Things Which Are More Expensive In Thailand Than In Your Home Country?

[KhunG]

I guess I'm completely failing to get my point across. I don't resent paying for the services of the community I choose to reside in. My point is, many complain that foreigners cannot own land in Thailand, when at least those of us in the US can't effectively own land in our own country. By tieing the cost of those services to our property, effective ownership is passed to the state/locality, much in the same way a mortgage passes effective ownership of a property to the bank. We're only allowed to use "our" property as long as we keep paying them for it.

Another example. I hold US citizenship. If I fail to pay my federal income taxes which pay for the services the national government provides, I can be jailed for violating the law. They can't take my citizenship away, though.

You're getting your point across. Your point is just wrong.

You can't at all own land in Thailand.

In the US, I guess you can't own your car either. If you fail to pay to renew the license and registration on it, it will be towed and you will be heavily fined. You won't get it back either until you pay for that license and registration, the fine, and the towing fee and the storage. If you fail to do that, it will be auctioned off and you lost it.

I can name a lot of things you can't "own" if not renewing your license or paying your "fees" counts. You could "own" a real estate brokerage but watch what happens if you don't pay the rent, or if you don't pay to renew your broker's license every two years. Watch what happens if you don't keep your books in order for when you're audited.

At least I didn't sell my soul to the devil by joining a HOA where I bought more government so my neighbors can tell me what I can and can't do, and if we disagree they take me to court and I wind up paying their legal expenses as a lien against my home.

You seem perfectly satisfied to have another ruling class over your property, and risk a lien for those dues and your behaviors, but paying for police and fire and schools is a bad idea.

It seems that your only idea of freedom is no government at all - anarchy. (Except for a HOA.)

No, my point is correct. Further, I outright state that services provided by the government, and the services provided by HOA you're so fixated on, must be paid for. It's in the post you quoted above for crying out loud.

And I've got it - you don't like HOAs. I probably don't like something about your lifestyle, but I don't consider you "dumb" or that you've "sold your soul to the devil" because of that. You have different preferences.

I have said in my original and a subsequent post that I can't own land in Thailand. Thais can though. You're not actually reading the posts before you reply, are you?

To your example: If I own a work truck on a ranch that never leaves the ranch, I don't pay license and registration fees on it. I've done that. I fully owned that truck.

Again, my example in the quote above: The federal government doesn't require effective ownership of my property in order to ensure that taxes are collected to pay for the services they provide. Property taxes don't ensure that essential services are provided, because there are other ways to tax, they only ensure that people in the US can't truely own land.

Edited October 13, 2012 by KhunG

[NeverSure]

I guess I'm completely failing to get my point across. I don't resent paying for the services of the community I choose to reside in. My point is, many complain that foreigners cannot own land in Thailand, when at least those of us in the US can't effectively own land in our own country. By tieing the cost of those services to our property, effective ownership is passed to the state/locality, much in the same way a mortgage passes effective ownership of a property to the bank. We're only allowed to use "our" property as long as we keep paying them for it.

Another example. I hold US citizenship. If I fail to pay my federal income taxes which pay for the services the national government provides, I can be jailed for violating the law. They can't take my citizenship away, though.

You're getting your point across. Your point is just wrong.

You can't at all own land in Thailand.

In the US, I guess you can't own your car either. If you fail to pay to renew the license and registration on it, it will be towed and you will be heavily fined. You won't get it back either until you pay for that license and registration, the fine, and the towing fee and the storage. If you fail to do that, it will be auctioned off and you lost it.

I can name a lot of things you can't "own" if not renewing your license or paying your "fees" counts. You could "own" a real estate brokerage but watch what happens if you don't pay the rent, or if you don't pay to renew your broker's license every two years. Watch what happens if you don't keep your books in order for when you're audited.

At least I didn't sell my soul to the devil by joining a HOA where I bought more government so my neighbors can tell me what I can and can't do, and if we disagree they take me to court and I wind up paying their legal expenses as a lien against my home.

You seem perfectly satisfied to have another ruling class over your property, and risk a lien for those dues and your behaviors, but paying for police and fire and schools is a bad idea.

It seems that your only idea of freedom is no government at all - anarchy. (Except for a HOA.)

No, my point is correct. Further, I outright state that services provided by the government, and the services provided by HOA you're so fixated on, must be paid for. It's in the post you quoted above for crying out loud.

