Evan (Captain Sidd)

GM from Kyoto

Phuket Sandbox จะดีสำหรับบิทคอยน์หรือเปล่าครับ

#siamstr

เมื่อวานเรียนเกี่ยวกับเงินร้อนและเงินเย็น

#เรียนภาษาไทย

I hoped that Ride of Passage would lead to lifelong friendships between the Bitcoiners who travel together.

Glad to see it's working 🧡

("Group connection lost" is what you hear when our Cardo communicators get out of range and the banter ends 😢)

Love you

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Ride of Passage in any way over the years.

Unbelievable what has come of this 🙏

Rain on the first night of a Ride of Passage is a good omen. It signals a washing away of what no longer serves, a cleansing of baggage we didn’t realize we carried.

The rain calls us to be open, humble, and ready—not for the ride we expected, but for the one that awaits.

Meanwhile in Thailand…

Logged a lot of steps in Amsterdam. Scenic spot for a stroll.

Though the cold European weather got me sick!

Got an

and in 3 days have fully synced bitcoin node, full media server system (watch any TV/movie) all with remote access from anywhere…

Next up: Nostr Relay, Lightning node, private

and Llama 2 instance.

Remember remember…

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/you-need-to-withdraw-your-bitcoin-etf

Proof of Reserves doesn’t mean much without Proof of Liabilities.

How do we solve this?

taps sign

https://geyser.fund/project/bitcoinhousebali

Do itttt

The Thailand Bitcoin Conference #TBC2024 this year was AMAZING! Better than I even imagined it could be.

Thank you to Khun Piriya and the entire Thailand Bitcoin community from

to

#siamstr and beyond for putting that on.

Some very cool projects and products (I bought a bunch of BoltKey from

for Ride of Passage riders - pictured!) and great people. And a great mix of Thai and international speakers. Thank you for the opportunity to speak about my travels and the Ride of Passage!

Looking forward to the next one!!!

#TBC2024 เป็นการประชุมที่น่าทึ่งมาก ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักทุกคนครับผม

​​จะมีการเปิดตัว Bitcoin Learning Center ในเดือนกันยายน งานปาร์ตี้จะจัดขึ้นในวันที่ 6 กันยายน ทุกคนยินดีต้อนรับครับผม

#siamstr

If you don’t have one of these in every drawer of your house, you’re missing out… https://m.primal.net/JjEi.mov

Today’s myth about Thailand (#15) is that the health system is poor versus the West.

Truth is the private health system here is super high value: Advanced, efficient and clean.

• Socialized Western Hospital: Wait months for an operation
• Private Western Hospital: Pay your life savings for an operation
• Private Thai Hospital: Get treated immediately and effectively for low cost (vs the West)

Thailand is ranked number 5 globally for medical tourism spending. The quality of care available here is stellar.

Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

Today’s myth about Thailand (#14) is that the lockdowns here were strict and harsh.

Truth is I felt fairly free here during the whole of 2020 and beyond.

Remember the insane nanny state we saw in countries like Australia and Canada? It didn’t exist in Thailand.

There was simply caution and mutual respect, not a wild persecution of normal people by those on power trips.

While borders were closed, internally the country was open for business. I was able to travel throughout Thailand and enjoy my life.

Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

Today’s myth about Thailand (#13) is that it’s hard to live here as a foreign family.

The truth is Thailand is ideal for families — from sharing visas to cost of living and safety.

Visa Sharing: Many visas allow spouses and dependents to join (Elite, Guardian, and the new Destination Thailand visa included). For example, if your child attends a school in Thailand, parents can get on that visa.

Value/Cost of Living: A 3-4 bedroom house in Chiang Mai will cost about $1,000 a month, and full time help around the house can be had for $500 per month.

Safety and Culture: Crime is virtually nonexistent, and social trust is high. You will get your peace of mind back.

Getting Here: Leverage a remote job or savings to try Thailand for 90 days - see if it’s right for your family.

Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

Today’s myth about Thailand (#12) is that the food here is unhealthy.

Truth is, the average meal here is going to be a lot healthier than what you’ll find in the West — especially the USA.

My personal experience going back to the USA after 2 years in Thailand: I gained 25 pounds in 6 months.

American food - from cheap to luxury - gives a dopamine rush like no other. You always crave that next bite.

Thai food is different. Even after a small bowl of noodles, I often feel satiated. My brain says I’m done, before my stomach is in pain.

