[Anybody else don't care about COVID and ignores it?]

Some people stay at home, get on with life and can ignore it.

Others go out and mix with many other people in ignorance of the dangers to themselves and others.

Those who have Covid 19 but no obvious symptoms are perhaps unwittingly the most dangerous to those people they meet who are older or not in good health.

[Thailand reports 91 new coronavirus cases and one death]

New cases are likely to greatly underestimate the actual number. As many with covid-19 do not show symptoms, they can unknowingly pass on the virus. With many laid off workers allowed to return home to the provinces without health checks, this will help spread the virus further. We can expect many older people or those in bad health to become very sick in the coming weeks. Expect a huge rise in cases over the next few weeks. This can only be slowed if we all stay at home or at least keep our distance from others. 

[Over a million in tourism industry could lose jobs if Covid-19 crisis continues]

Lets remember the impact of job loss on millions of Thai people over the coming months. Their financial problems will be worse than those faced by the average farang in Thailand.

[Paying UK State Pensions Voluntary Contributions from Thailand]

Each additional year of vol NI contributions effectively pays for itself in about 4 years. Check out the excellent `Topping up your state pension` guide from the Royal London company, written by former UK pensions minister, Steve Webb.

www.royallondon.com 

 

[Anutin blocks cruise ship turned away by three countries from docking at Laem Chabang]

How are the passengers on this cruise ship more likely to be infectious than those on planes arriving from China? I guess it is OK if you are making money from them.

[Farangs who don’t wear face masks should be kicked out of Thailand says health minister]

If you have recently been in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, or are likely to have been in close contact with such people, you should have medical tests. If not, then normal care and precautions should suffice. Whether you are `Farang`, Thai or other identifiable group should not make a difference.

[“Don’t complain about our English, If you can’t speak Thai” - sign at restaurant goes viral - again]

That restaurant may gain sympathetic customers, while losing those who expect low paid Thai restaurant staff to have high level English. I would happily use that restaurant, with my fairly basic Thai and staff basic English getting the food order done. And I`ll be happy to avoid arrogant customers who have unrealistic expectations.

[RTP: Trust us, we will find inhuman gold shop robber - and don't copy him]

Hope this violent criminal is found soon, and alive. Important to find out if he acted alone or with support. 

[Failed "No plastic bag" policy]

My Thai family are happy when I bring 1 dollar multiple use bags from Woolworths Australia. Even more useful now and promotes good habits.

[Can I use the Thai Immigration lane with my Thai Wife?]

Just arr at Suvarnabumi airport this afternoon and had to wait just 4 mins at Passport. Lots of staff and short queues for Thais and foreigners. Excellent service!

[Calling all farang husbands who've moved back home: What's your experience with cultural differences for your wife when you get there?]

Find the nearest Asian food store & getting my wife to know other Asian women who have moved here in Australia (not necessarily Thai) was a good start. She started using Line social media to communicate with far away friends. She has worked hard at her already pretty good English language. And we manage a trip back to Thailand once a year with our two kids, who we`re trying to bring up bilingual. Sure, cultural differences and homesickness on top of the usual challenges of having a new baby made it a bit hard at first. 

[Nakhon Phanom border bounce.]

Thakek is actually a fine place to stop overnight. Regular but slow bus from NP bus station over the bridge and thru Thai and Laos immigration. Nice small restaurants around the old town by the river and a big new restaurant overlooking the river back to NP. The central Thakek old town is a couple of kms from the town bus station. 

[Cities for moving]

If you want to be with lots of foreigners, you probably know the places to try. If you don`t need to be with many foreigners then attractive smaller provincial towns by the coast to consider are Songkhla, Trang or Prachuap Khiri Khan. 

[Healthiest place to live in Thailand?]

In the south the northern part of Khao Lak, away from the busiest tourist development. About 1.5 hrs to Phuket airport but without the crowds and expense. 

 

Trang is nice enough, plenty of offshore islands, a daily sleeper train to Bangkok, not far from Krabi and its airport.

 

Loei in the upper north east, near hills and the Mekong river. Low cost of living, small airport for flights to Bangkok.

 

Avoid overpriced, overcrowded Phuket, Pattaya and Samui.