And I've got it - you don't like HOAs. I probably don't like something about your lifestyle, but I don't consider you "dumb" or that you've "sold your soul to the devil" because of that. You have different preferences.

I have said in my original and a subsequent post that I can't own land in Thailand. Thais can though. You're not actually reading the posts before you reply, are you?

To your example: If I own a work truck on a ranch that never leaves the ranch, I don't pay license and registration fees on it. I've done that. I fully owned that truck.

Again, my example in the quote above: The federal government doesn't require effective ownership of my property in order to ensure that taxes are collected to pay for the services they provide. Property taxes don't ensure that essential services are provided, because there are other ways to tax, they only ensure that people in the US can't truely own land.

Do you even know what the title of this thread is, or what the context is in which we're discussing? It's the cost of land in Thailand vs the cost of land in the West. For expats in an expat forum.

You can't own land, and don't own land in Thailand. You can own land or a car or a motorcycle or a professional license in the US but you have to pay taxes and/or fees on them.

You just want to split hairs and I'm outta here.

[pigeonjake]

the thred isnt just about land,,

its about things,,

and all you to go on about is tax this and tax that,,like 2 spoilt kids,, grow up

[KhunG]

Do you even know what the title of this thread is, or what the context is in which we're discussing? It's the cost of land in Thailand vs the cost of land in the West. For expats in an expat forum.

You can't own land, and don't own land in Thailand. You can own land or a car or a motorcycle or a professional license in the US but you have to pay taxes and/or fees on them.

You just want to split hairs and I'm outta here.

Yes I know the title of the thread, and in the posts the issue of foreigners not being able to own land in Thailand came up several times. I was responding to that.

But, as far as I can tell, you want to argue with a strawman making arguments I never did.

Fine. Bye.

[KhunG]

the thred isnt just about land,,

its about things,,

and all you to go on about is tax this and tax that,,like 2 spoilt kids,, grow up

I don't know where you got the idea that we're not grown up because we're posting about something that came up in this thread previously. I am beginning to realize that at least this thread has some folks who enjoy throwing out gratuitous insults.

Bye.

[Forethat]

Local transportation: Songthaew 20 baht anywhere (in CM), one subway token in Toronto $3.00 (900 baht!)

Maybe the prices aren't this bad in LOS, maybe you just suck at math...?

[Forethat]

You want to live like a farang in Thailand - they'll be happy to take your money. You want to live like a Thai in Thailand, it becomes one of the cheapest places in the world to live. I live well here on a crappy Canadian pension, I wouldn't even be able to pay rent on a 2 room apartment in Toronto let alone eat.

Perhaps you are confusing the word "Thai" when what you really mean is "peasant", and the word "farang" for "anyone with standards". If your goal in life is to live as cheap as possible then yes, living like a peasant in cockroach ridden 2000 baht per month studio room, riding on 10 baht buses and eating 30 baht noodles means that Thailand still is cheaper than western countries. However, for most people (including most thais) who aspire to better living standards and have their own car, nice home, their own spending on discretionary items, then Thailand is likely just as expensive or even more expensive than western countries.

Ok ok ok, I will probably get hammered for this, and I promised to stay away from this topic, but here it goes.....

Thailand is not expensive as long as you employ a biling...triling.....multilingual gardener.

[chiangmaikelly]

Well I guess if you don't pay for three years you kinda deserve it. Cal has some of the property taxes in the US. Typically 1-2%. Pays for things like emergency services. Fire, paramedics and animal control. Police and health services. Street services. Primary Schools and community colleges. Etc etc etc etc.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

I guess I'm completely failing to get my point across. I don't resent paying for the services of the community I choose to reside in. My point is, many complain that foreigners cannot own land in Thailand, when at least those of us in the US can't effectively own land in our own country. By tieing the cost of those services to our property, effective ownership is passed to the state/locality, much in the same way a mortgage passes effective ownership of a property to the bank. We're only allowed to use "our" property as long as we keep paying them for it.

Another example. I hold US citizenship. If I fail to pay my federal income taxes which pay for the services the national government provides, I can be jailed for violating the law. They can't take my citizenship away, though.

No offense intended but as an American the above point of view is held by only the lunatic fringe in the US and is not a mainstream opinion.

