Shiver

If you want to be tracked anywhere in the world, carry a piece of electronics with Tx capability and a unique network address. 

CCTV, SIM cards etc are really taking the fun out of it.

When I saw that I immediately thought of the classic circular formations sometimes seen in lawn grass, which is a mycelium pattern, so I'm tending to agree with others that it is ringworm (which is not actually a worm btw).

I suspect 300 net.  I'd happily pay someone like this a few meals a day even if I wasn't hungry.  I have a soft spot for honest work, and she could keep it or pass it on at her discretion.

This would be purely for selfish reasons of course, as it would be ammo for me against the freeloaders and those that don't know the difference between price and value yet want me to give them results without their effort being in the formula.

Whinging Pom, over and out.

 

16 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

I wonder how much the cynics above have ever handed out in their life.................Oh and i said handed out, not taken hand outs

I for one.  Not looking for issues but can certainly back up my stupidity.

I read the responses and sadly I feel that the majority do not understand money.

Sure it helps when you need a roof over your head and food in your belly  - I do not dispute that at all, but scale changes things.  If you had only 1 billion instead of two, how would that materially change your life? $10 to $20 would change a lot!

I have a lot to say, but only to those who want to learn (and it's not a glory story to be sure...),

 Ugly.

You don't 'make' merit with fiat.  If that were true then every legal and illegal alien would be eligible for the keys to the city in Gotham.

I think if you did eat a lot you wouldn't 'need' to eat anything else.  It's caloried up to 'f'.  My missus is a Durian addict and is constantly seeking the company of others who are the same.  The rest are on the opposite side of the rai not breathing through their nose. 

If I were an enterprising soul I'd notice that the whole fruit is very bad value for money per Kg, and that pre-packed starts to oxidise (smell) and package it in such a way (the right gas rather than air) as to keep all campers happy.

Then again, I hear constantly that "som tam no good" - how can that be?  Surely people would make a product that people like if they want to thrive(?).  Same for Jok.  Maybe it's a Guinness vs Miller Light kind of thing...

Okay, time to get off my grumpy ass and do something useful (that will not include local wisdom as a condition of success).

Never used Uber, but Grab priced very well compared to Tuk Tuks and Taxis (Udon city).  My one (insert expletive description here) is that they're fine taking you 10 Km's out of the city, but they will never ever collect you on your the return to the city, even with tips, promises and prior arrangements, knowing that they've effectively stranded you.

Huge failure in their business model.

I used a utility bill, and paid a language school for a certified translation, which has worked fine on many occasions.  I guess with something like a driving license you could get them to copy it and write something to the effect that the above address reads as xyz in English.

Eventually I managed to get my AIS bill changed into English which comes as a PDF every month as well as the standard Thai paper one by post.  It took a lot of frustration though for such a simple job.

On 4/20/2018 at 4:13 PM, blackcab said:

Why would you want your name on the birth certificate if the child isn't yours?

 

 

Either block her or get a reputable DNA test done.

 

I second that. 

DNA that *you* take (hair/swab or whatever the lab suggest) and do by post to another country.  I've seen falsified documents in Thailand that just confirm whatever the mother wants/pays for it to say.  If the baby is yours then testing independently you will know for sure and bypass any lying and have the peace of mind you seek.  If she protests a lot about you doing that then likely you'll already know the answer (and sign nothing!).

Not sure how it works here, but in other countries, a "certificate of birth" is a government legal document to get an ID, and a "certificate of live birth" is the hospital documenting an event - not something that needs to be signed for, as a live birth is self evident.  That's about the point where we all become slaves btw, even though you never signed up for it yourself.  You can delay the legal document until you have proof that you are the father.

On 4/14/2018 at 8:07 PM, HLover said:

Wow, I have been investing in 'nipple' since my teenage years and although hopeful....have yet to see a return.

Speech impediments can be expensive for wowdy webels.

I'm a BTC old schools person, but when XRP was $0.79 and a screaming buy I couldn't ignore it.  Switched back to BTC when it hit $2.86 2 weeks later.  I felt so dirty, but I had a grin on my face until I looked in the mirror and saw the dried blood.  Nothing to do with nipples I know, but I had to tell somebody that sometimes the little guy wins at 'Gov' coin.  I'll go TOR now and s.t.flip.up.

14 hours ago, mdmayes said:

I disagree. 10k USD should be plenty. Have a 2k USD cushion as just in case funds ready. I travel to Thailand 2x a year. I spend 5k CDN (4K USD) for a 1 month visit. Thats not living like a popper. I travel around Thailand, eat out all meals, go on tours, go to bars, etc, etc. Have a good vacation with your girls.

That sounds reasonable to me if not pauper and not excessive.  A few small changes can multiply out quite differently though - eg. Are you looking for 1-2-3 rooms?  Drinkers or food connoisseurs? 100 baht can get you a meal and a drink in one place, or 100 mtrs away could be 10x more.  BKK you might get a fruit smoothie for 250 baht, or Chiang Mai that might buy a meal for 3 and also 3 bottles of water.

Maybe google sites for average prices for things that interest you in each area you intend to visit, and carry more than you expect to need,  You don't 'have' to spend it if it's flawless, but being disconnected from your base country and 1 baht short can be a cold and hard mistress.

I have used BX without issue (both ways) - but with 500K limit because I am not in their bank (KK),  I suspect that coins.co.th and bx are the same company but never investigated.

Corner bar I usually order in - (#31,#35) - don't frequent but am known in that area,

"R" with PM I will write to you but physically messed up right now so 1 finger typing - chat in that physical area in the resaurants/bars and you will quickly home in on me, no problem.

Typing is not easy right now so will stop short - just glad I didn't sell out at $8 lol.

