lovelomsak

I understand your problem with money transfer. I now write cheques and wait 6 working weeks for them to clear. Do not know how much longer they will do this.

  The taxes,health care and power of attorney I cannot help you sorry.

  I do not understand question 5. You can get an annuity or simply RIFF which is what I did.But had to be in Canada and go to the bank to do it.The banker told me if I did nothing at 71 the govt would start withdrawing a percentage no permission needed. So this is a very personal decision type of thing.Depends on tax structure,how much you want each year how much you have if rrsp etc.

 Number 6 I do not have the answer for that one either.

  Goos Luck

All of you do realize these were Thai tourist on a  New Year holiday not farang. So this is not news Thais pollute where ever they go in their country. it is their budda given right.

39 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

When you consider a 120,000 baht per rai land price and weigh that against the profit which can be earned in most cases per rai, these current land prices seem highly inflated, and I suspect this is being driven by speculation more than potential return on investment value.

Could you please help me find this 120,000 baht a rai land. Where i am it 250,000 up. I would take the wife to look at buying some,for her. Just a few rai I am thrifty

43 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

That is because, in his time, a boom like the one we are experiencing today, was not possible since all the shackles hadn't been removed.

There were two major fateful decisions:

- the creation of the US central bank in 1913, in practice the creation of the money printing machine

- the severed link between the dollar and gold, in 1971, thanks to Nixon...something much worse for the fate of humanity than the ridicule Watergate.

 

The advent of central banking was promptly followed by...the Great Depression!

Then came WWII and, in the end, the Bretton Woods accord that gave us those famous three glorious decades.

Under Bretton Woods, the dollar was linked to gold, hence limiting the possibility of the central banks to issue money and credit at will.

But after 1971, the world slowly entered in a cycle of booms and busts, each one more destructive than the previous one, until 2008...for now.

Yet, despite these ominous warnings, the rulers, that is the banksters and their affiliated oligarchs, are not willing to change anything.

As a matter of fact, like a gambler who keeps on losing, they double down (on credit creation) after each loss...which is exactly what they have done after 2008, hence the boom we are living in.

But the thing is that a boom is nothing to be happy about, this is not how the economy is supposed to work, 10 steps forward, then brutally 12 steps backwards, then forward again...

A strong economy should be humming...as they say...not roaring...

So we are now in the final stage (after the 2000 and 2008 near collapses) of this gigantic boom brought about by an even more gigantic debt buildup.

And since we will not abandon this policy, the first option offered by Mises, we will face the collapse of the currency (system).

The Chinese and the Russians, as well as a few others, are well aware of that, piling up gold in order to be ready for the next chapter, while the insouciant Westerners are selling theirs to the East.

Because, when faith in the actual currency system will collapse, a return to real money backed by real value like gold may well be the solution..

I have to say I like what you say and am a believer same as you . The economies of the world  will get a great correction in the futrue and the future appears to be coming quicker since  banks have stopped using cash and use only digital money

 BUT the thread is about Thailand and the ruling junta. Is life better since they took power for the average Thai. If consumerism is the yardstick for a better life then Thais are definitely living better now than ever before. And I think consumerism is what middle class is all about. They feed off each other buying and selling to each other.

    When the economies do collapse will it make any difference if they are in debt for a honda wave or a Mercedes? 

1 hour ago, Brunolem said:

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to bring one of my favorite quotes...

I liked this quote.

  That was 1949. 69 years for credit to bring the end he mentions, How many currencies can we find that went the way he said the currencies  would go from credit expansion? You will need to help me with this I do not know any.

  Thailand just started how long before his quote is a concern? Our life time or 2 life times or more?

27 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Don't I know that...after 18 years spent living in Isaan, with a few stints in Bangkok and Pattaya.

So, let's focus on the microlevel, specifically "my" village.

There, in the middle of nowhere, are roughly 50 houses harboring 200 permanent residents.

There are villages like this one scattered all around, every 2 or 3 km, and I know quite a few of them.

Let's see how things have evolved.

For one, most if not all dirt roads, including those inside the villages, have been replaced.

Inside the villages, the local authorities generally built almost undestructible steel reinforced concrete roads...fine!

Between villages, it's the usual tar roads that don't last more than two rain seasons.

Reaching the amphoe administrative center, 10 km away from my village, requires special skills in slaloming through potholes.

At the population level now, more than 10 years ago, I had the only new car in the village, and there were maybe two beat up pick ups, barely able to make it to the closest city.

No one had a tractor, a rice harvester, or even a mobile phone.

On the other end, there were no government loan schemes and the only debts were private, most generally between family members.

Today, every house has a car, and the associated credit.

Many houses even have two cars! Why bother? And of course two credits.

