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Kinnock

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Everything posted by Kinnock

  1. There are many wonderful, devoted, caring and faithful wives in Thailand ...... but sorry to say, yours is not one of those. Press reset and start again. It will be painful at first, but the rewards if you find a good one are worth the effort. And on the other hand .... being single in Thailand is pretty good too!
  2. I could charge at my house, and do the shorter trips on electric power alone. For longer trips I can use the IC engine - so no need for charging stations. Have not replaced my ICE SUV yet, as the only plug in hybrid that's not an over-priced import is the Mitsubishi Outlander, which is an old design. Waiting for a locally built option.
  3. And, using the same logic, legalise prostitution? But this utopian view of legalising the grey economies for their benefits, assumes the existence of an effective police force to control the negative aspects the activities.
  4. The first question in a quiz show. Implies there's still time for many more questions, and the outcome is not yet known.
  5. Well yes ..... and I think there's a consensus amongst the learned forum members on that .... No!
  6. ..... Because some of us have had the same predicament, so we can share learnings based on experience. He's not asking some random guys on the Internet .... this is supposed to be a forum about life in Thailand (and about Trump .... and EV's) 😃
  7. Noooooo! In my experience the extended family of a Thai wife are allergic to help. First issue is that they do not understand basic accounting traps such as compound interest or penalties for not paying every month. So within a year they will have more unsurmountable debt and will be back with hands out. Second issue is that they think you are rich, so anything you do will never be enough. They will resent you for the help and resent you more for not giving them 2 million .... each. Direct help for your wife on the condition she never borrows again .... OK. Help for the never-ending woes of the family. No!
  8. I've taken a Kicks for a drive, and was impressed. Lively performance, especially from a standstill, quiet, comfortable, spacious interior. Interior quality is much improved on the latest model too. I also like that it does not have a rubber band CVT transmission, which is a weak point if you do high mileage. The very similar Yaris Cross has all the complexity of an ICE and a hybrid, but I guess this is only an issue if you plan to keep it a long time. Depreciation will be lower with the Toyota though. Ideal for me would be a plug in hybrid with a decent battery range that's made in Thailand, so I didn't buy a Kicks as it can't run on battery alone.
  9. Yes, a plug in hybrid sounds like the ideal option considering current state of charging stations. But I think there's very few options on the market? If you don't want to pay import duty, isn't the Mitsubishi Outlander the only option?
  10. Yes .... the taxi drivers also got a commission for taking passengers to the old Climax bar in Bangkok Soi 11 .... it was our regular late night bar, and we could get a free ride as the commission more than covered the fare.
  11. It takes a coalition of investment businesses to raise the funds to make a movie, and they are looking for a guaranteed return on investment. This means a proven track record of consumers, either because it's a sequel, franchise or based on a successful book or video game. This has resulted to successive dumbing down of storyline. With the exception of a few writer/directors such as Christopher Nolan, who has the determination to do what he wants and the track record to raise the funds, everyone else just churns out boring franchised sequels that end in the predictable big final fight scenes.
  12. I think Thailand ranks high in the 'Chinese Opportunities Index, but very low in the 'Global Opportunities Index'
  13. I've managed to add most of the Thai spam calls numbers to my block list, plus the extensions for VOIP spam calls. Unfortunately, I also get the annoying Brit with the South London used car salesman accent .... he's trying to sell financial advice but sounds like he trying to flog a clocked Cortina.
  14. If you want to go direct to your destination, use Grab. If you want a mini adventure, take a tuk tuk. Experienced travellers have known this for decades. Not even a scam .... just the tailor shop paying commission for visitors .... he could pay the full fare, but then he'd have no story for his channel.
  15. I think the risk is very small .... maybe elevated slightly as there's the current anti-falang trend in the media, but looking at the uncontrolled risks at the annual 'bung fai' rocket festivals, I think any resulting damage from your rocket will be seen as an innocent accident. There was some recent legal action against the sellers of flying lanterns and fireworks in Bangsaen, with several sellers receiving jail sentences, but no action was taken against the buyers/users. Just make sure you have the full support and approval from your school. And of course ensure the kids are safe in case of a launch failure.
