KNJ

IDP can be isssued by any country as long as they have signed up to the international treaty on them.

It is only valid in countries signed up to the treaty and NOT in the country which issued it.

It is also only valid when supported with a licence which has signed applicable treaty.

You can apply online, and get one for up to 10 years all perfecctly legitimate.

Most countries have a limit for the time which you can drive in that country on a IDP and suitable foreign licence, That duration varies country by country

Buy a bicycle and take the coast road, doable in 5-6 weeks no problem

Everything is bought in, when the stock is finished that is it for the day normally

http://www.pacificdentalbangkok.com/map.html

These are good, if somewhat a little expensive, work is first class used them for years

Nothing but good service from HSBC for me, whether channel islands, UK, Thailand, Japn, only place I did not like their service was Indonesia.

Good range of services, large portfollio of their own and other companies products.

Wealth managers who are not trying to stuff a product which does not meet your risk spread.

Exchange rates are not best, but multi currency accounts are good, and easy to set specific transfer limits.

Free transfers internationally with internet bank.

Why so much mistrust and decry, I have been with them years and apart from Indonesia ( must close that one down ) never had a problem

is it possible t buy a house in Bali and does it go for same price as in Thailand, like 2 million bth small house

what about condos in Bali,i could not find anything there, only small houses and hotels

Bali is also not so strict with visa

and ubud is jut amazing

You cannot legally own land in Bali or anywhere else in Indonesia. You can rent the land for up to 70 years. Anyone who tells you differently is either a liar or an idiot. The only bigger idiots are the people who believe it.

You cannot outright own a condominium likewise 70 year lease only ( in two parts )

The exception to this is if you have an Indonesian spouse AND a pre-nup

To answer the earlier question about a visa for a bank in Indonesia. officially yes, you need, but there are banks that are willing to allow you to open an account

Yes also the money will be taxed.

Regarding visa there are several types. Tourist, SOSBUD ( 6 months at a time, ) Retirement ( VITAS ) but getting a visa to work, a KITAS is difficult. Work without this visa, and it can all go horribly pear-shaped

Price of land is cheapest in the north of the island, try one island over to Lombok if you want even cheaper and are not after a huge nightlife scene

There is a Japanese brand of unsweetened mayo that is not expensive and tastes good to me. Maybe someone knows the name of the brand?

Kewpie

They have 1/2 calorie and 1/4 calorie versions as well for the health conscious

Masheer are extremely rare in Thailand, have not heard of one being caught recently, would be great to be told I am wrong. Your best bet is India, but it don't come cheap and even there you need to trek to the best spots and take a guide. You will also need substantial equipment, pound per pound they say the strongest fighting freshwater fish.

Some great trout fishing too in the north of India.

If you want to go game fishing with proper boat, suitable gear and a decent Capt and crew go to Similan islands, but ideally 3-4 days minimum ( it takes a day to reach there from Rawai/Phuket ) expect to pay in teh order 18 000 a day.

That is your best bet for true sports fishing.

Second choice if you have your own gear, which I doubt by what your father has caught go to Rompkin in Malaysia where there are still lots of Sailfish, and you can rent a local boat to take you out.

Guarantee, now way, that is why it is called "fishing and not catching"

Currently in Bangladesh ( trying to top up the bank accounts ) for a year.

The wife and I are always interested. Similans several times, Andaman islands once ( I here Uwe on "Hooker " njust left and has full bookings for the next two months. ) How was teh Burma Banks, and how and who did you organise that with?

Maybe time to think of Indonesia, you can get 10.25% and up to 120 kUSD is guaranteed by government.

Currency is stable against the dollar and Euro ( in fact very much better than it was 2 years ago )

I like the one a friend gave me many years ago " My other car is a Porsche as well" very appropriate........ well at least till I divorced the first wife and then it was history

go to koikichi dot com.

Easy to make lots of mistakes, better to research and get it right first time, this is a good website

Bits of misleading advice given here, .If a creditor manages to get a County Court Judgement, out of juristiction, then you cannot just sent a pound, the court will decide the level of payment.Everyone seems to be in agreement that it's best to talk to the creditor, and I agree that the sensible thing to do, though it is important to advise them, in writing, of your current address.

Not misleading, If they are going to take you to court, they will tell you and you will be given a date for the court appearance, Before that appearance send just one pound, and you can have the court dismiss the case as you have made a payment and the details on the court case will be wrong as they are claiming you owe one pound more than on the case sheet. they will have to apply all over again.

Still follow the best advice, make a deal and do it fast, freeze interest, and come up with a repayment plan even if 20 years. Hopefully down the road you will be able to shorten this.

If part of the debt is already interest negotiate that off too. You need to be persistent and may take many calls but keep at it.

If you ignore eventually they will sell off the debt and collection agencies can be very agressive even to family members

call the companies explain the situation. Get them to freeze the interest or you will pay nothing. Then get a repayment scheme which you can afford agreed, say 30 pounds even if it is less than minimum payment. Do it and do it now, the interest is being accumilated and the longer you delay the more deifficult. Get this agreed in writing, they will do it they have no other option, if they say they have to talk to their manager ask to talk to them direct. You need the man that has teh power to decide this. Dont be rude, just lay out the facts.

