Brian2056

Everyone's an expert. I about fell out of my chair at the "Stay out of US stock market and real estate." Right.

I'll be embarking on a new journey in life and will be moving to Thailand later this year. After exhaustive research into all the usual farang retirement destinations, I've decided I will start out in Bangkok and take things from there. I lived in BKK fo 5 months in 2004 so I'm quite familiar with BKK and all its trappings.

I'll rent at first unil when and if I find a city suitable to stay in permanently then perhaps buy a place.

Those of you here on this board living in a studio, do you find yourself comfortable in a studio room? They range in size from 32 to 46 sq/m seems most common. Seems to me that's pretty much like living in a hotel room. Got to believe those walls start closing in rather quickly.

Perusing all the rental websites for BKK, seems I'll need to plunk down about 20K baht for a real one bedroom 60+ sq/m or so place. Along the skytrain routes anyway. I can afford that no problem but would rather spend less on rent if I can.

I have tried looking in MBK, Siam Square, and other markets in Bkk.  I thought this would be easy.  Are they all in Chinatown?  Thanks in advance,

Kurt

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Go to Big Dogs at the NEP, right hand side and grab a rail seat. The fake Rolex guy will be by about every five minutes.

Cha ching!

About 5 pages back there was an extensive posting on View Talay.Use the search facility.

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I read the largest thread regarding View Talay. Sounds typical Thai regarding all aspects of buying/renting in Thailand. Given your somewhat short reply, why bother asking anything on this forum? Just shut the forum down and instill a HUGE search window since I'm sure, everything has already been asked.

Bryan2056:

Do not consider buying a condo here (Talay).........the reasons are numerous.

Rent...yes........Buy...no.

If you buy a condo in Pattaya, it is better to buy the very best....10m Baht+

The cheap charlie buys will end in tears and will devalue over the next 5-8 years.

FACT.

RENT  my friend.

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I wouldn't consider buying anything in Pattaya or otherwise unil I've lived there renting for at least a year, if not longer. I would think though that at some point, one would want to buy something, house or condo for some stability. People who live in apartments or condos tend to move fairly frequently and lets face it, moving isn't one of life greatest pleasures.

What's the story with these condos? Perusing around Pattaya real estate sites, seems this condo developement has the most places for sale and or rent. Is this a popular place for farangs to rent or own if living in Pattaya? Good location? Nice, well built and maintained developement?

I haven't been to Pattaya mainly because I couldn't pull my azz out of BKK while living there last year. I'm lining up my ducks here in the U.S. to make the move to LOS, permanently. I haven't decided where I'd like to live permanently but Pattaya is on the list so I'm checking it out.

Didn't have a lot to drink last night by Thailand expat standards but I felt dizzy, dehydrated and had a nasty headache when I woke up this morning.

I have always forund this in the U.K. whereas back in Thailand.. (Which, i'll admit I am starting to miss so don't feel that my ThaiVisa membership shouldn't be renewed) ...Back in Thailand I can drink like a fish and mix like a ponk and at worst I'll wake up feeling tired and thirsty.

What's the deal?

My theory is that in Asia we drink lots more water but this bloke I met in a pub in Aberdeen says that's nonsense and the reason is because it's colder in the U.K. than it is in Thailand????

 

Yeah, that's what I thought too.

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I can tell you, to much Singha will make you poompooie.

Having never sent money to a girl in Thailand before, I'm not sure how to go about it. My friend sent me her Thai bank savings account info. How does one send money to a girl in Thailand? (Chiang Mai)

I know what people are thinking. I swore to myself I would never fall into that trap and I haven't after years of butterflying. I decided I would do it this once. It's only money. I'll live.

You mean I can't live happily ever-after at the Nana Entertainment Plaza?

Hi all, everyday reader, infrequent poster. Anyway, planning on retiring in Thailand next year and I read all the stuff about building a house in Thailand. Sounds like a real adventure.

By my guestimation, I could build a 1800 sq/ft home (165sq/mtr, I think) for about 35,000 USD at 8000bt a square meter. Sound about right? (sounds to good to be true)

(then there's the little obsticles of farang owning land/house to overcome)

What rate did you get for your 5 month stay and how did you get it?

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Something like 95USD a night. I eventually moved into a suite that was really nice for the same rate. I was on the company dime then so cost wasn't a concern. If I was returning for maybe a week or two on my dime, I'd still stay at the Marriot otherwise I'd get a serviced apt in the area for a lot less a month.

A side note. Along with the Great Wall in China, the Wailing Wall in Jerusulem, watching a shuttle launch live, the Taj Mahal in India as must see places before you die, your life won't be complete until you stood at the enterance to the Nana Entertainment Plaza at closing and witness that sea of humanity.

