klubex99

Dang! We drove 2 hours just to get to the dirt track leading to the land. The owners said it was 2km to the land when we spoke on the phone. They sent a bunch of guys to meet us on the main road, when they turned up they said NO! velly far.... 17KM to the land. I went about 1km up the dirt track to a section that had been washed away by a stream that was now dried up, a 4x4 would struggle to breech it, and i just knew then that there was no way we were going to see a truck with drawbar trailer get to the land come harvesting time.

I didn't bother going any further, it was pointless.

Then we get a call from a land owner who said he had 60 rai for sale but we can talk about renting, so we made another 2 hour drive to get to his land only for him to see a farang getting out of a red lable car, and all of a sudden, the possibility of renting was out of the window and it was sale only, another waste of my time.

Ah well.... onwards and upwards so they say.

Perhaps you should have another think about Ozzydoms input because there is an underlying factor here that can upset the best plans. Ultimately you have two choices, you do it yourself, however you like, or, you do it the Thai way. Until I experienced this trait personally I didnt believe it, I thought I could teach the locals what I wanted. But Thais will do it the way they know or not at all until they can see results of something better. Very slow to adopt something different.

Good luck with the six rai YOU WILL have to do yourself. Ozzy's numbers will be pretty good for the rest.

Hi IsaanAussie.

Thank you very much for that. I totally agree. I already had the same conversation with my wife, at which she scowled at me... She is very defensive of the Thais and hates negativity, but I know from my own experience that what you say is right.

I am totally expecting to do the 6 rai with my wife, I will also use her cousin who is no sugar farmer which I think is a good thing. The local labour will be doing the 44 rai. Us three will look after the 6, that is the most important thing. The 44 the Thai way will more than adequately cover the entire costs at a 10 tonne per rai yield. There may be a bit of profit, there may be a small loss. But all I am interested in really is the 6 raio experiment. This whole project is about the 6 rai. The rest is just balancing the books.

Anyway, I am going out now to look at 130 rai of which we can rent as little or as much as we want, and it has a small river running alongside, so I know the bit I will be wanting.

Your figures may be a bit skewed, the 2011 Thailand average yield was 12.3 tonnes per Rai, a far cry from your quoted figures.

Australia has a fairly high yield of 64 tonne per acre or 25.6 tonne per rai. grown under irrigation.

whereas much of Thailands crop relies on seasonal rains.

Hi Ozzydom

Thank you for your input.

I don't think my figures are skewed. I am expecting my 'rule of thumb' for the 44 rai to bring in exactly what I expect rule of thumb to be.... around 10 to 15 tonnes.

My experimental crops on the other 6 rai will be to try to emulate the 103 tonnes achieved between a cooperation between the biggest sugar producer and a university.

I am not expecting to get anywhere near that 100 tonnes, I am looking to find a happy medium of realistic ecconomics and 30+ per rai.

As far as I am aware nobody else is doing this, and I feel the need for myself to at least try it. If I don't at least try it once, then we will never know, If I try it and I fail and lose money, then I don't really care, becaue at least I tried and I know, rather than never try and never know.

I don't know much about sugar cane, but I am told that one has to have a contract with the local sugar mill in order to sell the cane. This is unlike cassava, which one can plant and sell when ever one wants to sell, dependent on price. That is why one sees cassava every where in northeast Thailand but only see sugar cane in certain areas in close proximity to sugar mills. I suggest you check out the markets before deciding on planting sugar cane.

Thanks Michael.

Yes, I have done a bit of study on that. The reason for needing to be within a certain distance of the mill is because once the cane is cut, it starts to lose its sugar content immediately and needs to be processed fast. There are as I beleive, 47 sugar mills in Thailand, the location is a definite consideration for the siting. There are 16 in northeast so I think most sites will be close enough.

A contract is fine with me, I ultimately need to sell it anyway, its all a proximity thing really. I could ring around and find which processor is giving the best deal and then chose a site around there, but these are finer point logistics and to be honest, I don't think it counts for much because each year prices can change between them and what is best payer one year can be fourth best the next.

