Hanuman2547

I used to really like Koh Chang.  I went there a lot back in the early 90's up until around 2007.  Now it's quite overpriced and over run with big resorts that squeezed the small family run operations out.  When they started making the ferry run for cars cheaper that was the downfall.  Then all of the road improvements etc.  

As an earlier poster mentioned, Koh Phangan is nice when away from Had Rin.  Avoiding the Full Moon Party is also a good idea.  

On 9/13/2020 at 8:50 PM, BritManToo said:

Can't imagine any tourists coming to Thailand under the current entry conditions.

Despite all the talk, I guess they don't really want foreign tourists any more.

I have to agree with this.  Don't forget the 14 day quarantine either which you get to pay for at inflated prices.  Even if the country were to open up to tourists and no quarantine I'm still not so sure about being cooped up on a plane for 16+ hours while transiting in another airport before reaching Swampy.  Maybe November or December 2021 will see an increase in tourist arrivals.

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday (September 8 ) scotched rumours of a coup d’etat, telling the press they were pure nonsense.

That's usually what they say...……...right before a coup d'etat happens!

Malaysia!

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Compared with Pattaya, there really is only one thing that is cheaper in Pattaya. 

Leo beer?

This is great news!  May this piece of sh*t rot in hell.  This man was pure evil.  He was a ruthless murderer and a sick sadistic man.  The only regret is that he got to live as a free man from 1979 until he was finally arrested much too late in life.  

Must your child be picked up from school?  Why when I was mere boy I had to walk to school in the morning and back home when school was out for the day .  Uphill both ways, in the rain, snow, and mud.  I had to dodge the older kids, especially the ones that would bully the younger ones.  They would demand money, etc.  It to pass unscathed.  Got in my fair share of fisticuffs.  It builds character.  

I would miss the Thai "winter" which is much more pleasant than winter in my home country.  However, I never intend to live fulltime in LOS anymore.  Spend most of my time in my home country and winter in LOS.  

Does miniature golf count?  Otherwise, no because I don't golf.

13 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

Why, I was planning to live full-time so I wanted a decent size. I figured I could never live full-time in a studio

If I was to live in a condo full time I wouldn't want a studio either.  Just too small and cramped. 

No.

Ever since my team got moved I haven't been that interested in the NBA.  Still love watching the college game, especially March Madness.  

Back in the day, 20 years ago, I would sit at the open air bar in the middle of Nana Plaza and watch a tape delay of the game played earlier.  It was great as long as I didn't know who had already won.

What a waste of the taxpayers money to buy such useless military hardware.  Who is it actually that Thailand is concerned about invading their lands by sea?  They will all end up being moth-balled just like that aircraft carrier.  

I'm not a golfer but that is pretty amazing.  I do hope that I'm that active when I hit 83.  Swimming every day obviously helps him stay in shape.

It sounds like the HK based company that you work for is pimping you out to work at some school in Thailand but NOT AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER, not that there is anything wrong with teaching English.  I wonder how much the company makes off of you.  Can't you get the same level of job but cut out the HK company?  Does the HK company have a retirement program that you are enrolled in that would be on par with what you would get in the UK?  If not, you should really re-think why you want to teach for sub-standard wages with no retirement system in place.  

I wonder what all the religious organizations do for their volunteers that come to Thailand to do the "Lord's work"?  They would need Work Permits as well.  It was required in the past but if there was a change as Ubon Joe states then maybe it is a bit easier.

14 hours ago, khunPer said:

Seems like different people got different experiences from what is required when buying a car with finance, if you read through the posts. My experience, and thereby knowledge, is different from your knowledge; however, we may both be correct, as different dealers, and/or finance companies, may have different requirements...????

Right, and those might change as often as month to month!  ????

43 minutes ago, Iron Tongue said:

Did he have time to reload?  I see 21 shell markers on the sand.  Popular pistols like the Glock G19 or Beretta 92 only hold 15+1.

My Springfield XDM's (3.8 compact & 4.5) 9mm can almost do that without reloading as they both have 19+1 magazines.

Open up Thailand by 1 October 2020?  Maybe to a few select countries but definitely not everyone.  1 October 2021 more likely.  October 2020 is only six weeks away.  Open up the country to all tourists?  I hardly see that happening.  

When I changed jobs in 1993 in Bangkok I had to open a new bank account as the company did all their business through this other bank.  I used that account up until I left Thailand in 2001.  Prior to that I used Bangkok Bank but stopped using it from 1993 on.  In 2001 I left the country but forgot about the Bangkok Bank account.  I had left the account open and only had about 1500 baht in it.  When I was in Thailand in 2005 I tried to use my old Bangkok Bank debit card but it wouldn't work.  I had to go back to the bank branch where I opened the account and present my passbook and passport.  After about a half hour I was issued a new debit card.  In total the account had been sitting inactive for about 12 years.  The only additions were some very small interest amounts accumulated over the 12 years.  I still have the account an still use it to this day with no problems.  

In 1998 my Thai wife, with my western name, her Thai passport and ID card all with my surname, went into a local Bangkok Toyota dealership and purchased a brand new Toyota vehicle.  She put about 25% down and financed the rest.  All that was needed were her banking details and her income statement letter from her job in Bangkok.  I did not sign one single paper.  In fact I never stepped foot in the dealership until after she had bought the car.  

I went to the Mission Hospital once a number of years ago.  The doctor that I saw was an American doctor and a Seventh Day Adventist which is why he was working at Mission Hospital.  I asked him the question that I thought working as a medical doctor was a closed profession.  He replied that no, it wasn't a closed profession but you do have to pass all the medical exams and they are all in the Thai language.  

One of the biggest problems is that the pay in Thailand is extremely low with what is offered in other countries.  Another problem is the difficulty in obtaining the proper visa and the 90 day reporting.  Then there is the hostile feeling from the government that farangs are not needed in the country.  The pay has not kept up with inflation at all.  A teacher at a government school in 1990 has much more buying power then compared to the same teacher in the same job today.  Perhaps these teachers that are currently outside Thailand would do themselves a favor by taking a teaching position in another country that paid more and had more benefits.  

On 8/15/2020 at 3:35 AM, Aspaltso said:

Philipinos speak American English wish a Spanish like accent mixed in with their native Tagalong tones.  Just so you know it's actually Canadian "North American dialect" which is the most sought after in the world of ESL. The Canucks have very clear pronunciation ( unlike us Americans), , and they have a North American accent which is clearer to the Non Native English speaker unlike Queen's English.

Which is one reason that the major American news networks often employed Canadians as their news anchors.  

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

Common Interests is the key:

 

Hash House Harriers

Riding Motorcycles (although haven't seen them for a dog's age)

Et al.

 

Or sometimes just saying hello. I.e making an effort.

 

Mostly Hash though. Added plus is that you have instant friends no matter what city you are in.

Yep, same for me as well.  At the Hash House Harriers is where I have met and made a lot of friends.