brucetefl

Yes, Alan, I think so.

But how to duplicate this color? Does anyone know?

I have a basement in my ex house in Rayong.

We actually built it AFTER the home was built.

Slightly problematic but it works and does not have many issues.

Here is my thought:

People generally go to EITHER Pattaya or Hua Hin /CHa Am from Bangkok or another area of Thailand. Do they really want to go o both? Personally I doubt there would be much business at all!

It has to be sent to the accounting department now. I am completely out of the loop regarding refunds.

She actually has not even managed to go to Hua Hin with her 1 lesbian and 2 gay co workers.

I am trying to get that information, too.

I know they made me change the intro info for all new students explaining that the first 15,000 is an administrative fee and is non refundable.

Keep in touch and try to be patient. The term starts in a few days and I will try to get some answers.

The refund policy used to be up to me, the Director of International Programs.

NOW its up to the Thai admin.

Is that all that needs to be said?

Its no fun for me either.

I was pretty liberal and understanding. They... are not.

If you do not have access to your high school diploma (or equivalent) they can also allow you to enroll until it arrives.

I am a lifelong entrepreneur and I've always formed my own companies most of which have become profitable. So despite my MBA, I've never really paid much attention to external investment. However, my girlfriend has recently come into some cash and she asked me how she should invest it. She also has a very high salary (by Thai standards) and needs to do a better job putting money away. She was going to just throw the lump sum into a regular bank with a six month term. I explained her that she's probably losing money if you compare inflation. Yet, despite this measly advice, I didn't really have much to say.

So I decided to come to this form. I feel very fortunate but someone like fletch is here to help us less initiated in the world of investment. So thank you, fletch. Very well done. I might even start diversifying my portfolio into investments outside of my own sphere of influence. I'm not as Young as I used to be after all.

I feel like I owe you a drink or a dinner or something.

Seems to be a year where I'm not particularly in a rush to invest Having took stock of 2014 and how that fared - a decent year - the next thing was to set out where I want to be at the end of this year. So as usual I've set some specific financial targets in monetary amounts, type of investments, time frames etc. Always a good way to focus, and if you fail to plan then you might as well plan to fail

For overall direction, I'm still looking more for wealth protection for me and the wife, whereas wealth creation for the kids. A lot is similar to last year. So (leaving out the amounts) here are my objectives for 2015:

1. Maximise my LTF investments for tax benefit. Still can't beat this as an investment, with the government kindly giving me money back since 2004. each THB 100k can effectively cost as little as THB 65k net, depending on your tax rate. So a 50%+ instant gain, for tying it away for 5 calendar years, which I would have been happy to do and plan anyway. Plus THB assets are important living here, and equities should grow long term to exceed inflation.

2. Maximise RMFs. Not new money, just sell existing funds, and buy similar ones to get the tax benefits. Same tax relief as LTFS just tied up for a bit longer. Last year I split equally between: Thai equities, Asian equities, Global Fixed Income and Gold. Simply selling a fund and buying a similar version with the proceeds that has an RMF wrapper, so I get tax relief:

Aberdeen Smart Capital - Thai equities

Aberdeen Asia Pacific - Asian equities

Krungrsi Gold ETF

KTAM (global) Bond RMF

3. Streamline my investments. I hold in 3 main places: UK, Thailand, and Singapore. Where I came from (in case need to go back)+ where I am + offshore. I plan on continuing with all 3, just I want to simplify them. While I can manage them, they increasingly take up more time, plus I also do for my mum in UK, brother and sister in law, and one of their children. Plus if anything happened to me, wouldn't be easy for the wife to manage

4. Spend less time on investments and money. More time with the family. There's a good chance I'm past the half way stage in life

5. Revise our wills. So I have 3: UK, Singapore, Thailand. My wife has 2: Thailand and Singapore

6. Increase our exposure to fixed interest/ bonds. Still only around 10%. Needs increasing from my 100% equities in younger days. Would like to move towards about 15%. But this will be a challenge as 1) yields on fixed income aren't that attractive, particularly knowing rate rises will come at some point; and 2) my equities tend to return more and grow faster, so it's a bit of an uphill struggle there too

7. Reduce our weighting on Thailand equities. I still want a reasonable exposure there. Just I have more than I'd prefer - almost 40%. Partly as a result of good returns in Thai equities since 1998, but partly because in this environment if I sell there still aren't that many attractive THB asset classes. Cash rates poor. THB bonds unattractive. Property = hassle

8. Increase weightings to property and REITs - to diversify more from equities, bonds, cash etc. This will be one of the easier ones. Singapore REITS look attractive, still getting 6% - ish yields tax free with potential capital upside, and in SGD

9. Buy a few more income yielding assets in Thailand.

10. Buy some of the Krungrsi Global Income/ JPM Global Income fund in the wife's name, to dip our toes into. It's well diversified across major asset classes, and it's the type of thing she could hold for 30 years+ even if something happened to me. Auto-redemption of units could create say 3.3% redemption per year for 30 years, with capital growth.

