connda

Is working in my own garden, or helping clean the local temple's ground legal. Technically? Maybe; Maybe not. Realistically? Ever seen news reports of farangs picking up garbage and cleaning their neighborhoods? I've never seen a follow-up news report stating that the farang was busted for "working without a work permit." Doing things for 'family and friends.' That's pretty much off the radar My suggestion? Don't lose any sleep over it.

A Happy Wife Makes A Happy Life.

FYI. Before we bought, the Suzuki dealership in Chiang Mai drove a test Celerio to our home in Lamphun to allow us to test drive the car. Good customer service.

Suzuki Celerio. My 5 speed cost ฿360K when I bought it. I didn't buy any of the additional packages, just bare bones as my philosophy on cars is it gets you from point A to point B. I don't need to drive a status symbol or fancy gadgets. Good gas mileage at about 23 km/liter (~54 miles/gal) If you added automatic I believe it was around another 100K THB. Great city car. Easy to maneuver. Small engine ~1000cc. Yeah, it sounds gutless, but it is geared very efficiently and can get it up to speed on the highway faster than the majority of Thais. It's surprisingly quick. I've driven it in the mountains to Pai and Mae Hong Son a number of times as well as trips to BKK and Cha-am. It will cruise at 100k/h when you are driving long distance. However I tend to drive the speed limits or slightly below as it extends the gas mileage. On the outside it looks small, but it is surprisingly roomy on the inside. Hatchback and the back seat drops. I look for affordability and maneuverability especially city driving. This had it all for approximately 10K USD. Wife and I are very happy with it. I could have bought His and Hers Celerios for both the wife and I for what you'll spend on the type of cars most people feel that can't do without.

Actually, we all should actively be contributing to the "Ships On Time" rating if we are having problems, as it will help others.

Hasn't been your year for Lazada, 'eh Crossy. I'd say that 95% of my orders can be processed COD, and I prefer COD as it makes it easier to cancel if there is too much of a time lag. Out of those 5%, I make bank transfers. I've had to wait on occasion as it is usually things that ship from overseas that aren't offered COD, but I haven't had your problems. Hope things get better for ya!

Me too.

Reverse Osmosis at home. Berkey water filter for emergencies.

Thanks. Like RTFM, in this case RTFO.

Thai banks unaffected by two recent US bank failures..... .....until they are.

It's pretty much impossible to have a bank honor a DPA unless you set it up before leaving, no less creating a DPA outside of the US.

Yeah, I sold my cheap-***ed US made wedding ring to a gold shop when I first got here. I was however making a purchase.

Thai women in villages went bra-less until sometime in the 1930 (I believe) when the Thai government literally dictated a dress-code that was very Western. So revealing clothing doesn't get much of a reaction from even conservative rural Thais. My own wife said her mom often when bra-less up until the 1960s when she was a kid.

I'm not adverse to hiring an agent who can 'bend the rules'. As I mentioned, I have plenty of funds flowing into Thailand to meet the financial qualification even if I didn't have any money in the bank. However, Immigration sets unrealistic restrictions on how that money comes into Thailand, in other words, they demand that it is shown as an international funds transfer where even the banks in Thailand don't show that designation even when the funds originate overseas. So if I could find an "Agent" who has a working relationship with Immigration and can convince them that the foreign funds transfers are actual foreign funds transfers even though they don't have that specific label. I get the feeling that there isn't any of those types of "special agents" up here in Chiang Mai.

I'm getting to be that age where I need to anticipate health problems that would incapacitate me. So I'm in the process of creating a list of instructions for my wife to follow in case I have a stroke or if I'm otherwise unable to take care of myself. I'm on an Extension of Stay Based On Marriage and as long as I'm married, regardless of my physical condition, I want to maintain that annual extension based on marriage as I have 400,000 THB that remains in a Thai account specifically for that reason, and I AM married to a Thai woman 15 years this year.. I also have around 100K THB transferred to Thailand from a work pensions and Social Security, although that process on a good day is a PITA. So I need a list of agents who can take care of the Thai Immigration bureaucracy in case I'm incapacitated and can not take care of it myself. And it is beyond what my wife can do or understand. So what I am looking for is a list of Visa Agents in Chiang Mai who would be able to handle ALL of the paperwork as well as to provide agency for my wife and myself in order to keep the extensions up to date was well as the 90 day reports if I am fully incapacitated. I live within Chiang Mai Immigration District 5 although I report to a smaller office in Lamphun. It's still in the same district. Agent recommendation would be appreciated as I'm trying to compile a list for the wife.

Chiang Mai district, Lamphun office.

Thank you. I know what I won't be buying in the future.

Retire somewhere else. You'll thank me.

I've taught here for 3 years in a private school. I wouldn't teach in a public school. The wages suck and there are other countries where the requirements are less of a hassle and the money is significantly better. Teaching in a private school was more like a hobby where I could make 40K a month. Thai public schools. <head shake>

You own a loan-shark 50,000 THB and then shoot yourself in the head? Sure you do. Tell me that this is going to fly with Thai authorities. What do "loan-sharks" do - they threaten and often harm those who have taken loans from them in order to obtain repayment. It's illegal isn't it? Like, usury is legal in Thailand (actually it seems to be). There will be no "justice" here I'm afraid.

What is the most current, up-to-date check-list for applying for a visa extension based on marriage?

According to my wife, if someone hits your dog because it is running in the road, the dog's owner is responsible for damages to your car. However this is a little different as this dude's wife ran over a dog simply laying in the road, she saw it and knew it was laying in the road, and decided to run it over. And it sounds like the OP and his wife are very happy about running the dog over anyway. Don't worry unless the police show up. And hope your neighbor doesn't own a gun. Give your neighbor wide berth if they are carrying a machete.

I saw something similar on Thai TV where a CCTV camera caught a car slowly running over a dog in the road. From what I could tell the police got involved as running down dogs, like you wife did, is considered criminal cruelty. Lucky for you they didn't have a CCTV.

Of course it is. A monopoly has said minister by the cajones.