garyk

I go back to america each year for a few months. I have a 1 year visa in Thailand and get it extended each year.
Kinda strange, but I would like to know your views on living in Thailand after returning home for several months?

Here are my views.
Food is much better and healthier in America when shopping in the market. Much better for you IMO.
My neighborhood is VERY clean. After living in Thailand for years it is nice to come home and not see so much trash thrown everywhere.
You cannot own property in Thailand and I enjoy coming home and working on my home and knowing it is mine. Peach of mind more than anything else for me.
Women? I personally much prefer Asian women. As I get older I find they age much better, and sexual hang ups are not near what they are here in America. As well as the total nonsense you have to put up with here in America. A much easier, and pleasant experience with Asian women.
Healthcare in America is much better IMO. No comparison.

Anyone else care to weigh in? After living in Thailand for years I find it increasingly difficult to break my ties with my home country. And, even long for my trips home.

On September 1, 2016 at 10:32 AM, mesterm said:

 

Wait. Was she the driver or was she on the same tuk tuk as you?

Sorry I ment to say Song tail. Not yuk yuk. 

"A month ago, I went to a local shop as there was some flapping leaves sound in the air con after a one month visit home to the UK. He quoted me 2000B+ for an air con clean and an unknown amount for an oil change as he had never used Castrol Magnatec, Thought that was a bit odd, so off I went to a car air con specialist. 2 minutes it took him to get the rats nest out of the filter. Quick check, air con is fine, no need for a clean. 100B. Spotted a car wash, (they often do oil changes), 1200B for the Castrol Magnatec, oil filter change, wash, polish and clean inside. I seem to remember paying Ford about 1700B for an inferior quality oil, when I was in the free labour voucher period."

Sounds exactly like my experience. A/C rattling in the blower compartment. Took it to a Ford dealer in C.M. The truck was one year old. They said since I bought it second hand Warranty was VOID. The actually called Ford and voided the warranty while was sitting there. Then wanted me to sigh an paper for a minimum charge of a few hundred Baht. I left.
Went to a A/C shop they pulled the glove box and dropped the blower and pulled out the leaves. NO CHARGE!!!!! Needless to say when my compressor went out I took it back there and they installed a new compressor for 5000 Baht(great shop)...

 "Amazing Ford".... I avoid them whenever I can.

Was on a Tuk-tuk the other day,  i speak a little Thai. I asked the driver what the route was. And a young girl that spoke perfect english answered me. I was floored. She told me she was an english teacher in Chiang Mai university and was just given a scholarship in linguistics. And was getting ready to leave the country. Needless to say a first for me. Ran across another english teacher in Lopburi that spoke extremely good english. Just saying some Thai's speak english very good.

I picked up a 2009 used pickup at an auction in 2009. 22,000K on the clock. 340,000 baht. I like tinkering with them. But, I still have it and after a few Dealer run in's I am still running it (I personally do not like the dealers here). 296,000 KM on the clock today. I am fairly happy with the truck now that the kinks have been worked out.

On August 16, 2016 at 1:02 PM, bark said:

I had the same problem with the color test. I am not color blind, but the lights were so dim it was difficult to tell

difference all the time. The Thai guy made a big deal of it. Farang see etc. There were 2-3 other people had same problem;

and we were made to stand in the ( stupid, blind line ) for 20 minutes, while everyone finished the test.

We then got the second chance. There were only the stupid , color blind people left in the room.

The Thai Tester asked for 100 baht each.

" Hey I am not stupid and color blind anymore "

TIT, but i got the 5 year lic.

Same here, the lights were so dim I could barely see them. Luckily he just waved me threw.  5 more years....

I watch them like a hawk! I was ripped rather badly at a Ford dealer a few years ago, and since then I rarely take it in to a dealer for routine maintenance. 

Good luck. 

I see clone's of this guy and his beautiful wife about 20 times a day here in LOS's. He he he....

He darn sure does not have a monopoly on this type of arrangement here in beautiful Thailand....

Enjoy yourself big H.

Holy moly, I just did a search on rape in Saudi Arabia. Anyone reading this, and does not know what is going on over there needs to Google it. UNREAL!

Happens all the time in the south, but usually does not target tourists. Even in Pattani!  

RIP brother... I thought I was smart and went back to college when I was 35. I wrote software for 12 years. The most stressful 12 years of my life. I burnt out at about 47. It made me physically ill. It is a very stressful job.

16 hours ago, fullcave said:

 

Personally, I've got better things to do with my time then deal with incompetence. Ford makes good products with exception to the Fiesta debacle, however, dealing with ford Thailand after sales service idiocy is something I can most certainly live without.

What do you do other than sell and buy another brand! I honestly do not know if the other dealers are better? After 7 years with this Ford. My advice is if you buy one, buy one with the least amount of technology in it as possible. And, learn to do some basic trouble shooting. 