The most important things at the moment are soil type and water availability. Trying to find good land around here with good surface water availability is difficult.

Hi all.

I am new to this forum, and I have spent probably in excess of 40 hours of so reading through the threads over the past week.

I was recently looking at some investment options in Thailand. I live in Muang, Nakhon Ratchasima at present and I am already part way into some projects around farming in particular.

Now I am no farmer, but I do like to study all the pitfalls before jumping into something and rather than spend the next years falling into those pits and climbing my way out half injured, I decided to spend all that time reading and studying and anylising where others have gone wrong (and right). Obviously I can't farm through a screen, so i apreciate that there will be some problems.

Anyway,

I have been interested in sugar since I arrived here, as I see it as a robust crop once the conditions are right. It also seems to have a good stable price that rarely goes down thanks to the latest explosion in ethanol production, demand is always going to be there. I have read up a lot on its biology and all the husbandry techniques known. I think I am ready to go out and get some land and give it a go.

I am not the type of person who likes dirt on his hands, although it would never keep me awake at night if I had to get them stuck into some hard graft. However, I like to work smart rather than work hard.

What I am basically looking for at this moment is 50+ rai of land for rent in the chaiyaphum province, hopefully it will be parcelled together, and will require it on a 5 year minimum contract. I don't know if anyone around that area who may be able to point me in the right direction. I have already driven around my own province for a couple of days but to no avail, and I am a bit insistent on the presence of good water, and the underground water is quite saline here so I have heard so boreholes are probably out in this area.

If in chaiyaphum, I have a good notion that boreholes would be an option if I can't find a site near good surface water.

Cost is pretty much not an issue at the moment. I am ready to invest freely to get what I want with regards to crop investment capital. If for example I can get 50 rai, I intend to set out 44 rai as standard 'rule of thumb' husbandry, the other 6 rai will be split into 6 plots and I will use this as the experimental sugar cultivation using the best practices as to maximise yield. Recently as I am sure you most have read, a cooperation set up an experimental crop and invested heavily in doing it to perfection. cost was around Bt45,000 per rai, but yielded over 100 tons per rai.

Now, I am not going to go for that because of the intensity of the cultivation etc.... I am more than happy to strip down the procedures and have a mix of certain permutations and combinations of methods, so as to get the economics proportioned correctly. If I can achieve 30 ton per rai with a single method with a lot less capital outlay, then I am happy to go ahead and expand it. The other 44 rai will produce enough to pay for the entire experiment (if I have crunched the numbers right).

So if anyone can help me out regarding land, I would be more than grateful, and hey guys, no need to just keep the convo on that track. I would be very very happy to hear any other tips and tricks... What would you do? Is there already a 'perfect' method out there? Would be nice to share your thoughts. If anyone had any questions, fire away, I am an open book

Have a great day.

Something indeed needs to be done. I can't believe that some folks on here are actually condoning this.

Around here, they gather like packs of dogs on a Friday and Saturday night and race down the bypass the wrong way with lights off at night. They think it is cool, yet they have no thought for the safety of drivers of cars (and bikes) who are using the road correctly.

So what happens if 2 or more bikes hit an oncoming car that contains a family with 3 kids totally obliterating the lot? The only good thing about that, is that the idiots will be dead too.

Edited to add, some of these races consist of over 50 idiot bikers racing together, if you were driving with your family and come across these hurtling towards you, how safe would you feel?

Now I might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer,but I have real troubles reconciling somo,s stated profit margins.

From his figures it costs approx 4000 baht/rai to plant and grow his cassava,plus 2000 baht harvesting cost.

His return is 10,000 baht or 4000baht "profit"BUT ,it then costs the 4000 baht "profit "to plant and grow the next seasons crop,so there is no retained profit.

