Bruce Mangosteen

On the bright (?) side, 40K gold necklaces are a lot harder to spot than they once were.

When I lived there it was in View Talay I. They have bars, restaurants and shops on the ground floor that open out onto the sidewalk, and water throwing is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. That worked out very well, because I could escape the water without becoming a hermit or a nomad, but go out in it if/when I wanted.

I think that, if there were one third of the bars in Pattaya that there are now, which I reckon would match the number of bars there were ~20 years ago, the place would look like a Japanese subway at rush hour.

IMO Champaign was never going to stand up to comparisons with the original bar before they fucked with it. It had a fun, funny vibe, and the girls were raunchier and more fun. The second version was worse than the first, and the latest version was worse yet, sterile and boring. Pattaya is a case study for the saying, "Not all change is improvement."

Been to that show a couple of times. Very cool.

Hmmm...

The name on your ticket won't match the name on your passport. Whether this causes a problem is at the discretion of the ground staff. Immigration and customs are generally not interested in your ticket except to check for whether you have an onward flight booked. I know this because the last time we went to Thailand the travel agent I used misspelled my wife's name on her ticket, replacing an "m" with an "n". That error is pretty subtle and I doubt all of them caught it, but the American ground staff for Asiana did before our trans-Pacific leg.

Moose on the loose!

Dunno, an inflatable kite seems kinda like a cheat to me.

^Oopsie! 😬

What the OP is looking for is either called a "pocket wifi" device, or a "mobile hotspot". "Pocket wifi" seems to be a Thai or Asian reference. For example, here's Netgear's page on these gadgets: https://www.netgear.com/home/mobile-wifi/hotspots/ ...or: https://www.netgear.com/on-the-go/hotspots/ Look for a device that's either certified for the Thai network you want to use, or more generally an "international" unit, certainly one that's unlocked. Some but not all support esim. If buying in Thailand you should be able to find these either in Tuc Com or a phone shop. I'd look in your preferred carrier's shop. Prices range widely.

You'll need a reentry permit I'd imagine.

Yes, agree. I was also thinking that the parent company might want to recoup their investment in the drivers' licenses etc. All in all a very good business move on their part it looks like.

Nice. Glad they managed to maintain the service level despite the challenges. Good company methinks.

Very glad the company was able to weather this. Did you notice any increase in fares?

Submitted the application for retirement benefits online today. Interestingly, they allowed me to select December 2025 as the start date of benefits, which would mean I'll get a check next month. Fingers crossed!

Been there, great show. Hope to catch another one soon, maybe next year.

Thanks for the great pics. Hopefully this upcoming Christmas season will be the last one I spend anywhere but Thailand.

I had to (past tense, did it yesterday) do this because somehow my birth hospital didn't notify the SSA of my birth. That's usually done automatically, accounting for why most people aren't aware that it happens. Interestingly, I found out about this when I tried to make a login for the "my SS" online service a few years ago. I could get to a certain point in the process but no farther. Called the office and the guy said, "Oh, that's because you don't exist!", and fixed it. He told me at the time that all my benefits were secure and there was no problem, but that I'd have to present a BC before I could apply for anything, in office or otherwise. I confirmed that by calling again some months later and talking to someone else. They also take the application by phone, and I made an appointment. What I figure is that I'll attempt to make the application online and, if the software blows chow for any reason, I'll already have the appointment to talk to them about it.

My wife likes the attached wat, and we went/will go there occasionally when we live(d) there.

Yep. I remember people getting hassled for visa violations while doing volunteer relief work after the tsunami! They don't futz around there concerning work permits.

It happens everywhere for reasons we can't control. Whatever you may have, and whatever you may have achieved, was probably not taken away from someone else. You worked for it and earned it fairly, so it needs no other justification. If you were some sort of thief or conman, the foregoing does not apply to you. There are already established, bona fide charities in Thailand. Giving to those will avoid any problems you may have with the authorities, e.g. working without a permit, and will ensure that the aid goes to people who really need it vs. scammers and low lifes, both farang and Thai. Also, giving things like foodstuffs and clothes avoids people skimming or misdirecting money. I have given to the Father Ray Foundation several times. In each case, a Thai person organized it and did the purchasing based on donations they collected, usually to make merit on a birthday. They are very grateful for any and all gifts, and it is very gratifying to spend time with the children you have helped. https://www.fr-ray.org/pattaya-redemptorist-school-for-the-blind-under-the-royal-patronage-of-her-royal-highness-prince-chakri-sirindhorn/ So, consider arranging a gift, possibly with the help of a Thai person you trust. Contact the charity or organization, and ask what specific sorts of donations they're looking for (e.g. school supplies, warm clothes for children because of the coming cold season). Then, you could work your contacts to solicit donations. Again, my advice would be to stay away from monetary donations, and only accept food, clothing, electronics (e.g. tablets), and other tangible goods. Good luck.

Thanks for the tip.

Well, considering the unfortunate state of our recent interactions, I'm relieved this is the extent of what you were thinking! Thanks for this and also to @forcebwithu for these posts. Just as a quick update, planning for my upcoming retirement has accelerated. I've changed to a different financial advisor who was recommended by a friend as good with retirement money management. I've begun the process of claiming my Social Security retirement benefit, which will require me to turn up at the local office to let them copy my birth certificate (I have the original!). I've also informed my supervisor of my tentative date, and offered to stay an additional month or two if it would help with what will be going on at that time. We should be living in Thailand one year from today. Should...

This thread has given me a lot of useful input so far, thanks to all who have contributed. Just please keep it in mind, and hit me up with some updates. Cheers!