Of course, everyone, including 12 year old children, has a motorbike, also bought on credit.

It becomes even more ridiculous when it comes to tractors.

Considering the small size of their farming land, generally a few rais, they could easily deal with one, or maybe two tractors, for the whole village (we call that cooperative in Europe).

But no! They each want to have their own tractor, bought on credit obviously!

And there is the ubiquitous mobile phone, connected on the social website "line" 24/7, which they refill daily, buying small 10 or 20 baht packages.

Of course, with all this mandatory spending, there is not much left for food...often nothing!

I know that for a fact because my wife manages the village shop.

What little food she sells are eggs, small packs of rice noodles and small packs of chips and similar "kanom", all at 5 baht per piece.

She would never be able to sell any food at, say, 20 baht a piece.

Yet, she can easily sell 70cc bottles of gasoline at 30 baht!

As I use to tell her, people spend more to feed their motorbike than to feed themselves!

 

Now the big question: how are all these debt (credit) payments made?

Answer: modern slavery!

As soon as they reach the working age, the children are sent to some factory in Bangkok or Chonburi, or on a construction site anywhere in the country, where they will work 7 days a week, ask for overtime, with the aim of sending as much money as possible back to the village to pay for the family's tractor or new car.

And as soon as the payments will be over, they will start the same process for themselves!

 

Now, my friend, you write in a previous post that debt is debt, and that it is a necessary component of the economy, so that there is no reason to mention it.

Well, that is a wrong assumption!

A solid economy is built on savings, while an economy built on debt is nothing more than a Potemkin economy.

An economy slowly built on savings, as it used to be the case for millenia, until 1913, then 1971, was resilient, with few crisis that never lasted long.

An economy built on debt grows much faster, but goes through frequent crisis that each time grow in intensity, because debt is nothing more than a financial cancer...with a tumor growing exponentially, while the financiers, or banksters, pretend that it is nothing, just a little bump in the road.

What you described is called middle class lifestyle. 

  Borrow for what you want or need go to work and pay for it. Most people in developed countries that are middle class are in debt for 40 years of their life.Paying off a house and buying a new car every few years so why can Thais not enjoy the same. 

  To say it is ok for  developed countries suburbia but not rural Thailand seems odd.

  I did say debt is debt but if you read the whole things instead of cherry picking I said well managed debt in the long term  prospers rather than fails.If you really want to get into it debt to savings is also dependent on income and ratios of debt to savings,. But again that is not the topic of this thread. But to end this part I agree  improperly handled debt is unsustainable. But who is to judge what is and what is not sustainable. Certainly not  foreigners living in Thailand. Time will tell if it is sustainable or not. If you read other things I have posted I mentioned people so similar to you 25 years ago saying the same about how things were going in Thailand at that time and things like houses were getting to expensive and could not be maintained . They were very wrong so your points sound very much the same to me. 

  All that said the point of this thread was that Thais do have new cars and new houses and new big motorcycles and are eating in modern restaurants and staying in new hotels. You can speak doom is to come but does not mean it will. But you cannot deny boom is here.

9 hours ago, Brunolem said:

It is far from clear that the government has anything to do with the economic success of the country.

Generally, the less the government is involved in the economy, the better.

Socialism and communism (= massive government intervention) have shown again and again to lead to disaster.

Actually, socialism is leading the West to ruin.

Having said that, as I wrote in a post above, Thailand being very reliant on exports is very much influenced by the economic health of its partners.

Just look at what happened with the Russians, then the Chinese.

At some point, the Russians were everywhere, buying everything, fueling a boom, especially in construction.

Then the price of oil went South, and the Ruble followed suit, losing half of its value almost overnight.

And, as quickly as they had appeared from nowhere, the Russians disappeared, living Thailand with a hangover, especially in the construction sector.

Luckily for Thailand, the Chinese were starting to move out of their borders and soon replaced the Russians, at least in volume.

But, such dependency is always dangerous.

If a conflict starts in Korea, Chinese tourists will disappear even faster than the Russians.

 

You are right a country  reliant on exports is  influenced by it partners that rings true for all nations Thailand is not unique., That is trade in the simple form. Nothing every body does not already know and not  relative to rural Thailand domestic consumption  or infrastructure  development to a great degree.

  The Russians and Chinese did and do contribute but there again it is localised to tourist areas. The Russian spending was not nation felt. so it in reality had little effect on how Thais in rural areas live. 

  I get the sense from your post you are focusing on tourist related development and commerce. There is a lot more to Thailand than Phuket,Pattaya  and Koh Samui.

