charles

Oh, I see that. And I'd really love to be there to hear you explain to the Thai police how they have to enforce what you've written in your nice simple little lease.

Look, you don't seem at all interested in the experience of those of us who've been here and dealing wsith these things for decades and that's fine. On the other hand, you might just want to give a moment or two's thought to the possibility, however remote, that your judgment with respect to how things work here isn't nearly as well founded as you apparently think it is. If you don't, good luck to you. But when you decide to sell that apartment that has 'gone up in value already,' I would be willing to bet you'll have a bit of a surprise coming.

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Personally, I'm quite interested to hear in your "decades of experience" even if I may say so you do have a rather immodest user name. For a balanced picture, I'm also quite interested in hearing from people who are on the face of it being quite successful at what people like you say is not possible. I think "Old Asia Hand"'s do have some wisdom that one should listen to. I'm also wary that these might be rather jaded people who've taken some hard knocks, maybe not been that successful in all respects themselves, and this colors their "advice".

Myself, I can't really see the problem with getting a piddling little single farang out of a moderately priced apartment. He's not exactly the son of Mr. Yubamrung is he? Maybe if you spoke Thai, or took an educated Thai with you, and were generally pleasant and willing to compensate them for their time, the Thai police might well be willing to help you.

Otherwise, unless said farang is holed up in his apartment 24 hours a day, I'm sure you could manage to get into your place when he's out, change the locks/padlocks or whatever and he's history. Following Asia Old Hand's logic, he's not going to have much joy with the police is he?

And in any case, a single farang in a cheapish apartment unable/unwilling to pay his rent is soon going to fall foul of someone else or the authorities or run out of money and have to leave anyway.

If the poster is getting 15k a month from a farang tenant out of an apartment he bought for about 2 million, then I say well done and good luck to him.

Occupancy rates anywhere in Bangkok are increadably low. Not a good Idea even going high end is awash with competition

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Depends what part of the market you're looking at. If you're looking at studio-type places in central-ish BKK reasonably near the Skytrain/subway then occupancy rates are extremely high. For example, there are many studio apartments in the sois near Victory Monument, and apart from places that are blatantly overpriced, you will do well to find even the odd room here and there.

Of course these are cheap places, i.e. less than 10k and it doesn't necessarily mean that a condo will give satisfactory returns against the price it was bought for. However, I'd say %age-wise returns would probably be better for cheaper studios than big expensive apartments. As someone said, buy 6 in a row, live in one and you might do OK!

My (Thai) wife and I are considering purchasing a condo - at the LPN development near Onnut BTS. We would be booking (off-plan) now and then paying about 90% of the total purchase price upon completion and transfer.

If possible, I'd like to use funds largely from within Thailand. I assume this prevents me from owning it solely myself? However, would it be possible for it to be owned jointly in both our names? (Our marriage is registered and my wife has my surname).

If I was to use solely my wife's name, is there any need for me to declare "no interest in the property" similar to as required when a Thai married to a foreigner buys land?

I'm also interested in what happens in various scenarios if one of us dies but I've probably already asked enough questions! Basically, I'm happy for either or preferably both of us to own the condo, but if someone dies I'd rather it didn't go straight into her families hands. We do have a child, currently an infant.

Any advice on how the law stands/works greatly appreciated.

Any first-hand experience of this hospital? Is it good so far?

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Yeah, all very plush looking and friendly. The docs I've seen there all speak good English. Efficient system when queing/waiting for meds.

Appointments usually on time, if no appointment, usually don't have to wait too long.

And the best thing is it has a Starbucks!

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You have said a lot about Bamrungrad there without, I suspect, really intending it.

Plush looking, friendly, "it has a Starbucks". &lt;deleted&gt;. Reminds of ABAC University, looks like a palace and markets itself well but is it really a top class, serious educational institution?

I've been to Bamrungrad quite a few times, both in-patient and out-patient and I'm far from convinced about this place. And I think irrespective of my budget I'd tend to look elsewhere.

In general it is probably OK, but when you get down to the actual substance of the medical treatment it is nothing special or even "hit and miss". At Bamrungrad you've got to remember that you are paying so much towards non-medical things: the unnecessarily plush building and the interest on their monstrous debts, the ridiculous amounts of "customer service" people/non medically trained staff not to mention the big mark ups on medicine.

