khunPer

22 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

correct, reminds me of the inheritor of the Red Bull conglomerate who killed the cop a couple years ago and has been on the run ever since....Thai protection of the so called chinese descendants high class

That was the question, how the Red Bull heir could show up in Australia...????

19 hours ago, ChouDoufu said:

some have been asking why mutual funds held in a thai bank are not accepted as proof of funds.  consensus is that you need to show available, immediately accessible funds.  getting cash after selling mutual funds takes time.

Mutual funds, i.e. a so-called "Fund Book", was accepted by (some) immigration offices before, but as mutual funds are an invest that include a risk, the balance might decrease; i.e. your 800,000 baht might not be 800,000 baht worth at all time. About a decade ago they stopped accepting mutual funds as proof of deposit for extension of stay (I talk from experience).

Selling a mutual fund can take from one bank day, and up to five or six bank days (which exclude week-ends and holidays) before money from sales show up in a savings account, depending of the mutual fund. Some Bangkok Bank funds in bonds and money market will pay next day, that was the kind I could use for retirement deposit until about a decade ago.

????

And if service is included in the price, you don't think (too much) about tips or not...

Some restaurants and resorts just show their prices without service charge and v.a.t. – makes dishes look 15 percent or thereabout more affordable – but they still pay a salary to their staff, just like the ones that include staff expenses and v.a.t. in the menu-card price; same-same, but different.

If you feel you got a good service, leave some tips with the bill, or in the tip box, the staff will be happy for even little extra.

Tip box, or tips left with the bill, are normally distributed between the staff, so also the ones in the kitchen, dish washers etc., which you don't see, get a share; and sometimes the owner also has a cut from tips, that's how it works, and don't think too much about it.

If you wish a certain waiter/waitress to have the tip, put it directly in his/her hand.

If you don't wish to pay extra tip at all, simply don't – but even small tips generate a nice smile and happy staff, and they might even remember you when you come next time – some times it's amazing what 20 baht or relative similar, depending of the size of the bill, can do...????

14 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Why hasn't his passport been cancelled?

Rich people might have more than one passport, relative cheap to legally buy one from certain states.

Would it be fair if escaping from an accident equals a punishment like one for intoxicated driving..?

4 hours ago, wilcopops said:

There are of course AQI indices for Samui.

https://air-quality.com/place/thailand/ko-samui/746adcef?lang=en&standard=aqi_us

 

The last few days have been very hazy, people are blaming burning in Northern Thailand, but depending on the winds either at ground level or higher it might be from Indonesia.

You can follow the haze situation here at "Regional Haze Situation".
 

Back in October 2015 we had haze-problems a few days on Samui due to oil-plantagen forest fires on Sumatra in Indonesia, cause by wind direction; the visibility from my point was about 2.5 kilometer over sea (Maenam Bay)...

–and this is how it looked a few days later...

Normally we don't have any serious haze problems here, unclear weather is mainly due to moist.

10 hours ago, ianezy0 said:

I am debating whether or not to place 800k in a fixed deposit (FD) as proof of funds for my retirement extension.

As long as you can withdraw, you can place the funds in a fixed deposit for higher interest. Most banks will let you make withdrawals against loss of interest.

I've been using fixed terms – either 12-month, or special high-interest promotion offers ranging from 7 to 15 month – and I never had any questions about that. I've kept the full 800k in the account(s) all year, as they main concern is (or was) the seasoning of the money. I'm using a different normal savings account for daily transaction and foreign transfers, and I'm including that account in my bank statement, and show the bank book, to prove that I have savings income/retirement income to cover my living costs (i.e. not working).

????

Edit: Pt. I'm using Bangkok Bank (for a number of years) giving 1.5% p.a. interest (before 15% withholding tax).

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

would it really make a difference to how one's vote if he had a wee drink before? only in this country the impose this silly restrictions on polling day...

Yes, the reason for the alcohol ban is to prevent vote-buying, as before some politicians, would held parties the night before the voting day, expecting the guest to vote for the party-host...????

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The restriction is imposed to prevent electoral fraud such as vote buying or bribery. It is believed that canvassers usually try to bribe voters in different ways, including throwing parties the night before the poll, to attract votes.