[Thailand Still cheaper than home]

If you come to Thailand ready to adapt and fit in, don`t expect Western food every day or a high level of amenities, you avoid Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok, you learn some Thai language, then generally Thailand should be far cheaper than UK, Australia etc. However, if you expect the amenities that you have back home,  you stay in expat ghettos like Pattaya, you have not learned to eat Thai food or take local transport, you`ve married a bar girl with demanding relatives etc, then you`ll find Thailand does not have the financial advantages. Sad to see many of the latter Westerners keep coming here.

[another bad day at Don Mueang with Air Asia]

9 hours ago, MekkOne said:

Here we go again, someone that didn't get how AirAsia works...

As per low-fare company AirAsia got a quiet straight forward policy, pay for service, you want a better service you pay a higher price, AirAsia is meant to be a air company for commuters, not for holiday makers, so the best way to travel using it is the lightweight way, only a cabin baggage and nothing more, the prices that the company applies are actually encouraging this kind of travel and not the checked baggage one. It is simple, if you want to fly as in a traditional airline do not aspect a much cheaper price if you want a fast check in service an onboard meal and a fast boarding.

 

a little price comparison between AA e BA just to understand that the service of AA is very expansive...

 

 

Wrong, Air Asia markets itself for leisure travel, not just work commutes. You pay more to check-in bags so this is a service you have paid for when you get to the airport to check in. Of course you can expect longer check in time and other services at a lower level compared with a full service airline. But there is no excuse for any airline to have a confusing and excessively time consuming check in procedure as described here. 

[Quiet living in or on fringe of Thai city?]

Loei province! Beautiful national parks, quiet Mekong river villages and hardly a farang to be seen. Chiang Khan on the Mekong was lovely old village when I stayed a few years back. 

[150 Baht now for a big Chang]

If you just want a beer, 7- Eleven. If you want a beer and a seat, plenty of small Thai restaurants will do. If you want a beer and footy on TV, pay a bit more. If you want the above plus bargirls with fake smiles and mock-flirting in a high rent location, you`ll pay much more. Decide what you want and pay accordingly but at least you have a choice.

[Thinking of relocating within Thailand]

On 9/15/2018 at 11:03 AM, Just1Voice said:

I'm 69, live in Chiang Mai but outside of the main city on Hwy 121, and I love it here.  10 years ago there was a problem with the burning, but now all the rice paddies have become multiple housing areas and businesses, so no more smoke.  Chiang Mai can be as "cosmopolitan" as you want, or as "rural" as you want. In my 10 years here, I've taken motorcycle trips all over the North, North East and Central areas, hitting every major city, and I have yet to find one I prefer over Chiang Mai.  

Agreed the countryside near to Chiang Mai city can be a good place to live. Was quieter back in the 90s before the big influx of foreigners but it`s easy enough to escape that. And direct Air Asia flights to Phuket or Krabi makes it easy to head south when Chiang Mai gets hot March to May.

[Tired of Bangkok where should I go live in Thailand and why]

If kids education is the main factor and you want international school (a broad category I know) it rules out some of the quieter, attractive coastal locations. Hua Hin might be your best bet. A quieter coastal town with good amenities is Songkla but I am not up to date on schools there.

[Fed Up with so called 'Tourist Attractions']

I generally ignore tourist promotional websites and promotional materials. A look at recommendations on Tripadvisor is often helpful. It also depends on whether you prefer popular Thai attractions or those mainly for foreigners and whether yoh like quiet, natural places or busy, lively places. I`d never go to Pattaya or Patong, Phuket or the Sukhumvit Rd shopping malls but for others these are their highlights.

[Why do Expats Troll each other in Thailand?]

Expats in Thailand are no more likely to share common views than people in the UK. For example, in my view Brexit supporters are misguided and leaving Europe is not the solution to any problems the UK faces. No doubt some readers agree, others strongly disagree.

[SURVEY: What is the biggest drawback to living in Thailand?]

The biggest drawback to moving to Thailand is somehow expecting it to be just like your home country, with some added attractions and benefits. Be open-minded, keen to learn, while being cautious and realising all is not as it seems, then you are less likely to be disappointed.

[Why do Thais not care about a neat and clean home?]

Why do some farang not shower every day? Guess that`s culture too.

[I want to have my daughter's car crushed in korat.]

Obviously you are not a teacher. You may have anger management issues too. If you are unhappy with your daughter`s behaviour, there are surely other ways to deal with it.