AmeriThai

Latest video by Forrest450 is that water in the building is shut off where he is, but the electricity is still on. The flood water had gone down a day ago, but is now rising again, at least in the area where he's located. He says the news is that all of Ayutthaya may have to be evacuated.

I've looked at the available information online vis-a-vis flood protection in Bangkok, but my lack of Thai language skills is a bit of a hindrance, unfortunately.

Informed opinion about whether the lower Sukhumvit area (i.e., near Nana BTS/Sois 3 - 23) will potentially be affected by the anticipated flooding would be greatly appreciated!

This video is a look at Sukhumvit and Soi 8 in October 1991.

Just a note about the last video. It's not current, but dated of the conditions last month, September 6, 2011. I'd like to see some more current views of the city. Anyone?

Another video of the flooding at Ayutthaya. It mostly shows berms of soil and rock, as well as sandbag berms, in a effort to try to hold the rising water back. The water still broke through. The conclusion shows a still taken from the air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKmBKxwbMT0&feature=channel_video_title

Just came across a couple of recent videos on YouTube, posted by Forrest450, showing some of the flooding at Ayutthaya. I'm not sure exactly where the first one was taken, but it looks like the main road going into Ayutthaya off the expressway from BKK. The second one is around Rojana Plaza, near Ampo Mall. Thanks for providing these views Forrest!

planning to ride my motorbike from Bkk to Korat tomorrow. Anybody got any news if the road's ok?

Thanks.

Not sure about all of Hwy 1, but we have a place at Hoykhamin just NW of Hin Kong in Saraburi province. Next to Wat Hoykhamin there's a small klong. We have family members who are at the house when we aren't in the country. Called them a day or two ago, and although plenty of rain, there's been no flooding. The city of Saraburi has a larger klong that runs through town, so I'm not sure if there's any problems there or not. Maybe some of the members who live in the city of Saraburi can give an update on the situation there. I'd guess a number of rice fields along Hwy 1 near Nong Khae are pretty well drenched, but probably no problem for the Hwy.

Not sure about the road between Wang Noi and Ayutthaya. In the past, that stretch could get very soggy. Since that road has been improved over the years, road flooding around there probably isn't a problem. That's just a guess.

Maybe the old-timers were just complaining because they didn't like how it looks or understand the point of it.

You may want to meet with your companies HR department to see what you would get if you retire early. Many companies offer a early retirement these days. It may be less, but could also be close.

Social security can also calculate for you, it is based on your 40 highest quarters of pay, generally over life.

I am waiting too, probably 3 years but I have a company and am working on building equity. There are times I think "screw it" since we aren't getting younger, but I see many retirees in my business (I'm a CPA) struggling on a fixed income so that keeps me motivated.

Here's a link regarding the percentages for Social Security benefits. The figures based on each month that you dely beginning at the earliest to normal retirement. Includes a calculator to figure out what you'd get.

http://www.ssa.gov/oact/quickcalc/early_late.html

@ swiss

Most of that would have to be in pension. My state govt pension in the US is heavily backloaded. If I leave now with 25 years, I get a cola'ed pension of $2500/mo. If i wait 5 more years until I have 30 years, I will be 58 and my pension is $4600/mo. This is pension only and doesn't include SS

Good point. Trying to live solely on SS, even at maximum benefit, is less of an option these days. Adding a pension can help boost your retirement income. I don't know how all pension plans work, but the trend seems to be that if you choose to retire at the earliest point, the penalty can be pretty severe giving much less than waiting a few more years to receive maximum benefits. You can't turn around when you reach normal retirement age and ask for maximum benefits later on. You're stuck with what you get by choosing to retire early. In addition to SS and pensions, it's a good idea if a person has other investments, TSAs, IRAs, life insurance plans that can be cashed out at maturity, or personal assets which can be liquidated into cash. Some, if not most, TSAs and IRAs can hit you with pretty severe penalties for early withdrawal, giving only 50% of the value.

Medical issues is a concern that needs to be taken into account. I'm assuming the OP has coverage for both himself and his wife through a medical plan provided by the company. I think most medical insurance companies will continue coverage after you retire, but the premium rates can certainly skyrocket, which eat into your income. Then too, not all medical plans will provide general coverage if you retire in other countries. Things like that should be determined long before making a move to Thailand. Even though medical expenses in Thailand are pretty low in comparison to the U.S., a major medical expense for a major medical problem can still be very expensive. If the OP's wife has a medical problem that requires on-going treatment and medication, that's going to be an on-going expense to deal with which is going to reduce the retirement income. What happens if the OP has a medical problem crop up in the future? And like it or not, there's bound to be relatives that will be going straight to the wife with any of a million different excuses to hit up for money.

