terry74

How do you define "worlclass", I do not think I want to be "worldclass" and the most expensive city to live in, look at Singapore "worlclass" so expensive place to live in also so much control that it has become so boring and restrictive

Singapore has no flavour no culture .

I think Thailand should be promoted as Worldclass Amazing Thailand

For improvements I think the following should be done:-

More Sports facilities stadiums and swimming pools

More Trees, and Greenery, along the roads and everywhere to provide more shade and oxygen in the city, landscaping the city will be better

More Parks for cycling , roller blading

Libraries for the Public, have not seen any of these in Sukumvit area

better THeme parks , like Disneyland, Dreamworld needs to learn alot from the other theme parks

More water worlds theme parks

the MRT or the BTS should be extended to other areas, so less traffic congestion, however the bus services are so cheap, people will not take the MRT/BTS

More Signs in English for th Tourist, especially outside bangkok and some areas in BKK do not have proper signs , signage is also confusing, Pathaya, or pattaya, Jajuchat of Chachuchat confusing for the Tourise like different place but the same

Improvments to the roads with pot holes in them

More information on the BTS/MRT to promote the use on how to get the Chatchu chat using the BTS, must have more brouchures

many buildings need a coat of paint only, why is it too costly for a new cost of paint

I think the term worldclass is not relevant and we should not follow and be trapped with this, thinking out of the box, Amazing Thailand as a exciting place to live in will be better, Mystic, surprising, Diversity,

People done want to see posh concrete building,without culture, so the old should be maintained

Ha, hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   First Class my foot.  Thailand still has to graduate to third class and then to second class.  I would say Bangkok and Thailand are about a good 50 years behind the grand scale.  In order to be First Class they have to match USA ---> style for style, living for living, earnings for earnings, economy for economy, construction for construction, infrustructure for infrustructure and military for military, and polictics for polictics.

See my point.   Until that day that they can match the USA Standards completely, then they will be first class.    

Daveyo

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Don't hold your breath Dave

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I told him directly that I just wanna be friends with him. But he never stop botherring me everyday. And my good friend also got botherred by him everyday. Too annoying like a Thai mosquito. I think what I can do is to ignore all his sms and calls. Hope he will stop soon.

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I think maybe you are not sending the right signal to him

I HAD a Thai GF , whom wanted only to be friends, however wanted me to do many things for her and remaind friends is this possible

example call her and bring her out every saturday and Sunday

Send her relatives home on Sunday or pay Taxi fare for her relatives

Call her every day

Confusing , there is a thin line from Friendship to GF

So I think in time he should fade away, however friendships take time to develope and in Thailand you need alot of patience for friendship

if you dont have patience I think you better leave Thailand

There are many "serviced apartments" available at daily, weekly and monthly rates, including small kitchens.

Do a google search "bangkok serviced apartments."

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Yes there are many service apartments in Bangkok I stayed in one costing about 600baht per day, however you may be able to get it for about 5000 to 8000 baht per month with cable TV, fridge hot water and air con

I think the phrase Amazing Thailand really fits

i was driving back from the beach and hit a nail , had to go to the side and change my tire

It was dark about 10 PM

Despite getting all the nuts out the tire was still stuck as bolts were rusty and stuck to the tire

My car was parked in a dangerous spot and there were many dangerous drivers using the curb to overtake, we were waving them away

We called the poilice for assistance however due to theri heavy workload they were slow to repond and were taking a long time

Luckily another driver stopped by with his Honda CRV and helped us, he used the spray WD 40 to loosen the rust and take out the tire

I would like to thank him for his kind effort, he is a boss of a travel agent and I wish him well

There are still many kind hearted people around and this was a pleasent experience for me, also everybody was cool and calm during this incident,

After fixing the tire we were about to drive off when the Police finally arrived, they were delayed due to the many incidences during teh Singklan period

I am looking for sales staff for engineering product and services, however you need to know how to speak Thai, this is important, as most of the customers will require you to explain the product in Thai and english