To my mind this is a dog chasing its tail scenario and the only time you could show a retained profit is the time you do not replant another crop.

Renting land , owning no equipment and relying on hiring labour and equipment means you have virtually no control over costs and certainly none over commodity prices..

You may well be right about yourself.

It ain't rocket science. It costs me 5.500 to produce and I sell it for 10,000 = 4,500 profit.

Or to put it another way. Once I sell for 10,000 I pay the 2000 costs of harvesting leaving me 8,000.

I put 4,500 in my pocket and the other 3,500 is used for the next harvest. Got it?

Renting land for ay B800/year is usually a cheaper option than buying it.

My tractor expenses are 36,000/year so why spend a million baht on buying one?

Spending loads of money on expensive equipment that is not needed is possibly why many farmers struggle.

By hiring rather than buying I am controlling my costs and not throwing money away.

How does hiring rather than buying mean I will have no control over commodity prices?

None of us can control them and spending silly money on capital equipment won't help.

I have to say that I agree 100% with you.

I have heard it mentioned more than once about the profit being used for the next cycle outlay. This is not the case and is a mistake of the person attempting to compute the figures the incorrect way by choosing to use the profit margin to reinvest when the initial outlay recoup is what is used to reinvest and the profit margin is actually exactly that...'profit'. the oputlay margin is recycled every harvest, meaning you are technically only ever paying once and regurgitating that outlay to reap profit every cycle.

You are actually playing the game exactly as it ought to be played. Renting beats buying in a business climate where stability is difficult to achieve. By renting, you never really need to have all your eggs in one basket, you can make yourself flexible as to your location, soil types, climate, labour availability and pretty much anything and everything.

You have the ability to use profits to start saving to buy your own land if land investment is what floats your boat, maybe something to hand to your kids when you shrug off your mortal coil. You may even get a deal to rent with an option to buy as you go along, that way you could end up paying the land owner with money you made from his own land

There are many possibilities if you plan correctly, and you have a good business mind. If market conditions or the natural elements conspire against you, then at least you have the ultimate flexibility to regroup elsewhere and limit any losses. Not so with the owner/farmers who are pretty much stuck to it. If you posess good acumen and approach farming in Thailand with a pure business logic, then it is not hard to make it work with the right conditions, but then again, that is all subject to your ability to assess the conditions for what you want to achieve.

I would say to the OP "Go for it" it is much better to give it a go so that you know, rather than never do it and never know. I wish you the best of luck.

@ Jim.... I might be over this week... what beer do you drink over there?

If I understand the OP correctly, he has some money he wants to invest in a feasible business venture. There are people on this list who have business ideas but not the funds to realise them. This sounds like a match to me.

I don't see any Nigerian scam here, unless the OP now starts to ask for any "advance payments". I don't think he will, but let's also give the doubters the benefit of the doubt and wait and see what happens.

I advise the OP to conduct due diligence, and I advise any takers to be suspicious of advance payments.

Great advice.

I always exorcise DD. I have been stung in the past, not by schemers but by a business partner, cost me my business between him and his high flying lawyers. The guy was my best friend at the time, but lawyers don't take prisoners so when he got cold feet over a botch load of stock from China which I was already in the middle of sorting out with the supplier, they advised him to pull out and make me an offer as his exit strategy that would basically ruin me. But it was one that they knew I could not afford to turn down because of the position I was in.

He walked away with 90% of the business funds and I was left holding the crap. It is amazing what $300 an hour lawyers can come up with.

So.. I learned a long time ago these 2 things.

No friends in business and don't even trust your best friend let alone trust a stranger.

Anyway, I bounced back in the end, and here I am.

I also agree, never trust anything with advance payments attached, especially when they are 'unexpected' payments. Which I would never ask of anyone. If I am meant to be the funding partner, then it would be absurd for me to ask the other perty for money.

I am sorry to be skeptical but we don't know if the OP is legitimate. It could be just a plot to gain business ideas for him/herself if funding is in place.