I would  like to mention that this thread is not about debt. Debt is debt pure and simple.Without it the world would not turn. It has been my experience in life that those who handle debt well prosper on the long term rather than fail. So lets leave debt out of this thread ok. 

 It is about do people see prosperity where they are in  Thailand or do they see doom and gloom. It appears prosperity is what people see, If there appears to be prosperity, could we be so brazen as to suggest Thailand is prospering? It is lsomethig like this  if it looks like a duck,walks like a duck,talks like a duck maybe it is a duck.

  I had little faith in the junta simply because I did approve of how they took power. But not being Thai and totally understanding how their society thinks and reacts I may have been wrong. 

    Maybe it is time some of us from democratic countries opened up our minds and stopped prejudging what is happeniing here. I feel a lot of us are in denial about how well rhis unelected military govt is doing..Perhaps we do not want to accept anything but democracy is good.

  But the reality is Thailand has never seen such wealth  spread around to so many people before in history. Middle class has arrived.

  I cannot judge if it came about because of past govt policies or present govt policies,but I can see it in every day life.   

  .

I would wish some one would import good quality electric space heaters for the cold season. Would be nice to heat some rooms in the house during cols season

1 hour ago, ncc1701d said:

My tgf’s shop is about half way between airport and Pattaya. Light to medium industrial zone. The whole area has an over supply of those 3-4 story townhouse style rows of shops. It’s quite ridiculous how many of those things get built and is such an eyesore. They are also hardly rented out. I would say 70% are empty. Her business itself is doing ok, but she and her family work hard at it. 

 

They are are not happy with the current leadership of the country.

Sometimes  people just want a place to park illegal gotten cash. So buildings are a great place to do it.It can rent or sell in the future but is not an issue.

  The chinese buy up high end Canadian property in Calgary tear it down and rebuild and never even come to see it. Just parking money.

2 hours ago, TKDfella said:

This is true. I note in my area the number of second hand car dealers has increased too. I was told that much of the increase was due to credit debts but whether that is true or not, I don't know.

I think most of the used cars and trucks are trade,s on new vehicle's.

  Most new  dealers do.not bother selling used just wholesale out to private used dealer's.

  That said Toyota a[[ears to try with used . I believe their sale lots are called Sure but they are the only ones I know of doing this.

It appears the consensus is things are getting better for the average thai.

  How or why it is happening is only speculation. But  from what I read here the middle class is making great steps forward in most areas. Some will question the sustainablity but that happens every where in the world and has for years. 

   I remember many dooms day people in Thailand  20 years ago saying that the cost of housing could not be sustained and things had to go down.Then you could buy a 2 bedroom 2 bath for 400,000 baht. They were wrong huh.

  Thai,s appear to be doing quite well. It is the white ghetto,s that are suffering. It goes with the Good guys in Bad guys out ..

  As we all know debt cannot be created without a source of income.Banks do not lend to unemployed people at least not in the country I come from.

  If I was a Thai the only thing I would want now is freedom of speech.

  Thank you to all who replied you have helped me better see how Thailand is probably better off with the junta.

I am confused on how things are really going here in Thailand. The govt paints a rosy picture. Thai visa members are saying things are going down the tubes. 

  People are saying they need more money, The government is not doing enough.

  But here where I live when I go out all I see is prosperity. New house are being built every  where. New cars and trucks are blocking the roads. New really modern restaurants ,cafes and coffee shops being built.Townhouses,hotels,apartments being built every where. New motorcycles every where.

  Maybe places like Pattaya are suffering, but out here in the rural area where I live it is boom town.. Perhaps Thailand is changing. All the expats who never ventured away from tourist areas see only what happens there. Maybe tourist areas are going through hard times but the rural area where I am is  developing quickly .A lot of money around.

  So how is it in other areas? Is it boom or doom?

  As a final note I thought the junta was running the country into the ground but when I go out and see what I see I begin to doubt myself. The locals are living better than I have ever seen.

It is not rocket science to know if you have less money after exchange rate changes you have less money to spend. What a crappy article.

  So now the cheap charlies need to bring more money over to live the same so sad.

  My Canadian dollar went from 31 to 25 so I simple spend more Canadian money to get the same lifestyle. Maybe the brits should do the same

Did not look like a brawl to me. More like a gentlemen's disagreement. As soon as one man was down the other quit. Not once but twice. 2 punchs 2 knockdowns  fairly polite men I would say..

8 hours ago, ravip said:

"Brits believe ourselves to be superior to everyone else."

 

What a disgusting attitude/trait!

Centuries back they thought so and did things that ruined other countries, with results that could be seen even to-day.

Thank you for confirming it.

 

 

 

I think it was a joke. You must not understand english humor.

Being Canadian I find both Brits and Americans a pain most of the time.

