tfc

On 3/11/2021 at 2:24 PM, jackdd said:

I can understand how it might work for somebody trying to lose weight, but what you describe doesn't make sense.

Eating many small meals would be what would result in stable levels. After eating your one giant meal a day your energy levels go up to the roof, and then after your body digested this it goes into starvation mode until the next meal, this is the opposite of stable.

You say you don't do it for weight loss, and are doing it since ten years, so obviously your one meal has to cover your maintenance calorie level. I assume you are a normal man, this would probably be about 2500 kcal. How do you eat 2500 kcal in one meal? With just junk food I might see how this is possible (still difficult though), but if you also want to get a decent amount of protein, and micro nutrients (vegetables, fruits...) in, I would say that's impossible to do. What do you eat for your OMAD?

I'll have to give my "broscience" explanation because I'm no scientist & basically just followed the basic guidelines from a book called the "Warrior Diet" by Ori Hofmekler.  From what I recall, having read it over 10 years ago, after an initial few weeks the body shifts/swaps the leptin/ghrelin (paraphrasing here) & the body is no longer in starvation mode during the day.  I can only speak from my own experience but for myself I only experienced mild hunger for a few days before the shift/swap etc.  

It's arguable whether I'm a normal man but that aside, I eat until I'm full.  I can usually eat between 3-4 chicken breasts/thighs, a big salad, 1.5-2 small containers of sour cream, butter, cheese (probably only once a week), "cloud bread" & I'm pretty much done.  When I was in Australia I ate more beef & whatever vegetables/salads were in season.  I also tend to eat more cheese when I'm there, perhaps 3-4 times a week.  I'm not sure if how I eat is supposed to be possible/impossible but it works for me.  I get a full health check twice/year & though my doctor here thinks I'm a bit crazy, though that may just be me not my diet, apparently everything is good.  Same with my doctor in Australia.  

I'm not one to recommend/not recommend diets of any sort, aside from (in general) avoiding junk food.  I'm just sharing my experience on the OMAD but I'd guesstimate that it's not for everyone & only really talk about it if asked, or if there's a thread asking about it such as this one.  If anyone expresses interest in IF/OMAD though I always encourage them to be open to the different forms of IF because from my experience & that of friends there are a lot of variables that come into play that & for whatever reason some forms of IF work better for others & some really just don't.  For what its worth I'm also a life long martial artist, which is one of the reasons that I was interested in sustained, stable focus/energy & for me I like that I can train at anytime during the day & feel ready to train within 30-45 mins after my one meal as well.       

I've been on OMAD for 10 years give or take, though weight loss wasn't my goal but for optimizing my energy levels (no more fluctuations / peaks / drops just smooth), stable focus etc.  Different people I know use different types of IF & in my opinion its best to use what works best for your goals & health.  For me OMAD is more sustainable & easier, for some of my friends larger windows or other "structures" of IF are more sustainable.  End of the day it's what you personally find can become positively "normal" for you that will work best for you.     

If it was mandatory I'd gladly pay for the Pfizer one VS even being paid to receive the Sinovac one. 

Quote

 

Many schools including Prince Royal College, Dara College, Montfort College and Sacred Heart College have announced that they will be closed longer than the initially stated 18th January due to fear of the recent Covid-19 surge. Schools now say that they aim to reopen on the 1st February.

A total of 72 schools out of the 83 primary schools in Chiang Mai’s region 1 have been closed. Most are still aiming to reopen on the 18th January, but will evaluate the situation again in the next few days.

 

https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/citynews/covid-19/chiang-mai-schools-extend-closure-until-end-of-month/

Would be interested to know what other schools have also extended their reopening to the 1st Feb if anyone knows.

The heroin and methamphetamine as reportedly included (from another news site) in the mix may have played a part too. 

Whether a person is a tourist, expat or citizen, from a purely logistical point of view, for the overall good of the country, inclusive of all people and lessening the potential of Thailand increasing infections and deaths, limiting contact and just having everyone regardless of who they are just stay put.   

If he was in the more central districts of HCMC then a 0 was probably omitted meaning he pays $850/month all inclusive.  If out in district 7 the editor/writer probably missed a 4, 5 or 6 at the start, so $450, $550 or $650.  Quality of the accommodations of course is going to play a huge part in determining that along with the district he is living in. 

I was going to add my 2 cents to the recent post but at the time decided not to just because it seems that there is a fairly substantial divide of belief/view/opinion where forummers either are very adverse or pleased towards any positive or negative reports.  I'm not going to present my opinion either way as just as with the other 2, they are 2 only and mine just another.  Everyone is going to experience Vietnam, Thailand or any country for that matter with different perspectives, some slight some substantial.  Having on and off in the last 15 years lived in HCMC and Hanoi primarily for anything from 9-10 months (mainly between 2005-2011) when I was working (a foreign company paying western level wages for those that are wondering) and 6-9 months (my usual time from 2011 onward) when I no longer needed to and was just a tourist, I've known a lot of expats with a very broad spectrum of opinion, from those that can't stand the place, those that love it and everything in between. 

