dbrenn
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Posts posted by dbrenn
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28 minutes ago, KannikaP said:
It is 4pm right now. Will 7-11s and other outlets open for booze at 5pm as usual, and then stop selling at 6pm?
7-11 goes by the book, but not sure they'll sell booze for just one hour. Find a little family owned shop, and they'll likely oblige.
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On 3/25/2021 at 10:11 PM, bkk6060 said:
Isn't Australia still on a no fly overseas restriction without some type of government permission?
I got my permission on the first attempt. Dual national, not intending to return to Australia anytime soon.
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1 hour ago, foreverlomsak said:
Us foreigners should be excluded anyway as we cannot vote therefore cannot effect the results unless we set fire to the counting house, oops that where the money goes.
Exceptions for foreigners is never going to happen. Just stock up your fridge and invite some mates over or watch some movies. Not a big deal. Little family shops is sois will sell it to you regardless.
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Heaven forbid. Mass tourism is a scourge that ruins all the places the tourists comes to see.
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In Britain they're talking seriously about vaccination as a requirement for going into a pub.
I'm with others here who predict that vaccination will be a requirement for pretty much anything before long.
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I also like slim ladies. There are lots of porkers around these days, which I blame ghastly US fast food culture for.
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Thais do lots of things well, but winemaking isn't one of them. Besides, the climate is too hot.
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Don't expect the government to arrange a Mardi Gras style parade, with Sukhumvit road closed for all night dancing anytime soon.
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5 minutes ago, petedk said:
Maybe that's why 2 Chinese men have been renting (staying at) 2 houses near us for the past 10 days. The houses cost 60K a day each. The men NEVER go out. All food and 3 or 4 girls are delivered to them every day. Yesterday the girls went shopping alone. Today there were about 15 - 20 paper bags outside from Prada, Channel, Moschino, Gabbana and others. At 8 am the girls were picked up one by one and I noticed that the cars were already full of similar bags. The same girls are delivered to all the parties.
The houses are owned by a group of Chinese men who rent them out for parties (always Chinese guests). Once when there was a group of 15 or so and they were very noisy and threw fireworks at my dog, I exploded in anger and said "Now I am going to the police". I am not joking, in less than 3 minutes they had grabbed all their belongings, jumped in the cars and were gone.
Sometimes 20 or so men arrive and they sit indoors VERY quietly. I wonder what they are doing.
No point in going to the police as we are sure they know what's going on.
I don't blame you for telling them not to throw fireworks at your dog, but it's always better to avoid people like this and look the other way. If they're that cashed up, and if they are criminals, then they'll have enforcers in tow as well as pretty girls. Let the cops deal with it, assuming they're not part of it.
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4 minutes ago, dbrenn said:
A health insurance contract expires each year. It wasn't my contract, so I didn't read the small print, but there was most likely a clause in it that gave BUPA the right to change terms upon renewal, or no clause in the contract itself promising renewal under the same terms. Insurance companies are masters at wriggling out of promises and use of conflicting legalese.
The friend I'm referring to is a contract manager for large civil engineering projects in Thailand, so I do trust his word on this one.
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3 hours ago, simon43 said:
If the contract that he signed states that they will renew his policy etc, then they legally have to do so! I suspect that there was some get-out clause in the small print - which is why you should read the small print very carefully before taking out the policy. (AFAIK, BUPA policies from the EU and UK cover you for life - there is no get-out clause, unless you don't actually pay the premium...)
A health insurance contract expires each year. It wasn't my contract, so I didn't read the small print, but there was most likely a clause in it that gave BUPA the right to change terms upon renewal, or no clause promising renewal under the same terms, both meaning that they can change terms on renewal.
The friend I'm referring to is a contract manager for large civil engineering projects in Thailand, so I do trust his word on this one.
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12 minutes ago, meechai said:This is a glaring problem in Thailand where it seems Insurance companies are unregulated or at least allowed to make up rules as they go.
Of course they will drop or price you right out of a policy & then politely say
Oh...Kor Tot...Mai Dai, Mai Dai
This is when you realize your screwed
Also never forget Doctors are not above also reaming you like others try to in LOS. Problem is you expect truth about your health from a doctor.
Many claims about how cheap surgery etc is in Thailand yet most have no idea how many unnecessary surgeries are performed.
I was told I needed a surgery asap...flew home to USA where they laughed at me for believing that. Made me happy & sad at the same time to realize that even the doctors in Thailand are as corrupt as most other sections...cops,monks,business, immigration...was a tough pill to swallow because you expect/need truth from especially the doctors in any country.