I know a private hospital is a business but you really get the impression that Bamrungrad is obscenely oriented towards the accounts receivable. Listening to the staff talk it always seems that is the uppermost thing on their minds - as if that is how they've been trained. Not hard to imagine that this could have unfortunate consequences.

If you're new to Thailand it might seem a very reassuring place for a foreigner but once you've been here a while and can understand Thai etc. you begin to see through it a bit. Many of the staff are not too nice, almost like Thais in a tourist resort who are jaded with foreigners. Of all the private hospitals in Bangkok I've been to, it is also the one with the longest wait when you turn up without an appointment. Last time I saw a Thai bloke waiting for ages there who was obviously suffering (fever), his girlfriend went up to the counter (politely as they do) to enquire how long it would be and was treated quite disdainfully I thought. Certainly made no attempt to help. Not good enough when you're paying top dollar. I just ended up walking out myself and went to Bangkok Hospital instead.

So personally, if I wanted a serious proper hospital with a longstanding good reputation I would like elsewhere. If cost wasn't important, I would like at Bangkok Hospital. For something a bit cheaper, as mentioned above, I would look at Saint Louis, which is a nonprofit private hospital. Only been there as an outpatient and was very impressed. Just as well organized as Bamrungrad, every step computerized etc., and everyone seemed pleasant and competent. No big frills but no bullshit either. Certainly very reasonable price-wise.

But as said, for anything specialist you've got to look at the doctors as much as the hospitals.

Train is virtually free but painfully slow, probably almost 6 hours starting from Don Muang.

At a rough guess, I think a taxi should go for 2,000 baht or less. I'd be reluctant to pay more than that. May have to bargain/shop around a little though.

I presume the scheme you are referring to is the Social Insurance scheme (Prakan Sangkhom) which allows you to choose from a range of public and PRIVATE hospitals as your designated place for free medical treatment. The list does not include the 5-star hotel private hospitals as you mention but it does include many middle of the road decent enough private hospitals without the carpets, customer service assistants, and to some extent, doctors who speak decent English.

Don't know about Prommitr, but I thought both Camillian and Kluey Nam Thai were PRIVATE hospitals. I think Camillian is a sort of catholic mission place, probably non-profit. Both these places should be fine. You might also consider Petchawej hospital, not on Sukhumvit but pretty close on Petchaburi road just past the end of Ekamai road. I'm registered for prakan sangkhom there and have found it fine for out patient stuff, no experience of in-patient. Don't know how well you speak Thai, if you don't, at a guess I'd say Camillian might be best. Being on Thonglor and a Christian place, probably more chance of Western patients and English speaking staff. Just a guess though.

Can anyone give me a location for a Suzuki CAR agent in Bangkok? My nearest agent has been wiped out by a new Tesco - Lotus

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Think there is one right next to Victory Monument BTS station (taking the exit on Phaya Thai rd.) Next door to a Nissan showroom.

Where is "Markland"?

Maybe I'm the only person who doesn't know.

I'm not an expert on rural property transactions, but my wife does come from Sa Kaew province herself, about 30 km south of Wang Nam Yen.

Firstly, it should not be suprising that prices in Aranya Prathet, given its border/major trading point location, are twice as expensive as the area you are talking about. Actually, I'd have thought it would be more. Wang Nam Yen and the surrounding area is certainly a remote, lesser developed part of Thailand. And I don't think there is any reason for that to change relative to other parts of Thailand either. However, the land is pretty good there, can plant plenty of things successfully including rubber and palm oil. Quite a few dairy/beef farms too. I don't think there is an amphur (district) called Saohai in Sa Kaew province - although there is in Saraburi province! Maybe Saohai is the name of a village or sub-district (tambon)?

I'd think it would be unusual to trade property there, unless it was a commercial-type building right on the main road. Most people would build property themselves on their own land. You almost seem to be talking about it like you were buying a place in the UK or wherever.

Anyway, if you wanted to assess the value of the property you're interested in, a good starting point would be finding out how much it would cost to build such a place new. Land costs are certainly low in villages/rural areas.