JW Marriot on Suk/soi2. Everything you "need" within a two minute walk. Nana, BTS, drug stores, ATM, money changers etc. Hotel is guest friendly. I should know having spent 5 months there last year and brought in oh...I dunno, maybe a guest or two.

Right next door to the Marriot is a club called the Blue Wave. I think it has since changed names but if you don't want to bother with a bargirl from Nana, no shortage of freelancers in the Blue Wave. I think it's called Willies or something now. It's joined at the hip with the No Hands "restaurant."

As a rule, Westerners are far more adaptable to other cultures than the reverse. (been there, done that) These cross-pollination marriages have a far better chance of success if you remain in your brides country than bringing her home. They get home sick, big time.

My advice? Actually, it's the same advice for any man planning a wedding. You just ask your bride-to-be where you need to be and at what time. Pony up the necessary baht and just go with the flow. You're the one expected to shelve your culture, not her. That's the way it is and the sooner you accept that, the better the marriage has a chance of surviving.

If you're having cultural differences now, wait until you're married.

Best put a lot of hard, looooong thought into this one.

She wants to live in Oz? Curious. Are the divorce laws 50/50 in Aussieland? Something to think about.

I'd be a little suspect about any guy calling himself "billyboy."

Surely some of you "advisors" have been the the Philippines.

If anyone can help me, I have a home that if I can use for borrow the money to make it 800000 baht for my honey visa, we will sign the house to you if you can lend us the money

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Um, instead of soliciting strangers (or looking for a sap ), why not just take out a second on your home for the 800K baht?

You can always come and move here to itch your scratch and when you run out of money some years down the road, go back to work. you will run out of cash guaranteed. youre kidding yourself

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I'm not really kidding myself which is why in reality, I won't make a move for a few more years. I'm in the feeling it out stage.

The type of biz I'm in will gross roughly 200K a year prolly starting next year. Not speculative, all these franchises do that much or more. I'm thinking once the biz is rolling, I turn it over to my son and peel off 10-15% of the gross and I'm good to go.

Or, I roll to Thailand once or twice a year for some itch scratching.

Brian $ 175 k is abt 7 mil baht, you say you hope to live on that until your 62 ? that means 12 years. If your relocating here wont you need a place to live aswell ? Seems to me that if you reckon on 7 mil to last 12 years you are planning on being one cheap charlie. I thought the plan was to enjoy retirement ???

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Yes, I know 7 million baht puts me on the 50K baht/month plan. I wouldn't try this in BKK, Phuket or Pattaya. I know it's doable but not without some sacrafices. Perhaps in Udon where the COL is cheaper. My real problem is itchy feet and I want to get my arse to LOS ASAP.

I own a start-up business that will do maybe a 100K in the first year and perhaps 200K the second year. With a little patience and the ever rising California real estate market, in two years that 175K could easily be in the 250-300K or more range. I'd feel much better about that and knowing the 120K 401K money should be worth 200K or more by the time I hit 62.

I don't need an oppulant lifestyle but I'd like to enjoy my beer, golf and side trips the the P.I. once in a while, live in a decent house or condo. You get the picture.

OK, I think I got it. Drop the 800K in a Thai bank and ATM that money as needed as I go along in daily life. When time for visa renewal rolls around, transfer the needed balance, 500K for example to bring up the existing balance to show the 800K baht in the bank at renewal time. I got that right?

I'm turning 50 in 15 months and have seriously considered cashing im my chips and moving to Thailand from the U.S. I've scoured the Internet for all the visa requirements and frankly, it all sounds like PITA. Visa runs, yearly extensions etc..... but that's hardly a deterent for wanting to settle into the LOS.

One thing that I haven't been able to get a clear understanding of. To get a retirement visa, you need to have transfered 800k bath from overseas to a Thai bank. My question is/are, 1) is this a one time in yuor life money transfer to maintain a retirement visa or 2) one needs to maintain or show 800K baht in a Thai bank at the time of an extension application or 3) you need to annually transfer 800K baht from overseas into a Thai bank for each yearly extension.

I have about 175K US in liquid assets, right now. I have another 120K in a 401K plan. My idea is to cash in (sell house etc) to get the 175K US in my hot little hands. I'd roll over the 401K into some form of an IRA account and leave it untouched until I'm 62 and can draw US social security and begin to tap into the 401K money.

I'm hoping the 175K or so would last until I'm 62 when the SSI kicks in and the 401K money is avalable.

Sound like a viable plan or am I dreaming?