So please learn Thai language

I have some friends in the food buiz and they will do a calculation , a simple calculation example

if you invest X dollars in the bar/food outlet

recovery should be within 18 months or less etc , not sure

also you must study the traffic in the area, location, location is important

then estimate how much you can sell per day

or if it an existign outlet you already know the income per day

then minus wages, material cost, labour , rental, eletrical wnad water bills etc

that is your profit

minus the rainy days, sundays, holidays, schools holidays etc

that is an idea of how to calculate if you can make it or not

Basically human traffic is very important for food outlets

Hi

My friend is married to a Thai lady and has stayed in Thailand for 20 yrs and he sends his kids to Singapore and they stay with relatives in Singapore, the education system there is english speaking and you dont need to send to international school

It is also cheaper as all schools in Singapore are english speaking and the standrards are very high

However accomodation, a guardian will be needed if you have relatives in Singapore that will be ok

A plane ticket from BKK to Singapore is only abt less than 5,000 baht and 2 hours away only

Just an idea only, may not work for you, the teens are a delicate age and to uproot and send them to another country the stress is very great

This is interesting, I think Thailand is a good place to retire, however first you must find out what you want and your lifestyle

The air around some areas is not good, so if i wanted to retire in Thailand I would try the mountains like changrai, chengmai, or the seaside like Rayong area

The weather can be hot and dry so good for people who have arthiritis and dont like the cold

Suggest that you stay for a few months before deciding to retire in Thailand, as it may not suit everybody

i am planning a retirement village for people from overseas if you are interested you could come stay, however it is still on the drawing board and there is still alot of work I need to do, I plan to make it affordable for people to stay and the target people will be above 55, it will be tailored to suit expats

Hello Duck

I think you should look at the classifieds in the Singaproe papers, my firend is workig here as an Assistant Manager, salary abt $3k and 50K baht allowance, however this is a job posting from Singapore to Thailand.

It will not be easy to get job from the classified here ,as there are alot of oversea postings in the classifieds in Singapore.

Most Singapoeans workign here are either their own buiz or factory managers for Singapore companies

I have been here for 1 year now and this is my experience doing buisiness in Thailand

For the Girls , 100% of them are after the money, Thai Girls are heavily in debt some of them spend for the future , the 5 girls that were my friends all from the KTV , Massage, University, all aafter the money, however I do meet some decent girls, however you must choose carefully and test them, not easy to find a good one

Buisiness , I am still bleeding , in the red, although there are signs of recovery in sight, my firends buisiness here (been here for 10 yrs already) is booming, however mine is not doing well

Focussing, and decipline , dedication will bring the buisienss up

my advise LEARN THE LANGUAGE, THE THINGS THEY SAY BEHIND YOU BACK IS ASTONISHING, AND MUST KNOW THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

My thai buddy did a translation for me while the ladies were speaking in Isaan and they said, this person has alot of money and must order alot of food and find ways to get money from him , he did not know my friend knew the Isaan language

Like they say never get a Thai lady from the Bars, KTV lounges and Massage parlours as they are likely to gvie you problems, take your time to choose the girl of your dreams, there are many nice girls in BKK, however you must know where to look for them

Having said that care to meet for a drink, and perhaps we can compare notes and do some networking

I'm moving to Bangkok in 2 weeks time and I have no idea how to find a flat. Could anyone give me some advise as I feel a bit lost surfing the internet. I need to find somewhere quickly, as I start work on Nov 1st!

Any advise?

Louise

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Hi

I have been in BKK for abt 1 yr already depending what you want

Do you need a/c, fully furnished

I rented an apartment in BKk for 3,000baht to 5,000 baht with fridge , a/c, bed and furniture and there are 2 bedrooms , shower, hot water, and UBC included

surfign the net is not useful as the cheaper ones are not on the internet, you must ask your friends and personnal go to the apratment

My friends stay at Ratchada for abt 5,000 baht per month, good location and fully furnished with air conditioning etc

You will need to get some thai friends to help you look, however it depends on where you want to stay, furnished? UBC etc

if you need any help you can email me at [email protected]

I am not a property agent , with my limited knowledge i could help, I am also not Thai, however if you look around yourself you may find a cheap apartment

I am a university student in BKK. I'm majoring in English and minoring in Chinese.

