jjrbus
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Posts posted by jjrbus
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Board games - Monopoly, Scrabble etc... Can't get anything decent here andwould like to introduce the kids to such joys on rainy sunday afternoons.
You can buy Scrabble in Thailand- although it is called Crossword. The board is same layout, but more colorful, and the tiles are plastic instead of wood.
You will find it at Central Dept Store or similar.
Hope this helps.
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Miss my AA friends in CM, any on this forum?
Jim Robinson Buffalo, NY , Currently Cebu PI
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www.aathailand.org
9 am everyday also
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Very good AA in Chaing Mai. The meetings at McCormic hospital are a bit hard to find the first time. I am in Philippins at the moment and dont have info handy, but if you put "aa thailand" in the search bar you should find a very informative website.
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My Hero:
I'm just getting ready to leave CM, but would enjoy chatting with you when and if I get back.
Jim
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Interesting, my friends say I'm adventourous.
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Hi PB
I agree with you. But Greg is right, 1% of the retiring population is a very large #. And these people are alot more adventureous than the generation befor them.
It does take a special type of person, to just up and leave thier comfort zone. Myself, my family is all dead, I never had kid's so it does not matter where I am. I enjoy CM but when I think of those hordes of people moving here, it makes me want to go settle in Chiang Rai.
So you are old, wierd, gay and a bit crazy, so what's the real problem?
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I have never seen the glass as half full, it's always half empty, cause someone has stole half my water. The Dr's. say I'm paranoid. You would be paranoid also if you had all these people following you around.
You hit the nail right on the head about Lake Chappala. The most exciting thing to do was go downtown and watch the traffic light change. The lady that led the arobics class was 73 years old. Nice group of people. I did meet a fellow in Khon Kean that had spent 7 years in Lake Chappala. likes Thailand better.
I am looking for something to do in the Chaing Mai area, I'm not the type that can sit and watch sports all the time,or drink beer all day. I've been looking at businesses, The asking prices are outrageous.
I do like your idea of promoting retirement/realestate in Thailand, not the type of thing I would want to do. but seems to have possibilitys.
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Thanks for responding. This is interesting, the optomist and the pessimist.
Several years ago, when I retired at 50, I spent some time in Mexico. in a place called Lake Chappala (not sure of spelling) Houseing, food, everything very cheap.
They had a year round Population of about 10k and a winter population of about 35k, This is Canadian and American. Many people wanted info on this, but very few would go and even less stayed. Now this is only a 4 hour plane ride from home. Now you try and get Grandma a 20 hour planeride from the grandkids, in many instances it is not going to work.
As far as the empty property goes, what I think I am seeing is investors selling to investor's.
5 years ago my girlfriend and her brother built a large very nice 2 story concrete house for thier parents. This house lacks the american kitchen and airconditiong that we would want. This house cost about US10K to build and sits on US$1500 dollars worth of land. A house like this in a development in CM would bring about US$60K with air and kitchen. seem's like a large markup!
Also remember, this country and goverment does not like westerners, They are looking for quality tourists (rich). Not people who will burden there subsidized health care system.
I am not trying to disuade you from this, I am just trying to look at this from both sides. One of us has to be right and one wrong, or is there a middle ground? I am a senior citizen on a fixed income.
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Hey Greg;
Thanks for the response, unfortunately I am aware of expensive houseing. California and Florida are exceptions. People are moving there faaster than they are dying. In my home town in the 70's there was a bubble, it broke. In Toronto Canada in the 80's you did not sell a house, you just signed it over to the bank.
I looked at a piece of property in CM for Baht 18,000,000 it rented for 25,000 baht a month. A rare oppertunity for a shrewd investor? I think not.
If you look at condo's in CM a lot of them are empty. Not for rent, not for sale, not owned by seasonal residents, just empty, being held by investors.
Drive around the ring road and look at all the developments. Then go to the bank's and be amazed at how many of them (the whole development) are up for sale due to forclosure.
Take a walk around and ask people how much they make. I don't know how much she makes but My Thai teacher, who has 2 degrees, 1 in teaching and 1 in accounting. The school charges me US$5 an hour for her services. She is the market you are going to have when you want to sell your house.
But to be frank with you if I would have made several hundred thousand dollars on a house in California, I would not worry the least bit about buying a house in Chaing Mai for 50 or 100k $US.
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I've been looking at real estate in the CM area, just the beggining of the process not sure what I want yet.
I don't know the Asiain/Thailand/CM market, but propety prices seem high, absurdly so in some places.
I had a brief chat with a long term CM resident (20 yrs). It was his opinion that prices seemed to be droping lately.
Any thoughts or opinions on this?
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Very well put LivininLOS, I agree 100%. I see my US pension is going to become worth less and less. I also see my savings going down. But I cannot really figure out what to do about it?