I know there have been several threads asking how to make money in Thailand with no ideas coming forward.

Is there any way of checking your credentials?

Think you are right, anyone who was genuinely looking for investments would have at least checked my profile after my above reply. Didn't see his avatar there.

In the mean time, I have had a guy e mailing me about setting up a multi million dollar rubber plantation. When I asked how much money he had, reply none, I am going to get investors.

World is full of dreamers, been here 10 years and get at least 10 big want to bes a year. Only ever had one come and look. Jim

Hi Jim.

On the contrary, I have been on your profile (I don't know why it is not showing me as a visitor). I have also Googled your name and read your entire blog as well as watched your youtube videos. Obviously all in the name of 'due dilligence'.

I am going to send you a PM once I have done some further studies and hopefully unearth some options for you. This would normally be complete by now, but I am quite busy getting a few other things ready. I have to go to the UK next week for 3 weeks to set up some other investments. Last night was also lost to having to do family stuff with the wife.

But I will be contacting you directly within the next 12 hours and we can hopefully have an initial Skype chat, and will be hoping to come over to visit with you once I return from the UK.

I think you will find I am anything but a dreamer. Hopefully you will confirm that for me here, once you are able.

klubex99 Was going to PM you, but the bit about, will only work with hard working people. Afraid I lose on that one, getting out of bed is about as hard as it gets. Jim

At least you are honest with it

Question 3:

You should think in terms of 20ft/40ft containers to minimize your shipping costs and depending on the size and reputation of yours and the Thai company you might be able to do the payment on LC - Letter of credit http://en.wikipedia....etter_of_credit

Note anything on LC MUST match up on all paper work - invoicing and shipping or you will have problems for export/import. LC does protect you and them, otherwise SWIFT/TT some sort of deposit and then final payment on shipping

Yes... LC or DC (document of credit in some banks).

The best thing is to just employ a shipping and forwarding agent in Canada, they will do all of the paperwork for you, they will even handle the road haulage to the final destination. They are relitavely cheap, and always make sure you inspect the container before it is handed over to the shipping company.

Make sure that if you are buying the goods direct from the manufacturer, that you pay with LC 'at sight'. That means the money is not released to the manufacturer until you have full possession of the goods in hand and that the contents match the 'bill or laiding' (Ship's document').

Also make sure that you mark the LC form 'NO TRANSHIPMENT' This means that they can't take the container off one ship in a 'en route' country and transfer it to another... make sure of that, because that is when things go missing from containers and it is pretty untrackable.

Hope this helps.

Are You Sitting On A Top Investment Opportunity?

Do you have a great idea that needs funding?

I have a very good business mind and a great track record as an entreprenuer. I am 100% resident in Nakhon Ratchasima and I am looking for people who have great investment opportunities that require an 'active' funding/managment partner.

Most of my strengths are in the online sector, online opportunities and websites. I also have run successful import/export and retail sales businesses. But I am just as comfortable with all sorts of opportunities.

I am a 47 year old British citizen settled here. I have experience of business within Thailand.

Whether it is a website, or manufacturing proposal, a restaurant, bar or nightclub, or even building/property development... I want to know about it.

Lots of people have fantastic opportunities that they allow to pass them by, mostly because they do not have all the necessary funding to get it off the ground. Maybe they lack the knowledge of how to take the first steps. Or they are unsure of how things work in the Thai business arena. Whatever the reason, eventually that initial enthusiasm decays and falls away and yet another life changing opportunity gets away. All these hurdles can be overcome!

I am looking for people with the drive, determination and ability to take the bull by the horns. I will only be willing to work with hard working and enthusiastic individuals in any venture. If you have the qualities to succeed I will spot it and help your dream to become a reality. If you are an unrealistic dreamer, I will spot it.

Any business idea considered and judged on its own merits.

Please PM me with your business idea giving as much detail as possible. I need to know your business plan, location, and information about your background. I need to know why you think your idea deserves my attention.