At the end of the day just go live, if you're able, in the country that you wish to live, whether that's Vietnam, Thailand or another country.  None of us here own any of these countries (that I know of) so such emotional investment in where people other than yourself wants to live isn't worth the time and life. 

FWIW for those that can't find imported products either ask your concierge at your hotel and they'll give you names and address or if in Hanoi and can't find the ones around the small streets near Hoan Kiem lake, there's a small but good one a block or so from the Thai embassy.  Coming out of the embassy just turn right and walk up the street.  It's hard to miss as the have many of their imported foods in the window.   

HCMC has even more.  Most of the big malls should have something but again just ask your hotel concierge if you can't find one.  In D1 on the corner of Dong Du, if for example you are coming out of the Sheraton just turn left and walk straight for about 150 meters and there's a double story imported foods/deli/bakery on the other side of the road.  You can get everything from Bob's Red Mill "whatever," imported beers, wines, cheeses, butters, coffee, chocolate, sweets, biscuits etc.  

In regards to comparisons between staying in Thailand on tourist visas and whether the same could be done in my own country Australia I can only offer anecdotal examples of friends that essentially live here simply because they have the ample amounts of either investments and/or external sources of income to do so.  It may not be the "official" thing to do from certain legal perspectives in Australia however the financial perspective wins here, as can be observed from properties, once upon a time public sector companies and at times freeways being bought by overseas investors.  This is just my observation of the landscape and I'm attempting to keep it objective without putting in my own opinion either way as to whether the aforementioned specifics are good, bad, right or wrong. 

At a smaller more individual level, if people are bringing money from outside of Australia and not working here (ie. in the context of the definition of work being that their income is coming from Australian people and/or companies as opposed to managing businesses outside Australia that are bringing money here.  I have not known anyone to have any issues at all and on the contrary are, perhaps "informally," quite welcome here and encounter little to no hassle.  In my experience its always been the latter but there are probably exceptions. 

Permanent residency and citizenship, though Australia has strict criteria, is also possible at a far higher percentage of success if those criteria are met.  Once again anecdotal but the people I know who are able to show that they either have a sufficiently large flow of external income that does not look as if it will cease until death from what I have seen do not experience the strictness that those that cannot do.  The "welcome" may not be on the level of a salesman with their foot in your door but in the "jumping through the hoops" of criteria there has always been an eager helping hand to boost them through the hoop.

The main problem that I saw coming up for people applying was that they forgot or didn't know that the Thai consulate in HCMC only accepts USD and I haven't found that to ever be negotiable.  So some people who had counted on picking up their visa the next day then flying out that night missed their window of opportunity and had to extend their stay in HCMC, meaning hotel in HCMC, flights, possibly hotels already booked in Thailand etc.

There are various money changers around but as far as I know none in walking distance to the consulate.  Personally I like to get it out of the way, exchange my money in Thailand put it in an envelope and have all my papers ready to hand over.  The HCMC consulate I've found to be fair but to strictly adhere to the rules.  If everything is in order then you should be fine.  I always go for a week or more just in case there are any issues.

Wow things have changed fast.  With Jim the other advantage was that you could drop it off pretty much any time during the day and at the time he was open until midnight and so you could pick it up anytime. 

I always use Bangkok, not for "will I get in reasons" but because its bigger and so seems like it should be better equipped for processing.  I know that's not necessarily the case (usually is for me) but my previous experiences with Chiang Mai for instance and this could have just been a "2 off occasion" I was just smothered in a mob of people with seemingly no lines or barriers for 2 hours.  It could have sorted itself out now but I don't want to go through that again.

Whenever I've applied in the past I just bring down everything including the kitchen sink.  They give me back what they don't need but have ample evidence that I don't need to work in Thailand and that I spend ample time out of the country.  Having said this, that was then.  I don't know how things are this month.

I don't personally have a problem with going down but the people I've met who have the visa, I forget which one because I'm not on it, that has them camping the night out so that they can get a ticket for an appointment that day.  If I was on that visa I'd want an agent.

Thanks UbonJoe I'll email the consulate in HCMC on his behalf to make sure that he's "compatible" with their requirements.

Thanks UbonJoe.  I let him know and so he's going to spend a week looking around HCMC (not on tour) and go to the Embassy there. 

I'm writing on behalf of my of friends who has been spending the last 30 or so years working then building up his business and is just now taking a "gap year" so to speak (getting some space from a bad divorce too.  He's Australian and I would have told him to apply while he was in Melbourne but he's already on the first leg of his trip and decided on the fly that he wanted to do a "hand to hand combat" course in Chiang Mai that seems to have an ED Visa option for a year (I've already got the paperwork sorted out for him so he just needs to get it to a Thai embassy and pick it up when its ready).

He's had some holidays to Thailand so has visa's in his passport (only one visa on arrival).  I haven't been to the KL embassy in nearly 10 years but gather from posts/threads here that its not the "friendliest" though I thought perhaps they'd be amenable to an ED Visa as opposed to tourist Visas.  He's currently on some jungle tour somewhere in Cambodia though and upon getting to KL is going to pretty much go straight into another off the grid tour.  So he'll have barely any time in KL and definitely not be around at the times that the Embassy accepts/returns applications which is why I'm asking if anyone knows of a reputable agency in KL that has a broader range of opening times.  Similar I guess to Jim's in Penang who quite a while ago when I saw him said he was open until midnight though I think my friend can work with/around usual business hours so that they coordinate with his flights/tours. 