  The Americans seem to think Canada needs them and would not survive with out  . Their superiority complex is unbearable. But hay they just want to help the Mexicans from the north right.

  The Brits think we are from the colones and are below them.Just simple colony people who need to be taught the way of the world by the more experienced and worldly UK leaders. Must just be a chore talking to us.

I think the major problem here is Prayut thinks and feels any other governing power than the military is democracy. His understanding of democracy is it is elected that is where it ends. So when he talks democracy do not think it is the democracy we all know.

  For those who say when Thailand gets back to democracy should take a  political history lesson. about thailand. It has never really been a democracy so cannot go back to some thing it never was.

1 hour ago, Becker said:

Oh, well. As long as the Yamahas are gone who cares, right?

 

PS. I find your grammar and spelling very "intertaining" - keep up the good work!

You are right my grammer is bad I write slower than I think and sometimes leave out a lot. I do not proof read my eyes are to bad cannot reread it some times.

  Thanks for taking notice.

33 minutes ago, Becker said:

Democratic countries being torn apart? Thailand moving forward?? Care to explain those demonstrably false statements?

Cannot be bothered intertaining you . Why do you just start reading the news or if you cannot read listen to it on a radio or listen and watch and a tv or even you tube. and you will get your answers there ok.

1 hour ago, Becker said:

Dear Steven. Please answer this one simple question as several of your fellow TVF posters are dying to know your answer:

If another Shin supported government is installed will you move away from Thailand?

In my case I believe the Shins were the most democratic leaders this country ever had. And respect their efforts.I used to believe in democracy I also used to believe in santa claus both are in the past.

  But and a big but.

  We are talking Thailand. The Shins were fighting an uphill battle never to be won.

  Prayut has many faults. That is not the point.

  Right now democratic countries are being torn apart because they cannot be governed properly. 

Any one preaching democracy is living in the past. (For the whole world it appears)   

 All Asia is corrupt. China is corrupt and the second strongest nation in the world. Do not measure what a country can achieve with a corruption compass.

  Would England,Belgium,France ,Germany,and the great USA claim there is no corruption there. If they did they would simply be lying

 Thailand is moving forward. Middle class is coming on strong. What are the countries above that are democratic doing? They are falling apart because of their out of the time beliefs.in demcracy and how it works. and how they apply it.

9 hours ago, candide said:

This is a purely hypothetical question as the Thai did not have the right to choose between Prayuth and anyone else.

You are right they had no choice  but which leader is doing the most for their country certainly not Merkel.

   Elected or not he does more for Thailand then Merkel for Germany.

8 hours ago, tropo said:

Prayut installed himself, so the question is irrelevant. The Thai people had no choice. I don't know what Merkel has to do with this?

 

The only way for democracy to work in Thailand is for the military to be under the control of the government. That has never been the case in Thailand, so political parties (prime ministers) have always served at the pleasure of the military commanders. Now we see a case of a military leader working hard to ensure that any elected leader will be a puppet on a very short string.

 

You asked the question, so here's my answer. Any genuinely elected leader is preferable to a general, no matter how bad they may be. There are democratic ways to change leadership. Tanks are not necessary. It amazes me that the current leadership has a huge expat fan club on here.

I know what you are trying to say . But please listen to what I say in all respect .

  I am saying democracy is not working in most of the world to the benefit of its citizens any more.

  I used Merkel as a prime example.In one swift move she has destroyed the demograhics of Germany for ever.She was elected and is totally unsuited for her position. My statement using her was just to make the point she was elected by democracy and is wrecking her country,at least Prayut is bringing his country forward.

  What has democracy done good for America as of late if you talk to any Americans, How is democracy working in France,Belgium,Germany,and England. They are all suffering from poor government leadership, and are declining.

     Democracy is over rated because we know nothing else.Prayut may not be perfect but he sure the hell beats  Merkel by a country mile taking care of his country man.

10 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

I'm fortunate, I got a good education and became a doer and not a teacher (although I have always taught apprentices and latterly uni graduates). 

However I must acknowledge the many teachers who responded to this thread.

Don't blame the system...blame yourselves for a piss poor outcome.

How many decades of English teaching experience are on this forum...all whining about the low level of English literacy amongst the Thai people?

Don't blame the student.

I can understand the Thais low level of english but what I do not understand is how so many British cannot speak understandable english.

18 minutes ago, 473geo said:

Is sexual harassment not now seen as offering to buy that first drink!! because your intention MAY be for the drink to lead to the conclusion you state!! and women find this offensive!!

So it is simple make them buy their own drinks. Or require women who use the arquement they were drunk and would not have done it other wise to be registered and made to attend AA and attend classes about alcoholism,and how it affects them.