Dan still looks good. What is his health/workout regimen?

Should be arrested for wearing that t shirt.

Retired over 50 addendum: No, you do not need 800K baht in bank if you use the monthly income method (65K baht a month transferred in). No, you are not required to have medical insurance with an "O" Visa for retirement. Only those getting the "O-A" Visa for retirement from their home country are required to have this insurance.

On 7/22/2023 at 5:50 PM, roo860 said:

Should be arrested for wearing that t shirt.

Not the best

Based on the static shot of the youtube on the first post, my suggestion is horrendous fashion faux pas in t-shirts being right up there in the top ten.

That everyone can now finally get Abong.

Village perspective.

Internet:

When I moved here there were no private internet wired connections.

Used GPRS mobile, 211 kbit/s. Hard to believe. 2013 paid a lot for my own fiber line.

Now three companies, gigabit, MESH etc.

Internet is definitely the most dynamic development as a base for entertainment, online payment/banking, online shopping.

 

Shopping/Payment:

Online shopping makes a huge difference when living in the sticks.

No Central, no electronic malls, no sports world close by.

The PEA man was cashing the electricity bill at the gate. Long gone.

I have no more cash payments for services/utilities.

(still love cash for other purposes)

 

Banking:

I remember the times when huge queues built up around months end with people carrying their bank books to withdraw cash at the counter. A fraction now.

 

Electricity and water supply much improved and reliable.

 

The bad:

explosion of traffic in towns. In the old days I just drove to town and parked roadside to my choice. Now happy to find something. Even parking fees at some spots. Never in the past. Village road still a pothole and bad traffic particularly during sugar harvest. Noisy, stinky.

Shopping mall etc.: still not great and foreigners are not an important customer base. Poor choice. The near monopoly doesn't it make it better. Long drive to the provincial capital for deli.

Public health care still bad and last choice. Long drive for private hospitals.

 

For me it's a hell of a lot easier doing my retirement extension , before getting

up a 4 in the morning to get in the front of the queue at Promenada , only to

find 6 Burmese sitters already there , paid to be in the queue for other Farangs,

and end up been there most of the day.

 

Last time made a booking ,4 in afternoon , in and out in an hour ,who needs Agents

it's almost a pleasure going there now ......they even did my 90 days without asking,

and with been able to do the 90 days online now ,they even email to say its due ,

and email to say the received it , service has really improved at Chiang Mai IO .

 

regards worgeordie

 

 

38 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

For me it's a hell of a lot easier doing my retirement extension , before getting

up a 4 in the morning to get in the front of the queue at Promenada , only to

find 6 Burmese sitters already there , paid to be in the queue for other Farangs,

and end up been there most of the day.

I looked at it as an adventure and part of the rich fabric of life in LOS.

I used to have great chats with other farangs in the q.

I only went with an agent as the petty regulations that constantly changed were becoming too frustrating.

Always took the opportunity to go to the movies and do some shopping after.