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Today I ........

So I spent the weekend in Bangkok. Had a great time too. First time out of Cambodia in almost three years! Stayed at a hotel on Phra Athit Road on the river. Had the most lovely mattress on the bed, it was bliss, and a really nice pool that was the perfect temperature and depth. If it wasn't for the obnoxious German/South African/something family in the pool it would have been perfect.

Thailand has recently legalised weed so there are shops where you can buy nice quality bud, no problem. Finding good Thai food was surprisingly difficult though. I met up with a long time friend there (she lives in Saigon) and she wanted a good pad kra pao and we had to try at three different restaurants before she finally got a half decent one. First one she got served up looked anaemic, really insipid. My breakfast lady in Siem Reap does a great one.

Bangkok's great though. It's bigger and wealthier, has great shopping and amenities (and now, legal weed!) so it's back on my list of potential future homes should I ever decide to leave Cambodia.


Annoying to see so many (mainly white) people not wearing masks. At the airport waiting to leave there were two families travelling together (four parents and eight children) and not one mask between them. Irresponsible pricks. I'm pretty sure they'd have had to wear them no the flight but I didn't see them again after boarding. I've got enough health worries without adding Covid to the list.
 
Looks like a great trip Timmy! I love Thailand, I'm heading back there next month!
I had no idea they recently legalised weed? How interesting!
 
Oh wow. I was there twice this year. Germany is feeling a bit tropical at the moment. Or maybe more like …the Sahara? It‘s very hot this year.
Yeah there's been some serious heat about, that's for sure. Not here though. Low to mid 30s and we're past the worst of that already.
 
So I spent the weekend in Bangkok. Had a great time too. First time out of Cambodia in almost three years! Stayed at a hotel on Phra Athit Road on the river. Had the most lovely mattress on the bed, it was bliss, and a really nice pool that was the perfect temperature and depth. If it wasn't for the obnoxious German/South African/something family in the pool it would have been perfect.

Thailand has recently legalised weed so there are shops where you can buy nice quality bud, no problem. Finding good Thai food was surprisingly difficult though. I met up with a long time friend there (she lives in Saigon) and she wanted a good pad kra pao and we had to try at three different restaurants before she finally got a half decent one. First one she got served up looked anaemic, really insipid. My breakfast lady in Siem Reap does a great one.

Bangkok's great though. It's bigger and wealthier, has great shopping and amenities (and now, legal weed!) so it's back on my list of potential future homes should I ever decide to leave Cambodia.


Annoying to see so many (mainly white) people not wearing masks. At the airport waiting to leave there were two families travelling together (four parents and eight children) and not one mask between them. Irresponsible pricks. I'm pretty sure they'd have had to wear them no the flight but I didn't see them again after boarding. I've got enough health worries without adding Covid to the list.
I was going to ask how you got to BK. Plane obviously... I used to like going to the different border crossings, but that was mainly because I used to like to visit Jomtien near Pattaya for a few days en route...
Or if I felt adventurous I would bus it to Poipet then take the train into BK, I love the old Thai trains.

I did consider retiring to Camb & Thailand, but Thailand's expat requirements were just so complicated and expensive. . A few of them had to do visa runs every 90 days which was annoying too. Some friends of mine did it for a while and ended up in Cambodia as it was so much easier

I almost retired in C and went for a recon visit in Nov 2019, then covid hit and I opted to stay in Oz. I do remember flying to Sydney in March 2020 and I was the only person on the plane wearing a mask & also the only person in the airport ... People stared at me like I had the plague.. It was only a matter of weeks before the shit hit the fan in Oz and people were masking up everywhere...
I can’t wait until I have the option of finishing work on my terms. I’m already under pressure to go back into work although I have new offers on the table atm and most likely will be taking those opportunities. Though it shouldn’t be a secret because I did make it known after my mat pay I wasn’t sure I’d return anyways because I was seeking less days to work and my current place of employment would not offer that.
I became what is now being coined as a 'Quiet Quitter' - meaning I remained at work until I retired but would do absolutely nothing extra above my assigned duties. I wouldn't take on extra onerous jobs or volunteer for anything, I would walk out the door at 5pm on the dot. I wouldn't answer phone calls, texts, or emails from work out of hours. I decided 10 years before I retired that my life, my family, my time was more important than work and would not devote one second of my time longer than I had too.

PS Happy Belated Birthday @Kingston 🍷🥃🍸🍹
 
I was going to ask how you got to BK. Plane obviously... I used to like going to the different border crossings, but that was mainly because I used to like to visit Jomtien near Pattaya for a few days en route...
Or if I felt adventurous I would bus it to Poipet then take the train into BK, I love the old Thai trains.

I did consider retiring to Camb & Thailand, but Thailand's expat requirements were just so complicated and expensive. . A few of them had to do visa runs every 90 days which was annoying too. Some friends of mine did it for a while and ended up in Cambodia as it was so much easier
I chose Cambodia because of the (then) very simple ability to get one year extensions. Things got slightly more difficult but now back to easy again. I haven't looked at Thai long stay visas lately.

As for the trains, I love them too. I couldn't be bothered catching a van to Poipet and crossing the border and staying a night, although I did consider it. Airfare was US$112 rtn and the flight's only one hour, so going overland just seemed too much trouble by comparison.
 
I was going to ask how you got to BK. Plane obviously... I used to like going to the different border crossings, but that was mainly because I used to like to visit Jomtien near Pattaya for a few days en route...
Or if I felt adventurous I would bus it to Poipet then take the train into BK, I love the old Thai trains.

