Around Pattaya
It was time again for my annual trip to Laem Chabang to hand in my paper proof for the SVB, which I am still alive, at the regional SSO office in order to be assured of my monthly AOW.
It is a nice quiet drive of about 20 kilometers on Sukhumvit Road to the north. The morning rush hour is already behind us and there is no real heavy traffic. The closer I get to my destination, the more trucks with containers I see, because Laem Chabang is the largest container port in Thailand.
Port city
This port is also one of the top 25 internationally, with more than five million containers per year, compared to Rotterdam, where twice the number of containers is processed each year. Rotterdam, I say? Now I would actually rather go to Rotterdam, not to the port, but to De Kuip. On April 8, my old childhood sweetheart Heracles Almelo, where I once briefly played football in the A1, will play the cup final there. Those are the thoughts that came to my mind when I saw all those containers.
The visit to the SSO office is a formality, within five minutes I said goodbye to the friendly lady for a year and I was outside again. Just back on the Sukhumvit Road and I would be back home in less than half an hour, but I decide to take a different route.
Thai countryside
I leave Laem Chabang through 'the back door' and drive east. I'll see where I end up, I don't know that road, I don't have a GPS available and I rely on my sense of direction (look at the position of the sun) to get back to Pattaya somewhere.
After passing a bit of Laem Chabang with quite a few container warehouses, I arrive at the real Thai countryside. A beautiful winding road, which turns out to lead to the village of Takhian Tia. It is more of a hamlet, because I see a few houses, but no school, no larger shops.
Just keep following the road. Every now and then I see a car, but I don't see any houses. Almost endless palm forests (coconuts), then fields with all kinds of crops and the occasional farmer or a few people who are working on the land.
Then a big road (turns out later to be “the 3”), where I go under and then have to make a choice. Take the main road towards Pattaya or continue on the road, which, it seems, promises a lot of green again. I drive straight on and after many kilometers I get to the still good road, but through swampy area near a lake.
Lack of fuel
In the meantime I realize that the endless may now become less endless, because the needle of my fuel gauge is now approaching the red danger zone at an alarmingly fast rate. A little less attention to the beautiful landscape with the hills around Pattaya in the distance, a sun-shining temple on one of those hills now and just a little more careful driving on a winding road around this lake.
I don't want to think about running out of gas here, I do have my mobile phone with me, but just explain where I am exactly. Finally, and now with the needle deep in the red zone, I'm back in civilization. I pass the beautifully landscaped Burapha Golf Club and the Laem Chabang International Country Club and then arrive, much to my relief, at a Caltex gas station. The tank was indeed, except for a few drops, almost empty.
With a full tank I leave the main road again and drive through the countryside for a long time, then drink coffee in another hamlet and pollute the air with a cigar. Nothing special really, this ride, but I enjoy the Thai outdoor life, so close to the big city and that is special enough for me
Golfing
I finally arrive in the village of Khao Mai Kaeo and now I think it is far enough, now to the west again towards Pattaya. I pass the Pattaya Country Club & Resort, then the Siam Country Club, both with beautiful golf courses.
I have already come across four golf courses, but there are more in the Pattaya region. The Pattaya Mail, an English-language weekly newspaper, has a whole program for golfers every week. Every day (!) there is a large or small tournament somewhere in a radius of about 20 kilometers around Pattaya. A haven for the true enthusiast.
Then along the Mabprachan Reservoir, the water supply for the region, also on a beautiful road with stately homes and villa parks scattered here and there. For someone who does not want to live in the city of Pattaya, a beautiful alternative residential area. I drive through the village of Pong and shortly afterwards I am confronted with the harsh reality again.
Traffic accident
From afar I can already see the red and blue flashing lights, a traffic accident! Incomprehensible, because it is really quiet on the road, but a Thai lady was hit on her moped. She is lying in a pool of blood, medical and other aid workers are present, but I fear it is too late for her.
Time and time again such a scene makes a big impression on me and makes you realize how dangerous the traffic in Thailand is. I sincerely hope that this lady will live and that she will soon be able to enjoy the Thai nature again, just like I did. I do realize, by the way, that the lady was probably not on that moped for pleasure.
Well described Gringo. A good writer can write a good story about nothing. Well, I don't want to say that the surroundings of Pattaya are nothing, but it is an achievement to show that in a story. Unfortunately, such a traffic accident is so common that it also falls into the category of “nothing special”. However, it is horrible that so much goes wrong in traffic. I think it's a lot more than the statistics indicate. Of all the dangers and perceived dangers that threaten us in Thailand, traffic is by far the greatest. For the Thai, without traffic education and less awareness of the risks, this danger is even greater. Flower garlands are not worn on moped mirrors, perhaps that is why mopeds are even more victims.
