Please note: There were A LOT of good emails this week so this section is much longer than usual. He was told to pop out for a coffee and if he returned at midday the visa would be in his passport, ready for collection. The typical Thai citizen lives on less than $1,000 monthly. Most recently, in May 2014, the head of Thailand’s army, General Prayuth Chan-Ocha, led a coup d’état and declared himself prime minister. For over 400 years Japan was an inward looking country. Nice elaborate costumes on the performers. Colored contact lenses that make them look like ghouls, and braces on their teeth?! Do you really want all this stress and these hassles in retirement?! Some people, and countries, are inward looking. The latest from legendary Bangkok bar CheckInn99 is that the soi 33 location was too big for the old CheckInn99 format and despite efforts to adapt they were unable to fill the venue. There are no guarantees that you will be able to remain in Thailand. Failing to have health insurance is a huge risk, while at the same time, the older you get, the higher the cost. Thai embassies and consulates require more documentation before they will issue a visa. Yes, there are many interesting expats in Thailand who you’d be happy to be friends with and one doesn’t like to over-generalise, but there are plenty of complete nutjobs too. The Australian Pub & BBQ has a great happy hour special throughout June. One restaurateur explained that he uses only high quality ingredients and they cost a lot – but when you run through the prices restaurants pay for local ingredients, the costs are low. There is still one consulate where visas are issued very quickly and with a smile. Yes, of course, you can easily find places much cheaper but where once I said good condos in decent buildings close to downtown Bangkok set you back 25K +, generally these days I think you need to spend more. Stupid and overdone tattoos – those tats across their stomachs are hideous – dyed hair of unnatural colors, with three inches of roots showing. Could the requirements be changed? Are you able to finance these sorts of unexpected expenses? That’s what health insurance is for, right? The immigration policies and their adoption are the result of a people who look inside. ", With Thais who speak weak English, "rice" becomes "ri," "motorcycle" becomes "motocy," and "guest house" becomes "gue hou.". #20: Take your shoes off before entering a home. All wave when the neighbors pass on a motorbike going the other way. The relaunch is still some time away. A tuktuk driver who charged 3 American passengers 500 baht each for a total of 1,500 baht for a 3.5 km journey is tracked down and charged. I just returned from a trip to Bangkok and Phuket. It is what it is and I am completely at ease with that. But if we both arrive at the same time, and the currymonger has no idea who arrived first, she'll serve the Thai first, every time. What follows are a few thoughts on retirement in Thailand and what I think are some of the issues to consider. For much of the year, the weather in Thailand is too hot and too humid to spend time outside and most of us need to run air-conditioning to be able to get a good night’s sleep. The French neighbor were furious and offended when McDonald's began requiring workers in that country to smile at each customer. If you want to be active and do stuff without worrying about being frugal, you probably need at least another 50,000 – 60,000 baht / month to cover everything from food, clothes, travel, going out etc. They smile at everyone, regardless. © Stickman 1998-2018, Tales From Thailand 4 – Return To Patpong, tuktuk driver who charged 3 American passengers 500 baht each. In the Western world, if we buy a new car we may feel superior. A friend who lived in Thailand and who liked to play tennis once explained that, when he'd play with a group of Thai men and women, and the object seemed to be to play as hard as possible without breaking a sweat. He was teaching English somewhere in Isaan with no contract and no work permit. ", Thais have little notion of three meals a day at fairly fixed times. And each of the Philippines and Malaysia has a retirement program to attract foreigners to the country which has been carefully thought out. Thailand Farang, The Hassles And The Drama Of Expat Society. Decent healthcare is available in Thailand – but like so many things in Thailand it is no longer the bargain it once was. On Mondays, order one of their homemade pies and receive a free schooner of local draught beer free. He was on the first bus across the bridge in to Laos, but when he arrived at the consulate there were already hundreds of people waiting to lodge their visa application. Still a fun holiday but very expensive. Only 9 or 10 of the seats in the 49 seat EVA Elite cabin were occupied, and when we landed they didn’t close the curtains to allow first class to exit first, so the first class cabin appeared to be empty. Some look out and see what they want and others look in and see only themselves. Those who wish to follow the cricket can do so while those who wish to listen to music and enjoy a traditional Pattaya bar atmosphere can do that too. She said that a lot of the girls were looking to get out of the country and try to get work in Hong Kong or Singapore, but one of the drawbacks is that both have been turning back girls, even some with a guy in tow. This week’s shot was taken in a part of Bangkok which today attracts a lot of foreigners BUT it is not what I’d strictly term “downtown Bangkok”. Thailand is home to one of the most popular cuisines in the world, one that is based on the notion that opposites attract (at least in food): chili paste with coconut milk, palm sugar with lime juice, sweet noodles with a salty crunch.

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