Doctors in Thailand are a mixed bag. You can pay through the nose at a big hospital, get misdiagnosed by a quack and prescribed hundreds of pretty coloured pills. Conversely, you can go to the same hospital, or a much cheaper one, and find excellent and responsible doctors.
I tend to follow good doctors, rather than stick with the same hospital because it has a famous brand name.
It's always wise to get a second opinion, as you did, if you're unsure.
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7 minutes ago, ding said:Professionals like that would be scary if you owed money. I'm glad Thai Police are catching these scammers who are draining money out of Thailand.
I'm sure a lot of off duty policemen work in the debt collection industry.
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15 hours ago, John Drake said:
Who did the loan sharks hire as muscle and enforcers?
Locals, probably. I remember when I was having a beer outside a mate's apartment building. Two thick set Thai blokes pulled up on big bikes, and parked next to my big bike. They were really friendly, and we talked bikes for a while. Then they knocked on a nearby ground floor apartment door, going on to threaten the people who answered that they would be 'in danger' if they didn't pay up whatever they owed. Smiling to us as they got back on their bikes, they really were quite scary.
No shortage of local muscle in the debt collection business.
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On 3/15/2021 at 11:56 AM, Darksidedude said:
These markets should be burned down and shut permanently
They're part of the local culture, which is why most of us left our boring and sterile countries in the first place. If you don't like it, you know where the airport is.
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On 3/19/2021 at 6:37 PM, ukrules said:This is why I maintain an annual health insurance which covers me for everything.
You never know when the unexpected will happen, we hope it never comes but it could be right around the corner.
It's still a good idea to have money put aside in case you have to pay for these things yourself. A friend of mine was insured with BUPA, but they refused to renew his cover once he turned 70. They did offer to renew his wife's policy though. All this being in spite of their glossy brochures promising that they will allow you to renew indefinitely.
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23 minutes ago, newnative said:
I agree the pension thing is unfair but totally disagree that Thailand 'has become much more expensive in recent years.' It certainly hasn't for me. Usually one of the biggest monthly expenses is housing and that has gone down, not up, and in some cases significantly. We used to rent 1 bedroom condos we owned at The Base and Centric Sea and we got 25,000 and 22,000 baht a month rent for them. You can rent at The Base now for 8000 baht a month and at Centric for 10,000 baht. Those are list prices on Hipflat and likely you could even do better. Other than booze, I can't think of much that's noticeably more expensive.
There are notable exceptions to the rising cost of living - condos in Pattaya being one.
Pattaya is a vile hole of a place, ruined in every conceivable way, and nobody wants to live there anymore. That's why property is so cheap there.
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Just now, dbrenn said:
I arrived in 1989, and in my view Thailand was much more relaxed, cheaper and more fun. It's still a great place, but overregulation and curtailment of freedom is creeping in. How much you notice change depends on your personal circumstances, your expectations and how you live your life.
To be fair, loss of freedoms isn't peculiar to Thailand - technology enabled overregulation is on the increase everywhere.
The rankings are, as you say, to be taken with a large pinch of salt. But your view that there hasn't been much change is one that most wouldn't share.
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35 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:
It does not seem to me to me that the limits of political freedom have changed significantly in recent years. I've been here over twenty years and it seems to me like not much has. When I look at Thailand, I think the people are becoming more free, but when I look at the US feel people are becoming less free. I don't know what specific laws (aside from visa restrictions) have been changed or implemented to further restrict political freedoms
I have absolutely no faith in the rankings in the article. The "researchers" are part of a business and what they write means no more to me that an article in "Car and Driver" comparing automobiles. That said, I do believe Thailand is becoming less desirable for many expat retirees, but I see the primary issues being rising costs, enforcement of visa financial requirements and competition from other developing countries. None of these are necessarily bad things.
I arrived in 1989, and in my view Thailand was much more relaxed, cheaper and more fun. It's still a great place, but overregulation is creeping in. How much you notice change depends on your personal circumstances, your expectations and how you live your life.
To be fair, loss of freedoms isn't peculiar to Thailand - technology enabled overregulation is on the increase everywhere.
The rankings are, as you say, to be taken with a large pinch of salt. But your view that there hasn't been much change is one that most wouldn't share.
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10 minutes ago, agudbuk said:For retirement by UK nationals Thailand like most other Asian countries has the problem of UK state pensions being frozen.. No cost of living increases . So pushes Thailand further down the list for British pensioners.