What is the competition?

What are the first 3 year profit proections?

What is the start up capital requirement?

Is there an exit strategy for me?

Do you have part funding?

Basically, let me know as much as you can to allow me to make an informed decision.

You never know, you could be my next business partner.

Thank You.

Hi.

Non-Imm B class visa is correct for you.

You should be able to get a short term one for your initial visit relatively easily, and you should state your intentions that you are only coming over for possible business establishment purposes. It would also work in your favour for a long term multiple entry B visa if you let them know that you intend to form a Thai company for the purpose of manufacturing and 'export'... Even if you do not intend to export, Immigration loves that word because it means outside money coming into the country. Green light all the way.

Once you are comfortable, you will need to set up a company and goi through the long term visa application process. I am not sure if it is 1, 3 or 5 years, but just go for the 1 year and upgrade as and when.

When you start the Thai company, you will need to show something like 2 to 20 million baht, but this does not need to be real money, you can have it on paper, from a Thai accountant, they can arrange your whole company setup for you for around 20,000 baht, or at least that is what my friend paid. You will need Thai nationals to stand as directors etc, and you can only hold 49% of the company shares (i think). But there is loads of info on this site regarding company formation.

Now that is the proper way to do things with a lot of runaround and cost. The best way is this.

Come here on a tourist visa, and do your setting up then... all the spade work and leg work that is...

If you have a Thai wife or girlfriend, you can start up a simple 'limited partnership'. All you have to do is fill in the forms and get a rubber stamp made for the business and take it along to the correct government office to register it. You can hold no more than 30% of the partnership with the Thai part holding a minimum of 70%. You also need to show NO MONEY either on or off paper. You are even allowed to have a minimal involvement with the running of the business and you don't even need a work permit.... Lots of people will step in here and challenge this, but I can assure you, I actually had one of these partnerships, and I was on a tourist visa and they told me straight to my face that I was allowed to do a little management work to 'oversee my investment'.

The whole process costs only 5000 baht to set up, and that comes from the foreign half only, the Thai part pays a few hundred I think (typical).

That is the way you should go with this. Take the first route and you will be ankle deep in paperwork and will be so confused, and will likely pay tens of thousands of baht before you can even think about applying for a work permit to run your company. If the Thais are doing all the manual work, just be the glue that holds everything together, and keep yourself to yourself, and keep a low profile, and do as little as possible, that way you can go for years even on a tourist visa and run a business here, totally legit (ish).

Kasikorn bank will also allow the partnership to open a business bank account. I have one myself and all on a 60 day double entry tourist visa. Times have changed now though, I am on a non-imm O visa since marrying my gf.

Some of these things may be a little inacurate, such as the company money numbers... but the process is 100%.

Regarding the question about Thai government asking for cash... Are you referring to export duty? Please explain in more detail.

Good luck.

My wife was looking through the webboards that the Thais love to gossip on so much.

Anyway, I usually sit on the PC next to her (my own PC that is) as while she uses her PC for gossip like most thais do, I use mine for making money. Whenever she comes across a tasty tit-bit she always comments to me on it. Then I am either interested or just sigh and say i am too busy to think about it.

That being said, she does seem to unearth some real bizzare stories which usually end up having a lot of truth in them, even though I tend to dismiss most of them as a bit too far beyond the pale.

Well she tapped my arm this afternoon and started to relay the following story to me, which is just crazy.

Some girl, may have been in her late teems, and I can't quite remember where exactly it happened, but anyway, she was raped by a few men, who then dumped her on the side of the road, and she managed to hail down a taxi for assistance, the driver helped her into the car before driving her to some remote spot and raping her also.

Now if this is not bad enough, when she reported it, the police came round to her house to investigate the terrible tragedy that had befallen this poor unfortunate. When the 2 police officers arrived to take the report.... you guessed it. They raped her... LOLOL

I shouldn't really laugh, but c'mon!!

