[How to watch FIFA World cup]

I thought this was going to all be on free TV, and usually dual language. Hopefully second language will be English commentator, not Russian. I'm American and much prefer English commentators, not yanks. Somehow yanks just not right.... like Italians calling major league baseball

[My First Extension of Stay - My Experience at Jomtien]

Congratulations, well played... read with bated breath, wondering where the foul up might come from... and there was none!

[mosquito time again/ why are they getting so smart now]

Maybe we're getting more dumberer? ?

[Expats in Thailand travel far more than I imagined]

Not a random survey, so I imagine results are questionable. I too didn't respond as surveys used as means to get at you (think FB & Trump) and your friends.

[Admission Fee to visit temple/wat for farang]

Is there also an admission fee sign in Thai script?

[Why no milkshakes?]

Yeah. And not to hijack too much, how about maple bars? Not at Dunkin or Mister Donut.... Funny how we start to crave some item over here that we wouldn't give a second thought about at a place that was once "home"...

[Why so many Thai restaurants abroad ...]

Quite a few Thai restaurants in US Pacific NW, and been there quite some time. Absurdly high prices?  Well, wages over there also seem absurdly high compared to Thailand. Showed wife article about Nong's Khao Mun Gai in Portland. Only serve one dish (guess what it is), very popular. She say "I go America and open one". Well, you'd need food handlers card, business license, high rent,pay taxes, food inspections... very different.

 Years ago got some take away from Thai Orchid restaurant in Portland. Staff was Thai. They seemed quite puzzled and didn't understand my request for nam pla (fish sauce). Like having to ask for mustard at McDonald's here... and then being charged extra.

[Is their a social prejudice amongst Thais toward Thai/Caucasian marriages?]

I'd say there is prejudice against mixed marriages and prejudice towards mixed marriages. That's been my experience anyway

[Getting rid of Pigeons.]

I have some plastic netting over my rails on balcony, but that's it. Lots of pigeons where I live, lots of unused condos for them to foul (fowl?) up. Pigeons aren't stupid: may be why BF Skinner used them for psych learning experiments. I was watchful for several weeks and anytime a bird alighted I would go out and hiss like a snake and startle them. I have a couple old pieces of clothing hanging below air con to identify my condo, so they remember  and not land  here. It seems to work. I can even go away for a couple of weeks and perhaps one poop shot. Oh yeah, important to keep balcony shit free... "hmm none of the others seem to go here...."

May not work for you. Perhaps I just have smarter birds around my place

[Thai Police raided the house]

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

Probably they just forgot to put the "checkout" in their computer when you left at Bangkok (However this is possible... )

I would call the Immigration in Bangkok (if you call them using something like Skype it's not expensive), and ask them to get it corrected. They will also be the ones who are responsible when you arrive in Thailand the next time.

You could ask the Airline for a confirmation letter that you really flew out of Thailand with them, so you have another proof to show to the immigration.

 

And as elviajero said already: With this thread you will make some overstayers very nervous

 

I'd also try to send them an email with the same details so there is some sort of record you did contact them. They might forget about any phone calls, visits, etc. You are back in home country? Maybe a photo of you holding up current newspaper in front of landmark, along lines of kidnap verification in movies. Good luck.

[Stopped at Don Muang]

Agree with Happy Enough. So much for being a "hub" of tourism.... they used to promote that Bangkok was the place to come and then hop about neighboring countries (at least when I started coming here in the '80's). Right hand doesn't know what left hand is doing, but what else is new?

[why no love and respect for farang no more in asia]

I'd guess it may be a number of factors, not limited to following items: air travel is cheaper (not saying all with lower wages are louts, BTW), far more Russians can travel now (met some lovely ones, but parts of their general culture probably grates more harshly against Asian values), and just sheer numbers. Not so sure if only farang tourists getting chillier welcome, may just lump us all in category "tourists" be they Euro-ish, African, Chinese, Indian, etc etc

[Report to immigration when returned to Thai, rules/fines?]

Report what? Living at the same place? "She didn't know"... didn't know what? Would help if you said what sort of visa she may have..... For retirement, day 1 of 90 is day you come back.

[The cheapest farang in town!]

Regarding putting own cheese on burger: perhaps he wanted to put some decent cheddar on the burger instead of the bland processed goop that is classed as "cheese" on most commercial burgers?

[we have created a generation of zombies]

Buddhism and whole "mindfulness" movement promotes "being present in the moment". Addiction to smart whatevers provides a new 2D small screen "reality" an attention deficit disorder population. Walks down the beach: groups, individuals head down over phones. Watched a Russian young woman with large towel over herself so she could look at her phone and avoid sunlight. Why the hell do you come here? Why not stay back home? You're not "here"; you're nowhere

I think of flick The Matrix. Don't need pods to keep people in while mining their energy. Just hand them an IPhone. How far into the future will it be until some wake up and notice the damage this addiction inflicts: lack of social skills, focus, ability to think longer than a thumb flick, etc. The brain has "plastic" qualities, and those brains are being rewired.

[Retirees in Thailand]

Lower prices, warmer weather play a big part but must include I was tired of life in the west. Curiosity and very different culture and approach to life in there. Good place to reflect on the mind set programming you grew up with and see if you can grow mentally to appreciate some aspects of situations that initially drove you nuts...

[Noisy Karaoke Bar Shutdown]

Cocktails all around, preferably Molotov...

[New Year Resolutions]

I hereby resolve to make no resolutions

[Unsightly farangs behaving badly.]

Take a look at old photos and paintings of common Thai people 100+ years ago. The men AND the women usually went topless. It wasn't until the Thais decided to emulate the filthy Europeans that they started covering up. Same is true for Bali, a real pity, as the women there usually have "more" to cover up

[Sorry! This item does not ship to Thailand]

Many companies have rules regarding distribution rights regarding where their customer base is. Fender, Gibson, etc come to mind (I like guitars). They (perhaps rightfully) want to protect their distribution chain in Thailand. Typically same models cost around 50% more here, due to VAT, import duties, etc than in USA, and also often have only 1 year warranty instead of lifetime.

 Short form: don't blame Amazon

[The long con !]

Listen closely to your gut. Your mind (or other organ) can be very skilled at coming up with rationalizations. Speaking from experience....

[Retirement Extension: an interesting experience]

I go in with the attitude "Whatever I bring, it's not enough". Usually proven correct

[My visa retirement extension refused yesterday]

Regarding medical letter: OP said "new extension of visa etc etc". So was this a first time shot at retirement visa, or a renewal? First timers are subject to the medical bit, but not renewers, in my experience. If only hassle was over ripening of funds, I'd count myself lucky.... of course more surprises may await you when you show up with bank letter, etc....

[I want to move my wife and baby to a new area of Thailand away from her thai family]

 Your "reasons" for wanting to move seem bogus to me and I don't buy them. You said it right off, tho trying to minimize it "I feel a bit selfish"... more than "a bit". What, pray tell, is "the good life by the sea"?

" I see it as a way for her to grow up and evolve and start a new life with her family (my baby and I)."

 Sounds like your wife has got her sh*t together: good job, good friends, mostly good family. You have none of that.

I suggest it is time for YOU to grow up and evolve. This move sounds like dragging her down rather than any positive move for the two of you. Maybe you should do the work and get a good job, good friends and appreciate her family.

[US-based check-in staff asking for visas?]

46 minutes ago, Thanyaburi Mac said:

"The two from the States are flying out from Portland Oregon and most likely JFK."

 

Just curious, why JFK.  Looks like the long way around.

 

Mac

I'm from Portland, have same question. May I suggest EVA? Get into swampy at 11:30 in the morning.