Finally, perhaps the biggest thing to pay attention to when purchasing would be the type of land title (as well as verifying that the seller really owned it and hadn't already used it as collatoral in a loan agreement of course). I don't have any specific knowledge in this area, but certainly in this part of Thailand it is an important issue. Certainly, not much in the way of 'chanotes' (full official title deeds), and some land may be restricted in terms of use or ownership transfer.

Unless you are Roman Abramovich and can afford to spend money care-free, I'd suggest you do a ###### of a lot of research. And for this, you'll certainly need to speak/read Thai or have someone you can trust who does.

The Jack Reynolds book is almost impossible to find cheaply-indeed if at all. It is also pretty good. I don't know why White Lotus/Orchid/Asia Books or whatever don't re-issue it. It was re-issued once in 1992 by DK I think..

Yeah I bought the DK edition (new) in early 1998. I'm amazed it is so rare and even valuable now. I wonder if it could be found in Khao San second hand book shops?

For  a retro view on the bar scene try Jack Reynolds "A woman of Bangkok", although I think now out of print.

Absolutely agree, that book is different class to all the present dross. Written in the 1950s I think, quite a fascinating read. Describes a Thailand that is a different world to the present semi-industrial/semi-developed country. Equally fascinating to see how the mindsets, tactics, modus operandi of those in the bar scene has not changed one little bit.

Trying to think of that French expression about "plus ca change"

I've not studied at ABAC but once took a tour around the campus.

The campus is absolutely beautiful, marble floors, flashy staircases, reception rooms in which you could hold a state banquet. It certainly teaches you something about Thai values and culture.

However, while this may impress some Thais from noveau riche families, foreign academics visiting tend to wonder: how can you spend so much on the buildings, decorations etc. instead of on the education - especially the tutors, surely the most important aspect of any genuine education.

And this is the crux of the matter. ABAC pays low wages to its "faculty" and as you would expect gets low quality in return. No top Western professors here, but plenty from India, Phillipines and of course Thailand. Are the tutors native standard in English, I asked. The answer (off the record) was "well, er...Thai English standard". Not suprisingly, they get quite a few complaints about the standard of English of the tutors there...

"the Jazz has some kind of structural bar built in to shield the driver and passenger in the event of a head-on collision."

I'd be interested to hear from people of expertise (I'm certainly not), but personally I'd have thought you needed some kind of "crush zone" for head on collisions i.e. to take the energy out of the impact. You wouldn't want a completely solid structure to transfer all the energy of the crash toward the occupants of the car.

Self-evidently, the crush zone of the Jazz is not very big.

To me, it depends how the car will be used. If it's solely as a sort-of city shopping car, Jazz looks good. If you'll ever be driving out of town, Vios might be better. As said, you wouldn't want any sort of head-on crash in a Jazz and Vios also appears to have higher ground clearance (?).

Interesting that some are saying Jazz had better build quality. I honestly don't know, but I'm sure I remember reading an article (in Bkk Post at the time of the car excise tax changes) where 2nd hand dealers were quoted saying that Jazz did not retain its value well as build quality was low.

With respect, I think it is a crazy idea when you can get a driver with a Camry for what, 1,000 baht plus at the border.

Apart from the likely damage to the car, what are you going to do if on-route you meet some nice Cambodian gentlemen with guns who decide it would be a good idea for you to hand over your vehicle?

I'm sure there is plenty of adventure available in Cambodia even without your Honda Civic.

As a choice of occupation, however, she'll be getting into one of the most over-saturated and cutthroat choices in the Thai labor market.  I personally know 4 different individuals studying to be hairdressers currently, all with farang partners, all with the plan to make some sort of "shop."  I've seen neighborhood streets in the Moban with 3 beauty salons per block.  There are just too many people with too few skills.  If this is just something to keep her occupied and out of your hair, fair enough- if you really want her to have some sort of security, I'd find some other occupation.  Of course, as above, if she already has a huge clientele, that could make the difference.

"Steven"

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I would strongly disagree with this. As an occupation, I think training to work as a beauty salon worker is not a bad option at all for girls with relatively low education e.g. M3 or less. Let's face it, they are a very long way off getting a degree, and you need to have completed M3 just to get a crappy 20b an hour job in the "formal" labor market.