For all I know, this could have actually happened without any exaggeration thrown in for spice, but I don't know. So I thought i would post it up here, because I know it will be read by a lot of folks, and I am sure I am not the only one who is fed continuous volly of bizzare Thai gossip.

I think the incident may be a few weeks ago and at first i wasn't paying much attention, so if anyone can clarify if they came across the same story and can fill in any gaps.

No way has over 4 BN USD gone anywhere near repair and defense work, I would say that 10% is pushing it, we all know it has worked its way into a selection of offshore bank accounts. The Thai people may be stupid enough to swallow this crap, but we farangs are a little bit wiser. Even the USA could have trouble spending that amount on flood defenses in a short time like this.

I am waiting for the time when the Thais wake up to this bunch of idiots and rise up into the streets where the millitary will take prompt action and install their next choise government which they have done on 18 occasions in the past... Or maybe history doesn't repeat....lol

If BKK floods again like it did last year, then I am afraid history may well repeat.

Each application is treated separately, and the applicant has to show they meet the criteria for the visa they are applying for with each application.

As said, that she has applied before and complied with the conditions of that visa is, though, a point in her favour.

As you are married and living together you don't really need to provide all the evidence of your relationship that you did before; your marriage certificate, your passport showing your status in Thailand and evidence that you are living together should suffice.

The ECOs are reasonable people; they don't expect married couples who live together to phone, skype and email each other!

Have you considered a longer term visit visa? She could still only spend a maximum of 6 months in the UK per visit and, usually, a maximum of 6 months out of any 12; but it will save you the trouble of applying each time.

Be warned though, the longer the term, the higher the fee. If the ECO decides to grant a shorter term than asked for you will not receive a refund!

See VAT1.4 Visa validity - What period for a multiple entry visit visa?

Thank you.

Very good and helpful reply.

We were considering the 5 year multi once we have returned from the UK, because we will go again at Christmas, so that will be 3 trips she has made and returned, which we think may help the longer term visa app.

having taken 3 trips inside 12 months will demonstrate that we are frequent visitors, both my mum and dad are both sick also, so this means i need to come and go quite a lot.

Not really.

Same level of evidence really. What type of visa are you applying for?

RAZZ

Just a tourist visa, I think they are 6 months by default.

I remember she had to go down to BKK to put her documents in for the visa app, and we beleive that this was because she had to have her fingerprints and DNA swab taken. I was hoping we could apply by post seeing as i can't recall her having her DNA profile or fingerprints changed in the past 9 months.

Your posts are confusing. You have Skype communications which suggests you are in the UK and your (now) wife is in Thailand.

Then you say that you have to go to the UK in October, which suggests that you both live in Thailand..????

'tog' is suggesting that they may think that you are attempting to circumvent the settlement conditions. however this would not necessarily be the case if you are living together in Thailand, hence my comments regarding your visa status.

All visa applications for a UK visa require a visit to the VFS in Bangkok to submit the application and documents, and to have bio-data taken (fingerprints and photo...no DNA swab)

Sorry, I should explain clearer.

I met her online, as opposed to a bar in pattaya. We communicated on skype for 2 years before i cane over here, I have been here in Korat now for 2 years and 2 months, on tourist visas till April, and then on a non imm 'o' visa which i will be issued a 12 month one on Sept 2nd. Which is a foregone conclusion seeing as we are married and i have done all the legal procedures to the letter with more than enough money in the bank (6 million THB in Kasikorn Thailand and another 6 million in my UK bank account).

My wife owns her own house here, which is our marital home.

The actual reason we want to go there, is because my sister is having her 50th Birthday party (masquerade ball) and I thought it would be a nice idea to go and gatecrash it seeing as we will be masked, I thought it would be a sweet surprise considering my sister thinks we can't make it. Wearing masks will add to the fun of the surprise especially if we can mingle around in there for an hour before she or any of my family realises its me....lol I like to make silly entrances like this. I like querky.

