Saddic

For the cheapest Charlie... learn how to be a balloon chaser For really good and cheap all you can eat food, you have to try one of the all you can eat bbq places... Lots of em on 3rd road... prices from 119/bhat or if you have a TG w/you, you can go to one of the night time bbq resturants that spring up on many dirt lots... prices from 59-79 bhat... Lots on the street that parallels 2nd road by Big C. Don't get dragged to MK, as that is mondo expensive (and full of Japanese & Korean tour groups too), but BG's love it... ... or if you're just looking to be CHEAP.. buy

The problem of diminishing returns because you are drawing down on your base capital, diminishing value or your currency (eg exchange rate, inflation, etc), and investment losses have been mentioned... I have not seen what you would consider to be your startup costs... buying big one time expenditures (furniture, motorbike, frig, bed, A/C, TV, computer, etc). Although you could probably get by renting a furnished appt/studio and walking... There is also the item of your rental deposit to consider. I'm sure there are other hidden costs not mentioned also... Also to consider are semi-

Heading north from the Dolphin circle... Just past Stardice (which is on the left side of the road)... Pizza Big is on the right about a block further... Almost across from the Klauss Muler(sp?) bar (look for big yellow chickens) Cheers

I tried these folks the other day... was attracted to them as I saw the brick oven from the road... The crust was perfect! Cheers

Tried to book w/them via email and their website... no response... Visited the buildings on my last visit... Rooms look nothing like the pictures on the internet, but for the price is appropriate to what they offer... The pool is very small too... Try elsewhere...

Damn... 36.39 bhat/$ today

Thanks but... I've been here for 3 weeks and has been falling every day.. as of today... it's flirting with the 37 bhat/$ boundry

Thanks Owen, Good info... You should consult for the baby boomers to help them out as your side business. Your insites are appreciated and I'm sure there are a lot of boardies who need this info. For my own situation, I've just been pushed into early retirement (got laid off) so I'm going to take the next year or so making trips and learning... Maybe start a side business via ebay... If you're in PTY Oct/Nov let's get together for a cold one... Cheers

Thanks Zeus, This is a problem I've been wrestling with the last few weeks (trying to do my homework and sum up my net worth to see if I've made it or not). Fortunately, my back of the envelope estimates say.... (and I too am treating SS as just beer money (ie. If it solvent or not when it comes time to collect)). These calculators help too... They raise questions though as there are some areas I have no confidence in predicting (inflation, rate of return, future tax rates, etc)... How do you guys estimate them? or are you using today's numbers and crossing y

Hmmm, On my last trip a couple of months ago, I was motorbiking along the back roads just north of the dophin circle in North PTY and rode past VT 6. Construction of the foundation had just begun, so it would be pretty amazing if VT 6 was done by now... Next?

Found this link on one of the boards... can't remember which one though... This is of a early retirement calculator... kinda cool FIRECalc - retirement calculator The Standard calculator says I can retire now! And there is a board associated to it at this link: Early Retirement Forum Lots of good stuff out there...

Steve, please let us know if setting up a LLC has the desired tax effect... I only have one house, but it is in a highly desirable location w/good schools and would hate to have to sell it off... Lots of good info here folks. Cheers

Ginseng, From this and your other posts... sounds like you got it bad... Have you ever been to Singapore? Do you speak Chinese/Mandarin? Do you like the working conditions that exist there? Have you done the cost of living exercise? And on a different note, if the job could be done remotely, why haven't they outsourced it to somewhere cheaper (like India or China?) Bottomline, have you done your homework? BTW: I really feel for you man, as I am real close to the point where I can't stand my job anymore either and the lure of LOS is really calling to me right now..

Yah, California is an absolute bastard regarding coming after you for taxes... ... so how many CA BM's need to do the move to NV? What is the posibility of making arrangements to share a mailing address.., business, or other legal issues? Great topic Shilo... Here's an interesting link to taxes by state... Taxes by State

BigD, What is going to happen to their existing place? Are they adding Wifi too? If not, you should suggest it. Thanks, Cheers

I book on the China Airlines website... and you can do an e-checkin which lets you see the seat you are assigned and you can change to any open seat. The e-checkin period is 24hrs prior to the flight. You have to be a member for their ff club also... Cheers

Thanks Donny for you insite... I too will be making the move in a few years... Will definately rent fo the first year or so (to get the lay of the land...) On my last trip, I motorbiked on the other side of Suk, just to see what was out there... Lots of little developments popping up in the flatland areas (by the Elephant village area, the mosques, etc...). From what I saw, it looked like they were all targeted (western marketing) towards us Farangs... Lots of variety in styles, but all basically 1-2 story brick and morter places, community pool, "gate", etc... I also drove u

Hmmm, Riding a motorbike at night... Accuse your TG for the evening of being a LB... (giggles)

Here's a link to the northern thailand page... Sorry no recommendation as the place I stayed at is closed but had a great location (Chiang Inn) http://northernthailand.com/cm/acco/Chiang...els/hotels.html and here's a link to a pretty good map (Night Market is 4F) http://www.thaiwaysmagazine.com/chiang_mai...ap_2000pix.html Hope that helps... Cheers,

Hi Zante, I'm going from Nana Hotel to Pattaya on May 3rd in the afternoon. I am intending on taking the bus (It's really not that difficult and it'sCHEAP!!). I've done it many times. PM me and we can meet up and I'll show you. I'll be at Nana May 1 & 2 if you want to meet up for a cold one... Cheers, Saddic

Hi SoCal, et al, To answer your question... Yes. When I was there in Nov, it was being built, behind and next door to Sabai Rooms. For Breakfast, I either catch a bhatbus (the route is right in front of the hotel, down Soi 2, along beach road and get off at central) and eat at Topps or if later (around 10?) I go across the street to Big C (the restaurant on the far right side; not the fast food places is pretty good for local fare). Cheers

I've stayed at both Sabai Inn and Sabai Lodge a few times and have stayed in rooms by the main pool, the dolphin pool, and the Ruenthai pool. Overall very good value, and good location. This is what I have experienced so far (all lower priced rooms): The rooms by the main pool are a little larger, but are older. The rooms by the Ruenthai pool are newer (i.e. remodeled). The rooms by the Dolphin pool are quieter. The Sabai Inn room w/window, as large as the rooms by the main pool, had tub. I visited the Sabai Wing on my last trip, but I thought it was a little overpriced (becaus

I've stayed at Sabai Inn, & Sabai Lodge & looked at the standard room in the Wing... Basically the rooms at the Inn and the older parts of the Lodge are really similar. The inn has rooms facing outside and a series of rooms facing the inside hallway (a little cheaper). The room I sayed in had a tub/shower. When I stayed there there was no in room safe (2002, had lock boxes at the desk; don't know about now). When I was there of a couple of days ago (btw: I'm home now :crying ) there wasn't any construction happening at the wing (i.e. it's done). I think it was overpriced (

On the right hand side of 2nd road (in the direction of traffic) between soi 6 and 7, next to the tourist police station. Almost across the street from where you enter to the Tropicana. It's hard to see as they don't have a big sign. I found it by looking for the tourist police station. Cheers

Yup... Saw these both last night as I was taken there by TG friends after work... The place (I think) is called Marine Seafood.. Right outside of Marine Disco... Saw a fight between some middle eastern types and lady boys.. Violent, but *funny* (up until it got out of hand and the crowd turned on the middle eastern types...) Saw the lines of baht busses double parked waiting for suckers... Just flagged down the first passing one... Cheers