My first question is why buy from a US company (*especially* if you are a US citizen).  There is a decent BX in Thailand, but I'd consider the position of using Thai Baht and capital controls.  If you bring resources *to* Thailand rather than taking them *from* Thailand (as they see it - not necessarily the reality of the situation), then you will have a trouble free time versus potential wrath.

Message me and I can offer suggestions without clogging up this thread with what could be interpreted as name dropping for companies that I'm actually just a customer of.

Prices in Thailand for crypto tend to be a little higher than some other countries - if you're here then you're probably travelled enough to understand why, but banks (the thing crypto is designed to get away from) are always the sticking point until you've made the transition to the other side.

5 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

No guns or knives please or using your car as  weapon of mass destruction if possible. 

Doesn't bother me with sharing habits, though I will use a 'transport spoon' between the food and myself just out of courtesy.

Last week for example I was sat eating peanuts in a dish with some thai friends and used a spoon to put them in my hand.  They noticed and copied.  Really wasn't necessary, but they took it upon themselves to do so.

Depends on whether you're looking for a premium brand name,  We got a Civic turbo which is close enough to GTI (nearly), but in economy mode is pretty Frugal.

Friend just got a CR-H which is family orientated, not too big and drives competently on these roads.  If you're going to be spending a lot if time in BKK stop/starting, then I'd strongly suggest a Hybrid for the next few years - the transition from electric to gasoline is undetectable - it's just strangely silent other than the tyres.

Had the Fortuna previously.  Will never buy another.  Do you want to max your budget or spend only what gets the job done

On 3/27/2018 at 3:05 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

Sounds like you are paying to have someone available when you want her to be available and go away when you don't want her around.

I don't have a problem with that, and you seem to have it sussed.

Good that you don't overestimate your importance in her universe though.

I admit that I felt aggrieved when my wife dumped me despite everything I'd done for her, but I should have known better. I was hardly a newbie when I met her.

The lesson was hard, but money and stuff do not elicit gratitude here. I still have no idea as to what does, and doubt I'll ever find out.

That's pretty much it.  I gave up long ago hoping for a deep and meaningful, but we make a good team,  It does escalate the value of my friends though,

On 3/24/2018 at 6:16 PM, MaeJoMTB said:

.

.

Agreed

As far as I can see 'feminism' ended 'normal' relationships. The risks and costs just ain't worth even trying these days.

Wrt risk, I guess that old investment advice applies  "only invest what you can afford to lose".

I've done many millions on my gf/mia, but I gave it freely.  I don''t own much of anything here, and nor do I want to.  She's very dutiful, but if the scale were 1-10 with the dog being 10, I'd be about 4.  In fact everything else would be about a 4 (her brother, her friends etc).  Suits me fine as long as she's available when requested for food/clothing/taxi etc.  I like a lot of my time to be solo so I can study whatever interests me at the time, plus a bit of time being silly hanging out with friends,  be they Thai or ex-pat.

If I were in BKK I'd really like to see this, but it's not quite my favourite city and the two counter each other meaning I think I'd rather forfeit the live experience and buy the recording.

I thought he'd long ago completed insulting every single race/creed/colour, so curious what he would come up with next.

On 3/7/2018 at 7:55 AM, macahoom said:

 

I’m British and I’ve always wondered why 99% of drivers in America park nose first.

 

In fact, I’ve seen signs in car parks in the U.S. which say No Reverse Parking.

 

Strange!

I'm British too, and wonder why 99% of Americans drive on the same side as Thais on a Honda Wave 110 and no helmet,

Just messing, but it'll get a rise out of someone I'm sure. :)

On 3/8/2018 at 5:10 AM, TechnikaIII said:

Then their best hope is a sister who hooks a farang. In the West, we talk about "skeletons in the closet". In Thailand, you need to watch out for the unemployed brothers lurking in the rubber plantation. Your new mother in law will instruct your wife to extract money to support her male siblings. 

Your lovely new wife-to-be may seem too good to be true. Well, there is always free cheese in the mousetrap.

 

I had a GF (my only previous permanent relationship here) that was very much like the above.  We didn't get married though, and her mother said "he has no money, marry this other one who can buy us land and build us a house and get a new car".

She did really care, and didn't really think much of the suitor her mother promoted, but she complied with family wishes just the same.

I was gutted and it took years to get over, and swore if I ever met another then she was going to be an orphan as I couldn't afford that weakness in a potential relationship again.

I stopped feeling sorry for myself eventually, met a wonderful woman.  I'd started a business by then which was doing 'okay', worked more, diversified and build myself a pension.  I'm not old enough to have a retirement visa just yet, and I haven't got married either (though I call her my wife) as I wanted to see what village girl with no immediate family (but about 200 she's never met that are waiting in the wings) does when she has all the trappings, new car, cash in bank, healthy business, and see if I get side lined.

She really wants to get married, but from either side of the relationship we've both had the milk and the cow, so I don't see the point in telling government about our position (unless there were kids on the way which I feel would be a very bad idea in this country - especially that indoctrination centre called education).

Long rant, but I guess what I'm trying to say is be aware of family influence and what they're taught, and who they listen to.  One rice farmer Thai opinion counts for far more influence than 100 smart foreigners, with how you should divest.

And they don't want services like Grab/Uber/Lyft which are cheaper, pre-agreed price, and won't do that they are legally obligated to do.  They wouldn't have the competition if they were competent in the first place.

The biggest taxi company in the world doesn't have a single car.

I can predict what my car registration will be when it gets back here later today.  Do I win the lottery?

Actually if they were any good they'd just predict who will win the lottery.  One more stealth tax and distraction out of the way.

You've got to be in it to lose it.