chrisandsu

4 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I agree.

A real man of 40 years old should have some financial resources.  Not leech off a hard working Thai girl. 

 

In fairness though why should a 40 year old Thai girl leach off a 65 year old farang guy with nothing more then a government pension after a lifetime of work ? Both parasites in my book . 

6 hours ago, Catkiwi said:

And you thought that everyone needed to know this...what a bloody hero albeit, evidently such a reluctant and humble hero. 

I think he might be waiting for you to ask him for his sterling advise and he will happily gamble your money . 

45 minutes ago, Leaver said:

 

I commented some time ago that Pattaya will look a lot different post covid. 

 

When repeat tourists eventually get back to Thailand, the establishments they frequented so many times in the past may have closed for good, or moved to another location. 

 

Buildings that were for hospitality, may change to retail, like this example.

 

Many of the first tourists coming back will be wandering around lost.  

 

 

I think you could be underestimating the next wave of green tourists that will step off the plane smell the tropics and be desired for the first time in their lives . The right here and now is bad times but as soon as the restrictions are lifted it will be like a stampede . Over the years we have seen thousands of guys come and lose everything only to be replaced by the next dreamer . It will continue to happen I have no doubt . 

10 minutes ago, 473geo said:

We get by with my wife being the home maker, 15 years now, she has no need to go out to work, I prefer she is at home caring for the children, she 'works' way harder than the wives you speak of who have no children, right now she is schooling at home teaching kids in the wider family to read and write, she runs the farm, I would have it no other way. Being a miserable pessimist, or somebody who feels unless a wife is out working life is not normal, is not my way of conducting life. I am proud of the fact that I can take care of my wife, I enjoy doing so.

Sure there are those who marry in haste, there are everywhere in the world, just as there are relationships that don't work out, most likely because people had fixed and pre-concieved ideas of what a marriage should entail.

I'm just lucky I guess, I don't need to 'own' half a house, saves my wife going out to earn the legal fees for a usufruct - right?

As has already been discussed numerous times on here a usufruct is useless when you are married . And even more useless when you live on the in-laws farm . Where I live 2 incomes are the norm ,stay at home mums are a thing of the past but I guess you could do that cheaply living in the boonies .although  She’s still in the same position as without your money she is not independent . If that works for you guys fair play to you , but I’d rather my wife could stand on her own two feet and keep building generational wealth without me if something was to happen . I guess no two stories are the same 

7 hours ago, 473geo said:

Agree I paid for modest house for my wife and children, my wife had it built, within the budget, she consulted with me but managed all.

Never been into possessions, nothing I buy in Thailand is 'mine', never troubled me, never will

My wife and I have bought all of our houses and land together with both of us working and the money going into the same pot . All of it in the end will go to our kids . Why can’t normal relationships work like this ? I get the argument for your kids security but what about the guys who have no kids other then some step children ? I have met many guys who have uprooted from their home country leaving their own flesh and blood and taking all the inheritance and plonking it in a strangers name and expecting it to work out . It’s mental at best .

25 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I presented you with a fact backed by a reference, not with an opinion.

You are of course free to ignore it and continue to believe your usufruct is worth anything.

But maybe other people here would like to be informed about such facts before being taken out.

He’s too busy listening to legal advise that was most likely a degree that was bought . 

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

If, as you say, she’s destitute, its unlikely she’ll qualify for a mortgage...   

 

 

I think you missed the point . If she can’t afford her own mortgage with you having to front the money to buy a house then she is as good as a backwater rice grower . I would absolutely never buy a house for cash and put it in someone else’s name . Only a fool would do that . No matter what her social status is . 

On 1/14/2021 at 4:15 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Why wouldn’t the family be in an area where there is good education for kids ?

 

This wouldn’t be making the assumption that every girl who marries a foreigner comes from some backwater deep in the countryside, would it?

 

 

Plenty of families come from Bangkok where there are excellent international schools. 

Chiang Mai and Phuket also have good international schools. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are having to front all the money then yes she is most likely destitute and doesn’t have much to offer . Get her to get a mortgage in her name and you front the payments . If she has a job that shouldn’t be a problem surely ? 

3 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Buyer’s market...I know a Pattaya condo that sold for 3M baht in December 2019 and is selling for 1M baht in January 2021. [Yes...66% less in one Covid year's time.] (It sold new for about 5.5M in 2010.)  Yeah, I'd say it's a buyers market.

Where is it ? I haven’t seen any prices fold like they should be . 

12 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

It does depend on where you are. I found that each year I had new ideas for  things to sell and even though business was down last year before covid profits were up because we thought of new things to sell and became better at selling.  I was pretty sure I could have close to doubled my profits this year with new products and doing things a bit different from my competition  but Covid came. Fortunately we have a friendly landlord. I found alcohol is the hardest things to profit from because of the intlitial cost to purchase and it is bulky. Even filling the fridge each day is a pain. Profit is high on food as the initial cost is low, bike hire, ticket sales are good. I could make 60000 b per year from a motorbike that cost me 15000b. If you are just going to buy a bar and put your wife there as mamasan and let the girls sit looking at their phones and play loud doof music to a clientele who are in their 50's + I guess you are destined to fail. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If you are proactive and give people a different experience you would have a greater chance of success which applies to any business wherever you are, Pattaya included.

