en184

He deserves the worst possible punishment thailand can give him. He is an utter disgrace. Hope he rots in jail filled with cockroaches.

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Update..

I went to the AGM of the Metro Jomtien Condotel, as owner.

Here is what I found. There are 4 main categories of owners at Metro Jomtien.

1) Bangkok based thai and chinese business men and thier families. They only visit at weekends, and not every weekend. These are a wealthy bunch, on the whole

2) retired foreigners, who live here full time ( a minority of owners)

3) Metro CAT owns some rooms for rental business

4) foreigners, who dont live here all the time, perhaps only a few weeks per year.

The metro cat, has done a good job managing the project at low cost, and low maintenance fee. The money minded chinese owners, also seem tolike this low maintenance fee.

But the low cost, tight fisted attitude of these owners is somewhat contradictory to the fulltime retirees, who would like more money to be spent, (since they use the facilities all year round). By increasing expenditure on services by all co owners, this small group of retirees would benefit most.

Personally, I think the executive committee, led by the Metro Cat, are pretty good. They developed the building after all. But the management company employed. IRM management is appalling. They have had 4 managers in 2 years.

Things have been improving. The pool was retiled,with new filters installed. The tennis courts will be redone. But, at some point soon, money will need to be spent, to upgrade the infrastructure and installations, such as pipes, the cable tv system, etc. Obvioulsy, the service charge will have to rise to cover these costs.

You can buy a condo but you cant stay there full time.

AMAZING THAILAND.

I can go to United States, without the need of a Visa, since im from a european country. I can buy a condo, invest in business. Does it give me any right to stay there full time?????

yes, even a thai making a 200,000 USD (7m bhat) investment in the USA can get an investor visa.

The Treaty Investor Visa permits citizens of certain countries to reside in the United States through an investment in the U.S.A. The investor must come to manage or oversee the investment.

The Treaty Trader visa is the same as the Treaty Investor visa except that it involves qualifying trade between the US and the treaty country. Instead of investing the qualifying activity is import/export of goods or services.

One may invest in virtually anything or trade in virtually anything. While some under $200,000 investments are approved, its safe to say that the investment capital and reserves should total at least $200,000 and the applicant must be prepared to demonstrate that the business will employ at least 3 - 4 persons. Minimum annual trade should be at least $500,000.

The investment funds and the applicant both must come from the same Treaty Country. 50% or more of the U.S. investment must be owned by citizens of the Treaty Country.

I heard there was a new investment visa with a minimum of 10m bhat?

If I had 5m invested in a thai brokerage account, and a condo worth 5m, would this be sufficient for an investment visa?

I can suggest Dexia Bank in Luxembourg. You can make online transfers anywhere in the world including to thailand within 2-3 days, and hold multi currency accounts and securities on many different exchanges.

www.dexia.lu

It might be adviseable to actually visit Luxembourg to open the account.

For a list of banks in Luxembourg, you can look at www.bank.lu

Banking secrecy is very strict in Luxembourg. I know people lost thier job for breaching it.

As long as any "tax" goes to AOT to help boost thier bottom line, as a shareholder, I am all infavor.

At least they got a home, land, and food on the table. Some got cars too.Not what I would call poor. Maybe cash poor, but not poor.

How many people back in Europe/US do not have thier own home ? Quite alot, me thinks.

So, whose poor?

Open a thai brokerage account, and buy some of shares. I like RATCH and EGCOMP.

A good broker is seamico.

Schiphol, zurich and munich are good.

City airport in London is not bad. I did not have to remove my laptop from its case there.

Suvarnabhumi makes me feel like I am in a futuristic place. I think it is a great airport and near to pattaya. Thumbs up for Suvarnabhumi, even though I miss Don Muang. It had a sentimental attachment.

Immigration queue too long at Changi, it is actually quicker to pass immigration at Suvarnabhumi.

After spending a year in SG coming home was auful, especially since I had lost my contract and girlfriend, but that was in 2002. I was shivering, cold all the time, crying, spent half the day in bed, suffered depression, went to see a doctor for some anti depressants, etc... To make matters worse, the ex girlfriend, kept demanding money, (while seeing another man at the same time (thai girls, in my experience, jump ship at the first sign of economic weakness of a partner).

But that was then.. Luckily, I set a plan in motion to turn things arround.

Now, I go to Thailand 2 or 3x per year, I have a newgirlfriend, a biggish condo in pattaya, and I make alot more money than when I was in Singapore. So, I dont dread coming back any more, but it is still depressing and lonely.

