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It depends very much on your personal circumstances. For single men, I wouldn't even recommend buying a freehold condo. Just rent. It's cheap, hassle free, there's no big capital outlay, and if you want to move somewhere else, it's easy. The old adage about only investing money in Thailand that you can afford to lose is very true. Foreigners can't own land in Thailand, and thus can't own any property that includes land. There are various ways around this, but none are risk free. Houses take a long time to sell (it seems that Thais are only interested in buying brand new houses), and the huge gains from buying and selling property that exist in other countries don't exist here. Where I live, there are houses that have been for sale for years that still haven't sold. The only house I know to have been sold was sold for a lot less than the original price. I have a Thai wife and two children, who are Thai citizens. I bought a house so that they would have some financial security when I'm no longer around. It also benefits me in that I live in much comfortable accommodation compared to the average rental property. I have no regrets, but if I was still single, I would still be renting. It just depends on your individual situation. Thanks for your opinion!

@ well said.

Merry Christmas to you and your family, too! Thank you 🙏

Thank you, and the same to you and yours! Best wishes 🙏

Thank you! My lad has just been diagnosed with diabetes. There's no cure. It's just a case now of controlling his glucose level through diet and insulin. Twice, last week, I tried to do a video for the Reading Thai channel. On the first attempt, I got a call after 15 minutes saying that his blood sugar level had dropped to a dangerous level. I went to pick him up. On the second attempt, I got a call after 5 minutes, saying he had run out of insulin. I went to pick him up again. I'm also not feeling well at the moment. It could be a heavy cold, or it could be bronchitis. Anyway, when things calm down, I'll try to do more! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too!

It's been a while! I hope to see you soon in Hat Yai. Have a wonderful Christmas!

@expatlivinginthailand Merry Christmas to you too Mr.Phil and family. Hope it will be a sunny🌞 Christmas. Too much rain even in K.L. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

@loorobert6430 Thank you! The rain seems to have stopped now. The hot, dry weather will be back in January!

Hat Yai airport. There is very limited shopping in this area - just a small branch of Tesco, some 7-Elevens, minimarts, and hardware stores, etc. There are some shops inside the airports, but geared toward tourists who want to take a few souvenirs home. It's not a good area for shopping. The good shopping nowadays is mostly in Central Festival. There used to be a few decent shops in the downtown area, but when Festival opened in 2013, a lot of them relocated there. I know what you mean about crowds. The way I avoid the crowds if I need to shop, is to visit on a weekday in the morning. Weekends tend to be chaotic.

The whole thing seems strange. I don't know if what I was told is true. There had been a big tree at Central Festival every year up to now. I was walking around Hat Yai today, and there is a big tree next to McDonalds near Diana. Strange!

@@bennybennyson1079 I didn't realise condos there are available on AirBnB. Thanks for the heads up!

I tried post link not allowed

@bennybennyson1079 That's RUclips for you! No links and no commenting on subjects where your opinion differs to YT. Comments ger deleted immediately. Very frustrating.

@kobisrebus7664 Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you and your family, too!

@maryziggy8802 Thank you! Merry Christmas to you and your family, too!

I really don't know what's going on. There was a woman at the door checking people's bags. I asked her why there was no tree this year, and she talked about people from the three provinces - สามจังหวัด. Most folks from down there are Muslim, and she talked about the structure having mixed Christian and Muslim influences. This decision was probably made by higher management at Central. Christmas trees and decorations go up every year here, and I have never heard of a Muslim person being offended. Following the Bud Light fiasco and the recent Jaguar cars rebranding, nothing really surprises me these days.

@@expatlivinginthailand Suffice to say I am not woke to todays social norms 🤔

@@TheThailightZone Me neither. And I suspect that with the new White House administration, we may start to see a return to normality. I hope so.

@@TheThailightZone I can relate! I arrived with one holdall containing all of my possessions. It's amazing how much stuff you accumulate. We're now in quite a large 4-bed house, and it is just about full. Every condo I've looked at has almost no storage space.

@TheThailightZone Exactly. The greed and commercialism seems even worse when it starts in September! I also got fed up with all the drunkenness and stupid behaviour in the UK. It's actually quite sad because many aspects of Christmas are very enjoyable. On a couple of occasions, I went over to Germany just before Christmas, and it seemed so much better there. More traditional and less commercial.

Thanks! Merry Christmas to you, too!