Being a beauty salon worker, a girl will not "ot tai". Beauty salons are ALWAYS looking for workers. They are always having problems with staff working for a month or so, and then leaving to go elsewhere, go home upcountry etc. If a girl can find a decent employer and demonstrates she is reliable, she'll do OK. Salaries are not great but will get better with time and improved skills, plus a few tips too. Certainly won't be getting rich, but in terms of working environment and potential progression it is much better than many of the alternatives (e.g. selling food on the street, low-level factories, prostitution).

As for starting a business, I don't think anyone should consider this until they've worked in the industry for quite a while. Finishing beauty school and then opening a business straight away is a recipe for failure. In terms of set-up cost, as far as I know they're not that much - the basic set up would be in the region of 100,000 baht, obviously more for a grander place. Rents in shophouses are not necessarily that expensive. Where I live around Ekamai, where there are many salons (and many customers), I think they're often in the 5-10K per month range. Even on the main Petchaburi Road (near the karaoke/massage parlours) they're less than 15K.

The main earner for your typical beauty salon is not haircuts. It is washing and drying, often just drying. A steady stream of these from e.g. students/office workers, nighttime workers and the salon will probably do OK. As said, obviously you need to build up your network/clientele. In this regard, the best way is probably to take over an existing business. Good ones might include the "franchise" in an apartment block. If you do a decent job, some of these can be like licenses to print money. Never a huge amount of money mind, but not bad at all for a girl coming from a non-privileged background.

As said, what we are talking of here is China Airlines, the national carrier of Taiwan. Totally different from Air China, the national carrier of the PRC.

It seems that previously, their safety record was very poor in terms of deaths v. no. of flights. More Div. 3 than Premier League. Apparently, in the past, they had problems in their "culture" both management and pilots. Pilots were taken mainly from the military; such pilots are not always the best flyers of civilian aircraft, being used to more "risky" behavior. Korean Air, another airline with a high accident rate, had a similar situation.

Nevertheless, it seems the airline has been very much turned around in the last couple of years with many changes made. Of course, it takes longer to erase a bad reputation than it does to put good safety measures into practice, so now China Airlines is probably a great deal - cheap fares and as safe as anyone. In fact, due to the difficulty of erasing a bad safety reputation, they may well have had to pay more attention to the safety issue than some carriers with good reps. Cathay seem to have had a few minor mishaps recently...

If you are going to Grand Palace and other attractions near the river and are staying near the skytrain, then you can take the skytrain to Saphan Taksin (end of the Silom line) which adjoins to Sathorn Riverbus pier. Then take the riverbus up to the Grand Palace at Chang pier. Pretty quick, cheap and above all a great way to see Bangkok. Beats a tour or taxi any day. Also shouldn't get lost as there are plenty of other foreign tourists doing the same thing.

On the subject of taxis, even some of the pleasant, honest taxi drivers may be reluctant to go to the Grand Palace on the meter from such as the Sukhumvit area. It is quite a long way, and with all the traffic jams, one-way streets etc., at many times of the day, it may just not be worth it for them.

The major bank to AVOID is Krung Thai. They are useless. Don't think they pay interest to aliens either.

If it looks sleazy and low class look away. So what?? Get over yourself! Go live in Surrey where every aspect is pleasing and only man is vile........

The fact that any 'respectable' Thai man prefers his pros behind closed doors and behind his wife's back dosn't mean the rest of the world share his hipocrisy.

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It has been explained many times by many people but you don't seem to understand.

It is not a question of getting over oneself and going to live in Surrey. It is a case of discretion in everyone's best interest and ADAPTING to how things are done locally. Then those who want a bit of nightlife can have it, and those that don't want it or wish to pretend that it doesn't exist are not required to notice it. Makes sense dunnit?

Of course there is "hypocrisy" in Thailand, as everywhere else. But if you can't adapt to this, then perhaps you should be back in Surrey. It's not for you to come here and sneer at the "hypocrisy" of some "respectable" Thais while you sit in a ramshackle girlie bar on the corner of a main intersection in a major commercial district.

Personally, Asoke Plaza had little effect on me either way. But to reiterate, the trouble is the more Asoke Plazas you have drawing attention to themselves, the more trouble you might create for the better, more discreet areas like Nana or Soi Cowboy.