I just finished final exams, and now im on holidays. Its 3 months long but i have to take a summer course.

By the way, i still have some free time. I would like to do a part-time job that i can use English as it is my major.

Anyone can suggest me?

Thanks.

PS: I DONT WANT A DIRTY JOB.

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I am looking for a sales staff, my sales staff just resigned about 1 week ago, I cannot speak thai so I need an english speaking staff , until I can find a permanent staff, if you can fill the position for 3 months Ok , call me at 019078281 for interview at Rangsit

I have been in Thailand for about a year and only can speak basic Thai language, I need to urgently to speak commercial Thai Language to specak to customers, anyone can recemmond any schools or personal tutors in Bangkok

thanks in advance

Gentlemen,

I am new to the Forum and new to Thailand.  A year ago, almost to the day, I met a Thai girl on the internet.  Needless to say, I fell in love.  Over an hour a day with the web-cam and over an hour a night on the phone lead me to Thailand in October and again over Christmas.

I've spent six weeks with her family, who are wonderful.  The girl is perfect, but you guys know that already, right?  Her parents are both teachers and speak basic English ... read "basic".  She, "Ae" (not her real nickname) studies Business English at a Uni in Isaan.  Her English is good enough to speak with my parents and brother.  My family chats with her on line occasionally.  I would say that things have been progressing well.  Ae will be visiting me in Australia next month and staying until the end of May.

I'm sure that I will ask her to marry me.  Yes, I'm hooked on her charm, beauty and love.  We can't get enough of each other and I stay up too late every night chatting to Ae on the phone.

Now!  The problem is this, cost of the wedding.  Ae is from a small town.  Everyone in the town knows her, her family, and me.  But I know nothing about Thai wedding customs.  I've bought a book called Culture Shock Thailand, but it is not very useful.  Ae's mother has put forward a proposition which both Ae and I consider outrageous.  Frankly, it would be cheaper to marry in Australia and we are considering it.  However, I love the family and Ae would still like a traditional style wedding.  I'd like to offer that to her. 

So, I have some questions that I hope can be answered by you experienced farang expats to set my mind at ease:

1.  What would you consider to be a fair dowry for a Uni graduate who's parents are primary school teachers in rural thailand?

2.  Is the dowry something that is negotiable?

3.  Ae's mother claims that she will give most of the dowry back to us after the wedding.  Have any of you had a similar experience in this regard?  Why is a little bell ringing in the deep, dark, recesses of my mind?

4.  What are the typical costs associated with a country wedding ... in Isaan?

5.  What would happen if I put my foot down and set the limit that I would pay ... non-negotiable?  Would love conquer all?

6.  Why does everything have to be "Thai Style"?  Don't westerners have a culture?  Has anyone tried to go 50/50 .... I believe it's called ha-sip ha-sip?  What would happen if I insisted on some of the western traditions?

7.  Shouldn't they consider that I do all the travelling, and will have to pay for Ae to come to Oz, and future trips, phone bills and the like?  Doesn't this enter into the equation at all?

A bit about me:  38, fit, professional with my own business, house and car.  Never planned to meet a Thai girl ... it just happened.  Not supporting Ae financially, except for when she arrives her for three months.  Married before.  Divorced 5 years ago.

A bit about Ae:  calls me everyday.  21, vivacous Uni student.  Always wanted to marry a farang and would like to live in Oz.  Has no assets.  Her parents have their house, a farm, about a dozen cows, pigs, chickens, the manditory Hi-Lux, 3 motorbikes and pay for Ae's Uni fees and dorm.