Thank you, Pat! You're right, but once you start with RUclips, there is constant pressure to keep knocking out videos. Keep your comments coming, and Merry Christmas to you and your family, too!

It surprised me, too! Every year since Central Festival opened, they've had big Christmas trees inside and outside. This year, no trees. I wasn't sure why at first, but a quick chat with the security lady appears to have provided the answer. I'm still a little surprised by their decision. and I'm sure the Muslim community wouldn't take offense at a Christmas tree. Yes, Christmas does celebrate the birth of Jesus, but none of what is on display has any religious significance. It's basically an orgy of consumerism, and most of the traditions that are celebrated these days originate from Pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. Thanks for your kind wishes!

@@ahmadazhariawang3051 Thank you. Your kind thoughts are very much appreciated 🙏

I love it, too! Turning right out of my house, I can get to the downtown area in 20 minutes for lots of restaurants, shopping, schools, hospitals, clinics, etc. If I turn left, the airport is 10 minutes away, and all around the airport is some beautiful Thai countryside. Yes, the massage is extremely cheap. Also, I saw an Agoda survey recently that said Hat Yai had the cheapest hotel rooms in the entire region. As you may have heard, there has been more heavy rain the last few days. However, this has affected areas north of Hat Yai. Phattalung, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Ranong, Chumpon, Surat Thani (including Samui) have had floods. There has been rain in Hat Yai, but not the kind of heavy rain that causes flooding. It's just grey, wet, and miserable!

I'm no lover of heights myself and don't like these balconies! The rent vs buy argument depends on your individual situation. If I was still single, I would still be renting somewhere. It's hassle free, easy to move on somewhere else, and low risk. If still on my own, I wouldn't be tempted to buy a condo. The reason I bought a house was to give my wife and kids some financial security in the future when I am no longer around. The additional benefit is that I also get to live in a much more spacious, comfortable place compared to renting a small room in a condo building.

Much appreciated! Thank you!

Unfortunately, he has been diagnosed with diabetes and there is no cure. It's a case now of making sure he eats the right food and uses the right amount of insulin to keep his glucose level within a normal range. But we shall cope! Thank you!

Have a good time in rainy Hat Yai! Merry Christmas!

Thank you! Your words are very encouraging and, of course, I had no idea that you have MS. My lad, at the tender age of 10, has diabetes. There's no cure. We simply have to make sure he eats the right food and injects the correct amount of insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. It's not something I would have chosen, but you just have to deal with what life throws at you. I've never been to Bar-B-Q Plaza, and it's a long time since I went to Jeffer. Yes, the Christmas trees from previous years were huge. If what I was told by the security guard is true (and in this day and age, it sound perfectly par for the course), I think it's a dumb decision. Perhaps they are just following Bud Light and Jaguar? I guess the higher you are in a condo building, the safer it is from flooding! There has been heavy rain in the south again, but this time north of Hat Yai. There has been flooding in Phattalung, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Ranong, Chumpon and Surat Thani (including Samui). In Hat Yai, it's just grey, wet and miserable. phil@phil.uk.net is still active, and e-mails should automatically be directed to my gmail account. I don't use that account as my primary email, but I do check occasionally. It's quite possible with my redirected emails that Google sends them to Spam, and I haven't checked the Spam folder for a long time. Merry Christmas to you and your family, too!

Many thanks! Merry Christmas to you and your family, too!

@LorneCrofts Thank you! TOPS has some nice treats from the UK! I went to Phuket last Christmas to visit my brother, who lives there. It wasn't convenient this year, and the decision not to go was fortuitous because of the problem with my son. Have good time and wish your wife สุขสันต์วันเกิด!

Just read about your son Phil. I hope he is receiving good treatment. I guess he is young and fit and learns to cope well in the future. My best wishes to your son and you all.

@LorneCrofts Thank you. The treatment he received was excellent. His condition can only be managed now, not cured, but we are coping and learning to live with it. Your kind words are appreciated!

I had to be a bit careful with my words in the video! This nonsense started a long time ago when people started saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I find it all a bit strange, but maybe I'm just getting old?

I know, I know ... I must sound like Scrooge! Merry Christmas to you, too! Unfortunately, my lad won't get better. His pancreas suddenly decided to stop producing insulin a couple of weeks ago, which caused a massive problem. He's now diabetic and that won't change. This has caused a huge change in lifestyle for all of us.

