21 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Covid 19 and associated return Visa issues,  make leaving Thailand, to plan to return  later, problematic at best , especially for those of us of advanced years, I have actually reconciled myself to maybe never leaving Thailand again, at least not for a number of years. Considering all the advantages of living here, I am happy with that future, provided my kids can come and visit occasionally. I don't expect to see them in person  any time in the next one to two years, which is sad, but WhatsApp helps a lot. Most of my friends here are equally happy to contemplate never leaving.  I wonder how wide spread that feeling in among longer term expats? 

I tend to agree with. Leaving Thailand doesn't appear to be in the hand I was dealt. I have no problems with that. I consider Thailand to be my home. I haven't been back to the States in some 6 or 7 years now. I've been living here since 1990 and fully intend to retire here at some point. Everyone I want to see from home manages to get here to visit, so all of that is fine. Skype, Line, WhatsApp , all help to fill any gaps and my Thai family takes good care of me. Technology makes everything better! So there is my 2 cents worth!

Someone has correctly pointed out that vaccine effectiveness is perhaps 90-95%, depending upon the originator of it.  10% ineffectiveness, to my mind, is a large enough percentage to indicate that populations would still need to mask-up, socially-distance, hand wash, and take any extra precautions necessary to make sure one is still on the winning side of the infection lottery.

 

In addition to the logistical nightmare of world-wide distribution, there are some other problems with the vaccines which need to be paid attention to. For instance, the Pfizer one has to be stored at something like minus-80 degrees (I can't remember the exact number), which much of the third world (think India, with its 1.3 bn population) would be hard-pressed to adopt.

 

In summary, we still have a mighty long way to go.

22 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Covid 19 and associated return Visa issues,  make leaving Thailand, to plan to return  later, problematic at best , especially for those of us of advanced years, I have actually reconciled myself to maybe never leaving Thailand again, at least not for a number of years. Considering all the advantages of living here, I am happy with that future, provided my kids can come and visit occasionally. I don't expect to see them in person  any time in the next one to two years, which is sad, but WhatsApp helps a lot. Most of my friends here are equally happy to contemplate never leaving.  I wonder how wide spread that feeling in among longer term expats? 

I have not left Thailand for over 12 years because of the many wonderful places to visit. I have many wealthy friends who come and visit me a yearly basis. They do so because Thailand is a great place of value for money for quality.  They can stay at really first class hotels for half the price that it would be elsewhere.

21 hours ago, polpott said:

I plan to get the Covid vaccine in the UK. Hopefully that may circumnavigate a lot of the requirements to return. Fingers crossed.

 

Not so fast my friend. Understand these vaccines require two shots with a four week gap between and don't become effective

until six weeks after the first dose....that could be a very long holiday

22 hours ago, Techno Viking said:

 

If I was leaving why would I want to return ?

Plain silly.

22 hours ago, pixelaoffy said:

What torture to be stuck in the madness of the 3rx world dump called T*****

It’s a shame people can change locations but choose to take misery with them everywhere they go. I can’t imagine what day to day existence looks like for you. 

2 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Plain silly.

 

Agree, why even leave if I want to come back.

On 11/30/2020 at 4:15 PM, Jingthing said:

For now, it's very good considering what's happening in the world but I would hate the feeling of being "stuck" here for life if I needed to leave temporarily for any reason. There are many reasons that long term expats might want to or really NEED to leave temporarily. 

That is precisely how I feel now immigration have tightened up so much, who believes they will relax again. You need to be almost rich to leave and return again. I have good Thai health insurance, I own a house here, I show my monthly income like a good boy. Immigration see all this wren I renew my retirement visa every year. 

 

Why can't I just come and go without MORE financial restrictions? 

14 hours ago, Techno Viking said:

 

Agree, why even leave if I want to come back.

Family, friends, real estate...many reasons to visit home country.

3 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Family, friends, real estate...many reasons to visit home country.

 

Yeah a holiday, As I have mentioned twice already that can wait until this covid malarky is over.

 

Leaving the country however... well thats different and If I did that I see no reason why I would want to return.

On 11/29/2020 at 10:53 PM, Pilotman said:

What if You Can Never leave Thailand?

 

 

 

Well it kind of makes sense now why the Thai's love to play Hotel California so often ????

You can check out anytime you want but you may never leave

 

That aside if this was the movie The Stand (which is not far from the reality today)

Thailand would be the "totalitarian society in Las Vegas that had psychopaths for lieutenants" ????

22 hours ago, DaLa said:

With mirrors on the ceiling and Champers on ice I’d be happy not to leave. But I don‘t know whether they do ASQ.

I suppose I should just Take the Money and Run.....  ????

I don't think I would be too happy being unable to leave Thailand.  I enjoy splitting my time between my home country and Thailand.  

On 11/30/2020 at 4:09 PM, Techno Viking said:

 

Iam not retired and have no visa/extension issues (just renewed work permit and extension for another 2 years).

 

I misunderstood nothing.

No you were just continuing being a smartar sed  (and self-appointed) wind-up merchant. 

The problem is that you are predictable, repetitive and sorry to say boring. 

 

This does not mean of course that you are a bad person, who knows. 

7 hours ago, rott said:

No you were just continuing being a smartar sed  (and self-appointed) wind-up merchant. 

The problem is that you are predictable, repetitive and sorry to say boring. 

 

This does not mean of course that you are a bad person, who knows. 

 

11 days to reply and still spelling mistakes... come back in another 11 and have another crack at it.

1 hour ago, Techno Viking said:

 

11 days to reply and still spelling mistakes... come back in another 11 and have another crack at it.

No spelling mistakes from me lad, nor eleven days to reply. I wonder what name you'll be using in eleven more days. 

13 minutes ago, rott said:

No spelling mistakes from me lad, nor eleven days to reply. I wonder what name you'll be using in eleven more days. 

 

you are correct "smartar sed" is not a spelling mistake, its not actually English.

 

You quoted and replied to my post made on November 30th... Today is December 11th.

 

Thats 11 days.

 

Run along little boy and go <deleted> on someone else's leg.

43 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

 

you are correct "smartar sed" is not a spelling mistake, its not actually English.

 

You quoted and replied to my post made on November 30th... Today is December 11th.

 

Thats 11 days.

 

Run along little boy and go <deleted> on someone else's leg.

I spelt it that way to avoid having it deleted, I thought even you would have got that. 

I did not read your post eleven days ago, just today, smarta rse.