[citi]

In my view, cost comparision should be based on personal life style and status i.e. retirement, young & single or family with kids, at home as the baseline. If the results show that cost of living and/ decent job opportunity in Thailand are more expensive or difficult to get, for obvious reason we should stay home. For those receiving limited pension/income, which cannot afford average living standard back home but above average Thai's living standard, staying in Thailand is a good option. After all, it is a matter of comparision between people in a small circle. It is your choice.

Currently I am living in H.K. with my Thai wife. We plan to move back to Thailand for retirement. Here below is my comparison:

Accomodation: Not a concern because we own houses in H.K. and Thailand. For the preparation of retirement in Thailand, we engaged a contractor to renovate whole house which is 25 yr old. The cost of renovation is expensive (over 4mill THB) though it is still cheaper than that in H.K. The labour cost is not that cheap and finding good contractor is a headache.

Internet & Cable TV: I think H.K. is a bit cheaper but not much. High speed: HK$ 162/mon (i.e. 648THB); Cable TV: HK$ 200/mon (i.e. 800 THB) which include all movie channels, news channels. Please provide latest costs of those in Thailand for complete comparision.

Electricity: about the same.

Water: It is a lot cheaper in Thailand because H.K. Gov. buys water from China.

Food and eating out: Overall the food cost in Thailand is cheaper though their costs go up quickly. Since H.K. dollar is pegged to US dollar, renminbi is stronger than US dollar. Since most of the food is either imported from China or other parts of world, the price of food in H.K. is a one-way street (never go down).

Clothes and shoe: My favourite brand for shirt and trouses is Pierre cardin and for shoes is Ecco. The prices in Thailand is a little bit cheaper but the quality is better (100% cotton).

Wine : H.K. is much cheaper because there is no import tax. We do not drink much and don't smoke.

Car: Thailand is cheaper overall i.e. car price, registration fee, insurance, maintenance, petrol.

Public transport: Thailand is cheaper.

Job opportunity: H.K. is much better for professional and the paid is high. My brothers-in-law immigrated to US from Thailand. They got very good job as engineer (US$180,000 per yr). Therefore I consider Thailand is a place for retirement/holiday only.

Electrical goods: Thailand is a bit expensive but not much. Since it is once-off, we can afford them.

Entertainment: Not a concern. We live in a simple life.

Immigration and working restriction: H.K. is far better. Once got married, there is no restriction/visa requirement for my Thai wife to stay and work. Everbody knows what Thai immigration and labour laws require for foreigners. 90 days of reporting is another piece of stupid requirement.

Investment: H.K. is an investment hub. There is no restriction on money flow.

Place to travel: Thailand is much bigger than H.K. Living in H.K. for retirement will get bored very quickly.

Medical care: This one is difficult to evaluate. Our plan is to attend private hospital in Thailand for sudden minor sickness. Each year, we shall be back in H.K. for routine free check-up through my wife's benefit package. We consider it is better to see doctor in H.K. because of language and the quality of professional services. Moreover, the flight time takes 2.5 hr to travel from Thailand to H.K. Overall, it is cheaper as compared with buying health insurance in Thailand at my age.

Based on the above assessment, the living cost based on our life style for retirement in Thailand is cheaper than that in H.K.

[chiangmaikelly]

I was thinking about buying a nice watch recently, which I decided against. But it blew me away that the difference in cost between buying here vs the US would have been about the same as a RT plane ticket to the US.

I don't think Thais know how to think personally. I guess it is all corruption and ineffable BS, but my synthesis is that Thais focus on short term dollars, and have no concept of what it takes to truly run a successful business, economy or anything. Why is there nothing like a "globalized" Thai version of say Ikea? Because they don't think right. It is all about the short term, how can I make more money right now. In a couple hundred years hopefully they will realize that actually satisfying customers, as opposed to robbing them, is the way to make real money.

You wrote, "I don't think Thais know how to think personally." The US dollar and UK pound are doing terrible and the baht is doing great. Who does not know how to think? Who owns Central mall?

The baht is doing great right now. But, how is the economy in Thailand? Have they learned how to manufacture goods (create new wealth) and employ the people in good jobs with that new wealth? Or, are they corrupt where any new wealth created gets taken by the elite?

What is backing the baht? The government manipulates it to keep it low (as do China and Japan) so that the cost of its exported goods will be low and competitive. Yet Thailand is in a pickle in that they can't both stifle imports and get good prices for exports to help the people.