Ae is annoyed about her mother's proposition and hasn't spoken to her mother for over a week.  Her mother is normally on line to chat with me ... but not this week.  Ae's current position is that her mother always thinks about herself and never thinks about Ae.  She thinks the dowry is too much (so do I) and is frightened that the issue is going to end the relationship.  It won't.  I'm not a rich man, but I can afford what they are asking.  The question is SHOULD I pay?

Gentlemen, I fear my ship is sailing too close to the wind and am in need of a good pilot on this one.  Any input or advice would be most welcome either here or via email.

Thanks

Virg'

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Gentlemen,

I am new to the Forum and new to Thailand.  A year ago, almost to the day, I met a Thai girl on the internet.  Needless to say, I fell in love.  Over an hour a day with the web-cam and over an hour a night on the phone lead me to Thailand in October and again over Christmas.

I've spent six weeks with her family, who are wonderful.  The girl is perfect, but you guys know that already, right?  Her parents are both teachers and speak basic English ... read "basic".  She, "Ae" (not her real nickname) studies Business English at a Uni in Isaan.  Her English is good enough to speak with my parents and brother.  My family chats with her on line occasionally.  I would say that things have been progressing well.  Ae will be visiting me in Australia next month and staying until the end of May.

I'm sure that I will ask her to marry me.  Yes, I'm hooked on her charm, beauty and love.  We can't get enough of each other and I stay up too late every night chatting to Ae on the phone.

Now!  The problem is this, cost of the wedding.  Ae is from a small town.  Everyone in the town knows her, her family, and me.  But I know nothing about Thai wedding customs.  I've bought a book called Culture Shock Thailand, but it is not very useful.  Ae's mother has put forward a proposition which both Ae and I consider outrageous.  Frankly, it would be cheaper to marry in Australia and we are considering it.  However, I love the family and Ae would still like a traditional style wedding.  I'd like to offer that to her. 

So, I have some questions that I hope can be answered by you experienced farang expats to set my mind at ease:

1.  What would you consider to be a fair dowry for a Uni graduate who's parents are primary school teachers in rural thailand?

2.  Is the dowry something that is negotiable?

3.  Ae's mother claims that she will give most of the dowry back to us after the wedding.  Have any of you had a similar experience in this regard?  Why is a little bell ringing in the deep, dark, recesses of my mind?

4.  What are the typical costs associated with a country wedding ... in Isaan?

5.  What would happen if I put my foot down and set the limit that I would pay ... non-negotiable?  Would love conquer all?

6.  Why does everything have to be "Thai Style"?  Don't westerners have a culture?  Has anyone tried to go 50/50 .... I believe it's called ha-sip ha-sip?  What would happen if I insisted on some of the western traditions?

7.  Shouldn't they consider that I do all the travelling, and will have to pay for Ae to come to Oz, and future trips, phone bills and the like?  Doesn't this enter into the equation at all?

A bit about me:  38, fit, professional with my own business, house and car.  Never planned to meet a Thai girl ... it just happened.  Not supporting Ae financially, except for when she arrives her for three months.  Married before.  Divorced 5 years ago.

A bit about Ae:  calls me everyday.  21, vivacous Uni student.  Always wanted to marry a farang and would like to live in Oz.  Has no assets.  Her parents have their house, a farm, about a dozen cows, pigs, chickens, the manditory Hi-Lux, 3 motorbikes and pay for Ae's Uni fees and dorm.

Ae is annoyed about her mother's proposition and hasn't spoken to her mother for over a week.  Her mother is normally on line to chat with me ... but not this week.  Ae's current position is that her mother always thinks about herself and never thinks about Ae.  She thinks the dowry is too much (so do I) and is frightened that the issue is going to end the relationship.  It won't.  I'm not a rich man, but I can afford what they are asking.  The question is SHOULD I pay?

Gentlemen, I fear my ship is sailing too close to the wind and am in need of a good pilot on this one.  Any input or advice would be most welcome either here or via email.

Thanks

Virg'

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Dear Forum Members 

I am a non-Thai, interested to start a Trade company in Thailand. I plan it to mainly focus on Export of Thai agricultural products to Europe and other markets.