  16. Just an update which may be of interest to anyone else caring for an elderly relative, and to see if anyone has any more useful advice ..... Over three weeks since her stroke, and still in ICU and on a ventilator. The nurses remove the ventilator daily to try to strengthen her natural breathing, but she gets exhausted quickly. She did not serm to recognise her relatives when they visited, and while she appeared to recognise my wife during her twice daily visits - when my wife took a few days break from the visits (to reassure herself that I've not managed to destroy the house while she's been away), her Mother did not recognise her when she resumed the daily visits. She seems to have no long term memory. Although she seems stable, probably due to the good nursing care and the equipment. I'm still concerned about the practical aspects of long term care. The hospital want to move her from the ICU to a local hospital, and then to her home. The rest of the family made one 'royal visit' then went back home ..... and while my wife is learning about how to care for her Mother, I'd like my wife back! I also have a concern about the long term costs .... the rest of the family is claiming poverty 🤨
  17. Yes, good friends, but only two .... and they both have an international education and outlook.
  18. Also remember the 'Thai gold' bought in the shops in the malls is not the same purity as 24k gold. It's 23k. No issue if you sell it in Thailand in the future, as it's a set price based on the current gold price per Baht, but if you want to sell it in another country, 24k gold is better. If you buy the little gold bars in the malls, you often have to buy the dinky plastic box, as that's the profit for the shop. If you buy jewellery you pay for making on top of the current price. Making can be negotiable, or even free if you pay for "membership' at chains like Aurora. If you want 24k gold, try Chinatown. If you want official gold coins like a UK Crown, Singapore is good. But Thai girls like Thai gold jewellery, so they can sell it after they dump you. Long term Thai wives want Thai gold to sell after their husbands take a Gik.
  19. Isn't taking the video and sharing it online technically Defamation in Thailand? Which is a criminal offence. The fact that the subjects of the video may also be in the wrong is irrelevant under Thai defamation law.
  20. That's the theory, but in practice it's the girls who can hold down a job and it's the daughters who look after their Mothers (the father having buggered off years ago).
  21. I think Everest or waiting for new Fortuna is probably best bet, but the Nissan Terra is worth a look .... it's more spacious inside than the Fortuna and has a better ride, and lower cost than the Everest.
  22. There must be a standard safety procedure for a live shell jammed in a gun. I'm pretty sure it's not mooring the warship behind another vessel with the gun pointing at the other ship! I've zero experience of large bore weapons, but even my limited experience with a hand gun on a shooting range included detailed training in what do in the case of a jam.
  23. Yes .... if it had happened in real life instead of only in his head. But even making up a story like that is both sad and weird
  24. Only had a sit in the new Triton, but was impressed with the interior - large screen, good quality finishes for a pick-up, electric seat etc. And it seems to have had a comprehensive update this year. I prefer a unibody SUV myself, so I'd probably go for a Subaru Forrester or Honda CR-V. The Scoobydoo in within your budget, and good value now as there's a new model due next year.
  25. Homepro and Thaiwatsadu have sound absorbing, foam tiles. I think you need to order them, but I saw samples and photos in the stores. They also have secondary window frames. You'll need a combination of noise absorbers and sound proofing. The first thing is to seal any gaps .... foam strips around windows, sealant around AC pipework etc. Then add secondary glazing. Standard double glazing usually has an inadequate air gap between the glass panes - you need a wide gap, or secondary windows. Sound absorbing tiles in the roof space will also help. And insulation under rooftiles. Ceiling lights can be a problem as they provide a direct route to the roofspace - seal if you can. Most house walls in Thailand are lightweight, single leaf bricks - so adding mass such as plasterboard can help. Inside your rooms go for lots of heavy soft furnishings - they are additional absorbers. Sound proofing is mainly about mass - so thick glass in windows, heavy rock wool insulation, plasterboard. Then you need sound absorbers everywhere. But a hole or gap in walls, ceilings and windows will defeat all the rest.
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