I agree with all that . The problem I have always seen with businesses here is the laziness . This is why the Chinese-Thais do so well as their work ethic is way better then the Thais . So hiring decent staff is hugely difficult . Which is a reason why I wouldn’t invest here unless I could do most of the work myself .  I wish you the best of luck with your business mate . It’s going to be a rough year for all of us 

1 minute ago, Wongkitlo said:

Maybe you should say  Pattaya not Thailand. Until Covid my wife and I lived quite easily for 2 years from her guesthouse on one of the islands including overseas trips each year. 

I think he means bars . There is no profit in bars or at least significant enough to make a living . I know a few foreigners who have done quite well from businesses in Thailand and started with very little . Granted they are few and far between though . You have to sell on while it’s doing well or it will be copied and undercut as soon as others see it being a success which is a shame . 

3 hours ago, swissie said:

I am a "monger", and very proud of it.

Everybody has his own "back to Pattaya" strategy, I guess. For me: As soon as the quarantaine thing is history, I will look for a flight. (Already got my first vaccination). Other remaining entry obstacles I would be willing to cope with.
- Over the last 23 years, I have known Pattaya only as turbo "funky-town". The thought, to experience Pattaya "depleted" (for a change), I find interesting. To be added as another "life-experience".
Although I am confident, that even a "depleted" Pattaya still offers more entertainment than my home-town in the middle of Europe in the best of times.
-----------
Also: The re-start of Pattaya will take less time than most people think. "Market-Forces" will react quickly, as soon a viable "light at the end of the tunnel" becomes visible.
The world (including Thailand) is awash with financial liquidity. Someones loss of today, will be someones gain tomorrow. Unfortunately, the "gainers" will most likely be the already well capitalised members of society, not the small retailers in Pattaya, that can not re-finance their business, scraping "the bottom of the barrel" already.

Totally agree with this . My end of the scale (the so called family friendly destination)  will be hit harder then any other market . We only get a certain amount of holidays usually 3-4 weeks if anyone thinks we are going to spend any of that time in quarantine then they are crazy . 

The banks have no urgency as they don’t have to pay property taxes like they do in the west . If they were paying $700 a month just in taxes you would see the banks selling quick time . 

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Yep, and then quotes an asking price of THB 1,490,000 which for the sake of splitting hairs we will assume is for the sale of the 'business' i.e. the fixtures and fittings etc.

Will be about timing . Once the border opens the desperate few will swamp Pattaya . Grab a buyer in this time and you can do well . Miss out and you are screwed. 

5 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Few of them use it as a visa provider being the ''manager''

for many it's also a way to keep tilak\gf\wife busy being the

mamasan, at least it's in line with their skills and past job

Yes . The same as the Indian restaurants . Just a front,  the real money is being made elsewhere . 

26 minutes ago, mvdf said:

Wow. I should start a loan service. Such ginormous interest x countless other customers taking out loans can make one incredibly rich.

 

On second thought, 30 years seems forever.  

Don’t forget the banks are getting the money from the government at close to 0%. If you lent money at the rates banks do you would be considered a loan shark . 

The big question is are the prices for condos dropping right now ? The first thing to tumble during a recession is condos . If you are not seeing prices dropping in a big way I’d wait . This recession is going to hit everyone of us and it’s coming in the next year so be prepared guys . 

When I bought my house 12 years ago for $285k at 5% interest the mortgage calculator worked out I would pay back $750k over 30 years . It’s a bitter pill to swallow . Not sure why her mortgage went up ? A variable interest rate maybe ? Or took another loan out on the property ? 

I remember the days when we celebrated when a 7-11 came to town . International airport :  decent road links - improving rail links , we are being spoiled . 

Is there an issue with buying property in your own country and leaving it to her ? What’s the obsession with buying it in Thailand ? 

17 minutes ago, polpott said:

All of my favourite bars have stayed open. Not one bar that I have visited multiple times has closed. What I have noticed is that some of my regular bars have become much raunchier. I don't know if that's due to competition for customers, easing off of supervision by police or what but it gets my vote.

Yep my old pal says the same thing . Been in Thailand and patts 30 years and this is the best he’s known it ! but then again I doubt he’s noticing the BG s are getting older and more haggard as he’s not getting any younger himself . 

On 11/13/2020 at 11:12 PM, ExpatOilWorker said:

BAM is in Thai only, as far as I can see.

 

They just changed the price of the 900K unit to 1,188,000 baht. Business must be good!

 

https://www.bam.co.th/propertydetail/3616

High season price ????