I realise, there are good and bad points about the UK / Europs and asia. Not everything in TH/SG is good. For example, a work or residence permit is dependant either on your job, or your investments or whatever. But, when the job or the money stops, you residence permit is withdrawn, and you may be forced to leave the country. In SG, if your contract ends, you got 2 weeks to leave. Also, it is very easy to invest money into thailand, not allways so easy to get it out (offcourse, you probably would not want to take it out, as it would be more fun to spend it in pattaya). And, remember, it is not possible to buy a freehold house in thailand. When things dont go well, there is no where to turn for help in South east asia. Your on your own.

In the UK or Europe, it is relatively easy to make alot of money, if you are well skilled. If the money is invested wisely, can provide a steady stream of rental cheques or dividends, which you can later use to retire in Thailand.

Try to get a bank account in a neutral, tax freeplace, where they are used to expats.

A bank account in Guernsey, Jersey or Isle of man would be better, as they are used to dealing with expats. The UK highstreet banks seem backward when it comes to making international payments.

I would reccomend also opening an account in Luxembourg or Switzerland, for your international payments.

You should also look at maximising the return on your money, while there, so, investing in stocks. I can suggest opening a brokerage account both in thailand and one abroad. for example, seamico.com, interactivebrokers, boom.com offer a good service.

Consider also a plan, if you lose your job, or your work permit. Consider income from stock dividends, rental income, etc.

One thing I would say. I made a similar choice to you (both) 10 years ago. At the time I closed my UK bank account down (thought I wouldn't need it again). However, after hearing our current PM speak one or two times, and realizing he may well be re-elected, I decided to (re-)open a UK bank account [in case I needed to run]. This process has taken me close to 6 months to complete - which has included two visits to the British embassy in Bangkok.

I would STRONGLY advise that you do not close your UK bank accounts down, under any circumstances. I would also advise you keep them active. It is a MAJOR pain in the ar*e trying to comply with the UK's very strict money laundering laws from Thailand.

But that's just my 2c worth.

SM

It is never easy to live off assets alone. I think you would need about 500,000 pounds invested in good dividend stocks and rental property to live in pattaya. In addition, it would probably increase your chances if you own a business in pattaya, which provides some kind of income. Areas I was thinking of include - renovation business, bar, chemist, coffee shop in central location, moneylenders,..

The problem with fixed income, is that the principal and income fall with inflation (since the money is not reinvested), so you still need to work after some years.

The risk is suicide, as returning to the UK or whereever is difficult once you been in pattaya for a while.

You also need to sort out the visa issue, which probably requires an investor visa (ie: 10m bhat invested in thailand).

So, johnson36, do you have kids (if so how old are they?) and how old are you?

Will 150,000 pounds be your total assets if you sell your home?

What line of work are you in?

I think more info will help with responses.

Im 36 yrs old. My wife is 25 yrs. I dont have any kids yet and im not planning to have any in the next 5 years or so. Yes 150k would be my only asset at the moment ! Which is why I would want to invest it to get maximum interest with no risk. 6.61% or 6.56% monthly interest 1 or 2 year bonds sound good for most of the money, probably 120k and the rest in a instant access internet account with around 6.3% interest.

By the way am only looking to rent a very modest house / bungalow with 1 or 2 bedrooms and 30 minutes or so out of town.

I am not looking to rent a millionares pad like most of you probably own.

By the way some of you talk unless someone has several properties rented out + 1 million £'s / 2 million US dollars in the bank and a monthly income in the hundreds of 1000's bahts then its not possible to live anywhere else in the world other than the place you were born.

I would like to come more to pattaya. I have 2 small issues.

1) getting time of work

2) getting a direct flight..at easter i had to fly over bahrain and oman to get to pattaya. Prices on direct flights where very high.

3) hiding my flights to thailand from other people. people might find it strange to go 2 or 3 x per year from europe.. i cant let the office know.

4) Pattaya has changed a bit. Before the girls used to not let go of you. Now, they seem to disappear first thing in the morning, and one even turned me down for another customer. (i am 30, not bad looking and pay more well, i am not cheap charlie).

I recently bought a 120m garden corner penthouse unit at Metro, for a bargain price. I am currently renovating, and it is taking longer and costing more than i expected, but what project does not go over time and over budget? The unit had many problems to solve, caused by the old owners lack of care and attention.

The price you are quoting seems a little high, but it is 36th floor.

I am also owner at view talay 2. I have to admit, Metro is very quiet, and I can hear the sea in the distance, (when there are waves). It is nice to wake up to that sound, and not the sounds in a larger condo like view talay.

The air is also very clean, and it is nice to step out of the door onto the beach.

The price to pay is convenience. Not as convenient as view talay to get to south pattaya.

Still I think the move was worth it, and will be good longer term.

Thanks all you guys who provided input. It seems all of you agree that it is a quiet place. I currently have a condo in VT2 (busy) and quiet is actually what I'm looking for. So in that regard the Metro seems a good bet. It's distant, true, but I suppose that's the price you have to pay for the quietude.