The baht isn't safe and could implode. Comparing it to the fiscal recklessness of the West won't cut it. The problems are entirely different, caused by different things. In Thailand I see the problems as being corruption, a lack of seeing the long term benefits of joining international capitalism as China, Japan and N. Korea have done, and refusing free trade. In the West, at least in the US, the problems aren't about making money. The problems are about spending way to much on social programs and on government employess, the two of which take up more than 1/2 the budget.

The Thai people have now taken on personal debt at staggering amounts and staggering interest rates. They try to live a Western lifestyle on a Thai paycheck. I can't even see how they live. I can't see how that house of cards doesn't come crashing down just as it did in the West. Look at land prices. On a Thai paycheck. It reminds me of the US just before the real estate crash. I've driven by the worst possible shack in a village and seen a late model Toyota pickup which must have cost at least 1 million baht, no doubt bought on credit at about 3% per month. How do they pay for that when the combined income of several generations living in that shack might be 10,000 baht per month? I don't even know how they pay for their cell phones much less that Toyota.

I see Thailand as risking collapse as I see the debt ridden consumerism and the tax dollars being misappropriated by those in high places. Everyone seems to live for today.

Tomorrow will come.

With all due respect to your knowledge about Thailand from a few days vacation you don't have a clue about the economic situation here. The Thai baht is strong because the economy is strong.

I live in the industrial East coast of Thailand and have for 10 years. Thailand is booming. Full employment and industry is crying for more workers. Thousands come from Burma.

The US and UK economies are going down the tubes and Thailand is expanding.

As much as the red and yellow shirted folk try to derail the economy they can't. It keeps going up.

[asiaexpat]

Nationalistic gibberish aside, my recent experience shows that the cost of living in Bangkok depends on your lifestyle. I recently built a new house to my approved standard (based on USA codes) in a Bangkok suburb for under 3 mil. TB. However, the land cost was higher than I paid for my land in Texas. My homes in Texas are currently valued about the same as my Bangkok house (same square footage.) Property taxes in Texas are massively higher than in Bangkok and home owners insurance is much higher in Texas. The cost of my new Honda Accord in USA is about the same as my Toyota Vios in Thailand (vastly different in value.) My wife and I choose to live a Thai life style on the whole (that is why we are here) and find monthly living expense about half of that in Texas. As for medical care, my's is free and I pay about 45,000 TB for full medical insurance verses $900 a month in USA. A family member is a doctor in Bangkok, so I am very familuar with the level of training for doctors and the level of care. I find private doctors in Bangkok to provide superior treatment to USA, but government doctors (my wife uses them) provide a minium of care. Medicine is vastly cheaper in Thaialnd.

Overall, living an upperclass Thai lifesytle is about 40% cheaper for me and the wife than living a middle class lifestyle in Texas. The expensive things are what is considered luxuries in Thaialnd- automobiles, imported food, etc. Live a western lifestyle would be more expensive than in Texas (having a Harley cycle, eating at Sizzler, etc.)

Live as you like.

[Soutpeel]

After reading 191 posts on this topic what can we conclude ?

Thailand can be or less or more expensive than "home" based on how you want to live your life..

there is no right or wrong answer

Edited October 14, 2012 by Soutpeel

[Heng]

If you can manage to make it one generation here (I know, 18 years seems like SUCH a long time when you have all these kinds of 'other personal issues' before your children can legally own real estate), your family can own land (just like the rest of us descendants of immigrants). It's odd that so many guys here don't feel like they are members of their own family.

[isawasnake]

After reading 191 posts on this topic what can we conclude ?

Thailand can be or less or more expensive than "home" based on how you want to live your life..

there is no right or wrong answer

I agree with you, but I think the more important point is that Thailand/Bangkok somehow gets pegged as this great shopping destination where deals flow and electronics are cheap. Not that it even needs to be mentioned here, but that is gibberish.

Going perhaps in a little different direction..... can somebody tell me why a Nikon camera made in Thailand can't be offered at much better price here than it can be had for after imported to the US??

[chiangmaikelly]

After reading 191 posts on this topic what can we conclude ?

Thailand can be or less or more expensive than "home" based on how you want to live your life..

there is no right or wrong answer

I agree with you, but I think the more important point is that Thailand/Bangkok somehow gets pegged as this great shopping destination where deals flow and electronics are cheap. Not that it even needs to be mentioned here, but that is gibberish.

Going perhaps in a little different direction..... can somebody tell me why a Nikon camera made in Thailand can't be offered at much better price here than it can be had for after imported to the US??