@@expatlivinginthailandso sorry to hear that. Bless you and your family 🙏 from both myself and my hat Yai partner having her first Christmas in London

Hi Phil, im so so sorry to hear about your Son.! 😰 …I have an autoimmune condition myself so I know just how awful this can be, i’ve found the Doctors here in Hat Yai to be fantastic with me though, so really hope they’ll get him (and you & your family) through this 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌠

@chrismcdermott1111 Thanks, Chris. No one is quite sure why the pancreas stops producing insulin, but there is a theory that the immune system goes rogue and starts destroying good cells. The staff at Hat Yai Hospital were amazing (once again). After this recent episode, I thought about doing a video about the healthcare system here. We had one problem a couple of weeks ago, but generally speaking, I have always been very impressed with healthcare in Thailand. I understand that in the UK, it's almost impossible to get a GP appointment now, and if you get a referral, you have to wait 6 months or more. Same with dentists. I paid for the top dentist at a private practice in the UK and arrived in Thailand with uncomfortably sensitive teeth and bad fillings. Since being here, I've had quite a lot of work done, and my teeth have never been better. I've watched some videos of expats in places like Vietnam and the Philippines. They've said that for serious medical issues, the best thing is to go to Thailand. It's another big benefit of living here.

@jimirons833 Thank you. I'm sure your partner will enjoy Christmas in London. It's changed a lot now, but I have such happy memories of Christmas in London as a kid in the 1960's. The Oxford St lights, Selfridges, Hamleys, etc. Quite magical. Have a good time!

The weather has been great. A little rain, but perfectly normal for this time of year. No problems at the moment!

@ thank u so much

@veemalanbalakerisnan6056 🙏

I guess so, and that's what this part of the world was not so long ago.

Me too! It makes me feel good to see local and national governments investing and working hard to fix problems for their own people. I see this in Thailand, but unfortunately, not in my own country. Yes, the shoe repairers, ladies with sewing machines, and key cutting services are still there under the bridge near the train station. This is also the place to go to buy and repair amulets!

@ neither in my own country too 🥲 Ok thank you, I’m going to have a couple pairs of shoes to try them out when i get there.

I've been inside a hospital all day with my son, so I'm not sure! When I was outside earlier, it was overcast and drizzly. Quite miserable, actually, but there was no heavy rain.

@@lianjs5305 🙏

@@poronthipbrooks4276 🙏

@@poronthipbrooks4276 สงสารมาก

@babysharkdodo644 It was fine yesterday (Tuesday). Today (Wednesday) it's overcast and drizzly, but that's not unusual for this time of year.

🙏

@@lianjs5305 🙏

@xundestravelfood7055 My pleasure! Remember what I said about this still being the rainy season and heavy rain being normal at this time of year. Heavy rain is perfectly normal this time of year, but it normally stops after a few hours. It's nothing to worry about. The storm last week, where it didn't stop raining for a week, isn't normal. I hope your trip works out.

@@expatlivinginthailand Noted on your comments. Understood your content. Thanks bro.

Hi Phil, just back to Penang after staying in Hatyai for 5 nights. Thanks for your info on the weather (website) which allow me to make a decision to go there. The weather was quite fine except occasion light rain which is quite common in Hatyai. Initially when I was there I was a bit worried and tense but after a day or two, I felt the weather was quite OK and was able to relax myself. Take care bro.

@xundestravelfood7055 That's great to hear! I'm glad it worked out for you. As you say, rain is normal here, especially during the last three months of the year. The recent storm that caused flooding is maybe a once in 10 years event. Also, because the flood defenses have been improved so much, it takes a really extreme storm to cause flooding these days. I suspect that the local government will continue to improve things. Let me know when you're in Hat Yai next time. It would be good to meet a few of the people who comment regularly. This week, unfortunately, I've been in Hat Yai Hospital all week with my son, who has been quite seriously ill. However, he's fine now, and we are all back home.

@@expatlivinginthailand With good flood canal defence, it takes a continuous mega storm to cause a flood in Hatyai. I observed that the authority has done much better than those in M'sia on flood prevention. For example, having CCTV to monitor the flood situation is one of the good disaster preventive measure. It is good to hear that your son is fine now. Perhap the next time when I visit Hatyai, we can meet up for a drink and have a chat.

