ajarntingtong

39 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

if not,  the front liners would not have to wear it.

I carry one in my pocket just in case, but I have no illusions it would protect me from much of anything.

You are of course 100% right. It is not to protect the wearer, but to mitigate transmission by sneezes and coughing by the wearer. I live in a relatively small village (pop. say 1000), and I wear one because it makes those around me feel better. Had to laugh a couple of days ago though when I saw a neighbour wearing one to work in his market garden. I was the nearest person 60 metres away, and the chances of another appearing on the scene - zilch.

21 hours ago, Mitkof Island said:

The reason is simple as with every country in the world. No enough tests. The numbers are more likely in the hundreds of thousands.

Really? If you contract this virus, within around 10 days you will have great difficulty breathing and be in hospital where you will certainly be tested. As at 21 April, 44 of the 77 provinces (57%) had not had any new cases in the last 14 days and can be considered essentialy C-virus free.

Many provinces had brought in booze bans before Bangkok decided to act, starting with Sakon Nakhon on March 31. Buriram was next on 2 April and with an end date of 30 April. The alcohol ban was brought in on a province by province basis, with different start and end dates - expect it to end the same way, not on a nationwide basis. As of April 21, 44 of the 77 provinces (57%) had not had any new cases for more than 14 days, making them essentially C-virus free. I expect travel restrictions between adjoining C-virus free provinces to be lifted in the near future, with travel in and out of provinces still reporting new cases to remain restricted. As far as bars are concerned, I expect them to open (on a province by province basis) when that province has had no new cases for a month. I am expecting to have a beer in my local bar in Udon on 1 June.

On 2/20/2020 at 5:43 PM, Tropposurfer said:

The article is clear about the IO requirements as of late January .... No you do not.

The OP said TM30

34 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

Why doesn't phone users close their phones when going to sleep?  

Any number of reasons, but that is my business. Suffice to say that the low-key default SMS notification sound has never woken me.

Received these two SMS messages this morning. The branding at the top is bogus, and both lead to a scam website. You would be best to avoid clicking thru and blocking the sender on your phone. Under no circumstances click on anything on the underlying website. It is an attempt to get the unwary to reveal sensitive information like names, email addresses - or worse. 

I was not impressed when I was awakened by music blaring at 2.54 am this morning - don't know how, but the notification sound for SMSs was changed from the low-key default tone to music on phone. Half asleep, I just turned off SMS notifications for the time being and so didn't hear the second come in at 5.47 am.

I am 69 y.o. on a marriage visa and have an Australian age pension. We have been together for eight years, and I am bringing money in a bit at a time to build a house on our land. I am sure that, marriage wise, we are rock solid. My wife is 15 years younger than me, and her family and I are 100%. I have been wondering about two issues:

1. If unfortunately she died before I did, what is required for a retirement visa? It seems that money in the bank would have to be THB 800K less annual Oz pension income. Am I correct?

2. In the preferred scenario, if I live to a ripe old age but in later years I am too infirm to travel 550 kms to the Oz Embassy to make the annual declaration, are there any arrangements in place to cover this situation? Or, for that matter, if I am unable to go to local Immigration for the annual renewal?

Lots of good things here. There are a lot of other matters that come into play here though. Like farang being able to buy condos in their own name subject to Thai ownership of 51% of the building floor area. My concern here is with the body corporate building maintenance - I have yet to stay in a block where there the maintenance was of a satisfactory standard. Thais (IMHO) tend to build to a good standard then expect the building to last in that condition forever - or at the very least, accept that it will depreciate.

In my own case, I am just about at the end of my second three year lease which we (my Thai wife and I) pay annually in advance. When my wife went to pay the last year's rent, apart from receiving the usual gift basket, they told her that on renewal of the lease the rent would increase by 10% - no argument from me as it there had been no increase for six years and I consider it to have been 50% below market in the first place.

Back to business though, and I cannot emphasise enough the need for professional legal advice (and make sure that they are representing you only, so that there is no conflict of interest - my wife's uncle is a Bangkok lawyer, and he will have no part in our upcoming land purchase except for explaining the implications to my wife.)

To the newcomers to the LOS, NEVER build on land owned by your wife's family. If you are buying land there are several options available - consider leasing back from your wife/GF for 30 years, usufructs and some other available instruments. If you are bringing in capital from overseas for the transaction, make sure you get the receiving bank to document it correctly so that if the s**t hits the fan, you can take funds back with you.

