connda

@DavisH I tried out Gabapentin last night. I had one of the deepest most refreshing nights sleep that I've had in years. Still had problems getting to sleep - that took 1 1/2 hours, but once asleep I had a full 5 hour sleep and woke up feeling like I had really slept. Took a leak and went back to sleep, woke up this morning, and felt refresh. I haven't had this type of feeling for years. Good stuff!

Hypocrisy.

Why worry about things that haven't even happened. Worry about it next year IF it happens. Then just add it as another PITA thing to do in order to get your extension. Until then? Pfft. 🙄

Just use your home-country's bank debit card and they have no way of checking.

Not worrying about it unless it happens.

Hey Sheryl. I think you said you used this. It just showed up on Lazada again. I didn't see it the last time I look and I don't see it on Line Shopping. Just a "heads up" if you're interested. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/puritans-pride-i5160927715-s21826854117.html?c=&channelLpJumpArgs=&clickTrackInfo=query%3AMelatonin%3Bnid%3A5160927715%3Bsrc%3ALazadaMainSrp%3Brn%3Acbded1afa19699a27cfbef3fe5079138%3Bregion%3Ath%3Bsku%3A5160927715_TH%3Bprice%3A580%3Bclient%3Adesktop%3Bsupplier_id%3A100557856540%3Bbiz_source%3Ah5_internal%3Bslot%3A7%3Butlog_bucket_id%3A470687%3Basc_category_id%3A8981%3Bitem_id%3A5160927715%3Bsku_id%3A21826854117%3Bshop_id%3A4575769&fastshipping=0&freeshipping=0&fs_ab=2&fuse_fs=&lang=en&location=Chiang Mai&price=5.8E 2&priceCompare=skuId%3A21826854117%3Bsource%3Alazada-search-voucher%3Bsn%3Acbded1afa19699a27cfbef3fe5079138%3BunionTrace%3Aa3b5349917162767838693789e%3BoriginPrice%3A58000%3BvoucherPrice%3A58000%3BdisplayPrice%3A58000%3BsinglePromotionId%3A-1%3BsingleToolCode%3A-1%3BvoucherPricePlugin%3A1%3BbuyerId%3A100001136781%3Btimestamp%3A1716276784425&ratingscore=&request_id=cbded1afa19699a27cfbef3fe5079138&review=&sale=11&search=1&source=search&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.7&stock=1

The bottom line, given the DTAs and the amounts of tax subject to exemptions - the man-power and government expense needed to chase down foreign retirees and guys like me who are married to a Thai citizens (and over 65) is an exercise in diminishing returns: they will spend more money then they bring in. Like I've suggested before. Fill out this form, understand your tax exemption threshold, and keep the amount of remitted funds under the threshold. Bob's your uncle! Thai_Tax_Form.pdf

Actually, the amount of time and man-hours needed to check all the foreign expats will end up costing them more then they will ever make in additional revenues. Actually, if they attempt to enforce it on me, they'll lose money. I don't attempt to go back and claim the tax they take out on the minimal interest I make on my Thai bank account. But if forced to file? I'll claw back every satang they withheld for as many years back as I can. The Thai government should focus on their own citizens. Going after expats is a dumb idea. But? This Is Thailand, 'eh?

Is Bangkok wet in August? Yes.

Perfect example as why the Dhamma is in decline.

Nope - no problem at all. People who want them should get them. I only have issues with people who demand that those who don't want the shots be forced to take them. If you feel a need to take them? Take them. In fact I encourage those who wish to take them to stay completely up-to-date with the latest boosters. But just stating anecdotally, the people whom I know who have gotten Covid multiple times tend have have one thing in common - Covid shots. Virtually all of my Thai family with the exception of my wife got the shots. Many of them have gotten Covid two, and some, three times. Out of my friends, family, and acquaintances (most in the US) who did not get the shots, those who have gotten Covid have only gotten in once. We discuss Covid and I don't hear about those people getting reinfected. Again - from my own experience - I only speak for myself and those people who I know personally.

