SanukDii

h) Art by a known artist with a certified history.

Yes, I've done ok with that over the last 3 years. Middle carreer artists with a good track record with valuations done by multiple reputable valuation houses and previous auction prices you can verify. Like stocks you need to think on a 3-5 year + timeframe. DYOR though because the art market is full of frauds and fakes.

Spread your risk around but certainly put some in solid dividend paying stocks that have dividends in excess of the rate of inflation and have more than 2x divi cover - set it on compound and you'll double your money in no time. And stock is very liquid.

No point in money in the bank (well, let's say a years expenses for emergencies) as inflation will give you negative returns on that.

I know a lot of people like to call gold an investment, in my opinion it isn't - it's speculation. Gold doesn't provide income, at least physical gold doesn't, and it can depreciate in value (life being what it is that will no doubt be when you need to sell it.) If you're holding it through a third party there are storage costs too. You'd be better putting your money in BHP or Rio Tinto at least they pay dividends on the metals they mine and sell, and if the price of metals rises so does the stock price and their profits which comes back to you in the dividend.

I guess I am still in the accumilation phase, my strategy may change later on - although apart from annuities I'll probably just start taking the dividends rather than compounding.

Anyway as is by now probably patently obvious I am no expert, it's just my own strategy and it seems to be working so far.

The benefit of gold is that it compensates when markets are crashing- if this happens and all your funds and stocks go down at least you can sell your gold which normally jumps up in those situations. gold mining company stocks don't always reflect gold prices and in fact I believe they performed poorly during the last 24 months when gold prices peaked.

Yes I think that's broadly true, and I do have some metals but a tiny percentage - and the last year hasn't been kind to them. My point about mining companies was that they don't just mine gold, the are involved in all types of commodities Oil, Iron etc; - and I don't hold any. Here's an interesting article on morning star. http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/112660/sector-in-focus-bhp-biliton-vs-rio-tinto.aspx

I'm a beleiver in holding your nerve when markets go down. Historically they've always recovered and some of my biggest gains have been made from companies that got unfairly hammered in 2008. Vodafone for one, which dropped to 120 something (now over 220 and a nice payout due from verizon) and it never missed a dividend during that time. GSK and others...all of which did make me sweat a lot at the time, but I stuck with them and added to my holdings because they are fundamentally good companies in my opinion.

I started getting involved in stocks just before the 1989 crash. It was an important lesson. 1. That I allowed fear to dictate my decisions which crystalised paper losses. 2. That those same losses would have been erased if I stayed in the market and kept investing.

I'm still earning, so I can afford to let losses sit as long as the dividend is unnafected and I think on a very long timeline.

I think corporate bonds could be good, but the jury might still be out on that. I've got a couple to test the waters....so far so good.

Spread your risk around but certainly put some in solid dividend paying stocks that have dividends in excess of the rate of inflation and have more than 2x divi cover - set it on compound and you'll double your money in no time. And stock is very liquid.

No point in money in the bank (well, let's say a years expenses for emergencies) as inflation will give you negative returns on that.

I know a lot of people like to call gold an investment, in my opinion it isn't - it's speculation. Gold doesn't provide income, at least physical gold doesn't, and it can depreciate in value (life being what it is that will no doubt be when you need to sell it.) If you're holding it through a third party there are storage costs too. You'd be better putting your money in BHP or Rio Tinto at least they pay dividends on the metals they mine and sell, and if the price of metals rises so does the stock price and their profits which comes back to you in the dividend.

I guess I am still in the accumilation phase, my strategy may change later on - although apart from annuities I'll probably just start taking the dividends rather than compounding.

Anyway as is by now probably patently obvious I am no expert, it's just my own strategy and it seems to be working so far.

Update: Visa received, multiple entry permit sorted! As others had suggested it was a very simple and straight forward process. One less worry and does away with all that unnecessary hopping in and out.

Thanks to all for the information.

Thanks, very informative,

Sent from my SGP321 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for all the info guys.

Hi All,

I am looking for a clinic in Bangkok (Not Bumrungrad or Samitivej) that will perform some standards blood tests for me.

Specifically I want to check my testosterone levels as well as a PSA test for Prostate.

Can anybody recommend somewhere? Tired of being gouged by Bumrungrad but will do Samitivej in a pinch.