Thanks, with that information the alcohol ban makes sense and is more understandable for us foreigners...

On 3/13/2019 at 6:06 AM, zappalot said:

So now, do I have to work more and steal the work from fellow Thai staff in order to stay legal when I apply for the extension of my work permit next year?

To my knowledge, from what has been posted in TVF, there are no minimum salary for a WP, its for extension of stay only, and variate depending of nationality, list here.

Its mainly a question of paying income tax, so just pay withholding tax – and social security, which is wise, at it covers health also – of 50k baht, even your paid salary might be less (re. the penalty mentioned above). The income tax og 50k baht is a few thousand baht a month, read more about Thai income tax here.

21 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

Probably would have stood a better chance if two of the buffalo's had been driving the truck with 16 men in the back!

With the Thai expression of "kwai", its quite likely that is was exactly as you say...
–However, more seriously an indeed sad incident for both species.

11 hours ago, Regmitch said:

Well I have a work permit for my school. I know it is specific to my school but.... 

I was so looking into goring an association, but that also seems like a complex process and should be non profit. 

 

There must be a way to open and run a club without the hassle of registering a company

In the school, not outside; if not specific "prescribed by the Cabinet" under the law-change you quoted for foreigners that "occasionally enter Thailand", which seems not to include long term, or permanent living, teachers on WP.

54 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

Can someone please answer how westerners can teach yoga here long-term ?

Establish a company limited within the rules for that; if married to a Thai then a partnership, which is less strict than a company limited, and only require two Thai employees, where the spouse can be one of them; being employed as yoga teacher, for example by a spa resort that offers yoga sessions for their guests.

????

20 hours ago, sofreshnsocleanclean said:

I'll also mention, I talked about selling my house in Germany in a few years to buy one in Thailand and start a business (not with her, just in general). She told me she didn't think I should sell my house..... if she wanted to use me for money, wouldn't she have been ALLL OVER THAT shit??

I know a number of Thai bar-owner ladies at Samui, ranging from golds diggers that got a foreign ex husband to pay for the bar, to pure business ladies that finds a beer bars with girls as a better income than for example a fashion shop.

A lady having a bar, or three, could of course also look for a date, or a handsome man, or a boyfriend/husband.

All the bar-owner ladies I know have different stories, so one cannot generalize among bar owners, but probably just like dating any other Thai lady active in running a business that require lots of attention. I know numerous ladies with a business having, or looking for, a handsome foreign partner (foreigners can be highly valued, and I not talking about elder "rich" men).

If you already have in mind to move to Thailand next winter – eventually Samui..? – then just take it easy, keep contact, and let the relationship develop in a natural way, like you would do with any normal date. However, you have the cultural gap between the Western life-style, and the Thai-way-of-thinking, so the best advise I can give you is to, as soon as possible, get hand of the book "Thailand Fever", which will give you a better understanding of a relationship with a Thai, vice versa. The book is also available in German Language. You can read more about Thailand Fever here. You can buy the book online from for example Amazon.

Before you finally decide a move to Thailand, you should both check carefully potential places of interest in the Kingdom, for example Samui, and your possibilities of staying there; like what do you intend to live of, and what kind of visa you can have, like a visa for business/work permit, or for example Thailand Elite Card. Its not easy for a foreigner to legally buy a house (and land) in Thailand, but not impossible either; however need really careful planning, and thinking over the financial aspects and risk.

Your "red flag" might just be a conversation to explain about a busy present situation, or it could be a carefully planned genuine red flag; the latter you'll know if asked about "helping a little bit", and then it might be time to think.

If you can afford it, and have time for it, take that trip back to Samui in two month time, and find out if there seem to be serious mutual interest in a relationship, so much easier in "real life" than via network...????

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

9 hours ago, Elizway said:

Oh really? She does have a valid Thai ID.

 

So if she were to enter Thailand on this Thai embassy issued certificate of identity, would it be obligatory for her to get a the Thai passport in Thailand? What if she didn't get it? What document does she use at immigration exiting?

If she got a CI from the embassy and used it enter she would have to get a Thai passport to leave the country. If she had enough time (about 4 weeks) she could get a new passport for traveling as well.