Good lord, put it into perspective: 1,882 Covid cases in one week out of a population of...71,877,145 people in Thailand. This is exactly why I find this subject to be an exercise in hyperbole by news agencies as well as governmental agencies and stakeholders in medical manufacturing corporations. It literally seeks to create the conditions of obsessive hyper-vigilance. It's not healthy. Source:

Covid denier? Nope - We had Sars-Cov-2 and now have natural immunity. The wife and I had Covid. Never had a shot. Covid lasted 4 days and change and only two of those days with a fever. Wife had a mild cough for another week. Me? 4 days and done. I've had worse cases of influenza. What I consider more dangerous to society and susceptible individuals are the damaging effects of 4+ years of constant, never-ending fear promoted by stakeholders in the vaccine industry and their friends in government who rotate in and out of private and public entities while benefiting from the "Covid pandemic" and now "Covid Variants Obsession Syndrome" which generated hundreds of billion dollars in medical related revenues. And to this day they are still banging the "Be Hyper-Vigilant Or Covid Is Gonna Get 'Cha!" Imho there are large percentages of the populations in Asia and some Western countries who will be psychologically scarred for life. You'll know them - they will be those people still wearing masks 10 years from now. Like those driving in their car alone while all masked up: Victims of Covid-Mysophobia-OCD. I find that immensely sad.

He was a human being. Untimely death is a tragedy. For those consumed with hatred and dancing with glee? Perhaps you should evaluate your own lives and develop some compassion and humanity. Rest in Peace - 🙏

Agreed. Thai Aviation should be fully aware of the festivals an should put out a Notice To Pilots (NOTAM) regarding the hazards in the area and the dates to avoid. But Thailand being Thailand, and seeing that the government seems to want to quash anything resembling traditional fun, they'll probably start shutting the festivals down. Which begs the question: "How many flew over specifically to view the event? Again: NOTAM + Aviation Enforcement.

Weed Smokers to be Prosecuted Persecuted There - Fixed it!

It's called "attachment." People get attached to "stuff." I actually gave a lot of "stuff" away before coming here, and the estate sales guy must of thought I was a smuck but honestly, I wasn't attached to the stuff. He was a dishonest d*** but I didn't care. His karma, not mine. That was one of the reasons my marriage of 14 years tanked: Wife wanted lots and lots of "stuff" and never could get enough. I gave away/sold "stuff" she collected that still had the price tags on them. I have very few needs and even fewer wants, so I don't collect "stuff." This year I gave away a Fender Stratocaster and a Honda Dream. The people who got those items were happy. I was happy that they were happy. They were happy to get "stuff"; I was happy to lighten my load and see them happy. That was a fair deal. A lot of problems in this world are the result of people not being about to differentiate between wants and needs, then they think happiness is about having "stuff." Some of the most miserable people I've met on this planet had so much "stuff" they they could keep track of it all - and they wanted more, and yet they are unhappy souls - like my ex-wife. So if you're attached to "stuff" and want to collect a pay-out for your stuff before moving on, or you just gotta take your "stuff" with you - well, sounds like a cluttered life to me. Being unburdened and unattached to possession gives you a lot of freedom that the average plod with a bazillion wants and attachments can never can attain. "Stuff" is over-rated and it doesn't equate to happiness. Although many if not most of the people I've met think that "He who has the most toys when they die - win!!!" <shrug> Ok. "Winner!!!"

Excellent.

Buying A Motorcycle Without A Greenbook. Yes I Am Nuts !!!!! Yes you are. So? Don't do it.

The problem is - it doesn't work that way. The DTA outline the conditions under which a country can lay claim to you as an tax resident as well as which country gets the first shot at taxing your income. You need to read your DTA. Like, the fine print.

Fyi, being an old fart over 65 years old really helps. In my case the wife turns 65 next year then we can claim two of those generous "over 65 years old" exemptions. See! Marrying an older Thai gal has its perks.

The first option doesn't require too much thinking. But if you really want to know your exemptions then sit down and calculate your exemptions and determine you exemption threshold. You may find that your getting excited over nothing. Then you'll also need to look at your home country's DTA to understand what forms of income are off-limits to the Thai government, for example, the US Social Security payment is only taxable by the US government per the US-Thai Dual Tax Agreement, so then you only have to worry about other earned income like your pension or capital gains. Use this form, and crank out a "test scenario" and then you'll know. In my own case I don't remit anything close to my exemption threshold of 560K THB, so I don't worry about it. Thai_Tax_Form.pdf

I find in interesting how other people live. I sold pretty much everything I owned and came with a backpack and a day-pack. If forced to leave, I'll probably sell everything I own and leave with a backpack and a day-pack. I find other people's attachment to "stuff" rather amusing myself. It's just "stuff."

Just wondering, but why does durian look like a dissection of a "pod" from Invasion Of The Body Snatchers? 🤔 I probably wouldn't sleep with on of those next to my bed. 😳

This kind.