You’ll find seed oils and a lot of carbs in Thai food. But consider that:

• The land here isn’t decimated from 50 years of factory farming
• Most produce is 1-2 hands from the grower
• Most dishes are freshly cooked, without many/any processed ingredients

Perhaps paranoia about a little seed oil is killing you far more than the seed oil itself.

I feel MUCH healthier here than anywhere else I’ve lived, and I eat out all the time, without much concern for quality.

Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

New Visa for Digital Nomads (and Families) in Thailand

Stay for 5 years as a digital nomad in Thailand with the new Destination Thailand Visa.

Who it’s for: Aimed at online workers, the visa allows a stay of 180 days at a time for 5 years. Also allows spouses and dependent children to hop on one person’s visa.

Requirements: Applicants must prove they have or have earned ~$14,000 USD (500,000 Thai baht) via a bank statement or sponsorship letter. Even a past tax return could satisfy this (according to a visa agent spoken to last week). Must show a work portfolio or employment contract. 10,000 Thai baht renewal fee every 180 days.

How to apply: Through your country’s Thai embassy or online through the eVisa system.

Is Thailand for you? Safe, high value for money, everything from beaches to mountains to big city. Try it for 90 days first and see what you think.

Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

#Bangkok #ChiangMai #siamstr

ตายแล้วไปสวรรค์ครับ I’ve died and gone to heaven.

#ChiangMai #siamstr

Taking a break posting more myths I’ve heard about Thailand, because my mom is in town!

What else do you want me to cover about life in Thailand?

Drop a comment ✌️

Good resource for learning Thai language, from beginner to advanced. Just started watching these for 15 minutes every morning.

https://www.youtube.com/@ComprehensibleThai

#siamstr #Thailand #ChiangMai #Bangkok

Today’s myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#11) is that the Smokey season makes it impossible to live in the north of Thailand.

This is totally false ❌

Let me explain Smokey season and then the overall seasonal patterns, from smoke to cool to rain.

You might be surprised to hear that it can go below freezing in Thailand in the mountains during winter!

• Smoky season (March-April): dry land with field burns + forest fires makes for bad air quality. Also very hot. Bad air peaks for ~2 weeks with haze throughout. Plan your Chiang Mai trip accordingly!

• Rainy season (May-September): 70-85°F / 20-30°C with occasional rains and high humidity. Often very pleasant.

• Cool Season / Winter (October-February): 50-75°F / 10-25°C, beautiful scenery, tourist high season in the North of Thailand.

Growing up in Chicago, I treat smoky season like winter: stay indoors with air filter & AC or escape to Bangkok/southern beaches.

Don’t sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

#ChiangMai #Bangkok #Thailand #siamstr

Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#10) is a touchy one that I unfortunately hear all too often…

MYTH: the sex industry is rampant here.

Just like I said in myth #4 about safety, you’re more likely to see the sex industry on display in a major American city than anywhere in Thailand.

There are a few streets in the entire country which are known for this, and unfortunately they’ve become all some people obsess about - which says more about them than this country.

Given the safety, great food, lush nature and friendly people Thailand is very family-friendly and wholesome.

Here in Chiang Mai you have a large variety of international schools, family-friendly parks and outdoor activities like hiking and dirt biking.

Don’t let some secondhand information throw you off from the beauty of this land and its people.

And don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

Anyone have an ID on this bird? Spotted in northern Thailand.

Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#9) is that it’s all beaches and parties.

The truth is Thailand has much more to offer. 🏖️⛰️🏙️

For instance:

1. Bangkok: Huge world class metropolitan city: amazing food, luxury condos, rooftop bars, world class nightlife, sleek and modern malls, skytrain
2. Northern Thailand: mountains for miles, great for motorcycling (hence the Ride of Passage), cool temps in winter, beautiful mountain villages
3. Southern Thailand: Beaches, beach clubs, high end resorts, amazing seafood.

There is something for everyone here.

Don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

#ChiangMai #Bangkok #Thailand #siamstr

Looking through old pictures. This is a photo from a festival I went to in late 2021 hosted with a hill tribe in Northern Thailand.

We ate the hill tribe’s local food, bathed in the stream, hung out with the cows and napped on piles of rice straw. And also listened to music all night on a set of incredibly epic Function One speakers.

A blissful experience. ☀️

Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#8) is that you can only stay here for 90 days.

That is true for many tourist visas, but there are other options to stay for longer.

