Tropicalevo

I do not know if my Thai license was valid for driving in Portugal but I had to show an IDP for the car hire. No IDP - no car.

????????

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Ferries are running but there were delays yesterday.

Stupid? Or asleep at 4 am? Yes - you are victim blaming.

Sadly, they probably died from Covid. ☹️

My partner has just told me that they are cancelled again tomorrow. Not sure where that news is from. We have some guests desperate to get to their holiday villa and others that are having to book flights as they need to get home. Other guests stuck in Bangkok - all flights to Samui full. I wonder if the Thai Navy will have to do a supply run to Koh Tao? One less ship available.????

I understand that the Suratthani governor has cancelled all ferries. I would guess that that means Songserm as well. I have just tried to book a ticket for tomorrow 'Oh No! Sorry. There are currently no trips.......'

Looks like more trouble on the ferries to/from Samui. Most suspended?

The government insurance is third party only up to 50,000 THB, but only if the bike has a 'tax disc'. Passengers are third party.

Some do care. This is a cropped version of the flyer for the rental company that I recommend to guests (after I have warned them of the dangers on Samui's roads).

Samui certainly used to be the deadliest place when looking at motorcycle deaths per capita. From world atlas dot com Thailand also has the highest motorbike accident deaths in the world with an average of 5,000 motorcyclist deaths recorded annually. Population of Samui is approx 60,000 people (pre Covid). There are four private hospitals, with a fifth one about to open, as well as a government hospital.

What they do not say, until too late, is that they will not take blood from old fahrtz like me. I regularly gave blood here in Thailand until they stopped accepting when I reached 70 years old. Some hospitals stop accepting donations when you reach 60.

My thoughts exactly. Well said. ????

Not a very big increase seeing as borders were effectively closed in that previous year.

Speaking to my insurance company, the rates in Thailand are not reasonable. Friends have had similar conversations with their insurance companies. Costs in Thailand are well padded once the hospital knows that an insurance company is involved. eg I went for biopsy at a very well known hospital in Bangkok. When I told them that I was paying privately, the quote/cost was 70,000 to 80,000 baht. When I asked for a detailed bill (and inadvertently said 'for insurance) the bill lept up to 120,000 baht. 'reasonable rates'? More untruths from politicians.

That does not work if you have property here in Thailand (and lots do).

People are desperate to travel now that they can. Lots of Canadians and Americans coming to Samui at the moment and with the $ exchange rate, Thailand seems cheap to them.

Quick update from Lomprayah.

Good advice from khunPer and from your lawyer. Also - put the water tank where is accessible for a water truck so that well water can be delivered when the city water is not available.

You can have a 30 year lease plus another 30 but the extension is not automatic. I attended a course on Thai Law for Foreigners many years ago. It was well attended and some useful tips on buying land and owning houses. If the lease is just for your lifetime - no problem. If you have family and you want them to have access to the property after your death, then put them on the lease as joint holders. The lease cannot be passed on otherwise.

A warm welcome to Samui. Unfortunately not the best time weather wise but we do get lots of sun - soon. ????

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Hmm. I cannot say that I agree with all of that thought. I have run a cleaning business here for 20 years and I only employ Thais. Yes - hard to recruit sometimes, but doable.

Not really. There is no TM 6 anymore (and some people lied anyway). The information should come from the TM 30, but as we know from other threads here, many house owners do not fill in the TM 30.