muenwai2

Now why do I suspect something not right here?

Could it be the phone number.

Before I answer your question -an important point I forgot to make. Setting up a company is not cheap. You need Thai partner(s). There is a very very good article in this website - see homepage.

A long term lease is possible. I think it can be for up to 50years with a right of renewal. If you know a Thai you trust implicitly then is easy.

Problem. The land must be purchased by a Thai national. Having purchased the land the Thai national may then refuse to lease it to you - sell it and keep the money or get it to their family . You've paid up front - too bad. Fraud yes but not under Thai law. Absolutely nothing you can do. Believe me this happens.

Anyway let's say a lawyer arranges the lease. All very simple. BUT in practice it can later be sold behind your back. Not easy but can be done particulary if you are absent for an extended period. Leases are uncommon and are not registerd in the same way as in Europe.

I know nothing of Belgian law but I assume before a property is sold a legal search is made which will disclose that it is held leasehold. Not the case in Thailand - all you have is a piece of paper.

Most farangs in Thailand either rent, their wives girlfriends own, or they own apartments.

If you are setting up a "front" company for the purpose of property ownership you will not need a work permit.

Lease-back is an easier cheaper option but there are drawbacks.

In fact were you setting up a company for money making puposes you obtain work permit AFTER setting yup the company.

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Thanks

Yes the primary purpose of setting up a company is for safeguarding property ownership. Having said that later on I could use it also for some small local business like a shop.

Could you elaborate further on the lease-back option and its advantages/drawbacks ?

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Andrew Aitch

I've read and re-read this topic with fascination.

I understand you needing to let off steam and tend to sympathise with you.

However, what on earth good to you think a 3 page letter to the embassy will do. Do you think they will turn round and say sorry.

I suspect you are not Australian so they couldn't care 2 hoots and in any case you were not the one applying for the visa.

It's probably been copied to their British (are you?) opposites by now.

I assume your sister is an Australian citizen. You should have used her a asponsor.

Common in law status? Do you mean common law marriage. Written out by Englih statute long long ago and as such is inapplicable wherever English common law takes precedence e.g. Australia. Recognised in Budhism but not in Thai staute so irrelvant I'm sorry to say. Anyway why should they check. It is your GF responsibility to provide necessary evidence.

Question I would have asked is if you lived together for a year why not marry, or even get engaged.

I have no experience of OZ officialdom but I suspect it is more reasonable and fairer than you suggest. Maybe they even made the right decision.

If you are setting up a "front" company for the purpose of property ownership you will not need a work permit.

Lease-back is an easier cheaper option but there are drawbacks.

In fact were you setting up a company for money making puposes you obtain work permit AFTER setting yup the company.

My wife won't eat lamb either. Because we can't afford it. You seen the price in Thailand?

Also she won't eat beef but then I won't eat frogs or grubs or locust or snake or dog* or cat* etc etc. She thinks I'm odd

(* not a joke although she hasn't for some years).

Apologies to Lopburi. I did misunderstand his point about 60 days.

However Tuffy appears to reside in the USA at the moment.

US and other western consulates can issue 12 month multi entries on basis of marriage.

The LA web site is out of date (I do't know about other sites - can't b bothered to look).

Another option is to enter on a 3 or 6 month multi entry tourist visa and apply within Thailand to change to Marriage visa. There is absolutely no reason why one cannot exit the country whilst the application is being considered. Simply AGREE a date on which you must return. EASY

Peter,

Think very carefully. You're 51 and not getting younger. Living in a traditional Thai house may seem idyllic even if only whilst you sort out your supermarket, but be assured as a westerner it is not for you. Get real. Think of cooking, washing, cleaning, insects, air-con, privacy etc etc. Frankly you will not be living up to your partners expectations. SHE AND HER FAMILY WILL LOSE FACE and you will be viewed as a cheapskate. She may well be too polite to tell you that.

Purchase some land and have a western style house/bungalow constructed 3 bed/2bath in your area 800000-9000000baht, easy. A steal.

To purchase a traditonal house. Well the house would come free. The land that goes with it is what costs. For a farang maybe 200000 for 1 rai.

Lopburi is confused again.

1. 60 days is utter nonsense. You can request an extension from 90 days to 12 months at any time (e.g the day you arrive in the Thailand) however you will need to report back to immigration on or around 30 days as the request based on marriage is referred to Ministry of Foreign affairs.

2. How do you know

3. CORRECT but for the wrong reason. A conditon of residency is providing Thai tax records for the previous 3 years

Lopburi3

I understand the meaning of your reply but I doubt if the person seeking advice did.. It is confused and ungrammatical, and I suggest unhelpful to anyone unfamiliar with what they percieve to be complex Thai inmmigration rules. I do not doubt your expertise but you appear to rush into replies more to impress with your expertise rather than try and understand exactly what the correspondent is asking. To answer his follow-up subsequent questions.

You can marry even without a visa. You will not have to provide details of income.

If you wish to stay for more than 3 months without leaving the country you need to obtain a visa, a condition of which is to show 400000 in a Thai bank or income of 40000 a month which will need to be transferred into a Thai bank. This is mandatory. This can be renwed every year. You will never need to leave the country.