• Education Visas: 1-year visas for studying Thai boxing, language, or culinary training; costs $1,000 to $2,000; renewable for a few years
• Retirement Visa: Available for those over 50; renewable indefinitely; requires ~$20,000 in a Thai bank account
• Elite Visa: Stay 5 to 20 years; costs start at ~$25,000; some agencies accept Bitcoin; no annual renewals
• Digital Nomad Visa: Potential 5-year stay; requires minimum income of ~$14,000/year; details upcoming

Don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

#ChiangMai #Thailand #siamstr

Today’s myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#6) is that it’s globally disconnected, making it hard to travel while basing here.

Thankfully this isn’t true ❌, with one caveat.

Bangkok’s airports connect to over 120 cities across the globe with direct flights, including major hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Taipei.

The city of Chiang Mai, with an airport that’s about 15 minutes from everything, connects directly to most Asian hubs allowing for one hop to Europe or the Americas.

Thailand 🇹🇭 is not quite Dubai 🇦🇪 on global flights, but then again you aren’t living in the middle of the desert 🐪

#ChiangMai #Bangkok #Thailand #siamstr

Testing for Satlantis... #chiangmai #bangkok

https://cdn.satlantis.io/1719579386010-getting_around_chiang_mai_the_definitive_guide.jpg Cons of living in Chiang Mai

1. Streets are not designed solely for walking. There are some parks where you can walk undisturbed, but most streets you walk in will have car/scooter traffic as well.
2. Traffic can be dense, especially in high season from October - January. If you have a motorcycle/scooter this doesn’t matter as much (you can lane split, filter, etc). In a car, some streets get gridlocked at busy times which can make your commute much longer than planned. Avoidable with some planning and familiarity.
3. Every year around March the air quality takes a nosedive for 2-6 weeks. This is known locally as “Burning season” and is the result of seasonal forest fires. Many nomads choose to travel abroad, visit home, or go to Southern Thailand (like Phuket) for a few weeks to escape the smoke.

https://cdn.satlantis.io/1719579240896-chiang_mai.jpeg Pros and Cons of living in Chiang Mai

Pros:

1. Incredibly safe and friendly vibe - as in zero crime of any kind, you lose your wallet and someone will find you to return it. It will break your conceptions of what life outside your front door can be like.
2. Very affordable cost of living. Houses rent for $300-$500/month, lunch is $2-3, gym is $2 for a day pass.
3. Abundance of nature; very green city, with hikes and outdoor activities right next door on the Doi Suthep mountain.
4. High concentration of nomads and expats in coworking spaces and
5. Incredible cafe scene, probably 1,000+ boutique cafes in a city of ~1M. High end coffee plantations are dotted all over Northern Thailand, so most beans are locally sourced.

Cons coming next...

https://cdn.satlantis.io/1719579095790-panorama_chiang_mai.jpg Hello! This is your Satlantis ambassador for Chiang Mai. As an American living here since 2019, I've settled in to life in Northern Thailand for the long haul.

For those of you planning to visit (or live in!) Chiang Mai, here is my "starter kit" of the best cafes, restaurants, massage spots and more I've discovered over my time spent exploring this beautiful land. I will be transferring this list over to Satlantis, but for immediate value, here’s the list on Google Maps.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/uRCsEXDYRm9Zm2Ki6

The image includes far more locations I've saved, just to give you an idea of what I've seen around the city!

Today's myth about Thailand 🇹🇭 (#5) is that the infrastructure sucks. The truth is it’s just as good if not better than what I was used to in the USA.

Take a few examples:

• Hospitals: private system is very efficient and cheap with great care.
• Education: plenty of private intl schools with tuition around $4,000 a year (lot of variance here).
• Transportation: Bangkok is connected to 100+ intl destinations, and Thailand has (checks wikipedia) 39(!) airports around the country. Round trip Chiang Mai to Bangkok is ~$60. Bangkok has 2 local train networks: BTS and MRT. And the road network across Thailand is vast - everywhere is reachable by car.
• Shopping and Shipping: 1 day around Thailand, Shopee and Lazada are the Amazons of Thailand.
• Internet: I pay $15/month for 100mb up/down on my phone, and $12/mo at home for 300mb up/down.

Don't sleep on Thailand 🇹🇭

What else about Thailand's infrastructure do you want to know? Drop a comment and I'll do my best to answer.

@npub1teawtzxh6y02cnp9jphxm2q8u6xxfx85nguwg6ftuksgjctvavvqnsgq5u Verifying My Public Key: "captainsidd"

GM

#gm #catstr #siamstr