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I have not had a drink in years. One thing I do everyday is eat breakfast. One thing I don't do is puke. I also find my days are much more enjoyable without a hangover. I enjoy going to the mountains, zoo, plays. Walking arouind the various markets.
I also hit the occasional ago go, I spend a few dollars on ladies drinks and usually have a good time, and the next day I can remember wat I did.
I'm trying to learn Thai. I also spend some time trying to help the lady friend with her Thinglish.
I'm thinking about looking into Habitat for humanity or maybe and teaching certification, for some more structured activity.
I also often go to AA meeting's
Hope this helps Jim
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I tried and tried, but I can't abide coffee in LOS. So on this my second trip, I would like to bring several pounds of my favorite brew and a Mr. Coffee. My question is, how do I go from US 120 volts to Thai 220 volts? The adaptors I could find here in the USA, say they are for dual voltage appliances. Would it be so simple as rewireing the coffee maker, with a Thai plug, useing 1 leg of the 120 with the ground and common going to the ground?
Thanks in advance, 2 days and a liftoff Jim,, Buffalo NY
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I've been to the GoGo's in Bangkok and Pataya and except for occasional moments have found them, well, boring. I found myself sitting with 5 mostly nud_e young lady's mopeing about on stage and thought this is terrible, I'm bored.
I've found some great GoGo's in the USA although Canada and Mexico have the best. Is there anyplace in Asia, That have better GoGo's I love lap dancers also.
And I don't want to Barfine a girl and have her dance for me, even I need to go out once in a while
Jim
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Dont remember name, but I went to dentist in Sukhumvit area, for a plate repair and it was only about 8/900 Baht
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Dude! The money I spend on the GF's gold is a lot less then I would spend dating an american lady, I've bought ex wifes, houses and cars ect. a little gold, just a speck in the grand scheam of things. makes me feel good, makes her feel good, whats the problem?
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I spent 5 months in Thailand and now 5 months in the US (I have ticket in hand for return to Thailand.
One thing I like in the US is the traffic seem's to flow better or be more orderly.
The Go Go or sstripper bars are much better, but not as good as Canada.
In general I find it depressing, the country seem's to be going to pot, the women are fat. The new's they are dishing out is unbeliveable ie a basketball player was accused of rapeing a lady about a year ago, this merits what seem's like at least an hour a day every day on CNN. John Kerry and George Bush's military service from 30 some years ago is being dragged through the new's continuously.
I do find the people friendly, but it is hard to get good service. Everything seem's to be so money orientated.
I'll try Thailand again, for the winter and maybe I'll hang my hat there.
FWIW Jim
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Looking at the things that are said on this post and on this board, brings one thing to mind. There seem's to be a lot of heavy drinking amont the expat community. I'm not making a judgement here just an observation
Alcohol is a well known depressant, and it is depressed people that take thier own lives. If you are drinking alot and depressed or thinking about killing or harming yourself. Maybe you might want to look up Alcoholics Anonymous of Thailand Just trying to help The Step Nazi
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I've always had a soft spot for Asain women. I find them more attractive.
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As I read these post's I can't help but wonder. Why would a women who has found financial freedom, the promise of qa better life for her and her family, food on the table, medical care, all the trapping's of the good life. get rid of the source of all this material wonder? One ansewer I can think of is she spent all his money, if thats not the reason. It must of been one ###### of an intolerable situation, for the lady to walk away from this kind gental person, who treated her with dignity and respect, pampered her, took care of her family, bought them all thing's gave them presents. Methink's part of the story is missing!
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I asked the forum about sending money, cheapy. it was recomended I open a savings account in my name and send her the card and call with the pin #, I'm an american and bank with HSBC, on my bank statement, it tell's where the money was withdrawn from
this would be an easy inexpensive way to keep tract of her movements Hope this helps Jim
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I left school at 16, the US school system was moulded by education perfessionals who think everyone should go on to earn doctorates in something. The whole system is set up not for the benefit of the people or America, but for the universitys to make money. The whole experience left me questioning my intelligence when I was young. Here I sit in SE Asia, retired 6 years ago at 50 and with a couple of nickles to rub together. Reminds me of a joke I should put on board someday.
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Dear fellow board members, if you remember your youth, we did things like this to rebel, offend and piss off the establishment. From your responses it seems they have done what they set out to do!
What Would You Bring
in Chiang Mai
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The two things I brought on my second trip were, Folgers coffee, can't abide anything else. I bought a coffee maker locally. It really just ruins my day to pay 40 Baht and get a cup of instant coffee. I also like oil of olay sunscreen, not available locally (it is but contains a whiteener, I'm white enough) Most other things I was able to adapt too.