Since my update, it has been getting gradually darker here. I'm expecting rain in 2-3 hours, which is when I have to pick up my daughter from school. Perfect! Wow, six months' worth of rain in five days. I'm not surprised. It was a big storm. It is a nice feeling when you're safe indoors and it's raining heavily outside. I know what you mean. However, after my experience in 2010, I still start to feel afraid when the rain goes on for too long! Between you and me, I'm a bit of a geek with things like thermometers. There are thermometers/hygrometers in every room and sensors outdoors for the external readings. I also have wireless thermometers in the fridge/freezer so that I can keep an eye on the temperature! There are lots of these devices for sale online, and they're cheap. The brand I like is Oria.

Pleasure! In my eyes, the BBC has very little credibility these days for all topics, not least the weather situation in Hat Yai! Those two sites that I gave links to are the ones I usually go to.

Could not agree more, regarding all Topics.

Thais use Line, rather than WhatsApp. I joined the Line Group for the local Hat Yai municipality. This gives general information, but doesn't seem to cater for individuals with problems. I just heard about someone who ran into problems in Songkhla and the person had difficulties getting any help. How's Kelantan now?

@expatlivinginthailand The volunteer is updating their information to the authorities hourly so help is available to them. Stay Safe brother.. praise LIFE.. 🙏❤️

@@mohdnasrullah673 That's good to hear. Thanks for the update 🙏

Great story! I've heard tales from people here about 2000, but never 1988. Thanks for sharing 🙏

Hi Chris and thanks for your comment. Sorry for the delay replying, but I'm nursing a sick child at home today. Firstly, congratulations on your wife's pregnancy! Is this the first one? Kids are great - the best thing that ever happened to me - but completely life-changing. Expensive as well! Private health care and education are very expensive here. With state schools and the NHS in the UK, my parents didn't have any of these expenses when raising three kids, but I have to shell out a small fortune for my two! When we were looking for a rented place in 2010, we looked at a condo in Napalai Place. I thought it was OK, but my wife didn't want to live in a condo. If we'd decided on the condo, we wouldn't have been flooded out. My wife's fault, then! Oh, well. Glad to hear you're all good. We are doing fine. I've just looked at the Thailand Meteorological Dept and Hat Yai City Climate websites. There's another warning from today until the 5th, but looking at the radar maps, it seems to be headed towards Narathiwat - further south than last week. I suspect Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat will get more heavy rain, but it won't affect Songkhla so much. Just my observation. Anyway, we shall see. The flooding was reported in the Bangkok Post last week and I saw some comments that they should do more about the infrastructure. These comments were obviously from people who don't know what has been done in recent years. You're right. If all the work hadn't been done, it would have been a lot worse last week. I haven't seen any funny videos, but an injection of humour is always good. The Thais like to have a laugh. When the 2005 flood hit, I was working at PSU. There was a massive operation involving hundreds of lecturers, students and staff preparing hot meals, drinking water and essential supplies for flood victims. Last week, I saw a notice that PSU were doing the same thing. I agree. The community spirit is great here when there is a natural disaster. I was in Central Festival just before the bad weather. They always have lots of decorations and a huge Christmas tree. I think it helps sales! Before I got to Thailand, I didn't think Christmas would be a thing here. However, it's quite a big thing. A bit surprising for a Buddhist country! Stay safe!

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you, too!

Perfect! It was a bit wet outside this morning, indicating a very light shower overnight, but it's fine now. 30C 75% RH and clear, bright skies. The prediction that there was going to be heavy rain on the 1st and 2nd was nonsense. However, the Thailand Meteorological Department has issued a warning of heavy rain from today until the 5th due to a low-pressure cell over the lower South China Sea. This will affect roughly the same areas as last week - deep southern Thailand and northern Malaysia. The radar maps on Hat Yai City Climate do indeed show storms off the coast approaching southern Thailand. From what I can make out, the storms are headed towards Narathiwat. They are further south than last week. By looking at the map, it would appear that Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani will be more affected by the incoming rain than Songkhla. But that's just my observation and I'm far from being an expert! What we shouldn't forget is that this is still the rainy season. Heavy rain is perfectly normal in this part of Thailand at this time of year. The intensity and duration of the rain last week wasn't normal.

​@@expatlivinginthailand thank you

Thank you for your kind words, Marlane!

@@teomy5531 🙏

I know Samchai well. I'm there most weekends while my lad plays football. It was indeed a very scary time for a lot of people. What we had last week was minor in comparison to 2010. I just hope that after all the work that has been done since, there will never be another flood like that one. As I said, there will be occasional storms that overwhelm the flood defenses, but if the problems are only as bad as last week, that's OK. Floods like the ones in 2000 and 2010 cause massive economic damage and take lives.