SunsetT

No. There is no such thing as shame in Thailand. Thats why virtually no one in Thailand says sorry. They dont feel bad (shame) if they do something wrong so they dont feel the need to say sorry.

I was offered the vaccine for the 1st time in the UK at 70 yrs old last Autumn. But it was just after I arrived in Thailand for the Winter so I missed out. S o d's Law I got shingles just after Christmas and Im still suffering (albeit very mildly now) from nerve pain with 'Post Herpetic Neuralgia'. So if u can get the vaccine get it as it is not nice! And if u do get shingles take antivirals ASAP as that dumbs down the rash considerably. they are available over the pharmacy counter in Thailand as are the special painkillers for shingles called 'gabapentin'.

Thank you but is there an English version?

How about a map showing all these new lines for those who dont live in BKK but visit from time to time and havent a clue where they are going...lol?

I agree with you. My IO is appalling. You could write to the head office in Bangkok. I think that that there should be some kind of national anonymous feedback facility for the services provided. Customer feedback is very big in the UK now. The big wigs in Bangkok could then see if certain offices are problematic or failing in providing the service that they should be. That is if they actually care which they probably do not. I noticed that Udon Thani IO had a suggestion box which is great, but they are a shining example of a good office; polite, friendly, helpful and efficient. But it is the bad offices that need a suggestion box not the good ones.

Dont tell them you came back Thursday. My landlord never tells them on time with the TM30; Usually after about a week and tells them I arrived yesterday.

Democracy? What Democracy?

So did it work???

Thai mental health care in the community.

Why? He is/was no more corrupt than the rest of the Thai system.

So the previous year they said nothing about the gallstone which could be a tumor? I dont think I will be going there for a medical!

"Clam-bushed"? Sick headline trying to make light of a tragic event!

This is how Capitalism works. Advertising and easy credit is designed to entrap and enslave you to a life of craving, debt, work and stress. And you wonder why the Thai smile has disappeared!

Dont use the Wise shortcut. Choose 'pay manually' and 'pay later'. Then go to your bank account and transfer the payment to Wise. Or pay it to Wise manually before you make the transfer.

Dont you have online banking in the US to enable instant online transfers (We call them 'faster payments' in the UK) from your US bank account to Wise? It is cheaper too, than paying by card.

Me too. Dont they have online banking in the US to enable instant online transfers (We call them 'faster payments' in the UK)from a US bank account to Wise?

Ganja!

Yes. A retired acquaintance returned during Covid when everything was locked down. He couldnt pay for accommodation even if he wanted to as everything was closed.. The Sally Army took him in, in Durham I believe. He ended up with a council flat (Now Housing Association), thank you very much.

Despite your missing nerve, dont your energy levels drop telling you to eat something to keep your blood sugar up? I sometimes used to go all day eating next to nothing if not hungry, but as I get older if I dont eat reasonably regularly I feel drained mentally as well as physically and I can actually feel quite unwell, e.g., late morning after a light breakfast.

I have noticed the same in observing Thais over the years outside of tourist areas. Many, excepting the men chatting up the pretty things pouring their beer, hardly look at or interact with waiting or supermarket checkout staff. They just place their orders or pay at supermarket checkout otherwise totally ignoring them (unless they know them personally). The latter without even any eye contact. And sometimes it is as if waiting staff expect to be treated like this adopting a grovelly disposition and seem flustered if you smile and attempt to interact with them and scuttle off not knowing how to respond. Or occasionally young staff do the opposite adopting a condescending slightly mocking attitude as if to say 'How dare you ask about the menu in a friendly manner! Dont you know this is not done in Thailand! I have concluded that it is a normal part of 'Traditional' Thai culture. I say 'Traditional' as I think it is the older and perhaps wealthier generation that I have noticed most ('nouveu riche' comes to mind). Maybe this is changing with the younger generations coming through. It could be a residue of the Indian Caste system as Thai culture and Buddhism evolved out of Hinduism and these kinds of class/caste attitudes and behaviour are sadly still alive and well in India. Regardless of this, my cultural and personal disposition is to try to be friendly and polite and treat all people as equals regardless of there role in life. I will not change this behaviour just to fit in with Traditional Thai culture.

They need to start by ensuring retirees are treated, as they deserve to be, in a polite, respectful, helpful and friendly manner at their immigration office. At the moment at some offices it is a degrading experience and I personally know some who choose other visas rather than have to deal with them and endure this. I wish there was some customer feedback mechanism to expose them for what these Immigration Officers for what they are.

Especially when it is clearly stated in Thai and English on the immigration Bangkok head office website that the requirement is 2 months for Retirement Extensions.

But some dinosaur immigration offices, e.g. Nakhon Phanom, insist that this 800k 2 months prior to retirement extension rule only applies to the initial 1st extension application and not to extension renewals. They insist that for renewals the 800k must be in the bank for 3 months before the renewal application date.

Oh no! I hope you get the pension sorted and the curse is lifted soon...555

Nowt to worry about mate. The village fortuner has obviously put a curse on you...????.