I will be easy for her to get a new passport here. There are offices to apply for it at in  all regions in the country and it normally takes less than a week new one that is sent to her by express mail.

Some Thai passport offices can even make a passport same day for a relative modest official surcharge (I think its 1,000 baht) if you show up early...????

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The initial treatment is set to cost him at least 1 million baht. He has the money to pay but two Go Fund Me appeals were stated in his name.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"I sold my small business in the UK and am waiting on selling properties in Spain".

I Think, that a "Go Fund Me" in a case where there are money enough is a pity for those that really needs help from Go Fund Me, because Go Fund Me will loose interest when misused by those that don't really need it...????

17 hours ago, fra107 said:

I talked about it with a Thai friend, and she said it's absolutely normal and an honor for a kid to work and help his or her parents in the family business. 

I would like to know more about it. 

As your Thai friend said, it's absolutely normal, and an honor for a kid to work and help his or her parents in the family business...????

Thailand is (still) a different culture from the West; I often say you can compare to what it was like "at home" about 70-years ago – apart from mobile phones and social media – at that time it was also normal that small kids were helping in mum and dad's business, or farm. Same-same, and not so different...????

What is not "normal" is small kids selling flowers, and other stuff, at late night in tourists areas, or kids used by beggars. However, often the flower-selling kids are not Thai, but organized imported migrants. Please, never buy flowers, or other stuff, from kids at night.

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

normally a sin sot (man pays dowry to brides family) is also required.

Only if the guy is mug enough to pay it. Sensible guys give it for show and get it back after.

That's Thai custom and they will often say that as he is marrying a Thai should abide by Thai custom. The response to that is to say that it's western custom for bride's father to pay for wedding, and as she is marrying a western man should abide by western custom. I think any such statement would put the sin sod demand to rest.

...in Thailand?
So if a Thai lady marry a Western man in Farang-land, the Western man would pay sin sod, because that is Thai tradition..?

Alternatively, there is at the moment a younger Okay-looking durian-girl with a 10-million baht dowry available...????

18 hours ago, Greatwhite7 said:

Are there any fields/ovals close by on which I can run that are grass?

Not really.

Agree with @PoorSucker, run barefoot on the beach. That is what many runners does, and some of the beaches are quite perfect for that, especially in the morning or evening when not too hot in direct sun. I meet many bare-feet runners daily, when I walk a couple of kilometers bare-feet on the beach; I however would not walk, or run, bare-feet on grass in Thailand.

If you have pair of running shows, there's supposed to be a fine path along Chaweng Lake, almost all way around it.

By the way, be aware of dogs, some of them don't appreciate running folks.

????

It's fair enough to demand proof of being self-supported from foreigners that are not under any international refuge convention; many, if not most, countries do similar, and some are even harder than Thailand, and compared to foreign women in Thailand much harder in some European countries.

And in reply to the OP-question:

Does your Thai wife support your long-term stay in Thailand to support your family?

If a Thai GF for 15 years can equal a wife – which she normally can after Thai tradition – then YES, my lovely GF would do anything she could for me remain in LoS, also financially...????

3 hours ago, HLover said:

Only sleep?

Up to you...

33 minutes ago, scotinsiam said:

Will this number work on the next lottery or have I missed my chance already??????

I'm afraid you are too late, all "981" tickets has already gone – at least where I buy my mine...????

13 hours ago, AntipodeanThai said:

She is Islamic , 40,  had a relationship before.

13 hours ago, AntipodeanThai said:

Under Thai Law and customs whats...

There might be other than Thai Law and customs, when a relationship is with an Islamic person.

Thai Law you can register a marriage at the district office (amphor), need some documents like authorized translation of passport, and both parts should verify that they are not married, yours a document from your embassy and authorized translated to Thai.

Thai customs (almost 95 percent of the nations population are Buddhists); when you sleep together you are considered as husband and wife; a village marriage ceremony, and party, has more importance than any official registration of a marriage; normally a sin sot (man pays dowry to brides family) is also required.

There might also be tax-rules and like to consider when retire inside EU, both benefits and the opposite...???? 

The problem is not plastic bags, the problem is (some of) the users of plastic bags.