On 8/11/2019 at 6:25 AM, wgdanson said:

Don't rub it in please Percy.   LOL

 

Saying that, I bought land in 2004 @ 70,000 Bht per rai @ 74 Bht to £. Sold it in 2012 for 1.1M per rai @ 47 to the £. You do the maths. I am happy here!

Your wife bought!

5 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

Thai judge a person based on how they act and how they present themselves. A person of modest means who is clean and properly dressed ( doesn't mean fancy but cleaned and ironed) is accepted.

LOL.   Lots of very wealthy people wear t-shirts, shorts, flip flops.  They are not really concerned with impressing the likes of you.

Hard to believe that many people live in a bubble of ignorance, in which they think that exchange rates never go up or down.  Bring up the 20 year chart for any currency pair and learn.  Teaching moment over.

19 hours ago, EricTh said:

Riding a bicycle in a jam-packed city like Chiang Mai is too dangerous.

 

I've seen some bicycles blocking the path of motorcyclists due to their slow speed.

 

You only need one impatient driver to cause you serious injuries. 

 

Riding a bicycle is safe if you are riding in your mooban but not the city or highway.

We (farangs 70 and 72 y.o.) Have been cycling for 10 years in Chiang Mai now. Feel jus as safe as in Europe! Make sure you have rear mirrors and basically regard everyone on the road as an idiot! Apart from places where the general traffic is flowing speedily the average Thai is rather considerate towards bicycles. After a while you will know many roads avoiding the main arteries. Never feel the urge to take a car as long as your day trips are limited to less than say 75 km.Just love our daily bike trips and only occasionally use a car.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, meerhof said:

We (farangs 70 and 72 y.o.) Have been cycling for 10 years in Chiang Mai now. Feel jus as safe as in Europe! Make sure you have rear mirrors and basically regard everyone on the road as an idiot! Apart from places where the general traffic is flowing speedily the average Thai is rather considerate towards bicycles. After a while you will know many roads avoiding the main arteries. Never feel the urge to take a car as long as your day trips are limited to less than say 75 km.Just love our daily bike trips and only occasionally use a car.

 

 

 

Like I said, it takes only ONE accident for you to regret. You have been lucky so far.

 

It's not really safe, watch the video below.

 

 

 
Like I said, it takes only ONE accident for you to regret. You have been lucky so far.
 
It's not really safe, watch the video below.
 
[/url]  

What do you suggest, we live our lives in eternal fear?


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No.

On 8/10/2019 at 11:43 PM, sammieuk1 said:

No spending habits left here looks likely if there is not a drastic change I will be UK bound alone  looking for a job April the 25th is my do or die deadline brought down by Brexit after 20 years away????

Can you explain what the high Thai Baht has to do with brexit.

It’s up against all currencies and we haven’t got brexit 

3 hours ago, fdbob said:

Can you explain what the high Thai Baht has to do with brexit.

It’s up against all currencies and we haven’t got brexit 

Google it????

On 8/11/2019 at 11:00 AM, FredGallaher said:

I remember in the seventies the exchange rate was about 23 baht to the dollar. I survived fine. Now its about 31 baht to the dollar so better. In 2005 I believe it was 40 to 1. Of course prices aren't the same but neither is my US income. I feel for the Brits because many came here when the exchange was much better but maybe lack enough resources to weather the storm. I think that Thailand was heavily promoted in the UK as a place to retire cheaply. It was but isn't as much so anymore. 

For me its still much more affordable than California. As well as much safer. 

Yes and Brit pension is frozen in Thailand at the amount when they move there; better place is Philippines as even it is not an ex commonwealth country by a special agreement the pension is not frozen.

On 8/12/2019 at 4:43 PM, grifbel said:

LOL.   Lots of very wealthy people wear t-shirts, shorts, flip flops.  They are not really concerned with impressing the likes of you.

Out of interest, what would very wealthy people who DO want to impress others wear in this heat? A 3 piece suit, a ralph lauren jumper?

Freezing the pension is a bummer, although my SS increase was

PI = shithole


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I get paid in USD.  Over the past 12 months, the USD/THB exchange rate seems to have decreased by about 6% (just a rough check..).

 

In the same timeframe, the USD/LAK (Laos kip) exchange rate has increased by about 3%, (and has shown a steady rise over the past 5 years of about 9%).

 

Since last Wednesday, I live in Laos and my salary is saved in a local LAK fixed interest account with a 7% annual interest rate ????

4 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I get paid in USD.  Over the past 12 months, the USD/THB exchange rate seems to have decreased by about 6% (just a rough check..).

 

In the same timeframe, the USD/LAK (Laos kip) exchange rate has increased by about 3%, (and has shown a steady rise over the past 5 years of about 9%).

 

Since last Wednesday, I live in Laos and my salary is saved in a local LAK fixed interest account with a 7% annual interest rate ????

Smart move Simon, and fortunate your life/income can be so fluid.

4 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

Nothing wrong with T shirts, shorts and flip flops coming for a vacation at the airport. However, you and you cloths should be clean and in good condition. I would not dress this way at a government office and/or immigration. Might be OK at some offices but at others might be offended. Look at how Thais are dressed.

@possum1931 reported in a thread a few days ago that he recently turned up at his local immigration office to find the officers attired in T shirts and jeans. Strikes me as utterly pointless, therefore, for him to don a tuxedo jacket and dicky-bow tie for all future dealings with them - assuming, of course, that he could afford this gear despite the unfavourable exchange rates which are the subject of this particular thread!

4 minutes ago, OJAS said:

@possum1931 reported in a thread a few days ago that he recently turned up at his local immigration office to find the officers attired in T shirts and jeans. Strikes me as utterly pointless, therefore, for him to don a tuxedo jacket and dicky-bow tie for all future dealings with them - assuming, of course, that he could afford this gear despite the unfavourable exchange rates which are the subject of this particular thread!

I go to my local IO dressed the same way every time, I have no complaints about IO officers wearing Tshirts and jeans, and I'm sure they don't mind me wearing my everyday gear of top, long trousers (not for IOs benefit, for my own) and trainers.

Yes, am en-route to the UK and I changed a  shitload of Thai baht for  millions  of UK Pounds.

On 8/10/2019 at 10:33 PM, Chivas said:

I've definately changed my spending habits. I dont come....

Must be very frustrating, but when the exchange rate improves I'm sure you'll let it all out. No holding back...... Anyway what does spending have to do with coming? 

On 8/10/2019 at 8:33 AM, Chivas said:

I've definately changed my spending habits. I dont come....

i just went to LOS after a 4 year hiatus.  The exchange rate was a factor in me doing something else instead of going to thailand for those years.  When I got to Thailand I still did the same things I used to do before because fortunately I can afford it. 

On 8/10/2019 at 10:36 PM, FritsSikkink said:

what about doing some work or start a business to get more local money in?

How do you do that without putting your visa in jeopardy ? 

On ‎8‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 11:30 AM, Almer said:

How do you do that without putting your visa in jeopardy ? 

Get another visa.