Thanks in advance

Before that he rented a 5 star hotel room by the month in Sukhumvit - it cost 50k obviously.

Blimey, can someone tell me where this is.....I'll move in tomorrow!

St Regis: 381,000 baht for a suite excluding taxes for the month

Four Seasons: about the same give or take

Peninsular: a bargain.......368,000 baht! But it's on the river.....so no sale :-D

Thanks for all the info guys, yes I will be doing multiple trips out during the year.

Yes to both those requirements. And it has to be done within the last 30 days of the current visa?

Thanks for the info.

First of all apologies for starting another visa thread but there is so much conflicting information on the forums and none of it seems to answer my question...which is.

I have a non im B single entry visa (90 days). Is it possible for me to get a letter proving income into my UK bank from the UK embassy and then get a one year multiple entry extension at immigration in Bangkok?

Obviously I would provide the neccessary paperwork for the UK Embassy.

If not, what are the requirements for a UK citizen acquiring a 'retirement. visa?

Thanks

SD

Asian Tigers looks good. Thx

Really depends how you want to live.

Me:

Rent 50k

Maid 2k

True TV 2k (ish)

Electricity 3-5k

Internet 1k (ish)

Mobile 1k (ish)

...So that's about 60k before I start living. If you want good western food here it can get pricey, good steak (Gaucho maybe)...costly, good sushi (place near me forget the name 2-3k for 2) ...costly ...but cheaper than LA. Hotel brunch for 2 on Sunday 2-4k . Or you can eat noodles and larb and go to Fuji really depends what you want. Heaven forbid if you like decent wine!!

I usually hit somewhere around 120k per month and I don't feel like I am living the high life. Bearing in mind I don't go to the more 'exotic neon' areas for nightlife. I could live for less...I just don't want to.

Pick your poison if you can afford it.

Hi All,

I will be moving within Bangkok to a new condo early next month and really don't want to be moving my own boxes. However I am worried about things like my rather large and splendid flat screen HD TV being moved by someone less than competent.

Anyone have any experience with good companies in BKK?

Thanks

SD

I had this problem too, bunch of channels vanished. I'm on Platinum...that means I should get everything right?

Anyhoo, the exit / pin number thing....You've gotta be a quick draw artist to get the exit and pin number in before the box heads through its routine. I'd enlist the help of a friend. The only way I could do it was to get my girlfriend to plug/unplug the box while I waited with the remote.

As soon as the true logo comes up...start punchin'!

Been on True a week. Not impressed. Sky TV in the UK is on another planet: service, quality and station wise. But I guess we have what we have. - T.I.T an appropriate acronym.

There's a bunch of explanations of Peua here: http://www.thai2english.com/dictionary/1379816.html

My Thai is very rusty but if I'm not mistaken when spoken with a low tone in means 'Just in case'.

In the instance of 'Hai' (ให้) I think it depends where it is in the sentence eg: 'Hai khun tham hai' or...I will allow (let) you do it for me. Substitute Tham for other actions. That's a very common contruction and something you hear everyday.

Thanks guys.

I actually did a disk repair from the safe start up and everything seems to be working now (fingers crossed) I think the suggestions of driver issues by michaeljohn are possibly correct so when I get the time I'll definitely go through the process of elimination on that front.

Did the system restore when signs of a problem first started (browsers becoming non-responsive) and that worked for a while but eventually the problem returned. One things for sure...backing up everything today while it's still working!!!!! 2 years old now, so the disk may well be showing signs of age.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help guys.

Hi Guys,

Got a problem with my windows Toshiba laptop. Will only run in safe mode and keep getting the blue screen of death.

Can anyone recommend a computer repair center in central Bangkok.

Thanks

Thanks Chaps.

I went around Pantip today and noticed significantly cheaper prices on the 70-200 2.8L IS II ...nearly four hundred pounds cheaper than in the uk (£1400 as opposed to £1800). Can this be correct? are those legit lenses?

Thanks for that...errr more expensive then

Hi Guys,

Here for a few months and wondered if anyone can recommend a good shop in central bangkok where I they sell L series lenses and where I may be able to get a Hoodman Loupe.

Are lenses more expensive/cheaper here than in europe?

Thanks