Countries UK nationals can move to and get pension increases
In Europe economic area
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
Outside Europe economic area
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Gibraltar
- Guernsey
- the Isle of Man
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Jersey
- Kosovo
- Mauritius
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- the Philippines
- Serbia
- Turkey
- USA
It's true that Thailand has become much more expensive in recent years. Not giving pensioners yearly increases because they live in Thailand instead of the Philippines is unfair to say the least, especially for those who have paid in all their lives.
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1 minute ago, Yellowtail said:
A lot of expats discuss any number of things they are not involved in. Being involved in a discussion about something is not the same as being involved in something. From what I've seen, it seems to be the same people regurgitating the same tired rhetoric over and over again.
In any event, I doubt very much that the number of people discussing Thai politics (other than double pricing, visa issues and corruption) is significant.
Regardless, perception of freedom is important to the happiness of some. If people feel that the country they're living in isn't free, then it will slip down the rankings of desirable places to live. In saying that Thailand was less free, I was suggesting it as a possible contributing factor to the decline in Thailand's popularity, this being the topic of this thread.
Whether or not you can actively participate in politics makes you no less immersed in the effects that politicians and their decisions have on society. All the ranting that we see throughout this forum is clear evidence of that. Most people feel affected by politics, because of the effect it has on their surroundings. You might be an exception, of course, and good for you if that's the case.
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6 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:
Actually we are not talking about two different things. I agree that visa requirements have become somewhat more restrictive over the years.
This thread is supposed to be about expat retirees. Do expat retirees typically get involved in Thai politics?
I agree Thailand would not be a good choice for expat retirees that:
1. Are not able to meet and demonstrate the current financial and general visa requirements.
2. Want to be politically active in the community.
A lot of expats are involved in Thailand political debate. It's over in the news forum.
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6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:
Again, I'm not claiming freedoms have not been limited, I am only claiming it has not been my experience. I do not get involved in politics and I have no difficulty with my visa, so my freedoms seem unaffected.
Good for you, but we were talking about two different things. You were talking about your own experiences, as if they were shared by everyone else. I was talking about the experiences of many others, since your own experience doesn't really matter to me.
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5 hours ago, Yellowtail said:
While there are any number of things wrong with me, none of them really have anything to do with the discussion.
In any event, I do not remember you providing any specific example of rules (draconian or otherwise) limiting the freedom of foreigners in Thailand. Tightening visa reequipments does not limit the freedom of foreigners in Thailand, it limits the NUMBER of foreigners in Thailand, yes?
That said, you (and others) have been arguing that there have been MANY reductions of freedoms in Thailand. I'm willing to stipulate that people not being allowed to use unlimited back-to-back tourist visas, or stricter visa requirements in general, could be considered an example of a freedom being limited.
That's one. As you claim there are many, would you please provide a few more examples of the many freedoms that are be limited in Thailand? Providing a single weak example does not support a claim of many.
To be clear, I never said freedoms were not being limited, I only said I have not experienced them.
Of course there are people who haven't suffered as a result of visa rule tightening. I'm Thai, so I haven't, and you may not have suffered either. The fact is that so many people have, which is a reduction of freedom overall. You asked me to give you an example of reduced freedom - before it was was free and easy to stay, for a great many, and now it isn't. This forum contains page after page of posts from people who are being painted into one or another corner by tightening rules, having to report their whereabouts, jump through endless hoops. The threat if getting kicked out makes one feel less free, no?
And there are other examples - one end of the political spectrum might say that, since the 2014 coup, political freedom has diminished substantially. Whether we agree or disagree is irrelevant. The fact is that people who oppose the powers that be have been oppressed in greater measure than before. I'm not saying that's a bad thing - heaven forbid that Thailand should degenerate in the way that the West has done - but it's a fact, nevertheless, that freedoms have been curtailed. In everyday life, rules, regulations, signs everywhere forbidding this, that and the other, backed up by technology. Definitely less free, in Thailand and elsewhere.
Why don't you give some examples of how you think freedoms have improved? Go on, I'm interested to hear.
Why are wines produced in Thailand so expensive?
in ASEAN NOW Community Pub
Posted · Edited by dbrenn
How about the food, or do you hang around McDonald's? Then there's the manageable current account deficit, the export driven economy, car manufacturing, customer service, agriculture, health care, respect for one's elders, patriotism, cohesive families, community spirit. The list goes on.
And of course the women, as Lopburi pointed out.