Since the OP could get $1400/month from SS to retire at age 62, I don't understand how it could jump to $4500/month waiting an additional 6 years. That sounds like an enormous jump. I'm not sure how realistic that is, unless the OP is including a future pension in that figure. The 50K in savings sounds good, but even in Thailand, that can easily be dwindled away. It's possible to live on an income of $1400/month in Thailand, but as others have said, it depends on what kind of lifestyle the OP is willing to settle for. Then too, if the OP is thinking of living in Thailand under a retirement visa, he's going to have to be able to show an annual income of 800,000 baht each year. US$1400/month isn't going to do it, although US$50,000 in a Thai bank would more than cover the visa requirement. The problem is what happens if it trickles down too much? Any way you look at it, unless a person is wealthy, or has a nice on-going steady income whether he retires or not, it helps to do some serious planning well before making a leap to move to Thailand, or anywhere else for that matter.

I think the best choice for the OP is to wait for the US$4500/month income which would be more than plenty to live pretty well.

You can draw a reduced amount starting after your 62nd birthday, and full benefits after your 65th birthday. You can live in that area on $1400 per month, probably pretty well as a matter of fact, but my advice would be to wait until you are 62 and can collect the SS.

All of this assuming her health can be treated sufficiently (health care is free or low cost to her as a Thai), and she can be cared for by relatives until you can arrive and be with her.

Best of luck

I could be wrong, but if you start drawing SS early, you might not get maximum benefit at full retirement age. There are exceptions though, such as for disability, in which case you'd get at or near maximum benefit early, and continue to maximum benefit at normal retirement age. It'd be a good idea to check what can and can't be done with regard to Social Security benefits.

I agree that health is something that should be taken into account. While the OP may be healthy now, that doesn't mean something unforeseen couldn't pop up unexpectedly. As we get older, it's more likely various medical problems and ailments can become more frequent. You either have to have medical insurance (which isn't always cheap) or dip into cash reserves to foot the bill.

Speaking for myself, I've run into a few Thais over the years that I didn't like, very few, like 3 or 4. Those occasions lasted just a matter of minutes at the most. For the most part, nearly every Thai I know or have met have been very pleasant, good humor, very courteous, and very helpful. There are some farangs who seem to have an endless list of complaints about Thais, but I've always thought they must run into a whole different crowd of people than I do.

I would think they pretty much work the same hours as banks. Do the ones at the airport even stay open this late?

BKK Bank and SCB seem to stay open at the international airport. When we pull in on arrival, it's usually about 12 midnight, then another hour or so to go through customs and collect the luggaage. We usually convert a travelers check into baht just to have a little cash on hand before leaving the airport.

A couple more videos from friend Prakanong who does an excellent job of capturing daily life as typically seen in Bangkok.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xikzyrBHIVY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD-A1I4g7Jw

Yes, you can also call it "Scolopendra".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scolopendra

Be extra carefull if you encounter one, as even if you chop him over in different parts, you will see those parts walking away on their own....and fast!

I'm jumping in on this thread a little late, but how are you feeling now?

The water along Sukhumvit in long past years certainly did get to be "waist" deep... And it certainly contained a lot of "waste".

You're quite right. Some parts worse than others. Here's a look at Soi 8 and Sukhumvit Road in October 1991 (It's not my vid). The guy on the footbridge with the cob of corn is someone I used to frequently chat with.

Thank's a bunch for all your reply's. But this does not sort out the problem of lightning. Have gone through all the link's they all say earth rod in ground and earth wire to where ever. Strait forward. Then you have a bolt of lightning that hit's your ground and bingo Crisp. EG Shower earth wire to the ground rod, Computer via switch to rod, you get a lightning strike up come's the power and as it doesn't go through any cut out system it will go strait into your shower unit and blow it, and you if you are showering to see Buddha. Same with comp: This happened to a friend of mine who had two shower's unit's into the same rod. As luck would have it no one was there at the time. Both shower's MELTED and all the wire's right back to the shower circuit breaker switch, and lot's more after that. N/B his main's circuit breaker cut out didn't. Not designed to. What is needed is some form of cut out between the two thing's, rod and appliance in the earth wire some type of fuse maybe. Going to my shop today to see what they say. But I can guess the reply NO NEED NOT HAPPEN. Update later.

Glad it helped clarify things a bit since you were wondering about it.

depends on how much you use the backlight, I got about 6 years out of mine before I had the battery replaced ( and by then the lenses was pretty well scuffed up.

That's right. I've had a Casio Data Bank 150 for the last 15 years, and it's still going as well as when I frst bought it. I've replaced the battery once, and that was probably because I had frequently used the backlight. I still use the backlight on occasion, but very seldom. The nicest feature (there are several) for me with that model is that I can switch between time zones.

Hi Guys

What I've got installed is a "Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter". Seems to do the trick as my missus has put it to the test on a couple of occasions!