Unless you have some pretty deep pockets. Or trade every few years.

I am driving mine until the wheel fall off of it.   

3 hours ago, NancyL said:

While I "liked"  a post about how a married guy thinks none of us foreigners are especially viewed as "bad" here vs. the retired guy, I should remind us all that we're here with simply one year "Permissions to Stay" and that permission could change on a dime -- to use American slang.

 

The fact we gave our Thai partners huge sums of money to buy homes or businesses is irrelevant.  We're still here with a one-year permission to stay.  Think about that for a while. 

It is always amazing to me the folks that do not think about this before investing in Thailand. Thailand is a great place to live NOW! But, the future is , well a yearly thing? Many things to love about Thailand. Retirement security is not one of them IMO.

Not a word from him and i did not press it. 

IMO these older Ford Rangers are some pretty tough trucks. The problem I have with Ford, is Ford service at the dealers. I avoid them when ever possible. They are good for brakes, belts, and all routine maintenance. But, then so are most mechanics in Thailand, and at less than half the price. Just not worth it what so ever IMO. Some things you have to go to the dealer for, the rest I get done else where. 

Today I drove into a local shop and had new brakes put on, The tires rotated, and the oil changed in the rear end. 1,250 baht. At the Ford dealer it would of cost a fortune. Not worth it.

On August 15, 2016 at 1:26 PM, transam said:

BUT, this is LOS, if you have a problem with any of those gizmo's, let us know how you get on with LOS Ford...

I was thinking the same thing, LOL

The first one I bought and they would not give my money back, so got burned.. The second time it turned out to be a leak in the fuel rain return line.
The second one I bought I made them give my money back. 
Not a big problem for me at this stage. Kinda annoying though. 

My Ranger is a running joke with me. Since I am retired I find it fun to try to figure out the problems with the truck when they arise.

Finally got a manual from Australia for it. Wow, that was a major help.

History - 2009 Ford Ranger 2.5 turbo diesel. I have owned it since 2009.  296,000 Km.

This is what happened the last time I went to the Ford dealer. 

Made appointment told them, it would die occasionally. Explained the experiences.

Left the truck with Ford service.

Got a call saying it was the fuel rail(13,500 baht)... LOL  For 5 years every time I have taken it in they hook a computer to it, and tell me it is a fuel rail problem.

Armed with a little info and paper work. I said I had already replaced the fuel rail twice and it did not fix the problem.  Technicians Answer was, computer says fuel rail... 

I read the manual before hand and was pretty sure what the problem was. SO.

I asked if there was any other sensors that was tied to the fuel rail system? Answer Yes, but the computer said it is the fuel rail..

What is the other sensor? Technician say's the transmission sensor. But, the computer said it is the fuel rail....

What are the symptoms of a faulty transmission sensor? Technician explained the symptoms. I said that is the exact problem I am having. Technician said it cannot be because the computer said it was the fuel rail. LOL. 

I will tell you i try to never get mad in Thailand. I am always nice and try my best to get along with the Thai's. But, at this point I am getting tickled. Not laughing out loud but tickled.

To make a long story a little shorter. He took me to the truck and hooked up the computer and said look it is a fuel rail problem. It was in Thai and I had no idea what I was looking at.

I told him I wanted to replace the transmission sensor, he said it was the FUEL RIAL and pointed at the computer... LOL 

Anyway, after about an hour he replace the transmission sensor, 3,500 baht and the truck runs as good as the day I first drove it. Beautifully.

I thought it was funny, just a little Ford service humor...

I'm starting to look forward to problems now. It gives me something to do in my spare time... LOL

Pokemon Go, ruthless savages! Need to be stopped at all costs.

1 hour ago, xvend said:

 

Elite Visa, open a legit business, or marry a thai bird. Your choice.

 

First 2 options preffered

LOL, wise man!

50 years of books, internet stories and you still see stories like this. I am amazed. Got to hand it to the Thai's, they can spot a sucker and play it to the hilt.

If you want to live here just get a retirement visa, very easy. There are many countries that you can live in if you want to do visa runs. Malaysia is one, Cambodia is easy to get a long term visa. 

Thailand is strictly a party place. The government knows it and sets the rules accordingly. Give me your money sucker... LOL

I drive into Malaysia all the time. But, you either need a clear title or a letter from the finance dept. I am pretty sure.

Go to your bank and inquire about it. They should be able to tell you for sure.

Maybe it's the crappy palmoil they ad to the diesel in Thailand , or just too much of it.

Somebody is making lots of money here >>> higher diesel price , lower quality diesel mixed with more low quality palmoil.

What does Malaysia do with their overstock of palmoil?

LOL, agree 100%!

So yes, your pickup likely runs better on Malaysian produced diesel due economic reasons, not the lack of Thai quality you tried to infer.

TH

That makes no sense what so ever!