[Recommend Crypto Exchange]

You will have to open an account with a Thai bank account if you are living in Thailand most likely. In my case,  I wasn't able to verify the link with my bank overseas while I was in Thailand.

 

Kraken was the exchange recommended to me on this forum some years ago. I think they are pretty reputable.

[I miss massage in Thailand]

10 hours ago, wolf81 said:

I'm doing fine here at 41, but YMMV ????

That's good. Life is easy there but I found it to be a bit of a no mans land after 7 years.

 

Miss those massage ladies though!

[I miss massage in Thailand]

I have been desperate lately so I go to the only Thai massage shop around my neck of the woods.

Lady is from Issan, mid 40's, and charges $80 an hour for a one hour Thai massage.

Tips are of course expected on top of that as this is America. I actually need massage from time to time for health reasons, so I'm willing to pay. She has signs out front explaining that she faces stigma as an Asian

woman in the massage industry and she will not provide sexual services. Why would she even bother when she is making such good money providing just massage. 

[I miss massage in Thailand]

4 minutes ago, Pawpcorn said:

Why did you return to the states? 

I spent most of my 30's in Chiang Mai but I am too young to just stay in Thailand for the rest of my life.

[I miss massage in Thailand]

I miss massage in Thailand so much.  Ease of access and affordability. It's not even worth going in the US where I live. The Chinese run it, looks like gangsters. They charge $70 for an hour of <deleted>ty massage and then beg for tips saying they don't get paid without tips.

 

Thai massage women are the best!

[Good Massage in Hua Hin]

You need to go to a big establishment that looks professional. Women will be dressed in the same uniforms. Would be easier to find in Bangkok.... Most of the massages do do handjobs even if no sex...

[What's the deal with bitcoin now?]

4 hours ago, peterfranks said:

Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin has taken a shot at MicroStrategy chief executive officer Michael Saylor, calling him a “total clown” after the latter called the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency “inherently unethical.”

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vitalik-buterin-calls-microstrategy-michael-045100945.html

 

Yeah... Who to believe... Michael Saylor or the guy who created Ethereum...

[What's the deal with bitcoin now?]

22 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

I have 422 ETH with 418 of it which I locked into ETH2 as far as staking 14 months ago, and on the new platform earning 4.6% interest until the launch of the new platform at which time I will decide what to do.  Bought in back when each coin was $155 USD. I also had BTC up until last year when I sold it all, after selling some in 2019, 2020, and 2021 which I used to assist in buying my kids houses.  Now just sitting on MATIC, ETH, and I still have 65 coins of the original ETC which has just gone up as well.  My crypto portfolio has done well, and even with the dip's it has never bothered me as I spent less than 100K when I bought into everything back in the day. Bought my 20 BTC when it was at $917.  Overall I guess one could say I got in at the right time and did not leverage my house or retirement like many have done in the past few years.

Good job.  Good to see some people making money.

[What's the deal with bitcoin now?]

I bought $400 worth of BTC at around $40,000 as an experiment. Right now I'm glad I didn't put more in.

[What's the deal with bitcoin now?]

I've been following the predictions closely. It's an interesting study to see how wrong they have been. I remember the CEO of Kraken saying it will be worth "a Lamborghini by the end of 2021, and a Bugatti by the end of 2022"????

[What's the deal with bitcoin now?]

3 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

That is a question that no one can answer .

No one knows what will happen to Bitcoin in the future

Think of it as more of a public opinion poll

[What's the deal with bitcoin now?]

Good time to buy or will it become worthless in the not too distant future?

[How many days needed to book hotel for Thailand pass?]

1 hour ago, couchpotato said:

If thats what you understand then go ahead and do it. End of my advice..

Ok, looks like you are right. Just watched an update on the YouTube channel "Retired Working for You"

 

Thanks..

[Where do you recommend staying in Bangkok?]

19 minutes ago, cdemundo said:

You don't mention affordability so if money isn't a prime consideration I would stay at the Landmark on Sukhumvit.

There is a great discount on Agoda right now.

 

There are some really good deals now. I don't think there is any need to spend more than $60 a night.

[Where do you recommend staying in Bangkok?]

35 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

If you're coming for "Boom-Boom" stay on Sukhumvit, if you're coming for shopping stay near Siam Square or National Stadium, if you're coming to see the usual tourist spots then look at Khoa San Road.

The 1st 2 you can ride BTS everywhere and the last 1 has tour services like "Red Bus" and walking distance to shops and restaurants. 

Not coming for "Boom-Boom" but I still kinda like Sukhumvit. I don't really know anything else so that's why I am looking for suggestions. I wouldn't stay on Khao San if they paid me to????

[How many days needed to book hotel for Thailand pass?]

3 hours ago, couchpotato said:

None, if you are fully vaccinated. You should keep up with the news and read other threads etc, as the need for hotels finished May 1st.

not for quarantine but you still need proof of booking as I understand it for the Thailand Pass

[Where do you recommend staying in Bangkok?]

What are your favorite areas to stay in Bangkok? I'm coming in from the states and will stay a few nights in BKK before traveling elsewhere. In the past I stayed around Sukhumvit 11. I'm open to trying something new and there are a lot of good deals on hotels now (from what I can see)

[How many days needed to book hotel for Thailand pass?]

Hello,

 

How many days do I have to have booked at a hotel to successfully complete the Thailand pass application? 

 

Thanks.

[They always have change in America]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

4 dollahs for one small French fry? Things there are even worse than I thought!

This is not a McDonalds like establishment. It's a step above that.  But in general food prices have skyrocketed in the US. It's crazy.

[They always have change in America]

One of the funny things about being back in America is me being shocked that everywhere I shop they always have change. Today, I bought a small french fry at the local "Village Snack Bar" for $4 and had no choice but to pay with a 100 dollar bill. No problem sir. This would never happen in Thailand.????

[I miss life in Chiang Mai]

The thing about life in CM, is it can be a no man's land where you just drift around aimlessly. You don't even need to work to survive if you have a little money in the bank and you get so comfortable being on a permanent holiday it could be hard to ever come back to "reality". Anyway, I have no regrets about the seven years I spent there. At the end certain aspects of Thai society left me feeling so nauseous that I couldn't wait to get out of the country.

[I miss life in Chiang Mai]

It's just as it has always been in America. Work, pay bills, go into debt... I like how efficient everything is when I want to get a drivers license or go to the doctor, everything is much easier. But its a bit monotone without the culture or the sense of magic in daily life. It's all very routine.

[Someone please help me buy BITCOIN]

Just to update the story, I finally bought some bitcoin, it has been about a year since I started this thread. It was a very small amount just to get my feet wet.

[I miss life in Chiang Mai]

Gottfrid, Yes it is nice and easy over there which is a large portion of what I miss. I'm 38, and just settling back into life in the USA is tough. I'm about to buy a new car and acquire a small amount of debt with that. I'm in the process of bringing my fiance to the US on a fiance visa (she is not Thai), but the whole immigration system is backed up supposedly due to covid. It's taking forever and is very complicated.

 

I don't know if it would be possible to return to Chiang Mai in the future. I will definitely visit for a vacation, it depends on how bogged down we get with mundane life here in the US once my fiance gets settled here.

[I miss life in Chiang Mai]

I lived in Chiang Mai from Aug 2014 to Aug 2021. It was a great time, I'm sure I'll remember it as the best of my life. Now back in the US, some things I appreciate, but life is not as simple nor charming.

 

Enjoy your time!