The maintenance fee of 11000b a year is stiff but I've seen the normally cheap VT's creeping up there as well. VT5 is 7200b year and I believe VT6 and VT8 will cost even more.

The unit I've been looking at is a one bed on 36:th floor, 110 Sq.m. refurbished and very fresh, 8.5 million b.

Again thanks for all the comments, highly appreciated

Cheers

for an economy in crisis, there sure is alot of building activity going on.

In pattaya there is a waiting list for good contractors for renovation work.

There is even a 100 storey beach front residential tower being built.

The new airport seems pretty full to me.

And new roads and rail links are being built.

Crisis - what crisis?

Hi,

I have also recently removed all the wood from my beach front condo in Jomtien, pattaya. I have put granite in place of carpet and skirting board. I have changed all exterior doors to metal or glass as a precaution. Interior doors will now be non wood.

The skirting board was completely demolished. This, in my view, the previous owner did not take care of the condo, and using cheap materials for some parts of the condo.

Dont expect to much from the building management. It is really the individual responsibility to ensure that the inside of his condo is termite free, and preferably free from wood,especially if it is on a low floor or in a low rise development.

I have since found out from other owners that termites are nuissance in the building.

If you have questions, feel free tocontact me.

Matthew

Hi,

I've recently bought a condo, and a contractor who visited it to refurbish told me that my parquet is infested by termites (discoloration, small holes, and hollow sound in too many places), and that it was the case as well in other condos of this building he has worked on.

So I'll remove the parquet and install tiles, but I guess the place has to be treated if I don't want my furnitures to be eaten.

Is this supposed to be the building management responsability (that would be logical as many condos are infected), or does each owner have to take care of it by himself, if he wants to?

What are the treatments available in a building?

Once your have had a thai girl friend for 3 months, there is NO going back to farang women.

Hi,

I am a bit biased, since I have just accepted a 6 month contract in the UK. Even after tax, the UK still pays well.

If I was to move to south east asia, singapore is best, and would have most opportunities for someone like you.

Thailand is a tough market to operate in, with alot of low cost operators.

I have seen many farang lose all because of a thai women (myself included).

I have a few points to make:

1) The UK is a safe, stable country with a temperate climate, (not to hot, not to cold), a stable government, an excellent education system, with a strong currency, good economic growth, and manages to provide a reasonable living standard for most of its population. It is also a land of opportunity. Immigrants from asia often risk thier life to come to britain, hiding in trucks, claiming to be refugees, etc. Why leave such a country.

2) I assume the reason you have 200k is because you sold your house. How much are you really saving per year... 10K?

3) You spend more than the average brit earns in a year on travel. You might have a speding problem..

4) Expats worldwide send thier kids to school in the UK. In SIngapore, a UK education is deemed very prestigous. The uk has many famous boarding schools. Why do asian fdamilies save for many years to send thier kids to the uk to be educated?

5) You could easily afford to briing your thai wife over to britain. Why would her family object. Most thai women would jump at the opportunity to mov to england with a guy earning in excess of 7m bhat per year.

6) you should be investing to develop an income from dividends and rent. Why not buy your wife a small business, and see how much it makes.

7) if you already spend several months a year in thailand, why change your jet set life style. Buy some property in phuket, and enjoy your time with your wife. '

8) I assume you are some sort of IT contractor or project manager? Your skills can very quickly disappear if you do not use them. Protect your earnings and stay in the UK.

WWW.SAXOBANK.COM

You can speculate on thaibhat using futures.

Work in ENgland.

Save enough pounds to buy a good business in thailand. (about 30,000 gbp). Then buy a great business with good cash flow and live happily ever after..

No great secret to it..

Flights to Bangkok from Europe are expensive and hard to get.

I was quoted 1000 Euros return to bangkok for christmas, waiting list price. Thought long and hard about it, but decided, that 48000 bhat was alot of money to spend on a flight. Used to pAY 500 EUROS (WHEN THE EURO WAS 38 BHAT)

Some one is travelling. Airfares have been jacked up big time, plus economic recession in europe during 2003 means people simply got less disposable income coming in.

THIS SITUATION REALLY SUCKS..

I use seamico too. I highly reccomend them..

Why bother opening a bar.. There are so many differnt types of businesses to chose from.

Personally, I think a large hair dressing salon in a good location would make good money. Perhaps a couple of internet cafes too.

Otherwise, you can consider investig on the SET and collecting the dividends.

Bars can be profitable, if they are well managed, in a good location. I once metan Irish bar owner in bangkok that was making serious money and a gogo bar owner in pattaya.

Beer bar, i think forget it..

As for selling your house in UK, don't do it...