11. For the kids just keep buying the same amount every month in funds, mainly equity funds, to hold until they're at least 18. So still at least 10 years or so away. I started doing this a shortly after the birth of our first daughter, and at the same time started the same amount/funds in my name in anticipation of the second one when she came along a couple of years later. Then just swapped the names to hers when the second finally came along. That was around 8 years+ ago. So they both have a reasonable sum in their names, and the same amounts to be fair.

12. Make sure by the end of the year, I've enough cash set aside specifically for a new car. Again I just stick the same amount away in cash each month. Use the girls names by me, to spread the risk about and put it in Stan Charte eSavers earning 2.5% instant access. Always a competitive rate, so I don't have to bother chopping and changing.

Anyway, that's a little where I'm coming from. Anyone any thoughts to share on additional objectives?

Next thing, with the past assessed, and targets set is specific investments to get there

Cheers

Fletch

I built this in 2011.

Yep designed and built by me

RUBBISH!! First mobile pizza shop.
There has been mobile pizza shop for over 2 years in Banphai.

Do we get to see a picture of one sir ?

Yep designed and built by me

RUBBISH!! First mobile pizza shop.

There has been mobile pizza shop for over 2 years in Banphai.

I should have been more specific. Yes she did.

Just as an update, the gf has dropped the requests to travel overseas but will go with some friends for a few days, all of them I know very well and her co workers, for 3 days and 2 nights in Hua Hin.

And last week I got an unexpected bill for 500,000 baht from the hospital. She immediately offered to pay it since I am a bit short on cash.

I plan to keep her.

ehhhh..... but did she pay it ? i think not. dude, she got you pegged & whipped , you are now a woosie boy shareing sll that she has :-)

Just as an update, the gf has dropped the requests to travel overseas but will go with some friends for a few days, all of them I know very well and her co workers, for 3 days and 2 nights in Hua Hin.

And last week I got an unexpected bill for 500,000 baht from the hospital. She immediately offered to pay it since I am a bit short on cash.

I plan to keep her.

And thats the question... Cannot in HK. And according to the lawyer cannot in Thailand either since never married.

OK but thats not what the lawyer here said... I honestly have no idea.

I married my soon-to-be ex-wife 20 years ago in Hong Kong. According to Hong Kong law you cannot get a divorce there unless you've live there for the past seven years. I came to Thailand over 18 years ago.

I went to see a lawyer about her divorce and he asked if my marriage was ever registered in Thailand. I said I didn't think it was we just had the original marriage certificate translated into Thai. He said it's likely that I'm not even really married here and there is no need for a divorce.

Comments?

game for the national champions is coming. WHERE CAN SOMEONE WATCH THIS GAME?

I am an advanced beginner.

Has anyone tried language exchange? Any suggestions on where to find Thai people who would like to Study English for an hour and then teach me Thai?

So since most people seemed to think it was a red flag (as I did) I brought it up again and said the following:

Noi (not her real name), we spend 4 to 10 hours a day together and have been spending this much time together for a few months now. If you suddenly left for two weeks I would really miss you and I think you would really miss me.

Also, what it says to me is "I do not want to spend time with you and prefer my friend".

She said... OK i get it and agree.

I think the point was "I am visiting my lesbian friend (wink wink)"

Actually she is kind of pushing for marriage. I am divorced--been there done that. This trip is not even SCHEDULED. Its just a theoretical thing for her--in the future can i take holidays alone once in a while as I have become accustomed to doing. A point of discussion if that makes sense.

Thanks for all the comments.

First of all this guy IS gay. I have met his partner and seen pictures of him on FB. He is very, very GAY.

51 and 36? In Thailand? Come on. Unless the girl is below 25 or so it would not really raise an eyebrow.

This girl is honest, but just has ideas about independence that I am having a hard time getting my head around. My ex gf invited both of us to visit her in Australia. I just think... my friends will be excited to meet the person who is important in my life. I think her friend should feel the same.

Anyway, i just wanted to see if there were people out there who agreed with her, and there are a few.

Thanks for your help.

Okay people I'm interested to hear your opinions on this.

A few months ago I started a relationship with a very nice thai lady. Upper middle class, went to the top pratom and matayom schools in Thailand and graduated from ABAC. Spent every summer in UK for English camps. She has worked in the US before and has been a manager at several international companies and currently earns nearly 100,000 per month. We have discussed marriage.

Her problem, in my opinion, is that she just turned 36 and has been single and very independent for almost 10 years now (never been married just busy with her work).

She has a lot of friends overseas that I have never met. she says she would like to go visit some in the future, like her gay friend Mark in Canada. She explained that it would be awkward if I went along since I do not know him. She would prefer to go alone.

I must be old at 51 but I find this very strange. I would be happy to go meet her friend with her but having my gf and especially my wife traveling for weeks without me seems unacceptable to me.

Would love to hear others opinions.

Here is my opinion...

MAKE PAYING THE FINE EASIER!

I drive a lot. and I am busy. If I get pulled over in Chantaburi the only way to pay that fine is to go to Chantaburi police station.

Waste of my time.

So bribing is just a lot easier.