[Cost of a new pool?]

for around 20-30 k you could start with a steel liner temporary option from peter pool in udonthani. i ordered the smallest 360 cm diameter 90cm deep with a sand filter etc. and its been the star of this quarantine boredom. they have tons of different models on their website from above to inground in various materials and its a german/thai company. i ordered everything from bangkok and it was super easy and quick.

[Koh Samet – The Good, The Bad and The Chinese]

if you stay away from the obvious tourist beaches there are still wonderful little resorts to go to. the thai side of the island.

[Window/Balcony plants...do you grow them?]

It’s thailand, the climate is very convenient for growing almost all the local plants.  The wholesale plant market in chatuchak on Tuesday nights and Wednesdays has a mind blowing selection of anything from little cacti to mature trees.. some trees like plumeria need lots of sun, green plants can do with more shade. Don’t forget to water regularity! It’s easy and cheap around here to grow a nice jungle ?

[Is your Thai companion averse to questions?]

i usually get the shit because I’m not listening and my partner has an English degree and speaks fluently. I tend to be distracted and in my own world....we talk a lot though, if I pay attention ?. Maybe make it a habit of sharing and talking more. My sweetheart is from the south, but then again everybody is different and generalizations don’t work very well in my experience.

[Koh Samet]

Me and my thai friends like the tub tim resort, it's right on the beach, the food is great and they have bungalows in various price categories. It's all very green and relaxing. The silver sand bar and resort one beach further down towards the more touristy beaches is great at night and right on the beach. Especially on weekends the party is good, they have a little fireshow and some glow in the dark paint going on,You can take a speedboat right up to tub tim beach from ban phe pier and avoid the main pier of the island altogether.

If you stay in this area, nobody bothers you, no jetskies, not even beach vendors. Closer to town it's a completely different story, I'd just go there to buy stuff from 7 eleven. 

[Honest Thais]

I can't even count how many times some nice person came running after me because I notoriously forget my debit card in ATMs 

[dirty passport/ have outbound ticket/ visa valid/ stressed out]

The latest version of the german passport actually sports a fancy ID page made from polycarbonate it's apparently very hard to tamper with, it doesn't come with any plastic cover...