Who with even half a brain says Thailand/Bangkok is a great shopping destination for electronics? No one on Thai Visa. At least among people who have ever been to Thailand.

[Chads]

Compared to Singapore, everything in Thailand is cheaper (food, rent, clothes, cars, fuel) except fastfood which is about the same price.

[KarstenBoAndersen]

A standard "no name" beer in Denmark cost 7-9 Baht per standard bottle in Denmark, inclusive 25% Vat.

In Thailand is there 250 % tax on wine, also THai made wines.

Gasolin is cheaper then all European countries, it is all about the countries tax systems !

Cars in Thailand 12% on 2 doors pickup, 18% on 4 Doors pickup, 30% on SUV and 60% on sedan cars if they are made her, 260% import tax on imported cars (except fra ASEAN countries).

Most things are actually tax-free or very low tax when imported, but Thai importers have a very big margin compared to Western countries, there is also a more complicated distribution network, many times with importers, wholsalers etc. where in Western countries it goes directly from importer to retialers, if retailers aren¨t the importer themself !

[SICHONSTEVE]

Most Food items are dearer in Thailand than the UK,which seems to be down to excessive Import Duty,and cheese is very expensive, poor quality,and very little choice.

Domestic produce is significantly cheaper, obviously, with only 3 things (all mentioned) seemingly out of kilter - cheese, luxury cars and wine. This is primarily a consequence of protectionism and tough import tarif duties.

[thaikahuna]

Thailand is flat out messed up when it comes to import and export. It's part of the World Trade Organization, but it doesn't follow the rules. It makes rules which it thinks benefit Thailand, but they are dumb.

Thailand is the world's #1 exporter of rice while the Philippines is #1 in importing. With a small base of farmland for its 100 million people, the Philippines simply can't grow enough. Most countries import Thai rice duty free, but Thailand attaches high duties to imported consumer goods from the same countries it exports rice and other farm product to duty free.

The people pay those duties in the price of what they buy in LOS, but they don't get chit for what they grow and sell.

Countries in the WTO should put high duties on anything Thailand exports to burn Thailand for doing the same. For instance, the US is a net exporter of rice and is also a net exporter of cheese and other milk products. No one has more farmland per capita than the US. Look at Thailand or the Philippines, each with about 1/3 the population of the US, and then look at the relative amounts of good farm land. It's staggering.

Thailand is trying to become industrialized, but every WTO country should tax the chit out of anything coming in from Thailand in retaliation for what Thailand does to manufacturers in other countries. If the price of rice got high enough, the US farmers could and would quickly triple production (or whatever it took) and bury Thailand. Simple supply and demand competition because the US rice wouldn't have the duty on it.

Thailand couldn't sell its dimn rice and other products if other countries treated Thailand's exports the way Thailand treats other countries exports.

Not to mention the 7% VAT on everything sold from raw material to finished product. If you are financing a car you are paying 7% on each and every monthly payment.

[KarstenBoAndersen]

Imported cars:

Table of Tax and Duty Rates

Type of Vehicles

Cylinder Capacity

Duty (%)

Excise Tax (%) (Multiplier)

Interior Tax (%)*

VAT

(%)

Total (%)

Personal Vehicle including passenger vehicle with not more than 10 seats

- Not exceeding 2000 cc. and not more than 220 horse power

80

30

(0.4477612)

10

7

187.47

- 2001 cc. but not exceeding 2500 cc. with not more than 220 horse power

80

35

(0.5691057)

10

7

213.171

- 2501 cc. or but not exceeding 3000 cc. with not more than 220 horse power

80

40

(0.7142857)

10

7

243.94

- Exceeding 3000 cc. or more than 220 horse power

80

50

(1.1111111)

10

7

328

[isawasnake]

After reading 191 posts on this topic what can we conclude ?

Thailand can be or less or more expensive than "home" based on how you want to live your life..

there is no right or wrong answer

I agree with you, but I think the more important point is that Thailand/Bangkok somehow gets pegged as this great shopping destination where deals flow and electronics are cheap. Not that it even needs to be mentioned here, but that is gibberish.

Going perhaps in a little different direction..... can somebody tell me why a Nikon camera made in Thailand can't be offered at much better price here than it can be had for after imported to the US??

Who with even half a brain says Thailand/Bangkok is a great shopping destination for electronics? No one on Thai Visa. At least among people who have ever been to Thailand.