Anyway... Thanks for all your answers, it looks like we just have to go through all the same formalities. I am confident she will get the visa, just wondered if it wall less hoops the second time.

Not really.

Same level of evidence really. What type of visa are you applying for?

RAZZ

Just a tourist visa, I think they are 6 months by default.

I remember she had to go down to BKK to put her documents in for the visa app, and we beleive that this was because she had to have her fingerprints and DNA swab taken. I was hoping we could apply by post seeing as i can't recall her having her DNA profile or fingerprints changed in the past 9 months.

My Thai gf and I went to the UK for 7 weeks from December to jan and my wife had to jump through a lot of hoops to get a visa, I am talking ... sending photos of us together, prined out 2 years of skype convos to prove we have known each other for years. Had to get my father to fax over his government ID with address and also a payslip showing his national insurance number and also write a letter for immigration.

I think it took about a month to get together everything they required to issue her with a tourist visa.... This I can understand, because many people are trying to get into the UK illegally.

My question is.... because she already had a visa which is now expired, but she proved she did not default on it, and also since then (April) we were married, and is now my legal wife... Is it an easier process to aquire a UK visa for her, because I need to go to the UK in October, and I want her to come along with me.

Thanks in advance.

Thailand is no longer a poor country so the laws should be reciprocal - if you can't own land as a foreigner in Thailand then a Thai shouldn't be able to own it in your country either.

Thailand is no longer a poor country because of erm... cough cough.... the foreigners that they hate so much, and their money that they bring into Thailand to buy things like tum yam, sex and land to buy a house or to build a tourism infrastructure for these ungrateful idiots.

I think it is time I was looking closer at Phnom Penh. They are the new emerging capital city in SEA with a lot better attitude. I can make as much money there as here if not more, and to be honest, i think they are more deserving of what foreigners actually bring to these countries.

Is it any wonder that Thais are increasingly seeing foreigners as a financial target to bent over and shaft vigorously without lubes, whether it be charging double for the white skin or stabbing them for their goods. When this is the example being set by their own government??

As far as i see it, the Thai children with a farang dad is a shitload more likely to own their own land/property than a child born of pure Thai extraction.

One million foreigners living here, I wonder how many Thai children will be inheriting land or property because of that figure?

How low would land prices be if foreigners were not buying it? Building land (infill) 50K baht per rai

And while i am at it... I buy land and develop it with housing that is sold to 98% Thais, so i hold land for only a year. I build to a MUCH higher standard than any Thai developer. I use good materials, my houses will be still looking the same 20 years after Thai built housing has fallen over...

So where is there the provision for foreigners like myself who are giving higher living standards at affordable cost to Thais, as well as providing jobs to Thais???

I have 8 very well paid changs outside now hammering away... Think I will go outside and tell them that their future is no longer guaranteed.

Is it any wonder that Thais are increasingly seeing foreigners as a financial target to bent over and shaft vigorously without lubes, whether it be charging double for the white skin or stabbing them for their goods. When this is the example being set by their own government??

As far as i see it, the Thai children with a farang dad is a shitload more likely to own their own land/property than a child born of pure Thai extraction.

One million foreigners living here, I wonder how many Thai children will be inheriting land or property because of that figure?

How low would land prices be if foreigners were not buying it? Building land (infill) 50K baht per rai

It appears Thailand is no longer a peaceful land of smiles but knifes and tourists stubbings / deaths.

I was initially thinking about moving there for some time but the more such news come through the less I like the idea...

it is still the land of smiles...

yes there are horrible things that happen there, but horrible things happen in every country, it is the way the authorities deal with these crimes that is the problem. i would still recomend going to thailand to anyone, i'd just say that there are do's and dont's. but they are common sense and generally the same in thailand as anywhere e.g. someone tries to rob you, you give them your stuff (if you were getting mugged in London your not going to fight back over a few quid when you know if this guy is low enough to mug you he's probably capable of worse).

please understand that this is not me trying to in anyway justify some of the terrible things that happen there; they are tradgic. i just want people to remember that every country has low lifes. for the huge majority thailand is an amazing experience...

don't not go because of a couple of horror stories

That's fine . . . but do you realize just how many tourists are actually injured or killed in the LoS every year (it's a lot)? And how many are killed or injured in other tourist destinations (it's not a lot to none)? You'll be surprised if you Google the results.

