The Great Expat Exodus

Thaiger link

Nothing yet from US embassy, but bets are on that it will happen soon.

Personally I'd always considered the letter a bit of a ripoff, when a bank book with a year's worth of deposits should suffice. 

The certified letter was a good cover for people who did not have the required money and lied under oath. 

Thai immigration will have to come up with alternate procedures to prove income.  Many expats, including myself, have the monthly income above the requirement, but are unable or unwilling to deposit yearly amounts into a Thai bank.

From my own experience of transferring yearly amounts, too many people want to borrow, not always return the loan.

Sakon Nakhon 2018 Royal Longboat Races and Wax Castle Festival

The Blue line represents the Race trophy delivery route taken on the morning of 21 October.

The orange route is the wax castle parade route with three grandstand locations

added to TV Streams

2,981 Channels from multiple countries

You need to install Blue Stacks for PC and Mac to use on a computer.  Also available for smart TV's and other devices

hdiptv.stream/?v=5b79c40fa7c2

provided as information. I have no financial interest 

Embassy Income statements under scrutiny due to misuse

It's always been suspected and hushed subject, many retirees who get the yearly certified letter, do not have the required amount available.
Until a few years ago I've always had to have the letter from the bank verifying my accounts, copies of my bankbooks and the embassy letter when applying for the yearly retirement visa. Only in the recent three years I did not have to show bank statements.
I'd always wondered why the immigration department required the certified letter from the embassy. Why didn't the immigration department provide that service and collect the fees?
Personally I prefer a monthly income verification method and monthly money transfers instead of transferring a yearly amount into a Thai bank. In the US my money is insured.

Thai Jumbo skids off runway / no overnighters at Similan Island

Blooming Hibiscus

Overjoyed to see these blooms popping up.  Each bud produces more than a dozen seeds.  I'm already getting rid of other bushes to make room for more hibiscus.

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Carry your passport or a copy of all pertinent pages

Thai Immigration has a new boss.
In the fifteen years I have lived in Sakon City I have never been asked to show a passport, other than at the immigration office yearly visa application and 90 day reporting.  Drivers license seemed to suffice even when boarding a domestic flight. That might all change even here, especially with the high season underway.

In many instances a copy of the passport is sufficient. Keep in mind it has to be legible. Copy the page of the current visa besides the picture page.

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

"Some fruit and vegetables in Thailand contain high levels of pesticide ..."

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Brits to stop issuing Income certification letters at the end of the year

More changes most likely in the pipeline to impress the new immigration boss

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Getting rid of black algae

It's a topic with expats cause it just looks ugly.  
It's easiest dealt with during the rainy season.  Any other time of the year, wet the black algae or green moss.  Soak it for a few hours, best yet over night. When it's damp it can easily be removed with a brush or power sprayer.

My pool supplier recently added a free bottle of 'black algaetrine' to my order to fill a void in the shipping box. The stuff is not cheap from listings on the net, but you can throw away the brushes.

These two photos were taken four minutes apart, poured some on the ground and hosed it off

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Tea Time homegrown hibiscus

I'm not much of a tea drinker, but that is changing with the promise of a reduced waistline.


Prefer the flowers and seed pods, but this time of the year I have to satisfy myself with dried leaf. 

Brew them with anise, cinnamon and honey.  The combination is quite tasty.  

Never been a tea enthusiast, 
do like  this.

From the looks of things some flowers and seed pods may be on their ways soon

I'm also drinking Bael Fruit juice. Not noticing a reduction in my waistline yet. I suppose I have to stop eating caviar. 

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Ax Robber arrested

exterior cameras revealed the escape vehicle, apparently without license plate. An arrest was made a day after the robbery. 

Use your browser translator to read the full story below

Boat Races on Nong Sa at Lao PO Daeng

Opening ceremonies early this 'Saturday' morning. Boat races Saturday and Sunday

There wasn't much going on there yesterday during the day. An evening concert was on the schedule

Damaged due to excessive tourism

I read somewhere up to 5,000 people, or up to 200 boats converged on the island daily. Boat exhaust, sunscreen and garbage caused some major damage to the coral.




Sun Screen Kills coral 

Crackdown on illegal foreigners

No big changes in the temperature for now

Source accuweather

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Chinese New Year 2019

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

In past years there have always been public fairs and reservation only temple dinners with entertainment. 

2009 Feb 09 Chinese Temple Dinner

2010 Feb 27 Chinese Temple Dinner

2013 Feb   Chinese Street fair

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon - Live 1902
I'll update this page as information becomes available

Driving in Thailand

 
 
 
 

 
 

Unusual Ax Robbery

👀 Can I look at the McGregor fight on my TV ?

The telegraph article explains when and who is broadcasting.  If you're a paid subscriber to either of these services you can tune in

•  on 

•  
  
  
    on  and
  
  
  
  

Of course there may be other sources for live viewing. If you have such information please leave a Comment.

USTV NOW = $29 per month
HDPRIME = 380 Baht (TV only)
uplay =150 Baht (TV only)