3 hours ago, CharlieH said:

@simon43

Just a thought, up until recently you were very happy in Laos, and its the local Police hassle etc.

Why not just move to another part  of Laos?

You may not get hassle i n a different location.

 

 

The local police hassle was related to my (legal) amateur radio hobby.  The bigwig police guy then 'leant' on the radio licencing office in Vientiane to severely restrict my radio licence throughout Laos, to the point where I couldn't enjoy my hobby any more. (The nice lady who deals with ham licences apologised to me and said that she was instructed 'from higher up' to restrict my licence...)

Simon have you considered somewhere in Greece? Or one of the mediteranean islands like Rhodes?

5 hours ago, simon43 said:

The local police hassle was related to my (legal) amateur radio hobby.  The bigwig police guy then 'leant' on the radio licencing office in Vientiane to severely restrict my radio licence throughout Laos, to the point where I couldn't enjoy my hobby any more. (The nice lady who deals with ham licences apologised to me and said that she was instructed 'from higher up' to restrict my licence...)

Probably wouldn't have taken notice if ham radio was practiced by more of the population.

The issues was.....you presented yourself as a somewhat subversive novelty - not taken lightly by authoritarian governments. 

And then to be a foreigner doubled your jeopardy. 

8 hours ago, Hugh Cow said:

Simon have you considered somewhere in Greece? Or one of the mediteranean islands like Rhodes?

Yes I have.  Islands like Crete are quite appealing.  But the cost of living stats are 'stark'.  Living in Greece is much more expensive than living in Turkey.

 

Numbeo-compare Izmir and Crete cost of living

3 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Probably wouldn't have taken notice if ham radio was practiced by more of the population.

The issues was.....you presented yourself as a somewhat subversive novelty - not taken lightly by authoritarian governments. 

And then to be a foreigner doubled your jeopardy. 

I had no problems with my hobby for 30 months or so, until the police boss drove past my house and spotted (well, it wasn't difficult!), all my radio antennas ????

1 minute ago, simon43 said:

I had no problems with my hobby for 30 months or so, until the police boss drove past my house and spotted (well, it wasn't difficult!), all my radio antennas ????

Uh-huh. You know as well as I do that a little discretely extended tea money locally would've nipped all this in the bud. 

6 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Yes I have.  Islands like Crete are quite appealing.  But the cost of living stats are 'stark'.  Living in Greece is much more expensive than living in Turkey.

 

Numbeo-compare Izmir and Crete cost of living

With regard to Turkey, a couole of things to consider.

On the good side for immigrants: The Turkish Lira has weakened further. On the bad side: Inflation in Turkey is now running at 20%. Instead of fighting inflation, by raising interest rates, the "Sultan" has lowered interest rates, thus clearly indicating that fighting inflation is not a priority.

Eventually the Lira will find a "bottom" (no more compensating for the high inflation rate). Potentionally leaving Expats with 1/5th less "Pension-Money" year after year.

Also, after 20 years of political stability, the Turkish Economy has started to work against the "Sultan". Future "civil unrest" a possibility.
Precaution: Buy nothing that doesn't fit into a suitcase. Rent,rent,rent.

 

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

I had no problems with my hobby for 30 months or so, until the police boss drove past my house and spotted (well, it wasn't difficult!), all my radio antennas ????

yeah, like they have nothing else to do, probably thought you were spying ????

 

9 hours ago, swissie said:

Inflation in Turkey is now running at 20%.

 

... yep, and that's the official numbah, just read the other day 'independent experts' talking about rather 50% in some key segments as for example the not entirely unimportant foodstuff ...

 

So yeah, keep an eye on that one, looks like the goatlovin' sultan is challenging the likes of Venezuela there ...

 

10 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Uh-huh. You know as well as I do that a little discretely extended tea money locally would've nipped all this in the bud. 

You would  think so.  But after his officers 'raided' my house 3 times in as many days and extorted $200 from me, I decided that I wasn't going to be the monthly source of his party fund.....

As far as Turkey is concerned, I'm of course aware of the rampant inflation.  I receive and hold my income in USD from outside the country.  I never buy. I never commit to a long-term partner.  Nowadays, I only do what is for my own benefit. ????

10 minutes ago, simon43 said:

You would  think so.  But after his officers 'raided' my house 3 times in as many days and extorted $200 from me, I decided that I wasn't going to be the monthly source of his party fund.....

I dont blame you as I would then be worried what else they are gonna invent because you wont play the game etc.

If it didnt involve the top as you said earlier, then relocation within Laos may have been an option, but as it does, what you are doing makes sense.Unfortunate as I know generally you were quite happy.