khunPer

2 hours ago, Henryford said:

Thanks Khun Per those taxi fares are extortionate. You can get a taxi from Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya for 1000 baht and that's over 100 kms.

Not at all "extortionate", the prices I quoted are actually the local bargain taxi-fares, the sign from Nathon pier/port below shows the real turists prices (the sign was real enough) – around the island is 53 kilometers on the Ring Road – bring $, US-currency users seems to have slightly benefits...

Apart from the new bus-service (se above post) running on the hour during daytime, and early evening, you have the options of a song thaew between 6am and 6pm for a reasonable fee, from about 20-40 baht to around 120 baht depending of distance; there is supposed to be a price list in the bed op the pick-up car, but best to always agree a price first.

At night-time, after 6pm song thaews drive like taxis, but without a meter, so you need to agree the price before you enter.

Taxi-prices, both song thaews, and metered cabs, can be relative high, and metered cabs – so-called "Taxi-Meter" – often won't drive with their meter turned on. Expect prices from 200 baht – for a short ride, or just around the corner – and around 500 baht to 600 baht for some distance, like from Laimai to Chaweng Beach. From a pier/port you should count around 1,000 baht (+/-) to Lamai for a taxi-ride, but you might be able to use a minibus, or shared song thaew, service instead, depending of which pier/port you arrive.

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22 hours ago, Jaray said:

Therefore they cannot apply for Permanent Residency (I believe).

What about these options...

Quote

• You must have had a Thai non-immigrant visa for at least three years prior to the submission of your application. Holders of multiple NON-Immigrant visas can not apply. You must have 3 consecutive yearly extensions in order to qualify.
• You must be a holder of a non-immigrant visa at the time of submitting your application.
• You must be able to meet one of these categories to apply for PR status in Thailand:
  • Investment category (minimum 3 – 10 Mil. Baht investment in Thailand)
  • Working/ Business category
  • Support a family or Humanity Reasons category: In this category, you must have a relationship with a Thai citizen or an alien who already posses a residence permit as a husband or wife; father or mother; or a guardian of a Thai child under 20 years of age.
  • Expert / academic category
  • Other categories as determined by Thai Immigration

Read more "Thai Permanent Residency".

21 hours ago, mrblonde said:

Ideally we'd like somewhere with great nightlife and a city/town where we can get by with our limited Thai, but also somewhere quiet enough to enjoy the garden.

Phuket or Koh Samui sound like options to check, the latter especially when you bring your partner, as it has more of a party-nightlife, than beer bars.

Both islands – however Phuket got a bridge to the mainland – are mainly like one community, or large town, however with different local districts with each their charm.

Both islands got affordable bungalows and villas for rent – also with walking distance to beach and shopping – good shopping facilities, and also peaceful quiet areas; however, they are nowhere near the "hustle and bustle of BKK and Pattaya", especially Samui.

Try to visit both – and other potential places – and check them out in real-life, before you settle in one place for long time...????

7 hours ago, ukrules said:

Why have the Swedish people suddenly started robbing people?

 

This didn't happen until recently.

Sweden and its population has changed recently, due to immigration politics; Swedes is not anymore what it once was...????

19 hours ago, webfact said:

This is available for $1,000 a month compared to nearly $3,000 in Thailand and $10,000 back at home in Atlanta, the family told Thaivisa. 

Saving $2,000 a month, or 66.6%, I presume that could be the main explanation...????

11 hours ago, DingDongLing said:

Anyone buy online?  Are there high fees? 

I sometimes buy from Amazon – last two orders for a book and a DVD arrived this month – I was quoted an all inclusive price, and didn't pay extra.

Years back I would pay little duty and v.a.t. when ordering stuff from Amazon, or another foreign Internet supplier, but depending of size of parcel, and price.

Thai's Lazada is a good alternative to check for online orders, and they quote all inclusive prices. I've used them a number of times, and been satisfied with both products and service.