Agreed. But that is a widely held perception outside of Thailand. As to why that is, or what that proves, I have no idea

[chiangmaikelly]

After reading 191 posts on this topic what can we conclude ?

Thailand can be or less or more expensive than "home" based on how you want to live your life..

there is no right or wrong answer

I agree with you, but I think the more important point is that Thailand/Bangkok somehow gets pegged as this great shopping destination where deals flow and electronics are cheap. Not that it even needs to be mentioned here, but that is gibberish.

Going perhaps in a little different direction..... can somebody tell me why a Nikon camera made in Thailand can't be offered at much better price here than it can be had for after imported to the US??

Who with even half a brain says Thailand/Bangkok is a great shopping destination for electronics? No one on Thai Visa. At least among people who have ever been to Thailand.

Agreed. But that is a widely held perception outside of Thailand. As to why that is, or what that proves, I have no idea

I guess that Thailand has a good marketing department. Although the only people I can imagine come here to shop are from the Middle East in the summer.

Edited October 14, 2012 by chiangmaikelly

[how241]

Many things are most exspensive except for young ladies and rooms, if you can stay in a small room. They don't have many specials, coupons, and buy1-get1 free sales here.

[chiangmaikelly]

Many things are most exspensive except for young ladies and rooms, if you can stay in a small room. They don't have many specials, coupons, and buy1-get1 free sales here.

Unskilled labor

Flowers

Rice

Pottery

Plastic shoes

Fish sauce

Peppers

rice wine

moonshine

[Dap]

WINE. i quit drinking wine over here

With a 300+ % sin tax added, I quit as well and miss it sorely.

[TPI]

Lucky I have a shipment of baked beans and wine arriving from Australia today then!!

Swine...gimme some!

[kurnell]

Lucky I have a shipment of baked beans and wine arriving from Australia today then!!

Swine...gimme some!

No way. Baked beans are all mine

[davejones]

100% of everything except rent/mortgage and cellphone minutes

There is not an item cheaper than comparable quality in canada.

You must live in a different Canada mate

Gasoline

Fruit,Vegetables.meat,fish,rice etc

Warm weather clothing

Ladies clothing

Medicine ( Generic paracetamol is about 30 baht for 100..Canada ( e.g. Shoppers Drug Mart) about 10 bucks?.

Utilities

Some Appliances

Telephones+calling rates

beer, cigarettes

taxis,bus fares

etc etc are far less expensive in Thailand

Agreed many imported items and western styled products and services are more expensive ( based on target market methinks) ...you pays your money and takes your choice.

Oh! how I long for a Dairy Queen burger and fries and a large coffee....

Things like imported wine and liquor are more expensive but 2-500 baht premium is not a deal breaker depending on your lifestyle..less than a day's parking in downtown Vancouver or Melbourne...lol

Rent, the 6,000 baht variety, not the 20-30,000 baht falang type.

Lunch, the 30 to 40 baht variety, not the 400 baht falang type.

Market food, the ta-lat government controlled variety, not the Tops falang type ie: dried fruit at Tops 40 baht for 100 grams; ta-lat 100 baht for 500 grams. Boneless pork at Tops 220 baht per kilo; ta-lat 130 baht per kilo. Etc. (learn some Thai and negotiate ra-kha)

Local transportation: Songthaew 20 baht anywhere (in CM), one subway token in Toronto $3.00 (900 baht!)

You want to live like a farang in Thailand - they'll be happy to take your money. You want to live like a Thai in Thailand, it becomes one of the cheapest places in the world to live. I live well here on a crappy Canadian pension, I wouldn't even be able to pay rent on a 2 room apartment in Toronto let alone eat.

OK, I had to click the "Like This" button on your post. Now go get a Thai girlfriend or wife with extended family and see how you do compared to Canada. In Canada the wife and family probably are self contained financially.

I can't use my retirement medical care in Thailand either and if I try to replace it...

I have a Thai gf and extended family, but they don't ask for anything, as they have their own money. Not sure why so many farangs give money to extended family. If you give money to them then that's your choice, so quit complaining about it. If you don't like it, then don't give your money away.

[ilyushin]

What makes these things so expensive here?

Greed!

[chiangmaikelly]

What makes these things so expensive here?

Greed!

I get chocolates flown in from Switzerland 24 hours after they were made. It's greed that makes them expensive !. Darn I didn't know that. Now I am angry.