Unlike many types of businesses opened by foreigners in Thailand, I understood that there is no legal requirement for me to have a Thai partner, if the business engages in "Export". Does anyone know if this is indeed true? To clarify, I do not intend to open a "Thai Company" but a foreign company which will operate in Thailand.

I would also be gratefull if anyone can share his/her experience and tell me about other restrictions or about the procedure I should follow to set up the company/registration/taxation...

Thanks a lot,

Gal

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Hi everybody

I am looking for an apartment at Sri Racha , understand this location is expensive,

anyone can help, really appreciate it

thanks in advance

There are many things I like about Thailand , however here are some things I dont like

People think that Farangs are a Goldmine to be tapped

Hot weather sometimes too hot

Dogs attacking people and Thai people are too kind to kill them , the shit all over the place and attack people, some are on a muzzle, there are about 500,000 dogs in bangkok,I love dogs, however something has to be done abt hygience

Traffice Jams unpredictable

The Few Farangs here in the news that give the impression that all Farang like them

The internet too slow (broad band not available yet in some places)

Cable TV too expensive ( satellite disk very good)

Infra structure for cable TV not ready

Roads have too many holes in them, however improvements are still being made, somone should be appointed to fill up all the holes in the roads

The streets need to be cleaned up , too much rubbish and dirty

Having said all the above comments, I believe in time these will be soon a thing of the past, as I can see some steps taken to address these problems , howver it will take time, money and effort

yes I am going on 29th , what do u need to look for

please email me

Solar panels are too expensive, however if you want o use them there is the cheap solar light for the Garden and corridor, also saving energy use the air conditioning to make hot water form teh condenser unit, that will reduce the cost of the water heater electricity

There are devices that use the heat exchanger at the air con condernser unit to convert the heat of condenser to heat up the water, thereby you get free hot water

however your air con system needs to be on while using the water heater, or simply use a hot water storage device

I think the biggest traffic problems are

People driving without learning highway code and without a driving licence

(drivers are not trained and discipline enough)

Design of the roads and poor, dont know who designed the roads here

U turns can be on the right and left , no standards, even for people who have been driving here for yrs dont know where is the U turn

Also U turns can be so far away, wasteing petrol 5 km away for U turn

My suggestion is to install a tank, so it will fill up at night when the water pressure is better, and install a pumpset with a hydropneumatic vessel after the tank

The pumpset will operate on pressure switch

Low water pressure in Thailand is common

cheers

I bought a China mad camera costing abt 5000 baht and foudn that when I take pictures and move the camera is goes fuzzy

specs abt 2 MP, CMOS and NOT CCD,

Later I bought another camera a FUJI 2MP good for only 5000baht takes good pictures however is CMOS, Made in China, but a good camera to use if u want to take pictures of buldings etc

Place I bought it is in Singapore, however the same camera can be found in Zeer Rangsit for the same price

There is a price difference for cameras CMOS and CCD, CCD is more expensive

However seems some of the unbranded ones are not so reliable, made in China

FUJI is also made in china , however maybe there is quality control

2 MP is good enough for me to take photos of sites etc

There is also a flash card, and can also do movies for a few minutes

I think this camera is value for money

cheers

The International schools are charging a "bomb" for education in the english language for all subjects abt 300,000 per term correct me if I am wrong

If you can find a partner and open a school to tech all subjects in the english language there will be demand

I met this Thai lady and she is sending her children to schools in Singapore due to lessons conducted in english in Singapore , however she will retire in Thailand.

If you can run a school with cheaper fees using Asian Singapore english language teachers or get a retired Principal to run one, I am sure you will get alot of customers

I have friends that are finding the education system here too expensive (if taught in english)

I could be wrong, any one got any comments

A UPS will not help you especially the cheaper ones without the Isolation transformers, a surge supressor may help, best way disconnect the line during the lightning .

There is this surge supressor that u can fit on your phone socket, that will help if the surge comes through the phone line

Also ensure the computer is earthed, use the 3 pin sockets and wire it up, make sure it is connected