Do Foreigners Have The Right To Say No To a Drug Test by Thai Police?

Thailand is very safe for tourists but from time to time a number of tourists are bothered by the police unintentionally. As appearing in many news articles lately, Bangkok police accelerate random visitor urine tests, searches, interrogations on western tourists and expats. There has been a rapidly increasing policy of harassing western visitors and residents in Bangkok, such individuals are now regularly being stopped by…

Why is Chiang Rai The Best Place To Retire In Thailand?

Thailand is safe, beautiful and cheap. From the misty mountains to the beaches. From luxury hotels and resorts to modest accommodation.   There are several huge expat communities in the country you can join. In major cities, there are enough people who understand English and able to communicate with you, so you can enjoy your stay. In remote areas where people don’t speak English, you may…

Retirement Planning

You are retired and content, living alongside tens of thousands of U.S. citizens who call Thailand home.  Have you given thought to the last piece of the puzzle:  having your final wishes carried out? Every year, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, and U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai, assist hundreds of bereaved families whose U.S. citizen relatives pass away in Thailand.  We have seen the peace…

I Will Never Move From Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai has an expat population that appreciates the quiet, laid back atmosphere of this little northern city. Quiet, stress free streets, incredibly friendly locals and a warm atmosphere make a winning combination for those in search of the quiet life. However, Chiang Rai is not the traffic free place of years ago when the only smells were buffalo dung and incense… The two stroke…

Cultural differences between America and Thailand

“In America, you can say anything you want as long as you don’t DO it. In Thailand, you can do anything you want, but don’t SAY it!” This was one of the lines in a talk last Sunday by Dr. Sunyarat (Ton) Ratjatawan, PhD, a Bangkok psychologist. Dr. Ton during his presentation to the Pattaya City Expats Club on Sunday, May 26, was explaining some…