worse than Samui, IMO. Pattaya may not be the bee's knees, but the taxi mafia doesn't rule there.

Those that haven't swallowed the BS have good reason to not want to be tracked.

Soooo, why don't I want 100% cashless? I don't want to be at the mercy of the banks, which have done nothing to make me trust them. I don't want to depend on a device that can stop working or get lost. I don't want to live in a world where criminal hackers are more clever than the ones on the "good side" ( crime pays better ). I don't want to depend on a piece of plastic that can get broken easily, or just stop working. I do want to feel that I have some control over my own life. All you believers can go get a chip implanted in your brain if that's what you want, but I'll pass on the Brave New World. Baaaaa.

That's always been on my list of favourite songs since first time I heard it. Very sad.