Dear Gringo,
I agree with Bram Siam, and I always look forward to a story from you.
And luckily I hear something good about the countryside, I say this because I also live in the countryside just above the smoke of Pranbri where I enjoy the environment. But 20 minutes away from Hua-hin ben, and 5 minutes away from Pranbuti, and often enjoy the outdoors too!
And I was shaken up again by the end of your story, because I myself like to ride through the area on my motorcycle, without a helmet, and absorb the wind and especially the smells of the environment. I also hope that the Thai lady can ride her motorbike again! And I do occasionally buy a flower garland for my motorbike, and the saleswomen always have a hearty laugh.
For you I hope that Heracles plays a nice match in Rooterdam.
And I look forward to your next story.
very nice story Gringo. Unfortunately, those traffic accidents are also commonplace here in Chiangmai. Main reasons:
* mopeds think they are as strong as cars
* mopeds therefore preferably do not ride on the indicated (moped) bicycle lanes on the left, but prefer to ride where they see fit
* mirrors on mopeds mainly serve to see if the hair is still in good condition and there are no further irregularities.
* and in order to be able to see your hair well in the mirrors, it is therefore preferable not to wear a helmet. because that is of course disastrous for your coupe.
Well, and if they suddenly encounter a car, it has happened all too often with the moped driver and he/she finds out that cars are often a bit stronger.
Another big problem is, of course, that mopeds can drive here against / over 100 km per hour. and if you encounter something unexpected at those speeds then a pair of jeans (or even less) and a T-shirt is the guarantee to look like a peeled tomato afterwards.
But as long as I still see cops along the road, who just let mopeds pass without a helmet, what would I worry about, wouldn't I?
mopeds? These are not mopeds but light motorcycles of 110/125 cc and one must have a driver's license for which road tax is paid and a license plate is issued.
So they have just as much right on the road as a car and therefore in certain cases also have priority over a car that does not want to give and then it's BOOM!
@Gringo, I read your post with interest and not just your posts. Since I discovered this site a year ago, I hardly touch a book because I enjoy surfing through the site for hours every day to learn as much as possible from your expertise. My thanks for this to all who want to share their experiences on this blog.
Gringo, you have just proved to the SVB that you are still alive in order to be assured of your monthly state pension. Can I present you -experience expert- with my situation and ask you two questions?
I am now 64 and will be visiting Thailand for the eighth time in May and am looking into whether it is financially feasible for me to settle there.
My finances are as follows: I have saved enough to meet the deposit of 800k in a bank account. My state pension will be reduced by 5 years because I have not lived/worked in NL for those years. I believe that is why I am being discounted by 5×2%=10%. I have hardly accrued any pension.
What is not clear to me yet, and maybe I can get an answer to that is:
Will I get my state pension transferred to my Thai bank account or will I also have to keep an account in the Netherlands?
And, will I be paid my AOW gross if I no longer live in the Netherlands, or will I be taxed anyway and will I receive the net amount monthly?
Thank you for any response…
Nissan,
You pay tax in the Netherlands on your state pension. But that's very little. About 5 Euro.
You can make an appointment with the SVB yourself where you want your money. I have my money transferred directly to my bank account in Thailand by the SVB Saves costs and
you will also receive it a few days before
Good story, but I have no idea what an SSO office is
Marcus
Sso office means …..social-sucuriti-office. Don't know I wrote it well
have but the SVB in NL has made agreements with that office that every Dutch person
must report there every year with a document sent from the SVB from NL where
they ask that you are still alive. You can also simply call SSO in Dutch
Social Security Office.
Nisson, you put the question to Gringo, but I'll answer some questions.
You can have the AOW transferred directly to a Thai bank account.
Taxpayers are only former civil servants. They are obliged to pay taxes, but that is very little. You no longer pay social costs. You are therefore no longer insured for medical expenses. The discount on your state pension is always rounded down, so it will amount to 8%. If you only have an AOW and a very small pension
and have to take out health insurance here, you can do better despite your savings
stay home. With the fall of the euro, etc., it is still possible as an additional handicap.
You should then only be able to live on 20000 BHT, including everything.
It has nothing to do with Gringo's story. But if the editors get it right
find, Gringo Jordaan answered.
Greetings Jon.
gringo ,
It is nice to see the area where I live (Nongprue), and Pong where our daughter lives, and where I often stay, described so fascinatingly.
However, I do not understand that you still take the trouble to personally hand over the “proof of life” to the SSO in Leam Chabang, even on the motorbike.
I myself have it stamped at the immigration in Jomtien, and send it by post.
All the more so because you yourself recognize how dangerous it is to ride such a motorbike here.
After having an accident with such a thing 8 years ago, I only venture into traffic in my car, although that also entails risks, you are much less vulnerable.
Leo Bosch.