Any suggestions appreciated and thanks in advance.

I either buy a flexible ticket which is pricier or just approximate the time when I'll be flying out of Thailand after my first entry.  I've always brought in all the paperwork including both my in/out tickets and they'd always given me my outward ticket back (haven't forwarded it for submission).  This was a while ago at the Melbourne consulate though so as things seem to be inclined, things could have changed.

Thanks ubonjoe you're a fountain of knowledge as always. My friend must have the non-B.

My friend has trying to get some clarity as to whether working visas can be extended by 30 days and I figured this would be a good place to get some advice/experiences etc.

Thanks in advance.

I know the METV is new but has anyone tried applying for a second after their first has expired?

My friend is on one and has been leaving the country every 60 days. He doesn't work here. He has a small business in Melbourne that after 20 years he was able to get good staff for and management to run for him. He's probably wealthy by some standards (not at all by Australian standards) but by his own not enough to justify an Elite Visa so is on the METV.

He's going back to Melbourne in Sep/Oct for about 4-6 weeks but wants to come back here because he genuinely likes it and has made good friends but is unsure of whether a second METV after a 4-6 week break would be allowed. Any news?

I don't think it will be a problem to get another one especially if he applies in Melbourne. It should be no different than applying for a tourist visa with 2 or 3 entries before when people were getting several of them back to back.

On behalf of my buddy he thanks you for assistance ubonjoe.

He was reading through this massive thread and came across the posts that suggested that it's actually possible to re-enter Thailand just before his METV expires and get another 2 months.

As he hasn't done this before he is a little cautious and I've never done it either so can't advise but you seem to know how things work well so is this generally a "sure" thing or is it "hit and miss" depending on the immigration officer at the airport?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Same goes for anyone else who has any knowledge/insight about these things.

As long as an entry is done on or before the enter before date on the visa a new 60 day entry will be given. It is routinely done. No if and or maybes. He could also do a 30 day extension of that entry that would make the total stay from the visa almost 9 months.

Thanks again Ubonjoe, you're very helpful.

I know the METV is new but has anyone tried applying for a second after their first has expired?

My friend is on one and has been leaving the country every 60 days. He doesn't work here. He has a small business in Melbourne that after 20 years he was able to get good staff for and management to run for him. He's probably wealthy by some standards (not at all by Australian standards) but by his own not enough to justify an Elite Visa so is on the METV.

He's going back to Melbourne in Sep/Oct for about 4-6 weeks but wants to come back here because he genuinely likes it and has made good friends but is unsure of whether a second METV after a 4-6 week break would be allowed. Any news?

I don't think it will be a problem to get another one especially if he applies in Melbourne. It should be no different than applying for a tourist visa with 2 or 3 entries before when people were getting several of them back to back.

On behalf of my buddy he thanks you for assistance ubonjoe.

He was reading through this massive thread and came across the posts that suggested that it's actually possible to re-enter Thailand just before his METV expires and get another 2 months.

As he hasn't done this before he is a little cautious and I've never done it either so can't advise but you seem to know how things work well so is this generally a "sure" thing or is it "hit and miss" depending on the immigration officer at the airport?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Same goes for anyone else who has any knowledge/insight about these things.

I know the METV is new but has anyone tried applying for a second after their first has expired?

My friend is on one and has been leaving the country every 60 days. He doesn't work here. He has a small business in Melbourne that after 20 years he was able to get good staff for and management to run for him. He's probably wealthy by some standards (not at all by Australian standards) but by his own not enough to justify an Elite Visa so is on the METV.

He's going back to Melbourne in Sep/Oct for about 4-6 weeks but wants to come back here because he genuinely likes it and has made good friends but is unsure of whether a second METV after a 4-6 week break would be allowed. Any news?

I don't think it will be a problem to get another one especially if he applies in Melbourne. It should be no different than applying for a tourist visa with 2 or 3 entries before when people were getting several of them back to back.

Thanks Ubonjoe. Lucky guy that he's from Melbourne it seems.

I know the METV is new but has anyone tried applying for a second after their first has expired?

My friend is on one and has been leaving the country every 60 days. He doesn't work here. He has a small business in Melbourne that after 20 years he was able to get good staff for and management to run for him. He's probably wealthy by some standards (not at all by Australian standards) but by his own not enough to justify an Elite Visa so is on the METV.

He's going back to Melbourne in Sep/Oct for about 4-6 weeks but wants to come back here because he genuinely likes it and has made good friends but is unsure of whether a second METV after a 4-6 week break would be allowed. Any news?

The tube rail which I think is meant to be finished in 2017 should make commuting easy. District 7 is also a very easy place to live, eat and get around by walking and no touts when I was there.

I don't know the prices but Pro Nutrition on Rativithi Road, down from the UN Bar towards the East side of the moat should have that stuff.