For example, Mr. Dep. Interior Minister might be sat in his motorcade waiting at Asoke for 15 minutes waiting for the red light to change , he sees all these girls accosting passers by at Asoke Plaza and he's on the phone to Thonglor police chief saying what the f*** are you doing with all this going on on your turf. Said police chief then has to make a show of putting things right, and before you know it everywhere is being hassled, closed down etc.

Then you could end up with nowhere for your beer and a "bit of company"

If a person practices discretion people then say what are they hiding.  The open bars on a major intersection surprised me but then you could look and see it wasn't wild debauchery. 

In my opinion, in Thailand, and probably in the Far East generally, if a person practices discretion people will tend to leave it be and think it is that person's own private matter.

Certainly there was no wild debauchery, but it just looked a bit sleazy and low class, just the sort of thing that would make many Thais feel uncomfortable. To them, I expect wild debauchery discreetly held behind closed doors would be preferable!

Why all this advice about using atm.  Isn't there a fee or 2 every time you withdraw from an oversea account. 

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Not always. For example (as covered on this forum), with Nationwide BS from the Uk, there is no withdrawal fee at all at Thai ATMs. They also take nothing on the exchange rate. Saves about 4% in total against normal credit/bank cards. If you can get sterling travelling cheques for no fee, that will also be a good deal - Thai banks give a good rate of exchange, although there is a small fee for cashing the cheques. Exchange rate with Nationwide bank is slightly better than rate for cashing TCs with Thai banks.

Access by car is relatively good compared to other condo sites. I drove  at around 5 pm one Friday, and it is not bad, since I used shortcut and avoided driving on Sukhumvit road. There are two entrances: 1. on Sukhumvit and Soi 13 Sukhumvit (via Petchburi and Nana)

From apartment:

1. Endure a short traffic jam from Soi 13 to Asoke, either turn left to Petchburi

   direction or right to Queen Sirikit Convention, both traffic are relatively free flow

   to freeway entrance.

2. Avoid Soi-13-to-Asoke journey, and go via Soi 13 to Petchburi instead.

To apartment:

1. Avoid travelling from Asoke to Sukhumvit due to very bad traffic jam, instead

    use Petchburi and turn to Nana and travel into Soi 11 or Soi 13 Sukhumvit

    directly into the Condo complex.

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From apartment

1. No way is Asoke (going in Petchaburi direction) relatively traffic fee. And where is the "freeway" entrance?

2. Forgive my ignorance if I'm wrong, but you couldn't get to Petchaburi from the apartment via Nana (soi 3) as that is a one-way street. So you'd be left with Asoke or driving up to near Chidlom in the opposite direction.

Also, as a general point, at many parts of the day, many sections of Petchaburi Road have serious traffic jams.

Maybe, possibly, this place does have better access compared to "other condo sites" but I assume by this you mean other condo sites on Sukhumvit. They are pretty much all going to be a nightmare traffic-wise and if people really do buy and move into all these places it is only going to get much worse...

Finally, are you really thinking of buying the place or trying to sell it?

I agree that many people would just stop for a beer. It was more the impression of the girls hanging outside, calling people in to these slummy looking places. I've nothing against them really, it just all looked a bit tawdry.

It's not a case of being "hidden away", just that showing a bit of discretion and consideration for local sensibilities is best for all concerned. Up-market brothels on Rachada are not exactly hidden away, but they look smart and don't have rough looking girls outside them trying to drag passers by in.

Point I'd really like to make is that places like Asoke Plaza and Sukhumvit Square, by being so bloody blatent and drawing the attention of "respectable" or "powerful" people, they could actually do a disservice to the main places like Nana and Cowboy, which were previously discreet enough not to attract too much attention.

Overpriced.

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Not a bad sales pitch, but 85K per sq.m. for the 6th floor (where you won't have a great view) is still very expensive. 50K would be more like it.

I love the sales pitch on the lack of balconies. There are some good points but surely it's a bit much to be designing luxury condos with a view to preventing people from topping themselves. I am also wondering whether residents at Athenee Residence will be hanging out clothes on a 200 baht Tesco-Lotus clothes hanger on their 120K per sq.m. balconies.

Suprised me how much of the spiel was dedicated to the balconies but access and the traffic situation there didn't get a single mention. I wonder why? Do people well-heeled enough to buy a 100k/sq.m. condo wish to go absolutely everywhere by skytrain or walking?