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2 hours ago, parallaxtech said:

Are the police just being paid off or is there anything I can do?

Local Thais at Samui says about suspect business – hotel, rental, whatever – that one should report it to "the soldiers"; that seems also to be what the news story said...????

Quote

The arrest was made after police, Army troops and district officials jointly checked luxury villas on top of a mountain in Ban Bang Por in Tambon Mae Nam on May 14. The raid followed complaints by operators of legal hotels on the vacation island that some foreign businessmen were providing illegal accommodation on the island.

4 hours ago, PETERHOF said:

As proof of the 800k bank deposit, it seems that they accept a bank letter of statement that is valid for 7 days...But do they require too an update of the bank book on the day of the extension application ?

 

Thank you...

I normally have my bank letter done a day or two before I apply for extension of stay, and the update of bank book(s) at same time. Never had a problem, so presume a week, i.e. within the validity for the bank letter, is also accepted.

What they require from bank book is photo copies of the past three month – same as the statement required from the bank – to proof that the balance has not been under the required amount (800k when retirement application).

I always bring the original bank book(s) in case they want to check, but during the last years they only want bank-letter and photocopies. I think in "old time", when Immigration Office still was in Nathon, they checked my original bank books a few times.

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Any ideas?
You could invite your local neighbors to a BBQ-party...????

6 hours ago, geoffbezoz said:

But the problem is if you are 84 , accompanied by your 24 year old wife and having 3 children with you under 4 years old together with  your 20 year old Mia Noi, would they still let you all together go through the VIP channel I wonder ? ????

Certainly – or some same-same but different line – when legally married, you should then allowed to use the line for Thai nationals only, which is normally (much) faster than a normal tourist-line; I will check the VIP-line next time I come to Don Mueang (not often, mainly Suwearnabhumi), and see if I'm allowed to bring both GF, and MN, and kid through it...????

On 5/26/2019 at 11:02 AM, Wooden Horse said:

There seems to have been a very effective attempt keep everything concerning his ‘reign’ out of the public eye and there has been little, if any, discussion or questions asked.

According to my sources it had something to do with a well know internationally news story, however became a subject that cannot be mentioned further or discussed here, due to forum rules.

4 hours ago, Hal65 said:

Yes I am American, maybe that is a good option too then

Okay, sorry I didn't see that before.

You can establish a company limited under the Thailand-US Amity Treaty, you can read more about registration here.

1 hour ago, Classic Ray said:

Like so many vehicles in Thailand, that truck looks seriously overloaded. Even if his brakes were working 100%, they probably would have been unable to stop the truck in time.

Interesting point of view...????

20 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Chairit, 52, was behind the wheel of the sugar truck. He said he was 200 meters from the intersection when he started to brake - but they wouldn't work. 

200 meters, I wonder why gear change never seems to be used to brake a Thai vehicle with brake failure, or is that impossible to use the gear for that in a truck?

2 hours ago, A2K63 said:

Yes my grammar is pretty good I think. And yeah that's an option. I understand the pay isn't great but I don't need to earn a lot, just enough to live comfortably considering I have a lot of savings.

Being over 50 years, and with the IT-career you posted, a teacher job might be a possibility, when also having some level of savings.

A teacher is paid from around 35 k baht a month, or more, depending of school and teaching qualifications. Not a lot, but barely any income tax, and still enough for an Okay plain life, and the savings could add up for more pleasant life-style and fun.

Having a Work Permit you will be eligible to join the Thai "Social Security" – even schools are exempt from mandatory Social Security – and you will be covered by the health care system at government hospitals, which in certain areas can be quite all-right (it is, where I live). The main benefit is, that when your active work life end, you can continue to voluntary pay a relative small monthly fee, and thereby continue the health care, which might eliminate a costly health insurance.

Your other alternative to stay long-term in Thailand when over 50-years old is a so-called "retirement visa", which is a non-immigrant "O" visa, on which stays can be extended for 1 year at time on basis of retirement. That will (in your case) require a cash bank deposit of 800 k baht, which could be a fixed account for best interest. There are several threads in the various forums here with more detailed information.