Regarding payment to UK maintain your Bank there transfer enough to cover for at least one year then set up a standing order for the amount you have agreed.to the two companies. Thus avoiding transfer fees each month.

If you are in teh situation where you cannot pay, and they take you to court, just send a nominal amount, one pound is sufficient, then they will have to reapply for court intervention again as you have made an effort to pay, and the amount on the court application is incorrect

My FIL was for years involved with donations and aid through japan overseas development. Although now retired it recently worked part time in assiting the Thai government to now become a donor rather than a receiver of aid ( at least in part )

They are making real progress

Get a small ultrasonic dog scarer and cycle in the confidence it will scare them shitless, weighs almost mothing and cost is about 20 USD

Just get a clause in the lease to protect you if it happens, with penalties for the owner. Thais hate to lose money needlessly

Reminds me of a time when I was in Malaysia, driving through KL on a quiet Sunday morning, little traffic.

I am on the main road, and from a filter lane a car comes way to fast and clips mine.

The car stops and a lady steps out I do likewise.

No "are you OK"

No " I am sorry"

What do I get ?

She takes a long look at me and then says " You are a foreigner, if you were not in my country I would not have had that accident" she jumps back in the car and drives off. I am dumbstuck and just watch her leave. TIM

The picture is bigger than just how much an expat a retiree, or a local can survive on.

50% of Thais are working in agriculture, and as one of Thalands major exports, that will push the costs of those exports up. Its major markets are USA, Japan and europe. Do you beleive they wil not look elsewhere for those products?

Industry, particulary export represents about 50% of GDP, how can they maintain that competitiveness, amogst these include Cars ( yep buy that new one now before they go up ) Electronics, which is already highly competetive with the likes of Malaysia, Singapore, China and Singapore. textiles which they have already lost significant ground to China, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

The increased costs to these products wil have a knock on effect to the ecconomy. The relatively low unemployment rate will rise as manufacturers and buyers look to move to cheaper production countries.

Tourism another huge part of the GDP, currently running at about 7% will suffer. As so many people keep pointing out if you want western standards then it is no longer cheap, and with political uncertainty, loss of image, and now increased prices this will have an affect and despite what TAT say numbers will drop accordingly.

The net result will be a less productive country, loss of jobs and hence GDP, higher unemployment. Inwards investment by foreign companies wil decline as they seek cheaper markets.

Never mind the good news is that the Baht will suffer against themajor currencies. The flip side is that local produced good wil rise accodingly

I tried as well, I thought 43426

If you are merely looking to invest in wine check www.thewinesociety.com

This is not a profit making company it is owned by teh shareholders, you need to buy one share.( every member has one share )

they can advise you about what wines to buy, when ready to drink etc, abnd for a small fee store teh wine ( about 20 Euro a year per case ) at perfect temperature.

they have extensive stocks, and some great wines ( as well as some excellent beers )

I laid down some claret in 1992 paid 220 pounds a case. It is now ready to drink and if you wanted to buy a bottle it would retail today at about 200 pounds.( twice that in a up scale restaraunt)

A reasonable return if I chose to sell, or a great wine if I choose to drink.

Of course it is wine and could end up as vinegar, but that is the chance you take

If you want to ship to Thailand however watch out for the tax as already pointed out.

There are wine makers in Thailand, and dispite the warm weather they are doing pretty well and have already although still in relative infancy at least one has several gold medals in international competitions, google it if you want to find out more.

http://www.khaoyaiwinery.com/en/history.html

In the words of Suze " People first, money second, things third"

So People first. Is your wife terminally ill, desease that will take a long time to recover, incapacitating?

If above or similar then you should seriously consider some time out can you take a sabatical leave for 6 months with your company.

If terminally ill what are your long term plans if she were to die, would you still want to be in Thailand ? do you have children here?

So money second. 1400 a month is not huge, and 50k is not a lot. Do you have additional savings? positive equity in your house? or any other investments?

I assume that you need to work till 62 in order to get that higher 4500 and if you do not then your 1400 is just that. IT IS NOT ENOUGH, especially over time.

50k is easily eaten up, hospital bills, car, house plus the unexpected. I am assuming you want a retirement visa so that ties up about 27 000 which you cannot touch

Make an estimate of that, and all other expenses

Things third. If you were to move any assets you can sell. What would you need to buy in order to live in Thailand.

1400 is possible, if regardless then it increases at 62. 4500 is very possible but having 500 000 upwards after cashing everything out is a better safe bet

The reverse V the insulting one was originated in teh middle ages the English archers would flick the V to show they still had their bow fingers ( the ones you draw back teh bow with ) as if the French captured them, they would cut them off.

The Chrurchill variation, the reverse of the insult, was to indicate V for Victory on the completion of beating Germany, and the decleration of Victory Day.

The one in Asia is just cute pose originating in Japan

There used to be a Nordic boatbuilder in Myanmar who did really good work, with excellent woods.

Lost track of whether he is still there ir not, might be worth a search on teh web.