If you Google "Tourists killed" there are killings/deaths in virtually every country in the world relating to tourists. This ranges from coach crashes (yes, not just Thai drivers fall asleep at the wheel) to killings for initiation to gangs.

Thailand is like every other country, it's just that people on forums appear to be Daily Mail readers and revert to their angered from Basingstoke personna.

I've lived in Thailand on and off for the last four years, have stumbled about drunk in Bangkok, Pattaya and Patong in the early hours of the morning and have never fallen foul of the nasties many on here and other forum make out exist on every street corner. Never been stopped by the police in their insatiable hunger for tea money, have left laptop bag, phone etc on tables in bars and come back and they're still there.

If I was someone who had never been to Thailand and read this forum, I'd never visit it after the scare stories and conspiracy theorists who spout garbage on here. Yes there's been some sad news regarding tragic events, but it's no worse than anywhere else. As regards the police and their response, when they do something right it appears that they've fitted someone up who is innocent/gullible/feeble minded and only pleading guilty so his family receive money.

If you possessed any decent level of reading skills, you would see that link you inserted actually bolsters what everyone here is complaining about. It is actually reporting that the crime against Tourists (non state residents including people from the rest of the USA and world) is only 9 murder victims in 12 months. So it is reporting it as actually very low while everywhere seems to be wrongly accusing it of being the tourist murder capital of the world... which is laughable by those stats.

In Thailand, I wonder how many tourists leave in a box every 12 months??

Nobody is saying that it doesn't happen everywhere else, they are just angry at the increase. Of course, when my family and friends read all these reports in the national newspapers in the UK, it worries them that i live in a place like this.

I am happy you feel totally safe here... I think one day you may live to regret your sloppy attitude to your own personal safety here... I am always very wary at night, and I live in Korat which has virtually no tourists. But i would never stagger around the streets drunk at night, that is just asking for trouble, because crime is just as high here (Thai on Thai) as anywhere in Thailand, and i would be just setting myself up as an irresistible target to any low-life stalking the streets looking to make a fast few thousand baht.

I think you have been very fortunate, but i dread to think of what could have and possibly should have happened to you if you just walked through the wrong soi at the wrong time... yeah... You have been lucky.

It appears Thailand is no longer a peaceful land of smiles but knifes and tourists stubbings / deaths.

I was initially thinking about moving there for some time but the more such news come through the less I like the idea...

it is still the land of smiles...

yes there are horrible things that happen there, but horrible things happen in every country, it is the way the authorities deal with these crimes that is the problem. i would still recomend going to thailand to anyone, i'd just say that there are do's and dont's. but they are common sense and generally the same in thailand as anywhere e.g. someone tries to rob you, you give them your stuff (if you were getting mugged in London your not going to fight back over a few quid when you know if this guy is low enough to mug you he's probably capable of worse).

please understand that this is not me trying to in anyway justify some of the terrible things that happen there; they are tradgic. i just want people to remember that every country has low lifes. for the huge majority thailand is an amazing experience...

don't not go because of a couple of horror stories

That's fine . . . but do you realize just how many tourists are actually injured or killed in the LoS every year (it's a lot)? And how many are killed or injured in other tourist destinations (it's not a lot to none)? You'll be surprised if you Google the results.

That is correct, as far as tourist victims go and the severity of being a victim here.... Thailand probably wins hands down by a massive margin to second place for danger to tourists.

At the very least, you will be fleeced by many on your visit, simply for being a westerner. (farang price). At the worst... you will be stabbed or killed.