You can gift the money to your wife for land purchase then document the building expenditure so that in the event of a breakup it can be shown as your input. You should be aware of Thai law in respect of marriage dissolution, particularly the situation of assets held before the marriage (document this) and that assets accumulated as a result of the union will usually be split 50/50. Always have a will registered in Thailand, covering all possibilities (and your wife as well) - don't forget what could happen to you in the unfortunate circumstance that your wife pre-deceases you.

Above all, make sure that a title deed (chanote) exists for the property you buy. If there is not one, it will limit the possible dealings with the land - such as registering a lease, usufruct (google the term if unfamiliar) or mortgage - the latter will restrict possible buyers on resale as their bank will not be able to register a mortgage.

If like me you are happy in your Thai love nest, some of the potential problems may never arise (hopefully not), but be aware of some horrible results that have befallen some newcomers hopelessly smitten with love that, on the loss of their love and most of their assets, have chosen to end their life.

Like any other investment, it is best to expend only what you can afford to lose. In my case, I intend to build a house in my wife's village as a nest egg for her - she is 15 years younger than me and my pension ensures a comfortable living for us both, as long as I live. I intend to keep my rented house in the city (well within my means) and be close to my friends, both farang and Thai. If I lose the property in her village, I am still able to continue renting my house in town (where I want to live anyway). The loss of the asset would not be the tragedy that the loss of my love would be.

Protect your position so that the loss of an asset is not a life-threatening tragedy - and I truly hope that you find happiness in the LOS.

I am currently studying with Open Universities Australia, one of the subjects being Creative Writing through Macquarie University. I have never written a poem in my life before this course, but as my first offering was well received at MQ, I thought I might share this, my second, with you. I learned to ride a motorbike in Thailand at the age of 60, four years ago - and I'm loving it. The poem is dedicated to an old army buddy with whom I shared a room as a Signalman (Tech Elec). Steve was disccharged about a year after I was (1971) and one of the first things he did was to buy a Honda 750, the most powerful bike on Australian roads at the time. He lasted just three months.

Ode for Steve

Motor revvin’ on the red line

Bike scorchin’ down the white line

Heart is thumpin’

Adrenaline pumpin’

And a very fine line

‘Tween livin’ and death.

<deleted> in a black Benz

Pushin’ like life depends

On gettin’ past.

He’s not so fast

On the mountain bends.

I’ll get to the bottom first!

Blind bend, keep an inside line,

Open bend, ridin’ wide is fine.

Give it the gun

Back wheel’s spun

Overcorrect, way out of line -

I’ll get to the bottom first!

Another machine, green line,

No! Can’t be! A flat line!

Across the Great Divide

With He shall I abide?

Doth He a Harley ride?

Like a bat out of Hell?

Created under Creative Commons Share Alike, No Commercial

I used to be able to get audio feeds of NRL match commentary direct from 2GB and the ABC. Now the stations websites say that they don't have rights to distribute the audio feed on the web, and to go to the NRL website to get the audio feed. Well guess what - nothing happens. I am sure that if you live in Oz you could get it, but appears the NRL have sold us expats out again to Telstra just like they did with the video.

Is anyone else in Thailand having the same problem, or know of a work around?

Rsoles!!!!

The school where I teach has a farang teacher with a "Master's" from a non-existant university. The Dept Head is aware, but takes the position that native speakers are what is needed, and a degree isn't going to help (we only teach Conversation, not Grammer). We are in a remote part of the country with a poor farming population, and the school has found it difficult to hire at times. The Dirctor asked to see the degree (he speaks good English and took his Master's abroad), but the Dept Head conveniently forgot. The teacher's predecessor had a "life experience" degree.

I chose not to go down that path - I don't have a degree, having been recruited by a bank at the age of 15 (45 years ago). I did a TEFL course at CMU as soon as I arraved in LOS, and soon after was offered the job at my current school. I am halfway through my second year with the school and am teaching 100% legally. The Dept of Labour have given me a 12 month WP, then I fronted up at the Teacher's Council in Bangkok armed with a letter from the school and a whole heap of other paperwork, and have been given a permit to teach for two years (not a teacher's licence). Next step was Immigtration and they have extended my Non B until the end of my work contract in March next year.

I don't think you are going to get this kind of latitude in BKK or CM though. I believe I was afforded it as a result of the personal contacts the Dept Head has developed over the years, the relative remoteness of the school, and the school's wanting to retain me based on my performance the previous year.

www.pattaya-funtown.com/public_holidays.html

www.qppstudio.net/public-holidays-news/thailand_002062.htm

Is there a group of Oz NRL addicts with arrangements to watch the GF in Chiang Mai (Australia Network 12.30 pm)? I'd like some Oz company for the game. If nothing arranged yet let me know and I will organise something.