Some expats do online work for foreign companies under the radar, so additional income from what you call "earn money online" is possible. Also that field has been widely discussed in various forum threads; the main conclusion seem to be "foreign clients" and "under the radar".

As other posters has mentioned, there might be other places on interest to stay than Bangkok, and there are numerous schools outside Bangkok.

Starting a Thai company limited requires two partners, and at least one of them Thai, and that the Thai partner(s) own 51 % of the shares (you mentioned Australia, but if you are US citizen, there would be different possibilities under an amity agreement). You'll need a fully paid shareholder capital of 2 million baht, and 4 Thai employees, to obtain one foreign Work Permit. Some has been successful (I know some); a few extremely successful (I know of a few); but presumable most are just surviving, or ended up closing their company after some time. Think more than twice, before you consider establishing, or buying, a Thai company limited, and risk a couple of million baht, or more...

Staying here might be a better way to research, or search, for job or work possibilities. If something comes up, and you have the needed documentation in place, you can always take a trip abroad, and change your visa to a non-immigrant "B" (I'm not sure of one can change to that visa domestic), and extend your stay based on Work Permit.

I settled here at age 56, with a decision of not working in Thailand, so I stay as retired. I still has a small operation running abroad, a company limited that I own in my home country, which don't require much attention from me, and a friend at "home" can take care of the rest. I'm also shareholder in a Thai company limited, which my GF takes care of as managing director (so I got a little bit of experience about a company here). 10-years after I came I have a small government retirement pension as income, otherwise I was, and I am, living of savings. Depending of life-style, you can still live relative cheap in Thailand – relative can be anything from a teacher's salary, plus a little extra, or way sky-rocking up – however, falling in love with one (or several) of the native beauties might be  additional costs.

????

Quote

But when you factor in that 74% of those deaths are people on motorcycles, often also drunk and not wearing a helmet, it’s not as bad as the numbers suggest, if you’re not in the high-risk categories.

Not a myth, it fits perfectly to many, if not a majority, of young, or younger, foreigners driving motorbikes where I live...

I never drink beer, but I buy Singha – and if sold out Leo – and stock it for my guests. They seem to prefer Singha, as most of them orders that when out; anyway, my guests – both farangs and native – have no problem with drinking free Singha, or free Leo, so I voted "Singha"... ????

7 minutes ago, henry15 said:

In your specific case. If the land  is smaller than 1 Rai. You can obtain full ownership. Meaning, you don't have to sell the land after 1 year.

Can you please specify?

Seems like its not only farang men that deposit their brains...

10 hours ago, madmen said:

You guys have links to super cheap housing? When I search air bnb for 10k I get not a single listing

The good offers you most likely won't find on Airbnb, you'll find them locally by looking after signs, posters on pin boards and like, or just asking the locals; plenty of available possibilities at fine locations – for example a few hundred meters from beach, some places even less than 100 meter; walking distance of less than a few hundred meters to restaurants, shops and 24/7 convenient stores – from around 8,000 baht and up.

You can use Internet booking for short term, or for having a place to stay the first few weeks, while checking potential areas and prices. Its by the way so much better so see the neighborhood in real time, and feel the atmosphere, than looking photo-shopped images on the web...????

10,000 homeless people out of a population of 68 million (2016 estimate).

In my native home country Denmark, there are 6,600 homeless people according to the 2017 count, but we are in total only 5.8 million in population; furthermore its utterly cold during half of the year, especially when its freezing winter.

Looking at the bright side of life, it not that utterly cold in Thailand.

Thailand is the the "less missrable country in the World", according to Bloomberg L.P. – Denmark is number 3 in overall rank of most happy people in the World – if recalculated by population Thailand should have more than 100,000 homeless, more precise circa 117,000.

Either there is something wrong the the Thai count, or people in Thailand in general are much better off, than the Danish population...????