Sound's interesting not something kinky is it. If it's not to much bother how does it work, and how do you fit it. I'll go to my shop and try and sort something out tomorrow. Thank's to both of you.

Here are some links that might help understand GFCI. There are a number of YouTube vids on the subject.

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10136&minisite=10026

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question117.htm

This guy has many nice videos from Bangkok,

here is one example

I agree, he does a fabulous first-rate job with his videos. Well worth viewing.

Hi guys, thanks again for the advices.

About "Thai craftmenship" : i allready have some experience when they replaced a pipe from the toilet in the teacherhouse.

My bloodpressure went skyhigh that time...

IF i should build a house i won't leave them alone for 1 day !!!

See ya ...

fredob43 makes a valid point about why it's important to make frequent visits to a new home construction site. In larger gated community housing projects, the risk is probably not as great, but even then problems can potentially crop up. To be fair, it's not to say that all contractors and their crew are shoddy, but it is fair to take precautions, especially when contracting with small-time builders and keep a close eye on things as the construction progresses to be sure all the specifications are being followed and that you're getting all the specified materials you're paying for. That includes fixtures, lights, windows, doors, screens, air-con appliances, roofing, everything you specifically choose to have installed. It's not always a great idea to leave such selections up to the contractor. Better to play it safe now, than to be sorry about it later. For houses planned on a private tract of land out in the boonies, your own inspections to avoid potential problems should begin with the land preparation: clearing, leveling, soil compaction. If the soil is too loose, you could end up with some severe cracks in the floor and walls, or broken pipes, as the soil settles unevenly from the weight of the house. Some contractors will just use a light tractor. That's okay for clearing and leveling, but it's not heavy enough for good firm compaction, especially if you need to bring in loads of fill dirt.

You need a work permit for which you need the right visa etc.

It is possible to get a limited time WP for being a specialist musician but it is a hassle and requires good relations with the immigration and the Labor Department - Work Office (whatever it's called that issues the WP).

Exactly. Big name foreign musicians can play concerts because they have people who deal with making such arrangements. You can entertain guests all you want, as long as it's at your home or theirs and there's no money involved, or at least not made publicly known. But in public businesses, it's a different matter, even if you're playing for free. It's possible to play at a business, but it's a good idea to be aware of the potential risks that go along with it. Claiming ignorance of the law after the fact isn't likely to receive much sympathy or make much difference. TIT.

Like you say, there are 3 3Mill places built next to Moms House round me, now looking like Angor Wat in the Nam era.Still they come, let em find out for themself.

I hear what you say but if I we us just help one peep's then I think I've done my bit. If they still do it up to them. Some will learn the hard way some will just keep paying out there cash till it's all gone. But by then it's to late. Off they will go back to their own country trying to work out where it all went wrong. Maybe one day they will realise that that's how it is here if you dont work thing's out well in the first place, you will get done BIG time.

Agreed. Screw-ups can happen. It helps to be able to keep a close eye on the progress, preferably on a daily basis. Can't do that if you're not in the country. I've been watching the progress of one guy who lives in Thailand and is having a house built in a village. He frequently visits the site (not daily), and has caught a number of problems that had to be corrected. Ultimately, a whole new crew had to be brought in by the local contractor after going through a big hassle over it. If he'd been overseas, the problems would've just been ignored, or covered over, and he would've never been the wiser if he hadn't been around to catch it in time.

I'd also add just about the entire product line of Brand's and Scotch (Bird's Nest beverage, Vita Berry, Essence of Chicken, etc. etc.) as not only nonsense, but in terms of sugar content potentially harmful products.

That's the one I was referring to on page 1. Have now learnt it raises IQ-they should distribute it for free and make it compulsory.

This stuff is under lock and key at the supermarket_liquid gold I am told-for the manufacturer.

I think I will do a test and report back if I feel smarter or just poorer.

I'm sure the manufacturer will greatly appreciate your investment.

I guess I should add, the XL for Men shop in the Silom Complex also has a very small closet enclosure that would allow one to try on some clothing item in private....

And I too should add that I don't think anyone at the Future Park shop speaks any English, but it's no problem browsing, and it's easy enough to determine sizes and prices. If I remember correctly, there are two small dressing stalls.

Another place to check is located at Future Park in Rangsit. There's a shop that sells imported clothing suitable for larger folks. I'm XL. Can't remember the name or which level it's on. They get their stock from closeouts, going out of business, etc., I think mostly from the US - brand new clothing, not second hand store stuff. Not sure if they have 6XL, but they certainly carried a good variety of XL and larger. Might be worth a check. I've been pleased with what I've gotten from them. They have privacy stalls where you can try on the clothes to make sure they fit, instead of having to guess.

Prices are reasonable too.