If you do not meet the income requirement you can obtain a visa on the basis that you have a Thai wife and/or a Thai child without proof of income but only for a max of 12 months and you will need to exit and re-enter Thailand every 90 days.

You can obtain a visa for another 12 months but only outsie Thailand.

I have lived in Thailand for 3 years and regularly visited this site. I have only recently joined however because I am annoyed at the poor, sometimes misleading, confused and frequently wrong or mischevious advice.

If you see a post from Dr Pat Pong or George it is reliable otherwise treat with utmost caution. Lopburi3 is next best but tries to impress rather than help.

I think I understand the cause of your confusion, not addressed by Lopburi. Look again at the application form. In respect of non-immigrant visa it says these are issued "e.g."for business, marriage, employment "etc" You are an "etc". You use the standard visa application form and give Retirement as the purpose and get 90 days as Lopburi says. If you are applying by post I suggest you explain your intention to obtain a visa extension in Thailand.

If you intend to obtain the O-A visa (12 month) abroad you should be provided with an additional application form and a blank medical certificate which your doctor completes.

You do not say where you reside but I suspect UK. In UK O-A can ONLY be issued in London and cannot be issued through the post.

Random Chances.

Probably your bank assumed you are an honest sort of guy and have a WP. Or is your card an additonal card issued on your wifes credit card account.

Cheese and dairy products not easy to buy? All you do is take your purchase to the check out girl, pay and leave. I have no problem. Don't even have to speak the language.

There are god knows how manyTesco, Big C etc throughout Thailand all of which stock a selection of milk, milk products,cheeses, cheese products (and red wine).

Dairy farming is taking off in a big way in Thailand, partly due to free milk now being given in schools. Thai cheddar still needs improvement

Beef sausages...I'll agree with that

So...........?

We can all read the newspapers. What is your point. Or are you an agent for The Nation.

PS

If all the necessary documentation is not in place on expiry of you current visa you will need to exit the country. Get another 90 day visa (KL, Penang...wherever). You will need is a letter from your company. An example is accessible from this site homepage.

You can go to local immigration.

Only way to stop drunk driving in Thailand is to make it illegal to drive sober.

The first piece of advice I recieved was not to trust any Thai.

Fortunately that advice has proved to be groundless. In the 3 years I have lived here I have never been ripped off or cheated. If I chose I could eat and drink and holiday free because of the limitless generosity of the Thais in my neighbourhood (A suburb of Korat). I have even had construction work undertaken and payment refused but I have always insisted.

Things may be different in Bangkok - sh*t city in my opinion.

My advice would be: don't ever act or think you are superior to them.

Only thing I have learnt is don't bother to ask directions

Never heard of PAYPAL before but just looked on website. YES. You can use debit card.

You live in UAE. That is why BKKBK will not issue credit card.

What exactly is the point of this post?

Re BKK stan comments

Nong Khai have a stated policy allowing 90 day reporting +/- 7 days.

I would suggest that the immigration official was telling people they did not have to report exactly every 90 days.

Thai immigration have their own website and forum.

They are sometimes scathing about inaccurate advice too frequently given in other forums. They mean this one but are too polite to say so. I'm not.

Under regulations imposed last year because of serious problems with bad debts and out of control consumer credit the Thai government requires banks to verify that an applicant is in employment (and if a Thai earns at leat 15000THB per month) which means a foreign applicant MUST have a work permit.

No resrictions on debit cards of course.

Cold-Ko1. If you are prepared to "block" funds against your credit limit why on earth not get a Be1st visa debit card? Agreed there are some places which cannot accept Visa Electron but then cash is a useful substitute for plastic.

I am very strict. I only drink before, after and during meals.

I don't believe on eating on an empty stomach.

Re. Thai beer. Reportedly it is Leo just a different label on the bottle.

sss. www.bangkokbob.net

Reminds me in england a few years back in the days when everyone drunk fizz bitter. 2 beers (Bass and Worthington I hink) were sold side in the same pubs with seperate advertising a different priccing. They turned out to be IDENTICAL. Brewer and PR men took us all for mugs.

Thai consulates can and do issues 12 month multi entries on the strength of doing "business" in Thailand. Hull is not the only place.

I see nothing in the post to indicate he is working in Thailand although that certainly appears to be his intention.

When I used the term "convert" I meant the extension of stay process.

Lopburi 3 - your advice may be sound but you have failed to answer the specific question. Not for the first time alas.

Ravisher,

How can you tell the difference between left and right socks? I randomly swap the socks over to equalise wear and reduce risk of holes because for some reason my right big toenail grows at a faster rate than the left.

Who is this "agent" they put in the fibres. Someone like James Bond, you mean, with a licence to smell.

What is really sinister is that sometimes, maybe 6 months later, the sock reappears. Maybe it escaped from wherever it was incacerated after pining for it's partner and like some dogs, by some instinct, found it's way home. Dogs smell too. Maybe there is connecion here.

Or maybe they are beamed up into a UFO, the aliens assuming socks to be he highest level of life form and after months of fiendish experimentation are returned to whence they came.

A previous correspondent asked why we need socks and shoes in Thailand.

I ask him wouldn't it look rather silly walking in you 3 piece pure italian merino wool suit, cashmere overcoat and hat set at a jaunty angle without shoes and socks. You would attract unwelcome attention.