I did consider retiring to Camb & Thailand, but Thailand's expat requirements were just so complicated and expensive. . A few of them had to do visa runs every 90 days which was annoying too. Some friends of mine did it for a while and ended up in Cambodia as it was so much easier

I almost retired in C and went for a recon visit in Nov 2019, then covid hit and I opted to stay in Oz. I do remember flying to Sydney in March 2020 and I was the only person on the plane wearing a mask & also the only person in the airport ... People stared at me like I had the plague.. It was only a matter of weeks before the shit hit the fan in Oz and people were masking up everywhere...

I became what is now being coined as a 'Quiet Quitter' - meaning I remained at work until I retired but would do absolutely nothing extra above my assigned duties. I wouldn't take on extra onerous jobs or volunteer for anything, I would walk out the door at 5pm on the dot. I wouldn't answer phone calls, texts, or emails from work out of hours. I decided 10 years before I retired that my life, my family, my time was more important than work and would not devote one second of my time longer than I had too.

PS Happy Belated Birthday @Kingston 🍷🥃🍸🍹
The passion is still there for my work. I’m mid 30’s and already exhausted but there’s still fire there. But I care less to work 5 days these days. Like you said, my family time means so much more to me than work. Though I’m in a good position to work few less days and many do not have that option unfortunately. I don’t mind becoming the quiet quitter, as you put it, as I progress through the years though.
 
I chose Cambodia because of the (then) very simple ability to get one year extensions. Things got slightly more difficult but now back to easy again. I haven't looked at Thai long stay visas lately.

As for the trains, I love them too. I couldn't be bothered catching a van to Poipet and crossing the border and staying a night, although I did consider it. Airfare was US$112 rtn and the flight's only one hour, so going overland just seemed too much trouble by comparison.
I remember now, I used to train it TO Aranyphret not the other way around as the only train leaves for BK at 8am ?? & you couldn't get through the border in time, I think it opened to late ??

Are you worried about China at all in Cambodia as they have quite a political influence these days? I wonder if we ended up in a war with China whether expats in countries influenced by China would be treated differently...
 
I remember now, I used to train it TO Aranyphret not the other way around as the only train leaves for BK at 8am ?? & you couldn't get through the border in time, I think it opened to late ??

Are you worried about China at all in Cambodia as they have quite a political influence these days? I wonder if we ended up in a war with China whether expats in countries influenced by China would be treated differently...
There are two trains a day from Aranyaprathet to BKK. I'll do that trip one day. Just didn't do it this time because it was only for the weekend to catch up with a friend I hadn't seen in five years.

As for China, I don't think we'll ever go to war. Expat visa policies change all the time, regardless. If I felt I needed to move on, Thailand would be the obvious next choice. Vietnam doesn't offer one year visas any more, and Malaysia gave the big finger to foreigners by making the MM2H scheme criteria so ridiculous they may as well have canned the programme completely (e.g. requiring retirees to have US$10k per month income, among other heinous requirements). WTF. Failing that there's always central/South America. Colombia looks amazing. I just don't like the time difference from there. Makes it harder to stay in touch with Australia. For now though I'm very happy here. Really glad to be out of Phnom Penh.
 
Today I did my second-last tax return! I recently sold my unit in Sydney to my tenant (settlement in two weeks) so I'll no longer have any taxable income, which means I'll be able to part company with the ATO after my final return next year. That's like a dream come true. :cool: Can't wait.
 
was cutting firewood with a chainsaw & when I severed a 100kg log in half it didn't fall straight down, instead it moved towards me and dropped 10cm onto my shoe....
It caught my big toe & OMFG does it hurt, the nail is light blue now, so I imagine it will be black within the week...

50 kg's on your big toe - THAT HURTS... :confused:
 
was cutting firewood with a chainsaw & when I severed a 100kg log in half it didn't fall straight down, instead it moved towards me and dropped 10cm onto my shoe....
It caught my big toe & OMFG does it hurt, the nail is light blue now, so I imagine it will be black within the week...

50 kg's on your big toe - THAT HURTS... :confused:

OWIES. Feel better!
 
Today I did my second-last tax return! I recently sold my unit in Sydney to my tenant (settlement in two weeks) so I'll no longer have any taxable income, which means I'll be able to part company with the ATO after my final return next year. That's like a dream come true. :cool: Can't wait.
I like the ATO, most of my investments are stocks & I get a nice kickback from the ATO as the share dividends I receive are fully franked (tax is already paid by the company) so I get a refund...

But it would be nice to give the ATO the flick if you pay taxes usually :roflmao:
 
But it would be nice to give the ATO the flick if you pay taxes usually :roflmao:
When you're non-resident, you pay 37% tax with no tax-free threshold (although on a slight positive you pay no Medicare levy).

So, as my income has been from renting out my place in Sydney, after I deducted my costs (rates, strata levies, water and landlord insurance, ATO would then slug me 37% on whatever was left, it actually left me with less than half the rent my tenant had paid, for me to live on. That was effectively a 2% return on investment. Once I looked at it like that, I decided to sell. Offered it to my tenant, giving him a ballpark price (based on previous sales on the block), and said if he was interested to make me an offer. He jumped at the chance and made an offer I couldn't refuse, so we're both happy.

I figure if I can't get a 3% ROI or more in fully franked dividends there's something wrong with me. My short list of blue chips paid 6% last year (insert disclaimer about 'past performance' here). But I should be able to increase my budget by at least 50%, with the possibility of doubling or tripling it. I've been living on a shoelace shoe string budget for six years. Can't do it any more. Don't want to live in Australian again anyway.
 
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